Both these sentences are true:
D&D wasn't designed to do horror as well as it does some other things, and there are TTRPGs with mechanics that better support a horror story.
You can play a horror D&D game, get scared, and have fun.
— James Introcaso (@JamesIntrocaso) December 25, 2021
Also a deep dive: https://t.co/lw6wVfFwM0
— James Introcaso (@JamesIntrocaso) December 26, 2021
One of the interesting things is that some groups will have a better experience running Horror with D&D rather than a game specifically designed to run horror scenarios, just because they relate to the style of D&D mechanics and/or playstyle better. There are many systems that people love that I like the genre of, but I find the system very hard to relate to.
For example, I enjoy cosmic horror (Call of Cthulhu) and that system, but I've had a lot of trouble grokking Trail of Cthulhu.
— Merric Blackman (@MerricB) December 26, 2021
Sometimes I think people just trip over themselves to dunk on D&D.
I definitely get the impression that there is a group of people out there that see D&D as lesser and will always interject some shade when given the chance. I actually don’t think this is the case. Lots of folks who rightly point out that D&D isn’t designed with certain genres or stories in mind are people who play and design for the game in my own experience.
— James Introcaso (@JamesIntrocaso) December 26, 2021
which horror mechanics from other games do you like? Check out the use of Jenna tower in Dread and the Wretched. I like health and luck from Monster of the Week. Zweihander’s peril track (and fate points for survivability in horror) and channel power. Bluebeard’s Bride for like everything.
— James Introcaso (@JamesIntrocaso) December 26, 2021