Ok, here's a situation I bet every gamer runs into on occasion:

Brand new PC group with little equipment or money wonders what to do. So they decide to ambush a bunch of bad guys or just any other group that's better equipped and take their gear.

Uh, OK, let's see if I get this: The PC group is made of new characters and has little gear, so they think having better gear will increase their odds of surviving, so to get it they kill a group with beter gear and take it.

Ummm, let's see now, the other group has better gear, so you're going to kill them and take it........

So, apparenty, you think that you can kill the other group and take their stuff when you don't have any good stuff of your own, but doesn't that mean having the better gear (not to mention presumably more experience) doesn't help the better equipped group?


It's an incredibly common situation in games, I believe. I just wondered if anyone ever pondered the absurdity of it, or had any common absurdities of their own to comment on.

You have mis-written the equations.

It is not


but instead,


It's the Power of PCness, which has nothing to do with being politically correct, and is all about being a player character. The Power of PCness allows you to recognise other PCs instantly, and to take on tasks which no sane person would ever expect to succeed at.

Quote from: JimBobOzYou have mis-written the equations.

It is not

characters + no kit > characters + kit

but instead,

player characters + no kit > non-player characters + kit

It's the Power of PCness, which has nothing to do with being politically correct, and is all about being a player character. The Power of PCness allows you to recognise other PCs instantly, and to take on tasks which no sane person would ever expect to succeed at.

Ah, Ok I see now, the PCs have something o their side no NPC can ever hope for: Plot dependency, as in the plot depends on them.

Quote from: Dominus NoxAh, Ok I see now, the PCs have something o their side no NPC can ever hope for: Plot dependency, as in the plot depends on them.

No. In player terms they have multiple brains [theoretically] working as a team against one GM brain.  Plus being on the offensive helps as they have better control over picking the time, location, and opponents. Ambush the dandy for the sweet loot his daddy bought him! So the real equation is:

player characters + no kit + cunning plan - morals > nonplayer characters + kit


EDIT: Stupid bad typing brain not work good, K?

Quote from: blakkieNo. In player terms they have multiple brains [theoretically] working as a team against one GM brain.  Plus being on the offensive helps as they have better control over picking the time, location, and opponents. Ambush the dandy for the sweet loot his daddy bought him! So the real equation is:

player characters + no kit + cunning plan - morales > nonplayer characters + kit

So, who's "morales"? The mexican guy who hinders the team so they work better without him?


(For the benefit of those who have too much PC and too little humor, let me explain that the above was a JOKE, and not a slam on mexicans or other guys named morales. I know he meant "Morals", OK? I just couldn't pass up the joke.)

Quote from: Dominus NoxIt's an incredibly common situation in games, I believe. I just wondered if anyone ever pondered the absurdity of it, or had any common absurdities of their own to comment on.

Never happened in any of my games. If the situation is so common perhaps it's the way how certain campaigns are set up. I mean don't the beginning pcs have something to do - personal goals - than plan "kill them and take their stuff" (Unless kill them and take their stuff is part of their personal goals - than it would not be a problem would it )

Seriously

Regards,
David R

Quote from: blakkiePlus being on the offensive helps as they have better control over picking the time, location, and opponents.

Yep.  Do not underestimate the effectiveness of a well-placed ambush.

Of course, when the PCs get all that cool loot, it might be fun for a bunch of 1st-level NPC to ambush them.  Turnabout is fair play, after all...

The Economics of Banditry