Editing RPG Lexica:DEF

;D:  Abbreviation for ''[[dice]]'', either upper or lower case.  Because dice are used so frequently in [[role-playing game|role-playing]] and other forms of games, an abbreviated notation is used for describing dice types, consisting of two numbers separated by a letter 'd'.  The number before the 'd' indicates how many dice are referred to (often omitted if only one), and the number after indicates how many sides are on the dice.  The common cubic dice is a [[d6]] (six-sided), but other dice shapes designed for gaming include the [[d4]], [[d8]], [[d10]], [[d12]], and [[d20]].  For example, 5d6 indicates "5 six-sided dice".  This can be further extended with mathematical symbols, indicating a math operation should be applied to the result shown on the dice after they are rolled: 5d6+3 indicates "roll 5 six-sided dice, add them up (the default way of calculating the result of multiple dice), then add 3 to the result".  A further extension, not so popularly used, adds the letter "k" (for "keep") to indicate that having rolled the dice, not all of the dice should be added up; the number after the "k" indicates how many dice results should be added.  For example, "4d6k3" means that 4 six-sided dice should be rolled, then 3 of those results (usually the highest) selected and added together to give the final result.

;D20:  A twenty-sided die; also a generic roleplaying system controlled by [[Wizards of the Coast]].  The [[d20 system]] is a customizable generic system based on a twenty-sided [[dice]] (hence the name), and reusable freely by authors under certain terms and conditions.  These terms and conditions include the need to seek explicit approval to refer to the game as supporting "d20" (a controlled trademark), and the provision that certain key rules must be omitted from third-party games, thus forcing [[player]]s to purchase books produced by [[Wizards of the Coast]] in order to obtain them.  The impact of the d20 system on the hobby has been considerable, and players are divided as to whether the strong adoption of a common system for games has simplified and streamlined the hobby, or whether it has harmed the hobby by reducing diversity and forcing games to be written with a system which does have documented flaws and is not necessarily ideal for every [[setting]].

;Death Spiral: Any combat system in which acquiring an injury or bad die result leads to increased chances of bad die results, which increases the chance of receiving further injury, and so on, so that the character, once wounded, starts to spirals down into death.  Though realistic, this is considered very negative, as it leads to an anticlimactic end to a battle.

;Decker Problem:  One of the more infamous published game design errors, a classic example of the ''Specialization problem'' (q.v.)  In two of the most well-known cyberpunk games, Shadowrun and Cyberpunk 2020, the rules explicitly state that only a character who is specialized at operating in cyberspace (the "virtual reality internet" common in the genre) could do anything at all within it.  (Such a character is usually called a "decker" , thus the term.)  The range of characters in both games was such that any given group would need only one decker.  Both games then specified large, detailed tactical rules systems for resolving encounters in cyberspace, which - while involving and interesting in theory - were unplayable in practice, because it would be socially unacceptable to leave the other players with nothing to do while the decker's player played through them.  (''Cyberpunk 2020'' made things even worse by specifying that an entire cyberspace adventure could take only a few seconds of game time - meaning that the other characters were not only unable to be involved in the cyberspace encounter, but unable to do anything at all, because in the game world they would not have had time to do so.)  Generically speaking, the Decker problem could be said to be any elegant, novel and original rules solution to a problem of genre emulation, that nevertheless cannot be implemented in-game on a regular basis because it would be socially unacceptable to use it.

;Deprotagonization: Refers to any of a number of circumstances or behaviors that prevent player characters from taking a strong role in the development of the game world.  The term refers to the idea that the players' characters are supposed to be the lead characters (that is, protagonists) in the story being told in the game. Deprotagonization is then any process which causes them to cease to have primary influence on the story, or otherwise prevents the story from being mainly about them and the decisions they make.  [[Railroading]], [[pet NPC]]s, and similar forms of heavy-handed GM influence are all forms of deprotagonization, as is (arguably) [[metaplot]] and behavior limiting game mechanics.

:Origin: [http://ffn.nodwick.com/?p=96 A particular episode] of the webcomic [http://ffn.nodwick.com/?p=6 "Full Frontal Nerdity"], by Aaron Williams.

;Dungeon Crawl: A style of rpg play wherein the main activity of the characters is the exploration of physical sites (designed and described by the GM) in the face of violent opposition. Particular aspects usually include the careful mapping of the location, the importance and attention to details of the environment (the effect of which are significant to the success of the exploration) and the  search for items of value. Specifically, "dungeon-crawling" usually refers to classic D&D-style play centered upon the conquest of underground regions, usually labyrinthine "dungeons" wherein various hostile monsters make their residence, guarding hoards of treasure, which is in often further guarded by diabolical traps. Such dungeons are often designed with little regard to ecology, economy, or common sense, though this is as often offered part of their charm as much as a criticism. Generally a very combat-oriented type of gameplay, and thus usually a subset of [[Hack and Slash]]. "Dungeon-crawling" can also be used to refer to scenarios other than those from the fantasy genre, if the essential character is still the same. For instance, a party of salvagers exploring a mysterious abandoned starship, or a band of cyberpunks raiding a corporate headquarters.

;Farnsworth Combat: Any combat system where injury does not cause accumulated negative effects until zero or fewer life counters (such as hit points) remain, at which point the stricken character falls over dead (or badly injured and bleeding).  Derived from the ''Futurama'' episode '''When Aliens Attack''', during which Prof. Hubert Farnsworth utters the line, "Cough, then fall over dead." Also called '''Critical Existence Failure.'''

;Fishmalk: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portmanteau Portmanteau] of the words "fish" and "Malkavian",  the latter being a clan of deranged undead in the game ''Vampire''. The term describes a character posessing a mental illness who uses their derangement as a catch-all excuse for ignoring the social rules of the setting's society. At best, such characters are merely corny, but at worst they serve only as vehicles for wildly inappropriate behavior, the player justifying every ridiculous action through said character's alleged craziness. Essentially, the player has found an excuse to do whatever they want yet can make a show of defending it as good role-playing. The term may be derived from a single infamous character, a Malkavian who either believed it rained fish or attacked people with fish.

;Forge, the: [http://www.indie-rpgs.com The Forge] (originally "Hepheastus's Forge") is a discussion website for [[RPG]] [[player]]s and designers which "is dedicated to the promotion, creation, and review of independent role-playing games".  It was created and is still run by Ron Edwards, author of the independent game ''[[Sorcerer]]'', and originally showcased several documents written by him describing the design principles followed in that game (although these are now considered to have been superseded by discussion and have been moved to a less prominent location).  Advocates of the Forge claim that the discussion there is stimulating and inspiring, encourages the development of new ideas, and has been responsible for the development of some of the best independent RPGs available.  Critics claim that the discussion is over-analytical, incomprehensible to outsiders, and ultimately vacuous, and that those independent RPGs would have been developed anyway regardless of whether their authors had participated in the Forge or not.

#As a verb, for a [[GM]] to clandestinely modify aspects of a [[game system]], known to him and not the [[player]]s, that would otherwise be random or impartial. Thus, the GM may be said to “fudge the [[dice]]”. The term usually carries the implication of pushing things towards the players' benefit in the cause of improving the game experience for all involved. For example, ignoring a situational modifier and declaring that a [[character]] succeeded in striking a mighty blow against an antagonist during a climactic confrontation. A strict interpretation of the game's resolution method would say otherwise, but it better serves the [[drama]]tic needs of the game for the blow to be struck. Essentially, the term means "benevolent cheating".  

;Funky Dice: [[Dice]] of a form other than the regular "cubes with pips" most people think of at mention of the word dice; see '''D''' above. Since [[d4|four-sided]], [[d8|eight-sided]], [[d10|ten-sided]] and other such non-traditional random number generators see little use outside of the RPG hobby, they are generally only available from specialty retailers (such as a '''FLGS''') and thus the acquiring of one's first set of '''Funky Dice''' is often an early step of initiation for a beginning gamer.

#A subculture of people who enjoy pretending to be anthropomorphic animals.  Some of them wear "furry" suits to represent the fur of their animal alter ego; these people are also known as '''fursuiters'''.  In gaming, it can also refer to a player who commonly plays anthropomorphic animal characters.