On Hopeless Characters

OK, DMs and players, where do you stand on the issue of a "hopeless" character? Reroll it, or see it as a role-playing opportunity?

Let's let Professor Barker and Zeb Cook weigh in on opposite sides:

"Should a player roll a totally unsuitable character, the referee (at his option, not the player's) may allow the player to roll over for a totally new character. Re-rolling individual basic talents is NOT allowed, nor is it possible to transfer points from one talent to another. If one rolls a puny weakling, thus, or a hopelessly stupid clod, it is best to let him or her wander off into the sunset and roll for a new persona!"
-- M.A.R. Barker, Empire of the Petal Throne, 1975, p.12. 

"Don't give up on a character just because he has a low score. Instead, view it as an opportunity to role-play, to create a unique and entertaining personality in the game. Not only will you have fun creating that personality, but other players and the DM will have fun reacting to him."
-- David "Zeb" Cook, 2nd Edition AD&D Player's Handbook, 1989, p. 18.

Gotta say I'm with Professors Barker and Holmes on this one. Reroll until the PC has at least one ability score to get excited about, and no very low scores.
 
As a player, I have found Cook's advice to be cold comfort as I suffer the presence of the other players' paladins and rangers while I'm stuck with "just a fighter." If it's another player who has the hopeless character, I tend to find it annoying to put up with the PC's weaknesses unless the player is brilliantly clever or entertaining. As a  DM, I get bored when heroes become thespians -- I'm really more interested in moving the plot along at a good clip and providing tactical challenges and moments of wonder than in watching improv theater.


Most D&D campaigns I've DM'd or played in featured fudging or re-rolling during character creation outside the guidelines of the RAW. Of the dozens of people I've introduced to the game, many have scratched their heads about the whole process. In my ruleset you get a character with optimal stats for his or her role, and you can individualize the character in play as you level-up. I've had no complaints so far, but would any of you strongly object to all PCs of a particular class starting with the same stats, and why?
 

[Play Report] Assault on Stormgate Island

Oof! Just got back from a couple of days' gaming and skiing in Maine. Had a chance to introduce the DT ruleset to a longtime member of my playing group (like, 35 years) and his two kids, along with my kid. We picked up the game where we left off but introduced a bunch of new characters who were also interested in catching the mysterious Snatchers and also in penetrating Obdura's prison/fortress.
Read on for the plot and for some interesting rules bits we tried out in play...

That's Why The Lady is a Bard

I didn't paint this.

My offspring is gearing up for a new campaign. She has decided to retire Rosima the elf sorceress and wants to play an elven bard, based on this Reaper mini. "Her name is Palemoon and she's a moon elf with straight black hair. What can bards do?"
This is great, actually, because I haven't done a bard role for DungeonTeller. What's essential about bards?

1. They use song as a medium for magic.
2. They are lore masters.
3. They are persuasive speakers.

In my ruleset, your race and role are inseparable, so "elf bard" is distinct from "human bard". Here's some flavor text to start with:

Elf bards are priestesses of the elven moon goddess Kaguya. Their songs can heal, give hope to those in need, and drive away evil. Moonlight being a vehicle of dreams, these bards can create phantoms from song and shadow to beguile or confuse. They often accompany themselves on lutes with silver strings. On completion of a bard's first important quest, the moon goddess grants her a rabbit companion that serves as a guide and sentinel. 


Stats:
Battle 1
Magic 3
Make 1 (+4 bonus dice when making or fixing musical instruments)
Notice 5 (+1 bonus die when in presence of rabbit companion)
Resist 3
Shoot 3
Sneak 2
Stunt 2
Talk 5 (+1 when playing lute)


They have some of the powers of other elf roles: cloak and starlight.
They also grab some wizard and paladin powers, with the difference that they roll their Talk dice rather than their Magic or Resist dice to cast them:
counterspell
drive away undead
hand of healing
inspire
phantom
will o' the wisp

They also possess the rogue power voice trick.

Let's make up a new power for them on the spot:


Beguile
Your words can hold an audience spellbound. Costs 2 Luck. Bard starting power.
Roll your Talk dice. One or more successes means that your enemies lose their next turn, listening raptly to your song. If your friends make a Battle or Shoot roll against a beguiled enemy, it will not lose its next turn. Each enemy may roll its Resist dice to take away any successes you made. This power is best used before a fight begins. If you use this power after you or your friends have made Battle or Shoot rolls against your enemies, each enemy will get a bonus Resist die against your beguile for the rest of the action scene.



Anyone catch Colbert's "half-orc bard" reference on The Report the other night?

Free PDF of BlueBoxer DungeonTeller Ruleset

Here for your enjoyment is a PDF of the ruleset I've been using. It has streamlined play with an old-school feel. Hope you like it!
DungeonTeller V1