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Old 07-12-2017, 03:09 PM   #9
b-dog
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Default Re: It would be nice to have a high powered "historical" fantasy series

Quote:
Originally Posted by Phantasm View Post
What makes these kinds of settings fun, IMO, is not the "monsters to fight", but the outwitting of non-monster adversaries. If you're going with "historical fantasy", like a "Prince Valiant in the Time of Camelot" type campaign, the real fun will be outwitting folks like Mordred and Morgana, not fighting a nest of griffins.

A few of Hercules's Twelve Labors were more of outwitting people, not slaying/fighting monsters: Cleaning the stables? He diverting the course of a river! Obtaining Hippolyta's golden girdle? He seduced her! And one of his Labors had him fighting a monster not to the death, but in a wrestling match to a pin/submission (Cerberus), as Herc's deal with his uncle Hades was "Cerberus must not be harmed".

Odysseus is another one who relied on outwitting his foes as much as slaying them. The Sirens? He plugged ears and lashed himself to the mast.

Devolving a "historical fantasy" setting to "find monsters to slay" removes most of the fun of the setting, IMO.

YMMV, though. Just remember that there's more to RPGs than "slay the monster". Sometimes, your "monster" is human, and the idea is to capture to bring to trial... and sometimes you may not even be able to do that, if the enemy is the head of another kingdom.
I agree with what you have written and all of that would be fun to play. I would like that kind of setting but also add monster fighting, going on quests and exploring ruins in search of treasure and magic items.
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