More interesting Male PC romantic option

[Domi]

I am guessing that the human option is the one you prefer regardless, though.

[Lemernis]

Lol, yes. The only way I see a romanceable female gnome working is with a male gnome PC. Not the most popular race. Poor gnomes, they get no lovin'.

 

A female Monk is a great idea as a joinable NPC to begin with, even without the romance.

 

Might want to add a couple decent monk items into the game, though. I think it's kind of rough going for monks in BG1 Tutu.

[Domi]

It's not TUTU either, it's IWD2.

[Ajnos]

The gnome, either ranger or wizard; the typical light-hearted, fluffy type, who either thinks all wild animals as cute and tame as rabbits (if ranger) or all magic as pwetty and funny as fireworks.

 

I picked the human. I just like monks. What really set me though, was the descriptions: They seem to be a bit too twee for me to even like, let alone romance. (The very sight of "pwetty" made me grit my teeth.) I have a very low tolerance for cutesy.

[BigRob]

I went whith Human Monk, for similar reasons to others, in that I tend to play humans, and I couldn't really see the human/gnome combo happening (well, for my PCs, anyway). The background as a monk on the edge, maybe not quite confident in her training also seems a fertile area to write with.

 

I think the gnome would be a fine idea for a Gnome/Dwarf PC however, and I don't mind the playful/jokey Imoen style of NPC either, as long as they don't get too childlike in their behaviour. The way Imoen's unshakeable assertion that things are "so cute" comes across to me as part artifice (since she shows maturity when things get bad), and part mild insanity.

[Domi]

I can't afford more than one at the same level of development, and I might not be able to afford even that, so two is out of question. Maybe I can just substitute her for that dwarven cleric I had to add. Her wisdom will let people dual-class her into a cleric if desired.

[Bri]

I have no problems with a gnome romance at all. The only problem I have had with gnomes has been 'official' presentation of them. The same often goes with halflings, dwarves, and yes, elves. All too often they fall back on stereotype to flesh them out...which I find aggravating.

[Domi]

Yes, I agree, it is a thin ice to walk upon; on one hand the character that fits badly with the race outlook and treats is way too often risques Mary-Sue category, on the other hand, driven too closely to the racial stereotype, it risks to become a caricature. I'd still like to see more racial choices, rather than less racial choices, all other things being equal and backstory permitting. Here, for me, maxing out the immediate attractiveness as a romantic option is a paramaount.

[Beetle]

The size issue would matter to me as well. So if I was playing a human/elf/half-elf than the Monk would be a better partner. If I was playing a dwarf (very possible) or a gnome or halfling (unlikely), then the gnome would be a better fit.

 

I voted for the monk because I usually play taller races and I liked her description.

[Garfield]

I also voted for the human monk, but mostly because of her background. I've always been fascinated by India so I guess that's why I voted for this character.

[Domi]

Yeah, that's why I penned it in as a background. By whatever reason I have not heard about a good RPG set in "imaginary" India, most seems to be set in Japan or China.... Obviously, I can't make an RPG, but a character hailing from that setting is something I have not seen either

[BigRob]

All those Kung-Fu movies probably helped raise the profile of the Japan/China over India as a source of roleplaying goodness. But at least it means you'll have a rich and mostly untapped seam of material to work from.

[Lemernis]

I've never been keen on FR's more blatant use of real world settings, such as Maztica for Mexico, Chult for Africa, Calimshan for Turkey, Moonshaes for Ireland, and so forth. The worst example of this is probably Mulhorand, which literally transplants ancient Egyptians from real life earth.

 

All fantasy literature is derivative of real life in some way, it's a matter of degree. And it certainly makes it easy for the FR developers, and often provides very rich material. It's just weird when it becomes completely transparent, as it so often does with FR.

 

But India is a such a rich culture mythologically, to be sure. Wonderful stuff to work with there.

[Domi]

Lemernis: Oh, yes, Mulhorand is a bad, bad example of developpers' laziness.

 

But at least it means you'll have a rich and mostly untapped seam of material to work from.

 

Actually, there is next to nothing I found on it; it is lumped together with the Orient, and it's pretty sparce. So, I guess it will be a fair doze of interpretation....

[Domi]

Okay, I can see that human monk does admiringly well Now, if anyone has any energy left, what about the choice between the said monk, who will have high enough wisdom to DC into cleric, and the "evil" romantic option for males?

 

She is a self-involved perfectly egoistic half-elven bard who thinks she is a marvel of manipulation, but her own sharp tongue gets in the way, so in the end she ends up rather blunt and offensive after scoring a few points. She is exotic looking, and tells you a million stories about her incredible adventures and conquests that you can chose to believe or not. She surely don't give a damn one way or another. She is dismissive, and condenscending, and wounding, and she will remain that way, no matter what happens in the romance.

 

So, will you chose this, over the monk or vice versa?