Iconic D&D

[Talaeden_Denthiir]

D&D has endured many a trial over the years and keeps on getting better. It is an Iconic. A standard by which others are measured. Want to compare D&D to WoW? Fine. Yet one shouldn't measure D&D to WoW. One should measure WoW to D&D. In effect, if WoW is a least partly based of D&D (and it is), then let D&D set the standard, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. Give the Pen and Paper D&D something that no other MMORPG can duplicate besides the Roleplaying aspect. Something in the Mechanics. How? I don't have all the answers, but here's an example.
I'm sure we've all done this before. We've all read a fantasy book or watched a fantasy movie and thought, 'it would be SO awesome to play that character in a game. Well, D&D comes along and we do, err, sort of. We might play a Barabarian and pretend to be Conan, or a Wizard and try to be Gandalf, or a Ranger and try to be Robin Hood; but we aren't really playing the actual character...
So why don't we? WotC, why don't we? What I'd like is a way for us all, through the MECHANICS of D&D make those Iconic characters. Why not have an example of each class be someone from said books and movies and even comics (barring copyright infrinement, of course)? WotC give us the stats and brief backround of Lancelot the Paladin, Conan the Barbarian (before he multiclassed), and Robin Hood the Ranger. Also give us Fantasy favorites from literature like Elric of Melibone, and the Multiclassed Drizzt Do'Urden. In effect, make one member of each class in the PH and each Prestige class in the DMG Iconic from these sources.
I've worked in sales for a large part of my life, and while I am by NO means an expert, I do know and understand at least this one thing: Cross sales matter, they matter alot! Got a kid who's never played D&D before but has played Baldur's gate for PS2? Give us a stated character from that video game. Got a mom who's read every Elaine Cunningham Forgotten realms novel there is? Give us one of her characters! Got a guy who's read Conan but never touched a RPG, whether tabletop or video game, give us Conan! In effect, if more people from other genres come to the 4TH Edition of D&D the better. Let Minis cross into books cross into video games cross into tabletop and multi-versa (if that's a word; but you get the picture

 

[Moon-Lancer]

because you cant trademark/copyright robin hood or lancerlot. , however you can do this if you make up your own names, like Lidda.

 

[Victim]

Detailing characters not under public domain might entail expensive licensing fees. Also, people are not likely to be wholely satisfied with the DnD rendition of their favorite character, and then be unsold on DnD.

 

[Kaffis]

See? This is why. Everybody knows Robin Hood is a rogue.

 

[Charwoman Gene]

See? This is why. Everybody knows Robin Hood is a rogue.

No, he is a CG Ex-Paladin/Ranger.

((See.))

 

[Irda Ranger]

D&D is an Iconic. A standard by which others are measured. Want to compare D&D to WoW? Fine. Yet one shouldn't measure D&D to WoW. One should measure WoW to D&D. In effect, if WoW is a least partly based of D&D (and it is), then let D&D set the standard, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

Rah, rah! Give me a "D"! Give me a "&" ...

Er, no. D&D has been around a long time, no question, but that doesn't mean that you can't compare "both ways." Sean K Reynolds does quite openly on his blog, and sees a lot of really good game design elements in WoW that D&D can learn from. And they should. It's arrogant to believe that the innovation and leadership is a one-way flow.

I'm sure we've all done this before. We've all read a fantasy book or watched a fantasy movie and thought, 'it would be SO awesome to play that character in a game. Well, D&D comes along and we do, err, sort of. We might play a Barabarian and pretend to be Conan, or a Wizard and try to be Gandalf, or a Ranger and try to be Robin Hood

Yeah, we've all done it. For ourselves. That's half the fun. Other than at Cons, where characters are handed out to save time, do you know anyone who really likes playing pre-gens?

but we aren't really playing the actual character...

That's because the "actual character" is a work of literature, not a stat block in JRR Tolkien's oldest notebook dating from 1922. There is no "actual character" to play that's definitively right - just lots of interpretations.

So why don't we? WotC, why don't we? What I'd like is a way for us all, through the MECHANICS of D&D make those Iconic characters. Why not have an example of each class be someone from said books and movies and even comics (barring copyright infrinement, of course)? WotC give us the stats and brief backround of Lancelot the Paladin, Conan the Barbarian (before he multiclassed), and Robin Hood the Ranger.

You mean besides licensing costs? First, what makes you think the Robert Howard estate would license Conan to D&D when they've already got their own game for that? Secondly, there's dozens of different versions of every myth-historical figure, such as Robin Hood and Lancelot (aka, Clothar the Frank, known as "the Lancer"). Are you suggesting that WotC just "pick one" as the "official" version? God save me, I don't know which I'd hate more: the Errol Flynn or Kevin Costner version of Robin Hood ... and that's assuming WotC doesn't lose their mind entirely and go with this guy.

Also give us Fantasy favorites from literature like Elric of Melibone,

Except that you can't ... Elric's world and magic doesn't look anything like D&D. At best you've have an "inspired by" mock-up.

the Multiclassed Drizzt Do'Urden.

We've already got that, sadly. He's in the 3.0 FRCS.

I've worked in sales for a large part of my life, and while I am by NO means an expert, I do know and understand at least this one thing: Cross sales matter, they matter a lot! Got a kid who's never played D&D before but has played Baldur's Gate for PS2? Give us a stated character from that video game. Got a mom who's read every Elaine Cunningham Forgotten realms novel there is? Give us one of her characters! Got a guy who's read Conan but never touched a RPG, whether tabletop or video game, give us Conan! In effect, if more people from other genres come to the 4TH Edition of D&D the better. Let Minis cross into books cross into video games cross into tabletop and multi-versa (if that's a word; but you get the picture

Or, you can cross-advertise, sell them the books, and let them make the characters they want to play themselves. Making your own character is part of the game, and (for most people I know) fun part. Besides, you don't even know who they might want to play from said Elaine Cunningham novel: Elaith, Danilo, some bit character that had three lines but intrigued them?

Cross-advertising to bring in new players to the hobby can't hurt, but I think it would be a mistake to lend the impression that any character from literature can be mocked-up using D&D mechanics. They simply can't, if for the spell system alone. D&D has become it's own genre. Bring them in, let them stat up their own Bigby, and game on.

 

[mmadsen]

Want to compare D&D to WoW? Fine. Yet one shouldn't measure D&D to WoW. One should measure WoW to D&D.

OK. World of Warcraft has crushed D&D in terms of popularity. Oh, that's not what you wanted us to say?

What I'd like is a way for us all, through the MECHANICS of D&D make those Iconic characters. Why not have an example of each class be someone from said books and movies and even comics (barring copyright infrinement, of course)? WotC give us the stats and brief backround of Lancelot the Paladin, Conan the Barbarian (before he multiclassed), and Robin Hood the Ranger. Also give us Fantasy favorites from literature like Elric of Melibone, and the Multiclassed Drizzt Do'Urden. In effect, make one member of each class in the PH and each Prestige class in the DMG Iconic from these sources.

I agree that emulating popular fiction should be one of the goals of game design. In fact, the designers should ask, What Cool Things Should the Rules Let You Do? so that players can have their characters behave like Conan, Boromir, Lancelot, Robin Hood, etc.

 

[F4NBOY]

I agree that emulating popular fiction should be one of the goals of game design. In fact, the designers should ask, What Cool Things Should the Rules Let You Do? so that players can have their characters behave like Conan, Boromir, Lancelot, Robin Hood, etc.

That's an easy one!

Conan barbarian 5
Lancelot fighter 5
Boromir fighter 5
Robin Hood fighter 4/rogue 1