D&D General D&D has always been the gateway to other games.

[Oofta]

Based on the popularity of D&D compared to every other TTRPG, I'm not even sure D&D qualifies as a gateway. For many people, it's the gateway and the destination. At least it has been for me, I've tried a few other games here and there but none did enough for me to abandon D&D.

 

[DarkCrisis]

oh, D&D is definitely a gateway game. Most interestingly, a lot of people I've met and introduced to other RPGs are surprised that other RPGs are nothing like D&D - and I've had several that drop D&D entirely after finding another system that they enjoy much better (Star Wars WEG, World of Darkness RPGs and Savage Worlds, namely).

I've always said that D&D does D&D well when comparing it to other systems.

I love D&D for being level based and having its weird magic system and based around a D20. I love every other RPG for NOT being that.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Based on the popularity of D&D compared to every other TTRPG, I'm not even sure D&D qualifies as a gateway. For many people, it's the gateway and the destination. At least it has been for me, I've tried a few other games here and there but none did enough for me to abandon D&D.

Its not about abandoning it. Its about playing it AND trying other things. As much as I love trying other systems (and finding better ones). I always come back to D&D.

 

[Velderan]

Based on the popularity of D&D compared to every other TTRPG, I'm not even sure D&D qualifies as a gateway. For many people, it's the gateway and the destination. At least it has been for me, I've tried a few other games here and there but none did enough for me to abandon D&D.

When I was younger, I certainly found that to be true. The other games I played (Marvel, TMNT, Shadowrun mostly) were there to play other types of games beyond fantasy.

 

[theCourier]

It shouldn't be the only gateway, though. There should be multiple gateways that show people the different things an RPG can be.

 

[Storyteller Hero]

"DnD is a gateway game"

"I guess it makes you want to crack open a book"

"Ugh, dad...."

 

[Oofta]

"DnD is a gateway game"

"I guess it makes you want to crack open a book"

"Ugh, dad...."

Well dreamer, you do need to weed out the games you don't like. You'll never get to be the heroin, won't know what to do when Molly puts you behind the 8-ball.

 

[GuyBoy]

I think it always was the gateway.
After playing White Box and 1E, my friends and I played Chivalry & Sorcery, Runequest, Traveller and Bifrost among others. Always returned to D&D though.

 

[Shiroiken]

D&D is great as a generic fantasy RPG. Other RPGs do other things much better than D&D, since they're specialized towards a specific theme/IP. It's easier to learn how to roleplay with D&D because it's generic, because it can fit most popular tropes. Learning a specific system is difficult unless you already have some familiarity with the theme/IP, or you already have RPG experience from D&D. I've only met a handful of people who learned RPGs from a different system (not counting D&D spinoffs, like Pathfinder), and they almost never moved beyond their original system.

 

[PJ Coffey]

A gateway certainly.

My path went:
Fighting Fantasy solo books
Dungeoneer/Titan/Port Blacksand
LARP
Vampire LRP
Everway
Paranoia

And when I played 3rd Ed I didn't like that I was treated as a moron for not planning out my character from 1-20 (in a game which never got to level 5).

I GMd it for a bit then quit when a player had a hissy fit that made me question my GMing skills.

Went back in to GMing after someone I met years later told me that actually it was just someone being That Guy.

I played in a couple of 4e games. They didn't last and were quite off putting technically.

One session of Pathfinder. 3 weeks of putting a Dwarven Forger (I.e. they were an expert at forging papers). Joined in the middle of a jungle dungeon with a very weird dynamic. Not for me.

A meaty Dark Heresy campaign loads of little games including D20 traveller, Exalted 2e (complex but fun).

Feng Shui 1e, converting FS1e to Savage Worlds,
Savage Worlds, The Laundry (BRP),

Ran some 5e. Got into Adventurer’s League (Rich Lescouflair's City on the Edge had dinosaur races, dinosaur cage fights... what's not to love?) Ran lots of little one pagers (I can do Honey Heist from memory, not that difficult!)

And somehow ended up with A5e.

So, in retrospect, for most of my RP career, D&D has been intriguing as an idea but off-putting as an experience. Current 5e is OK, but basic, and running it is a hair shirt experience compared with actually having support to do so.