What is Endarire up to?

[Solo]

We've all seen his topics. We all know he is up to something, but what is it?

Discuss.

[Lycanthromancer]

Knowledge is Power.

Therefore, he is becoming Pun Pun.

[wotmaniac]

it's all part of his plans for taking over the RPG industry.



seriously though -- to me, it comes across as his group having various discussions, and then he decides to get the forums take on things.
kinda like the old philosophy adage "one does not the whole of his own position/beliefs until he has heard every argument against it" type of thing.

[juton]

The most exciting possibility is that he is one of the head designers of the new edition of D&D, and he is coming here to do research. Progressively less exciting possibilities include being head designer of a 3rd party game based off the OGL, a single person working on a hobby game, a DM looking to make a good set of housrules or someone simply curious about how the game works and doesn't work. His questions are more on the nose than I've seen game designers be, so I'm guessing he's just curious, maybe making up some house rules on the side.

[Agita]

A less flattering possibility: He's a really subtle troll.
Being mean aside, juton's last guess seems the most likely.

[Saeomon]

Perfecting the Socratic method.

[zugschef]

A less flattering possibility: He's a really subtle troll.
Being mean aside, juton's last guess seems the most likely.

actually these two possibilities are not mutually exclusive. ;-)

[Hallack]

He could be a lizard that is tired of old experimental methods and so has decided to investigate human psychology using gaming as a medium.  In play he experiments with his players and here on the boards he investigates other modes of thought.

[Ikeren]

I was always wondering about this! I figured everyone else knew and that I was just late to the game.

My guess is that he's a time traveller using D&D system knowledge as a method of cultural study for a future where VR gaming has become commonplace but nobody remembers how to make a really good game.

[Unbeliever]

A less flattering possibility: He's a really subtle troll.
Being mean aside, juton's last guess seems the most likely.

Honestly, his threads irk me.  I am all for asking questions and for reexamining assumptions.  But, he seems to lob them in there like molotov cocktails and then not engage w/ them very much at all.  Which makes them seem like he's less interested in the answers or thinking about the issue but instead in just stirring crap up.  I feel that if he was actually interested in the answers he'd engage more or at least tailor the questions more narrowly so that something useful is more likely to come out of them.

[wotmaniac]

wait just a fucking minute .....  we all just got trolled by Solo. 

behind that blue mage mask is the face of Ashton Kutcher.


Well played, Solo; well played. 

[ImmortalSoul]

I feel that if he was actually interested in the answers he'd engage more or at least tailor the questions more narrowly so that something useful is more likely to come out of them.

I for one always felt that the fact that his questions tend to be more open is a strength rather than a weakness. It's a good possibility to give credit where credit is due, so: I like the way his questions stir up discussions about a broad set of aspects of D&D.

And btt:

My guess is that he's a time traveller using D&D system knowledge as a method of cultural study for a future where VR gaming has become commonplace but nobody remembers how to make a really good game.

Clearly the most likely possibility. Combine with:

The most exciting possibility is that he is one of the head designers of the new edition of D&D, and he is coming here to do research.

Seems like the new edition horribly failed and he's gone back in time to right the wrong.

[Lycanthromancer]

Seems like the new edition horribly failed and he's gone back in time to right the wrong.

Maybe he's trying to retroactively fix 3.5?

Going FORWARD in time is the easy part. It's going BACK that's difficult.

IF SO, MAKE TOB AND FACTOTUM CORE!

[Ithamar]

IF SO, MAKE TOB AND FACTOTUM CORE!

Wow, can you just imagine how amazing D&D would be if the Warblade & Factotum were in PHBI?

[Lycanthromancer]

Also, psion and psywar.

[Mixster]

And throw that stupid Paladin and fighter where they belong, Dragon Magazine.

[Lycanthromancer]

And throw that stupid Paladin and fighter where they belong, Dragon Magazine.

Hey, at least paladins have a free Get Out of Eating Baby Kobolds Free card.

[veekie]

I feel that if he was actually interested in the answers he'd engage more or at least tailor the questions more narrowly so that something useful is more likely to come out of them.

I for one always felt that the fact that his questions tend to be more open is a strength rather than a weakness. It's a good possibility to give credit where credit is due, so: I like the way his questions stir up discussions about a broad set of aspects of D&D.

Would probably irk less if they went in D&D Deliberations like they belong really. Posting in Min Max is just to nail the higher traffic.

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

wait just a fucking minute .....  we all just got trolled by Solo.

If he wasn't going to ask this, I was gonna, so either way I'm fine.

I think Agita and Unbeliever hit the nail on the head, except his latest thread.

[BeholderSlayer]

A less flattering possibility: He's a really subtle troll.
Being mean aside, juton's last guess seems the most likely.

Honestly, his threads irk me.  I am all for asking questions and for reexamining assumptions.  But, he seems to lob them in there like molotov cocktails and then not engage w/ them very much at all.  Which makes them seem like he's less interested in the answers or thinking about the issue but instead in just stirring crap up.  I feel that if he was actually interested in the answers he'd engage more or at least tailor the questions more narrowly so that something useful is more likely to come out of them.

I tend to agree. It's especially apparent when he says things that border on completely asinine that require liberally interpreting to the extreme. By liberally interpreting, I mean paying zero attention to the rules at all.