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[billd91]

Originally Posted by Remathilis

What role-playing game allows you to have Frodo, Conan, Arthur, and Robin all on the same "party"? In what world would Frodo's compassion amass the same strength as Conan's savage fury?

Its not D&D. D&D has not, nor has it ever, rewarded heroic sacrifice and noble chivalry. D&D has reward Conan-esque heroism; PCs go into a dungeon, slay the evil monsters, destroy the evil temples, and walk off with all the gold the evil cultists were hoarding before they died. No noble struggle, no heroic sacrifice, no common-everyman who overcomes by heart and will. D&D doesn't like those traits (well, its never created much in the way of mechanics for them) its rewarded power (be it martial power or magical power) with power; kill things, complete quests, steal treasure, level up, do it again.

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Oh sure, I can run a game that rewards heroism and heroic traits beyond power and survival, but the game gives me nothing to it. There is no rules for honor, love, beauty, sacrifice, piety, charity, compassion, or virtue (Book of Exalted Deed's excluded). There ARE rules for accumulating and spending wealth, gaining XP to gain new levels of power, and (formerly) rules on morale, henchmen/retainers, and epic magic items.

Says alot about D&D's emphasis, doesn't it?

Yes, it says D&D is a framework for adventures but not the be-all or end-all of heroic fantasy gaming. Some of that has to come from the DM and players.
If you want to look at D&D as a vehicle, say a Mercury Tracer, it provides the means of getting from point A to point B and involves certain rules - gas goes in, the engine burns the gas to drive the wheels, the clutch enables the gears to be changed without grinding, and off we go. But that says little about how pleasurable or fun the ride would be other than with things tied to the mechanics.
But the driver, and how and where they drive, will have a major impact on whether that car ride meets the goals and desires of the people riding in it.