I've seen this question thrown around in forums & social media:
If we played a board game about vikings, lets say blood rage, and someone wanted to use space marines on the board, the rest of the table might allow the miniatures to be replaced, but they're not going to agree to any rule changes. Board games have rules to establish a fair even start.
If we played a role-play game about vikings, and someone wanted to bring in a space marine, the rest of the table is going to shut that down straight away, its established that the game is about vikings, medieval historical vikings, because the rule changes to include a space marine would break the game for everyone.
Yet, If we role-played a game about vikings, medieval, historical, vikings and someone wanted to play a dark elf (the viking equivalent), now we're in a grey zone, If the GM wants to introduce any possible fantastical elements later, then world-build wise, there must be an opportunity to allow dark elves. So the GM is stuck, allow something possible, and ruin the surprise later that fantastical elements do exist, or disallow it, and have a belligerent player later.
The Idea is that all things are equal, so players have a common starting point. Players who drop a character, so they can play something else, are not upsetting the campaign and group by doing so, GMs who need to restrict the races or classes can allow players to still choose outside the set standards, but for balance issues, they'll cost some karma.
Also, GMs can start players at higher levels, without just giving them a set level, which is also a whole set of unrealism.
The next campaign they play, they have Karma to use for character creation, This will typically give them either a higher leveled character of raw plain, heroic average stats, or they can forgo the starting levels, so they can choose something from the lists that GMs provide.
The GM decides before hand, (or uses some of the pre-made lists) that certain races are rarer to play. Elves are rare as are sprites and fairies, and while you can play as a goblin, you'd need to be accepted in your community, else you'll be run out of town. Players can look over the world-build lists and choose, Do I want to give up 10 karma to play an elf, or 5 karma to gain 'acceptance of race' in the local town.
The Traits and Flaws list, are built with Karma, typically players can only 'buy' 2 traits and or flaws per 5 ranks, or even with extra karma, can buy more traits and flaws and break these rules too.
The idea is to say "Yes, but at a price"
Now, The GM running a historical medieval viking setting can begrudgingly allow the player their dark elf, and "write them into the plot", but the group might all start at level 8, while the dark elf, starts at level 2, to allow for balance in the world.
But, if you give your group differing levels, people will be unhappy that they are 'disadvantaged'
Karma allows a balance, where the group may have different levels, but they have other traits and flaws that balance out those differences. Players are more aware that they are similar, yet different than just a block of stats of equal value.
Then when one player gains a tad more XP than you, because they played the more pivotal role in the adventure last week, your character isn't worse off, you know you have some traits that work well for your character giving you the edge.
Is a DM who bans a playable race because they do not exist in their home brew world in the wrong?The general answer is No, of course not, yet goes against the whole movement that the GM should always say Yes. Yet that in turn breaks half of the point of role-playing, trying out a new role.
The Issue:
In general we're all there to have fun, and role-play is very open to a variety of fun, so when anything seems to shut down that fun, there is a push-back.If we played a board game about vikings, lets say blood rage, and someone wanted to use space marines on the board, the rest of the table might allow the miniatures to be replaced, but they're not going to agree to any rule changes. Board games have rules to establish a fair even start.
If we played a role-play game about vikings, and someone wanted to bring in a space marine, the rest of the table is going to shut that down straight away, its established that the game is about vikings, medieval historical vikings, because the rule changes to include a space marine would break the game for everyone.
Yet, If we role-played a game about vikings, medieval, historical, vikings and someone wanted to play a dark elf (the viking equivalent), now we're in a grey zone, If the GM wants to introduce any possible fantastical elements later, then world-build wise, there must be an opportunity to allow dark elves. So the GM is stuck, allow something possible, and ruin the surprise later that fantastical elements do exist, or disallow it, and have a belligerent player later.
My Answer: A Rule System
Players can complain that the GM is making life hard, but they general don't complain that the rules are hard on them, and the GM can ease back on a rule to be the good guy. So I created a Karma system to help GMs in character creation.The Idea is that all things are equal, so players have a common starting point. Players who drop a character, so they can play something else, are not upsetting the campaign and group by doing so, GMs who need to restrict the races or classes can allow players to still choose outside the set standards, but for balance issues, they'll cost some karma.
Also, GMs can start players at higher levels, without just giving them a set level, which is also a whole set of unrealism.
The Karma System
So, Firstly, a GM who has new players can set Karma at 0, all players make up raw, plain, heroic average characters, so they get the feel for the game. Once they finish the first storyline and retire their characters, they earn karma based on the rank they achieved and the number of sessions they took to get there.The next campaign they play, they have Karma to use for character creation, This will typically give them either a higher leveled character of raw plain, heroic average stats, or they can forgo the starting levels, so they can choose something from the lists that GMs provide.
The GM decides before hand, (or uses some of the pre-made lists) that certain races are rarer to play. Elves are rare as are sprites and fairies, and while you can play as a goblin, you'd need to be accepted in your community, else you'll be run out of town. Players can look over the world-build lists and choose, Do I want to give up 10 karma to play an elf, or 5 karma to gain 'acceptance of race' in the local town.
The Traits and Flaws list, are built with Karma, typically players can only 'buy' 2 traits and or flaws per 5 ranks, or even with extra karma, can buy more traits and flaws and break these rules too.
The idea is to say "Yes, but at a price"
Now, The GM running a historical medieval viking setting can begrudgingly allow the player their dark elf, and "write them into the plot", but the group might all start at level 8, while the dark elf, starts at level 2, to allow for balance in the world.
More unbalanced balance
Its unlikely that any given group of people are all equally experienced, Even people of the same age, and interests, have differing levels of knowledge, usage of skills and talents. Yet In role-play games, there is this strange need for everyone to be the same level.But, if you give your group differing levels, people will be unhappy that they are 'disadvantaged'
Karma allows a balance, where the group may have different levels, but they have other traits and flaws that balance out those differences. Players are more aware that they are similar, yet different than just a block of stats of equal value.
Then when one player gains a tad more XP than you, because they played the more pivotal role in the adventure last week, your character isn't worse off, you know you have some traits that work well for your character giving you the edge.
