John Tkalcich
@workingwithjohn.com
Avid nerd enthusiast. I love Computers, RPGs, Photography, Art, Reading, Learning, and more. I try very hard to understand other points of view and not be too judgy, and I firmly believe that diversity and multiple viewpoints make for better solutions.
My wife and I finally got to watch it. 10/10.
December 25, 2025 at 6:05 AM
My wife and I finally got to watch it. 10/10.
Also as another way of agreeing with your vibe comment. Often in published dnd the non-combat type encounters still often involve peril. Which for sure is a different vibe.
December 23, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Also as another way of agreeing with your vibe comment. Often in published dnd the non-combat type encounters still often involve peril. Which for sure is a different vibe.
This combination I think rose out of both dnd’s attempts to simplify and also a widespread change in our culture. During the last 25 years this optimization culture has happened not just in dnd but also in jobs and schools. It’s kinda gross.
December 23, 2025 at 1:43 AM
This combination I think rose out of both dnd’s attempts to simplify and also a widespread change in our culture. During the last 25 years this optimization culture has happened not just in dnd but also in jobs and schools. It’s kinda gross.
Contemporary monster manuals definitely have less lore, but we used to get a lot more books that were all lore and no stat blocks. Just purely interacting with societies, or markets, or non-human species, or new areas with all of the above. Most of which was non-combat.
December 23, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Contemporary monster manuals definitely have less lore, but we used to get a lot more books that were all lore and no stat blocks. Just purely interacting with societies, or markets, or non-human species, or new areas with all of the above. Most of which was non-combat.
I am curious as to how we got opposite impressions out of 3E. My experience playing was that 3E was the version that incentivized and provided avenues for much more non-combat interaction. 2E often was still a little wargamey, and the future definitely leaned into combat.
December 23, 2025 at 1:40 AM
I am curious as to how we got opposite impressions out of 3E. My experience playing was that 3E was the version that incentivized and provided avenues for much more non-combat interaction. 2E often was still a little wargamey, and the future definitely leaned into combat.
That’s cool. I feel like I am going to end up in a WoD rabbit hole now. lol. Are these from a specific edition or anything? Sometimes you don’t know what you need until someone else makes you take a look.
December 23, 2025 at 1:37 AM
That’s cool. I feel like I am going to end up in a WoD rabbit hole now. lol. Are these from a specific edition or anything? Sometimes you don’t know what you need until someone else makes you take a look.
Absolutely. I definitely wish more of them poured the money into game design that they do for marketing. So many of those guys have great ideas to address this. Also maybe have those guys talk? lol.
December 23, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Absolutely. I definitely wish more of them poured the money into game design that they do for marketing. So many of those guys have great ideas to address this. Also maybe have those guys talk? lol.
For sure! Wasn’t their system called “story teller” ? It’s what I liked in 3E. DMg2 has 0 chapters on combat, it’s all storytelling and world interaction. Also So many more abilities were non-combat focused back then. What I like in a lot of other systems not dnd are their twists on non-combat time.
December 23, 2025 at 1:34 AM
For sure! Wasn’t their system called “story teller” ? It’s what I liked in 3E. DMg2 has 0 chapters on combat, it’s all storytelling and world interaction. Also So many more abilities were non-combat focused back then. What I like in a lot of other systems not dnd are their twists on non-combat time.
Same with optimization. 3E and to a lesser extent 2e, the character development felt more organic in practice. 5e makes everything feel like it has a short lifespan with one goal in comparison. I hate the optimization culture.
December 23, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Same with optimization. 3E and to a lesser extent 2e, the character development felt more organic in practice. 5e makes everything feel like it has a short lifespan with one goal in comparison. I hate the optimization culture.
And to be clear I’m not an idiot. I don’t think it is a romance and farming guide either. I just feel like they also catered more to other game types in the past. Like maybe we went from 50/50 combat to 90/10 combat focus.
December 23, 2025 at 1:25 AM
And to be clear I’m not an idiot. I don’t think it is a romance and farming guide either. I just feel like they also catered more to other game types in the past. Like maybe we went from 50/50 combat to 90/10 combat focus.
Ok. So maybe I’m misunderstanding. A system can only have one or the other? Either combat or roleplaying and storytelling? BTW, again, I have not said you are wrong, I agree DND is designed combat focused. I only think the ratio changed. To me, a 128 page book with 5 stat blocks isn’t a kill list.
December 23, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Ok. So maybe I’m misunderstanding. A system can only have one or the other? Either combat or roleplaying and storytelling? BTW, again, I have not said you are wrong, I agree DND is designed combat focused. I only think the ratio changed. To me, a 128 page book with 5 stat blocks isn’t a kill list.
This is why I appreciate your responses. You have given very good and valid reasoning. Also 10/10 for sharing good alternative resources. So much better than the pointless shouting a deal with when I ask questions.
December 23, 2025 at 12:59 AM
This is why I appreciate your responses. You have given very good and valid reasoning. Also 10/10 for sharing good alternative resources. So much better than the pointless shouting a deal with when I ask questions.
Again, I’m not disagreeing, we have really gone all in on simplifying and removing so many things. It’s barely a loose framework, I just personally dont want overly codified roleplay interactions, so it works for me. I 100% agree that they do not put the effort into the same game as they market.
December 23, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Again, I’m not disagreeing, we have really gone all in on simplifying and removing so many things. It’s barely a loose framework, I just personally dont want overly codified roleplay interactions, so it works for me. I 100% agree that they do not put the effort into the same game as they market.
Yes! I am very in agreement. That was my point about what was lost. It used to be about more than combat stat blocks. We used to often get pages and books of lore and society, and interaction descriptions. Now it’s all published hack and slash adventures. 👎
December 23, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Yes! I am very in agreement. That was my point about what was lost. It used to be about more than combat stat blocks. We used to often get pages and books of lore and society, and interaction descriptions. Now it’s all published hack and slash adventures. 👎
Early DND (odnd/ adnd) to me was 100% an offshoot of wargaming and effectively a shot at turning armies to characters. 2e -3E felt like a slow transition to a focus on character development and role play. 4E felt like a reset in a bad way, and 5e feels like an attempt to simplify 3E to me.
December 23, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Early DND (odnd/ adnd) to me was 100% an offshoot of wargaming and effectively a shot at turning armies to characters. 2e -3E felt like a slow transition to a focus on character development and role play. 4E felt like a reset in a bad way, and 5e feels like an attempt to simplify 3E to me.
I may check out Blood Stained love. Even though I don’t “want” that sort of thing necessarily, it never hurts to learn something new. Maybe I will find it’s more for me than I thought.
December 23, 2025 at 12:44 AM
I may check out Blood Stained love. Even though I don’t “want” that sort of thing necessarily, it never hurts to learn something new. Maybe I will find it’s more for me than I thought.
Also to be clear, I love dnd, but I definitely do not think any version has been without faults. Either in the rules or the writing. Nothing is perfect, it just works fine for what I need. (A loose system of rules everyone is familiar with to give us a background game to hang out with friends)
December 23, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Also to be clear, I love dnd, but I definitely do not think any version has been without faults. Either in the rules or the writing. Nothing is perfect, it just works fine for what I need. (A loose system of rules everyone is familiar with to give us a background game to hang out with friends)
That’s awesome! I have heard good things about the WoD stuff, though it isn’t a system I have tried. I see the appeal of codified social interactions, but it isn’t my bag. That part of the game I specifically enjoy not having rules around, but 10000% agree there should be more guidance.
December 23, 2025 at 12:32 AM
That’s awesome! I have heard good things about the WoD stuff, though it isn’t a system I have tried. I see the appeal of codified social interactions, but it isn’t my bag. That part of the game I specifically enjoy not having rules around, but 10000% agree there should be more guidance.
This is btw, a point of contention where I would say it has been presented poorly and work does nothing to help. It’s a big block of monsters to exist, many of them should never be fought. I agree it is poor design / marketing. (Definitely agree they are majority seen as enemies though. )
December 23, 2025 at 12:07 AM
This is btw, a point of contention where I would say it has been presented poorly and work does nothing to help. It’s a big block of monsters to exist, many of them should never be fought. I agree it is poor design / marketing. (Definitely agree they are majority seen as enemies though. )
And I feel like we lost so much writing about Lore and Guidance. Everything that leaned into the roleplaying and discovery aspects that are a core of the game. At least from 2e/3e. I have some theories on that, but not really relevant. Thank you for sharing. I appreciate a well explained thought.
December 23, 2025 at 12:04 AM
And I feel like we lost so much writing about Lore and Guidance. Everything that leaned into the roleplaying and discovery aspects that are a core of the game. At least from 2e/3e. I have some theories on that, but not really relevant. Thank you for sharing. I appreciate a well explained thought.
I would 100% agree with you on the guidance. I think one thing where 5e especially has fallen flat is the guidance fo both players and DMs. I think 2024 has started towards that more, but it could still use more. After 3E, overall there has been a dramatic shift in the writing
December 23, 2025 at 12:02 AM
I would 100% agree with you on the guidance. I think one thing where 5e especially has fallen flat is the guidance fo both players and DMs. I think 2024 has started towards that more, but it could still use more. After 3E, overall there has been a dramatic shift in the writing
I understand your point of view and don’t disagree 100% with it. I would “argue” that of the two issues. (Rules and guidance) I prefer a lack of rules to my role playing aspects so that we can wing it. I don’t want my social interactions codified, but that being said
December 23, 2025 at 12:00 AM
I understand your point of view and don’t disagree 100% with it. I would “argue” that of the two issues. (Rules and guidance) I prefer a lack of rules to my role playing aspects so that we can wing it. I don’t want my social interactions codified, but that being said
That’s wild. I love D&D but I can’t imagine trying to equate not liking D&D to Homophobia. Especially given the number of homophobes who play D&D. What wildly siloed topics.
December 22, 2025 at 9:24 PM
That’s wild. I love D&D but I can’t imagine trying to equate not liking D&D to Homophobia. Especially given the number of homophobes who play D&D. What wildly siloed topics.
I don’t understand what is missing that blocks or doesn’t support this type of game? The combo of spells, skills, tools, and abilities available just from WotC, seem like they have you covered, especially combined with what I would assume would be a lot more social encounters in these games.
December 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM
I don’t understand what is missing that blocks or doesn’t support this type of game? The combo of spells, skills, tools, and abilities available just from WotC, seem like they have you covered, especially combined with what I would assume would be a lot more social encounters in these games.
Err. Memories. What an autocorrect.
December 20, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Err. Memories. What an autocorrect.