Least Belivable aspect of D&D?

novyet · Jan 31, 2002

Ruvion said:
My friends and I found evasion to be extremely unbelievable...even for a fantasy game. I mean, not even bullet-time powered Neo (from Matrix fame) can dodge a 20 feet radius spread fireball and manage to remain in the same position. Where are these rogues and monks deaking to? The etheareal plane (phasing out so to speak)? Or they just choose not to believe (and so it doesn't affect them)? Granted, the aforementioned classes have to save, but still...when they do save, they apparently phase out or something.

Heh, it's simple, there is no fireball.

Codragon · Jan 31, 2002

The alignment system.

Most given individuals in any believeable world are going to exhibit a great variety of moral/ethical behavior. More behavior than can be described by any one alignment in the oversimplistic D&D alignment system.

It doesn't boil down to "Lawful Good" or "Chaotic Evil". Real people are more complex than that, so why aren't D&D characters? This isn't a comic book.

Sir Hawkeye · Jan 31, 2002

Alignments are only starting points. No one is defined entirely by their alignment (or at least they shouldn't be), not even paladins.

Psychologists divide everyone into Type A and Type B personalities, but that doesn't mean that's the only factor in a person's outlook and behavior.

Skald · Jan 31, 2002

Americans and their Lie Detector Machine

In response to Green Slime's post that Americans laud our lie detctor machine:

We don't all do so. In fact, I think it is a waste of time, and rather unnecessary.

1. The results are not even admissable as evidence for or against someone in a court of law. This means that if the results of a test indicate that one is lying, the prosecutors cannot even mention it. If the results indicate that one is telling the truth, the defense cannot even mention it. At best, a result that indicates the possibility of falsehoods can only be used by investigators to continue investigating a particular suspect in the hopes of finding more concrete evidence that can be used in court.

2. On a more personal note, anyone who thinks you could be lying and wants to subject you to such a test cannot and should not be trusted, in my opinion. They are looking for evidence of guilt in you (if they thought you were telling the truth, they wouldn't even bother with the test to begin with), and in a sense they are attempting to work against your freedom or reputation. You are never under any obligation to help someone work against you in any way, whether they are police officers and detectives investigating a crime or anyone else who is actually trying to injure, maim, or kill you. If these people want to earn a "victory" against you, make them earn it the old fashioned, hard working way, I say. Protect yourself by not catering to them.

3. A lot of people do believe that the results are valid, and unfortunately this could work against you in public opinion should you choose to decline the test. Keep in mind, though, that if a detective has to resort to asking you to take a test, it is because he has no other concrete evidence against you that would indicate guilt on your part in any crime. If he did have it, he would have used it to arrest you and to prepare for your trial. Ignorant people may think you are hiding something if you won't take the test, but to hell with them. The detectives and prosecutors can't do anything to you for not taking it.

So with that in mind, we're not all fond of the lie detector tests. And you're right too... they aren't used extensively outside of the US, likely for the reasons I just stated.

Akunin · Jan 31, 2002

|]emonix said:
honestly, the game could not be better

*blink*
*blink*
*snicker*
*spasms of laughter*
*utter outburst*

Whoo - that post was Comedy Gold!

Psion · Jan 31, 2002

Danger! Danger! Pet peeve button has been pushed. Please stand clear of Psion.

Codragon said:
The alignment system.

Most given individuals in any believeable world are going to exhibit a great variety of moral/ethical behavior. More behavior than can be described by any one alignment in the oversimplistic D&D alignment system.

It doesn't boil down to "Lawful Good" or "Chaotic Evil". Real people are more complex than that, so why aren't D&D characters? This isn't a comic book.

Who ever said alignment is all there is to a character's personality? That is rather ridiculous, and unsupported by the text that you apparently have not bothered to read.

Alignment is evaluative and very broad. It still astonishes me that there are people that have problems with it.

What your saying is somewhat parallel to claiming that if I called my conveyance a car, and you yell out "how can you call it a car? Some cars have four wheel drive, you know! You are oversimplifying." Well duh! That doesn't stop it from being a car, nor does it being a car stop it from having 4 wheel drive.

KDLadage · Jan 31, 2002

Other: the ever inflating hit points system.

Altalazar · Jan 31, 2002

I think all of the above are equally believable (or not).

What becomes unbelievable are situations where the world is internally inconsistent, but none of that is inherint to any of the items listed above.

birdboy2000 · Jan 31, 2002

The fact that a race with such great intellegence as elves, that is so respected in their culture, that gravitates towards magic, and which started language in the tolkien universe which inspired DnD, doesn't have a natural intellegence or wisdom bonus.

Replicant · Jan 31, 2002

Ever-increasing hit points at high levels, definitely.

When a fighter gets to the point where he scoffs at heavy crossbow bolts, or brushes off sword-strokes from the local city guard, there's a problem.