must. rant. now.

[Saeviomagy]

Talk to the other players. If they like hack & slash, then let them keep doing it, and move on. Find another group.

Don't talk to the GM and try to get him to change the game unless the other players are happy with it.

 

[Gunslinger]

I know how you feel. The party necromancer has extremly short temper and unfortunately he carries around our wand of fireball (yes, we were rich - we had just robbed a ton of gold from an orcish mine). He has gotten the party into 3 unnecessary fights so far, 1 of them against an CR group of enemies (this was when we were 3rd level ). The only thing that prevented a TPK was the rogue's insane hide bonus. After everyone else died (quickly) he alternately hid and fireballed the enemies. Eventually he killed them and we were raised by our rather angry employer. Just be glad your group doesn't bite off more than they can chew...

 

[SamuraiY]

I sympathize with you. My party just tried to take on an army of orcs, ogres, and hill giants who were securely entrenched in a dwarven stronghold

We were at second and third level

 

[fusangite]

Sounds like it's time to assemble a new gaming group. Looks like you and your DM could form the core of a new group that shares your desired emphasis on role playing.

I don't think there's any point in trying to change the other people who legitimately enjoy their kind of play.

 

[Angcuru]

My philosopy : Violence is not my favored course of action, but if you choose to take that course with me, you had best be a peace with your gods.

Hmm... Seems that your pals like hack&slash while you like the deep intrigue and acutal role-play. From what I've seen, the older you get, the more into role-play you get, since combat eventually becomes a sort of repetetive hell if that's all there is.

Another good reason to avoid combat when possible to time conservation. If you're a teen in today's world, you don't have a lot of time on your hands. That time must be used wisely. Unfortunately, combats take up huge amounts of time, even though they pass by in a flash. The more time you spend out of combat, the more time you have for the finer points of gaming.

 

[Endur]

Part of it may be location.

Some gamers see orcs and they think "COMBAT".

Maybe if your GM ran a couple of adventures where all you did was role-play in town. Visit nobles. Attend parties. Negotiate with Merchants. etc.

If all you are seeing are civilized races and not orcs, the natural tendency to hack may be reduced.

 

[cimerians]

Think

D&D is a combat oriented game. Always has been but moreso in this version.

Simply create adventures that feature more role-playing.

If its a player problem try to make them fearful of attacking that next group of orcs. (Try making encounters a bit tough so next time they opt to think before they strike).

Your are the DM.

Simply use your powers as game master and most important, imagination.

 

[Dash Dannigan]

Joe,

Take a moment and step back from the game for a bit. Now, what prevents you from playing in other D&D games? Perhaps your DM might run a more rp orientated game with different players, perhaps he'll play with you in another game group. If you can then do so! Try to cherish the group you have now for what they are: A bunch of glory-hounding hackslashers in it for blood and gold, and enjoy it! Both ways have their fun, they are just different styles as we all well know. If I did nothing but straight roleplay all the time I'd make myself sick, afterall what kind of heroes just dallied about for an entire month just chatting with folk?? Epic tales demand epic accomplishments, be they diplomatic or action-packed, and so on...

Each game group has its own distictive style and flavor to it. You cannot necessarily change a group, a group will grow and mature to reach its potential as a game group, but nay they do not change who they are, so don't try. Instead seek out, recruit, and convert other like-minded players/DMs. Don't rant when you can act! Is it so difficult? I ask because depending on where you live it may very well be. Then there are time constraints when considering multiple games...in that sense everyone else has given apt advice for you.

Best of luck!

 

[Bagpuss]

From what I've seen, the older you get, the more into role-play you get, since combat eventually becomes a sort of repetetive hell if that's all there is.

I would say its the longer you play no an age thing. When players start out combat is an easy thing to grasp as that's the board game aspect of roleplaying and rolling dice moving a counter is something most people are already familiar with. You can also see instant returns, enemy counter is removed, you get the treasure, you "Win". The roleplaying aspects of the game is not so obvious to newer players, and the rewards arn't as obvious.

Saying that we have one player in our group that has been playing for as long as I remember and still likes the hack/slash/violence route, which he readily admits is an outlet for stress from his day job.

 

[Silver Moon]

Been there, done that. Back in the year 2000 I ran what became an extended hack'n'slash campaign. It wasn't designed as that, but one player turned into a 'power player' and drove the rest of the group into all combat encounters that could have been played out otherwise.

What eventually turned it back to more role playing was my having the NPC's initiate coversation rather than combat with the PC's. While some players will always think with a sword first, you hopefully have a few who will pick another path when one is put right in front of them.