If the OotS world was actually a campaign

[Ellington]

I don't know if this has been discussed before but here goes.

I know the story takes place in a world that follows the laws of D&D but what if it was actually played by people and controlled by a DM (other than Rich). How do you think the player behind each character would be? Is the DM harsh, fair, lenient? How long do you think the campaign has been going on?

If every character had a player behind them, I'd personally see Roy as the really enthusiastic player who's always eager to show up to each session and spent a long time developing his character/back story. Durkon would probably be a bit older than the lot, having played the older versions and just playing things conservatively. I see Belkar as some other player's teenage little brother who wants to kill everything and generally make a mess of the campaign. V is the guy that's nitpicky about the rules and always refers to some sourcebook, a good player but annoying at times. Haley is... hell, I don't know, the girl? Elan is the newbie who originally just came to have a lot of fun but who's enthusiasm grew as the campaign went on.

[JonahFalcon]

Belkar would have been played the way he was depicted in his dream-fantasy: some goth teen boy with the black shirt with a OTOS logo on it.

[Shmigor]

I think, in fact, part of the fun of OOTS is that the characters reflect what their players would be like. I can't imagine Roy any other way then being sarcastic and smart at the same time; I'd assume his player would be the same way. I guess what I mean is that instead of how we normally think about it (the player's personality leading to the character's) it's in fact the other way around.

[Kish]

This topic recurs frequently. Still wish I had thought to save Lilly's version when it was still up, it's the only one I remember that went deeper than the, in my opinion, lame "Roy's player would be just like him, Belkar's player would be just like him..."

[veti]

I can't imagine Roy any other way then being sarcastic and smart at the same time; I'd assume his player would be the same way. I guess what I mean is that instead of how we normally think about it (the player's personality leading to the character's) it's in fact the other way around.

I'm not so sure. I think Roy is roleplayed as a smartass, but his player is capable of playing entirely different roles (e.g. Celia).

We don't have that much insight for most of them. Based on their single characters' playing styles, I'd speculate:
:elan: attention-seeker, too shy to go on the stage for real.
:haley: wants to be a leader but dreads responsibility, which is probably why he (for some reason, in my mind Haley's player is male) spends his time playing D&D.
:vaarsuvius: earnest min/maxer, researches game mechanics and just lives for those occasions when she can pull out some long-prepared tactic.
:durkon: turns up to sessions and mostly sits quietly.
:belkar: low boredom threshold, doesn't take the game very seriously, although has recently got more into it.

But that's beyond speculative. They might just all be good roleplayers...

[Trobby]

Realistically, the player's personality would be a reflection of how the character is seen in the comic.

I have a...slightly different idea though.


:elan:: :smallannoyed: Get into character guys. C'mon. HEY! In-Character!
:vaarsuvius:: Huh? What was that? Oh, uh...FIREBALL!
:roy:: No no no, you want to use "Magic Missile" first! Save the fireballs for Xykon!
:haley:: When do we get to kill something? Or steal something? Or make out with something?
:belkar:: Hey guys? I just want to take this opportunity to thank you all for letting me be a part of this adventure. I know that my evil character conflicts with the ideas of some of your characters, but I think that we're all going to have a great time!
:durkon:: *Sigh* Why do I come to this sausage fest every night?

:biggrin:

[Sgeo]

:vaarsuvius: earnest min/maxer, researches game mechanics and just lives for those occasions when she can pull out some long-prepared tactic.


I've seen claims that Evoker specialization is bad, as well as barring Conjuration (I'm not a D&D person, I don't know). So how is :vaarsuvius: a min/maxer?

[Shinizak]

I've seen claims that Evoker specialization is bad, as well as barring Conjuration (I'm not a D&D person, I don't know). So how is :vaarsuvius: a min/maxer?

Because the real :vaarsuvius: doesn't have any brains and likes to blast things more then talk to things. So he tries to powergame in the best way possible, but he's a little ignorant as to what those ways may be.

[Raging Gene Ray]

I picture Miko as the DM...partially because she reminds me of my DM's NPCs in her ability to smash through the entire party like some sort of Railroad Plot device, but in the end it's 100% legit.

Of course, if Miko were one of my DM's NPCs, she'd also secretly be from another dimension, have 10 levels in some obscure prestige class, and be able to scry on the party and read our thoughts for some reason.

Belkar, I picture as a stressed out college student with a retail job who studies constantly and acts the way he does in character because it's one of the few releases he gets.

[Ledeas]

Realistically, the player's personality would be a reflection of how the character is seen in the comic.
:durkon:: *Sigh* Why do I come to this sausage fest every night?
:biggrin:

That must be why I like Durkon the best.

Be the cleric becuse no one else wants to

[Shale]

My vision of Miko-as-PC is a latecomer to the game who the DM tried to write into the party but was foiled at every turn by her player's complete inability to roleplay a paladin who isn't a Lawful Stupid caricature.

[RMS Oceanic]

I heard (and liked) a theory that Miko was the DM's Girlfriend, whose descent into delusion was timed with their breaking up. That would explain some stuff.

I also heard that Elan is possibly the most experienced roleplayer, deciding to be someone light hearted for once.

[t_catt11]

I heard (and liked) a theory that Miko was the DM's Girlfriend, whose descent into delusion was timed with their breaking up. That would explain some stuff.

Boy, wouldn't that explain a lot!

[Scarlet Knight]

This topic recurs frequently. Still wish I had thought to save Lilly's version when it was still up, it's the only one I remember that went deeper than the, in my opinion, lame "Roy's player would be just like him, Belkar's player would be just like him..."

I think the fun is guessing why the players are the way they are.

Why would a ranger like Belkar not have any points in track? Because he's a newcomer and doesn't know better would be one excuse. Why evil with a good party? Belkar's player plays hack & slash & the group told him "That makes you CE" & he went, "Um, Ok..."

The flip side is he could be an experienced player who said " Not all halflings are like Bilbo. I wonder how an evil halfling would be? I wonder how long I could play evil and not screw up the game?" :belkar:

[Trobby]

I think we can safely assume that all of the non-OotS characters are being played by the GM, though maybe an occasional recurring character might have their own PC.

...One set of cast members, in particular... (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0043.html)

Yes, I see the Linear Guild as being a parallel campaign being run by the same DM: An evil campaign with its own adventures that he regularly has intersect with the OotS. (The players, therefore, must be frustrated in how often they lose).

Incidentally, the reason they keep losing members of their team is either A: Because they really only have three players; for Nale, Sabine, and Thog. Or B: They keep losing players who lose in battle, thus only three of them remain.

And for some reason, I suspect that Sabine's PC is a guy. Probably just my experience with succubi characters though...<.<

[HealthKit]

I also heard that Elan is possibly the most experienced roleplayer, deciding to be someone light hearted for once.

That could also explain his knowledge of all the dramatic cliches. He's so experienced he expects these things to happen.

[Olorin Maia]

If V is not a very good version of a wizard, how should one be played? Obviously I can see Conjuration being a horrible barred skill (teleport) but how else should V do things?

[Shale]

The ability to accept his or her limitations would be a good place to start. Someone with that much power should worry more about what they can do and less about what they can't.

[Elfin]

If V is not a very good version of a wizard, how should one be played? Obviously I can see Conjuration being a horrible barred skill (teleport) but how else should V do things?

Because right now V is a pure blaster- he just does damage, basically.

An example of how two wizards would fight, using spells from just their specialized schools:

A 5th level Evoker can:
A)Cast Fireball or Lightning Bolt for an average of 17.5 damage.
B)Cast Scorching Ray for an average of 14 damage.
C)Cast Magic Missile for an average of 10.5 damage.
D)Cast Burning Hands for an average of 12.5 damage.

A 5th level Conjurer can:
A)Cast Grease, causing foes to fall prone, rendering them basically useless.
B)Cast Glitterdust, blinding enemies and also giving them a -40 to hide checks. Which renders them basically useless.
C)Cast Web, entangling an opponent and rendering them basically useless.
D)Cast Stinking Cloud, nauseating a group of opponents and rendering them basically useless.
E)And so on.

[Olorin Maia]

So she would be more effective as a team member, I see. Cool, thanks.

[Sholos]

I think that all of the players are absolute masters at roleplaying, even to the point where it hurts their character (Haley and V are particularly good at this). They all get along very well and are more in it for the ride than anything else.



Really, this topic is kind of pointless. Anyone can make any argument and they all have the same validity, whether you argue that Elan's "player" is just new to the game or a master at being that dumb, whether you argue that Roy's "player" must be frustrated with the others or absolutely thrilled with the inner-party conflict that crops up. No argument is more valid than any other, because we have absolutely nothing to base any arguments about players on.

So, remind me again why these threads keep popping up?

[Bibliomancer]

The flip side is he could be an experienced player who said " Not all halflings are like Bilbo. I wonder how an evil halfling would be? I wonder how long I could play evil and not screw up the game?" :belkar:

It is incredibly easy for an evil halfling rogue to derail a campaign. I have a player who's done it twice. The first time, the campaign ending up going Vile.

[Sewblon]

Belkar's player does whatever he considers in character no matter how much it annoys the other players. Elan's player is deliberately acting dumb so that no one will ask him to do anything, so he maybe the smartest player in real life. Vaarsuvius's player loves wizards and just wants to blast stuff and deliver grandiloquent monologues. Haley's player used to just be a loot whore, but has since then gotten into the role-playing aspect. Roy's player just want's to get the main quest over with. Durkon's player has a good sense of humor(his hatred and fear of trees) but can take the joke to far sometimes (also his hatred and fear of trees.) The DM has done some bad railroading(Miko arresting the Order of The Stick) and has some stupid house rules (Xykon's inexplicably high strength) but is fair overall.

[Berserk Monk]

I don't know if this has been discussed before but here goes.

I know the story takes place in a world that follows the laws of D&D but what if it was actually played by people and controlled by a DM (other than Rich). How do you think the player behind each character would be? Is the DM harsh, fair, lenient? How long do you think the campaign has been going on?

It would have ended after Roy died. That long of a stretch of the party divided and one character dead. One of the players would have nothing to do, and the other half of the group would sit around bored while he DM did stuff involving their situation. No one playing a game would play for that long of a stretch with no clue when it would end and the party would be back on track.

[Cleverdan22]

I don't see the personalities having to be all that similar, seeing as the way my friends and I play typically just has to do with what seems fun or interesting. I can see Roy's player as the type who has played primarily spellcasters, but decided to try fighter for this campaign. Elan's player is definitely in it for the fun and the roleplaying, even going so far as to make a ridiculous and awesome prestige class for himself. Not sure about the rest of the party though. I guess I would think V's player is usually a wizard.

[Manachu Boy]

Really, this topic is kind of pointless. Anyone can make any argument and they all have the same validity, whether you argue that Elan's "player" is just new to the game or a master at being that dumb, whether you argue that Roy's "player" must be frustrated with the others or absolutely thrilled with the inner-party conflict that crops up. No argument is more valid than any other, because we have absolutely nothing to base any arguments about players on.

So, remind me again why these threads keep popping up?

Because some of us like just like a bit of a lighthearted topic without having to worry about whether what we say is 'valid' or not, maybe? Not everyone who reads this section of the forum wants a 3000 page debate, you know. :smallconfused:

Aaanyway, my money's on this being a group of people who know each other very well and have played through a few campaigns together; they probably interact a lot outside their D&D group too. More than likely they're all very creative types. After a few campaigns performed in the traditional mix of gameplay and storytelling somebody's come up with the idea of trying a campaign where the emphasis is on plot and drama - cue these seasoned roleplayers deliberately being suboptimal just to see whether the dice will allow them to get to the end of the campaign in one piece. :)

[Eleutherius]

It would have ended after Roy died. That long of a stretch of the party divided and one character dead. One of the players would have nothing to do, and the other half of the group would sit around bored while he DM did stuff involving their situation. No one playing a game would play for that long of a stretch with no clue when it would end and the party would be back on track.

Not necessarily. The break in the PCs could have been causes by an actual break in the players.
If Roy’s player was going on a vacation/trip he could have said. “I’m going to kill off my character in a heroic way. You can raise him when I get back”
At the same time on or more of the players might have started a new job where they could no longer make it to the regular sessions. The group realises that they won’t be able to co-ordinate their schedules for several sessions so the DM agrees to run twice as many sessions so everyone can still play until they all get back together.
Also if Roy’s player was still attending the sessions he could have taken over an NPC i.e. Celia. (Which would explain her sudden shift from supporting character to a more plot central character.)

[nihilanthic]

That must be why I like Durkon the best.

Be the cleric becuse no one else wants to

At their level clerics are hardly the "nobody else wants to" class, unless his player just doesn't know..

EDIT: never mind when righteous might or control weather was used to great effect...

[Bibliomancer]

At their level clerics are hardly the "nobody else wants to" class, unless his player just doesn't know..

EDIT: never mind when righteous might or control weather was used to great effect...

Clerics have to be the most powerful class to balance the fact that they're lackeys of a lazy, narcissistic outsider who could strip them of their powers if they don't advance the god's glory and not their own.