After a recent scenario called the Drums of War on The Sha'tar realm, there were a few issues brought up by both those that were not quite sure what a roleplayed raid was and those who wanted to ensure that future raids were a bit more sympathetic towards the faction with fewer numbers.
I decided to write up a quick essay on what my view of a roleplayed raid was, and the admin for our forum suggested I might want to post it here as well.
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What is a roleplayed raid?
A roleplayed raid is a raid that takes place as part of guild’s personal storylines or results as the climax to a feud that has developed between guilds or communities, with those involved have an in-character reason for taking part in the fight.
Unlike raids you’d expect to see on other realm types, a roleplayed raid should be so much more than the attack itself. The build up to the final assault should be just as fun as the actual assault, with the attack marking the conclusion of what you’ve worked to achieve. Its like in maths exams teachers are always telling you that the answer to a question is not nearly important as the methods you used to get that answer. Well that kind of logic should also apply to roleplayed raids, yes the attack is fun but it’s the events leading up to the attack that should make it count.
What does a roleplayed raid involve?
Aside from the fight itself, there are many things that can be done to make a roleplayed raid more interesting and enjoyable for all those in attendance. The following are a few things that can be employed:
Marching in formation: Instead of a big rabble of people charging hand over foot through the woods, a much more impressive display is to see a big group of warriors marching towards the enemy in formation. So before a raid, a drilling session could be held to go over a few basic orders and marching formations. These can then be employed throughout the journey prior to the raid.
Warsongs: Whilst stealth and surprise can often be the best choice to secure a win in battle, there are fearless warriors out there that like for their enemies to know they are approaching. So try to unnerve your enemy by belting out some good old warsongs together as you travel to your destination, nothing as creepy as hearing a bunch of [Common] or [Orc] voices shouting about how they are going to beat you black and blue.
Add some atmosphere: As anyone that has played Dungeons and Dragons knows, it is up to the Dungeon Master to create a great atmosphere for the players and this should also apply to a raid co-ordinator. By using the raid warning command (/rw) you can truly add another dimension to your raid and provide your members with some unique roleplay opportunities. For example you could make a raid warning announcement such as:
<An Elven warhorn sounds in the trees just head of you>
This then gives something for the raid members to respond to, the raid leader might call for a temporary retreat or order his men to duck for the closest cover.
Send out scouting parties: It can sometimes get a bit tiring of following one person’s commands for so long, so try to avoid this by delegating responsibility to individuals or small groups from time to time. During your journey you may want to stop and send out small groups of scouts to either plan the next stage of the route or check that the coast is clear of enemies.
Set up camp: There should never be a huge rush to reach your final destination, in reality marching with so much gear and weaponry would tire the toughest warrior. So try to cater for this by setting up an occasional campsite with your troops. It gives an ideal opportunity to discuss strategies with your men, refresh any marching orders, swap stories around a campfire, or simply get drunk and riled up for the coming battle. Send people out to gather wood, assign people to patrol the perimeter, order someone to go out into the woods to hunt for meats to cook… make a big deal of it!
Sack and pillage!: After the dust has settled and the Guards have fallen, there is much more to do than just stand around waiting for the next lot to respawn. Have your men search the bodies for anything of value, throw out a few emotes about smashing up the surroundings, set some campfires to look like you are razing the town to the ground!
Some common etiquette that can be used
Respect others: Whilst you have decided to participate in a roleplayed raid, you cannot force others to. If someone has chosen not to get involved and are unflagged, don’t try to goad them by spamming them with /spit and /chicken emotes. People have a right to play the game how they want so don’t try to force your gaming preferences upon them.
Avoid quest givers: Try to avoid deliberately killing quest givers. If you know for a fact that a non-combat NPC is vital for someone to complete a quest, avoid targeting them otherwise it’s a pain in the butt for anyone that had no desire to get involved with the raid in the first place. I realise that this may not strictly conform to some people’s view of leaving no enemies alive to tell the tale, but surely this one small compromise is bearable for the stress it will save someone else.
Choose your targets wisely: It is no fun for anyone entering a battle to be knocked to the dirt in one fell swoop then spend the rest of the event running back to their body. If you find yourself in a fight with a mixed range of levels, try to show a bit of sportsmanship by targeting those with a Level not dissimilar to your own before attacking anyone below you.
That said, don’t expect to attack anyone without them fighting back. If you see someone with Level ?? and decide to give them a poke because you think they won’t fight back out of sportsmanship… you could be in for a surprise.
Don’t corpse-camp: There is nothing worse than dying in a raid, then getting back to your body to find a group of enemies standing over you ready to give you another beating. If you knock someone in battle, give them a chance to retreat instead of pounding them again at half health.
Who will attend the roleplayed raid?
As we’ve learnt with these types of event, attention needs to be paid to who you want attending these roleplayed raids from both factions. I think there are two main types of roleplayed raids, and each one requires different degrees of planning.
Raids with a desirable conclusion: This category is for raids where the event organiser has in mind a desirable outcome to further a plotline; ultimately this will either mean winning or losing the battle. For both instances, measures need to be taken to sway the battle in favour of achieving this outcome.
If you want the battle to go favour of the defenders, then you need to ensure that the combined forces of the defenders and the NPC guards is enough to fend of your party. On the other hand, if you ultimately need to win the battle to continue a story you will have to think about who you will invite. If you advertise the event on the forums it may be best not to officially invite any of the opposite faction, and explain you are there largely to fight with the NPC guards.
In this instance you will have to be prepared also to face whoever happens to be at the town at the time and decides to join in with the defence.
Battles with guilds of the opposite faction: As the realm matures and feuds and storylines develop between guilds or communities, people may find themselves wanting to organise battles as a climax to any rivalries. In this case, a lot more attention needs to be paid to who you are inviting.
Ideally you will need to strive to maintain that both factions have comparable forces both in terms of size and level range, perhaps even setting a maximum limit on who can attend from each faction. It is the responsibility of the organisers from both factions to communicate sufficiently before hand and before arriving at the destination for the duel.
Things like this should not be advertised on the forums (at least the actual day, time and place not announced) to prevent others outside of the storyline from getting involved solely because they like to fight. The battle should also take place in a fairly isolated place where it is unlikely that passers-by will get involved.
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Those are some of my thoughts on the issue since the first Drums of War raid took place, and I shall be looking to employ all that I have said in the next instalment of the storyline. You may agree with what is written, you may not, but I hope there are some points that others may find useful when organising similar events in future.
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