Why is Raider restricted to Deadfire Archipelago?

[Crucis]

 

I can understand that there may have been some limitations on how many backgrounds were possible.  But a guy can wish for more, a lot more.  Maybe it's me, but I don't recall a lot of use of one's background in dialogs throughout the game.  While I suppose that it'd be nice if there was more, it's not a huge deal for me.  I'd probably rather just have a lot more backgrounds, if only because it helps those of us who enjoy role playing out characters immerse ourselves that much more into the role.

 

It's interesting, Luckmann, that you brought up "highwayman", as that could be one possible background.  But regarding the most memorable background/dialog interaction, in the prologue with Calisca where she asks you about your background, I could see characters with certain backgrounds not wanting said background known.  I mean, if you  were a raider or a highwayman or some other sort of criminal and running away from your past life, would you tell people what you used to do?  Would you tell a caravan leader that you used to rob people on the road and expect to get a spot in his caravan?  I think that most can see that some backgrounds you'd keep to yourselves or even come up with a lie about your background.  Hey, you'd be selling stuff if you were a thief, right?  You just wouldn't tell some people where you happened to get the stuff you were selling, or that you were selling to fences. 

 

I'd love to see things like soldier, and game warden (a reasonable background for a ranger or maybe a druid who didn't want to think of himself as a hunter).  And I'm sure that it wouldn't take much to come up with a dozen more possible backgrounds that were reasonable. 

 

A game warden could probably a Hunter; one of the options is simply "I used to spend a lot of time on my own in the wilderness". Funnily enough, Hunter also covers Fisherman.

 

They should probably add some information on what each Background "covers" in terms of roleplaying. Like adding "The hunter background describes anyone that used to hunt or gather for their village, hunted monsters for a living, acted as a game warden or outdoorsman, or simply was a dedicated fisherman" to the Hunter text.

 

"The laborer background can be used to describe someone that did manual labour for a living, such as being a builder, a blacksmith or a cook".

 

I mean, look at Clergyman. If you pick Clergyman, it's probably because you want to be a Clergyman, right? Well, one of the options is actually to tell Calisca that, nu-uh, it's just a lie you tell people so you can manipulate them. So the Clergyman background can also be used for a con-man. ...except, well, the conversation options you'll unlock later all has to do with being an actual clergyman, but w/e.

 

Either way, yeah, I can wish for a lot more.

 

 

Not really. That's just a lie I tell people so I can manipulate them.

 

 

On Hunter, maybe it'd be better if it was called "Woodsman", with a slightly more generalized background description that could cover a hunter, game warden, tracker, scout, etc.  

 

As for the rest, it's true that one can stretch the backgrounds to cover a wide array of things.  That said, if that's the intent of the devs, it'd be best if those stretchable backgrounds were as generalized as possible.  (Some are, some aren't so much.)

 

But another reason to wish for more backgrounds beyond simple role playing is to get some additional combinations of skill bonuses.  For example, a rogue who has a serious background as a thief, might have +1's in stealth and mechanics, or maybe just a +2 to stealth.  But a swashbuckling rogue might be more inclined towards +1's in stealth and athletics.  And a scout might have +1's in stealth and survival.  (Some of these combos may already exist.  I'm just throwing ideas out there for fun.)

[Gromnir]

It is a lore thing guys, seriously.  Every culture has one unique background except for I think Ruatai maybe?  Raider is only for deadfire because Deadfire is home mostly to pirates and similar type guys.  Scientist is only in living lands because tons of scientists go there to explore the ecology, so on so forth.  Can't you just make do with mercenary, or go ahead and be from Deadfire?

agreed.  is not a "discrepancy." it is a feature.  perhaps it is not a feature that is appreciated, but the developers differentiated the cultures by giving them different starting gear *snort* and a single unique background.  

 

not like?  sure.  is possible not to like obsidian's solution for making the cultures unique.  people don't appear to be unanimous in favor o' how the classes were made unique neither.  "But I want my paladin to be able to kick some ass with a sword.  MY paladin shouldn't have to be a second-rate support character with hopeless accuracy."  

 

*shrug*

 

you gonna have cultures that is more than a starting perk kinda thing?  if so, as a developer you need differentiate.  at the same time, this is a role-play game, so the obsidians wanted folks to have choices.  one unique background is Not particularly egregious.  wanna play a highwayman from istanbul or chelsea?  then role-play that for chrissakes.  not need the specific raider background to role-play as a highwayman.  

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

ps as an aside, it is our belief that the starting backgrounds should have more impact and not less.  the classes is already unique and differentiated w/o the starting skill "bonuses."  our suggestion would be to effectively double the significance o' the cultural backgrounds regarding starting skills, and complete remove the class bonuses.

Edited April 25, 2015 by Gromnir