Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Umbran" data-source="post: 6347865" data-attributes="member: 177">Game balance.&nbsp; That's a problem with skills - if the skill is too effective, allowing unlimited use becomes problematic in play.&nbsp; This especially goes for things like healing abilities, which can really screw up the hit point economy and adventure pacing if unlimited.&nbsp; It is an artifact of playing a game, such that &quot;realistic simulation&quot; has to take a back seat to the concerns of making the game work.&quot;Levels&quot; are an out-of-game concept to allow us real world humans to organize things.&nbsp; The character need not know of levels, unless the GM explicitly makes them an in-game concept.&nbsp; It can be simply, &quot;As I learn more, I am able to do more&quot;.Perhaps.&nbsp; But let us also remember that the ranger has been a spellcaster since 1e.&nbsp; I don't get how, given that history, anyone *expects* a fully mundane ranger.&nbsp; But, looking more closely - three of the five you list can be re-flavored to not be magical, if you need.&nbsp; Alarm is minor, sound-making traps set around the camp.&nbsp; Animal Friendship?&nbsp; Dude, I'm a ranger.&nbsp; Some animals just *like* me!&nbsp; No magic there.&nbsp; Cure wounds?&nbsp; Well, I have this herbal poultice that does a great job on minor cuts, burns, and strains...The only times you'll run into issues is with other characters who muss with magic.&nbsp; Say someone tries to case Dispel Magic on your Alarm (as if that'd make any sense - using a 3rd level spell to cancel a 1st level spell, really?) - you can probably still find a way around that in the narrative.&nbsp; That spellcaster is bright enough to find your soundmaking traps, he doesn't *actually cast a spell, bot balance a power for a power, the spell-slot is used.&nbsp; Not that you have to worry about that, because if he's Dispelling your Alarm, the player probably never *sees* him cast the Dispel - all you know is the Alarm doesn't go off, and all the stuff about spells is just metagame bookkeeping.Is it absolutely perfect?&nbsp; Nope.&nbsp; Is *any* game absolutely perfect?&nbsp; Nope.&nbsp; RPGs are an exercise in finding your fun, prioritizing, and picking your battles.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Umbran, post: 6347865, member: 177"] Game balance. That's a problem with skills - if the skill is too effective, allowing unlimited use becomes problematic in play. This especially goes for things like healing abilities, which can really screw up the hit point economy and adventure pacing if unlimited. It is an artifact of playing a game, such that "realistic simulation" has to take a back seat to the concerns of making the game work. "Levels" are an out-of-game concept to allow us real world humans to organize things. The character need not know of levels, unless the GM explicitly makes them an in-game concept. It can be simply, "As I learn more, I am able to do more". Perhaps. But let us also remember that the ranger has been a spellcaster since 1e. I don't get how, given that history, anyone *expects* a fully mundane ranger. But, looking more closely - three of the five you list can be re-flavored to not be magical, if you need. Alarm is minor, sound-making traps set around the camp. Animal Friendship? Dude, I'm a ranger. Some animals just *like* me! No magic there. Cure wounds? Well, I have this herbal poultice that does a great job on minor cuts, burns, and strains... The only times you'll run into issues is with other characters who muss with magic. Say someone tries to case Dispel Magic on your Alarm (as if that'd make any sense - using a 3rd level spell to cancel a 1st level spell, really?) - you can probably still find a way around that in the narrative. That spellcaster is bright enough to find your soundmaking traps, he doesn't *actually cast a spell, bot balance a power for a power, the spell-slot is used. Not that you have to worry about that, because if he's Dispelling your Alarm, the player probably never *sees* him cast the Dispel - all you know is the Alarm doesn't go off, and all the stuff about spells is just metagame bookkeeping. Is it absolutely perfect? Nope. Is *any* game absolutely perfect? Nope. RPGs are an exercise in finding your fun, prioritizing, and picking your battles. [/QUOTE]

Verification