What makes Dungeons & Dragons "Dungeons & Dragons?"

[Tymophil]

As the player of a character :
1. Playing a hero, rather than mr. Nobody, knowing the character can overcome the challenge, but can fail if doesn't act as a hero.
2. Strong guideline for playing the character's role : race, class, alignement, faction, etc.
3. Complementary roles within the group of PC, allowing for everybody to fail and shine depending on the moment, and making the fact that you belong to the group really matter.

As a Dungeon Master :
Possibility to give the players any kind of challenge (roleplay, puzzles, mystery, exploration, combat, gathering clues, etc.)

 

[erf_beto]

A lot of people mentioned both XP and Levels, which to me are probably the same things. Some groups (as in mine, at least) didn't care about tracking XP, and leveled after an adventure and important plot points.
Though that can also be categorized as doing math on your head I suppose...

 

[Hand of Evil]

A couple or more guys sitting around a table, playing with miniatures, maps and dice while drinking Mountain Dew and eating chips. Sure, it could be something else...sure.

 

[amerigoV]

Several people have mentioned alignment, which is interesting to me, since there are plenty of groups that long ago either altered or discarded alignment on their own. Are they not playing D&D, by those folks' standards, or is OK to house rule it out, so long as it's at least listed in the core books? What if it's just listed as an optional rule?

For me, its precisely the things everyone argues about that makes D&D D&D. Alignment is always an argument waiting to happen. Thus, it makes it D&D. Charisma was another, to the point the Comeliness was added as a stat (then later dropped). Vancian magic is another. Is falling damage realistic? Trying to explain HP/AC as "realistic". Arguing about if someone locked in a 20x20 room should get a save from a Fireball spell. Worrying about if a Lightning Bolt will rebound or not. Kill things and taking their stuff vs. story tellers. Gamist vs. Simulist vs. Bonokonist. Is "x" broken?

The list is endless. But that is what makes it D&D.

 

[Weregrognard]

I've been recently thinking a lot about the "sacred cows" of D&D, and why, to some, more recent editions have lost the "feel" of D&D. I now grudgingly admit that (after playing for three years) the current edition has lost something, but I can't exactly put my finger on it.

Could it be that there are hidden, or unsung "sacred cows" of D&D that are nevertheless important to the "feel" of the game? Possible examples:

- Randomness. Not just in combat and skill checks, but also in other aspects of the game (random encounters, random stats, random treasure, etc.)

- Carrot & Stick. You always have something to look forward to, whether it's better stats, a keep, godhood or whatever. Sometimes, all you have to look forward to is an ignoble death, only to be reincarnated as an angry badger

- Whackiness and humor. There have always been weird and humorous things in D&D. Intentional, or not, especially with magic items and artifacts.

To be honest, I'm at a loss here 'cause I'm still trying to figure things out myself, but there you go.

 

[Niccodaemus]

I've been recently thinking a lot about the "sacred cows" of D&D, and why, to some, more recent editions have lost the "feel" of D&D. I now grudgingly admit that (after playing for three years) the current edition has lost something, but I can't exactly put my finger on it.

Could it be that there are hidden, or unsung "sacred cows" of D&D that are nevertheless important to the "feel" of the game? Possible examples:

- Randomness. Not just in combat and skill checks, but also in other aspects of the game (random encounters, random stats, random treasure, etc.)

- Carrot & Stick. You always have something to look forward to, whether it's better stats, a keep, godhood or whatever. Sometimes, all you have to look forward to is an ignoble death, only to be reincarnated as an angry badger

- Whackiness and humor. There have always been weird and humorous things in D&D. Intentional, or not, especially with magic items and artifacts.

To be honest, I'm at a loss here 'cause I'm still trying to figure things out myself, but there you go.

I'm with you here. D&D not taking itself too seriously is a big part of it.
I also think a big part has been challenging players, not just characters.
Quirky puzzles and traps have always been a hallmark of my D&D experience.

Dependability in combat (avoiding random death dealing critical hits), coupled with things that will kill you instantly (if you avoid your saving throw) if you blunder into them without thinking.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

One word: THAC0

Just kidding, what I think about when I think D&D is medieval fantasy, the thrill of the D20 landing on the 20 when you are facing down the actual DRAGON in an actual DUNGEON and landing that killing blow before he breathes out his deadly breath weapon and obliterates the party. The prospect of finding what treasure you've uncovered, the camaraderie and socializing of the friends at the table, the magic in the game and of the game, and being able to use my overactive imagination to make things things come to life for myself and fellow players.

 

[Aramax]

Vancian Magic(sorry all but I LOVE the concept)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Classes: There are character classes and armor classes and difficulty classes.
Levels: There are experience levels and dungeon levels and spell levels and monster levels and challenge levels (or ratings).
Races: The players' characters could all be human; but each one could be a member of some other race, instead.
Platonic-Solid Dice: Even if the dice are simulated by computer programs or other aids, the probability distributions of the regular d4, d6, d8, d12, and d20 apply. (If the game also uses d10 and d100 dice, that doesn't throw this off.)
Items and Abilities, Magical and Mundane: Money and clothes and rations and staffs and wands and spells and potions and scrolls.
Weapons: Clubs, Daggers, Maces, Swords; maybe even Glaive-Guisarmes, for those who like such things.
Miscellany: cantrips, orisons, traps -- stuff like that.
Attributes: STR, CON, DEX, INT, WIS, CHA (in any order).
Bonuses and Modifiers and Penalties, because it's meant to be educational (do the arithmetic in your head).
Obscure or Fascinating Cultural References, because it's meant to be educational. Strange lands, dangerous monsters, vertiginous landscapes, natural hazards.
One Character Per Player (with exceptions): You're playing your character instead of playing your group or your faction.
Monsters: Dragons are a must, but the entire litany contributes to the recognizability.
Alignment: The writings of Anderson and Moorcock must be served, so there's that. (Each particular group might decide how or whether they're actually going to use that stuff, but rules for alignment are included in the game.)
Medieval Fantasy: Alchemy but not gunpowder. Religion but not existentialism. Horses and folding boats. Flying carpets, but no cruise missiles. Magic Circles. Pact Magic. Wonder-working. War.
Combat: It's traditional in the game, so it must be included. (In that connection, Hit Points and Damage are also iconic.)
Mockery: Taunts. Unladen Swallows. Glede Wurp the Eyebiter. Bad puns. Anagrams.

Looking at this list, it seems like Goodman Games' Dungeon Crawl Classics would fit your definition of Dungeons & Dragons -- lawyers notwithstanding. If you've looked at the game, does it "feel" like D&D to you (albeit an idiosyncratic version of it), or does it feel like something else entirely different?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Has anyone mentioned ale or whores yet?

I'm pretty sure Warhammer Fantasy (well, all Warhammer games, for that matter) have those, as well.