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Old 10-21-2012, 09:13 PM   #1
Sindri
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Default The Bandit Thread

This is a thread about bandits.

Bandits, highwaymen and brigands. Who doesn't love them? They are classic foes or running gags depending on power level for PCs and generally no one objects to people taking out the local bandits. That said there are some details on using bandits realistically that I'd appreciate being expanded on. First of all what sort of population density you can achieve for bandits and what factors should exist if you want lots of bandits? Naturally terrain matters a lot, as does the motivating factors, how easy it is to acquire arms and how present the law is in the location.

Next how does the way the bandits operate differ depending on their origin? You can get bandit like forces from mercenaries whose funding was cut off, economic troubles, subjects rebelling against true or perceived unfair treatment and remnant militaries who refuse to surrender and specifics will naturally vary among these cases.

How much wealth the bandits can acquire is important too for PCs too. If someone manages to get lucky enough to actually acquire a lot of money they will probably stop being a bandit and go somewhere else to enjoy their wealth but how prosperous can a bandit reasonably get while still choosing to remain a bandit. Likewise how struggling can they be?

Many of the more valuable sources of income for bandits can decide to either avoid them or hire guards if the costs imposed increase too much compared to the solutions. Did bandits ever take this into account and behave in ways that made more long term sense? What sort of circumstances lead to people just writing off bandits as an necessary expenditure and what circumstances lead to them enacting solutions or trying to wipe them out?
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