The idea that human creativity is some sacred, untouched force that AI threatens to dilute is, at best, romanticized nonsense. RPGs, by their very nature, have always thrived on borrowing, remixing, and repurposing existing ideas. The vast majority of campaigns—no matter how "original" the DM thinks they are—lean on well-worn fantasy, sci-fi, or horror tropes.

The Myth of Pure Creativity

Most RPG campaigns can be traced back to familiar archetypes:

The noble hero vs. the dark overlord (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars).

The ragtag band of adventurers overcoming impossible odds (every D&D campaign ever).

The hidden ancient evil resurfacing (Lovecraft, Forgotten Realms, every fantasy novel from the ‘80s).

Political intrigue in a crumbling empire (Game of Thrones, Warhammer, real-world history).

Even beloved "creative" DMs are just good at weaving together elements that already exist. They might change the window dressing, mash up ideas from different sources, or introduce a fresh spin—but the foundation is still built on recognizable concepts.

So when people claim that AI-generated content somehow "cheapens" the art of storytelling, they’re ignoring the fact that human storytelling has always borrowed from itself.

AI as a Tool, Not a Threat

Instead of treating AI as an existential danger to RPGs, it should be seen as what it actually is: a tool that can amplify creativity rather than replace it. AI can:

Generate worldbuilding ideas—procedural city maps, cultures, and conflicts that a DM can refine.

Help with narrative structure—providing branching options or resolving logical inconsistencies.

Reduce the prep burden—offering instant stat blocks, encounter balancing, and NPC dialogue.

Enhance improvisation—allowing a GM to pull up AI-generated lore on the fly when players go off-script.

Does this mean AI should replace human storytelling? No. But it does mean that it can help DMs and players expand their ideas beyond their own immediate influences.