(04-11-2020, 04:34 PM)tortoise Wrote: 1000 Skeletons - A Metaphor
Let’s say you run a game in which the players contribute proactively to their goals as much as you do, and you allow your players to go off in any direction they choose. How do you deal with a situation in which a necromancer player wants to spend a year in a cabin creating a skeleton army? You could make it clear to the player that such an activity will have consequences, then adjust the story to respond to this necromancer’s waxing horde. The exact consequences are story based and come from the world you are building. Perhaps a hero group comes armed with potent magic. Maybe a more powerful necromancer feels threatened and begins to investigate. Perhaps the day to day overuse of primal force energy takes a toll on the necromancer and starts to change them. Personally, I like the 1000 skeletons. However you choose to deal with it, there should be story consequences for such an investment in time. Even after the deed is done, your necromancer player isn’t going to be able to simply “go into town for a bed and a shower” anymore. Simple acts like moving between towns becomes a new story point. I imagine most worlds would notice the skeletons and have something to say about it.

Or, you could be more heavy-handed as the GM and squash the event early. Maybe you tell the player that’s fine, go roll up a new character to play the current story while your old character spends a year making an undead army. It would only be fair to be sure the player is made aware of such consequences before they take the action.

The heavy hand might be something you need to employ, but if you trust your players and they trust you, you might want to avoid this. Your player is going to take the story you thought you were going to share in a new direction, that’s for sure. But a story guided by player actions is quite fun! Personally, I love skeletons.

What would you do?


I remember when creative ideas were a dime a dozen.   I still witness them, but it seems to be at a lower frequency.  1000 skeletons falls into the creative category, imo.  This player is thinking more in a macro than micro.  I would reward this.  Where I see things fall apart is in the implementation of these creative ideas.  So I would ask the player how he plans to do this?  A good idea is nothing without action.  Where does he plan to get 1000 bodies?  Robbing graveyards?  Ok.  After the player gives me the details of the robbing then I introduce consequences.  Success is a consequence of good ideas and good tactics.  Challenges are consequences of tactics less developed. (Not always, but that's another topic)  So if the player plans well then his is rewarded with a few bodies.  Any special components needed?  Well there may be some on the current quest of the party.  This keeps the necro part as a side effort that doesn't necessarily need to be played through all the time.  The player can party with his fellow adventurers.  I think it is doable and should be given air to grow.   Progress (growth) is often more satisfying than the end game.  I can always create appropriate challenges at the appropriate time to keep the interest.  i am only limited by my creativity.  And if I am at a mental block, I can always ask the player if they think something might me happening to stop his efforts.  I can use ideas to fuel more growth opportunities.