Benefit of clothes

Nightfall · Dec 17, 2003

I'm just making comments arc. While I'm not against nudity, I just feel this idea of la naturae is a little...naitive(sp).

hong · Dec 17, 2003

This is just a cunningly disguised BoEF thread, isn't it?

Dirigible · Dec 17, 2003

Only a linguist could disguise said thread so cunningly.

Tonguez · Dec 17, 2003

Nightfall said:
I'm just making comments arc. While I'm not against nudity, I just feel this idea of la naturae is a little...naitive(sp).

You do realise that as a 'native' I could take this comment as a racist slur!

Oh and although my ancestors didn't go entirely naked (just topless) I can assure that the woman had full rights and leadership roles. The fallacy about this arose due to interactions with foreign (usually European) peoples where the males took the lead (ie external relations like war and diplomacy were male roles, domestic affairs were usually run by women)

On Topic
I think mechanically clothes should have nil effect. Peoples who regularily don't wear clothes adapt and things like sunburn ought to be DM calls...

Inconsequenti-AL · Dec 17, 2003

It's all fine and dandy as long as it isn't a LARP game.

borc killer · Dec 17, 2003

Emirikol said:
What are the in-game benefits of clothes? Should they affect abilities or skills?

jh

Well from a historical perspective cloths really did make the man. If you wore ‘noble’ out fits and were not nobles there could be serous consequences. There were 1000 of laws created in the middle-ages specifying what type of clothing certain people could have… I us these laws in my campaigns from time to time… adds a cool effect (giving plus to disguise checks and the like).

I believe this is the book that I read about it: Sumptuary Law in Italy 1200-1500 (Oxford Historical Monographs). But I am sure there are others because I know I read a bunch of laws from France too.

Anyway to answer your question if the DM wants there to be effects you certainly can make them… if the DM does not care… go nude… will save you some weight.

Nightfall · Dec 17, 2003

Tonguez said:
You do realise that as a 'native' I could take this comment as a racist slur!

Chill. Firstly remember I can't spell very well. Secondly it's just my opinion. Thirdly, while it might be off topic to a degree, I do think it's worth stating that having no clothes on doesn't work every day.

megamania · Dec 17, 2003

Inconsequenti-AL said:
It's all fine and dandy as long as it isn't a LARP game.

LOL!

Nightfall · Dec 17, 2003

megamania said:
LOL!

This is why I doubt LARPING will catch on past the Equator.

Norfleet · Dec 17, 2003

Well, as Mark Twain put it, "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." Even societies which didn't have clothes as we consider them today have ornamental items worn as status symbols: Strings of beads, bones, ornamental paint, etc.

I'd say that wearing(or not wearing) appropriate clothes can impose a penalty or bonus on one's social skill checks. The exact effect of this is highly situational and is subject mostly to a DM call. Of course, if you're the emperor, nobody's going to tell you you're naked.