D&D is its own Genre of Fantasy?

[Mark CMG]

At this point, D&D is very much its own genre of fantasy, (. . .)

Expound as you feel warranted, please.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Yes, at least some of the time.

 

[Teflon Billy]

Almost certainly.

I can't recall a genre of fantasy other than D&D where "Scry-Buff-Teleport" was the solution to 90% of the problems presented.

 

[Reynard]

It might be more accurate to call the genre "RPG Fantasy" because a lot of games other than D&D, in many media, use the same sword and sorcery-high fantasy-Tolkien Pastiche mash up. Early in the days of D&D, I would say it wasn't its own genre, just a mixture of a lot of fantasy sub-genre tropes and cliches. over time, though, as both D&D and derivatives of D&D grew in both popularity and sophistication, a distinct sub-genre of fantasy crystalized. And, like different high fantasy novels or whatever, different RPG Fantasy games and such vary more than a little in the details, but overall they are more alike than different -- World of Warcraft and D&D are good for this comparison I think. Each has a distinct milieu and many of the finer details of what makes them up varies, but ultimately they are the same genre, and unlike anything (non-game related) you're likely to pick up on the shelf at your local bookstore. In fact, perhaps the best evidence that D&D has created its own subgenre is many, many fantasy fiction writers guidelines warn against writing "D&D fantasy".

 

[Doug McCrae]

I agree with buzz, except there's no 'at this point'. It was its own genre from the off, a kitchen sink blend of Tolkienesque world, Lieberesque adventures, a Vancian magic system, etc, etc.

 

[shilsen]

I've always thought D&D is its own genre of fantasy. I also think that in many ways, once the PCs have got a few levels under their belts and increasingly as they advance in level, it's much closer to epic than to fantasy. D&D characters are generally more Cuchulainn than Conan, exhibiting unwordly, godlike abilities and significantly separate from the majority of the people around them, who are much closer to real-world versions.

 

[Bagpuss]

Almost certainly.

I can't recall a genre of fantasy other than D&D where "Scry-Buff-Teleport" was the solution to 90% of the problems presented.

Hardly 90% a lot of problems you have to solve before Teleport even becomes available, but yeah upper-mid and higher level D&D is in a realm of it's own.

 

[WayneLigon]

Only recently have I seen this bandied about. In most of my early D&D play, two things happened to not make D&D it's own genre. (1) people seldom if ever got to the levels of play where they had the game-breaking and genre-breaking spells and (2) most GM's I had, if a spell would break their genre re-creation, they'd take it out.

 

[hexgrid]

Yes, D&D is it's own genre, and I've found that the most fun can be had with D&D by fully embracing this genre, instead of fighting against it.

 

[Valesin]

I think D&D, if played exactly as written and with access to any book purchased, is its own genre at this point. However, I think each campaign has the potential to be a unique genre, or at least very different from Canon 3.5.