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Message: <blockquote data-quote="EzekielRaiden" data-source="post: 8155750" data-attributes="member: 6790260">For me, there are actually three elements, not just two.1. Skilled play. Learning to make good judgments, more or less. What "good judgment" means will vary, not just from one situation to another, but one game to another. This is good and healthy. Early D&D tends to lean into very logistical and "strategic-level" play, where good judgments are often in the form of Being Crazy Prepared or Having SOP For This, with hirelings, 10' poles, reaction rolls, etc. 4e-style D&D tends toward very tactical play--you have a set of options and the benefits of teamwork, figure out a strategy that gets you safely to the other side without paying too much to get there. I tend to find the logistical stuff a bit tedious, but I totally get why it has value to others and that it is an excellent prompt for making judgment calls.2. Roleplay. I love the narrative of D&D, and I especially love when mechanics are themselves flavorful, narrative things. E.g. the 4e Paladin's Lay on Hands power doesn't just give the Paladin a pool of HP to spend on allies; instead, the Paladin sacrifices her own vitality, to replenish others. That's cool as hell, incredibly thematic, and yet arising from the rules themselves. Anytime a game can do that, it's a good thing in my book. Exploring a character's story, going through the triumphs and tribulations, having an open mind for where things might go while still pursuing goals, that's the good stuff. I can practice "skilled play" anywhere; I can't get both skilled play and open-ended roleplay anywhere else.3. Discovery. I love finding out about fictional worlds. I love exploring them, digging into their nooks and crannies, unearthing lost secrets or changing the world for the better. It's like reading an awesome new book or getting into a critically-acclaimed TV show, except it's personal, just for the people at that specific table. Wandering through a place like that, needing to keep a keen eye out because there's always something new to learn or discover...that's awesome. This, like skilled play, can still be had elsewhere (it's a major part of the appeal of CRPGs), but it is uniquely potent and special in the TTRPG context.So yeah. I'm there for all three parts of the above: actually playing a game and getting good at it, playing a character and telling a story, and slowly unveiling a new and unknown world full of mystery and wonder.</blockquote>

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