To Build or Not to Build

[Burley]

So, I'm about to run a game for a group of five, and four of them have never played D&D or any similar table-top game. (Some have RPG experience, through Mass Effect and things like that, so, I think they get the core concept.)

A couple of them have given me character concepts, which I'm sweating bullets about because I think I'm about to be DMing an evil campaign and I don't wanna say, "No! It's not fun for me to do that, and it doesn't make sense in the world to allow 5 evil dudes to walk around, unchecked."

Should I just make five or six character sheets, with pretty open-ended, nudging-in-the-right-direct concepts, and make them just pick which character they wanna play?
Or, should I let them really engage and explore roleplaying and creativity, at the expense of my fun? Should I just get a nice, comfy pillow for my cross?

[JNAProductions]

So, I'm about to run a game for a group of five, and four of them have never played D&D or any similar table-top game. (Some have RPG experience, through Mass Effect and things like that, so, I think they get the core concept.)

A couple of them have given me character concepts, which I'm sweating bullets about because I think I'm about to be DMing an evil campaign and I don't wanna say, "No! It's not fun for me to do that, and it doesn't make sense in the world to allow 5 evil dudes to walk around, unchecked."

Should I just make five characters, with pretty open-ended but nudge-in-the-right-direct concepts, and make them just pick which character they wanna play?
Or, should I let them really engage and explore roleplaying and creativity, at the expense of my fun? Should I just get a nice, comfy pillow for my cross?

The job of a player at a D&D table is to have fun.

The DM is a player.

I would advise an honest discussion with your players. Tell them "Hey, I'm glad you're excited about this game, and I love that you're coming up with a cool concept! But it's kinda evil, and I prefer games about heroes, rather than villains. Is it possible for you to come up with a more heroic concept? Thanks."

Don't feel like you have to DM if it won't be fun for you.

[Burley]

The job of a player at a D&D table is to have fun.

The DM is a player.

I would advise an honest discussion with your players. Tell them "Hey, I'm glad you're excited about this game, and I love that you're coming up with a cool concept! But it's kinda evil, and I prefer games about heroes, rather than villains. Is it possible for you to come up with a more heroic concept? Thanks."

Don't feel like you have to DM if it won't be fun for you.

Do you think it would "railroading" if I were to suggest ways to let the character RP as evil, but play as good? Sorta like Belkar's Mark of Justice?

[JNAProductions]

Do you think it would "railroading" if I were to suggest ways to let the character RP as evil, but play as good? Sorta like Belkar's Mark of Justice?

Eh... I think you should just talk to the players about what YOU want from the game. If they REALLY want evil characters, but are okay with them being Suicide Squadded, then you can all have a good time. If not... I dunno.

[MrStabby]

Better to let them come up with the ways I think.

[Specter]

It seems to me you just need to orient their character creation, not build for them. "This will be a campaign about saving the world in a wasteland-like terrain. Make characters that are ready to work together for something greater than themselves." This kind of info should be enough.

[Sir cryosin]

Let them play what ever they want but let them know. This ain't Skyrim you can kill anybody and just walk away. Just like in the real world. People will be investigating these deaths and there is a good possibility that after some time they might discover that it's you and you will have to reap the consequences.

[Sir cryosin]

Oh um you should have a session 0 we're y'all create your character's talk about how y'all came together and formed the party. Talk about the setting of the campaign. Things to expect. Talk about any rules be it homebrewed or player rules like I don't let murderhobo in my games. Ect. This is the time to just sit and talk and bring up questions ,ideas and ect. Everyone always ask for advice adout this and that and the best and only answer 90% of the time is just talk it out with the group or player/DM

[lunaticfringe]

No.

1. It doesn't work in practice, especially with New Players. They will eventually end up acting how they want.

2. As a DM you have a remarkable amount of Control & Freedom. The Multiverse is yours to Command, you're Freakin God. Players have very little by comparison. IMO there has to be a line because despite what many think this a cooperative Game. Player Character Actions & Personality is that line(Unless you're mind controlling them of course). To go Petty Tyrant Control Freak during someone's first game is Bad Form if you ask me.

3. It's their First Game! Loosen your Brown Eye, guy. This shouldn't be the start of some long running campaign, it should be a short & sweet 1 off to make them feel comfortable. An old wizard needs you to clear out Bad Guys from his Magic Tower or some such cliche. Then talk about it, discuss things, then go from there.

[Unoriginal]

Do you think it would "railroading" if I were to suggest ways to let the character RP as evil, but play as good? Sorta like Belkar's Mark of Justice?

Depends if you were to IMPOSE those ways or not.

Personally I'd rather not play a character who's compelled to do things against their will from day 1, unless I have this specific concept in mind.

You should just talk with them and suggest not-evil characters, if you don't want evil characters.

Could you tell us more about those character concept they gave you?

[Grod_The_Giant]

+1 to the "open, honest discussion" thing. You're under no obligation to run a campaign you won't enjoy.

[Burley]

Ok. So, I think my plan is to have the party be hired to do a guerrilla-style raid on a nearby camp of the rapidly expanding empire. The party will find that they are, for some reason, immune to an incredibly toxic substance that the empire's race is immune to.

Then, they can pick their side and do whatever they want on their mission to discover why they're so dang special.

[N810]

I wonder if each of them though that they where going to be the edgy evil character of the group...
and the rest of the party was going to be good. :smallconfused:

[Honest Tiefling]

If they have played Mass Effect, perhaps you should encourage them to be renegade, not evil? I would think that even those who haven't played Mass Effect will have some idea of what that is.

[Burley]

With my friends, HonestT, even a Paladin's gonna be some degree of Renegade. I foresee a lot of conversations interrupted with the back of somebody's hand. It may be the one game I've ever played where intimidation is higher than persuasion.

The concepts I've gotten are a Dragonborn Rogue who mugs people just for the muggin' pleasure of muggin', and a human cleric whose motto is "Healer for Hire." I'm guessing he intends to passive-aggressively track how much healing he does to get the other players to do favors for him. (I doubt it'd be more than paying for food and drink, possibly dares.)

I'll have "The Talk" with them. I'm sure we can reach a decent compromise.

[Honest Tiefling]

Huh. Do we know each other by any chance? This is sounding familiar...

Perhaps you should send a really evil gang or cult after them. Smacking around a few people who sacrifice puppies for funsies might feel a bit better for you. Also, this cult/gang might also explain why the law enforcement might turn a blind eye to a few missing suspects or gold if it means getting rid of the cult/gang. Also has a baked in hook (the cult/gang backhands THEM or steals their stuff) and a baked in reason to work together.

But yes, have the talk. More Shepard, less Punisher.

[lunaticfringe]

With my friends, HonestT, even a Paladin's gonna be some degree of Renegade. I foresee a lot of conversations interrupted with the back of somebody's hand. It may be the one game I've ever played where intimidation is higher than persuasion.

The concepts I've gotten are a Dragonborn Rogue who mugs people just for the muggin' pleasure of muggin', and a human cleric whose motto is "Healer for Hire." I'm guessing he intends to passive-aggressively track how much healing he does to get the other players to do favors for him. (I doubt it'd be more than paying for food and drink, possibly dares.)

I'll have "The Talk" with them. I'm sure we can reach a decent compromise.

That seems like the standard level of MurderHobo in most newbs. In Vidya Games Roleplaying is done for you or through canned answers and honestly consequences are pretty weak to non-existent. I suspect some of it comes from anxiety. They don't really know what it's gonna be so they fall back on mechanics(combat) and saltiness because it's fairly simple. Ya just gotta be patient, no one role-plays particularly well when they are new or when joining a new group in my experience.