does this armor make me look fat?

[funkysnunkulator]

just wondering about how you other gamers deal with concepts like vanity, or cultural mores about appearance and such.

our group actually got the idea from original unearthed arcana and the cavalier description. basically, they would wear nonmagical armor if it looked "higher class".

they wanted the best. or at least what would be percieved as the best.

so an idea was born. we introduced ideas like wieght management, fashion victimization and such. such things have been invaluable in bringing settings to life, as well as providing plot hooks. equipment selection, lifestyle selection and associations become a large part of the overall game, and yet, can't really detract from play. it also puts some meat on the bones of "interaction skills". diplomacy, bluff, persuation, unnuendo... all of it.

when asked about this by players, this example was used:

we modern day humans time travel back to the pre industrial revolution. the language is roughly the same. but we have better technology and superior educations (academically). however, even if we wanted to start companies and create the internet, pharmaceuticals, aircraft and mass media, noone would take us seriously because we don't look and act like "genteelman". once we fit in (wear what others wear and follow social protocol) THEN we might get somewhere.

also, we have used fashion and appearance to negative effect as well. like being targeted for being different. that sort of thing.

so how do you folks do it? or do you?

 

[Quartz]

Mechanically? Circumstance bonus or penalty to the skill roll.

 

[funkysnunkulator]

oh no, didn't mean that. just wondering about the overall.... presence of the concept. perhaps call it elitism (of a sort).

you see, after we looked at the cavelier (long time ago), we started comparing this attitude to that of the fashion victims.

that is, alot of people (in the real world) place a lot of emphasis on fashion, appearance and the like. some even form associations based on brand worn.

we incorporated this aspect of society into our game. over the years, we have fine tuned it to the point that simply describing clothing and manner will prompt players to start asking things like "where are we" "did we travel out of the region" "is this an allied region or hostile one" and so on.

mind you, not every place is extreme (like gang colors or victorian society) but it is useful throughout the campaign. it even has a very nice effect with "other than humanoid races" like goblinoids and such.

all that said, the question was aimed at finding out if other gamers make any kind of extensive use of the fashion/mannerism concept.

if so, has it been a help, a hinderance, it's great, it sucks... that kind of thing. also, if any homebrewed inventions have popped up? do the characters/players get into it? spending habits (lifestyle stuff)....

 

[funkysnunkulator]

oh yeah,

thanks for the response. didn't realize the question was unclear. but it does bring a couple of questions to mind.

do you employ "set in stone" rules regarding bonuses and penalties? or "fast and loose"?

and do you use fashion and such in advance your story lines? or have story lines designed around this concept? something machiavellian or courtley?

apologies if this is intrusive, it's just fun to get a "feel" for other's gaming styles.

thanks again.

 

[Phlebas]

I try to emphasise that armour / clothes normally have a regional / racial feel and that can make a big difference to peoples perceptions of the PC's.

I have one PC IMC who has come from a 'posh' background and she will spend a lot of money on clothes and armour so she looks the part. Others are more interested in the robes of office for their faiths.

Mechanically - the +/- 2 circumstantial modifier rules cover most eventualities.

The players are normally pretty good on changing into adventuring gear if they're going for a sewer trip and don't expect to be taken seriously if they don't change back afterwards....

 

[Wolv0rine]

Makes me think of the line in A Knight's Tale when William shows up for a tournament in his former knight master's armor and Count Adhemar teases him on wearing old, unfashionable armor.
Adventurers (at least used to) commonly find old magical armor and 'trade up', never stopping to think how old and out of date this armor may be. Sure, it may be +3 half plate, but do you look like a dork in high-water bell-bottom teal-and-gray pinstriped pants wearing it around town?

 

[Victim]

In a society of magic, stuff without aura is just worthless trash.

 

[Oryan77]

Does this armor make me look fat?

No, the fat bulging from between the armor plates makes you look fat.


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.

 

[Sound of Azure]

No, the fat bulging from between the armor plates makes you look fat.


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.

I think that's why the party had my wizard PC custom-make all of their magical footwear (Boots/Sandals/Shoes/etc of Striding, Springing, and Spider Climbing).

 

[Slapzilla]

I'm gonna try it out to see if my players notice. Hopefully they'll begin reacting to it and I'll have fresh data soon. Neat idea, especially important in a city campaign.