The problem with deviating too far from humanoids is that humans have to role play them. That isn't nearly as easy as it seems, as we necessarily draw from what we know to animate our characters (though this is obviously less true of pre-written game characters).
There is also a tendency to apply human morality to "alien" races in ways that are hopelessly anthropomorphic. The illithids are constantly portrayed as evil, are placed in "evil" locations, etc. However, there is no inherent reason beyond their inability to appreciate human morality to think that they would necessarily be "evil" in the way humans conceive of the concept. They have different motivations, needs, desires, etc., that may result in what we would consider evil outcomes, but that doesn't mean that these races are inherently evil-minded. Of course, merely being an innately powerful, but intellectually curious, being would make them dangerous, but that doesn't ascribe intent the way "evil" does. We see this in our own species all the time - witness the scientist who inadvertently killed the oldest living tree by trying to figure out how old it was. This, to me, is a weakness in most fantasy genres - the equating of strange and alien with evil and morally corrupt.
@semiticgod , I think sometimes we all wish life were more like a video game! Until we think about the creepy things like mind flayers, undead, necromancy, AoE spells, and not to forget angry gods who actually intervene.
Everyone complains about video games being unrealistic, but no one complains about real life not being more like video games!
I certainly wouldn't mind finding a magical ring worth 9000 GP in the leaves under a pine tree. I think that might come close to covering my finances for the rest of my life.
Everyone complains about video games being unrealistic, but no one complains about real life not being more like video games!
I certainly wouldn't mind finding a magical ring worth 9000 GP in the leaves under a pine tree. I think that might come close to covering my finances for the rest of my life.
But then someone might use the magical ring against you.
I've never owned a pawn shop, but if I could find a magical ring worth 9,000 gold in the leaves under a pine tree, I'd never pay that much to buy it off of someone.
If life were like a video game, I'd also worry about people breaking into my house just to see what's in my wardrobe (spectacular, spectacular: old but possibly enchanted hoodies, and unmatched socks of speed)
Everyone complains about video games being unrealistic, but no one complains about real life not being more like video games!
I certainly wouldn't mind finding a magical ring worth 9000 GP in the leaves under a pine tree. I think that might come close to covering my finances for the rest of my life.
But then someone might use the magical ring against you.
Not sure if this is really an unpopular opinion, but I don't like the city of Baldur's Gate. It's not only the annoying map, I found the game much more interesting to play before I got there.
I hope this is going to change. Maybe it's my own fault, because most doors are locked and my paladin doesn't break into locked houses without very good reason. But if the interesting stuff is really hidden away there, then why lock the doors in the first place?
Plate armor should make you virtually invinsible to slashes and and ultra resistent to piercing. IMO plate armor should give 15 DR/slashing, 5 DR/piercing and 2 DR/blunt or something similar
Not sure if this is really an unpopular opinion, but I don't like the city of Baldur's Gate. It's not only the annoying map, I found the game much more interesting to play before I got there.
I hope this is going to change. Maybe it's my own fault, because most doors are locked and my paladin doesn't break into locked houses without very good reason. But if the interesting stuff is really hidden away there, then why lock the doors in the first place?
Yes, you're limiting quests and stories by RP a paladin quite substantially. However, there are other players who are disappointed by the BG city:
My only issue with the city is that most of the city area is not walkable. So many space lost on huge walls and inaccessible houses. They could have done just a bit more with that.
Good question. I seem to remember reading somewhere in the Dungeon Master's Guide that a pint of beer costs 1 CP in taverns. If you value a pint of beer in a tavern at 3 USD (which seems to be a very reasonable price in international terms), then 1 GP = 100 CP = $300. With this exchange rate, 9000 GP equals $2.7 million.
Of course, it's likely that my exchange rate would break down very quickly if I started considering the prices of other items.
OK, here's another calculation I've just done. I looked around in the DMG, and I found the cost/month table for various living conditions. According to that, a month of squalid living costs 3 GP, poor 5 GP, middle class 50 GP per level, and wealthy 200 GP per level.
Of course, in real life the cost of living varies quite dramatically by location, but for simplicity's sake I'll go ahead and use a figure I've found in some article that stated that a comfortable middle class lifestyle costs around $2000 per month in Mexico City. If 50 GP = $2000, then 1 GP = $40, so 9000 GP = $360,000.
The infinity engine games have a currency balanced solely for the games and this is not DnD related. I would make estimates based on how much weaponry, drinks or rooms cost in the game.
Not sure if this is really an unpopular opinion, but I don't like the city of Baldur's Gate. It's not only the annoying map, I found the game much more interesting to play before I got there.
I hope this is going to change. Maybe it's my own fault, because most doors are locked and my paladin doesn't break into locked houses without very good reason. But if the interesting stuff is really hidden away there, then why lock the doors in the first place?
Yes, you're limiting quests and stories by RP a paladin quite substantially. However, there are other players who are disappointed by the BG city:
Okay, then I'll stop being bothered by it and accept it as a consequence of my roleplaying decision. I can live with that.
Maybe, just for fun, I might try another class and alignment in the future, to see what I missed. Maybe not.
@Arvia You can roleplay a Paladin who has a thief in the party who does various things without the Paldin knowing anything about it. So long as the thief has a good alignment, I see no problem with a thief being in the party. The thief can be there to disarm traps and the like. When roleplaying a Paladin, as I am doing now, my thief does little in the way of pickpocketting, but my Paladin would have no problems with the thief disarming traps and opening chests in Durlag's Tower as the owner of the tower is hardly going to object.
@Wise_Grimwald , you're right, of course. I have Imoen with me, and of course she opens locks when in dungeons, or chests in enemy territory like the bandit camp or such things. But I'm still responsible for her actions, so I won't have her break into some unmarked house in the city, just because I think there might be something interesting inside.
I've done just that a couple of times. I even had my thief run around on their own and RP'd them coming back with stolen items (but saying they "found" them) or talking about mysteriously unlocked doors to the LG party leader.
@Skatan , I understand that approach, but it's not the way I want to play. I see it as an extra challenge to see how I can survive without getting everything. I'm missing XP, items, and gold this way, I know. But that's the idea.
To me, the way you describe would mean I'm trying to cheat myself.
(and before anyone takes offense, that doesn't mean I'm saying that anyone else is cheating, or that this is the right way. It's just my personal way.)
@Arvia I use a little bit of meta gaming to get some of the content behind locked doors. If I know there is a quest there, I roleplay that character knocked on the door and was let in. Or there are a couple instances where murder had just happened (like a certain captive monster in BG) and I roleplay that charname heard a scuffle inside as they were walking past.
@Wise_Grimwald , you're right, of course. I have Imoen with me, and of course she opens locks when in dungeons, or chests in enemy territory like the bandit camp or such things. But I'm still responsible for her actions, so I won't have her break into some unmarked house in the city, just because I think there might be something interesting inside.
Very interesting. I thought I was likely the only person who played this way, and in my case I don't even play as a paladin, yet as a good aligned character cannot bring myself to break into the home of an ordinary innocent person who's done me no harm and take their stuff - and of course even worse to kill them and take their stuff.
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There is also a tendency to apply human morality to "alien" races in ways that are hopelessly anthropomorphic. The illithids are constantly portrayed as evil, are placed in "evil" locations, etc. However, there is no inherent reason beyond their inability to appreciate human morality to think that they would necessarily be "evil" in the way humans conceive of the concept. They have different motivations, needs, desires, etc., that may result in what we would consider evil outcomes, but that doesn't mean that these races are inherently evil-minded. Of course, merely being an innately powerful, but intellectually curious, being would make them dangerous, but that doesn't ascribe intent the way "evil" does. We see this in our own species all the time - witness the scientist who inadvertently killed the oldest living tree by trying to figure out how old it was. This, to me, is a weakness in most fantasy genres - the equating of strange and alien with evil and morally corrupt.
Wait, that's an 'unpopular' opinion? I want Ents as a playable race in bgee!
Enjoy the -128% fire vulnerability, I guess.
Not as a playable race! Maybe when I'm as old as a Balrog...
But I've always wanted to say "Little orcs, burarum!"
I guess everything that gets a "like" here is not unpopular after all.
Edit: had to google "treant". Shame on me.
Depends the video game. Can you imagine if real life was more like Call of Cthulhu?
You mean it isn't? What do YOU think happened to Malaysian Flight 370???
I certainly wouldn't mind finding a magical ring worth 9000 GP in the leaves under a pine tree. I think that might come close to covering my finances for the rest of my life.
But then someone might use the magical ring against you.
If life were like a video game, I'd also worry about people breaking into my house just to see what's in my wardrobe (spectacular, spectacular: old but possibly enchanted hoodies, and unmatched socks of speed)
Yeah, but I don't believe in magic!
I hope this is going to change. Maybe it's my own fault, because most doors are locked and my paladin doesn't break into locked houses without very good reason. But if the interesting stuff is really hidden away there, then why lock the doors in the first place?
Yes, you're limiting quests and stories by RP a paladin quite substantially. However, there are other players who are disappointed by the BG city:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/39818/baldurs-gate-city-boring
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/41474/anyone-else-hate-baldurs-gate
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/19035/when-do-you-burn-out
Good question. I seem to remember reading somewhere in the Dungeon Master's Guide that a pint of beer costs 1 CP in taverns. If you value a pint of beer in a tavern at 3 USD (which seems to be a very reasonable price in international terms), then 1 GP = 100 CP = $300. With this exchange rate, 9000 GP equals $2.7 million.
Of course, it's likely that my exchange rate would break down very quickly if I started considering the prices of other items.
OK, here's another calculation I've just done. I looked around in the DMG, and I found the cost/month table for various living conditions. According to that, a month of squalid living costs 3 GP, poor 5 GP, middle class 50 GP per level, and wealthy 200 GP per level.
Of course, in real life the cost of living varies quite dramatically by location, but for simplicity's sake I'll go ahead and use a figure I've found in some article that stated that a comfortable middle class lifestyle costs around $2000 per month in Mexico City. If 50 GP = $2000, then 1 GP = $40, so 9000 GP = $360,000.
Okay, then I'll stop being bothered by it and accept it as a consequence of my roleplaying decision. I can live with that.
Maybe, just for fun, I might try another class and alignment in the future, to see what I missed. Maybe not.
To me, the way you describe would mean I'm trying to cheat myself.
(and before anyone takes offense, that doesn't mean I'm saying that anyone else is cheating, or that this is the right way. It's just my personal way.)
Very interesting. I thought I was likely the only person who played this way, and in my case I don't even play as a paladin, yet as a good aligned character cannot bring myself to break into the home of an ordinary innocent person who's done me no harm and take their stuff - and of course even worse to kill them and take their stuff.