Discussion on Roleplay Vs. Character Class

I would have to agree to some extent with the comments on the Roleplay/Class change debate. Being that Ronin was taken away and my character's roleplay was based around Ronin, to a big extend (though it may not have seemed it) I was slightly distraught when ronin was disappearing. I was told by many people to just pick up cavalier and roleplay it as ronin. I don't think the solution to this "just changing your class" if you want a different skill. Classes are often heavily based on roleplay, especially in a Live Action Role-play environment, especially like the example given of Dragoon and Chaos warrior.

Arradir Go-Dringol wrote: 1) Do Proficiency, Ranged and Proficiency, Backstab stack when an archer shoots someone from behind with a bow?
2) Given Brute has access to Proficiency, Finesse & Proficiency, Backstab, why is it Beserker does not have access to both Proficiency, Finesse and Proficiency, Might?

A Profession is strictly a list of skills that impact your fighting style/combat abilities. Lower list professions have a huge amount of freedom with how they are roleplayed. If a skill list does not contain the skills that a player wants her character to have, the best bet is to change professions (this is changing your skill list and not necessarily your roleplay, unless you WANT to change your roleplay) or to multiclass

These were the quotes that seemed to spark some of the debate. I'm interested what all of you think about this!

Please remember that everyone here and everyone that worked on the rules are people so please keep this discussion civil.

I moved this discussion to off-topic because it does not belong on the Rules Question forum.

I will say this, Lower list classes are not meant to be character defining like their Heroic counterparts, otherwise we would have to be a lot more strict about what you can and cannot play. Meaning, no one would be allowed to play a Witch Hunter/Necromancer (of which there have been many) or a Berserker/Ronin (of which there have been many) or even a Chaos Warrior/Healer (of where there are many).

So in order to avoid having to enforce such unreasonably strict guidelines, we are intentionally lenient on what a character can be and encourage playing beyond the Profession List you purchase. If you want to pick up Gladiator and call yourself a Warrior, go right ahead. Or if you want to pick up Cavalier and call yourself a Ronin, no one will stop you. In fact, we encourage these kinds of things because it molds your character into someone more than the selection of lower lists you've picked to create your skillset.

Methinks it changes heavily from person to person. Which part(s) of LARPing is most important to you?

Is it Live? Where in an atmospheric world there is a living an breathing entity that you are organically a part of? The flavor and feel given to you through social interaction and being there?

Is it Action? Is it the swinging of a sword and the besting of others? The adrenaline rush of hiding in the brush in the dead of night with an overwhelming was of fear because something is chasing you?

Is it the Role? You have a duty as a character and that character is the be all and end all of the game to you. If taken in a more objective way, can you tell where every one of your had earned build has gone and exactly how to utilize it or in a more subjective light do you know where you fit exactly in the universe and the nuanced in's and out's of your character?

Or is it Play? You come here to have fun and that's that. Win, lose or draw, you're here to roll the dice as intensively or lightly as you want knowing it's going to be a good time.

These definitions change for each person, but ranking and reflecting on what they mean to you could help you decide any action in the game. Does your character card reflecting your IG character mean more, or do you not mind your card not stringently portraying you? It's always up to the player and how you want to go about it.

Aleister wrote: So in order to avoid having to enforce such unreasonably strict guidelines, we are intentionally lenient on what a character can be and encourage playing beyond the Profession List you purchase. If you want to pick up Gladiator and call yourself a Warrior, go right ahead. Or if you want to pick up Cavalier and call yourself a Ronin, no one will stop you. In fact, we encourage these kinds of things because it molds your character into someone more than the selection of lower lists you've picked to create your skillset.

But as it stands you can't use a big sword unless your are insane or a dragon. You HAVE to roleplay those. Unless I can be a dragoon and not have to submit to being dragon man, or just entirely ignore insanities as a game mechanic, that's not the case.

My bad Steve, I thought it would have fit under the realizing your character part, thanks for moving it!

We have explicitly stated you do not need to play an absolutely crazy person or a gung-ho-for-dragons all the time kind of character to play a chaos warrior or dragoon. Additionally, Lore: Chaos is neither a pre-req for any skills, nor does it force a character to have an insanity anymore, so doubly so the character would not need to roleplay the insanity aspect.