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How much back story for a low-level PC?
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<blockquote data-quote="Neonchameleon" data-source="post: 5215839" data-attributes="member: 87792"><p>And yet she mysteriously learned arcane magic, jumped up 10 levels, studied Necromancy, and turned herself into a freaking member of the Undead in just a few years. Something that takes most non-adventuring wizards the best part of 50 years, often more. And that's starting when their brains are young - and asuming that the spells are accessible (whihc in the case of lichdom they normally aren't.)</p><p> </p><p>At this point, unless she went adventuring and put herself in danger every day and was forced to draw on resources beyond herself, you've smashed most of the worldbuilding you've done. It now apparently takes three years at night school to make yourself a lich and tenth level spellcaster. At that point, all lower level threats become instantly risible.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px">"Sire! The goblins are invading from underneath. This young warrior leads a group who claims they can deal with the threat."</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"No. They will be slaughtered. Fetch ... <em>the slightly bored housewives</em>."</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p><p></p><p>Yes. And the DM is the one failing to collaborate here.</p><p> </p><p>[quoet]That question sounds rather disingenious. Setting design is a collaborative effort at the personal level like this. The player can tell me what her character knows about her mom. Anything that she wouldn't know is fair game for the GM to elaborate on.</p></blockquote><p></p><p>Whenever the PC is out of the room, the mom turns into a cloud of butterflies and flutters away? What? It's something that the PC wouldn't know. And is a GM elaboration. And does less damage to the worldbuilding than turning the mother into a Lich in a few short years.</p><p> </p><p></p><p> </p><p>It's about as natural as claiming that she was a God who was simply slumming it as a mortal. And less extreme - it doesn't put lichdom (or godhood) in reach of a significant proportion of the world.</p><p> </p><p></p><p> </p><p>And that she was super-intelligent, had a fixation on living forevever, and was capable of becoming a great arcane spellcaster. Her becoming a cultist and making a pact with the dark might have been plausible. A lich is not.</p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><p>I am a fan of player backgrounds. I'm also a fan of good worldbuilding and reasonable consequences. This is made of fail and openly turns the rules of the world into "Because the DM said so". There is no sort of consistent logic or rule to it.</p><p>[/QUOTE]</p>
[QUOTE="Neonchameleon, post: 5215839, member: 87792"] And yet she mysteriously learned arcane magic, jumped up 10 levels, studied Necromancy, and turned herself into a freaking member of the Undead in just a few years. Something that takes most non-adventuring wizards the best part of 50 years, often more. And that's starting when their brains are young - and asuming that the spells are accessible (whihc in the case of lichdom they normally aren't.) At this point, unless she went adventuring and put herself in danger every day and was forced to draw on resources beyond herself, you've smashed most of the worldbuilding you've done. It now apparently takes three years at night school to make yourself a lich and tenth level spellcaster. At that point, all lower level threats become instantly risible. [INDENT]"Sire! The goblins are invading from underneath. This young warrior leads a group who claims they can deal with the threat." "No. They will be slaughtered. Fetch ... [I]the slightly bored housewives[/I]." [/INDENT] Yes. And the DM is the one failing to collaborate here. [quoet]That question sounds rather disingenious. Setting design is a collaborative effort at the personal level like this. The player can tell me what her character knows about her mom. Anything that she wouldn't know is fair game for the GM to elaborate on.[/quote] Whenever the PC is out of the room, the mom turns into a cloud of butterflies and flutters away? What? It's something that the PC wouldn't know. And is a GM elaboration. And does less damage to the worldbuilding than turning the mother into a Lich in a few short years. It's about as natural as claiming that she was a God who was simply slumming it as a mortal. And less extreme - it doesn't put lichdom (or godhood) in reach of a significant proportion of the world. And that she was super-intelligent, had a fixation on living forevever, and was capable of becoming a great arcane spellcaster. Her becoming a cultist and making a pact with the dark might have been plausible. A lich is not. I am a fan of player backgrounds. I'm also a fan of good worldbuilding and reasonable consequences. This is made of fail and openly turns the rules of the world into "Because the DM said so". There is no sort of consistent logic or rule to it. [/QUOTE]
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How much back story for a low-level PC?
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