Looting bodies. Eww.

[Voadam]

Why is it logical to assume looting? Everyone is doing that, and I'm just asking why. Just becasue its fantasy and that's what people did in the old days? Didn't see much looting in Tolkien or other traditional fantasy.

Hobbits take swords from barrow wights' tomb.

Legolas takes arrows from dead orcs after he runs out of his own.

I can't remember any specific instances of body looting described (been a while since I've read these), but there is plenty of general pillaging in Conan and Elric stories when wars hit cities or other populated areas.

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser when they first meet they simultaneously take out thieves guild thieves and loot the bodies, becoming adventuring buddies from then on.

What fantasy are you thinking of?

 

[ssampier]

What the games says verse what happens in a game session are two different things. We all know that. And not all RPGs say that you should have fun. But people do anyone. Just like looting, people do it but the books don't tell you to. What other underlying assumptions are there? These books are written for people new to the hobby as well as who have been in for years. They are written for an international audience as well. If these unwriutten assumptions are intended, then they messed yup becasue no everyone will make the same assumptions.

Look, I'm not about create a long treatise explaining these "underlying assumptions" and how they benefit or hinder the game. I am merely pointing out that history and tradition influence the game. I am well aware that everyone does not play this way, but I'm fairly sure most people do.

You've made your argument, but I still cannot fanthom why you'd object to looting bodies. It's only a game. In real life I wouldn't hurt really hurt anyone (unless I REALLY had to), but in the fantasy world, I have no qualms about smashing in kobold skulls or roasting dragon meat for dinner. It is unfair and unrational to assume that fantasy characters should abide by modern ethic, religious, and cultural standards.

Why is it logical to assume looting? Everyone is doing that, and I'm just asking why. Just becasue its fantasy and that's what people did in the old days? Didn't see much looting in Tolkien or other traditional fantasy. In Medival days there were laws against it and people who did where looked down on as criminals.

True, but I also didn't see any bathroom breaks either. The Tolkien characters never really risk their fictional lives, because they are the protagonists, the heroes. Thus, it is possible the hobbits could face mortal danger with only a dagger, because the writer, J.R.R. Tolkein, wants them to. I, however, like an element of versitimude to my games.

Player characters facing danger have a potential of dying. If they face a danger and succeed, I want them to be rewarded. Letting the characters take the weapons of their fallen enemies is giving them adequate reward. You'd be surprised what an Orc barbarian with a Battle Axe +1 can do. This encounter is more challenging than just giving the PCs a random item at a random time.

But I digress, looting is only a part of D&D in you place it there because it sure isn't there as I read the books. Creative DMs can easily have other ways to reward the players, and many people on these boards probalby have. But looting is the easiest and most direct way. I won't argue that.

I guess I'm not very creative then. I give out XP bonuses for good roleplay, I reward clever ideas, and I give adequate treasure for their party size (yes, some of it is located on the body) .

 

[Sandain]

The looting of bodies killed by melee weapons isn't so bad. What about those killed by Fireball or that you burn to death with alchemists fire? What good aligned PC would willingly watch someone burn to death in horrible agony?

I once graphically described the carnage to a mage who fireballed a group of bandits who calmly expected to loot the bodies easily. He got very mad when all the weapons were burnt and half melted. The potions had all shattered from the heat, and the coins were fused together with bone and hair.

 

[Sejs]

What good aligned PC would willingly watch someone burn to death in horrible agony?

Most of them, I'd imagine. Particularly if they were the ones who set said people on fire in the first place. With adventurers, this is often the case.

If it's some innocent dude who happens to be on fire, sure you put him out rather than wait for him to die, if you're the good guys.

If it's some black-hearted villianous bastard who happens to be on fire because you went and applied fire to him, then no - you don't put him out just because it hurts. It's supposed to hurt. Besides, if he wasn't evil, wicked, mean and nasty then he wouldn't be on fire to begin with. It's his own fault, really.

 

[Celtavian]

re

If adventurers are even going to bother to risk their lives in battle and dangerous locales, you can be damn sure their going to take the booty from their kills. Otherwise why even bother. It would have been a waste of time to be an adventurer risking life and limb to come home poor with a good tale.

The slight disturbance of looting a dead body has to be real low on the list of concerns for an adventurer. The bigger concern is not becoming the dead body someone else is looting. That would suck.

 

[Bloodsparrow]

Gary Jackson (of Knights of the Dinner Table fame) had an excellent, albeit disgusting, idea for roleplaying your characters searching dead bodies. His idea was that, to simulate what its like poking and prodding a corpse for valuables, put some coins on the table, and then lay down some harvested roadkill on top of them, and have your players get the coins...that'll show them what it's like for their characters to be looting corpses.

Enjoy!

Can't we just go the more simple, and less smelly, route of the Elementary School "Haunted Mystery Box"? The procurement of cold spaghetti, pealed grapes, and jello involve less driving around and potential damage to one's muffler.

The slight disturbance of looting a dead body has to be real low on the list of concerns for an adventurer. The bigger concern is not becoming the dead body someone else is looting. That would suck.

Truer words were never spoken.

If it's some black-hearted villianous bastard who happens to be on fire because you went and applied fire to him, then no - you don't put him out just because it hurts. It's supposed to hurt. Besides, if he wasn't evil, wicked, mean and nasty then he wouldn't be on fire to begin with. It's his own fault, really.

... I spoke too soon.

 

[Crothian]

You've made your argument, but I still cannot fanthom why you'd object to looting bodies. .

Yes I have and you had some good responses. I only am replying to this because I have no objection to looting bodies. I'm just offering an opposite viewpoint for people and perhaps someone will see it and think of something fun for their game.

 

[Staffan]

I once graphically described the carnage to a mage who fireballed a group of bandits who calmly expected to loot the bodies easily. He got very mad when all the weapons were burnt and half melted. The potions had all shattered from the heat, and the coins were fused together with bone and hair.

I'd be pretty upset about that too. There are rules in the game for damaging items carried by those hit by spells, and they generally don't generate that kind of results - rather, on a natural 1 on the save, there is a risk that one item will be damaged/destroyed. If a DM did that, I'd feel like he was trying to nerf my character's main ability.