D&D General D&D memes thread discussion…

[Voadam]

If you count XP, then the players decide when they level up by choosing what they do to get XP.

Depending on what is out there to get xp on, what they know about what is out there, what they encounter, and what options they actually have to choose.

In games counting xp players still can't really just decide they are going to level up every session.

They can decide not to level up by choosing to do things that do not garner xp (although I have played in games where just showing up itself garnered xp or at least some xp).

 

[Reynard]

Depending on what is out there to get xp on, what they know about what is out there, what they encounter, and what options they actually have to choose.

In games counting xp players still can't really just decide they are going to level up every session.

They can decide not to level up by choosing to do things that do not garner xp (although I have played in games where just showing up itself garnered xp or at least some xp).

They can decide to push their luck for greater XP awards, was my point. This is the ultimate expression of player agency, IMO.

 

[pukunui]

View attachment 423721
By green-great-dragon on Tumblr.

I know these memes are mostly just for fun, but it always kind of irks me when people come up with "easier" ways to destroy the ring. The main reason Frodo and Sam had to do it is because they're small and "unimportant" and could sneak through Sauron's defenses without him noticing.

Sauron would have spotted the eagles coming from miles away and sent the Nazgûl to intercept them. Likewise, he would have sensed, if not seen, Gandalf rocking up to Mordor and moved to stop him.

The eagles can only fly into Mordor to pick up Frodo and Sam afterwards specifically because Sauron and the Nazgûl have been defeated.

/rant

 

[overgeeked]

I know these memes are mostly just for fun, but it always kind of irks me when people come up with "easier" ways to destroy the ring. The main reason Frodo and Sam had to do it is because they're small and "unimportant" and could sneak through Sauron's defenses without him noticing.

He would have spotted the eagles coming from miles away and sent the Nazgûl to intercept them. Likewise, he would have sensed, if not seen, Gandalf rocking up to Mordor and moved to stop him.

The eagles can only fly into Mordor to pick up Frodo and Sam afterwards specifically because Sauron and the Nazgûl have been defeated.

/rant

Yeah, it's just one of those things. It's a great insight into just how little grasp on storytelling a lot of gamers have though.

"Why not just have Gandalf summon the Eagles and fly the Ring to Mount Doom?!"

This epic thing that's the epicenter of so much of geek culture. Yeah, let's destroy it and reduce it to a six-page short story about some random hippie and his Eagle flying evil jewelry into a volcano.

Tolkien's official answer to that, "Shut up."

 

[pukunui]

Yeah, it's just one of those things. It's a great insight into just how little grasp on storytelling a lot of gamers have though.

"Why not just have Gandalf summon the Eagles and fly the Ring to Mount Doom?!"

This epic thing that's the epicenter of so much of geek culture. Yeah, let's destroy it and reduce it to a six-page short story about some random hippie and his Eagle flying evil jewelry into a volcano.

Tolkien's official answer to that, "Shut up."

There are comments in the YouTube thread suggesting it's an impressionist rather than the real Tolkien, but the sentiment is still spot on. I wouldn't be surprised if Tolkien did say something like that (or at least thought it).

 

[CleverNickName]

I wouldn't be surprised if Tolkien did say something like that (or at least thought it).

Random dweeb on the Internet: Why didn't (character) just (easy method) and destroy The One Ring that way, huh?!

Tolkien, at the bank depositing another royalty check: Indeed. Remind me, which one of us is the successful storyteller?

 

[CleverNickName]

Alternate punchline:

Tolkien, at the bank depositing another royalty check: Golly, you're right. Maybe one of these days, I'll learn how to write a story that people want to read.

 

[plecostomus]

Yeah, it's just one of those things. It's a great insight into just how little grasp on storytelling a lot of gamers have though.

"Why not just have Gandalf summon the Eagles and fly the Ring to Mount Doom?!"

This epic thing that's the epicenter of so much of geek culture. Yeah, let's destroy it and reduce it to a six-page short story about some random hippie and his Eagle flying evil jewelry into a volcano.

Tolkien's official answer to that, "Shut up."

I'm so glad his actual response has been clarified. For the longest time I thought it was "Get that weak-ass bird naughty word out of here!"