Why play?
That is my question, and there is a wealth of alternatives available for D&D-like gaming, especially in MMOs and other online games. I play World of Warcraft, and it is an "instant group" sort of game, which only gets better if you find a great group of people to game with.
Is it "roleplaying with a story?"
No. It is nowhere near tabletop gaming.
But with the new version of D&D leaning heavily into mechanics for VTT gaming, where "soft roleplay" abilities are done away with (check out the 2024 ranger), and all we are left with is "mechanical crunch," then there is very little difference between 2024 D&D and an MMO.
With 2024 D&D leaning into VTT mechanics, all it ends up being is an inferior, clunky, frustrating, slow, and VTT-focused MMO. In fact, if all you want are combat mechanics and gameplay, most players will be better off in an MMO. It is often cheaper, with no "digital book purchases" you will never own, less reading, and instant groups and gameplay. I don't "own" my MMO characters either, but I get more "fun per hour" out of them than these shelves full of dead-tree books that have been patched and updated into obsolescence.
D&D 2024 is a lousy VTT-based MMO.
It is the wrong game designed for the wrong market.
If the D&D team wants to be MMO or mobile game developers, then they should pursue that path.
Why I play is the stories and character building. 5E does an okay job of that, but still, the entire framework of the system is so heavy that it is no different than playing a system that gives me everything plus more, like GURPS. One of the best "character builder" versions of 5E is Level Up A5E, but it takes me 45-90 minutes to create one character. It is a slow, methodical drag, and all I end up with is a 5E character with a dozen special abilities. Many of these are social abilities, so they are welcome and buck the "combat only" trend that 2024 D&D follows.
Tales of the Valiant sticks to 2014 inspirations and has a balance, while A5E excels in exploration and social aspects, albeit at the expense of character complexity.
But 5E relies on limiting your choices depending on the choice you make. Rangers only receive X, Y, or Z. This lineage, however, receives A, B, or C. In the end, I am picking items off a menu and lamenting the fact that I can't find anything else that suits my character concept.
Yes, I can make custom choices, and yes, I can multi-class. But those are hacks in a system that was never designed to support them, and there are better games that give me the complete freedom to have what I want.
I could spend the same time creating a GURPS character and have the exact character I want and imagine. For the time I put into character creation, a system that is full, open, and allows me to get anything I want is superior to 5E's "limited choices" model. The "roleplaying support" is also better in GURPS, with a full advantage and disadvantage system that provides me with everything in 5E's limited toolkit, plus infinitely more options to play with.
For what brings me enjoyment in tabletop gaming, GURPS does a good job for me of checking all the boxes without the limitations and designer hubris of "others knowing the better choices" for me.
But there is a larger question of "why play?"
If D&D only focused on combat and VTT mechanics, it would be a hard pass for me. The MMO is a better deal with far more people to "play with." I can get a group instantly. It takes months to build and find a "good group" in D&D, whereas in World of Warcraft, I can probably find a good guild in a few days. The pain level is about the same as dealing with idiots and bad players, but the MMO gives me a firewall. I can block the bad players and focus on the good ones.
But when I find a good, supportive, and active group of players in an MMO? That is a great situation where I'd love to spend time playing with them every night.
Yes, there is very little storytelling and roleplay in an MMO. That takes more work to find. It is out there, and it is good if you can find a solid community. Again, there is a firewall benefit to consider for online games.
We are in a post-5E world. Yes, it is still played, but nowhere near the levels it was a few years ago. D&D lacked the staying power to sustain that level of interest, and people grew tired of it due to the extensive effort required to make it work. For most people, the MMO is the better choice than D&D, especially if the game is all about combat and mechanics. Boil the choices down, and if all I want is "fun combats, loot, gear, and the sense of progression and accomplishment," the MMO is a clear winner.
For those of us still here, the question should be "where do we look for games that speak to us?"
What are the strengths of the tabletop, and does D&D 2024 serve them?
If not, what is the better game?
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