Quote:
Originally Posted by David Bofinger
In TFT the choice of talents is a tradeoff: e.g. you can have Courtly Graces or Tactics but not both, and the player gets to choose which. The alternative philosophy is for the game designer to decide which of these you will have, which is largely how a class-based system like D&D works. I greatly prefer the TFT philosophy to the D&D one.
I therefore think it's unfortunate that you've specified the number of familiar talents the PC gets, rather than making it a tradeoff against regular talents.
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My familiarity with D&D is 40 years old. However, I remember it to be as you describe. I think that the trade off that you mention goes even deeper.
The class based system seems to benefit beginning characters by ensuring that they have a list of pre-determined abilities. The difference between beginning D&D characters and TFT characters is very evident in wizards and the strength of their magic. I don't know if it makes the beginning D&D characters any more survivable but the creator of the PC doesn't seem to require as much thought and planning as creating a TFT character. This is especially true for nerds like me that like to experiment with various character builds, teaming with other builds, and their development.
I like TFT for the fact that you can start one's exposure to the game with a decent canned creation from an experienced GM or the GM can spend the time to help them create a well-thought out character that has a good base for a development path. I just didn't get this feel from D&D. My experience went like this. Here is your level one fighter with the weapons and armor closest to your preference as allowed. As he went up in level (I got to 10 before losing interest), here is how it affects your stats, armor, and weapons. There was very little choice involved in character development. That didn't appeal to me at all.
Your point about talents being trade-offs in TFT is very true. It pushed me into creating beginning character parties to fill out talents/abilities. However, the idea of a character with a certain background having some pre-determined
mundane talents is a reasonable GM call that doesn't upset the balance of beginning TFT character unless they are given a huge list of them.
An occasional mundane talent given out by the GM as the PC builds new background story can also be interesting. I have a Reptile Man that is a good crossbowman and developing along an Unarmed Combat path. Being a non-so-liked Lizard, he took a job at the local orphanage to protect the place because the Orc woman that was running it didn't want the children to see her killing miscreants intending to do harm. Orcs are shunned enough but a Reptile Man is probably even more offensive in appearance. After some time on the job, our GM gave him the mundane talent of Babysitting. I guess that may come in handy if he ever comes across a baby in his adventures. It will definitely make the situation more comical than normal. He probably won't change diapers because of his claws.