History MisaimedFandom / TabletopGames

** Any time anyone at all thinks that one of the factions are "the good guys" (hint: EvilVersusEvil is one of the foundations of the setting). This is almost always directed at the [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Tau]], the [[HumansAreBastards Imperium of Man]] (mostly via the [[RedShirtArmy Imperial Guard]]) and/or the [[ManipulativeBastard Eldar]] (and occasionally [[BloodKnight Da Orks]]), probably because [[BlackAndGrayMorality their most common enemies routinely perform actions several orders of magnitude worse]] than anything the previous factions could possibly achieve.

** ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'' introduced a lot of players to the game. Unfortunately, this has resulted in the [[https://screenrant.com/critical-role-dnd-mercer-effect-dungeons-dragons-expectations/ Mercer Effect]], which is where fans assume that all ''D&D'' or TTRPG games are like what's shown on ''Critical Role'', and are [[HypeBacklash disillusioned when it's not]]. The players on ''Critical Role'' are all long-time voice actors, with hundreds of credits to their names, and are all very close. Several of the cast members are even married to each other, which naturally creates some chemistry. This has resulted in a bit of a backlash from the TTRPG community from the NewbieBoom brought on by the show when these newbies don't realize that a group of players in the wild is never going to be at the same level. Even Mercer himself has spoken out against the effect that shares his name, [[ArtistDisillusionment noting that he doesn't like the effect any more than the community does]]. [[invoked]]

* ''TabletopGame/{{Monopoly}}'' was based on a game called "The Landlord's Game", which was meant to demonstrate [[CapitalismIsBad the evils of capitalism]]. It didn't really work; the intended message has largely gone over everyone's heads, and it remains one of the most popular board games of all time, with a mountain of different sequels and variations.

** Some neo-Nazis think that the Imperium is some kind of post-neo-fascist paradise. Similarly, the Ultramarines tends to have a very large following in Neo-Nazi-circles with that perfection-angle and being ubermench and such. There are quite a few neo-nazi/alt-right types who embrace the paranoia, intolerance, fanaticism, and FantasticRacism of the setting, and project it into other games, media and real life (most infamously, appropriating the "God Emperor" title for a certain former US president). It got so bad that Games Workshop had to issue [[https://www.warhammer-community.com/2021/11/19/the-imperium-is-driven-by-hate-warhammer-is-not/ an official statement]] that declared 1) the Imperium is ''not'' the 'good guy' faction and 2) people wearing hate symbols will be asked to leave stores. [[https://web.archive.org/web/20150420002332/http://www.tradyouth.org/2015/02/the-imperium-of-man/ This post from a reactionary traditionalist]] site cites the Imperium Of Man as a desirable guide for society, completely missing the point that the Imperium is a dying CrapsackWorld where rampant traditionalism has made life horrible for humanity, even if it's keeping it alive. The highly fantastical nature of the setting where only there such dogmatic policies can be tolerated is also ignored by the author. Interestingly, [[{{Irony}} the author's logo is oddly similar to Warhammer's symbol of Chaos, the Imperium's principal archenemy]].

** If you can believe it, while they aren't as prevalent as Imperium or T'au defenders, there are people who are willing to call the ''[[OurOrcsAreDifferent ORKS]]'' the 'good guys'. Their reasoning is usually that the Orks are at least enjoying themselves, though it's almost always at the expense of others. This even happens in-universe, with one Eldar philosopher pointing out that as a species, the orks have won: while the Eldar and humans are fighting to survive as a species, the orks will never be fully eradicated and so are free of the angst and soul-searching that plagues the other two. Do note that said philosopher's moniker is [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast "the Perverse"]].

** Premade campaigns are made to give aspiring [=DMs=] some time to practice, as well as having a game that can easily be thrown together and started with no hassle. This has not stopped people from interpreting them as scripts, or assuming that's what a tabletop game should be like.

*** Related, Mercer also provides a lot of advice for aspiring {{Game Master}}s. Unfortunately, a lot of people have also taken it to mean that Mercer's advice is actually a rule - that must be followed to the tee. Mercer himself has stated his advice isn't intended to be rules, nor is ''Critical Role'' intended to be a window as to how ''Dungeons and Dragons'' is "supposed" to be played.
** When Hasbro announced that they were doing away with the concept of an inherently [[EvilRaceTropes "Evil" aligned race]] to get rid of the UnfortunateImplications as well as provide players with more rules and less of a need to homebrew, it didn't take long before people asked how they were going to have conflict. This is missing the entire point of why Hasbro was removing the concept of an evil race.