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InQbait
2013-10-31, 05:34 AM
So I've created 3 characters for a campaign dedicated to slaying evil and wicked monsters. I use D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder Monster Manuals/Bestiaries for inspiration. I am using a system that is completely homebrewed and created by me. It is going pretty well.
However, things can always go better.
So, Playgrounders, have any of you ever done a campaign that is about killing monsters primarily? Regardless of system, of course.
A question I like to ask the players is: Why did your character decide to devote his life to slaying monsters?
Well, there can be 1 of 3 answers to that question:
1. For the greater good: They want to make the world a better place. One way to do that is to kill evil creatures that would see the world become corrupted and/or destroyed.
2. For Fame and Glory: The character wants to be known, and recognized across the world, as well as the riches and pleasures that come along with that.
3. Vengeance: Monsters are the reason the character's family, friends, other loved ones, etc. are dead. As a result, the character is on a path of vengeance against all monsters of the type that murdered the ones he/she most cared about (D&D 3.5 Ranger recommended, because of favored enemies.)

I am curious about other people's opinions of such campaign styles, and possibly even some stories about it.
Anyways, Playgrounders, say what you want, I'll listen cordially.

Evo_Kaer
2013-10-31, 05:43 AM
... Why did your character decide to devote his life to slaying monsters?

Have you seen how much money people pay for rare ingredients? You can make a friggin fortune by harvesting rare beasts.

No, seriously. You can take every rare encounter and take it apart. There's always someone who needs this special blood or organ. And if not, you still have the hide that can be made to armor at the very least.

So I would be in just for the money :smallcool:
Let people pay you for killing that stuff and than harvest for even more stuff :smallbiggrin:

InQbait
2013-10-31, 06:30 AM
Sounds good, Evo Kaer.
You have a mind for economy and business. I like that.
If you were a player character in my campaign, I know why you would be killin' those monsters. Very good.

SethoMarkus
2013-10-31, 09:29 AM
I'd have to say, why limit it to only those reasons?

Killing monsters for the thrill of battle- maybe the monster slayer is an ex-soldier left over from some recent war with no future wars in sight. She turns to hunting monsters rather than becoming a common mercenary because of personal taste.

Personal challenge- maybe the monster slayer wants to test himself. He could care less for fame, glory, or the betterment of the world, he simply wants to face a tougher challenge.

Duty- maybe the monster slayer isn't in it for fame, money, or personal enjoyment, but she is a soldier or town guard and it is merely her job. She fights to defend her home but doesn't hold a personal vendetta against monsters; monsters are fine in the wilds, just don't come near to the town. As a plot hook to get this character to leave town, maybe a monster kidnapped a person of interest (prince kidnapped by a dragon, anyone?) and needs to go off in search for a particular monster, throwing herself in with other monster hunters for efficiency.


I'd suggest encouraging mixing and matching reasons- as long as the player has a reason for their character, it doesn't matter much what it is. I would focus more on why this band of monster hunters are all in it together. Are they part of a band or company? Are they friends? Are they seeking the same quarry and become friends and allies during the hunt? I think that would be much more prominent an issue in this style campaign. In the "save the world" campaigns, the reason most (non-evil) adventurers get involved is because they don't want the world to end. In a campaign such as this, there isn't as much at stake so there isn't as much motivation to stick together.

In one game I was a part of, the PCs we all started off as part of a militia, so we were peers and allies from the beginning. In this campaign we never had any issues as to why we all stuck together- we knew each other, and even if our personalities didn't mesh we had grown to respect and appreciate each others' talents. In another game I was a part of, we met for the first time in a tavern. We all had different backgrounds, and though we were all in the same spectrum of alignment, we didn't have much reason to stick together in-character. We struggled to find reasons for our characters to join together, and the game didn't last more than 4 sessions.

I give this as a warning- make sure you know how your players will work out the party coming together.

InQbait
2013-10-31, 02:41 PM
Thank you for the advice, SethoMarkus.
I'll keep that in mind.

Ceiling_Squid
2013-10-31, 06:49 PM
It may be a bit of a stretch for a typical fantasy themed game, but in the real world we have a notion of wildlife management that might be able to translate to something similar in-game.

For various reasons, game keepers will "cull" certain animals out of a breeding population. This manages the population towards desirable ends. It could be to improve the population of a valuable prey species by eliminating predators, or perhaps performing population control when the "herd" gets too large, or removing invasive non-native species.

The character could be a "Game Warden" in charge of a particular area. They will hunt and kill certain monsters in order to alter the population balance, or they could do so indirectly by changing the habitat or affecting food and water supplies. It could be for sound ecological reasons, or to benefit the landowners by managing the population of valuable monsters. A game warden could also issue hunting licenses for other monster hunters, and set legal limitations on what can and cannot be hunted.

Basically a variant on the standard "hunt monsters for valuable parts" theme.

Heck, I'd like to run a druid character who's big into ecological population management.