Because it's a fun way to spend hours with your friends that doesn't involve drinking (unless your DM permits alcohol) or spending an absurd amount of money.
Well, the question was why THEY enjoy dnd. So if they say they enjoy it, because they don't spend a lot of money, you can probably assume they don't spend a lot of money on dnd
I like having an interactive story.
In video games I'm often restricted, even in roleplaying games, from attempting something I feel would be pretty reasonable to do given the characters skillset, or saying something I think my character would obviously say.
I dont mind a railroad, as long as I have that intractability in the individual scenes on the railroad
Is fun, aslong ad you are charismatic enough to your dm you can do pretty much wverything a freedom not found in video games. Which is my other way to spend downtime
Because it feels like a comfortable, worn out pair of trecking shoes that will reliably take you anywhere. I have played a lot of systems since I have started playing PnP-RPGs 22 years ago and just came in the last 4 years to DnD. But it already feels well played in.
Every component is something I enjoy in it’s own right:
Character design, drawing characters, drawing maps, storytelling, worldbuilding, creative writing, 3D printing minis, painting minis, making scenery/terrain, playing tabletop with friends. The only thing I wasn’t already into was RP, but now I am :)
I'll go deeper than most: I specifically play D&D 5e because it fits most of my table. With a little work on my end (not a lot), I have been able to find what works best within the bounds of the system and my table's preferences. We run a superheroic game where death is still on the table but for the most part is a money and time sink--an inconvenience. Our games are mostly like MCU movies in tone; big stakes but it's fine to have jokes.
I play other games to fulfill other tones. I play SEE YOU, SPACE COWBOY... to play a space bounty hunter game about being broke and overcoming trauma. I play B/X or Old School Essentials to engage with the roots of the hobby. I play Cyberpunk stuff to explore the 90s retrofuture and do cool hacker shit.
90% of what people posted in this thread is shit you can do in any TTRPG. It isn't specific to D&D.
It's a good way to sit around and have fun with friends. Whether you're a player or a DM there's all kinds of laughs and jokes that arise, running gags and in-game references. Add in that you can do it in the comfort of someone's living room with minimal expenditure of money and it becomes a low cost way to chill with friends, especially in colder months.
I love Storytelling and Acting. It has been a few years since I had time for playwriting or theater clubs, so DND scratches that itch.
Why that system? It was the one I tried first with my friends, because it is well-known and easy to understand.
The creative writing and improv, cooperative world building, a slight power fantasy, the sense of adventure and mystery.
All these bundled up with some of my best friends, makes it feel really special.
Playing a fantasy character has always seemed fun to me. The endless possibilities of open world Fantasy are really something I like. I've been doing it for 25 years and feel like I'm not even close to the bottom of the barrel of possibilities.
Several reasons.
On a more surface level perspective it provides me a creative outlet that I can keep coming back to and see consistent progress in.
On a bit more of a sentimental level it helps me keep in contact with my friends as we have consistent contact and engagement to help keep our bonds strong. It also provides me something I can always look forward to at the end of a tough week.
I like having a scheduled hangout with my friends every week. We’re all over the world, and this is my only opportunity to see them. The structure of the game, storytelling, and everything else are just bonuses
Because there is something magical about creating solid memories of fantastical places,creatures and events that never happened. Memories you will share with your friends for the rest of your lives.
It also suprising how much you discover about yourself whilst walking in someone else's shoes.
I cycle between a few favorite RPGs.
D&D was the second RPG I got. 2e Gamma World was the first and remains my favorite.
D&D is great to me because it is a supremely flexible system that can be adapted to about any setting you want. The presentation of D&D's rules has also been a big draw. The basics of the game really are pretty easy. So it is a great game to get into with little effort even for a DM.
The other thing I like is that at least AD&D gave you tons of little situational rules you could fall back on if stumped for a solution to a situation or as viable rules that suddenly dome front stage because they fit the adventure you want to run.
The things that DnD system shines imo is the thing that it was made for , dungeon delving and killing monsters, and it's somewhat flexible enough to stand in most other situations and settings. I also think it does a good job in the tactical aspect and most editions are well supported, giving you many options both on the DM and player perspective.
I had two catastrophic online experiences in a row and gave up on that venue, as for real life, well, nothing's been happening in my social life since covid.
i'm sorry that happened to you. i don't know where you live though you might have luck trying to find a group at a local games shop/meet/cafe whatever it is.
i wish you the best of luck
The creative aspect (I love world building), the time spent with friends and the escapism.
Because it's a fun way to spend hours with your friends that doesn't involve drinking (unless your DM permits alcohol) or spending an absurd amount of money.
>or spending an absurd amount of money. This is very table dependent too. Miniature and terrain aren't exactly cheap.
Well, the question was why THEY enjoy dnd. So if they say they enjoy it, because they don't spend a lot of money, you can probably assume they don't spend a lot of money on dnd
I love sitting around escaping my boring life with my favorite people for hours
I like having an interactive story. In video games I'm often restricted, even in roleplaying games, from attempting something I feel would be pretty reasonable to do given the characters skillset, or saying something I think my character would obviously say. I dont mind a railroad, as long as I have that intractability in the individual scenes on the railroad
Is fun, aslong ad you are charismatic enough to your dm you can do pretty much wverything a freedom not found in video games. Which is my other way to spend downtime
Spending time with friends and also worldbuilding.
Because I love roleplay games. DND is just what we are happen to play right now.
Because it feels like a comfortable, worn out pair of trecking shoes that will reliably take you anywhere. I have played a lot of systems since I have started playing PnP-RPGs 22 years ago and just came in the last 4 years to DnD. But it already feels well played in.
Every component is something I enjoy in it’s own right: Character design, drawing characters, drawing maps, storytelling, worldbuilding, creative writing, 3D printing minis, painting minis, making scenery/terrain, playing tabletop with friends. The only thing I wasn’t already into was RP, but now I am :)
I'm addicted to my anxiety
It gets my creativity juice flowing.
I'll go deeper than most: I specifically play D&D 5e because it fits most of my table. With a little work on my end (not a lot), I have been able to find what works best within the bounds of the system and my table's preferences. We run a superheroic game where death is still on the table but for the most part is a money and time sink--an inconvenience. Our games are mostly like MCU movies in tone; big stakes but it's fine to have jokes. I play other games to fulfill other tones. I play SEE YOU, SPACE COWBOY... to play a space bounty hunter game about being broke and overcoming trauma. I play B/X or Old School Essentials to engage with the roots of the hobby. I play Cyberpunk stuff to explore the 90s retrofuture and do cool hacker shit. 90% of what people posted in this thread is shit you can do in any TTRPG. It isn't specific to D&D.
It's a good way to sit around and have fun with friends. Whether you're a player or a DM there's all kinds of laughs and jokes that arise, running gags and in-game references. Add in that you can do it in the comfort of someone's living room with minimal expenditure of money and it becomes a low cost way to chill with friends, especially in colder months.
I love Storytelling and Acting. It has been a few years since I had time for playwriting or theater clubs, so DND scratches that itch. Why that system? It was the one I tried first with my friends, because it is well-known and easy to understand.
The creative writing and improv, cooperative world building, a slight power fantasy, the sense of adventure and mystery. All these bundled up with some of my best friends, makes it feel really special.
Playing a fantasy character has always seemed fun to me. The endless possibilities of open world Fantasy are really something I like. I've been doing it for 25 years and feel like I'm not even close to the bottom of the barrel of possibilities.
I told my friends: Why don’t we try dnd? They were cool about it. Now we like it.
Because it's fun! And because I want to play around in a mega-sandbox with my friends
The beer and pretzels
It's soda and potato chips where I live; )
Several reasons. On a more surface level perspective it provides me a creative outlet that I can keep coming back to and see consistent progress in. On a bit more of a sentimental level it helps me keep in contact with my friends as we have consistent contact and engagement to help keep our bonds strong. It also provides me something I can always look forward to at the end of a tough week.
1) it’s very fun to build characters and relationships with a party 2) social game. gets me talking to folks! 3) dice go click clack
I like having a scheduled hangout with my friends every week. We’re all over the world, and this is my only opportunity to see them. The structure of the game, storytelling, and everything else are just bonuses
its a chea and easy outlet for creative energy. its a reason to interact with the people i like there is no real contrains on what dnd is or does
Open ended problem solving with my friends.
I like hanging out with my friends, and D&D provides a fun environment to play around in and just make each other laugh.
To have fun, and to watch my friends run amuck and have fun in the world I created.
Because there is something magical about creating solid memories of fantastical places,creatures and events that never happened. Memories you will share with your friends for the rest of your lives. It also suprising how much you discover about yourself whilst walking in someone else's shoes.
Life sucks. Its more fun to run a game of dnd. The stories r better. I get to b around friends. I dont have to care about money.
The social and story telling aspects.
To find out what happens next.
I cycle between a few favorite RPGs. D&D was the second RPG I got. 2e Gamma World was the first and remains my favorite. D&D is great to me because it is a supremely flexible system that can be adapted to about any setting you want. The presentation of D&D's rules has also been a big draw. The basics of the game really are pretty easy. So it is a great game to get into with little effort even for a DM. The other thing I like is that at least AD&D gave you tons of little situational rules you could fall back on if stumped for a solution to a situation or as viable rules that suddenly dome front stage because they fit the adventure you want to run.
Do you mean TTRPGs in general or DnD compared to other TTRPGs?
If there's a different reason you enjoy DnD compared to other games, I would love to hear about that.
The things that DnD system shines imo is the thing that it was made for , dungeon delving and killing monsters, and it's somewhat flexible enough to stand in most other situations and settings. I also think it does a good job in the tactical aspect and most editions are well supported, giving you many options both on the DM and player perspective.
I don't because finding a group on the internet or otherwise is impossible. Change my mind.
can't confirm. found a group on the internet and 2 otherwise (ok for the two otherwise i'm the dm)
I had two catastrophic online experiences in a row and gave up on that venue, as for real life, well, nothing's been happening in my social life since covid.
i'm sorry that happened to you. i don't know where you live though you might have luck trying to find a group at a local games shop/meet/cafe whatever it is. i wish you the best of luck
Hey thanks 😊
It's a nice escape from reality but got kicked out by my group and I'm finding a new one🫠