Recent content by Thomas Shey

Well, it depends on whether you consider "niches" desirable. Traditionally it so in groups of any size you don't have redundant characters which a lot of players are not thrilled at finding themselves playing. Once you accept that concept, "protecting" the niches seems desirable because peple...

Well, the fact character-classes were a big-blunt-object solution to character definition and distinction even at the start. Unfortunatley, once D&D got rolling, its success meant it was going to be a dominate approach for the long haul.

Though I've found that a mixed bag. Some stuff still holds up reasonably. Some stuff I'm unable not to see the politics of much more clearly than I was back then, and it usually doesn't improve the work.

Though that one is tricky. When it comes to film and TV, any time there's anything that stands out of the background, chances are pretty strongly that its serving a purpose--even if the purpose is just to throw you off. That's because of the limited amount you have to do various things in...

Yeah, there used to be a couple of Carl's Jrs I went to, and one never made a single error, while the other I needed to hold their feet to the fire. And given I'm a plain-burger guy this was far from trivial. (The thing I've noticed on the whole burget places have a tendency to just not...

Naw. Not really convinced this is going anywhere enough to go through the effort and the likely back and forth that would follow.

I think it sometimes is, but often is clear as crystal. So I repeat my prior point: our premises are too different. Which is why I'm only fussy about this in extreme cases, in part.

Because it wouldn't be an issue if they weren't doing it in the first place.

Then I don't think we can continue this discussion. While like most things, there are muddy cases, but if you don't believe there are dumb plans and smart plans we're coming from this from such different premises that there's unlikely to be able to make any common ground.

If that wasn't a risk, they wouldn't be a smooth-talking player. That's virtually the definition of a player that's charisma higher than his character: he makes a good impact and is good at selling people (including the GM) on things. Maybe he resists it. Maybe he doesn't. I think people are...

Participating in per se, no. Participating in in a way they might want to? Charisma is the clear poster boy. If you've got a 5 Charisma and want to use the fact you're personally personable and smooth to bypass it, I have exactly the same problem. (Note: with all these I'm assuming you're...

Play a game with a more coherent damage model? :)

Can't agree, given how often I've seen dedicated threads talking about hit points over the years. I don't even see that about Wisdom, and Wisdom is probably the worst of the lot (not Charisma). I think there's an enormous gap there. As I noted, D&D games aren't usually consistent about hit...

I just remembered that there was another Black Mirror episode ("San Junipero") that, on the whole, had a much more positive attitude toward potential movement of consciousness into a virtual space than the others. Mind you, there were some important differences in how it came about, too. Edit...

Sorry if "that poster" sounded dismissive, its more that I have a talent for confusing and/or otherwise mangling people's handles so if I don't have it at hand I'll just refer to them indirectly.