Grand Heresiarch

Everyone should be theoretically killable, some just harder than others. (gods included, Hail Nietzsche!)

This was somewhat alleviated in the D&D 3rd edition rules as they were instituted in NWN and NWN2. Melee characters did not have nearly as much to do as casters, but stances and special types of attacks attained at higher levels did add more depth to melee play. That being said, I would have to echo Tale's concerns about turning the game into a micro-management pause-fest. A few casters add tactical depth in terms of spell usage, but I would more enjoy seeing the melee tactical depth occur not in skill usage but rather in placement on the battlefield (Screening casters, moving in for backstabs, positioning for cleave to hit as many as possible etc)

I suppose a question I have is whether or not endurance will function like a resource or just like HP with a different name. What I mean by this is endurance, or the ability to "stay in the fight" seems like it ought to be consumed not just by receiving blows but delivering them as will ( or casting spells or whatever). Punching things is tiring, and can require a breather after a long time. From this perspective, it could regenerate in combat, but certainly not by running around in circles. I suppose it would be something akin to action points, without the institution of a turn based combat system.

I have to say I am really torn on this topic. I agree with those individuals who say that romances in games tend to be a silly add-on that adds little depth to a game, but does this invalidate the premise? Whether we like it or not, romance and relationships are a massive part of adult human interactions. So to leave it on the proverbial cutting room floor in favor of dungeon delving seems to me to be leaving behind a significant part of the "why" of why people do the things they do. On the other hand, a mindless gift exchange for "favors" does not reflect the reality of these necessarily complex social interactions. One thought on the topic: Charisma is a much maligned stat, and yet in Arcanum (where it was beauty) it made a huge difference in all sorts of player interactions. I think that if a player elects to make a knuckle dragging warrior (all dex str and con with everything else minimized) then romance and even civil discourse should take a back seat. If a player elects to make an intelligent, charismatic character, then it seems that this should effect how NPCs interact with the character, including how "attractive" they find your character to be. Lastly I will say, as a combat veteran, that going through life threatening situations with other people tends to generate extreme emotional responses. I am not just talking about romance but in all aspects of social interaction. People you get along with become like brothers and people who annoy you or those whose abilities you do not respect become an object of intense hatred. The extremity of the situation generates an extreme social atmosphere, and often pushes people romantically towards or away from each other. I think that if we are to have a game that is seriously grounded in adult social interactions we ought not to leave behind such an essential aspect of those interactions.