D&D General What do you actually like about D&D?

[Laurefindel]

It’s a role playing game and I love role playing games but more specifically about D&D and 5e…

• its history and legacy
• it strikes the right balance between too crunchy and too light
• not everything is codified
• vancian magic
• abstracted concepts of defence and health
• variety of dice
• its malleability

 

[Clint_L]

Third, the IP itself. A lot of the DnD monsters are unique and fun.

Yeah, shout out for owlbears, displacer beasts, beholders, shambling mounds, gelatinous cubes, and all the rest of the gang - OG D&D monsters are the best!

 

[Reynard]

• vancian magic

Hey, pal, the Unpopular Opinion threat is that way!

 

[Vael]

I'll stick up for Vancian ... at least in the current 5e form. I don't know if I could go back to earlier editions where you prepared exactly what you could cast that day.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

I'll stick up for Vancian ... at least in the current 5e form. I don't know if I could go back to earlier editions where you prepared exactly what you could cast that day.

It’s funny. We ended up doing something similar in 1e. We called it spell points? And did it about 30 years ago.

We got out of the strict adherence ro 1e casting a long time ago and I don’t think I could go back either but do fantasize about playing 1e here and there…

Being more careful with death in the horizon sounds exciting…

 

[Divine2021]

I used to really like the lore of Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms, and that’s what brought be back consistently. They haven’t been able to keep to the same high standard of writing that I enjoyed in the past (I don’t really care if other people didn’t enjoy it), so I actively am finding myself moving away from WoTC 5e DnD. Kobold Press (and perhaps surprisingly BG3) shows that you don’t need a PG focus tested product to make quality (and well selling) Dungeons and Dragons.

 

[Bill Zebub]

What I like about D&D is that it led eventually to Shadowdark.


EDIT: Actually, I liked the original I6: Ravenloft, too.

 

[Clint_L]

I used to really like the lore of Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms, and that’s what brought be back consistently. They haven’t been able to keep to the same high standard of writing that I enjoyed in the past (I don’t really care if other people didn’t enjoy it), so I actively am finding myself moving away from WoTC 5e DnD. Kobold Press (and perhaps surprisingly BG3) shows that you don’t need a PG focus tested product to make quality (and well selling) Dungeons and Dragons.

I feel like the words "well selling" are doing a lot of heavy lifting here. I don't think any of those 3PP sell a fraction of what WotC products do. In any case, I don't think that the settings are the main reason for D&D's popularity.

 

[Divine2021]

I feel like the words "well selling" are doing a lot of heavy lifting here. I don't think any of those 3PP sell a fraction of what WotC products do. In any case, I don't think that the settings are the main reason for D&D's popularity.

Sure. But if that’s what you focused on, in light of Kobold Press’ incredibly successful kickstarters, you’re missing the point. Kobold Press doesn’t have a billion dollar company behind it guiding it to put out sanitized, bland content (nor the millions in advertising campaigns). I love the concept of DnD, I think WoTC is a poor caretaker of the brand; and I think BG3’s incredible success paradoxically proves it.

 

[beta-ray]

Sure. But if that’s what you focused on, in light of Kobold Press’ incredibly successful kickstarters, you’re missing the point. Kobold Press doesn’t have a billion dollar company behind it guiding it to put out sanitized, bland content (nor the millions in advertising campaigns). I love the concept of DnD, I think WoTC is a poor caretaker of the brand; and I think BG3’s incredible success paradoxically proves it.

Maybe. But you know, not really the topic.