@critfail_press #CastlesAndCrusades and #ADnD2e for sure. I love C&C for the simplicity of the SIEGE engine mechanic from what little I've gotten to run with it. AD&D 2e was the first game I played and I love it despite/because of the weird sub-systems for rolling. I'm going to run an Al-Qadim based backup game for my Pathfinder group.
I've even started running my Pathfinder game more OSR-style. My players are incredibly creative and I find that I need to make a quick, fair ruling on the spot if I don't want to drag things down looking for specific rules. A couple of my players do usually have tablets or computers up to help me find some rules on the fly though, so that helps.
I find that there's an incredible amount of trust required for OSR games. You have to feel like the GM is going to be fair and balance resolutions for the story and for the characters. I think it's a little more intimate of an experience, which I love. I feel honored that my players trust me to bring a satisfying gaming experience at my table and I don't want to betray that. It makes me be a better GM, I think.
I'm going to work on a backup #TTRPG game for our Sunday #Pathfinder #RiseOfTheRunelords campaign for when we can't all make a session.
I'm leaning towards the #AlQadim #ArabianNights setting. I've had the boxed set for years, and I haven't had the chance to use it yet.
It'll probably be #ADnD2e but I'm not above trying to make it work for #CastlesAndCrusades. If it's AD&D, I'll probably convert AC to ascending instead of descending, for the ease of the players (and for me!).
Tomorrow, we're starting module 5 of 6 of my #Pathfinder #RiseOfTheRunelords campaign. I never imagined I'd get this far through it when we started.
It's got me thinking about my gaming white whales.
I'd love to get to play #VampireTheMasquerade again at some point, but more likely, I'll be running #VampireTheRequiem
I'd love to go back and run some #AdvancedDungeonsAndDragons modules like the #Dragonlance #WarOfTheLance or the original #Ravenloft or things like that using #ADD2e or #CastlesAndCrusades.
As I run my players through the #Pathfinder adventure path #RiseOfTheRunelords, I've reinforced my dislike of extensive numbers of feats and systems with higher amounts of crunch and my preference towards more #OSR type games.
I've all but gotten rid of battle maps. I largely ignore the lists of feats on enemy NPC entries. Unless they're built-in to the forms, I mostly ignore them. It might be different if the information was listed on the entries, but as it is, I'd have to cross-reference across at least one other book, possibly more. That just slows down the session.
A side effect of getting rid of the battle map, I fudge distances, ignore strict rules about flanking for sneak attacks in favor of a more *shudder* #DND5e approach. If an enemy is engaged, the rogue can sneak attack. It's simple, and I don't have to worry about drawing maps or, now that we have one player remoting in, screw around with a VTT.
If I had my druthers, I'd be running #CastlesAndCrusades or #ADND2e. I really don't care a whit about character optimizing, skill points, or feat chains. Let me describe the action and let the GM adjudicate the results with a roll.
But I'm glad my players are happy and that they're happy to let me drop some annoying rules here and there to streamline the experience. /1
Fighting the beginning of a cold instead of playing #CastlesAndCrusades in the real world (with real dice!).
Sucks to skip an in-person session ... but getting everyone else sick would suck more. So I'm reading #DnD 2024 stuff, prepping for #Greyhawk76, and playing some #BaldursGate3
@cynical13 It was fun.
#CastlesAndCrusades isn't always my cup of tea, but if it means hanging out with friends, I'm happy to grab my dice and go.