Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rhenny" data-source="post: 8444366" data-attributes="member: 18333">I haven’t read all the responses, but I do agree with many I have read that if the party and DM (together) decide to change objectives that don’t call for killing, PC behavior may change.  Mission objectives like, gather intelligence, find and rescue, steal necessary object, explore unknown areas, negotiate with others (including sentient monsters) etc will cut down on killing if the party is composed of more stealthy, charismatic and utility based PCs, but the DM also has to design encounters that are not presented as combats, or give other options when combat breaks out.My favorite trick is to make foes so dangerous (and show it) or make them seem so dangerous that PCs try to avoid them. In a way, I condition the players to avoid combat when possible.  I also give them ways to escape combat.   Plus, I make sure that the sound of battle warns/alerts others so if they fight one group, they may draw more and more enemies into the fray.  Once they know that, they tend to think more before killing.All of this needs the players to buy in to the idea that combat should be rare.  Some groups like this; others hate it.  Using foes that are clearly overpowered can approximate the feeling that a Call of Cthulhu game may engender (fear, insanity, run, investigate to find the answer rather than kill).   It works if that’s what the players sign up for.</blockquote>