Whats the difference in Powerplay and Roleplay

[Butterfingers]

Roleplaying. Creating a Bard named Butterfingers. It makes sense. Gorion is a Harper, and, Harpers are famous for being mostly Bards. This is also a Half Elf who has trouble fitting in, who tries to make himself popular, as many Half Elves try to do. He was raised in a library. What better place for a Bard to emerge? Well versed in lore and knows a little bit about everything. Growing up in a library, he gets bored and learns to pick pockets with his sister, Imoen, who was a thief before she ever came to Candlekeep. (She was brought while still a young girl, and, she had learned to fend for herself) With Dear Old Dad being an Archmage Sage, and, Dad having many friends, Butterfingers is bound to dip his fingers into magic sooner or later. Ah, a young Bard in the making. Raised and trained by Harper influence, little does he know he is about to become the most powerful force in the Realms.

Powergaming. Making that Bard so when BG1 is completed, he has 19/19/16/15/15/19 for his stat rolls. Absolutely perfect in all aspects, not a stat point wasted. Being able to learn only up to sixth level spells, there is no need for 18 int. 15 int on the other hand, offers a nice bonus to lore, as does 15 wis. For a Bard, he is utterly lethal in combat, a triple threat. Melee, missles, and magic.

[Indemaijinj]

I have this view on the topic: Powergaming is fine, as long as it doesn't militate against roleplaying concerns (such as breaking into a house to get a much vaunted items with a party of lawful goodies).

In a BG2 party I'm playing I specifically "hire" Jan when I just need to disarm a trap or get a door fixed in order to bust up some den of vile crime. I kick him out of the party soon after the job is done and pay him a gem for his trouble.

[Armen]

I guess I've probably read too many forum posts or walkthroughs to really just roleplay - I'm kinda trying though.

My all rolled (and therefore slightly cheesy) all PC party with a chaotic neutral halfling thief protagonist role plays a bit - in so far as he leaves the Paladin in the bar when he raids hotel rooms and empty shops ("look I bought you a new bastard sword!")

Running him through as quick as possible as a solo afterwards in order to pick up and use a certain 'set' of items again before i export to BG2 will be a bit more powergamey i admit

[Pirengle]

Originally posted by Armen: I guess I've probably read too many forum posts or walkthroughs to really just roleplay - I'm kinda trying though.

It takes a while. This whole roleplaying thing in BG is recent for me. Play the game at least once through as yourself, just checking things out. There's gonna be sometime in the game where you'd wonder how things would be different if you chose a greedy conversation option or butchered the poor hapless kid you just rescued. (Or you read Six's "I'm a Naughty Boy!" post and got inspired to take an all-gnome evil party through the Sword Coast.)

EDIT: The link, if you're curious. Also contains mucho BG1 spoilers:
http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/cg...=002048#000001

[ 02-25-2003, 01:42 PM: Message edited by: Pirengle the BNM ]

Great post Pirengle

Just had to admit to myself as being something of a powerplayer and have realised that perhaps the game would be enitrely more satisfying if i DID play it as a true roleplayer. I do have some elements to my play tho that are roleplay hence the reason i tend to pick good characters as this is normally the thing i first do! help the little kid out blah de blah...

Maybe the best option is to play once as a powerplayer then second tie around play as a roleplayer..i find it hard to constantly think of evil techniques when i have an evil character but isnt 'thinking' what we are on about here?!?!

[Lemmy]

Jizumonkey:
"i find it hard to constantly think of evil techniques when i have an evil character but isnt 'thinking' what we are on about here?!?!"

By techniques, do you mean "evil things to do" or "things to roleplay my evil character properly"? The latter can help answer the former.

Answer this question: "What's my motivation?" What motivates your evil character? Bloodlust? Money? Power? Cruelty? Define what drives your character and you'll have a much easier time seeing through his/her/its eyes.

As an example: Money
Lawful Evil Halfling Fighter "Lepre Con" is motivated *entirely* by shinies. Gold, jewels, really pretty marbles; he likes it all. One day he'll have a pot at the end of a rainbow and get to chase off children who're inexplicably after his breakfast cereal -- but only if he has enough shinies! Anyway, Lepre takes any task if shinies are offered. No shinies, no go. Edwin tried hiring him to kill Dynaheir, but Eddie wouldn't agree to an ample pile of shinies as a reward. Lepre told Edwin to take his tight purse-strings and sod off.

As long as the job offers more shinies than not doing the job, the job gets done. Naturally, court and lawyer fees would gobble up his supply of shinies, so Lepre tries not to take jobs that will land him in a dungeon. But if there's no way to "reinterpret" the agreement and at least a verbal contract exists, Lepre will continue with the job. He finds it somewhat inconvenient being so true to his word at times, but 'tis merely a result of his heritage. After all, if ye catch one of the wee folk they're forced to give ye their entire pile of gold. His folk've been true to their word for too long for Lepre to ruin it. A matter of honor, y'know.

So, Lepre Con is defined by Lawful Evil where...
Law=Protects his money; "honorable" dealings
Evil=Ruthless desire for money; insatiable greed!

So, what motivates your particular character? RPing should be easier once you can provide a full, detailed answer. (Trust me: It gets *real* tiring trying to rationalize every little thing as in-character or out-of-character without a character concept.) It'll be more natural, and you'll have an easier time finding things to do that actually are in-character.

-Lem

[Morgeruat]

quick question about the paladin example, do you tithe to EVERY temple, even those of known evil alignment (ie temple of Umberlee?) I certainly wouldn't as a paladin...

[Pirengle]

Originally posted by Morgeruat: quick question about the paladin example, do you tithe to EVERY temple, even those of known evil alignment (ie temple of Umberlee?) I certainly wouldn't as a paladin...

Q. Audienda is up to the wyvern's cave at the moment, because now that I have TotSC I'm taking a few parties through that.

I think a paladin would donate to a temple out of respect for the followers' beliefs.

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I plan on helping Tenya when I get to her. Although both parties involved are technically evil, getting the bowl back from the fishermen who plan to use it for personal game is the more evil plan, IMO. Visitng the Temple of Umberlee is a requirement in the Marek/Lothander poison quest and the son revival quest, and since both quests are to the benefit of others, I plan to go. I don't think I can donate to the temple, but I can sure try.

[Lemmy]

P:
"I think a paladin would donate to a temple out of respect for the followers' beliefs."

I think it'd vary from Paladin to Paladin. Not all Paladins would have respect for all other gods - especially ones like Cyric, Bhaal, Bane, Mask, and Lolth. Donating/tithing would depend on the Paladin's personal convictions.

Some may rationalize a church, any church, promotes some good in a community. These Paladins would likely be very big on donating money to the needy: beggars, churches, and down-on-their luck celebrities like Gary Coleman.

Others may make value judgments on specific churches and refuse to support them in any manner. If that means trekking your dead partner's body to another town *just* so the Temple of (Insert God Here) doesn't get your bucks for resurrecting him, they'd do it. Heck, they might even refuse to help followers of that religion.

And, of course, some Paladins may not think one way or the other about donating to temples.

-Lem

[Dundee Slaytern]

When I play a Paladin, nobody pickpockets, lockpicking is out of the question unless it means saving lives, stealing is a definite no-no.

However, to donate to every temple? Depends on which temple it is. Umberlee? Yeah right. Helm? Definitely. Lathander? Sure. Oghma? No problem. Etc... ...

Note that I follow my own set of guidelines on how a Paladin should behave, as I am not familiar with PnP rules.