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What does "murderhobo" mean to you?
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<blockquote data-quote="Rod Staffwand" data-source="post: 7301159" data-attributes="member: 6776279"><p>I chose the "homeless adventurers" option, even though the two choices aren't mutually exclusive. In my understanding, the murderhobo meme started 15+ years ago as a way to describe a certain D&D playstyle.</p><p></p><p>Murderhobos don't have a place in the 'world'. They have no real hometown other than perhaps as a 'starting town'. They have no connections to ongoing events, backstories, histories or long-term relationships with NPCs. They exist solely as avatars to allow players to play D&D--namely by invading the homes of 'monsters', killing them and stealing their loot. There is no larger context to their adventures or greater purpose to what they do. Any 'quests' are seen merely as pretexts for the adventuring activity itself. Starting the party at the entrance to the dungeon works just as well for such players.</p><p></p><p>Seen realistically from the perspective of an NPC in that world, adventurers might well be thought of as murderhobos--strange, antisocial sorts that spend all their time in holes in the ground searching for their fortunes. Then, when they have more money then they could ever possibly spend, continue to spend all of their time in holes in the ground searching for more gp, xp and magic items. Bunch of weirdos, if you ask me.</p><p></p><p>Some such groups may be more amoral than others but, in my experience, they usually have little to no regard for NPCs. NPCs that are helpful are all well and good, but any that pose a hindrance, problem or opportunity are usually dealt with rather harshly. I remember a player back in my 2e days that once killed 'bums' in town because he was a couple of hundred xp short of leveling.</p><p></p><p>I don't think that the murderhobo campaign is the default for D&D or ever was, even in the early days. Even in the mid-70s you had groups doing epic fantasy campaigns with elaborate NPCs and world-building, running very sophisticated games with the rather sparse and clumsy rule-sets of the era. Though, in my experience a whole lot of 10 year olds that pick up D&D on their own go through a murderhobo phase before growing out of it.</p><p></p><p>I also don't think the murderhobo campaign is necessarily bad. Sometimes those darned DM plots become too twee and precious and you just want to royally mess up some orcs (or maybe that shopkeeper that gives you lip or the paladin that keeps trying to convert you).</p><p></p><p>Also, the preferred term is Nomadic Badass, thank you very much.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Rod Staffwand, post: 7301159, member: 6776279"] I chose the "homeless adventurers" option, even though the two choices aren't mutually exclusive. In my understanding, the murderhobo meme started 15+ years ago as a way to describe a certain D&D playstyle. Murderhobos don't have a place in the 'world'. They have no real hometown other than perhaps as a 'starting town'. They have no connections to ongoing events, backstories, histories or long-term relationships with NPCs. They exist solely as avatars to allow players to play D&D--namely by invading the homes of 'monsters', killing them and stealing their loot. There is no larger context to their adventures or greater purpose to what they do. Any 'quests' are seen merely as pretexts for the adventuring activity itself. Starting the party at the entrance to the dungeon works just as well for such players. Seen realistically from the perspective of an NPC in that world, adventurers might well be thought of as murderhobos--strange, antisocial sorts that spend all their time in holes in the ground searching for their fortunes. Then, when they have more money then they could ever possibly spend, continue to spend all of their time in holes in the ground searching for more gp, xp and magic items. Bunch of weirdos, if you ask me. Some such groups may be more amoral than others but, in my experience, they usually have little to no regard for NPCs. NPCs that are helpful are all well and good, but any that pose a hindrance, problem or opportunity are usually dealt with rather harshly. I remember a player back in my 2e days that once killed 'bums' in town because he was a couple of hundred xp short of leveling. I don't think that the murderhobo campaign is the default for D&D or ever was, even in the early days. Even in the mid-70s you had groups doing epic fantasy campaigns with elaborate NPCs and world-building, running very sophisticated games with the rather sparse and clumsy rule-sets of the era. Though, in my experience a whole lot of 10 year olds that pick up D&D on their own go through a murderhobo phase before growing out of it. I also don't think the murderhobo campaign is necessarily bad. Sometimes those darned DM plots become too twee and precious and you just want to royally mess up some orcs (or maybe that shopkeeper that gives you lip or the paladin that keeps trying to convert you). Also, the preferred term is Nomadic Badass, thank you very much. [/QUOTE]
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