Make Good Guys Simple, Make Bad Guys Sympathetic

Here’s a TTRPG play-culture axiom I have been thinking about and consciously using, recently:Factions / characters whose values align with the values of your players should be caricatures. Factions / characters whose values clash with the values of your players should be presented with nuance.This balances out IRL player inclinations; helps moral conflicts within the game sing; and makes choosing who to side with a meaningful, gameable decision.+For the past year I have been running a playtest campaign of MACE OF THE MONKEY KING—my upcoming game + adventure—for my home group. The adventure features heavy faction play.One faction in the game is a temple devoted to Her-Weight-In-Gold, the buffalo goddess of desire:Perform acts that please Her, and She grants powers in exchange:Her-Weight-In-Gold is the bullish goddess of desire for profit. Society does not exist; pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Equality is evil; wealth and success is proof of virtue. Extol the entrepreneurial…

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