Finalizing Characters

[Josh]

You can't speak the human language for starters. 

You have a character who is an orator and administrator in a court where he is simply an adviser.  He sings songs and recalls ancient and obscure history.  Lets say someone is attempting an overthrow of the Duke.  Why would they bother trying to enlist your help or get you out of the way? 

Your character is a powerful fighter so yeah they need to send a bunch of guards at you and yeah, they will lose a couple.  So what?

This character is a noble, in a setting where his nobility does not work.  Make a character who does something someone else would want. 

[tsuyoshikentsu]

You can't speak the human language for starters. 

Technically, I can speak ANY language.  But yes, it would be nice to know how you take languages in Burning Wheel.

You have a character who is an orator and administrator in a court where he is simply an adviser.  He sings songs and recalls ancient and obscure history.  Lets say someone is attempting an overthrow of the Duke.  Why would they bother trying to enlist your help or get you out of the way?

Your character is a powerful fighter so yeah they need to send a bunch of guards at you and yeah, they will lose a couple.  So what?

How about the fact that I can magically speak the language of anywhere we end up?  Or the fact that, despite my infamy among the "common" elf, I still have lots and lots of friends in the Citadel?

This character is a noble, in a setting where his nobility does not work.  Make a character who does something someone else would want. 

Fine.  Since apparently nobody wants any advice on how to run a government or elven culture, or needs a translator or a bodyguard, or knowledge about etiquette or the history of relevant foreign powers, or, essentially, a free ambassador to the Citadel of the most powerful race in the world, what DO they want?

Seriously, Josh, why are you so against this character?

[Josh]

First The character is boring. 

And this is a political game.  No one will trust someone who cannot be contoled in some way.  You can make an untouchable character.  No one will trust him and the extent of the game will be him fighting off assains. 

The steward is trusted because the captain of the guard can beat him up.  The captain needs the steward to run the household.  The duke trusts because people balance out, and the duke can't do everything himself.

Flat out if you are the best fighter or close to it you need to give yourself a chain.

All the jobs you list can be done with less risk by someone else. 

 

[tsuyoshikentsu]

First The character is boring. 

Right, because I've written my backstory already.

Flat out if you are the best fighter or close to it you need to give yourself a chain.

All the jobs you list can be done with less risk by someone else.

They could kick me out.  Technically, I have no holdings in the Duke's kingdom and am only there at the pleasure of His Grace.  My character came to the Court because he knew the previous Duke and they liked each other, but that only gets him so far by himself.  He can do a lot, and does, because he is still a guest and is literally there on His Grace's whim.  Being able to use animals as spies is probably absurdly useful, but he does have to step rather carefully around the Court -- because, while he still has strong connections with powerful people in the Citadel, he can never go back there.  And he doesn't have connections to any other Court in the human lands... where he'd have real problems fitting in for exactly the reasons you've described.

[Josh]

I am fighting with you now, so that other players do not fight with you later. 

You can play this character as is.  None of the characters will trust your character and sooner or later will have to kill you.

If that's what is ok with you, then that's fine. 

No fighting about it.  If that's fine with you, your character is fine with me.

[tsuyoshikentsu]

I am fighting with you now, so that other players do not fight with you later. 

You can play this character as is.  None of the characters will trust your character and sooner or later will have to kill you.

If that's what is ok with you, then that's fine. 

No fighting about it.  If that's fine with you, your character is fine with me.

I have absolutely no idea why this would be the case, but thanks for the warning -- I'll start putting points into Soothing Platitudes.

And seriously... how do you take languages in BW?

[Mixplit]

Still a little unsure if I have this figured out. But here is a preliminary Life path list.

Alastair Falk

Born Noble 8yr Res:15
Page         6yr Res:15 Stat:+1P
Squire       6yr Res:15 Stat:+1M,P
Student     4yr Res:10 Stat:+1M
Knight       5yr Res:20 Stat:+1P (From Noble Court, not noble setting. Followed lead from Student)
Courtier     5yr Res:15 Stat:+1M
Hostage     6yr Res:7/8 (says half of previous lifepath's resources. Not sure which way to round.)

Making sure I haven't made any huge errors before I go further.

[Josh]

I am fighting with you now, so that other players do not fight with you later. 

You can play this character as is.  None of the characters will trust your character and sooner or later will have to kill you.

If that's what is ok with you, then that's fine. 

No fighting about it.  If that's fine with you, your character is fine with me.

I have absolutely no idea why this would be the case, but thanks for the warning -- I'll start putting points into Soothing Platitudes.

And seriously... how do you take languages in BW?

the skill is "foreign language" it is a general skill

[Josh]

Still a little unsure if I have this figured out. But here is a preliminary Life path list.

Alastair Falk

Born Noble 8yr Res:15
Page         6yr Res:15 Stat:+1P
Squire       6yr Res:15 Stat:+1M,P
Student     4yr Res:10 Stat:+1M
Knight       5yr Res:20 Stat:+1P (From Noble Court, not noble setting. Followed lead from Student)
Courtier     5yr Res:15 Stat:+1M
Hostage     6yr Res:7/8 (says half of previous lifepath's resources. Not sure which way to round.)

Making sure I haven't made any huge errors before I go further.

Good so far.  Actually it is really well put together. 

 Take the "your grace" trait, it makes you son of a Duke.  Take a few weapons skills but the real strength of this character is your other skills like: conspicuous, read, write, rule of law, oratory, doctrine, etiquette, observation, persuasion, seduction, inconspicuous.  Take foreign language, it will work to your advantage as would falconry.  As would the trait "Darling of the court."

[tsuyoshikentsu]

the skill is "foreign language" it is a general skill

...Okay, that's it.  I'm making enough money tomorrow that I can afford to buy the damn book.  The book that has these things.  Which is not mine.

[Josh]

Matt has dropped the game "Dumb-Age Master" is the next alternate.

[Josh]

First The character is boring. 

Right, because I've written my backstory already.

I was looking over this thread and I noticed this point.  So I want to clear something up about the game. 

In general if you have something not expressed as a BIT(or other in game mechanic), it does not matter. 

If you don't have the trait handsome, your character is not handsome.  By that token, if you don't have the trait ugly, you are not ugly either.  If you don't have the instinct always armed, you do not have your sword on in the toilet. 

Write any back story you want.  As GM I never need to see it.  Your backstory is simply an acting guide for you, and only in places where it will not later be rendered incorrect as you make various rolls.  You don't have an affiliation with pirates?  You cannot use them as contacts in the game without rolling a basic circles check. 

You do not need to start with a backstory, you just need the details of your BITs and other mechanics.  You will make your backstory as the game proceeds.

[tsuyoshikentsu]

[Josh]

In general if you have something not expressed as a BIT(or other in game mechanic), it does not matter. 

Aah.  I see where you're coming from now.  I could just as easily turn the point into "Right, because I've finished picking Traits already," but I won't.  Because I want to see how the game goes before I argue.

Thats why I said something.  Your list, as written, was boring so change it.

Beliefs: The Dark Elves are merely fallen and misunderstood reflections of ourselves; humans aren't SO bad when you get to know them; just because we all actually CAN get along doesn't mean I won't fight for what I believe in

Intuitions: Go for knife when attacked; sing laments when sad; argue with people who think elves and humans should remain isolated from each other; keep knife within easy reach unless diplomacy dictates otherwise

You need one less Instinct. 

Also I see that you are the kind of person who needs to learn about things in person, so start with these Beliefs and Instincts and you can change them later.  Fair warning that there are 7 other players and each person needs my time.  So if you need lots of my time you are going to get tabled quite a bit. 

[tsuyoshikentsu]

Instincts are fixed.  And I'm happy with my traits list the way it is.

Also, I do not need a lot of table time.  I am taking this much time because 1) you're making me defend myself and 2) no one else seems interested in posting.

[Josh]

Instincts are fixed.  And I'm happy with my traits list the way it is.

Also, I do not need a lot of table time.  I am taking this much time because 1) you're making me defend myself and 2) no one else seems interested in posting.

Everyone else just listened to my suggestions, so I don't have to repeat myself.

And I'm not talking about now, I'm talking about how you will react when you start trying to play and find out that your character is not very good.  That's why I was arguing with you.  But now I know that your learning style is one where you need to make mistakes yourself.  So I'm letting you make mistakes, as long as you understand that I will not let you monopolize my time and you are not going to fight with the other players about it. 

[Dumb-Age Master]

Will insert character idea after I have an idea for a character. Still need some help understanding the system.

[tsuyoshikentsu]

And I'm not talking about now, I'm talking about how you will react when you start trying to play and find out that your character is not very good.  That's why I was arguing with you.  But now I know that your learning style is one where you need to make mistakes yourself.  So I'm letting you make mistakes, as long as you understand that I will not let you monopolize my time and you are not going to fight with the other players about it. 

As long as you don't deliberately screw me, I'll be fine.

[Josh]

Will insert character idea after I have an idea for a character. Still need some help understanding the system.

Do you see anything that interests you in any way?

[AfterCrescent]

I'm still torn on this B6/B6 vs G4/B3 or B4/G3 stat assignment. It just seems like I have plenty of skill points to assign, so starting a skill at 2 and upping it is not a big loss, whereas it's REALLY hard (from my initial impression) to get stats to shift from Black to Gray... Not to mention a gray stat opens up a lot of skills as gray, and the combination skills get a decent boost to their opening...