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<blockquote data-quote="Tony Vargas" data-source="post: 6852126" data-attributes="member: 996"><p>So it's an obscure name for something? Or translation from an German obscure name for something, rather.</p><p></p><p>The issue isn't the name, but assigning any sort of worthwhile mechanics to something anyone can just try by describing an action in some detail to the DM. By definition, you have something that has to be at-will, and has to be inferior to any/every defined item, class feature, or option in the game ... "or everyone would just do it all the time." </p><p></p><p>You also get into issues of abstraction, player knowledge, and DM opinion. D&D uses pretty abstract rules for most class abilities - even if a spell describes the components needed to cast it, the player just says he's casting the spell, he doesn't have to describe proper use of the components; when a character attacks he need only choose a weapon to attack with and a target he can reach, he doesn't have to go into his footwork, defensive preparations, how he swings or at what body party; you don't need survival training, yourself, to make a check for your character to survive in the wilderness. An RPG has rules precisely to avoid the kind of bang-you're-dead-am-not-are-too silliness that generally kept RP the realm of childhood play (and other kinds of more adult 'play'), until D&D came along, adapted war game conventions, and made the first RPG. Resorting to the DM arbitrating is valid, but it's equally valid for anything - you can abandon system entirely, if you want. If you are going to use a system, it should apply to everyone. </p><p></p><p>If you have a system or impose DM rulings that treat some characters or players differently - the system gives some a selection well-defined push-button abilities that work consistently, while others get inconsistent or poorly defined abilities or nothing at all beyond what any character can attempt or the DM rules in favor of one player more often than another - then you have a double-standard. </p><p>Innately unfair, of course, and in the context of a game, unbalancing.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Tony Vargas, post: 6852126, member: 996"] So it's an obscure name for something? Or translation from an German obscure name for something, rather. The issue isn't the name, but assigning any sort of worthwhile mechanics to something anyone can just try by describing an action in some detail to the DM. By definition, you have something that has to be at-will, and has to be inferior to any/every defined item, class feature, or option in the game ... "or everyone would just do it all the time." You also get into issues of abstraction, player knowledge, and DM opinion. D&D uses pretty abstract rules for most class abilities - even if a spell describes the components needed to cast it, the player just says he's casting the spell, he doesn't have to describe proper use of the components; when a character attacks he need only choose a weapon to attack with and a target he can reach, he doesn't have to go into his footwork, defensive preparations, how he swings or at what body party; you don't need survival training, yourself, to make a check for your character to survive in the wilderness. An RPG has rules precisely to avoid the kind of bang-you're-dead-am-not-are-too silliness that generally kept RP the realm of childhood play (and other kinds of more adult 'play'), until D&D came along, adapted war game conventions, and made the first RPG. Resorting to the DM arbitrating is valid, but it's equally valid for anything - you can abandon system entirely, if you want. If you are going to use a system, it should apply to everyone. If you have a system or impose DM rulings that treat some characters or players differently - the system gives some a selection well-defined push-button abilities that work consistently, while others get inconsistent or poorly defined abilities or nothing at all beyond what any character can attempt or the DM rules in favor of one player more often than another - then you have a double-standard. Innately unfair, of course, and in the context of a game, unbalancing. [/QUOTE]
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