No brown malt? I've made porter with and without, and it makes a surprising difference to the flavour. That's personal tastes though, I really like the flavour it adds.
As to people telling you it's too complex, ignore them, and give it a go. End of the day, you're brewing it for you, not them. My porters tend to have a fairly complex grain bill, and they're delicious for it, as that's how I like them. I'm not looking to copy commercial porters, many of which can be quite bland.