What is "railroading" to you (as a player)?

[TwoSix]

I know, right?

Clearly Shadowdark is the central point of reference.

Assume all RPG references are to Paranoia, citizen.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Honest question, you mentioned that they're there to model some aspect of the character, how do the other things that form the model of those aspects factor in for you?

In modern D&D terms, I'm referring not just to the Intelligence score but also the Intelligence modifier, the Proficiency Bonus, Expertise, and the d20.

In terms of determining this aspect of the character, their intelligence, do you see it as being modeled upon all of these mechanics in aggregate?

I ask because I'm just wondering if the use of Intelligence score as the example is being used explicitly just the score itself or as shorthand for this aggregate. In my eyes, of those various mechanics, the score itself seems the least involved. Each of the other mechanics have a greater impact on this aspect that they collectively model.

I had a character whose Int-based skills ranged from +14 to +24 by the end. If I drop the Int score from 18 to 8, the build is still viable, and it would have reduced that to range of +9 to +19. An Int 8 with a 50% chance to beat DC 30, that can never fail at DC 20, in Arcana.

I don't necessarily mean to say one shouldn't roleplay that Int 8 as a bit dumb. They may be really good at Arcana but a base Intelligence check, no proficiency or other bonuses, and they're out of their depth. This is more to gauge if the topic about Int 8 is more reductive than intended, that in practice the aggregate has greater effect.

I mean the aggregate, but the score is where it starts. As far other aspects go, for me proficiency bonus is professional expertise; ie, training and experience. Not as granular in WotC 5e as I'd like, but that's part of why I don't play that game anymore. The d20 represents the vagaries of fate, plus all those things that go into success and failure we don't control. Maybe those things can be modeled better. In fact, I know they can, but it is a model, and I firmly believe that modeling the world and everything in it is the best use for mechanics in RPGs.

Just my opinion. I know games use rules for other things, and that's fine.

 

[Bill Zebub]

@Micah Sweet Do you also expect players to roleplay their choice of race?

 

[Micah Sweet]

@Micah Sweet Do you also expect players to roleplay their choice of race?

Why wouldn't you? If you decided to play an elf, I'd expect that to come out in some way in your play. Cultural stuff too, as appropriate, and class. Every aspect of your PC is part of who they are.

 

[billd91]

Uhm, I think I have to disagree. If you want to argue it doesn't crop up much outside the trad sphere I might agree.

Really? I don’t think I’ve encountered it anywhere but in D&D spheres, and that’s in 40-odd years of playing mainly trad role playing games.

 

[Fenris-77]

Speaking of Shadowdark, Cursed Scroll 5 just dropped for backers.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Why wouldn't you? If you decided to play an elf, I'd expect that to come out in some way in your play. Cultural stuff too, as appropriate, and class. Every aspect of your PC is part of who they are.

So...what does that mean, in practice? How does an elf act that is different from, say, humans?

Which raises another question: are humans excused from having to "roleplay like their chosen race"? If so, why? If not, what is that roleplaying like?

 

[hawkeyefan]

If you're using a system where stats explicitly aren't present or aren't representative of aspects of your character, or your don't have any extraordinary stats to roleplay, then of course your situation would be very different. But if the stats are there, and they're indicated as modeling something about you, then IMO that should be represented in how that character is played.

Yes, at this point, your opinion is well documented. I’m just pointing to games that still have potentially deep roleplaying despite lacking such stats or, if they’re present, not relying on them to define the character.

I mention this because you’ve implied… or seemed to imply… that not roleplaying such traits is shallow or in some other way deficient. And that’s simply not the case.

But I’ve said all I think I can on the topic, so I’ll leave it there.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Speaking of Shadowdark, Cursed Scroll 5 just dropped for backers.

Just skimmed through it. The two new class choices are juicy.

 

[Fenris-77]

So...what does that mean, in practice? How does an elf act that is different from, say, humans?

Which raises another question: are humans excused from having to "roleplay like their chosen race"? If so, why? If not, what is that roleplaying like?

See, this is why we can't have nice things.