D&D General Why is "OSR style" D&D Fun For You?

[Baron Opal II]

I'm not sure if this is OSR, OSR adjacent, or just me. But, character level obviates certain obstacles. A first level thief rolls to see if they can open a padlock, but 5-6th level thief won't. It just happens. A 9th level wizard is going to know something about the glyph on the wall, and more than "it's not part of your tradition". Things like that; an assumption of competence from luck and effort gaining those levels.

 

[Voadam]

I'm not sure if this is OSR, OSR adjacent, or just me. But, character level obviates certain obstacles. A first level thief rolls to see if they can open a padlock, but 5-6th level thief won't. It just happens. A 9th level wizard is going to know something about the glyph on the wall, and more than "it's not part of your tradition". Things like that; an assumption of competence from luck and effort gaining those levels.

That seems closer to a 4e thing where everyone's skills go up +1 every two levels in a 30 level base span while OSR makes no mention of such advancement with levels beyond thief percentages going up against the same static challenges.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm not sure if this is OSR, OSR adjacent, or just me. But, character level obviates certain obstacles. A first level thief rolls to see if they can open a padlock, but 5-6th level thief won't. It just happens. A 9th level wizard is going to know something about the glyph on the wall, and more than "it's not part of your tradition". Things like that; an assumption of competence from luck and effort gaining those levels.

That feels highly DM dependent.

 

[Oligopsony]

Yeah, OSR style play tends the de-emphasize character builds, and can be satisfactorily played with zero mechanical differentiation between characters whatever. (Cairn, which has no classes or skills or levels, gets pretty close to this - I'd argue its inclusion of ability scores is basically vestigial.) Instead of referring to your character sheet, describe what you're attempting to do and how you're attempting to do it.

(There's no BadWrongFun in doing it otherwise, but the above is the Orthodoxy.)

 

[Thomas Shey]

I'm not sure if this is OSR, OSR adjacent, or just me. But, character level obviates certain obstacles. A first level thief rolls to see if they can open a padlock, but 5-6th level thief won't. It just happens. A 9th level wizard is going to know something about the glyph on the wall, and more than "it's not part of your tradition". Things like that; an assumption of competence from luck and effort gaining those levels.

Its easy enough to do that with skill levels instead. Its not a thing limited to character levels.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Yeah, OSR style play tends the de-emphasize character builds

I assume we're talking specifically very old school D&D subculture here? Because otherwise that's a pretty bad overgeneralization.

 

[Oligopsony]

I assume we're talking specifically very old school D&D subculture here? Because otherwise that's a pretty bad overgeneralization.

I mean the subculture that self-consciously defines itself as OSR, whether or not an older edition of D&D is the ruleset (for instance, Mothership, which is neither old nor dnd, is a popular game in this sphere.) The Principia Apocrypha is the general canonical reference for this style.

Some people have used OSR in this thread to refer to old rules more generally; I don’t use it in that way.

 

[TwoSix]

* But also more MOBA style class design: basic attack, passive ability, around three active abilities, and an ultimate.

For a starting character, I'd say something like:

Basic attack: Just to be able to use a weapon if needed.

Normal attack: Basically damage + rider, or strong rider (uses basic attacks if need to do damage).

Passive ability: Basically a background/skills combo, with a in-combat bonus.

Change-up: An encounter, 1-2 per SR type ability.

"Oh crap": The daily, 1-2 LR ability, pull yourself out of the fire ability.

Then gain new encounters/oh craps/new riders for normal attacks as items, training, favors in a diegetic process.

 

[bloodtide]

So there is no BadWrongFun...

But OSR and Modern do have a huge gap between play styles. And, really they have been their from the start of RPGs. But one of the following play styles is much more common for OSR...and one is Much More Common for Modern 5E D&D.

Style 1:
DM: You enter the under ground chamber. The stone floor tiles are old, some of them already decaying and breaking. A large unlit metal brazier in the middle of the room dominates the chamber. There are six stone pillars spaced throughout the room. There is a wooden table with manacles stained with dry blood next to the north wall. Two wooden benches sit in front of an altar in an alcove in the west wall.
Player: "Ok, I carefully move towards the brazier looking for any movement, and shine my torch on it. Then...(continues)


Style 2:
DM- "You enter the under ground chamber and it looks just like level 11 of Tomb Raider Sever"
Player-"Wow, cool. Um, I roll a Whatever Check of 17 for my character to find things and stuff."
DM- "Your character finds a loose rock in the wall with a scroll and a gold ring behind it!"
Player- "Wow, my character is so cool!"

Of course Style 1 is more common for OSR "old school" games, and Style 2 is more common for 5E D&D.

 

[TwoSix]

So there is no BadWrongFun...

But OSR and Modern do have a huge gap between play styles. And, really they have been their from the start of RPGs. But one of the following play styles is much more common for OSR...and one is Much More Common for Modern 5E D&D.

Style 1:
DM: You enter the under ground chamber. The stone floor tiles are old, some of them already decaying and breaking. A large unlit metal brazier in the middle of the room dominates the chamber. There are six stone pillars spaced throughout the room. There is a wooden table with manacles stained with dry blood next to the north wall. Two wooden benches sit in front of an altar in an alcove in the west wall.
Player: "Ok, I carefully move towards the brazier looking for any movement, and shine my torch on it. Then...(continues)


Style 2:
DM- "You enter the under ground chamber and it looks just like level 11 of Tomb Raider Sever"
Player-"Wow, cool. Um, I roll a Whatever Check of 17 for my character to find things and stuff."
DM- "Your character finds a loose rock in the wall with a scroll and a gold ring behind it!"
Player- "Wow, my character is so cool!"

Of course Style 1 is more common for OSR "old school" games, and Style 2 is more common for 5E D&D.

As always, the balance and neutrality of your posts and willingness to consider the arguments of both sides continues to astonish. Kudos, sir.