D&D General The Case for Evil Orcs (Minor Rings of Power Spoilers)

[Maxperson]

Okay, so do we want Good and Evil, or do we want to not have to think about moral implications?

We can have both. We can have inherent good and evil that we don't have to think about, and races that aren't inherently evil where we do have to consider moral implications.

 

[Micah Sweet]

The funny thing is, in my own games orcs and similar humanoids can be anything they want, even if many are evil by human standards. I just object to giving people a hard time about it if they play differently at their own tables.

 

[Mecheon]

Why moralise of killing orcs (inherently evil or not), when we don't moralise over killing enemy soldiers, stormtroopers, terrorists, etc in other settings, or punching Nazi's in real life?

Because one of those is fighting someone because they're opposed to you on an idealogical level, and the other is going after them because of how they born. How are these even comparable? You're comparing an entire race, literately available for anyone to play as an option, to an idealogical choice

Going after the soldiers of the Jerk Empire is a vastly different thing than targetting someone because of how they were born

 

[Micah Sweet]

Because one of those is fighting someone because they're opposed to you on an idealogical level, and the other is going after them because of how they born. How are these even comparable? You're comparing an entire race, literately available for anyone to play as an option, to an idealogical choice

Going after the soldiers of the Jerk Empire is a vastly different thing than targetting someone because of how they were born

What if the soldiers of the Jerk Empire are all orcs? What if your only encounters with orcs are as soldiers of the Jerk Empire? Do you have to show orc farmers for orcs to not be all evil?

 

[Vaalingrade]

This thread is now officially ironic considering the actual 'controversy' that's surrounding the show.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I just object to giving people a hard time about it if they play differently at their own tables.

No one's forcing a person to share how they play here on EN World. Choosing to share how you play D&D here on the boards does not shield you from criticism. You don't get a free pass to declare whatever you want about what you think about D&D and then not expect other people to comment on it.

 

[Vaalingrade]

We can have both. We can have inherent good and evil that we don't have to think about, and races that aren't inherently evil where we do have to consider moral implications.

Inherent evil is a moral implication. A terrifying one IMO.

 

[Micah Sweet]

No one's forcing a person to share how they play here on EN World. Choosing to share how you play D&D here on the boards does not shield you from criticism. You don't get a free pass to declare whatever you want about what you think about D&D and then not expect other people to comment on it.

They don't have to comment from a moralistic point if view. I would consider that rather rude.

 

[Mecheon]

What if the soldiers of the Jerk Empire are all orcs? What if your only encounters with orcs are as soldiers of the Jerk Empire? Do you have to show orc farmers for orcs to not be all evil?

I mean, ideally you'd have turncoats, folks who aren't buying into the regime, various other people and whatnot joining up with the other side for power, fame, fear....

But, you've found the solution. Regimes be evil, races aren't. Plus, folks remember and like the stories of people driven to fight each other through circumstance, through who had things been different they may have been friends. No one cares about Orphanageburner the Bandit who burns orphanages because he's Chaotic Evil and your players will reduce him to a bloodied smear on the ground in 3 rounds, tops

 

[Alzrius]

No one's forcing a person to share how they play here on EN World. Choosing to share how you play D&D here on the boards does not shield you from criticism. You don't get a free pass to declare whatever you want about what you think about D&D and then not expect other people to comment on it.

This cuts in both directions. Choosing to cyberbully and harass people who play the game in a manner you don't approve of is not okay even if you call it "criticism."