D&D General Should D&D feature fearsome critters and other Americana?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think my personal image of D&D is, at this point, pretty heavily tied to the faux medieval/early Renaissance style and the eclectic collection of beasts derived from both European mythology and Japanese toys. So I think I would probably bounce off newly added creatures with an American background.
However, I feel this could easily be addressed by shifting the timeline a bit and moving into the 17th century, maybe early 18th century. And then you have witch hunts, but also cryptids. It would obviously impact game design a bit and be a bit more reminiscent of Warhammer Fantasy, but I think it could still work within a D&D framework, too.

In what ways would it need to be shifted, if it's not taking place on Earth? Do you mean clothing and non-combat technology? (The railroad coming through existing people's communities and farms is always good story fodder.)

 

[schneeland]

In what ways would it need to be shifted, if it's not taking place on Earth? Do you mean clothing and non-combat technology?

Yes, clothing would be a bit different, non-combat technology probably too (but given that D&D is often already more Renaissance than Middle Ages, that might not matter too much). Combat technology-wise there would probably more muskets and less longbows, and you wouldn't enter the classical dungeons, but maybe more abandoned mines. And maybe your healer would be a bit more of a pastor and a bit less the classical D&D spellcaster in heavy armor. But all in all, it probably wouldn't be terribly far from where modern D&D already is. Just a bit closer to Deadlands and a mythical Old West than it currently is.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Yes, clothing would be a bit different, non-combat technology probably too (but given that D&D is often already more Renaissance than Middle Ages, that might not matter too much). Combat technology-wise there would probably more muskets and less longbows, and you wouldn't enter the classical dungeons, but maybe more abandoned mines. And maybe your healer would be a bit more of a pastor and a bit less the classical D&D spellcaster in heavy armor. But all in all, it probably wouldn't be terribly far from where modern D&D already is. Just a bit closer to Deadlands and a mythical Old West than it currently is.

A dwarven prospector panning for gold and fighting off claim jumpers would be something that would fit into both settings wonderfully.

Heck, all of the Ballad of Buster Scruggs, which is already a lightly fantastical series of Western stories, would work great as a template for short D&D adventures.

 

[bedir than]

So by seeing a kaiju ox or a sasquatch people would think "this is too American" and "there must be guns?"

I guess I don't understand how adding these monsters and beasts changes the story beats of D&D

 

[Paul Farquhar]

So, don’t you do that sort of stuff anyway when you are planning adventures and campaigns? You know they say “write what you know “? I often draw upon local folk tales for inspiration, places I’ve been for locations, at least when I’m not recycling Doctor Who.

 

[Vaalingrade]

What do you do with axebeaks and hell hounds?

I'm talking about using the monster's gimmick as something gamable.

You're talking about an explicit mount creature and a literal hell hound. I'm talking about a harmless creature that like to play hide and seek and a dog that exclusively gnaws on ax handles. Yes, we can have anything do the SIO Standard 'Fights to the Death for no reason' thing of a lot of D&D monsters, but if you're going to stat a monster, if should be worth encountering as a monster.

edit: and I'm not saying don't use them, I'm asking how one would present them as gameable monsters.

 

[bedir than]

I'm talking about using the monster's gimmick as something gamable.

You're talking about an explicit mount creature and a literal hell hound. I'm talking about a harmless creature that like to play hide and seek and a dog that exclusively gnaws on ax handles. Yes, we can have anything do the SIO Standard 'Fights to the Death for no reason' thing of a lot of D&D monsters, but if you're going to stat a monster, if should be worth encountering as a monster.

I think a decent first adventure could arise from "Why does the village keep losing handles to farm implements?"

Tired: Rats in a basemen
Inspired: Axehandleeaters

 

[Voadam]

As a European medieval fantasy simulator, D&D isn't great. The TSR settings, especially, show an American mindset about population densities and modern attitudes have peeked through -- or been completely dominant -- in the game since its inception. And the region around the City of Greyhawk looks suspiciously like the region around Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, plus or minus a dragon. Which is great, to be clear: I'm not interested in playing Dung Heaps and Dysentery, and I don't think many other people are, either.

But should D&D go all the way and embrace this idea of American fantasy? Should it feature monsters from tall tales like fearsome critters, actual North American myths and legends, cryptids like Bigfoot? Should it draw from distinctly American fantasy works like the Oz novels (the Harry Potter novels of their day)?

Would your players enjoy dealing with lake monsters while keeping watch to prevent getting attacked by a hidebehind? Or would that be an unwelcome flavor in your fantasy?

They'd be fine but a lot are really obscure and the references would probably be lost on most except for a Sasquatch/Bigfoot.

My local group would probably find a Bunnyman villain inserted into a game pretty cool though.

D20 modern had a mothman monster that I remember from their Menace Manual.

I do remember Paizo having a Jersey Devil and a couple others in their Mystery Monsters Revisited book.

I know I am more likely to think of a Liger from Napolean Dynamite than a Kalidah from Oz for a chimeric tiger beast, I had to do some searching to remember what the creatures the cowardly lion fought off in the book are.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Rats in a basemen

A jazz musician whose body is piloted by cranium rats!? Sounds inspired to me!

 

[Tonguez]

I think my personal image of D&D is, at this point, pretty heavily tied to the faux medieval/early Renaissance style and the eclectic collection of beasts derived from both European mythology and Japanese toys. So I think I would probably bounce off newly added creatures with an American background.
However, I feel this could easily be addressed by shifting the timeline a bit and moving into the 17th century, maybe early 18th century. And then you have witch hunts, but also cryptids. It would obviously impact game design a bit and be a bit more reminiscent of Warhammer Fantasy, but I think it could still work within a D&D framework, too.

It may be due to playing lots of pirate games but I've always thought DnD more 16th Century anyway, by which time the new world was a known region. 17th century isnt that different. Armour, sword and polearms were still in use in the 17th century with the only major addition being firearms. The prominence of Wizards Academies and technologies is more in line with Enlightenment thinking than it is medieval.