Sunderstone
First Post
Erol Otus.
next question....
next question....
What makes D&D, well... D&D?
- Thread starter Scribble
- Start date
Queen_Dopplepopolis
First Post
Two Things:
Cheetos and Mt. Dew
Cheetos and Mt. Dew
Doug McCrae
Legend
Would you regard Tunnels & Trolls as D&D?
It has a Tolkien derivative world with elves, dwarves and so on; even more emphasis on dungeon bashing than its parent; character classes; character levels; gold pieces; experience points; magic items; hit points and very abstract combat.
However it has no alignment, armour class or Vancian magic.
It has a Tolkien derivative world with elves, dwarves and so on; even more emphasis on dungeon bashing than its parent; character classes; character levels; gold pieces; experience points; magic items; hit points and very abstract combat.
However it has no alignment, armour class or Vancian magic.
Doug McCrae
Legend
No, it's pre-eminent because it's the best.fusangite said:
Wombat
First Post
What makes D&D "D&D"?
Alignment, AC, hit points, character classes and levels all have a lot to do with it.
Magic items as pretty much common commodities.
A dozen different monsters for every occassion and enough sentients species to populate three galaxies.
Vancian "fire & forget" magic, but in two "flavours" -- arcane & divine (to use the current terminology).
The Planes...
Covers most of the bases for me.
Which definitely means I am running a D20 game, not a D&D game.
Alignment, AC, hit points, character classes and levels all have a lot to do with it.
Magic items as pretty much common commodities.
A dozen different monsters for every occassion and enough sentients species to populate three galaxies.
Vancian "fire & forget" magic, but in two "flavours" -- arcane & divine (to use the current terminology).
The Planes...
Covers most of the bases for me.
Which definitely means I am running a D20 game, not a D&D game.
JoeBlank
Explorer
The things that make D&D are the mechanics, as we can take the rules and play in many different manners. My opinions are based purely on instinct, feelings, the things that just feel like D&D to me.
I agree with what others, such as Olgar and Wombat, have mentioned regarding classes, levels, armor class, hit points, Vancian magic and such. To this I would add base ability scores of 3-18. I don't mind point-buy, but change the base ability scores, or diverge from the six basic abilities, and it just would not feel like the same game to me.
I agree with what others, such as Olgar and Wombat, have mentioned regarding classes, levels, armor class, hit points, Vancian magic and such. To this I would add base ability scores of 3-18. I don't mind point-buy, but change the base ability scores, or diverge from the six basic abilities, and it just would not feel like the same game to me.
Ranger REG
Explorer
You could call it a work of art as much as the Wright Flyer is a work of aerial art. But I prefer function over form. I don't see it as art. I see it as the original invention that herald the era of role-playing games.Scribble said:
What remains is the same principle mechanic it embodies. Even the supersonic Concorde use the principle of generating lift by manipulating air flow as the original Wright Brothers glider.
It hasn't changed much, but it has improved. We still remember the terms that have been used with the original and how it applies toward playing the game.Scribble said:
I mean to this day, we can tell the difference between D&D and Palladium Fantasy despite both being d20-based games.
Last edited:
drakhe
First Post
The Players....
Hmm maybe a vague answer, but here goes: To me, it's the players together with the DM that make DnD DnD (or any other setting for that matter).
I've played in several groups (5 last time I counted) and have DM'ed a DnD3e and a warhammer group.
Each system invokes a certain way of playing. I guess that's because most systems have a default setting (or one that's closely asociated with the system)
I did notice that what and how some of my groups play is independant of this system/setting link. For instance: one of the groups I played in was Ars Magica. But (even though we were playing in Mystic Europe, the was running a converted RTTTOEE, and I noticed even though the system is entirely different, we were actualy playing DnD. Kinda weird.... (in a nice way...)
Reminds me of one of my favorite KotDT stories: where B.A. wants to run Spacehack but the players want/need their portion of hack'N'slash fantasy and Brian ends up reprogramming the hollobay to run a Hackmaster storie...
Hmm maybe a vague answer, but here goes: To me, it's the players together with the DM that make DnD DnD (or any other setting for that matter).
I've played in several groups (5 last time I counted) and have DM'ed a DnD3e and a warhammer group.
Each system invokes a certain way of playing. I guess that's because most systems have a default setting (or one that's closely asociated with the system)
I did notice that what and how some of my groups play is independant of this system/setting link. For instance: one of the groups I played in was Ars Magica. But (even though we were playing in Mystic Europe, the was running a converted RTTTOEE, and I noticed even though the system is entirely different, we were actualy playing DnD. Kinda weird.... (in a nice way...)
Reminds me of one of my favorite KotDT stories: where B.A. wants to run Spacehack but the players want/need their portion of hack'N'slash fantasy and Brian ends up reprogramming the hollobay to run a Hackmaster storie...
Acid_crash
First Post
What makes D&D....D&D...for me?
How the game is played... it's focus is hack slash, always has been, always will be, that won't change.
Vancian magic... always been there despite not making much logical sense, and it will always be there.
Hit Points, Armor Class, the 9 Alignments, etc. make it D&D.
But, more than anything, is how a group of people can sit down and here the words "D&D" and automatically get in the hack slash mindset without thinking of it. It's automatic, players become bloodthirsty, morality goes away, and everything the DM presents is designed to be killed, treasure taken, and levels gained.
The Mindset of this makes it D&D.
As for the comment of D&D being the best..well...that's definately subjective. I think D&D sucks compare to 90% of the rpgs that have been released, but that's just my opinion.
How the game is played... it's focus is hack slash, always has been, always will be, that won't change.
Vancian magic... always been there despite not making much logical sense, and it will always be there.
Hit Points, Armor Class, the 9 Alignments, etc. make it D&D.
But, more than anything, is how a group of people can sit down and here the words "D&D" and automatically get in the hack slash mindset without thinking of it. It's automatic, players become bloodthirsty, morality goes away, and everything the DM presents is designed to be killed, treasure taken, and levels gained.
The Mindset of this makes it D&D.
As for the comment of D&D being the best..well...that's definately subjective. I think D&D sucks compare to 90% of the rpgs that have been released, but that's just my opinion.
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