Fria Ligans forum

If you were to, I don't know, create a much expanded lifepath character creation system from the one in Legends and Adventurers that's something I'd very much like to buy. Or you know, if it were tagged onto a Kickstarter, that's definitely something I'd pledge more to addon... And well, yes, please do this. This is basically the only way I want to start campaigns now, I just want more options in there, so much good stuff. I feel like it really helps characters start with the right feel.

So yeah, I hope this wasn't too subtle.

I too am a big fan of the Legends and Adventurers method, but what would you want out of an expanded version

More formative events. Also an updated version of the current ones which look based on beta or pre-beta rules. Generally that’s fine but can lead to interesting anomalies. As an example steppe nomad for the rider gives the tanning talent as opposed to horse fighter which would fit much better with the short bow and horse you’ve received. There’s an implication that you’d have some skill using them together.

More childhood options would be nice too. Just give more potential variety and less chance to roll the same events. The backstory hooks provided by the process are great, I just want more, I think it can really help new players especially tie their characters to the setting.

Also, it would be nice to have the champion a part of the character creation...

Also, it would be nice to have the champion a part of the character creation...

Good point, yes.

Many of the Kin Childhood events lead directly to a preferred set of professions, it would be nice to have an option to go directly from childhood events to a profession rather than start a kid who studied and has stats perfect for a sorcerer and yet rolls a warrior and so has no useful stats for the profession. 

I think having a useful d66 list for the adult events would be useful, as there are to many dupes rolled in a group of six especially if they have to call up a new character, being able to roll sub tables to see what caravan they were on, which historical wars they were part of, what lord they were a musician to, etc.

Having something to gage/roll continueing events to explain a professional events to 'catch up' with a already formed team, along with a useful way to connect them to the existing team.

After listening to groups like Encounter roleplay and others do Session 0 worldbuilding it would be great to tie the L&A to world building, so the group could be far more part of the sandbox creation. Also allow some storytelling prompts for the GM to get the players to talk about institutions/ places/ things that they were involved in, how they earn their money, what do they do for entertainment, what do they feel about the local sects/cults/charismatic leaders etc. How do they interact with the rust brothers, raven sisters, kin leaders, other kin. In the last five years since the Blood Mist lifted what types of things have they done.

There are a number of existing generators in the GM book that could be tied in here to help flesh out the homes of the adventures. Giving them a chance to describe how they got to the point the game starts. ie: where they were when the poisoned ale they were slipped and then woke up in the slavers wagon, who would search for them, what did they leave behind. What caravan were they part of that was the meeting point for the group, what did they sell/carry, what was the route, how long have you been with them. Or other ways to build the world with the L&A parts and some new parts to add substance to the game. 

Having some starting rumors when the character is created would be good too, also where did they get them.

Interesting ideas. I’m taking the approach of weaving and tying the characters into the world through random events and adventure sites. As ideas come up I’ll talk to the players and ask them questions about their backstories that then immediately become relevant for what they’re doing.

As for stats and apparent mismatches. I don’t know, I love those characters. The kid brought up a healer but events forced then to become a fighter. That’s interesting and is a good hook itself for thinking about how your character developed and for storytelling. That to me is part of the appeal of random generation you get outcomes that people wouldn’t necessarily pick.

not convinced it is more fun that way, the game is already hard enough without creating mis matched characters that become locked into a profession they aren't suited to. I can see that with a game that has a stacked profession path, then you may start as a warrior but due to inclination become the druid that you wanted to be. Because of the way the Paths are locked, you can't jump out at some future time when you figure out what you really are good at.

To me it would be more depressing to beat my head against being a warrior with 2 or 3 strength and wits or empathy at 5.

I know a GM can wave a 'you are changed wand' or something that breaks the random nature of the L&A. I also realize you can 'pick' from the lists, which also means others who don't pick will be at a disadvantage, so it's not really a fair thing. I also know that some handicaps can make for a cool odd character, but lop off my foot and give me a disfigurement before making me struggle to be what i'm forced into. Happens enough in real life...

My players really liked the fact that the characters came out more well rounded and not optimised for specific roles. They all had additional skills and talents and gear that, whilst not directly related to their profession, have proven useful to the party.

We have a halfling fighter with a high lore skill. A wolfkin rider with a high performance skill. These have actually helped to shape how each character is played in game.

Even in current legends and adventurers I don't think you could come up with such a stark mismatch as that. You have an option near the end of generation to relocate an attribute point to a kin or profession favored attribute, for example. So even taking a fighter who ended up with a strength of 3, they then very likely have an agility of at least 4, that's a viable fighter if she plays to her strengths. It's also a significantly more interesting fighter, potentially, than the meat shield who had parents who were meat shields and a grand-daddy before that who also professed to a life of meat shielding.