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Arguments and assumptions against multi classing
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<blockquote data-quote="Xetheral" data-source="post: 7495425" data-attributes="member: 6802765"><p>Words have meaning, but that meaning is contextual. Consider that the word "spear" in D&D refers to a throwable weapon without reach, limiting it to a small subset of real-life weapons that can be described as "spears". Further, consider the word "elf" which refers to wildly different creatures in different contexts. One can't draw on what one knows of Tolkien or Rowling elves and use that to infer traits of D&D elves, which are described quite differently from either.</p><p></p><p>Similarly, I see no reason to assume that the class name "Barbarian" corresponds solely to the real world equivalent of barbarian tribes. Much of the text in the PHB talks about barbarians in an uncivilized, tribal sense, but it also allows for other possibilities, explicitly including dwarves, who are not described as tribal or uncivilized in any D&D-related context of which I am aware. Furthermore, that same text includes references to individual Barbarians' opinions of cities and civilization, which earlier you agreed can be freely ignored. The ability to frerly ignore some of the "fluff" text implies that the fluff can't be <em>categorically</em> sacred at your table.</p><p></p><p>Certain parts of the fluff may still be sacred at your table by your decree, of course. And in practice that is exactly what you are doing when you rely on an extrinsic definition of "barbarian" to decide which parts of the fluff shall be sacred and which can be freely ignored. Importantly, because the definition of "barbarian" is contextual, you can't expect your players (or anyone else) to know which parts of the fluff you consider sacred and which parts aren't unless you explain to them the particular definition you're relying on.</p><p></p><p>Frankly, I still don't know where you draw the line on Barbarians or Street Urchins. If I come to the table with a "brawny rogue" (explicitly allowed on PHB 11), am I forbidden from taking the Urchin background on the grounds that Urchins can't be brawny? The phrase "Street Urchin" has a meaning to you, but I don't know what that meaning is well enough to know if it prohibits a brawny rogue at your table. And I <em>can't</em> know what that meaning is until you express it.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Xetheral, post: 7495425, member: 6802765"] Words have meaning, but that meaning is contextual. Consider that the word "spear" in D&D refers to a throwable weapon without reach, limiting it to a small subset of real-life weapons that can be described as "spears". Further, consider the word "elf" which refers to wildly different creatures in different contexts. One can't draw on what one knows of Tolkien or Rowling elves and use that to infer traits of D&D elves, which are described quite differently from either. Similarly, I see no reason to assume that the class name "Barbarian" corresponds solely to the real world equivalent of barbarian tribes. Much of the text in the PHB talks about barbarians in an uncivilized, tribal sense, but it also allows for other possibilities, explicitly including dwarves, who are not described as tribal or uncivilized in any D&D-related context of which I am aware. Furthermore, that same text includes references to individual Barbarians' opinions of cities and civilization, which earlier you agreed can be freely ignored. The ability to frerly ignore some of the "fluff" text implies that the fluff can't be [I]categorically[/I] sacred at your table. Certain parts of the fluff may still be sacred at your table by your decree, of course. And in practice that is exactly what you are doing when you rely on an extrinsic definition of "barbarian" to decide which parts of the fluff shall be sacred and which can be freely ignored. Importantly, because the definition of "barbarian" is contextual, you can't expect your players (or anyone else) to know which parts of the fluff you consider sacred and which parts aren't unless you explain to them the particular definition you're relying on. Frankly, I still don't know where you draw the line on Barbarians or Street Urchins. If I come to the table with a "brawny rogue" (explicitly allowed on PHB 11), am I forbidden from taking the Urchin background on the grounds that Urchins can't be brawny? The phrase "Street Urchin" has a meaning to you, but I don't know what that meaning is well enough to know if it prohibits a brawny rogue at your table. And I [i]can't[/I] know what that meaning is until you express it. [/QUOTE]
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