Maybe it’s not alien that a group of players in a role playing game might want to talk the final boss down. What I hear and experienced that the newer influx of player and 1e old school(mostly because how brutal combat actual was) are a lot more open to improv and roleplay out of a combat sinario. I feel like starting during 3e and 4emost of the players used combat as the most important game pillar to solve problems as the system became progressively less dangerous to engage with. I think early 5e was dominated by the combat pillar first players and modules but most of recent the newest blood don’t have a history of war gaming or combat focused video games and came here to roleplay.
I would agree with you that many of the newer players come now to roleplay vs. play a combat game (There are two of us, so this is just Chris' opinion). To WotC's credit, they are adapting to this trend and providing alternative options to only killing the BBEG. That said, D&D is and always has been, a combat-based game. More roleplaying is great, but I do not want combat to take a back seat to it. Then it wouldn't be D&D. I also wanted to add that I think 1e players are torn. Being someone that primarily played 1st edition until the advent of 5e, a session involved clearing a dungeon room by room and the improv/roleplaying piece of the game came from the crazy things you'd try in combat. That said, it was very discouraging that countless creatures had abilities that when used would instantly kill you if you failed the save. Talking your way out of something sounds pretty damn good when your characters keep dying.
@@DumpStat Will say you properly read the module cover to cover more than me. Do feel like it's a blend that makes for more memorable games. If the party are die-hard pacifists, let the monsters be deadly and encourage them to actually think about using their class powers out of fights to interact with the environment to avoid them (I think it's possible in almost every module could have the party of wizards negotiate, sneak, restrain, manipulate, Yeet their way through every encounter without killing, unless it's a "But Thou Must!" DM). Not me personally but I play with a Roleplay heavy table, so I know firsthand how much fun people have talking with NPCs most of the time, and surprisingly most of the heavy lifting is done by the other player themselves, and dice are only being brought out when they run into a brick wall on their creativity. Even at this table, Im still a newer player that's drinking up lots of different DM advice, and have tons of combat theories I wish I had a group to test them against. I want to do an off the rails Storm King's Thunder campaign to put the fear of giants in my players.
I love this podcast, you guys are so funny together.
Maybe it’s not alien that a group of players in a role playing game might want to talk the final boss down. What I hear and experienced that the newer influx of player and 1e old school(mostly because how brutal combat actual was) are a lot more open to improv and roleplay out of a combat sinario. I feel like starting during 3e and 4emost of the players used combat as the most important game pillar to solve problems as the system became progressively less dangerous to engage with. I think early 5e was dominated by the combat pillar first players and modules but most of recent the newest blood don’t have a history of war gaming or combat focused video games and came here to roleplay.
I would agree with you that many of the newer players come now to roleplay vs. play a combat game (There are two of us, so this is just Chris' opinion). To WotC's credit, they are adapting to this trend and providing alternative options to only killing the BBEG. That said, D&D is and always has been, a combat-based game. More roleplaying is great, but I do not want combat to take a back seat to it. Then it wouldn't be D&D.
I also wanted to add that I think 1e players are torn. Being someone that primarily played 1st edition until the advent of 5e, a session involved clearing a dungeon room by room and the improv/roleplaying piece of the game came from the crazy things you'd try in combat. That said, it was very discouraging that countless creatures had abilities that when used would instantly kill you if you failed the save. Talking your way out of something sounds pretty damn good when your characters keep dying.
@@DumpStat Will say you properly read the module cover to cover more than me. Do feel like it's a blend that makes for more memorable games. If the party are die-hard pacifists, let the monsters be deadly and encourage them to actually think about using their class powers out of fights to interact with the environment to avoid them (I think it's possible in almost every module could have the party of wizards negotiate, sneak, restrain, manipulate, Yeet their way through every encounter without killing, unless it's a "But Thou Must!" DM).
Not me personally but I play with a Roleplay heavy table, so I know firsthand how much fun people have talking with NPCs most of the time, and surprisingly most of the heavy lifting is done by the other player themselves, and dice are only being brought out when they run into a brick wall on their creativity.
Even at this table, Im still a newer player that's drinking up lots of different DM advice, and have tons of combat theories I wish I had a group to test them against. I want to do an off the rails Storm King's Thunder campaign to put the fear of giants in my players.