D&D General What D&D Thing Has Changed The Most

[Helldritch]

I'll second the "challenge" point made upthread.

D&D used to in many ways resemble a rogue-like computer game: you'd make your character, put it in play, and let's see how long it lasts and-or how well it does. The game world/setting is out to kill said character and said death could come at any moment from any source; so when said character dies, lather-rinse-repeat until one sticks. Survival was job one and priority alpha; and therein lay the challenge. Luck played a very big role and bad luck was a challenge few if any could overcome.

Now the baseline expectation is that you'll finish the campaign playing the same character you started it with. Survival isn't a priority except in unusual circumstances. The challenge is both reduced and morphed; now largely being based on finding the best builds (bleah!), tactics, or story results to suit the in-game situation. Luck's role has also been greatly reduced, and bad luck can in many ways be mitigated or papered over.

The one element that hasn't changed at all (despite some who might say it has) is the act and art of roleplaying a character, giving it some personality, and making it both memorable and entertaining; in part because doing these things does not rely on mechanics.

Exactly the above.

 

[Reynard]

Early D&D was a structured exploration game.
Since Dragonlance, D&D has been a storytelling game with lots of combat.

I am working on getting the former back

 

[Aldarc]

D&D has become its own fantasy genre.

Early D&D was a structured exploration game.
Since Dragonlance, D&D has been a storytelling game with lots of combat.

Also a good point.

 

[beancounter]

The artwork.

 

[Reynard]

The artwork.

This is true. For anyone that hasn't had a chance, look at the Eye of the Beholder book and documentary. Complete nostalgasm.

 

[James Gasik]

The artwork.

Yeah, we don't have much of the likes of Tony DiTerlizzi, Gerald Brom, Larry Elmore, or David La Force making official art days, sadly.

 

[Lanefan]

And I'm saying that this is outright wrong and that (a) system matters and (b) what is successful within the game will influence what you do.

Consider the following:

A surly warrior with a broken past seeking personal redemption; a man of decisive action and few words, but when he does speak his words carry the weight of long years of painful experience. Doesn't make friends easily but when he does those friendships last for life. Secretly carries a child's toy as a reminder of happier times. Catchphrase: "There's a lot about me you don't know."

A happy-go-lucky magician who can and will find something to laugh at in any situation; who thinks consequences are for the birds and that all that matters is here-and-now enjoyment; and while quite competent at casting his spells has the wisdom and life experience of a shoe, as his sometimes-naive statements and pronouncements - and sometimes-bizarre spell targeting - would indicate. Makes friends very easily but forgets about them if separated for more than a few days. Hook and catchphrase: while obviously pulling out or holding components for a dangerous A-of-E spell, "How high is the ceiling?"*

A down-to-earth no-nonsense woman who just wants to get the job done ASAP so she can get home to her farm before her hired help run the place to ruin; who would rather talk than fight but who can fight if she has to; and who always seeks the most efficient and practical solution to any situation. Makes friends easily but doesn't tolerate fools, and will often end up trying to "herd" her companions as a shepherd would her flock. Hook and catchphrase: hands on hips, "Are you kidding me?"

Assuming the existence of some sort of available caster option for the second one, in what system or mechanical background could I not play any of these three exactly as written?

 

[soviet]

Consider the following:

A surly warrior with a broken past seeking personal redemption; a man of decisive action and few words, but when he does speak his words carry the weight of long years of painful experience. Doesn't make friends easily but when he does those friendships last for life. Secretly carries a child's toy as a reminder of happier times. Catchphrase: "There's a lot about me you don't know."

A happy-go-lucky magician who can and will find something to laugh at in any situation; who thinks consequences are for the birds and that all that matters is here-and-now enjoyment; and while quite competent at casting his spells has the wisdom and life experience of a shoe, as his sometimes-naive statements and pronouncements - and sometimes-bizarre spell targeting - would indicate. Makes friends very easily but forgets about them if separated for more than a few days. Hook and catchphrase: while obviously pulling out or holding components for a dangerous A-of-E spell, "How high is the ceiling?"*

A down-to-earth no-nonsense woman who just wants to get the job done ASAP so she can get home to her farm before her hired help run the place to ruin; who would rather talk than fight but who can fight if she has to; and who always seeks the most efficient and practical solution to any situation. Makes friends easily but doesn't tolerate fools, and will often end up trying to "herd" her companions as a shepherd would her flock. Hook and catchphrase: hands on hips, "Are you kidding me?"

Assuming the existence of some sort of available caster option for the second one, in what system or mechanical background could I not play any of these three exactly as written?

I think the point is not about embodying a particular character but of making that character's baggage both i) the entire focus of play as authored in large part by the player and ii) subject to drastic, lasting change, such that all three of your examples might be the same character at different stages of the campaign.

 

[Lanefan]

I think the point is not about embodying a particular character but of making that character's baggage both i) the entire focus of play as authored in large part by the player and ii) subject to drastic, lasting change, such that all three of your examples might be the same character at different stages of the campaign.

Huh?

How do I get from a surly warrior to an airhead caster to a no-nonsense [warrior? rogue? could be many things], while changing gender in the meantime, all in the same character and without twisting the underlying mechanics or system into a pretzel?

Not that I personally mind it, but I suspect that subjecting a character to forced gender change would draw howls of protest from some (many?) here.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Consider the following:

A surly warrior with a broken past seeking personal redemption; a man of decisive action and few words, but when he does speak his words carry the weight of long years of painful experience. Doesn't make friends easily but when he does those friendships last for life. Secretly carries a child's toy as a reminder of happier times. Catchphrase: "There's a lot about me you don't know."

A happy-go-lucky magician who can and will find something to laugh at in any situation; who thinks consequences are for the birds and that all that matters is here-and-now enjoyment; and while quite competent at casting his spells has the wisdom and life experience of a shoe, as his sometimes-naive statements and pronouncements - and sometimes-bizarre spell targeting - would indicate. Makes friends very easily but forgets about them if separated for more than a few days. Hook and catchphrase: while obviously pulling out or holding components for a dangerous A-of-E spell, "How high is the ceiling?"*

A down-to-earth no-nonsense woman who just wants to get the job done ASAP so she can get home to her farm before her hired help run the place to ruin; who would rather talk than fight but who can fight if she has to; and who always seeks the most efficient and practical solution to any situation. Makes friends easily but doesn't tolerate fools, and will often end up trying to "herd" her companions as a shepherd would her flock. Hook and catchphrase: hands on hips, "Are you kidding me?"

Assuming the existence of some sort of available caster option for the second one, in what system or mechanical background could I not play any of these three exactly as written?

Like I said the highs between the editions are generally the same - although I'm going to suggest that e.g. Tales from the Loop would struggle because it's basically Stranger Things: the RPG and you all play one of the kids.

However. D&D characters are clearly lacking in mechanical support in several obvious ways in almost all editions:

1. Character growth is very linear. In my last Space Opera game I started with a rogue and drifter who knew a bit about fixing engines to pay his way round the galaxy - but was also skilled with stealth, guns, lockpicks, and the rest of a rogue's kit. If I had been playing D&D these would all have grown in lockstep with each other - but because we were playing a skill based game he learned what he used and what he needed - and as a consequence ended up as the best damn engineer in the galaxy (mostly because no one else was playing with as much First One tech) and wasn't otherwise a much better rogue by the time he finished than when he started. The character growth was organic but simply would not have worked in a class/level system.
2. Magic seldom has a risk and almost never has a cost. The experience of playing a D&D wizard where magic is pretty reliable is entirely different from that of playing a Call of Cthulhu one where casting any spell costs you permanent sanity.
3. Long term consequences and injuries aren't much of a thing in D&D; even in the most punishing editions you are just as capable at 1hp as at full hp and it takes you a month of rest to recover all your HP (which is about the time it takes a marathon runner). This impacts how you see combat and risk.
4. Your character bonds have no mechanical weight. There's no character who will do intrinsically better in a high stakes situation (e.g. in front of an audience or protecting a loved one) and none that will do worse thanks to nerves. It's down to the dice.

So yes, system matters. There are some archetypes you can play at a moment in time in any system in most systems. But others you want the support of the system for.