Game mechanics + roleplay = goodness?

[EliahPhos]

Here's the idea, and I know it's difficult to do without DM attention... however, done well, it provides a smooth, very fulfilling experience for all characters, without the doubt of "can I really do that?"

Some things such as the berry bushes/fishing is already in place, but an expanded Checks system could be very awsome.

Obviously different areas provide different opportunities, so I'll make very general arguments.

Quite simply, Checks are a tool that is rarely used in NWN. I'd like to see old fashioned D&D style come back. The Druid/Ranger knows about animals, nature, etc. Why not give them a check when entering an outdoor wilderness area that they get the entire map, using a check?
Rogues and bards are keen on items, places, and generally things. Why not get a bonus to buying/selling, possibly with access to items otherwise unavailable?
Fighters and Barbarians make a living from typically crushing opponents. Why not give a strength/dex check on, say, rolling a boulder into a group of orcs, possibly giving an advantage against the next wave?
Wizards and to a lesser degree sorcerers are masters of their art. Places that are naturally magical or have odd occurances would be perfect - do a spellcraft check to figure out the root of all evil is none other than saturated fat!

General, but effective. Used dynamically (such as with some new animal empathy widget), this can provide a little spice to an adventure, as well as making characters more than a personality and a char sheet. They interact with the world, instead of being at it's mercy.

(as a side, not included in poll)----------
This could also apply to crafting of armor/weapons. Now, the whole crafting/player economy bit can be tricky and done even well can be a bad thing, depending on the server. Here it seems like it might work.

Create Masterwork items (as per PHB of course) when a certain DC for the crafting has been surpassed. These could then be enchanted using simple gems (they're all over the place - put them to work!), and what combo of gems+spell+gold+xp equals your very own custom enchantment, though very low. I'm thinking adding lights, adding skill increases, adding +attack OR +damage, not blatant +1 uber stick enchantment. Several classes and such would need to go into it, making people get together to work towards a common goal outside of killing everything.
----------

Express your opinions... now!

[Quadhund/Greenhouse]

I am unsure of what this system is suppose to be. Are you recommending that this be integrated into FRC? Because your first statement implies that a DM would not be involved. But to integrate this into FRC would require builders/dms to do so. Taking it out of this context, then it becomes a matter of players governing each other. This is all well and good till players begin overstepping their bounds and explaining what Mephistoles likes to eat for breakfast.

Before I vote, I'd need further explaination.

[Theramin]

I'm always a little hesitant as far as checks go.

For example, I am playing a Cleric with the trickery domain. He lies a lot. Being a cleric though, he has scant Bluff skill. It's not a class skill, and the trickery domain gives a boost to persuade, not bluff. I've always thought this was silly anyway. In P'n'P games I amalgamate Bluff and Persuade into a more simple 'speechcraft' skill, since what is lying but persuading someone you're telling the truth when you aren't? Anyway, what I'm getting at is that checks shouldn't be the be all and end all. My friend has a rough, big, smelly bastard of a character yet his intimidate skill is at -1, which is at odds with how his character would appear in the game world. Simply put I believe there is a time and place for checks.

As for your idea of dynamic checks when entering areas, its a good idea and might encourage people to put points into something other than the 'same old' skills. However, I think it'd present a lot of work for the team when they have declared FRC1 pretty much finished.

[EliahPhos]

Answer: they would be built in, and have an actual mechanical response. And yes, it would require builders and scripters, but I have some time and could easily add these into the module - various ideas for what exactly to do would be screened, with the best taken out and implemented. I'd expect the DMs would have no trouble weeding out bad ideas.

Answer: NPC checks would be avoided at all costs, except for merchants.
NPCs interactions I've always found to be a lame duck, and no real reason to have anything to do with them except as necessary.

Abilities and skills would mostly apply to two fields: Generic (think animal empathy - ability to calm/ally with any animal, give the right DC check)
They would essentially give a player either an automatic(triggered by something, such as entering an area), or 'used' (widgets) to get some sort of result. Rangers get a bonus to hide in outdoor areas - this is an automatic(though not actually a check) Generic ability. Things such as being able to tell what creatures are in an area would be Generic upon entering the area, and be automatic. A listen check would be automatic, as would Spot. Hidden treasures/levers etc would apply here. Things of that nature.
Things such as trying to cleanse/sanctify an altar(or call upon it) would be a 'used' ability. It would not always be obvious what or where to 'use' the check widgets, since that wouldn't be any fun!

and Specific - these would be special instances, mostly in danger areas with a few concerning other aspects(berry bushes, fishing).
Being able to shoot a torch down which lights the area on fire where the baddies are is a Specific, and would be prompted. Failing would result in the baddies running after you. They would have good/bad results, depending on pass/fail and how well or badly you do, or no result at all at times.

[Munroe]

I don't like your poll choices. None of them are actually negative. I strongly dislike the idea of having a complex system of gem enchanting. Having the possibility of making one or two things is fine (and exists in FRC) but I do not like the idea of gem enchantment systems in general. If you have ever played on BlackStone Keep they have a very thorough gem enchantment system, whereby if you can't get the right gems you just can't get good weapons. It's a nuisance, at least in my opinion.

As for the scripted STR/DEX checks, some of that would be cool but that's not really a "system" but just more random touches. It would be cool in the sense that I would like if characters could do that stuff, but not so cool in the sense that every time the party came upon that bunch of orcs the strategy would become running straight for the STR/DEX check trigger that could drop the boulder on them.

Also, from a general implementation standpoint, the builders are trying to work on FRC2 and FRC is only really open to bug fixes at this point.

Disclaimer: I am not a builder on FRC.

[EliahPhos]

wolfmunroe said:

I don't like your poll choices. None of them are actually negative. I strongly dislike the idea of having a complex system of gem enchanting. Having the possibility of making one or two things is fine (and exists in FRC) but I do not like the idea of gem enchantment systems in general. If you have ever played on BlackStone Keep they have a very thorough gem enchantment system, whereby if you can't get the right gems you just can't get good weapons. It's a nuisance, at least in my opinion.

The crafting/enchanting is left out of the poll. It was a random blurb I had to type before I forgot it, but is open to discussion. It seems other than traps, crafting at -all- (excluding potion/wand/scroll) is pointless and I don't see why those items are even included, other than junk loot.

As a side, none of the options are really positive either, in that field of negative/positive. It's a determination of willingness put into normal terms. Otherwise it would be "No, Doubt, Maybe, Possibly, Yes"

[Munroe]

My understanding is that there is something in place to create magical weapons of at least certain kinds. It does involve items and is limited to certain classes. I don't know the specifics of this and would not seek to post spoilers.