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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 8276709" data-attributes="member: 42582">One factor that complicates some of the comparisons that get made - at least as things seem to me - is that the "dimensions" of comparison are often not made express.For instance, are we talking about topics - ie the subject-matter of our roleplaying? And is that actual topics covered in a rulebook, or conceivable topics that the mechanics and approach might be used for? For instance, The Dying Earth - as published - is about playing in the world whose name is on the box; but it is clearly and easily adaptable to "generic" fantasy RPGing (it has rules for social conflict, physical conflict, a skill system, a magic system, etc). It's just that - when compared to most D&D - social encounters will loom larger than combat ones, and there will be much more self-conscious repartee than is typical in the D&D play I'm familiar with.And at what point does topic drift into feel? D&D covers the broad topics of REH's Conan - it has liches and giant snakes and shining kingdoms and wild nomads and mighty-thewed barbarians - but as presented and as typically played it doesn't really support the feel of Conan. A beginning D&D character is unlikely to have the sort of adventure Conan had when he infiltrated the Tower of the Elephant. An experienced D&D character is unlikely to become king of the greatest kingdom in the land by throttling the throne's previous occupant. And there is no framework in D&D, beyond GM's whim, to allow an imprisoned D&D character to benefit from a stealthy visit by a guard seeking revenge (The Scarlet Citadel) or a secret admirer (The Hour of the Dragon, I think).Burning Wheel covers much the same range of topics as D&D, but in my view is more likely to produce that REH feel. And less likely to produce the cynicism that Gygax seems to have absorbed (while also transforming it) from Vance.And to mention a completely different game: Cthulhu Dark could pretty easily be adapted to fantasy play, I think. Maybe the Sanity Die becomes the Experience die - and is checked every time the character is confronted by a threat to the Shire (or its equivalent in the setting) or another demand that s/he do something heroic. When it reaches 6, the character has had enough and retires or (more dramatically, for that Silmarillion-esque feel) hurls him-/herself into a fiery cavern. Resting between adventures would allow the die to be stepped back - the character recovers from weariness but also loses his/her edge. Nothing else about the system would need to change, that I can see.That would be a different play experience from D&D, but not a more narrow or focused one.</blockquote>

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