Should a DM change an official NPC?

[Grazzt]

Wow, greymarch. Your group's take on D&D is sure different than anyone else's that I've talked to. You are welcome to it, of course.

Agreed. That is about the most close-minded approach to D&D (or a game in general) that I've seen.

And as was pointed out above, what if your players go into some city in FR and do something that significantly alters the power structure or what have you? Do you just ignore it at the next gaming session (since it isn't "canon") or do you continue with what happened in YOUR game.

I mean, if you suddenly pick up Drizzt as an NPC in your party, for example, and he dies in the course of an adventure, you have altered the Realms. Now does it count or do you blow it off since Drizzt hasnt died officially yet?

 

[greymarch]

Since D&D books sell much better than any other roleplaying books, and Forgotten Realms material sells better than any other campaign setting, it is reasonable to deduce that at least a few players, if not many players, feel the same way I do. My gaming group consists of about 10 guys, and all of them feel the same way I do, so I know from that fact alone that I am not the only one who demands an authentic FR campaign.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

My gaming group wants to play an authentic Forgotten Realms campaign. The quality of the material doesnt matter.

Which Elminster do you use? The official WotC one, or the official WotC one? Does ELH supercede FRCS since ELH was published more recently? Or does FRCS supercede ELH since FRCS is the actual campaign setting book?


[edit - fix typos]

 

[RobNJ]

greymarch - what was the intent of your original post?

To deflect from an honest question on a different topic.

 

[greymarch]

I think the nature of these messageboards must also be taken into account. The kids who fill the Enworld messageboards are very independent from WOTC. If you started this same discussion at the official WOTC boards, you would get more responses similar to mine.

I think you must also take into account the people I play D&D with. We are all 29 to 31 years old, have bachelor's and master's degrees, and have no problem with authority whatsoever. The fact that the Forgotten Realms are the most popular campaign setting only makes it more likely that we will want to keep playing it. We know that the most popular campaign setting will get the most attention, and thus the most material printed for it.

 

[Grazzt]

Since D&D books sell much better than any other roleplaying books, and Forgotten Realms material sells better than any other campaign setting, it is reasonable to deduce that at least a few players, if not many players, feel the same way I do. My gaming group consists of about 10 guys, and all of them feel the same way I do, so I know from that fact alone that I am not the only one who demands an authentic FR campaign.

Actually I think you may be way off the mark with this. Yes, FR sells. Yes it is the most supported game world to date. However, I wonder how many people buy the books to use some of the ideas in their own world? I did. I hate the Realms. Always have (reasons don't really matter). But, I own all the 1e, most of the 2e, and all the 3e Realms stuff. Why? Because I use some of the mechanics and ideas in my campaign. Have I ever run or played in the Realms? Yes, a long time ago. And I hated it.

So, just because the books sell well, doesn't mean that everyone that buys the books plays the Realms as written or demands an authentic version of the Realms. I know a lot of gamers than play in the Realms and they run their version. Now does that make it bad or wrong since they have changed the Realms for their game?

 

[greymarch]

Since we use epic rules, and since the ELH came out after the FRCS, we use the Elminister from the ELH.

 

[barsoomcore]

Since D&D books sell much better than any other roleplaying books, and Forgotten Realms material sells better than any other campaign setting, it is reasonable to deduce that at least a few players, if not many players, feel the same way I do.

This isn't an attack, greymarch, but I have to admit that I am fascinated by the way in which you reason. I've noticed this in a number of posts of yours -- your idea of what constitutes evidence or even proof seems markedly different from mine.

Can you walk me through the reasoning in your comment above? Is it as simple as High D&D Book Sales + High FR Material Sales = Players Who Don't Accept Changes From The Published Information?

How do you account for the fact that many people purchase these books in order to make changes and squeeze them into their own campaigns? What evidence is there that EVERYBODY isn't doing this? Besides your group, that is. Is there evidence that anybody else plays the way you do? I mean, to me, the evidence you presented isn't evidence at all. I don't see any logical relationship between the assertions (High Book and Material Sales) and the conclusion (People Don't Want Changes).

I'm just curious. I don't consider you closed-minded or weird or anything, but I am wildly curious about the manner in which you draw your conclusions. It just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Grazzt]

I think the nature of these messageboards must also be taken into account. The kids who fill the Enworld messageboards are very independent from WOTC. If you started this same discussion at the official WOTC boards, you would get more responses similar to mine.

Of course the differences over there abound. The boards there are filled with WotC fanboys who think that if they agree with everything WotC spouts and hang on their every word that something good will come to them. Like WotC will notice or care more about them. Don't believe me. Hang out there for a while. I set my account up on the WotC boards a very long time ago (check my member #), but don't spend time there any more. Voicing an opinion over there that is contrary to the masses gets you flamed. WotC's boards are simply filled with kids and fanboys. Period. I have better things to do than listen to a bunch of fanboys praise WotC every time they sneeze or whatever.

I think you must also take into account the people I play D&D with. We are all 29 to 31 years old, have bachelor's and master's degrees, and have no problem with authority whatsoever. [/B]

I guess I should be impressed, but not really. This really has nothing to do with anything. My group all have Bachelors degrees (or higher). We are all 31+. Last time I checked none of us have a problem with authority at all. What exactly does this all have to do with wanting to play in an "official" version of the Realms or what does any of this have to do with whether it is good or bad to change NPCs?

 

[IceBear]

I think you must also take into account the people I play D&D with. We are all 29 to 31 years old, have bachelor's and master's degrees, and have no problem with authority whatsoever. The fact that the Forgotten Realms are the most popular campaign setting only makes it more likely that we will want to keep playing it. We know that the most popular campaign setting will get the most attention, and thus the most material printed for it.

I suspect that most of us are the same as you. I'm 31 (soon to be 32) and my group is of similar age with a wide variety of gaming backgrounds. None of us can even fanthom this concept that you've brought up.

IceBear