More people should treat homebrew the same way a lot treats published modules. ( ttrpg.network )

Flushmaster , 3 months ago

The biggest problem with homebrew is that most of it is unbalanced crap made up by people who think rule of cool is an appropriate substitute for learning why those numbers in that book they barely skimmed are arranged the way they are. Yes, there's some good stuff out there but like the internet in general Sturgeon's Law is usually a generous assessment.

A great example was in a game I briefly played the DM allowed a homebrew class with seven different class features, most of which could be used in the same turn combined to great effect, at first level. Why? Because the DM didn't know half the rules to the basic system, the class came from a pretty website that was designed to look like an official source book, and the abilities sounded really cool. Nevermind that it made one PC more powerful than the other four party members combined.

Take homebrew with a large grain of salt or everybody will end up very salty.

ProfessorOwl_PhD , 3 months ago

I am begging you to just try another system. Even a same-but-different system like pathfinder. Most of them are much easier and require a lot less work.

TheGreatDarkness OP , 3 months ago

I'm already running Blades in the Dark for another group, first session in two days. Wish me luck ;)

I still want to throw crazy homebrew shit at my d&d group.

ProfessorOwl_PhD , 3 months ago

Yeah, no, this is exactly what I mean - you didn't describe any "crazy homebrew shit", you described things that are just in other systems (even older editions of D&D) without any additional work. One of my PF2e players is a time traveller, without me having to add anything. One of my PF1 players was basically a power ranger, entirely RAW. hell, one of the players I played 4e with was a dimension hopper, even if it was largely flavour.

When I say try another game I don't just mean try something on the opposite end of the ttrpg spectrum like FitD, I also mean try one of the many "5e but better" systems (including previous editions of D&D) to get rid of these ridiculous illusions about all the work you're having to put in.

TheGreatDarkness OP , 3 months ago

This is not what you have said. you've said "I bet you, to just play another system" and when I've said I do, you've backtracked to claim you meant something d&d derivative". You don't know what games I played. I played AD&D 2e, I played D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder 1e. In fact, I've run my first campaign in Pathfinder 1e and HATED that system. I've also run B/X to my players. I'm running in 5e right now, I won't switch for a flimsy reason. And I'm never running PF1e again. I don't think you get how shitty it is to basically say I'm too stupid to know other games exist because I like homebrew. You couldn't be more condescending if you tried.

ProfessorOwl_PhD , 3 months ago

Hey, no, keep paraphasing. I want to see what I said after that. Just the next sentence.

How did you play those systems and still think you're talking about "crazy homebrew shit"? All 3 of them have your homebrew in them - let's try an analogy; imagine you have a large, expensive, and nearly featureless car. You are very proud of how its simplicity lets you keep innovating the craziest new features. You punched some holes in it to create airflow and keep you cool while the car's moving. You set up an array of antennas on the roof so you can take a radio with you and listen to music. You cut a hole in the roof and attache a panel with hinges, so you can open it up on nice days. And then you brag to me about your genius ideas you homebrewed, and I ask why the fuck you didn't just get a car with AC, a stereo, and a sunroof, and you get defensive because I've pointed out something very obvious to everyone but you.

Don't get me wrong, I love crazy homebrew shit. I homebrewed 5e into some crazy shit, but that's about skeleton PCs competing to commit felonies, not adding basic features of other games. Aliens and time travel and dimension hopping aren't unusual in fantasy. This isn't some crazy homebrew shit, this is a basic expectation of the genre - one that other games provide. One that your own examples provide. If you're going to homebrew crazy shit, then homebrew some crazy shit, don't homebrew the most vanilla aspects of other games and complain when it's pointed out that they're not remotely crazy shit.