Players: Have You Ever Asked, "Why Don't You Take Care Of It?"

JoeGKushner · Nov 18, 2009

It's something I see a lot of complaints about. That the high level characters in a campaign should be handling the very things that they are acting as patrons of the characters to do.

As a player, have you ever asked the GM in character, "Why don't you do it?"

If so, what was your motivation? How did it turn out?

As I mentioned in the other thread, in my 20+ years of playing, I've never had a player ask a NPC why he doesn't take care of it. Most of the player's didn't care. They were there to play, to do missions, and to get paid.

Your own experiences as players?

Henry · Nov 18, 2009

Just because I didn't ask it didn't mean I didn't think it.

Being a fellow DM, I understand it as a convention of the D&D genre, and just don't bother to lift that particular curtain, because I know what I'll find.

Majoru Oakheart · Nov 18, 2009

I never asked for the same reason. If I asked, I knew I'd just be given a line like "We're too busy right now" or "We're not powerful enough to stop them" or "You've had experience defeating them in the past". All of which are kind of flimsy excuses, especially for HUGE problems.

As a DM, I've had players ask before and get annoyed with the answer. I ran a Living Greyhawk adventure once where an ancient evil that the gods had imprisoned to prevent the destruction of the world was going to be awoken by cultists. The rulers of the country knew this was the case, they had irrefutable evidence that it was going to happen, where it was going to happen, and how to stop it. So, the beginning of the adventure has a 20th level Wizard(who is the leader of the Wizard's guild of the country and also in charge of the magical forces for the army) ask the PCs, who were all around level 10 at the time to stop it.

One of my players got super annoyed over the premise, asked why they would need them to do it when they could do it themselves and be back by dinner. They were given the answer "The army is busy with a war with a neighboring country that is at a stalemate right now, we can't spare anyone at all to save the entire world".

JoeGKushner · Nov 18, 2009

I like how Vecna Lives countered that.

"Yeah, you guys are the Circle of Eight.... Oooops. You're all dead."

That was a neat bit back in the day.

Shroomy · Nov 18, 2009

Henry said:
Just because I didn't ask it didn't mean I didn't think it.
Being a fellow DM, I understand it as a convention of the D&D genre, and just don't bother to lift that particular curtain, because I know what I'll find.

What Henry said.

LostSoul · Nov 18, 2009

I did.

I was sick of being railroaded.

Nothing changed. I learned to enjoy the game for what it was - to look out the windows and enjoy the scenery.

Crothian · Nov 18, 2009

Nope, it was fun proving we were better then those uber powerful NPCs!

Theroc · Nov 18, 2009

JoeGKushner said:
It's something I see a lot of complaints about. That the high level characters in a campaign should be handling the very things that they are acting as patrons of the characters to do.

As a player, have you ever asked the GM in character, "Why don't you do it?"

If so, what was your motivation? How did it turn out?

As I mentioned in the other thread, in my 20+ years of playing, I've never had a player ask a NPC why he doesn't take care of it. Most of the player's didn't care. They were there to play, to do missions, and to get paid.

Your own experiences as players?

I'd only have a character ask that if the character would genuinely want to know. Example: I just saw the wizard take down a dragon with a single spell, and now he's sending us to battle ANOTHER dragon. "But... you just mumbled and that one dropped dead! What the **** do ya need US to risk life and limb to kill it!"

Never had that happen, but I can see the PC's getting a bit confused.

weem · Nov 18, 2009

As a Player, no, I have never asked for the same reason(s) mentioned above - I am a DM and understand that if the answer were, "oh yea, we CAN do that" then we might not have anything to do.

As a DM, no one has asked me that - but generally I think that's because I show them that there have been and are currently attempts being made.

There are many people and factions in the world, and if there is a big enough problem, chances are there are some involved in trying to stop it. Some of these the PC's might help, some are giving up and others have died trying.

Near the end of my last campaign, I had a faction that the players truly respected, but in the end that faction told them basically 'we have seen the outcome (a prophesy of sorts) and we know this is futile, so you can do as you wish, but we are preparing for the end'. They were even given the option to fold it up and go with them (they were even told they SHOULD) - or they could press on and attempt to change things.

The world is a living breathing thing with a lot happening that the players don't always see. I feel like that option needs to be there - to give up and let it be someone else's problem. But, at least in my case, I know my players and they are not the kind to give up - but they like to know they could if they wanted to and I would end it right there, and I would be fine with that choice.

catsclaw227 · Nov 18, 2009

I've never done it, for all the reasons already stated. As a DM, I know that only madness lies that way..

But I have had my players do it before. They asked why during the early 3.0 period when I was running Freeport, and then the same players did it with the Banewarrens.

Obviously they are asking YOU to do it because they have other pressing items, but the Banewarrens set-up is tough. They are asked to do this "thing" because the most powerful evils are locked up and one may have escaped! And the PCs are like 7th level.

So why is the 12th level mage asking them for help when it clearly puts the people under the spire in grave danger?