Is this... the lore?

[Ravenath]

Hello, there!

I'm spanish and I'm having a hard time finding the meaning of a term.

Lets see...

There is 2 separate things in a rule book: the rules and the flavor text. That flavor text... is called the lore?

Thanks for your answers.

[archmagi1]

Flavor text is the descriptive text used to illustrate the action. For example, on disintegrate:

Quote:

A thin, green ray springs from your pointing finger.

That is the flavor text.

[Ravenath]

Then, how is called the text that describes a race or a class?

[jhpace1]

The "rules" are the items that you, as a player, cannot argue with your Games Master.

Identify
School divination; Level bard 1, sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (wine stirred with an owl's feather)
Range 60 ft.
Area cone-shaped emanation
Duration 3 rounds/level (D)
Saving Throw: none; Spell Resistance: no

This spell functions as detect magic, except that it gives you a +10 enhancement bonus on Spellcraft checks made to identify the properties and command words of magic items in your possession. This spell does not allow you to identify artifacts.

The above is a rule in Pathfinder.

Definition of lore:

"Characters with ranks in Knowledge (______) can learn more about _______. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs."

Lore is knowledge (bard class or wizard/sorcerer class or cleric class or druid class, etc.) that is known by a player about a subject or creature. To learn lore (knowledge) about a creature or person, you would roll your ranks in a particular knowledge skill against the listed DC (difficulty class) of the knowledge. It functions as a memory recall or a search for knowledge (as in searching through a library versus asking about a person at a pub or alcoholic establishment).

DC 10 - common knowledge
DC 15 - favored knowledge or less common knowledge
DC 20 - specialist knowledge
DC 25 - very specific knowledge; an expert
etc.

I hope that clears up any confusion.

[The Shining Fool]

Ravenath wrote:

Then, how is called the text that describes a race or a class?

Lore (generally) implies "flavor text" about a specific setting. If you consider PFRPG's "assumed" setting to be Golarion, then the non-mechanical descriptions about races and classes could be considered "lore" for Golarion.

An example of Lore would be: The Dwarves and the Orcs hate each other due to a long standing genocidal war which was started during the Dwarves' "Quest for The Sky."

Hope that helps. :)

[Jagyr Ebonwood]

Ravenath wrote:

Then, how is called the text that describes a race or a class?

It is called flavor text, or it is called fluff.

Often, rules are called crunch, and descriptions are called fluff.

Crunch:
Gnomes are small size, and get +2 Con, +2 Cha, and -2 Str.

Fluff:
Gnomes are short and funny looking, and no one likes them.

[Ravenath]

Thanks to all, but this is the answers I was looking for:

The Shining Fool wrote:

Lore (generally) implies "flavor text" about a specific setting. If you consider PFRPG's "assumed" setting to be Golarion, then the non-mechanical descriptions about races and classes could be considered "lore" for Golarion.

Again, thanks.

[Liz Courts]

Jagyr Ebonwood wrote:

It is called flavor text, or it is called fluff.

Often, rules are called crunch, and descriptions are called fluff.

Crunch:
Gnomes are small size, and get +2 Con, +2 Cha, and -2 Str.

Fluff:
Gnomes are short and funny looking, and no one likes them.

Fluff is also referred to as flavor. :)

[hogarth]

Ravenath wrote:

Thanks to all, but this is the answers I was looking for:

The Shining Fool wrote:

Lore (generally) implies "flavor text" about a specific setting. If you consider PFRPG's "assumed" setting to be Golarion, then the non-mechanical descriptions about races and classes could be considered "lore" for Golarion.

Again, thanks.

Well, "lore" specifically implies "history" or "legend" to me. I certainly wouldn't use the word "lore" to describe "A thin, green ray springs from your pointing finger"; there's nothing historical or legendary about it.

[Matthew Morris]

Lore, in that sense is kind of a mix of history and rumours.

For example (taking 10 on my knowlege (Spain) check) I can think of the following 'Lore' about Spain.

Known for navigation and historically a big fleet

Has a town known for its swordsmiths (Toledo)

Has gone through various governments, currently with the EU.

Hosted the Olympic previously.

Predominant language is Spanish (I know that seems like a Duh thing to say, but it's 'Lore' The people in Austrilia don't speak Austrian)

I hope that helps.

Edit for monster 'lore' (such as from Knowlege (Religion)) you'd know some actual game mechanics. For example default PF vampires...

Are vulnerable to silver/magic weapons

Heal

Do *not* require permission to enter a residence

Are not compulsive rice counters.

The thing about 'lore' is for things like the campaign setting, it's system independent (Spain has Toledo, whether you're playing Pathfinder, d20 Modern, or Twilight 2000). But it can be mechanically tied if you're talking about a monster/critter. (WoD vampires aren't especially vulnerable to silver, but are much more flamable than PF vampires).

[Laurefindel]

Ravenath wrote:

Hello, there!

I'm spanish and I'm having a hard time finding the meaning of a term.

Lets see...

There is 2 separate things in a rule book: the rules and the flavor text. That flavor text... is called the lore?

Thanks for your answers.

If I may ask, how did you learn of the "lore"?

I don't speak spanish but my mother tongue is french. Oftentime, a word that we use in french (sometimes even "officially" in a translated RPG book) does not litterally translate into the word that is commonly or officially used in english.

'findel

[Ravenath]

Well, the isn't any meaning in Spain for the word "Lore". Well, somebody uses "Lore" as diminutive of "Lorena", a girl name very common in Spain.

But I have read "Lore" in a lot of RPG related articles, and it seemed to mean the "describing" part of the setting. The other part is the rules.

[Mynameisjake]

If you don't mind my asking, what area of Spain are you in?

[Ravenath]

Andalucía

[Mynameisjake]

Couldn't get the link to work, but according to Wikipedia, Andalucia is beautiful.

I lived in Europe (Belgium) for a while, never got that far south, tho.