Assassin Fixation...Psychological Discussion at Work

[Gothmog]

Players that fixate on dark, brooding, tragic assassins that play upon this outcast/misunderstood player concept- maybe you guys are wannabe Vampire players?

In all seriousness, I've noticed a lot of this too over the years- it seems to go hand in hand with the people who love playing drow, or "bad ass" characters. I don't intend for this to sound caustic, but I've had several players in games who insist on playing these types of characters every time, and these players always cause trouble, not due to the character concept so much as their own personalities. IME, people who love the assassin/Batman/drow characters have big problems with authority, see themselves as outcasts and loners who can't trust the world or other people, MUST look cool at all costs, and don't work well as a group.

I know I enjoy play characters who have some similarities to me physically, mentally, or in personality, but with some big twist. (For instance, a warlord named Valdemar who was brash, arrogant, pragmatic to the point of being aloof and basically an all-around bastard- pretty much the opposite of me in temperment- but he was fun). I've only played one assassin, but he wasn't the type we are talking about here really- a gnoll named Bloody Maw who was a ritualized killer for his pack- he'd stalk his prey for weeks before springing on them, and would always kill by tearing the throat out and then consuming some part of the target as a religious rite to gain some part of that victim's essence (no in-game effect- just one of his beliefs). He was a hero to his tribe, but was shunned, feared and hunted outside of it. A fun character for a short-term game, but not for a long-term campaign. So while I understand some need for escapism, it can be taken too far if thats ALL someone is willing to play or is obsessed with assassins/ninja/drow characters.

 

[Satori]

Woas: The hashashyyan...followers of Ibn Al Sabah...developed around the 13th century or so in response to the Crusades. Radical sect of the Ismailis that roosted in Alamut...made use of hashish (hence the names) to induce a state of pliability within which the leader could convince them to die for their people. Rumored to have existed clear up until now, with terrorists as the modern incarnation.

Definately not cool or hip now.

Gothmog: The part about having to ALWAYS LOOK COOL is spot on! As mentioned in a previous post, I was a recovering Drow aholic (some 10-12 years ago) as well! They do definately seem to go hand in hand, which is one reason why my conversation yesterday intrigued me so...it basically asked the question "What was up with me?"

I also think it has to do with players acting out personaes that exhibit traits they otherwise lack (real or perceived). Some serious overcompensation going on...which I was terribly guilty of, when I was younger.

I sure hope I'm better now...else I'll have to posture and beat myself up, all the while looking really cool and not messing up my hair or dropping my shades.

 

[Riggs]

I'd hazard that the characteristics of an assassin that are appealing are basically:
They are deadly, mysterious, 'unfettered' by allies or romantic interests, beholden to none but their current employer, assumed to be fantastically skilled, and feared. Also, they are really easy to play in character if you go stereotypically.

I have played an assassin before, but he was modeled more along the lines of Taltos in Jhereg. More "this is what I do for work" and not "I am the sinister shadow blah blah". But that was a duo campaign, I think it would be hard to have a skulking phantom/ninja type in a varied party.

My characters that fall into a similar psychoanalyzed bucket would tend toward the Bounty Hunter--partially for the icons I like in movies like The Man with No Name, the Fetts, etc. but more than that--they were in control of their fate and gameplan and were assumed to be solo-capable* even though in this game they are in a party(*a Fett joke!). The assumption of complete competence is a draw I bet.
Nobody imagines Assistant Junior Ninjas crunching the rice paper on the training floor getting thwacked by Keye Luke, they envision complete specters of death, etc.

Under Robin's Laws--I am part Specialist, and so I like my characters to be well-known or (in)famous for the thing they are best at. You can feel the inevitablity of Eastwood's cowboy that he IS the fastest gun and he WILL win the gunfight, and it's fun to feel the weight of that force, although we are sure he'll win every time. I think you need Class feature help to make this happen in D&D, since saying with a steely gaze, "My Mage always makes his checks for casting in armor" or "My barbarian is sure to rage at least once a day, and will beat the tar out of something" isn't the same as "My ranger, once on the trail, always brings home an Ogre skull".

jmo

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Chicago Title (Yes, Chicago Title in San Diego),

That's funny - I work at the Chicago Title building (in Chicago). But not for Chicago Title.

 

[LostSoul]

I am one of those guys who likes to play something like the assassin/dark brooding mercenary archetype we're talking about here. Not exactly - more like the outlaw cowboy or something like that. It's my adolescent power fantasy.

Of course, I realize the failings of that type of personality, which is why it is always a goal of mine to have these characters break out of the loner-type and accept the party that they hang out with as a surrogate family, and become a more socially adept character.

Although I still don't put ability point increases into charisma.

 

[Enamel_32]

Because black leather is stylish!



In all seriousness, I like the idea of the ninja/assassin because of their mobility and stealth more than anything else... The mad "you-can't-hit-me" skillz, if you will.

 

[Whimsical]

If you are looking for some player psychology, check out the first chapter of the Dungeon Master's Guide II. Specifically "The indiscriminate thief" (pg. 12), "Supercoolness" (pg. 13), & "Irrisponsibility" (pg. 15)

 

[Rel]

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!

There is just a tremendous amount of hassle and responsibility with being self employed. There is constant pressure to keep your customers happy in order to generate good references. They cancel or reschedule jobs at the last minute and they can be so DAMN picky. Plus, even when you put your company tax ID number RIGHT ON THE INVOICE, they still gotta call and ask you to fax a friggin' W-9 every 5 minutes.

Though, admittedly, that last bit is probably not as much a problem for assassins.


Assassins probably don't have the same kinds of accounts-receivable issues I've got either...

 

[painandgreed]

Because black leather is stylish!



In all seriousness, I like the idea of the ninja/assassin because of their mobility and stealth more than anything else... The mad "you-can't-hit-me" skillz, if you will.

Leather is so 90's. It's all about latex and PVC these days. Synthetics are shiny and show off the hot chick's body better.

Class features are an issue. If paladins had the neat instant death blow, you'd see many more of them being played.

 

[BadMojo]

Definately not cool or hip now.

I don't know. The part about the hashish still sounds cool.

Can't speak to the assassin fixation, but I will add that growing up in the early 80's you couldn't throw a shuriken without hitting a movie featuring ninjas. I bet I saw a dozen ninja movies before I hit my 'teen years.

So, my generation has been programmed to associate ninjas with utter coolness. And weird toe socks.