Why would you want to play *that*??

[Raven Crowking]

Or, conversely, you can know what you want the game to be like, and remove that which damages your vision. If your vision is far, far removed from pokemon only the paladin will be able to sneak one in.....

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Granted, I've made my share of weirdies over the years, but I would think that there would be more general appeal to playing a classic character archetype. Instead, it seems like oddballs are the norm, and that gets tiresome.

If you don't want certain things in your game, don't allow them. My primary game group is made up of several player/DMs, and most of them run Core + Completes only. I'm the only one who runs a wide open game.

And even with that, I'm considering replacing all of the "Half" races with Bloodline feats as a house rule (including the ones in the PHB).

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

Or, conversely, you can know what you want the game to be like, and remove that which damages your vision. If your vision is far, far removed from pokemon only the paladin will be able to sneak one in.....

True, but then sneaky players... not that I would do this, mind you... honest... will purposely bring in a character that doesn't damage your vision but is taken almost word-for-word from a source you've expressed disdain for, play the character for months, and only then reveal where the character concept came from.

 

[Andor]

Equally, though, if you despise Final Fantasy (or whatever) you don't have to let it creep into your game.

The original post has nothing to do with allowing strange elements into your game and thus ruining the campaign flavor. No one has complained about it, and no one has suggested DMs must let oddball characters into your game. Why do you keep argueing a point no one is contesting?

The OP has trouble grasping alien mindsets, and insists that if he cannot do it no one can. That is the topic of discussion.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.

 

[ThirdWizard]

The OP has trouble grasping alien mindsets, and insists that if he cannot do it no one can.

Unless you play Planescape.

 

[Raven Crowking]

The original post has nothing to do with allowing strange elements into your game and thus ruining the campaign flavor. No one has complained about it, and no one has suggested DMs must let oddball characters into your game. Why do you keep argueing a point no one is contesting?

The OP has trouble grasping alien mindsets, and insists that if he cannot do it no one can. That is the topic of discussion.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.

Sure it does. Strange, weird characters are what the OP is about. OP suggests that players who want to create these characters do so for kewl powerz. He asks what other reasons might exist. The topic of discussion is not solely about OP's ability or inability to grasp alien mindsets.

 

[Remathilis]

Lets fix some terminology...

Final Fantasy RPGs are a poor example of anything the OP is talking about.

FF1 dealt with a generic set of heroes solely defined by six classes (fighter, mage, healer, thief, monk, fighter/mage. Sound familiar) FF2 and 4 gave these classes personalities. 5 allowed customizable/multiple classes and 6 began allowing any character magic abilties as well as his/her specialty. 7-8 made characters generic and completely customizable (save weapon and limit breaks). 9 returned to seven classes but customizable abilities (akin to feats) and 10 began with a "class", but allowed you to develop in other directions. 11 (a MMORPG) allowed 6 "base" classes and a variety of "advanced" (prestige?) classes.

In table-top terms, 1 was basic D&D, 2-4 was AD&D 1e/2e, 5&6 was Skills and Powers, 7-8 were point-buy generic systems (hero?) 9, 10 and 11 were all 3e (all emphasizing different elements; feats, multiclassing and prcs)

As for races/templates; FF is a poorer example. FF had some "wierd" raced characters (Freya, Mog, Kehmari, Red XIII, Quina) but 90% are human or near human.

In fact, the closest thing you can make a D&D/FF arguement is the emphasis on equipment and the all-combat flashy magic system.

As for DBZ: Aside from flashy combat manuevers; there is no real D&D/DBZ analogy.

You want to leavy some comparison; I think you could argue there is evidence of MMORPGs entering in. There is buffs and de-buffs, class-race combo stacking (and balancing), aquiring and crafting new equipment, and emphasis on combat/goal-reaching for XP vs playing a character. Course, D&D did all that first, but MMORPGs are changing the game and D&D is adapting to growing change. 10 years ago, you would never have seen a knight class with the ability to control the battlefield or detailed rules for crafting any magical item you wish. Its the adaptation of the game and without it, the game would grow stale and flop.

 

[blargney the second]

This is a neat thread, it's got some good thought-provoking posts.

I wonder if the reason some players make funky characters is because they see that the DM gets to have fun with them.
-blarg

 

[Raven Crowking]

This is a neat thread, it's got some good thought-provoking posts.

I wonder if the reason some players make funky characters is because they see that the DM gets to have fun with them.
-blarg

It's on my list of the most frequent motives.

Seriously, if the DM's last 25 BBEGs were all flumphs, and the special NPCs brought in to aide the PCs were all uber-cool flumphs, he shouldn't be surprised if the players want to play flumphs, too.

Nor can he really say, "But flumphs are rare" with any real conviction.

"Play the setting" goes both ways.

 

[Aeolius]

...if the DM's last 25 BBEGs were all flumphs, and the special NPCs brought in to aide the PCs were all uber-cool flumphs, he shouldn't be surprised if the players want to play flumphs, too.

or half-flumphs, flumphtouched, etc...