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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

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    Mar 2008

    Default All you elves look alike to me! (adopting the Dragon Age RPG into other rulesets)

    So, I've been reading through the Dragon Age RPG by Green Ronin, and I was really intrigued by the inclusion of backgrounds (or "Origins" for the fans of the videogame).

    Basically, instead of picking a race, the player picks a background for their character, which includes things like "Circle Mage" (the setting's equivalent to a mage's guild, which is available to elf and human characters), or "Surface Dwarf" (which is basically a dwarf who was exiled from- or voluntarily left- mainstream dwarven society to live on the surface).

    In addition, each background comes with the standard racial abilities- stat adjustments, languages, allowed classes etc, and the player can choose two extra abilities from a table by rolling 2d6 and taking the ability with the appropriate die roll, which range from a second stat adjustment (each background appears to have a +1 bonus to a particular stat), bonus skills and so on.

    I really liked this approach to character building, and was wondering, has there been any attempt to emulate this system in say, 4e or 3.5 D&D (or Pathfinder etc)?
    Last edited by kwanzaabot; 2011-02-09 at 04:36 AM.

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Dust's Avatar

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    Default Re: All you elves look alike to me! (adopting the Dragon Age RPG into other rulesets)

    You used the word 'choose' in your post, which is incorrect. The Dragon Age RPG has a few selling points, but none of those has anything to do with choice when it comes to your characters. It's a system where your character, short of race and BROAD upbringing selections, is randomly generated and you build an appropriate backstory/personality afterwards. This is not a NEGATIVE thing by itself, don't get me wrong, just personal preference - I, for one, find it to be a great change of pace.

    That said, your question boils down to you stating you prefer the randomness over a conscious choice, in which case, yes, quite a few systems have something like this. I can list some if you want.
    Last edited by Dust; 2011-02-09 at 04:44 AM.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

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    Default Re: All you elves look alike to me! (adopting the Dragon Age RPG into other rulesets)

    Quote Originally Posted by Dust View Post
    You used the word 'choose' in your post, which is incorrect. The Dragon Age RPG has a few selling points, but none of those has anything to do with choice when it comes to your characters. It's a system where your character, short of race and BROAD upbringing selections, is randomly generated and you build an appropriate backstory/personality afterwards. This is not a NEGATIVE thing by itself, don't get me wrong, just personal preference - I, for one, find it to be a great change of pace.

    That said, your question boils down to you stating you prefer the randomness over a conscious choice, in which case, yes, quite a few systems have something like this. I can list some if you want.
    Well, to be fair, as a DM I could always allow my players to choose their perks instead of rolling for them.

    When you look at it that way, character creation is a lot more flexible IMO.

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Dust's Avatar

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    Default Re: All you elves look alike to me! (adopting the Dragon Age RPG into other rulesets)

    And you could let your players allocate their stats however they like instead of rolling them in order, but it's not how the game is designed, and the randomness reflects the harshness of the world and the flat, painful truth that not all heroes are created equal.

    Again, flexible really isn't the right word. Flexible suggests options above and beyond +1 to Score A or +1 to Score B, and which weapons you want to be able to use without eviscerating yourself accidentally.

    You could drop the same thing into D&D by having players roll once for a bonus general or race-specific feat and once for a flaw.
    Last edited by Dust; 2011-02-09 at 05:12 AM.

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