Bad Take, Bob.

Bob World Builder Really Stepped In It.

In case you’re wondering, you can just start here and I’ll cover what my comment on his video was and why here.

The Basic Expert’s Substack

did a response video on his YouTube and mentioned many of the points that I will but the only reason I didn’t jump on this right away is because, well, honestly, I don’t care about D&D as a brand anymore. I’ve moved on but let’s go with Bob’s video and then I’ll go in.

My Comment was as follows:

Bob, Grummz and Elon don't make us angry. WoTC's constant bad behavior is what made us angry and, them pointing out WoTC's current bad behavior isn't what is divisive. The only thing that needs to be shut down is WoTC's current bad behavior and some of us, myself included, have decided, since the OGL debacle that they've burned our trust and we'll never purchase from them ever again. Bob, read the preface and introduction of The Making of Original D&D verbatim. They can put the self-flagellation on full display and I'm supposed to pay for that? Out of the question. We get the stupid and insipid disclaimer anytime we wanted to purchase the older stuff. Bob, this has been going on for years and it is nothing like what you're telling us it is. This is a terrible take, plain and simple. I agred with Grummz and Elon, not because I worship Gygax or Arneson but because, without them, the hobby as it stands does not exist and if WoTC is so averse to the creators of this game, one of which is still alive, then perhaps they should divest themselves of the brand and perhaps sell it to someone who respects it and their creators. WoTC continues to reinforce many of our stances to never do business with them again.

Bob has a pinned comment under his video as well I’ll quote that here…

Addressing some repeated comments:

- yes, this video was reactionary and I should have scripted it so I could mention this stuff the first time

I’ll definitely agree with that.

- yes, Hasbro not crediting D&D's founders in the D&D movie is an example of erasure

Agreed

- no, WotC publishing that 500 page book about the work of D&D's founders is not erasure

- yes, if WotC says anything false and harmful about the content of the founders' character, it's libel (/slander)

And it’s been going on for years, Bob, that’s the problem. The constant lying about Gygax and Arneson based on modern-day social mores is not only unconscionable, but it’s straight up illegal. At this point, I’d like to see both the Gygax and Arneson estates as well as Rob Kuntz snap up every video, every tweet, every disclaimer and especially this section which you failed to even read on your video, and sue the balls off of them for slander and libel.

Bob, we’re sick of seeing this and it goes to my point that, if they’re so averse to the creators, maybe sell the IP to someone who will care for it because no, it hasn’t become “more inclusive.”

I can prove that. When Sara Thompson created the combat wheelchair as an option, there were DMs and players who had no interest in it. In fact her chair for Cyberpunk RED makes far more sense in the overall setting than her chair which is unwieldy, expensive for characters and I could go on and on. Those expressing no interest, disinterest to having valid and intelligent reasons to not include that as an optional rule were and still are bullied, slandered as “unsafe DMs” and are being told by peer pressure that we’ll accept it or be cast out. And yes, WoTC has signed off on that by making official miniatures.

Now, personally, that shit will never fly at my table. I’m willing to discuss options but I want to point out that Jason Tondro, the man who wrote this preface has also said this…

“D&D has always been a game about people choosing to be someone unlike themselves…” Then why the hell do they need to “see themselves” in the game. Bob, this game and every game of it’s time was always about including people. The thing is, the people that are supposed to be touted as “so inclusive” these days are anything but. We’re not going to believe your take when this is directly in our faces, dude. Not even sorry to say it. It is what it is.

- no, WotC including a content warning about the contents of a book isn't slander

We talking about this, Bob?

It’s fucking stupid, Bob, that’s what we’re pointing out. It’s ascribing modern day nonsense to something that they did not create. I do not need a lecture or a TED Talk about my purchasing decisions and guess what? I will never need their permission to play an older rule set. This is pandering and virtue-signaling that none of us are interested in, Bob.

- yes, a weird one, songs by musicians who have done gross things don't need content warnings if the contents of the songs aren't about the gross things

Then why include it at all, Bob?

- no, WotC probably doesn't care about inclusion more than their bottom line

Then why did you make this video? Dude, OGL…you should have had that clear in your mind from two years ago.

- no, EM probably doesn't care about anti-inclusion more than his bottom line

I’ll agree to that.

- yes, I'd rather have an inclusive RPG community, that's why this topic is important

It always was, always has been. Bob, you’re fighting for air when all you have to do is inhale. You’re not underwater here, bud.

- yes, EM can have opinions on D&D, WotC, Hasbro

- yes, it's hypocritical for EM to say 'nobody can trash EGG' while promoting free speech

Ah Right, okay we’re talking about this…

A response to this…

which was a response to this…

Feel free to tell me where any of this is wrong, Bob…I’ll happily wait.

- no, billionaire EM doesn't need anyone to defend him

- no, billion-dollar corp Hasbro doesn't need anyone to defend them

You still made a video, then your account on Twitter went protected. Here’s the thing Bob, yeah I’m writing an article because honestly, your take was bad and loaded with errors. Bob, lying whether by omission or intention, it’s still lying and what Elon Musk is saying is that yes, no one is allowed to libel or slander these men (Gygax & Arneson) and this is super important to know…without being directly challenged.

- no, Hasbro/WotC has never paid me to promote them

- no, this wasn't about money - yes, this video was monetized, but I turned off monetization before any ad revenue was calculated

I won’t speak to either of these because Bob, I don’t care if you were or not, I don’t care if you monetize the video or not. That’s all your decision so I have nothing to say there. But let’s be realistic, you had to expect that this would be something that was going to be said.

- yes, EM recently inserted himself into politics

Inserted himself, you say? Bob, I think you have this wrong. His son, Xavier was transitioned without his consent, permission or approval. His son then killed himself because of it* (Link to correction and retraction of this statement.) Inserted himself? I’d say he was perfectly happy to be left to his own devices until this ideology came for him. Again, you don’t have your facts in order. Put yourself in his shoes for a second. If that’s your child and this happens to him or her, whatever the case may be and you had the means to do something to ensure it never happened to any parent ever again, are you just gonna stand by on the sidelines and just let it happen? I would hope not.

- no, nothing else about this video is inherently political

- I just used the tweet as a jumping off point because the owner of an entire social media platform who has 200 Million followers and is proudly anti-inclusion could make online spaces about RPGs less inclusive

And that last point is complete bullshit and we all know it. How is it anti-inclusive when there are more millions of users. Under Dorsey, it was most certainly anti-inclusion, complete with shadowbans, no less and that’s documented. Dorsey then went to create BlueSky and even left, stating people should be on Twitter because it’s better. Our memories are not that short, there, Bob.

There’s a business that has made every effort to be anti-inclusion and it’s Wizards of The Coast.

Bob, I’ve been critical of many of WoTC’s choices. Many of them. Let me show you something…

What did I do to earn that? Well it’s simple. I didn’t attack them, I asked them a question. Let me show you something.

$180. Okay now this is for all three physical core books and digital…which are locked into D&D Beyond (why would I want to continue paying them to play a game I own?) which I will have to maintain that account for access. Okay.

Here’s the bundle for Castles & Crusades by Troll Lord Games. Honestly, TLG has done D&D better than WoTC has and yeah, same price for the bundle here but look at what you get in the bundle. You get all three books, print and digital, a GM screen, Character Sheets in PDF, every book in this bundle in PDF and a starting adventure. You get more for your money there.

Now let’s look at another studio here.

Elf Lair Games. Here’s where we’re getting into some business and I think you really need to have a look at Elf Lair, Bob. I’d really like to see you cover these games…yeah, games…plural

I don’t have a screenshot of a bundle here but I think I can easily remedy this whole thing before bringing it back around.

Wasted Lands: The Dreaming Age - $80 (two books)

Night Shift: Veterans of The Supernatural Wars - $50

Thirteen Parsecs: Beyond The Solar Frontier - $50

Total Price: $180.

What you get: All the books plus PDFs

I pointed these out to Wizards of The Coast. I simply asked them why I would pay $180 for one game sight unseen, locked into an ecosystem that I can be kicked out of at the drop of a hat and never own anything I purchase here when, with Troll Lord Games, I get it all and no such things as what WoTC would do (and have with Magic Online, Bob…that’s happened.) or I could spend the same money with Elf Lair Games and get three full games for the price of theirs. That was it. I questioned the value of their game. This was a golden opportunity to sell me on the game, put the rumors to bed and, their entire response was to block me. Truth hurts.

This type of anti-consumer behavior, and Bob, come on! Two years of this shit from them and you’re seriously telling me they care about inclusion or that game? That’s just straight up gaslighting, dude.

Musk and Kern are one hundred percent correct to be critical of WoTC and I am in full agreement with them. Point blank, we’re not going to tolerate being pushed around by these absolute flatscans anymore. We’re sick of it and we won’t take the lying and stupidity anymore. In fact, I’ll give you a damn good reason that I left WoTC’s Nu-DND behind forever, it’s because Troll Lord Games did a better job of protecting the Gygax legacy. Gygax did a lot of work for TLG before his passing and TLG will be republishing it. I have The Hermit on the way at some point and when TLG unveiled the newest printing/revision (note: Not Edition) of their game, the PHB was only $25. You can go and download the PHB and Monsters & Treasure book absolutely free. There’s even a Bag of Holding section with more there. You literally never have to pay to play this game. Bob, get real, dude and look around. We all have options and many of us, myself included, watched this shit unfold and have tried like hell to have WoTC course correct for years and they blew us off as “-ists” and “-phobes” at even the most reasoned criticisms. You can’t deny that and mask it behind “inclusivity” because it’s a lie and it simply won’t work.

But hey, I have a challenge for you. I’m willing to put money where mouth is, let’s see who really deserves to be shut down. Go grab the PHB and the Monsters & Treasure book and you tell me…where is that game not inclusive? Oh remember Elf Lair Games? Yeah, Jason Vey wrote Amazing Adventures as well which you can check out for free as well. It also has a free Monster book also.

Bob, for us it’s a question of value. It truly is. We just want a game. A straight up game. Nothing more, nothing less. Every decision at my table will be a collaborative effort but the final say will always be mind and once I’ve ruled, I’ve ruled, let’s move on. That’s how my table has always operated in the past and it works.

Your take wasn’t good. In fact, it was wrong and Gygax and Arneson, even you have to agree, deserve better than what they’re getting.

This is the thing about WoTC, they can hate us all they want but they will absolutely do so for free. Also you’re well aware that Blackmoor Foundations, The Lost Dungeon of Tonisborg, Secrets of Blackmoor and so much more exist for far less money and you really defended that $100 book, that’s now $50 because it’s not selling and, I’ll be honest, the most I’d spend is $10 and even more honesty here, that $10 is probably better spent at McDonald’s. It’s about value for us. WoTC isn’t entitled to a damn thing from me. They deserve our continued ire until they stop abandoning reason for madness and reverse course. Until then, be ready for more people being very very critical of WoTC and their continued bad behavior. WoTC hasn’t learned, Bob. This video showed that you haven’t either and that’s something that I find pretty sad. WoTC are the ones who have demonstrably been divisive, not us, not Kern, not Musk. Facts.

That’s all I have for today, I needed a bit to get these thoughts together and put them into this article. Thanks for reading.