D&D General What makes D&D feel like D&D?

Which of the following elements are part of D&D's "feel" to you?

  • Using multiple types of dice

    Votes: 93 70.5%
  • Ability scores (Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha)

    Votes: 115 87.1%
  • Distinct character races/lineages

    Votes: 77 58.3%
  • Distinct character classes

    Votes: 115 87.1%
  • Alignment

    Votes: 60 45.5%
  • Backgrounds

    Votes: 3 2.3%
  • Multiclassing

    Votes: 21 15.9%
  • Feats

    Votes: 14 10.6%
  • Proficiencies

    Votes: 14 10.6%
  • Levels

    Votes: 115 87.1%
  • Experience points

    Votes: 67 50.8%
  • Hit points

    Votes: 108 81.8%
  • Hit dice

    Votes: 32 24.2%
  • Armor Class

    Votes: 97 73.5%
  • Lists of specific equipment

    Votes: 32 24.2%
  • Saving throws

    Votes: 88 66.7%
  • Surprise

    Votes: 7 5.3%
  • Initiative

    Votes: 48 36.4%
  • Damage types

    Votes: 12 9.1%
  • Lists of specific spells

    Votes: 65 49.2%
  • Conditions

    Votes: 6 4.5%
  • Deities

    Votes: 22 16.7%
  • Great Wheel cosmology

    Votes: 21 15.9%
  • World Axis cosmology

    Votes: 4 3.0%
  • Creature types

    Votes: 23 17.4%
  • Challenge ratings

    Votes: 5 3.8%
  • Lists of specific magic items

    Votes: 52 39.4%
  • Advantage/disadvantage

    Votes: 6 4.5%
  • Other (please specify)

    Votes: 9 6.8%

  • Poll closed .

JEB

Legend
Did a quick skim through the 5E PHB, then picked out any of the general rules or lore elements that seemed to be distinctly D&D. Vote for as many as you like, as long as its presence in the game tells you, "this is D&D".

Feel free to explain your choices, but please, no judging or criticizing anyone's preferences here. The goal is to try and figure out what we can largely agree on, not to rehash the same old arguments...
 

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Tonguez

A suffusion of yellow
Basic definition: DnD is a Class and Level based Fantasy Roleplaying game (Class, Levels, Fantasy Magic)

That covers everything I think is fundamental to DnD - its a system defined by distinct character classes gaining levels over the course of play. Fantasy for me implies Magic and that is important but its broad gonzo fantasy where anything can happen from rat infested feudal villages to intergalactic Spelljammers.

Races are a feature of the Fantasy but a all human game could be possible and while the ability scores are important to defining characters but I dont think they’re fundamental.

Everything else on the list is optional
 





JEB

Legend
While I applaud the concept of the thread, personally I would have limited the choices to maybe 5-7 top picks because I ended up choosing a lot of different things. :)
Eh, I figured if someone wants to check every single box, they should be able to.

You forgot Vancian or at least spell preparation and daily slot-based spellcasting.
I actually considered including "spell slots", but figured the specifics of how classes work was getting too down in the weeds.
 


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