![]() When you optimize a character - especially in a way that bucks a in-universe archetype, like multiclassing, or using a strange weapon, etc. It's like someone marked beats that are perfect for the scene and me, and getting into character is just understanding the logic of them. The books encourage this by telling you to randomize flaws and bonds and such, but I find that I get far more verisimilitude from letting the character's backstory be an emergent property of their approach to handling problems. So, if I have to play the 8-Int Vhuman Hexadin in one game, the Gith Wizard in another, and the Elf Cleric in a third, the fact that I let mechanics dictate my build actually ensures all of the characters have different strengths and weaknesses, and lend themselves to different personas. Playing against type is compelling because it normally reveals hidden interpretations of a familiar archetype. The joke is that all actors play themselves - and there's a level of truth to that. I do it because optimizing to play a role in a group lends itself to better RP. But I could never for the life of me play a wizard that's bad at spellcasting, or a paladin that can't attack, at that point why not just play a different class and act like you wanted to be something else. I don't really understand people that want to make bad or weak characters in a heroic fantasy game, I understand having weaknesses, a wizard may be squishy but rely on allies to back them up, a paladin may be too rigid and require others to resolve certain disputes, a barbarian would have weaker mental stats and be weak to magical effects that target those saves. I want my wizard to feel like a powerful spellcaster, I want my paladin to buff allies and smite their foes, I want my rogue to be stealthy and have a skill for every occasion, I want my barbarian to be beefy, strong, and a frontliner. That usually means picking things that synergise well with each other towards a character goal, picking specific spells, and features, magic items and the like. The biggest reason I optimize is becasue I want my character to actually be good at what they do. ![]()
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