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Personally, themes seem a bit odd to me. I mean, themes were great in Dark Sun 4e, but that was because they provided slight modification to fit generic classes into a specific setting. And there are cool things you can do with themes, like giving magic user to a non-caster. But on the other hand, what does a theme mean conceptually that isn't covered by class or background? What does it mean for someone to be a wizard and a magic user (and a sage, and an elf) instead of just a wizard, who uses magic because that's what wizards do?

May 24, 2012 -- 11:14PM, Sparketh wrote:

I'm loving the idea of versatile themes that allow for vastly different applications of classes.

Yes this can make the fighter seem silly. This isn't necessarily a problem with themes so much as a problem with the fighter.

All the themes we've seen thus far would work just fine with the fighter.

May 25, 2012 -- 1:12AM, Phoenix182 wrote:

They're making me more and more nervous, the more I see and hear. Saying they're optional is great, but it looks to me like it'd be difficult to achieve mechanical balance if you remove them...unless a module exists to divy up some of the abilities and gains into basic class abilities.

Yup. Seems to be that a DM who says "No Themes" will have a boring game with many TPKs unless they adjust monster difffuly.

Seems there will be 4 kinds of games like Rob Schwalb said...

"No Theme" games: Combat Weak PCs

"Suggested Theme" games: Baseline Strength but Steroetypical PCs 

"Choose your Theme" games: Baseline Strength but Customizable PCs 

"Choose your Feat" games: Variable Strength PCs 

May 25, 2012 -- 3:20AM, Orzel wrote:

May 25, 2012 -- 2:06AM, Cruxador wrote:

Personally, themes seem a bit odd to me. I mean, themes were great in Dark Sun 4e, but that was because they provided slight modification to fit generic classes into a specific setting. And there are cool things you can do with themes, like giving magic user to a non-caster. But on the other hand, what does a theme mean conceptually that isn't covered by class or background? What does it mean for someone to be a wizard and a magic user (and a sage, and an elf) instead of just a wizard, who uses magic because that's what wizards do?

May 24, 2012 -- 11:14PM, Sparketh wrote:

I'm loving the idea of versatile themes that allow for vastly different applications of classes.

Yes this can make the fighter seem silly. This isn't necessarily a problem with themes so much as a problem with the fighter.

All the themes we've seen thus far would work just fine with the fighter.

Each of the 4 aspects are adjustment to your PC.

Race: Genetic Adjustment
Background: Exploration and Social Adj.
Teme: Combat Adj.
Class: Combat, Exploration, and Social Focus

Themes are basically a plus

Fighters are weapons combat master. A Slayer Fighter is a  weapons combat offense master. A Magic User Fighter is a weapons combat master who can cast spells. A Lurker Fighter is a  weapons combat master who can snipe.
 

So why not just use feats for that without structuring it as a theme? It still seems pointless to me.

May 25, 2012 -- 3:40AM, Cruxador wrote:

 So why not just use feats for that without structuring it as a theme? It still seems pointless to me.

This is part of the problem I have with themes. They just give you feats and in a linear fashion. Why is something that is supposed to add uniqueness to your character, just giving you something that you can add to your character in other ways? Each aspect of character creation and customization needs to be unique not just a different way to get more feats. 

For me Themes are just a feat delivery system that helps players create and level up characters easier as their feat choices are laid out for them (like class abilities).

A GM could state that official Themes have to be used, and so if a feat is only in one theme, a character with a different theme couldn't take it.

But for GMs happier  for more of a 3.5 feel where players choose their own feats, then they could allow that, effectively players will create their own themes (though some may not have any consistency at all if they just cherry pick unrelated feats).

Its the best of both worlds.