Community

After hanging around here for a long time something has struck me - Lots of players hate limitations and weaknesses.

A couple of classic examples:

* My character should be able to heal himself. I should not need a cleric.
* Why can only wizards do awesome powers... My fighter should be able to fly/make earthquakes/waterbreathe etc... (exemplifies using demi-godish character from mythology).
* Why can this race do this and not my race. It's unfair that dwarves are better with axes than other races.
* Why does the shorter race move shorter distances, it makes other races more qualified at ...
* Why are bards better at social skills... I might have a social fighter.
* Why does this weapon deal more damage than this... It means if I have another weapon my character is worse.
* etc etc

To be honest, people who have made these statements have generally annoyed me. The collective statements above is the death of class/race/weapon variation, and the introduction of the batman build.

But today I realized something... I used to be one of those people.

When I started playing RPGs as a kid I made dwarves lugging around siege weapons because they had the best damage dice (another RPG). Later on my perspective changed and I changed my gaming style.

But there are probably tons of kids out there who wants to play insanely powerful characters... and probably some adults who never changed their gaming style.

I was thinking... In the Tera MMO they have classes who requires different amount of skill. If you want to play an easy class you can do that, while people who want to challenge themselves can play characters who will have a much harder time. This is not an issue in that game, people are not taunting you for playing an easier class, it is part of the game.

Maybe D&D should have an unrestricted class for people who want to play whatever their hearts desire, a batman build if you will. Call it Demi-God and let the player choose whatever powers, skills and feats he wants to have. For parents who want to introduce their kids to RPGs this could be a great way to let them explore their fantasies without fear of dying. Adults who feels restricted by all limitations in the D&D class/race system can pick whatever they want, but may choose to restrict themselves to a level of mortality that fits their style of play.

You might argue that the system is flawed because it poses no restrictions on powerlevel. The argument is flawed in my mind though, because the huge problem is that we have no agreement on where the powerlevel should be. Some likes more powerful, some likes less powerful, some likes lethal, some likes immortal. People will have issues no matter where the powerlevel is placed.

People like me who think that the natural healing is too generous will houserule it, or if they think their character is too powerful they might impose character-restrictions on how they play (i.e. will only chose spells belonging to a certain school or element, or might pick a worse armor than available because the character feels uncomfortable in plate.).

People who wants more power can play demi-gods and pick and choose their powers without restrictions of classes and races.

This allows WotC to create classes that feels solid and makes sense, while everyone who feels left out can opt to make a more powerful character if they want. In the end, the RPG should be about everyone getting to play the characters of their hearts desire. If the game just recognizes that this is ok, maybe playing a more powerful character wouldn't be so stigmatized.

Jun 3, 2012 -- 11:12AM, erachima wrote:

You've got it all flipped on its head, Butcha. People aren't arguing that every character can do everything, they're arguing that any character can do something, and that their imagination not be impinged upon by some writer's stereotype.

• Nobody should have to play a Cleric unless they conceptually want to be a church militant. Therefore the Cleric cannot have a monopoly on healing.
• Nobody should have to be a caster unless they conceptually want to be magical. Therefore the Wizard cannot have a monopoly on powerful effects.
• Nobody should have to play a Dwarf unless they conceptually want to be a Dwarf. Therefore the Dwarf cannot have a monopoly on using axes.
• Nobody should have to use a scythe, rapier, spiked chain, etc. unless they conceptually want to use that weapon. Therefore no specific weapon can have a monopoly on high damage.

People having to pick limits for their characters is fine. People having their limits dictated by the limits of someone else's imagination is not.

I don't think that any character would want to break every single rule, but there are many who would want to break more than one.

But if all limitations can be broken by someone... why add them in the first place? Without limitations we have no use for classes/races/weapons except for the name.

Or if we keep them, should every character get 2 charges of "break rule". I want a dwarf (with faerie flight) fighter carrying a bola that does 2d6 (greataxe damage).

The reason I suggested the demi-god type class is because those players should be able to avoid having their limits dictated by someone elses imagination. As a demi-god (or chosen if you don't like the flavor of the name) they were born outside the normal constraints of their race, and they éxcelled maybe not only in one profession but several.