D&D 5E On Murderhobos

[Voi_D_ragon]

Murderhobos, as you should all know, are adventurers who wander about, using their supernatural class powers and magic to take what they want from powerless commoners while ignoring the pitifully weak town guards.
How do you guys deal with them? There is obviously the possibility of making every town guard a 500 HP beast, or making sure every commoner is actually a shapeshifted ancient silver dragon, but honestly that would quickly get stale. After all, they hardly need to be saved by some lvl 5 adventurers if they can lay low whole kingdoms on a whim. The other solution is that there is an adventuring party every other block, each ready to spring into action when they see injustice befall their fellow humanoid, or to make some officials of justice very, very powerful and always close at hand. But what of a low fantasy world? What of a place where the group is close to the only adventuring party to walk the land, and no one has ever even seen a goblin or an orc? How could one deal with murderhobos in a world were, in a civilized context, they at the absolute top of the food chain in terms of individual power?
There are whispers of characters who are virtuous, who help the weak instead of trodding on them and leaving them in the mud while stealing what little belongs to them, but I do not believe in these stories; I have only seen adventurers who pillage, deceive and extort, without a shred of remorse, who will kill the NPC giving them a quest and take the reward he offers from his still-warm body, then go on the quest regardless because "Hey, we need XP! And loot!", or wait for another NPC to expose important plot points before looking at each other, shrugging and making an attack roll.

Anyway, how do you deal with murderhobos in your game, especially if it is low fantasy?

 

[Uncle_Muppet]

Depends on how "realistic" you want to be about it, and how much of a chance you want to give your players to do something about what you're doing.

1) It takes an army...
If the PCs are truly an overwhelming force, then the local leadership (king, etc.) is going to raise his army to deal with the threat. He'll sacrifice some peons to lead the PCs into a trap, such as a small valley or dead-end canyon where catapults will already be set up and in range, waiting to fire as soon as the PCs enter the target house. Archers will be massed on the high ground, ready to pour dozens of arrows into the PCs.

2) Murderhobos, meet Slaughtertramps
The PCs might be the top of the food chain, but only in their immediate area. Perhaps another kingdom has a similar problem. The two rulers will arrange to have the two groups run into each other and beat each other up. Then, they'll have their combined armed forces sweep in to take out the survivors.

3) Natural disaster
If you really don't like the PCs or the game anymore, just kill them. Have them go into the mountains then get taken out by an avalanche. They are sailing across the ocean and their ship sinks/is eaten by a kraken. They are underground when a cave-in happens. Then, if you know that this is the only way they play, change your next game to accommodate their preferred playstyle.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

To me this is a situation that is resolved better out of the game than in the game. If I am running the game and murderhoboism is a potential issue, I would have an out of character discussion with the players about the tone and feel of the game that I wanted to run. I would get their buy in for a game that is more about the narrative than about killing people and taking their stuff. As with any of these types of discussions I would include the players in the discussion and decision so the game is enjoyable to everyone. But if we couldn't reach a compromise on not murderhoboing, I would opt to not run the game.

 

[Henry]

I prefer option 4:

4) Grownup Conversation - the DM sits down with the players and says, “OK, guys (and ladies), I get that you’re having fun with this setup, but this isn’t the concept of heroic fantasy we talked about when we were rolling up characters and discussing the setting. Is this the kind of game you really want to play, that of villains slaughtering innocents?”

If it is and the DM is willing to work with it, then change the focus to more powerful good antagonists being hired to chase the PCs down. Couple that with equally evil NPCs who don’t want the PCs muscling in on their turf - what happens when a new gang shows up on another gang’s turf in real life?

If the DM isn’t willing to run that kind of game, then tell them so. Maybe the players just aren’t telling the DM that they don’t find the campaign he’s running is that engaging. Solicit info on what they want to see that they aren’t getting. Maybe another player is willing to DM. But make it clear that you as DM have no interest in running an evil campaign. Some of the seemingly most difficult problems can be stamped out with a ten minute honest group conversation.

 

[Storyteller Hero]

If you make sure to initiate a session zero where you make the rules of the campaign clear to everyone and get everyone to agree on a tone and style for the gameplay, then you don't have to worry so much about everyone going all murder hobo on you.

 

[JonnyP71]

Consequences. Word gets around.... Think how the world would react to murderous gangs roaming the countryside?

If they are running around murdering people then insist they change alignment to evil, as that is what they are. Start with shopkeepers refusing to deal with them, and there being 'no room at the inn'.

Have guards refuse them entry to towns. Local Lords may put a bounty on their heads too? If the guards are being killed then yes, better guards, better equipped, better training, more of them.

They might become outlaws, with all the issues that entails - rarely a safe place to sleep, nowhere to study, no access to temples, having to steal food/equipment. Tired, hungry, and therefore weakened. It's hard to take a long rest when you are being hunted!

Bands of Paladins might see it as their holy duty to put an end to their shenanigans? A High Priest might call upon powerful celestial assistance? Maybe that quest giver had a brother, who has contacts? Assassins also love the lure of a tasty bounty.

 

[Guest 6801328]

My solution is that I generally don't reconvene with that group of players.

 

[Krachek]

Make new friends!

Otherwise play their games:
Put conflicting goals. Use the old tricks, There can be only one!
Awards XP on individuals loots and kills. Let them rip out each others.

 

[JonnyP71]

... or alternatively, award 0xp for killing NPCs, guards or shopkeepers!

 

[Sunseeker]

Reward social encounters. Players kill things because they want to level up. When the only way to level up is to kill things, players favor violence over other forms of conflict resolution.

Also, watch out for bad apples, some players just want to kill things, irregardless of story, good gaming or anything else.