So instead of calling that no real cost effort, maybe it should actually be a compliment to those who would think ahead of time and give good emotes descriptions of what their disguises are, or how they are trying to make it harder for someone to guess what they are.
I'm not saying it isn't a reasonable way to disguise oneself or that it wouldn't have been invented, only that there's no real cost or effort involved for the PC.
It all ends up a big mess. It's an immovable object ("My character is a master of disguise after spending a century and a half on the surface hiding this way.") against an irresistible force ("My character has the eyes of ten hawks and perception that would make Sherlock Holmes cry, and his Spot check tops out at 103.")
The gnomes inventing sunglasses comment immediately made me think of the whole of the [strike]Underdark[/strike] Deep running around like the more modern image of some vampires with the long coats, death pale skin and shades. I don't know why, but it was really funny to me for some reason... Either you're a dark elf or you're a vampire and I don't break fast with either of them! *shakes fist*
To be clear, player effort is not what I was talking about and I wasn't insulting player cleverness. There is no cost or effort for the character because there is nothing mechanical in place - no Disguise skill, no Disguise Kit, no anything - that requires any cost or effort. Players do take advantage of that, though, on both sides; with no rules, anything goes. Again with the big mess.
Guess I will add my two bits to the subject. DEs and gobos are really the only ones trying to hide what they are as all the big monster races have very little chance to do so.
My pack ox is a wemic in disguise.
They just run past you and spawning everything on their way. I have had it done on the way to CNR and just out in places like the forest.
Lynn1020 raises a good point: and I think most of us would agree. However, I know of one character who does this regularly and with justifiable RP support for them. Not for the first time have I been RPing with others in the rest area of the Goblin Wastelands and this character has run dragging some goblins with them (no names, but you know who you are). The outcome for my character is that they will not join in any party that that character is in, as they do not appear to be sociable or the sort of person you would trust in a party.Agreed that this may not be the normal sort of situation that Lynn1020 talks about, but it's worth keeping in mind (and perhaps worth giving them a thick PvP ear when you catch up with them; which would suit both types of character play).