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Message: <blockquote data-quote="GMMichael" data-source="post: 9479913" data-attributes="member: 6685730">Well, I guess a debate can be about multiple points.This requires a preconceived notion: I can only do what the rules say I can do.  It's rather Orwellian.  Other notions that one could use when entering an RPG: I can do anything I want until there are consequences, or I can do what seems reasonable."Rules provide focus" might be a better way to put this.  When your character, Mario, first encounters a five-foot, ambulatory mushroom, you might not immediately think, "oh, this is an easy encounter because I regularly jump twenty feet into the air.  I'll just jump on its head."  You might think, "can I jump over this thing?  Around it?  Maybe I could jump on the gigantic turtle that just passed me, using its plastic properties to vault forty feet into the air and then watch the mushroom pass harmlessly below from a floating brick wall."  That's a lot of options that rules can trim down.  It's the opposite of freedom, though, because it's saying you can do less, not more.The above quote, though, doesn't help to solve the Partial Great Thief problem, which is, "why does one character's demarcated jumping ability make it likely that another character cannot do such?"Well, a typical human can't rage.  Can't shield-bash a nearby opponent attacking who's someone else.  Punch more than once every 6 seconds.  Restore energy by laying on hands.  Have favored terrain.  Speak a secret language.  Know where nearby people are with one's eyes closed.  And that doesn't even touch on the feat-exclusive activities.  (Or weapon masteries...)It's probably good to carefully define these powerful abilities.  One consequence is that the definitions tend to remove the mystery.What if it also removed class/feat/exclusive skill barriers by doing character creation a la carte*?  Here you go![URL unfurl="true"]https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/248972/modos-2-free-edition[/URL]* "Your character can Open Locks?  Now mine can too!" Modos 2 (but not the open-source game, Modos RPG) actually has six No-You-Can't-Try-It Skills: Artist, Craftsman, Healer, Knowledge, Magic, and Scientist.  The reason is that average Joe, or even highly-adept Jane, still couldn't perform productively with these skills without the initial training investment that each requires.</blockquote>

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