• 🎮 Pathfinder can feel like an MMO with repetitive optimal actions, leading to boredom for players.
• 🧙 The illusion of choice exists in both Pathfinder and D&D, where options are limited by game designers.
• 🍽️ Feat choices in D&D may seem varied, but some options are clearly better for combat optimization.
• 🎭 Characters in Pathfinder and 5E often become similar in terms of combat optimization at higher levels.
• 🍕 Cutting a pizza into smaller slices doesn't give you more pizza; similarly, smaller choices in character building don't significantly differentiate the characters.
• ⚔️ Total party kills are rare, thanks to increased healing capabilities in newer editions of D&D.
• 🔄 Different RPG systems have varying combat mechanics, but the end result is usually the same.
• 🎲 Ability scores in D&D offer small bonuses that don't make a significant difference in gameplay.
• 📚 Pathfinder and 5E are not the only options; there are other systems like Old School Essentials, Five Torches Deep, Lamentations of the Flame Princess, and 5E Hardcore Mode that offer different gameplay experiences.
• 👍 Professor Dungeon Master appreciates the support and hopes viewers can take something away from Dungeoncraft.

Recommend looking at the preview for the second edition of Knave. It does hit points like basic editions, but each character also has wound slots equal to their slots of for carrying items. When you go below zero HP, you start losing wound slots and you have to drop equipment. Hit points can be recovered with a good night's rest, whereas the wound slots need a safe environment, recovering one slot per safe night's rest. Also everyone is just rolling 1D6 / level, rerolling all d6s each level to help average out HPs.

It's a nice balance of OSR and nu school.

• 🎮 Starting a role-playing game with a fight sequence is an effective way to engage players.
• 🌌 Following Joseph Campbell's monomyth pattern can lead to successful fantasy role-playing campaigns.
• 👥 Creating character archetypes and relationships can help players gel together and complement one another.
• 👪 Having characters related to each other or creating a sense of family can establish trust and cohesion among players.
• ⚔️ Killing off mentor characters allows the hero to shine and avoids overshadowing the player characters.
• 🏰 The pursuit of power in a game is often more interesting than being already powerful.
• 🎭 Meeting and surpassing players' expectations as a Dungeon Master is crucial for a satisfying gaming experience.
• 👥 NPCs (non-player characters) should be created with caution, as players may have unpredictable reactions and preferences.

Proficiency die instead of set bonuses to speed up game and roll more dice. I think this evolved to his Deathbringer dice. Same concept basically.

• 💡 Your Character Ability scores are secondary to your choices.
• 💡 A good player with an awful character can succeed more often than a poor player with a great character.
• 💡 Ask specific questions while exploring to gather useful information and find Treasure.
• 💡 Talking your way through an obstacle is usually the safest option, use it to gather information and identify weaknesses.
• 💡 Sneaking or bypassing obstacles is a good alternative if talking doesn't work.
• 💡 Combat should be a last resort, consider the risk vs reward before engaging in a fight.
• 💡 Understand the different weapons and their advantages.
• 💡 Wearing armor reduces damage from attackers.
• 💡 Consider alternative approaches and objectives in combat.
• 💡 The core of the game is: Gather information, make choices, and deal with the consequences.

Less exposition; more demolition--start with an action scene!

• 💡 There are no universal rules for game mastering (GMing) in tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs).
• 💡 The GM's role is to create conflicts and obstacles for the player characters to overcome.
• 💡 Conflict drives the action and drama in TTRPGs.
• 💡 Each player character should have objectives and motivations to create conflicts.
• 💡 The world should respond to the actions of the player characters, creating a living and dynamic setting.
• 💡 Downtime is important for character development and allows for role-playing and bonding.
• 💡 Personalizing encounters by tying them to the character's backstory can make the game more engaging.
• 💡 GMs should strive to stay organized and have important details readily available during the session.

• 😎 Professor Dungeonmaster aims to make 5E D&D games grittier and more badass.
• 📚 Professor Dungeonmaster admires Critical Role for their enthusiasm, preparation, and quick turns.
• 💪 Professor Dungeonmaster appreciates the modularity of 5E rules and how they can be tweaked to create different game experiences.
• 🧙‍♂️ Professor Dungeonmaster's history with D&D includes playing Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.
• ⚔️ Warhammer was initially perceived as grittier than D&D, but after playing it for years, they realized they could achieve similar results by tweaking 5E rules.
• 🎲 Professor Dungeonmaster provides five tweaks to make your D&D game grittier, including restrictions on resting, rolling attack dice openly, reining in gods, reducing hit points, and eliminating death saves.
• 🛠️ Professor Dungeonmaster encourages game masters to hack and import rules from other games to achieve a grittier game experience within the 5E system.
• 💀 Deathbringer, a character in Professor Dungeonmaster's games, questions accusations of him getting soft and sings "Sailing" by Christopher Cross.

Apologies for the cutoff. Here's the continuation:

Number five, death at negative hit points and no resurrection. This tweak adds a significant level of danger and permanence to the game. In traditional 5th Edition D&D, characters are typically knocked unconscious when their hit points reach zero and can be revived through healing spells or magical means. However, in a grittier game, you can make death more impactful by implementing negative hit points. When a character's hit points drop to zero or below, they immediately die, and there is no chance for resurrection or healing.

By removing the safety net of revival, players will have to approach combat and dangerous situations with more caution and strategic thinking. This not only adds tension and a sense of danger but also makes the consequences of their actions more significant.

In conclusion, these are just a few tweaks that you can make to your 5th Edition D&D game to make it grittier and more challenging. Remember, you can choose to incorporate all or just some of these changes based on your preferences and the preferences of your players. It's important to communicate and discuss these modifications with your group to ensure everyone is on board and enjoys the new style of gameplay.

I hope these tips help you create a game that embraces verisimilitude, grit, and excitement. Happy gaming!

It's a new era for Dungeons and Dragons, and the D&D community stands firmly against Wizards of the Coast. How can you keep playing D&D in such a state? The short answer is any way that doesn't give money to WoTC. Let's talk about that.

Links to videos, webpages, and products referenced in the video:

Videos covering the Open Gaming License (a.k.a "Betrayal"):
@SherlockHulmesDM   

 • The OGL, D&D, & W...  
@DnDShorts   

 • Exposing Every Li...  
  

 • Every Insider Lea...  
@LegalEagle   

 • Dungeons & Dragon...  

Encounter Builders:
Kobold Fight Club https://koboldplus.club/
AidEDD.org - https://www.aidedd.org/dnd-encounter/...

Character Builder:
Fast Character: https://fastcharacter.com/

Links to free D&D sourcebooks (PDFs):
Player's Handook: https://online.anyflip.com/dkneq/yerq...

Monster Manual: https://online.anyflip.com/duex/ixpz/...

Dungeon Master Guide:
http://anyflip.com/fsfu/qjsj

Better Third-Party Books:

*Kobold Press' Tome of Beasts: https://amzn.to/3QNPsmx

*The Game Master's Book of Traps, Puzzles, and Dungeons: https://amzn.to/3iUi6G2

*The Game Masters' Book of Random Encounters: https://amzn.to/3GT4HGx

*(These are Amazon Affiliate links - This means any purchase made helps support my channel at no additional cost to you!)