What is the biggest appeal in playing D&D?

[lukelightning]

Escapism.
Because reality sucks eggs, and the popular alternatives (television, internet) pale in comparison to D&D.

While I do believe that reality does have some redeeming characteristics, it is nice to do magic stuff in D&D. I always thought that if D&D magic was in real life I'd probably end up as Chaotic Evil since I'd phantasmal killer people who block escalators or smoke in elevators (hmmm, that might be Lawful evil since it's clearly marked "no smoking").

 

[Umbran]

Why do you play D&D?

There's no one special reason I play RPGs. And no special reason I play D&D.

It is a good game, among a number of good games.

 

[Nightfall]

Reality. Pah. Reality is for those dumb business suits. Me, give me D&D!

Umbran,

Yeah but admit it, being a mod here in En World, a hub of D&D/d20, makes for a better D&D experience than most other places.

 

[shilsen]

For me, it's for the creative outlet it provides. Whether running a game or a character (but more the former), D&D provides me with options for constantly exercising my brain like nothing else I know. The fact that it does so with a subject matter (fantasy and esp. its analogues to world mythology) that is a favorite of mine, and also lets me explore things as diverse as tactical thinking and the moral underpinnings of the human condition is icing on the cake.

Also, in my experience, interacting with people while gaming is one of the few places where I am happy to deal with groups of people. In my considered opinion, not only are most human beings intensely dumb, but they become more so the larger the number in one place. Gaming is one area where I'm fairly sure I'm going to be around creative, articulate and humorous people who are actually using their brains.

What's not to love?

 

[Crothian]

Funny I thought you came here to prove who was the mightiest poster in En World and anywhere else for that matter, Crothy...

I'm a lurker, you know that.

 

[Nightfall]

What's not to love?

Listening to me rant about the Scarred Lands? How that's for starters?

 

[Animus]

D&D (and RPGs in general) give me the chance to be the hero, to engage my brain, and to share that experience witrh others.

 

[shilsen]

Listening to me rant about the Scarred Lands? How that's for starters?

Sorry to disappoint you, Nightfall, but you ranting about Scarred Lands doesn't actually count as part of my personal definition of "playing D&D"

I should have mentioned another benefit. Few things beat the pleasure of having one of my players look at me and go:

a) Motherer!
b) How do you sleep at night?
c) You're sick, you know that - right?
d) You bastard! That was beautiful, but ... you bastard!
e) And many many more like the above

 

[Umbran]

Yeah but admit it, being a mod here in En World, a hub of D&D/d20, makes for a better D&D experience than most other places.

Well, I'll admint that being active here (mod or otherwise) makes for a better gaming experience. I think the vast majority of the conversation around here that interests me is applicable to gaming in general, as much as D&D in particular.

Which is a good thing. Right now, I wind up playing GURPS (which I don't particularly like, as a system) about twice as often as I get to run my D&D campaign. If what I picked up here was only applicable to D&D, much of it would be going to waste.

 

[Waldorf]

The vast number of female hotties who are attracted to the game.