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Post by tdenmark on Feb 14, 2023 13:37:17 GMT -6
The Black Flag playtest set is here. It is basically just the barebones character creation rules. koboldpress.com/playtest-packet-1-is-here-for-project-black-flag/I'm still chewing on it, but it strikes me as just another streamlined 5e retroclone. Which I'm fine with. I like 5e via OSR. The more "ODD" you can make it, the better. |
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Post by tdenmark on Feb 14, 2023 14:41:20 GMT -6
I see they are going for the universal XP & Level table. That has always bothered me about 5e. There should be different XP tables depending on the relative capabilities of the class. Fighters and Thieves should advance faster than Wizards.
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Post by cadriel on Feb 14, 2023 15:35:40 GMT -6
I saw it. I'm not particularly impressed. Someone basically put it that it's sort of parallel to what WotC has been doing with OneD&D which isn't really super impressive. It's also not at all clear what the goals of the game are other than backward compatibility, which isn't too clear from what's provided.
I can't help but feel like there's room for a more streamlined game, about the chunkiness of the Rules Cyclopedia, that uses a core like 5e but without so much bloat. You could probably pare back the Creative Commons 5e SRD with some OSR principles - similar to the existing Basic Rules - and make some needed tweaks.
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Post by waysoftheearth on Feb 14, 2023 15:48:09 GMT -6
I had a quick read last night.
Yyyyeah. I agree it is looking a lot like a 5e clone.
I guess I'm not surprised, but perhaps a tad disappointed that it doesn't look like there's going to be much intersection with the OD&D world.
One might have hoped for a more bare-bones RPG skeleton upon which different flavours of game could be built, but instead it's looking very much more like a modern/contemporary FRPG product line that has left fantastic medieval wargames campaigns well behind.
So far we have 2 (letter-sized) pages on what a FRPG is, then 10 (ten!) more letter-sized pages on PC generation. Equivalent in length to the first half of M&M and we haven't even covered the player classes yet. I guess the next 10 pages will cover those.
Guess we'll see how it develops...
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Post by Vile Traveller on Feb 14, 2023 16:53:01 GMT -6
I can't help but feel like there's room for a more streamlined game, about the chunkiness of the Rules Cyclopedia, that uses a core like 5e but without so much bloat. Isn't this already what Into The Unknown does? I seem to recall it's the "O5R" game of choice. I imagine Black Flag has an uphill battle trying to drum up interest while at the same time basically being 5E. I'm surprised they're mirroring some One D&D changes, I had the impression they were going to be to 5E what Pathfinder was to 3.5E. |
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Post by tdenmark on Feb 14, 2023 21:04:35 GMT -6
I imagine Black Flag has an uphill battle trying to drum up interest while at the same time basically being 5E. I'm surprised they're mirroring some One D&D changes, I had the impression they were going to be to 5E what Pathfinder was to 3.5E. I like 5e so that doesn't bother me. I think Into the Unknown did 5e via OD&D about as well as could be done, perhaps there is some more room for streamlining here and there. But the striking similarities to One D&D has to do with current social trends and in that way Kobold Press is in line with where WotC has been going, so what's the differentiation? None of any importance that I can see. |
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phantomtim
Level 3 Conjurer
13th Age Enthusiast
Posts: 87 
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Post by phantomtim on Feb 14, 2023 22:05:35 GMT -6
Someone basically put it that it's sort of parallel to what WotC has been doing with OneD&D which isn't really super impressive. It's also not at all clear what the goals of the game are other than backward compatibility, which isn't too clear from what's provided. I suspect this system is attempting to offer third-party 5e publishers a continually-in-print system that they can refer to and keep their products alive after WotC stops printing 5e. It brings up the question around how backwards compatible Project Black Flag will be vs. One D&D will be. So far, Project Black Flag appears very backwards compatible, but we've only seen the lineage, heritage, and background rules. Things could get very different when we begin to playtest classes and any tweaks to 5e's core gameplay. |
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Post by hamurai on Feb 14, 2023 23:42:26 GMT -6
I can't help but feel like there's room for a more streamlined game, about the chunkiness of the Rules Cyclopedia, that uses a core like 5e but without so much bloat. Isn't this already what Into The Unknown does? I seem to recall it's the "O5R" game of choice. Into The Unknown blends 5E and B/X. @topic: I was also underwhelmed by the document. I had hoped for something more original. Apparently the goal is just pretty much what the SRD does, giving a fundament for a fantasy RPG based on 5E. |
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bobjester0e
Level 4 Theurgist
DDO, DCC, or more Lost City map work? Oh, the hardship of making adult decisions! ;)
Posts: 195
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Post by bobjester0e on Feb 15, 2023 5:23:56 GMT -6
I expected a 5e clone with all the serial numbers filed off. That's all I expected.
I didn't expect BF to continue down the oneD&D rabbithole by using the accepted nomenclature. I don't need fluid ability score mechanics for demi-humans or new rules language like ancestry & heritage to describe something already succinctly described.
At this point, I'd settle for a small charts & tables booklet that condenses all 5e rules down to the basics needed to run a 5e game.
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