Dragonlance Shadow of the Dragon Queen AMA

[FitzTheRuke]

I don't think being curios and not listening to authority is evil (in or out D&D) as much as it is chaotic or something similar...

Spoiler: the example

if an NPC tells me 'take this letter to X, don't open it and read it' I have about a 60/40 chanve where 60 is doing as i was told and 40 being taking a look... some of my players it;s closer to 5/95 but I wouldn't call any of them evil.... and being ambitus isn't being evil

You're right that being ambitious isn't evil - in itself - but that's not the only evil-like aspect that your stereotypical gamer (I'm honestly not talking about all gamers in all actual games, but the overall zeitgeist) plays with.

There's ambition, but there's also righteous indignation, selfishness, inflexibility, might-makes-right, irresponsibility (on the fate of NPCs), dishonesty, cruelty, obsessive control issues, narcissism, remorselessness - the list of evil traits on display goes on.

It's an unfortunate side-effect of the power fantasy.

Again - absolutely - there are plenty of thoughtful players who can play kind heroes, but nearly all players can fall into behaviour that could be considered evil from time-to-time.

Like I said earlier, it's where the "murder-hobo" stereotype comes from.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

You're right that being ambitious isn't evil - in itself - but that's not the only evil-like aspect that your stereotypical gamer (I'm honestly not talking about all gamers in all actual games, but the overall zeitgeist) plays with.

I don;t know how it is possible I have SUCH a different experience then you (maybe self selecting I avoid bad people) but

There's ambition, but there's also righteous indignation, selfishness, inflexibility, might-makes-right, irresponsibility (on the fate of NPCs), dishonesty, cruelty, obsessive control issues, narcissism, remorselessness - the list of evil traits on display goes on.

It's an unfortunate side-effect of the power fantasy.

none of that is what I am used to. Selfishness and might makes right are almost there... but irresposibility seems so off when I am used to players flipping out if anything bad happens to anyone around them, and dishonesty and cruelty is WAY off my experence... control issues is a sometimes, narcissism and remorselessness is so rare I can't remember the last time they came up.

Again - absolutely - there are plenty of thoughtful players who can play kind heroes, but nearly all players can fall into behaviour that could be considered evil from time-to-time.

Like I said earlier, it's where the "murder-hobo" stereotype comes from.

I just don't see murder-hobo as something done, not at stores, not at cons, not at home games I play in, not in home games I know people who play in...

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

You are evil when you cause injustice, damage against innocent people, or do actions against the Natural Law. There is not a cosmic balance between good and evil. The true harmony is when everybody obey the Natural Law.

This retcon really was rightly justified.

* Now I wonder if WotC is going to publish a "retouched" version of the main trilogy, something like the edited version of Star Wars with new scenes added.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

You are evil when you cause injustice, damage against innocent people, or do actions against the Natural Law. There is not a cosmic balance between good and evil. The true harmony is when everybody obey the Natural Law.

Wait is this in the book?

 

[pukunui]

Wait is this in the book?

Is what in the book?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Is what in the book?

I think they mean @LuisCarlos17f 's definition of evil.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Is what in the book?

You are evil when you cause injustice, damage against innocent people, or do actions against the Natural Law. There is not a cosmic balance between good and evil. The true harmony is when everybody obey the Natural Law.

 

[pukunui]

No, there is nothing like that in the book.