PC choice

From: David Cake <davidc_at_cyllene.uwa.edu.au>
Date: Fri, 4 Apr 1997 12:02:33 +0800

Before talking about PC choice, I'd just like to mention I got a package from Wizards Attic a week ago, containing Tarsh War, MIG, and Book of Drastic Resolutions. And I thoroughly recommend all three. Tarsh War looks great fun, and also a good source on the Lunar Military and Dragon Pass military conflict. MIG was incredibly complete, and looks to be quite useful. Entire companies and magazines I'd never heard of in incredible detail. And BDR was a bit of a mixed back, but certainly had enough stuff that I liked that will be useful in my game to make it well worth it, all nicely presented.

        The only regret was that MIG told me what was in issue #14 of TOTRM, which STILL has not reached Aussie subscribers, and I realised almost all of it would be very very relevent to my campaign.

        Anyway, PC choice

>>Centaurs
>
>Fun if done well.

        Though with three problems, all of which can be overcome a) little is known of their cults etc, so a player that is keen to advance religiously can be a little problematic. b) they are really really dangerous in melee, so GMs who run a low power campaign might consider them potentially unbalancing. c) if you want to have them participate, you need to cut down on the treacherous underground caverns, climbing walls, etc. Dyskund caverns or the final part of River of Cradles, for example, do not make good adventures if you have a Centaur in the party.

>>human variants like the Men-And-A-Half and the Waertagi
>
>Hard to do well.

        I would have thought fairly easy. There is enough on the Men-And-A-Half in River of Cradles to make them quite interesting PCs. Waertagi perhaps a little more difficult.

I'll agree that I'd like to see a Praxian Morokanth PC, or a Superior Trollkin. Trollkin are hard to do well, though.

>Other races I've seen are Grotarons, Pixies, Baboons, Great Trolls, and a
>Cauliflower-headed Broo. None of them worked out too well.

        The best part about Grotaron PCs is making the player wear a glove with an eye on it on their head. That, and them getting upset because none of the grownups believe in Mr. Snuffelupagus. Its wise to make them pacificsts or something, because otherwise they are very dangerous. And then stop playing them after about one session of light relief.

        Great trolls suffer from the problems of playing anything that is really stupid - its not hard to do, but its hard to maintain without getting bored. Baboons are cool.

        One cautionary note on elf PCs - I once had someone roll up a green elf PC using the Elder Secrets/ RQ3 character creation who qualified for Wood Lord at character creation..... certainly left the other PCs (several of whom were Hrestoli farmer caste) well in the shade.

        I'd probably not allow PCs that are non-outcast trolls or elves (or dwarves, obviously) into my game unless I could somehow work it into the main plot these days, including relations with the whole society. Even then, I'd prefer it if players have a backup character - I have problems in my campaign with a troll shaman, who tends to have trouble participating when the rest of the party sets out through Sun County. But then again, the same PC helps me bring Javis Gan into the plot.

        David

---