How can I walk softly and carry a BIG sword?

[irdeggman]

Cloud is iconic to a large part of today's gamers. Cf Exalted.

True enough.

But does wielding a "windmill blade" as a sword, riding a motorcyhcle and using automatic weapons really iconic to D&D? Does it really fit the conept and design of the game itself?

Now using a variation of d20 Modern is something different (Urban Arcana for example) but that is not D&D. and doesn't follow any sort of "medieval fantasy" setting/design parameters, which is the basic default of D&D afterall.

 

[hong]

But does wielding a "windmill blade" as a sword, riding a motorcyhcle and using automatic weapons really iconic to D&D? Does it really fit the conept and design of the game itself?

"The game" is whatever you want it to be. "The game" is not some holy writ carved on stone tablets, transmitted from on high. "The game" is a variable concept from person to person and group to group, not an immutable ideal. "The game" is a use of the definite article I don't really give a crap about.

 

[irdeggman]

"The game" is whatever you want it to be. "The game" is not some holy writ carved on stone tablets, transmitted from on high. "The game" is a variable concept from person to person and group to group, not an immutable ideal. "The game" is a use of the definite article I don't really give a crap about.

Since it appears there is disagreement here.

What is the simpliest, best description of D&D - not d20, but D&D?

I have always heard it described (and believe it to be true) it is "medieval fantasy".

Now if you have something else - then please feel free to lay it out there.

The default "setting" for the RAW is of course the World of Greyhawk, after all.

 

[hong]

What is the simpliest, best description of D&D - not d20, but D&D?

Whatever you want it to be.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

Irdeggman, I ask of you to read Berserk. It reminds me a bit of ravenloft and if you replace the dark powers with the god hand i think it fits well. While Final Fantasy may not be your cup of tea, Berserk might be more what you might see as fantasy. Its pretty low magic to begin with and is very grim and gritty.

 

[moritheil]

If you guys want to go with a cheesy, literal reading of RAW, there's always this:

Titan Bloodline:
Use oversized weapon (Ex): As the titan special ability.


(From Titan monster entry: )
Oversized Weapon (Ex)

A titan wields a great, two-handed warhammer (big enough for Gargantuan creatures) without penalty.

But I don't think most DMs would be cool with it.

 

[irdeggman]

Irdeggman, I ask of you to read Berserk. It reminds me a bit of ravenloft and if you replace the dark powers with the god hand i think it fits well. While Final Fantasy may not be your cup of tea, Berserk might be more what you might see as fantasy. Its pretty low magic to begin with and is very grim and gritty.

I never said (or at least didn't mean to say) it wasn't "fantasy". Fantasy has been split into many subcategories. D&D is typically best characterized as medieval fantasy.

Cloud (and Final Fantasy) is best captured via using the d20 modern system instead and not D&D. That was really all I was trying to point out. d20 Modern revolved around automatic weapons and the like (pretty much a staple to Final Fantasy and the like). There have been several WotC products (and Dragon magazine {oh to mourn its loss ; ( ) that attempted to capture introducing guns into the game. But they all were along the lines of muzzle loaders and the "early" generation of guns and gunpowder. None of them had automatic weapons nor motorcycles (again they are predominant in d20 Modern). IMO, mixing genres causing vast inconsistencies, like the one you pointed out on the fullblade (which really doesn't correspond in design to Cloud's weapon, IMO).

Link to WotC d20 Modern SRD (included Urban Arcana - which has "magic")

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/msrd

And I am quite familiar with low-magic games. Alternity, d20 Modern, Star Wars, Birthright (see signature), etc. But they are different genres.

If you want other systems then I would suggest Shadow Run.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

true, true, but you should still read Berserk

 

[irdeggman]

true, true, but you should still read Berserk

Noted. I'll add it to my list.

{I'm still trying to finish up the Dark Tower series, middle of book 4.}

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

"The game" is

Triple H?

Brad (who's not really up on WWE right now, but likes his Grand Daiklaves)