How Can You Politely Say, "Your Character Sucks?"

[GMforPowergamers]

ok, so more info on our 'how bad is unplayble' test game...

our invoker/wizard is going to be eaither a dragon born or a half orc and weild a big hammer and think he is the son of Kord and play him like THOR fromt eh ultimate marvel line.... the Bard is a female in a chainmail bikini, and also has the 5 14;s 1 11 stat line, and then we have an archer ranger elf who has a hawk companion so he can quarry from afar (the least optimized character he could bring himself to play) I should have all of there stats by 6:30...

[sblock=the ranger]====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Galafre the wanderer, level 1
Elf, Ranger
Build: Archer Ranger
Fighting Style: Beast Mastery
Beast Companion Type: Raptor

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 11, Con 13, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 8.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 11, Con 13, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8.


AC: 17 Fort: 12 Reflex: 15 Will: 14
HP: 25 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Dungeoneering +9, Stealth +8, Acrobatics +8, Nature +11, Perception +11

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana, Bluff -1, Diplomacy -1, Endurance, Heal +4, History, Insight +4, Intimidate -1, Religion, Streetwise -1, Thievery +3, Athletics -1

FEATS
Level 1: Weapon Proficiency (Greatbow)

POWERS
Ranger at-will 1: Twin Strike
Ranger at-will 1: Predator Strike
Ranger encounter 1: Two-Fanged Strike
Ranger daily 1: Split the Tree

ITEMS
Greatbow, Hide Armor, Adventurer's Kit, Camouflaged Clothing, Sunrod (6)
RITUALS
Raise Beast Companion
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======
[/sblock]

 

[GMforPowergamers]

we are just waiting on the guy playing the ranger to get back with the pizza, and we will start...

[sblock=COntroler]====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Kor son of Kord, level 1
Half-Orc, Invoker|Wizard
Covenant Manifestation: Manifestation of Preservation
Hybrid Invoker: Hybrid Invoker Reflex

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 17, Con 11, Dex 12, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 8.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 15, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 8.


AC: 12 Fort: 13 Reflex: 13 Will: 13
HP: 21 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 5

TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +7, Religion +7, Nature +7

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +1, Bluff -1, Diplomacy -1, Dungeoneering +2, Endurance +2, Heal +2, History +2, Insight +2, Intimidate +1, Perception +2, Stealth +1, Streetwise -1, Thievery +1, Athletics +3

FEATS
Level 1: Thirst for Battle

POWERS
Hybrid Invoker at-will 1: Astral Wind
Hybrid Wizard at-will 1: Storm Pillar
Hybrid encounter 1: Thunder of Judgment
Hybrid daily 1: Rolling Thunder

ITEMS
Mace
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======
[/sblock]

[sblock=Leader]====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Slutara the less then pure, level 1
Eladrin, Bard
Bardic Virtue: Virtue of Cunning

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 11, Con 14, Dex 14, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 14.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 11, Con 14, Dex 12, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 14.


AC: 16 Fort: 12 Reflex: 13 Will: 14
HP: 26 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Thievery +6, Arcana +9, History +9, Diplomacy +7, Bluff +7, Acrobatics +6

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Dungeoneering +5, Endurance +4, Heal +5, Insight +5, Intimidate +5, Nature +5, Perception +5, Religion +5, Stealth +4, Streetwise +5, Athletics +2

FEATS
Bard: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Jack of All Trades

POWERS
Bard at-will 1: Jinx Shot
Bard at-will 1: Vicious Mockery
Bard encounter 1: Prophesied Strike
Bard daily 1: Arrow of Warning

ITEMS
Ritual Book, Hand Crossbow, Chainmail, Bottle of Wine, Lute
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======
[/sblock]

there are the last two characters...

 

[fuzzlewump]

At least you understand your limitations.

Care to elaborate?

I'm not closed to other ideas, if there is a reason to play a character with a low primary stat, as in, whatever your character's goal is, you have a low stat in that, then I would like to hear it. For instance, having a 10 strength fighter who only uses a longbow would certainly not count. Having a 10 dexterity fighter who only uses a longbow would definitely count. Why would you do this?

To roleplay a character who is bad at what he or she does, or in the case of a caster, a character who can not do (in 3rd edition) what their class is meant to do to at all?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I like the invoker wizard... sounds like a real fun build! And he is quite competent with the hammer for the first levels... his AC is poor however and i have a little pity for him when he actually tries to go into melee... but he will make the bard and the swordmage occupied

 

[SkidAce]

I've seen it happen too. It's just typically more fun when it happens in a more appropriate game than D&D. If you are not looting dungeons and fighting dragons, D&D isn't the game that best serves your needs. Never has been, and never will be.

While I know everybody's experience is relative...

I understood your point until you threw the never and never in there.

Might I state, it has been and can be again.

.../grin I mean when I had the choice between Rolemaster and DnD, DnD was certainly more fun (IMHO) and combat was less of the focus than in Rolemaster...I mean..do you remember those RM charts? Wow.

So I don't think we can say never.

 

[SkidAce]

I've seen it happen too. It's just typically more fun when it happens in a more appropriate game than D&D. If you are not looting dungeons and fighting dragons, D&D isn't the game that best serves your needs. Never has been, and never will be.

sorry...meant to ask...back in the 80s, what would have been a better game if roleplaying was more of the focus, in your opinion?

 

[Hussar]

sorry...meant to ask...back in the 80s, what would have been a better game if roleplaying was more of the focus, in your opinion?

Heh, that's a bit of a misleading question isn't it?

After all, no one in the 80's roleplayed.

((In case it wasn't obvious, this was meant as a joke. ))

But, just to take a more serious note. By the 80's you had quite a few games out there. Top Secret for example. GURPS was out in 86. 007 and Star Frontiers. Traveler. Just to name a few off the top of my head. FASA Star Trek was heavily rp based. The old Doctor Who game ((FASA as well IIRC)). Gangbusters was a personal favorite.

While there weren't the hordes of indie games and whatnot we have now, it's not like the 80's were all that limited for choice. By the time D&D peaked in about 82, you had lots and lots of companies jumping up at the chance to do an RPG and try for a bit of the pie.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

ok, only 4pcs, very little rp at all...orginal KotS.

we had 1 death...and it was our Ranger who got slamed by a wyrmpriest and irontooth at the same time...

we started in the 2nd encounter having already been in winterhaven (save time) and more or less did 3 encounters in 1 day. the Kobold ambush, the outside of the kobold lair, and then the iron tooth fight.

We started the first encounter with only the ranger making the perception check to not be suprised...it was pretty quick thought, our ranger went first, and he went into what was to be expected...move action spend the hawk to a dragonshield...minor quarry, standard twin strike...one of witch was our first of 3 crits of the night... witch killed him.

the second and third crit of the night were both in the iron tooth fight...one by our wizard/Invoker with a basic attack, and one by irontooth vs our ranger... for the record at 1st level 2 attacks, one crit that does 22, the other does 1d10+1d8+4 is evil...

end result we all had a blast, it was not to hard. I will admit that the swordmage was not the most fun I have had, but... our half orc hybrid now wants to really play a half orc invoker and see if this could be a series character...
Of cource our resdent power gamer (the ranger) said his death proves we failed, but most of us think other wise...

 

[pawsplay]

Care to elaborate?

I'm not closed to other ideas, if there is a reason to play a character with a low primary stat, as in, whatever your character's goal is, you have a low stat in that, then I would like to hear it. For instance, having a 10 strength fighter who only uses a longbow would certainly not count. Having a 10 dexterity fighter who only uses a longbow would definitely count. Why would you do this?

To roleplay a character who is bad at what he or she does, or in the case of a caster, a character who can not do (in 3rd edition) what their class is meant to do to at all?

You cannot understand why someone would do such a thing.

 

[Nifft]

You cannot understand why someone would do such a thing.

His sanity is a heavy fetter indeed.

Cheers, -- N