Is D&D all about murder and pillaging?

[Sadrik]

Last night my 6 year old son was talking about rocket launchers killing lots of people after having played lego indiana jones and the other lego titles. It really got me thinking about the violent fantasies that we all adore.

D&D and RPing in general is very violent and less remorseful and guilt ridden than the real world. D&D arguably could be the most- with its tag line of, "Kill the monsters and take their stuff". Now we can all understand that it is fantasy and that it is not real and that this is exactly what it is.

It is also a certain jaded cynicism that has taken over many of the games and gamers that I have played with. To show that I think we have all had that "new" gamer join the group. You know the one where they have never played an RPG before and they started interacting like a "real" person in the situations presented by the DM. As opposed to the jaded cynic who wants to cut to the chase all the time in the game. Usually it means, "Its evil, I attack".

Conflict makes for a good story and cosmic good vs. cosmic evil is a great fantasy theme. So how do you separate in your own mind what you do in game?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

"Is D&D all about murder and pillaging?"

Not all about it, just the good parts.

There's a lot of violence in D&D. Just like htere is in video games, movies, etc... Insert unfit-for-these-forums argument baiting (even though it's true) statement about how Americans have some messed up values system where mass murder is ok in our entertainment, but other things like drug use or sex isn't.

To answer your question, how do I seperate it? By realizing that it's make-believe. Sorry to be curt, but really, that's about it.

 

[Crothian]

There is a difference between violence and murder. Killing monsters that are terrorizing a town is not murder. If you don't want murder and just looting then change the motivation of the characters. It's easy to do.

If you want to get rid of the violence then that's a bit more challenging and I'd suggest another RPG that is less violence oriented.

 

[TerraDave]

Just mostly.

 

[pawsplay]

I am a human being, therefore I have the capacity for violence. Killing people in real life bears a careful consideration of the consequences. Killing imaginary people is harmless. There is no corner of the world where human beings are ignorant of murder, theft, and personal tyranny.

 

[M.L. Martin]

Depends on how old school you want to be.

 

[Scribble]

There's also drinking.


And sometimes wenching.

 

[jbear]

I try to give my players a variety of ways to 'win' or end combat than just 'hack anything that moves to death'.

Often that is the case, but on many occaisions it is kill or be killed. If you are attacked by a horde of blood thirty orcs, it's either flee or fight... there is little room to work things out with a friendly chat.

I guess part of the fantasy is that you are in a world where death is far more present and everyday than here on earth where humankinds greatest (and perhaps only) threat is humankind itself.

But, by and large, when all is said and done... yes.

 

[Morrus]

Don't forget the primary D&D activity - graverobbing!

 

[Chrono22]

The best parts of DnD are not the combat. Combat is a medium for acquiring enjoyable experiences. Just like a football game is, or a card game.
We do combat for fun, we don't do fun for combat.