“Safer” but more violent?

What can rugby and boxing teach us about changes in D&D from edition to edition.

Since Wizards of the Coast (WotC) took over the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) property, they’ve made numerous changes in subsequent editions of the game. Today, I’m going to talk about an apparent paradox that I’ve noticed: Making the D&D game system safer seems to steer it in a more violent direction.

To answer this, I’m going to look at some entirely different games, ones involving real-world athleticism, violence, and traumatic brain injury: Boxing and football. Adding safety equipment to these sports has been associated with harder hits and a steady stream of concussions unhampered by advancements in safety technology. Safety equipment allows athletes to hit each harder.

Public domain image.

In a similar way, changes to the D&D game system that make combat easier to survive allows players to act more aggressively. Since combat in D&D usually comes with rewards to balance its risks, safer editions of D&D shift the balance of risk and reward towards rewarding increased violence.

Rugby & American football

Rugby and American football share common roots and many similarities. Two teams run an oblong ball around the field, with rare instances of actual kicking. The defending…