Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 6576145" data-attributes="member: 82106">I was specifically talking about melee weapons, but a similar situation exists for ranged weapons. Yes, there can be some slight differences, but the end results are always the same, you roll to hit, you do some damage, maybe you have some additional effect if you use the right power or have the right whatever, but there's very little difference. The focus is on the ends, not so much on the details of the means to those ends. This is why there isn't any detailed damage system in D&D either, its not important, the ends are defeating the monsters, not lopping off its arm or skewering it in the eye, that's just narrative detail.I have no idea why you hold these beliefs. The player is  free under my system to do pretty much anything they want. There is only  a question of narrative coherence. A 'goon' can't just pick up a lute because the goon doesn't know how to play a loot, and that's a fictional detail of the character, but not one that needs to be managed as a resource because it doesn't inherently add to the character. If he's a bard and his song is actually magical and does stuff, then its different, but if its just a vehicle for using a skill then why care? And yes, playing music to get people to do what you want IS Diplomacy. Exactly what is it that you think governs musical talent? Why would it not be Charisma? Every artist is communicating his or her feelings and ideas through the medium of their art. That's what art IS. Nothing could be more appropriate than social CHA based skills for that purpose. The instrument is merely the medium of the exchange, albeit communicating in that way can be a considerably important part of the character's personality and backstory. If I can play a guitar well why do I need to roll dice? I just play, I know I play well. If I fight with a longsword I know I fight well, I'm a fighter, of course I do. Maybe its not well enough to win, or maybe it is, but the dice don't determine the quality of my swordplay, only its effect. I can narrate my failure to sway the orcs with my music as the greatest music of all time, but if I misjudged orcs and played a tune that didn't do the trick its no matter. Mechanically I failed a check, narratively I can do anything consistent.Except there's a rich social interaction, you listened to the message that artist sent you. You can also look at it as its you who's selecting which thing to be influenced by, you've just created a catalog of sounds (songs) that evoke the responses you desire. Someone still had to create them, and that requires insight into human nature and understanding and a feeling for other people.In 4e PHB2 explains that you can create any background you wish to.  You are then instructed that it is a good idea to pick 3 background elements from the 5 categories, geography, society, birth, race, and occupation. There are several of each presented here, and a VAST number of other ones in later material, such that CB lists at least 100, probably closer to 300. In any case Occupation: Entertainer is listed in PHB2, which would suffice to justify playing an instrument if you should demand justification.</blockquote>

Verification