Templates in DF

[blacksmith]

As to wild card skills, I found Martial Artist to be one of the few wildcard skills that I would seriously consider using with a character.

[PK]

Honestly, to me, the templates are DF. The concept of extreme niche protection is perfect for the genre, so I'd enforce the rule that you must use the template as written, and can only spend the 5 points from your Quirks on any (appropriate) skills you want. So sure, Mr. Barbarian can learn Pickpocket if he really wants, but he isn't sinking 8 points into it. If it's that important, he can multi-clas... er, I mean, use a template lens from DF3. :)

Haven't run it yet -- though I'd like to.

[Gavynn]

Originally Posted by blacksmith

If you are thinking about running a DF game, are you planning on useing templates?

Yes. I would be open to having a free-form build, or deviations from the templates as the players feels appropriate for a concept, but at the core I'd use the templates.

[demonsbane]

Yes, I will change some values for secondary characters and NPCs using them, but essentially yes.

Indeed, before the arrival of Dungeon Fantasy, I had in mind a main high-powered PC Celestial Elf Holy Warrior-Wizard, so it fits enough well . . .

[demonsbane]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

The concept of extreme niche protection is perfect for the genre, so I'd enforce the rule that you must use the template as written (...)

I can see the point there - and mostly agreeing. If you want to add later someone (PC, NPC) non-templated, at least it will be the exception, not the rule.

In that way, while using DF in an open and freeform (non-templated) way, it can mantain well the niche protection and intrinsic balance.

[blacksmith]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

Honestly, to me, the templates are DF. The concept of extreme niche protection is perfect for the genre, so I'd enforce the rule that you must use the template as written, and can only spend the 5 points from your Quirks on any (appropriate) skills you want. So sure, Mr. Barbarian can learn Pickpocket if he really wants, but he isn't sinking 8 points into it. If it's that important, he can multi-clas... er, I mean, use a template lens from DF3. :)

Haven't run it yet -- though I'd like to.

He has to there is no advancement lenses(levels) to stay with in a class.

[Kaldrin]

If I played a DF game, you mean? Yeah, I'd probably intro the templates as the types of PCs available. I wouldn't just use them for DF though. They're pretty good templates for any relatively high powered heroic game.

[dravenloft]

Originally Posted by Kaldrin

They're pretty good templates for any relatively high powered heroic game.

"[R]elatively high powered"?

Originally Posted by GURPS Basic Set: Campaigns (pg 487)

Larger-than-Life (200 -300 points): [...] Typical of the professional adventurer who has already made a name for themselves.

Sorry. Don't grok it. Baseline heroic is 100-200. This is where other GURPS books place real world SEALS and other special forces types. It's where some of the champ MA guys are. 250 isn't really a lot. You can make a realistic character on this. If you don't want to make the universe work differently for the PCs than the bad guys it's the minimum for a borderline cinematic game, and too low for a full fledged one.

And if GURPS MA is any indication, I'd say that's the default system assumption too.

Sorry -- I really just have never understood calling so little "high". Ziresta's Space Opera with 400 - 750pt characters (those low ones being college professors and baristas) is high point and high power. I always giggle at 250pts as "ludicrously unrealistic" (which I seem to recall seeing once).

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by blacksmith

He has to there is no advancement lenses(levels) to stay with in a class.

uh, no, those aren't Levels and aren't synonymous with Levels. Those are lenses. You don't use those lenses to advance your character within your class - yes, there's no lense for "Barbarian/Barbarian" because that would be kind of dumb. You use the original template as a shopping list for more abilities, and the advancement chapter (that is ALSO in DF3) for "high level" abilities to layer on that aren't on the original template.

Have you read that section yet?

[blacksmith]

Originally Posted by Bruno

uh, no, those aren't Levels and aren't synonymous with Levels. Those are lenses. You don't use those lenses to advance your character within your class - yes, there's no lense for "Barbarian/Barbarian" because that would be kind of dumb. You use the original template as a shopping list for more abilities, and the advancement chapter (that is ALSO in DF3) for "high level" abilities to layer on that aren't on the original template.

Have you read that section yet?

The point is then that how do you determine what is within a class for advancement. It was with the whole ridgid template that Pee Kitty was talking about that got me, how do you do advancement?