Why Every Character Should Be a Juggler

[Nymrohd]

OK this is the most weird April's Fool joke I've seen. The moderators crack up on humor. Sure it is sarcasm, but isn't that some form of badwrongfun?

 

[ExploderWizard]

OK this is the most weird April's Fool joke I've seen. The moderators crack up on humor. Sure it is sarcasm, but isn't that some form of badwrongfun?

Accusations of badwrongfun are sewious business and should not be made lightly.

 

[Rechan]

I don't find it a "Big issue". Just an annoyance and an extra level of book-keeping. But then, I don't make my players account for rations or arrows because I think that's stupid bookkeeping.

The shell-game of the hands feels unnecessary to me.

A good example of the "Sword/shield/wand" is the issue of the Shaman. The shaman is proficient with the Longspear, but the shaman uses the Totem and Staff implement. The Shaman thus can't wield a longspear and a totem at the same time; he's going to have to drop or stow something.

Why can't the shaman just make a totem or staff on a spear? It's just a piece of wood with feathers and fetishes and such. So you have a long ju-ju stick with a sharp pointy end. That makes sense. But you can't because that's part of the balance. Same with a Wizard putting his orb on the end of a staff.

Meanwhile, the Cleric can just wear his holy symbol on his chest.

Would it really unbalance things if implements could simply be worn or possessed, or grafted onto other items all together?

In fiction, and in many RPGs, character combat optimization doesn't depend on maximizing hand usage.

Emphasis mine. So I ask, how do other systems handle it?

 

[Dausuul]

This is one of the many, many reasons that I detest +X items and wish they would go away. (If you take away +X items, then you don't have to juggle nearly as often.)

 

[Fanaelialae]

I can't imagine that the game would break if you house ruled that drawing/sheathing items is a free action, or something like that. It would make the Quick Draw feat pointless and potions would be a little easier to use, but I don't see what else it could seriously impact beyond believability.

One of my players wanted to be a marshal with three different firearms, so I wrote up a six-shooter, rifle, and double-barreled shotgun for him (they're based mechanically on the crossbows from the PHB/AV). He took the Quick Draw feat and loves planning out each round which gun he'll combine with which power, using the appropriate actions to draw/holster his guns and tracking what gun(s) he's holding. I admit, I don't really see the appeal, but at least for some players the juggling act is apparently enjoyable.

Edit: I just realized one possible abuse: someone uses a two-handed weapon to make their standard attack, then switches to sword and board at the end of their turn for the added defense. You may want to add a common sense "don't game the DM's benevolence" rule if you implement the above.

 

[Rechan]

Edit: I just realized one possible abuse: someone uses a two-handed weapon to make their standard attack, then switches to sword and board at the end of their turn for the added defense. You may want to add a common sense "don't game the DM's benevolence" rule if you implement the above.

Yeah, that's a bunch of bull.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Hire an orphaned 12 year old boy to carry your torch around.

And if ya can't find one, MAKE ONE.

"Oh, boo hoo. Here's a GP, go cry at someone who isn't Unaligned."

Light sources aren't much of an issue for me, because I usually include natural light and really don't want to hassle with it if I can avoid it (unless I'm going for a particular effect). The hand-juggling thing doesn't bug me, either. So your character has to not be in his Badass Pose 24/7. The PHB gives you backpacks for a reason, dangnabbit!

 

[Fenes]

I do not see any problem at all here. When I make characters I always try to imagine how they would look, what kind of gear they use, and so on. I haven't taken a few spells because the components were unwieldy, or too much of a bother to carry, or gross (or all three - hello spider climb). If I can't imagine how to carry something I don't have my character carry it.

 

[Jhaelen]

Hire an orphaned 12 year old boy to carry your torch around.

Absolutely! In the pendragon RPG a knight never goes anywhere without his squire. I mean, you also need the guy to put on your suit of armour and help you to mount your horse.

It's also the perfect solution for the 3E golfbag syndrome: "Squire, hand me my holy, axiomatic, adamantine, slashing weapon, please! Our foe seems to be a celestial half-golem zombie slaad!"

Most other rpgs don't have the problem, since there are no +X items, btw.

In Ars Magica a magus will have a single implement but there's almost no limit to the number of enchantments that can be placed in it, since you can fit various materials and shapes to the basic form to enhance it's enchantment total. Then again every pc's a magus, so there's no need to balance it against other classes.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

I mean, you also need the guy to put on your suit of armour

I've heard "raincoat" before, but "suit of armor" is a new one.

and help you to mount your horse.

Or vice-versa, of course. We don't get all judgey.

(Hey, don't look at me. Rel started it.)