EZD6 Review: Better than D&D 5e? (I sure think so)
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- @theDMsCraft very own EZD6! Since I keep mentioning how great it is in comments, I thought I'd finally do a review of it. I've only got a couple 1 shots under my belt, but I absolutely love it and can't wait to finish our 5e campaign so I can ditch it for EZD6.
Big thanks to @theDMsCraft (DM Scotty) for making this game, as well as being a cool dude. But also a big shout out to @DUNGEONCRAFT1 for reviewing it as well, because if he hadn't, I never would have heard about it. Also, congrats on the 100k subs @DUNGEONCRAFT1 !!
I'M A TOTAL SMOOTH BRAIN AND FORGOT TO LINK THE BOOK!
www.drivethrur...
DM Scotty:
/ @thedmscraft
DungeonCraft:
/ @dungeoncraft1
=== ON TO THE LINKS! ===
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== Vids mentioned in video ==
5e Mod "Armor Types Matter"
• D&D Mod: ATM (Armor Ty...
EZD6 1 Shot Funny Compilation
• EZD6 One Shot - Expect...
Full EZD6 1 Shot
• EZD6 1 Shot!
=== MUSIC ===
== End Music
"Night Out" - LiQWYD
/ liqwyd
www.bit.ly/liqw...
/ liqwyd
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== Shout out tune
"Jazzy Azzy 3" - Keven Frown PotatN
Check out his spotify:
open.spotify.c...
=== OTHER ===
I own no rights to Matt Mercer's face but I still used it. Please don't sue me. If he High Noons me I swear to God I'll Genji reflect on him.
=== Tags ===
#ezd6 #dnd #onednd #dungeonsanddragons #hasbro #wizardsofthecoast #squirrel #gming #dming #ttrpg #tabletop #tabletoproleplayinggame #rpg #roleplayinggames #roleplayinggame #vtt #virtualtabletop #mymcreevoiceisbetterthanmatts
Alright, since I'm a total smooth brain and forgot to post the link for the EZD6 book in the description, I'mma do it here too. You know, a day later after the video got posted
www.drivethrurpg.com/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook
Man life is hard when you're dumb
@@asquirrelplays Ignorance is bliss.
Through your analysis you have discovered exactly why I created the game.
I really like this game but can you tell me what E. Z. stands for?
Alright everybody, you heard it here first. I'm a GM Scotty approved genius.
Extreme Zoom Dungeons 6
@@TheDMGinfo Gotta go fast!
@@TheDMGinfo "Extreme Zoom Dungeons 6" - what happened to the other 5? ;)
"If you're Canadian"
"If you want to play as a meme"
"Im looking at you Catlord"
I feel called out here.
"They're actually good players"
D'aaaw
I've only played EZD6 twice now, but it has been a blast each time. The first time I played, I was the Rabble Rouser running for my nieces and nephew (they were mostly 5e players); we had players as young as 6, and we didn't even get to finish, but we had great time! I'm definitely looking for more opportunities to play and run it.
It's a lot of fun. I think the intro to the book that Scotty wrote and that I read through in the video perfectly explains it all too. Hitting the "brakes" all the time just ruins the flow and kills the mood. With EZD6, you're just constantly going. And it's got those little things too that add so much. Like the exploding crits, or when somebody wants to do something weird and the Rabble Rouser is like "Sure. Roll ..... anything but a 1". Scotty has some GREAT tips and advice stashed away in that book for running a game.
I'm down to give this a try. Mork Borg was my breath of fresh air post-5e, and being so close in mechanics to 5e made it an easy sell to my group. But not everyone is as metal as I am, so something with a less dire tone might be cool for some of my other friends.
Careful. You might get addicted to the D6
I ordered a copy and have absolutely fallen in love with the system. Its so much fun actually playing a TTRPG without having to constantly look stuff up. My last session that I played in the only reason I even looked at my character sheet was to keep track of my karma and look at my inventory
This is one of the rare cases where I thank RUclips algorithm for showing me your video. Great ideas! I don’t know if I’ll ever get to play it , but sounds amazing
Well I'm glad you found your way here! I hope you're able to give EZD6 a shot, because it is a lot of fun.
Geezer here....
Great vid. DM Scotty was one of the first I encountered back in the dark days of Covid lockdown. I prefer my own caldrons brew. For my table. That said his work is epic. As are yours my fellow.
Gaming on.
Maybe one day I'll get to go to a convention of sorts and meet him. He seems like a really cool dude. But also, thank you for your kind words.
@@asquirrelplays Geezer again... Thanks for the inspiration. Gaming on.
Here are some words for the algorithm. Good video. I was a convert prior to this video but you covered it well.
I like me some good algorithm words lol. Thanks, man. I'm glad you think it was covered good. I was honestly feeling like I rambled for almost 20 minutes without making a point, but I guess I did something right!
I am not surprised that the game is sold. Good review.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it
Index Card RPG (ICRPG) is another great system created from a similar mindset.
I keep hearing about that one! There's a guy in our group that really wants to give it a go, and so do I. I might make him run it for a change though.
I have both and I have ran both as a DM, and ICRPG is closer in 5e then EZ, but the best thing in ICRPG is the DM section, and that section alone is worth twice the price tag
This is a really good analysis of the system. I've been playing in a campaign for the last few months and everything you mentioned - simple rules. no needing to look up rules, and so on - made it a seriously pleasant experience. We've also been able to get new players generating a character, up to speed and playing in minutes, which I think is the best evidence for a system being easy to pick up. I also agree with this being a great introduction to TTRPGs, though I feel that the rules-light nature means that this works best if the rabble rouser at least has some experience. That said, this is not 1970, so people with TTRPG experience aren't thin on the ground :)
I'm glad to hear it was a good look at it and not just me rambling. And yeah, I did want to mention something about how a new GM/Rabble Rouser might struggle with the freedom vs a 5e GM that has a list of rules to adhere to, but I felt like I'd get way off into the weeds. Because see, for me, all the rules as a new GM messed me up in 5e. I would have been wayyy more comfy in EZD6, but I can definitely see where that'd trip some people up.
@@asquirrelplays yes! I think it's all about how you get started. If you don't have a menu to work off of, you have license to play as you will. Then again some people prefer that, which is why we have all these rule sets...
Short version, I believe ezd6 favours people who enjoy narrative play - not so much Winning (whatever that may be) as spinning a good story.
Hey Squirrel, here's a Comment, a Sacrifice to the Algorithm Gods.
Great Content as Always.
Your sacrifice is noted and appreciated. Also thank you for the kind words
ez gaming doesnt and cant miss, when all was lost he came TO US
All hail Scotty
this reminds me of our current system for which we dropped dnd 5e (after we agreed we want to try something other than 3.5e)
and this system is savage worlds. exploding dice, ez to die, less rules, perks beeing the heroes of the story... yup.
but from how i understood ezd6, sw might have a lot more rules surrounding lvlup and strategy.🤔
I feel like I've heard of Savage Worlds before but I can't think of anything about it. So maybe I'm thinking of the video game "Savage Planet". EZD6 is pretty simple, and one thing I really should have mentioned in the video but failed to do so, was that there's just one book whereas 5e has the "player's book" and the "gm's book". The EZD6 book is like right at 100 pages, but not only are they small pages, it has huge font and several pages are covered up with artwork. So really, it's a VERY small book. The player's part is about 20 pages, and the rest is a little bit for the GM, then a bunch of monsters to use, and then some handy tid bits on just how to GM in general and make things a little more interesting, followed by a couple cheat sheets in the back.
Probably the most popular savage worlds setting out there is Deadlands:The Weird West. Savage worlds is my go to system and it's got some weird rules that drive 5e players away but makes sense.
I just played in my first EZD6 game and loved the simplicity of the game. I never really thought about how much time my group spends in 5e arguing about specifics on rules and spells, (especially since we are level 17 characters) it's such a drag sometimes.
Savage worlds is quite a bit more complex. I was hoping it would be the simple to play system I was looking for, but, it did not quite deliver. Good system, but not what I was looking for as an easy alternative game. EZD6 100% hits the mark.
I LOVE the Master Blaster reference sprite!!
Dude, I'm pretty sure I've called that class "Blaster Master" wayyyyyy more times than "Blastmaster".
Fantastic introduction to EZD6...Bravo!
Ayyyyy it's the legend himself. Does RUclips actually notify you when I tag you in the description? Just wondering cause I was hoping Profession Dungeon Master would get notified too. I like his stuff.
@@asquirrelplays It did not. I just saw it on my load page.
@@theDMsCraft Aw that's a shame. Well, I guess the good news is I made it to your load page! As for the Professor, I guess I'll continue to be the unnamed and unknown squirrel in the attic.
I love your videos man. Keep rocking on!
First I'm hearing about this system, so thanks for the new system to try
Highly recommend it! If you remember after you try it out, be sure to come back and tell me what you thought.
Great video. I love EZD6 and I use the following games as inspirations for genres. Tricube Tales (micro settings and the rules are very similar to EZD6). I also use TinyD6 games as settings references. Other games that I like that are in the spirit of EZD6, Messerspiel and Anime Messerspiel: Turbo, I like using the stress systems with these games but with the rolling rules from EZD6.
Haven't heard of a single one of those! But to be fair, I wasn't really into table tops until a couple years ago, so makes sense! I will have a look at those.
EZD6 is the bomb! I play a home brew variant of Mini-6 and WEG’s D6, but had EZD been about at the time before I started system-cooking, I would have jumped on it! Don’t listen to anyone who says that it’s too light of a game to carry a campaign. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! The question should be: is your imagination robust enough to carry a campaign? No? Then go jump on the Megacorp wagon with the rest of the easily amused (manipulated)!crew. Yes? Excellent! This is your game!
I think that's where some people struggle, and at the same time, why EZD6 is my favorite. It requires more creativity from the GM. EZD6 offers a few simple rules to make sure there isn't chaos and stops there. Some people don't like/can't handle that, and need a rule for every specific little thing. So when they see something like EZD6, they see it either as "incomplete", "lazy", or just plain don't think it will work. 5e makes me feel cramped and like I can't do anything as a GM, whereas EZD6 gives me absolute freedom. And honestly, players have more freedom too. Different strokes for different folks though I guess.
I play 4 against darkness and honestly for how you described it it really reminds me of it
Not sure what's more interesting: another game similar to EZD6, or a "weirdly friendly mushroom" telling me to play a game called "4 against darkness".
HMMMMMMMMMMM. Sounds like a suspicious.
I'mma add to my list though.
Im working on something similar to this using pools of d20s without modifiers, but ive round that players prefer d6 damage to 1 damage (strikes) and it's easy to convert strikes to d6 damage by multiplying by 3.
There's a guy in the SquirrelPlays Discord that is working on his own game using pools of D6s. We gave it a test run not long ago. It's actually pretty fun. Dice everywhere!
you just got a new subscriber mr. Sq
Is that a fellow rodent I see?? My oh my. Thanks for subbin!
I want complexity without many rules. I arrived at using lots of tables. So I arrived at Rolemaster, with my homebrew skill system.
Thanks for the review, man. I'm going to look it up.
Do it! You gotta come back and let me know how it went though
@@asquirrelplays I'll do my best to remember. :)
With my newly founded rpg evening group, we finally gravitated to EZD6. We play it regularly, with varying characters, and it's always so much fun. The system still gives you lots of possibilities to throw dice, but it's so wonderfully streamlined.
The adventure books too have this concise but effective feel. As a DM, it's great, little preparation time for a lot of fun time with my players.
It's a pretty great system. I know I gush over DM Scotty a lot, but you know, when you make something solid, you just gotta give it the praise it deserves. We played a game of EZD6 last Sunday in the server. Things were going good until they got to the last boss. The warrior got the first turn and crit 13 times in a row. For a moment there we thought the VTT broke lol. Crazy moment. Killed the boss in one go, but it wasn't disappointing at all. It was great.
Sounds like the cyber punk system but d6 instead of d10 and in Cyberpunk it's called luck not karma.
Scotty hit you and I in the sweet spot with this EZ game. "a great story created by everyone at the table." and "game runs faster and players get pumped and excited as the action runs wild." Delightful work Mr. Squirrel.
He sure did. It might just be a reflection of how I GM 5e vs how I GM EZD6, but the same group of players had way more laughs and fun playing EZD6 than they did 5e. They were on the edge of their seats way more often it seemed, and I would imagine that's because they weren't sure if they'd make it or not whereas in 5e you have such a high chance of success. It was some good times and I'm eager to go again.
I had a blast playing this game and I would love to see a follow up video from you on some of the expansion s for the game. There are a few settings and the books of adventures from GM scotty. The card deck for bonus abilities and items is really cool and helps with campaign games.
yes! I did a video talking about his book of quests and the cards, but I haven't got to play them. Definitely want to though. I loved the ideas for the cards and how they worked. Seemed like a lot of fun. I'm also super looking forward to his post apocalypse book that's coming out soon. Scotty is great.
I will be using EZD6 for the adult TTRPG group I'm running at the library for our patrons. I cannot wait!
ooo lucky you. I really want to play it some more. I had plans for a couple 1 shots during December, but a schedule change happened and I'm barely able to scrap some time for videos this month, so it will unfortunately have to wait till later. Also got a 5e campaign I need to get rid of lol
Squirrel, there are TONS of RPG's that are easier to play than 5E. Heck, there are hundreds of good, but overlooked RPG's out there.
Names, Aardvark, I need names!
@@asquirrelplays Okay. Here goes:
AFMBE
Adventure Game Engine (AGE)
BASH!
Basic Roleplaying (Chaosium)
Chill
Conan 2d20
Covert Ops
Crypt World
and the list goes on and on. 5E has really been blocking the sunlight from hundreds of great systems.
@@Aardvark892 That's what I like to see! Got 'em all added to my growing list.
hahah this.. well done sir
Agreed =)
Question: How can a smoother system not shoulder a campaign?
The GM puts the work in, everything can shoulder a campaign.
5e is even one of these sets, where the DM has to put more work in, due to all the rules.
I'm in the camp that thinks games like EZD6 and Tricube Tales can handle a campaign perfectly fine. I don't believe for a second that crunch = campaign worthiness.
It's funny though, cause I just saw a thread on reddit the other day talking about progression. Some guy mentioned his current 4 year campaign has only seen 2 level ups. He said him and his party are having a blast, but the people replying to his comment just couldn't fathom it. Like, how dare you have a good time by roleplaying and adventuring and watching your character grow narratively. The audacity! lol
That said, I completely agree with your last line about 5e requiring more work from the GM due to all the rules. That was the problem I kept running into. It took me so long to plan a session cause I had so many silly things to account for and try to work around.
It seems to me this is just the progression of gaming to a more "rules light" format. Monster of the Week, Fate and all of its offspring, and Index card RPG, all of these are different expressions of the same concept. We may be coming full circle as the earliest TTRPG seemed to have smaller rules set. These grew and grew until we got to the very crunchy games of the 2000's and 2010's. For whatever reason, there seems to be a movement towards less complex rules. I would love to have a scientific analysis of the reasons behind this change. My assumption is just that we what what we don't have. The grass is always greener. I plan to try out EZD6 but I still love my crunchy rules so it will be in addition to rather than in place of 5e. Time may prove me wrong, we shall see.
That's a pretty good point about wanting what we don't have. I think it may either be that, or just it being the natural progression of what happens when something gets over saturated. For example, D&D gets popular, everyone tries to mimic that to get a cut of the pie, and now we have a bunch of games heavy in rules. People get burned out, they try something light on rules. They spread the word, that game finds success, everybody else starts trying to copy it, and now we have a ton of rules light games. People get burned out, wanna try something new, find a game heavy on rules.......you get the idea. Just a big circle, and honestly not a bad thing either. This keeps new things (or old new things?) coming and going and the end result is us having options!
Regardless, I hope you have a fun time with EZD6!
I just think that as the GM with those rules-light systems it's easier to have fun, too. Not so much prep work and you can have that portion of your brain that needed to worry about all these rules details focus more on the scenario/story.
@@lenni-hazels 100%
nice review! It's great to hear about some other games and accessible mechanics.
Alright, you commented. That means if you try EZD6 now, you have to come back and let me know how it went for you. It's in the rules I just made up.
Now I'm wishing for a full on explanation of the system cause you just got me intrigued xD
Like, since it's so easy, can I like just take a character class from a different ttrpg and just used in ezd6? 🤔 🤔 🤔
EZD6 has its own classes (or "Hero Paths" as it calls them). It's got the basics covered I feel like. Your tanks, rogues, wizards, healers and what not are covered. BUT! Due to their simplicity, there's absolutely nothing stopping you from creating your own! It'd be really "EZ". The page I showed in the video with the Conjurer on it is actually everything about that class (minus their circles of magic). Each class is just a single page long, and half the page is art work.
I didn't cover this part in the video, but all you would need to determine is their:
1) Health (3 strikes is average, a couple more if you're something super beefy)
2) Armor "size" (light, medium, heavy)
3) Boon
"Boons" are something you're good at. Generally the classes have 1 or 2 things they excel at. The Beastmaster class for example, can choose between having a Boon in melee or ranged weapons, as well as having it in "beast empathy". A boon essentially lets you roll that task "with advantage". Meaning you'd roll 2d6 instead of the regular 1 and pick the highest.
Then you'd give the class a few "perks". For example, the Beastmaster can speak with animals, MAY be able to convince other animals to aid you for a limited time, and you get to have an animal friend at your side that has its own health, damage, armor and stuff.
After that, you choose what is called "inclinations", which are just abilities you get to choose from a list to further customize your own character a bit. These could be extra boons in other tasks, the ability to read scrolls, starting with extra potions, yadda yadda.
It's pretty darn simple. But, if you'd like a super deep dive, GM Scotty has actually been doing some long, in-depth videos about it on his channel.
@@asquirrelplays niiice, thank you 👍👍
Thanks for the heads up on EZD6. Reminds me a bit of BESM ( big eyes small mouth) . At least the original version. I love to see how other game designers set up the mechanics of their games. Another one you mite like is WOD ( world of darkness) . At least the second addition version.
I got so many other TTRPGs to check out after every commented on this video lol! I'll add BESM and WOD to the list though, for sure. It's crazy how much D&D drowns out the other games out there.
Excellent game I have yet to try! Read the book though and it's awesome!
First time in my feed. Good video, made me laugh a couple times. Subscribed. Well done!
Glad you enjoyed it. You gotta watch out for those squirrels, they got a habit of sneaking into things like your RUclips feed.
I was doing the same as you with alternitive ttrpg and buying EZD6. Then I found a ttrpg I love called
D100 Dungeon by MK Games from Martin Knight.
D100 Dungeon uses best rules of D&D, Dungeon World, DCC and 4AD all systems I liked. Books of D100 Dungeon
A Solo Adventuring Game
like GM's guide
The Lost Tome Extraordinary like
Players handbook
The Dragons Return
like Monster manuel.
D100 Dungeon eh? I'll have to give that a look see.
I love this game and it’s become my favorite for making one shots. Though at some point I want to try running a longer campaign.
When our 5e campaign finishes, I am 100% using this for the next one. All but one of the players were actually willing to switch from 5e to EZD6 in our current campaign, so they're pretty excited at the idea too. But, I didn't want to switch mid-flight because we had made a lot of custom stuff built around 5e already for all their classes, so I wanted to play it out anyway and see how it went.
@@asquirrelplays I’m running my 5e group though my one shot that I made for a fundraiser right now. It’s a blast to run.
@@DMTalesTTRPG ooo a fundraising one shot? That sounds like fun. Raise all the money!
@@asquirrelplays I’m writing the sequel now.
Love your review on this one. Your thoughts on this system are honest and insightful. You earned my subscribe!
Glad you liked it! I just recently did one for a game called Mausritter too if you'd like to check that one out. It's a really fun and also simple game like EZD6. Definitely a different feel to it, but I'd say complexity wise they're pretty even (plus the PDF is "pay what you want" on DriveThruRPG!)
I’ve watched that one too haha. I’ve had the Mausritter pdf for about a year now, but I haven’t gotten around to using it yet. Seems like a really fun mouse game though
Oh I love it. It's crazy being a tiny little mouse. The next one I plan to review is "Adventurous", but I got to play it some first so it might be another video or two before that one happens.
Cool! I’ve never heard of adventurous, so I’m excited to see your review!
This is actually a pretty good review. Thank you
Well hold tight because there's one for EZD6: Wasted World about to drop in like 30 minutes!
does it have a OGL considering the recent issues with the new OGL of WotC?
Not yet but after a few more books we plan to release one.
Just wanted to come back here to say that now anytime I watch an EZD6 video, I hear that popping sound 😆😆😆
POP!
Exactly what I was looking for. I was looking for a game that I could get new players easily dive into. A game where you don't need to spend a whole session making a character and can just start playing with friends in a gathering. A game where the narrative is what matters, not the crunch. The strike system which is a simplified wound system. And because it is rules light, easily hackable to adjust for the story you want to tell. Even other rule light games cannot be hacked as easily .
Amazing find and will start GM'ing it right away.
Awesome! I don't know if you've seen the video yet or not but I did one on Mausritter as well. I mention it because it's also pretty rules light and easy to get into. Character creation is crazy fast, which might be a good way to snag new players in, but I still can't decide if it's more complicated than EZD6, simpler, or right about the same. It just plays a little different. It's fun though, and pretty straight forward.
But yes, EZD6 is easily moddable/hackable. We've done it a couple times already. It's good fun!
@@asquirrelplays i will definitely check it out. Thank you do much for the recommendation
It's the best.
Awwww thanks
You missed an "EZ" in "easier" 1:16 😆
GASP! And also REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
finally got around to watching this video, really interesting to know your opinion on it and made me go check out the rules myself (or at least the basics from free youtube videos because I'm broke)
really curious to know your opinion on longer campaigns using the system, or I guess your opinion on my doubts about it. I know you and the book mentions long term rewards and while enchanted items or actual, normal rewards like land or titles would give good motive, I don't think they'd be able to give a good enough power boost for the players to fight stronger monsters in the next sessions. Or am I misunderstanding the point of the game? Only strength increase being from magic items would make it feel a little odd, like your strength comes from your material wealth and you're not actually getting stronger as a person.
one way I could imagine it working is the DM just saying that you've become more skilled and talented and needing an easier dice roll than what you'd normally need for stronger opponents, though then it makes a troll feel the same as your average goblin, and I think that wouldn't be good for keeping the players' interest in the game.
I suppose that might mean that I'm just looking for something similar to 5e? I just really like the system that ezd6 gives because of its simplicity, but I think it leaves people lacking in the feeling of power, not an overwhelming one like 5e, but just knowing that they've gotten stronger.
(this is also coming from the dude who's only hosted 3 campaigns in his life, all 3 of which fell apart after like 2 sessions)
another thing to mention, which is kind of contradictory to what I said earlier about strength coming from your gear, but it seems like there's barely any way to improve your gear apart from enchanted gear, which feels a little strange because they mention that they want enchanted gear to feel special, and yet it's one of the only ways to really get stronger so you end up needing to give a *lot* of it in dungeons and the likes, which imo makes it feel too common, and a method of instead having different sets of gears or unique items, with different pros and cons or even common items with different properties might have been better. Also feels strange for every weapon to do the same damage, because then there's barely any point in using, say, a mace over a sword, or even a dagger over a sword.
I like the inclinations and aspects system, leaves a lot of space for homebrew, but I'm not a fan of the race system, feels like there isn't nearly enough of an impact for choosing different races, nor enough options to choose from compared to inclinations. I guess you could make homebrew races but it still just feels like there's no point in choosing races, doesn't make much of a difference at all in gameplay.
unrelated but it's a shame the site to buy the book doesn't have regional pricing, it's a bit pricey for my currency so I'm leaning away from buying it unless I know for a fact that it'd work for me.
Alright, so a few things here, and let's hope I don't forget any as I type.
First off,
Professor Dungeon Master has a good video about 5e "scaling" and shows that despite your numbers getting better/bigger, nothing actually changes.
ruclips.net/video/Pk4o-VOY8F0/видео.html
Second,
DM Scotty just dropped a video recently about his new "level up" pack/deck for EZD6 which gives players an interesting way to level up. Haven't tried it myself yet, but I'm certainly on board with the concept.
ruclips.net/video/1b5NpG4UnBA/видео.html
Third,
It's true, the weapons don't mean much in EZD6, which is a downside depending on how you look at it. If you go simply by numbers, then yes, it will be a bit "not very entertaining" in the sense your axe wielding character will be little different than your dagger character. And at the risk of putting words in Scotty's mouth, I would say that's by design. It's less to look up, and look ups are what Scotty wanted to remove.
That said, your GM CAN make them different. They can say your axe cleaved right through and shattered and enemy's weapon, and now that enemy rolls everything with a bane. This heavily armored foe actually has a tiny opening in the side of his armor a dagger can fit through, so your dagger character can either have an easier chance to hit, or do more damage on a hit.
It's a very free-flowing system, which can either make things extremely easy for the GM, or much more difficult. It depends on their style. If you're the type that likes rules for everything, then EZD6 will not be for you. If you hate looking things up all the time and enjoy being creatively and narratively driven (and free), then EZD6 will be great.
Fourth,
As mentioned in other replies, while I haven't got a chance to try a campaign with it yet, I still want to run one and have 100% faith that it would work just fine. I'd actually encourage the players to start with less on their character creation. No inclinations or maybe just 1. I would probably also suggest no boons for weaponry at the beginning if you're "new and budding adventurers". As you play/gain experience, then you get your boon for your weapon of choice. Keep going and you might get +2 boons for it. Or maybe you'll pick up a second weapon type, like a bow. If you wanted to be really harsh you could say new weapons (to you) come with a bane and you have to work your way through that.
And of course, you can always make up your own inclinations too, as well as the already mentioned magic items for strange effects.
I'll admit that a d6 only gives you so much wiggle room, but I think it's plenty to get the job done. And at this point I would also refer back to my first point about 5e not really changing anything other than "fake" numbers on a character sheet.
Lastly,
Join the discord! I totally understand the money situation and wanting to be 100% sure it's worth before buying. We can setup a 1 shot or something and give you a test run to see what you think. I know there's more than a few folks that would like to join a game, and I wouldn't mind running one. Love me some EZD6.
Thanks for this. Love the concept.
No problem! Hope you give it a shot and have a good time!
I tried the karma system over the last 35 years in various RPGs. They rarely work well. The exception is for superheroes. Aside from that it sucks.
I think I mentioned it in the video, but it's been a while since I've watched it. I'm a bit 50/50 on it so far. There were some instances in our couple tryouts where it seemed like it was a bit much, but I also remember there were some things I was doing wrong and giving them more than they were supposed to have.
On paper I really like the concept. In practice . . . well, I need more practice lol. I know the people I play with absolutely love it, and I can see why. I just need to learn to juggle it as the GM, as well as keep up with the rules properly so I don't overload them. Also, at least with EZD6, there are ways you can render that Karma almost useless.
So...I made it 6 "EZ *POP*s" before I never wanted to hear that sound again, and stopped watching. Which is a pity, cuz I would have liked to hear what you had to say.
Maybe it's cuz I'm new here, but is that common in your videos? Do you count and *POP* after each time you say a "D" when you're reviewing a D&D game?
Well that's unfortunate. And no, it was just a silly thing for this video. The only time I've done it is in this video and a follow up video for it to continue the joke since some people got a chuckle out of it. Which actually ended up causing me a lot of extra work cause I kept missing some and having to go back and redo it.
This is my first time seeing these videos, I found it very helpful. That said I did have a question on EZD6, and I figured asking in areas where people have said they’ve played the system and compiling any responses to form a conclusion would help me out.
Anyway: does anyone suppose someone could use the EZD6 to play a low-magic campaign?
I've tried EZD6 in a couple settings at this point, and it's pretty easily adaptable (EZily?). Considering how the magic works in the game, I don't see why you couldn't have low-magic, but you'd probably have to be clear with your players up front, since the magic class is very "free flowing." (This is assuming by low-magic you mean in regards to player abilities. If you're talking about a world, then yes, by all means it will work just fine.)
I don't remember how much I explained in the video, but basically the magic user picks a "school" of magic and that determines their type of magic they use. But from there, the players get to make up a LOT of how it works/what it does, with a simple dice roll mechanic that fits them across the board. Very narrative driven, and because of that, I feel like you could easily fit it into a low-magic campaign.
@@asquirrelplays Thank you very much for the response. I had a feeling it would be probable, it’s just nice to hear from someone that’s more familiar with the game. And since this would be the first time my group or I ever play this system (of course we would play a few games with rules as written) the rules and help such as yours certainly does make it sound EZ.
If I may ask a further question though: what are your thoughts on playing a running campaign with this system? Something I keep hearing is how people find it difficult for a game to last too long before stopping. Why do you suppose that is?
@@brandonbreaux1296 First off, I'm gonna say this before I forget:
You should 100% check out DM Scotty's channel (@thedmscraft) and his last couple videos. He's got some books coming out with different settings, but he also just launched a "level up" deck you can get. A lot of people don't like EZD6 because it doesn't have a written out path for leveling players up, so they just say "you can't run a campaign with this." Even before the level up deck became a thing, there were plenty of ways to grow your character(s). Just have to use your imagination (heaven forbid) a little.
As for people having their games go by too fast, it just sounds like they're used to DND 5e where it takes 2 hours to get through combat with a couple goblins. EZD6 combat is super fast, so you won't lose a lot of time when fights happen, and that's a good thing. The dice are constantly rolling because you don't have to stop every single turn and look something up, which is the entire point behind its design. Scotty's goal was to remove as much down time as possible and keep the game moving forward. As a result, a 1 shot that takes 3-4 hours in 5e probably takes 2 or less in EZD6 (depending on how well your players are paying attention).
I would 100% use EZD6 for a long/full fledged campaign, and plan to in the future. Our current campaign is in 5e because I didn't find EZD6 until we were already underway. However, we all talked about it and "crunched the numbers", and it'd be a super easy switch, and all but 1 player were on board to make said switch (which wasn't surprising considering the person).
Definitely run some 1 shots with rules as written, but then I highly encourage you to try dropping the karma system altogether. Me and my group have found it to be entirely too strong (assuming we're doing it right, which I kind of have my doubts). Last EZD6 session we tried dropping it and instead gave everyone extra hero dice, as well as the option to find/gain more of them by finding them in loot throughout the map or doing specific things. It worked a whole heck of a lot better.
So you either do one strike of damage, or you miss, with one exception? Not my thing.
Exploding crits allow you to stack up damage quickly. So if you want to be a damage dealer, you can create a character that gets as many dice as possible to up your crit chance. Or you can pick some inclinations during character creation that focus on generating karma. You can then use the karma to up your roll value to a 6 for the exploding crit to take place.
The "one or miss" is the base. There's certainly ways to do more damage. But EZD6 also has a focus on quick fights instead of bloated HP pools to grind through.
No initiative...Why do DMs want to eliminate fun. Individual initiative is FUN.
maybe because some DMs find individual initiative rolling slow and not fun? I know I do in 5e, but that might because combat is already incredibly slow and anything I can shave off feels like a godsend. Personally, I'd like to take a page from DungeonCraft and try the system where everybody explains what they're going to do then it happens all at once. That means if two archers say they're going to shoot the same goblin, but the first archer kills it, that means the second archer puts an arrow in a corpse.
But for EZD6, no initiative rolls just speeds things up. It's once less thing to keep track of.
@@asquirrelplays The DMs that find individual initiative slow and not fun are wrong. Individual initiative is cinematic and exciting and does not slow down the game at all. Imagine a movie where one side goes then the other...Boring and stupid. Same goes for RPGs. Don't ruin the game.
Moreover, which is slower, letting the players spend 20 minutes deciding who will go in what order or randomly deciding by individual die rolls and just going in that order. I can guarantee you that my way is faster and more exciting since some enemies will go in between the player affecting the tactical situation.
@@DeltaDemon1 The only people who are wrong about how to play DnD are the people who say there is a wrong way to play DnD.
Your EZ counter is off by one @ 16:01
That is the absolute worst
I have been immensely disappointed with 5E and I do not see the appeal, especially after years of 3rd and 4th Edition. After a year of running 5E, it just isn't fun. It isn't great for new players, isn't my go-to for One-shots, and a campaign in 5E is just as much work as any other TTRPG. For those that say EZD6 isn't robust enough for Campaigns, to this I say: What are you talking about? A campaign is as robust as the GM and Players make it. "But actually, It doesn't have leveling..." Well, thank God it doesn't. Leveling in 5E is like reading a car manual for inspiration and goals.
TL;DR EZD6 is good for All Players - Veterans and Newbies, it's good for One-shots, and any Campaign setting. I did something goofy and married Five Leagues from the Borderlands and EZD6 and the abomination that is my game has been... dare I say, fun? Thanks DM Scotty and Squirrel Man!
Yeah, I know I pick on 5e a lot, but generally I try to just let people enjoy what they enjoy. That said though, 5e does REALLY confuse me when it comes to its fans. When they start making claims like "it's incredibly easy and great for beginners" I'm just like hold up now. I may have said it in the video but my introduction to TTRPGs would have been significantly better had I started with EZD6.
I ran two campaigns with 5e and hated every single minute of it as far as trying to work with the mechanics went. It's just not for me.
I don't know if you've worked your way through my other EZD6 videos or already know these things, but just in case you don't:
There actually is a way to level up in EZD6 now (totally optional) with the level up cards Scotty made. They're super cool and make leveling not only interesting, but kind of a mini-game in its own way.
The Wasted World "playset" also dropped pretty recently, and it's incredible. Along with a whole new setting/classes/stuff, it adds a very generous amount of new mechanics to play with. Some that would absolutely work in a fantasy setting as well. And of course, Scotty keeps things super simple and fast to use. Highly encourage you to check that out if you haven't already.
I spent a lot of years in manufacturing and design work, and the name of the game there is simplicity and efficiency. Scotty's ability to do that with TTRPG mechanics and rules impresses me beyond words.
Never mind I'm an idiot. I see that you already made your way over to the Wasted World video lol
@@asquirrelplays You do well for a sentient squirrel. I jest, but I’m ordering a hardback copy of Wasted Worlds asap. As an old man, PDFs and paperback do not get my juices flowing.
I encourage everyone to play the game that is right for their table, even if that is 5E. Just be aware there are more options now than ever.
I’m a huge fan of Index Card RPG as well, the book is absolutely filled with decades of advice.
If you haven’t tried it yet, I encourage you to obtain TaleSpire - even if you run it in your living room with friends and cast it to a television. Game changing technology that 13 year old me would have curb stomped a grizzly to get my hands on.
Anything is better than 5e
this is true
Not at all impressed or curious about this system (I don't play 5E either). I would suggest "The Fantasy Trip" for anyone wanting an elegant, simple, superior d6 system. It came out in the early 80s and was just re-released by the creator once again (the mighty Steve Jackson!!!).
Early 80s? Ohhhh man, please tell me he kept the original artwork/style
@@asquirrelplays Yes he did! Mostly the SAME exact art! It's a blast from the past. Check it out!
@@danjohnson887 with 80s art, how could I not check it out?
Somehow I end up liking RUclips channels whose creators have a totally different idea of an ideal TTRPG than me. LOL Except for one. But no, rules-light systems don't appeal to me, nor are rules-heavy systems. Thanks for telling us about it, though.
No problem! Curious though, if you don't like rules heavy or rules light, what are some games you play that fall right in the middle?
@A Squirrel Plays To me, a rules-heavy game kinda starts with like 3.5 or Pathfinder 1e. A rules-light game is something like Blades in the Dark or Knave. But 5e is to me a rules-medium game. Something that is heavy enough to be fairly predictable to players and have enough crunch to allow for character builds that are fun to play, but light enough to give the DM some leeway and not require extensive study to play. I think 5e did a good job at simplifying a lot of mechanics that didn't need to be as complicated as they were; that's good game design. However, I think 5e did some things very wrong and 6e is overcorrecting for those things in the wrong direction. So 6e is taking racial ability score bonuses away from the different "species" (which is a whole other thing). Part of the reason they are doing that is to attract sociopolitically active players, sure. But the other reason they are doing it is because they don't want there to be a right or wrong race to pick for a Fighter or Warlock. That second one is the right goal, but they should instead have just given each ability score some extra utility for every class so that a Fighter with 12 CHA or a Warlock with 12 STR has some benefit from those scores. That's how you *really* increase replayability and PC diversity. Having some crunch allows this, but it doesn't happen on its own. So they have the right goal with the wrong direction.
I also like medium-fantasy, which is a term nobody actually uses. There Conan or maybe GoT for low fantasy, and there 5e or 3.5 for high fantasy, but I like it in the middle. I also like low fantasy, though. Not a big fan of high fantasy where everyone's a superhero.
@@tkc1129 Is everybody being a superhero what makes it high fantasy? I was always under the impression high fantasy meant like lots of magic in the world, dragons, mythical creatures, lots of gods and that kind of thing. A world very much NOT like ours in other words. Whereas the more you lowered the fantasy value, the closer and closer it got to real life.
I enjoy settings with lots of magic and what not, but no, definitely not a fan of everyone being a superhero. That gets really old, really fast.
I disagree with your super hero analogy. EZD6 system demands a high magic world, and the mechanics give so many get out get out of jail free cards on strikes they are nigh invincible. Players start as the most powerful version of that class and never get better or worse without artificially adding a new rule. Every conjurer is a master wizard. Finally to your acid and fire example - that is the only tough spot. Period. Hard to put that in every game. Still a fun game for a one shot, campaign though, don’t know maybe with a singular DM and dedicated players that like high magic and low death game. Easily the least deadly game I’ve ever played.
Maybe it's the way I GM but EZD6 is the only time the players have died, or in the other case, came EXTREMELY close to dying and would have wiped had I not backed off a bit. Whereas in 5e I can't seem to kill them (sensibly/fairly) no matter how hard I try due to their bottomless tool chest of "no u" abilities. I'll admit though, the tank/warrior class with the "tough bastard" ability is a bit much, but I'd still take it any day over things like "polymorph" and "silver tongue".
As for saying they start out as the most powerful version of their classes due to no leveling, they also start out as the weakest. The book mentions how you can reward/level them for campaigns, so you're really not creating any new rules. An extra boon on their weapons, maybe an extra inclination, things that already exist.
Obviously you're allowed to disagree. For me, EZD6 feels a lot better because it seems to let the GM actually do things like be creative, whereas 5e feels like I'm chained to the ground with no wiggle room.
@@asquirrelplays Yeah, I'm with you, compared to 5e it is very fast and easy, not a fair comparison. Compare it to other rules light games and use the D6 mechanic like Dungeon World or TinyD6. Love some of the other comments too about playing with their kids and stuff - EZD6 was made for that kind of game. I'd be interested in your opinion after you run it for a while. The game is fun - but its like eating cake and only cake for every meal.
@@deathbare5306 I'd love to run a campaign with it and put it through the proper tests, but I'm currently running a 5e campaign and I don't have the room to run 2 at a time. Not well anyway. One day we'll get our 5e campaign finished.
It's actually very easy to die in this. 3 strikes is brutal, designing combat encounters is kind of hard because of this.
I hate 5e, but I'll keep looking.
The simplicity of strikes again eliminates the fun. Stop trying to make your games boring.
You've posted several comments about how un-fun the system is, but it's all personal preference/experience. A good GM and party can make anything fun, since it's up to the people playing to set the vibe. I'm sorry if you had a bad interaction with this system, it sucks to try something new and not have a good time after hours invested. I hope you find something that works for your playstyle and don't give up on trying new things
Similar to the argument for your comment about individual initiative, I'd argue the simplicity makes it more fun. You may enjoy slogging through infinite dice rolls and calculating bonuses from 20 different sources, but I know I don't. I like to roll dice and something happen instead of roll dice and take three minutes to find all my bonuses. I won't put words in the mouths of my players, but I will say judging by the smiles, laughter, and sounds of excitement, there was a lot more fun being had when we played EZD6 than 5e. I'd wager that's because we could get through a simple combat phase in just a few minutes vs an hour.
But hey, some people enjoy the long, drawn out way. If that's you, 5e is more your jam.
5e is basically a board game....made by magic players. There is no accounting for taste. Some peeps like to be spoon fed their fun.
That's a good way of putting it.
Sounds terribly dull and boring. I agree about 5e but this system sounds so boring in the opposite way. I am sure there are simple alternatives. Try OSE or Mörk borg.
You know, I can't think of a way to ask without it coming across snarky or combative in text, but how do you mean it's boring in the opposite way?
As for simpler alternatives, I've since done a video on Mausritter and Adventurous. Lots of love for Mausritter, and while Adventurous wasn't that bad, it could use some polishing. But it's a brand-new game from a new guy on the scene, so that makes sense.
Sounds like a thoroughly mediocre game versions of which I've seen hundreds of times on the web and at lower cost than it is now. There's a D6 system from WEG (D6 Action, D6 Space, D6 Fantasy) that is great for pulp (like Star Wars and IJ) and the owner has put it up for free on the web since the company went under. Try those ones out instead of this.
So far I've played in two one shots featuring this system and I've been working on my own things for it.
So far, at least, I'm having fun with it. I see a couple of your points but I think you should toss this in the "live, and let live" box
If you've been playing TTRPGs for 35 years like you said in another comment, I don't doubt you've seen similar games. That's because there's only so many ways you can make a rule set based around a 6 sided die. I don't know the story behind WEG, but I'd point out that the creator of EZD6 doesn't seem to be going under anytime soon, so that says something about the game. Plus, he's got more coming out for it in the near future, so people are clearly enjoying it. As a matter of fact, the RUclipsrs I've seen review it have absolutely praised it.
Honestly, and this may just be the glory of the internet and chatting through text, but reading all the comments you dropped on this video, it sounds like you got a major chip on your shoulder and I can't imagine why. Nobody is telling you to stop doing what you enjoy, but you seem to be bent on making sure people don't give this game a shot.
Maybe you were just having a bad day or going through something, in which case, I hope it gets better for you soon.
@@asquirrelplays I've seen so many DMs try to ruin the game by offering alternatives that I tell it like it is. This RPG looks crappy.
@@DeltaDemon1
You don't like this system. That is okay.
Some folks do like this system, that is also okay.
You play the way you like, other folks will play the way they like and the hobby a whole will be better for it.
This is a waste of money. I think people talking this up are just unfamiliar with the concept of a rules light system. There is no reason to spend 12.50 or more on an oversimplified d6 system, advantage/disadvantage, and most of the rules replaced with "make it up yourself" or doing Mother May I with your players.
Eh, I would hardly call it "mother may I" unless that's just the way you run your table. And 12.50 is dang near free compared to what Wizards wants for some of their junk, so calling it a waste of money is a huge stretch.
I tried it with some hardcore D&D players and they were more than happy with it + wanting to play it again so it's at least worth something. DM Scotty himself has received plenty of praise for his work from D&D folks that have been playing for a VERY long time, so clearly he's doing something right.
Uuuuuuugggghhhhhh my group does enjoy being memes :(
Isn't it the worst?
@@asquirrelplays yes....yes it is.