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Why is tradition (in D&D) important to you? [+]
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<blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 8452449" data-attributes="member: 6801845"><p>I think it's difficult to extricate tradition from fundamental game design that makes the system work for so many people. We could have a "better" system for defenses, but AC and HP are simple and easy to grasp. One person's aspect of the game kept around for tradition as a sacred cow is another person's core system for why the game holds together so well.</p><p></p><p>There's no lack of innovation and creativity in game designs. D&D has had staying power in part because of brand recognition but history is littered with brands and products that were preeminent and have fallen by the wayside. Some have been made obsolete because of technology, but others are just trends that have come and gone. If another RPG had come along that overall provided a better experience.</p><p></p><p>Take a look at Pathfinder*. For a long time it was number 2 in popularity for TTRPGs but 3 years after 4E was launched (and more than a year before 5E was announced) it was number 1. Then Pathfinder started slipping in the rankings after 5E had been out a while, not regaining the number 2 slot until PF2 was released.</p><p></p><p>So my "traditions" are really just things that I think make the game work for a lot of people. </p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Flexibility and no predefined core setting. People run all sorts of games. From super hero lite to grim dark to pirate themes or murder hoboes. It all works because D&D doesn't assume a bunch of lore for every single game.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Complexity and simplicity. Yes, the game has more complex than checkers. On the other hand many of the core concepts of ability scores, hit points, armor class are really simple. Spells and magic add in a fair amount of complexity but the core gameplay is fairly easy to grasp for most people.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">No rules for things we don't need rules for. It might be nice for some people to have more rules around social interactions as an example, but I think it's better left up to the group and DM. The more rules you have the more you have people feeling like they have to have a college course in order to play the game. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Monsters. Yeah, I know this is somewhat controversial but I think having clearly defined monsters is a good thing for the game, especially because it can be tossed out the window if you want (although alignment entries in the MM just being default should be emphasized far more). Superhero movies are popular in part because you have clearly defined villains.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Easy to comprehend magic system. While the interaction and effects of magic can be complex and specific spells will always be debated, the core magic system is pretty simple. In general your caster has spell slots, once you use that slot it's gone. As much as I don't really care for the system (I'd prefer something like spell or mana points) it is easy to track.</li> </ul><p>Everything can always be improved, no system will work for everyone. There are certainly aspects of the game I would change. But saying that something that's been there for a long time should be changed <em>just because it's tradition</em> doesn't make sense to me.</p><p></p><p><em>*Ranking taken from </em><a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/top-5-rpgs-compiled-charts-2004-present.662563/" target="_blank"><em>this thread</em></a><em>.</em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Oofta, post: 8452449, member: 6801845"] I think it's difficult to extricate tradition from fundamental game design that makes the system work for so many people. We could have a "better" system for defenses, but AC and HP are simple and easy to grasp. One person's aspect of the game kept around for tradition as a sacred cow is another person's core system for why the game holds together so well. There's no lack of innovation and creativity in game designs. D&D has had staying power in part because of brand recognition but history is littered with brands and products that were preeminent and have fallen by the wayside. Some have been made obsolete because of technology, but others are just trends that have come and gone. If another RPG had come along that overall provided a better experience. Take a look at Pathfinder*. For a long time it was number 2 in popularity for TTRPGs but 3 years after 4E was launched (and more than a year before 5E was announced) it was number 1. Then Pathfinder started slipping in the rankings after 5E had been out a while, not regaining the number 2 slot until PF2 was released. So my "traditions" are really just things that I think make the game work for a lot of people. [LIST] [*]Flexibility and no predefined core setting. People run all sorts of games. From super hero lite to grim dark to pirate themes or murder hoboes. It all works because D&D doesn't assume a bunch of lore for every single game. [*]Complexity and simplicity. Yes, the game has more complex than checkers. On the other hand many of the core concepts of ability scores, hit points, armor class are really simple. Spells and magic add in a fair amount of complexity but the core gameplay is fairly easy to grasp for most people. [*]No rules for things we don't need rules for. It might be nice for some people to have more rules around social interactions as an example, but I think it's better left up to the group and DM. The more rules you have the more you have people feeling like they have to have a college course in order to play the game. [*]Monsters. Yeah, I know this is somewhat controversial but I think having clearly defined monsters is a good thing for the game, especially because it can be tossed out the window if you want (although alignment entries in the MM just being default should be emphasized far more). Superhero movies are popular in part because you have clearly defined villains. [*]Easy to comprehend magic system. While the interaction and effects of magic can be complex and specific spells will always be debated, the core magic system is pretty simple. In general your caster has spell slots, once you use that slot it's gone. As much as I don't really care for the system (I'd prefer something like spell or mana points) it is easy to track. [/LIST] Everything can always be improved, no system will work for everyone. There are certainly aspects of the game I would change. But saying that something that's been there for a long time should be changed [I]just because it's tradition[/I] doesn't make sense to me. [I]*Ranking taken from [/I][URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/top-5-rpgs-compiled-charts-2004-present.662563/'][I]this thread[/I][/URL][I].[/I] [/QUOTE]
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