For around a year I ran a very enjoyable 5th edition campaign in our homebrew campaign setting.
I struggled a bit at first with the “rulings, not rules” motto of 5e (as hinted in a previous post) but have really come to appreciate how 5e has solid core mechanics with simple rules for common actions (and further guidelines for actions from previous editions in the DMG) whilst really ecouraging players to try things for which there aren’t explicit rules.
Coming from Pathfinder, it took watching actual play videos on YouTube – primarily Acquisitions Incorporated and Force Grey – to really appreciate the “rulings, not rules” mindset. In those games both experienced and new players work with the DM to perform fun and unique actions such as Viari’s chandelier acrobatics and Hitch’s tumbling (do Rogues have all the fun?).
Unfortunately I never did a great job of empowering my players to embrace this attitude. I’d recommend the actual play videos for inspiration but always got too caught up in running the session on the night to encourage it during play.
However, now that I’ve handed the reins for our homebrew setting back to the settings primary creator and long serving GM, I’m now a 5e player and trying to encourage this mindset from the other side of the screen with my Dragonborn Sorcerer.
Fifth edition is amazingly fun and I am beginning to really appreciate the influence of the Old School Renaissance and some of the indie RPG designers who consulted on 5e.
As my co-GM and I are going to be running on alternating weeks, to share the work load and give each of us a chance to play, I’m strongly contemplating running some OSR modules to further explore the “rulings, not rules” mindset.