#but like it's functional for a lot of action/adventure power fantasy SFF stories

[st-just]

dnd sci-fi anon here! Thanks for the answer, you hit the nail on the head.

As someone who tries to make the best game i can for my players I'm always trying to be aware of where I'm in the wrong about how I run my games, so with so many "it is impossible to do sci-fi in dnd, just play starfinder or lancer" posts I sometimes worry I misstepped by sticking with dnd overall, but I think what it comes down to in the end is that my players directly asked for a dnd campaign in space, with magic-powered tech and space elves and bringing swords to a gunfight, and we all prefer 5e over Starfinder (which would also be a good system for the kind of campaign we all wanted). I had someone who went "I want to play a wizard space cowboy" so I think this was a good pick for the campaign we all wanted.

But i did want to make sure I wasnt just being stupid about it. I agree with you and I think I just run into so many people online who don't see it that way, and that ends up making me second guess and worry that my view on it is just wrong and im being pigheaded by sticking with 5e in the end. I shopped around for a bunch of systems when i first considered this campaign but it came down to "why learn a new system when my players quite literally asked for dnd in space?"

I feel more sure about that decision after hearing from someone I dont know personally who has little reason to worry making me feel bad by telling me if I'm wrong, but also explains thoughts thoroughly enough to convince me if I am. You were more likely to give me a more detailed explanation than the people who just go "there is NOTHING dnd is good for, just play another game" and if i had just asked someone I knew would agree with me it wouldnt do much to help me feel like I made the right choice.

re:

I mean, like, 'your players are comfortable and enjoy D&D and don't want to learn another system' is a perfectly legitimate reason to stick with it! (Certainly the reason I mostly have).

Anyways, I'm super not an authority on TTRPGs at all (I can recommend Legacy and Blades In The Dark and Delta Green as all variously a lot of fun with the right group and Unknown Armies 3e has my favorite session 0/campaign creation chapter ever, but that's about it), but I can absolutely say that you should absolutely positively never take people vitriolically hating something on the internet as being the final word on its quality. Like, about anything.