VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, [3], 4 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 08:29:47 12/06/03 Sat
Author: Adilbrand
Subject: Re: A possible solution
In reply to: EnderTheElder 's message, "A possible solution" on 06:58:02 12/05/03 Fri

>Vince, what are the qualities you want in an ideal PC
>for a campaign you are running?

Right now I am entranced by the possibilities afforded in DnD. I love low level games and I love high level games.

The ideal PC for me is one that either fights evil, corruption, and darkness or embraces those elements, and is willing to do either, even at the expense of life and liberty.

The ideal PC should have a dream. I very much admire Mark's dream of a new Golden Age. Even though I have no idea how to DM such a thing if it develops and am personally against it, I admire the dream. Likewise I admire Alexander's dream of renewed power for the Greek gods.

I like characters similar to Robert E. Howard's Bran Mak Morn, who fights in oppressive situations, knowing he is doomed and cannot make a lasting change. Life is worth living for life's sake - not because he can create a permanent world situation.

Alexander's shining goodness contrasts so wonderfully with the bleak world I keep handing him - and he never gives up. I love that quality.

Zografos is so adaptable to his situations that he is also inspiring. I could come up with no end of adventures for him just to see how he will adapt and yet overcome.

Khrenikath became so inspiring when he embraced the unwilling change to a freakin' sahuagin! No complaints, just an acceptance and adaptation. I love it. I love it when the characters grow and change and adapt - and when the players are interested in that growth and change.

Gaspar inspires me A LOT. His dream of conquering dream... I love that! His desire to delve into ancient artifacts of unknown power and unspoken evil... I love that!

Flower inspires me for some of the same reasons Alexander does - a total bright light no matter what darkness I shroud her in. She is a slave to the Drow now, but still she shines.

Issic inspires me just because of his willingness to just wade in and spill blood! He is just fun to run games for.

I like to make adventures that highlight what inspires me about characters. Unfortunately, that means Alexander will probably always be put in situations of interminable gloom so that I can watch him overcome it. I will give Gaspar situations that garner him corruptive power because I love watching him embrace that. Xalandra will probably always have the best weapons and be given adventures that center around the use of those weapons because I love her relationship with her weapons - it is a sensual relationship and I love that! Roland will be given adventures that highlight the struggle for his dream because I love how he holds onto that dream.

Phoebe inspires me most when she is delving into history, so I have tried to keep historical elements in the game for her.

I just recently found my inspiration for Zethar...

Mark (and others) have questioned the non-existence of powerful good NPC's on Inzeladun. Sorry. Not inspiring at all. I want the PC's to be the heroes. If there were heroic paladin NPC's running around, why don't they take care of the world's problems?

Obviously because there are none. My good guy NPCs are likely to lack the self-esteem to go adventuring, and thus will be low-level and next to useless. The PC's are the heroes of the world and I don't want them outshone by some Elminster-type character who will always be better than the PCs and could, in theory, do the job unless I find some far-fetched reason for them not to do it.

I have no interest in creating high-level good guy NPCs that aren't PC generated (Nadam is okay because he was a high level bad guy converted to the side of good because of a PC's actions).

Simply put - there are no high level good guys that are not PC's or created by PC's (such as Nadam), nor will there be.

That may sound oppressive or "dark", but that is the way I see it. There are plenty of low level good guys who lack the self-concept enough to become actual of forces of good.

I am sure there are those out there who can argue that stance, but there it is. I am not inspired to create a lot of good guy NPCs for Inzeladun for you guys to become allies with. If you want good guys in power, then you have to put them there.

The perfect PC is one who is willing to fight tooth and nail for his dreams - whether he achieves it or not. PC's who give up because it seems impossible don't interest me. I'd rather players be more interested in their character's personal growth and change than in creating some sort of permanent change in the world. When the characters grow and change, that is when the world changes.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]
Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.