Forcing Players to create GOOD characters...
- Thread starter wolfen
- Start date
Dark Jezter
First Post
I prefer my players play good or neutral alignments; mainly because a lot of players think that Evil means "backstab your fellow party members at the first opportunity."
abri
Mad Scientist
Well, since I've been in the state I've DMed 3 campaign and played in 8 others:
I've actually played an evil character only in one, and neutral in 3.
But In all the campaign I've DMed there was at least one evil PC. And in the one I played in there always was several neutral characters.
It really depend what evil character it is: the DM just loved the evil character I played (manipulator, never does evil himself, always thinks about his action) and I liked some of the neutral/evil character my players had: one was a elven bard ready to do ANYTHING to gain informations, which she considered the ultimate power, but she would never do anything that would compromise her, so it was no problem for me to have her in the campaign.
On the other hand I never had an evil psychopath in a campaign.
Julien
I've actually played an evil character only in one, and neutral in 3.
But In all the campaign I've DMed there was at least one evil PC. And in the one I played in there always was several neutral characters.
It really depend what evil character it is: the DM just loved the evil character I played (manipulator, never does evil himself, always thinks about his action) and I liked some of the neutral/evil character my players had: one was a elven bard ready to do ANYTHING to gain informations, which she considered the ultimate power, but she would never do anything that would compromise her, so it was no problem for me to have her in the campaign.
On the other hand I never had an evil psychopath in a campaign.
Julien
Everyone's making a lot of sense. I can see that a Good-only campaign might be ok if designed by the right person.
But I'm not talking about NON-EVIL campaigns. I'm talking about DM's that require good. Even Lawful Neutral is not allowed.
Isn't that a little extreme? I mean, if a Lawful Neutral character can't find any motivation to engage in your plot, it just seems that the plot is the problem not the character. Heroic or no.
wolfen
But I'm not talking about NON-EVIL campaigns. I'm talking about DM's that require good. Even Lawful Neutral is not allowed.
Isn't that a little extreme? I mean, if a Lawful Neutral character can't find any motivation to engage in your plot, it just seems that the plot is the problem not the character. Heroic or no.
wolfen
Creamsteak
Explorer
I will let a player play an "evil" character, but only if I know the player's understanding of evil and my own are similar. Alignment itself is rather useless though, in my experience. It's only purpose is for spells and spell like abilities, nothing else.
Oni
First Post
I could see doing it for flavor reasons but all the time might get old. I usually play good characters but I like to have the choice. Choice is a good thing often, though limitations can push creativity sometimes it's good to have the opportunity to try something totally different. For instance I've only played one evil character, but I had a blast in doing so, glad I had the chance (most of the campaigns I've played in say no evil characters so I grabbed it while I could).
Now what I wonder is anyone out the has a no good characters rule?
Now what I wonder is anyone out the has a no good characters rule?
The second game I ever DMed I forced people to have a good alignment. My reasons were thus:
1. Unlike the first group I DMed, these people were experienced gamers. Thus, they were able to take advantage of law or other situations of the game world more readily then newbies. Forcing a good alignment removed the blatent temptation of working the system.
2. We had a couple people that only played chaotic neutral, only so they didn't have to conform to anything they didn't want to. Everyone in the group was rather tired of that, so to mask keeping them in line I required the good alignment for all.
3. I am a fairly new DM. I didn't want to have to deal with the town watch and city guard having to arrest the players during what should have been a simple investigation (and might have turned into a bloodbath if I had given certain individuals free reign).
I'm slowly being able to deal with different types of characters (heck I'm DMing Arcana Unearthed, which is a lot more difficult in terms of morality), but for new DMs, having a slightly more predictable party is an asset.
1. Unlike the first group I DMed, these people were experienced gamers. Thus, they were able to take advantage of law or other situations of the game world more readily then newbies. Forcing a good alignment removed the blatent temptation of working the system.
2. We had a couple people that only played chaotic neutral, only so they didn't have to conform to anything they didn't want to. Everyone in the group was rather tired of that, so to mask keeping them in line I required the good alignment for all.
3. I am a fairly new DM. I didn't want to have to deal with the town watch and city guard having to arrest the players during what should have been a simple investigation (and might have turned into a bloodbath if I had given certain individuals free reign).
I'm slowly being able to deal with different types of characters (heck I'm DMing Arcana Unearthed, which is a lot more difficult in terms of morality), but for new DMs, having a slightly more predictable party is an asset.
Bleys
First Post
On a more serious side... I think it's difficult to really determine if a DM who requires all players to be of a specific alignment (good in this case) is doing it because of limits to DM and/or story-writing ability without having played with said DM.
For the games I run, I am pretty open to just about anything that a player wants to submit, as long as there has been thought and work put behind the character. I've run and played in all-evil games, but I don't think I've ever played (or run) an only good game... could be fun to try out, though
For the games I run, I am pretty open to just about anything that a player wants to submit, as long as there has been thought and work put behind the character. I've run and played in all-evil games, but I don't think I've ever played (or run) an only good game... could be fun to try out, though
Gothmog
First Post
Bleys said:But was it night? And were there a Million Zillion of them? And were they disguised as a hedge and/or have a chimney thrown at them?
Yes, it was night- a dark and stormy one. There were 46 of them, with another 57 hiding nearby motionless as evil-looking yard gnomes. No chimney-pitching, but as I recall a porch swing was used to devastating effect.
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