Sociopathic PCs -- an epidemic?

[MarauderX]

I can understand why each would want no connections to the game world as it is. It may be too hard to relate at first, especially if it's a new, strange homebrew. It's too hard to run with or they might not feel they can write up creative connections without getting nixed by the DM (like rogue PCs having pirate friends, or being the daughter of a duke, etc.)

Another way to see it could be given as an example in a campaign I am a player in. One PC is a Ranger and has a favored enemy of some new bad guys storming the world, and even named his wolf animal companion to reflect his commitment to this enemy's doom. Turns out his sister is impregnated by one of them, and wants to run away with him. Will he be a good uncle to her half-child? On top of that his long-lost brother ended up getting whacked, which means he ultimately failed to protect him after rescuing him from the baddies.

In the same campaign, another PC's sister is working for an organization the party has been trying to bring down and has faced her several times. Finally we captured her and are interrogating, but she is supremely confident that her brother will be kind enough to let her go.

Without PC siblings, the players' would have easy decisions and could get on with the killing without the complexities of offing your relatives. That's why I made a PC with little history and less background before he showed up at a monastary in the mountains. Even still, he is not without history, as the DM was clever enough to wrap in some of the monastary items to throw in.

If the PCs all want to be detached from any history in the game world, let them. I would introduce a NPC or two that they could spend time with on journeys from city A to B that could help tell of their deeds as well as be a resource of information for them. Then 10 levels down the road when that NPC is abducted the PCs might have a vested interest in saving him for the sake of his role thus far, not for the cash reward or because someone told them to, but to save him so he can go back to talking them up and feeding them info.

 

[Umbran]

Although I see your point, many campaign worlds are hostile places anyway. Even if their villages aren't killed off by orc barbarians, the whole point behind becoming an adventurer is that the character's life is lacking something, whether excitement or a chance for a better (that is, wealthy) life.

Yah. But that has little to do with whether or not the character has close ties in the land in which the adventures take place. Generally speaking, stable home lives and action and danger don't go together.

If you've got a nice, stable home, you generally have to leave it to find adventure. Or, if you've got a stable home and adventure intrudes, your home gets broken. Either way, you quickly wind up with a lone-wolf adventurer.

I mean, really - read a few Spider Man comics and see how well trying to have a real life and an adventuring life mix!

In real life, there are lots of examples of people doing extremely risky things, such as becoming a sailor or settling in an unknown territory, for a chance to earn a fortune, marry their childhood sweethearts and live a better life than they would have had otherwise.

In real life, there are lots more examples of people doing extremely risky things for a chance to earn a fortune, with the understanding that they're unlikely to ever see their childhood sweethearts again. The usual choice is between staying home as a stableboy/milkmaid, or leaving home to find your fortune, never to be seen again.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

I find that making family important to character status is helpful. For instance, many historical (and thus modern) Earth cultures define the status of a person by their kindred. A person without a family has no family reputation to be measured by, and thus is automatically measured as a lesser person. When a person performs a dishonorable act, it reflects on the family; thus a person without a family is seen as a wild-card, someone with nothing preventing him from being dishonest, disloyal, or treacherous. A person also relies on his kinfolk to prevent being slighted by others; if you kill a man without family, you don't have to worry about his kin declaring a feud, and thus someone that has no kin is more likely to be screwed over or outright slain.

As such, I make it a good thing for PCs to have families, teachers, mentors, associates, etc.; as a result, it is a bad thing not to have them.

 

[Cor Azer]

As such, I make it a good thing for PCs to have families, teachers, mentors, associates, etc.; as a result, it is a bad thing not to have them.

Yup, positive reinforcement.

I like when my players' characters have ties to the rest of the world. It helps build the verisimiltude; lets them see how regular people act ('cause as has been mentioned, adventurers don't rate high on the normality scale).

 

[diaglo]

Like the real player, his characters are unhelpful, arrogant, selfish, and impersonal. They are just dicks, like him.

some people are like this. and i guess you can expect in any world of fantasy that some PCs will be like this too.

 

[der_kluge]

Wasn't there a thread that had a bunch of ideas for background history? Someone might have that bookmarked. If not, would be a good thread to start.

In general though, for some, having a PC with no family connections is an asset, because the DM can't screw with your family.

 

[Torm]

I think maybe it has to do with the idea that heroic characters come from having overcome adversity - and in a lot of cases, its hard to imagine that them overcoming it with the help of a strong close-knit family as being as traumatic or impressive. So the family goes right out of the character background. Look at DC - its hard to think of a mainline character who didn't have some horrible thing happen to family early on - look at Batman or Captain Marvel (DC) - or have some weird estrangement from their family - like Wonder Woman or Jade and Obsidian or (for crying out loud, WHO is her family?!) The Huntress. The best hero I can think of that had a fairly "normal" childhood was Superman - and HIS WHOLE PLANET was destroyed before he was born, he just didn't find that out until he was mostly grown. Hal Jordan - Green Lantern - had a fairly normal childhood, and eventually snapped and became a major villain. Was that BECAUSE he had not been braced with dealing with adversity through his upbringing? (Or maybe just because they needed a gimmick to sell comics - who can say? )

 

[Bendris Noulg]

I think maybe it has to do with the idea that heroic characters come from having overcome adversity - and in a lot of cases, its hard to imagine that them overcoming it with the help of a strong close-knit family as being as traumatic or impressive.

Paul Muad'dib Attreides.

At the same time, I guess people would view Duke Leto, Doctor Yewi, and Duncan being slain, Thufir being captured by the Harkonens, Gurney going outlaw with the smugglers, and Paul and his mother going renegade in the deep desert as "screwing with the PCs family", but such is the plight of heroic characters.

The best hero I can think of that had a fairly "normal" childhood was Superman - and HIS WHOLE PLANET was destroyed before he was born, he just didn't find that out until he was mostly grown.

Kinda makes it hard for his parents to put him into a ship and send him to Earth, don't you think? (i.e., Ky'Rel was an infant when Krypton was destroyed and found by the Kents as a toddler.)

 

[The_Gneech]

I used to have a player many years ago that EVERY character he had came with a personal vendetta (the word he used was bandana, until we figured out what the hell he meant.

*SPEW!*

Ack! My monitor is covered with mocha frappuccino now!

-The Gneech ("I shall wreak my re-ven-gee!")

 

[Elf Witch]

I see these threads pop up every so often. I always amused by them my characters usually have full backgrounds with family and friends a lonewolf type gets boring after a while.

My new character I am playing is a warrior for the church who is married to a cleric and is the mother of a 14 year old.

In a Forgotten Realm game I played in I had a full background for my family including a hook for a possible evil relative.

I don't understand people who say they don't want the DM to be able to screw with them. Come on that is part of the fun having to rescue or get revenge on someone who has hurt your loved ones. It can break up the monotony of looting orcs.

Not even Wolverine is totally alone he comes to care for his fellow teammates.