does this armor make me look fat?

[DrunkonDuty]

A few random ideas.

I've never really used fashion. It's a great idea though and I think my current campaign would definitely be able to make some mileage out of it. IMC the PC's home town is so homogenous and conservative that people who stand out could expect all sorts of negative reaction. Of course these are people who have clan-specific styles for their beards and woe-betide someone (like for instance on of the PCs) who wears their beard any old way. (Mmm, suddenly realises that styles of personal appearance are fashion.)

But I think in some fantasy places (City of Greyhawk, Water Deep) outlandish fashion would be so common as to fail to excite much comment. That is: some places are so cosmopolitan that a person wearing outlandish clothing is just one of hordes and no-one pays much attention. Those folk wanting said attention may have to go to great lengths, wearing truly ridiculous costume. And even then folk may just shrug and say: 'Must be a wizard.'

A person wearing a national costume may be expected to act in the sterotypical manner of someone of that nationality and may be treated accordingly. For instance: Jews in the middle ages wore distinct clothing so people knew they were Jewish on sight. These others might then expect the Jews to behave in a 'Jewish' way. Which people in the middle ages thought meant poisoning wells & murdering babies.

On the lighter side: simple fashion victims are rare in my D&D games. I once played a bard who was big on what he wore. But he did it with such aplomb he could wear whatever he wanted and get away with it. Of course a cloak of charisma is by definition cool. But label snobs could be a laugh. (Having known so many IRL I could cheerfully take the piss from them in a game.)

On Canonfire there's a few articles by GV Dammerung on 'Fashion in the Flanaess.' They make a great read for anyone but are of especial use for Greyhawkers. (Sorry, would place a link if I had any idea how.)

cheers.

 

[Planeswalker Maloran]

Fashion has come up a little in games I've played or ran, but never with mechanics effects. Mostly it's been clerics who proudly wear the robes of their faith, and sometimes it's helped or hindered them in social situations, but it's always been roleplayed rather than rolled. Although once I had a player who described his paladin as wearing practically rags, and having very disheveled hair, although he radiated a potent aura of safety and serenity. The party disliked him instantly, despite the aura, because he looked so ragged. They felt he was a disgrace to his order, which they weren't even part of.

 

[Fenes]

For most of our characters, fashion trumps stats.

 

[shilsen]

I wish my players cared about roleplaying enough where they'd be fashion concious. Sadly most of them are all about powergaming more than roleplaying a character. There's a half-elf ranger wearing studded leather armor with slippers of spider climbing....and yes, in my campaign they are slippers...not moccasin's, not sandals, not loafers......slippers; petite-looking silky thin shoes (sort of like fancy house slippers). They would look normal with a typical wizardly looking outfit, but not something a grimey ranger in armor would wear.

Even though I explained that she looks pretty ridiculous wearing the slippers with her ranger outfit, she insisted on wearing them so she could walk up walls/trees and shoot arrows from above :\

I should draw a picture of her PC so she realizes how stupid she looks. I also need to have NPCs make fun of her every single chance I get.

Sounds like she's roleplaying her character as someone who's a lot less concerned about her appearance (as a "grimy ranger," to use your phrase, quite likely is) and a lot more about surviving and being an asset to the people whose lives depend on her skills. I'm currently running some characters who'd do exactly the same thing as her, since they're survivalists, and I'm playing some characters who'd never touch an item like those shoes, or would be using them and a Hat of Disguise to look exactly how they want to.

Remember, it doesn't stop being roleplaying because it doesn't fit your tastes.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Fashion has only come up to the extent that if you're trying to sneak into a highclass establishment or rub elbows with wealthy nobles you shouldn't do it dress in your grubby explorers outfit and well used chainmail (usually PCs will go and buy nobles/courtiers out fits).

 

[Oryan77]

Sounds like she's roleplaying her character as someone who's a lot less concerned about her appearance and a lot more about surviving and being an asset to the people whose lives depend on her skills.

Heh..."roleplaying"...yeah right, that's a good cover story though

I'm sure it's a safe bet to say that roleplaying was not a deciding factor into why she chose to wear the slippers 24/7. I'm not going to be delusional about what the intent is (game mechanics first....realism 2nd).

Remember, it doesn't stop being roleplaying because it doesn't fit your tastes.

Roleplaying shouldn't be used as an excuse to get away with being a munchkin player

 

[Brazeku]

Yeah, you can definitely tell who comes from where by looking at their outfits IMC. I also retooled all the magic items (like armor, weapons, etc) to have regional effects. There are no swords +2 around. More like a machete designed for hacking through regenerating vines (cancels regeneration and fast healing) and can ward off stinging insects (variant repel vermin as a constant effect), that would be common in say, a jungle area. Stuff you find in ruins will likely have regional distinctions as well. I am not at all stingy with special effects so long as they add flavor.

Took a while to do all that, but it's a lot of fun for the players when they're making a character and want to be from a certain region; it gives them access to particular types of equipment. I went and did the same thing with magic as well.

 

[Evilhalfling]

No, but I could add it easily: The immedate setting is a 'kingdom' made up of 3 city states, the king actually controls the area, but to the citizens you belong to one of the three cities, each with a differernt character. Shorthand is military, do-nothing academics, and corrupt traders, although they all have armies, magic schools and thieves guilds) It still creates a set of prejudices and assumptions. Although 2 PCs moved from one city to another before the game started, and have some of the flavor of both.

Most NPCs deduce where the characters are from, but its not spelled out, and if some NPC is in the wrong city, I will usually mention it.
Fashion and accent are probably a strong markers, as they are all the same racial stock.

The one character from outside the region has a distinct accent and different features, and his people live in thier own neighborhoods. There is a strong concentration on his social network, and on the discrimination he faces in society (which varies in each of the three cities). His cohort has a strong accent but could pass unnoticed if he kept his mouth shut. (and did not openly wear his holy symbols)