Unpopular opinions go here

[Cadence]

He doesn't always turn himself into the same goose. He doesn't want to be recognized.

I was thinking Leda and the Swan. Was there another? (Was that just one of several?)

 

[Thomas Shey]

In a Hell on Earth, a post apocalyptic version of Deadlands, mutants receive a penalty to their Charisma because they are disliked and mistrusted by humans. In one campaign I ran, one of the players decided to play a mutant, and just about everywhere his character went I made it clear that his was a presence unwelcome by many. This was a case where the player and the GM simply had different ideas of what it meant to be a mutant. Based on his decision to play a mutant, I just assumed this was the kind of play experience he wanted. It wasn't.

One of those cases where he read it literally and narrowly, and you read into the modifier that it was there for a reason. One of those "GM and player just not on the same page".

 

[Hussar]

In this case, I don't see why it can't be done. A setting has multiple languages. The PCs know some of them, and find alternative ways to cope, a translator, magic, hand gestures) when they don't. This is not too much to deal with IMO.

I already explained this. Doing charades for one or two sessions might be fun. Miming every single session in a game where you're supposed to be talking a lot, is frustrating and boring. It's one of those things that sounds like a blast on paper, but, when the rubber meets the road, it just doesn'T work.

 

[Thomas Shey]

I don't get what you're asking then.

I wasn't asking anything. I was making a statement about why its rarely done, and wanting to do so for simulationist reasons doesn't change that.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I already explained this. Doing charades for one or two sessions might be fun. Miming every single session in a game where you're supposed to be talking a lot, is frustrating and boring. It's one of those things that sounds like a blast on paper, but, when the rubber meets the road, it just doesn'T work.

Agree to disagree. I have no problem with what I described.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I wasn't asking anything. I was making a statement about why its rarely done, and wanting to do so for simulationist reasons doesn't change that.

"It's not popular" is never a good enough reason for me. Like all those people who say that tradition doesn't mean anything. I feel the same way about popularity.

 

[Lanefan]

2e fighter with long sword and short sword can attack three times at first level with no penalties.

Note, I said nothing about every round.

They can do the same in 1e. Although with some attack penalties.

True hill giants got buffed in 2e. Wonder why? If characters in 1e were doing so little damage, why did the almost double a giants hp?

Because warriors playing 1988 1e were doing considerably more damage than those in 1980 1e.

Power creep within an edition was a big problem back then too.

 

[Thomas Shey]

"It's not popular" is never a good enough reason for me. Like all those people who say that tradition doesn't mean anything. I feel the same way about popularity.

Look man, you want what you want, but at a certain point if its unpopular enough--and this is--is that anything but saying "I want it my way and damn everyone else, including my players"?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Look man, you want what you want, but at a certain point if its unpopular enough--and this is--is that anything but saying "I want it my way and damn everyone else, including my players"?

I refuse to believe using languages even semi-realistically is as badwrongfun as you insist it is. If it were, no one here would be voicing similar sentiments. I just don't subscribe to the tyranny of the masses.

 

[Hussar]

I refuse to believe using languages even semi-realistically is as badwrongfun as you insist it is. If it were, no one here would be voicing similar sentiments. I just don't subscribe to the tyranny of the masses.

Again, I'd suggest giving it a try. Insist that in the next five sessions of your current game, your players must only use hand gestures when speaking to NPC's because no NPC will speak their language. Watch how quickly things like Tongues becomes a go-to solution. Added bonus if two PC's in the group don't share languages.

I understand what you're getting at. But, it's not going to fly. It's certainly not something your players are going to be excited about, week after week.