CCB commentary

[Tobias]

Ermmm... I don't have any of the BW rules, nor have I played it. Am just following along cause it's cool, but ermm...

If Great One is such a sweet lifepath item, why do people not make the following progression?

Born Great, The Rites, Bears the Lash, Head-Taker, Named, Great One

Something in the rules prohibiting it?
Non-optimal lifepath?

edit: oh yeah: hi! first post, and all.
edit2: heck, you could even have been a troll lord! seems less strong, but who knows? or are armor and shield training almost mandatory for the edge?

[Enlil]

Hello and welcome.

That is a very good build. Armor training is vital if you want to wear heavier armors, and shield training is very good if you don't plan to always use a 2-handed weapon. But you could buy those if you used up all of your general points.

The main reason we haven't seen one, I think, is because there are only three orcs so far, and two of them are 5-lp. And the other path the first orc took (Born Great->The Rites->Follower->Black Destroyer->Named->Great One) is also very good - it gets an extra physical attribute point, and considerably more skill points.

Good eye, in any case. I didn't notice, partly because I was building a 5-lp orc, and trying to figure the most optimal path there. If you can glean the rules from the Character Burning Worksheet and New School Scripting Sheet in the download section, I would say make the orc yourself.

Christian

[Tobias]

Thanks for the welcome, and comments on the build.

I expected as much (about the 2 trainings). And heavy armor probably is verrry useful in the arena (although you indicate an 'out' with 'you could buy those if you used up all your general points'.).

I realise we've only seen three orcs... it's just that the drool over the first one (and especially the Great One path in it), that this seemed a natural second to me - even with the physical point, and 4 skillpoint difference.

Not to belittle the first orc (suicide!), but isn't it a bit of an obvious build? Or are there subtleties/synergies to traits, etc., that I've missed (not owning the book and all)?

I WOULD make the orc myself, if I can glean the rules, if it weren't for the fact I would be building blind a bit, and wouldn't be able to enter him into the arena effectively, not even having read any of the combat rules. And building him would block that combination of lifepaths to other users - which I don't want to do - because I'd love to see someone drive that combination to destruction or glory. :)

[Tobias]

Sorry to double-post, but too late to edit. (or logged out, dunno).

Anyway, it's easy to glean the rules from the sample .pdf's, but Luke's done well to make some things unknown to me and others from those .pdf's(Steel, and other stats from questionnaires on the CB).

Seems like you could really 'twink' these (Hatred, at least) for these arena guys, but I assume they're more balanced for normal story play.

I'm not trolling for anyone to give me access to the full info, btw. I could just buy it, but I know I'd never get around to playing it with any group (and if that situation changes, I can always buy it then).

I guess I'd build something slow and tough that could soak a bunch of minor blows and was well-armored. Armor training with general points, no shield training but a 2-handed weapon. The lame trait prevents sprinting (and would be a good reason for other, faster orcs to take bows or other ranged tricks) so I'd build for the solid strike through the middle, the counter-strike against fast opponents, and try to compensate against ranged weaknesses through soak and any trait or trick I could find.

Let's see, that would leave a vulnerability to short-ranged fighters closing really fast. Well, if they make it through the range advantage of my weapon, I guess I could just brawl?

Interesting to speculate, having less than full information.

And add an interesting Instinct or belief based on the fact that he can't bring his beloved whip into the arena, of course. Something like 'if I can't whip it into obedience, dissent is death'. :)

I'm not sold on the scripting myself (I'm sure it works fine, I'm not sure it's what I like), but the flavor on these orcs... oy vey!

edit: another orc I'd really be interested in is a 'martial artist'-esque concept (but no fluffy dancy martial art here, of course), of a whip-bearer with the belief 'the only worthy weapon for my hands is the whip'. if he can't use the whip, he'll just spank his opponent bare-handed.

[Tobias]

again, too late to edit. so a triple -post. don't dislike me for my enthusiasm! :)

That last whip lover could obviously be:

Born Great, Whipmaster, packmaster, troll lord, named, great one

10, 5, -, 3: general, traits: orc common + 2: btrta, eots
9, 10, +1M, 4: interrogation, intimidation, brawling, torture, t: wtiaw
7, 9, +1M/P, 5: Animal Husbandry, Great Wolf-Wise, Pack-wise, mending, t: wtiaw, intimidating
5, 12, +1 M, P, 6: Troll-wise, Troll etiquette, Hammer, Shield Training, T: arrogant, troll speak
8, 15, +1M,P, 5: command, brutal intimdation, torture, t: 2: savage consequnces
20, 50, +2M, P, 5: command, strategy, name ritual, 1: general, T: 2 brooding, Unrelenting Hatred

Age, 59, 3 lifepath switches, =62

which puts him in the 7M/17P age slot. Makes 12 M, 20P, with 1 left for free distribution. 101 resources (seems like a lot). 4 general skills, 25 normal skills. Shield training opened up by troll lord, so 2 general skills for armor training, 2 general skills left (observation training seems an interesting choice?).

If you dislike unarmed, he could always swing a hammer. :)

Again, if people want this char, welcome!

[luke]

Tobias,
welcome.
this is the thread to post actual combattants for the CCB. Commentary should be posted elsewhere. I've split your posts.

Before you comment, please read the CCB rules:
http://burningwheel.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1052

thanks,
-Luke

[Tobias]

Ah yes.

Thanks for both the welcome and that correction - I already had the sense I was posting in a somewhat inappropriate place.