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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 9042912" data-attributes="member: 82106">I would venture to say that a rogue is a rogue is a rogue in a game of 1e D&D played in the classical tradition. Sure, the character's equipment, race, and ability scores will have a modest (maybe huge in the case of magic items) impact on their exact capabilities, but I don't see where characterization plays any part at all. That is to say, if a player chooses to eschew skilled play and invent a bunch of character idiosyncrasies, and then play 'badly' in order to RP them, the general reaction in most groups will vary from mild eye-rolling to expulsion. It is expected that you play your character to win, that's classic D&D and not doing so is akin to neglecting to do obvious things in a game of Monopoly, like buying pretty much every property you land on.I'm not against any of these things. However I don't recall this sort of stuff being a very large part of any the games I either GMed or played in. I mean, sure, characters had some personality and likes and dislikes, and all things being even we would RP that stuff, but most of the really memorable moments, the ones that I recall, all had to do with actual play, like defeating a monster, or conversely being defeated by one. I remember my players were really thrilled when they finally figured out a way to defeat the clay golem that roamed level one of my original dungeon. It only had one hit point left, but it was hard to damage (IIRC it took at least a +1 weapon). Honestly I've forgotten how it played out since it was 40 years ago now, but I know the players were thrilled and it was a story long told around the table for years after.What else would alignment really be for? I think you may be missing the gold for the silver here though overall. I mean, Takeo and the crew expelling the Oni (demon) from his sword is a pretty memorable moment of play, at least in recent times. It was deeply meaningful to the character and carried plenty of the attributes of what you call 'color', but it was NOT just some amusing moment at a campfire. Instead if was a very risky life-and-death moment where the character attained an outcome that was both highly meaningful to him personally, and also formed a part of the core activity of the game, a score. I think you can have your cake and eat it to, and that's exactly how it plays for me! I would never go back to where my actual RP is just funny gnome jokes or something.</blockquote>

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