Party roles
elsmallo
Member Posts: 5
This is always something that struck me about party crpgs. With the infinity engine particularly so. Why, when you have a party of specialist characters, does the 'leader' do everything by default even if he/she isn't the obvious choice - shouldn't it be possible for the characters to be tailored specific roles when performing actions with the whole party selected. E.g:
Dialogue - the main char might be a half-orc barbarian, intelligence 4, char 3. Yet the party contains a bard with char 18, who'd be the better pick talking to merchants, quest-givers etc.
Looting - the main char is a mage with strength 9, yet party contains a dwarf fighter strength and constitution 18 - should be the main beast of burden.
Opening chests/ traps/ searching - performed best of course by your thief etc. And so on.....
I know it's possible to click on characters individually to perform these tasks, but it's a pain. And while it sometimes makes sense having your high char/int characters up front in case you bump into an NPC, most of the time I've found you want your tanks up front in case of ambush etc. Tanks who generally can't string a sentence together (in roleplaying terms at least).
I'd suggest some kind of 'party roles' tactical screen, whereby a party member can be selected as 'default' for performing specific common tasks with the whole party selected - dialogue, looting, chests and doors etc. This would enable the party formation to simply be that - formation - rather than dictate the leader character always. Ideas?
Dialogue - the main char might be a half-orc barbarian, intelligence 4, char 3. Yet the party contains a bard with char 18, who'd be the better pick talking to merchants, quest-givers etc.
Looting - the main char is a mage with strength 9, yet party contains a dwarf fighter strength and constitution 18 - should be the main beast of burden.
Opening chests/ traps/ searching - performed best of course by your thief etc. And so on.....
I know it's possible to click on characters individually to perform these tasks, but it's a pain. And while it sometimes makes sense having your high char/int characters up front in case you bump into an NPC, most of the time I've found you want your tanks up front in case of ambush etc. Tanks who generally can't string a sentence together (in roleplaying terms at least).
I'd suggest some kind of 'party roles' tactical screen, whereby a party member can be selected as 'default' for performing specific common tasks with the whole party selected - dialogue, looting, chests and doors etc. This would enable the party formation to simply be that - formation - rather than dictate the leader character always. Ideas?
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