Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Guest 6801328" data-source="post: 6871013">Once again, it has nothing to do with the &quot;rules&quot;.&nbsp; This is not changing a rule, any more than is having a Sorcerer narrate his spellcasting as throwing playing cards.&nbsp; It only changes a rule if you let the narration drive the mechanics.&nbsp; If the Sorcerer suddenly decides that he can throw a few extra cards, or even if the DM says &quot;Sorry, you're facing into a hurricane force wind so you can't throw cards&quot;, then the narrative has crossed the line into mechanics.Funny that you mention how this reminds you of 'younger players' wanting to be good in every way.&nbsp; It seems like one of the oppositions to this sort of RP is based on the fear that some players will try to cross that narration/mechanics line, once you let them control the narrative.&nbsp; And they might.&nbsp; And maybe that's a good reason to not allow it at your table.&nbsp; But that's very different from saying that it breaks a rule.The passages you quote from PHB are not rules because they don't define any mechanics.&nbsp; HOW do they measure natural athleticism, mental acuity, etc.&nbsp; There's no function, no equation, no rule.&nbsp; Some text is simply meant to add color to the mechanics.&nbsp; This is from the description for an Oath Paladin:Unlike the descriptions for Str and Int, this passage at least prescribes something concrete and specific: Devotion Oath paladins afix images of angelic wings onto their gear. Seems pretty unambiguous.&nbsp; But are you seriously going to tell me that a player who describes himself as helmetless and without a coat of arms (backstory: too poor for such finery) is breaking the rules?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Guest 6801328, post: 6871013"] Once again, it has nothing to do with the "rules". This is not changing a rule, any more than is having a Sorcerer narrate his spellcasting as throwing playing cards. It only changes a rule if you let the narration drive the mechanics. If the Sorcerer suddenly decides that he can throw a few extra cards, or even if the DM says "Sorry, you're facing into a hurricane force wind so you can't throw cards", then the narrative has crossed the line into mechanics. Funny that you mention how this reminds you of 'younger players' wanting to be good in every way. It seems like one of the oppositions to this sort of RP is based on the fear that some players will try to cross that narration/mechanics line, once you let them control the narrative. And they might. And maybe that's a good reason to not allow it at your table. But that's very different from saying that it breaks a rule. The passages you quote from PHB are not rules because they don't define any mechanics. HOW do they measure natural athleticism, mental acuity, etc. There's no function, no equation, no [I]rule[/I]. Some text is simply meant to add color to the mechanics. This is from the description for an Oath Paladin: Unlike the descriptions for Str and Int, this passage at least prescribes something concrete and specific: Devotion Oath paladins afix images of angelic wings onto their gear. Seems pretty unambiguous. But are you seriously going to tell me that a player who describes himself as helmetless and without a coat of arms (backstory: too poor for such finery) is [I]breaking the rules[/I]? [/QUOTE]

Verification