I feel like I’m getting a fresh start: new DM who wants PHB only.

[Klorox]

I feel like the little optimizer in me was going haywire with all the splats that had been released over the past few years.

I feel like this edition was leaning towards the way 3.5 and pathfinder went with all the bloat (but nowhere near as bad).

I’m just not sure what to play now! I’ll figure something cool out!

Has anybody gone back to a PHB-only game? What were your experiences?

[noob]

It is not much different to only use phb: most classes are not dependant on additions from extra manuals.

[Trustypeaches]

I feel like this edition was leaning towards the way 3.5 and pathfinder went with all the bloat (but nowhere near as bad). Even with the qualifier, I disagree.

[Man_Over_Game]

I feel like the little optimizer in me was going haywire with all the splats that had been released over the past few years.

I feel like this edition was leaning towards the way 3.5 and pathfinder went with all the bloat (but nowhere near as bad).

I’m just not sure what to play now! I’ll figure something cool out!

Has anybody gone back to a PHB-only game? What were your experiences?


Even with the qualifier, I disagree.

I agree with Peaches.

Put it this way. 5e has been out for 5 years. In that time, they have not added a single new class, the only new feats they added were for the basic races, and they've doubled the number of subclasses (from when it had about 2-3 per class). It's....really not all that much for 5 years.

To give you an idea of what I mean, 4th edition was the frontrunner for 7 years. Go and take a look at how much content there is for 4e. There's a lot. A. LOT.

Additionally, a Player really only needs to pay attention to 2 books: The Player's Handbook, and Xanathar's Guide to everything. Outside of those, you miss out on some abstract monster races that a lot of people don't like, and some subclass options that a lot of people don't like.


-------

But if we exclude comparing this edition to prior editions, I don't think there's anything wrong with just keeping it with the PHB. It's a shame that you lose out on some of the interesting Monk, Rogue and Ranger options, but people generally enjoy the PHB options more than the others.

[Klorox]

You guys realize I said “leaning” and that “it’s not nearly as bad,” right?

The point of the thread was to ask if anybody had ever gone back to a PHB-only game, and to what their experience was like.

If you don’t think there’s bloat, take a look at how many more warlock dips there are now, since you can use CHA for combat instead of STR or DEX. Or how many melee types aren’t nearly as interested in 5 levels of a warrior class since they can imitate multiple attacks with green-flame blade.

I was Just making an observation, and again, it wasn’t the point of the thread.

[Kane0]

First, roll a d10 for race, 10 being variant human if allowed and a reroll if not
Then, roll a d12 for class
Lastly, roll a d12 for background (remove one you don't want)
Bonus points if you are also rolling for stats!
This was by a wide margin my favourite way of doing the 'back to basics' games i've been a part of. Theres always a few things that you just hadn't considered before (last one-shot my party was half-orc bard, dragonborn ranger, tiefling druid, human necromancer)

And yeah, 5e really hasn't seen much in terms of splat over it's timeline compared to previous editions. I have my reservations about some parts of Xan's but at least everything is easy to keep track of.

[Rukelnikov]

First, roll a d10 for race, 10 being variant human if allowed and a reroll if not
Then, roll a d12 for class
Lastly, roll a d12 for background (remove one you don't want)
Bonus points if you are also rolling for stats!
This was by a wide margin my favourite way of doing the 'back to basics' games i've been a part of. Theres always a few things that you just hadn't considered before (last one-shot my party was half-orc bard, dragonborn ranger, tiefling druid, human necromancer)

And yeah, 5e really hasn't seen much in terms of splat over it's timeline compared to previous editions. I have my reservations about some parts of Xan's but at least everything is easy to keep track of.

We tend to randomize characters from time to time too, when we do that we generally roll for stats in order. It has made for some very funny adventures.

[Sigreid]

Honestly, our table has everything open and available and PHB stuff is still what is most popular.

[Vorpalchicken]

Go for it.

[GlenSmash!]

I'll go one step further.

I'll gladly play in a game were just the basic rules are available. Champion, Thief, Life Cleric, and Evoker are the only options.

I love Barbarians, so I'd play Champion, without access to the Outlander Background I'd customize something using the folk Hero and soldier backgrounds.

It might not be my current Zealot/Gloomstalker with Resilient Wis, and GWM but I bet he would be fun.

[Ventruenox]

Since custom backgrounds are a thing and multiclassing can be as well, pure PHB games have enough options to create great characters. Now SRD-only games might feel a bit contstricting, but I think those are only found in penal institutions.

[2D8HP]

...
The point of the thread was to ask if anybody had ever gone back to a PHB-only game, and to what their experience was like....


I'll go one step further.

I'll gladly play in a game were just the basic rules are available. Champion, Thief, Life Cleric, and Evoker are the only options.

I love Barbarians, so I'd play Champion, without access to the Outlander Background I'd customize something using the folk Hero and soldier backgrounds.

It might not be my current Zealot/Gloomstalker with Resilient Wis, and GWM but I bet he would be fun.


Since custom backgrounds are a thing and multiclassing can be as well, pure PHB games have enough options to create great characters. Now SRD-only games might feel a bit contstricting, but I think those are only found in penal institutions.


I've played and had fun both using the SCAG, Xanthar's, et cetera, and just using the free "basic" rules (http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules?x=dnd/basicrules), and I had a fine time even without the few more free rules in the Systems Reference Document (http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/systems-reference-document-srd).

PHB only would be fine with me.

[sithlordnergal]

Hmmm, I've never really run a game like that. I tend to lean towards "Go for as many things as you want, just run homebrew and Unearthed Arcana by me first". That said, as an AL player, the PHB+1 is an excellent way to play. It prevents the ridiculous stuff like Hexblade/Paladin/Divine Soul with a Quickened Booming Blade.

[Sigreid]

Heck, sometimes if all the options are on the table you'll see someone option their way into a weaker character just because they multi-class so much they don't have enough focus to be as good at anything at higher levels as they need to be.

[Ventruenox]

Now that's just an abserd (https://youtu.be/4ZCIh_3b5K8) build.

[Theodoric]

To get the full lean DnD experience, go for PHB without optional rules (feats and multiclassing). It's not for everyone but it's very workable.

[Arkhios]

Here's a fun trick to try:

Pick a race, one class, one background, and an alignment that you would traditionally find difficult to match together, and start to figure out how they could work together.
...OR, roll them all randomly.

A few (arguably bad) examples, but I'm sure you get the point:

Stout Halfling + Druid + Soldier + Chaotic Neutral (soldiers are typically capable of following orders, and chaotic is anything but.)

Hill Dwarf + Rogue + Acolyte + Lawful Good (typical rogues are seen as criminals, and lawful seems "wrong" with it. Add religiousness to the soup and you're in for some interesting conclusions)

Half-elf + Barbarian + Entertainer + Lawful Good (since alignment restrictions aren't enforced in 5th edition, even barbarian can be lawful aligned. Maybe a dervish dancer or something?)

Dark Elf + Paladin + Sailor + Neutral Good (what made the drow leave their underground home and become a sailor not only above the ground but above the sea? that's a story I'd like to hear!)

Half-orc + Monk + Noble + Chaotic Good (monks, just like paladins, are typically seen as lawful because of the discipline required for their career. But a noble half-orc? That's bound to have an interesting explanation)

...okay, if I go any further I end up making the character for you, instead of providing some ideas. I hope you get the idea.

[Shuruke]

Honestly, our table has everything open and available and PHB stuff is still what is most popular.

For games I play in atleast half of us are phb only. Others just wanted to do something fun that caught their eye like spore druid or etc. So far I've only played 1 xanathar class and I'm currently level 4 on arctic storm herald

[GlenSmash!]

Hmmm, I've never really run a game like that. I tend to lean towards "Go for as many things as you want, just run homebrew and Unearthed Arcana by me first". That said, as an AL player, the PHB+1 is an excellent way to play. It prevents the ridiculous stuff like Hexblade/Paladin/Divine Soul with a Quickened Booming Blade.

They way I think about it is:

There is a lot to be said for playing with all the legos sets you like.

Sometimes it's nice to limit the lego sets to specific theme or even just the base sets to see what you can create.

[diplomancer]

Does the restriction apply also to spells? That would make a far greater difference, in my experience, than races, feats and subclasses.

[xroads]

I played in a brief SRD only game once. The DM had bought his books on D&D Beyond, but the rest of the group chose not too buy ours from that site (for various reasons). So we only had access to the SRD races/classes.

The game was fun. But it made me pine for even the basic options that the basic PHB has.

[Klorox]

Does the restriction apply also to spells? That would make a far greater difference, in my experience, than races, feats and subclasses.

I believe so.