tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210223820598148815.post6861855320434864903..comments2023-09-29T02:16:00.091-07:00Comments on Back Screen Pass - A DM's Secrets: Level 9 Guitar PlayerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210223820598148815.post-11989115112313760982013-03-27T11:07:00.684-07:002013-03-27T11:07:00.684-07:00Thank you! I completely agree. The forced Class/le...Thank you! I completely agree. The forced Class/level advancement methodology is the number one item that I struggle with in D&D/Pathfinder etc. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210223820598148815.post-1829301478970498842013-01-09T19:23:31.632-08:002013-01-09T19:23:31.632-08:00I see XP differently. But of course that is the p...I see XP differently. But of course that is the problem inherent in human discourse - without clearly establishing mutually agreed upon definitions of all important terms, there is no such thing as an intelligent debate :) In real life, most people can't even agree on what the important terms are, let alone a definition. <br /><br />Experience as I see it is precisely something that the player taps on a day to day basis, automatically, like "life". What else is it? It is a number on the character sheet. Every single time the character does something XP is tapped in the core mechanics of the D&D game. It is tapped invisibly, cloaked under the "Level" system.<br /><br />The core mechanic of the D&D game could be stated thusly:<br /><br />"Every time a PC attempts something that should not automatically succeed, the player makes a dice throw to determine its success vs a target number determined by the DM. This throw might be modified by PC stats, level, or DM fiat."<br /><br />Almost every majors roll made by a player taps their level because level determines chance to hit and saving throws.<br /><br />Level is further determined by XP, a number that the character carries with them and which is built up over time in a variety of ways.<br /><br />A fighter can level up by fighting (defeating opponents in combat). A wizard can level up by practicing wizardy (gaining XP for creating new spells, engaging in spell duels, etc.). A thief can level up by through successful thievery.<br /><br />If you look at the mechanics of the game logically, you could reduce core D&D Class/Level system to this: A class is a profession. A class levels up by exercising its profession in play. Leveling up the class improves those skills utilized by the profession.<br /><br />This adequately explains the base D&D classes and leaves room for Arcade Game skill expansions.<br /><br />My analogy was that my class is "Guitar Player". Just like a fighter levels up by swinging his sword or a thief levels up by stealing coin or a wizard levels up by researching and casting spells in meaningful situations, a guitar player levels up by playing guitar. <br /><br />I don't think it is counter intuitive for experience to increase and ability in any one measurable way to decrease, as long as ability increases in other measurable ways to explain what the character was spending that experience on.<br /><br />An arcade game style system of spending XP for bonuses is easily explained as a fighter spending less time actually practicing his art in his off time and more time picking up a hobby. I see it as introducing realism, rather than being somehow more illogical than the incredibly flawed D&D class/level system.<br /><br />To each his ownAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07648499022366444265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210223820598148815.post-19023524213008940292013-01-09T10:02:22.135-08:002013-01-09T10:02:22.135-08:00Well, it would be an analogy if it actually was on...Well, it would be an analogy if it actually was one.<br /><br />See, the problem is, Carl, that "experience" isn't something that the player taps on a day-to-day basis automatically, like "life." In this particular case, what you're saying is that by practicing guitar you're getting better at other things and worse by guitar. As if, to be a better public speaker, you only have to sit in your room and practice guitar. To be a better skiier, you need only practice guitar. To make love to a woman, there's that guitar, ready and waiting for you to pick it up.<br /><br />Because in the game, experience is something you get for fighting, adventuring and looting. You don't get better at OTHER things just because you fight well. And while it is true that if you don't pick up that sword and swing it regularly, you should get rusty, that's not the equivalent to saying you get rusty with your sword BECAUSE you're using the experience you gained with your sword arm to run for politics. There is no causality here, which you know darn well. You're just not thinking the thing straight through.<br /><br />I am, but admittedly only half the time.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210223820598148815.post-49004625539091798952013-01-08T16:43:24.921-08:002013-01-08T16:43:24.921-08:00Great analogy!Great analogy!Carter Soleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01286436801953647693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210223820598148815.post-32007569745577470192013-01-08T01:38:22.689-08:002013-01-08T01:38:22.689-08:00Up until now I'd not heard about this method o...Up until now I'd not heard about this method of XP spend, but it sounds good to me. Might just be you're very persuasive though, so after I post this, I'm heading over to check out the other side of the argument...thesethingsthatiwritehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06983724061115538291noreply@blogger.com