Code Suggestion: Artistry / Music as a skill

[Foulspawn]

Sorry if this was already discussed, a cursory search did reveal some music discussion from 2012, but that's 10+ years ago so might as well bring this up again. Contrary to what people might say, mechanics draw people in just as much as roleplaying does, even more (they might tell you otherwise, but they're lying. I would know, I lie about it too).

It'd be interesting to have music as a coded mechanic, which would grant bards or bard-like characters the ability to actually do something with their skillset or dedicate themselves to that. It could grant you a buff to your stats, given that you got a reprise from the savage life on Zalanthas. While it can be game-ified and abused by people, that applies to everything. Sit around a camp fire and draw some tunes or settle in a bar and listen in.

As for how it would work past that, you could make it into a money making endeavor as well. You can perform once per X time in each tavern, which would give you a reason to go to different taverns and play out your heart. Do well enough and you might get some food or something to drink (VNPCs and all that) or even get some money, given you did well enough. This skills it up and such.

I'd like to hear your opinion on this and views of it.

[Pariah]

I'm all for RP things backed up by skill.

It would be cool.

[creeper386]

I'm imagine this could be similar to how drawing skill works as well.


Things get tagged with how well it'd done based on a skill roll, and players could actually play to their skills.

Might give some interesting development of bard characters as well. I rarely see them make mistakes and this might be an interesting layer onto them.

[Riev]

Only if I can force all non-linkdead player characters who stuck around for the performance have to pass a "pay" skill.

[FantasyWriter]

Only if I can force all non-linkdead player characters who stuck around for the performance have to pass a "pay" skill.

Performance art is 100% RP. I've known very few of these characters who didn't roleplay messing up from time to time. Every other skill had a coded benefit (something to sell, something to kill, something to get from your kill, tracking a real PC/NPC down. While Riev's comment may (or may not) have been tongue-in-cheek, this is essentially what you are asking for.  The pay for performance art is judged by the roleplay/value of the character.  If you want this to have a coded cost to achieve a certain type of roleplay, there should also be a coded benefit.

Also, RPing a performance artist takes a LOT of effort on the players part to write/type/script performances.  Coded skills take a one-ten words to be typed.  Not the same.

[FantasyWriter]

Also, I would love to see more performance art in game (especially novice-journeyman level performers). I would not like to see anything restrict something that is already a semi-rare occurrence.

[Pariah]

I used slight of hand on a burglar once to do "magic" in the Gaj and made quite a bit of coin doing it.

Till a Templar made me take the gem and punished me for doing magic in the city... womp womp...