Can D&D save the world? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Can D&D save the world? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Azar_of_Faerun
02-05-07, 10:20 PM I think it can :)

Getting world leaders to play a pre-made module like Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil would be good for world unity (until they got to the loot that is...)
Seeker95
02-05-07, 10:25 PM Only if it saves the cheerleader.
Artector
02-05-07, 10:46 PM Only if it saves the cheerleader.

I love you more Seeker.

So are we talking "save" the world like in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure?
JasonOrlandoHawk
02-05-07, 10:52 PM I don't know, what is D&D's Will save?

I'm assuming that D&D is an Epic level Caster of some sort (good Will save), but "the world" sounds like a very dangerous spell to have to save against.

I'd say D&D needs to roll a 13 or better.
kirellagen
02-05-07, 11:10 PM Now, can you imagine a 20-person party of stick-up-their-butt Lawful Stupid Paladins, each dedicated to a different God of Mercilessness? No, saving the world seems highly unlikely.

Edit: darn, beaten to the paladin comment...
PiedmonSama
02-05-07, 11:18 PM That'd be awesome, but I have trouble seeing a few certain of our world's ruling class managing to learn the game rules....
Saigonkix
02-05-07, 11:19 PM I think it can :)

Getting world leaders to play a pre-made module like Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil would be good for world unity (until they got to the loot that is...)

I think this is just wishful thinking.
a_psh
02-05-07, 11:20 PM "Can D&D save the world?"

Short answer: no.

Long answer: also no.
cancerousmango
02-05-07, 11:31 PM The people who play it might save the world.
Azar_of_Faerun
02-05-07, 11:33 PM "Can D&D save the world?"

Short answer: no.

Long answer: also no.

Then again you're innately biased against D&D, so i'll take your answer with a tonne of salt
WizO_Cat
02-05-07, 11:35 PM Let's keep discussion of real life political and religious figures and organizations out of the thread. Thanks in advance.
johnhansen
02-05-07, 11:36 PM D&D at its base core is usually killing things to make money and protect your own kind. That is what world leaders already do.
JulesCARV
02-06-07, 12:38 AM Can D&D induce vastly exaggerated perceptions of its own importance?

I think it can :)

Not, of course, in joke threads like this, but there are some times when I've come across some more disturbing, earnest ideas that seem to be in this vein. Of course, maybe those people were pulling my leg too, and they were just good at pretending to be disturbing/delusional.
a_psh
02-06-07, 04:41 AM Not, of course, in joke threads like this, but there are some times when I've come across some more disturbing, earnest ideas that seem to be in this vein. Of course, maybe those people were pulling my leg too, and they were just good at pretending to be disturbing/delusional.There was this guy on the boards like a year or two ago, with some Galahad reference as his username. He was all like "Let's use D&D to lead virtuous lives" and stuff. Then he told us that we should all grow our own food and that vaccinations were bad for us.
runestar
02-06-07, 04:59 AM The people who play it might save the world.
So long as they are not from the mature boards...;)
a_psh
02-06-07, 07:28 AM Then again you're innately biased against D&D, so i'll take your answer with a tonne of saltIt's a frickin' game! Replace your question with "Hey, what if we got all the world leaders to play touch football?" or "Hey, what if we got all the world leaders to sit down and try to put together a 10,000-piece puzzle?" and think about how ludicrous that is -- not just in terms of the scenario, but the results.

Most of the people in power aren't nutbag dictators, they're shrewd politicians who know how to cooperate and manage and delegate when they need to. The fact that they don't all sit in a circle singing campfire songs doesn't mean that it's their egos that are somehow the root of all the world's conflicts.

This is almost as bad as all those times that people rave about how D&D teaches statistics and reading comprehension and history and dynamic problem-solving skills and advanced moral philosophy all in one go.

The game doesn't have any magical consensus-building powers. The reason you get things done in D&D and enjoy it is that you're playing the game with your friends!
Millennium
02-06-07, 07:38 AM Now, can you imagine a 20-person party of stick-up-their-butt Lawful Stupid Paladins, each dedicated to a different God of Mercilessness? No, saving the world seems highly unlikely.
Now, now, be fair; there are several Hippie-Good Apostles of Peace in the party too...
aotrscommander
02-06-07, 08:13 AM If by "D&D" you mean, "use D&D as an excuse to get all the world leaders/other politicians/religious leaders/non-religious leaders/people-with-any-official-influence-over-other-people-of-any-description into one convenient place so I can neem them into oblivion with orbital bombardment" and by "save the world" you mean, "set up a megalomanic Lich Commadore of the Army Of The Red Spear as semi-benevolent tyrannical supreme ruler of Earth", then yes, I'm sure D&D can save the world.

In fact, we should start on the 'saving' as soon as possible.
Kresalak
02-06-07, 09:54 AM D&D at its base core is usually killing things to make money and protect your own kind. That is what world leaders already do.

Damnit, I was gonna say that.
skywyze
02-06-07, 10:04 AM D&D at its base core is usually killing things to make money and protect your own kind. That is what world leaders already do.Second this. Except I'm not so sure they even protect their own kind. Never heard of governments killing their citizens?

Reminds me of V for Vendetta... "People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people." God I love that quote.
Kresalak
02-06-07, 11:46 AM Alright, let me break it down. D&D is about breaking into the homes of people who are different than you, stabbing them in the face, and taking their stuff. This is something we don't really want governments doing, and as such, playing D&D could be rather disruptive to world politics if it made an impact at all (it wouldn't).
DoctorRomulus
02-06-07, 01:59 PM The people who play it might save the world.

Unless their characters are Chaotic Evil! :D
JulesCARV
02-06-07, 06:03 PM There was this guy on the boards like a year or two ago, with some Galahad reference as his username. He was all like "Let's use D&D to lead virtuous lives" and stuff. Then he told us that we should all grow our own food and that vaccinations were bad for us.

I think I remember that guy, but I seem to remember his name being IAmThePaladin or something like that.

(Googles) Yeah. Here are the posts:

http://boards1.wizards.com/archive/index.php/t-629951.html

http://boards1.wizards.com/archive/index.php/t-628027.html
SpectacularFailure
02-06-07, 06:14 PM DnD can only save the world if we can convince everyone to play a commoner.
Lina_Inverse
02-06-07, 06:20 PM Za Warudo!
PiedmonSama
02-06-07, 06:32 PM Dude, screw PnP.... let's get George Bush, Tony Blair, Vlademir Putin, Joques Chirac and Hu Jintao and make them LARP.

Because nothing instills bonding like mutual embarrassment.
a_psh
02-06-07, 06:49 PM I think I remember that guy, but I seem to remember his name being IAmThePaladin or something like that.Bingo! I miss that thread. I especially like the part where he described D&D clerics as "calling to a more sane religion," then says that anyone who had played a random wargamey RPG wouldn't have bungled the US's recent military actions.

Though it's still not as funny as when he told us we only get sick because of vaccines.
Cincinnati
02-06-07, 07:03 PM It's a frickin' game! Replace your question with "Hey, what if we got all the world leaders to play touch football?" or "Hey, what if we got all the world leaders to sit down and try to put together a 10,000-piece puzzle?" and think about how ludicrous that is

I'm just quoting this for truth. :)
Kresalak
02-06-07, 09:49 PM I think I remember that guy, but I seem to remember his name being IAmThePaladin or something like that.

(Googles) Yeah. Here are the posts:

http://boards1.wizards.com/archive/index.php/t-629951.html

http://boards1.wizards.com/archive/index.php/t-628027.html

Oh man, I loved reading those threads the first time, and they're even better the second! If only I had time to post some Warhammer 40k "Surrender to the Machine" copypasta...
RellenMarn
02-06-07, 11:45 PM Nope, you just know Chiraq's going to show up with a Chaotic Neutral Rogue. Chavez will play go Frenzied Berserker, and Amadinijad(sp?) will drink all the Mountain Dew. And Bush will play a Paladin. *shudders*
winged_avenger
02-07-07, 02:05 AM So long as they are not from the mature boards...;)

I keep hearing about the mature boards...How do I get access to them? Do I need a certain post count or something? :confused:
Azar_of_Faerun
02-07-07, 02:32 AM In "My Account" under "Edit My Profile Information" you have to have your date of birth noting you are 18 years old or older
winged_avenger
02-07-07, 02:40 AM In "My Account" under "Edit My Profile Information" you have to have your date of birth noting you are 18 years old or older

I'm pretty sure I already do...
AXESHAFT7
02-07-07, 03:30 AM Can Dnd Save The World?
It Kina Depends Wht Its Saving The World From

In A Perfect World Everything Is Wrong
_SIN_
02-07-07, 12:47 PM It's a frickin' game! Replace your question with "Hey, what if we got all the world leaders to play touch football?" or "Hey, what if we got all the world leaders to sit down and try to put together a 10,000-piece puzzle?" and think about how ludicrous that is -- not just in terms of the scenario, but the results.

Ahhhhh.... At least his mother loves him.... ;)
Chimaera2000
02-10-07, 03:59 PM Can D & D save the world? Nope. At best, heroic fantasy can inspire people to act in ways that further the common good. Even then, the world is seriously messed up and the inertia of apathy, fear and ignorance are likely too much for a group of would-be, real-world paladins to fix.

Besides, everyone knows that ice cream is the way to save the world! If everyone in the world had ice cream, we'd all be content, pacifist blobs of happy jiggling goo.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Azar_of_Faerun 02-05-07, 10:20 PM	I think it can :) Getting world leaders to play a pre-made module like Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil would be good for world unity (until they got to the loot that is...)
Seeker95 02-05-07, 10:25 PM	Only if it saves the cheerleader.
Artector 02-05-07, 10:46 PM	Only if it saves the cheerleader. I love you more Seeker. So are we talking "save" the world like in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure?
JasonOrlandoHawk 02-05-07, 10:52 PM	I don't know, what is D&D's Will save? I'm assuming that D&D is an Epic level Caster of some sort (good Will save), but "the world" sounds like a very dangerous spell to have to save against. I'd say D&D needs to roll a 13 or better.
kirellagen 02-05-07, 11:10 PM	Now, can you imagine a 20-person party of stick-up-their-butt Lawful Stupid Paladins, each dedicated to a different God of Mercilessness? No, saving the world seems highly unlikely. Edit: darn, beaten to the paladin comment...
PiedmonSama 02-05-07, 11:18 PM	That'd be awesome, but I have trouble seeing a few certain of our world's ruling class managing to learn the game rules....
Saigonkix 02-05-07, 11:19 PM	I think it can :) Getting world leaders to play a pre-made module like Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil would be good for world unity (until they got to the loot that is...) I think this is just wishful thinking.
a_psh 02-05-07, 11:20 PM	"Can D&D save the world?" Short answer: no. Long answer: also no.
cancerousmango 02-05-07, 11:31 PM	The people who play it might save the world.
Azar_of_Faerun 02-05-07, 11:33 PM	"Can D&D save the world?" Short answer: no. Long answer: also no. Then again you're innately biased against D&D, so i'll take your answer with a tonne of salt
WizO_Cat 02-05-07, 11:35 PM	Let's keep discussion of real life political and religious figures and organizations out of the thread. Thanks in advance.
johnhansen 02-05-07, 11:36 PM	D&D at its base core is usually killing things to make money and protect your own kind. That is what world leaders already do.
JulesCARV 02-06-07, 12:38 AM	Can D&D induce vastly exaggerated perceptions of its own importance? I think it can :) Not, of course, in joke threads like this, but there are some times when I've come across some more disturbing, earnest ideas that seem to be in this vein. Of course, maybe those people were pulling my leg too, and they were just good at pretending to be disturbing/delusional.
a_psh 02-06-07, 04:41 AM	Not, of course, in joke threads like this, but there are some times when I've come across some more disturbing, earnest ideas that seem to be in this vein. Of course, maybe those people were pulling my leg too, and they were just good at pretending to be disturbing/delusional.There was this guy on the boards like a year or two ago, with some Galahad reference as his username. He was all like "Let's use D&D to lead virtuous lives" and stuff. Then he told us that we should all grow our own food and that vaccinations were bad for us.
runestar 02-06-07, 04:59 AM	The people who play it might save the world. So long as they are not from the mature boards...;)
a_psh 02-06-07, 07:28 AM	Then again you're innately biased against D&D, so i'll take your answer with a tonne of saltIt's a frickin' game! Replace your question with "Hey, what if we got all the world leaders to play touch football?" or "Hey, what if we got all the world leaders to sit down and try to put together a 10,000-piece puzzle?" and think about how ludicrous that is -- not just in terms of the scenario, but the results. Most of the people in power aren't nutbag dictators, they're shrewd politicians who know how to cooperate and manage and delegate when they need to. The fact that they don't all sit in a circle singing campfire songs doesn't mean that it's their egos that are somehow the root of all the world's conflicts. This is almost as bad as all those times that people rave about how D&D teaches statistics and reading comprehension and history and dynamic problem-solving skills and advanced moral philosophy all in one go. The game doesn't have any magical consensus-building powers. The reason you get things done in D&D and enjoy it is that you're playing the game with your friends!
Millennium 02-06-07, 07:38 AM	Now, can you imagine a 20-person party of stick-up-their-butt Lawful Stupid Paladins, each dedicated to a different God of Mercilessness? No, saving the world seems highly unlikely. Now, now, be fair; there are several Hippie-Good Apostles of Peace in the party too...
aotrscommander 02-06-07, 08:13 AM	If by "D&D" you mean, "use D&D as an excuse to get all the world leaders/other politicians/religious leaders/non-religious leaders/people-with-any-official-influence-over-other-people-of-any-description into one convenient place so I can neem them into oblivion with orbital bombardment" and by "save the world" you mean, "set up a megalomanic Lich Commadore of the Army Of The Red Spear as semi-benevolent tyrannical supreme ruler of Earth", then yes, I'm sure D&D can save the world. In fact, we should start on the 'saving' as soon as possible.
Kresalak 02-06-07, 09:54 AM	D&D at its base core is usually killing things to make money and protect your own kind. That is what world leaders already do. Damnit, I was gonna say that.
skywyze 02-06-07, 10:04 AM	D&D at its base core is usually killing things to make money and protect your own kind. That is what world leaders already do.Second this. Except I'm not so sure they even protect their own kind. Never heard of governments killing their citizens? Reminds me of V for Vendetta... "People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people." God I love that quote.
Kresalak 02-06-07, 11:46 AM	Alright, let me break it down. D&D is about breaking into the homes of people who are different than you, stabbing them in the face, and taking their stuff. This is something we don't really want governments doing, and as such, playing D&D could be rather disruptive to world politics if it made an impact at all (it wouldn't).
DoctorRomulus 02-06-07, 01:59 PM	The people who play it might save the world. Unless their characters are Chaotic Evil! :D
JulesCARV 02-06-07, 06:03 PM	There was this guy on the boards like a year or two ago, with some Galahad reference as his username. He was all like "Let's use D&D to lead virtuous lives" and stuff. Then he told us that we should all grow our own food and that vaccinations were bad for us. I think I remember that guy, but I seem to remember his name being IAmThePaladin or something like that. (Googles) Yeah. Here are the posts: http://boards1.wizards.com/archive/index.php/t-629951.html http://boards1.wizards.com/archive/index.php/t-628027.html
SpectacularFailure 02-06-07, 06:14 PM	DnD can only save the world if we can convince everyone to play a commoner.
Lina_Inverse 02-06-07, 06:20 PM	Za Warudo!
PiedmonSama 02-06-07, 06:32 PM	Dude, screw PnP.... let's get George Bush, Tony Blair, Vlademir Putin, Joques Chirac and Hu Jintao and make them LARP. Because nothing instills bonding like mutual embarrassment.
a_psh 02-06-07, 06:49 PM	I think I remember that guy, but I seem to remember his name being IAmThePaladin or something like that.Bingo! I miss that thread. I especially like the part where he described D&D clerics as "calling to a more sane religion," then says that anyone who had played a random wargamey RPG wouldn't have bungled the US's recent military actions. Though it's still not as funny as when he told us we only get sick because of vaccines.
Cincinnati 02-06-07, 07:03 PM	It's a frickin' game! Replace your question with "Hey, what if we got all the world leaders to play touch football?" or "Hey, what if we got all the world leaders to sit down and try to put together a 10,000-piece puzzle?" and think about how ludicrous that is I'm just quoting this for truth. :)
Kresalak 02-06-07, 09:49 PM	I think I remember that guy, but I seem to remember his name being IAmThePaladin or something like that. (Googles) Yeah. Here are the posts: http://boards1.wizards.com/archive/index.php/t-629951.html http://boards1.wizards.com/archive/index.php/t-628027.html Oh man, I loved reading those threads the first time, and they're even better the second! If only I had time to post some Warhammer 40k "Surrender to the Machine" copypasta...
RellenMarn 02-06-07, 11:45 PM	Nope, you just know Chiraq's going to show up with a Chaotic Neutral Rogue. Chavez will play go Frenzied Berserker, and Amadinijad(sp?) will drink all the Mountain Dew. And Bush will play a Paladin. shudders
winged_avenger 02-07-07, 02:05 AM	So long as they are not from the mature boards...;) I keep hearing about the mature boards...How do I get access to them? Do I need a certain post count or something? :confused:
Azar_of_Faerun 02-07-07, 02:32 AM	In "My Account" under "Edit My Profile Information" you have to have your date of birth noting you are 18 years old or older
winged_avenger 02-07-07, 02:40 AM	In "My Account" under "Edit My Profile Information" you have to have your date of birth noting you are 18 years old or older I'm pretty sure I already do...
AXESHAFT7 02-07-07, 03:30 AM	Can Dnd Save The World? It Kina Depends Wht Its Saving The World From In A Perfect World Everything Is Wrong
_SIN_ 02-07-07, 12:47 PM	It's a frickin' game! Replace your question with "Hey, what if we got all the world leaders to play touch football?" or "Hey, what if we got all the world leaders to sit down and try to put together a 10,000-piece puzzle?" and think about how ludicrous that is -- not just in terms of the scenario, but the results. Ahhhhh.... At least his mother loves him.... ;)
Chimaera2000 02-10-07, 03:59 PM	Can D & D save the world? Nope. At best, heroic fantasy can inspire people to act in ways that further the common good. Even then, the world is seriously messed up and the inertia of apathy, fear and ignorance are likely too much for a group of would-be, real-world paladins to fix. Besides, everyone knows that ice cream is the way to save the world! If everyone in the world had ice cream, we'd all be content, pacifist blobs of happy jiggling goo.