From: gajensen@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Class specific abilities, (was: Why are their level limits?)
Date: 29 Aug 92 08:50:03 GMT
Article-I.D.: miavx1.1992Aug29.135003.12393
Distribution: na
Organization: Miami University Academic Computer Service"

In article <67012@hydra.gatech.EDU>, ccoprdj@prism.gatech.EDU (Jorge Diaz) writes:
>>"given time"  Mages don't have the time.  They spend almost all of their 
>>training learning magic, not learning weapons or armour.  The only weapons
>>that are usable are weapons that don't take a lot of skill like darts.
> 
> Our party spends a lot of time on the road, between one town and another.
> Since a lot of that time is spent walking, a mage could get to learn
> how to move around in armor just by walking to wherever he was going
> to walk to anyway.  There's no extra time required, and I don't think they
> spend all the time on the road learning that one first level spell.

That is a load of bull. No other class can cast spells, why, because they
haven't the foggiest idea how its done. A mage needs to constantly learn the
magics of his spells, to make sure that he doesn't get caught in a situation
where he is of no use. And, you obviously have misread the rulebook, since you
believe a first level mage has only one first level spell. They can only
memorize one first level spell at a time, but can KNOW quite a few, depending
on their intelligence. Their time would be spent figuring out the intrinsics of
all their spells, trying to understand them, and when each would be
appropriate. Plus, they also have a thing known as research, which helps them
when they gain inlevels, and encounter new spells. Plus, each mage writes his
spells in a slightly different code, forcing a mage who captures such a
spellbook to spend great amounts of time decifering exactly what the runes
mean. Would you want to risk your entire party, including yourself simply
because you would rather learn how to wear armor without it chafing instead of
puzzing out those few runes you weren't quite sure of. I think not.

>>If you have gauntlets of dexterity, they give you the ability to pick
>>locks and pockets based on your modified dexterity.  I hvae a 45% chance
>>even though I only have a modified 12 DEX.
> 
> You're missing the point.  If *I* wanted to, I could learn to pick
> locks.  I wouldn't need any gauntlets of dexterity to do it, I could
> learn how to do it.  Why can't my cleric/mage?  Why can't a fighter?

Because they specialize in a different area. It seems to me that you want
everyone to be able to do everything they want. Why not just eliminate the
classes entirely and have everyone be the same, able to do any skill at all.
BORING!!!!! This way the players have to work out strategies to ensure that
their one person who has a chance at picking to lock on the chest containing
the fabled gem of Yendor stays alive to do so.

> Other people could learn to specialize.  A thief gets three weapon
> proficiencies at first level, and more later on.  Instead of learning
> to use three different weapons, why not use all three slots to become
> an expert in *one* weapon?
> 
> Because he's not a fighter.  Right, but other than that, what valid
> reason is there, except in order to maintain game balance?

No, because he spends a great deal of time learning how to do other things,
LIKE PICKING LOCKS!!!

> I still think they're totally ridiculous. :-)

You are passing ridiculous at mach ten. 

> -- 
> Jorge Diaz                       | Sign in a restaurant:
> Georgia Institute of Technology  | 
> Office of Information Technology |   "We reserve the right to serve refuse to
> ccoprdj@prism.gatech.edu         |        anyone."

Greg Jensen aka:
	Thief extraordinaire!!!