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General Tabletop Discussion
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
What Is The Essence of D&D?
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<blockquote data-quote="The Shadow" data-source="post: 3743534" data-attributes="member: 16760"><p>It's become abundantly obvious that people have widely divergent ideas about what D&D fundamentally 'is', what is at its core. What is the common thread that binds together 1e, 2e, 3e, and presumably 4e, even though they are four very distinct games in both fluff and crunch?</p><p></p><p>For me I think it's a few things:</p><p></p><p>Classes. D&D is a game where you know what your character fundamentally 'is'. The rise of flexible multiclassing has altered that feel a fair bit, but it's still there.</p><p></p><p>Levels. D&D is a game where the good stuff comes in measured doses. Addictive, really. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>Fantasy. It is a fantasy game, and a peculiar style of fantasy too. Not easy to classify, but you know it when you see it. That peculiar style can be a real detriment at times, though. D&D is often not very good for doing classic fantasy settings in.</p><p></p><p>Archetypes. I cannot imagine any incarnation of D&D that doesn't have the fighter, cleric, wizard, and rogue.</p><p></p><p>Dungeon crawling. While it may not be the focus of a campaign, D&D definitely involves kicking in doors and taking names.</p><p></p><p>Personally, I'm willing to compromise quite a bit on the exact style of fantasy. It would be nice to be able to embody some different fantastic assumptions at times. And the details of dragon scale color and alignment? Chuck 'em, as far as I'm concerned. They aren't the essence.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="The Shadow, post: 3743534, member: 16760"] It's become abundantly obvious that people have widely divergent ideas about what D&D fundamentally 'is', what is at its core. What is the common thread that binds together 1e, 2e, 3e, and presumably 4e, even though they are four very distinct games in both fluff and crunch? For me I think it's a few things: Classes. D&D is a game where you know what your character fundamentally 'is'. The rise of flexible multiclassing has altered that feel a fair bit, but it's still there. Levels. D&D is a game where the good stuff comes in measured doses. Addictive, really. :) Fantasy. It is a fantasy game, and a peculiar style of fantasy too. Not easy to classify, but you know it when you see it. That peculiar style can be a real detriment at times, though. D&D is often not very good for doing classic fantasy settings in. Archetypes. I cannot imagine any incarnation of D&D that doesn't have the fighter, cleric, wizard, and rogue. Dungeon crawling. While it may not be the focus of a campaign, D&D definitely involves kicking in doors and taking names. Personally, I'm willing to compromise quite a bit on the exact style of fantasy. It would be nice to be able to embody some different fantastic assumptions at times. And the details of dragon scale color and alignment? Chuck 'em, as far as I'm concerned. They aren't the essence. [/QUOTE]
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