D&D General What tone do you prefer for D&D?

[Reynard]

I know this is a tough question, full of lots of wiggle room and interpretation, but I tried to create a poll with as many distinct tones as I could think of. So feel free to expound upon your vote with a comment.

 

[commandercrud]

Usually different each campaign for variety.

 

[Reynard]

I myself prefer a heroic adventure vibe, whether or not the PCs are actually heroes. They should be able to pull off stuff that normal people can't, but morality should be a personal choice. Sometime a group of shining knights is fun, as is a bunch of bloodthirsty mercenaries, but generally speaking I'll take a middle of the road party.

 

[Charlaquin]

For a given definition of “heroic,” I guess I’ll vote for heroic adventure.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I am a fan for the zero to hero model. I feel having that early campaign part being more realistic and gritty helps set the proper contrast for when they gain in power and become heroic. It's like that saying, you can't really appreciate something fully unless you know what it's like without it. Additionally, it provides different challenges from the start of the campaign to the end of it, where many problems are easily solved through magical means. It keeps the game from being the same thing over and over, IME, when the players have variation of problem solving challenges rather than "super power" for everything.

 

[Oofta]

I go for heroic adventure, but if we don't laugh on a pretty regular basis in a game it's highly unusual. I think you can have many humorous situations without it being silly.

I also like the zero to hero, sometimes I even go as far as starting the campaign out with PCs as kids who really are helpless.

 

[atanakar]

I prefer PULP action. Somewhere between Gritty (Cthulhu) and Heroic (D&D).

 

[Minigiant]

I prefer tiers of play.
First normal
Then one of the best in the village
Then one of the best in the city
Then one of the best in the country
Then one of the best on the plane
Then one of the best on all planes

 

[generic]

I voted for Heroic Adventure, but only because, while my campaigns are often gritty and realistic, the focus is often on eventual victory against a foe or opposing force. Thus, heroism.

 

[Garthanos]

I prefer tiers of play.
First normal
Then one of the best in the village
Then one of the best in the city
Then one of the best in the country
Then one of the best on the plane
Then one of the best on all planes

Heroic I think can be a scale OR a tone as two different things I think @Aebir-Toril hits on that very noticeably in contrast with your comment or not exactly but sort of.

 

[TwoSix]

Sarcastic and hectoring.

 

[Minigiant]

Heroic I think can a scale OR a tone as two different things I think @Aebir-Toril hits on that very noticeably in contrast with your comment or not exactly but sort of.

Scale and tone are two different things but can be connected.

My point is I prefer all of the tones. I like my level 1 grim horror, my level 10 heroic action, and my level 20 shonen anime.

 

[iserith]

I change themes with every campaign. But every single one regardless of underlying theme is lighthearted and gonzo since that is what D&D is in my view. Even my most grimdark zero-to-hero hexcrawl megadungeon campaign is going to be hilarious.

 

[Weiley31]

Heroic Adventure with moments of comedy whether between the party or downtime and seriousness depending on the type of enemy/foe who is a big deal during the campaign.

Now if I'm fighting say like, Frost Zombie Giants, there are gonna be moments of horror, but it's still Heroic Adventure at the end of the day.

 

[Garthanos]

Scale and tone are two different things but can be connected.

My point is I prefer all of the tones. I like my level 1 grim horror, my level 10 heroic action, and my level 20 shonen anime.

Its like if your character is authentic Cu Cuchulain of heroic to epic scale they would also be a pile of grim story wise but huge grim.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[jmartkdr2]

I am a fan for the zero to hero model. I feel having that early campaign part being more realistic and gritty helps set the proper contrast for when they gain in power and become heroic. It's like that saying, you can't really appreciate something fully unless you know what it's like without it. Additionally, it provides different challenges from the start of the campaign to the end of it, where many problems are easily solved through magical means. It keeps the game from being the same thing over and over, IME, when the players have variation of problem solving challenges rather than "super power" for everything.

I'd probably be a bigger fan of this model if the dm's I play with don't immediately get disinterested the minute the pc's do anything heroic, and start talking about resetting to zero.

Zero to still zero is not fun for me.

 

[Garthanos]

I will say i think starting in the level range you like say i like 5 to 15 and double the time that we spend in those levels always seemed to be a good solution to tone change,

 

[Reynard]

I will say i think starting in the level range you like say i like 5 to 15 and double the time that we spend in those levels always seemed to be a good solution to tone change,

Tone isn't necessarily linked to power level. The Black Company is grimdark but they still deal with ridiculously high powered threats, while a bunch of first level clerics and paladins would still be Paragons of Virtue, chasing off goblins and rescuing minor nobles.

 

[Garthanos]

Tone isn't necessarily linked to power level.

D&D spell casting can be overwhelming with raise the dead and the like