----- Original Message -----
From: “Osprey” <brnetboard@BIRTHRIGHT.NET>
Sent: Sunday, October 12, 2003 8:25 AM
> Honestly, Id keep Raenechs focus on the Fighter aspect.
The aristocrat is a fighter, as noted by his same feat development (Raenech
could have the same number or one few feats, and could not have Weapon
Specialization), has access to the same weapons and armor. His BAB is only
two less. He may be weaker in a one on one against a pure fighter, but in a
group combat he can certainly hold his own.
> He`s a usurper, originally a lieutenant to the old duke. And as of
551 MR, it doesnt seem like hes been duke for all that long […]
I figure he might have been minor nobility in Osoerde. But he has
very militant attitudes in his style of rulership.
What did Jaison do as a lieutenant? As a pure fighter he`s unfit to solve
the problems described in the random events section. As a pure fighter he
has no skills other than fighting. This is what I like about the fighter
class - it put 100% of its build into fighting. Not fighting and law, not
fighting and social skills, not fighting and governance. Its pure combat.
Which means, I can mix it in to a character design as much as is desired.
But I never build pure fighters except as low ranking muscle. If Jaison was
a bodyguard for the old duke, OK, maybe he`s pure fighter. But if he was
minor nobility and a lieutenant, he`s mostly aristocrat. Even if he came up
through the military he`s still aristocrat, not fighter, because he spend
his time directing others, not slogging it out himself. When the slogging
time comes, he can stand up with his fellows, but its not a pure combat
machine. Such a class is a helpless babe in a political game. His charm
comes from the fact that you can mix it in to create a pure combat
admixture.
Anuire may be heavily political, but it`s also a land whose patron is the
god of war and nobility. Haelyn is a warrior god, as was Anduiras before
him,
Haelyn is the pure aristocratic god. Cuireacen may be a true fighter
patron, but Haelyn is all aristocrat. He admixes his combat with law,
wisdom, a code of behavior, a social responsibility, a hierarchical notion
of society. If Haelyn were a fighter god, what would an aristocratic patron
look like?
> and the Empire was built on conquest more than anything else.
So was the Roman empire, but its held together by law. The proper Anuirean
ruler is likewise capable of conquest and of governance, and that requires
the Aristocratic division of fighting capabality and governing skills. Not
pure conquest. That would be the mongols, who leave and just demand a
tribute.
> I still like the original BR concept that fighters make good landed
regents.
Fighters aren`t good at anything but fighting.
In my own campaign, I often back the fighter-focused regents with
Noble or Expert advisors, chamberlains, etc. to help support them
in the court circles. If using Kn: Law as a requisite skill of ruling law
holdings, then I`d add that as a class skill for fighters.
Play a campaign where the PC`s play the advisors and the ruler is an NPC of
pure fighter build. Watch the PC`s play puppetmaster to the helpless ruler.
Fighters should not have any skills other than the run-jump-climb variety,
because otherwise you are mixing in non-combat skills. The fighter is pure
combat, not combat plus. Combat plus is the aristocrat.
Kenneth Gauck
kgauck@mchsi.com
).