D&D 5E Which played-out D&D trope needs to die?

[Faolyn]

Perfectly good background. However, not a perfectly good counter argument.

If you cannot put food on the table, your life is not "happy and stable".

To be fair, AtomicPope said "I have a hard rule that both of your parents are alive and well." Nothing about happy or stable there.

 

[Faolyn]

How about a happy, well-adjusted family like in the Incredibles, except instead of fighting crime as family they kill monsters and take their stuff? "The family that slays together, stays together."

In one Eberron game I'm in, I'm playing an ex-soldier who opened a bar in Sharn and adopted two kids (mid-late teens, both also PCs). We adventure together, although I go pretty mama bear during combat. I don't think my character's parents are alive, but she's in her late 30s and there was a world war going on for ages, so the orphan route isn't really edgy so much as probably typical for the setting.

 

[Oofta]

How about a happy, well-adjusted family like in the Incredibles, except instead of fighting crime as family they kill monsters and take their stuff? "The family that slays together, stays together."

I've done that more than once with children of retired PCs, sometimes mine, sometimes another player's. Basically good relationship with the folks, but my PC wanted to prove themselves or the parental units are busy running a kingdom/business/whatever else they're doing while retired.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

This "wake up naked" can be interesting, but it requires buy-in during session zero.

As a player, our team began the adventure in an analogous "in media res".

The problem was, we had all thought thru and written up our character including thinking carefully about what items we should pack. At that point, being taken away from our homes and appearing in water, in total darkness, without clothes or other items, FELT like inappropriate railroading.

This friend is a good DM who we trust. But still, I heads up would have been nice. "This adventure starts with no items, so dont bother writing any down on your character sheet." "Ok, no problem."

When I did the raiders/death hunt campaign opener, the PCs got to use their gear in the first encounter.

Then, when stripped completely naked and told to run (with a head start), they were also informed that all of their gear had been scattered across the island they had to traverse to win their freedom.

They did find some of it. They also found some things from previous prey.

 

[FrozenNorth]

To be fair, AtomicPope said "I have a hard rule that both of your parents are alive and well." Nothing about happy or stable there.

Given that most D&D campaigns take place in a high-fantasy world with a middle-ages level of technology, "both parents alive and well" is more unrealistic than "orphan".

 

[MGibster]

Pacifist PCs. Every time someone brings one to me thinking it's something cool original or even freaking fitting the game, my blood starts to boil.

I've had some who low grade pacifist in that they wouldn't kill but they would use violence to defend themselves or another person. I tend not to allow hard core pacifist unless a player can explain to me how their character would be useful.

Think of some of the crab fisherman on Deadliest Catch. Some are married, even happily. And, a few times a year, they risk their lives crab-fishing. They go from greenhorn (level 0/level 1) to deckhand (level 2) to veteran (level 3). These are guys who, during most of the year, might run a charter boat operation.

Hell, let's think of Vikings. Many of these dudes farmed the land and had families but would hit the seas from time-to-time to raid, pillage, or trade.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Hell, let's think of Vikings. Many of these dudes farmed the land and had families but would hit the seas from time-to-time to raid, pillage, or trade.

“Remember, Olaf, what happens when raiding STAYS where we’re raiding.”

 

[pming]

Hiya!

It just occurred to me that this whole thread is essentially all of us patting ourselves on the back by demonstrating our superiority over other (unspecified) gamers.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

All the time, over every little thing...yeah, that's bad. But every now and then, when you feel good about something you did or do, a nice little bet of selfish praise is a good thing. Pride encourages you to keep doing that and do better. Too much pride, well, WHOLE other kettle of biscuits!

Maybe that's the RPG trope (ritual?) I'm most tired of.

Huh...kind of a weird one, but hey. To each their own, right?

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[Azuresun]

In one Eberron game I'm in, I'm playing an ex-soldier who opened a bar in Sharn and adopted two kids (mid-late teens, both also PCs). We adventure together, although I go pretty mama bear during combat. I don't think my character's parents are alive, but she's in her late 30s and there was a world war going on for ages, so the orphan route isn't really edgy so much as probably typical for the setting.

Heck, one character I enjoyed playing was an actual orphan, who still had close and friendly relationships with the lay clergy who ran the orphanage and bought her up, and other children who had stayed there with her. Being an orphan doesn't mean you're a loveless loner who never formed any ties to anyone.

 

[Sepulchrave II]

Orcs.
Elves,
Dwarves,
Halflings,

/ducks,