[RPG] Is it possible to betray the party in D&D

betrayaldungeons-and-dragonsparty

I was just wondering, is it possible for one or more people to abandon/betray the rest of the party in D&D? Like, if they're offered a deal by the antagonist that they're obviously meant to say no to, but say yes to, can they act as powerful villains now and go around slaying the good guys?

I know that some GMs would just say it's impossible in a good campaign, but in general, would the GM be OK with that?

Best Answer

The short answer is, “Yes, it is possible.” That’s an almost-meaningless answer, though, because just about anything is possible in a Dungeons and Dragons game, if your DM/group goes for it. The rules are fairly flexible, and on top of that, the DM is free to change, add to, remove from, or ignore the rules as he or she sees fit (and, ideally, as the rest of the group will most enjoy).

Different groups have very different opinions on this sort of behavior. There are obvious merits (adds drama and tension, may be fitting and appropriate for a given circumstance, etc.) and obvious problems (adds drama and tension among the players, most DMs are not going to be able to simultaneously provide for both the traitor and the rest of the party if they go separate ways, etc.), and it’s the sort of thing that a group should discuss ahead of time.

When in doubt, it’s very OK to say, out loud to your fellow players, “OK, honestly... I think my dude would take that deal. He’d backstab all of you to get what the BBEG’s offering. If I actually do that, is it going to improve the game or make it worse?” Getting the group’s opinion can be valuable here. And if the group says that they think taking the deal would mess up the game, well, that’s when you have to Make the Tough Decision to Decide to React Differently.