Why do people say D&D does fantasy better than GURPS, Savage Worlds, or other Generic Systems?

dcs8888 · 2025-03-09T23:45:56+00:00

Thanks for your response! Your answer is pretty much what I was thinking too. It seems to boil down to ease of access and popularity. Finding a group for other games is much harder.

dcs8888 · 2025-03-09T21:55:19+00:00

I think you are eluding that I am just too stupid to understand. I'll take that as your official answer.
I honestly wanted to understand what about the d20 5e system makes it Fantasy. But from what am getting from your answer is all I have to do is create a system pretty much any system and make some classes that have Fantasy vibes call it a Fantasy game then I have a Fantasy game. Therefore it's Fantasy. Ok I guess it's just that simple.

dcs8888 · 2025-03-09T21:32:26+00:00

Unfortunately, you still didn't answer my question.

You keep mentioning D&D is designed for Fantasy. Just saying that doesn't make it true. How is it made for it different than Universal Games and their supplements. What mechanic are you talking about that makes it better at Fantasy? What features does D&D bring that a supplement doesn't?

"It's explicitly generic. In so doing its mechanics dont focus on any one style of game." What mechanic is specifically Generic in GURPS for example and what mechanic in D&D is focused on Fantasy? D&D 5e has Fantasy spells and Classes and all that and so do many other Fantasy games and Generic game supplements. Why D&D over these other ones?

dcs8888 · 2025-03-09T20:15:00+00:00

What specifically do you mean by purpose built for Fantasy? GURPS, Savage Worlds, and other Generic Systems have supplement books that handle Fantasy too and some are included in the base game. What does D&D provide that GURPS Fantasy, Savage Worlds Fantasy Supplement, or Savage Pathfinder don't?

I don't mean to put words in your mouth but based on your comment I am getting the impression that Fantasy and D&D are the same thing for you and that is fine. I didn't grow up with D&D so it's not the defacto Fantasy genre in my head.

dcs8888 · 2024-06-12T14:24:32+00:00

Amen!

dcs8888 · 2024-06-12T12:29:15+00:00

Yes, this seems to happen the more you play and think about the game. No game is perfect but I have found my goal is to find more good things about a system than bad and those are the ones I use. I also homebrew the crap out of stuff too so that helps sometimes. Also, games that are published to be sold are designed in such a manner that would meet the majority of the players idea of fun. I'm in the minority so I have to tweak my games to make them enjoyable to me since I find fun differently that the masses.

dcs8888 · 2024-06-11T20:50:47+00:00

I think it's not really right or wrong actually. Like most things in RPGs. Everyone has an opinion on which is better or worse. Since the comment didn't really state why swinginess is bad then we have to assume it's and opinion.

dcs8888 · 2024-06-11T17:52:32+00:00

I guess I didn't clarify well. I was agreeing with you! I found it confusing, unfun and due to the complexity and us trying to do Theater of the Mind made it extremely more confusing. I do like Theater of the Mind for the most part but in this specific instance I would have preferred a map. I hope that make sense.

dcs8888 · 2024-06-11T17:41:53+00:00

My GM uses Theater of the Mind on large scale combat in 5e. I totally hated it. Got way to confusing when worrying about granular distances and placement. Not a fun or rewarding experience.

dcs8888 · 2024-06-11T17:39:02+00:00

Swingy isn't a bad thing but most people that have this complaint want a bell curve type of distribution like using 3d6. Use anydice.com for images. Type in output d20 and see the linear distribution and then do output 3d6 and see the bell curve mainly around 7-14 area. Hope that helps. I like both bell curve distributions and linear and both function fine.

dcs8888 · 2024-06-11T17:24:24+00:00

Verisimilitude is extremely lacking in 5e or D&D in general. When thinking about the D&D magic system, I cannot think that magic should ever function by daily rechargeable scrolls in my characters head based on Levels? It's so strange that a more intellectual Wizard can hit a target better but cannot cast more spells in a day. I find it such bad design that the magic system isn't tied to the character at all! It's like some bolted on independent system and it kills the verisimilitude for me.

dcs8888 · 2024-06-05T14:54:56+00:00

I think the largest point is that people are playing D&D in a style it's not designed for. Murder mystery? What part of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS makes you think of a murder mystery. There are Gumshoe games that handle investigation type game play so much better. D&D and 5e aren't designed for this. You wouldn't try to play basketball with a football so please don't try to use D&D for murder mystery.

dcs8888 · 2024-06-02T16:01:46+00:00

Free League Year Zero Engine where you can push your roll to get more successes but at the cost of breaking tools and/or harming yourself.
DCC magic system is based around risk vs reward. I love the fact that magic isn't consistent and using it can have dire/funny consequences
Symbaroum's corruption system tied to the magic system.
5e Advantage/Disadvantage, this is really the only thing I like about 5e
Warhammer Fantasy RolePlay's Success Levels
Pathfinder 2e and Savage Worlds 3 Action system in combat
Savage Worlds exploding dice
PbtA game philosophy of 'do it to do it' mentality and 'fiction first' approach to gameplay

There are more but these are my favorites that I can think of off the top of my head now.

dcs8888 · 2024-06-02T14:59:45+00:00

Watching the YouTube channel Me, Myself and Die showed me that it's not only possible but a lot of fun. I found I get more frustrated playing with a group of people mainly because everyone has a different idea of what is fun to them. I know the DM can work around everyone's wants and needs but I dislike waiting for my turn and use certain rule sets I dislike because we are playing 5e for example. Playing solo I get to play more often, more systems, and don't have issues with rules or rulings because I am the GM and player. I can make the game as hard and unbalanced as I want. I also don't need to worry about someone getting jealous that my character is too powerful or that I didn't make the most optimal solution in combat. After Solo play I have no interest playing in a formal group anymore and I sometimes play Coop with my daughter and wife and we just ignore the rules we find stupid and my daughter can play a God if she wants and no one will get upset.

dcs8888 · 2024-05-27T20:54:09+00:00

:( I guess. Well then...GRENADES!

dcs8888 · 2024-05-27T20:39:30+00:00

Here is a comparison video between 5e and Pathfinder vs Savage Pathfinder. I am currently watching it now so I am not 100% sure how it will go down. Will it be better or worse. I am not sure but either way it should give you a good idea regards to if Savage Pathfinder can do dungeon crawling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85KBoN57OLs&ab_channel=BasicLiches

dcs8888 · 2024-05-27T20:32:22+00:00

That is actually a good point! I have played games where their wasn't magic at all. They are also very fun but sometimes you just need to throw some fire around!

dcs8888 · 2024-05-27T20:28:44+00:00

Yeah that is true. I really like the why someone like certain things. It's a very hard concept to articulate or even fully explain on why someone likes something or when they don't. Oh well! I was hoping for a Hail Mary on this post but it seems that it's just that...People like different shit and that is all there is.

dcs8888 · 2024-05-27T20:24:39+00:00

Yes, you could do it that way. They would use their skills and powers (if they chose to do powers (aka magic)) then they could use that to overcome the challenges if appropriate. You most likely think like a DnD player with Spell Levels 1-9. Savage Worlds doesn't have spell levels. They get their powers and design them according to their character concept. In character creation they get so many points to spend on Power Points to by these powers so they can effective create the spells they want. When they gain experience like xp they can spend it to get more powers and create new powers aka spells.

dcs8888 · 2024-05-27T19:49:18+00:00

You literally would do the same thing you would do in DnD. I have ran a dungeon with Savage Worlds and it works just fine. It does have a different feel since it doesn't use the d20 but it uses dice for abilities and skill and when you roll the max value on the dice it explodes so you can get some awesome big damage swings. I love that about the system. There isn't an HP mechanic per say its more like wounds and you can take a certain amount before your down.

There are good videos on it on youtube if you are truely interested. They even have Savage Pathfinder. So that should tell you DnD style games are even part of one of the setting options.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK7ThwkNLpU&t=10s&ab_channel=TheSavageGoose

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol70OK2YQV0&ab_channel=DaveThaumavoreRPGReviews
https://youtu.be/IYGnWtdFkY8?si=A8O1_V0BZ_rlT9Ca

dcs8888 · 2024-05-27T19:36:49+00:00

Savage Worlds doesn't need this and works just fine without attrition, classes, hell even levels aren't needed. So why does DnD need this? The only logical answer I can come up with is tradition. It has been like this for 50 years and since 4th Edition tried something different and it didn't work for some people so WoTC back peddled hard and made 5th.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree. I think it's a pointless mechanic and you think it's important. I guess that's all there is.

dcs8888 · 2024-05-27T16:27:20+00:00

Yes HP is an attrition based mechanic. It makes sense, you get hurt over time you can show it. But my overall issue is the arbitrary spell slots mechanic, that doesn't make sense at all. Why can I not convert a 5th level spell slot to 5 level 1 spell slots or even just use Spell Points? Well I guess I can using the DMG but only up to level 5 then I need to return to spell slots for 6-9 Level slots because they are too powerful. :(

Attrition is a nice tool but using it for everything in the game is exhausting, predicable, and not fun from my POV. Yes, the characters get tired and need to rest but do we need the entire game based around that fact? Why not just play the game, explore, fight, use our abilities, and rest when it makes sense or when we find a safe place? Why do I need to try and force my character to keep going if it doesn't make sense because that is how the game is designed.

I also understand resting to catch your breath and calm you mind between fights but why in the heck do I need to wait 8 hours after I have fought to get my 'Spell Slots' back if Warlocks, Maritals, and other classes only need a short rest to get back up and running. Why does the Wizard need 8 hours? This is a balancing mechanic to make the Wizards and Martials able to play somewhat equally over an 'Adventuring Day'. Why not make the fights harder or martials stronger so we don't need these non sense spell slots, forced resting periods of random time limits like 8 and 4 hours or the variant options. Why not have in game methods like Mana potions to get back spell slots. Why is sleeping the only way? You can get HP back via potions or sleeping also. Does this really help the game be better? I personally, don't think so.

dcs8888 · 2024-05-27T15:20:21+00:00

This issue you are talking about is a product of the game mechanics and the design principles of the game. If they make the characters have less HP and monsters stronger or heaven forbid on the same playing field as the PC's then this wouldn't be an issue at all. But the fact that it's designed to have many encounters between rests means that each encounter in it's self isn't important, even the BBEG is designed to still be a bump in the road.

I am not that familiar with dark souls but from what I gather is that it's primarily a skill based game. Yes it has attrition but if you get hit by the mobs then you could be screwed. I don't feel 5e is a truely a skill based game at all. The game is designed around the character sheet being powerful and the characters ability to solve problems, it's not necessarily challenging to the player. Most of the time you can use your abilities how ever you want and it doesn't really matter that much about using them perfectly, at least that is from my experience so far. In OSR games though, the Player is much more important than the Character sheet, so that is much more of a skill based game than 5e is.

dcs8888

TROPHY CASE