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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ruin Explorer" data-source="post: 8252506" data-attributes="member: 18">You misremember.I want to regard HP as the latter, but they are prevented from being that, because the game rules hard-block it, even if you don't regard them as "physics" that apply off-screen, they do apply on on-screen, and they prevent stuff that's a really, really basic component of really common fantasy settings, like uncontrolled falls killing or seriously injuring people, or people being knocked out or killed in a single blow. The fact that in D&D, all on-screen combat is weardown combat, and that there's basically a trinary state of being "basically fine", "dying" and "dead", with no injuries, and immediate returns to full effectiveness on the slightest healing, and where one night's sleep will fix literally anything does limit what D&D can do fantasy-wise, even just applying on-screen (and assuming off-screen things are very different).This is disingenuous, though it may not be intentional on your part.D&D was never close to Jack Vance's take in any edition (as has been much discussed), so it's a weird and pointless semantic argument to point that out. The term Vancian applies regardless.I agree that it's not possible to have a truly universal magic system (god knows people have tried), but I don't think it's remotely true that you can't design magic systems that are broadly generic and whilst they might not be a 1:1 match, are say a 0.8:1 match, whereas D&D's bizarre magic system isn't even going to be a 0.1:1 match with most games. Either using an exhaustion-based or spell-point based system with casting checks and broader spells would get you a hell of lot closer to about 80% of fantasy media.(As an aside, you could probably have a decent discussion about exactly how to fix this in another thread, because I don't think it would be impossible, esp. as most magic systems in fantasy media fall into about three categories none of which is even slightly similar to D&D's approach.)Even WWN with it's intentionally-peculiar system at least has a properly worked-in spell-point based caster (and you can bring in Psionics from SWN). You'd have a hell of an easier time running DS with WWN than 5E D&D (indeed I've seen some people discussing how they're doing just that). And WWN isn't a "generic" system, it's a specific one.GURPS is of course generic, but I will admit, I am drawing a blank of its magic system entirely so can't comment. SWADE's magic system is going to work better for a lot more fantasy than D&D (IIRC, it's been a while).It's certainly not true to suggest most/all fantasy RPGs have the same issue to remotely the same degree. It's a risible claim that relies on us ignoring obvious differences. D&D's system is hugely incompatible with fantasy in general because it's so odd.</blockquote>

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