Not Every Product is Made For Every Gamer

As gamers, all of us have different wants and needs when it comes to our favorite pastime. Some of us want games that are extremely rules-light where we just have some vague boundaries for our collective storytelling experience. Some of us want games with a lot of heavy crunch where we can chew through a complex and robust rule system. Some of us like dark themes that can leave us dealing with heavy issues and existential questions, and some of us want games where we can just fire lasers at space Nazis.

Most of us understand this. There's some folks out there, though, who seem confused that just because they don't want a particular product, that doesn't mean other gamers out there share that opinion.

And if you don't need it, you don't have to buy it.

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Sometimes You're Not The Target

On the surface, most of us get this. If you don't play Blades in The Dark, for instance, then you know instinctively that when someone writes a supplement for it that they aren't thinking about gamers like you as their target audience. We also get it that if we prefer games with fire-breathing dragons and arcane orders, then all the content coming out for Cyberpunk RED isn't aimed at our wallets.

It's when we have more general use products, though, or gaming supplements that appeal to a specific type of play more than a particular game that (for some reason) a lot of us lose our grip on this objectivity.

Like this one, for example.

I ran into some of this push back with both Towns of Sundara above, as well as its predecessor 10 Fantasy Villages. Both of these supplements provide pre-made towns with maps, NPCs, rumors, histories, and little plot hooks should you want to use them as the starting point of a campaign, or you just need a little inspiration for side quests. And for some Game Masters this was just what they were looking for (given that the fantasy villages supplement is currently sitting at Electrum status), but for some reason there were some people who felt the need to leave derogatory comments on posts about it. It seems that, to these particular individuals, any Game Master who didn't build 100% of their own setting with their own hands wasn't a "real" GM, and they didn't deserve to sit in the chair. As such, they felt the need to turn their nose up at a product that offered pre-made towns with advice, NPCs, etc.

That attitude probably merits a blog all its own, but it's useful for illustrating the point. If that's the way you feel about RPGs, and you have zero use for a supplement like either of these books, then you can rest assured that you are not the type of gamer I wrote them for in the first place.

If you don't like modules, horror games, or DND 5E, then my horror module The Curse of Sapphire Lake for DND 5E isn't a product you're going to want. If your group is steering clear from games with dark themes and topics, or you have really good communication with your table, then the tools found in the free supplement Consent in Gaming might not be something you want or need. If you're confident in your style and abilities, then you may not feel the need to check out 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better Game Master.

And all of that is fine. You should, as I so often say, do what works for you.

At the same time, though, if something isn't for you, then don't engage with it. Whether it's a strategy you don't want to use, or a game you have no interest in playing, or a setting you don't want to touch, you're perfectly within your rights to say no to it. Hell, as I pointed out in Let People Dislike Things, you can even go complain about it, if that will make you feel better. I've done that very thing on this blog more than once, and it can be quite therapeutic.

But if a game's only sin is that it doesn't appeal to you, remember that it probably wasn't made for you in the first place. There are other gamers out there who might enjoy it, even if it's not your preferred brand of beverage... so keep on scrolling. It's a silly hill to die on, and there's no reason to make a stand when you can better spend that energy finding things you do like, and enjoying them instead.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Is This What It Feels Like To Be a Grognard? (Deja Vu and DND 5E)

Being an old hand at anything feels strange. Because on the one hand I always feel like I just became a member of a hobby (or even a profession) a few years ago. Then I take a step back, look at my timeline, and realize that no, I really have been here long enough for an entirely new generation or two to crop up and come into the hobby behind me.

Before we go much further, I'm going to try to follow my own advice in 5 Things You Can Do To Be a Better Ambassador For Your Hobby and not just grouse about things. However, I keep getting the strangest sense of deja vu, and I just felt compelled to talk about it this week.

Even in death, I still play.

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Wait, We're Having THIS Debate Again?!

For those not familiar with the term, a grognard refers to an older member of most hobbies (and of RPGs in particular) who has chosen their particular style or edition and opts not to move on with the changing flow of the hobby. Whether it's folks who are perfectly happy with the first edition of DND and have been playing it for decades, those who grew up on 2nd edition in the 80s and don't like what came after, or folks like me who came in during the 3.0/3.5 transfer and found their happy place there or with Pathfinder's first edition, we can sometimes feel strange and dated when our tastes are compared with what's popular in current gaming circles.

The term itself traces back to the French military, and when capitalized it refers to the imperial guard formed by Napoleon. Something I went into more detail on back in What is a Grognard? for those who didn't see it.

THaCO? Only a few of us left know that name...

While I definitely have my preferred styles of gaming and play (I like crunchy games with a lot of customization, and where the GM is more of a referee and less of an author, for those who are wondering), I also make my living designing supplements and additional content for roleplaying games. As such, while I may choose not to play certain games or editions for my own entertainment, I still have to read, understand, and keep up on all these changes to make certain I can handle any contracts that might come my way.

And though the 5th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons isn't new by any stretch of the imagination (I've moved twice since the playtest, and there's rumbles about the 6th edition already), it is responsible for bringing in one of the largest generations of players into the hobby. That's a good thing, and I won't knock any edition for acting as a solid recruitment tool to expand what it both my favorite pastime, and the primary way I pay my rent.

But without getting too critical, the 5th Edition feels like a greatest hits list of all the things Dungeons and Dragons has already done before. They gave us Ravenloft and the Forgotten Realms, the Warlock and the Artificer, and every time Wizards announced they were going to be putting out some shiny new content it turned out to be something that was just a re-tooling of a class, adventure, setting, or archetype that was already old when I joined the hobby nearly two decades ago.

Perhaps as a natural result of that, it feels like players are even having the same arguments that tables were having back when I still didn't know the difference between my skill synergies and my saving throws.

Atheist Clerics, Celibate Bards, and Emotionless Barbarians

If you've been a part of any RPG boards, social media groups, etc., chances are good you've come across the debate over the atheist cleric. In short, it's a cleric who draws their power from commitment to an idea or philosophy, rather than one who forms a bond with a god in a traditional sense. The arguments over this have been raging for weeks in my feed... and I have this weird feeling that people aren't aware this was settled forever and a day ago?

Seriously, ask the old timers. We have citations for these arguments.

Way back when Pathfinder first came out, there was text in the rulebook specifically addressing this. It was also handled back in the 3.5 edition with various prestige classes and expansions. Hell, just before the latest round of debates hit, I addressed the way this is often done poorly in Addressing The Fantasy Atheist. So I felt understandably baffled that there were so many people shouting about this when as far as I could tell there should have been at least a few grognards raising their voice to let these newer players know this wasn't a new conversation, and there was already a lot of established reading on the subject.

But then I started noticing other echoes that gave me the same, weird feeling.

There were people arguing about how barbarian rage worked, and what forms it could take. An argument I first had about 17 years ago (and it was considered a dead horse then, too), and one which I expanded on two years back when I wrote 50 Shades of Rage: Reflavoring The Barbarian's Signature Ability. There's been arguments about bards that don't play music, and who use dance, poetry, or rhetoric are somehow invalid even though there have been archetypes and suggestions for doing these very things for several editions, and none of these extra limitations are backed up by text in the book.

Pick a class, a species, or nearly any concept, and people are still having the exact same debates they've been having for years now. But, more importantly, it feels from reading the comments and interacting with some of the more vocal individuals that a majority of folks are convinced they're the first individuals to have these ideas, or to raise these points.

Though I'm not old enough to be a grandpa grognard, I've been at this long enough that I think I could be considered a wise and world-weary uncle. So I'd like to offer some uncle-y advice to folks out there with regards to gaming; before you get really revved up about an idea, direction, or debate, ask someone who's been in the hobby for a while. I guarantee you that we've got stories to share, and we'll save you a lot of time, energy, and community outrage.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my cat noir thriller Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Hoardreach is The Place For All Those "Too Weird" Characters To Come From

There are, generally speaking, two kinds of GMs when it comes to fantasy RPGs. There's GMs who want to embrace the full scale and spectrum of possibility within the setting as it exists, and there's GMs who want to limit as many player options as possible when it comes to how weird, wild, or strange they get.

You can usually identify the latter because they'll tell players to stop trying to make "special snowflake" characters.

Now, I talked about all the issues I have with this line of thinking back in It Only Has To Happen Once (Weird PCs and The "Special Snowflake" Argument). In brief, though, if something is allowed by the rules of the game, and is possible within the setting, then players should be allowed to choose those options. Whether it's an orc paladin, a goblin wizard, a dwarven sorcerer, or any other basic combination of species and class that isn't expressly banned by the rules.

Because sure, it might be weird. It might be unconventional. But it's fantasy... stretch your imagination, because that's the name of the game!

Frost Fang approves of snowflakes of all kinds!

It is for this purpose that I created Hoardreach for my Sundara: Dawn of a New Age setting. So if you want the freedom to get weird, wild, and bizarre with your characters, this is going to be right up your alley!

For folks who want to stay on top of all my latest releases, sign up for my weekly newsletter! Also, if you enjoy my work, my latest novel Painted Cats just dropped this month. So if you want to check out a noir mystery with a Maine coon cat as the protagonist, this one is a wild ride!

Hoardreach is Where The Weirdness Lives

For folks who haven't been tuning in, one thing that I threw out the window with Sundara as a setting was the alignment system. While that means you no longer have alignment requirements for classes in Pathfinder, it also means there's no such thing as species-based alignments, or culture-based ones. Everything has to be evaluated on its own, rather than always having that Good, Neutral, or Evil label hanging over it to color your perspective of what you're looking at.

Oh don't you worry... there's still plenty of initiative that needs rolling.

However, while Sundara as a setting is about progress, discovery, and finding creative solutions to existing problems, several readers have mistakenly thought that makes it a world without conflict. There are plenty of conflicts for adventurers to get involved in, from protecting trade secrets, to dealing with outbreaks of undead, to trying to soothe tensions between two powers that might go to war... but what Sundara lacks is the idea that you can just kill certain creatures because they're evil without thinking twice about doing so.

And that, my friends, is where Hoardreach comes in.

Hoardreach is a sky island (a unique mountain location with drastically different conditions due to its height, as opposed to an island that floats in the sky... don't worry, we'll get to that later), and it was the strangeness of this location that drew the Founders. 5 dragons, rather than battling over the territory, agreed to each allow the others the part of the mountain they wanted for their lairs, and to act in the defense of all. While fairly young dragons individually, all 5 working in concert wielded far more power than anything short of a great wyrm could have managed.

After negotiations with one another, and meeting with a representative of the Adeptus Draconis (an order of knights tasked with keeping peace between dragons and non-dragons that was first mentioned back in 100 Knightly Orders), the Cooperation reached out to their neighbors. In exchange for tribute, they would extend their protection to surrounding areas, and assist with dangers they faced. While many were reluctant at first, the benefits of the dragons' aid far outweighed the cost asked.

As word of Hoardreach spread, people started coming to see it for themselves. While there were explorers and merchants, along with scholars, the city also drew outcasts who'd been forced away from their own homes. Goblin tribes that had been hunted, harpies who were unwanted, the remnants of orc mercenary bands who found no welcome, and dozens of others all sought places within Hoardreach. As the city grew it drew still more (and stranger) inhabitants who were able to lend their unique skills and abilities to make the city run smoothly. Soon the Founders were able to conserve their energies only for dire emergencies, while the various corps throughout the city took over the day-to-day labors.

Now Hoardreach is known far and wide. For in addition to being the City of Wyrms, it is also the place where the fledgling industry of air travel has been born. Ships shingled in the cast-off scales of the founders, and carefully constructed for form and function, have opened the possibilities of new types of trade and travel... as well as warfare, for those who would consider making the dragons of Hoardreach their enemies.

When Weird Becomes Normal

Everything in Hoardreach is utterly bonkers and bizarre... which means that to those who live there, this is completely normal.

It's not unusual to have different seasons going on in different districts, the very elements influenced by the presence of one of the Founder's Wyrm Marks. Flying ships are an everyday occurrence, as are pseudodragons, fey dragons, kobolds, and others. Sorcerers with draconic heritage are fairly common, many coming to the city hoping to learn at the feet of powerful dragons who might (albeit distantly) share their bloodlines. Ogres catch lines to help anchor ships, goblins and orcs sell soup in bowls around one of the main squares, and a frost giant is one of the head shipwrights who designs the unique sky ships of Hoardreach.

This is the Fantastical Mundane in action. If there's a monstrous species players have access to in the setting, chances are there's at least a handful of them in Hoardreach. If there's an unusual magical specialty, a strange family history, or just an odd magic item, it's a safe bet you could find it there. If you wanted to play a goblin who grew up in a major city surrounded by their family instead of being hunted like vermin, or a gnoll who was raised by an adopted halfling family, or a sorcerer who learned magic in the lair of a dragon, or an ogrekin looking to make their own way in the world... that's just Tuesday in Hoardreach.

So if any of that sounds like something you want to add to your game (as each of the Cities of Sundara can be enfolded into a different setting, or played as part of Sundara), get your copy of either the Pathfinder Edition of Hoardreach, or the DND 5th Edition of Hoardreach today!

Don't Forget The Rest of Sundara as Well!

If Hoardreach sounds like your cup of tea, remember that it's the 4th installment in the Sundara setting thus far! Not only that, but the others all have their own weird, wild, and unusual goodies to offer as well. So take a moment to check out:

- Ironfire: The City of Steel (Pathfinder and 5E): Built around the Dragon Forge, Ironfire is where the secret to dragon steel was first cracked. The center of the mercenary trade in the region, as well as boasting some of the finest schools for teaching practical sciences, Ironfire is a place where discovery and danger walk hand in hand!

- Moüd: The City of Bones (Pathfinder and 5E): An ancient center of trade and magic, Moüd was lost to a cataclysm, and then buried in myth. Reclaimed by the necromantic arts of the Silver Wraiths guild, this city has once again become a place teeming with life. Despite the burgeoning population, though, it is the continued presence of the undead that helps keep the city running, ensuring that Moüd is not swallowed up once more.

- Silkgift: The City of Sails (Pathfinder and 5E): Built on the cottage industry of Archer cloth (an extremely durable material used for sails, windmills, etc.), Silkgift is a place that prizes invention and discovery. From gravity batteries that store the potential of the wind, to unique irrigation systems, to aether weapons, the city positively churns out discoveries... and then there's the canal they cut through the mountains that makes them a major center of trade across the region.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my cat noir thriller Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

How Hitchens' Razor Can Simplify Gaming Discussions

If you've been gaming for a while, you've no doubt heard some really heated conversations over games. Not just regarding rules and mechanics, but also over the minutiae of the setting and the flavor of different abilities. Everything from whether a certain spell actually provokes attacks of opportunity, to whether or not elves can have beards or not has become a hill that at least one gamer (sometimes several) have opted to die on in my presence alone.

There is something that I've found which helps cut through these arguments, and reach meaningful understanding and compromise, however. It's a mystical artifact known by few that's referred to as Hitchens' Razor.

Which you can get at Tee Spring, for those who care.

What is Hitchens' Razor, Exactly?

As you can see on the shirt, the simple premise of Hitchens' Razor is That which can be asserted without evidence may be dismissed without evidence.

This will save you more time in arguments in general, but in gaming arguments it can be a metaphorical life saver. Because embracing this concept makes it clear that unless someone can point out something that backs up their belief or opinion (whether it's how much damage a snowstorm inflicts, or what accent the dwarven language has), then it isn't a fact, and they can't demand it be treated as such.

It's not the first time I've made such a case...

This was basically the same advice I gave in Table Attorneys Vs. Rules Lawyers: How To Be Fair Without Bogging Down Your Game. In short, if someone wants to make an assertion (especially if it's from a player to the DM), then they need to have a piece of text that backs them up on it. Whether it's showing that a spell doesn't require somatic gestures to cast, or pointing out that elves come in all shapes and colors (many of them weird, wild, and otherworldly), pointing out the relevant section in the book makes a pretty solid argument. Same as you would when using case law to explain to a judge why your particular move should be honored by the court, rather than overruled by the bench.

The human mind is a barely-functioning biological computer that's full of glitches, errors, and crossed wires. It's one reason that eyewitness testimony is actually one of the least reliable forms of evidence you can have in a courtroom, despite it being treated with such importance. And more often than not when we clearly remember something we're actually recalling text from a different game, or filling in the rules for a completely different setting (the common argument of, "Well, Tolkien said this is how it works," when playing games not set in Middle Earth for example).

So if you can't point to the relevant rule in a book, or you can't find the section that supports your statement, re-consider whether this is an argument you want to make. Because if you assert that something works one way, there's no reason for anyone else to accept that's true if you didn't bring the receipts.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. Hopefully you found this suggestions useful!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The REAL Reason Power Tiers Are A Useless Concept in Pathfinder

So, at this point I think we're all passingly familiar with the concept of power tiers. For those who aren't familiar, I'll break it down for you. The tiers go from 1 (considered the "most powerful" character classes), all the way down to tier 5 or 6. Those who believe this system is useful, either as DMs or as players, tend to put spellcasters near the top tier, with martial classes in the middle, and the bottom taken up with hard-to-classify ones like the monk.

However, in all the conversations and arguments I've seen regarding power tiers, I keep coming across the same, inherent problem with this classification system (aside from the fact that it's completely opinion based). The problem is that these tiers do not account for the sheer variety of options you can encounter in a Pathfinder campaign, either in character building, or in the threats you have to overcome.

Hear that? That's the sound of a thousand keyboards all chattering with rebuttals.

Now then, for those of you who are still here, I'm going to make a few points that will further explain why I think we should do away with this system in favor of more nuanced discourse.

Point #1: It Doesn't Factor in Number of Encounters

No one who has ever played a Pathfinder game would dispute that a fully-powered wizard or cleric is a force to reckon with. They tend to be big bosses for a reason. However, as anyone who has played a spellcaster knows, you are a big gun with a limited number of bullets. Sure, you may be able to completely destroy an encounter by yourself, but how many times a day can you do that? Once? Twice? What are you going to have left by the time you get to the third encounter, and you're down to cantrips and/or orisons?

Intimidating the raging barbarian is not a recommended tactic.

It is a fair statement to say that a wizard, through use of the right spells, can sneak around just as well, or better, than many rogues. However, the time limit on spells, combined with the limited uses you have of them per day, means that when it comes to a dungeon crawl, the guy who can roll reliably all day is the better choice for the job.

Put another way, sure, you can do amazing things with tier 1 characters. But how long can you keep it up for?

Point #2: Multiclassing

One of the biggest issues with the power tier system is that it seems to function on the belief that most characters will take levels of one class, and one class only. As soon as you start mixing and matching, it throws off all the assumptions. After all, if you're a wizard/fighter, then how do we decide where you belong? What if you're playing a barbarian/rogue? Does it matter how many levels of one class you take, and how many of the other? Do your feats come into it? Does your choice of spells?

The filing system is pretty easily screwed up.

Point #3: There Are Too Many Options

More powerful tiers are supposed to be inherently stronger than lower tiers when it comes to solving problems, whatever forms those problems take. That's a fine sentiment, but the sheer number of challenges means that different classes (or at least characters with different abilities) will be more useful in certain situations than others.

Everybody chill. I got this.

As a for instance, say your party is ambushed by assassins. The sorcerer's area of effect spells would obliterate swarms, or slow-moving enemies, but Improved Evasion means these targets walk through fireballs as if they weren't even there. If your enemies have protection from summoned monsters, then conjurers, druids, and summoners are going to find their usual tactics are nowhere near as effective.

This is true on a campaign level, in addition to on an encounter level. For example, an enchanter will find themselves at a serious disadvantage if they have to deal with mindless undead, plants, and constructs, instead of sentient creatures susceptible to their charms. A paladin who has to fight neutrally aligned mercenaries, vicious animals, or warriors simply trying to stay alive, may find that his smite is taken off the table, and that a number of his spells simply will not avail him in this fight. Rangers who go up against creatures that aren't on their favored enemy list will find they aren't nearly as effective as they are on their home turf, fighting their favored prey.

It isn't just challenges, though. Because there are a huge number of options players can pursue when it comes to their strategies.

For example, the rogue is on a lower tier than the wizard. But a rogue skilled in the use magic device skill, and who is willing to collect and utilize the proper resources, will find that this portable magic is quite useful. A fighter with the Eldritch Heritage feats manifests certain sorcerer powers, and those can often provide a character with a wider range of options and powers during a game. Even the much-maligned monk can often use their supernatural abilities to succeed in situations where traditional sorceries will fail.

Who Gets To Decide What's "Powerful"?

The major problem, when we get down to it, is who gets to say what is and isn't powerful?

For example, the ability to cast a 9th level spell is certainly impressive. But if you have a wizard trying to target someone who's hiding in plain sight, how do they find them? Do you cast hoping to hit the right area the target is in? Alternatively, you may have the ability to cleave an opponent in twain with a single swing of your sword, but what do you do if they're in a tree, or flying in the air? You may be the deadliest pistolero in the world, but what do you do if you need to cross the desert?

Bring a wand of Create Water, perhaps?

Too often, as players, we take it upon ourselves to decide that certain powers, and certain abilities, are inherently more valuable to a game than others. However, if we're going to have a, "my favorite class can beat up your favorite class," argument, then we need to set some serious parameters. For example, what is the situation that's being dealt with? What sort of campaign are we talking about? Are we talking pure class abilities only, or are we bringing gear into the discussion as well? Feat choice? Spell selection? Are we allowing only the core books, or anything from Paizo?

For example, it's perfectly acceptable to say that, "in an ambush situation, a diviner is going to be able to act more quickly than any other base class." That's true. But it's situation-specific, and this enables us to make statements that are actually valid. Simply stating, "X class is more powerful than Y class," adds nothing to the conversation, because we have no context. What are they trying to accomplish? Are we talking about damage output? Survivability? Who can discover more about plot-relevant clues? And is this a once-a-day trick that we can do with a minute or two of prep time, or is this something you can do waking up naked in the middle of the night?

That's it for this week's Moon Pope Monday post. Hopefully I managed to make a case that we can all talk about, and which will help us move away from massive generalities into more nuanced, useful discussions. If you'd like to help support Improved Initiative, then stop by The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to toss a little bread in my jar. If you give at least $1 a month, there's even some swag in it for you! Lastly, if you haven't followed me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter yet, why not start now?

No One Is Accusing You Of Having "Wrong Bad Fun"

The Internet is chock full of advice when it comes to roleplaying games. Whether you're looking for rules combinations, character conversions, guides, clarifications, or just suggestions for creating atmosphere, or getting into character, you can find it out there. Regardless of the system you're playing, or the kind of tone you're going for, you're bound to find at least a few bloggers, vloggers, and industry voices you agree with. You're also likely to find several you disagree with. It is, in fact, likely for you to find a lot of people you disagree rather strongly with. Which is why, this Monday, I'd like to remind everyone out there of the silent mantra when it comes to reading RPG blogs, watching channels, reading articles, or just talking in forums and on social media.

Now, repeat after the Goat of Silliness...

The mantra goes something like this. "If I don't agree with this content, then clearly it's not meant for me, or my game."

That's it. Just a simple, silent sentiment that we should always tack to any article we disagree with when it comes to gaming.

RPGs Are Not A Zero Sum Game

I bring this up because I spend a lot of time online talking about RPGs. Whether I'm promoting my own blog posts, or those of a fellow creator, or just answering questions or joining discussions, I spend several hours a day up to my elbows talking about my favorite games. And, as anyone who spends time on social media knows, there are bound to be disagreements. Sometimes it's over a rules interpretation, and other times it's over whether or not a certain class is bound to certain styles of play. Sometimes it's just asking if something is technically possible, according to the game rules.

Now, I'm going to make the following statements from the calmest portion of my soap box that I have. Suggesting a certain way to play is not demanding that everyone play that way. Pointing out that a rule works a certain way in the game does not preclude your table from altering that rule when you play the game.

Unless someone specifically says, "this is the only way to play this aspect of the game, and if you do it differently, then you're doing it wrong," then no one is "calling you out" for having "wrong, bad fun."

Play how you want, you mad bastards.

However, if you feel the need to demand that someone else stop telling you how to play the game, and you want to sling a comment about how the, "fun police," have found your thread, take a moment, and repeat the silent mantra to yourself. Then, if you feel so compelled, re-read the thing that upset you, and ask if it is, in fact, demanding that all players play the game in a single way. If it isn't, and is simply pointing out the language of a rule, making a suggestion on how a given class could be run, or stating that at this particular person's table, X, Y, or Z are the order of the day, then scroll on along.

So What's Your Point?

What's the point of this post? To get my fellow gamers, and members of the community, to stop using the accusation of someone calling you out for, "wrong, bad fun," the same way that people with unpopular views will scream about their, "freedom of speech," or about how everyone's so, "politically correct," when the criticism starts rolling their way. Someone telling you that your interpretation of the rules is directly against the game's errata, and thus that you have house-ruled things to be different, is not an attack on you. That's just a statement. Someone pointing out that barbarians can be from big cities, or that wizards don't have to go to universities, isn't accusing you of playing the game incorrectly. They're just pointing out that there are other ways to do things.

You like the way you're doing them? Beautiful! Shine on, and happy trails. But if you're going to get involved in discussions, talk about the issue at hand. Don't just raise a criticism shield and claim someone's trying to censor your fun.

Well, that's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday post. Hopefully you enjoyed what I had to say, and even if you didn't enjoy it, that you still found something worth taking away from this particular post. If you'd like to help support Improved Initiative, then just stop by The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to toss a few bills in my jar. No pledge is too low, and if you pledge at least $1 a month I have a free book with your name on it! Well, my name is on it, but you get the picture. Lastly, if you haven't followed me on Facebook, Tumblr, or Twitter yet, what's the hold-up?

Can We Stop Making "The Batman Argument" For Wizards?

Character classes are designed so that they each have something to contribute to a game. The goal is for a party to be able to handle any challenge that comes its way, and for the members to combine their efforts in order to be more than just a bunch of individuals. A party should, ideally, be a team that works together like a well-oiled machine to defeat the cult, slay the dragon, or accomplish whatever other goal has been set before them.

No matter how unsettling that goal happens to be.

 

Despite our tacit agreement that every class has its place, and that in the hands of a skilled player any class or class combination can be used to make a good character, there is still this inane urge we have to talk about the "strongest" classes. In what boils down to a "my dad can beat up your dad" style debate, a faction of players will insist with absolute authority that wizards are the most powerful class. When asked why they feel this way, the players will say that it's because a 20th level wizard, given time to cast and the resources for necessary spell components, is an unstoppable force. They'll throw out the ability to teleport across the map, or the power to summon creatures from the ether, or the ability to create pocket dimensions, but no matter the lyrics, the tune being played is always the same.

I am now referring to this protestation as "The Batman Argument," and I would like to ask anyone tempted to make it to take a moment to look at why it's ridiculous.

What is The Batman Argument?

Batman is one of the most competent characters in the DC comics universe, if not in all of fiction. A master detective with a genius intellect, and perhaps the world's most accomplished martial artist, Batman's writers have also created a rule for the caped crusader's stories over the years. The rule says that no matter how powerful the foe, if given enough time and resources, Batman can craft a solution that lets him emerge victorious.

Because all I do is win.

 

This is the sort of logic that some players will use to justify their opinion about wizards being the most powerful character class. Because, they will argue, a sufficiently accomplished wizard can alter time, permanently alter his form, and create small armies of followers while guarding himself completely against any outside threat.

Which sounds great... until you realize the same sort of argument can be made for nearly any class.

 

Also, before we go any further, here's your reminder to check out my 5 Tips For Playing Better Wizards!

Every Class Is An Epic Threat At Level 20

If you set the same parameters for other classes that you do for a wizard (a huge budget, home turf advantage, and unlimited prep time), then you can create similarly difficult threats with any class, and a bit of creativity. A 20th level ranger claims a huge swath of forest, along with several strongholds inside it, and sets up traps to catch the unwary. Or a swath of desert, or a network of caverns, or even an entire neighborhood of a city. Within that area he can move like a ghost, springing deadly ambushes on anyone who enters his realm, and vanishing before his enemies can hit back.

Pick a class, and you can come up with similar arguments. A high-level rogue or ninja can ambush even the wariest of parties, picking them off in the night, or assassinating them in their beds, sneaking unseen past locked doors and booby traps. Give a 20th level fighter time to prepare for every contingency, and the equipment to handle it, and you'll find yourself hard-up against a master of war on her home turf. A 20th level barbarian is a storm of fury and frenzy, and even the lowly bard can create a deadly fun house that will have even competent adventurers jumping at shadows.

Of course a wizard that's allowed endless time to prepare, is given a huge budget, and is allowed to choose the place where the confrontation happens is going to be a gigantic threat. That's why so many end-of-campaign bad guys are wizards with a page and a half of precasts. But time and resources, put in the hands of any other class, can be just as dangerous.

Besides, how much harder is it to operate when you don't have the time and resources you need to prep? When you aren't given time to rest, and when you run out of fuel for your higher-level tricks? What then?

Everything Has A Weakness

Something that often gets overlooked in the pointless discussion of whose favorite class is better endowed than the other is this gaming truism; everything has a weakness.

Everything.

 

Paladins are an unstoppable force, when you put them up against evil creatures that rely on fear effects. If you have them fight creatures that aren't evil, though, they're fighting with their hands tied. Rangers are a deadly threat when they're in a familiar terrain and fighting a favored enemy... when they're out of their element, though, they lose a lot of their power. Rogues who can't get their sneak attack off aren't going to do a lot of damage, and fighters or barbarians who can't overcome damage reduction or escape a colossal foe's grapple, are going to be in quite the tight spot.

What about wizards? Well, wizards have weaknesses just like any other class. As I mentioned in How To Shut Down Spellcasters in Pathfinder, wizards' primary weaknesses are refreshing and preparing spells, required components, familiars and bonded items, and concentration checks. If you can keep a wizard from getting the time required to rest and re-prepare spells, disrupt the spellcasting process by planting an arrow in the caster's shoulder, stealing a bonded item, or snatching away necessary material components (particularly important for high-level spells where the components can't be ignored with Eschew Materials), then you have taken the bullets out of the gun.

The other weaknesses wizards have to deal with is that they have to choose spells for the day, and they can only cast so many of those spells. Choosing the wrong spells for a given situation is just as disastrous as firing off one spell after another, until you're shooting blanks. And, lastly, a wizard needs to be able to get their spells off. Sometimes all it takes is a good initiative check for you to cripple your foes before they can harm the party... and sometimes all it takes is a bad initiative check for you to find yourself on the ragged edge before you managed a single somatic component.

Everything Is Situational

None of this is to say that wizards, or any other spellcasters, are weak classes. They simply have different pressure points than other classes do. And, while you should plan for those blind spots so you know what to do if they come up in game, people in glass houses ought not to throw stones.

No matter how badass your glass house is.

 

At the end of the day, though, how effective a character, or a party, is depends entirely on the campaign they're put in. For example, A brute squad made up of a front line of skull crushers, an archer, a battle caster, and a chaplain are going to decimate the enemy on the battlefield in a straight-up fight, but if they have to pursue a more subtle, political plot they'll be fish out of water. A powerful enchanter or illusionist might be able to defeat foes through trickery and domination, but if every enemy in a campaign is immune to their spells because their minds are beyond the reach of magic, these casters are completely out of their element.

At the end of the day, it's perfectly okay to have a favorite class. By all means, talk about the things you like, and why you like them. But if you ever feel the need to break out a ruler and start comparing sizes, just remember that you're not Batman.

I hope this week's Monday post didn't ruffle too many feathers! If you enjoyed it, and you'd like to help support Improved Initiative, then why not stop by The Literary Mercenary's Patreon Page to become a patron? As little as $1 a month will keep the content flowing. Also, if you haven't already, why not follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter?