In my games I define what is evil. Then let the players know and base actions from that. Once players know what being evil means, not too many want to be. It also provides a chance of redemption.
How do you handle evil?
- Thread starter Scruffy nerf herder
- Start date
delericho
Legend
That really hasn't been my experience. I've found that those players who are a problem with an evil-aligned PC play differently if the game just doesn't include alignment. It's almost as if there's something in them that needs to rebel, and if you remove the perceived authority of a stated alignment there's nothing to rebel against.
Of course, my experience isn't universal.
That said, the rest of my answer still applies: if the character is evil in a 'fun' way, there's no problem; if not, there is. I really don't care about PCs murdering NPCs, in and of itself - they're not real, so there's no actual harm done. I just adjudicate the consequences, and we go from there.
Enevhar Aldarion
Hero
I have never once played in a game, or run a game, where the player of an Evil PC did not end up acting the total asshat. Even friends who would normally play a great Good or Neutral PC. So I never allow Evil PCs in any game I run, and I have sat out campaigns that included Evil PCs, as I am just not comfortable around that type of play.
But one thing I think people are overlooking in this discussion is the anti-hero. There may be a fine line, but there is a still a big difference between an anti-hero and an evil character, especially in the usual fantasy time period-equivalent setting.
But one thing I think people are overlooking in this discussion is the anti-hero. There may be a fine line, but there is a still a big difference between an anti-hero and an evil character, especially in the usual fantasy time period-equivalent setting.
payn
Glory to Marik
Good point. Anti-hero is the way to go in a morally mixed group. Even then, they tend to have problems not playing together well, but at least they can work together.
le Redoutable
Ich bin El Glouglou :)
also bad people produce good guys;
so if there were no bad people, how do good people climb in levels ( like Truth instead of Bluff )
so,
Evil ===> Technics
Good ==> Empathy
Lawful ==> Music/Spirit
Chaotic ==> Breath/Stun
( and Neutral was called Physics )
so if there were no bad people, how do good people climb in levels ( like Truth instead of Bluff )
so,
Evil ===> Technics
Good ==> Empathy
Lawful ==> Music/Spirit
Chaotic ==> Breath/Stun
( and Neutral was called Physics )
RuinousPowers
Hero
A lot of things certain people describe as evil, I consider fall under neutral. Evil is truly disturbing, and usually involves hurting the innocent. The Punisher isn't evil to me, he's a shade of neutral.
I really hate the "he's evil, but he doesn't do anything wrong" type characters. The "he's a great guy, but if you mess with him he's a bad dude". To me that would be used to describe neutral, or even good characters. Evil characters to me are EVIL- literally described as demonic and diabolic. Anything less doesn't deserve to be considered evil.
I really hate the "he's evil, but he doesn't do anything wrong" type characters. The "he's a great guy, but if you mess with him he's a bad dude". To me that would be used to describe neutral, or even good characters. Evil characters to me are EVIL- literally described as demonic and diabolic. Anything less doesn't deserve to be considered evil.
Hm.
Villains by Necessity, by Eve Forward. Currently out of print, this is the story of a D&D party (with serial numbers filed off) in a world in which Good has won. And that's a problem. The main characters find that in order to save the world, they must be evil. The evil is thus mitigated by the fact that they don't actually want to to be evil.
Grunts, by Mary Gentle. This is Lord of the Rings, from the orcs' point of view, when the orcs find a cache of modern military hardware. The thing that makes the protagonists' villainy tolerable is that this is a comedy, and villainy in comedy works by different standards.
RuinousPowers
Hero
I don't see him shooting anyone. Plus, I would put this panel in the same category as the ones where Superman and Batman just go around acting like dicks.
