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Daracaex
2007-01-28, 02:53 AM
I was wondering about somethings that might influence flavor, but not mechanics. I began wondering if it would still be considered two-weapon fighting if you didn't take the extra attack from it. Could you interchange attacks with either weapon as flavor? Along this same train of thought, I began thinking if some dissabilities could be used as flavor concepts. For example, maybe this mage is blind, but he has used magic to substitute his vision and wears a blindfold to cover up his eye sockets, and still is treated just as any character would be. Or maybe you have a psionic character with no arm, but is able to generate an arm formed of psionic power to substitute for a regular arm and thus he is treated the same as any other character with two arms.
I looked at traits in Unearthed Arcana and wondered if maybe you could take a trait that dictates the loss of this arm or other such thing, applies a small penalty, and then allows access to a feat set in exchange. Using my psion as an example, a requirment is neccessary for the trait and says the character needs to be able to be psionic to have the trait. The character would maybe get a -1 penalty to all skill checks in which precise movment of the arm or hand is neccessary and then he gets access to a series of feats. Maybe he is a monk multiclass, so he gets a feat to, say, imbue his literal psionic fist with some of his power. I know that a feat already gives extra damage to a psionic monk type character's unarmed strike, but having the trait would allow some of these feats to be a bit more poserfull. Does anyone think there could be some merit to this?

Fireball.Man.Guy.
2007-01-28, 09:54 AM
Building on this question, if I buy a handaxe, use something as a handaxe's stats, have proficiency with a handaxe, but describe it as a shuruken, is it so gamebreaking?

mikeejimbo
2007-01-28, 10:16 AM
You know, I really like those ideas. Why not, I say?

geez3r
2007-01-28, 11:50 AM
It's all up to the DM. So long as you get no (or limited) bonuses and/or penalties because of it, I would allow it.

Thomar_of_Uointer
2007-01-28, 12:13 PM
Like using the psionics rules to play a dwarvish runemage? Heck yes!

Now, the traits from UA are meant to make characters more unique. They're a good tool for roleplaying, but I don't think they're necessary.

Daracaex
2007-01-28, 03:49 PM
I'm just saying they are something that are already made and work in mechanics so you can take a feat that, say, lets you expend your psionic focus to increase the length of your psionic arm for one attack, letting the character get some reach or something along those lines.

Azmo
2007-01-28, 04:58 PM
I would mandate backstory justification. When my son came to me and told me he wanted a Cyberarm in a Star Wars game, I asked what could it do? He stated it was only effectively a replacement arm with no upgrade in Strength or functionality.

I told him to generate a backstory as to why. What he came up with was excellent grist for the storyteller mill, involving a botched assassination at a salvage facility. This was my in-road into a greater integration with his character to the storyline.

So I say, it sounds great, but make the player's work for it in terms of story.