D&D General Why is tradition (in D&D) important to you? [+]

[Sacrosanct]

Form another thread, I thought of a different tradition that I like about D&D. The tradition that the best, most effective groups, are made up of people with different talents and skills. Maybe my PC isn't a jock, but they're smart. Maybe my guy has a hard time counting past ten without taking off his shoes, but helps protect that squishy braniac in the back. Along with that there's the tradition (at least for me) that you don't have to be super optimized to contribute.

yeah, I know this is a preference thing, but I am a big fan of niche protection and treating the party as a team, where everyone has a different specialty and ability to shine, rather than have every class be able to "win" at all and every scenario.

 

[Micah Sweet]

It seems to me that when you started doesn't determine what you like about the game. I, and others around here, also started in the early 80s, and like the modern game just fine as D&D.



The Immortals set came out in 1986. Going to godlike power is not "modern".

You're right, the ceiling has been high for a long time. But the floor has certainly risen over the years.

 

[billd91]

yeah, I know this is a preference thing, but I am a big fan of niche protection and treating the party as a team, where everyone has a different specialty and ability to shine, rather than have every class be able to "win" at all and every scenario.

There's some value in that, but I like the development that players have more choice in how they want to fill those niches. Need a lock picker? Don't need to be a rogue - you could be a sorcerer with a criminal background and you still free the rest of the group up to develop their characters to fill other niches needing to be filled.

 

[el-remmen]

Why is tradition important to D&D?

Because the tradition of each group making D&D their own, regardless of current edition, fads, or changes OR because they want to follow the current edition, fad, or change is what will keep the game and community going whether it is published product or not.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

In any case, I gave my list, feel free to give yours.

I thought I did but perhaps I was too vague. To me the most important D&D tradition is that you're an "[insert race/lineage] [insert level][insert class/subclass]" and that that is defining thing that's immediately going to tell people about how your character plays and and what they're about.

This is pretty different to a lot of other TT RPGs. Class, race, and level.

Beyond that I think there's a hell of a lot that's kind of up for discussion whilst potentially still being D&D. I'd love to see HP increase but by a much smaller amount per level, for example.

Stat-wise, I could honestly see losing Constitution. Not because I hate it, but because it doesn't add much. Almost everything it's for you could use STR for or just remove from the game. So I'm guessing I'm finding that the six stats tradition doesn't matter or that be equally happy with one of those stats changing.

 

[Li Shenron]

It is simply a matter of product consistency.

If cocacola or pepsi decide they need a sales boost and change their flavor to banana, it's not cocacola or pepsi anymore. Can be a new good drink but not the same.

If D&D drops too much of what distinguished it from other RPGs then it becomes another RPG. Can be a new good RPG but still one of the many other RPGs.

It's ok for D&D to evolve and generate new variants. But when it strayed too far from itself it failed.

 

[Micah Sweet]

It is simply a matter of product consistency.

If cocacola or pepsi decide they need a sales boost and change their flavor to banana, it's not cocacola or pepsi anymore. Can be a new good drink but not the same.

If D&D drops too much of what distinguished it from other RPGs then it becomes another RPG. Can be a new good RPG but still one of the many other RPGs.

It's ok for D&D to evolve and generate new variants. But when it strayed too far from itself it failed.

Maybe Wotc can make completely different games under the banner, "D&D Presents".

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Maybe Wotc can make completely different games under the banner, "D&D Presents".

D&D Presents Star Frontiers. I AM IN!

D&D Presents Gamma World. I WAS THERE YESTERDAY!!

D&D Presents FASERIP Marvel Superheroes. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY GOT THE LICENSING RIGHTS, BUT TAKE ALL MY MONEY!

D&D Presents All My Children. OKAY, MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE TO MINE ALL YOUR OLD PROPERTIES!

D&D Presents F.A.T.A.L. WAIT, I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A TSR(CUBED) PRODUCT? NO THANK YOU, DO NOT WANT!!!!!!

 

[Yaarel]

Maybe Wotc can make completely different games under the banner, "D&D Presents".

I want a D&D "near future" setting. But I dont need it to be called "D&D".

Near future is like modern, but with artificial intelligence and supertech.

A Paladin character might be an enhanced police officer, a dragon might be a DNA splicing, and so on.

 

[Yaarel]

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