D&D General D&D as an lore fan vs a tools fan
- Thread starter Morrus
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Lanefan
Victoria Rules
Voted "tools" because without the tools there is no game but without the lore I can still use the tools to make up my own lore.
That said, I engage with the lore to some extent mostly just for my own entertainment: I've got a few setting books and boxed-sets, a bunch of Dragonlance novels, and so forth; and I quite liked the D&DHAT movie.
That said, I engage with the lore to some extent mostly just for my own entertainment: I've got a few setting books and boxed-sets, a bunch of Dragonlance novels, and so forth; and I quite liked the D&DHAT movie.
Li Shenron
Legend
Indeed it's a bit of both for me, but for the sake of the poll I voted "tool" as I feel it's more like 70% tool / 30% lore.
I do buy settings book though.
I do buy settings book though.
bsss
Adventurer
As I continue to consider my answer, I wonder what people consider "tools". Resolution mechanics? Rules about specific situations? Character options? Skill lists? All of the above and more? I think I might prefer a lighter touch on some of those elements but not all of those elements, so it's an interesting quandary to me. And then, furthermore, the next question is if I like D&D's iteration of those tools, whatever they are... that's the tough part.
I don't expect an answer, just thinking aloud. But when I think about what I come/came to D&D specifically for, it's often not the tool-stuff but where it intersects with the lore-stuff.
I don't expect an answer, just thinking aloud. But when I think about what I come/came to D&D specifically for, it's often not the tool-stuff but where it intersects with the lore-stuff.
Desdichado
Legend
I'm equally likely to heavily modify rules and lore both. That said, lore is much more satisfying to read than rules. And, ultimately more useful than "yet another subclass or spell" or whatever.
As I watch more of these game videos, it seems to be none of the above. Most grab rules from other games and stick them into the game they are playing. It all boils down to what is a better storytelling "tool", but to me, none of those "mechanics" seem a good fit for storytelling. It is like grabbing a watermelon to make an apple pie recipe. Sure its a fruit, but is the outcome going to be what you are hoping for. The lore on the other hand is built in pre-written story you can just modify to fit your mode, or is it mean?
Maybe that is just these game videos where they take It's A Wonderful Life, and play as Clarence to change the outcome like a school play and have to change the name for copyright, "It's My Wonderful Life"? (Which in turn was an altered A Christmas Carol.)
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500 Toads
Explorer
I would suggest that the existence of official lore, done right, serves as a sanity check for mechanics and rules because it requires the consideration of consequences and encourages a bit of thought about integrating new additions. One could certainly take a different tack from what would be official, but it'd good if such thinking actually at least happens; and if GMs could read such and consider in advance how they would treat such aspects, rather than potentially be taken by surprise if a curious player asks a relevant question during play.
For D&D 5E, for instance, building a coherent setting would necessarily need to consider the prevalence and use of magic. If magical abilities aren't that unusual, for instance, then there's a lot of spells and magical items whose existence would cause significant divergence from a clichéd mundane quasi-medieval-Europe setting. Even relatively low-level magic like mold earth, mending, spare the dying, alarm, comprehend languages, cure wounds and so forth; never mind still somewhat-modest spells like detect thoughts, clairvoyance, sending, plant growth and zone of truth. Everything from law enforcement to (counter)espionage and security measures to agriculture (and perhaps population density!) to construction work would be seriously affected. If nobles and authorities have to worry about the occasional intruder protected by invisibility, what security measures might be common? If adventurers are attempting to infiltrate the mansion of somebody they suspect of some secret evil, and they find an portal secured by arcane lock, or if they stumble on a glyph of warding -- is that by itself unusual and perhaps suspicious?
Are those without magic frequently protesting to restrict or expel magicians for fear of being rendered obsolete to the degree of not being employable?
If magic is rare, then how do authorities handle dealing with it given what it can accomplish? Are the few with talents "strongly encouraged" into serving lords who both crave and fear those abilities? Are diviners hunted down, for fear that they'll spy on the Powers That Be; never mind the fear and resentment that enchanters would likely evoke, were it known that they could command or dominate person to suborn critical personnel? Is a wand of fireball a highly illegal bit of contraband, or maybe something that will be requisitioned for military purposes if authorities find out about it?
Is the existence of subtle spell known, and if so, might authorities view it as dangerous knowledge worth suppressing or otherwise regulating due to how it'd make it far easier for a malevolent caster to exploit his abilities without detection?
...
For that matter, if a single night's rest heals the vast majority of non-fatal injuries, that too might have serious consequences in everything from warfare to workplace safety to the development of healthcare services.
For D&D 5E, for instance, building a coherent setting would necessarily need to consider the prevalence and use of magic. If magical abilities aren't that unusual, for instance, then there's a lot of spells and magical items whose existence would cause significant divergence from a clichéd mundane quasi-medieval-Europe setting. Even relatively low-level magic like mold earth, mending, spare the dying, alarm, comprehend languages, cure wounds and so forth; never mind still somewhat-modest spells like detect thoughts, clairvoyance, sending, plant growth and zone of truth. Everything from law enforcement to (counter)espionage and security measures to agriculture (and perhaps population density!) to construction work would be seriously affected. If nobles and authorities have to worry about the occasional intruder protected by invisibility, what security measures might be common? If adventurers are attempting to infiltrate the mansion of somebody they suspect of some secret evil, and they find an portal secured by arcane lock, or if they stumble on a glyph of warding -- is that by itself unusual and perhaps suspicious?
Are those without magic frequently protesting to restrict or expel magicians for fear of being rendered obsolete to the degree of not being employable?
If magic is rare, then how do authorities handle dealing with it given what it can accomplish? Are the few with talents "strongly encouraged" into serving lords who both crave and fear those abilities? Are diviners hunted down, for fear that they'll spy on the Powers That Be; never mind the fear and resentment that enchanters would likely evoke, were it known that they could command or dominate person to suborn critical personnel? Is a wand of fireball a highly illegal bit of contraband, or maybe something that will be requisitioned for military purposes if authorities find out about it?
Is the existence of subtle spell known, and if so, might authorities view it as dangerous knowledge worth suppressing or otherwise regulating due to how it'd make it far easier for a malevolent caster to exploit his abilities without detection?
...
For that matter, if a single night's rest heals the vast majority of non-fatal injuries, that too might have serious consequences in everything from warfare to workplace safety to the development of healthcare services.
MichaelSomething
Legend
Go look at Traveller 5E. Does that change your answer???
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Traveller 5e
The oldest and most influential sci-fi TTRPG of all time meets the world’s most popular roleplaying game, with a complete 5e conversion by World’s Largest RPGs.
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Weiley31
Legend
I prefer both and believe that settings/lore are just as much tools as the rules/mechanics are themselves. I don't have the time to become a discount Tolkien and craft a whole elaborate TEMU LoTRs. I've dabbled some concepts and stuff so it's not all completely imagination free (I low key liked the name/title I gave to the creator goddess(The Divine Supreme) for a rough state homebrew for my two buds who were first time players.
Likewise, I prefer to set my games in the Forgotten Realms. And there's a ton of great books, a fantastic wiki, and 1D4Chan(or whatever it is now) to literally crib from for additional details. Now granted, I may take the stuff (like the Silence of Lolth) and make it "current" event wise, but not timeline wise. Theres too many years and dates for that.
Likewise, I prefer to set my games in the Forgotten Realms. And there's a ton of great books, a fantastic wiki, and 1D4Chan(or whatever it is now) to literally crib from for additional details. Now granted, I may take the stuff (like the Silence of Lolth) and make it "current" event wise, but not timeline wise. Theres too many years and dates for that.
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Who are you responding to? Me?Go look at Traveller 5E. Does that change your answer???
Traveller 5e
The oldest and most influential sci-fi TTRPG of all time meets the world’s most popular roleplaying game, with a complete 5e conversion by World’s Largest RPGs.
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