Role-playing Theory

[InzeladunMaster]

Is there room for a barbarian - and what level?

 

[Grimhelm]

Of course there is room for a barbarian. And here's the thing, this group will end near 10th level. I have already decided that. The group hasn't known it yet, but let's face it, after 10th the game gets a little redundant and it is time for a change. I believe you may start a 6th level character.

 

[InzeladunMaster]

That is about the point where DnD falls apart, anyway, unless you subscribe to the High-Fantasy premise of the 3E RAW.

 

[Grimhelm]

Every character I ever played, once they reached a position of power, should have been retired right then and there and relegated to NPC status.

 

[InzeladunMaster]

Just out of curiosity, how important are skills? One thing I dislike about DnD RAW is that even low level magic makes skills like Heal, Knowledge, Languages and Decipher Script unnecessary. Conan does not really have spells or magic items that adjust skills or make them unnecessary; I like that - it makes almost any situation combat-like (I love the heal check to save people - they can fail and cry that they tried their best or they can succeed against the odds and cheer; the cure wounds spells take all the conflict and contest out of the matter). This is one thing that will sell me or not on Game of Thrones, Iron Heroes or Grim Tales for Inzeladun.

 

[InzeladunMaster]

Every character I ever played, once they reached a position of power, should have been retired right then and there and relegated to NPC status.

Possibly. Although even King Conan had some excellent adventures...

I think it was the way magic works that ruined those potential high level campaigns.

 

[Grimhelm]

Just out of curiosity, how important are skills? One thing I dislike about DnD RAW is that even low level magic makes skills like Heal, Knowledge, Languages and Decipher Script unnecessary. Conan does not really have spells or magic items that adjust skills or make them unnecessary; I like that - it makes almost any situation combat-like (I love the heal check to save people - they can fail and cry that they tried their best or they can succeed against the odds and cheer; the cure wounds spells take all the conflict and contest out of the matter). This is one thing that will sell me or not on Game of Thrones, Iron Heroes or Grim Tales for Inzeladun.

The way I have been engineering games, skills have not proved that necessary. Clues have been discovered through basic exploration and fact-finding. Combat has been modest, and will soon be completely narrative. Skills have been used, don't get me wrong. Let me put it this way... Arenaia has been played with as little reference to rules and character sheets as possible. It can be done with 3E. But, you are right, the magic using characters do overpower the party... thus the 10th level cap.

 

[InzeladunMaster]

So... are the three mental stats effectively unused? I don't even have to bother to roll for Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma?

Str (for combat & damage), Dex (for for combat & AC) and Con (for hit points) are all that are necessary? Will a totally narrative system eventually remove them from effective play?

 

[Grimhelm]

Beats me. Not to be evasive or flippant, but why don't you just roll up a character and play? Either you will like it or you won't! Predetermining isn't going to help all that much...

 

[InzeladunMaster]

Because I don't want to put skill points into skills the character will not use if there are skills that are more useful. It also helps to determine feats. I just want an effective character and do not want to presume, for example, that Survival will be useful when it will not be. If I have a level of thief, will Bluff be useful in order to get a sneak attack? Things like that, is all. If the mental stats have no use (I guess Wisdom helps determine the Will save), then I won't worry about them. If there are skills that are never used, then I won't waste time developing them.

Keep in mind, I know nothing about the environment I am putting this character into. I don't know what barbarians are like, what the cultures are - I am putting together a character that is intrinsically seperated from culture and worldview. That is a hard thing. In Inzeladun terms, a Drychtnothian will likely have different skill choices than an Indorian - even if they are both warriors.

I am just looking for direction and I am not intending to be flippant either. I just do not know what changes you have made to the game. I don't know the cultures. I don't know the people. I am one of those people who make up their characters according to cultural bias (believing people largely are products of their culture) and not according to what is best for the Class and Race combo (min-maxing).

Speaking of feats, since he is 6th level, can he have Leadership, and lead a horde of barbarians?