Let's say D&D ceases to exist...what do you play?

[Mercurius]

For whatever reason - say, a quantum random event occurs in which all D&D books instantly vanish and are transported to the alternate dimension of Gygaxia; or WotC simply decides to shelve the product line and you decide to pay something else - what do you play?

This, of course, assumes that you play some form of D&D as your primary game, probably a safe assumption on EN World, which is why I ask this question here rather than on RPG.Net. The idea being, you can or will no longer play D&D (in whatever form)...what do you play?

Speaking for myself, I'd be open to playing quite a wide variety of games - although mainly in the fantasy or science fiction genres; I might be willing to try out an espionage or super hero game. But in terms of what I'd focus my time and energy in, and be wanting to not only play but GM, I'd probably go with one of the following: Savage Worlds, Ars Magica, Stars Wars Saga Edition, Talislanta,and maybe some variant of Mage.

There are plenty of games I'd love to play, at least on a trial basis - despite its overly gonzo style, I've always wanted to give Exalted a go, or something like Earthdawn, Hellas, Eclipse Phase, Diaspora, Shadowrun, or any number of other games. But if I wanted to stay on a fantasy kick, I'd probably use Savage Worlds, Ars Magica or Talislanta, and either use a default setting or probably adapt the game system to a homebrew world. If I wanted to branch out in scifi, I'd go with Stars Wars Saga and maybe advance the timeline 1,000 years so I could heavily modify the setting.

What about you?

EDIT: I've removed the rather offensive political reference from the OP - Rel

 

[WayneLigon]

Pathfinder, which is what we're doing now.
Mutants and Masterminds
Savage Worlds
PDQ
GURPS

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I have literally dozens of RPGs on my shelves...and if D&D suddenly got removed from the universe, I'd reach for HERO. I wouldn't feel too badly, either- HERO is my favorite system- I play D&D most of the time because its the game of choice in our group (and 3.5 is my #2 system, anyway).

 

[Aus_Snow]

*snip political quote* -Darkness

Hehe. Or rather...

you can or will no longer play D&D (in whatever form)...what do you play?

Everything I currently play, or am likely to, in the near future.

Unless Pathfinder counts.

 

[Argyle King]

D&D already seems to be in swift decline here in the local area, so I imagine there wouldn't be much difference if it actually did go the way of the dodo.

I'd play GURPS.

 

[IronWolf]

Is Pathfinder a valid answer? If so I would (and do ) play Pathfinder.

 

[Chris Knapp]

Luckily, 4E is still the game of choice at my FLGS, so I won't need to pull a Charlton Heston and force anyone to pry my Essentials books from my cold dead hands.

But, if there was no D&D, I'd play GURPS too. Alone probably.

 

[Diamond Cross]

If D&D never existed, I'd probably never have gotten into the RPG hobby in the first place.

It was the game I started with first.

And also, if D&D never really existed in the first place, there's probably be far less CRPGS and P&P RPGS to play. D&D was a huge influence on the gaming hobby, and still is.

However, we still might have the Lord Of The Rings and other genre movies.

I think the strategy games would probably be more popular. Both fictional and movie based.

 

[Haltherrion]

Probably would go to a home brew system I worked up that tries to model aptitudes and training more real world but is over all, a 'light' rule system.

 

[Mercurius]

True, Diamond Cross, although that's not really what I'm asking for. However, it is an interesting speculation; I would guess that if it hadn't been D&D it would have been something else, that RPGs would have emerged regardless of monsieurs Gygax and Arneson.

And to others, no, Pathfinder is not a valid answer, at least not to the question I'm asking - it is a variant or form of D&D.