Everything Doesn’t Need to be D&D Compatible

The post title says it all, really. Just trying to get my head around some thoughts. I recently saw this D&D-related news from Renegade Game Studios.

We just revealed that a second edition RPG will be coming for the Transformers, G.I. JOE, and Power Rangers RPG using a 5.5E-based ruleset.

If you already own the Essence20 versions of these games, we’ve got you covered! We’ll be releasing a free Essence20-to-5.5e conversion guide on our webstore. The guide will give guidance on how to use elements from your existing books in the new 2nd Edition.

Overall, it feels like a “good for them” move. From Bluesky posts with screenshots from their Discord, it appears that sales for the Essence20 system were dwindling. So starting crowdfunding for second edition sourcebooks will open them up to players used to D&D, who already have experience, tools, etc.

Considering their licenses for things are Hasbro properties: Transformers, G.I. Joe, Power Rangers, My Little Pony, translating their system to what Wizards of the Coast (WotC) uses makes sense, however…

Personally, it feels like the tabletop role playing game industry and fandom need to learn to get away from D&D. Mind you, I like D&D. It’s the first TTRPG I ever played (badly, but that’s a story for another time). Rivals of Waterdeep–a reason a lot of folks even know who I am–used D&D. D&D is great for a quick charity one-shot. It’s absolutely got its place as “the cool kid”.

But I’ve played a lot of other tabletop role playing games, many of them inspired by D&D or inspired by other games, but all doing their own thing:

• D&D (the big red box)
• Vampire: The Masquerade (by way of Mind’s Eye LARP)
• Champions (which I played on a MUSH)
• d20 Modern (which was also WotC, I recently realized)
• Iron Edda (technically my first streamed actual play)
• Star Wars (this was ALSO WotC?!)
• Humblewood (D&D compatible, but cute animals)
• Star Trek Adventures (which played like a ST episode)
• Stille Nacht (supernatural mystery)
• Dragon Age (video game meets tabletop)
• Cyberpunk RED (as an actual play podcast)
• Mage: The Ascension (as the quickest little one-shot at PAXU)
• My Little Pony (another Renegades game)
• Blades in the Dark (starting down the PbtA rabbit hole)
• Monster of the Week (these have been a delight)
• Thirsty Sword Lesbians (I nervously ran this at PAXU)
• Brindlewood Bay (a game after my own heart)
• Dark Matter (D&D compatible, sci-fi)
• Into the Mother Lands (Afrofuturism in an RPG)
• Star Wars 5e (D&D compatible, Star Wars)
• The Fifth Season (a bleak setting by N. K. Jemisin)
• Duality (genre-blending and narrative focused)

That is more than I realized and I probably forgot some along the way. My point being that while some on the list are “D&D compatible,” there are plenty that aren’t. And that’s great!

It’s the wide range of mechanics and play styles and settings that make TTRPGs wonderful and fun, and sometimes a little overwhelming–I admit that “crunchy” systems aren’t my favorite. But at the same time, it doesn’t make sense–to me–to try to TETRIS every system into the D&D shape. Again, with the understanding that Renegade is doing it because revenue means continued existence.

I’m certainly comfortable playing D&D, and will turn up for a pick up game or one shot anytime, but that’s what it is: my comfort game, not my only game.

While I admittedly struggle to learn new systems, I guess this post is my roundabout way of saying D&D ain’t the be-all and end-all of TTRPGs and I would love to play more things, ask me to play more things! You don’t have compress it into a “5e compatible” food cube for me, just know that I’m a newbie and might need help.

(Please don’t look at my overflowing “TTRPG” folder with all the PDFs of games I haven’t played yet.)

In the long run, I think it will serve all fans of table top role playing games if we branch out more, play even weirder things, and not put all our eggs in one very corporate-run basket.

If seeing “compatible” on a game helps people get more interested in playing something new, great, but I hope it can also be the gateway to them trying other games that appeal to them outside of the D&D ecosystem.

Just some thoughts from a somebody-nobody who does owe a lot to D&D’s existence, but also sees plenty of room for this hobby, industry, and fandom to grow. 🙂