I'm a simple man... I want to play a game that is actually called D&D right there on the cover
Then 5e is the game for you.
I have to admit: I don't get the OSR. There seem to be two kinds of D&D retro-clones: the first is one that hews as close as possible to a TSR edition of D&D and the second is one that only treats a TSR edition of D&D as a point of departure and goes far afield to something that is ultimately barely recognizable as D&D.
I’ll answer these at face value.
What the OSR brings to the hobby:
First:
“…close as possible to a TSR edition of D&D…”WOTC's embrace of current year critical theory is turning some people off to that point that they don’t want to give WOTC their money.
The OSR serves a vital function in allowing people to play the version of D&D that they like, and also support people who don’t hate them.
This is a good thing.
Second:
“…only treats a TSR edition of D&D as a point of departure…”You say that like it is a bad thing!
The fact is that even within the OSR design box there is room for innovation in the game that people have yet to fully explore.
From the way levels and advancement work to how spellcasting is done, much of the OSR is still very much in a rut of:
“Clone D&D system x”I think there is room for innovation on both fronts while still having a d20 game that is both recognizable and accessible to D&D players.
Lion and Dragon is one example of this. And I think that there is room for more.
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My principal disagreement (and it's not even a huge one) is I dislike the 'race as class' bit ported from BECMI. I don't think that's an unreasonable complaint, but it applies to 'the good old stuff' as well as the new stuff.
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“Race as Class” is a point where D&D dropped the ball.
By not going far enough!
Demi-humans Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, etc., should not have the same classes as humans because their cultures should be different.
Giving them access to the same classes is what watered them down and has just made them humans with cosmetics.
If anything, each demi-human race should have 2-3 additional classes reflecting their culture.
Thanks for the kind words on ACKS. We're working on a second edition, woot woot.
ACKS: Spreadsheet Edition
Now With 11 Years More Math
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I would be very interested in a 2nd edition.
Please, I beg, Ditch the attack throw value, and have it use conventional Ascending AC like everything else.
That would make it more compatible with other OSR stuff and more accessible to people used to the ascending AC standard like me as well.