How do I get my role-players to stop role-playing so much?

[Tsyr]

Re: Always != Usually

There's an entry for Usually already in the MM, Always tends to mean "more than 90-95%" rather than "Around 75%" which I take Usually to mean... I could have gotten the exact numbers wrong, actually, I probably have (the MM is on the bottom of my stack and I don't want to get it)... On that note, I hate it when certain players consistently want to be that "One-In-A-Million" humanoid/evil race PC. Once is good, twice is refreshing, but... man...

I was just using "usualy" as a word to mean most... not an issue of semantics here.

 

[Bonedagger]

Ahh well.

Roll-playing >< Role-playing >< Diceless acting


It's like Ying and Yang. There is only harmony when there is a little of both.

Tell your player that unless it is fun for the rest of the group he/she should stop waisting your time after 10 minutes.

 

[dagger]

If there is any doubt there is no doubt.

 

[Zappo]

Only problem is that, by the book, Always XXXXX Alignment doesn't actualy mean Always XXXXX Alignment, just Usualy XXXXX Alignment

"Always Chaotic Evil" means "Always Chaotic Evil, though we leave room for some weird plot twist". Of the very, very small percentile that isn't Chaotic Evil, the vast majority is either Chaotic Neutral or Neutral Evil. That leaves maybe one or two vampires on the planet who give a damn about goodness.

Vampires in D&D are bloodthirsthy monsters, no two ways about it. You can kill them and not feel bad, unlike orc children. A character who asks to play a vampire "because I want to play an angst-ridden" etcetera might be consciously asking to play a one-in-a-million creature, but it is much more likely that he just hasn't understood what game he's playing.

 

[Vaxalon]

It's hard work DMing for a heavy roleplay group. The prepwork is harder, because you have to make your NPC's more three-dimensional. The demands at the table are more intense as well.

Running a hack and slash game is much easier.

 

[Zappo]

If there is any doubt there is no doubt.

I dunno, I doubt that.

 

[LordAO]

Lord Strad in Ravenloft is a vampire and he is Lawful Evil.

 

[Gizzard]

> While you're there, explain the players that vampires in
> D&D aren't angst-ridden creatures who struggle to cling
> to their humanity, but are instead bloodthirsthy monsters
> who don't really have anything in the humanity department ...

Anyone else have a flashback to that vampire movie with James Woods from a few years back?

One of the few worthwhile scenes in the film is James Woods maniacally lecturing his fellow vampire hunters; something along the lines of -- "Vampires aren't some sort of limp-wristed, angst-ridden Euro-trash. They're a bunch of bloodsucking freaks and if you give them a chance they'll tear your heart out and eat it."

 

[CRG]

I've played alot of Vampire the Masquerade.

In that setting, I'll accept that some large percentage of vampires are really trying to keep their humanity. So be it.

However, I gagged violently at that freaking FFC's Dracula with Wynona Rider and Bill/Ted (can't remember which). Look, the book Dracula even covered this fact.

Sure, he was human.

Sure, his life wasn't perfect.

Now he's an evil undead thing that kills people. Regularly. He's an abomination. He must be destroyed. But I digress.....

The problem may be (horror of horrors) that your group needs to take a break from D&D or maybe you just need a break DMing for them. Have one of them DM for a while, you can play for a while (or do something else, like plan the next series of adventures). The other DM can do what he wants - even turning it into a D&D game where everyone goes to the holodeck on Star Treck:TNG and talks about their feelings for episode after episode after episode....

Ahem.

Sorry.

Can we please just go hunt some bugs?

 

[DPGDarrin]

I think that what you need is a case of evil DMing.

For the person who gave the 20 minute eulogy - applaud them for their creativity (no really, I've never experienced this myself).

For the person that wants to become a vampire - that's great. Let them become one, and then take their character shet away as that character just became one of the chief enemies of the party.

For the other characters that want to quit adventuring - let them do it, and then have them constantly attacked by those that remain of their former enemies.

For the character that comitted suicide - nice touch. No resurrections! IMO, anyone that takes their own life shouldn't get a second chance.

I mean if you get your group together and play, but all they do is hang around the local town, all you'll end up with is a never ending series of tea parties.

BTW, if this is a troll, it raises a very interesting topic, hence you fail.