Saturday, March 21, 2015

Lesson Learned #3 As a Player I Avoid Violence

Its just a quirk I've noticed about myself as a player, either I'm getting old or something but  outside of dungeon crawls I tend to avoid violence in games of late.

It wasn't always this way though I've never played combat monkeys but its just I find many fights tedious, no longer care about weapons minutia or any of that. I know these things. know my weapons and martial arts I just don't groove to them in my gaming as much.

Now I don't always get a choice in this when I play. First   my GM's like the action scenes

Second even when the GM isn't pushing action   one or more people in the group will almost certainly draw agro on us all so it behooves me to make combat effective characters. So I do and sometimes I have fun. often not.

Now don't get me wrong  I'm not some gaming snob, I don't even play story games or think they better than good old TTRPG's or that violence is in games is wrong. Heck I  enjoy my share of hack and shoot in computer games  but for whatever reason I usually make characters who avoid unnecessary fights  and violence,

Heck I've even skipped games I thought were going to  too violent letting folks know.

As such I simply try to make my choices with both eyes open and this makes sure that everyone is happier and that  I pull my weight as a player too.

Now this  doesn't seem like a big deal but it might surprise you how many gamers don't do this and its a shame. There are lots of reasons, habit, not wanting to be alone, others but in any case it  would make better gaming for everyone if people could articulate what they want and play only when they were into the game and its premise.




4 comments:

  1. @ 5Stone:

    You're certainly not alone out there with your non-interest in combat. I've known many players over the years who were more interested in the other aspects of exploration...most often, they were drawn to characters whose skills sets made them non-combatants anyway (thieves, bards, and illusionists, for example).

    The problem with D&D, especially with its post-TSR editions, is its insistence on combat as the means to advance and develop characters. Even if you're not interested in playing story games, it may be difficult to find players/GMs that share your game expectations in "traditional" (war-game descended) RPGs.

    But it's definitely good that you know what YOU like: it allows you to look for a game and group that meets your agenda of play.

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  2. Thanks for the comment JB.

    Its been an interesting lesson to learn I think especially as there are a few characters I play such as my sword and planet Half Orc Marl who do enjoy a good scrap. Hey part Orc right?

    But know thyself and thy players seems like good advice to share.

    Oh and learn to care about editing too but that's a topic for another post.

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  3. Yes, this is why I appreciate old school D&D. It's not that I mind violence or that I am against it, instead is that it does not maintain my interest. I like more stimulating action where instead of achieving points with brute force I have to figure out a riddle or puzzle or something that immerses me.

    "Oh, man, know thyself and thou shall know the Universe and the Gods!” ― Temple of Apollo at Delphi

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  4. Thanks for the comment Lauren and welcome.

    I agree with you player solved puzzles are a big part of what sets Older D&D apart from modern D&D. In OD&D you didn't roll a DC15 Disable Device check, you the player had to figure it out. Now there were good and bad things about that approach but that is the topic for
    an entire post .
    Sorry for slow reply, I've been away from the blog and as you've probably guessed don't post everyday.

    Nice quote by the way I have to say I appreciate someone who can manage the classics . So rare thse days and I suppose I'm showing my Grognard nature but bah gamers today, no appreciation for the oldies. Get off my dice mat ;)

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