1. Sure they are, but there's still a hierarchy where the commoners are less than soldiers and--if the game is heroic high fantasy adventure and not schmuck-based crapsack fantasy survival--the soldiers are less than hero fighters.
Crapsack World Survival is a valid form of game that some people enjoy, but it's never been what D&D promised or claimed to be, despite the early editions being pretty much that until you had some levels under your belt.
2. Steps one and three are essentially directives to roleplay "Try very hard not to die before you become a powerful wizard." It's a viable way of playing the game, and pretty much the way people got their wizards up to a useful level... but they're both options that remain even when the system makes wizards useful as wizards.
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ninetydegrees
Re: few thoughts...
on 2009-05-14 08:54 pm (UTC)Crapsack World Survival is a valid form of game that some people enjoy, but it's never been what D&D promised or claimed to be, despite the early editions being pretty much that until you had some levels under your belt.
2. Steps one and three are essentially directives to roleplay "Try very hard not to die before you become a powerful wizard." It's a viable way of playing the game, and pretty much the way people got their wizards up to a useful level... but they're both options that remain even when the system makes wizards useful as wizards.