Zerter
2012-01-24, 07:51 AM
As someone that plays Evil campaigns from time to time, I recognized the dynamic between Tsukiko and Redcloak as something you see at the gaming table.
On one hand you have a mature player that works out a character with layers and makes an effort at character growth throughout the campaign, weighing decisions and moral choices based on background and codes.
On the other hand you have an enthusiastic player that sees an Evil campaign as an opportunity to play out a fantasy. Making a high charisma girl with a kinky side whose character never grows beyond the original premise of 'I love Undeads and if you stand in my way I'll kill you.'
These two players naturally collide throughout the game, one player thinks everything to death and the other player acts on every impulse, at some point they come to a real confrontation and the thinking player backs down because he or she knows the other won't and wants to avoid a player death. This gives the impulse player the idea he or she has the upper hand and the player's behavior becomes even more extreme now that it's fed by the idea that he or she is in control.
What the impulsive player does not realize however is that the thinking player has thought the situation to death already. He or she knows that there's likely to be a confrontation and some point, so the player is going to prepare. This can be anything: the player spends a few thousand gold to buy potions or scrolls that protect his own weaknesses and attack that of his opponent. The player always keeps one spell-slot prepared with the perfect spell to take down the other player. Most importantly this is never revealed to the other player, it is better the impulsive player thinks the other player weak.
And then when the final confrontation does happen, there's no risk involved. The thinking player simply plays the card he was hiding all along and watches as the impulsive player dies in surprise, not even feeling that much satisfaction as he knew this was how it was gonna play out all along.
On one hand you have a mature player that works out a character with layers and makes an effort at character growth throughout the campaign, weighing decisions and moral choices based on background and codes.
On the other hand you have an enthusiastic player that sees an Evil campaign as an opportunity to play out a fantasy. Making a high charisma girl with a kinky side whose character never grows beyond the original premise of 'I love Undeads and if you stand in my way I'll kill you.'
These two players naturally collide throughout the game, one player thinks everything to death and the other player acts on every impulse, at some point they come to a real confrontation and the thinking player backs down because he or she knows the other won't and wants to avoid a player death. This gives the impulse player the idea he or she has the upper hand and the player's behavior becomes even more extreme now that it's fed by the idea that he or she is in control.
What the impulsive player does not realize however is that the thinking player has thought the situation to death already. He or she knows that there's likely to be a confrontation and some point, so the player is going to prepare. This can be anything: the player spends a few thousand gold to buy potions or scrolls that protect his own weaknesses and attack that of his opponent. The player always keeps one spell-slot prepared with the perfect spell to take down the other player. Most importantly this is never revealed to the other player, it is better the impulsive player thinks the other player weak.
And then when the final confrontation does happen, there's no risk involved. The thinking player simply plays the card he was hiding all along and watches as the impulsive player dies in surprise, not even feeling that much satisfaction as he knew this was how it was gonna play out all along.