Is there ever a good time for PC v PC in RPGs
Yes, yes there is
I have been running D&D 5e for some students at the Boys & Girls Club and had a student wander by and ask if he could play. I said, “Absolutely, here’s a characracter.” I gave him a Warforged Cleric and we were off to the races.
I asked him, “Where do you think you meet up with the rest of the party?”
He said, “At the entrance to the cave they’re going into. I think my god sent me here to meet up with them”
I thought this was a really clever way to meet up and I told the party, “You arrive at the mouth of the cave but you see a glint of light, almost blinding you as you get closer” (they are in the desert).
At this point one of the players is fascinated with the Warforged metal armor and decides to go up and rub the Cleric’s head. The other party member asks him, “What are you doing here?”
The Cleric replied, “My god has brought me out here to join your party, but first I must see if you are a worthy opponent?
To which I said, “Wait, what?”
“Yes, we must do battle to see if you are worthy for me to join you.” The Cleric demanded.
After my initial shock, I decided this makes complete sense.
I thought of Robin Hood and Little John doing battle on the log, testing one another to see what the other was made of.
In a more extreme example, I thought of Rowdy Roddy Piper and Keith David’s epic battle in the alleyway from They Live, “PUT THE GLASSES ON!”
In both examples, battle led to a partnership or a deeper respect for one another and I think that’s what was happening between these characters in this encounter, so I allowed it.
A grease spell was used followed by Fire Bolt and the Warforged was cooked. He surrendered and joined the party. He had met his worthy opponent.
But what do you think? Can you think of other times when it’s ok to let PCs fight?
One example I can think of is how superheroes frequently mistake each other for villains when they first meet and end up fighting for a while before they realize their error.
I think a lot of GMs panic at pc vs pc, it can become a problem at times, but most of the time it's the fact that build centric play wants to know, natural competition. This was always a bit of a problem at dead at zero but with the ease of healing and how hardy PCs are.
Just a few months ago a GM had come up with a reason for my main character for that campaign to be busy and asked me to come up with a charecter who could challenge our fighter to a duel.
Both of us had a blast because I got to make a silly build and the fighter got to fight a single combantant that could go toe to toe with him without being outside of his ability.