Discussion on Allowing Supplements, Third Party, Homebrew, Etc.
Hey all.
There's a topic that crops up for most games I've seen revolving around what source material is allowed, regardless of the system or setting. I ask it, I get asked it, and there's a wide range of philosophies and opinions on the matter. Generally, I'm of the mind that there's no one right way to do most things, only pros and cons, and that's what I'd like to start a discussion for here. To emphasize, this is NOT about who is right or wrong, NOT about what is better or worse, and NOT about who's smart and who's silly. Instead, what I'm hoping for is to develop a solid list of considerations that other GMs can potentially use when deciding what to allow for their games, as well as for players to keep in mind when they make requests for certain allowances.
I'll start with myself. In the past I mostly did VtM, but have moved onto primarily 5e in the past few years. Over time, I've become a lot more open to ideas, whereas before I'd flat out turn down homebrew, but now I'll at least give it a look. Here's a few of my own pros and cons I've seen from allowing more and allowing less.
Pros to Allowing More
-Builds player enthusiasm for getting to try out that special concept
-Some third party and homebrew offer options not available in the core game (whatever the system)
Cons to Allowing More
-Can take a lot of time during recruitment to read up on new mechanics/character options
-If there is a certain 'core' theme to the game and everyone chooses something strange/different then that theme is lost
Pros to Allowing Less
-Better handle over the rules and mechanics
-Can narrow down the field of applicants
Cons to Allowing Less
-Can take a lot of time during recruitment to debate and respond to people telling them no
This is just a start. I'll edit this first post with a summary of what people say.
Allowing More
Allowing Less
Other Notes
There's a topic that crops up for most games I've seen revolving around what source material is allowed, regardless of the system or setting. I ask it, I get asked it, and there's a wide range of philosophies and opinions on the matter. Generally, I'm of the mind that there's no one right way to do most things, only pros and cons, and that's what I'd like to start a discussion for here. To emphasize, this is NOT about who is right or wrong, NOT about what is better or worse, and NOT about who's smart and who's silly. Instead, what I'm hoping for is to develop a solid list of considerations that other GMs can potentially use when deciding what to allow for their games, as well as for players to keep in mind when they make requests for certain allowances.
I'll start with myself. In the past I mostly did VtM, but have moved onto primarily 5e in the past few years. Over time, I've become a lot more open to ideas, whereas before I'd flat out turn down homebrew, but now I'll at least give it a look. Here's a few of my own pros and cons I've seen from allowing more and allowing less.
Pros to Allowing More
-Builds player enthusiasm for getting to try out that special concept
-Some third party and homebrew offer options not available in the core game (whatever the system)
Cons to Allowing More
-Can take a lot of time during recruitment to read up on new mechanics/character options
-If there is a certain 'core' theme to the game and everyone chooses something strange/different then that theme is lost
Pros to Allowing Less
-Better handle over the rules and mechanics
-Can narrow down the field of applicants
Cons to Allowing Less
-Can take a lot of time during recruitment to debate and respond to people telling them no
This is just a start. I'll edit this first post with a summary of what people say.
Summary of Discussion
Allowing More
Pros/For
| Cons/Against
|
Allowing Less
Pros/For
| Cons/Against
|
Other Notes
- Ultimately it is up to the GM's discretion, they are the final say in the matter
- What material is allowed can have a large impact on what kind of players/which players apply
- Mechanics can often be re-fluffed to fit a theme, therefore one should be careful about assuming certain mechanical options = theme
- Experience can play a big role. GM's/Players with good experience using extra material will no doubt have a more favorable view than those GM's/Players with poor experiences.
- Different systems have varying degrees of published material. As an example, Pathfinder has a lot more options than 5e as it's both older and produces more material regularly. This affects how much of a gap third party and homebrew can fill or not.
- A game's core material isn't necessarily above being disallowed/tweaked/questioned/etc. If core material is too powerful, doesn't fit a game theme, or some other reason can just as readily be disallowed from a game.