D&D General Leaning into the tropes

[Xetheral]

I once ran a joke adventure in 3.5 that was specifically designed to cater to traditional tropes and D&D "traditions". It was originally going to be a one-shot, but was popular enough we turned it into a three-shot. It featured:

• Minimal backstory. The characters were trying to rescue a princess based on a message in a bottle that told them to.
• An incoherent dungeon. I literally dealt out Munchkin cards to determine what the encounters would be when designing the dungeon. So the party got to encounter an Auntie Paladin (high level blackguard who was brutal with her knitting needles), a Gelatinous Octahedron, a Barrel of Monkeys, a Humungous Gazebo, and a Dungeon Casino.
• Extra XP for characters whose players exemplified the long traditions of D&D. This included extra XP for showing up late, forgetting their character sheet, and extremely blatantly fudging dice (one-time bonus only for fudging).
• Absurd amounts of non-sensical traps.
• Implausible amounts of treasure, including a deck of many things (in the Dungeon Casino).

 

[Reynard]

I once ran a joke adventure in 3.5 that was specifically designed to cater to traditional tropes and D&D "traditions". It was originally going to be a one-shot, but was popular enough we turned it into a three-shot. It featured:

• Minimal backstory. The characters were trying to rescue a princess based on a message in a bottle that told them to.
• An incoherent dungeon. I literally dealt out Munchkin cards to determine what the encounters would be when designing the dungeon. So the party got to encounter an Auntie Paladin (high level blackguard who was brutal with her knitting needles), a Gelatinous Octahedron, a Barrel of Monkeys, a Humungous Gazebo, and a Dungeon Casino.
• Extra XP for characters whose players exemplified the long traditions of D&D. This included extra XP for showing up late, forgetting their character sheet, and extremely blatantly fudging dice (one-time bonus only for fudging).
• Absurd amounts of non-sensical traps.
• Implausible amounts of treasure, including a deck of many things (in the Dungeon Casino).

Parody isn't the same thing as leaning into the tropes.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

If you play older editions you lean in. Playing 5e, I like some of the mechanics and freedom but miss the tropes.

I have noticed though that we often inadvertently lean into the tropes even if the game no longer does.

no one is playing Paladins of oaths without Gods being involved. Those are the choices made without being compelled. It is still more natural to us.

it’s almost like the tropes are unwritten rules. We swear we read it (flips through book) “I know I saw it somewhere!” Yeah self, you saw it 21 years ago when you were playing 1st edition!

I actually have thought about going back to 1e AD&D at least part time

 

[Oofta]

This always intrigues me. Someone who tolerates and embraces some tropes, but then tells these three tropes to do better. I mean, honestly, if a player felt like playing a stoned druid, can't they? Does it ruin the game that much for you? Or were you just being hyperbolic?

Reminds me of a player that always played one of two characters. Didn't matter what edition or campaign. Just flip a coin to see what he's going to play.

But you know what? It didn't matter. He had fun playing them and it wasn't my character. Who am I to judge or tell him he's playing "wrong"?