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4 years ago ::
Mar 31, 2009 - 8:35PM
#31
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Speaking as someone who has marched in those parades, I'm having a hard time letting this one go. But I suppose I'll pick my battles.
Good idea, last thing we need is for this topic to close as a political battleground....
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4 years ago ::
Mar 31, 2009 - 8:37PM
#32
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Date Joined:
Sep 19, 2008
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Good idea, last thing we need is for this topic to close as a political battleground....
You read my mind.
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4 years ago ::
Mar 31, 2009 - 8:49PM
#33
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I think it's the description of a roman skirt and the opulence all around, but my first thought is:
"Hey. It's a dragonborn Caligula."
Beyond that, I don't think his being gay really matters.
It's a great example of a decadent leader (in this case an evil one) who has all the comforts he desires at his beck and call.
Why Mechanics-Alignment Integration is Bad
Show
so why even play a fighter if you can play the paladin the exact same way behaviorally and get added power to boot. "Paladin" is about accepting better game-enhancing mechanics at the price of more rigid in game behavior.
Really? So it goes something like this?
Fighter: "I want to be a paladin."
NPC: "Really?"
Fighter: "Yes."
NPC: "Very well." Starts reading from a holy book while still in-character "Do you accept having to choose and stick to the lawful good alignment, eventhough neither of us actually knows that it exists or what it is?"
Fighter: "I do."
NPC: "Do you reject good game balance because you accidentally rolled a high Charisma?"
Fighter: "What?"
NPC: "I don't know what it means either."
Fighter: "Oh. Umm, ok I do."
NPC: "In the name of all that is metagamey and broken, accept these better game enhancing mechanics."
Fighter: "These what?"
NPC: "Just get out there and try to fulfill a million different people's notion of good while not violating and part of any of them."
So the system is designed such that every single hit needs to be described to avoid confusion? Here's a scenario. The players are nudists, everybody in the world are nudists, it's not weird, it's totally normal in this land. They are naked and they fight drakes taking damage throughout, but healing up with surges. Later they meet the guy who raised the drakes.
Part 1: I didn't describe any of the hits. What does he see?
Part 2: Lets say I described the drakes as biting the players, yet they healed up. What does he see?
D20 Modern Toon PC Race.
Mecha Pilot's Skill Challenge Emporium.
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4 years ago ::
Mar 31, 2009 - 8:57PM
#34
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Date Joined:
Mar 21, 2009
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I'd like to have the following question answered regarding this concept.
Is the BBEG's sexuality something that is really needed in the adventure, or is it being used for the typical heterosexual "ewww" response? If it is the latter, I seriously would reconsider your choices. I could think of an example in which I could see it being used to further the story, or at least give more depth, just not as presented.
A borderline primitive tribe of dragonborn, the separation of tasks in the society is divided between the men and the women, each sex doing different but equally important roles. This fact has always created a strain in the leadership, since most cultures are patriarchies, yet the females believe they deserve to lead as well. Suddenly, a new male rises from the tribe, a young but wise beyond his years shaman. Physically he is male, but his preference in mates are for those of the same sex. This unusual orientation has elevated him to a position to be able to perform ALL tasks, and he is seen as a revered and sacred being, transcending the status quo.
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4 years ago ::
Mar 31, 2009 - 9:09PM
#35
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Date Joined:
Mar 22, 2009
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Physically he is male, but his preference in mates are for those of the same sex.
See you seem to be confused here. You're either trying to say "He's psychologically a heterosexual female" or "He's gay". I'll point out that both of very very very different things.
P.S. This is why straight people should not try to make homosexual fictional characters.... ever.
P.P.S. That above statement is purposefully over the top.
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4 years ago ::
Mar 31, 2009 - 9:18PM
#36
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Date Joined:
Aug 28, 2005
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See you seem to be confused here. You're either trying to say "He's psychologically a heterosexual female" or "He's gay". I'll point out that both of very very very different things.
Quoted for truth.
P.S. This is why straight people should not try to make homosexual fictional characters.... ever.
P.P.S. That above statement is purposefully over the top.
Now now, that's not entirely fair. You might as well say homosexuals should never try to make heterosexual characters, males should never try to make female characters, or humans should never try to make elf characters. It's about insight and maturity. Some people can pull it off well, and I'm fortunate enough to know two of them. 
Why, yes, as a matter of fact I am the Unfailing Arbiter of All That Is Good Design (Even More So Than The Actual Developers) TMSpeaking of things that were badly designed, please check out this thread for my Minotaur fix. What have the critics said, you ask? "If any of my players ask to play a Minotaur, I'm definitely offering this as an alternative to the official version." - EmpactWB "If I ever feel like playing a Minotaur I'll know where to look!" - Undrave "WoTC if you are reading this - please take this guy's advice." - Ferol_Debtor_of_Torm "Really full of win. A minotaur that is actually attractive for more than just melee classes." - Cpt_Micha Also, check out my recent GENASI variant! If you've ever wished that your Fire Genasi could actually set stuff on fire, your Water Genasi could actually swim, or your Wind Genasi could at least glide, then look no further. Finally, check out my OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE article, an effort to give unique support to the races that WotC keeps forgetting about. Includes new racial feature options for the Changeling, Deva, Githzerai, Gnoll, Gnome, Goliath, Half-Orc, Kalashtar, Minotaur, Shadar-Kai, Thri-Kreen, Warforged and more!
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4 years ago ::
Mar 31, 2009 - 9:29PM
#37
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Date Joined:
Jun 13, 2006
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What if instead of showing that he's gay, you show he enjoys breaking people? Perhaps this guy doesn't care if they're male or female, he simply enjoys breaking their will till they do as he wants without question. Maybe he gets rid of them after that, who knows, but I could see a seen like this then.
"As you enter the command tent of the enemy general you're struck by the opulence of it all. Sitting along the sides of a long carpet are the dragonborn officers celebrating their recent victory. All the way down the carpet you see a large dragonborn sitting on a throne flanking the throne are males and females of multiple races all scantily clad and chained to the throne. Two slaves also kneel next to the throne resting their heads along the edges and running their hands along the dragonborn's legs. As you get closer you recognize one of the slaves kneeling to be General Harken of the Sons of Thunder, the man you were sent to rescue."
I think this would set him up as a powerful villain able to break anyone of their willpower.
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4 years ago ::
Mar 31, 2009 - 9:36PM
#38
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Date Joined:
Mar 22, 2009
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Now now, that's not entirely fair. You might as well say homosexuals should never try to make heterosexual characters, males should never try to make female characters, or humans should never try to make elf characters. It's about insight and maturity. Some people can pull it off well, and I'm fortunate enough to know two of them.
That's why the post post-script notes that the Post-script statement is over the top.
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4 years ago ::
Mar 31, 2009 - 10:01PM
#39
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Date Joined:
Jan 23, 2008
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Well, this thread is now reaching it's "Debate whether or not someone's actually prejudiced or not" and "Try to express your opinion without it sounding bad" phases, so I think we can declare this thread's effective Character Development a solid nil.
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4 years ago ::
Apr 01, 2009 - 4:42AM
#40
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Date Joined:
Aug 21, 2009
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Somehow I got the strange idea once and I am coming to a point where I can use it in my game:
Hydra is the honnorific title for the dragonborn warlord, leader of the "hundred heads" (a Tiamat worshiping army), And one of the scenes I want the players to walk in on is:
"As you enter the renovated temple, there are many tables, benches, and beds, all around you find only dragonborn men and women socializing in seeming equal status. At the far end of the room where was once a statue of bahamut is now a stone throne with a heavily built dragonborn in his scale armor with 'roman' skirt. On either side of this leader stand a slippery looking archer, their crossbows trained on you but their eyes cast down at the king, or more precisely the silkcovered body servicing the king on its knees. The leader hold up a hand for the party to stop as his body tightens up to release a mighty roar of domination with wings unfurled as the servant makes a choking sound, behind and around all other dragonborn cheer in salute as the silk wrapped dragonborn rises up to be an even larger male than the king but dressed as a harem attendant. As the servant takes a submissive seat below the kings side, softly nuzzeling and kissing his leg, the leader becons the party closer without even bothering to cover himself up. "Greetings 'heroes'."
My question is if the villian can still be taken serriously if it is already acknowedged to be gay from the onset in a dominant role?
Also if it is revealed that the harem attendant is the true leader and has his servant pose as the king, is he still as intimidating if he is a socialy submissive gay?
Showing a villain using his power to force his sexual desires on other characters is a good way to breed hatred for that villain. But I don't think describing the sex act in detail is a good idea, as it gives a far too intimate, awkward glimpse into the villain's intimate life. Find ways to demonstrate that the villain uses his power to force himself on others without doing this. Remember the scene in Kevin Costner's Robin Hood where the Sherriff of Nottingham is seen fondling the clothes of a scantily dressed woman, ordering her to meet him at his room at a certain time to perform favours for him. She is very scared, but it is obvious she will obey him to avoid torture or death. The same technique can be used for homosexual male villains, merely change the gender of the victim. Perhaps the PCs will find him assaulting a male servant (ie. a male servant makes a mistake, so the King kisses him, then beats him mercilessly just as the PCs walk in).
Another thing to consider is, with a villain every aspect of their personality should be leveraged to make them threatening as an opponent. If he is gay, find a way to use that to show how threatening the villain is. A dapper, articulate, yet deadly and merciless personality might fit into this npc. Although that may not suit a racuous dragonborn. The features and traits of a villain affects how he expresses or demonstrates his evil nature as a villain.
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