So, my D&D 5e experiment has blown up the lab in a puff of green smoke leaving my face blackened like Wile E. Coyote after a failed roadrunner Acme trap.
The Wizards can just go stroke their wands. They've destroyed the brand for all time as far as I'm concerned. Their game is pretty shitty. Period. There are plenty of better FRPG games that play better than the cursed Wizards can ever hope to produce.
No worries. Nothing was lost except for some time, precious time.
What was gained was a better understanding of what I might like in a Fantasy RPG.
Simplicity.
The simpler the better.
Boil the game down into just it's most basic elements.
That has lead me to Tiny Dungeon and EZD6.
Even Swords & Wizardry, once thought by me to be as close to my perfect game, no longer cuts it.
I don't want rules. I don't want confusion. I don't want to have to think about it much. I just want to play with my friends, tell a good story and have a good time, and roll some dice.
So, I lose those funny dice in favor of just a couple of D6s. I'm totally fine with that at this point.
Character generation? 5 minutes, tops. We all know we develop our characters more in game than on paper, right? RIGHT??
So, I'm taking EZD6 and sprinkling in a pinch of Tiny Dungeon - mostly for character advancement, and we're off to the races once again.
More mayhem to come...
Have you tried The Fantasy Trip? I've played both Tiny Dungeons and EZD6 but still find myself coming back to TFT when I want streamlined simplicity. Been revisiting it regularly since the 1980s and I'm glad to see it in print again for modern audiences.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you could also be talking about Crimson Dragon Slayer D20... most basic elements, 5-minute character creation, simplicity that gets out of the way, and it's free over at DriveThruRPG!
ReplyDeleteTake a gander at Errant RPG. It's full of useful procedures you can bolt on to EZD6 if you ever need them.
ReplyDeleteYour blog has become a trusted advisor in various aspects of my life.
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