Central hero or party (Poll)

[Roqua]

Only generated party, but it has to be party of the sufficient size - 6 or more characters.

With party of 4 there is really no choice. You always need one frontliner, one healer, one magician and one lock-opening and trap-disarming bot, so all positions are occupied from the start.

I agree with your statement but disagree with your reasoning. I like when there are more important functions and desirable roles than slots. I think rpgs work best when every decision comes with a stiff opportunity cost. And my favorite part of my favorite rpgs is figuring out how I can get everything I want whittled down to everything I really, really want while hoping I didn't make too many bad decisions.

 

[Lilura]

Party of 8:

Party of 18:

ofc, with 1.13 you can roll with x10 I.M.Ps and even more mercs. Also, I.M.P in vanilla is not central hero. It's just an optional personal touch. Can die, and game goes on.

 

[undecaf]

Depends on the game and it's intended experience, but I tend to generally prefer the solitude and reliance of a singular character.

 

[Hrymr]

Only generated party, but it has to be party of the sufficient size - 6 or more characters.

With party of 4 there is really no choice. You always need one frontliner, one healer, one magician and one lock-opening and trap-disarming bot, so all positions are occupied from the start.

I agree with your statement but disagree with your reasoning. I like when there are more important functions and desirable roles than slots. I think rpgs work best when every decision comes with a stiff opportunity cost. And my favorite part of my favorite rpgs is figuring out how I can get everything I want whittled down to everything I really, really want while hoping I didn't make too many bad decisions.

Well, there are two different kinds of decisions here:
1. When there are more functions than slots - deciding which function can be left out.
2. When there are more slots than functions - deciding the proportions between different roles.
But neither of these can be made when the number of functions is equal to the number of slots (and you are forced to take one of each).

 

[Roqua]

Only generated party, but it has to be party of the sufficient size - 6 or more characters.

With party of 4 there is really no choice. You always need one frontliner, one healer, one magician and one lock-opening and trap-disarming bot, so all positions are occupied from the start.

I agree with your statement but disagree with your reasoning. I like when there are more important functions and desirable roles than slots. I think rpgs work best when every decision comes with a stiff opportunity cost. And my favorite part of my favorite rpgs is figuring out how I can get everything I want whittled down to everything I really, really want while hoping I didn't make too many bad decisions.

Well, there are two different kinds of decisions here:
1. When there are more functions than slots - deciding which function can be left out.
2. When there are more slots than functions - deciding the proportions between different roles.
But neither of these can be made when the number of functions is equal to the number of slots (and you are forced to take one of each).

I wasn't a big fan of AD&D's system, but one of the good things about their four party games (i.e. like Dark Sun and EoB) or two party games (Ravelofts) was picking how you could combine functions into multiclassing or dual classing.

When I play ToEE I usually go 4 slots, no recruitables, so I have to do more with less. In 6 party games the system can still be pretty good. Like in Wiz8 you have some flavor choices after the "bases" are covered, since if you leave a class out you are missing something neat they could do, so I don't disagree with you if the system is good enough. But I prefer ToEE with 4 members since a good part of the fun is figuring out how to build a more useful lock-picker. Rogue then bard for the higher skill points and songs? But those skill points are going in trap-skills and not talking skills then, so you'll still need a talker. Rogue then ranger? Rogue then druid and use it as your healer? Rogue wizard elf with longbow? I don't like pure rogues. Etc. For each class, race, planned out, etc. I love that shit.

 

[Lilura]

Yeah, fancy builds open up a lot in ToEE. Duals and multis in the IEs, too.

Still, I prefer larger parties that grow slowly in ToEE and JA2. Feel the growth of the party/squad. Those games get too easy too early with small parties/squads. Same with IEs.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[Serus]

Generated party, obviously.
Central hero method might work too if done well but in the past it has led to some of the worst degeneracy of the genre like "romances".

 

[Big Wrangle]

I always felt like a mercenary in RPGs, so a party is more like it.

 

[Generic-Giant-Spider]

In my younger years, a central character.

In my older years, a party.

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

Party for blobbers/SRPGs and similar games (Wizardry, Elminage), central char for games w/ free movement (Deus Ex, King's Field, Arx Fatalis).

Although I prefer when 'central char' is more of a blank w/ minimal background and especially without daddy issues or other shit.