Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="EzekielRaiden" data-source="post: 6802112" data-attributes="member: 6790260">Well, let's see, I'll consider a few of my past groups.Dungeon World: My character is the voice of reason, who hugs the lower ends of the scale; he regrets ever taking a life, even really awful ones like slaver-goblins, so he's probably a 2 or 3. The other two started off extremely mercenary but at least willing to consider talking, probably 7 or 8. As things have gone on, my character has become more and more the moral compass of the group, earning their trust and demonstrating that there can be other answers, so I'd say we've shifted to 4 or maybe even 3. We will kill, but only after we tried being reasonable.Hiatus 4e game: I'd call it a solid 3.5. We don't take kindly to violence, but we don't attack everything on sight either. We try the nice guy approach, and we take prisoners rather than kill 'em all, but we don't have much compunction against killing.New sci-fantasy 4e game: A wavering 4. My character again regrets taking lives and such, but we're learning how difficult and dangerous taking prisoners can become. As our nominal party leader put it: "I couldn't help thinking the whole time...how much easier it would be just to kill him and be done with it."Sounds like this is something that bothers you. Have you spoken about it with your players? It's always good to be open about things that bother you, especially if the group expects you to DM. It's all about that give-and-take.I *strongly* recommend that you don't try to "mend their ways" without talking with them--if you haven't, that is. Also, remember, for some people it's not at all a matter of "suppressing an urge." It's about catharsis, or about delighting in the crazy. I'm not one of those people, so my feelings on the subject are similar to yours--but that doesn't mean we should try to "educate" others to think or feel the way we do. Just gotta find a way for both sides to feel happy about what's going on.In that direction, again IF you have already mentioned this to your players, consider making efforts in your world to reward offering trust, playing nice, being diplomatic, etc. Put the party in a position where they ARE outnumbered/outgunned/endangered, and actually DO need allies to keep them safe. Make it interesting, rather than heavy-handed: give them options of who to turn to, and make those options have their own quirks and issues (there ain't no such thing as a free lunch). And if they get in over their heads--particularly if they actually face a real TPK--consider giving them a second chance, by being rescued by genuinely noble, but strong, third parties.It's a matter of wooing and enticing, rather than correcting. Show them how murderhoboism can have costs--and how nice it can feel to be met with the smiles and cheers of the villagers, rather than scowls, or worse, torches and pitchforks. How good it is, to know that you've got real allies, who have got your back and can help extricate you from a tight spot when you need the help. How empowering it can be, to find a new challenge and realize, "Hey, wow, we KNOW a guy that specializes in breaking devilish-law contracts...AND HE LIKES US."You don't get people to stop being psychos just by slapping them on the wrists--or punching them in the crotch--whenever they behave like psychos. You get them to change by offering them a reason to want to change.</blockquote>

Verification