How's the Evil RP going?!?

[7threalm]

perhaps the dm's could use a good list of "good npcs mobs" for evil events, i know it take forver to convert some npc over

[lilani]

Below are some ideas for players & DM's to help with being an evil character or running a game for a group of evil players.

It's a long standing statement that it is harder to DM for a group of evil characters than it is good ones. DM's often say to me that they can sometimes struggle to adjust their mindset to running a game for evil players & similarly 'evil' players unknowingly can often make it difficult for a DM.

The below points outline the key differences between a good and evil game & hopefully add a new perspective to anyone struggling with 'evil' in a RPG.

1) Actors vs Re-actors
Good can afford to be passive, evil can not. Think about it, how many times as a group of good adventurers have you come together to react to something that evil has either done or threatened to do?

Evil can't do that - to be evil is to do evil things & this means villains must have a reason for doing what they are about to do and a plan to do such.

The best way to do this is to have a scenario which includes a pre-made plan typically introduced by an NPC - this in its base form is not too different how you'd plot a good game, you simply remove the words 'a great evil has occurred and i'd like you to go solve it' with 'I need a nefarious task carrying out because of x,y,z; this is what I want doing and I hear you guys are the best people for the job.

Players may want to tweak the plan to serve their own goals, but generally this should be fine. More than fine, as a DM it should be encouraged as it will make your players feel empowered, just so long as they aren't trying to break the world.

2) Player vs Player
The most common trap an evil game falls into is that of player vs player conflict. A typical scenario would go like one player beating another and the defeated player takes this personally. The defeated player only has one thing in mind, revenge and then carries it out.... Maybe as a DM you'll see this spiralling out of control and attempt to intervene at which point the victorious player feels cheated and pretty soon the game descends into petty ooc squabbles and bickering leaving everyone's mouth tasting salty & the DM wondering why they even tried in the first place.

Recognising this, what can you do as players and DM's to prevent this? it's fairly straight forward - read and understand the above and what the inevitable conclusion of such behaviour is. As evil players, you need to find a reason for your group to work together, not against each other - obviously there maybe rivalries, but at the table (or computer screen!), this needs to be respected and certain maturity shown. Players intend on character vs character conflict - play out such actions outside DM events, not during.

3) Lack of creativity.
How many times has your character done 'evil' just because 'he's evil'? This is such a banal reason. So let's avoid that.

Think about why your character is about to carry out an evil action, what is motivating them to do such & what do they have to gain from it? avoid cliches such as 'it's the will of my god' and replace it with a more human reason - the best villains from books are ones you can empathise with, be that guy.... not the guy who's just trying to do evil for evil's sake.

Players should think about why did their characters turn to crime or evil? what went so wrong with their life that they came to embrace the world view that they have now? they were after all once children with parents - why haven't they turned back to a more neutral / good world view? who do they blame for whatever reason it is that they are now lashing out at the world?

4) PG-13
Some people think it's hard to play PG-13, particularly when it comes to torture and the like, but in reality, does the below scenario seem familiar?

The most famous torture scene in all of sci-fi/fantasy involves a certain black clad villain about to interrogate a princess.... "And now, your highness.... we will discuss the location of your hidden rebel base...."

The movie then cuts away and shows you the fate about to befall the princess with a torture device floating with needles and crude objects.

Whoever knows what fate befell the princess? was she threatened, beaten or worse? You don't need to dwell on the specifics, instead roll the intimidate check and either the villains get their information or they don't. Then cut back to the scene with the villains deciding what to do next.

[aaron22]

Hidden: show

Below are some ideas for players & DM's to help with being an evil character or running a game for a group of evil players.

It's a long standing statement that it is harder to DM for a group of evil characters than it is good ones. DM's often say to me that they can sometimes struggle to adjust their mindset to running a game for evil players & similarly 'evil' players unknowingly can often make it difficult for a DM.

The below points outline the key differences between a good and evil game & hopefully add a new perspective to anyone struggling with 'evil' in a RPG.

1) Actors vs Re-actors
Good can afford to be passive, evil can not. Think about it, how many times as a group of good adventurers have you come together to react to something that evil has either done or threatened to do?

Evil can't do that - to be evil is to do evil things & this means villains must have a reason for doing what they are about to do and a plan to do such.

The best way to do this is to have a scenario which includes a pre-made plan typically introduced by an NPC - this in its base form is not too different how you'd plot a good game, you simply remove the words 'a great evil has occurred and i'd like you to go solve it' with 'I need a nefarious task carrying out because of x,y,z; this is what I want doing and I hear you guys are the best people for the job.

Players may want to tweak the plan to serve their own goals, but generally this should be fine. More than fine, as a DM it should be encouraged as it will make your players feel empowered, just so long as they aren't trying to break the world.

2) Player vs Player
The most common trap an evil game falls into is that of player vs player conflict. A typical scenario would go like one player beating another and the defeated player takes this personally. The defeated player only has one thing in mind, revenge and then carries it out.... Maybe as a DM you'll see this spiralling out of control and attempt to intervene at which point the victorious player feels cheated and pretty soon the game descends into petty ooc squabbles and bickering leaving everyone's mouth tasting salty & the DM wondering why they even tried in the first place.

Recognising this, what can you do as players and DM's to prevent this? it's fairly straight forward - read and understand the above and what the inevitable conclusion of such behaviour is. As evil players, you need to find a reason for your group to work together, not against each other - obviously there maybe rivalries, but at the table (or computer screen!), this needs to be respected and certain maturity shown. Players intend on character vs character conflict - play out such actions outside DM events, not during.

3) Lack of creativity.
How many times has your character done 'evil' just because 'he's evil'? This is such a banal reason. So let's avoid that.

Think about why your character is about to carry out an evil action, what is motivating them to do such & what do they have to gain from it? avoid cliches such as 'it's the will of my god' and replace it with a more human reason - the best villains from books are ones you can empathise with, be that guy.... not the guy who's just trying to do evil for evil's sake.

Players should think about why did their characters turn to crime or evil? what went so wrong with their life that they came to embrace the world view that they have now? they were after all once children with parents - why haven't they turned back to a more neutral / good world view? who do they blame for whatever reason it is that they are now lashing out at the world?

PG-13
Some people think it's hard to play PG-13, particularly when it comes to torture and the like, but in reality, that's really hogwash.

The most famous torture scene in all of fantasy involves a certain black clad villain about to interrogate a princess.... "And now, your highness.... we will discuss the location of your hidden rebel base...."

The movie then cuts away and shows you the fate about to befall the princess with a torture device floating with needles and crude objects.

Whoever knows what fate befell the princess? was she threatened, beaten or worse? You don't need to dwell on the specifics, instead roll the intimidate check and either the villains get their information or they don't. Then cut back to the scene with the villains deciding what to do next.

exactly. i am also very excited to hear the stories of your decent to evil and tell mine. these are the storylines that are the most creative and interesting to me.

[Steve]

To add to Lilani's post:

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=45383

[DM Dialectic]

//Those eyeing this thread may want to keep an eye on Soubar these next few months.//

Subject: Brigands and Lawless of the Sword Coast (Player/DM IC RP)

Soubar

It has recently been said by travelers passing through Soubar that the Ebon Blades Mercenary Company and others have helped bring a time of stability and seeming safety to Soubar over the past year despite past threats of orc, crazy Urdlen worshiping gnomes, and undead. After months of stability as a known center of tolerance for the rejected, unwanted, and dangerous of civilization, and those that do not generally fit in elsewhere, a migration of brigands, evil mages, dopplegangers, wererats and other werefolk, mercenaries down on their luck, mind flayers, scurrilous bounty hunters, nefarious dealers, those bearing curses, and others not tolerated in most communities is seen to enter Soubar.

Taken collectively, many of the new arrivals are said to speak enthusiastically of a Soubar that does not preach oppression of faith, profession, polity, pirate captain, race, or morality as compared to other settlements in the Western Heartlands "whether ruled by tyranny of Pirates, Duke, Zhentarim, Lords' Alliance, Amn, Conclave, Innkeeper, Elf, Gnome, Dwarf, Fisherperson, Orc, or other so called 'rulers'." As free, but stable, a place that beings can gather in to be who they are, as long as they don't cause too much trouble in the process.

As the new creatures settle, it is said that that Soubar seems to become a sort of hiring fair of such beings not elsewhere wanted. Mysterious Mag of the Winding Way tavern in Soubar, said to be both more than what she seems and a former flame of Grand Duke Belt, keeps the peace among the lawless, with her secretive methods as to how allegedly terrifying some of the new inhabitants. How more orderly organizations based nearby Soubar such as the Ebon Blades Mercenary Company handle the influx now taking place in Soubar remains to be seen.

[aaron22]

I am GMT+5 my characters are:
Lunulata: epic
Rue Lenore: pre epic
Gale: Mid
Hegoness: Beginning

I prefer RP over Loot run or grinding, but enjoy all. depending on the character i am playing, depends on how talkative and forward she will be. But do not be afraid to start a conversation. I only know of a couple evil or not goodie characters on the server. i would be very open to having more like minded friends in game.