D&D 5E Are humanoid mono-cultures being replaced with the Rule of Three?

[Mercurius]

I get that D&D is a safe playspace.

But for that reason too, there is no problem if your character is Evil, because the character goes around murdering innocent orcs.

I personally don't get off on playing evil characters, so wouldn't "go around murdering innocent orcs." But I would play a character that kills orcs that are attacking the party, or even raids an orc cave if it fits the story.

That said, as DM I like to throw in little ethical quandaries. The party is attack by orc raiders, kills them, then tracks their passage and finds a small settlement with starving orc children, mothers, and elders, discovering that the orcs were raiding because they needed food and supplies. Or somesuch. What do the PCs do? Do they help the orcs? Do they leave them alone? Most people I've played with wouldn't kill the village.

 

[Reynard]

I personally don't get off on playing evil characters, so wouldn't "go around murdering innocent orcs." But I would play a character that kills orcs that are attacking the party, or even raids an orc cave if it fits the story.

That said, as DM I like to throw in little ethical quandaries. The party is attack by orc raiders, kills them, then tracks their passage and finds a small settlement with starving orc children, mothers, and elders, discovering that the orcs were raiding because they needed food and supplies. Or somesuch. What do the PCs do? Do they help the orcs? Do they leave them alone? Most people I've played with wouldn't kill the village.

Boy would I NOPE right out of that game, then and there.

Orcs are evil monsters? Fine.
Orcs are just like anyone else? Fine.
Haha! I tricked you into murdering destitute outcasts! Hell no.

 

[Yaarel]

That said, it would be interesting to see a WotC adventure that was basically, "PCs are drow who wake up from the evil of their culture and work to free others of their kind from Lolth's influence." Or some such.

"PCs are drow who wake up from the evil of their culture." That is pretty much my understanding of what the 5e Players Handbook says. ... Heh, and what the designers are trying to fix.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Boy would I NOPE right out of that game, then and there.

Orcs are evil monsters? Fine.
Orcs are just like anyone else? Fine.
Haha! I tricked you into murdering destitute outcasts! Hell no.

On this, we agree.

Except with 'Xare evil monsters' of course.

 

[ph0rk]

On this, we agree.

Except with 'Xare evil monsters' of course.

Presumably many bandits have families.

Me, I just play characters that are fine with that and kill the bandits anyway.

 

[Mercurius]

Boy would I NOPE right out of that game, then and there.

Orcs are evil monsters? Fine.
Orcs are just like anyone else? Fine.
Haha! I tricked you into murdering destitute outcasts! Hell no.

Except it wouldn't be murder if they were attacked, so there would be no "trick." But for those wanting realism, well, there you have it. Raiders may have a reason to raid other than just killing people and taking their stuff.

But again, we're talking about a game set in a fantasy world. The point is to role-play a different person in a different world than what you are, whether they align with your ethics or not. You play the context.

 

[Thunder Brother]

Presumably many bandits have families.

Families that may not care whether the bandit lives or dies, given their line of work. And I agree, DnD generally expects a certain comfort or acceptance with death and violence, at leasts that's how I have generally played my characters.

On this, we agree.

Except with 'Xare evil monsters' of course.

I generally have little problem with "evil races*". I'm of the opinion that every fantasy games needs their own version of Beastmen/Broo/Darkspawn, etc; a race of evil monsters that are essentially irredeemable, their humanoid appearance simply being something that makes them extra monstrous.

*species is honestly the better term here, but maybe sounds too scientific for fantasy.

 

[Mercurius]

"PCs are drow who wake up from the evil of their culture." That is pretty much my understanding of what the 5e Players Handbook says. ... Heh, and what the designers are trying to fix.

Again, I don't see that as needing "fixing." There is nothing wrong with a fantasy evil culture. I don't have a problem an inherently evil fantasy race either, but it seems the line has now been pushed back even further and people won't even accept the idea of an evil fantasy culture, with no apparent reason other than what (they think) it implies about certain real world cultures.

 

[Reynard]

Except it wouldn't be murder if they were attacked, so there would be no "trick." But for those wanting realism, well, there you have it. Raiders may have a reason to raid other than just killing people and taking their stuff.

But again, we're talking about a game set in a fantasy world. The point is to role-play a different person in a different world than what you are, whether they align with your ethics or not. You play the context.

If they were "real people" they would cut and run when it became apparent they were getting slaughtered by the PCs. "Real people" don't fight to the death, especially when all they want is food.

 

[ph0rk]

If the “evil” elves were decadent high elves with white hair it probably wouldn’t have been the problem it became. They had several decades to reverse course, but they leaned in to Salvatore’s poor writing anyway.


And, really, decadent high elves with a failing social structure isn’t even than hard to grok (well, maybe for people with certain ideas of elves). They don’t even need to be big-e evil, just decadent, selfish, and isolationist.