Vapourware RPGs that avoid narrative/mechanical dissonance when introducing powerful characters?

[rusty_shackleford]

I was playing an RPG recently(spoiler: it involves space swords made of some plasma-like substance) that introduced a character hyped up to be very powerful only for them to be very weak when I actually got control of them, a common occurrence in cRPGs.

One of the few (modern) RPGs I can think of that doesn't do this is Wasteland 2 with Angela Deth, although iirc they did hit her with the nerf bat in the DC. What other examples can you think of like this?

 

[Reinhardt]

I was playing an RPG recently(spoiler: it involves space swords made of some plasma-like substance) that introduced a character hyped up to be very powerful only for them to be very weak when I actually got control of them, a common occurrence in cRPGs.

One of the few (modern) RPGs I can think of that doesn't do this is Wasteland 2 with Angela Deth, although iirc they did hit her with the nerf bat in the DC. What other examples can you think of like this?

in super robot wars when you get main characters from mecha series they are absolute beasts.

 

[Darth Canoli]

Isles of Terra, you can recruit hirelings and should you survive long enough to get to farther cities early on, you can recruit higher level companions (up to 2 and up to level 50 in the last city).

There's even a speedrun based on this and a couple of teleportation exploits.

In the Shining Force series (1 and 2 mostly) you can get a couple of powerful companions (the phoenix, werewolf and a mastermonk mostly in SF 2 a dragon and a flying "egg" mage in SF 1)

It was one of my starting ideas for a KotC 2 module, getting a renown (known fantasy character) ruffian to join you or rather you joining his gang but the character is legendary and a level 20 character right of the bat is too much so either it's the younger version or he gets 10 levels drained or cursed to make it playable.

So, I understand why it's not done often.

 

[Abu Antar]

In Final Fantasy Tactics, Cidolfus Orlandeau is considered to be an extremely competent fighter. When you get him in your party, you understand why.

I really dislike when you get supposedly strong characters, and they turn out to be crappy.

 

[Dorateen]

Grimoire

NPCs are stronger than starting player characters, and their power is appropriate for their place in the gameworld. They are generally considered a crutch for players to bring along.

 

[Tyranicon]

It makes no sense to de-power strong characters. If you insert them into the player party, it's because they're uber strong and you want them to get a taste of that power. Otherwise, why hand over control in the first place?

 

[Nifft Batuff]

Maybe Drizzt Do'Urden. For a short period he joins you as one of your companions in the Menzoberranzan game. I remember being pleased to have a powerful character in my party. However I don't remember the details, I played that game a long time ago.

 

[Nortar]

Jack from ME.
She is hyped to be this super-biotic, Subject Zero, selected and experimented to enchance her abilities since childhood.
With a whole lab constructed around her, where she is kept chained under armed guard like some kind of imprisoned god of death and destruction.
And turns out she's just your basic edgy-bitch biotic, and goes straight to mopping Normandy's latrine, while you're out having fun with better team.

 

[mondblut]

It makes no sense to de-power strong characters. If you insert them into the player party, it's because they're uber strong and you want them to get a taste of that power. Otherwise, why hand over control in the first place?

Muh story.

 

[V_K]

It's not only with NPCs, but also supposedly powerful abilities or artifacts. For example, blood magic in DAO is hyped to be this super powerful forbidden thing - yet all you get is a meager damage spell and a single-target possession (plus the pain in the ass of HP-powered abilities). Or in Geneforge, when you use the eponymous Geneforge, it's supposed to remake you into a godlike being, yet you only get a bonus to main stats - not insignificant, but nowhere near gamechanging.

 

[KateMicucci]

Sengoku Rance

 

[Brickfrog]

I dunno if this counts and I honestly hate these games but probably the disgaea series and it's related properties.

Because of how stat caps work, narratively powerful characters have a great deal of mechanical strength.

 

[whydoibother]

Jack from ME.
She is hyped to be this super-biotic, Subject Zero, selected and experimented to enchance her abilities since childhood.
With a whole lab constructed around her, where she is kept chained under armed guard like some kind of imprisoned god of death and destruction.
And turns out she's just your basic edgy-bitch biotic, and goes straight to mopping Normandy's latrine, while you're out having fun with better team.

1. That's the opposite of what the thread asks for.
2. Loghain Mac Tir from Dragon Age is the more obvious example.

It makes no sense to de-power strong characters. If you insert them into the player party, it's because they're uber strong and you want them to get a taste of that power. Otherwise, why hand over control in the first place?

Muh story.

But depowering them is specifically a blow AGAINST the story. Its sacrificing story to keep gameplay balance. Its a drawing of Josh Sawyer pushing Chris Avellone's face into a urinal.

 

[mondblut]

Muh story.

But depowering them is specifically a blow AGAINST the story. Its sacrificing story to keep gameplay balance. Its a drawing of Josh Sawyer pushing Chris Avellone's face into a urinal.

Storyfags don't even notice gameplay. They fap because they are told they've got OMG MOTHERFUCKING DRIZZT in their party and fail to notice that he's a 1st level schmuck for the purposes of the game.

 

[0sacred]

In Aethra Chronicles, two characters can join you that are supposedly of noble stock and accomplished adventurers, and they come with powerful unique equipment and are of medium - high level.

 

[Nortar]

Jack from ME.
She is hyped to be this super-biotic, Subject Zero, selected and experimented to enchance her abilities since childhood.
With a whole lab constructed around her, where she is kept chained under armed guard like some kind of imprisoned god of death and destruction.
And turns out she's just your basic edgy-bitch biotic, and goes straight to mopping Normandy's latrine, while you're out having fun with better team.

1. That's the opposite of what the thread asks for.
2. Loghain Mac Tir from Dragon Age is the more obvious example.

Is it?
Rusty asked for examples of characters narratively hyped to be extremely powerful, who turn out to be shit nothing special mechanically when you get them.
Jack is exactly like that.

Not sure about Loghain. He's a cunning tactician and experienced general, but is he ever described and a master-swordsman with no equal or something?

Nm, I can't read. %)

 

[JarlFrank]

I approve of this thread because it proves that balance is shit.

 

[Humbaba]

Sarevok is still pretty good when you get him in ToB.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Sarevok is still pretty good when you get him in ToB.

More of a reverse example in that Sarevok is much more powerful.
Although I guess him absorbing either a part of the bhaalspawn's or imoen's soul could make up for this.

 

[Humbaba]

More of a reverse example in that Sarevok is much more powerful.
Although I guess him absorbing either a part of the bhaalspawn's or imoen's soul could make up for this.

He's just gained more levels since BG1, that's normal.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

More of a reverse example in that Sarevok is much more powerful.
Although I guess him absorbing either a part of the bhaalspawn's or imoen's soul could make up for this.

He's just gained more levels since BG1, that's normal.

He's not alive during the events of BG2.

 

[Humbaba]

He's not alive during the events of BG2.

He gets freshly imported into ToB and thus gets an appropriate exp boost during chargen, that too is normal.

 

[AdolfSatan]

Battle Brothers, you get what you pay for.

 

[Faarbaute]

In Elex the companions are actually quite powerfull when they are introduced, especially compared to the player character. Their power level is quite in line with what they are supposed to be, narratively speaking.

Maybe they don't count for the purposes of this thread though.

 

[Femboyuwu8]

Probably Gale from BG3. He's supposedly a god wizard with an atomic bomb inside him but in game he's just lvl 1