So sure, this isn't the full RPG where I can choose a class and make a character exactly the way I want them to be. I can't decide what race my character is or even gender.
I still find myself choosing characters I like because... well because I like them.
For example, Class deck Kyra has everything stat-wise I am looking for. She heal-powers from over half her starting cards, many of those being blessings that can let her go again or support the team. She starts out really strong fighting so I don't have to worry about that as much, which combines nicely with her potential 5 spells as they can all be buffs and heals.
But even though I know it's just a card game and it doesn't matter, I find myself feeling a little strange playing characters that don't match my gender. Also, I like Heggal's style with his many friends and fun ally cards, and I love bards and clerics and he is kinda like BOTH (also the reason I love Tent Preacher Lem). I love me some undead with Darago- even though people laugh when I pull him out, and have you seen how SHINY Tarlin is?
So, I wind up playing these guys and I feel like it enhances my fun of the game.
Does anyone else out there do something similar? Do any of you choose characters because you like them even if they are a bit weaker? Care to share any stories as to who you chose and why?
Or, am I just a fool for getting "tied up" in the silly unimportant aspects of the game and not playing it as just the card game it was designed to be?
Why does gender matter more in a game of "pretend to be someone else" than race or ethnicity?
I always thought the majority of people choose characters because they imagine the play style of the character resonates well with them thematically.
I personally prefer ranged combat and tactical positioning on many games. Not particularly spellcasting, and anything with bows tend to appeal more to me. I try to stray away from melee combat but if unavoidable, prioritize speed over power. This makes me tend to pick rangers/rogues.
Most people in my group picks their characters the same way. What they see themselves playing as. Not always, however. One person picked a character based solely on the name sounding similar to the company of which he works for in real life. Another person just picked a character because he thought the character would be challenging, after skimming through the powers and skills.
I can imagine some people picking based on race or gender of the character, but I still think no one picks a character they know they wouldn't like or enjoy playing as.
The reasons for picking characters changes per session or group. Initially, since nobody knows much about the game, you can only speculate what you think you will enjoy playing as. After playing Rise of the Runelords and learning the rules and how the game plays, there are more factors influencing your choice of character.
For me, I noticed we almost never bothered with potions in our first Rise of the Runelords playthrough. This made me want to play Monk or Alchemist next. Another person in our group was playing a weapon heavy character for RotR, so his next character he wants to play something different... spell-focused.
Then there's the party building. Initially, nobody knew what character powers work well with who in the party, and what powers don't work well. The party's weak points can also influence someone's choice of character. So, skills and powers also matter.
TL;DR: I think most people pick characters based on how much fun they think they will have with that character and the party in which they play with. More so than picking based solely on physical appearance of a character. That only happens initially in my opinion.
I would be happy to play any character, as I find each has a unique play style and I love discovering how to play as them, regardless of gender (zeroth hour is right - why does this bother you?), race, or even class. When we make a group, I try to keep all the stats rounded out, so nothing we encounter is entirely insurmountable (like that damn Siren when no one has a high enough Wisdom to beat her!)
Last weekend we had a short friend over for some Pathfinder, and we played with new characters and he chose Tontelizi simply because he sympathised with his back story (he was mocked for his height). I don't think you're going against design intentions by getting into these details. To me you're just enjoying the game more.
One thing I've done that you might want to try if you aren't really getting attached to the characters is to just use them as a template. If there's someone from your games that seems similar, just pretend that it's that character (For example, it was a pretty easy swap to bring the Paladin NPC from WotR for the iconic Paladin, and she was one of our favorite character from that).
After I posted, I was wondering if the gender statement I made about Kyra would be a source of comment. I could have just as easily said I don't like her because she is human (I find them ordinary). I have to admit that I don't know why gender is an issue for me. Without being indelicate, perhaps it is because I have vastly different organs than women have, as opposed to say, a male orc, who I assume has similar organs.
Speaking of Orcs, they are my favorite race (well, half-orc for pathfinder) and I ran screaming for Oloch as soon as I saw his race (and lamented seeing only one other half-orc, in the ranger deck). I found I didn't have much fun playing him, though. And that is something brought up here that I have noticed in myself as well: I have found that I balance things I would enjoy playing against the characters themselves more now than I did when I started the game. For example, even though I am not a huge fan of halflings, I LOVE Lem and Heggal because of their abilities. I have always found ally cards fun and I like spells also, and they have decent numbers of both, and often use them in interesting ways. It makes for fun table-talk also (Heggal: "My smith and I talk down the villain and tell him to chill out, it's all gonna be okay" when making the charisma check to defeat).
Admittedly, I am still rather new to the game, and am still figuring out what I think is most fun. I have been running solo games a lot lately trying out different characters and seeing if I like how they play. I have been surprised by my reactions to certain characters, especially fighter-types who I have NEVER liked in other games. I still like spells the most, but having a spellcaster with decent weapon combat is becoming something I look for in characters nowadays.
I still like spells the most, but having a spellcaster with decent weapon combat is becoming something I look for in characters nowadays.
You might like Seltyiel then :) or if and when you get past the whole gender thing, Lini and Kyra.
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I picked Olenjack largely because his character art is so bad ass.
I currently play Seoni (in a 2-player game with a Harsk player), for a combination of reasons;
I like the character (though I find the visual design... well... ehh)
I like the powers
I also like Kyra, Harsk, Amiri and Seelah. I could easily play any of them from a flavor standpoint, though I'm not sure I'd like Amiri's or Harsks gameplay. I have played Kyra a bit single player when I first got the game and wanted to test the rules, and I played Kyra in a one-off PF RPG event that was kinda fun. She's probably my absolute favorite iconic in core, though I also like Shardra and Imrijka. I do have a thing for divine casters I guess.
I do not like Lini, Merisiel or Lem at all though.
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I picked Olenjack largely because his character art is so bad ass.
Hear hear!
I picked Olenjack largely because his character art is so bad ass.Hear hear!
Oh, man, than you'll [REDACTED] [REDACTED]. *is happy*
I fell in love with Ooloch as soon as he was announced. Even though he isn't the best to start out with, he's my first pick in a party of more than 2 people. I haven't loved a character this much since Seoni (who I could never keep alive).
I personally don't play ACG characters because I like them, in a roleplay sense. If that's my objective, I'd play the Pathfinder RPG.
When I play boardgames, it seems every 2nd game I'm playing a female character, so I don't see this as being any different. It just doesn't matter.
Having said that, if I think a character is cool (although non-optimized) I might *try* them (if I'm replaying something) for fun.
I'd like to play Siwar, Tarlin, Zarlova, Tontelizi, Wrathack, Wu Shen, and Valendron at some point.