Pregnancy and newborns...

[Son of the Serpent]

I gave a thumbs up for this sentiment. I think for me it less that the thread is uncomfortable but more "who would get Involved in that game and think it would be a good game?"

Over the years I have avoided a lot of drama with a quick and decisive sense of when moving on would provide a larger fun to cringe ratio. I also avoid the "easily triggered" player as well. I have rarely wasted more than one session on cringing or walking too carefully.

In the present case I would be moving on to epic battles and leaving the cringe behind.

As it was said, so much nope.

I agree with this sentiment.

Over many years weve gad very few pregnancies and they never involved anyone weirdly obsessing over them. They were also always things which occurred inthe interest of realism. Not in the interest of a weirdo playing out their fetish.

As a general rule of thumb, if anything gets in the way of fun, realism, and cool stories, it doesnt belong in d&d. If it is anything that doesnt check any of those boxes then with the right context, it belongs.

 

[Ovinomancer]

I agree with this sentiment.

Over many years weve gad very few pregnancies and they never involved anyone weirdly obsessing over them. They were also always things which occurred inthe interest of realism. Not in the interest of a weirdo playing out their fetish.

As a general rule of thumb, if anything gets in the way of fun, realism, and cool stories, it doesnt belong in d&d. If it is anything that doesnt check any of those boxes then with the right context, it belongs.

I find "realism" often gets in the way of fun and good stories.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

I find "realism" often gets in the way of fun and good stories.

Sounds like a difference in taste for fun and good stories.

Or for realism. Could go either way without more context.

Ah well.

 

[Jd Smith1]

I gave a thumbs up for this sentiment. I think for me it less that the thread is uncomfortable but more "who would get Involved in that game and think it would be a good game?"

Over the years I have avoided a lot of drama with a quick and decisive sense of when moving on would provide a larger fun to cringe ratio. I also avoid the "easily triggered" player as well. I have rarely wasted more than one session on cringing or walking too carefully.

In the present case I would be moving on to epic battles and leaving the cringe behind.

As it was said, so much nope.

Likewise.

As I once told a player, "This is a fantasy game, but not that fantasy."

 

[Jd Smith1]

I find "realism" often gets in the way of fun and good stories.

I find the best stories come from the pursuit of realism.

 

[Bohandas]

It's troubling - the mysogyny and arrogance expressed in some of the posts in this thread. I think some of us could be more considerate of others, and less judgemental.

You're the one making the unspoken assumption that its only the male PCs spending all their money on whores

 

[generic]

I've never once had a pregnancy in my games. Generally, my group avoids having relationships with NPCs that become romantic, as allies fall far too often. There's too much misery in adventuring for a romance to blossom...

Not that I'm against those NPC relations, it is simply that they do not happen.

 

[Ovinomancer]

I find the best stories come from the pursuit of realism.

It's my experience that when "realism" is cited, it's just to needlessly restrict things to fit the DM's opinion of how much harder it should be for the players.

Now, if by realism you mean adherence to genre tropes, we're good, but few people actually mean that and instead mean it as "fits my preconceptions."

 

[Ovinomancer]

You're the one making the unspoken assumption that its only the male PCs spending all their money on whores

No, I think they're pointing out the actual misogyny. Protip: who pays for whores for whom has nothing to do with the misogyny on display in this thread.

 

[generic]

It's my experience that when "realism" is cited, it's just to needlessly restrict things to fit the DM's opinion of how much harder it should be for the players.

Now, if by realism you mean adherence to genre tropes, we're good, but few people actually mean that and instead mean it as "fits my preconceptions."

This has not been the case in my experience. Rather, I see realism cited as a way to increase verisimilitude. And, for some, the greater the verisimilitude, the greater the fun.