So my setting has 3 villains that has already taken over and is now leading the world, one having done this through religious appeal, one through mind control, and the last through mad science.
However, I want to make sure that the party knows that they are not the great heroes of the land and can not get the rulers out of power.
How do I go about this without outright telling them they can't defeat the nasty men?
You don't tell them they can't outright. Every time they mention it? Have an NPC report them to the cops and deal with it that way. They no longer are worried about the evil power so much as sheriff cletus and his murderous deputies trying to kill the PCs.
What exactly do you want the group do?
>>44305614
Haven't really decided yet, but I do know the theme will be "ordinary people roped into a bad situation" so there's that. You know shit like being drafted into a war. Don't got the specifics yet tho.
Sounds like a boring game DESU. I play RPGs to get away from the depressing truths of reality, not simulate them even further in my free time.
>>44305787
>>44305532
>three different villains with different techniques and motivations took over "the world"
>>not having three evil factions constantly fighting one another
???
>>44305900
>Just because the players can't defeat the villains means the villains can't defeat each other.
>>44305900
>>44305936
so the quest is to find a way to get the villans to fight amongst themselves
>>44305755
Just say it's a campaign where the characters are rather normal citizen instead of fleshed out heroes.
At least this much should they know before starting a campaign.
>>44305532
You dont.
It is like playing in Midnight, even they tell you that there might be a chance to change something.
Telling them they cant change something means that you are going to limit and ignore some of what they do to keep your special setting stable.
>>44305532
>I want to make sure that the party knows that they are not the great heroes of the land and can not get the rulers out of power.
Choo-Choo
>>44306054
The campaign is to find a way to get the villains get along amongst themselves, to reach a state of peace through mutually assured destruction
>>44305532
You know what's the difference between ordinary people roped into a bad situation and big damn heroes?
Heroes do something about it. Rather than whine and try to grim-derp the party give them something to act against the big bads, if in a minor and often useless way, like form a resistance cell but have to deal with the reign of the tyrants on a local level.
>>44306170
So Wolfenstein New Order then? No matter how many nazis the party mows down there doesn't seem to be any less of them?
>>44306271
that could do it, they may have a finale where they finally make a difference, perhaps, but in the end, the bad guys have already won.
>>44305532
You can't really do this without outright telling them. None of them are superwizards and no matter how simple a man, anyone can pull the trigger to a gun at the right moment. Putting these evil individuals so high up without giving them individual impossible to breach power just makes it an invitation and a challenge to show the world that an average man to kill a god.
>>44305532
what>>44306078 said. Personally, I prefer my players to FEEL like the destined protagonists of a fantasy novel, but even then I have to be open and honest about it, or someone who's only played "citizens struggling to survive" sandboxes winds up upset because destiny=railroad, or true exceptionalism "kills muh verisimilitude." I'd expect the opposote end of the spectrum to need pre-game primers EVEN MORE. You don't have to spoil any of the campaign particulars, just make sure that the narrative genre and tropes are clearly stated before character creation. Hell, this usually helps people build characters that fit the setting/game better, and often gives them ideas when they're drawing a blank.
Your game doesn't sound like my cup of tea, but there are plenty for whom my high-adventure isn't THEIR cup of tea, so it takes all kinds.
I know you're supposed to "show don't tell" but that doesn't really apply to being honest about what type/genre of game you're running.
