Comments on: Not so special PCs http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/not-so-special-pcs The Game Mastering Blog Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ethalias http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/not-so-special-pcs/comment-page-1#comment-1116 Ethalias Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:40:30 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=178#comment-1116 This may be of use for just this sort of thing in 4E: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?t=232432 Post 23 has details about the Ordinary People pdf and there is also an extensive treatment of some craft skills.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('1116','Ethalias'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> This may be of use for just this sort of thing in 4E:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?t=232432

Post 23 has details about the Ordinary People pdf and there is also an extensive treatment of some craft skills.

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]]> By: Swordgleam http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/not-so-special-pcs/comment-page-1#comment-1101 Swordgleam Sat, 28 Jun 2008 06:02:19 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=178#comment-1101 This may be in a different direction than intended, but what if it's not that the PCs are any less talented than usual, but that the general populace is more talented? This seems to be going on in the Iron Heroes game I run a PC in. My man-at-arms might be the only one who can take down ogres in single combat, but that's because he swings a greatsword all day. The blacksmith can still beat him at wrestling. Likewise, our hunter is a master of diplomacy and deception, but that doesn't stop the village wisewoman from putting one over on him from time to time. Our harrier is great at slipping silently through the green, but the local gnoll tribe can beat him at it any day. So, while the PCs aren't some prophecy-driven heroes of legend, they also aren't incompetents. It's just that many other characters in the setting are also good at what they do. Why isn't the blacksmith honing his sword skills to take on ogres? Well, because he doesn't want to travel, and isn't an idiot. Those, not any superhuman talents or abilities, are the traits that make the PCs "special."<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('1101','Swordgleam'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> This may be in a different direction than intended, but what if it’s not that the PCs are any less talented than usual, but that the general populace is more talented?

This seems to be going on in the Iron Heroes game I run a PC in. My man-at-arms might be the only one who can take down ogres in single combat, but that’s because he swings a greatsword all day. The blacksmith can still beat him at wrestling. Likewise, our hunter is a master of diplomacy and deception, but that doesn’t stop the village wisewoman from putting one over on him from time to time. Our harrier is great at slipping silently through the green, but the local gnoll tribe can beat him at it any day.

So, while the PCs aren’t some prophecy-driven heroes of legend, they also aren’t incompetents. It’s just that many other characters in the setting are also good at what they do. Why isn’t the blacksmith honing his sword skills to take on ogres? Well, because he doesn’t want to travel, and isn’t an idiot. Those, not any superhuman talents or abilities, are the traits that make the PCs “special.”

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]]> By: Kurt "Telas" Schneider http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/not-so-special-pcs/comment-page-1#comment-1077 Kurt "Telas" Schneider Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:52:56 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=178#comment-1077 Great topic. I've always thought it extremely cliched that RPG protagonists are always 'special' (and not in a short-bus kind of way). The GM can always up the volume level, so why even get started on this whole power escalation business? All it does is make the game that much <i>less</i> believable. (This is my opinion, not yours. I like Savage Worlds more than D&D 4E, and no, I don't like anime.)<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('1077','Kurt \"Telas\" Schneider'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> Great topic. I’ve always thought it extremely cliched that RPG protagonists are always ‘special’ (and not in a short-bus kind of way).

The GM can always up the volume level, so why even get started on this whole power escalation business? All it does is make the game that much less believable. (This is my opinion, not yours. I like Savage Worlds more than D&D 4E, and no, I don’t like anime.)

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]]> By: BryanB http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/not-so-special-pcs/comment-page-1#comment-1056 BryanB Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:17:05 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=178#comment-1056 I know I like running characters that aren't always just, "living out their life as an accountant." I mean I get to do accounting for a living so the idea of doing that in an RPG is not appealing to me. Some settings aren't really good for that sort of thing either. One could be the bartender in the Mos Eisley Cantina, but isn't it much more fun to be a heroic Jedi, Scout, or Scoundrel PC? Starting as a "not so special PC" might be a good idea, as long as they could have the ability to evolve into something else. The bartender that gets in way over his head, is lucky to survive, and then develops the ability to cope with his situation is pretty good gaming stuff. Staying as a bartender and never progressing beyond the basic bartender skill set is not so appealing to me. I'm not saying that your having bad wrong fun if you do it, but I don't see the appeal...<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('1056','BryanB'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I know I like running characters that aren’t always just, “living out their life as an accountant.” I mean I get to do accounting for a living so the idea of doing that in an RPG is not appealing to me.

Some settings aren’t really good for that sort of thing either. One could be the bartender in the Mos Eisley Cantina, but isn’t it much more fun to be a heroic Jedi, Scout, or Scoundrel PC?

Starting as a “not so special PC” might be a good idea, as long as they could have the ability to evolve into something else. The bartender that gets in way over his head, is lucky to survive, and then develops the ability to cope with his situation is pretty good gaming stuff. Staying as a bartender and never progressing beyond the basic bartender skill set is not so appealing to me.

I’m not saying that your having bad wrong fun if you do it, but I don’t see the appeal…

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]]> By: Scott Martin http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/not-so-special-pcs/comment-page-1#comment-1055 Scott Martin Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:44:14 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=178#comment-1055 I think that there are even more considerations for running this type of game [like tone/humor, etc.] Is the topic useful enough to anyone that they want/need a continuation of the post on the related topics, or is everyone happy running awesome characters?<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('1055','Scott Martin'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I think that there are even more considerations for running this type of game [like tone/humor, etc.] Is the topic useful enough to anyone that they want/need a continuation of the post on the related topics, or is everyone happy running awesome characters?
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]]> By: arthwollipot http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/not-so-special-pcs/comment-page-1#comment-1049 arthwollipot Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:38:26 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=178#comment-1049 Ah, the old Rolemaster crit tables. That brings back memories...<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('1049','arthwollipot'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> Ah, the old Rolemaster crit tables. That brings back memories…
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]]> By: Bastian.Flinspach http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/not-so-special-pcs/comment-page-1#comment-1046 Bastian.Flinspach Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:13:16 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=178#comment-1046 I think starting out as ordinary people is a great way to make a campaign and the character you are running into something special. This is ecspecially true in Systems, were you are not forced to choose a specific class. Its fun, just to play a fisherman and see, where he is going when he learns of all the horrors that stalk the dungeons of his homeland. :-) However, when play progresses, I like it if my character gets more powerfull. I think it would be boring, if the character would always be a nobody. That only works in Call of Cthulhu, where you die, before you learn something really powerfull. :-)<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('1046','Bastian.Flinspach'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I think starting out as ordinary people is a great way to make a campaign and the character you are running into something special.
This is ecspecially true in Systems, were you are not forced to choose a specific class. Its fun, just to play a fisherman and see, where he is going when he learns of all the horrors that stalk the dungeons of his homeland. :-)

However, when play progresses, I like it if my character gets more powerfull. I think it would be boring, if the character would always be a nobody. That only works in Call of Cthulhu, where you die, before you learn something really powerfull. :-)

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