“A random race/class combination? Why would anyone think players want something like that?”
“Well, you don’t have to play a random character,” Susie explained, “or at least not a fully random character. But it’s the only way to get the OP options. We’ll actually get four different creation paths to choose from, and that’s just one of them.” When Susie went into lecturer mode, she went into it full-bore. There simply was no polite way to get a word in edgewise. And not even all that many rude ways, either. Twenty to thirty minutes of exposition later, and I had learned quite a bit about the character creation system in DVI, that is … Dungeon Veils Interactive. Kind of a dumb name, but it was the hottest new VR game, gameworld, experience, whatever. Don’t ask for what it really is. That’s a whole ‘nother series of Susie lectures, and I’m not in the mood to relate them right now.
Anyway, once a player logs into DVI for the first time, he or she is faced with four different character creation possibilities. First, they could take the so-called Path of Self. That is, their character, such as it is, is themself. Mostly. Human race, of course, and with an appearance that mirrors their real-world self, if perhaps a bit glamorized and idealized. And as for class, it depends on the selected weapon, such as a bow, sword, or staff, or the selected implement, such as a blacksmith’s hammer or alchemic alembic. All basic classes to start with -- fighter, archer, caster, crafter -- with room to diversify and specialize as they level up.
But if someone really, really wants to play a certain more specialized class, like paladin, shaman, berzerker, necromancer, whatever … they can take the second route, the Path of Action. Along the Path of Action, there’s options for some customization such as a paladin’s choice of deity or a necromancer’s starting minion, but race and consequently appearance are chosen by the system, apparently with lore considerations. No goblin paladins or light elf necromancers, for instance.
Players also get one reroll of race, in case the randomly selected one -- or its appearance -- is just too undesirable. Mostly, though, people who want to play a certain class don’t care so much about their appearance but only about their abilities, so there’s not a lot of rerolling, three percent or so, and that’s almost always because the random selection gave an opposite-gendered character.
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Similar to the Path of Action is the Path of Identity. If someone is deadset on playing a specific race, they can create their character with the common or uncommon race they want, with the appearance they want, but their character class is assigned at random based on lore considerations. Again, no goblin paladins or light elf necromancers. Not too many goblin anythings, for that matter. And, if the random class is just too horrid to consider, the player gets one reroll for a different class.
If, for either of the paths, the rerolled option is just too undesirable as well, then the player gets put on the basic Path of Self. There’s apparently less rerolling on the Path of Identity, however. First, classes can be changed over time. Someone who gets a necromancer class can, with effort, pick up skills and abilities for other classes and eventually change their class to something else. Perhaps dark priest or shadow knight. Whatever. For some, putting in that effort is an acceptable sacrifice to be an elf, dwarf, or beastkin rather than a human. And, of course, there’s a particular draw for those who want their character to be a girl even though they’re male in real life. Or to be a guy even though they’re female in real life. For them, it’s better to have a less-than-ideal class than a less-than-ideal body. Susie’s cousin, off in Europe somewhere, is like that. Thus, very little rerolling on the Path of Identity and only a tiny, tiny number drop back to the Path of Self.
And, finally, there’s the Path of Fate. Random race, random class, random appearance. Unless you’re desperate to be a certain race or class for which a different Path would be best, there’s not really any major downside to the Path of Fate. After all, if the random result is no good, just turn down the Path of Self and walk away. On the upside, at least race or class will be rare or better, something that no other path can access from the start. And while a rare class may be attained over time, races are a bit more immutable.
But with rarity, at least in DVI, comes power. For those aiming to be the strongest, or for fame, or for fortune, that power might be worth the potential drawbacks. Minotaurs, giants, elementals, even a succubus -- these were the results granted to some players who walked the Path of Fate.