You are playing D&D wrong

[Tinker Gnome]

Okay, I know the whole "You are playing D&D wrong" comment has been around for a while. The comment is usually followed by the person telling the other one why they are playing it wrong. Another comment that I have heard here , which I believe is meant to be a tongue in cheek comment is "Uh oh, someone is having badwrong fun."

Well, do you think there is a wrong way to play D&D? Or do you think that as long as someone is using the basically playing the game(Using most of the normal rules) then there is no wrong way to play? One example would be if there was a game where no PCs ever died, because they were all in an epic plot and having one die would ruin it, or some such thing like that.

 

[francisca]

Click on the last link in my sig. Read the last three lines.

 

[Crothian]

It doesn't matter who close to the core system they are, or what odd or wierd house rules like no character death they have; as long as they are having fun who are we to judge?

 

[ender_wiggin]

"play the game how you want to play it"

that's gonna be the gist of the next 2 thousand posts in this thread.

 

[Timeboxer]

Actually, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I do think that there is such a thing as "becoming a better roleplayer" and "becoming a better GM." Certainly as long as everyone's having fun, then that's really what you want. But I do think that there is such a thing as a good GM and a bad GM, and a good player and a bad player, and that this is not just a stylistic difference.

 

[SpiralBound]

"play the game how you want to play it"

that's gonna be the gist of the next 2 thousand posts in this thread.

I agree, we're likely to get a lot of 'me too/I agree' (MT/IA) on this one. I would like to try be a bit distinctive and make my MT/IA post a qualified one:

I think that any game is being played wrong if you have one or more people in a group intentionally playing against the intended gameplay of the rest of the people and a manner that prevents everyone from enjoying themselves. For example, I'm not personally a min/max, hack-n-slash style of player or gm, however providing everyone in a group wants to play this type of game and is enjoying themselves, then I would hardly consider what they're doing to be "intrinsically wrong". It would be wrong for me as a player to play in that game and try to force less combat and more characterization into the party or adventure simply to push things in the direction that I prefer. I would either have to enjoy that style of play or play in a different campaign. So long as it's fun for everyone present, then it's all good!

 

[Doug McCrae]

Well, do you think there is a wrong way to play D&D?

I think there are two wrong ways to play D&D.

1) If you deviate too far from the RAW, thru house rules or what have you, at some point it stops being D&D.
2) If you're running a game I wouldn't enjoy playing in.

 

[Storyteller01]

Actually, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I do think that there is such a thing as "becoming a better roleplayer" and "becoming a better GM." Certainly as long as everyone's having fun, then that's really what you want. But I do think that there is such a thing as a good GM and a bad GM, and a good player and a bad player, and that this is not just a stylistic difference.

What defines a good or bad player?

I P&G when something seems implausable or not following my idea of what the spirit of the game is. My bad for imposing my view on the masses. But then again, myself and many others believe that playing strictly to min/max the numbers tends to miss the point of the game. If it doesn't suspend your disbelief, it's not D&D.

Are there any rules we can set as a standard for 'wrong' and 'right' playing?

 

[Timeboxer]

Are there any rules we can set as a standard for 'wrong' and 'right' playing?

Well, "pays attention during the game" would appear to be solidly on the "good player" side, but this, perhaps, is just my opinion.

 

[lotuseater]

d&d must always be used to further the side of good, never evil. d&d must never be allowed to fall into the hands of those evil doers who would corrupt it to their own ends. it is your sworn duty to protect d&d and make sure it reaches the proper authorities without being stolen.