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General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
The "We Can't Roleplay" in 4E Argument
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<blockquote data-quote="IanB" data-source="post: 5573890" data-attributes="member: 1473"><p>The line in your character background writeup that says you're a musician. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>Performance and crafting and stuff like that, I just would leave up to the players to write into their histories. Then I can play off that stuff in designing an adventure that those characters will be participating in, and if I need to roll a check it can always be stat+2/4/6 vs. a DC.</p><p></p><p>EDIT: And I should say, for stuff like that where we're talking about actual training/practice required (not simple singing or whittling a stick to a point, but playing a harpsichord or forging a sword) then I probably wouldn't even let the character try. If someone has to play the Great Evil Pipe Organ of Imix V to open some door, well, there are always musicians looking for work. But again, I wouldn't throw something like that at a party that had no reasonable chance to succeed at it, without some other reason for doing it, at least.</p><p></p><p>What I prefer about doing that way is that the player isn't forced to make a decision between min/maxy skills that get used all the time in adventures and ones chosen more for flavor reasons but that come up in RP situations and the like. (I also wish utility powers didn't force that decision point as much as they do but that's a rant for another time.)</p><p></p><p>As long as the player doesn't go all Martin Prince in their backstory ("I am a dervish of declension and a conjurer of conjugation, with a million hit points and maximum charisma!") then it works out just fine.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="IanB, post: 5573890, member: 1473"] The line in your character background writeup that says you're a musician. ;) Performance and crafting and stuff like that, I just would leave up to the players to write into their histories. Then I can play off that stuff in designing an adventure that those characters will be participating in, and if I need to roll a check it can always be stat+2/4/6 vs. a DC. EDIT: And I should say, for stuff like that where we're talking about actual training/practice required (not simple singing or whittling a stick to a point, but playing a harpsichord or forging a sword) then I probably wouldn't even let the character try. If someone has to play the Great Evil Pipe Organ of Imix V to open some door, well, there are always musicians looking for work. But again, I wouldn't throw something like that at a party that had no reasonable chance to succeed at it, without some other reason for doing it, at least. What I prefer about doing that way is that the player isn't forced to make a decision between min/maxy skills that get used all the time in adventures and ones chosen more for flavor reasons but that come up in RP situations and the like. (I also wish utility powers didn't force that decision point as much as they do but that's a rant for another time.) As long as the player doesn't go all Martin Prince in their backstory ("I am a dervish of declension and a conjurer of conjugation, with a million hit points and maximum charisma!") then it works out just fine. [/QUOTE]
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