Real life regional bonuses

[Beowulf DW]

This discussion got started in the Demotivators in the Playground thread, and seemed to interesting to let die.

So let's continue the discussion here, shall we?

The whole thing got started by discussing Aussie racial bonuses, and I think I mentioned something about Americans like myself getting a masterwork firearm at 1st level.

Anyone have anything else to add?

[Eldan]

Swiss people apparently get more starting wealth. We also have not only our own racial language (which everyone else has problems learning, so I assume it's a secret language, like druidic), we also get German and French as bonus languages.

[gbprime]

The whole thing got started by discussing Aussie racial bonuses, and I think I mentioned something about Americans like myself getting a masterwork firearm at 1st level.

Well this is like startgin character packages, not regional feats.

Along that line, and in the pattern of the Forgotten Realms...

Americans at first level, can select one of the following...

1 - Masterwork Firearm
2 - Used automobile
3 - Multiple console gaming systems and lots of used games

[LikeAD6]

Germans and Scandinavians get a bonus to Perform (METAL) checks.

[Yora]

For Germany, I think I claim a +2 racial I mean circumstance bonus to Profession (engineer).
But also a -2 penalty to Charisma. We're easily persuaded to do stupid thing, we have a hard time seeing things from other peoples point of view, we're grumpy and while most of us like to complain, very few feel any incentive to take the lead, and just keep amongst outselves.

And we do love beer... :smallconfused:

Germans are dwarves! :smalleek:

[Eldan]

I think that has been brought up before.

On the other hand, there's the term "Gnomes of Zürich" floating around for Swiss bankers, so... (from Illuminatus!, I think. Or at least I vaguely remember it being mentioned there).

[Radar]

As far as the fame of Slavic people goes, we should have Poison Healing (working for alcohol only) or Drink Like a Demon (as from Drunken Master) for free. This is mostly just fame, mind you.

[gbprime]

And we do love beer... :smallconfused:

Germans are dwarves! :smalleek:

Yes, but is your favored class Bavarian? <ducks> :smalltongue:

[Morph Bark]

Yes, but is your favored class Bavarian? <ducks> :smalltongue:

ZING!


As for their Western neighbours, the Dutch clearly have a bonus to Swim checks. It's almost like, if you can't swim, they revoke your passport! :smalleek:

Oh, and Speak Language always as a class skill, considering how important it is in schools here.

[Cartigan]

Americans get a +6 to Will saves against Enchantments cast by people of different alignments but -6 to Will saves against Enchantments cast by people of the same alignment.

But when you make a new character, you can roll a percentile die and if you get 100, you get the starting wealth of a 10th level character.



Oh, and Speak Language always as a class skill, considering how important it is in schools here.
Seriously. The Dutch get like 5 starting languages of their choice.

[SilverLeaf167]

Finns have quite good language skills too, but I don't think it quite fits to make Speak Language a class skill for everyone...

THREAD DERAILMENT ALERT!
I have lots of random trivial knowledge and Speak Language as a class skill: Bardic Sage seems good for me, but I can't play any instrument or perform in any way, so is there an ACF for that?

[gbprime]

Oh, and Speak Language always as a class skill, considering how important it is in schools here.

Heck, if that's the case, then Speak Language should always be considered a Cross-Class skill for us Yanks. :smallfrown: Go public school!

[Yora]

Yes, but is your favored class Bavarian? <ducks> :smalltongue:

Man, that's low. That really hurts to hear... :smallfrown:

But then, I'm a North German. We just happen to share the same government with those other guys, but we're actually scandinavians. We also have out local bears, but nobody else drinks that. We're even more grumpy, but I a charming and adorable way. And we have like two good football teams, but own the major handball leagues.

North Germans get a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves against disease. The weather is always awful and what others call a "storm" we consider a good opportunity to go for a walk at the beach.
Also a +2 bonus on all Will saves. We're never impressed by anything.

http://blog.chillblain.net/wp-content/content-images/norddeutsche-griller.jpg
This picture perfectly sums up our own national identity.
("North German barbecueers are tougher!")
We also get Standard German as a starting language. The rest of the people here have to spend 2 skill points to learn it, if at all.

[Yukitsu]

Canadians always know what the weather will be a week in advance. Always. And we will never shut up about it.

We also survive in -40 C weather.

[Chilingsworth]

I think Americans should be able to mix n' match thier abilities at 1st level. We are, afterall, a polygot society.

[Tengu_temp]

But then, I'm a North German. We just happen to share the same government with those other guys, but we're actually scandinavians. We also have out local bears, but nobody else drinks that.

You drink bears? North Germans are hardcore.

[Amnestic]

Brits should get a bonus to saves vs. poisons considering the food we have to put up with. Also a racial bonus to either Bluff OR Intimidate depending on how sexy or chavvy your accent happens to be :smallwink:

[pilvento]

The Argentinian

racial bonuses:

+2 cha, -2 wis.

+2 bonus to bluff and diplomacy checks

argentinians know how to convince you to buy or do everything but they allways end up paying the price for their actions.

they can take a 20 on checks related to cooking azado (barbeque)

favored class: rouge

[SuperFish]

Canadians have Endurance as a bonus feat.

We suffer through 40 C in the summer, -40 C in the winter, and have no problem walking twenty kilometres (12.4 miles for you non-metric users) to get to where we need to go.

I mean, have you seen a map of our country?

[Yora]

You drink bears? North Germans are hardcore.
Yeah, we got that from the russians.

Why do you think we named our capital Bearlin?
http://www.berlinbo.dk/images/berlin_flag.jpg

[Eldan]

You aren't the only ones, you know...

Our capital is Bearne.http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Berne-coat_of_arms.svg/474px-Berne-coat_of_arms.svg.png


Interestingly, neither city name has anything to do with bears.

[pilvento]

You aren't the only ones, you know...

Our capital is Bearne.http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Berne-coat_of_arms.svg/474px-Berne-coat_of_arms.svg.png


Interestingly, neither city name has anything to do with bears.

a nail is out of place there, i hope

[Eldan]

Not exactly...

I know dozens of Swiss flags which include that important body part on their animals. Usually in bright red, like here.

[Spiryt]

Not exactly...

I know dozens of Swiss flags which include that important body part on their animals. Usually in bright red, like here.

Yeah, swiss animals have freaking balls! :smalltongue:



:smallbiggrin:

[TheGeckoKing]

Brits should get a bonus to saves vs. poisons considering the food we have to put up with. Also a racial bonus to either Bluff OR Intimidate depending on how sexy or chavvy your accent happens to be :smallwink:

Intimidate for me then.

The Welsh (subrace?) need a +2 to all saves made against anything with the [Water] descriptor. All it does is rain and rain here, seriously.

Also, forget bears. We have a dragon on our flag.

http://balagan.org.uk/war/dbx/images/flag_wales.jpg

I'd say we gain the Dragonblooded subtype or something. :smallbiggrin:

[Eldan]

Well, yeah. But everyone knows that Wales has the most awesome flag.

I mean, even Basel's Basilisk doesn't come close.

[Scarlet-Devil]

Brits should get a bonus to saves vs. poisons considering the food we have to put up with. Also a racial bonus to either Bluff OR Intimidate depending on how sexy or chavvy your accent happens to be :smallwink:

I think Diplomacy should be an option as well, as British accents can be ridiculously alluring sometimes :smalltongue:.

The Americans starting out with a firearm doesn't make a lot of sense to me, though I guess it depends on where you grew up.

Gensokians/Gensokyans should probably be a LA race, since they are naturally more powerful than humans back in Earth. Probably predisposed to magic too, so maybe an all around +2 to stats, favored class: Sorcerer or Warlock (think projectiles), and probably various skill bonuses, maybe knowledge: The planes or Arcana/spellcraft.

[Spiryt]

So, I'm not particularly interested in stereotypes discussion, just gonna add that the best bear coat of arms is bear riding coat of arms, obviously (http://pl.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Plik:POL_Mordy_COA.svg&filetimestamp=20060703162150). :smallcool:

[The Big Dice]

Also, forget bears. We have a dragon on our flag.

http://balagan.org.uk/war/dbx/images/flag_wales.jpg

I'd say we gain the Dragonblooded subtype or something. :smallbiggrin:

It's true, we do have the best flag. Shame about the rugby team, but that's another story.

And the Welsh should get Endure Elements as a spell like ability. It's always raining here. Plus the damp means that while the temperature might go lower in other places, the Welsh cold settles into your bones and won't go away.

[TheGeckoKing]

Mmmmm. Endure Elements, Dragonblooded Subtype, and a +2 attack roll bonus when a non-Welshman/lady mentions something inappropriate about sheep.

[The Big Dice]

Mmmmm. Endure Elements, Dragonblooded Subtype, and a +2 attack roll bonus when a non-Welshman/lady mentions sheep.

[random aside]

Did you know it's still technically legal to shoot a Welshman with a crossbow if he's inside Chester city walls after midnight? The wonders of British laws that never got repealed.

[/random aside]

[Dienekes]

[random aside]

Did you know it's still technically legal to shoot a Welshman with a crossbow if he's inside Chester city walls after midnight? The wonders of British laws that never got repealed.

[/random aside]

I heard something similar about Scottsman being shot on horseback. Not sure if it was true though.

[Forum Explorer]

Canada gets Endurance plus cold resistance. Also a +2 to diplomacy for having a good reputation. Take a -1 to all to hit scores and start with only simple weapon proficency.

[hunt11]

I heard something similar about Scottsman being shot on horseback. Not sure if it was true though.

What I remember being told was that it was legal to shoot a scotsman if you are in the old part of York with a longbow on a Sunday.

[yugi24862]

Plus all brits get 2+ sense motive checks to detect sarcasm, add that to all the sub-races (English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish) plus we have aload of templates (chav, posh, southerner, Cornish, Northerner, Londoner... the list is endless)

[Beowulf DW]

Anyone else think that Americans should get a choice of shield-related feats (Captain America).

[gbprime]

Anyone else think that Americans should get a choice of shield-related feats (Captain America).

Nah. 20 years of live action combat, and my shield work is still so-so. but I have picked up Rapid Reload! I don't think it's a regional feat, though. :smallconfused:

[Cartigan]

Plus all brits get 2+ sense motive checks to detect sarcasm, add that to all the sub-races (English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish) plus we have aload of templates (chav, posh, southerner, Cornish, Northerner, Londoner... the list is endless)

But Brits get a -2 penalty on perform (comedy) when used against non-brits because British comedy just doesn't translate well.

[Hecuba]

Anyone else think that Americans should get a choice of shield-related feats (Captain America).

If Americans get based off Captain America, the bits get to be based of James Bond.

[SilverLeaf167]

Sounds fair, as the demotivator thread already based Finns of Simo Häyhä (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4). Of course, Häyhä pwns the sorry asses of both Cap and Bond, as few action heroes have actually faced a proper sniper.

[Eldan]

Great. What do we get? Weapon Focus: Heavy Crossbow? :smallsigh:

[Gaius Marius]

Canadians get a + 4 regional bonus on balance checks on ice
They get automatic Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Hockey Stick) and Weapon Focus (Hockey Stick)
+2 Fortitude saves against cold-related
+4 diplomacy checks against non-North Americans
- 4 Intimidate checks against non-Canadians :smallbiggrin:

[Gaius Marius]

If Americans get based off Captain America, the bits get to be based of James Bond.

Then Canadians get based off Wolverine.

Checkmate. :smallwink:

[Necroticplague]

If Americans get based off Captain America, the bits get to be based of James Bond.

Suddenly reminds of how the books were, and how James Bond was basically the author's "huge fish" stories from when he was a spy.

[Spiryt]

Great. What do we get? Weapon Focus: Heavy Crossbow? :smallsigh:

Swiss just screams halberd. Or possibly pike.

[Eldan]

Man. I can't think of any suitably epic literary figures from around here.

The Crossbow was relating to Wilhelm Tell, of course.

[gbprime]

Then Canadians get based off Wolverine.

Checkmate. :smallwink:

Can we stop before someone gets based off of Victor von Doom, please? :smalleek:

[Ravens_cry]

Canadians get a + 4 regional bonus on balance checks on ice
They get automatic Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Hockey Stick) and Weapon Focus (Hockey Stick)
+2 Fortitude saves against cold-related
+4 diplomacy checks against non-North Americans
- 4 Intimidate checks against non-Canadians :smallbiggrin:
I suppose we also have the flaw,"Verbal Tic: End every sentence with 'eh'", eh?
Seriously, I don't think D&D has the granularity to make this feel like anything more then stereotypes or outright racism.
Eh.

[Prime32]

Gensokians/Gensokyans should probably be a LA race, since they are naturally more powerful than humans back in Earth. Probably predisposed to magic too, so maybe an all around +2 to stats, favored class: Sorcerer or Warlock (think projectiles), and probably various skill bonuses, maybe knowledge: The planes or Arcana/spellcraft.

Real life regional bonuses
Let Patchouli have her computer back, Remi. :smallannoyed: You DO NOT want to know who people have shipped you with.

[Gaius Marius]

I suppose we also have the flaw,"Verbal Tic: End every sentence with 'eh'", eh?
Seriously, I don't think D&D has the granularity to make this feel like anything more then stereotypes or outright racism.
Eh.

Not really, I'm Quebecois.

Sti.

[Arbane]

Swiss just screams halberd. Or possibly pike.

Craft (Cuckoo Clocks)?

[Frozen_Feet]

Sounds fair, as the demotivator thread already based Finns of Simo Häyhä (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4). Of course, Häyhä pwns the sorry asses of both Cap and Bond, as few action heroes have actually faced a proper sniper.

More seriously, giving all male Finns a free Martial Weapon Proficiency or Weapon Focus would make sense considering military conscription.

[gbprime]

+4 diplomacy checks against non-North Americans

Doesn't that bonus go away if you are mistaken for a citizen of a country slightly south of you? :smallwink:

Which reminds me... a friend of mine went on a month-long trip to Europe about 3 years ago. I told him that as an American traveling abroad, there was one phrase he needed to remember to get more respect from the people he met.

"Good morning, eh."

[Eldan]

Craft (Cuckoo Clocks)?



Those are German.

[Ravens_cry]

Not really, I'm Quebecois.

Sti.
I mean in a more general sense. This isn't something I would want to see in a game.

[gbprime]

I suppose we also have the flaw,"Verbal Tic: End every sentence with 'eh'", eh?
Seriously, I don't think D&D has the granularity to make this feel like anything more then stereotypes or outright racism.
Eh.

Well that IS the problem about stereotyping nations. Most of them are large enough to have more than one region where the stereotype doesn't apply. We can only hope not to be offensive in that case.

Speaking of which.... Yora, I'm sorry. :smallsigh:

[SilverLeaf167]

More seriously, giving all male Finns a free Martial Weapon Proficiency or Weapon Focus would make sense considering military conscription.

More and more Finns actually choose the alternative these days: working at a hospital, retirement home etc. for a slightly longer time than they would spend in the army. So maybe we could take Skill Focus instead of those?

[Spiryt]

Craft (Cuckoo Clocks)?

Fondue?


http://fatrasenbleu.blog50.com/media/02/02/1644612095.jpg

[Eldan]

Don't like the Fondue much (seriously? A meal consisting only of bread, molten cheese and a sick feeling in your stomach?) but the games are usually fun :smallbiggrin:

[Cartigan]

Perhaps the French get a bonus to Craft (Cheese)?

Or is it Kraft (Cheese)?
zing.

[Spiryt]

Don't like the Fondue much (seriously? A meal consisting only of bread, molten cheese and a sick feeling in your stomach?) but the games are usually fun :smallbiggrin:

Personally, I would just get pepper or mushrooms, or whatever to it, I like molten cheese.

[Eldan]

Perhaps the French get a bonus to Craft (Cheese)?

Or is it Kraft (Cheese)?
zing.

Don't you dare.

What Kraft does is not cheese.

It should not be called cheese.

It should not even be compared to cheese.

It's an insult to cheese.

Edit: Well, yeah, Spyrit. That works, of course. But traditionally, it's just molten cheese and bread. Nothing else. Well, except tons of alcohol in the cheese. I do like cheese, but not as the entire meal. And I don't like alcohol.

[Gaius Marius]

Don't you dare.

What Kraft does is not cheese.

It should not be called cheese.

It should not even be compared to cheese.

It's an insult to cheese.

Kraft is to Cheese what Budweiser is to Beer :smallbiggrin:

[Shyftir]

We're talking Regional here, there is a World of difference between American regions. Stereotypically and culturally. In fact the "American" stereotype all the Europeans know basically coresponds to a strange mish-mash of California, New York, and Texas. Possibly because those general regions have produced more of our presidents/politicians/media stars than the others.

[gbprime]

Kraft is to Cheese what Budweiser is to Beer :smallbiggrin:

Win. Right there.

[Holocron Coder]

In fact the "American" stereotype all the Europeans know basically coresponds to a strange mish-mash of California, New York, and Texas.

:smalleek: That explains so much... I'm sorry, everyone else! We're not all like that!

[Eldan]

We're talking Regional here, there is a World of difference between American regions. Stereotypically and culturally. In fact the "American" stereotype all the Europeans know basically coresponds to a strange mish-mash of California, New York, and Texas. Possibly because those general regions have produced more of our presidents/politicians/media stars than the others.

Phh. We all know all Americans are the same. You all speak in American Accents (tm). I.e. Texan :smalltongue:

I mean, there's only two accents in the English language anyway. Posh Brit and Texan.

[Cartigan]

We're talking Regional here, there is a World of difference between American regions. Stereotypically and culturally. In fact the "American" stereotype all the Europeans know basically coresponds to a strange mish-mash of California, New York, and Texas. Possibly because those general regions have produced more of our presidents/politicians/media stars than the others.

Actually, I think most famous people originally hail from little heartland states no one cares about. You know New York and California because they are two major global centers. Texas is just its own caricature due to Westerns.

[Yora]

Those are German.
You sure? I always thought they were swiss. They are definately not ours. Whose are they then?


More and more Finns actually choose the alternative these days: working at a hospital, retirement home etc. for a slightly longer time than they would spend in the army. So maybe we could take Skill Focus instead of those?
Conscription was suspended in Germany just some months ago (and I don't know how they ever want to justify to bring it back), and at that point it was not much more than a joke. During the cold war everyone male had to undergo 18 months of military training. When it was suspended, training was down to 6 months and there were tonns of loopholes to get out. All women were out to begin with and 55% of the males were considered as unfit for military service, and of those few that reamined, I think half opted out by performing a 6 month peroid of some public service. Which leaves about 10% who actually recieved any military training. Which is the 6 months of learning how to fold your shirts and march in formation.
Oh, and all those conscript are only for the defense of german territory in case of an invasion, so they never saw any active service.
So conscription alone is not a reason to assume people can use guns. :smallbiggrin:

[Eldan]

Somewhere in the South. Black Forest, I think? Really, for the most part, Switzerland was way too poor and backwater to invent something like that.

[Shyftir]

Actually, I think most famous people originally hail from little heartland states no one cares about. You know New York and California because they are two major global centers. Texas is just its own caricature due to Westerns.

Even when they come from the heartland (Which pretty much everybody east of Colorado and west of the east coast claim to be. BTW the middle states are actually on average pretty big = to European countries or larger.) they usually have to go through New York or California before they can become truly famous enough that Europe has heard of them.

[Yora]

States not only have to be big to make a mark, they also have to have lots of people. Kasakhstan is also pretty big, but nobody lieves there. Our german states may be a lot smaller that yours, but the situation is the same. Nobody ever heard of all the exiting things going in Thüringen, Brandenburg, and Mecklemburg-Vorpommern. (Because there's actually nothing there.)

Black Forest could be. But looking down from up here (on a map North is "up"), that's already Switzerland. :smallbiggrin:

[Seatbelt]

Wisconsinit is a German subrace. Things Wisconsin does... we make beer and cheese. Milwaukee is the drunkest city in the country and the state is one of the cheapest in the union in which to get drunk. UW Madison is one of the top 30 public schools in the world and is also one of the drunkest public schools in the country. We can also drink more than other people. After 13 shots of whiskey my non-wisconsin friends were destroyed and I was just "drunk." My wisconsinite friends consider me a light weight.

Summerfest is also the largest music festival in the world
The Mifflin Street Block Party is the largest street festival in the country (world?) where 10K college students wake up at 6:00am and drink until they can't.
Freakfest is the largest Halloween party in the country where college students from around the nation gather to... drink until they can't.

Cheese goes on EVERYTHING. Non-wisconsinites might be interested to know that the thing you call a "wisconsin cheddar burger" is what we serve when you ask for a hamburger.

Also it is cold here.

So I think we should get a +2 bonus on
Craft: Cheesemaking
a +4 bonus on saves to resist the effects of alcohol, and the regional feat
"Legendary Parties"
Wisconsinites and renowned for their ability to throw wild drunken parties. Take the number of people invited to a party thrown by a Wisconsinite and multiply it by 4.

[SurlySeraph]

The Americans starting out with a firearm doesn't make a lot of sense to me, though I guess it depends on where you grew up.

People in the far western states (Montana, the Dakotas, Wyoming, everywhere else where elk outnumber people) are automatically proficient with all firearms short of field artillery.
Californians get +2 Cha, -2 Wis. Yes, all of them.
Southerners get a +2 bonus on Concentration checks and all readied actions, as they tend to be ridiculously patient. From a New York perspective, at least.
New Yorkers are immune to gaze attacks, because we do not have eye contact here.

There are various city-specific feats available. For example, everyone from Detroit, Buffalo, and Cleveland can cast Crushing Despair 1/day.

[Yora]

That eye contact thing always confuses me. My professors always tell me that it's one common source of misunderstanding the intentions of a foreigner, because you are not familiar with his native conventions of keeping eye contact during a conversation.

I had never any problems with foreigners appearing rude because they don't look at me. But I probably wouldn't notice, since I never look at peoples eyes either. That would be extremely rude and a violation of personal space. :smallbiggrin:

[Frozen_Feet]

More and more Finns actually choose the alternative these days: working at a hospital, retirement home etc. for a slightly longer time than they would spend in the army. So maybe we could take Skill Focus instead of those?
More than 70% still opt for military service, however, and in the past years the percentage was much higher. So for the current population, it'd be a reasonable model.


So conscription alone is not a reason to assume people can use guns. :smallbiggrin:

Neither is proficiency or Weapon Focus within the scope of whole D&D ruleset. :smallwink: It would seem like a reasonable representation of basic firearms training as given here, though. Assuming most of population is Commoners or Experts, giving them proficiency in one extra martial weapon hardly seems like a stretch.

[Yora]

Can we have Skill Focus (internet)? Because when my mon was in Chicago with her staff two years ago, the natives wanted to show them that miracle invention that they could do with a computer.
Apparently using the internet is a spcialized and exotic enough ability that it justifies a feat. :smallbiggrin:

[Shyftir]

Chicagoans would totally get unique bonuses too.
+2 to: Bluff, Sense Motive, and Diplomacy (Not only are our politics crooked we all know it and don't care!)
+4 on any check having to do with rabid sports fandom. (DAAA Bears!)

and I could think of more but I'm already bored of trying...

[Eldan]

From what I hear, the Americas don't have any really rabid sports fans. I mean, there's hardly ever any buildings on fire.

It's not a football match if the riot police isn't overwhelmed.

[Yora]

Very true. :smallbiggrin:
Could the french get a bonus on riots? They are really good at it.

As I said, I've a lot to do with cultural differences at university, and we have a lot of exchange students (40 to 50%). And some of them actually said that one thing that amazes them about Germany is, that busses and trains run almost all year and airports and gas stations are open without exceptions. And when there's a strike, there are maybe 3 or 4 days during which drivers don't work, but nothing gets destroyed or set on fire. :smallbiggrin:

[Maralais]

The Turkish get a +2 con and str, but a -2 to wis and cha(I think)

also, Fighter is a favored class.

And Jack of All Trades is a bonus feat at 1st level(because Turkish people tend to use everything to do... anything.). Yeah, LA is too high.

[some guy]

ZING!


As for their Western neighbours, the Dutch clearly have a bonus to Swim checks. It's almost like, if you can't swim, they revoke your passport! :smalleek:

Oh, and Speak Language always as a class skill, considering how important it is in schools here.

Don't forget a bonus to Ride (bike). Most of us could get that DC 20 of fast dismount fairly easy.

[Yora]

That's also something that suprises me when you see people talk on the internet. Many seem to make riding a bike something special
Here I'd say 98% of the people can ride a bike and I assume 60 to 80% have one. It's nothing exotic or kind of a like a sport. Using a bike to get some place nearby is nothing more special that putting shoes on your feet to walk there.

By fast dismount, do you mean getting off before it comes to a full stop?

[blackjack217]

Advantages of being American.
Advantages: International language: English is the most common language known in the world (if you count secondary speakers).
International currency: $
Broken military: US military is so ridiculously over powered that very few governments have a chance of beating whichever portion is in the area.
Disadvantages:
Belong to the richest nation in the world: people hate you.
Belonging to the nation with the most infamous international tourists: people assume you are an ...

[Dienekes]

I gotta agree with Yora, people aren't that special.

As a Chicagoan, here's what I see our bonuses would be:
Profession (pick one): +2

That's about it. Most Chicagoans I know just sort of go about doing their job until the weekend shows up.

[some guy]

That's also something that suprises me when you see people talk on the internet. Many seem to make riding a bike something special
Here I'd say 98% of the people can ride a bike and I assume 60 to 80% have one. It's nothing exotic or kind of a like a sport. Using a bike to get some place nearby is nothing more special that putting shoes on your feet to walk there.

By fast dismount, do you mean getting off before it comes to a full stop?

Yes, that's something that surprises me too, but when you encounter it as something extraordinary so many times one starts to think that riding bikes is, perhaps, some kind of mAgIcAl ability.

And yes, that is what I mean by a fast dismount.

[Scarlet-Devil]

That's also something that suprises me when you see people talk on the internet. Many seem to make riding a bike something special
Here I'd say 98% of the people can ride a bike and I assume 60 to 80% have one. It's nothing exotic or kind of a like a sport. Using a bike to get some place nearby is nothing more special that putting shoes on your feet to walk there.

By fast dismount, do you mean getting off before it comes to a full stop?

But it is something special; riding a bike requires a certain amount of balance and coordination that come with practice and familiarity with the device. Give a bike to someone in the Middle Ages and you'll probably get to watch them hurt and embarrass themselves, but I bet they're a good deal more likely to know how to ride a horse than you.

Just like elves get free proficiency with swords and bows, many modern humans are proficient with bikes, by virtue of it being common to learn to ride one as a child in our societies.

[Eldan]

I'm mainly surprised by how much some Americans use their cars for everything. Driving the kids to school instead of letting them walk. Going shopping for small quantities of stuff with their cars. Visiting friend with their cars. All done on foot, by bike or by train here, really.

[blackjack217]

I'm mainly surprised by how much some Americans use their cars for everything. Driving the kids to school instead of letting them walk. Going shopping for small quantities of stuff with their cars. Visiting friend with their cars. All done on foot, by bike or by train here, really.

Lower population density and a trains system that was never really upgraded are the main reasons.

[Eldan]

Heh. That's another thing. Distances.

Pretty much all our relatives live about two hours by car away. We see them maybe once, rarely twice a year, because that's considered far. I'm at the Northern border in ten minutes, and at the southern border in three hours, if there's no traffic jams.

[megabyter5]

If you want to make regional bonuses just for all of America, you'll have your work cut out for you. There should be one for every major city, and both a suburban one and a rural one for every state.

[blackjack217]

Heh. That's another thing. Distances.

Pretty much all our relatives live about two hours by car away. We see them maybe once, rarely twice a year, because that's considered far. I'm at the Northern border in ten minutes, and at the southern border in three hours, if there's no traffic jams.

5 hours by air.

[Gourtox]

Phh. We all know all Americans are the same. You all speak in American Accents (tm). I.e. Texan :smalltongue:

I mean, there's only two accents in the English language anyway. Posh Brit and Texan.

And Jersey, although it's more like a sub-language.

[Orzel]

New Yorkers get Rage 1/encounter, Fear Aura, and a bonus to Sanity checks...

but no starting wealth.

[Yora]

And yes, that is what I mean by a fast dismount.
My 50 year old mom takes 10 on that check. :smallbiggrin:

[Reynard]

And Jersey, although it's more like a sub-language.

...

I'm going to ask which Jersey, before getting :smallannoyed:

[Orzel]

...

I'm going to ask which Jersey, before getting :smallannoyed:

The part of Jersey full of Brooklyn to Staten Island implants.

[Yora]

Not the one in Normandy.

[Reynard]

:smallsigh:

"New"
"New"
That word is there for a reason.
[/peeve]

Anyway, the real Jersey...

We get Profession Farming OR Banking +2, a tolerance of dealing with clapped out transportation devices... and the choice to take Jersey French* as a bonus language.

*Not really that related to French.

[SurlySeraph]

Hm, British regional stereotypes have made surprisingly little appearance. I'll throw out a couple suggestions: +2 Bluff and Sleight of Hand for Liverpudlians, +REAAARGH to all GRAAAAH for Glaswegians.


If you want to make regional bonuses just for all of America, you'll have your work cut out for you. There should be one for every major city, and both a suburban one and a rural one for every state.

Eh, you could do well with some decent sweeping generalizations. A "guns and patriotism" template for the South, Alaska, and the western states, a "slightly angrier and pudgier Canadians" template for most of the Midwest, a California template, and a general "kinda tough, really proud" template that would work for most of the Eastern Seaboard.

And then you could have various feats to flesh out the details, organized by theme rather than specific location. South Central, South Boston, the South Side of Chicago, etc. could all be covered with a similar feat. Same (with a very different feat) for Beverley Hills, Winnetka, Westchester County, etc.
And fluff is flexible, of course. A guy from Detroit explaining "The problem in my neighborhood isn't the unemployment, it's the feral dogs" can cast Crushing Despair with his voice alone; so can a guy from Cleveland explaining that he's seen more river fires than sports championships. Citizens of Southern California, Atlantic City, or Las Vegas could all get high bonuses to all Cha checks used to convince someone to do something very stupid. Etc.

[Xanmyral]

Suppose I should throw in a few things about those who live in the United States...

-2 on all Social checks when dealing with Socialist/Communist (It's considered an insult to be called one, and calling your self one is pretty much both political, and societal suicide here.)
+2 on intimidate checks (Military and all that.)
+2 on diplomacy checks used on self by Canadians (Most, or at least those that I know and have talked about Canadians, tend to follow the adage that Canadians are very polite, friendly.)

If you live in my area, basically in the middle of the country which is most in the upper left corner of the bible belt, these may apply on top, or override those below it.

-2 on both Social, and Knowledge checks when dealing with non-Christians and foreigners (This tends to vary from individual to individual, but as a whole, i.e. a good seventy to eighty percent, this applies.)

As an end here, I wouldn't really consider this stereotyping, but more as satire since most of this tends to be done in good humor.

[averagejoe]

The Mod They Call Me: Gonna keep this thread locked. I appreciate that everyone has kept things pretty civil so far, but it seems to me a thread like this would require fairly constant moderation nonetheless.