Non-battle abilities.

[/~Amaterasu~\]

If we are making a character that isn't going to be taking part in battles, are we still to be limited by the rules for abilities? I mean, I don't see how it's fair to be restricted when such characters fall under the same category as others.

[Heroic Bilby]

How is it not fair?

Well regardless, the abilities section isn't just meant for abilities that are for hurting other people/winning fights. You can get 5 abilities if you spread the points out as far as they'll go. How many more do you need?

[meiser]

I NEED THEM ALL!!!! BUAHAHAHAHAH- I mean...Five is good...For now.

[lysander]

Maybe Amaterasu should list the abilities he/she wants, and all parties concerned can mull over the issues then?

It seems kind of strange to me for the people helping to not know the exact terms.

Besides. 100 harmless abilities is a little different than 25 strong ones.

[Heroic Bilby]

Harmlessness is relative. Someone who's allergic to peanut butter is going to find the ability to pull reese's pieces out of your pocket absolutely devastating. XD

[meiser]

Amg. Peanut Butter Powah.

[Heroic Bilby]

Let me put is this way for Ammy's sake.

The only way you're going to get in trouble for using an ability not in your profile is if somebody actually feels wronged/you were unfair in doing so. The staff doesn't monitor all threads, and even if they did see a magician character do something like make a rabbit come out of their hat(Magically not the real way) w/o an ability for it, then I wouldn't expect them to penalize that character's player for it.

So as long as nobody feels wronged by your usage of abilities then go ahead, you just can't always be sure how everyone will react depending on what it is. Example: Peanut butter. XD

[nascent]

A lot of good points made in this thread, especially by Bilby. Take it from a twelve-year veteran of roleplaying: even non-combat abilities can tip the scales if played correctly, so it makes sense that they fall under the same limitations.

For sake of illustration, let me pull out two of my own non-combat oriented characters: Vates and Iris.

Vates is at his best off the battlefield, tinkering with magical items and playing with pseudo-science. Nonetheless, some of his abilities can be used to turn the tide in unexpected ways. I'm not going to reveal everything in my "strategy book", of course, but for an example: the Transmute Base Materials ability. Requires two to three turns to use, and he has to have his hands on whatever he hopes to transmute the whole time. Not exactly an ability made for the heat of battle, is it?

Until you stop and consider how it can effect the battlefield itself. That's all I'm going to say about that!

Now, for a better example we turn to Iris. Her Uncanny Metallurgy ability is strictly out-of-combat, and does little more than explain her skill at working with metal. BUT! What are some things we know that are made out of metal, hmm? If a battle were to take place within a story RP, the tools or weapons that Iris can craft beforehand could mean the difference between victory and defeat for her and her teammates.

When an RP is strictly battle, non-combat abilities don't really mean much. But in story-based or mixed RPs, such "harmless" powers can reshape the entire course of events, and let's not forget that Final Mix has quite a bit more of the latter than the former going on at any one time. Even if you were to give your character a seemingly useless ability such as "Skillful Singing" or "The Art of Tying Knots", a wise and forward-thinking writer can find ways to maximize the advantages of such character aptitudes. Fighting is far from the only thing RPs are made up of, and even battle itself is more than just the ability to dish out and resist damage. Think on your feet, and the insignificant can sometimes become the extraordinary.


That's it for today's lecture. Tune in next time for a discussion of "The Battlefield and You: Making the Most of Your Surroundings". ;D

[lysander]

Lawl, yes, points made at Brezzen Let's all laugh at his expense.

But seriously, no beef guys, no beef. I see the jokes and truths.

But in my own defense, what I was getting at was that Amaterasu should list the abilities. I do understand that a "...forward-thinking writer..." can make the most out of nothing, but that's not what I was getting at. I was just offering that the wanted abilities in question be examined on a closer level. By saying that the harmless abilities are different than the strong ones I was trying to say that they should be addressed differently.

But I digress. I'm detracting from the original topic. My apologies.

[nascent]

Hmm... no, I'd say you're quite on-topic. And seeing the abilities Amaterasu had in mind would certainly help us all advise the situation. So, I agree with you completely Lysander.

[angelous]

I'd say my opinion, but since Amm hasn't posted said abilities, I guess it can wait...