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1 year ago ::
Nov 30, 2011 - 11:21PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Oct 27, 2009
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My DM generally views most new content as "power creep".
What is the rationale for allowing themes? I have to admit, it does seem like power creep with no offsetting disadvantage. I dont have the published books - just insider. I would like to convince my DM to let us use themes (so our power can creep forward)
thanks!
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1 year ago ::
Nov 30, 2011 - 11:36PM
#2
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Date Joined:
May 13, 2009
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If you're just doing it to get more power, and your DM is opposed to power creep, there is no argument. In such a situation there is no rationale for allowing it.
Themes were designed to reinforce your background by giving you some minor powers related to your old job or birthplace.
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1 year ago ::
Dec 01, 2011 - 12:39AM
#3
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Date Joined:
Oct 19, 2008
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They are kinda of a why or how for a character. Background is commonly where you came from, Themes are a way of customising a character. For example, some people might think of the Alchemist Theme as befitting a wizard, but I honestly would love to see a fighter or barbarian take it and run with it. It lets a bit more quirk into the system by allowing for interesting combinations you might not see, or tried and true combinations, such as a rogue who used to be a gutersnipe. They're a bit like a background, kinda like an alternate profession (the primary one being your class).
Pretty spiffy, but there is a slight power increase, of that bothers then it's probably best to leave it alone. Otherwise, dive in!
"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." --Bill Cosby (1937- )Vanador: OK. You ripped a gateway to Hell, killed half the town, and raised the dead as feral zombies. We're going to kill you. But it can go two ways. We want you to run as fast as you possibly can toward the south of the town to draw the Zombies to you, and right before they catch you, I'll put an arrow through your head to end it instantly. If you don't agree to do this, we'll tie you this building and let the Zombies rip you apart slowly. Dimitry: God I love being Neutral. 4th edition is dead, long live 4th edition.Salla: opinionated, but commonly right. fun quotes
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You have to do the work first, and show you can do the work, before someone is going to pay you for it.
If you can't understand how someone yelling at another person would make them fight harder and longer, then you need to look at the forums a bit closer.
quote author=56832398 post=519321747]Considering DnD is a game wouldn't all styles be gamist?
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1 year ago ::
Dec 01, 2011 - 12:52AM
#4
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Date Joined:
Aug 21, 2003
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Themes started out with Dark Sun, which, in 2e, had more powerful characters to reflect that the DS character had adapted to a harsher environment. In 4e, they introduced themes to make DS character different.
When they expanded themes to regular DnD, you are correct in noting that there is no drawback. If one person in the party has a theme, everyone should, or it's not fair. A DM concerned with balance should not give a theme to a new PC if no one else is using them.
Is a "themed" PC more powerful than a regular one? Yes. Is that bad? Not necessarily, if it's fair.
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1 year ago ::
Dec 01, 2011 - 1:19AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Feb 17, 2010
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Well themes are power creep that is a fact. However they are a fun and interesting form of power creep, themes are great at representing your characters focus and expertise and adds more complexity to who your character is. Also while a lot of people see background and theme as covering the same thing I personally disagree. For me theme is something that shaped your character but is also still an active part of what they are. As opposed to background which is something that you were but really aren't any more. So slave is a background (assuming you aren't still one) whereas escaped slave is a theme.
For instance I recently wanted to play a wizard in a campaign I had coming up, when I was making the character I quickly decided that I wanted him to be a tougher military type then a focused academic type. The first thing I chose outside his race and class was his background, he used to be in the military so he got the background. I decided that after quitting the military he became more a mercenary type so that was the natural fit for his theme.
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1 year ago ::
Dec 01, 2011 - 2:20AM
#6
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Date Joined:
Sep 22, 2009
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It adds a lot of flavor and makes customizing your characters even more fun. For example, here are the characters in the campaign I'm DM'ing at the moment:
- Half-Elf Hybrid Blackguard|Warlock with Ordained Priest (still feels close to the church of Pelor that he grew up with, even though has since then become a Blackguard)
- Githzerai Ranger with Alchemist (the character is interested in the Elemental Chaos and plans to go there at some point to try to find his clan - his experiments with alchemy leads him closer to an understanding of elemental forces and how they influence the material world)
- Kalashtar Bard with Seer (he gets visions from time to time and is actually the descendant of a "mad prophet" who lived a long time ago)
- Tiefling Warlock with Devil's Pawn (quite literally; he gets his powers from a pact with Mephistoles himself)
- Revenant Vampire with Student of Evard (family has ties to the Shadowfell and worships the Raven Queen)
Backgrounds weren't really enough for some of these characters - the Seer and the Alchemist, for example.
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1 year ago ::
Dec 01, 2011 - 4:21AM
#7
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Date Joined:
Sep 27, 2010
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i love themes. there were some fun ones that came out this month and even if people in character op are tearing them apart, they offer some amazing rp options.
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1 year ago ::
Dec 01, 2011 - 4:32AM
#8
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Date Joined:
Dec 17, 2008
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Themes are a little bit power-creepy, but they aren't too bad, and they are one of the best additions to 4e in recent years.
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1 year ago ::
Dec 01, 2011 - 4:37AM
#9
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Date Joined:
Oct 25, 2009
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The best thing to tell your DM is that they encourage role playing and story development. Every DM I know would kill to get their players more involved in the story. When players make mechanical choices based on character backstory or the campaign world, they are more invested in the story and more likely to make those elements important in how they play.
I've seen a huge difference in how my players RP their characters since themes came out. It's focussed their RP into evolving their backstories in exciting ways. Themes are the best thing to happen in 4e since they overhauled the monster stat blocks.
Want to know more about the history of D&D, especially how to play older editions of the game? Check out Crazy Monkey's "Tour through the editions":
http://community.wizards.com/crazymonkey/go/forum/view/133793/225799/Asylum_Play-by-Post
The current edition is BECMI, the most popular form of Basic D&D and the adventure is the classic Red Box quest to kill Bargle the evil magic user. Check it out, learn about the games roots, and enjoy the story as it unfolds.
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1 year ago ::
Dec 01, 2011 - 7:04AM
#10
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Date Joined:
Aug 21, 2009
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I agree that themes represent some level of power creep, but in a well-formed theme, that little extra power is key because it gives the player an active, visibile way to demonstrate some aspect of the character. The benefits of a standard background are often invisible at the table-- a bonus to Skill checks gets lumped in with all the other numbers, and knowing a language doesn't matter as often as I'd like. But a theme power actually provides an action that the character can play out almost every encounter. It's a little bit of "show, don't tell."
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