Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 8187863" data-attributes="member: 6696971">None of these things above are true:1) In MtG and in 3e, the metric is “subpar” and “worse than a replacement cost option.” That is not remotely the same as “made worse” unless it’s (as above) “in comparison with a replacement cost option.” The problem with “Timmy cards” (Toughness or Skill Focus) and Monogreen decks (the Fighter) isn’t that they “make you worse.” It’s that they’re both quite subpar yet not clearly so or signposted as such.Looking at this exclusively from a GM’s perspective, my issue has always been the same (using Golf as the analogy):If you’re actively losing ground against a baseline (playing above par as in Golf or “subpar” elsewhere) while the other PCs are actively gaining ground (sometimes profoundly (below par - as in Golf), YOU’RE MAKING MY JOB AS A CONTENT GENERATOR (GOLF COURSE DESIGNER) MORE DIFFICULT (SCALING WITH THE DISPARITY RELATIVE TO THE BASELINE/PAR) POSSIBLY TO THE POINT OF IMPOSSIBILITY OF JUGGLING THESE BALLS (AT ALL) WHILE ENJOYING THE JUGGLE.I don’t want to heavily curate content as a GM and I don’t want to have to apply Force to make the game work.2) [USER=16814]@Ovinomancer[/USER] was coming at this from a Player’s perspective and that is equally legit.It is completely legitimate to (a) expect your archetypal shtick to consistently emerge organically through play because (b) it shapes the trajectory of the gamestate/story through its not-infrequent deployment. In fact, I’d go further. If it’s not, then play has a thematic/archetypal coherency problem.The player (or players) having a problem with this paradigm isn’t their problem. It’s to be expected.and speaking of value judgements, how is placing that at the feet of the players not a value judgement on their character (as a person)?3) Finally, back to value judgements again. How is “this is (exclusively) a cooperative game...stop being a jerk player” not 2x value judgements?!Any approach to play that isn’t exclusively cooperative is not appropriate.Expressed sentiment that laments disparities (even if those disparities dovetail with thematic/genre incoherency) is a sign of not accepting cooperation as the exclusive play priority and will not be brooked.Not only are both of those value judgements, but they’re not true. TTRPGing at large and D&D specifically isn’t exclusively a cooperative game. Having some fun competition (within the fiction like Legolas and Gimli or out of the game as you recount your play and have a laugh while playing cards or whatever) and “keeping score” is a totally legitimate play priority and has been one that helped propel most of my games since forever. It can completely sit right alongside and play nice with “cooperation” as a play priority.</blockquote>

Verification