Post/Author/DateTime	Post
duncan_idaho 03-16-04, 03:23 PM	...I'm mostly a SW gamer these days, and a Jedi-holic, AND I tend to like players with some character background--reflected in the character design, meaning non-combat feats... Herein, I think lies the dilemma...we discussed this matter a while back on the SW boards & the concept that seemed the most popular was the 2 flaws equal one feat (or special/heroic quality) and one flaw equals 4 skill points (a la Instant Mastery)...Also, no character could take more than 4 or 5 flaws, and generally (thought not absolutely) these had to be selected during character construction... Most of the flaws I came up with have their germ in my long-term status as a HERO gamer (like GURPS but smoother, cleaner, and generally better)...I don't see any reason why murky-eyed wouldn't be a reasonable flaw, but I tend to lean towards things like "Hunted" or "Dependent NPC"...Especially when the GM doesn't let the player pick his hunter--"Ah, so my three hunteds are Darth Maul, Darth Sidious & Aurra Sing & each and every one of them is determined to see me dead...if it's all the same to you I think I'll take murky-eyed instead and hand my blaster over to the fellow on the right..." DNPCs are fun too...girlfriends, wives, husbands, best friends--also known as "hostages" These are all good role-playing kickers I might add... Just a thought... DI/G
jagggar 03-16-04, 07:07 PM	I just love hostages. Then again, they do get kind of annoying, what with asking to be let go, asking to be fed, repeated asserations that their loved one will rescue them. Role-playing flaws might be easier to incorperate and exploit than roll-playing flaws, which might even be better because it gives the player more to do than just buy magic items to over come the flaw. Actually, it wouldn't be too bad of an idea to come up with a list of role-playing flaws.
SirisC 03-17-04, 02:15 AM	Originally posted by jagggar I just love hostages. Then again, they do get kind of annoying, what with asking to be let go, asking to be fed, repeated asserations that their loved one will rescue them. Role-playing flaws might be easier to incorperate and exploit than roll-playing flaws, which might even be better because it gives the player more to do than just buy magic items to over come the flaw. Actually, it wouldn't be too bad of an idea to come up with a list of role-playing flaws. The reason they didnt put in "role playing" flaws is because that requires a lot more work from the DM and the player to do. and a hunter can be killed, so you get a bonus feat in return at a higher level you get to kill the hunter and get some extra xp.
hiryuu 03-17-04, 09:12 AM	Originally posted by SirisC The reason they didnt put in "role playing" flaws is because that requires a lot more work from the DM and the player to do. and a hunter can be killed, so you get a bonus feat in return at a higher level you get to kill the hunter and get some extra xp. Sorry, no. You don't get no xp from your enemy - who I make sure is always three levels higher than you. You pays your money, you takes your chances. And a DM? Afraid of a little work? That's rich! When you construct an entire world from the ground up, including the physics of magic and the history of an earth-sized planet, what's five more minutes with your notes going to matter? I love flaws, it's like giving me little gift wrapped plots. I know a few players who are afraid to take flaws because of the things I do, and a couple others who take the worst ones they can find because of what I do with them.
Millennium 03-17-04, 11:12 AM	Game-affecting flaws are something that only the most experienced DMs have any business putting into their games. Otherwise, they're nothing more than a min-maxing tool. Certain other roleplaying systems tout their Flaw systems, while failing to note the disproprtionately huge number of color-blind limping amnesiac PCs typically found in these games, usually suffering no real disadvantages because the DMs (or whatever the analogous term is, depending on the system) can't handle them. Don't put flaws into your game unless you are willing to exploit them ruthlessly. Make sure that every in-game disadvantage is felt keenly; if a character is allowed to "buy" feats, then the cost should be high.
hiryuu 03-17-04, 01:21 PM	Excellent point. On the plus side, I work amnesia as follows: you get a blank character sheet. I get a blank character sheet. I make your character. You get to fill out your sheet as you go along. You can also expect your old self to have all manner of crazy I don't rememeber nothin' adventures as old enemies swoop in to prey on your moment of weakness and all the strange things you once did sweep in on your head. This means that if you take it, you don't get to pick anything else - although I do let you pick a race and class, or archetype, if I'm not running d20. Like, say, if someone says, just make an elven bard, I do that. There's tons of room to play around there. If someone says "I don't care," you can bet it'll be messed up. Limping? That means he's got one leg or half of one. Enjoy. If you want a flaw, it's not going to be light. If it is, there's no reason for it. Being color blind means very little in the long run. Nearsighted, now, that can be a problem. 'specially at night. In an orc camp. With no light source.