Why do you choose to play d20 games?

[BluWolf]

While I am not technically "playing" right now I do prefer D20 over anything else. I have played for a very long time and have many systems. At this point in my life I have dedicated so many resources and so much time to D20 that I have absolutely zero interest in learning another system that may be valid and entertaining but only marginally so.

To me it is all about the play. Playing another system for the sake of playing another system just doesn't interest me. D20 works fine for my purposes.

 

[Qualir]

D&D is my first love when it comes to RPGs. I enjoy fanasy and no other game system says fantasy to me like D&D. In fact, every other fantasy game I have ever played seemed to pale in comparison to D&D. Can you tell that I really like D&D?
I do enjoy other RPG genres, especially superheroes but not dark future. The great thing about D20 is that it is adaptable to almost any genre while still maintaining many of the things I love about D&D. (I wonder who would win, Superman or the Tarrasque?)

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I think the rules mechanics influence how a game plays out quite heavily... so as far as systems go I'd say 'It's a toolbox - pick what you need!'

I think the D20 system is my favorite for running games with powerful archetyped characters. IMO that sort of thing lends itself best to the 'high powered fantasy' types of game (whether that be 'Greyhawk' Dnd, Star Wars, Spy fantasy, Superheros, etc). It's an added bonus that the system is consistent and easy to plug house rules into.

I prefer to use other systems for other types of games. I think a 'skill based' rather than 'level based' design is much better for certain types of game and I'm yet to find a D20 game that does that to my satisfaction.

To make a stupid analogy, I wouldn't use my favorite hammer (D20) where a screwdriver (some other system!) would work better.

 

[diaglo]

D&D is my favorite RPG.

but since i can't find a group to play real D&D.

i play the imitations.

OD&D(1974) is the only true game. All the other editions are just poor imitations of the real thing.

 

[The Cardinal]

OTHER:
...to give my players the "epic video/console rpg H&S" feel they need once in a while.

(System of choice: GURPS)

 

[Umbran]

I'm another who picked "other" due to some of the implications/assumptions some of the other choices have/make.

I'm rather like Psion. I don't have a single favorite game. And I don't generally pick what system I will use based upon the amount of support it has, because I'm not in the habit of using mounds of supplements.

I choose the system for a campaign based upon it's virtues relative to what I want to do in that specific campaign.

 

[3catcircus]

Hmm - well - I play d20 because that is what my players like (I primarily GM.) I find that d20 is a fairly flexible system that can be easily adapted to different situations, but it is not the best system for every situation.

For example, an exponential system is much better suited to superheroes-type games, or any game that needs to elegantly represent items of vastly different power/strength/whatever on a single scale (such as Torg or DC Heroes' systems). The old Marvel Superheroes/Star Frontiers d%/chart-based system works pretty well for this also.

Likewise, d20's combat system is not gritty enough for games revolving around more realistic styles of game play - Twilight:2000's system(s) work well, as does the old TFG's Delta Force system - they are lethal enough for a realistic, modern, firearms-prevalent combat system while also reflecting that modern firearms-based combat is not as accurate or deadly as portrayed in the movies.

I find that the d20 skill system is overly broad in length but not in breadth - it relegates roleplaying to a skill check rather than interaction between players and/or GM. At the same time, it is not detailed enough for some situations - such as the craft skills.

Finally, I find the d20 system's concept of feats onerous at best. While it allows the player to have his character do something that used to be determined by GM fiat (if he possesses the feat), it also pushes the players and GM to make every little situation have it's own feat (for example - Mounted Combat and Mounted Archery are separate feats - why? Isn't Mounted Archery a subset of Mounted Combat rather than a separate situation?!?! Likewise, oughtn't two-weapon defense be a subset of two-weapon fighting? Isn't Twin Sword Style a specialized combination of Two-weapon Fighting and Two-weapon defense, with a little of Dodge thrown in?)

Instead of having feats that cover every little situation, there should be less feats with more options per feat.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Is it just me or do feats (combat feats in particular) make D&D feel kind of like a video game. To me they feel too much like a "Secret Move". They also remind me of Diablo II. Some of the abilities that the Barbarian got weren't exactlly magical even if they did eat up your mana.

 

[just__al]

I picked other because I use D20 because the latest iteration of D&D is D20.

That being said, I love the elegance and customibility of D20 and when 4th edition comes out if it's not D20 I won't move to the new system unless all I can find are 4th ed gaming groups.

 

[rgard]

Like it

Looking at some of the posts on my other poll I came to discover that many people here play d20 system games even though they prefer other games. Why do you play d20 games?

We (my kids and I) play D20 systems exclusively.

I had my rp gaming start back in 1977 with D&D 1E and have kept up with it through ADD1E, 2E and now 3E.

Over the years I also played the various versions of Traveller, C&S, Paladium, MERP, GURPS, Dragonquest, Arduin as well as Phoenix command and the Morrow Project. All of these were very different systems mechanics-wise and while each had it's strengths we had to learn each system each time we changed games/milieu.

I find the d20 system easiest to use and less hassle for the kids when we change games. We've played D&D3E, T20 Traveller, WotC Star Wars, D20 CoC (actually the kids don't know their characters have met D20 CoC critters) and a couple of the d20 mini games from Polyhedron. The kids understand skills resolution, rolling attack dice, levels, prestige classes and feats. True...DR, AC, hit points and vitality points are handled differently in the various systems, but this is a small difference compared to learning a completely different system each time you change.

I'll concede that some non-D20 systems are better tailored for the setting they support, but I find the D20 system better fits our needs given the commonality of most of the mechanics across most of the various settings.

Thanks,
Rich