Whatever happened to all the adventurous heroes?

[Quasqueton]

I just started a new campaign. We started with the PCs not knowing each other, but are fellow passengers on a very large immigrant ship.

One night, the ship is awakened to thumps, bumps, and faint screams from the cargo hold. One PC is annoyed at having his sleep disturbed. One PC shows complete apathy to the event. One PC is frightened and hides under his blankets. The other PC at least shows interest enough to go investigate the problem---but this is mostly due to him being a guard for some of the freight stored in the hold (he only acts when paid to act).

I mentioned to the Players, if this is how their PCs react, then it is going to be a very short campaign.

Quasqueton

 

[Piratecat]

You know, if they don't want to be heroes, it's going to be a boring game, too.

Maybe they want a different sort of campaign?

 

[DragonLancer]

I have noticed the same trend with my players. Although they aren't as bad as all that, they don't seem to get the heroic adventurer ideal, and yet these are expereinced players.

 

[Zweischneid]

What ever happend to good plot hooks?

 

[Tom Cashel]

No, no, they were just role-playing. After all, each of them is a 1st level mook with no allies (yet), right? Being annoyed at the noise, or hiding under the blankets, is perfect for people who don't yet realize the heroic potential within.

Having the PCs framed for whatever misdeeds took place in the hold would be a great way to get them together as a group.

I mentioned to the Players, if this is how their PCs react, then it is going to be a very short campaign.

In my experience, comments like this almost never change player behavior. I remember telling my players during City of the Spider Queen that they'd keep getting killed if they insisted on walking into every fight with no strategy and acting as if they are completely ignorant of tactics. Didn't help.

I think you should just work with what they give you until they get the hint. In the process, they'll most likely give you some hints about the kind of game they want.

 

[diaglo]

What ever happend to good plot hooks?

my comment exactly.

know thy players and their PCs before you throw a plot hook at them.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I understand what you mean. This seems to me to be a new trend in roleplaying - especially at the start of a campaign. The traditional hero is considered so cliche that people are avoiding it to start with. I've seen many players create their low-level characters as "reluctant" heroes at best until they can then develop further motivations for them to take on the role of hero. Other just create these character personalites that result in a character that will not act as a hero and the players faithfully stick to it. These players can be a real challenge as you always have to be ready for them to scuttle any ideas you have because they are not willing to risk their character's neck to persue plot hooks without a personal motivation - then they either complain about being bored because nothing interesting happend or about being railroaded when they are forced to act.

 

[Quasqueton]

What ever happend to good plot hooks?

They were thumping, bumping, and screaming in the ship's hold.

Quasqueton

 

[diaglo]

I just started a new campaign. We started with the PCs not knowing each other, but are fellow passengers on a very large immigrant ship.

One night, the ship is awakened to thumps, bumps, and faint screams from the cargo hold. One PC is annoyed at having his sleep disturbed. One PC shows complete apathy to the event. One PC is frightened and hides under his blankets. The other PC at least shows interest enough to go investigate the problem---but this is mostly due to him being a guard for some of the freight stored in the hold (he only acts when paid to act).

I mentioned to the Players, if this is how their PCs react, then it is going to be a very short campaign.

Quasqueton

in the case of this plot hook. as a PC i would let the crew handle it. it ain't my ship. i'm just a passager.

 

[Quasqueton]

I must add, to be fair, the PCs did eventually allow themselves to be recruited into going down into the hold.

Quasqueton