One thing about D&D in all its forms is that it has a lot of "D&Disms" -- tropes that the game possesses that aren't really part of other forms of fantasy. Sometimes we fight against these tropes, trying to make D&D look like Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings or The Wheel or Avatar or whatever. But what happens when we really lean into the tropes? What happens when we let the game rules and those D&Disms say something about the world in which the game takes place?
I am not necessarily talking about going full meta or playing it like a LitRPG -- although you could do that and I think it could be fun. Rather, I am saying things like:
Alignment is real and an understood part of the philosophy of the world.
Magic works in the world like it says it works in the books -- precise, specific generally inflexible and largely focused on combat.
The world is populated by at least some superhuman adventurer types that vastly outperform regular folks and are the only ones that can stop horrible monsters and dastardly villains and angry gods.
The world is full of horrible monsters, dastardly villains and angry gods, many of whom dwell in deep underground fortresses full of traps and minions.
The most powerful magical items in the world are beyond even those superhuman heroes. In fact, the world is full of the ruins and detritus of an age of immense power and apparent malevolence.
Do you embrace D&Disms in your D&D games? If so, how does it change (if at all) between editions? Are there D&Disms you just can't abide, or love and bring to other games?
I am not necessarily talking about going full meta or playing it like a LitRPG -- although you could do that and I think it could be fun. Rather, I am saying things like:
Alignment is real and an understood part of the philosophy of the world.
Magic works in the world like it says it works in the books -- precise, specific generally inflexible and largely focused on combat.
The world is populated by at least some superhuman adventurer types that vastly outperform regular folks and are the only ones that can stop horrible monsters and dastardly villains and angry gods.
The world is full of horrible monsters, dastardly villains and angry gods, many of whom dwell in deep underground fortresses full of traps and minions.
The most powerful magical items in the world are beyond even those superhuman heroes. In fact, the world is full of the ruins and detritus of an age of immense power and apparent malevolence.
Do you embrace D&Disms in your D&D games? If so, how does it change (if at all) between editions? Are there D&Disms you just can't abide, or love and bring to other games?
