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<blockquote data-quote="Console Cowboy" data-source="post: 5831351" data-attributes="member: 100388"><p><strong>2B or Not 2b...?</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p>Ah-hem. Not everyone agrees that Manadtory Racial caps were a bad approach, as WotC's reprints of AD&D 1e and the growing OSR movement can attest. </p><p> </p><p>Pro: </p><p>Ability Score minimums for classes, </p><p>Race class restrictions, and</p><p>Race level caps. </p><p>Human-o-centric world.</p><p> </p><p>First, fantasy is a period close to 1,000 AD earth. So no emos allowed. Play SIMS if you cannot handle Vikings. And to digress a degree: Norse mythology from the period is where Elves and Dwarves originate. The story goes they "went away" because of powerful Human gods - i.e. Christianity. </p><p> </p><p>Second, would someone care to explain why an Elf wizard as old as dirt and as powerful as legend does not pwn everyone - without resorting to my three points above? Humans can't do it because we bicker and plot amongst ourselves, and the only race I have seen in-game do it. (Even today we are neutered to the point where we fear our own opinions let alone take any courageous action on them, but I digress again.) A short-lived Human hero is just as apt to get a dagger in the belly during a feast in his honour as die of (relative to an Elf) young age. </p><p> </p><p>Third, ability scores used to mean something. 17 minimum CHA for a paladin (restricted to Humans) used to mean something _AT_ character generation. It wasn't fluff and story exposition. And when a paladin made an appearance in the story, you knew he had 17 CHA and, because you rolled ability scores yourself, you knew how rare that was. And a 17 in CHA meant something. Rules as written now it's 2D.</p><p> </p><p>At present, as it is, no one knows anything. All the flavour is MMO vanilla.</p><p> </p><p>I run an epic campaign with race limitations. I have one player who wanted to play a restricted race-class. It led to a discussion. (Hey - this is shared fantasy after all.) The back story was genuinely compelling and fit. So he became the "first of his race" character and did it. I DO EXPECT OTHER PLAYERS to have initial reactions that involve distrust of this character's "professed" class because they know "my" world. But they also know heroes must rise to moments the DM provides. </p><p> </p><p>Am I ashamed or weepy I let the player play with a "restricted" character? No. Did it break my rule? No - it enhanced it. RPGs are a social activity and out-of-game dialogue with the player is as important as in-game interacting with the character at the tabletop. That player knows he has a very special character and will act accordingly. </p><p> </p><p>I think you let the players (including the player called DM) to scale down the _suggestions_ contained in the Core Suggestion Books as a social activity. I recall AD&D 1e actually emphasizing this very important social aspect in written communication of "it's your game." </p><p> </p><p>As far as anyone having a real world objection to racial profiling of a literary (Norse-religion) race that only exists in fantasy, then perhaps role-playing in fantasy or historical worlds is not right for the player who, IMHO, may be bringing personal issues to the table. </p><p> </p><p>IF the player has to say "I play an Elf" the profile for the race is broken. Stereotypes. Use 'em. Not just any Dwarf can wield magic or every race can be a Human hero. Race is important to the fantasy.</p><p> </p><p>I'll go back behind the screen now. </p><p> </p><p>My players' weBlog: <a href="http://www.vecol.net/RPGPL/" target="_blank">http://www.vecol.net/RPGPL/</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Console Cowboy, post: 5831351, member: 100388"] [b]2B or Not 2b...?[/b] Ah-hem. Not everyone agrees that Manadtory Racial caps were a bad approach, as WotC's reprints of AD&D 1e and the growing OSR movement can attest. Pro: Ability Score minimums for classes, Race class restrictions, and Race level caps. Human-o-centric world. First, fantasy is a period close to 1,000 AD earth. So no emos allowed. Play SIMS if you cannot handle Vikings. And to digress a degree: Norse mythology from the period is where Elves and Dwarves originate. The story goes they "went away" because of powerful Human gods - i.e. Christianity. Second, would someone care to explain why an Elf wizard as old as dirt and as powerful as legend does not pwn everyone - without resorting to my three points above? Humans can't do it because we bicker and plot amongst ourselves, and the only race I have seen in-game do it. (Even today we are neutered to the point where we fear our own opinions let alone take any courageous action on them, but I digress again.) A short-lived Human hero is just as apt to get a dagger in the belly during a feast in his honour as die of (relative to an Elf) young age. Third, ability scores used to mean something. 17 minimum CHA for a paladin (restricted to Humans) used to mean something _AT_ character generation. It wasn't fluff and story exposition. And when a paladin made an appearance in the story, you knew he had 17 CHA and, because you rolled ability scores yourself, you knew how rare that was. And a 17 in CHA meant something. Rules as written now it's 2D. At present, as it is, no one knows anything. All the flavour is MMO vanilla. I run an epic campaign with race limitations. I have one player who wanted to play a restricted race-class. It led to a discussion. (Hey - this is shared fantasy after all.) The back story was genuinely compelling and fit. So he became the "first of his race" character and did it. I DO EXPECT OTHER PLAYERS to have initial reactions that involve distrust of this character's "professed" class because they know "my" world. But they also know heroes must rise to moments the DM provides. Am I ashamed or weepy I let the player play with a "restricted" character? No. Did it break my rule? No - it enhanced it. RPGs are a social activity and out-of-game dialogue with the player is as important as in-game interacting with the character at the tabletop. That player knows he has a very special character and will act accordingly. I think you let the players (including the player called DM) to scale down the _suggestions_ contained in the Core Suggestion Books as a social activity. I recall AD&D 1e actually emphasizing this very important social aspect in written communication of "it's your game." As far as anyone having a real world objection to racial profiling of a literary (Norse-religion) race that only exists in fantasy, then perhaps role-playing in fantasy or historical worlds is not right for the player who, IMHO, may be bringing personal issues to the table. IF the player has to say "I play an Elf" the profile for the race is broken. Stereotypes. Use 'em. Not just any Dwarf can wield magic or every race can be a Human hero. Race is important to the fantasy. I'll go back behind the screen now. My players' weBlog: [URL]http://www.vecol.net/RPGPL/[/URL] [/QUOTE]
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