D&D 5E New D&D Survey, with some in-depth setting questions

[Parmandur]

I mean, in my case if anyone ever told me I had to run in a full-canon FR campaign I'd make sure I rolled up a character who could - and would, eventually - kill off Drizz't and send him to the worst afterlife the setting has.

Now, you see, the Forgotten Realms doesn't present this problem in my experience, since I don't game with people who by and large have read any FR fiction. So it had all of the advantages of a large existing lore base, but none of my family or friends have preexisting notions about the world or stories.

I mean, my wife has read a bunch of the Drizz't books, but those are low key enough that they would only come up if we were in Icewind Dale, and she doesn't have strong emotions about them.

 

[Scribe]

And from a book perspective, some of the Drizzt stories were decent fantasy fiction, but there‘s a certain amount of overstaying your welcome with that series.

I just looked, 1988.

I'd say 33 years of the same character while still stealing the spotlight would classify as 'overstaying'

 

[Dire Bare]

I just looked, 1988.

I'd say 33 years of the same character while still stealing the spotlight would classify as 'overstaying'

Meh.

It's only overstaying if you're unwanted. There may be a lot of anti-Drizzt crankers in D&D fandom . . . well, not a lot really, just loud and incessant . . . but somebody keeps buying those books!

I'm one of them. I've read all 35+ "Legend of Drizzt" novels, and enjoyed them all to various degrees. As long as Salvatore keeps writing them, me and thousands of others will keep reading them.

I understand those who don't care for the character and/or the author. Different tastes, it's all good. I don't understand the childish hate that prompts the never-ending toxic comments.

 

[Scribe]

Meh.

It's only overstaying if you're unwanted. There may be a lot of anti-Drizzt crankers in D&D fandom . . . well, not a lot really, just loud and incessant . . . but somebody keeps buying those books!

I'm one of them. I've read all 35+ "Legend of Drizzt" novels, and enjoyed them all to various degrees. As long as Salvatore keeps writing them, me and thousands of others will keep reading them.

I understand those who don't care for the character and/or the author. Different tastes, it's all good. I don't understand the childish hate that prompts the never-ending toxic comments.

I thought The Companion's was a great novel, and I enjoyed the books after it well enough.. I'm not a hater, but I can see how the character could be grating on folks after this amount of time.

 

[billd91]

I thought The Companion's was a great novel, and I enjoyed the books after it well enough.. I'm not a hater, but I can see how the character could be grating on folks after this amount of time.

I took 3 steps back and punted out of the series part way through Legacy of the Drow because I was finding them too repetitive and tedious.

 

[Scribe]

I took 3 steps back and punted out of the series part way through Legacy of the Drow because I was finding them too repetitive and tedious.

Yeah I dip in and out. The Companion's had some things to say I felt, and I like it, but the next trilogy got a bit over the top for me in a few area's, and while I finished it, I think it had turned me off from picking up the next set.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Without the characters that made the setting what it is, though, is it even still the same setting?

Yes.

I mean, take a Star Wars game. The very first question anyone's going to ask is "What era is it set in?"; and for many, if it's not set in the Palpatine/Vader/First Order era it's not a 'real' SW game as none of the famous elements and-or characters are ever likely to appear.

I’ve never heard anyone express anything like that sentiment IRL, but I suppose I may just be lucky.

Thing is, many players will take a game that's set in a milieu they're fans of and expect to be able to Mary-Sue their PC into the story that made the setting famous; either to change that story somehow (e.g. killing Rand in the WoT game) or to simply be a part of it.

I can’t wrap my head around the mentality needed to want to do that, is the thing. Like I said, I know it exists, I just don’t get it. It’s like being told some people don’t believe in math.

I mean, in my case if anyone ever told me I had to run in a full-canon FR campaign I'd make sure I rolled up a character who could - and would, eventually - kill off Drizz't and send him to the worst afterlife the setting has.

Would you actually do that, though? Even knowing you’d be fracking the game for everyone else by doing so?

 

[Demetrios1453]

Without the characters that made the setting what it is, though, is it even still the same setting?

I mean, take a Star Wars game. The very first question anyone's going to ask is "What era is it set in?"; and for many, if it's not set in the Palpatine/Vader/First Order era it's not a 'real' SW game as none of the famous elements and-or characters are ever likely to appear.

Thing is, many players will take a game that's set in a milieu they're fans of and expect to be able to Mary-Sue their PC into the story that made the setting famous; either to change that story somehow (e.g. killing Rand in the WoT game) or to simply be a part of it.

I mean, in my case if anyone ever told me I had to run in a full-canon FR campaign I'd make sure I rolled up a character who could - and would, eventually - kill off Drizz't and send him to the worst afterlife the setting has.

Since the setting is now apparently lousy with Drizzt rip-offs, as a DM it would end up being that you killed the wrong dual scimitar wielding drow ranger each time you thought you got him...

 

[Smackpixi]

I have taught under 13s so got some questions about that, most about challenges, only one about what they like, nothing about what they’d want more of.

 

[Lanefan]

I can’t wrap my head around the mentality needed to want to do that, is the thing. Like I said, I know it exists, I just don’t get it. It’s like being told some people don’t believe in math.

Where I take it as the norm; as in, why else would you want to play in a "famous" setting like that?

Would you actually do that, though? Even knowing you’d be fracking the game for everyone else by doing so?

Because I'd hope to be improving the setting for all involved rather than fracking the game.