Make Fantasy Bandits AWESOME - Worldbuilding Guide

[@artmanxp]

God i remember a story i read on reddit a dm having a party encounter bandit, the party not willing to question if they are bandits or not deside there just travellers. Dispite the scars, weapons and bad demeanor trust the bandits to guard a rope bridge behide them. The bandits cut the lines and dropped them into a dungeon. The party than started to bitch and moan at the dm for failling to run bandits as mindless skyrim NPCs because bandits should always attack first regardless of how unmatched they are.

[@zeehero7280]

Theyre MMMMUGGERS! what do we do?

[@zeehero7280]

Bandits should have various levels of skill, equipment, and training just like real criminals range from petty crime to big time masterminds and expert thieves and robbers. Each group should have different standards and tactics too. Some may prefer using casters and axemen, using a frontline/backline tactic, while others might use guerilla tactics and sniping with bows.

[@txbluesguy]

I remember learning that one of the reasons pirates would take slave ships was because they could hold a lot more people on board. The pirates wanted to board the ships they were fighting and overwhelm their target. Less bloodshed means more loot.

[@kapitankapital6580]

It's certainly feasible, although I think most historical pirates didn't have the luxury of choosing what kind of ship they sailed on. Despite how they were commonly depicted, most pirates operated small boats near to shore, much as they do today.

[@DamienZshadow]

Jet and his Freedom Fighters in Avatar: The Last Airbender was probably the best, most fleshed out group of bandits I have seen in recent media.

[@geordiejones5618]

That was one of the first lessons about criminals that I ever learned. Humans committing crimes don't do so for no reason. They are often otherwise destitute or victims of larger crimes that drove them to a life they never wanted. So FEW criminals do so for the fun of it.

[@DamienZshadow]

@@geordiejones5618 Very sobering real life take away.

[@takkorinus7909]

​@@geordiejones5618 The man who murdered an entire family did it because of socio-economic factors, huh.

[@RealAugustusAutumn]

​@@geordiejones5618 From my experience as LEO, I can tell you that's rarely true. People driven to crime out of necessity are relatively uncommon. The vast, vast majority of crimes we deal with are either domestic situations or gang activity. People don't join gangs out of need, they join gangs because they want social status.

[@fromD7]

You have obviously not seen a lot of recent media

[@CuteKiller313]

something that historical bandits did was skulk around a remote but often travelled place and "tax" people for being let through an area they "secured" (e.g. a protection racket) so you could have it as an option to a party that wants to avoid a fight to just pay the fee, make the bandits pretty clearly heavy hitters so it's a dilemma for the party if they want to risk a hard fight or hand over some gold/gear (and have a 1 in 20 chance the bandits try to take them for everything anyway)

[@clintcarpentier2424]

The merchants guild is in deep with the thieves guild, and has it's paws all over the city guard. The other guilds struggling to make a profit, collectively hired adventurers and the corruption came to light, turns out the MG-master who has cousins in the guard, married the TG-master who's uncle is the guard-captain. Not being totally hands-bound, the other guilds hired the adventurers again to hit the merchant guild wagons. You arrive as the city guard is preparing to investigate the banditry two days away. A couple of nobles are demanding the guard stay and protect the city, as is their duty. Someone from the MG will pay you top coin investigate for guards. The adventurers guild - if you stop by - will tell you not to and depending on your "security level" will tell you why; if not, you soon notice your rogue and fighter seem eager to solve this mystery. Likely outcomes Killed the MGM - The TGM sends a vendetta to hound you for the rest of your presumably short life. It's less about love grief boo-hoo, and more that you killed her golden goose. Likewise, the guard runs you outta town rather aggressively, with arrest for murder charges, and a rather pointed remark that you won't survive the cell to make trial. Killed the TGM - The guard captain and a group of like-minded guard hound you for killing his cute little niece. When he catches up to you, he will kill you all. In the mean time, banditry follows in your wake. Killed the Guard Captain - Dafuq crack are you smokin boys? On second thought, this might have the most impact with the least cost. Dice the fuck outta this. Investigated the banditry and put a stop to it - None of the other guilds will deal with you, you can't buy anything. The Adventurer Guild won't give you work worth your sustenance; if you killed the "bandits" you are stripped of your AG membership for "not doing your due diligence" and can't be trusted to survive more important quests. You soon find yourself turning to banditry yourself, as the word spreads quickly through the kingdom and beyond, your face is synonymous with incompetence.

[@chaoshead87]

Some good stuff here, thanks for sharing.

[@LeonClaw88]

Good stuff!

[@lordtea7688]

That's some quality stuff here mate!

[@Andrewtr6]

I'm confused. If the other guilds hired you to investigate and end the corruption in the MG and Guard, why do they strip the party of their membership? Didn't the party do what they were hired to do?

[@clintcarpentier2424]

@@Andrewtr6 The other guilds hired adventurers, yes. The story is based on the premise that you just got to town... fairly recently, and this is the hubbub you're picking up. So no, they did not hire you for anything. The merchant's guild will hire you to stop the "banditry" caused by the adventurers who were hired by the other guilds. The adventurer's guild will NOT. It's not all about you sweet heart. Other movers and shakers are moving and shaking without you even existing in their minds. You can't always be a hero, sometimes you got accept the shit sammich for what it is. Or you can be a japanese isekai hero, and insert yourself as a pickle for flavor. It's still a shit sammich, but now your a pickle in it. mmmmmm

[@yurisc4633]

+1 for the Gothic music.

[@brendan9868]

The Brotherhood Without Banners imo is a great example of bandits done right. They have a good backstory, motivation and logical methods with how they operate. It’s funny too because in the world they exist, you would expect them to not actually be protecting the weak and innocent they claim to and just to be using that as an moral excuse to rob people, yet we actually see them protect the weak and innocent, even at the cost of their own people and be loved by the ones residing in the region they operate.

[@danguillou713]

A lot of semi-nomadic tribal societies have a kind of permanent low key state of war with their neighbours. They might hire out as mercenaries or caravan guards, or run trade caravans of their own, but they’re also opportunists who’ll rob anything that looks rich and poorly defended. This is a Conan trope, but it’s actually quite realistic. Other bandits are leftovers from previous wars. A lot of bandits in the Wild West were former soldiers from the Confederate side. Unemployed mercenaries, soldiers trying to get home from a war, Japanese ronin and so on might also end up doing some spontaneous banditry to make ends meet. Even a completely lost cause can give rise to an ongoing guerilla movement, which turns into bandits/terrorists over time. In feudal settings that doesn’t work as intended, you also get bandits. Might be peasants who’re driven from their farms as punishment for paying insufficient taxes, run away from press gangs, or they might be the official militia of the local ruler who take up “road tolls” because they’re not getting any actual salary. Finally, in fantasy settings as in the real world, some outlaw societies might operate as cults, recruiting from the local population with some mix of ideology, religion and brainwashing. Or just kidnapping. Early Chinese communists, present day Daesh or Hell’s Angels are rw examples, but imagine what could be done if you’re a sorcerer or demon or nature spirit with magical conversion therapy! So my advice is to use bandits as storytelling devices, revealing how your world works and its recent history. Cheers

[@joepruitt4127]

Very thought provoking. Makes me really think about ways to breath life and verisimilitude into an encounter type this often taken for granted.

[@TwinSteel]

Great Sword of the Stranger clips ❤ Great stuff - I’m on a quest to collect every houserule on youtube - if you’re looking for video ideas, I’d love to hear about any houserules you use, especially any that are unusual or that you’ve personally created

[@user-xx5un6yj3o]

My DnD setting is the byzantine empire. I have several groups of bandits in Anatolia. Called "Apelates". Most of them are former soldiers. One group was led by an captain nephew of the previous emperor. This groups has heavy armor and tactics. Most of them raid the neighboring towns. Other group has talisman and silver weapons. Because their leader is cursed by the God of death a.d sending ghosts, ghouls and shades to kill him. An other group has Amazon's. Other ond tha guards some fortresses has equipment for siege warfare. The last is a dragon cult in Caucasian mountain dressed like the people thera. Expert ambushes.

[@SuburbanFox]

But what are they? They're bandits. And what do bandits do? They rob people! ;)

[@lordtea7688]

And what do bandits do? They bandit people! xD

[@terrorcop101]

Funnily enough, I feel like you could make an entire campaign for beginners out of the stuff you discuss here.

[@paulschumacher4308]

D&D Idea: The bandits "spawn" & attack. After the battle, there's no bodies. Investigation discovers they're an undead group who's trapped there until some players release them from their curse.

[@leopoldakaleopoldalsoknown5050]

Love the Gothic II Music in the background of the intro!

[@derpherp1810]

One bandit faction idea I love is a coalition between humans and "monsters" (goblins, minotaurs, gnolls, lizardfolk) who work together because the humans are pariahs and the monsters just want to exist and not have their land taken or their people killed. I like keeping my monsters sympathetic for the most part, if they are thinking and sentient I treat them like people. My goblins for example, hate humans yes they absolutely do but for justifiable reasons as humans essentially enslaved and colonized them but the goblins at the end of the day have families, loved ones, hopes and dreams, they are not too different from humans aside from being short and green.

[@Envy4you]

I would side with your bandits and monsters faster than you can say Jack Robinson.

[@phillbrown292]

One way i have heard to handle bandit culture is to look at the Norse in the Migration period and think 'the difference between a raider and a trader is how well defended the folk they encounter are'. When you treat bandits as mercenaries without investiture, they can bounce between helpful and sympathetic and ruthless and self serving. Often depending on who pays better or how desperate they are.

[@nothomelessonyoutube]

I made a group of bandits all dressed like 1920s gangsters. The are in a gang called The Baddies on the alignment chart I made them just Evil.

[@cloudeon3468]

Great video! Really enjoy that kinda deep dive

[@renshii422]

Currently running a growing group of bandits ran by a genius tactician who was part of the daggerford militia and the flaming fist. Retreating after a failed coup this charismatic leader took a small group of soldiers who trusted and followed him, then began to recruit vagrants, criminals, undesirables, etc. Training them with military tactics and turning them into fighters. Hes amassed a moderately sized, and fiercely loyal army , hes also extremely careful when planning and robbing travelers and caravans and tried to keep the amount of bloodshed to a minimum. Often stealing everything through intimidation and coercion. Hes been a fun sympathetic villain so far with achievable gosls.

[@lolsonchciwy5022]

Stayed because I was jamming to the Gothic musics :3 After watching some interviews with actual villains I noticed how humane their reasoning is despite unreasonable execution - want to be rich? Sell drugs to children instead of honest work - posses an excuse "they are aware what they are doing, I am just a simple monger offering a safe marketplace". And many more. It's quite easy to make well fleshed out banditry if we put our good deal of focus to them - easy way out is "where laws fail we take things into our own hands ", but even more trifle reasons are quite good like taxation of specific trade goods (smuggling and monopol enforcement [via violence]) or excitment-seeking (men from the mountain which are abiding laws of their own and martial prowess). Yet the bandits being just bandits or evil done just for evil - it's rather a good pulp 'cuz it's simple not overwriten and full of action not pondering. If I am writing or playing for giggles, it's a way to go. Otherwisely I am behind "make up things as you go" - but being aware that bandits are usually human too... Yes, we all should've bare it in mind. Have a great one, mate! Godspeed!

[@ringthatbell9597]

“Wake up babe, lord tea just uploaded”

[@Andrewtr6]

In my fantasy world, my characters learn magic at Hogwarts-like academies. It is also common for students to form adventuring parties for exploring around the kingdom. Since my characters are children, they are seen as easy targets for bandits. Because of this though, the areas where students are allowed to travel are also highly patrolled. However, this doesn't mean they never run into trouble. Delinquent students from rival schools enjoy picking on younger students and stealing their lunch money. Aside from troublesome students, any other bandits will just be small groups of criminals that hide out in the countryside. These bandits aren't organized groups. There are organized gangs that rob people, but they aren't specific gangs of bandits. I mean, all someone needs to do to be a bandit is rob travelers. So, bandits can be literally anyone who needs or want money. Maybe the local lord is hiring criminals to rob those traveling through his land- or he decides to rob them himself because he's bored. But mostly, banditry would more commonly be a crime of opportunity.

[@lelper9870]

I almost completely agree to the motivation of bandits. However, I think they might be able to feel the urge to follow honor and duty depending on their origin. If e.g. some soldiers got, let's say, exiled because they could not save the life of their protégé, or maybe they just escaped from the horrors of war, whatever, they got exiled and now have to become bandits in order to survive. Most of them would still have this feeling of honor and duty, the urge for effectiveness, so under the right circumstances they might actually abandon their thievery in order to serve again. I also think that unless you can actually convince them to serve again, they might probably be the most dangerous bandits, as they received military training and probably own weapons and armor. I think it's most important not to forget that these bandits are also people, characters with motivation and goals and even if their motivation isn't as important as the protagonist or player to the Story, it still should be there and perhaps mentioned.

[@lordtea7688]

I agree, there are circumstances where you can write them as such, in that part of the video i was generalizing and talking about a specific scenario. I try to avoid going into every single possible scenario because the video would be hours long and a bit boring for most :)

[@jackeldridge4225]

Bandits? Not Brigands, maybe their Highway Men, the girl at the brothel said her ex was a Highway Man.

[@cynfaelalek-walker7003]

I see Dismas, I click.

[@cubaj8723]

Building on the idea behind the Stags bandit group, why do they need to be ex soldiers? During the 100 years war between England and France there were often large intervals of time when truces were arranged between both sides. However, for the soldiers of the time who didn’t yet form into a standing army, this meant that they were unemployed. What do armed and experienced men do now that they were suddenly unemployed? Why turn to banditry! As a side note, many of these men would eventually wander into Italy to form mercenary Free Companies. What I’m driving at here is that the bandits need not be ex soldiers, just layed off ones. And the reason why the local Duke or Barron or whatever hasn’t wiped them out yet is that the war could start up again any day and he’s gonna need the bandits help as soldiers again. Food for thought.

[@---zh8qn]

WHat anime are thoe scenes from? :)

[@lordtea7688]

Sword of the Stranger

[@---zh8qn]

@@lordtea7688 thx

[@Pengalen]

Ok, the Stonemason guild story from WoW is complete nonsense and not a good example at all. It would never happen that a bunch of stonemasons would be gathered together, rebuild an entire city, and then ask payment. They would be divided up in particular projects for particular buildings, and there would have to be ongoing payment or work would stop.

[@thesmilyguyguy9799]

: D

[@liva9994]

I always find "bandits" a bit weird in games, as historically it was mostly upper class dudes. There was a big problem in europe with sons of lords, who had been trained in the arts of swordfighting etc. That they would travel out of their family's province, and then basically extort/rob/whatever have you, to the people of other towns. Who was to stop someone who is good with a sword, it wasn't an uneven playing field when it came to these kind of things. This is also one of the big reasons "chivalry" was pushed so hard as a costum that these boys should strive to become. So the reason fantasy games made bandits be poor and desperate people, or sometimes just seen as pure evil, is a bit weird in my mind. Like they're not really human anymore. But that said, it could definetly be that the bandits stopped bigger roads, cause these are trained knights/boys who can take on anything, and back in the day, there was A LOT of feuds. People didn't see the town over as family/more interconnected, but gossip and hatred was very prevalent back in the day. (Like Romeo and Juliet have families that hate each other.) Of course people took kindly to pilgrims/people they shared their social class with, but the world in and of itself did function a lot more differently, and you could certainly get away with a lot more. It was the lord's responsibility to patrol their roads, so as long as that lord wasn't your father, then it didn't really matter. Or well, there's a lot of different rules for different places. My point being: Bandits historically were not poor, and people who don't have any experience performing combat, will not seek to attempt it either unless they're forced. Letting it be mecenaries can be smart, as it grounds it more, but then it's important to also keep in mind that mecenaries live on their reputation, so if they were to perform banditry it would most likely be done against their prior employer, as angering citizens or killing them would not really be very smart. (Who are they to trade with then for food? unless you plan on them moving a lot in the region). If you were to make it more historical, then think of it like small gangs, but of boys who don't stand to inherit anything, but have been thought by very experienced mentors how to fight, and now feel like they can go and do whatever they want. Edit: Also this is not pirates. Pirates were kinda the opposite, and much later.

[@fromD7]

Very insightful video, but PLEASE do something about that hair. I promise you it does not look as good as you think it does.

[@lordtea7688]

Never said i think that xD I didn't had a haricut for 3 months in a row due to reasons, don't worry :D

[@WeepingBirth]

Good stuff