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<blockquote data-quote="GMMichael" data-source="post: 9395738" data-attributes="member: 6685730">PC: I look at the broken wain.&nbsp; Fixing it should be easy.&nbsp; It clearly just needs to have some parts nailed back in place, reset this brace, and a support put here.GM: Um, are you a wizard or a wainwright?PC: Wizard.&nbsp; But my Mental score is 15.&nbsp; I can figure things out.Who was I to tell the PC he's wrong?&nbsp; It's not my character.&nbsp; That's a GM's dilemma, right?&nbsp; None of the PCs are our characters.&nbsp; So I can't say something like, &quot;sorry, you spent your whole youth locked up in a cell, with only spellbooks, food, and a chamber pot going in and out.&quot;&nbsp; Maybe his mother was a wainwright.&nbsp; Maybe he actually learned to be a wizard on a magic truck (see: food truck).&nbsp; I don't know.&nbsp; Not my character.That says to me that the character sheet is the PC's, too.&nbsp; Sure, it has to bear some rules.&nbsp; But the player makes the decisions.&nbsp; My PCs use sheets that are mostly white space - write your own concept.&nbsp; Write your own hero points.&nbsp; Write your own (non-magical) gear.*&nbsp; Flaws.&nbsp; Skills.&nbsp; Your name (okay, that's a gimme).So, what about these sheets that are covered, top to bottom, with references to the rule book?&nbsp; Where's the PC freedom?&nbsp; &quot;I know how to fix wains.&quot;&nbsp; Okay, let me see your character sheet.&nbsp; Hmm.&nbsp; Your Crafting is zero, it says here.&nbsp; Sorry, not sorry.&nbsp; &quot;But my Int is 15!&quot;&nbsp; Okay, but your Background, Page, doesn't mention anything about wains.&nbsp; Being a wainwright takes Strength, and yours is 10 (wow, that's low!).Do some character sheets need to give the PC a bit more freedom?&nbsp; What does it say about restrictions when page 1 of a character sheet (sometimes we have to number the pages) is entirely covered with rules-references?&nbsp; Or is the highly detailed character sheet a source of creativity, clearly laying out all the options that the PC has?&nbsp; Please, discuss.*Maybe magical gear should be fair game at the start.&nbsp; We know plenty of main characters who start with some magic.&nbsp; And it's not always a good thing...</blockquote>

[QUOTE="GMMichael, post: 9395738, member: 6685730"] PC: I look at the broken wain. Fixing it should be easy. It clearly just needs to have some parts nailed back in place, reset this brace, and a support put here. GM: Um, are you a wizard or a wainwright? PC: Wizard. But my Mental score is 15. I can figure things out. Who was I to tell the PC he's wrong? It's not my character. That's a GM's dilemma, right? [I]None[/I] of the PCs are our characters. So I can't say something like, "sorry, you spent your whole youth locked up in a cell, with only spellbooks, food, and a chamber pot going in and out." Maybe his mother was a wainwright. Maybe he actually learned to be a wizard on a magic truck (see: food truck). I don't know. Not my character. That says to me that the character sheet is the PC's, too. Sure, it has to bear some rules. But the player makes the decisions. My PCs use sheets that are mostly white space - write your own concept. Write your own hero points. Write your own (non-magical) gear.* Flaws. Skills. Your name (okay, that's a gimme). So, what about these sheets that are covered, top to bottom, with references to the rule book? Where's the PC freedom? "I know how to fix wains." Okay, let me see your character sheet. Hmm. Your Crafting is zero, it says here. Sorry, not sorry. "But my Int is 15!" Okay, but your Background, Page, doesn't mention anything about wains. Being a wainwright takes Strength, and yours is 10 (wow, that's low!). Do some character sheets need to give the PC a bit more freedom? What does it say about restrictions when page 1 of a character sheet (sometimes we have to number the pages) is entirely covered with rules-references? Or is the highly detailed character sheet a source of creativity, clearly laying out all the options that the PC has? Please, discuss. [SIZE=1]*Maybe magical gear should be fair game at the start. We know plenty of main characters who start with some magic. And it's not always a good thing...[/SIZE] [/QUOTE]

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