On Pain in LitRPG

A lot of Russian LitRPG authors keep enthusing — and voicing their enthusiasm through their MCs' viewpoints — about the incredible authenticity levels in their respective game worlds, which engage all five senses. Six, even, if you count intuition or supernatural abilities like seeing through things or talking to spirits.

But that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about pain. Because 100% authenticity implies that pain feels perfectly authentic too. Some sadistic authors even allow their characters to max out pain levels — and receive special bonuses for doing so.

Only, you know, I've done my fair share of tanking in raids. That's when you generate aggro and draw all damage to yourself, keeping the boss and all the adds busy trying to smoke you. They rip you apart, maul you, douse you with acid, burn you to ashes, stab you and skin you alive…

Now tell me: who in their sane mind would play a game like that?

Having said that… wait a sec, I know who that might be. And no, they don't subscribe to the "safe word" policy. But still — do you really think a new piece of virtual gear, however epic, is worth it? Can the human mind even survive the experience?

What do you think?

The immersion question is one of the big ones in Disgardium — a world where most of the planet works inside the game. And if you're new here, Books in Order maps every series.

→ Full immersion, zero mercy: Disgardium.