On the subject of alignment restriction… There is a reason D&D includes guidelines for class creation, within the only two books you typically need to play. You can’t expect them to print a book with a different class for everything alignment possible. When I see a paladin, I think of a knight in shining armor smiting the wicked. Complaining that holy protectors of the Church and Good (Paladins) are restricted to being Lawful Good is like complaining that Wizards use primarily magic and not swordsmanship. If you want a class type like a paladin that doesn’t act at all like a traditional paladin, create one yourself. That right there proves D&D’s innovation; there are no limits, and the material provided is flexible and ready for change.

On levels… again, why do you people want to make D&D as much like real life as possible. A leveling system provides both a SIMPLE and NOSTALGIC way to keep track of a character’s progression. I realize there are other ways to handle character growth, but a leveling is the easiest to understand and likely the most used system for growth in any RPG, video game, tabletop, or otherwise. Why put something that works down for not being exactly like real life, something you are ESCAPING when you play D&D, if only for a short time.

All in all, this has been very enlightening. My support for D&D has only grown stronger writing this and I hope I may persuade others to agree with me, or at least understand my points. The purpose of a fantasy game is not be realistic; it is to be fantastical in nature.

Dice and roleplaying. If you don’t like rolling the dice all the time, then adjust the rules! Adjust them until you think the game fits your expectations. Apart from that, that is how I see rolling dice, all the dicerolling is a lot of fun. It is exciting, and it is a great rule to simulate luck in the world. Also, you say it is affecting the roleplaying? No it isn’t, because roleplaying is all about adapting to stuff, in this case the dice. If the dice say the bartender is fairly hostile towards you, then roleplay your ass out of it.

Second point; alignment. The point about the paladin I can cope with. It is a restriction, however it could be fun to play with. But all the other classes and alignments are great! I think you misunderstand the rules about alignments; you don’t adapt to your alignment, your alignment adapts to you. In other words, if you think being lawful good is a pain in the ass, dont be lawful good anymore! The DM will change your alignment, and you can play the game as if nothing ever happened.

The way leveling goes, which is the third point, is just the for new players so the game will be fairly balanced. Exactly the reason why they put the random encounters in the books, because new DM wont be able to create a wellbalanced adventure; that all comes with the years. If you think you can handle creating a new wizard level that can cast 5 magic missiles instead of three, but also make it balanced, then it is OK for you to do such a thing. There are a lot op people who have made new classes already, and put them on the internet. But until you are able, play the premade wizardclass…

Point No. 4: Right, you do have a point there… It does cost a lot of money, and to be honest; Most of the books I use, I got here on my computer, downloaded. But the 10 books that I did buy were great! I have them for about what, 6 years? And I’m still using them as I used to do; every holiday I spend reading all the books. I think of it as a neccesary evil. But one that will make you very happy! And about the d20 movement; I dont really know much about that.

Last point: Rabid players… Well yeah, of course, If you tell them that D&D sucks, they are going to defend it. If someone tells you that your favourite movie sucks balls, that all the shots are louzy and that they could have done a better job, are you going to respond like: ”Mwoa, yeah you are right… … … -.-” Of course not. I see the D&D game as a good book; it is a story in which you can roleplay, and make up your own adventures.

There are a lot of people who tell me: ”D&D sucks, go play WoW, that is the best game EVER!” I dont even want to respond to that. The whole idea about D&D is that you can change everything. Not only the alignments and the names are guidelines; EVERYTHING in the books are guidelines. You can change the game as you like. Tell me, can you do that with WoW? Well yeah, in several modworlds, but those aren’t always balanced… Apart from that, don’t go sit behind a computer 24/7 and shit in a bucket while yer mother brings you all your food.

I can understand some of your points, but again, I think you misunderstand the game in it’s whole: You don’t like the system? change it, nobody is going to arrest you for it.

D&D is excellent to those who play it. If you don’t think its excellent, then why play it? Why even talk about it? Why not just sell the books on e-bay and be done with it? Why Mr. Anderson? Why? Why? Why?

But I won’t.

Instead I will say this. D&D is a game. It is played for fun by people who enjoy role-playing games of a certain nature. D&D fits in with them, their personalities, and their interests. They have fun playing it. Is this bad? If we do not enjoy something, should we lambast those who do? Should we start a “flamewar” over which system of RPG’s is better? Should we argue for years over a game, which is a rather trivial matter anyway?

No. Why? Because it is a game. It is played for fun. If you don’t like it, don’t play it. If you like it, go on, have fun and play it.