D&D 5E What is the appeal of the weird fantasy races?

[doctorbadwolf]

Because if the answer to either of those is no then if you use D&D magic you aren't playing a 100 years war game, you're playing a D&D/100 years war mash-up which looks a lot like D&D with a coat of 100 years war paint over the top.

I was with you until this part.
Not true at all. You’d simply be playing a 100 years war game in which the populace doesn’t know how magic works, or one in which magic works differently from how people thought it did irl. Nothing about that makes it any less of a 100 Years War game.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Which is akin to saying "I've traveled one side of America to the other and there is NO room for kangaroos or elephants on this planet". Or "we've studied the ocean for centuries, if giant squid exist, we'd have found proof by now."

Well, what I said isn’t akin to saying that.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

In which case the setting is D&D with a light 100 years war gloss.

I take it you don't read much historical fiction.

You might start here spouting off: Amazon.com: The Archer's Tale (The Grail Quest, Book 1) (9780060935764): Cornwell, Bernard: Books

 

[loverdrive]

—shift the burden of proof? Nah.

I think that it's pretty obvious that system should have mechanics to support the needed kind of game. And the reason why D&D isn't suited for a historical campaign is pretty obvious too: there are no mechanics to reinforce historical tone and there are no mechanics to reward players for behaviour needed in a historical game.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

It's not "badwrongfun" to point out that there might be better ways to achieve your aims in play. I think that's called "being helpful". If I see you loading boards into your Mini Cooper every day for your construction business, it's not mean to point out you might be better off with a pickup truck.

I mean...it’s a useless unhelpful comment, though, and come across condescending, because obviously the plank guy knows that pickups exist. They aren’t using one for a reason.

 

[loverdrive]

though, and come across condescending, because obviously the plank guy knows that pickups exist. They aren’t using one for a reason.

And that's why it isn't quite comparable to TTRPGs

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I think that it's pretty obvious that system should have mechanics to support the needed kind of game. And the reason why D&D isn't suited for a historical campaign is pretty obvious too: there are no mechanics to reinforce historical tone and there are no mechanics to reward players for behaviour needed in a historical game.

Mechanics mechanics mechanics.

Can't you do anything without mechanics?!

It's a role playing game, the DM sets the tone, and the players need to buy into it or not play.

But the amount of buy-in required is limited, if you read historical fiction, the protagonist is usually "ahead of their time" in attitudes and skills. See Brother Cadfael: Forensic Pathologist.

 

[Neonchameleon]

I take it you don't read much historical fiction.

You might start here spouting off: Amazon.com: The Archer's Tale (The Grail Quest, Book 1) (9780060935764): Cornwell, Bernard: Books

I take it you neither read much historical fiction nor play much D&D.

D&D magic is every bit as distinctive as Harry Potter magic. And every bit as ridiculous and setting-bending.

If you were to suggest that just because a setting had some types of magic in it it was appropriate to include teenage wizards with wands you'd just get laughed at. Saying just because there's magic in a setting D&D magic is appropriate is little less ridiculous.

 

[TwoSix]

I mean...it’s a useless unhelpful comment, though, and come across condescending, because obviously the plank guy knows that pickups exist. They aren’t using one for a reason.

To scrap the metaphor, let's be realistic. D&D is by far the most common RPG played; many times when people try to use it for things way beyond its competency, it's because they are unaware there are options that are more suited to their desired play. Trying to help them out by giving them better options is a nice thing to do.

If they say "I've researched other options, and I think a stripped down D&D works best for me because I'm familiar with it and can make it work" then that's fine, of course. But plenty of people may not be aware of the myriad of other options.

 

[loverdrive]

Can't you do anything without mechanics?!

Then question "why the heck use pretty damn complex system" raises even more.

It's a role playing game, the DM sets the tone

And the rules set the tone too. No escape from that.