Re: Just Curious

From: Thom Baguley <t.s.baguley_at_...>
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 10:41:13 +0000

> From: "Roderick and Ellen Robertson" <rjremr_at_...>
>Subject: Just Curious
>
>Hi Guys,
>
>I have a 'just curious' question:
>
>How many of you (as narrators) would allow a player to take an obviously
>non-natural ability for a starting character? For instance, would you allow
>a starting character to have "Fly", "Spit Fire" or "Breathe Water"?
>(assuming that these are normal humans, not Windchildren, Dragons or Fish
>:-) ). Would you make these abilities "more expensive" than, say, "Run" or
>"Ride"? (by more expensive, would you ask for more than "Joe can Fly" in a
>100-word character, or take up more than one slot in a List character).

I'd let people do it if they justified it in their background (or ideally in their 100 words). We know that occasional Orlanthi are born able to fly so that's easy (for Orlanthi - but I'd be less lenient for others).

I think I'd consider requiring:

i) some justification in terms of culture, ii) something in the character background, and iii) appropriate flaws be taken

For example, a character who takes "spit fire" might get "dragonfriend" or "suspected of chaos magic" as a flaw depending on the justification they proposed. [The latter is probably reserved for no justification or a weak one]

e.g., "Verlak gained the spit fire feat from Orlanth Dragonfriend" versus "Verlak can spit fire"

I wouldn't increase the expense.

Thom