Re: [HoE] Templars and Anti-Templars

[Draxus@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/30/99 7:24:53 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
J23junior@aol.com writes:

>  However, if the player knows that their AT is doomed no matter 
>  what, why even try. 

Well, part of my point is that AT are supposed to be BAD guys. While they
may have the best of intentions, the plain fact is they are the pawns of the
reckoners and as such will eventually go bad. The analogy to dark jedi is, I 
think, right on the money. As Yoda said, once you start down the path of
the dark side, forever will it control your destiny.

What makes this inevitable is the notion that the easy power they can tap
into is tainted, and the more they use it the more the taint grows. The 
problem
with a PC AT is that as the PLAYER he can simply say he'll never draw on the
dark power and he gets a Templar free of all those annoying restrictions.

Now, obviously, GMs can allow anything they want in their groups. And 
everyone's
view of the AT will differ. I think PEG made a big mistake in giving writeups 
for 
the ATs as they seem like the latest in "coolest new type of character" that
the munchkins are going to flock to. Last Crusade clearly says the Templars
are the best hope for HOE and the AT's are a VERY BAD thing. They are
tragic characters who think they are doing the right thing but are really just
playing into the hands of the enemy. 

Anyway, my forcing a roll is to keep the PLAYER from avoiding the trap his
CHARACTER has fallen into. Easy enough for the player to say he won't draw
on the Reckoners power since he knows the cost. But when things are hairy, 
a dice roll shows the temptation the character is undergoing. Now, sure, a 
great
roleplayer will factor this in, but then he's admitted that his character is 
eventually
going to become an NPC down the line and few want to make that admission.

I see ATs much the same as dark jedi characters in Star Wars. People play
dark jedis since they get easier power faster without having to abide by 
a restrictive code of conduct (gee, sounds familiar) and whine and moan when
they get that last dark side point that pushes them over the edge. You end up
with characters one point short of NPCdom who suddenly act all sweetness
and nice to try to get rid of a few points, then once they have a safety 
margin
again go right back to nastiness.

Anti-Templars as PCs. Just say no. :)

Andrew Ross (draxus@aol.com)