I wonder if the tendency of D&D players in my youth to play characters with worldy ambition was related to the design of AD&D where like 85% of your abilities came from the items you looted from dungeons.
Definitely seems to be a correlation there, unsure of causation.
— Matt Colville? (@mattcolville) November 2, 2021
I just recently switched from 5e to OSE (b/x) and some of my players were like ‘Wait, this class automatically makes me a lord later on? Can i see a map?’ The same players didn’t have any ambitions or downtime adventures in my previous 5e campaign. 1/ That’s a good point.
— Matt Colville? (@mattcolville) November 2, 2021
I guess the class description becomes a prescription/guideline on how to play for some people. 2/
— InPaniC (@1nP4n1C) November 2, 2021
Think about how different the game was in the 80s.
You got XP for every gold piece you found. This was the main way you levelled up. Find Gold!
But levelling up just got you more HP and better stats. Want cool powers? You better find some Magic Items!
1/ I think this radically changes the motivation of the players. You were HIGHLY MOTIVATED to explore ancient ruins and brave terrible enemies. Because that was the only way to make progress.
2/
— Matt Colville? (@mattcolville) November 7, 2021
Now, it SORT OF doesn’t matter WHAT your character does. You’re going to get the same rewards no matter what. Doesn’t matter what choices you make.
Just show up, roll enough dice, and you’ll level up. You get the exact same rewards as any other person playing that class.
3/ I think many of us just assume that participating in the narrative is its own reward. I'm not sure.
I think you look at what the game rewards you for doing, and that's what the players are gonna do.
4/
— Matt Colville? (@mattcolville) November 7, 2021
If they’re rewarded for finding loot, they will risk (their character’s) life and limb to get it.
If you use Milestone XP (or really, Level Advancement, but no one calls it that) aren’t you sort of just…rewarding the players for showing up? I wonder if this isn't what lies at the root of the "my players aren't engaged" problem.
The system isn't designed to award engagement!
— Matt Colville? (@mattcolville) November 7, 2021