D&D General Does D&D Have an Identity Crisis?

[Charlaquin]

D&D had leadership involved in both the movie and game.
Mearls, Stewart and others participated.

Yeah, which is why I think they’re clearly comfortable with different products having different tones.

 

[Weiley31]

This past summer I went to see the D&D movie. It was a lighthearted movie appropriate for the whole family with no bad language, the cutest fattest dragon I've ever seen, bloodless violence, and comedy. In contrast, I've been playing Baldur's Gate 3 and there's a party member who frequently drops F-bombs, you can bone a bear (apparently), and I interrupted a bugbear as he was about to rawdog an ogress from behind. I'm suffering from tonal whiplash here.

Larsen definitely decided to go in a more “adult” game direction for some reason.

Well, the Forgotten Realms was always a bit randy/horny at times.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I would suggest the tone of D&D 5e books are more than likely mostly established by the 5e team and what they want, rather than marketing; that would explain the difference in MTG and D&D's tone re: Strixhaven.

That's be how it'd go if I were in charge.

"So... do I have to include unnecessary darkness and misery porn?"

"Not nec--"

"YA-YA-YEET"

"Did you have to bean me with the balled up pages including the dark material?"

"Absolutely."

 

[Zardnaar]

Between contenting sentient adults is one thing.
But with a bear?

In D&D the bear can consent. In Game Thrones its against the rules to erm mate in animal form.

BG went somewhere GoT won't.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Well, the Forgotten Realms was always a bit randy/horny at times.

Remembers Drizz't sister being a tad to friendly after taking him to the Orgy.

And lets not even get into Elminster....

 

[Zardnaar]

Remembers Drizz't sister being a tad to friendly after taking him to the Orgy.

And lets not even get into Elminster....

Iron Throne (Birthright) and War of the Spider Queen books are the most mature D&D books I've read.

Some FR books were around pg13.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

WotC sells the tools, but you choose the type of work you are going to create. There is space for lots of different styles.

* In the forum of D&D Beyond jokes about dating child-like humanoids (halflings or gnomes) aren't wellcome.

 

[Charlaquin]

In D&D the bear can consent. In Game Thrones its against the rules to erm mate in animal form.

BG went somewhere GoT won't.

That’s because wargs don’t transform into animals, they project their consciousness into the minds of animals and take control of their bodies. The warg could theoretically consent, but the animal in whose body they reside can’t. Really, warging at all is a huge violation of the host animal’s autonomy, no matter what you do with it. But sex is particularly taboo, with good reason.

 

[Lidgar]

Essentially, we need a serious take on a 5E Dark Sun.

Agreed. And I nominate Larian Studios do the CRPG.

 

[Yora]

D&D has been an identity crisis for the last 40 years.