Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="poilbrun" data-source="post: 5107408" data-attributes="member: 532">My problem with the generation of abilities in a random order is that you end up with players choosing a character class based on the abilities rather than on what they want to play. I read a lot of game books and I often think about what my next character will be, going as far as having some background always ready should a campaign start unexpectedly. I'd be gutted if randomness would stop me from playing my halfing paladin riding on a wardog! And of course, would you really want to play a wizard with 10 in INT, casting only cantrips and 1st-level spells (the bonus #6 card plus three random cards 1-1-2)?&nbsp;With such a system, I would always allow one swap to enable each player to play the class he wants. You might not necessarily end up with the highest score assigned to the most important stat. In the wizard example above, if my highest stat was CON and my second was STR, I would definitely swap my 10 INT with STR.&nbsp;What I also don't like about random order is that it does not really make sense to have heroes (because in most games, that's what the PCs are destined to be) weak in their main areas. Having a wizard hero who is strong in wizardy but weak physically make sense (think Raistlin Majere), the other way around does not. The internal logic of the world is also strained: why would the very strong but stupid guy decide to become a wizard rather than a fighter? Sure, you can create reasons in the background, but that's just trying to fit square pegs in round holes (or is it the other way around, round pegs in square holes?).</blockquote>

[QUOTE="poilbrun, post: 5107408, member: 532"] My problem with the generation of abilities in a random order is that you end up with players choosing a character class based on the abilities rather than on what they want to play. I read a lot of game books and I often think about what my next character will be, going as far as having some background always ready should a campaign start unexpectedly. I'd be gutted if randomness would stop me from playing my halfing paladin riding on a wardog! And of course, would you really want to play a wizard with 10 in INT, casting only cantrips and 1st-level spells (the bonus #6 card plus three random cards 1-1-2)? With such a system, I would always allow one swap to enable each player to play the class he wants. You might not necessarily end up with the highest score assigned to the most important stat. In the wizard example above, if my highest stat was CON and my second was STR, I would definitely swap my 10 INT with STR. What I also don't like about random order is that it does not really make sense to have heroes (because in most games, that's what the PCs are destined to be) weak in their main areas. Having a wizard hero who is strong in wizardy but weak physically make sense (think Raistlin Majere), the other way around does not. The internal logic of the world is also strained: why would the very strong but stupid guy decide to become a wizard rather than a fighter? Sure, you can create reasons in the background, but that's just trying to fit square pegs in round holes (or is it the other way around, round pegs in square holes?). [/QUOTE]

Verification