[RPG] How to get the PCs to not be a bunch of murderous cretins

gaming-stylesystem-agnostic

Most RPGs teach you that casual violence is the best solution to all your in-game problems. This is so well established a part of the vast majority of RPGs that there are entire satire RPGs like Greg Costikyan's Violence and John Tynes' Power Kill dedicated to showcasing the issue. Even now that the '80's anti-RPG hysteria is past, you see more sober critiques of endemic violence in RPGs in places like this Slate article. In most RPGs, PCs become inured to murder and other antisocial activities very quickly, and enter the depths of depravity that wouldn't be appropriate in the worst parts of the world. Armed robbery, mass murder, and genocide become routine parts of an adventurer's day, something only stick-in-the-mud characters with the most extremely stated ethics object to. Total war, even though it is not properly applied to just any conflict, is a PC's friend and they generally escalate any conflict in that direction.

The sophistication of the gamer mindset towards introspection on this issue can be demonstrated in that the most meaningful question usually debated about in-game violence is some variant on "but should we kill the noncombatant children" or "can we just murder people out of hand as long as they're from a typically evil race?" In the real world, we generally a priori regard anyone having to have this discussion as a monster already. (P.S. The "wipe out a given evil race" thing isn't the point of this question; it is only mentioned to indicate that it's only "that far" that usually causes ethical handwringing from players, when that is a really quite extreme case and we should be uncomfortable with casual violence a lot sooner. )

What I'd like to have is a more realistic in-game treatment of conflict. People getting wounded and giving up, taking and ransoming of prisoners, not always escalating a fistfight to weapons, not always escalating weapon combat to killing, etc. Heck, as I write this, I'm watching an episode of Adventure Time with my daughter and the protagonists snuck in and rescued a princess kidnapped by the Ice King and then exit right next to his sleeping form. I thought, "If this were D&D they'd all be carefully coordinating a coup de grace to kill him in his sleep on the grounds that he inconvenienced them." The problem isn't limited to D&D of course, sci-fi PCs are happy to neutron bomb planets for convenience too, for example.

I'm not part of the "D&D is Satanic" crowd obviously, but I frankly do have compunctions about continually playing in games where the taught behavior is uncomfortably equivalent to the worst examples of human behavior we see on the nightly news.

How can I give my PCs a newfound respect for human life?

Best Answer

I disagree with the suggestions that game mechanics will solve the problem. Things like XP penalties, and increasingly tough authority crackdowns may help; but, the real thing that drives empathy from players is good roleplay from NPCs.

Think about the things that make you not want to go around killing people in real life:

  • Killing is wrong. If your PC is religious, it's almost certainly in conflict with their faith. In D&D, a paladin or cleric's deity may have a few choice words or omens to share with the PC, regarding their indiscretion. If your PC is a good, neutral, or lawful character, you can question their actions, and threaten them with alignment change.
  • Killing is taboo. Friendly NPCs, be they allies in battle or local villagers, should serve as role models for the players. A fellow warrior might stay the hand of a PC, and suggest taking them alive, even arguing with the PC about what's the right thing to do. A group of villagers might shun the PCs, or be terrified, even traumatized, by their actions. A priest might gently counsel the PCs to a higher, more humane course of action.
  • Killing is against the law. Present a particular city or village as having a law enforcement presence; have guards and local clerics look in on the misbehaving adventurers, to make sure they're keeping in line. Making the PCs feel like they're going to get caught if they do something bad is more important than presenting them with an encounter, when they do. Maybe there are lawless places out there that encourage killing and rough behavior; be sure to present them as dark, dangerous dens of sin, that the PCs might be nervous venturing into.
  • Killing is unpleasant. People do not like being murdered. Watch an episode or two of CSI. In a medieval battle, the field afterwards would be littered with the screaming wounded; killing might be an act of mercy, to one who is suffering, and sure to die. A desparate NPC might claw at a PC with their fingernails, fight like a cornered animal, or lift their arms to protect their face, and be scarred with defensive wounds. They might weep, or cry; they might try to strike a bargain, call for help, or simply plead for their lives. Maybe they have young to protect, or a mate or loved one. Their death might be gruesome, and shocking; if their corpse is left unburied, it may even induce sickness, or nausea. When the players do something terrible, make them come face to face with the tragedy and horror of what they've done.

In a system like Shadowrun, or any other game involving mercenary or thief PCs, letting the opponents live may be a matter of "professional courtesy." If the PCs get a reputation for murder, NPCs may be equally ruthless when going after them, even developing a vendetta. The GM of my every-other-Friday Shadowrun game used this on us last session (Let us go! Please? Professional courtesy!)

I find that exploring the morality of an RPG gives the game a dark, cynical element, because the PCs are going to wind up killing, anyway - it's more dramatic and compelling if they have to think hard about their actions, like the good guys you see in any crime drama. It's great for games like Shadowrun, and Eclipse Phase. I think it's just as applicable to D&D - it's just a function of the DM's storytelling style, plot, and setting. Some people use D&D to create epic tales, and other people use it as a board game. I prefer the former.