this post was submitted on 23 Oct 2025
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So adjusting the game slightly to suit what the group feels would enhance their experience makes it... not counting as the game somehow?
So my Rimworld isn't Rimworld anymore because i added some Mods?
I think this is gatekeeping, tbh.
No. These people are welcome to play however they want. They're having a good time and that's great for them.
Pitching this as "d&d is great" when the entire story hinges on multiple table specific rulings makes this both less relatable for players of d&d used to a different tone of play and can set unrealistic expectations for new players who might join a game that plays very differently.
I'm not saying they shouldn't play like this, or that this isn't d&d. It's just a very specific scenario that is quite likely to be non-representative of many games.
I'd say this is more of a "RPGs are great" moment than anything else. Any table could have stories like this with any system. It's only a d&d story in particular because that's the most popular system. Any system can be house-ruled to do whatever, and that's the joy of pen and paper games as opposed to board games or video games, where the rules are more difficult to change.
Yes, completely agreed.
There are also systems much better at this than D&D, which makes calling it out as being the "great" thing here even more out of place.
If you want crunchier rules that have these kind of flavourful interactions you could play PF2e, which literally lets you roll intimidate to debuff your opponent and you have to actions available to do so after swinging your weapon. If you want something looser and more freeform that encourages improvisation maybe take a look at Legend in the Mist or something.