D&D 5E What’s So Great About Medieval Europe?

[MonsterEnvy]

Right, and I pointed out that only 1 crusade was like that. Replying with "well here's more info about the 1st crusade" as if I'd commented on the 1st crusade, when I didn't, isn't...relevant to my reply.

"Well, they cut a swath, there was plenty of land largely untouched,"

This is what I was responding to about the 1st Crusade.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

"Well, they cut a swath, there was plenty of land largely untouched,"

This is what I was responding to about the 1st Crusade.

Lol if that was what you were replying to then it’s even worse. Nothing you posted in reply refuted what I said in any way, but rather backs me up!

The first crusade was the pillaging equivalent of a pub crawl.

 

[Zardnaar]

Did you miss the part where I said that the later crusades were largely external to Europe?
Not sure how more stuff about the 1st Crusade is a relevant reply to that?

Fewer people die from violence now than ever before in history. The idea that not much has changed is objectively false.

Yeah man what kind of cursed creature comes up with vaccines and such efficient farming that fewer people go hungry now than ever in known history.

Did you skip 20th century history?

Can't think of to many Kings, Queens, Pope's or Caliphs or Sultans that pulled what happened then. Tamerlane maybe.

 

[jasper]

Medieval Europe was great but sad. LOts and lots of evil stuff. But it wasn't highly evil or slightly evil. Just middle of the road evil.

 

[Minigiant]

The issue isn't the history of Medieval/Renaissance Europe.

The issue is D&D favoring Medieval/Renaissance Europe so much.

• The races favor Medieval/Renaissance Europe
• The classes favor Medieval/Renaissance Europe
• The weapons favor Medieval/Renaissance Europe
• The armors Medieval/Renaissance Europe

The only thing that doesn't favor Medieval/Renaissance Europe is monsters. And that seems to be only because the large number of monsters.

A lot of the cultural and imaginative aspects of D&D has fluctuated up and down thoughout the editions. I don't think D&D is specific and niche enough to do this anymore. Other games pull the hardcore Medieval Europe adventuring or dungeoneering. I can get having a nostagia edition but reverting to much will allow others to catch up. D&D cannot rely on being the most well known forever.

 

[Doug McCrae]

The real world druid is pre-medieval, but the 1e AD&D PHB is explicit that the class represents an imagined medieval continuation.

Druids can be visualized as medieval cousins of what the ancient Celtic sect of Druids would have become had it survived the Roman conquest.​

 

[Fenris-77]

The real world druid is pre-medieval, but the 1e AD&D PHB is explicit that the class represents an imagined medieval continuation.

Druids can be visualized as medieval cousins of what the ancient Celtic sect of Druids would have become had it survived the Roman conquest.​

I think a real Druid would take an oaken cudgel to the whole WotC design team over that animal companion thing.

 

[Guest 85555]

Why are we still stuck in this era?

I mean, not that I’ve ever seen a fantasy work that accurately portrayed the Middle Ages, regular cleaning/bathing rituals, advanced is art, music, and sciences, and all, but still, why? What is so interesting about it? There are most of 20k years to draw upon for roleplaying inspiration before the advent of the cannon, across the globe.

What is so interesting about the (very much pseudo) medieval tableaux that keeps the community stuck at that well?

I don't think the medieval period you see in D&D is all that medieval. But it is probably because things like Robin Hood, Lord of the Rings, etc. I don't know. I think it is has also become a common language for fantasy. Everybody gets the basic elements and that means it is easier for folks to enter and communicate. There are shared expectations. It is an interesting period if you read about it. Personally I always prefer places like the Ancient Mediterranean or Song China as inspiration for my campaigns. However I will say those are always going to be tougher sells for players.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Did you skip 20th century history?

Can't think of to many Kings, Queens, Pope's or Caliphs or Sultans that pulled what happened then. Tamerlane maybe.

What you’re doing is taking a given event that is bad, and applying it to entire centuries as if the whole 100 years of history was that event, to satisfy your pessimistic bias.

 

[FlyingChihuahua]

What you’re doing is taking a given event that is bad, and applying it to entire centuries as if the whole 100 years of history was that event, to satisfy your pessimistic bias.

We prefer the term realist and would like it if you refer to us as such.