[D&D] Surprising Other Gamers

When my brother and some of his friends were talking about the last campaign they had just finished (and lost), I could not help but snicker.

They asked if I could do better.

I said, maybe.

So I was invited from them as they created new characters for the “Dragon Mountain” campaign.

They were still in the hack-n-slash mentality for playing RPGs.

Me, I role played my PC.

Mine was a cleric of Thoth (Knowledge).  They thought this was great, as I had learned all those healing spells as part of my PC.

They spent most of their time killing monsters, while I defended myself when attacked, and healed those whom needed it.  I did not waste myself on those melee comflicts.

So by the time we got to the main lair, most of the group were low on weapons especially magical weapons (broken over the campaign), and where on average between 3/4 to 4/5 of full hit points.  They thought since they were in a better position than the last time, they were ready.

So while once they found/entered the lair, they all ran in to attack the dragon (to kill it – get its hoard).

My Cleric, prostrated at the entrance to the lair, waited.

So after the dragon finished off the group ONCE AGAIN, it approached my PC still in its submissive pose.

The dragon spoke, “What trick is this?”

“Oh great lord,” my PC spoke, “may thy overwhelming majestic grant this insignificant permission to speak in thy presence.”

The group looked at me in confusion.

Talk instead of fighting?

With having researched about dragonkind before setting out, my PC learned the biggest thing of a dragon is its ego.

Defeat the ego, and you win without loss of life or limb(s).

So by using flowery language, praises, and being as humble of its own accomplishments, my PC was able to leave the dragon’s lair not only fully intact, but an agreement to return annually to share knowledge and to research/answer what ever questions the dragon would ask.

My cleric also got into an agreement that, since a dragon loves precious soft metal to lie down on (aka gold), that for a fair price, would exchange gold for those items the dragon might not wait/get rid of.  For example, all the armour of failed adventurers, artwork (from statues to ornate tables to pictures etc), to parchments, tombs, spellbooks, etc (since dragons learn magic differently).

While I do enjoy the hack-n-slash of D&D, being able to win by role playing also is fun, if done right.

Needless to so, they group did learn a thing or two about role playing.