Bae'zel
Hero
Interesting discussion; my take on all of this comes from the privilege of having played and run TTRPGs since the mid-90s, and my experiences have colored my perceptions. I never run a RPG 100% rules as written, or setting as written. I treat most games, especially D&D, as a "toolkit" to craft things into the way that I want them to be, and the way my players want them to be.
My personal perspective isn't of any use to brand new, younger players or DMs who don't know any better, or who don't watch tons of YouTube RPG channels full of advice.
I can see how it is unfortunate that some newer, inexperienced players might be getting the wrong impression of the potential of D&D; how it doesn't HAVE to be played out of the box in a default High Fantasy, High Optimism method, that there's nuance and dials to customize it to your liking. Or where the limits are (ie, when it is best to try out a different game with better support for a different style).
If I'm running D&D mostly "out of the box", I will not act surprised when a player defeats a seemingly mundane challenge through magical means or "kewl powers". I've come to accept that and it isn't jarring. You can definitely tweak the dials to make the game more gritty in feel (that's a bloody fact, not denial), but at some point you may want to tell folks that it may be less effort, and a better experience, to try out something else.
Hence why I can't sympathize with "all or nothing" opinions of the game, whether in good or bad faith. Just because I tweak things to my personal taste doesn't mean that I'm a fool for enjoying a particular game. I tweak EVERY RPG that I run, even the sacred cow ones.
My personal perspective isn't of any use to brand new, younger players or DMs who don't know any better, or who don't watch tons of YouTube RPG channels full of advice.
I can see how it is unfortunate that some newer, inexperienced players might be getting the wrong impression of the potential of D&D; how it doesn't HAVE to be played out of the box in a default High Fantasy, High Optimism method, that there's nuance and dials to customize it to your liking. Or where the limits are (ie, when it is best to try out a different game with better support for a different style).
If I'm running D&D mostly "out of the box", I will not act surprised when a player defeats a seemingly mundane challenge through magical means or "kewl powers". I've come to accept that and it isn't jarring. You can definitely tweak the dials to make the game more gritty in feel (that's a bloody fact, not denial), but at some point you may want to tell folks that it may be less effort, and a better experience, to try out something else.
Hence why I can't sympathize with "all or nothing" opinions of the game, whether in good or bad faith. Just because I tweak things to my personal taste doesn't mean that I'm a fool for enjoying a particular game. I tweak EVERY RPG that I run, even the sacred cow ones.
