Child Prodigy

[Yagathai]

I'm curious as to how many times this trait has popped up in a PC in your games.

I'm even more curious as to how many times this trait has popped up in a PC in your games and it hasn't been a blatant attempt to create a 12-year old combat dynamo (grey polearm with precision training, or something).

[Thor Olavsrud]

I'm curious as to how many times this trait has popped up in a PC in your games.

I'm even more curious as to how many times this trait has popped up in a PC in your games and it hasn't been a blatant attempt to create a 12-year old combat dynamo (grey polearm with precision training, or something).

I've never seen it played. And I don't think it would be too horribly unbalancing. Three lifepaths is pretty much the most you can get. The best you can do is probably something like: Born Peasant/Born Noble, (lead to soldier) Bannerman, Footsoldier. You'll have 7 Mental points to play with and 18 Physical. You'll have 10 Skill points and 3 or 5 General points.

You'll be decent with a sword (or whatever weapon), but buying up Conspicuous, Shield Training, and Armor Training will take most of the rest of your points.

[Kublai]

I burned up a Child Prodigy for a campaign I recently played in, although he was a servant for my main character. He had a Grey 6 Accounting and did all the book-keeping for my criminal PC. He added a lot to that story! It was great.

[Fourth Horseman]

He had a Grey 6 Accounting and did all the book-keeping for my criminal PC. He added a lot to that story! It was great.

OK a really, really angry post I drafted just got deleted. So let me draft another. First, this is living proof you are the biggest cheat in the history of creation.

Second, questions:

How is it that you, sir, consistently get these kinds of characters into the game? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the same GM--who shall remain nameless--usually spends several hours, with a great deal of help from yourself, screaming at me for burning up a starting PC with a black 6 starting skill in ANYTHING. This criticism usually comes in spite of the fact that I usually come to the table with a very detailed character concept, often written over several pages, to justify my inclusion of certain lifepaths or skills. Indeed, I have never, NEVER, selected a lifepath for a starting character based on point yield, but only on whether it fits into the concept--which is maybe why most of my starting characters are underpowered. The other reason being that you and the GM spend several hours emasculating them.

Now, usually while all this nitpicking is taking place, some dolt is sitting two chairs down burning up a starting elven prince, who usually starts out with eleven armor, at least one ranger lifepath, and thrain [sic] of the chameleon. With absolutely no character concept to justify any of it. And for all you other posters who have read through my self-indulgent rant so far--apologies--this is not hyperbole but a characterization of an actual starting character who was burned as the GM was yelling at me for bringing a character to the table with B6 spear skill--even though said Elven Prince had some Grey stats.

Did I mention this makes me angry?

Am I living in some bizarro universe OR DOES ONE SET OF RULES SEEM TO APPLY TO ME AND ANOTHER TO EVERY OTHER PUNK WHO BURNS A CHARACTER AT OUR TABLE :?: :!: :x

[Kublai]

BIZARRRROOOOOOO!!

::polite applause::

I say, dear chap! Excellent elocution!

[Fourth Horseman]

I say, dear chap! Excellent elocution!

i hate you . . .

[Kublai]

But I saw "Polar Express" with you! :cry:

[luke]

The 4th Horseman is referring to two separate incidents. While similar, there are some distinctions between the two.

First, in his reference to censuring he seems to be nodding at two of his elven characters. The first suffered the worst under my own watchful eye -- he was an Elven Gem-Smith Master Swordsman Master Bladesmith made for a starting campaign. Mr Horseman was simply asked to focus said character on an area of expertise.

Second, the other Elven character in question is his beautiful and brilliant Sea Elf. His detailed history of said character enumerated and emphasized a number of skills that I felt fell by the wayside in favor of an utterly unnecessary mastership in the killing arts. Now the other Elf character he cites as an example is, I'm sad to say, true to the letter. The BW Classic Five Lifepath Elven Prince accompanied by all of his ridiculous accoutrement. I asked my friend and late-coming player to quickly generate a character to get into a game in progress. Based on this experience, I shall veto all quickly built Elven Princes out of hand.

What Mr Horseman fails to note in his righteous diatribe is that said player's life was made instantly miserable by his ill-thought out equipment choices. Hischoices immediately became the crux and focus of the night's conflict. Mr Horseman's well-rounded character was in fact the hero of the story, saving the foolish Elven Prince from robbery and death.

Though I missed my chance in Peer Review, I exacted my petty revenge in game at the table. Said revenge, in the end, produced the seed for the Gift demo scenario. So how bad could it have all really been?

:twisted:

To get back to the topic at hand: I've never really seen it in play. Though I don't think I'd have any trouble approving such a character. I think the rule is fairly balanced.

Oh, and Pete's a cheater.
-L

[Fourth Horseman]

Oh, and Pete's a cheater.

That's all I wanted to hear. 8)

[Kublai]

Ach! You all knew I was a cheater for years now. You didn't really have to hear it from Luke.

Let's have a contest, 4th Horseman! Who can get a grey-stat'ed character into one of Luke's games first? :twisted: