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shadow_archmagi
2008-05-03, 07:22 PM
Has anyone considered what it would be like if a group of PCs were to exist in modern day life? That is, imagine if a group of them attended your school/job/trailerpark.

Six people, all of them of varying ages, races, and genders. Incredibly loyal to one another and unusually fair, but disdainful of everyone else. Sometimes they'll just walk away once they realize you don't have anything cool.

Trouble follows them. Shootouts, explosions, assassins from a drug cartel, no matter what happens, something is happening to them. If one of them dies, they select a new member. The moment they do, that person is one of them, treating them with the same loyalty and respect their predecessor did.

They're also fabulously rich.

de-trick
2008-05-03, 07:25 PM
say hello to D20 modern

Noir-Neko
2008-05-03, 07:31 PM
No thats just Highschool.

Riffington
2008-05-03, 07:32 PM
Yeah, this is why nobody wants adventurers around (except when orcs are raiding)...

Eurus
2008-05-03, 07:40 PM
So you're saying, what if we were all NPCs? Well, that would suck, no doubt there. I, for one, would make sure to tell them my name often so I could hopefully graduate from 'faceless cannon fodder/monster bait' to 'important plot element'. I'd be sure to supply them with information whenever possible (whether they ask for it or not), and drop as many 'quest hooks' (like telling Once I gained their trust, I'd cover random garbage in glitter and sell it as 'magic items' for exorbitant prices. XD

quiet1mi
2008-05-03, 07:51 PM
hope they can't tell this difference little one....

shadow_archmagi
2008-05-03, 08:01 PM
So you're saying, what if we were all NPCs? Well, that would suck, no doubt there. I, for one, would make sure to tell them my name often so I could hopefully graduate from 'faceless cannon fodder/monster bait' to 'important plot element'. I'd be sure to supply them with information whenever possible (whether they ask for it or not), and drop as many 'quest hooks' (like telling Once I gained their trust, I'd cover random garbage in glitter and sell it as 'magic items' for exorbitant prices. XD

Personally, I'd withhold important plot information, but then NEVER, EVER schedule a meeting to explain it.

Odd, how in D&D knowing the evil genius's one weakness is a good way to stay alive. In reality, its the opposite.

horseboy
2008-05-03, 08:23 PM
Not to mention the biggest problem: The campaign never gets finished. So they're all paranoid from all the bad guys jumping out of no where, so they've got the door bell wired with 220v and bouncing bettys planted all over the back yard. Then, one day, all of a sudden, the attacks stop. No one is out to get them anymore and they keep blowing up the neighborhood dogs. Their cash runs out pretty quick since they don't know how to budget and are always buying stupidly expensive things. So, since they have no marketable skills, they wind up in either food service or retail, being that creepy guy that owns the military surplus store. You know the one, he's always going on about how he can kill you 27 different ways with a can of corned beef hash.

quiet1mi
2008-05-03, 08:24 PM
mmmm... corn beef hash....

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll
2008-05-03, 08:37 PM
Yes. They are.

Edit: Oh, you're not talking about the players...

Hadrian_Emrys
2008-05-03, 09:03 PM
I'd make sure to try and keep informed as to the whereabouts of such a group, yet stay out of sight. When one of them gets offed, I'd SO be right there to fill the empty slot. :smallbiggrin:

shadow_archmagi
2008-05-03, 09:13 PM
I'd make sure to try and keep informed as to the whereabouts of such a group, yet stay out of sight. When one of them gets offed, I'd SO be right there to fill the empty slot. :smallbiggrin:

I'm using that for my next PC.

"Hello I heard one of you had died so I came here to replace him. Trust me and give me an equal share of the wealth and crap now."

Collin152
2008-05-03, 09:30 PM
I'm using that for my next PC.

"Hello I heard one of you had died so I came here to replace him. Trust me and give me an equal share of the wealth and crap now."

Clearly adventureres beliee in reincarnation.

de-trick
2008-05-03, 10:14 PM
Id be the guy who stands out in the tavern, but is just a man having nothing to do with the plot or adventure. But the PC's would keep trying to get information out of me.

SamTheCleric
2008-05-03, 10:20 PM
I would constantly tack messages to a sign outside the tavern. These messages would be nonsensical, encrypted or just blank papers.

This would lead to much enjoyment as I watch all the adventurers scatter to try and find their next quest.

horseboy
2008-05-04, 12:38 AM
I would constantly tack messages to a sign outside the tavern. These messages would be nonsensical, encrypted or just blank papers.

This would lead to much enjoyment as I watch all the adventurers scatter to try and find their next quest.
:mitd:The Pearl is in the River. :sabine:

skywalker
2008-05-04, 12:41 AM
I'm using that for my next PC.

"Hello I heard one of you had died so I came here to replace him. Trust me and give me an equal share of the wealth and crap now."

See Spellfire by Ed Greenwood.

Why R.A. Salvatore get more fame and more books than the guy who created the Realms, I'll never know :smallannoyed:

Agamid
2008-05-04, 01:17 AM
you way you described them makes them sound like the preppy girls from my old high school...

TheCountAlucard
2008-05-04, 01:23 AM
...And THOSE are just normal PCs. The PCs in my game are Evil. :smallamused:

Waspinator
2008-05-04, 02:20 AM
I would constantly tack messages to a sign outside the tavern. These messages would be nonsensical, encrypted or just blank papers.

This would lead to much enjoyment as I watch all the adventurers scatter to try and find their next quest.

Eastmost peninsula is the secret.

DirtyPacifist
2008-05-04, 02:31 AM
Six people, all of them of varying ages, races, and genders. Incredibly loyal to one another and unusually fair, but disdainful of everyone else. Sometimes they'll just walk away once they realize you don't have anything cool.

Hmm, this doesn't sound like my group at all...

shadow_archmagi
2008-05-04, 05:29 AM
Hmm, this doesn't sound like my group at all...

Well, every group of PCs sticks together. This is because having a PC leave the party is effectively the same as killing him, because either way someone has to roll up a new character. Therefore, its extremely rare in my experience. So players tend to make an effort to be nice to one another. Or just ignore each others obvious idiocy.

So you get encounters like this.

Joe Average: Hello! I'm here from E-villas international, and I'd like to inform you that...
Party Rogue: ITS A TRAP!! *knife*
Party nice-guy: Dude... what have I told you harassing NPCs?
Party meat-shield: Huh? What'd I miss?
Party nice-guy: Phil here just murdered an innocent. Go get the truck, we can still make it to the dump if we hurry.

Would REAL people react like that? Would they help their friend get away with murder? Murder they didn't approve of?

Trauco
2008-05-04, 06:48 AM
Of course you would help to dispose the body, after all you want your share of the NPC's wallet.

"Would REAL people react like that?"

depends on the friend :smallsmile:

DirtyPacifist
2008-05-04, 06:56 AM
Well, every group of PCs sticks together. This is because having a PC leave the party is effectively the same as killing him, because either way someone has to roll up a new character. Therefore, its extremely rare in my experience. So players tend to make an effort to be nice to one another. Or just ignore each others obvious idiocy.

So you get encounters like this.

Joe Average: Hello! I'm here from E-villas international, and I'd like to inform you that...
Party Rogue: ITS A TRAP!! *knife*
Party nice-guy: Dude... what have I told you harassing NPCs?
Party meat-shield: Huh? What'd I miss?
Party nice-guy: Phil here just murdered an innocent. Go get the truck, we can still make it to the dump if we hurry.

Would REAL people react like that? Would they help their friend get away with murder? Murder they didn't approve of?

Still doesn't sound like my party. I think character change significantly more often because of "My character just wouldn't stick around with these people/after that..." than dieing. :D The best was when one of the players changed characters twice in three sessions due to not getting along with the party's paladin (weren't even the player's fault, the paladin was a total jackass, really.).

So there are groups like this, too. ;)

shadow_archmagi
2008-05-04, 07:35 AM
Still doesn't sound like my party. I think character change significantly more often because of "My character just wouldn't stick around with these people/after that..." than dieing. :D The best was when one of the players changed characters twice in three sessions due to not getting along with the party's paladin (weren't even the player's fault, the paladin was a total jackass, really.).

So there are groups like this, too. ;)

You're abnormal and an abomination of everything sterotypes stand for.

That said, where do you live, I wanna join your group.

de-trick
2008-05-04, 07:51 AM
Well, every group of PCs sticks together. This is because having a PC leave the party is effectively the same as killing him, because either way someone has to roll up a new character. Therefore, its extremely rare in my experience. So players tend to make an effort to be nice to one another. Or just ignore each others obvious idiocy.

So you get encounters like this.

Joe Average: Hello! I'm here from E-villas international, and I'd like to inform you that...
Party Rogue: ITS A TRAP!! *knife*
Party nice-guy: Dude... what have I told you harassing NPCs?
Party meat-shield: Huh? What'd I miss?
Party nice-guy: Phil here just murdered an innocent. Go get the truck, we can still make it to the dump if we hurry.

Would REAL people react like that? Would they help their friend get away with murder? Murder they didn't approve of?

You dig the hole first, so you dont get a guy asking "why are you digging a hole for", cause then your digging a second hole.

I could see helping my childhod friend who is the other surviver of the village of small town, that was attacked by raid orcs

Flickerdart
2008-05-04, 08:11 AM
Well, every group of PCs sticks together. This is because having a PC leave the party is effectively the same as killing him, because either way someone has to roll up a new character. Therefore, its extremely rare in my experience. So players tend to make an effort to be nice to one another. Or just ignore each others obvious idiocy.

So you get encounters like this.

Joe Average: Hello! I'm here from E-villas international, and I'd like to inform you that...
Party Rogue: ITS A TRAP!! *knife*
Party nice-guy: Dude... what have I told you harassing NPCs?
Party meat-shield: Huh? What'd I miss?
Party nice-guy: Phil here just murdered an innocent. Go get the truck, we can still make it to the dump if we hurry.

Would REAL people react like that? Would they help their friend get away with murder? Murder they didn't approve of?
MY GOD. I have just had an epiphany.

PCs are exactly like sitcom characters. which means that a sitcom starring a standard party would be absolutely hilarious.

Grommen
2008-05-04, 08:31 AM
"Why R.A. Salvatore get more fame and more books than the guy who created the Realms, I'll never know"

Cause Salvatore novels are not used as "Sleep Aids". Ed is a great creator of worlds, but he can put me to sleep just by reading the title of his book.

Can you just Imagen the collateral damage PC's would cause in the real world, and the cops would never come to find them. They would be connected to the underworld of crime, violence, gangs, drugs. Carry extreamly illegel weapons, have pets that were far above the norm, spells that would reshape the world.

An no one would really care.

The worst place to be would be their bad side, cause no matter how much money, men, guns, or safe havens you posses. Eventually they would find you and kill you. The best place in the world to be would be their good side. Cause no matter what they did, as long as you were the plot that week, you would live. You could fall off a 20 story building or get shot by an assault cannon and you would pull through.

MeklorIlavator
2008-05-04, 08:35 AM
Also, if you were on their good side and were killed, they would hunt down your killer, and depending on how close, might help support your family. Plus, you would get one of those epic death scenes where they find you all mangled up and you tell them the name of <insert villain's identity here>

shadow_archmagi
2008-05-04, 08:45 AM
MY GOD. I have just had an epiphany.

PCs are exactly like sitcom characters. which means that a sitcom starring a standard party would be absolutely hilarious.

Seinfeld meets D&D...


O_o.

Feralgeist
2008-05-04, 09:29 AM
yeah, generally in the real world people are horrified by death of their closest friends. but not the PC's. Oh no.
In game example.

Me, a wizard. 2 rogues, and the rest of the jackoff party.


rogue 1 falls unconscious during battle.
rogue 2 steals his hat, then gives him a potion.

We continue, only to be assaulted by a giant acid elemental.

Me: "hm, what spells have i got left....ah crap, melfs' acid arrow"

Rogue 1 charges. is knocked unconscious again. Rogue 2 hides.

Druid turns awesome and starts killing "haha, why'd you prepare that,its only acid damage!"

Me: "you know what isn't acid? invisibility. have fun, jerk!"

battle ends, rogue 1 is revived once more. Finds a chest, opens it and is completely obliterated by traps.

Rogue 2. "......oh...my....god......"
Me: "woah, he's crispy."
Rogue 2: "I SAVED THE HAT!"

shadow_archmagi
2008-05-04, 09:48 AM
Thats true as well. It adds to the creepy i think.

TheCountAlucard
2008-05-04, 10:43 AM
Seinfeld meets D&D...


O_o.

I can imagine it now...

"NO DICE FOR YOU!"

Roderick_BR
2008-05-04, 10:51 AM
Life would be like a big Hollywood movie.

Yahzi
2008-05-04, 11:20 AM
By creepy, I think you meant evil.

It's kind of a problem with D&D that it has this rigid alignment system, and yet the job of Adventurer almost requires one to elitist, greedy, and murderous.

Zorg
2008-05-04, 11:26 AM
I think Chainmail Bikini (http://www.feartheboot.com/comic/default.aspx?c=37) summed it up best:


Adding a new PC to the party means inviting an unknown and dangerous-looking stranger to join your group of otherwise paranoid and greedy adventurers. There's pretty much no way to roleplay it so that it doesn't sound stupid.

Imagine if someone did this to you in real life: You're walking down the street and bump into a three random guys who invite you to to join in on assault and robbery; offering you a one-quarter stake in everything and a very real chance at severe bodily harm, without bothering to ask for your name or qualifications.

It's ridiculous. That sort of thing never happens unless you're in Detroit.

Our group frequently mistrusts, abuses lies and deceives the other party members, at least until they learn to trust each other. PCs have gotten into fights (some lethal) over loot and simple personality clashes. Basically the philosophy is treat the other PC as you would any NPC in the same situation.

Ograbme
2008-05-04, 11:54 AM
Every time they fail a task, their first response is to go on a killing spree to level up...

Xuincherguixe
2008-05-04, 11:57 AM
MY GOD. I have just had an epiphany.

PCs are exactly like sitcom characters. which means that a sitcom starring a standard party would be absolutely hilarious.

You basically just described Slayers.

Green and Red
2008-05-04, 12:19 PM
One might also think about becoming some sort of villian... of course the odds are against you, and if you simply do that you will simply die... however...
Vilians are a threat. it comes with the job. Also stories have often good final battles, were the fate of the town/world/universe depends on the outcome... that means that no matter how complicated, ridiculous or plain weird your plan is, you propably will come within inches of its completion before the pcs confront you. That alone of course wont do the trick...
But if we go on, that offers amazing possibilities. If i now plan on becoming a god, by the method of randomly mixing some chemicals together and drinking them, as long as the pcs now about it it will actually work. Of course they wil stop me minutes befor my ascension, but there domes the next part in. as long as you somehow manage to bend it that the pcs will benefit more from you living than you dead, you will live. Maybe simply promise that you fulfill them a few wishes and wont do much evil but instead become a neutral god (being a chaotic neutral god has to be fun) and bam. they wont stop you. But due to the final confrontation rule, your plan will work.

PS: i know that that is propably a load of nonsense... but i just had that idea and had to write it.

chiasaur11
2008-05-04, 02:45 PM
I guess the best way to survive is having a unique gimmick.

The PCs remember "Muffler guy" or "The chick who fears Monkeys" and, with luck, will like them (i.e. : you) enough not to kill them.

Flickerdart
2008-05-04, 03:14 PM
You basically just described Slayers.

I've never heard of it. Do go on.

Eita
2008-05-04, 03:37 PM
Also, if you were on their good side and were killed, they would hunt down your killer, and depending on how close, might help support your family. Plus, you would get one of those epic death scenes where they find you all mangled up and you tell them the name of <insert villain's identity here>

And if you're really important, then they'll go on an epic quest to revive you. Failing that, you'd appear as a ghost every so often.

Lord Tataraus
2008-05-04, 04:53 PM
One might also think about becoming some sort of villian... of course the odds are against you, and if you simply do that you will simply die... however...
Vilians are a threat. it comes with the job. Also stories have often good final battles, were the fate of the town/world/universe depends on the outcome... that means that no matter how complicated, ridiculous or plain weird your plan is, you propably will come within inches of its completion before the pcs confront you. That alone of course wont do the trick...
But if we go on, that offers amazing possibilities. If i now plan on becoming a god, by the method of randomly mixing some chemicals together and drinking them, as long as the pcs now about it it will actually work. Of course they wil stop me minutes befor my ascension, but there domes the next part in. as long as you somehow manage to bend it that the pcs will benefit more from you living than you dead, you will live. Maybe simply promise that you fulfill them a few wishes and wont do much evil but instead become a neutral god (being a chaotic neutral god has to be fun) and bam. they wont stop you. But due to the final confrontation rule, your plan will work.

PS: i know that that is propably a load of nonsense... but i just had that idea and had to write it.

Well, I don't know about your group but my group can sometimes fail...

Turcano
2008-05-04, 05:33 PM
Clearly adventureres beliee in reincarnation.

Not just reincarnation, but retroactive reincarnation.

shadow_archmagi
2008-05-04, 05:39 PM
Not just reincarnation, but retroactive reincarnation.

I believe that when I die, it will be approxamitely 20-30 years after I'm reincarnated, so I can resume life right where I left off.

Deth Muncher
2008-05-04, 05:57 PM
Not just reincarnation, but retroactive reincarnation.

Preincarnation, then?

shadow_archmagi
2008-05-04, 06:32 PM
Preincarnation, then?

Pre-emptive reincarnation is te word methinks.

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-05-04, 07:33 PM
Why are you guys talking about loyalty? My group recently was discussing ways of killing one of the other members despite his many layers of protections.

Or there was the time the DM tried to introduce us that led to part conflict involving a pet cat and a dead fish, one party member almost being sent out to sea tied to a board, and my character, who avoided all of this, fleeing the island ahead of the guards instead of turning himself in(when the punishment would have been "DO THE QUEST!!!")

DM tears taste like candy. :smallbiggrin:

Flickerdart
2008-05-04, 07:37 PM
Why are you guys talking about loyalty? My group recently was discussing ways of killing one of the other members despite his many layers of protections.

Or there was the time the DM tried to introduce us that led to part conflict involving a pet cat and a dead fish, one party member almost being sent out to sea tied to a board, and my character, who avoided all of this, fleeing the island ahead of the guards instead of turning himself in(when the punishment would have been "DO THE QUEST!!!")

DM tears taste like candy. :smallbiggrin:

See, the point is for the players to have fun, and if the DM has to command the players to go on a side quest to get one player back so they can begin the main quest...sounds pretty fun to me.