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Old 09-29-2018, 11:36 AM   #11
larsdangly
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Default Re: What happened to my reptile man, man?

Over the last couple of weeks there hasn't been much in the way of 'official' reactions to the various discussions. But, there is evidence they are being read. I don't think we should get too amped up about any of them; it is likely some of these things will be tweaked in the ongoing revisions and others will be left as they are. Whatever peculiarities or logical errors remain we will then fix with all of our house rules.
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Old 09-29-2018, 12:15 PM   #12
Steve Jackson
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Default Re: What happened to my reptile man, man?

The stats given for the races are intended to put all starting PCs on an even footing. This does not make all the races the same, and I wish I had taken a couple of paragraphs to discuss that in more detail. But when creating NPCs, especially random casual encounters, definitely go by the text descriptions of the race - don't make them all PC level.

That would go for personality, too. A mentally *typical* elf would just not go adventuring, nor would a typical dwarf (unless he had a reliable map to sweet, sweet gold). A typical goblin would not only be smaller and weaker than an average adventurer, he would not feel any need for the kind of adventure that you would find in "for instance) Tollenkar's Lair. But there are always exceptions, just as one of the bravos in TL is a badass magic-using goblin warrior.
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Old 09-29-2018, 12:17 PM   #13
JLV
 
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Default Re: What happened to my reptile man, man?

This discussion alone is one excellent reason why you'll have to pry my original 1980s copies from my cold dead hands. I don't mind goofing with the starting stats for PCs from those races, but Skarg is spot-on that there should be a discussion of them in general terms as well; perhaps with a paragraph describing how to make them PCs as an addendum, instead of being the only description, since the vast majority of the creatures from those races you encounter will not be PCs (just as with Humans).
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Old 09-29-2018, 12:28 PM   #14
TippetsTX
 
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Default Re: What happened to my reptile man, man?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jackson View Post
The stats given for the races are intended to put all starting PCs on an even footing. This does not make all the races the same, and I wish I had taken a couple of paragraphs to discuss that in more detail. But when creating NPCs, especially random casual encounters, definitely go by the text descriptions of the race - don't make them all PC level.
But Steve, you of all people will understand that not all starting PCs have to equal. Perfectly balanced races are boring. And races that are initially powerful will be hindered by slower advancement (especially w/ your revisions to XP) not to mention dealing w/ in-game societal biases against monstrous races.
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Old 09-29-2018, 02:33 PM   #15
Skarg
 
Join Date: May 2015
Default Re: What happened to my reptile man, man?

I am so glad Steve chimed in on this thread.

I think a short stat line would solve it, even just for the main omissions: reptile men and gargoyles (the gargoyles get it in the summon gargoyle spell, but could use it in the race description, too).

e.g. "Typical reptile men have stats like humans but with +6 ST." Or "These stats are for an young reptile man who left their society before reaching full adulthood. An average full adult reptile man is about ST 16 DX 10 IQ 10." (or "should be built on ST 14, DX 8, IQ 8 with 6 extra points").
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Old 09-30-2018, 12:10 PM   #16
Skarg
 
Join Date: May 2015
Default Re: What happened to my reptile man, man?

A creative retcon idea:

Since the new PC reptile men are still "large figures" needing special armor that weighs 130% of normal armor weights, and weigh 300+ pounds, I'm thinking they might be reptile men with a lot more fat than muscle. Some are those who haven't got enough exercise, and perhaps are out travelling the world as a remedial fitness program. But perhaps this is also the natural form of young reptile men raised in civilization where they have a lot of baby fat and are still sort of egg-shaped.
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Old 09-30-2018, 02:46 PM   #17
larsdangly
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Default Re: What happened to my reptile man, man?

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Originally Posted by Skarg View Post
I am so glad Steve chimed in on this thread.

I think a short stat line would solve it, even just for the main omissions: reptile men and gargoyles (the gargoyles get it in the summon gargoyle spell, but could use it in the race description, too).

e.g. "Typical reptile men have stats like humans but with +6 ST." Or "These stats are for an young reptile man who left their society before reaching full adulthood. An average full adult reptile man is about ST 16 DX 10 IQ 10." (or "should be built on ST 14, DX 8, IQ 8 with 6 extra points").
This is a much better approach.
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