Every couple of years this topic seems to come up in one of my games, namely someone wants to play a member of the party that is an evil PC. Most of the time I simply will not allow it, but occasionally a good concept comes my way and the evil PC enters the campaign. The question always is, what do you do with that character? Evil PCs have different motivations than good aligned heroes, and are not always moved by wealth or fame like other PCs. Usually when someone decides they want to play evil, its not just to be a money-grubbing villain or anti-hero, they want to do bad stuff, or at least work for an evil agency of some type.
Once you have allowed an evil PC into the campaign, the next question is what to do with it. You don’t have to do anything special, you can just let the evil PC develop and play out as any other character, however you would then be missing out on some great opportunities for storytelling, not to mention letting less than pleasant things into the game without some form of payback for the extra work and headache. Four good options are to play out a plot arc based on redemption, descent into madness, betrayal, or just retribution.
A redemptive storyline is the most positive option to play, but requires a good role-player to pull off. Basically, you should sit down with the player of the evil PC and determine why he is evil and what will turn him towards the light. This can either be a long process where the cause of the character's evil inclinations is slowly worked away, or possibly a face turn situation. In a face turn situation, the PC has a moment of revelation where he is forced to confront his evil and decides to turn away from it. However the decision to become one of the good guys happens, the road to redemption should be a long one fraught with temptation and peril. Eventually the PC faces his demons (possibly literally), makes good the damage he has done (or learns to live with the guilt and shame) and becomes a good guy in the campaign. Just keep in mind that one good act of redemption does not make, no matter how big that act (unless it is self-sacrificing, the redemption in death trope is a good one), a good aligned hero.
One of the most difficult story lines to play out, but one that can be a lot of fun, is to have the evil PC descend into madness. This is a classic in some genres; the bad deeds and horrible acts wear away at the character's sanity until the inevitable break with reality occurs. At this point the PC is thoroughly evil, but may not be entirely responsible for his actions as he is now insane. Be careful not to creep out the other people at the table, but make sure it is obvious to the other characters that one of their own is now bat-shit crazy. This sets up a couple of story lines, such as the other PCs having to put down their rapid-dog companion, seek out a cure, or possibly the evil PC finds redemption through madness.
Betrayal is a dangerous plot arc to follow, and can lead to bad feelings amongst the players. Basically, set it up before hand that the evil PC will at some point betray the party to their enemies. This should be something big, not a petty turning them over to the local tribe of orcs, but instead something along the lines of handing the artifact they have been questing for to the campaign's big bad guy. This should lead to the other PCs hunting down and brining the evil PC to justice, or if they fail some other force for good within the campaign will do the dirty work for them.
Finally, the evil PC can be allowed to run amok with the understanding that at some point law and order will catch up to him. This might be in the form of another PC, or it may be the local authorities, but some how, some way just retribution for his evil acts will come down upon him. Playing a character who it is predetermined will be taken down is not for everyone's liking, but it does set up a nice plot arc. Consider what the reaction of the other characters will be when one of their number is imprisoned, charged with a crime, or pursued by bounty hunters. Will they defend their companion, or turn him over? This sort of situation is one that good drama, and good role-playing, is made of.
Showing posts with label Dungeon Master. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dungeon Master. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
One Setting to Rule Them All
There is something special about starting a new campaign, the opening of possibilities, the nearly limitless directions it can go, and the chance to try something new. Unfortunately, I have had far too many campaign starts in recent years. Part of this is because of GM ADD, part just the way things play out. I am a tough GM who doesn't shirk from killing a PC, or a whole party if that's how it falls out. Still, I have seen lots of campaigns come crashing down, and its time to have at least one keep going.
One way to break this chain is to learn to focus, not just in what campaigns I run, but what I purchase. Partially it’s a problem with being in the RPG industry, I get exposed to so many new games, and I want to play them all. There are games I have to buy and read for work, there are ones I am sent for review, and there are ones I hear about because I need to keep my ear to the ground and look for trends in the industry. This is a lot of exposure, and it should be no wonder that I dream up at least the seed of a new campaign about every two to three days. On top of this, when I have spare cash, or it’s a gift receiving event (like my upcoming birthday), those who are close to me know I want games.
I have tried a variety of techniques to push myself to focus, ranging from trying to stick to one system to choosing campaigns that can branch across multiple genres (usually through world hopping). In the end, none of them have worked. The next game book shows up and I'm off on a new campaign. Really, it's just a matter of willpower, of telling myself to keep on task. The real hard part is I feel like I have disappointed my players by pulling the rug out form under them. It should be no wonder that many of those who regularly play with me have stopped putting a lot of effort into creating well-rounded PCs with back-stories and plot hooks. Why should they when the campaign will only last a few sessions?
To aid in keeping things on the straight and narrow, and building a long-term campaign, I am focusing this year on one setting, the Forgotten Realms. It is a huge setting, one of the largest in the hobby, with plenty of room to run several campaigns in. Plus, it spans several editions of Dungeons and Dragons, and between that and my general disregard for system, there is plenty of options available. I could use BRP, Barbarians of Lemuria, Labyrinth Lord, OSRIC, Swords and Wizardry, or even XDM.
Weekly Pathfinder is now going to be set in the Realms a few years after the Time of Troubles. We are going to be joining a caravan running from the Dales to Waterdeep, and passing through Sembia, Cormyr, the Western Heartlands, and up the Sword Coast. Lots of adventure there, and the PCs may drop out of the caravan at anytime (though this may cause some problems with the caravan master). My monthly game is already in the Realms, and the PCs are oWoD splats trapped in the Literary Realm of the Umbra. All they have to do to get out is finish the story, which considering they are in the AD&D 2e version of the Realms means they need to do the whole adventurer to ruler path. Encounters this season is also based in the Realms, though it’s the 4e iteration, which I know little about (I may pick up the books, but I doubt it, 2e is the Realms for me and frankly, I have a hard time with settings changing).
In addition to the various FR game books, I have two other outlets for my year of the Realms. First, there are a ton of FR novels, some at the library, some on my bookshelf, and more that I can cheaply purchase at used bookstores. I don’t often read fiction, but when I get the urge I can go Realms, which is good because fiction tends to strongly color my gaming choices. Finally, FR ties in with Spelljammer, so there is always that to add in. Unless I want them to wander into Ravenloft.
One way to break this chain is to learn to focus, not just in what campaigns I run, but what I purchase. Partially it’s a problem with being in the RPG industry, I get exposed to so many new games, and I want to play them all. There are games I have to buy and read for work, there are ones I am sent for review, and there are ones I hear about because I need to keep my ear to the ground and look for trends in the industry. This is a lot of exposure, and it should be no wonder that I dream up at least the seed of a new campaign about every two to three days. On top of this, when I have spare cash, or it’s a gift receiving event (like my upcoming birthday), those who are close to me know I want games.
I have tried a variety of techniques to push myself to focus, ranging from trying to stick to one system to choosing campaigns that can branch across multiple genres (usually through world hopping). In the end, none of them have worked. The next game book shows up and I'm off on a new campaign. Really, it's just a matter of willpower, of telling myself to keep on task. The real hard part is I feel like I have disappointed my players by pulling the rug out form under them. It should be no wonder that many of those who regularly play with me have stopped putting a lot of effort into creating well-rounded PCs with back-stories and plot hooks. Why should they when the campaign will only last a few sessions?
To aid in keeping things on the straight and narrow, and building a long-term campaign, I am focusing this year on one setting, the Forgotten Realms. It is a huge setting, one of the largest in the hobby, with plenty of room to run several campaigns in. Plus, it spans several editions of Dungeons and Dragons, and between that and my general disregard for system, there is plenty of options available. I could use BRP, Barbarians of Lemuria, Labyrinth Lord, OSRIC, Swords and Wizardry, or even XDM.
Weekly Pathfinder is now going to be set in the Realms a few years after the Time of Troubles. We are going to be joining a caravan running from the Dales to Waterdeep, and passing through Sembia, Cormyr, the Western Heartlands, and up the Sword Coast. Lots of adventure there, and the PCs may drop out of the caravan at anytime (though this may cause some problems with the caravan master). My monthly game is already in the Realms, and the PCs are oWoD splats trapped in the Literary Realm of the Umbra. All they have to do to get out is finish the story, which considering they are in the AD&D 2e version of the Realms means they need to do the whole adventurer to ruler path. Encounters this season is also based in the Realms, though it’s the 4e iteration, which I know little about (I may pick up the books, but I doubt it, 2e is the Realms for me and frankly, I have a hard time with settings changing).
In addition to the various FR game books, I have two other outlets for my year of the Realms. First, there are a ton of FR novels, some at the library, some on my bookshelf, and more that I can cheaply purchase at used bookstores. I don’t often read fiction, but when I get the urge I can go Realms, which is good because fiction tends to strongly color my gaming choices. Finally, FR ties in with Spelljammer, so there is always that to add in. Unless I want them to wander into Ravenloft.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
DM Boot Camp 1: D&D 4e Encounters
DM Boot Camp: Running D&D 4e Combat Encounters
What is an Encounter?
• Think of an encounter as a scene in a movie or play.
• Every encounter is a story in and of itself, with a beginning, middle, and an end.
• Encounters are the building blocks of adventures; string them together to create a larger story line.
• Each encounter should have a problem the PCs need to resolve.
Types of Encounters
• Combat encounters use violence to solve the problem.
• Skill Challenges use PCs' skills to solve the problem, they can stand alone or be part of combat or role-playing encounters
• Role-playing encounters require the players to act in character to resolve the problem. Like skill challenges they can be combined with other types of encounters.
Combat Encounters
• By far the easiest to build and run, but can be boring if all you have is combat.
• First, imagine the story the encounter is trying to tell, who are the villains, who are the heroes, and who are the victims?
• Before you get into designing the encounter, picture the scene, what is the terrain like, what special features will be present, and don’t forget to add the fantasy!
• Step 1: Set the level for the encounter (no more than APL -1 to APL +3)
• Step 2: Calculate the xp budget for the encounter (encounter level multiplier X the number of characters)
• Step 3: Spend your budget on monsters, hazards, and traps. It is OK to go over or under a little, not more than +/- 10%. DO not choose monsters more than three levels above the APL, or two levels below it. Also, beware of minion and lower level monster swarms.
• Step 4: Place the monsters, traps, hazards, and features on your battle grid.
• Step 5: Tell the story, at least in your mind, paying close attention to what you can expect the PCs to do.
• Combat can be challenging, but by adding description to the die rolls, it can also be a lot of fun.
Terrain
• Terrain makes the combat more exciting.
• Difficult and blocking terrain can be restrictive, use it sparingly.
• Decide the effects of any terrain on your grid.
• Provide terrain that the PCs and the monsters can use to their advantage, and make sure to use the terrain against the party.
• Good ideas: trees, walls, water, mud, and special effects.
• Special effects do not cause damage directly, but can be used to shift the flow of battle or be triggered to inflict conditions.
Hazards
• Hazards are terrain features that cause direct damage to anyone who interacts with them.
• Hazards should give a risk and reward, they are easier to perceive than traps but harder to defuse.
• Be sparing in the use of hazards, they are in effect hindering terrain that can cause the PCs and the monsters a lot of trouble.
Traps
• Traps are features that cause direct damage to those who trigger them.
• Traps yield no reward, and often the monsters know about them in advance and can trigger them.
• Traps are harder to perceive than hazards, but easier to defuse.
• Limit yourself to only a handful of traps in a combat, more than two is too many (unless it’s a room full of traps).
Choosing Monsters
• Use some reason in choosing your monsters, think about whom they are, their motivations, and their goals.
• Try to stick to a theme when choosing monsters, such a goblinoids, an orc warband, or a group of bandits, do not randomly mix monsters.
• Each monster has a role, and the monsters should have a broad mix of roles. Not every role needs to be present, but the greater diversity the greater the challenge and the fun.
• Controllers affect the space of the battle, creating zones and area effect powers. Use them sparingly or they become moving blockages to the flow of combat.
• Lurkers should stay hidden from the PCs until they act or attack, do not place them on the grid until then.
• Soldiers are skilled warriors and can deal a moderate amount of damage; most of your monsters should be soldiers.
• Brutes are the big baddies that can lay out the hurt, but are generally fragile. One or two is enough.
• Skirmishers are light and fast, be wary of using too many as they often can evade attacks, and this can be very frustrating for the players.
• Artillery can really lay on the hurt, and often in a large area and at great range. Like controllers. One or two is a good idea.
• Minions can be a lot of fun, but don’t tell the players which monsters are minions. Also, don’t over use minions, five is a good number, too many and the PCs can be swarmed.
Running the Combat
• Never, ever, just let the dice roll and not give a description.
• Each attack should include some sort of descriptive result; the foe is staggered and falling backwards, knocked to the ground, bleeding form a cut, etc…
• Keep the combat flowing; do not be afraid to skip a player if they are taking too long in deciding their actions. Hesitation is the bane of combatants.
• Remember that the monsters are not cardstock counters; they have feelings and motivations as well. Allow them to act irrationally, selfishly, and realistically.
• Do not give the players an even break, but also do not get too bloodthirsty.
What is an Encounter?
• Think of an encounter as a scene in a movie or play.
• Every encounter is a story in and of itself, with a beginning, middle, and an end.
• Encounters are the building blocks of adventures; string them together to create a larger story line.
• Each encounter should have a problem the PCs need to resolve.
Types of Encounters
• Combat encounters use violence to solve the problem.
• Skill Challenges use PCs' skills to solve the problem, they can stand alone or be part of combat or role-playing encounters
• Role-playing encounters require the players to act in character to resolve the problem. Like skill challenges they can be combined with other types of encounters.
Combat Encounters
• By far the easiest to build and run, but can be boring if all you have is combat.
• First, imagine the story the encounter is trying to tell, who are the villains, who are the heroes, and who are the victims?
• Before you get into designing the encounter, picture the scene, what is the terrain like, what special features will be present, and don’t forget to add the fantasy!
• Step 1: Set the level for the encounter (no more than APL -1 to APL +3)
• Step 2: Calculate the xp budget for the encounter (encounter level multiplier X the number of characters)
• Step 3: Spend your budget on monsters, hazards, and traps. It is OK to go over or under a little, not more than +/- 10%. DO not choose monsters more than three levels above the APL, or two levels below it. Also, beware of minion and lower level monster swarms.
• Step 4: Place the monsters, traps, hazards, and features on your battle grid.
• Step 5: Tell the story, at least in your mind, paying close attention to what you can expect the PCs to do.
• Combat can be challenging, but by adding description to the die rolls, it can also be a lot of fun.
Terrain
• Terrain makes the combat more exciting.
• Difficult and blocking terrain can be restrictive, use it sparingly.
• Decide the effects of any terrain on your grid.
• Provide terrain that the PCs and the monsters can use to their advantage, and make sure to use the terrain against the party.
• Good ideas: trees, walls, water, mud, and special effects.
• Special effects do not cause damage directly, but can be used to shift the flow of battle or be triggered to inflict conditions.
Hazards
• Hazards are terrain features that cause direct damage to anyone who interacts with them.
• Hazards should give a risk and reward, they are easier to perceive than traps but harder to defuse.
• Be sparing in the use of hazards, they are in effect hindering terrain that can cause the PCs and the monsters a lot of trouble.
Traps
• Traps are features that cause direct damage to those who trigger them.
• Traps yield no reward, and often the monsters know about them in advance and can trigger them.
• Traps are harder to perceive than hazards, but easier to defuse.
• Limit yourself to only a handful of traps in a combat, more than two is too many (unless it’s a room full of traps).
Choosing Monsters
• Use some reason in choosing your monsters, think about whom they are, their motivations, and their goals.
• Try to stick to a theme when choosing monsters, such a goblinoids, an orc warband, or a group of bandits, do not randomly mix monsters.
• Each monster has a role, and the monsters should have a broad mix of roles. Not every role needs to be present, but the greater diversity the greater the challenge and the fun.
• Controllers affect the space of the battle, creating zones and area effect powers. Use them sparingly or they become moving blockages to the flow of combat.
• Lurkers should stay hidden from the PCs until they act or attack, do not place them on the grid until then.
• Soldiers are skilled warriors and can deal a moderate amount of damage; most of your monsters should be soldiers.
• Brutes are the big baddies that can lay out the hurt, but are generally fragile. One or two is enough.
• Skirmishers are light and fast, be wary of using too many as they often can evade attacks, and this can be very frustrating for the players.
• Artillery can really lay on the hurt, and often in a large area and at great range. Like controllers. One or two is a good idea.
• Minions can be a lot of fun, but don’t tell the players which monsters are minions. Also, don’t over use minions, five is a good number, too many and the PCs can be swarmed.
Running the Combat
• Never, ever, just let the dice roll and not give a description.
• Each attack should include some sort of descriptive result; the foe is staggered and falling backwards, knocked to the ground, bleeding form a cut, etc…
• Keep the combat flowing; do not be afraid to skip a player if they are taking too long in deciding their actions. Hesitation is the bane of combatants.
• Remember that the monsters are not cardstock counters; they have feelings and motivations as well. Allow them to act irrationally, selfishly, and realistically.
• Do not give the players an even break, but also do not get too bloodthirsty.
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