D&D General Violent Solutions to Peaceful Problems

[Horwath]

How? I can't count the number of time we have seen the plucky heroes drop their weapons and raise their hands when surrounded by an overwhelming force, or because innocents were put in peril if they did not stop, or because they ran out of steam from the long slog against the Evil overlord.

I don't think there is any conflict at all and I'm not sure where you are getting the incompatibility.

you charge anyway.

TPK

re-roll

 

[Reynard]

The absolute refusal of many players to allow their characters to "lose" even temporarily has always baffled me.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I mean, there's nothing wrong with dumb action beer and pretzels games, but I still think emotionally realistic human characters are preferable to flat tropes.

I am way more on your side then doing dumb things but I also have to say "Sometimes smart people do dumb things" could be the biography name for almost every High Int character in every game I have ever run.

 

[overgeeked]

I am way more on your side then doing dumb things but I also have to say "Sometimes smart people do dumb things" could be the biography name for almost every High Int character in every game I have ever run.

And for quite a few really smart people in the real world.

 

[Reynard]

I am way more on your side then doing dumb things but I also have to say "Sometimes smart people do dumb things" could be the biography name for almost every High Int character in every game I have ever run.

I didn't actually say anything about smart or dumb choices -- just emotionally realistic ones.

 

[payn]

The absolute refusal of many players to allow their characters to "lose" even temporarily has always baffled me.

Getting captured feels kinda weak. Despite this happening all the time, in all types of media, gamers still hate it as the potential to kill the buzz.

Context matters too. Some GMs have only two types of NPCs. The ones that sell the PCs things and info dump the adventure, and those who are actively trying to kill the PCs. In a game like this, I suppose killing any NPC that steps to the PCs is just expected?

GMs sometimes also try and set up capture or fail states for the PCs as part of the adventure. This is a bummer because its an agency rob of the players in the interest of a promising adventure. Players dont always trust their GM to deliver said adventure. So, you get super paranoid PCs who resort to murder first and get betrayed never as their main methods.

You also have some problem players. One type I can think of is the absolutist. These are folks who thought of favored enemy from 3E as "genocidal maniac". I have no idea how this racial hated meme started, but some folks will march a PC to its death because you cant let a thousand gnolls just live can you? Or the ones who have tenets from their gods that they have zero room for nuance. "My god hates undead, I must march into this catacomb and fight a thousand undead this instant!" I have always thought the absolutist style of play to be so caricature and sad.

If it is beer and pretzels I guess who cares? Though, if you are trying to immerse in a world and make role play reasonable characters, those things will be roadblocks to a good game.

 

[Reynard]

Getting captured feels kinda weak. Despite this happening all the time, in all types of media, gamers still hate it as the potential to kill the buzz.

Context matters too. Some GMs have only two types of NPCs. The ones that sell the PCs things and info dump the adventure, and those who are actively trying to kill the PCs. In a game like this, I suppose killing any NPC that steps to the PCs is just expected?

GMs definitely model behavior for PCs through NPC reactions. if every NPC is a jerk, the PCs will always be jerks to the NPCs. If the NPCs would never take prisoners, neither will the PCs. if NPCs never surrender, why would the PCs?

GMs sometimes also try and set up capture or fail states for the PCs as part of the adventure. This is a bummer because its an agency rob of the players in the interest of a promising adventure. Players dont always trust their GM to deliver said adventure. So, you get super paranoid PCs who resort to murder first and get betrayed never as their main methods.

Yeah, I'm definitely not advocating the GM set up the adventure in a way requiring PCs getting captured in order to move the adventure forward. I am more talking about the PCs realizing they are out gunned and rather than going out in a blaze of glory, actually surrending and hoping to escape to fight another day.

You also have some problem players. One type I can think of is the absolutist. These are folks who thought of favored enemy from 3E as "genocidal maniac". I have no idea how this racial hated meme started, but some folks will march a PC to its death because you cant let a thousand gnolls just live can you? Or the ones who have tenets from their gods that they have zero room for nuance. "My god hates undead, I must march into this catacomb and fight a thousand undead this instant!" I have always thought the absolutist style of play to be so caricature and sad.

I have seena few of those players over the years, though admittedly it seems to be a fading trope.

If it is beer and pretzels I guess who cares? Though, if you are trying to immerse in a world and make role play reasonable characters, those things will be roadblocks to a good game.

I agree. if everyone is there just to have a good time, the best choice is always the one that creates the most fun for the most people at the table.

 

[Lanefan]

Do you imagine there's some kind of range between ... "dumb action beer and pretzels game" and a game with "emotionally realistic human characters?"

Hell, I've been doing both at once* for a very long time now and it seems to have worked out OK...





* - or maybe it was "dumb action human characters" and "emotionally realistic beer and pretzels". Who pays attention to these things anyway?

 

[Ace]

Setting and context do matter I suppose. I stopped playing in games like that a long time ago.

As long as everyone is having fun you are doing it right.

 

[Vaalingrade]

The important thing is ruining the game, possibly the campaign and friendships to 'teach' grow folks a lesson.