Assassin Fixation...Psychological Discussion at Work

[Satori]

I work in a Title Insurance building, and several of my co-workers are also gamers. We all belong to the same WoW Guild, several of us play 3.5 DnD on occasion, we'll get together for Halo/Gauntlet/Champions of Norrath parties, etc... We're all around the average age of gamers here (late 20s - early 30s), which often surprises a lot of people when they over hear us talking about Dungeons, Barbarians, Magic, etc...

Anyway, a DnD buddy of mine and I somehow got into a discussion about the Assassin Fixation many MANY players seem to have (take a quick gander at the WoTC Forum to see all the threads about Ninja, Assassins, and Ninja Assassins).

I also have it to a lesser extent, and so we sat around and tried to figure out what about a "Hired Killer" appeals to so many gamers.

My coworker (we'll call him...ZugWiggy) stated that many movies glorify and "cool-ify" the image of a hired killer.

I.E. Replacement Killers, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Point of No Return, The Hunted (Donnie Yen AND Benicio Del Toro), The Professional, etc...

I wondered why more players weren't obsessed with other "cool-ified" concepts like police officers, FBI agents, military personnel, etc... I mean, these guys are usually played by good looking action heroes that always get the girl! Who wouldn't want to emulate these guys?

Instead, you've got a legion of players that fixate on dark, brooding, tragic assassins that play upon this outcast/misunderstood player concept.

ZugWiggy then figured that "Hired Killers" were not only cool, but they were also FEARED.

I thought he might be on to something, as DnD/RPGs focus upon a fantastic break from reality, with the option of portraying an alter ego...

Since many gamers might not be feared/respected/intimidating in real life, they act this out in their alter ego...almost like a multiple personality disorder.

What do you guys think?

How many posters here tend to gravitate towards brooding, misunderstood assassin-types?

How many players know a friend that ALWAYS plays a "TOTALLY SWEET NINJA"?

What other PC concepts are almost always indicative of certain personality traits?

 

[WayneLigon]

You're generally looking at someone who has some deep-seated authority issues. You've never encountered someone who despised authority, no matter what that authority was?

The one major reason they don't want to emulate police officers, FBI Agents and military personnel is that all of those people have bosses. They belong to a central authority and generally uphold the law; even the movie cop that is always skirting the rules still does this.

Dark broody ninja assassins don't have bosses. They do as they wish.
They also don't need anyone else close to them.

 

[Satori]

I can see that, definately.

Maybe players with over-controlling parents?

Also, just to be nit-picky as a former Ninpo practitioner (Real Ninjutsu).

-Most Ninja were historically shown to be Samurai. As such, players who obsess over them for being "Free and Easy" are deluded, as they were more regulated than standard farmers or peasants.

And actually, I have met a lot of people with authority issues...surprisingly, while I was in the Marine Corps.

Why the heck would you join the hardest branch of the military when you don't like being told what to do?

It baffles me.

 

[Henry]

Dark broody ninja assassins don't have bosses. They do as they wish.
They also don't need anyone else close to them.

...Which is a stereotype I desperatedly want to see broken. Ninja in history definitely have bosses - their families. And even contract assassins have obligations to the men and women who hire them. Being mortal, you definitely don't want to either (a) ruin your rep, or (b) have the person who hired you hire someone ELSE to come after YOU for not doing your job!

 

[Mercule]

you definitely don't want to either (a) ruin your rep, or (b) have the person who hired you hire someone ELSE to come after YOU for not doing your job!

IME, both of these are something that a lot of the assassin fanboys ignore, though.

I've got a ranger/assassin character that I've played in a few email games. His generally theory is that it's best to appear good, until you have to do something not-good. Collateral damage creates enemies, calls down the city guard, and blows any chance at subtlety. It seems that the better portion of the other PCs I've gotten in games with are nuts -- chewing up scenery, torturing people, raping innocents, and slaughtering passers-by just to show how "EVUL" they are. There have been a couple of times I've turned my sights on an "ally" because they are a liability to getting a job done.

 

[The Shaman]

Because bad boys get the girls.

 

[Satori]

Because bad boys get the girls.

Actually, we talked about that too!

And I couldn't think of one "Assassin" movie where the Hit Man got the girl...save The Specialist, where he was an ex cop or something.

Its always the good looking heroes that get the girl...but no one plays a good looking hero!

 

[Bastoche]

I think you think too much.

1) RPG provides occasion to do stuff you would never think of doing in real life. Despite what some people would like to believe, there is good and evil in each of us. Playing evil guy allow you to sate such instincts or whatever without having to face real life conscequences. It's healty IMO

2) Most people play the good guy in real life so it's less appealing to play one. I would be much more disturbed about people playing paladins than people playing assassins kidding... No My point number 2 probably is Artemis Entreri. Either you play the ranger drow dual wielding scimitar or you play the cold calishite fighter/assassin.

 

[Satori]

I think that what you're thinking about what I think could possibly inspire me to think more about how I think too much...

What you say is very true, though...I just can't help but notice a certain trend among many players.

What other trends have you guys noticed?

 

[Aus_Snow]

Its always the good looking heroes that get the girl...but no one plays a good looking hero!

Whoa there - no-one does what? Eek!

I'd hazard a guess that there's only a minority of roleplayers fixating on assassin-types.

And those, because the image is 'cool'. Maybe also because it's a character type whose methods lend themselves more readily (more obviously) to 'getting away with stuff'.