D&D General Why do you play Dungeons & Dragons?

[HappiestCamper]

This isn't meant to be hateful, I'm genuinely curious. There are so many new Tabletop RPGs out there that it's crazy to me people still play D&D after 45 years. It's certainly much more popular than a lot of the other RPGs that came out around the same time period. What is it about D&D that makes it stand out above the rest?

 

[zarionofarabel]

Absolutely no idea. So many other games do so many things so much better!

 

[Azzy]

Above the rest? I wouldn't say that—I like many different RPGs, each for different reasons and for different genres. But D&D is what I started with, I still enjoy it a lot, and I think the lastest edition is the best version yet. I don't think any other fantasy RPG has ever appealed to me, TBH. It just boils down to—it's fun.

 

[Tonguez]

Its popular and has a lot of material available.
Theres also great websites like this one to come and talk on.

Also playing isnt the only thing that can be done with D&D, world creation is also fun and D&D materials can be used with different rules sets

 

[aco175]

Its Lord of the Rings without learning a new system. Its fantasy with legends and lore and bedtime stories. I would also say that my group has been playing it for many years and to get all of us to learn a new system is difficult. A new D&D edition is rather easy though.

 

[Oofta]

For me it's several reasons. One is just that I have my own homebrew world that I've run campaigns in for decades. So a fair amount of stuff is tied into my version of D&D lore.

But fundamentally? Because it does what I need well enough. I'm sure there are other games that do certain things better, but while I do a healthy mix of combat and RP, I don't want a lot of detailed rules outside of combat for example. I'm comfortable with the basic concepts and tropes. I don't need or want the insanity rules from Cthulhu, nor do I want to play a game with a relatively narrow genre focus like Vampire the Masquerade.

Add in the fact that it's easy to find games with AL, easy to find players for my home game. Advertise a D&D game and people have a general idea of what they're in for. There are great tools nowadays (DndBeyond is awesome) and a ton of resources.

Maybe someday I'll get tired of running a pseudo-medieval garbage can of fantasy that is D&D but I don't see that happening any time soon. D&D is far from perfect, but it gets out of my way well enough for me to tell a wide variety of stories.

Ultimately I think "better systems" are in the eye of the beholder. No other system has ever offered enough to entice me away.

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

I think one reason people play D&D is how it's almost become a default for 'gaming'. Doesn't mean good or bad - it just has a cultural currency.

For example, if you try to get a game going, I'd say by and large a higher quantity of people have tried D&D at least, as opposed to people who have ever tried GURPS, for example.

 

[DND_Reborn]

For me, I started with D&D as my fantasy game. And WEG Star Wars was my sci-fi game, Shadowrun was my pseudo-cyberpunk game, Vampire was my horror game. I enjoy the games for what they are, and see no need to expand and try other games; most I have looked at really aren't worth the money to get or the time to learn. shrug

 

[Lanefan]

If work must be done I prefer to only have to do it once.

Learning how an RPG system functions is work, therefore I only ever want to do it once; and as I've already done it there's no need to do it again.

 

[Guest User]

What is it about D&D that makes it stand out above the rest?

You get to crush your foes, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their loved ones.

Also game day is usually a "cheat day".