I think, like anything else, going to extremes on 'specialness' one way or the other is bad.
On one hand, yes, the overpowered wunderkind, master of all disciplines of war, magic, land and hand is not a good thing. Even if that's actually possible in game (And in fact, some people approach this as time goes on, game-ability-sie).
On the other hand, playing an inept, dull, untalented drip with no redeeming qualities or special abilities is equally bad.
It's all about challenges. What makes characters interesting is the challenges they face, and how they surmount them. It's about how they change and grow as they make their journey. And so, for the Sue and the Drip, both boil down to the same issue: Neither grows or changes. The Sue because there is no need, because any challenge the world presents is trivial, and the Drip because they are simply incapable or improving themselves. Challenges are meaningless if they're not a challenge, or if there is zero hope of overcoming them.
Also... no one goes into the world, thrusts their fist into the sky and yells out "I'm going to be average! I'm going to be the most average adventurer there ever was!" No... everyone is striving to be something, to be the best at something, or at least the best they can be.
Adventurers ARE special. They have something that elevates them above the standard refugee, be it starting position in life, martial skill, determination or drive... determining what lifts your character above the throngs of ordinary citizens should be a core part of creating that character.
I personally don't think this special quality should be some plot MacGuffin, such as an ordained destiny, or blessing of the crystal, or summat. Those do come into play, but they should not define your character. Your character is chosen by destiny because they are special, not special because they are chosen by destiny. And what makes them special should endure even if all that destiny or magic or whatnot was stripped away. If your character was pulled from Hydaelin and dumped in the real world, that quality should still exist.
On one hand, yes, the overpowered wunderkind, master of all disciplines of war, magic, land and hand is not a good thing. Even if that's actually possible in game (And in fact, some people approach this as time goes on, game-ability-sie).
On the other hand, playing an inept, dull, untalented drip with no redeeming qualities or special abilities is equally bad.
It's all about challenges. What makes characters interesting is the challenges they face, and how they surmount them. It's about how they change and grow as they make their journey. And so, for the Sue and the Drip, both boil down to the same issue: Neither grows or changes. The Sue because there is no need, because any challenge the world presents is trivial, and the Drip because they are simply incapable or improving themselves. Challenges are meaningless if they're not a challenge, or if there is zero hope of overcoming them.
Also... no one goes into the world, thrusts their fist into the sky and yells out "I'm going to be average! I'm going to be the most average adventurer there ever was!" No... everyone is striving to be something, to be the best at something, or at least the best they can be.
Adventurers ARE special. They have something that elevates them above the standard refugee, be it starting position in life, martial skill, determination or drive... determining what lifts your character above the throngs of ordinary citizens should be a core part of creating that character.
I personally don't think this special quality should be some plot MacGuffin, such as an ordained destiny, or blessing of the crystal, or summat. Those do come into play, but they should not define your character. Your character is chosen by destiny because they are special, not special because they are chosen by destiny. And what makes them special should endure even if all that destiny or magic or whatnot was stripped away. If your character was pulled from Hydaelin and dumped in the real world, that quality should still exist.
![[Image: Newsig.jpg]](http://s13.photobucket.com/user/Polenicus/media/Signatures%20and%20Avatars/Newsig.jpg.html)
