Call to the Four Lands

[Rhun]

The items etc for Kat are on par with what the characters possess, the only difference is that she is aware of their background and history thru her uncle Nickey..as it fit well with the overall character profile..so the rest can have fun discovering what you truly are carrying around

Fair enough.

 

[Maidhc O Casain]

[sblock=For Anyone Interested]This post is probably gonna come across as an overreaction to questions asked about my character - please don't take it that way. I am feeling a little defensive about Kat, b/c I am aware that her 'special' magic items are somewhat overpowered for our character levels. Possibly it would be a good idea for me to post my ideas about the nature of the game and my style of play, and then get some feedback from the rest of the players. If y'all don't think I'll be a good fit for the party after reading this, I understand, and I'll bow out with absolutely no hard feelings. Just be aware that it's not my nature to mince words - I speak (or write) what's on my mind - I don't mean to offend, I've just found it saves time.

I'm not a rules guru or a suplements fiend (I don't even know what a Warblade is, and don't care to look it up - I'm certain I'm going to love discovering what you can do with one through playing the game with one in the party). I do understand the need for rules, but I tend to think of them more as guidelines (I think it even says somewhere in one of the rulebooks that this should be the case, but they may have taken that out for 3.5 ). The game is listed as 'Homebrew' rather than D&D because our beloved GM has similar beliefs about the rules. I like to play cool characters, and when I get an idea for one I try to make it work (I love the idea of ambidexterity, for example. I mistakenly listed it as a 'trait' rather than as a 'talent,' but it was taken in place of one of my precious feats).

I don't want to unbalance the game, and I'm not competing with other party members for the spotlight - I want to be effective, and I want to celebrate the joys of victory, experience the drama of a game well played, and yes even mourn the agony of defeat or loss. I like to gripe when I have a run of bad luck with the dice (we call it the 'IC Curse' in the group I usually play with). I'm pretty careful about checking stuff out with my GM before I add it to my character, and I expect him to call me on anything he doesn't particularly like. When he does, I'll probably gripe about that as well - my griping doesn't mean anything, it's in good fun and I try to make it humorous when I can.

That being said, I was aware when I spoke with Todd about those 'special' items that they are overpowered for our character levels. They actually come to Kat from a player character I ran years ago in the face to face incarnation of this very campaign. (Rhun, Slabhra Dragan just means 'Dragon Chain' in Gaelic). I actually offered to tone down both the armor and the swords a bit, with the idea that the current powers would be discovered as Kat matured (leveled up). However, I wasn't going to argue when Todd said she could use them as is.

Finally, my understanding of the reason we post our characters is so that we can share cool things with the rest of the party, and so that we'll be able to play to our strengths. I truly don't mean to be arrogant, snooty, or whatever, but my understanding is not that we post characters so they can be picked apart by other party members. I know most people who do this do it from a sense of fair play, and I'm not offended by it, but it is a pet peeve for me. If you are looking through my character sheet and see where I've made a mistake in my figures, if you see I've taken four feats when I should have only taken three, etc. PLEASE let me know. Just when I think I've got most of the calculation errors ironed out of that spreadsheet, another one rears it's ugly head. But if you see an ability/feat/piece of equipment/whatever listed, even (maybe especially) if it seems unusual, you can trust that I've checked it out with Todd (or whatever other GM is running the game) and gotten it approved - that's what we do, right?

OK, I've gotten all that off my chest now. Since I took the liberty of venting all that, please feel free to sound off as well![/sblock]

 

[Neurotic]

Question

Could you explain how you made lawful rogue? Rules say you don't and even 'common logic' if that can be applied to alignments says you can't be catburglar and obey laws.

That said, I too have some items not (yet) approved by DM and either no body bothered to go through my char sheet or I managed to (finally) get everything right first time

Now I'm intrigued and I'll go through your char sheet ...

Oh, yes. Welcome!

 

[Neurotic]

Andor Anande de Andrade

Andor is min maxed, but for fairly (I believe) limited use against evil outsiders and undead. Or just undead if JA doesn't approve censuring demons.

As for items, I haven't received any yet and I asked for life gems and have unusual weapon so that might balance things out.

Andor is created as half-vampire with vampire half burned out by Pelor with lingering effects such as pale skin and intense eyes. No game mechanic effects just a story.

DM: Possible items to enhance are gypsy earings and de Andrade signet ring. Both are considered by Andor his legacy and never thought about them as anything but decorations.

 

[Redclaw]

[sblock=mowgli] Mowgli,
that was actually a very respectfully crafted response to the questions that were asked of you. I am impressed by your ability to express such concerns without turning it into a flame war. I can definitely understand the frustrations of having others question your sense of fair play, although I'm not sure that was their intent.
Regardless, I feel that one of the reasons the character sheets are on the RG is to create that sense of an even playing field. It should be about enjoying each other's creations, no doubt, but it's also there to make sure that nobody is taking advantage of the limitations of the pbp medium. We are a team, attempting to tell a story together as well as attempting to survive whatever J Alexander throws at us, and we all want to make sure that we're playing by the same rules, that's all. While you had a private conversation with the dm okaying your items (and that's really all I need to know), we weren't all privy to the details, obviously, and had no idea that all three items had been approved. Simply looking at your sheet, without knowing that you've had that conversation and with the dm saying someone is min/maxing, those three items jump out as hugely overbalanced for the party. A suit of armor that has an armor bonus and max dex total of 14 breaks the carefully crafted balance put into the system. Even mithral only gives a total of 10. Add to that a +3 enhancement bonus, and that armor is something that a 15th level party sets out on a full-blown quest to recover. To have it at 4th level is clearly going to cause some in-party gear envy. Add in the two swords, and it looks like you're ready for a much higher-level campaign, which I guess makes sense for your back story of an inheritance from just such a character.
All of that being said, I'm just here to have some fun, and as long as Kat doesn't take over combats, survive without taking a scratch while the rest of us are getting diced up, or otherwise make me feel like Padraig is the red-headed stepchild who is just getting in the way and stealing her xp, I'll happily cheer her on and admire her goodies. [/sblock]

[sblock=J Alexander] It looks like a lot of these items are really powerful for our level. Do you have a copy of Weapons of Legacy, and have you thought about converting them to that set of rules. I'm a huge fan of the idea behind that book, and the mechancis are solid, if not elegant. Obviously, I'm not trying to tell you how to run the game, just offering a suggestion that might aleviate some of the concerns that seem to be surfacing. [/sblock]

 

[Redclaw]

Could you explain how you made lawful rogue? Rules say you don't and even 'common logic' if that can be applied to alignments says you can't be catburglar and obey laws.

Actually, Neurotic, 3.5 changed that.

Rogues follow opportunities, not ideals. Though they are more likely to be chaotic than lawful, they are a diverse bunch, so they may be of any alignment.

While I understand the common logic bit, the idea is that not all rogues break laws and steal, just as not all wizards throw fireballs and not all fighters wear plate mail and charge anything they see. The class is about using skills to avoid obstacles, rather than having to hack through them. The sneak attack is really the only piece that bothers me when making a lawful rogue, but I guess it can be seen as fighting smart and taking advantage of distraction, rather than the old-school view of it as backstabbing.

 

[Maidhc O Casain]

Could you explain how you made lawful rogue? Rules say you don't and even 'common logic' if that can be applied to alignments says you can't be catburglar and obey laws.

That said, I too have some items not (yet) approved by DM and either no body bothered to go through my char sheet or I managed to (finally) get everything right first time

Now I'm intrigued and I'll go through your char sheet ...

Oh, yes. Welcome!

Now, that is a good question! I did completely forget about the alignment restrictions on Rogues, and was just going for the alignment it seemed to me was closest to her personality. Let me just 'think outloud' about her personality/alignment: Kat is a very loyal member of her family, in particular the 'intelligence gathering' branch. Within that family there is a heirarchy and a set of rules (largely unformalized, but strict nontheless), which she follows to the T. That's what I was thinking of in terms of lawful, and I wasn't thinking of her in terms of a cat-burglar so much as an intelligence gatherer. However, while she is a member of the Church of the Light she is remarkably tolerant of those of other beliefs (even other races), so she doesn't really follow those laws. And while she's not designed to be a burglar, I can't see her refusing to burgle if it was necessary and in line with her current mission (either for her family or for the military she's in). Definitely not for personal gain, though.

So, I guess this is one you could philosophize to death. Is she lawful because she follows those laws made by those she recognizes as authorities and picks and chooses otherwise (as we all do, to some extent), or is she more Neutral because she 'picks and chooses' which laws she follows?

Any ideas? I kind of like the idea of a Lawful rogue, but am perfectly willing to go with Neutral Good instead.

 

[Maidhc O Casain]

Actually, Neurotic, 3.5 changed that.

While I understand the common logic bit, the idea is that not all rogues break laws and steal, just as not all wizards throw fireballs and not all fighters wear plate mail and charge anything they see. The class is about using skills to avoid obstacles, rather than having to hack through them. The sneak attack is really the only piece that bothers me when making a lawful rogue, but I guess it can be seen as fighting smart and taking advantage of distraction, rather than the old-school view of it as backstabbing.

Told you I wasn't a 'Rules Wizard!' Here I am 'forgetting' to follow a rule that changed years ago!

 

[Neurotic]

3.5

3.5 changed so much stuff that it is hard to be sure what's what. Tnx for clarification though.

 

[Maidhc O Casain]

[sblock=mowgli] Mowgli,
that was actually a very respectfully crafted response to the questions that were asked of you. I am impressed by your ability to express such concerns without turning it into a flame war. I can definitely understand the frustrations of having others question your sense of fair play, although I'm not sure that was their intent.
Regardless, I feel that one of the reasons the character sheets are on the RG is to create that sense of an even playing field. It should be about enjoying each other's creations, no doubt, but it's also there to make sure that nobody is taking advantage of the limitations of the pbp medium. We are a team, attempting to tell a story together as well as attempting to survive whatever J Alexander throws at us, and we all want to make sure that we're playing by the same rules, that's all. While you had a private conversation with the dm okaying your items (and that's really all I need to know), we weren't all privy to the details, obviously, and had no idea that all three items had been approved. Simply looking at your sheet, without knowing that you've had that conversation and with the dm saying someone is min/maxing, those three items jump out as hugely overbalanced for the party. A suit of armor that has an armor bonus and max dex total of 14 breaks the carefully crafted balance put into the system. Even mithral only gives a total of 10. Add to that a +3 enhancement bonus, and that armor is something that a 15th level party sets out on a full-blown quest to recover. To have it at 4th level is clearly going to cause some in-party gear envy. Add in the two swords, and it looks like you're ready for a much higher-level campaign, which I guess makes sense for your back story of an inheritance from just such a character.
All of that being said, I'm just here to have some fun, and as long as Kat doesn't take over combats, survive without taking a scratch while the rest of us are getting diced up, or otherwise make me feel like Padraig is the red-headed stepchild who is just getting in the way and stealing her xp, I'll happily cheer her on and admire her goodies. [/sblock]

[sblock=Redclaw (& anyone else who wants to peek)]It's never my intent to take over or monopolize the party. And I can definitely understand 'gear envy' - I get it as well. As I said, I offered to 'tone down' the items until the party got a few levels, and am still willing to do so because I have the same concerns about party balance. I have always loved the collaberative 'storytelling' concept - to the point that in my HERO game I frequently solicit feedback from the players regarding the direction the game is going and what other elements they would like to see in play. It's hard to feel like your character is an important part of the story if another character dominates play, and I respect that.

I've obviously gamed with JAlexander for years, and if there's one thing I can be certain of it's that no one will get out of very many combats without a scratch. And honestly, it's not nearly as much fun without the fear of imminent death or dismemberment for your character. Without that, combat becomes a boring exercise in just going through the motions.

I guess my inclination and preference is usually to deal with my gear envy personally and trust the DM/GM to take care of the game balance issues. In this case, I'm about 100% certain he's just going to make sure Kat's up against opponents that use a lot of touch attacks for awhile . . .

My irritation in this case is more from players telling one another 'You can't do this' or 'You're not allowed to do that,' particularly in terms of character abilities unrelated to gear. That part of it, to me, seems more the province of the God of the Game (the DM). But that's a tricky issue - how do you know when looking at someone elses character sheet that a notation is purposeful and knowledgeable and not a mistake born of using the wrong incarnation of the rules? There's no real answer other than to keep hashing it out, I suppose.

Anyway, thanks for your feedback! Sorry for the rambling reply - I guess it's sort of my 'style.'[/sblock]