Thinking Outside the Box

[DungeonKeeperUK]

I think "tampering with the norm" is often a great way forward, this is a game of fantasy and the imagination, we get the tools and then should do what we like with them.

It can be a way to pump new life and surpeises into seasoned gamers too, after years of gaming players will start to know what to look for when "first encountering" a creature, mess with it a little and the players will learn not to take everything for granted...
Mwhahhhahahhhahhahaaa ::cough cough:: ack.. sorry back to normal now...

 

[Bendris Noulg]

My setting features both the Illithid of the Core as well as the Yaggol from Dragonlance. Having new Players, I introduced the Yaggol first, keeping them contained in a swampy-environment in a "land that time forgot" type of region. Later, they were introduced to the Illithid (complete with conversion material from The Illithiad), including hints that the Illithid are a bit more active than one might think (via X-Files type of foreshadowing and story arcing).

Needless to say, they are effectively creeped out.

(Side Note: It's good to have Players that don't read the Monster Manual. )

Link: Yaggol at Dragonlance.com

 

[Privateer]

a plausible head start

Hee-hee, head start.

 

[Zappo]

Have you seen Draconic Lore, from Fantasy Flight Games? It's basically a small Dragons-and-Related-Creatures-Only monster book, and the critters are definitely hit-or-miss. But one of the hits is the Cthonian dragon, a Cthulhu-esque dragon created by the implantation of Illithid spawn into the brain of a captured dragon. Nasty creature, that one...

Tarrasque + Illithid spawn = Great Cthulhu. 'nuff said.

 

[Xarlen]

I just had another thought.

Illithids, as said, are created when the tadpole is injected into a brain.

But what happens after the Tadpole has infested the brain? Does it magically transform into an illithid? Here's my idea.

Illithids metamorphasize, like a catterpillar to a butterfly. Imagine finding an Illithid cocoon. Especially a savage 'Blast you and beat you up' illithid. Or one of the mental ones cracking open its' new shell, and crawling out in all its' tentacled glory.

 

[Sir Edgar]

Actually, I'm pretty tired of everyone trying to screw around with the original intentions of creators. Cannibalistic halflings and kind-hearted dark elves are fine once in a while, but when everyone is doing, then it becomes the norm. I don't find it terribly creative either.

In fact, I find it very unimaginative. Simply reversing the accepted standard for everything just to make things seem more interesting is just contrite. Instead, I think it would be better to just focus on making the actual characters interesting by adding depth to their personalities, etc.

For example, you can still have evil orcs that are twisted and cruel but with complex and twister personalities that make them interesting. Having benevolent orcs who love elves and take care of nature does not make them any more interesting to me at all. In fact, it turns me off.

When everything is turned around like this, it becomes part of the norm and I think that's what the trend has been for a while. It is very uncreative in my mind. Don't get me wrong, it's fine if you're having fun with it and I do think some creations are indeed very interesting, but I don't like the overall trend.

 

[Sir Edgar]

I just wanted to say that I did not intend the previous post specifically towards the starter of the thread. I am not trying to offend anyone in particular. My post was meant towards the OVERALL trend.

Primitive, degenerate mind flayers? Sure, why not. But if that's the case all the time, where characteristics are reversed simply for the case of trying to do something different and everyone is trying to do "something different", then it's not very different after all.

I guess that's what I was trying to say.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

But changing things is actually expected; There's a reason why Rule 0 is Rule 0 instead of 1, 5 or 20, since it's basis is a fundamental fact of D&D. In addition, the DMG actively promotes such changes, particularly in the commentary regarding metagame thinking and foiling it. Yes, savage cannible Halflings have been done in Dark Sun, and I, infact, use the first version designed by Athas.org. I also have a nation of Halflings that are based on Finnish culture and myth, and yet another that are Arabic in flavor.

Mixing it up adds flavor to a game; And I dare say, if I have a choice between being a Player in a game where things are as bland as the books present or in a game where things are changed and the only thing I can truly expect is the unexpected, I'll take the later any day.

On the other hand, I do agree that simply reversing something isn't entirely the most imaginative way of going about it. But I don't find the idea of savage Mind Flayers to be that. Making them stupid, brutish and instinctive would be going the opposite road, most definately. But a highly evolved, sophisticated neolithic culture based on psionics sounds more like a twist than a 180.

 

[Sir Edgar]

Mixing it up adds flavor to a game; And I dare say, if I have a choice between being a Player in a game where things are as bland as the books present or in a game where things are changed and the only thing I can truly expect is the unexpected, I'll take the later any day.

Sure, "mixing" things up can be fun. But I get so upset when I see or hear someone describe a traditional-themed setting as "bland" or "conventional". No, it depends on how you run it!!!

If your focus is on general characteristics (the overall race, etc) rather than specific characteristics (the individual character, etc), then of course it can be boring. On the other hand, if your focus is on the story, role-playing, the individual characters, and plot, then it is not a factor. Anyhow, that is the original intention!

As a PC, if I walk into a world where the water flows up and not down and there are five moons rather than one and the halflings are all stark-raving mad and want to eat my flesh, it's not going to make me think, "Wow, this is interesting!" That is unless the story is interesting or the individual characters are interesting! Sure, throwing in an occasional anomaly my "spice" things up and in today's world, it is less acceptable to have stereotypes. But give me a break.

Anyhow, your points are valid, though biased (just like mine) and all I wanted to say is that "traditional" ABSOLUTELY does not mean "boring".

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Yep. Spices taste best on meat.