[DF] Laziness - How is this allowed?

simply Nathan · 03-25-2014, 04:58 PM

I cannot see how a character with the Laziness disadvantage can go adventuring. Sure, there are many disadvantages that are inconvenient to the adventuring lifestyle, but as far as I can tell by-the-book Laziness makes you a worse adventurer than One Arm ever would.

A character completely averse to work to the level described in the Disadvantage's description...how do you convince him to go hiking to the cave several days away from town? How do you get him to go into the dungeon, fight monsters, or carry loot?

Even worse, the disadvantage's only game mechanical effect, halving income from monthly job rolls, doesn't apply in DF. How are you supposed to apply it? Are the Lazy characters just supposed to be assumed to lose the Merchant skill contest by a level without attempting it or something?

How can anyone play Cat-Folk with this on their template? Even as a 40-point race with natural weapons and high DX, how have they survived as a race?

panton41 · 03-25-2014, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenneth Latrans

How can anyone play Cat-Folk with this on their template? Even as a 40-point race with natural weapons and high DX, how have they survived as a race?

By being cute and getting humans to fill their food dish with noms?

~~Keiko~~ · 03-25-2014, 05:49 PM

By the grace of their patron deity G'arfeeld and his saint J'onn.

Dwarf99 · 03-25-2014, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciaran_skye

By being cute and getting humans to fill their food dish with noms?

Wow... haha.

LemmingLord · 03-25-2014, 06:40 PM

Good point. I suppose you have him ride a mule or something? Though riding isn't easy peasy either.

Maybe it could be like dealing with b.a. Barachus... Drug his milk; then have your super strength Orc carry him to the fort of evil. THEN he can choose to adventure OR walk back... Suddenly laziness becomes a motivation to adventure!!

Not another shrubbery · 03-25-2014, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenneth Latrans

How can anyone play Cat-Folk with this on their template? Even as a 40-point race with natural weapons and high DX, how have they survived as a race?

In a DF context, I would expect Laziness to mean that they will try to get by doing as little as possible, will complain when they have to work "hard" (do their share, by other's standards), will want to stop for extra rest breaks, and generally earn themselves a reaction penalty from hardworking folk. You can still motivate them by enticing them with something they want, which (if they are associating with player characters) will probably be something like other PC's goals.

If you have a hard time justifying the disad, you might allow PC Cat-Folk to buy it off. Such a character would probably look like a manic over-achiever to other members of his race.

Peter V. Dell'Orto · 03-25-2014, 07:12 PM

It says you're averse to hard work, not averse to all activity. Laziness coupled with other disadvantages to make adventuring seem much less like work than a real job can easily impel someone to enter a dungeon.

A delve is dangerous but it can easily be far more profitable, and much easier, than actual work. I wouldn't trust the lazy guy to mind the pack animals and bargain hunt for rations before the trip, but "violently averse to labor" doesn't mean "won't adventure."

David Johnston2 · 03-25-2014, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenneth Latrans

I cannot see how a character with the Laziness disadvantage can go adventuring. Sure, there are many disadvantages that are inconvenient to the adventuring lifestyle, but as far as I can tell by-the-book Laziness makes you a worse adventurer than One Arm ever would.

A character completely averse to work to the level described in the Disadvantage's description...how do you convince him to go hiking to the cave several days away from town? How do you get him to go into the dungeon, fight monsters, or carry loot?

Laziness doesn't discourage fighting monsters. Brief spasms of activity are fine. And you can get a Lazy person to do work. He'll just complain and shirk where he can.

the_matrix_walker · 03-25-2014, 07:23 PM

It is interesting that I would say Cat Folk would have to buy it off to be a Martial Artist. 1d6 hours of exercise and ritual a day is not activity for the lazy.

LemmingLord · 03-25-2014, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

It is interesting that I would say Cat Folk would have to buy it off to be a Martial Artist. 1d6 hours of exercise and ritual a day is not activity for the lazy.

Probably... Then again, maybe they overcame their laziness while chasing their passion but after achieving master status, they are happy to coast and return to their innate joy of doing nothing...

"I did nothing and it was everything I thought it could be."

03-25-2014, 04:58 PM	#1
simply Nathan formerly known as 'Kenneth Latrans' Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wyoming, Michigan	[DF] Laziness - How is this allowed? I cannot see how a character with the Laziness disadvantage can go adventuring. Sure, there are many disadvantages that are inconvenient to the adventuring lifestyle, but as far as I can tell by-the-book Laziness makes you a worse adventurer than One Arm ever would. A character completely averse to work to the level described in the Disadvantage's description...how do you convince him to go hiking to the cave several days away from town? How do you get him to go into the dungeon, fight monsters, or carry loot? Even worse, the disadvantage's only game mechanical effect, halving income from monthly job rolls, doesn't apply in DF. How are you supposed to apply it? Are the Lazy characters just supposed to be assumed to lose the Merchant skill contest by a level without attempting it or something? How can anyone play Cat-Folk with this on their template? Even as a 40-point race with natural weapons and high DX, how have they survived as a race? __________________ Ba-weep granah wheep minibon. Wubba lubba dub dub.

03-25-2014, 05:49 PM	#3
~~Keiko~~ Banned Join Date: Jan 2013	Re: [DF] Laziness - How is this allowed? By the grace of their patron deity G'arfeeld and his saint J'onn.

03-25-2014, 06:40 PM	#5
LemmingLord Join Date: Jul 2005	Re: [DF] Laziness - How is this allowed? Good point. I suppose you have him ride a mule or something? Though riding isn't easy peasy either. Maybe it could be like dealing with b.a. Barachus... Drug his milk; then have your super strength Orc carry him to the fort of evil. THEN he can choose to adventure OR walk back... Suddenly laziness becomes a motivation to adventure!!

03-25-2014, 07:12 PM	#7
Peter V. Dell'Orto Fightin' Round the World Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: New Jersey	Re: [DF] Laziness - How is this allowed? It says you're averse to hard work, not averse to all activity. Laziness coupled with other disadvantages to make adventuring seem much less like work than a real job can easily impel someone to enter a dungeon. A delve is dangerous but it can easily be far more profitable, and much easier, than actual work. I wouldn't trust the lazy guy to mind the pack animals and bargain hunt for rations before the trip, but "violently averse to labor" doesn't mean "won't adventure." __________________ Peter V. Dell'Orto aka Toadkiller_Dog or TKD My Author Page My S&C Blog My Dungeon Fantasy Game Blog "You fall onto five death checks." - Andy Dokachev

03-25-2014, 07:23 PM	#9
the_matrix_walker Join Date: May 2005 Location: Lynn, MA	Re: [DF] Laziness - How is this allowed? It is interesting that I would say Cat Folk would have to buy it off to be a Martial Artist. 1d6 hours of exercise and ritual a day is not activity for the lazy.