D&D General Why Enworld should liberate D&D from Hasbro

[Zardnaar]

Daeran is quite similar to Astarion, and got there first.

Obscure material though.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

How can I explain it without innecesary controversies in a soft way?

OK, let's try it with other example, "7th Sea", a TTRPG that drinks as source of inspiration a lot about the History of Western civilitation. History can be a fabulous source of inspiration for your games but there are some serious danger. You have listened "History is written by the winners", and this is true but also we should add "and after it is rewritten by the current rulers". Everybody says to be the good guys and the others are the evil empire. This shouldn't be a surprise for any body, it is not when victories are remembered and humilliating defeats are forgotten, but also the propaganda keep telling "the world before us was a hell, a dark age, until we arrive and took control, then we fixed everything, you're wellcome". To make to shine their own glory the ones by the rivals have to be hidden. Take care because the History can be full of half-truths, omiting some very important details. "7th Sea" could be a good example of how "History is rewritten by the current rulers". You have to learn to realise when fiction can be used for propaganda or to promote potentially dangerous ideological prejudices.

If you are reading/watching fiction and you suspect that character is evil, will betray the heroes or cause troubles because he belongs certain stereotype, then an ideological prejudice is being promoting. It is not only annoying but potentially dangerous. Don't be naive, the entertaiment industry is used for propaganda, and lots of consumers are noticing and they stop to buy.

We have to know the History, to learn from the past so as not to make the same mistakes. We need humility and self-criticism to avoid becoming fanatical monsters. Friedich Nietsche said: "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster" but I also I warn you: Don't allow shame and guilty-feeling were used to manipulate you emotionally. Recognize toxic people's danger signs before you get fooled.

Why are we too used to watch in the fiction certain group like the "bad guys" or "evil empire" but saying the same about other is "hate-speech"? Did you know the famous pirate Barbarrosa was Otoman (with Greek origin?).

 

[Staffan]

Then your beef is with players, not the publishers. It was the players who popularised tieflings immediately they appeared as a Planescape-specific option. The publisher was slow to respond, and it took the best part of a decade and the company changing hands before they were accepted as a core option. WotC have long being trying to push Aasimars, but the players aint buying, even when they made them very overpowered. People who play D&D like edgy characters, not square dudley-dorights. The only way to popularise aasimar is to make them dark and edgy.

I'm not sure it's about edgy characters. Well, that's part of it, but I also think that the players who do like to play fundamentally good-hearted characters like playing characters who choose good. They aren't good because they have some kind of inherent good instincts inherited from celestial ancestors, but because they are brought up that way or have consciously chosen to follow that path.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Is that a big problem for all people? That feels like a "who gives a crap" issue to me, and I suspect others.

We debate endlessly and participate in discussions and make comments. So it matters up to the point of motivating that much behavior at least.

When every point ends with “think about the inclusion” this corporation is helping achieve or “you are blind to your biases” I do feel some urge to show that is not always what it’s about.

I guess I could also say “who cares?” So if u don’t care and I don’t care I guess we should stop discussing any of this and go play something which is the only solution in the end.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Some players like to play the "black sheep", and others something style Drizzt D'ourden, the "white wolf from the black pack".

Now I suspect the latest trend for the upcoming spring-summer season will be the furries. I don't complain because furries can be family-friendly but if somebody...

I would rather stories where the main characters not only want to survive or become more powerful but helping others to build a better future.

Do you remember the reason because Scrappy-Doo with only one episode has became the most popular character from the show "Velma"?

 

[The Firebird]

The presence of gay people in the art is not a fundamental change to the game.

I agree. I'm trying to make a more nuanced point and I don't think it's coming across over text, so I'm going to drop it.

As I'm doing so I want to take a moment to say that I am emphatically in favor of increased representation--with respect to racial, LGBTQ, cultural, and religious identities.

 

[Scribe]

Because that's a fundamentally stupid name. I'd rather call it 19th Edition, which is, I think, what it actually is. (Edit: I'm not actually advocating for "19th Edition".)

So, when it was released, I was in a different city, walked into a shop just to check things out.

The clerk/owner saw me looking at other RPG things. "Hey there! Have you had a chance to check out D&D 5.5 yet? We even have the special covers!"

People dont call 3.5 14th or whatever it would be in your terms, everyone calls it 3.5.

And 5.5, is yes 5.5.

 

[bedir than]

So, when it was released, I was in a different city, walked into a shop just to check things out.

The clerk/owner saw me looking at other RPG things. "Hey there! Have you had a chance to check out D&D 5.5 yet? We even have the special covers!"

People dont call 3.5 14th or whatever it would be in your terms, everyone calls it 3.5.

And 5.5, is yes 5.5.

And the people I talk to say "Are you playing the new version of 5e?"

Anecdotes aren't data

 

[Scribe]

And the people I talk to say "Are you playing the new version of 5e?"

Anecdotes aren't data

lol of course not, but most of us in the real world understand that we operate with short hand that communicates the intent as quickly and clearly as possible.

Nobody has been able to convince me 5.5 as a label is flawed in any way. Its CLEARLY not 5e. Its certainly better than "2024 edition", and as Whizbang noted, its going to get pretty dumb (well, more dumb than is already clear) when people try and talk about the "2026 releases for the 2024 edition, no not the 2014 edition"

But hey, call it whatever you want.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

So, when it was released, I was in a different city, walked into a shop just to check things out.

The clerk/owner saw me looking at other RPG things. "Hey there! Have you had a chance to check out D&D 5.5 yet? We even have the special covers!"

People dont call 3.5 14th or whatever it would be in your terms, everyone calls it 3.5.

And 5.5, is yes 5.5.

That's part of my point: People who played 3.5 are fixated on the idea of half editions. Half editions are not a thing.

It was a gimmick used ONCE, 20 years ago, for precisely one "edition", and part of the community won't let it go.

They called 4e Essentials 4.5. They retconned the 2e Black Books into 2.5. Now they want to call the 2024 books 5.5.

To me, you're simply fixated on a 20 year old marketing gimmick. That you have a lot of company doesn't make it any cooler.

But, whatever. I will probably lose in the long run, and we can all adopt 5.5 until they revise 6e in 2052. They'll call it Ultimate D&D or some other silly thing, and everyone will insist on calling it 6.5.