Are My Videos Now Attracting Radicals?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.พ. 2025
- A discussion about who my videos are attracting and who I want in my community.
-Links-
🤝Support the channel on Patreon: / esperthebard
📖Check out my 5e books and modules: esperthebard.c...
📜 Free newsletter sign-up (Scrolls of the Bard): eepurl.com/dgJBb9
-Social-
Discord: / discord
X: @EsperTheBard
Facebook: / esper-the-bard-6459470...
"Don't listen to the fringe complaining about the other fringe."
Best comment.
Lmfao the woke and anti-woke clowns are absolutely hysterically all the time. 24/7 losers. Ignore them all. They are terminally online freaks whose opinions are emptyheaded, emptyhearted, and pure mindless tribalism and propaganda.
These are freaks.
Let these ""viewers"" be divided and unsub. You'll lose all the insane unhinged trolls, mentally deranged weirdos, and sociopathic heartless jerksm
There you go. Beside, you usually won't hear someone who just want to enjoy the game complaining about one side of the fringe argument.
It’s not a good comment. It’s a labeling of normal people as fringe.
Remember when people could disagree and still RP together? Esper the bard remembers.
We still can but the "keep politics out of gaming" side is so rigid that they aren't willing to compromise with the other side.
Some people need to understand that you can disagree with someone and still have a heathy relationship with that person.
It 100% depends on what you disagree on.
@tigrewulph absolutely. Very used to seeing people say things like OP did in regards to trans rights and civil rights in general.
We can disagree on like pizza toppings and build ideas on Paladins not actual heavier shit
Yes but that is usually the Left doing that.
As a person who is far Right, I don't exclude others until they are forcing their views on me. I've seen that happen many times. DnD isn't the place for political arguing, who did you vote for kind of junk. I don't want to hear about your bedroom activity, straight or otherwise. But the Left will try to force you to go along with their weird stuff.
This is where we are at in DnD. It is being injected into the game and people hate it. We want to escape the sickness of reality and jump into fantasy. The Left wants you swallow their views. The Right is saying leave your fetishes at home. Even those in the middle are disgusted. No one was expected to see this in DnD.
@@drakeclaw8872 do you really think we all need to agree on actual heavier shit? Isn't the fact that we actually don't agree on so many things and yet still create a society a proof that we can disagree on things and it's more important just to respect each other?
I'll give you my two cents.
You have done a lot of good for DND. More than wotc has done for decades. Your battle melee series has been a lot of fun to watch, and I thoroughly enjoy the monster breakdowns. I find them useful. Don't listen to the dorks trying to bring you down. Almost forgot, the best part about DND is that your imagination and creativity is the heart of the game. That and dice rolls.
Dear lord, i never would have thought to call the modern day D&D 'Pop'... But it feels so correct. It does have the glitter and sugary sweetness feel to it...
I call them latte-sipping ficwriters and brainrot.
And it's popping in the wrong direction.
Vampires don't glitter. Period.
Yes indeed! Taylor Swift is writing the campaign.
Agreed. But what irks me is, similar to what Esper says in the vid, though there is this polarization, members of each group claiming that there way is the right way. As if there is such...
@steved1135 There will always be people that say things cannot be done, or you are not doing it right. At some point you need to move past them, or they will hold you back.
Not radicals, just people who are radically in favor of good D&D content.
Modern D&D is a trash product sold at premium price aimed at an audience that doesn’t financially support it.
Ok boomer
@@alenahubbard1391
Ok Zoomer.
Yeah but that is radical. This is not Yahtzhee. The stories are powerful. They create heart pounding responses.
Look at Star Wars. Watching that made you want to stomp evil as you left the theatre. You were excited. Now, they injected Left junk. People are mad. They boycott. They lost billions in $$$. Same with Marvel. They lost billions. Disney is losing billions. Even those in the middle with no political interest are sick of this junk. Leave our DnD out of this.
That's all we're saying. But they don't give up until they're broke.
@@alenahubbard1391 maybe give up d&d and play dragon age the veil guard?
Being authentic is the new currency. Keep up the good work
"You're attracting the wrong people" sounds an awful lot like "stop saying things we disagree with."
It is worse, it is trully means "stop interacting and listening to people who disagre with us". The worst part is the ones saying it don't understand the results of their words/actions.
It sounds more like “I don’t like those people and you need to not like them either or I’ll disown you.” Hrmm.
Young Bard, this old and battered fighter will cover your back in this adventure of yours. I may be called a radical because I am old and set in my ways, and the old ways are radical these days. But I feel your words are necessary for the future of this game of ours, and I see you seek to honour what came before as well. This is not political except for those whos lives are nothing but politics.
Stay your course Silver Tongue, as I and many others stand beside and behind you. March on without fear, for you are not alone, and your words carry resonance with both the Old and Young and the Radical (for Who is radical depends on where you stand). I raise my boken shield and strike it with my rusted sword! Keep on Oh Spinner of Tales! We March With Ye!
Same. It is those who name call and point "Fascist" who are actually the threat.
The radical Right loves the horror, traditional, gritty DnD. The radical Left wants to inject Ogres in pink dresses. People need to back up and see who is talking and what they are saying. And after that.... where they are pushing the game in what direction. You can't even comment on the problem in any way or Ewwie Thubbie erases your comment. And which side are THEY on? The Left.
It is obvious to see if you are willing to be objective. It wasn't like this just 10 years ago. This only truly started maybe 5 years ago in force.
Take this garou along too. Sounds adventurous. ( new sub)
And this Paladin will join the crusade
Indeed! Weathered as I be, engaged to the arcane for so long, your words speak to me. The call of unseen yonder intrigues me so! Tis a new perilous journey worth picking up my old walking staff for. The road is long... I shall need a new hat.
Remember friends not everything is political but everything can be politicized, they will tell you its inherent to the thing but thats because they dont want to be called out for focusing on it.
Oh no, the OSR radicals! Next thing you know he'll be using THAC0. The Horror!!!!
THAC0 is a right-wing dogwhistle!
The Penultimate curse: "Woe, THAC0 be upon ye!"
Deals psychic damage directly to the player's mind, bypassing the character.
🙂
Ask yourself one question which side is trying to control you more. There is your problem. You should be true to yourself first. Thats how you got here. Remain true to yourself and it will be far better than if you become something someone else wants you to be. Threats are of the weak.
"Which side..."
LPT: Ignore both sides bc woke and anti-woke are all terminally online deranged lunatic clowns with no life. Theyre empty of real values and just virtue signal tribalism to satisfy their depravity and mental/spiritual disease.
If Americans appear, change the subject away from politics.
If Americans still insist on grunting like 70 IQ cavemen about their political party, ban them immediately from commenting and say no american propaganda allowed.
If they still insist on hooting and grunting about how "the other side is..." block those people too. Theyre all the exact same persin. Trump; Biden; Obama; Bush - these are ALL THE SAME POLITICS AND SAME PEOPLE. They're all against you and none of them are anything but evil war criminals. Anyone invested in either of the two parties or their culture war, is an unhinged immoral lunatic. IGNORE & BLOCK IMMEDIATELY.
Real people dgaf about american propaganda brainwashing bs.
Real people care about games and their hobbies.
The American politics / culture war types have just boring losers with low self esteem and no self worth. Eliminating their existence in online discourse is the ONLY proper action.
Creators need to make things clear: "No American propaganda bs. This is a channel about a hobby NOT about your low self esteem tribalism emptyheadrd virtue signaling. Stay away from me, freaks."
Cultivating an audience that isnt infested with american brainworms is a guarantee to success and stress free existence.
Esper is literally the most reasonable person on the internet. He hasn’t ever, to my knowledge, expressed a political stand. We need to get back to the point where a game designer can be apolitical without being accused of radicalism.
honestly, I'm not his biggest fan, BUT I highly respect his devotion to the craft and his ability to stay apolitical. it's exactly why I bought his book and am still subscribed. I want him to keep going
1:54 Oh no, not those dangerous conservative radical OSR players! If you set up a Venn diagram in your mind of 'conservative,' 'OSR,' and you think that's _dangerous_ , _you_ might be the psychotic radical everyone should avoid.
Congratulations on standing your ground and doing the right thing
"Radicals" So not wanting people to be attacked, feeling like each race should be distinct and the current lore is just becoming some sort of sloppy, hap dash soup that isn't allowed to offend anyone or take any risks (But then create the mexican orcs?).
Honestly I think you should keep the direction you are going with your content as it has soul, that will mean you will ride out the slumps that come along.
You are right. It is "Gleichschaltung" not care for the under represented, which at every turn people like Jason Tondro have shown insincerity and hypocrisy if not malice. They have made this hobby as miserable as they can, and turned people against each other who did not need to be against each other. They want to control others.
@ Couldn't agree more. I actually enjoy most of the changes made for 5.24 mechanics wise, but some things grate on me, and others like dumping on the old lore really annoys me.
I find it funny that you consider that orcs can only be mexicans from a single image. Sounds more racist than just having a mexican-inspired orc culture.
@leonardhollsten8145 right so a blatant Mexican "inspired" take is fine, but the way orcs were portrayed before was a problem? OK mate.
Yea this rocks, I don't think you have to worry much. You are being creative and cool. I think it's all going to keep moving fine!
Most formers players don't "hate" D&D, rather "hate" what's been done to it, what being done to it, and what's ahead of it based one what's currently done to it.
Thank you so much for speaking out and fearlessly defining yourself. Well done!
I applaud you for responding to this comment in such a level way. I personally am frustrated with everything in D&D being over homogenized to where it loses what makes it unique (male Medusa and hags) and done with people insulting Gary Gygax and saying things like white guys can't leave the hobby fast enough. If that makes me an OSR radical (aka someone who loves the unique qualities that make different aspects of the fantasy interesting) so be it. I'm still going to have a great time running D&D and keeping it interesting.
Home brew house rules at the gaming shop, .. late 1990's.
AD&D, male Medusa was just a stander female polymorphed male for more reproduce spreading. Any human woman they hook up with just have female normal babies for a few months till they start growing snake hair and you have to train them to wear a veil to keep from accidently turning people/animals into stone. Since Medusa were/are lawful evil bent they have a drive for order, contracts, and areas of influence and control. Setting rule, lawful good paladins can .. trust .. them to an extent but a common thread of side books or Dungeon magazine, Medusa are merchant art dealers and information brokers. Long as they keep to local laws don't provoke them.
Other than a male with woman like traits, or a woman in a man body theme play. Women looked and married for wealth and who can provide for their children. They don't leave pregnant women to deal with a little monster that can rogue hide & sneak, peak a boo. They pay the grandfather amount of treasure to raise soldiers that make use of snake venom arrows from their own .. hair. And as young children they mouth throat swallow baby chickens. Head hair leather bag to keep from poisoning their young play peer group.
We just Needed a reason to have any stable population of .. monsters .. or they would have been wipe out centuries ago.
AD&D " complete book of humanoids " was a requirement to have when I was 21years old get to get those gate keeping azz hats to allow monster with class level in play at the gaming shop. You can't gain high Xp if you don't have high level monsters to fight.
Yeah, That Azz HOLE .. DM.. that wouldn't grant/ handout Xp IF nothing was killed, " well, you drove away the raiding goblins but non was killed so no Xp for anyone."
So about the time WotC3e came out, we flip systems, " But thats Not D&D, that's Sword & Sorcery !"
b.) Male hags are just deranging male wizards at 8th or 9th-level that polymorph themselves into a monster resembling a female hag for courtship.
Public at the time, for public relations it was advice against RP evil characters, the whole " Satanic Panic " nonsense.
Monsters didn't gain class levels, or only class levels equal to their Hd. They were a role play experiment, not a long-term campaign PC.
Then WotC3e came in and change everything with creature/monster multiclassing rules.
With WotC and monster templets such as half fiends, we threw the question out at the gaming table. If Medusa got it on with Poseidon, did she have multiple eggs/births like many snakes do ? Are there side branches of elder demigod variant Medusa ?
Cause a few tales Medusa had a lower body of a snake and wings.
The problem with people these days unfortunately is they treat everything like its a zero sum game.
Loving this channel more every day. You hit the nail squarely on the head all throughout the video. Keep up the great work speaking for all of us.
You're a decent guy Esper. I like you and I like this take :)
I am 100% behind you. Keep going.
what a great video!!
Here's the perspective of a long-time viewer of yours:
The reason I watch your videos is because I'm interested in D&D, because I like your passion for the game, because I'm interested in your perspectives and because I've often find inspiration here that carried over to my own D&D table. Your content is also often surprising and varied - when I come to expect another monster tier list, I find you describing fantastical beverages instead. I share your preference for classic, grounded fantasy, over the one they are pushing now, where orcs are just friendlier humans, etc. Finally, I really appreciate your authenticity.
However, that authenticity is called into question when you start clickbaiting aggressively, and even suck up to Elon Musk of all people - seemingly happy to do ANYTHING to boost engagement numbers. You recently commented about this, saying that Professor Dungeon Master does it too, and how it's fine because it's not too frequent. Have you seen his channel now? Clickbait is the ONLY thing he does now - and if you go down that path, you'll end up the same way. I get that it's more lucrative, but I think once you start doing it, it will be very tough to do anything else anymore.
Imagine saying that a content creator is attracting 'radicals' with a straight face while trying to influence said content creator towards making videos that appeal to the 'radicals' on the other side.
In my opinion, you are doing great in following your own path, Esper. I like people that think for themselves, and I would bet that most of your subscribers are of the same mindset.
Don't listen to the fringe complaining about the other fringe.
Exactly. Absolutely no kind of self-awareness from these people. They'll literally kick you while screaming that you're the one hitting them.
@filipstamate1564 yeah man, conservatives love that attitude. No self-awareness at all.
Radical OSR advocates? Sign me up! I have no interest in participating in the transvaluation of AD&D through 3.5E values.
“In half a lifetime, many Americans have seen their God dethroned, their heroes defiled, their culture polluted, their values assaulted, their country invaded, and themselves demonized as extremists and bigots for holding on to beliefs Americans have held for generations.”----Patrick J. Buchanan
That quotation came immediately to mind when I read that I am somehow a radical for NOT appreciating a) the strident DEI and LGBTQP advocacy being foisted upon the 95%+ of gamers who find those thoughts and behaviors repulsive and b) the deconstruction of the wargaming roots of the hobby that ran from AD&D through roughly 3.5E. So, am I a radical? No. The radicals are the ones twisting and deconstructing D&D into the mess it has become.
I'm a new old school gamer. I didn't start playing tabletop games until 5e came out, right when I first got into high-school. I have nothing against anyone or what anyone wants, but even as far back as 2014 rules compared to today, dnd seems, watered down. As a gm and a player, I still love the hobby, but I don't use the newer stuff.
That said I do make decisions based on what companies do and say. Hasbro has mishandled dnd to the point that I don't run DnD anymore. I've told my players and friends that I will still game with em, but not DnD itself. The story and the people are what is important, not the rules, but I just can't support hasbro after everything that has happened
I played a bit of 5e when it was new, I was one of its early champions in the local scene. Took a 4 year break, then came back and went with my usual "make any level 1 character you want, but be reasonable"... Oh boy did that backfire. 5e has degraded more and faster than 3.5 did with its spatbooks. At least 3.5's broken stuff was mostly confined to 3rd party content.
@yellingintothewind i never took that break, it snuck up on me overtime. Now I mostly play a Frankensteins monster of different systems or historic games like pendragon
@ I think, if I hadn't taken that break, I probably would have been much slower to notice. Pre break, it was a party of dwarf, human, and elvish fighters, clerics and bards, with the edgiest character being a warlock. That one post break session was bird men with flight, giants, and weird classes. Rather jarring in the moment. Went from that to WFRP2 and then further afield.
Anymore, I mostly run OSR games, with a heavy dose of PF2e's core mechanics.
I played 4e at launch and hated it, tried it again on 3 different occasions and still hates it. The whole video game on a table wasn't me.
I tried 5th when it came out and between the homogeneous feeling of classes (every class was a casters or the archetypes felt the same "want to be a fighter a worse fighter or a fighter with magic?") and the lack of basic things like cost of magic items and the extremely basic monster descriptions were just a turn off. I imagine that there maybe fixes for problems by now but I'm old, tired, and don't have the time any longer. If I'm going to play I'm not going to risk spending it on learning a new system that I may not like.
But anyone that is happy with them I'm glad they are. I know people that loved 4th and 5th and hey I'm glad they found something they like.
Maybe it's good. There are a ton of good creators that exist at least in part because of WotC failures, it opened up for people to fix their problems and to provide information that not everyone has the easy access to.
@@xertkalblue The striking thing about 5e, when it came out, was that adventurers were assumed to be competent. Compared to 3.5, where you had the illusion of being able to be generally competent, but the moment you divided your skill points you fell behind the curve, 5e's binary trained/untrained and relatively low modifiers meant you more picked a couple skills to miss rather than 1 or 2 skills to specialize in. This means your level 1 or level 2 party can actually go camp in the wilderness and not die of exposure because no one can tie knots or light fires.
It's once you get up a few levels that things rapidly fall apart, even before 10 years of power creep.
Regardless, I have no objection to people liking and running it. As you point out, it just tends to be characters that all function basically the same. Except for the gimicks.
At the end of the day, DMs, just run the game you want to run and keep on running them with your friends! Bring new players in if you can and grow your own sphere of players. Change systems if you want to. Mess around with homebrew. Take a break to refresh. Just don't let anyone else break you or tell you how to play. We've known not to let others do that since we were children.
There is no hard separation "radicals" VS "non radicals", rather a whole gradient, varying also with daily stress and events in life. You attract whoever you will attract, the important thing is to do what feels right for you and your channel and you will have the corresponding blend of population 😊
Yeah. I'm glad I subscribed. You have a brilliance that goes beyond your years. Thanks for the content, and I look forward to the next one.
REALLY...what this sounds like is when you go on an adventure, you will attract fellow adventurers, and this person making this comment would rather you not embark on a quest for growth.
I like D&D games with fewer hit points per level and fewer character options to make the stakes higher and get the PCs thinking more about how to navigate danger more than just relying on big HP cushions and reaction spells and easy healing. I guess that makes me pretty radical.
"I don't hate" is the most important thing to take away from this video. Everyone commenting here would be very wise to consider that before saying anything. A very close second, though, is that Gauntlet Runner sounds pretty cool
never trust people who tell you what someone else believes, and boil people down to labels. Everyone should be able to speak for themselves.
When one side opens up the conversation with you might be a radical, it's definitely a radical talking. Someone's trying to intimidate you.
Really enjoying the Eldritch Castle play over at Tabletop Bob. Watching them run through your stuff is always an enjoyable time.
Thank you for this inspiration. I think everyone within an aspect of their life can relate in their own way, but those striving to grow will be inspired. Cheers!
Thank you for your integrity and courage
Thank you.
Politics dont have to be at the centre of everything.
If more content creators had this attitude I don't think the radical divide we now experience would have happened in the first place.
Somewhere along the line, people stopped valuing the character who treated everyone with respect and started focusing more on villains with xenophobic views and liches who only desire power at any expense. This isn't just in D&D; it's across society.
Stay true to yourself Esper. The truth is a luxury now-a-days.
I appreciate this message. I'm trans and I was very far-left many years ago, until I realized how misanthropic I had become. Over time I saw that it wasn't just me, but lots of people like me, and in college I saw that people had made an entire belief system out of my worst coping mechanisms. And I found that the right, even the far-right, was much easier to get along with.
But that doesn't mean I've given up on all my ideals and joined the other side. I've just found better ways of accomplishing them by learning from my former opponents. The #1 thing I learned is how the media feeds these conflicts by inserting malformed ideas into the public dialogue that makes each side look bad, which then leads to balkanization and entropy.
I think that if we can all learn to care for our neighbors, even if they disagree with us on things, we can make things better for everyone. If anyone wants to know specifically what conclusions I've reached, study Georgism. Reforming the tax code can systemically fix tons of issues. I think it's an effective bridge that unites otherwise-opposed viewpoints.
I really appreciate you saying that
Nobody said you have no rights, and I would fight for you to have the same rights I have if you ever don't have them. Humans are equal.
Today people forget too easily that in reality there are not just two sides, but a wide and rich variety of different sides and positions and opinions (for example, when I was asked if I was on the side of Israel or Palestine and I answered that I was on neither side because the history of war as a whole, which made people upset and even angry as if there were no other options than choosing a side). That's why I hate how this childish black-and-white and dualistic thinking is taking over the world and then people pretend that this and the us-versus-them confrontations are normal and acceptable thing and they don't realize how fractured, quarrelsome and polarized it makes this world.
Esper rolls a 20... (or a 1 on a D6), perceives the trap, and stealthily avoids it!
Well done.
What I dislike the most is that each side is labeling the other with an overtly broad brush. "OSR Radical" "WotC Wokists" end up sounding exactly the same to me. Different people, same coin.
Glad to hear you address this instead of letting is festering in the comments. More folks should be open-minded to both sides because the best part is, just like rules and games, we can pick and choose what we want to interact with!
That's the general problem with the whole "culture war" narrative. Most of it's most zealous adherents are concerned much more with their ideological positioning than what is good for a product, franchise, or work of art. Also, like any partisan grouping, they all strawman and scapegoat their ideological opposition relentlessly. I've been watching them do it since before Gamergate. It is tiring to watch and deal with.
Rarely will you see devotees on the cultural Left or Right acknowledge the risks associated with pushing ideological goals in art when the subject is their own ideology, despite the risks being basically the same regardless of the specific bias.
This is a bit of a fallacy. One side wants the hobby to get back to its roots and expand the hobby in ways that increase fun, creativity, and engagement. The other side, by contrast, wants the game to be a grandstanding political statement with as much hollow pandering as possible.
@@Arcahnslight I encourage you to stop pretending it is a black and white us vs them moment.
Just like there is political grandstanding on the WotC side, there is plenty on the OSR side as well.
In the middle you get the people that are stuck with two sides fighting for "their benefit" when in fact they are the ones that suffer the most.
Yes, some players want a more "diverse" game by including modern topics in the game and reducing the amount of stereotypical fantasy tropes "Orc bad, Elf pretty, Dwarf miner and Scottish", while another side is looking to preserve what we had in older editions of the game and keep the spirit of Old School alive.
These people can easily co-exist if the extremes stopped slinging dung over the walls.
So, no, I disagree that it is only one side that's an issue and I encourage you to drop your bias when looking at these sorts of topics.
@@Majiger "Yes, some players want a more "diverse" game by including modern topics in the game and reducing the amount of stereotypical fantasy tropes "Orc bad, Elf pretty, Dwarf miner and Scottish", while another side is looking to preserve what we had in older editions of the game and keep the spirit of Old School alive.
These people can easily co-exist if the extremes stopped slinging dung over the walls."
Hi. Non-OSR non-radical here; no, no I don't want any of that modern trash in my tabletop RPGs. Orcs aren't racist caricatures of misunderstood Mexicans. Orcs are orcs. I never touched an OSR system, don't particularly care for second edition, and I find what WotC has done to the game to be nothing short of horrific, and you sound like you're pushing both golden mean and false equivalency fallacies. Usually, when those people complain about 'stereotypical fantasy tropes,' what they mean is 'everything that made the games good.' They _hate_ what has come before, and want to destroy it, and that's not me reading into their position, they've repeatedly expressed open contempt for the old artwork, and by 'them,' I mean the people who currently run WotC. Who on this supposed 'radical OSR' side has done anything _remotely close_ to what WotC did with that artbook? Where is the WotC equivalent to the senior designer who said he wanted less white people playing the game?
@@StupidAnon-gn8ih Alright well, let's address the fallacies first.
Sure, I can agree I might be pushing a golden mean fallacy but that's because I believe both the "modern trash" and the old what wotc is trying to forget can exist for different audiences.
Wotc has clearly stated they do not care about you, me or anyone like us. They do not want us playing their games.
I know you don't want to believe it but:
That is 100% okay.
They are a company, they are going to chase whatever ridiculous notion of profits that their shareholders want.
All WotC customers (this includes MTG and other IPs) have been told by the company time and time again:
We don't care about you. Open your wallet or fuck off.
Not by direct words but by their actions.
Why else would they push "modern trash" while the majority of the playbase either never asked for it or is actively against it?
Did a company like Blackrock funnel investments into Hasbro? (as an example of possible reasons based on previous video game studio example like Ubisoft, EA, CDPR, etc.) Who knows, I don't care.
So, from my perspective, if WotC wants to pander to these people. Let them. They may have their version of the game.
At the end of the day you still have 2014 D&D, 4th, 3.5, 3rd and the entire OSR roster including the OG D&D games.
As for the false equivalency fallacy, you may go ahead and search for people that have been involved with WotC/D&D and search up the individuals yourself that have been, likely by force, pushed out of their roles in designing the game and listen to what they say.
Prime example is the RPGPundit.
70% of the time, I have zero issues with what he is saying when he actually talks game design. That's not an issue.
As soon as he starts ranting about "woke" this and "woke" that, and trying to blast WotC and their designers, he goes into the same pile as the people trying to erase D&D's history and insert "modern trash".
You may find other example of people like him, I don't keep a list but basically anyone on Reddit's "naughty no no list" dive off the deep end from time to time and that is what I have an issue with and what I would consider are "OSR Radicals".
There are also plenty of creators on TH-cam that had their hate in the OSR space itself.
Either actively attacking members that are unwilling to take a hard stance on the issue or silencing their communities if they are questioned (TheBasicExpert comes to mind right away)
The main difference, which I think is what you are trying to argue, is that it's a handful of individuals vs an entire company culture itself.
Does that make it a false equivalency fallacy? I don't think so.
There's hate on both sides and I'd argue the hate on the OSR side has existed long before "modern trash" was being inserted into D&D because of how WotC changed the game away from what the OSR community values.
TLDR: Both sides have terrible people, one simply has a whole company behind it.
You are the man Esper, i personaly love your passion for DnD/ RPGs and find it infectious!!!
This is not a perspective you hear anywhere. It's so refreshing. Thank you for being who you are.
I'm reading the comments... I wish you good luck, Esper.
The willingness to reach out to any side is the most amazing part about your latest venture. Obviously everyone has their own opinions and will most likely choose a side. However when we do that we sometimes forget that the other side is still human. So good bard, may your tale draw many an ear. For what we need is a rally point to draw us together not drive us apart.
I was doxxed and attacked by leftists. I will never break bread with those losers ever again. I used to hold bards view, not anymore.
"It's doesn't conform to my modern beliefs, therefore bad" is always obnoxious no matter who says it.
Notions of dungeons and dragons being good/bad for society is just satanic panic logic.
In the baldur's gate games, Imoen has a line - "You're a quęęr fellow, huh?"
It's not a slur. She's speaking in a medieval dialect because dungeons and dragons is mostly a medieval game where the forces of evil unironically believe friendship is a lie and is for weaklings.
Or it used to be. Now everyone and everything becomes conscripted in screaming matches that don't amount to anything.
At some point, bicycle shops stopped talking about bicycles, and it's somehow wrong to want to focus on bikes.
Fairness is good so long as you keep an eye open for the treacherous, manipulative types. Best of luck and wisdom to you!
Dude I love the change up in the videos. Pepper them in here and there for the algorithm. :)
Also we all play TTRPG, we are in a smaller group than we with think we are. OSR players are just as valid TRPGers as WOTC exclusive players.
Something like 40 million playerbase max, with maybe 3/5 of that active. Pretty small by modern social entertainment standards.
Bravo to you for taking the thoughtful position here. Your focus on authenticity, and risk-taking in particular, is indeed one of the reasons I watch. Now, I know you don't want to focus on the OP, but I find it informative to us all to take a look at the specific wording used: "radical OSR crowd". Funny how for some, it's OK to make sweeping generalizations and stereotype. What about the 'newbie radicals'? That person's use of those terms alone tell us a lot about prejudices. If anything, we should be concerned about radicals, period (and to be clear, like Esper intimates, radicalism can be good; what I mean here is antagonistic, or exclusivist radicalism). That's it. That's all that needed to be said. No need to polarize things. Happily, you strayed from taking that bait. As you point out, growth only comes from experience, so we need less limitations, not more. Cheers.
I don’t believe one can be “true neutral” in this “cultural war” we are living, but I hope I’m wrong and if there’s one person who can be the voice for this movement, that person is you, my bard friend! Keep going, you have my full support and trust! Love and respect from Brazil. Daniel
Neutrality in these situations is usually just enabling the “bad guys” to be bad guys sadly. I admire him striving to just do his own thing, but when you are constantly making vids about the culture while saying “I don’t wanna take part in it” in it at the same time it’s a little tone deaf.
@@trveg0th380 but he clearly has a side. Bard is on the "hobby better" side as opposed to the "hobby worse" side.
His bussiness is not politics, his bussiness is the hobby. Not everything is political and real life politics should be pushed away from many places where it infiltrated in the last few decades.
D & D has always been inclusive. The Jocks would hand out with the Nerds everybody would have a good time. If you are attracting the radicals it's because they are radical to hang out with. Haters going to hate and people are always going to be jealous of success. Keep being you Esper.
Indeed.
100%. I was captain of my football team, but had WAY more fun hanging out with the nerds, playing D&D. It was unheard of for ANYBODY to be excluded from the gaming table until well into the 2010's. From my perspective, it was when clout chasers started moral grandstanding and impugning anybody who disagreed with them.
@@madaxe606 Exactly. I started playing in grade school, and all 'sorts' of people played together happily. And it was a formative experience in sociology for me. When I got to high school and saw all the different 'cliques' antagonizing each other, I just didn't get it. I went on to have friends amongst all identifiable groups, but even then, some of those people couldn't believe that I was also hanging out with friends from those 'other' groups... To an extent, my early D&D experience is responsible for my ability to look past the apparent differences, and accept.
@@steved1135 Absolutely. I played D&D with people I'd NEVER have crossed paths with, let alone become friendly. If they were a D&D'er we already had a bond. All of my best lifelong friends are people I've met playing RPG's.
Now? Some of the most hateful, viciously intolerant people I've ever encountered are TTRPG'ers who think I'm capital-E Evil just because I have different political opinions from theirs.
Without exception, all of them think of themselves as 'good' people, and are completely oblivious to their own hubris and short-sightedness.
@@madaxe606 Yeah, it's weird nowadays. Once upon a time we each learned to celebrate and welcome differences. But now some have an odd overt stance where one's particular individuality somehow is more important than anyone else's, or any group dynamics.
OMG, there might be "BROSR" people lurking in here somewhere!!!!
You should really go over the new art in the 2024 monster manual. It is some of the best monster art I’ve ever seen. The cartoony aesthetic is mostly gone. The sublime terror of monsters is back!
We're in an age ruled by a really weird type of fundamentalism.
Replacing God with politics is indeed a really weird type of fundamentalism.
hail Cthulhu, b----!!!
@@Mailed-Knight You assume the poster here is one of those people. This is assuming too much.
@@markmurex6559 I did no such thing. I was agreeing with OP while adding my own 2 cents.
Great video! Excellent take on the situation! I wish more people could think like that! Love it, dude!
New suscriber here
I'm just here for the ride
Looking forward for your content
I highly encourage you to check out his older stuff. He was telling top quality stories with graph paper and clay models a decade ago, and I miss that more than just about anything the hobby has ever produced.
There is a radical OSR crowd?
I'm just playing a game and trying to have fun.
Only Natzis do that.
I support the notion that those who disagree vehemently should spend time with one another and be mature and respectful in their discourse. I think that games and stories especially are an important medium for us to share our ideas and ideals. I’ve been a fan for years now and I think you handle this stuff with a lot of grace.
I was doxxed and attacked by leftists. I will not break bread with those losers ever again.
Man am I out of the loop. Why are people picking sides on what sort of fantasy others enjoy? Or why would anyone want to tell others not to enjoy a specific sort of fantasy...?
Yep, it's weird. I'm an old (54) guy and it's been creeping in for some 10 years now. It still shocks me.
in sumary, a certain type of people think that fantasy can be used to influence reality and are co dependent on each other. so in their moral push for the view ane society that they want they must wrap fantasy to represent the reality that they wish to manifest, they genuinly believe in "thougth crimes" because for them you can engage in the "wrong type of fantasy" and thus bring said fatasy to the real world. they cant posibly comprehend that fantasy and reality are separate things
This is the way, and I respect the hell out of your stance.
Esper, I gotta agree that maybe it's time for dnd to support multiple editions as it were. Something pop, something grognar, something 3.5, etc.
I just find it easiest to buy good 3rd party content and use rules that are fun. Some people like number crunchy 3.5E, some like 5e, some 2e. Most of OSR is just heavily streamlined 2e for simplicity/focus on roleplay
I've found as I've gained experience GMing that I've preferred fewer and simpler rules. Crunchy just doesn't fit my more improvisational style nowadays.
@@Hacker-at-Large Yes, rules lite RPGs are a thing for a good reason. So a more OSR or rules-lite official dnd would be great.
I find that most who play 5e are into the printed rules to an insane degree.
I would not worry too much. Just do what you have been doing so far, keep up the good work and forget the rest.
Hey Esper, I think if you keep making videos that are open letters to people like Elon Musk, you are naturally going to attract viewers who don't take issue with his ideology or political choices.
I, for one, did not vote Republican, so I am not taking sides here. However, I think when your content is aimed at certain crowds, the algorithm starts recommending your videos to people who carry the ideologies of that political outlook. I will watch your videos, because you are generally honest and heart-felt in your messages. I'm sure there are others who are far more inclined to just click away or not click on videos where your target audience follows a more extreme (Right or Left) structure of beliefs.
But at 46 years old, I am fairly tolerant and open to people having their own opinions, whether I ascribe to them or not. I'm too old to be petty or belligerent towards those who think that their opinion is the only one that matters, and no one else can be right or speak their mind. People who want to live in a better world should start living with tolerance, and without resentment towards people who are different, or are not brave enough to speak for themselves.
Excellent video, and you did a great job stating your position. Thanks for sharing!
Once again Esper shines as a paragon of supreme fairness.
Personally, I enjoy both classical and goofy adventures. Each have their place for me but to forget where D&D came from would be a great shame.
Keep up the good work Esper, you are the staunch defender of classy adventures and memorable stories 👏
You da man, Esper! This mentality is exactly what DND and the greater world needs right now. Thank you for all you do.
Progressive liberal at the ballot box and Old School GM at the gaming table. Never assume that one thing defines the other. Great thoughts in this video, Bard. There's no growth without opposition and we can't come together if we fight to stay apart.
Who else remembers being a BECMI player showing up to an AD&D group to play for the first time, or even worse the new guy brought Gama World over to play.
thanks for the welcome, i am old school, started back in 1981, left in 92 back in 2020. 5e too pastel for me so for some dumb reason wrote my own version of the OG. cheers... Keep 'em Rollin'
Thank you for your openness and desire to actually return to quality D&D!
Thank you. This is refreshing. I'm also trying to build a community around my journey as a new DM. You are an example to me.
The world of Ichoros, the Myriad Legends, has been most fun, indeed. Love the community there, and the games I've been able to play.
And I thought I was done with D&D - fortunately you and the community showed me there are still plenty of people who *care* about the hobby. Happy to have found your channel and community.
Great video. I perhaps misjudged you too early, so I'm glad I stayed and watched all of this video. Keep on this path.
I'm just here to tell stories with my friends, and Bard gets the concept of wanting to be better at that, so I listen to his stuff.
It sucks that this video has to exist but I'm glad it does. This channel was one of the first that I subbed too so many years ago. You've been an inspiration for me in all facets of gming, story writing, story telling, and directing. I definitely relate more to the traditional side of things as I started playing Adnd at a very young age. Even at that point in my life, after my first session I knew it was a hobby I was going to be sticking with for the long run. I very much enjoy the fact that everyone is welcome in this community and I think we should all be more open to discussion and sharing our thoughts about the hobby. One things for sure however, no matter what direction the developers and their games go, if you're here, I'm here.
Short answer NO.
Those who say your at risk of attracting "Radical" OSR crowd are themselves ideological in nature. I played 2nd ED, 3rd Ed, 3.5 ED (and all the compendium) and 5th ED (we don't talk about 4th) and those days were filled highs, lows and most of all fun. I miss those days, we didn't care about ideology we just had fun in those rule sets. Does that make me radical, nooooooo.
Just my opinion but I think it’s more difference of opinion rather than radical views. I understand there are some toxic people though in my experience they are far and few. You keep following your conscience good sir.
Radical = someone I don't agree with : Sadly now a commonly used definition
Bingo.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner...
No, no it doesn't. Anti-personal property communists are radical, christian nationalists(or any other theocratic religious fundamentalists) are radical, Weather underground was radical, tankies are radical, there are a wide and varied list of radicals.
The face that you posted this tells me you either are a radical hiding in plain sight, hold radical beliefs and don't understand why they are radical, or are entirely politically ignorant.
Yeah @@madaxe606 that is a sad word redefinition 😢
That's not the definition people use
Im gonna be totally straight up, I'm a Conservative Republican and I was changed to that about 8 years ago. I have been and continue to be friends and held close relationships with people i completely disagree with on many topics. Dnd has always been an escape to me; and it always will be, however, I cant ignore the mindless direction wotc has been taking lately. They are treating it and Mtg like disney trying too hard to appeal to one small group instead of just remaining appealing to the group they already have. For the record i refuse to hate anyone for what we disagree on, it isn't my place to judge them. All i want is a world where my hobbies arent dead and dying as they have been during the past decade. Star Wars, MTG, DnD, Video Games of all types, Lord of the Rings, Wheel of Time, etc. My hobbies and interests are dead in the water and sinking lower and lower. Esper your voice is what we need, you are the person we need to direct your community towards real change. You may feel your part is small, but you have made great change. Much love brother and keep it up
10:01 I've never seen one of your videos before and you're actually making me want to trust you. My instincts have never misled me, and I don't think they're misleading me now.
OSR Radical and proud 💪😎
OSR isn't a bad crowd tho, there's toxic people who like modern D&D, pathfinder, PBTA, and there's toxic people who like OSR and old games. And there's good people who are in both groups too, and people who like OSR and modern stuff.
There are bad people in every large group. Humans are humans.
This sounds like a healthy attitude. There’s zero point having a TH-cam channel if you’re going to try to play it safe and second guess what would piss people off, because it won’t be authentic and your audience will see that.
I do agree that it is good to challenge opion with new ideas, but also be important to stick with traditional thing.
I am happy with your content both the real / respond letter, and the monster fight.
I do hope you will do more tier list
This was an excellent video to come across. It's nice to find someone who shares the same mindset.
There is nothing more painful than regret.
Don't get sucked in too deep. You don't owe something to every commenter, and that includes me. But yeah, when the lunatic fringe starts complaining about the other lunatic fringe... not much to be gained there.
Well said Esper. Any person who cannot be reasonable with people they do not agree with, is the intolerant one. Bringing your politics into your D&D is absurd and ignorant. Being able to say all are welcome, is as the light shining out from the darkness.
Could someone define for me what "radical OSR" means? It sounds like a term created to foment chaos and split the larger game population into smaller groups that can easily be marginalized and dismissed. It doesn't seem like something that has anything to do with playing a game with friends and exercising imagination.
I've played so many different versions of DnD over the years and while I have some favourites, my table includes elements of style and mechanics from all of the versions I've played. Yes, there is plenty I don't like but I have never seen that as a reason to call out people based on what they like or don't like, which seems to be a horrible theme that has entered everyday live as well as our gaming culture. Things are either black or white with no shades of grey between.
But if that's the way you want to be, I'm still all ears because I don't have to buy everything being sold; I'm free to pick and choose the pieces that make sense at my table, with my players. To the rest we should say Vive la difference! Without the variety and the differences, DnD would be boring, unimaginative and would have never lasted as long as it has and would have never been as much fun.
"Could someone define for me what "radical OSR" means?"
Easy. It means 'not a communist.'
@@StupidAnon-gn8ih I'm not certain that has actually clarified anything for me. But thanks for trying anyway! lol
@@DalePoole Sorry about that, but when the people the video presenter is talking about use the phrase 'radical OSR player,' they literally mean anyone who isn't a communist, and plays tabletop RPGs. To them, that is a radical. Specifically, a radical OSR player (even if you don't play OSR).
I don't think you need anyone to define that term for you my friend, you got the gist of it already.
People who speak like from 0:00-4:00 how taken TTRPGs and said "this is my thing you don't get to be here because you don't believe the same things I do." You are right and you got my sub. I'm glad you accept others as individuals. Thank you for this video there are so many dnd channels that I personally feel alienated me from because they basically hate my existence because I happen to be more traditional if you will. You are right about all of this. TTRPGs are for everyone and everyone should be able to enjoy it as a community or what ever it may be. I look forward to your new content. Thank you for stepping against the crowd and not playing it safe.
I am an extreme radical. Thank you for attracting me esper! 😅 ... people today are all about labels and no content
I don't have an issue with people's "political" views, I have lefties and right wingers in my game group. My problem with the "new" D&D has been that multiple times now, the people writing the books and managing the brand have told me (people like me) that I am no longer welcome in their game. Always enjoy your work Esper, I don't see how your going to find common ground between the "grognards" and the "wokesters" when one side is actively trying to remove the other from the hobby. Good Luck my friend, I fear you will need quite a lot of it.
100% right on. D&D has become pop, it's artificially sweet. It would indeed be nice if they supported more than just the most current version of the game.
I'm sure WotC can easily employ talent to write books for every older edition.
The word "radical" is losing its meaning because it is grossly overused. I've seen articles calling people radical right-wing extremists because they grow a garden. I've personally been called a right-wing radical because I attend a local church. Both are just normal things that people do, and yet there are people who act like it's some occult ritual.
I’ve been watching D&D Beyond’s videos about the upcoming 2024 Monster Manual. There seems to be some monsters and artwork that harkens that dark fantasy theme. I wonder if it would be an interesting concept to explore “Theme Guidebooks” that takes the material found on the PHB, DMG, MM and re-themes it to whatever adventure you’re wanting to create. Settings Guides - You will have Forgotten Realm Guides, Greyhawk Guides, etc. Then you would compliment with a Theme Guide. 🧐
Our table has 2 guys who voted for Trump, 2 guys that voted third party, and 1 guy who voted for Kamala. Political discussions are common. I was friends with all of these guys individually before we started playing together as a table in January of 2023. We've all been playing together on a near weekly basis since then. We ALL can't stand 5E and WotC. I can jokingly say "We put politics aside in favor of our mutual disdain for the current version of D&D," but we really just all respect each other. We hang out external to our TTRPG nights. All 5 of us have friends who abandoned us over the election. We mourned over those lost friendships, but we stuck together despite the political differences. Frankly, this group is the best group of players I've had.
How about we just play the freaking game? If you want to be an outspoken trans orc bard, great? But let's play the game and you roleplay what you have as a character?
Yeah, just don't force players to play an outspoken trans orc bard and call them isms if they don't want to.
@markmurex6559 Yep.
"If you want to be an outspoken trans orc bard, great?"
Not in my game. I won't run games for players like that, and I won't play in games that have that content.
Does that make me a radical?
@@StupidAnon-gn8ih Hardly. We all, in this hobby of ours, make those kinds of choices for what we like and don't like in a game. The point I was making is, in the best of worlds, please just play the character you love the best and let''s have fun?
@@WonkoTheDork "Hardly. We all, in this hobby of ours, make those kinds of choices for what we like and don't like in a game."
Indeed. Or at least, we should.
"The point I was making is, in the best of worlds, please just play the character you love the best and let''s have fun?"
What would you do if I told you that, for some people, that _isn't_ the primary incentive to start buying rulebooks and playing the game?