PCs and supernatural ability

Kregor · Post by **Kregor** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:00 am

Curious. If a PC were to RP having some supernatural ability to be able to "enslave" or mentally charm other PCs, even if the RP was consented to by the victim PCs, would this fall afoul of a couple of previous posts with imm decision regarding smoted charm and RPing powers that code doesn't give you? Namely...

http://www.forgottenkingdoms.com/board/ ... 8385#18385

Where Beshaba states, if you can't do it in code, you can't RP it consentually, regarding even someone with a charm person spell wanting to smote out charming another PC.

And, in general the game policy that you aren't allowed to RP or emote abilities, spells, or powers that you aren't given in code?

Valdimyr · Post by **Valdimyr** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 6:32 am

As I am in no position to give you a "Yes, you can do that" or a "No, you can't do that" I would like to add a little something to this.

I believe it isn't right to not be able to rp something, just because it can't be found in the hard code. When it comes down to it, this is a roleplaying mud, and we shouldn't let the code take away from any possibly rp that we could come up with our wild imaginations.

It just seems wrong to let code stand in the way of having fun and roleplaying something new. If the characters involved in the roleplay know that it is nothing more than roleplay and can't actually be found in the code of the MUD, then I really don't see where the harm is in that.

Lathander · Post by **Lathander** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 6:48 am

We've had issues in the past with PCs granting themselves special abilities that are not coded and without going through the application process.

It is against our policy - even if the victim consents. We would then end up with "good" PCs doing evil deeds without consequence simply because they claim to be under the control of someone else.

Ceara · Post by **Ceara** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 12:49 pm

Actually I know that one cannot do that. I have a character who is charming when she wants to be, but she cannot charm or enslave another by means of magic. Though she will try to with her personality, through either gaining their affections or causing them to fear.
At least not unless it was applied for, which because it would be very hard to enforce and unfair to other players, I do not think it would be approved. However I am not an imm.

Waukeen · Post by **Waukeen** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 1:25 pm

Yes, exactly on what both Ceara and Lathander said.

I would be incredibly hard-pressed to approve and application of that nature. In the instance of a tiefling who is part succubus or alu or any other creature that can naturally charm a person, I usually say that the downfall to not being completely that creature is that you don't have the same powers.

Caelyvar · Post by **Caelyvar** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:45 pm

I agree. . .the RPing of powers you dont have is unfair and completely against the rules of fair play.

However to go along with what Waukeen said. . .if a character is part . . umm. . whatever . . .that doesnt mean that the characters that interact with that Tiefling dont believe that the tiefling DOES have those powers.

And if I were the tiefling I would just let those that believe you have those powers go on believing it.

I mean really there is enough speculation IC about what a tiefling . . .ANY tiefling can do . . .IC'ly speaking a character who has never interacted with a tiefling before or any other mystic being like an Aassimir or a Genasi . . .or even a Wemic, might think they have all sorts of powers.

As an EVIL entity I would be hard pressed to quell those rumors. .. because the more fear you have the better to control you

*coughs*

Just my thoughts

Kregor · Post by **Kregor** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 7:50 pm

Caelyvar wrote: And if I were the tiefling I would just let those that believe you have those powers go on believing it.

As an EVIL entity I would be hard pressed to quell those rumors. .. because the more fear you have the better to control you

If I played such an evil, I would not quell any rumors about how powerful I was, or not powerful. Though, such fear allows command, not control. There is a difference between the two terms. And a person on the receiving end would know whether they are being "controlled" or not. Control removes your ability to resist, or choose your fate. Command does not.

Meekir · Post by **Meekir** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 8:08 pm

I can definitely see problems with people granting themselves more powers than mechanics allow. the biggest problem with your point, Caely, being if the uncertainty is also out of character.

anyone playing a part-succubus, part-angel, whatever, needs to be clear out of character that smoting is not the same as having supernatural powers. In the same way if you say you TRY to grab me by the shirt, we have options to play along or resort to mechanics, if you say you look at me with a hypnotizing gaze, I, the player need to know if you don't actually have wiggy powers. Taking advantage of a player's ignorance of the rules in any game is essentially cheating.

if a player then wants to play a superstitious character, and ward off the evil eye or throw salt over their shoulder or feel the loving light of heaven in their soul, whatever, as long as they're aware they're not obligated out of good roleplay or compelled to do so.

I've encountered *cough cough* fairly responsible instances of this sort of thing. (which have rocked.) But clarity is good. It's not only polite but real necessary to be clear about it from the beginning.

"Bang! I shoot you!"
"Ping! It bounces off!"
"Nuh UH!"