Social Character

[Interia_Discordius]

How well does a social character (a character who does not devote themselves to fighting mobs for exp) do in the server of Layonara? I find myself making characters that would do better receiving straight RP/quest exp, but then I run into the problem of being online when DMs aren't and being too low level to quest with the mains... Granted, I don't mind if I have to roll a +12mod against a +30 mod, that's fine with me, but the requirements listed in calendar are way above my character's level to even join.

Any suggestions? I'm fine with slow leveling... not so much with no leveling. That's all.

[Hellblazer]

Some have been doing both at the same time. I know that at the moment Brian is more of a social character when I play him, due to waiting on people to catch up.
 
 Storold is a bit the same, bumblebee was the same.
 
 So I'd say it's not impossible, depending on your type of personality

[miltonyorkcastle]

By "social character" do you mean non-adventuring character? or non-combat? or non-explorer?

If you're playing a non-adventuring character in a DnD system, you will, unfortunately, find it very hard to level. Esepcially since your character may not even wish to help out on many quests once he/she figures out what the quest will entail.

If you're playing a non-combat character, then you should do fine with XP (unless you're a pacifist... in which case talk to Eghaas), since you can still follow adventuring groups around offer assistance via other means.

If you're play a non-exploring character (you will get involved in stuff if it comes to you, but don't go out of your way to find troub...er, adventure), then quests are about your only option.

Remember, becoming a PC in a DnD based system assumes you have taken up the occupation of adventuring. You're not a farmer, a merchant, a politician.... you're an adventurer. You may have done those things in the past, or you may do those things on the side... sort of an "extra income" kind of gig... but the primary way you feed and clothe yourself is through adventuring.

If you want to play a truly social, non-adventuring character, try some sort of MMO version of the Sims.

[ycleption]

In my opinion, it's really more how the player does with the character than how the server does with the character. If you are primarily planning to RP, you may be doing a lot of waiting around and sending out tells asking for people to RP with you. It does seem to me like most players level quickly through 7 or 10, and you could be pretty lonely for a while. The other issue is that if you do some bashing, you'll find that it will take some time to find a group, then that group will pass you by, and you'll have to find new people. Often in this game (unfortunately, I think) one's social circle is tied to the people one adventures with, and level comes into play a lot. There are other characters out there who level very very slowly, or not at all, and the people who choose to do that generally seem to enjoy their characters.

Can it be a lot of fun to have a primarily RP character? Absolutely.
Can it be frustrating at times? Yes.

(This is from my experience with Pallena, who was originally intended to be a mostly RP character. She's at level 12 and I've been playing her for about 20 months, not counting times when I've been away from the game)

[Dorganath]

If it matters, I have a character I started back in April who is only level 4 right now.  Granted, play time is a big factor but I created the character primarily for RP reasons, not advancement.

[Interia_Discordius]

Non-exploring, really.. my chara will bash things if it comes to her and will involve herself in situations should it be near her, but being a rather non-committed type of person, it's very hard to find an IG justification to go all the way out to, say, Krashin and bash some kobolds (or really do anything that isn't DM-quest related). I want to get involved in all the cool things, but I myself as a person find it very difficult to grind 100+ ogres just for next level... maybe that's just my problem :\

[ycleption]

Nah, trust me, you aren't the only one who gets bored with grinding.
You could always make him or her a crafter, which gives you an excuse to go and find materials...

[miltonyorkcastle]

Lots and lots of places to explore where a group of 1st-10th level characters can get decent XP without having to grind and loop. Of course, you have to be adventurous enough to brave the unknown, and you have to take the time to build a group, or find a group that consistently plays in your timezone/play-period.

[Hellblazer]

Or you can find people that mixes rp and fighting in good dosage. I can maybe spend an hour or two a day going on a trip, rping in that trip, and then ending up rping after for an other two hours with all or only a few people of that group.
 
 Other of my char are primarily action type of personality, others more of the passive. It all depends on what you want and the personality of you char, and if the people you tend to go with can mix rp and other activities at the same time.
 
 For example, yesterday, after a little trip which had a good amount of rp in it, I ended up rping with belle for an hour or so while she was crafting a new dress and then afterward by a lake again.
 
 Many ways to do the same things or different things, you just have to look around and be patient when sometimes things doesnt seem to develop in any of the ways you intended them to.

[Link092]

hey, here's my take. While I do go out and "bash 'em up", I try to take the time to speak and RP. (I got killed typing! ) because sitting there in awkward silence just doesn't cut the musterd for me unless I'm busy fend off that cat so I don't bleed to death. (or in some cases, I'm sitting back, listening to to PCs Argue.) I try to turn the "pseudo-quests" into social functions... Ido got some good xp in the past two weeks doing such.

[silverblades]

feel your pain girlfriend... been here since 04 and I got up to 16. my highest lvl char of three.

it seems harder somehow with all the newer stuff round since the older days.

redlight was lots of fun ,now Im afraid to take my 16lvl in down to the botton by himself.
Haven was a good romp . now....not likely go in there by myself now.

the server In my opinion has made it this way to promote RP, banding together, fighting together, working as a team which is perfectly fine with me, I love a well placed fireball before I go a bashin with my fighter, and a cleric to heal me back up and start it all over again. Isnt that what DnD was all about in the old days anyways. Pen and paper a DM shield some had drawn maps or a Gary Gygax module and a whole lot of good times.
Online games have allowed us to be loners which we should never be. Both in the real world and in the world of Layonara. Perhaps its the single players games that we have become accostomed to and fast leveling process that these games have taught us that this is the way it should be.

Here in Layo I think where we go astray is not sending tells to someone when we logon, those that our characters get along with and would normally be around when were logged off.
Nothing wrong sending a tell to those that your character knows when you logon, saying Hi, and such, or asking for an invite or inviting them without actually talking to them, they will either ignore you, or you will find out their already in a party or they will join you. Then ask for help on your latest quest or just simply RP IC which builds you journal and fleshes out your character more should you want to become a World leader later on.
 and then going out and see what happens when you travel the many roads or go to get some supplies. I'm not for sure what DM's look for when they check things out and fly around but if I was a dm I would be inclined to watch a group of two or more players and try to do some interaction with those rather than someone who was by himself that way I would be promoting two players to RP with rather than just one. (though twice I have had a DM interact with me while by myself)

anyways, I love to play a powerful character as well as the next guy but its fun in the lower levels, you actually have to think and use every resource at your disposal to defeat your enemies, be it a pixie summons that does 6 damage or all three of your second level spells that last a wopping three minutes.
 All those epic characters dont have anything on us when it comes to being resourceful, their greatest problem lies in taking too long to buff up and not having enough quickslots,
or staying awake while their characters wipe out an entire Orc tribe.
Or wondering what to do with all the gold they have (awww!).

I like to stay away from quests actually, all I see happen to those characters who quest alot (most of them) is they stop playing and get burned out, or their character does something wrong and it really hurts their character and they get angry and stop playing alltogether.

Dont be too hasty in trying to level quickly, it's impossible (for me anyways)and you wont like the results if you do. An Epic fighter with the history of a 100 yard dash does little to improve your want to further him past 20th. or the DM's want to approve your World leader CDQ.

Its a game, take it for what it is and what it has always been since its inception

Objective, have fun
if your not having fun you may need to be retrained.

Selah.

[Link092]

I think we should be friends.














// this is my creepiness disclaimer. heheheh



...........

[Chongo]

I have a character I started about 3 years ago that's only level 7.  Doesn't really tell any tales as to what that means or implies.

Come on Inertia, you know the gig!  You're not new to this and you've watched the server long enough to know the good and the bad of most things.  Ycleption phrased it perfectly:  "it's really more how the player does with the character than how the server does with the character."  

That said... your question may have still wanted to focus particularly on the framework and mechanic.  And Milty spelled that one out pretty well.  The mechanic of NWN is not framed up to have tangible benefit for roleplay the way the SIMs would.  It lacks the umph in that manner of detailed and thorough environments.  RP worlds of NWN shoot from the hip and have the *players* carry the atmosphere on their shoulders instead of relying on systems.  That's why we all like to pat ourselves and each other on the back so often.  We're doing a heck of a job with what we have, we recognize that it's not required for the systems at play, and we feel good about doing it in style.  I kinda doubt you have such back-patting forum atmospheres on non-progression games like the SIMs where style *is* the game.  I could be wrong though.

It's going to be hard to advance with a non-combatant/ adventurer.  But... who's to say you need to advance on the xp scale?  Come up with a system that doesn't leverage combat.  People have done it before and will continue to do more of it.  All the guild events and benefits and story-telling... those are events that progress socially.  And it's really the only avenue without specially scripted systems.  Come up with something creative.  Some manner of activity which is entertaining to the players.  It's tough when it's not being scripted.  Game systems are nearly always going to revolve around the basis of the game platform we started with.  The uphill battle you face is that the initial entertaining aspect that brought us all here was adventure.  But as far as NWN servers go, this audience will be one of the better large ones for considering new avenues.

It's interesting to watch posts that edge towards the question of progression.  The responses almost always carry some manner of agenda in their statements, mine included.  I used to get upset by them, several points in silverblades post for example I would've picked apart in the past and done my best to rip apart the anti-progression sentiments.  But, these days (at least when I'm on my better behavior), my opinion is that everyone is just trying to motivate an aspect of Layonara.  They aren't carrying torches looking to burn down every epic character at the stake, likewise those others aren't off powermongering and refusing roleplay/ atmosphere with utmost vigor and hatred of the ideal.  Everyone here who manages to last/ stick with the server is somewhere in the middle.  They tend to reach one way or the other in debates... but we're all pretty much playing with the same desired atmosphere in mind.  Some head out more, some head out less.  But when we head out, most everyone's doing the same thing, likewise when we bench it, most everyone's doing the same thing.  Percentages in my mind don't really matter as long as neither activity betrays the atmosphere.  The bench is a far worse situation then the epic run if the bench involves an hour of green tells about your preference towards blondes over brunettes.  Activity, or lack thereof, counts for little in these measures - and while I will always grit my teeth at the folks who try to bring it into the equation, they're trying to support an ideal and I can respect that.

It's a system that doesn't fully support it Inertia.  But it's a community that does.  So if you can live with the absence of some manner of measurement, then you can pretty much do anything your heart desires in the realm of roleplay.  You said that no progression is something you're not comfortable with, and in that regard, I'd perhaps offer some manner of character trait that gives reason to go awanderin' with others.  Because even quests are going to require a bit of that most of the time.

[miltonyorkcastle]

What Chongo said.