What type of campaign do you like best?

[HellHound]

We generally play standard fantasy

Mostly Moorcock-styled campaigns.

But I have a yen for the twist. Like steampunk.

 

[LostSoul]

I'd say that standard D&D is what you get from the adventure path modules - Sunless Citadel, etc.

D&D with a twist is pretty much anything that leaves the dungeon behind.

 

[barsoomcore]

I may be too twisted

Not sure how twisted ought to be "a twist".

No dragons, no elves, no dwarves, no halflings, no orcs, goblins, bugbears, gnolls, trolls, drow, druids, wizards, paladins, rangers, sorcerers, clerics, bards... none of that stuff. No alignment, no Ethereal Plane, no gods.

Instead, flintlock pistols, dinosaurs, flying steam-powered ironclads, red guys, lotsa undead (not all of whom are bad), scary djinnis, bad mojo all over and Spider Women.

Is that "a twist" or just "twisted"? I can never tell.

 

[Desdichado]

Actually, barsoomcore, I've got a hankering to run a game right now with only humans, some homebrewed "planetouched" races and orcs as PC/NPC races, d20 modern classes, magic as 10-level advanced/prestige classes only (no magical core classes), all new cosmology, flintlock-ish guns, and all PCs as members of an X-files-like branch of an FBI-like organization.

Also, a bit of a twist. Maybe moreso than many here would prefer! But your campaign has always intrigued me because my own taste in fantasy seems quite similar.

EDIT: Actually, for those who are picking fantasy with a twist and completely non-traditional fantasy, I'd like to hear what kind of stuff you're looking to play, or are playing. Lots of interesting ideas to mine there.

 

[Desdichado]

OK, now that the poll has a fair number of votes, I'm not surprised to see that traditional fantasy and fantasy with a twist are running neck and neck, while non-traditional fantasy and non-fantasy are trailing way behind.

 

[Madfox]

Personally I prefer standard fantasy with a twist, but most of my players apparently prefer standard fantasy. Since I don't really mind, and the fun of players is really important for the game, I tend to run traditional fantasy games.

 

[Bagpuss]

I prefer playing Call of Cthuhlu or Cyberpunk, so I voted non-fantasy... if your talking D&D then its traditional with a minor twist. You didn't say you were talking just D&D.

 

[Desdichado]

I prefer playing Call of Cthuhlu or Cyberpunk, so I voted non-fantasy... if your talking D&D then its traditional with a minor twist. You didn't say you were talking just D&D.

No, I didn't. But that's what I meant!

 

[Mallus]

See, that's the thing, I think Sep's or PC's games, and many of the other quite good ones, ARE standard D&D. Those two are high powered, but not as non-europe-esque as, say, Planescape and Dark Sun.

I'm not familiar with PC's story hour, but I've recently become a huge fan of Sep's novel-in-the-making. And I really diagree that its standard fantasy fiction, let alone standard D&D.

Quasi-European setting aside, Sep's story is delightfully free of the comforting cliches that anchor most fantasy. Despite the paladins and wizards et al, I have a hard time classifying it as escapism. Which the overwhelming majority of fantasy novels are.

It sounds like one hell of a game, but it can also be seen a well reasoned inquiry into the ethics of a monotheistic God; the conflict between mercy and justice. With crazy fight scenes and great cliffhangers to boot.

Its so much more ambitious than even most published fantasy, I can't call it "standard".

The only thing I can compare it to is Martin's Ice and Fire, which is also 'traditional fantasy' except with the safety absent. Which makes it a much different kind of reading experience.