In some death threads I've seen compaints about some "power gaming" and that it, somehow, makes the game "bad". But what is it?

Is it about the equipment? But CF always been about the eq. If you don't gear up well, you'll be a punching bag. It was since I began playing 20 years ago, and actually it's fun. To gear up, you'll need a lot of tmie, and you may lose it all in a moment. Is it bad? Why?

Or is it about dex warriors? Elf staff paladins that can retrieve solo on 17th level? But some fire giant sword spec with an iron flurry may one-round an elf. Or storm giant may one-flurry drow war master.

Or is it gaming just for PK, with zero RP?

So... what exactly it is, powergaming? Why it's bad? I don't understand compaints. Maybe I'm a poweregamer and I am "bad"?

Bending or breaking RP to derive mechanical benefit. This can take a lot of different forms.

Some might also include "exhibiting poor sportsmanship in order to get more kills" but that's somewhat subjective.

An example of the above might be "bringing a friend to gang someone you already beat solo because the friend marginally increases the odds that you kill the target vs. him escaping".

Into stuff like full saccing the guy that you think could potentially kill you one day in the hope he'll rage delete. Logging on when you have buddies but not if you don't. Not facing opposition even when you have the upper hand, if there's slight risk, but gaming mercilessly when they are alone etc.

And then beyond that is the outright cheating. ooc groups to get gear. Ooc groups to protect you etc.

There's also just the desire to play broken builds and abuse whatever it is that makes them broken.

Plus there are technically legit ways to kill people outside of your pk etc. Like track a mob who is aggro to all even when he's following your trail, into a lowbie area. Or repeatedly using repel undead as a hero to swamp groups of mid level characters in the mausoleum.

First sucks, especially if a goodie do it (and they do it often).

Second is a cheating, not powergaming, and must be punished.

Third is ok, it might be a strategy/trick or you may be busy, lagged, etc - I don't see it as a problem, that's your choice.

Abusing broken classes? But we 100% know that in CF there are NO broken classes! Dex works as designed! :D In other words, if it is allowed, why should you NOT play it, especially if you arpee?

Repel undead is a cheating? But if you are in maus, and you know that there is an enemy necromancer who may come and repel, why the hell are you staying there? It's your choice to take risk for the sake of experience, and if you die there, that's your fault.

I think you are mistake powergamign with cheating for the most part, and dumbness for the rest :D

No, sir, I do not take your points for a powergaming.

And a hero necro directly causing the deaths of midbies by design is abuse.

I have been pulled to the rotd for killing someone outside my pk and I only did the after they, a lowbie, mouthed off repeatedly to my hero and told me there was nothing U could do about it. The method I used was changed so it couldn't be done again, and I was told it I found another way to kill outside of my pk I'd be banned.

So it is pretty clear to me that repel undead should not be used in the way it was recently, and that, at best, it is powergaming.

When it happened to me I told my group to get out as soon as he logged on. They didn't and I couldn't walk out without them because of rp and because of being cut off already. So I died to a guy 20 levels above me without any way out of it. And I saw him do it to others more then once.

> There's also just the desire to play broken builds and abuse whatever it is that makes them broken.

This doesn't seem like a negative thing to me. Evaluating the mechanics of various builds and trying to identify effective strategies is a big part of what makes CF fun. If a build is truly "broken" then that's on us as staff and not on the players who (correctly) recognize its effectiveness.

Edited to add: the above doesn't include abusing bugs and obvious game design oversights. If it turned out that overhead with a particular axe automatically killed the target, and you ran around slaying people, that would be "bug abuse" and not "identifying an effective strategy".

Is that it is a form of powergaming.

Not all powergaming is rule breaking. At least, not in my eyes.

For example, full saccing every enemy is not rule breaking but it is power gaming.

If you've ever heard of the term of "Murder Hobo" referring to D&D players who basically care little for influencing the story and just want to kill things, that kind of mentality where all you want to do is PK, you have very dry RP that just is the surface with no depth.

You play the game in a sense where you just do whatever you want for gear/kills/use whatever adnvantages you have. For instance, there was a paladin who would summon evil and neutral NPC's to fight bloodthirsting villagers.

Alting so you know your line up with your main so you know if you want to log into them or not.

These are just a few examples:

1) Goodies who participate in evil god held contests/events when it doesn't fit their role (esp paladins: Do not associate with the taint of evil, in any way). Most people do it hoping for IMMxp or other perks. Essentially, they're putting possible "rewards" above RP.

2) People who "roleplay" a given flaw but don't actually take the the appropriate flaw because that would be too hard.

So in short, it's a sacrificing RP for the sake of the win or other benefit.

Like "Imperials are giving bloody head to the orcs" or "elf paladin fullsaccing an evil guy".

Or your are Terpilans :)

Yes, point taken. When I'll delete, I'll have a so sweet meltdown/rant concerning that and defending Shaapa's characters (and some of the powergaming as a whole).

#### Christmas.

I was there (as an evil) when Gruntner participated in Morius's gamble and he rp'd it well, in my view. And given he lived with the flaw he got I wouldn't describe it as powergaming.

If you didn't associate with the taint of evil in any way you would never work to redeem anyone, and you would not be able to hold evil items in order to commune remove taint on them. So it's not as clearcut as it might first appear, in my eyes. And I say that as someone who gets annoyed at people bending the code. For example, shaman could kill my Paladin with plague because I wouldn't buy cures in Udgaard, or carry more than 5 gold. Whereas a gazillion Paladins have used the "saving for charity" excuse to carry lots of gold and spend it on themselves as required.

...but I'm pretty sure her comment was a dig at me (Bulonk), not Gruntner. Because Bulonk attended the "deception" event held by Nalasul. Then I got a talking-to from Korsgaard.

Her point is valid. To be honest, I'm considered one of the (if not the) most power-gamey of the imms.

You are BAD?

Nt

..we have events at times to simply celebrate the fact that we're all playing a pretty cool game together than transcends the moment of RP.

As an example, CF Trivia. Twist, Daevryn, and Ishuli have all hosted CF Trivia at one point or another.

This is an event of global echoes with player engagement with completely OOC connotations. Example ' What is the most popular class currently?' 'What was the name of the skill X used during Y event 16 years ago?

No current character should know these things or even understand the questions, yet it is understood that we're all playing a game and sometimes its fun to recognize that.

In my opinion the Christmas event was just that. It wasn't an IC totally RP immersed time to go interact with the God of Sin and tell him IC how great he is. It was simply a 'Hey it's Christmas! Lets have fun and toss a coin for some edges/flaws.'

Pretty sure if people can't see that they're just bitter about unrelated things.

Although I wouldn't say that seeing it differently means anyone is bitter. I just felt there's an element of oocness to these events and so align restrictions etc are semi suspended for the duration.

Otherwise people would be taking the opportunity to whack their enemies while they are gathered there, distracted and unprepped.

Would your paladin really partake in the massacre and attack a goodie if you were the last two standing? No.

You could instead go the route I did with Bilgritok and mess with Emnon's fun by fighting him instead of letting him be amused by watching the massacre. Flirting with a slay? Sure. But it was a lot more fun than breaking my to.

Pretty sure I got a chunk of immxp for that.

It literally says cabal and align restrictions will be relaxed in the note that announced it. I think that is a pretty fair indication that its not considered a strictly IC affair by the dm, who in the end is the ultimate authority.

I think its fine to still consider it IC, but I don't think you can really blame players for not in that circumstance.

You're always a classy dude in game and stick to your RP (which is usually quality).

I dont mind dieing to twist characters. And I dont even no how many years later, I'm still salty I didnt kill hanord? (Your bard emperor) All those years ago in Galadon with my voker. (Erishmalin).

You're just good at pk. In my experience, you enhance the gaming experience of those around you, as well as your enemies.

Just because you happen to be good at pk doesn't make you power-gamey.

If you attend imm events you are power gamey.