Class and Ability Flavor

[Raksha]

Here's a question for you, Sundrenites. To what extent do you think it's acceptable / good RP to stretch the flavor of a certain class to more closely simulate the characteristics of another class, or the sort of character you want to play?

As an example, there is no Marshal or Warlord class in NWN2, so suppose someone played a fighter / bard or even a straight-up bard as one, fluffing the 'song auras' as merely inspiring presence, or quick orders / suggestions. Or perhaps someone fancied a Book of Nine Swords Crusader, so rolled up something like a Fighter / Divine Champion and played out the knockdown and disarming maneuvers as coming from bursts of divine inspiration or even 'smiting'?

For my part I think it can help characters be unique and flavorful, even though there are obvious choke points. Divine classes are probably the most sticky because there are genuine mechanical advantages from following one god or another, and the general consensus seems to be that the stringency of RP requirements is the price they pay for their mechanical power. There seems to be more flexibility when it comes to arcane / martial characters, though even then spells are difficult to 'fluff' as anything else since they can be dispelled and affected by such things.

So, what are your thoughts? Where do you draw the line?

[Kaizen]

i generally do my own thing with my own ideas and run with them until a DM tells me to stfu and gtfo, then I readjust course.

however, this may be the immature/not-so-intelligent thing to do.

in any case, if the RP is good and within reason, it should be acceptable.

it's hard to lol@ the Warlord/Marshal when a Samurai is drinking ale two stools down from you.

[Dirty Goblin]

A good point.

I'd say go with it

It has to be better then motivating people with your intense bardic whistling

And it doesn't seem like a huge stretch, I imagine a bard pounding out some violent tunes on a wardrum would be fairly close to a warlord and his motivational monologues

[Root]

Helga has Bard levels. Her only really used song is Inspire Courage, which I mainly took as the fact that having an eight-foot tall scary-as-hell orcess fighting next to you rather than against you has GOT to be motivating.

[The Butcher]

Creative RP that does not detract from other's RP is good RP. So long as it avoids godmodding situations that should/does affect other characters in negative ways, then I don't see why people wouldn't approve.

[Masaryk]

Helga has Bard levels. Her only really used song is Inspire Courage, which I mainly took as the fact that having an eight-foot tall scary-as-hell orcess fighting next to you rather than against you has GOT to be motivating.

Hahah! I really like that idea.

[Darkened Skies]

I'd say this sort of thing is fun and creative - but it's always best to give the heads-up to the DMs before rolling anything up. There may be problems with the class you're trying to portray that you didn't think of.

Other than that though, I see no problem with this.

[ThePaganKing]

I say go with it.

[Doubtful]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoqDYcCDOTg

[BedlamX]

Almost none of my characters are exactly how most seem to play the builds. Zap is probably the closest, but virtually no one ever plays a stereotypical gnome tinkerer, so being "normal" is out of the norm .

I'm doing a cool (in my opinion, anyway) Shadowbane Stalker build that fits more into the Shadowbane Inquisitor mold. My EK's are always in heavy armor and shields. My Thayan Knight isn't even close to evil or a slave. And my 1/2 orc in the Red Blades talks like a paladin. My paladin of Torm drinks with the boys and sounds more like a hardened mercenary than a paladin.

As you can see, I am all for using some creative RP to make a "normal" class combination seem different that the norm.

[Kaizen]

just as long as you dont do something silly and stupid like a chaotic good drow.


heaven forbid.

[Cornuto]

-50 RP cool points for blurry for playing a CG drow.

[richardleitch5]

being normal is just wierd.

wizards are pritty set how they spend magic but i have RPed my FS as haveing "stuff happen thats helpfull" to show that the god has gifted her but she has no clue how to controll it, could be the same for a sorce.

only limite i can really see if Clerics and Paladins, or other things that get there powers from a GOD, they more or less have to do things that would please the god and if they dont or act in a way that would embarice the god....bye bye powers. still "how" the god gives you such gifts is really up to how you want to RP it.

[crizzan]

I suppose, then, a paladin....

It wouldn't be too far fetched to have a paladin of Helm that questions his own faithfulness... When he gains spells, powers, etc. and uses them, he explains that, if someone truly faithfu were around, Helm would not have to use him.... Because he sees himself as an unworthy last resort.
Or a thief that just happened to learn a few things because he was a starving orphan, not that he really has any skills...

[Biohazard89]

I generally find that those who have their own Styles yield the best experience for everyone. i mean RPing a Stereotype is just dull, and haveing a No Flaws perfect character is even more Dull.

Quirks are fun to play for instance Brunus has a real short temper which have gotten him into trouble with The Legion, The Wardens, The Red Blades and tons of other people.

So i say GO for quirks!