“Play a new RPG” vs. Homebrew D&D 5e - An RPG Case Study

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For me personally, I realize I was being stubborn and prideful in refusing to try out other systems. I was proud of my homebrew and even considered making my own system from scratch before I considered trying other games. I realize now that I just wanted the ideas to be mine. Once I got over myself and started reading and playing other systems, I saw that everyone had already done my ideas and that I was growing so much more as a GM, a player, and even a fledgling game designer just by exposing myself to all these ideas. Btw, I don't like pathfinder, but I'm glad I tried it. It is important to know what you don't like and why, maybe more important than knowing what you like and why.

Viggo Mortensen rolled a nat 1 when he kicked that helmet. (But a nat 20 when he slashed that dagger aside with his sword!)

Pippins Stealth check in Moria was rolled with advantage and he rolled double ones and the GM was like...ok here's what happens...

I have a peculiar take on this one: if 5e was the first TTRPG that got you to take TTRPGs seriously as a hobby, then one is absolutely inclined to homebrew it until it cannot be so. But the first TTRPG that got me to take the hobby seriously as... well, a hobby... is Monsterhearts 2e (PbtA). So when my group started playing 5e with the same passion as our Monsterhearts games, we sort of homebrewed both to feel like the other. We wanted the drama of the PbtA game, and the action of 5e. Then I got to play Call of Cthulhu and Quest which brought in aspects that we enjoyed from Monsterhearts and 5e. All this to say play other games, but don't be afraid to homebrew them anyway.

It ENTIRELY depends on what you're trying to do. If I want to just run a new setting without major changes to how a normal D&D world would work, I run it in 5e or Pathfinder for ease. but I would never use 5e to run a modern or sci-fi game, or one where I want gritty risks and dark tones. And some settings are entirely married to their system and just "translating" would be watering the experience down (Shadowrun comes to mind). But my biggest suggestion is to actually TRY new systems, don't just assume that because you can do it in 5e that you should. I have a pretty negative opinion of 5e purely from the online sentiment to try to just make a 5e hack for anything. There are better RPGs than D&D 5e out there

I'm of two minds on this. On one hand, changing systems to fit a bit better up is part of GMing and playing. On the other hand, I see people reinventing PF2 within 5e often, which is not really all that time effective. Between these, The One Ring

I am a big, big fan of dice pool systems; especially ones where you get some freedom in how to build your pool in a given situation with some resource management. It makes each and every decision such an active one. As for nat 1s in LotR - everything Pippin ever does. Just every time he's in a scene it's a nat 1 (which is why he's the best)

I homebrew a lot for 5e, it is a fun creative challenge for me to make modifications that i like that still feel like they fit within the larger system. I enjoy the effort that is required there, if I didn't i would play a different system (probably an older D&D edition)

As you’ve pointed out, learning another game system is usually way less difficult than it was to learn 5e or PF. Your Cairn and Skate Wizards videos are perfect examples of that.

I can't speak for anyone else, but when I've commented on your videos pointing out similar mechanics in other games it's because I find it useful to look at how other designers have tackled similar designs. It's intended as further inspiration not a suggestion that you should run off and play X instead.

In Moria, Pippin failed his investigation check so hard he pushed a skeleton down a well.

Honestly i think this is a conversation to have with the entire group. ( really the most important part of any game, is that everyone in the table is willing and enthusiastic about playing it.. so play the game that makes everyone in the table to be interested ) Disclaimer: from now on i'm going to talk about ME and MY experience. But.. FOR ME specifically after playing like.. almost all my life playing for more than 30 years. and D&D being my first game but not the only one... and even creating half a docen of distinct games from diceless RPG to full d20 systems... The most important things for me is "alignment" (don't think D&D for alignment but on everyone being aligned with the expectations). Systems could support or impede some fantasies. and i any TTRPG is about having a "shared" fantasy of some sort, the most important thing for it to flurish is that everyone at the table have a compatible fantasy and the rules support that kind of fantasy. That's why i think that session 0 should happen BEFORE picking the game system. having everyone sharing expectations and exitement about what is about to happen is more important than any particular system. after everyone agrees on a Style, tone, and the kind of things that cares about, then you pick the system that would more efficiently support that kind of fantasy, and you homebrew whatever you need to ensure that happen

The mentioned familiarity barrier of 5e is forming a kind of intellectual blockade on the collective mind of our hobby... imagine the grim effect if such a blockade were in place on novels, art or even scientific thinking.

As you said, One Ring is built from the ground up to specifically capture the feel of Middle-Earth/LotR. I don't know about the 5E version, but TOR uses Hope as a metacurrency, there's incentives to form strong bonds within your Fellowship, there's the whole Shadow/Eye Awareness system... it all just feels right. Plus the combat system of choosing stances and special weapon strikes is just chef's kiss I'm a big advocate for reading/trying new games, ESPECIALLY if you're trying to write/design homebrew or even your own game. The more you expose yourself to, the deeper your knowledge pool to draw from. I think you said it in a previous video but imo it's the equivalent of eating the same thing for every meal. Like yeah pizza is great but I really don't think your head would explode if you tried curry.

Trivia: One of my patrons actually wrote the one ring starter set.

I think the "play p2e" mindset is pretty fair when people try to reinvent the wheel and make a far crunchier version of 5e. You don't have to play it forever, but I think you're doing yourself a disservice not to try it. You can pick up on some really cool things to snag for your game if you don't like it, at the very least.

You're a mad man for this one, Bob EDIT: Release the Bob DND Homebrew skill tree! THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE IT!

Great video, Bob. Thanks for the love for The One Ring Starter Set and Shire Adventures products. I was the lead author on them!

It's often said because there are folks that refuse to even consider other systems, even when other systems have exactly what they're looking for. It's a shame, I think we should all play multiple systems, as they each have their benefits. In fact, my group sets aside one week per year where we play new systems for five straight days, and we always have a blast.