EFU FOR THE ROLEPLAYNG SNOB
It's not uncommon that RPG players and DMs turn to online videogames looking for a decent reproduction of the familiar tabletop experience, only to have their expectations drastically frustrated. This is a humble guide to EFU for those who come from a roleplay-heavy background in RPGs, so that they may make the most of their experience in the server. EFU is a unique gaming environment that has a lot to offer, but old-school roleplayers may need to adjust some of their expectations and be flexible with their play style.
NOTE 1: This guide is an ongoing work and may be edited further.
NOTE 2: This guide represents an interpretation of EFU from a specific point of view and play style. It will not suit every player.
[the "tl;dr" here is you can skip the following paragraph entirely]
In order to make it clear who the target audience is for this little guide, I will comment on the kind of RPG player that I am, and hopefully not come across as a huge d-bag. I'm a roleplay centered RPG player, the type of player who will show up to your D&D table with a pacifist bard with a limp and expect that to work out. In my defense, more often than not it will actually work out, because I don't mind being the punchline of the group and dying quickly if necessary. I've been playing RPGs since the mid 90s and what attracted me to RPGs was the possibility of a non-competitive game, one that was cooperative instead. I understand that this has since changed, especially since Wizards of the Coast bought TSR, a move that catapulted D&D (and other tabletop RPGs) to new spheres of collectability and competition. Computer RPGs had their role in this as well, helping to shift the meaning of RPG towards "a game where you get points to improve an avatar." The very definition of what "roles" are changed a lot as well. I recognize that RPGs are not the same kind of game that they used to be "back in the day," but I can't stop myself from expecting that some of that experience may be recaptured every time I join a gaming group, be that group sitting around a table or mediated through a game server. I am always looking for a collaborative medium where my style of play may, at worst, be welcomed and, at best, celebrated. If you see yourself in some of the things I just shared about myself, this guide is for you. I'm not an RPG genius either, I just look for specific things in an RPG game, and EFU meets some of those expectations while failing to meet others.
[1] CUTTING TO THE CHASE: RP IN EFU
Short answer: YES, probably moreso than in other so-called "RP" communities within MMORPGS.
Long answer: from the point of view of an old-school roleplayer, it is important to understand a fundamental point about EFU: it is a fantasy combat setting with RP added to it, not the other way around. EFU is fundamentally a competitive videogame and, should you be unwilling or unable to have fun with that, you will be in for disappointment. As a roleplayer, you will probably be shocked by how much EFU centers on fine-tuning every little stat and equipment item the characters can get. The general attitude around the server is that EFU is hard, so it is your responsibility to "learn" how to play. There is a high standard of RP to be found in EFU, but that plays second fiddle to mechanic effectiveness of the characters and strategic competence of the players. It is very important that the target audience of this guide understand this point from the start: your character will NOT be able to survive on RP alone. Make an effort to build a character that can (a) take a few punches and (b) help other characters take even more punches. EFU is a pretty brutal setting, so design your character for a zombie apocalypse, not a United Nations congress. That being said, once you get the hang of not constantly dying horriffic deaths in EFU, you will find the opportunities to make your RP stand out, and you will certainly see other players do so.
[2] ALL RIGHT, BUT HOW ABOUT THE DM TEAM, ARE THEY ANY GOOD?
Short answer: YES, I don't think I've ever met a more dedicated or approachable DM team in any MMORPGS.
Long answer: the DMs in EFU are very frequently online, and they will enforce server rules and even role-playing standards. Metagaming is discouraged in EFU, and even extremist roleplayers will be able to admit that serious metagaming seldom happens (it does happen a lot, but there are standards in place to regulate what is acceptable). Griefing is discouraged and very rare, as far as I can tell. DMs will help you if you are in a jam due to game bugs or simply because you're stuck in a stupid limitation of the NWN interface. In my experience, DMs are polite, helpful and creative, and they keep a tight ship. You can expect cheaters to be punished and misunderstandings to be cleared with help from a DM. The player base is also very cooperative in that respect. Unlike other MMOs I've played, in EFU you really do get the impression that there are people running the game in a coherent sense.
[3] AN ONGOING STORYLINE
EFU plays out mostly as a continuous story unfolding as a result of previously scripted events and the way characters interact with them. There will be a "world out there" that keeps turning even if playing characters do nothing, which is to say, you cannot expect the storyline in EFU to revolve around certain key PCs or even NPCs. EFU is centered on a story being told in installments, not unlike an interactive TV series. Actions of the PCs do matter but, much like in the real world, small actions will have small consequences, and the characters who stand out are those who fully immerse themselves in the politics and economy of the server. There are entire plotlines started by PCs, but you should never expect your character to have a custom-made, significant side plot. Start by reacting to the major events already happening and slowly wiggle your way into finding allies, gaining a position of influence, and then finally exerting a major role in the EFU story. Also, if you want your character to become a major character in the game, you need to work on playing it as a conflict driver. EFU is a confrontation-based server (as I'll discuss in the next item) and the more your PC contributes to that principle, the higher its chances will be to ascend the political ladder.
[4] PHILOSOPHERS WITH CLUBS
AD&D players who have played the Planescape setting, as well as White Wolf players in general, will be familiar with this aspect of EFU. The server more or less works as a "faction wars" setting, with special interest groups articulating their shifting goals and rickety alliances in the shadiest ways possible. Take time to learn at least the general details of that dynamic before you dive into the server, and that may save your PC from a lot of mistrust and hostility, not to mention the occasional beating in a dark alley. Finding an active faction your PC can join can be a good option for starting players, but remember that EFU will put you in an us-or-them situation: for each friend your PC makes, it will make an enemy. Cutthroat is the word! And if you can't have fun with that style of play, it is possible to skirt by and avoid the major conflicts in the server, but you will most likely be marginalising your own PC in the process. EFU is simply not designed for pacifism. Over and over again, you will see a surge in activity around the server when there are duels, arenas, street brawls, tournaments, any kind of combat-oriented activity going on. Also, don't expect your character's arguments to be heard in any dispute unless you can back them up with muscle. Clerics can be especially frustrating to roleplay, since most characters will not be interested in religion beyond the point where worshipping a god tags the character as a member of yet another faction to be supported or opposed. Intellectuals have little to no value in EFU society unless, again, they can somehow stoke the fires of armed conflict around the server. Clerics from particularly belligerant cults will do fine, though.
[5] BLUR AND GUTS
Character-building in EFU is an advanced art that beginners will take a while to master. EFU offers a ton of customized game systems that affect how characters are built, from their appearance and character sheet to special perks and abilities that you will not find in "vanilla" NWN. That alone can stump old-school roleplayers who are used to being minimalists when it comes to stat building. On top of that, EFU has been running for years, and a large portion of the player base has sharpened their character building skills to a deadly edge. On top of all that, the server is deadly enough that normal decisions made by outside players when rolling their PCs may mean their EFU characters will be fatally flawed. Don't go overboard on the RP side of character building because, as I said before, RP is not the most important aspect of EFU. Combat is. Your PC will survive through carefully selected abilities, cultivated alliances, and the right equipment. They call Ghostly Visage "blur" in EFU, and that's a word you will hear a lot! Buffing equipment, especially consumables, are considered a major factor towards a character's success in EFU. To the role-play centered player, a PC's equipment may seem like a silly thing to focus on, and even a sign that there is something wrong with how the campaign is being run, but there is no use fighting it. EFU is what it is, not what you would like it to be. Stock up on that blur!
[6] YOU ARE WHAT YOU DRINK
Most playing characters in EFU are within the 2-8 level range. The challenges are often aimed at the higher end of that range, and the difficulty gap is bridged by an extensive use of buffing magic, magical items, and potions. In EFU, you will be drinking potions by the bucket, so don't skimp on the potion vendor. Assume that every quest will cost you at least a couple of buffing potions and a handful of healing ones. Again, remember how important Ghostly Visage is, and always try to keep at least a couple on you. When it comes to PvP, potions become even more critically important, with duels often looking like a drinking contest. GET POTIONS. I was once told by a player that your character's AC needs to be in the 24-26 range to be safe for melee combat, and that is just for the initial, "safer" areas.
[7] A GOBLIN-BASED ECONOMY
There are crafting systems in EFU. They take quite a while to master and are largely counter-intuitive. However, even though they can be fun to tinker with, none of the crafting systems will be really useful as an income source. EFU runs on a goblin economy, i.e., the money and resources are infinite and come from murdering and looting weaker monsters. The server operates a theme park system of automated quests (besides the fairly frequent DM quests) and players will farm them for money, xp, and loot. The improved potion brewing system can be a decent source of income, however, and is worth looking into if your PC is a spellcaster. Some players get to run entire businesses as well, which can be a fun way of stepping away from the dungeon looting if you want that. But mostly, EFU has constructed a robber-baron society with no real economy, which is not actually rare in a D&D game.
[8] THINK SHORT TERM (periodic wipeout events, random deaths)
Your character will die a lot in EFU. Every time it does, it will lose a level, which adds insult to injury. But, for the most part, your PC's career as an adventurer will be a rolercoaster of levels, going up and down until you generally approach the top levels in the server, which are around 10. After level 8, in fact, your character will not be able to go on most of the scripted quests, so unless it has an established social role within the EFU setting, it will probably stall. Characters that reach level 10 are encouraged by DMs and players alike to just retire. Besides the random deaths from mismatched monster encounters and occasionally fatal PvP, your PC will also be subjected to wipe out events, which would be large (and extremely entertaining) DM events where something catastrophically dangerous happens, leaving the PCs to deal with overwhelming odds. The gist here is, you cannot expect your character to have a long and meaningful life. Most PCs will cycle through the lower levels a few times and either meet their final death or be abandoned out of player frustration.
I mean... ok, but I don't agree with all this.
I mostly disagree with #1. First, EFU has excellent mechanics. We've modified the base game to make things really... balanced? To be good at one thing, means you'll be bad at other things, and there is truly no totally 'dominant' class or build. Certainly it helps to be exceptional at one or a few things to really stand out but there's really no way you can totally mess things up with a PC that's useless. Even fighter/wizard/rogue has certain pieces of loot that can help them be more effective! We also balance things as DMs based on you, the PC, and how you play your character.
We have had many players get to high levels, accomplish great things, and be totally mechanically inept and just skilled at roleplaying with others.
Create a character that is distinctive, roleplay your stats, good or ill, your strengths and weaknesses and you will be rewarded - sometimes mechanically with flashy DM loot, and sometimes with titles, perks, lavish attention.
First and foremost is roleplay, but we do love our mechanics, and beating up quests, and all that other stuff. If you want true success on EFU see this excellent post by Howland: https://www.efupw.com/forums/index.php?topic=526.0
This thread is littered with misinformation or even completely false statements sadly.
This is an extremely negative and false view of EFU. Most of the information here is exaggerated or simply flat out wrong.
I'm not really sure where the belligerence of the above replies is coming from. For my part, this thread seems reasonably well-written and a balanced perspective from a player who is clearly a relative newcomer to EFU as opposed to the "Old Guard" who have been with the server since its earlier iterations.
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on EFU, Gizmo, and believe the advice will be received positively by others coming to EFU from a similar place as yourself.
I'm mostly inclined to think the above posts are largely coming from a place of knee-jerk conservatism and an aversion to changes in the current ethos, to be blunt. There is no harm in advising players who come from a less "hardcore" roleplaying background to adopt a more pragmatic approach to their character building - to suggest otherwise would be quite hypocritical from some of the names I see here...!
This chapter is my first EFU chapter and I actually come from a somewhat similar background to Gizmo, if not in history then at least in spirit. You wouldn't catch me dead with such overpowered feats such as Blind Fight or Empower Spell before joining EFU; it was Skill Focus: Persuade/Lore/Intimidate with here and there a smattering of Silver Palm and a 15/11/13/14/11/13 stat redistribution because of ~roleplay~.
It took me a while to come around to the idea that there's no real reward for playing a gimped version of a build, other than being able to say after getting trounced in a quest or a PvP encounter: "well yeah of course you trashed me haha my build was so bad lol". Having said that, the majority of my characters have nevertheless managed to come out rather mechanically weak despite my (or Akke's...) best attempts ;)
Reading your guide I can see the red thread that is somewhat in the vein of "mechanics > roleplay", and I will state that this I don't really agree with you there. To elaborate: I disagree with the fact that mechanics play second fiddle to roleplay, as this is rarely or ever the case from what I can tell as a DM (players, justifiably sometimes, have a rather colored view of in-game events). What people often forget when playing NWN is that it is, first and foremost, a game that is meant to simulate combat and here at EFU we've happily come to embrace that aspect as part of the core experience. There are plenty of 'hardcore roleplay' servers where combat is seen less as an integral part of the day to day and more as a necessary evil to give both reason and explanation for characters to level up in experience over time, but here at EFU we consider it as a primary method of offering real and exciting challenges to keep the server stimulating and interesting. As a result, difficult combat encounters, deadly traps and mechanics and not to mention a willing and active DM team who spend a lot of time thinking of ways to try and push people to their limits (both mechanically and creatively), has made making builds and mechanically capable characters a symptom of intended design. There is nothing wrong with this, provided it is used to support actual and real roleplaying like we both ask and expect, I feel, though oftentimes new players consider a server where mechanics are as equally important to roleplay to be far from the norm as it is not something they are used to.
In EFU you have to make choices, whether that be in build or in story. It is perfectly fine to make a gimped character that for example only takes 'roleplay' feats, but it is *not* necessary. Because of the dice-roll nature of NWN (again, as it is a combat game first and foremost by original design), you can easily end up building a character that is simply not capable at comfortably taking on many of these mechanical challenges and will have you dying often. Did you really have to put in 18 CHA at character creation on your rogue? Couldn't you have made it 16 CHA instead and start off with a non-negative CON modifier? However, if you do and you end up sticking it out and making a cool character and manage to succeed, we DMs will often see fit to reward you because there is nothing more exciting to see a 'weak' character defeat the odds. The character that you create cannot do everything, but they *can* do anything, as long as you manage to make it far enough. The most memorable characters to me weren't the biggest crushbuilds, but rather those characters who managed to exert their roleplay influence in interesting and lasting ways that shaped the narrative of the server for the better.
If there is any advice for new players to EFU that I can give (and that I think I would perhaps see added to your guide if you can see to agree with me), is to consider our little niche to be distinct in two unique ways compared to other playerworld experiences:
1) EFU is tailored around gating experiences to each character uniquely and this is intended by design. Unlike say a generic adventurer in a DnD setting going around a party travelling the world and being able to see/encounter everything, your character will be (mechanically) gated from areas, lore, mechanics, events, and so on, simply because at some point in time they will inevitable make the choice of being 'for' something (and will therefore naturally come into conflict with anyone or anything that is 'against' you). The server and setting is meant to be explored again and again by different characters so that players can explore all the myriad facets that we've created and see if stories can be pushed further. This has the natural side effect that on EFU permanent death has come to be seen somewhat as a necessity so that things don't become stale over time due to an overpopulation of veteran characters only being able/allowed to explore a few facets of the server at a time, leaving great parts of the server and setting and story unexplored for large chunks of time. As a result of this, over the years, there has been a somewhat community-wide acceptance of being able to lose your character to a bad roll of the die. You will be unlikely to find another NWN community that is so at peace with the more than reasonable chance of losing a great chunk of character progress than on EFU. I'm not saying that this is a perfect design choice by any means (seeing as humans are emotional beings, we've had our fair share of drama), but it's something that we consider vastly preferable than seeing 40 1 year old characters sit around a campfire talking romance.
2) This is somewhat of a more personal view on the server, but I feel that EFU is unique in the sense that it doesn't focus so much on the nitty-gritty and simulation aspect of roleplay. No one's gong to emote drinking 30 different potions in a row each time they do a quest (although I applaud anyone who does without the use of macros). Although we have our fair share of just shooting the shit campfire rp and drinking at taverns for hours on end and so on, I feel the primary reason why people make characters is to discover new things about the server and to accomplish big (sometimes *really* big) things. There is a much bigger focus on narratives without looking at the individual character because it's often more important that the story gets told/discovered at all, and this is why you will often see players make a group concept (https://www.efupw.com/forums/index.php?board=240.0) together or otherwise put in special applications to start off as as a special subrace or background. The most important question we ask in applications (https://wiki.efupw.com/index.php?title=Applications#Example) isn't who your character is, but what their goals are and what they want to accomplish. It is therefore a healthy approach to not just think about who your character is (traits, thoughts, views, etc.) but also what *you* as the player would like to discover about the setting, what narrative you would like to explore.
Thanks for posting your newbie guide, I'll be keeping an eye on it in the future if you do decide to update it somewhat.
While I can understand the urge to disparage and/or decry this 'guide', a thorough read of the actual post - and giving myself a minute to avoid jerking my own knee - left me feeling like it's pretty legit.
No, it's not an official or even perhaps popular perspective.
But it's not unfounded, either.
I came away from this thinking, "Well.. it is what it is!"
I tentatively suggest that those who feel offended by any alleged 'misinformation' here step back and ask themselves if it's possibly an excess of defensiveness on their part and if so, why would that be?
Alternatively, just recognise that this perspective isn't yours, even if it is still honestly pretty valid.
cool guide
"Characters that reach level 10 are encouraged by DMs and players alike to just retire."
"you cannot expect your character to have a long and meaningful life"
Replying that statements in this thread are just false is not a knee-jerk reaction. What really should be stated is that efu embraces the idea of consequences for -your- actions. The things you choose to do can have a cost up to and including permanent death.
There's a negative undertone to this guide that I'm not extremely fond of. I agree with some of the concepts and ideas about roleplaying versus mechanics - like the advice that playing a gimped build for the sake of roleplay is a bit antithetical to EFU's design. But it feels like a lot of these observations are colored by a resentment for that design. The commentary about clerics is a bit off. The assertions about characters above level 7 are completely untrue. It feels like you are too new to the server or too jaded by PvP beatdowns to understand the long history of success that very mechanically inept players have had in our community.
I appreciate the intent and work here but the execution and perspective leaves a bit to be desired.
You can grind and goal all you want. It's a good thing! Repeat the same quests with the same people until you're blur in the face. You'll get loot, attention, and XP. Nothing wrong with that. Some of the best RP I've ever got done was in a quest group that decided to take just a few extra minutes here and there to improvise a sketch on someone's backstory prompt.
But contrary to YMD's #2, I want less goal-based play and more abnegation or simulation. Interpersonal moments and memories have more impact than a dragon falling dead.
If you want to enjoy EfU long-term, find a way to enjoy roleplaying the taste of 30 different potions: That will carry you through the moments that drag.
I agree with pretty much all of Gizmo's points, actually. Maybe some contrary evidence would go farther than the super-creative "no, you're new and therefore wrong" I've seen multiple times in this thread.
Yeah. I had to learn these lessons to play EFU myself. I can see it.
YMD also articulated what I've come to understand about the character stories you get to experience on each character quite well. I never knew how to phrase it before, but it's a good one.
Edit: If it helps I now see EFU as the Takeshi's Castle of NWN. You get to cheer, watching people try to get to the end, and it's fun to watch them get knocked down by a giant, motorised, baffled arms, water cannons and laser guns on the way. Who knows, you could get some cool lore or some fun treasure at the end.
I guess most of it is true for a very niche, specific view of what roleplaying is, although even then there are mistakes. As someone who has played a ton of crafters for example, you very much can make money by crafting, it's just quite a long and difficult process. You need to spend a lot of time and money learning recepies, but once learned you can make big profits by crafting the right stuff.
QuoteI just look for specific things in an RPG game, and EFU meets some of those expectations while failing to meet others.
Well, this sentence should be taken into account. I hope nobody expects the server to suit perfectly the tastes of everybody, because there is no universal taste that everybody likes. Yes, there are many ways to build successful stories in EFU, but they do rely on a specific way of thinking. Things like "follow these instructions for success" or "follow a long, difficult and time-consuming process" can be done fairly well by some individuals, but guess what ; not every personnality type enjoy these processes. Oh sure, it's doable. But it's not fun for us. We know these methods work, but we don't, and won't do it because it would be alienating to how we like to roleplay. So we try to find a way to spend some time on EFU, because we recognize its tremendous potential, but also that our ways does not fit "completely" in here.
Me too, some of these points speak to me. And we are
many to think like that. I can tell by the number of similar conversations I've had privately.
We just don't wish to repeat the process of being lectured for thinking differently. We know we're not always right, but we sure know what we like and don't. Remember : The sum of our posts here isn't the sum of our roleplaying experience.
And thank God it isn't the same as other people. As much as I respect and even admire other peoples' work, I also like nuances and variety, for what it brings.
Each opinion is alright. And Gizmo's thread is a boon. You know why? Because it allows you to see what a part of the community thinks. To not consider it...well, it would be like a restaurant owner never changing his recipes because the remaining old-timers like it (because it's not the identical player base since 2010), thus rejecting the new clientele. You don't have to change it all, but it is very wise to acknowledge it, at the very least.
I am playing a pc counter to 1 and 4's arguments, but It is true that a certain level of skill makes playing efu more enjoyable than simply dying twenty times in a row to orcs or something because you're not sure what you're doing. But levels and mechanical power are only important for "winning" and keeping the player happy, and don't necessarily help your pc tell a story.
It is good that new players understand that efu is difficult, and pretty much impossible if you're hoping your pc will always win, but if you understand that you can win sometimes, and find how to lose the best way your character might look for, you can reach those high levels with skill focus lore, or whatever no problem.
Cool observations aside, hoping you're having fun. =]
I think at the core of everything really DMs just want you standing for something, doing/trying something, and without risks, ie dying to being unprepared, or not knowing the capability of your enemies, I think it is really hard to get players to do this.
I'm really not sure where the whole roleplay part comes from though. I've played NWN for maybe 16 years, and can confidently say that the level of rp expected here is much higher than any where else, solely due to risk. Without risk players get complacent with their characters and end up doings OOC or even start losing their personality all together and taking on the player's actual personality, which just isn't the case here really (wundy aside)
QuoteCharacters that reach level 10 are encouraged by DMs and players alike to just retire.
My personal opinion I believe the feeling is more "Shit or get off the pot". Level 10 is a big deal and as someone who has played EFU for almost 15 years I only had one level 10 PC, ever, and it was mostly on a lark because it was four days before the chapter change and the entire server was wiped and I never got to do anything with it. It may be from a place of jealousy, or frustration, or just missing the prime time DM events because they don't feel "Right" for my PC to just show up and attend something, but I frankly can't imagine what i'd push on EFU with level 10 because i've never been there.
But to have that kind of mechanical prowess and influence and survivability is something that's always fascinated me. Teaching newer PCs, serving as a mentor, leading a faction, being the mechanical weight behind an agenda, or just facing the stupidly hardest content EFU can throw at you feeling like a chance you may survive as a Legendary Adventurer seems like such a new and wonderful world.
So when I see level 10 PCs who just hang out in taverns then go do scripted quests and more raises such a goblin in my head screaming "YOU HAVE SO MUCH, DO SOMETHING WITH IT, ANYTHING" Level 10 PCs in my opinion should be Leaders, Rockstars, or People who take stupidly high risks because they are actually able to potentially survive them. It's not just about existing in a vacuum and smashing quests over a few months or the occasional DM quest.
So yes, in part I would rather a PC who is level 10 and just "Existing" either retire or start taking insanely huge risks like trying to tackle entire faction NPCs, or facing the Permadeath challenges of the server, or trying to do wildly insane and increasingly risk vs reward things to either become level 11 and legends or go out in a blaze of glory.
One day I do hope to get a PC to level 10 to really flex it, but if it doesn't happen it doesn't mean I don't want to try and hold myself to a higher standard should I ever get there.
That aside one thing I would hope to point out though:
QuoteThere are entire plotlines started by PCs, but you should never expect your character to have a custom-made, significant side plot.
This I feel is kind of a misnomer. I hate to say the phrase "Every PC is the star of their own plot" but at the end of the day it's 100% possible to ignore the entire metaplot, have nothing but PC interactions, and become fully immersed in EFU without DM activity. Especially in the quieter or more dead timezones the counterbalance to the playercount being so low is without DMs people really do get starved for something to do and content. That's not to say at peak population times there isn't a show to put on or things PCs can get involved in but - As someone with both insomnia and a wild work schedule it's always amazing when there's 10 or so PCs online and someone goes out of their way to craft a story even if it's as simple as "I'm a bandit and i've taken over the scraggleways, ha ha ho". In those stages PCs really do just become like NPCs/tiny DMs and are able to try and keep the playerbase engaged or entertained which to me is the heart of roleplay on EFU. Taking the time to do something you enjoy and trying to splash it around so others can, if they so choose, get involved too.
But beyond the niche of bad timezones EFU exists as a player driven engine. It can be entirely wrenching and take a great deal of work and feel more effort than reward but the more you play with people and the more you get a feel for hosting events there's times you'll be able to cultivate entire broadly arching storylines where you can beg, borrow, steal, or buy PCs to help you out. Mercenary concepts exist, political rivals exist, PCs who just want to play Bards or spymasters exist. You get a feel for things and you can begin to weave threads and communicate in terms of what other PCs want, and learn how to use them.
It may not be as awesome as "DRAGON FIGHTS DBZ FLYING NPC" with huge server blasting implications, but if you take the time and effort to try and create your own PC plot and push it to the fullest your able -
Along the way PCs begin to help out, and a DM or two may take notice, and suddenly this entirely organic thing you created takes life in the world And that's something I feel is wholly unique to EFU and i've had trouble finding anywhere else, which is what keeps me coming back for more. It really is the most Sandbox server i've ever encountered.
- A PC Plot overthrew the main hub's government last chapter, props to Abala for it
- A PC Plot to play an infamous crime lord lead to months of terror any times Madcaddies would get his hands into the criminal pie with Naga backing, long before Knavery existed Crime was purely PC Plot driven.
- A PC plot to play an infamous Monster Hunter lead to chaos and anarchy and fury among Wilds PCs, at a time they were mostly ignored, big ups to Magister for the Falconer Era
- A PC plot to raise a God this chapter lead by Equinox saw a small god he created one day while bored become the Timeless One on our Wiki
- A PC plot lead in EFU:A lead by Iron_Oligarch saw an entire splintered faction brought back together and reunified under Castle Blackhearth
- A PC plot lead in EFU: 1 by yours truly lead to 6 PCs who would later be DMs come together at a time we were all little nubbin scrubs to make a criminal empire which lasted only two weeks but so much fun even today I remember it fondly.
- in EFU:A Fong and LovethESuit and others created the Archaeological Society of the Ziggurat which went on to all manner of hijinks and wonderous D&D Adventures and lorecraft implications
- Where theres a Dwarf, there's a PC Plot and Faction in so much of EFU's history as Dwarven Clans rose and fall.
I agree with quite a lot in this post, but definitely not everything. Notably:
Quote[8] THINK SHORT TERM (periodic wipeout events, random deaths)
Your character will die a lot in EFU. Every time it does, it will lose a level, which adds insult to injury. But, for the most part, your PC's career as an adventurer will be a rolercoaster of levels, going up and down until you generally approach the top levels in the server, which are around 10. After level 8, in fact, your character will not be able to go on most of the scripted quests, so unless it has an established social role within the EFU setting, it will probably stall.
I wouldn't say so. The amount of available scripted content always decreases as you level, sure, but there is frankly no shortage for any level range. You are more likely to stall at high levels because your allies die, the political landscape becomes hostile, and/or you get alienated from the fresh crops of PCs. But, even then, you might be surprised by how easily DM XP is handed out.
QuoteCharacters that reach level 10 are encouraged by DMs and players alike to just retire. Besides the random deaths from mismatched monster encounters and occasionally fatal PvP, your PC will also be subjected to wipe out events, which would be large (and extremely entertaining) DM events where something catastrophically dangerous happens, leaving the PCs to deal with overwhelming odds. The gist here is, you cannot expect your character to have a long and meaningful life. Most PCs will cycle through the lower levels a few times and either meet their final death or be abandoned out of player frustration.
This is not true if you don't want it to be. The characters who reached ring 1 were not at all short term.
The turnover rate is, indeed, very high on EFU compared to many similar projects, but that's because many players welcome it. Every new character is a new angle from which to learn about the lore, try a new faction, etc. Also, permadeath events from DMs are generally clearly communicated, and you can navigate PvP in many ways that result in something constructive. Sometimes the time is right for permadeath, but often it's not.
I personally came from Ultima Online roleplay environments where mechanical permadeath was much more prevalent, and as a result "SURVIVE" was a perfectly natural, difficult, and obvious goal for a character. I came into EFU with that mindset. My current character is my first serious character, and she has been 10 for 2.5 months now. I'm not done with her. Are there people who think this is the wrong way to play, or would urge me to retire? Maybe. Fuck 'em.
If you have a goal in mind, then noone should give you crap for surviving to see that goal. Just own it. Hell, you might not even have a particular goal, or maybe you're bummed because your allies quit, or the current crop of characters has little synergy, or whatever. There is no way you are always going to be creative, or have energy, or a good vision of where you want to go. If people ever tell you you are not taking enough risks or not shaking things up enough or not playing EFU right... you can tell them Auri said to get lost.
There is no liimted number of high level pots. A level 10 is going to die to a sound burst just the same. There are easily level 7/8s who could wipe the floor with me.
Don't get me wrong: just living for a long time in itself is not interesting. Sooner or later you'll want to get things done, whether it's ringrunning past a certain point, making waves in the hub, carving out a reputation, whatever. But if you're not there, and man, you're tired and you just want to sit by a fire and talk to people who stop to talk? Do it.
If that makes them scream internally, maybe that is their own problem.
Regarding point #1:
I submit to you the following idea, and it's something everyone needs to get ahold of.
(Yes, everyone.)
Quote from: https://www.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/2i9aqg/the_stormwind_fallacy_repost/The Stormwind Fallacy, aka the Roleplayer vs Rollplayer Fallacy Just because one optimizes his characters mechanically does not mean that they cannot also roleplay, and vice versa.
Corollary: Doing one in a game does not preclude, nor infringe upon, the ability to do the other in the same game.
Generalization 1: One is not automatically a worse roleplayer if he optimizes, and vice versa. Generalization 2: A non-optimized character is not automatically roleplayed better than an optimized one, and vice versa.
I can appreciate your thoughtful write-up, though I think opening with "I am a roleplay snob" is a 'touch' provacative...
It is true that EFU will simply be alien to most people used to more cooperative D&D party roleplay. I am not certain you can really say that mechanics 'come first' compared to roleplay, as most of us take storytelling and characterization very seriously. I think it is important to note that theatrics are a big part of EFU. You play with the understanding your character will end, and most people play to make a scene and go out with a bang.
1. EFU has complex mechanical systems and weaves them heavily into the story. Resources and money are scarce. Your character is meant to be faced with difficult choices. "Do I want to risk my life for what is good and right, or be bystander to horror? Do I want to be good and kind, or strong and cruel?" In the bulk of Neverwinter Nights roleplay, and most D&D for that matter, being heroic simply nets you more opportunities, resources, and power than being evil or cowardly. Permanent death and scarcity on EFU mean that heroism is a meaningful and significant act for a character.
4. I am sorry you've had a bad experience here. Though I disagree that intellectual roleplay is not valued. We have a vast forum for books written by PCs, and people do player scholars and philosophers all the time. I got into EFU in the first place because the game-world presented actual mysteries to uncover and interpret. This might not draw as much fanfare as death and murder, but its definitely there.
8. Characters end on EFU. This is actually one of the more positive things about the server, as there is constantly cycling of new ideas. It keeps the world fresh. You don't have the same level 20 paladin sitting quietly on a bench for 3 years, systemically squashing every new threat. A DM will never actively encourage someone to retire "simply for being level 10". Some characters will last over a year, others a month, depending on your risk-taking habits and perseverance. The 'meaning' of your character's run is up to you. I think you are approaching the fact your PC will end as reason not to bother investing time and energy into their story. Instead you can look at it as an opportunity to take risks, make drama, and conclude the character if their goals are met. You will be investing less of yourself into a character, but more into building up your brand and reputation as a quality writer and roleplayer. You see how we all like to show off in our screenshot forum, for example. There will always be the next one and the balance of power will always change.
Its a stylistic adjustment. I hope you're able to give it a chance, and try our approach.
Perhaps EFU could offer a chance to play "Commoner" class? Arelith has such implementation, it is for those that want to focuse on RP and crafting rather than adventuring.
Quote from: Legebril on December 16, 2020, 02:11:49 PM
Perhaps EFU could offer a chance to play "Commoner" class? Arelith has such implementation, it is for those that want to focuse on RP and crafting rather than adventuring.
If you want to be a commoner just RP being a commoner. I hate the idea of X amounts of levels in "Commoner" dictating how much of a commoner your character truly is.
Also, Arelith's "Commoner" is basically just a glorified crafting factory on legs.
Just play a rogue with high mental stats. There are a ton of rogue perks to support "commoner" style PCs.
just play some egirl sorceress with the mesmer perk, and like..... 34 charisma , and you're ready to roleplay
Firstly it is good to see some level-headed feedback to this guide as well as the noted more 'knee-jerk' reactions, which are valuable in their own way.
The title of this guide lives up to its content. There is certainly an undercurrent of subtle and thankfully subdued bigotry going on, quite evident by comparison (the categorisation of, actually) of EFU with MMORPGs. It is what it is, and you've been good enough to be candid in your biases from the very onset.
There are however some remarks I do take issue with.
Quote from: Gizmo on December 09, 2020, 06:26:15 PMIntellectuals have little to no value in EFU society unless, again, they can somehow stoke the fires of armed conflict around the server.
I for one very highly value the intellectual character in EFU, being practically exclusively a player of this type of character. I think when you seek to explore a position in the setting, your character will have to take a side, as EFU offers vast areas of grey to discuss, dissect and analyse. I have had no trouble finding other characters in-game to progress my own various and vast in-character research. To me it is actually the most appealing aspect of the server, the ability to engage with scenarios and situations that let us delve into the philosophic, the metaphysical, the theoretical, scientific and in terms of the setting, its reality.
Please try to publish some writings in-game and in-character, pursue your inquiries fervently, and witness how naturally you will find your own niche and value in this "EFU society." Though I am also aware that I may speak from a position of privilege, and my account may contribute to a survivorship bias. But I think it is also a matter of dedication, like most things in EFU, the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.
I just dislike seeing such discouragement, especially in something that is meant to be a guide.
Quote from: Gizmo on December 09, 2020, 06:26:15 PMDon't go overboard on the RP side of character building because, as I said before, RP is not the most important aspect of EFU. Combat is. Your PC will survive through carefully selected abilities, cultivated alliances, and the right equipment.
I think this is fair advice for newbies unaccustomed to the mechanically challenging nature of the EFU experience, especially in advising that carefully selected abilities, cultivated alliances, and certainly to some extend the right equipment will be conducive to having a better time. However, I do think roleplay is the most important aspect of EFU.
I have heard anecdotes from other players decrying the adventuring low-roleplay playerbase who seem very shallow in their approach, but I have personally not encountered this. It may be due to the fact that I generally do not partake of the questing culture, and certain other aspects of EFU (the highly competitive inter-factional struggle and PvP scene for example) that leads those of likemind to be the ones whom I end up interacting with most though.
Finally, good on you for airing your thoughts and biases. There is great value in keeping the channels of communication open, and the discussion of what EFU is and what it stands for. We are a diverse roleplaying community with varying playstyles, and though the majority may be driven by the competitive side of play, I think there is plenty of room for the roleplaying focused player. It just does take a bit of adapting; there's no doubt about that. I hope your guide helps people out, and that my own input helps those on the fence realise that though game mechanics may be an inevitable hurdle, hardcore roleplay is what it's all about.