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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JamesonCourage" data-source="post: 5647418" data-attributes="member: 6668292">The mechanical differences help make it D&D. As do beholders and mind flayers, even without mechanics. However, taking mechanics strongly into account (even though different editions have had very different mechanics), I don't see how that makes the game "about" combat. D&D includes combat within a fantasy genre. The rules of the game support this.I do understand where you're coming from, I just don't understand why the rules need to define the game. They don't, to me. D&D is a little famous for its kitchen sink approach to the fantasy genre, and that defines it even without mechanics. As I said, psionics, beholders, chromatic dragons, mind flayers, dragon-like kobolds, paladins, clerics in armor, wizards with spellbooks, monks, large amounts of magical items for everyone, dungeon delves, etc. (as in, a whole heap more), all help characterize the feel of D&D. You don't need the mechanics for them, as it varies from edition to edition. That's what makes D&D stand out from other fantasy genre games. All of the things I listed can be used with combat, but I could easily use any of them without combat. And, even with a huge portion of the rules focusing on combat, I don't see how that defines D&D more than the fantasy genre. It doesn't, to me. And because it doesn't, I don't think that D&D is about combat. I do understand why people interpret the question that way, and I see that as a fair interpretation. It by no means trumps mine, as the rules definitely support my interpretation much more than hurt it.As always, play what you like <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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