Lifepath Question

[adriayna]

Quick question about lifepaths.

When does one gain the benifits of a new lifepath? At the choosing of the lifepath, halfway in between, or at the end of the lifepath? Or is there some sort of progression?

Thanks!

[Kublai]

Since there is no way to take half-a-lifepath, I wonder how it would matter? How did this question come up?

But, to prevent cheating, I'd say you gain all the skills and points at the end of the lifepath.

[adriayna]

We were beginning a new campaign where characters are not at the point that they want to be at. So they will be progressing through lifepaths as the campaign goes along.

[Kublai]

Ah, there is our little misunderstanding!

Lifepaths are for the pre-game only. You burn up your character and then you are done with them for good.

Once you start the game, you are now an "adventurer" and no longer abide by the lifepath system. You are free to do as you wish and learn as you wish. Merchants may still trade and priests may still orate in their chosen profession, but they no longer are mechanically following lifepaths.


FREEEEEDOOOOOMMMMM!!

[rafial]

er, lifepaths are not used during play, just character generation. Lifepaths are how a character got to where you started playing them, what they do during play determines what skills they develop and where there lives go from there. It's not like WHFRP.

Although I suppose if you wanted to say "ten years laters" in your campaign, you could use lifepaths as guidelines for how characters might develop during that intervening time they were settled down...

[luke]

We were beginning a new campaign where characters are not at the point that they want to be at. So they will be progressing through lifepaths as the campaign goes along.

Dana,

Tell us about your character concepts, and the campaign concept they are involved in.

What do you mean by 'not at the point that they want to be at?'

-L

[adriayna]

Oh, ok....this is all making more sense.


Luke: The specific character in question is a Sergeant, but eventually wants to become a Knight (which he will strive to be throughout the game). My own character is an exorcist type of character (I got the idea from watching "The Order" movie). The campaign is set in a rather low-power medieval style world. I'm not sure what the DM has in store for us yet, but it should be fun.

[luke]

Luke: The specific character in question is a Sergeant, but eventually wants to become a Knight (which he will strive to be throughout the game).

This is a good goal for play and is the exact point at which to stop taking lifepaths. He wants to be a knight? Then stop at Sergeant and play out the struggle! I hope he's incorporated this into his Beliefs and Instincts.

My own character is an exorcist type of character (I got the idea from watching "The Order" movie).

I can't help but notice that you didn't espouse any goals or beliefs for your character. That's a red flag to me.

The campaign is set in a rather low-power medieval style world. I'm not sure what the DM has in store for us yet, but it should be fun.

This is a another red flag. If I were you (and I'm not), I'd ask the GM about what he/she intends. Also, I'd discuss EXACTLY what I hope to get from my own character in play. All of the players should be involved in this discussion. Setting out goals and expectations before the game begins only helps. It smooths over a lot of potential bumps and missteps.

I'd love it if you, the other players and the GM could start a thread in Games/Campaigns about your up coming game. It'd be cool to watch the development.

thanks,
-Luke

[adriayna]

[quote]My own character is an exorcist type of character (I got the idea from watching "The Order" movie).

I can't help but notice that you didn't espouse any goals or beliefs for your character. That's a red flag to me.

Don't say you didn't ask for it.

Beliefs: Talan (the main dietiy in the world) is the one true god and deserves our respect and worship. Demons and spirits must be banished back to where they cam from. Live by example.
Insticnts: Pray to Talan at the first sigin of trouble. Take cover if attacked. Tend to the needs of others first.
Traits: Faithful, Determined, Dreamer

Story: The character at the start of the game has travelled a hard path, because she is a female priest (very few women have the gift of faith, and sexisim is prevalent in the world). The church allowed her training, but would not allow her to interact with congregations. She finally found her place in an order within the church that focuses on dealing with all the crap the church doesn't like to admit exists (she has several contacts in that order, which helped her cause). She is in the process of finalizing her training, being sent on her first few "real" missions into the field. At this point, she has a ton of book learning, but is still very green on how to deal with real situations.

I didnt' explain the character concept in much detail in the post because I'm not sure where this character will go next--I think it depends on what events and experiences she was presented with. So, the future is "wide" open for this character at this point.

This is opposite of the sergeant character, who has a very specific goal in mind (of becoming a knight). Two other characters have yet to be burned for the game.

[luke]

Very good.

I did ask. Because this stuff is important to the game. Not only is it fun to have a little story, this is mechanically significant in Burning Wheel. It's going to determine how and when you get artha.

thanks!
-Luke

PS I think you mean "Lead by example", "Live by example" has a different connotation.

[Astros]

Im DMing this game and will definitly start a thread to track our progress. While only 2 characters are involved at this point, 2 (maybe 4) more should be joining soon.

I had each player fill out a 90+ question document asking information about what you suggested before we even began play. I wanted to know how they viewed the world, themselves, and others before we sat down to play, as well as understand what type of game they wanted and what they wanted to get out of the game.

[luke]

Im DMing this game and will definitly start a thread to track our progress. While only 2 characters are involved at this point, 2 (maybe 4) more should be joining soon.

I had each player fill out a 90+ question document asking information about what you suggested before we even began play. I wanted to know how they viewed the world, themselves, and others before we sat down to play, as well as understand what type of game they wanted and what they wanted to get out of the game.

Whoa.

So as not to completely derail this thread, I started another thread in the Sea of Abzu about this.
http://www.burningwheel.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3177#3177

-L