your favorite genre

[dmariz18]

What is your favorite genre when playing a tabletop RPG? Sword and sorcery Conan style stuff, the typical high fantasy D&D/Pathfinder stories, or maybe the cyberpunk of Shadowrun, horror like Call of Cthulhu?

[Green.Grizzly]

For me its high fantasy. I am and will always be a sucker for forgotten realms and middle earth like settings.

[Fyraltari]

For me its high fantasy. I am and will always be a sucker for forgotten realms and middle earth like settings.

But Middle-Earth is mostly low-fantasy.

[Green.Grizzly]

But Middle-Earth is mostly low-fantasy.

Middle-Earth is normally the go to definition for high/epic fantasy? Low fantasy is where magic things intrude in an otherwise normal world. For example, in Pan's Labyrinth or Good Omens.

[Fyraltari]

Middle-Earth is normally the go to definition for high/epic fantasy? Low fantasy is where magic things intrude in an otherwise normal world. For example, in Pan's Labyrinth or Good Omens.

That's more urban fantasy. Low fantasy would be a fantastical world where magic is present but is still mysterious and rarely seen. In LotR seeing an Elf is a rare and wonderful experience and magically lighting a fire is like writing "Gandalf is here" for half a continent.

Edit: looking into it, this seems to be a case of "there are several, conflicting, definitions to this term".

[Mephit]

Middle Earth is, by Tolkien's own interpretation, just planet Earth in a very distant past. It's also mostly a regular world with magic occasionally intruding - The Shire, Rohan, Gondor, are all very ordinary until the conflict of the ring (a relic from long ago) begins to influence the lives of the inhabitants. Low fantasy seems like the best fit, from my perspective.

To stop us from derailing too much with that argument: I'm partial to low fantasy and cyberpunk. I like character driven stories, and I'm partial to intrigue and politics. You can easily find those things in other genres, too, but I'd say they're more common in those genres.

[Scarlet Knight]

For the sake of argument, shall we use these terms this way?

High Fantasy / Epic Fantasy : heroes need to save the world. Example: LOTR , Belgariad

Sword & Sorcery/ Heroic fantasy : heroes are out for fame, fortune : Conan , Sinbad

Low / Dark Fantasy: gritty antiheroes, dark with adult themes : Sanctuary, Lankhmar

If so, I prefer Heroic fantasy where my character becomes a legend by the time the game campaign ends, although I confess Epic fantasy to be a close second.

[Grognardsw]

I like sword and sorcery on the fantasy side, and classic science fiction on the SF. The latter being defined as settings inspired by such authors as Asimov, Heinlein, And Clarke.

[Murk]

What a lot of interesting different definitions!
The explanation of "high fantasy" I have always heard is fantasy that is obviously a different world from ours (like Middle-Earth), whereas "low fantasy" is clearly our world with additions.

[Jay R]

I don't have a "favorite genre" as much as I want the game to fit the genre.

My favorites are:

D&D or Fantasy Hero for fantasy.
Champions for superhero
Flashing Blades for 17th century musketeers in Paris
TOON for cartoon characters
Pendragon for the Arthurian mythos

[Mastikator]

I've had the most fun with gritty survival/adventure games, science fiction (preferably hard) and noir + horror.

[Peelee]

What a lot of interesting different definitions!
The explanation of "high fantasy" I have always heard is fantasy that is obviously a different world from ours (like Middle-Earth)

Middle Earth is, by Tolkien's own interpretation, just planet Earth in a very distant past.
Soooo.......

For the sake of argument, shall we use these terms this way?

High Fantasy / Epic Fantasy : heroes need to save the world. Example: LOTR , Belgariad

Sword & Sorcery/ Heroic fantasy : heroes are out for fame, fortune : Conan , Sinbad

Low / Dark Fantasy: gritty antiheroes, dark with adult themes : Sanctuary, Lankhmar

If so, I prefer Heroic fantasy where my character becomes a legend by the time the game campaign ends, although I confess Epic fantasy to be a close second.

None of those really tackle D&D, which is usually more defined by the scale of magic (eg Forgotten Realms is high magic while LotR is very low magic). In fact, those definitions seem more concerned with how the players act and the theme of the game as opposed to the actual setting.

Anyway, to answer the question, my favorite genres for RPGs are D&D and Star Wars.

[Razade]

None of those really tackle D&D, which is usually more defined by the scale of magic (eg Forgotten Realms is high magic while LotR is very low magic). In fact, those definitions seem more concerned with how the players act and the theme of the game as opposed to the actual setting.

But those are how those terms are generally used. Low/High Fantasy weren't invented as terms to take about the scale of power or the presence of magic but about how they're different from our world or not. It is about setting but the setting in relation to how closely it comports with the "primary" or real world. Dungeons and Dragons isn't a genre, it's a rule system where you can tell a wide range of genres but the various worlds used by Wizards would all be High Fantasy. People get hung up on the usage of High and Low part and think that applies to the setting having a lot of magic or the setting having low to no magic or supernatural stuff. Using the other terms the creator coined would probably be better. Epic Fantasy rather than High Fantasy and Intrusion Fantasy rather than Low Fantasy.

The Wikipedia article on Low Fantasy has a good explanation for all of this.

[Peelee]

But those are how those terms are generally used. Low/High Fantasy weren't invented as terms to take about the scale of power or the presence of magic but about how they're different from our world or not. It is about setting but the setting in relation to how closely it comports with the "primary" or real world. Dungeons and Dragons isn't a genre, it's a rule system where you can tell a wide range of genres but the various worlds used by Wizards would all be High Fantasy. People get hung up on the usage of High and Low part and think that applies to the setting having a lot of magic or the setting having low to no magic or supernatural stuff. Using the other terms the creator coined would probably be better. Epic Fantasy rather than High Fantasy and Intrusion Fantasy rather than Low Fantasy.

The Wikipedia article on Low Fantasy has a good explanation for all of this.

I'll totally cop to my experience probably differing from the standard experience, then. Appreciate it!

[Lord Raziere]

magitech-punk science fiction deconstructive action anime with humorous elements mixed with espionage, political drama and occasional horrific and warm fuzzy moments to round it out.

But superheroes is a good second.

[darkrose50]

I would absolutely love a world / time / dimension hopping game with various types of technology and magic!

You can then visit different themes!

The TV show The Magicians hits what I want 90%!

[Wizard_Lizard]

Really liking some of the modern fantasy out there. Although it feels like I either love it or hate it.

[aliyahsarah]

I started playing dota :smallsmile:

[Tarmor]

Fantasy is my usual choice of genre when it comes to RPGs over a number of game systems. I don't like the terms high/low fantasy since even this thread shows that people think about those terms differently and the actual game and setting can effect those types of choices.
I've played and/or run Shadowrun, Star Wars (d6), Gamma World, and Call of Cthulhu. I don't really like horror as a genre, so CoC games I run are typically low-horror unless it's a one-off game where no-one is greatly concerned whether they are insane or dead at the end.

[Bohandas]

Middle-Earth is normally the go to definition for high/epic fantasy? Low fantasy is where magic things intrude in an otherwise normal world. For example, in Pan's Labyrinth or Good Omens.

I think there's multiple definitions of both

[BisectedBrioche]

I'm a huge fan of cyberpunk, but in general, I like any genre with a bit of downplayed supernatural elements. Especially slice of life or science fiction (hard science fiction stories with ghosts are like catnip to me).

[Fyraltari]

hard science fiction stories with ghosts

Like "brain-scans of dead" people or like "hard science-fiction except there are ghosts too"?

[BisectedBrioche]

Like "brain-scans of dead" people or like "hard science-fiction except there are ghosts too"?

The latter. I guess I just like the idea of supernatural elements that are minor enough they're never explained or left ambiguous.

Keeps you thinking.

[Wizard_Lizard]

Yeah I think it's a little hard because in terms of whether I like a book or not.. genre seems like almost a secondary characteristic.. Like, how good is the plot?, how interesting are the characters? But yeah aside from that, I really like fantasy as a whole, but it often seems a little hard to find good fantasy novels that aren't say.. the classic Narnia, LOTR, etc. Although saying that, I did find The Cruel and it's sequels by Holly Black, though that's modern fantasy.

[Wildstag]

I really like high-fantasy biology with low-fantasy magic, or in a better way: multitudes of species with uncommon magic. Games where like, magic really only hits the strength that D&D-based classes hit at 6th level spells is about as powerful as I like it. Makes it much easier to write a setting as a GM when I'm able to make champions at level 15-20. Realistically, those levels in every D&D-like game should have those NPCs solving every major problem.

But setting genres aren't really the same as gameplay genres. As a GM, I like writing campaigns that take place during war, whether it be the phases that build to war or the actual ongoing war. As an independent unit, the party can easily be used like a Special-Ops mercenary whose job it is to disrupt the enemy with some measure of plausible deniability.

As a player, I generally like the same kinda thing, maybe leaning towards a West-Marches style. Such games usually offer me the freedom I like my characters to have while still giving them really challenging obstacles.

[Junbug]

I'm a big fan of cyberpunk and supernatural horror/fantasy. :>

[Taevyr]

Low fantasy, urban fantasy and cyberpunk. Though I do prefer it if the low fantasy is "minor magic but omnipresent throughout society/world" rather than LotR's "normal world until you go looking for the magic/the magic finds you". I've also noticed that it's gotten harder for me to suspend my disbelief with masquerade settings, especially those set in a modern world-equivalent.

Essentially, Shadowrun's setting is my perfect playground, but I'd have to somehow change the mechanics to fully enjoy play in it.

[Corsair14]

Low fantasy like Middle earth were magic exists, but most people will never see it in action, maybe there is something fantastic in the shadows, but mostly dark and gritty.

I am also a fan of Shadowruns world, just wish it was easier to run.

[Razade]

Lord of the Rings is High Fantasy.

Low/High Fantasy is not in reference to magic or fantastical elements. Low/High Fantasy is a term to determine the primary setting of the world. If it's Earth, it's Low Fantasy. If it's anywhere but Earth, it's High Fantasy. Low Fantasy can have magic or fantastical elements so long as they intrude on the primary world (our world). Harry Potter is Low Fantasy. Even if Lord of the Rings is technically Earth, it is so divergent from the primary world that it still counts as High Fantasy.

[janetJ]

I prefer high fantasy too

[Corsair14]

We are just going to have to disagree on that term. Its been long established that low fantasy is low magic worlds where fantastical things are rare and unusual. Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones and so on are perfect examples. High Fantasy is where magic and the fantastical is just an every day part of life. The Harry Potter series from the narrator's point of view is high fantasy as are most D&D worlds, leading the way with Forgotten Realms and Ebberon. Ravenloft used to be Low but I think it has moved more into the realm of High as lore changes. The people themselves(most being creations in the first place) rarely see fantastic elements but they are superstitious enough to believe it exists.

Stuff that takes place in the real world is Historical Fantasy or Alternative history depending on how the publisher wants to class it but depending on how or if magic and the like is presented it could be high or low fantasy as well. L'morte de Arthur would be low fantasy while Monster Hunters International would be high fantasy.

[Razade]

We are just going to have to disagree on that term.

I mean, I guess?


Its been long established that low fantasy is low magic worlds where fantastical things are rare and unusual. Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones and so on are perfect examples. High Fantasy is where magic and the fantastical is just an every day part of life. The Harry Potter series from the narrator's point of view is high fantasy as are most D&D worlds, leading the way with Forgotten Realms and Ebberon. Ravenloft used to be Low but I think it has moved more into the realm of High as lore changes. The people themselves(most being creations in the first place) rarely see fantastic elements but they are superstitious enough to believe it exists.

Long established with who and by whom? It's not been long established in literature circles. That's not how the person who coined the terms was using them. The term High Fantasy was made by Lloyd Alexander (The author of the Pyridian series) in High Fantasy and Heroic Romance. You can find it here, for free. Give it a read. (https://www.hbook.com/?detailStory=high-fantasy-and-heroic-romance) I am fully on board with terms changing, but I'm also fully on board with using the terms in the way they're used or at least acknowledged they're used in that way. This isn't something you can disagree with even if you're using it in an idiosyncratic manner or in a colloquial sense.

The usage I am detailing is the prevailing one. It just is. It's so prevailing that it's on their wiki pages. Low Fantasy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_fantasy). High Fantasy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_fantasy).

[Asmotherion]

Low magic accessible by the protagonist in a High Magic world. Kinda like the Witcher. Not to be confused with No-Magic however.

I also like when the Protagonist is a super strong Mage, but mostly when the Protagonist is some shade of Evil or has a more Grey morality. Kinda like Overlord or Sabrina (in her Chilling Adventures incarnation). I find Good Archmages kinda hypocritical.

Practically, I like everything with Magic or Psionics in it, even if it's not the primary focus.

I'm a fun of a good Horror Mystery like Call of Cthulhu, I like survival Games, and the typical dungeon Crawl is what I like to run/play when I have a large group. I absolutelly love Steampunk, Magepunk, and I'm a fun of Cyberpunk with Psionics. Space Opera a-la Star Wars universe is cool, but I'm not a fun of less Psionics/Magic centric Space stuff like Star Treck.

[Corsair14]

Low fantasy, or intrusion fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy fiction in which magical events intrude on an otherwise-normal world.[1][2] The term thus contrasts with high fantasy stories, which take place in fictional worlds that have their own sets of rules and physical laws.

Intrusion fantasy places less emphasis on elements typically associated with fantasy and sets a narrative in realistic environments with elements of the fantastical. Sometimes, there are just enough fantastical elements to make ambiguous the boundary between what is real and what is purely psychological or supernatural. The word "low" refers to the prominence of traditional fantasy elements within the work and is not a remark on the work's overall quality.

An alternative definition, rests on the story and characters being more realistic and less mythic in scope. Thus, some works like Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian series can be high fantasy according to the first definition but low fantasy according to the second.[3] With other works, such as the TV series Supernatural, the opposite is true.

This was a simple wiki search and is the modern definition I have used for years. There was an article I read years ago on the subject, this just backs it up.

I will give you that Lord of the Rings is borderline. It is a fairly normal world with real world physics and most people will never encounter something fantastic.

[Tvtyrant]

Low fantasy, or intrusion fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy fiction in which magical events intrude on an otherwise-normal world.[1][2] The term thus contrasts with high fantasy stories, which take place in fictional worlds that have their own sets of rules and physical laws.

Intrusion fantasy places less emphasis on elements typically associated with fantasy and sets a narrative in realistic environments with elements of the fantastical. Sometimes, there are just enough fantastical elements to make ambiguous the boundary between what is real and what is purely psychological or supernatural. The word "low" refers to the prominence of traditional fantasy elements within the work and is not a remark on the work's overall quality.

An alternative definition, rests on the story and characters being more realistic and less mythic in scope. Thus, some works like Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian series can be high fantasy according to the first definition but low fantasy according to the second.[3] With other works, such as the TV series Supernatural, the opposite is true.

This was a simple wiki search and is the modern definition I have used for years. There was an article I read years ago on the subject, this just backs it up.

I will give you that Lord of the Rings is borderline. It is a fairly normal world with real world physics and most people will never encounter something fantastic.

What benefit do we derive from clear genre definitions here? Like your first definition is what I traditionally see as Urban Fantasy, but does that actually clarify anything meaningful?

Here's a great example: Much Horror is identical in content to low fantasy as defined in 1, so things like Buffy and Supernatural play along the borders of the two. Horror is meaningful from low fantasy because it is a subset of tragedy and relies on different genre conventions, the setting being the same is a hat.

[Razade]

Low fantasy, or intrusion fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy fiction in which magical events intrude on an otherwise-normal world.[1][2] The term thus contrasts with high fantasy stories, which take place in fictional worlds that have their own sets of rules and physical laws.

Intrusion fantasy places less emphasis on elements typically associated with fantasy and sets a narrative in realistic environments with elements of the fantastical. Sometimes, there are just enough fantastical elements to make ambiguous the boundary between what is real and what is purely psychological or supernatural. The word "low" refers to the prominence of traditional fantasy elements within the work and is not a remark on the work's overall quality.

An alternative definition, rests on the story and characters being more realistic and less mythic in scope. Thus, some works like Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian series can be high fantasy according to the first definition but low fantasy according to the second.[3] With other works, such as the TV series Supernatural, the opposite is true.

This was a simple wiki search and is the modern definition I have used for years. There was an article I read years ago on the subject, this just backs it up.

I will give you that Lord of the Rings is borderline. It is a fairly normal world with real world physics and most people will never encounter something fantastic.

I don't think the things you quoted back you up in the way you think they back you up. They do not conform to your usage from earlier, but do conform to what I've been saying from the get go. High Fantasy has nothing to do with a lot of magic, Low Fantasy doesn't have anything to do with not a lot of magic. Those definitions make it clear, it is just about where the story takes place. If the story takes place in the real world we experience it's Low Fantasy. Harry Potter is Low Fantasy regardless of how much magic there is. D&D is High Fantasy even if you're running an Anti-Magic game. It is not in the real world, or primary world, and thus has its own rules and physical laws that are different to our own.

[Corsair14]

We arent going to agree. The real world has nothing to do with it. What matters is the physics and such of it. Game of Thrones is low fantasy. It has normal values for the most part. The only fantastical stuff in it are the rare individual like the red witch or the dragons which might as well be dinosaurs. Magic is an intrusion into a normal world and not the status quo. Harry Potter, since it is told from the aspect of Harry is absolutely high fantasy. If it was told from the POV of the muggle cousin then it would be low fantasy since it would be magic intruding into the real world. The fact its from Harry's POV and magic and fantasical things are part of every day life where real world physics no longer apply, then it is high fantasy.

[Razade]

We arent going to agree. The real world has nothing to do with it.

From the very thing I linked, and you quoted.


High and low fantasy are distinguished as being set, respectively, in an alternative "secondary" world or in the real "primary" world.

Yes. It does. You don't have to agree but for anyone else here. It absolutely does. That is how the terms are defined and used.

[Taevyr]

Yes. It does. You don't have to agree but for anyone else here. It absolutely does. That is how the terms are defined and used.

It's how they're defined, sure, but I've heard it used far more in relation to how much magic and how many magical shenanigans there are, rather than the "normal world + hidden world" vs "made-up world". In my anecdotal experience, that's how they've always been defined: they may not be the official definition, but if I were to talk about to subject to any of my geeky friends, that's what we'd take as the definition.

And both LotR and Harry Potter are odd examples: LotR technically takes place on early Earth, as stated by Tolkien himself, so would be low fantasy, and hardly has magic beyond plot elements in the main books; However, the setting is definitely fantastical enough to count as high fantasy with the definition, even if it has little magic or "changed rules" such a secondary world should have.

HP technically takes place on modern earth, but 90% of the books takes place in areas where everything works through magic, most people wouldn't even understand modern technology, and most of it wouldn't even work if they did, which fits the "secondary world where the rules are changed" definition perfectly.

The other definition? HP has magic everywhere to the point where it replaced and caused ignorance of technology for those who are part of its world, and it doesn't take part in a truly intrusive world, but one carefully kept separate from the real one to the point of it being more of a plot device; High Fantasy (in terms of magical omnipresence) fits perfectly.

LotR is completely fantastical, even if it's supposed to take place on early Earth, but has little magic beyond plot devices and no common magic whatsoever. It's extremely similar to the use of magic in the nordic Saga's, which is a credit to Tolkien's knowledge of his source material. In terms of magical presence, use, and "changed rules", it's clearly low fantasy.

[Asmotherion]

We arent going to agree. The real world has nothing to do with it. What matters is the physics and such of it. Game of Thrones is low fantasy. It has normal values for the most part. The only fantastical stuff in it are the rare individual like the red witch or the dragons which might as well be dinosaurs. Magic is an intrusion into a normal world and not the status quo. Harry Potter, since it is told from the aspect of Harry is absolutely high fantasy. If it was told from the POV of the muggle cousin then it would be low fantasy since it would be magic intruding into the real world. The fact its from Harry's POV and magic and fantasical things are part of every day life where real world physics no longer apply, then it is high fantasy.

While I agree on the most part, I'll have to disagree on the Harry Potter one. I find that the fact he is going into a world of magic with magic being alien to him, and the fact his enemies are stronger Wizards, while he has access to very basic magic makes the story a low-fantasy high-magic one. What I mean is, in combat, you could replace wands with guns. The only time a truely "magical" duel occured was between Dumbledore and Voldemort. The rest was mostly "spells instead of bullets".

[Yourt19]

I`m a big fan of high fantasy and horror genres.