A Land Far Away

Hey all. Although I have returned to ALFA from the NWN 1 servers, it appears some things have changed. Over the past week, I've been reading up on the forum to make sure I don't create some roleplaying/ALFA faux pas and I've noticed that there appears to be "unwritten" rules that we're supposed to play by. For instance, I see today a reference to a 24 hour wait after portaling between servers that I don't remember reading anywhere else. Is there a place I can go to get additional rulings that aren't in the Players Manual?

I also have some questions about how we roleplay leveling or gaining new spells. It seems some people I've interacted with do not get new spells when they level their character but roleplay slowly gaining them over time. My character concept was that I was going to be a multiclassed rogue/wizard and so I started without magic but I roleplayed that I wanted to study magic which is why I went to Silverymoon. I've been roleplaying studying in the Lady's College every day in an effort to learn magic but I was told that when I level I can just take wizard and start using the spells.

Then someone told me that I should be roleplaying by myself with the NPC's even when they aren't possessed by a DM and that I should assume they are speaking back to me. If I have the ability to use Sleight of Hand is it appropriate for me to use it when there is no DM present? If I find someone else's corpse, is it okay for me to pilfer items or money off it? Do I never try to sneak into a building at night without a DM around because I may be taking advantage of a situation where the NPC's "should" have a chance to spot me but they won't without a DM making a roll for them?

Also about combat and avoiding combat, I have noticed that no one uses stealth. Is stealth allowed? If I am in an encounter when traveling, is it acceptable to sneak back to the transition to avoid the encounter or do I have to physically defeat the encounter to transition?

There just seems to be a lot of areas where there is an expectation or understanding that people will do one thing without it being evident from a reading of the rules. I'm not trying to be an advocate for any particular viewpoint, I just want to settle into play without unintentionally leaving a bad impression. Did I miss something somewhere?

Starspawn wrote:reference to a 24 hour wait after portaling between servers that I don't remember reading anywhere else.

That one's probably not in the rules because the portalling scripts enforce it anyway. You can't jump server more than once every 24h.

Is there a place I can go to get additional rulings that aren't in the Players Manual?

Oh boy...
Actually, we have tried to move away from the old PDF rulebook and towards a web-based one. And we made a mess of it. So now, the rules are kinda all over the place.

I was told that when I level I can just take wizard and start using the spells.

Correct. If you got it, flaunt it.
Actually, there are a few different styles, and a few "schools of thought" with regard to this issue. Taking a Rogue 1/Wizard 0 as an example, you can

1. Claim to be a student-wizard already, and emote trying to cast cantrips - and fail. There's no rule against claiming to be something you are not (yet), just against emoting something you couldn't actually do.
2. Become a student after you get the wizard level, and thus emote practising your cantrips. You are a wizard though, and some of the scripted events will treat you as such even when you don't yet want to be casting any magic missiles.
3. Become a wizard instantaneously the moment you level. It feels weird, it is weird, but them's the rules. You just became a wizard.

Things get even worse with other classes: clerics need to be ordained in some form or other, but you don't need any levels of cleric to be one. And druids need to learn a whole new language; there's no way that can happen overnight.

Then someone told me that I should be roleplaying by myself with the NPC's even when they aren't possessed by a DM and that I should assume they are speaking back to me.

Another problematic issue. NPCs are people too: you may assume they would give you directions, or see you breaking into a house. But you cannot assign them attitudes towards your PC, no matter how logical those would be. NPCs are the PCs of DMs.

If I have the ability to use Sleight of Hand is it appropriate for me to use it when there is no DM present?

Not on NPCs. You can use it on another PC, but that would then qualify as "CvC". But if the other player's okay with it, then just go ahead.

If I find someone else's corpse, is it okay for me to pilfer items or money off it?

Yes. Be mindful of your PC's alignment though. And do try to maintain some sanity: leave the dead their underwear for instance...

Do I never try to sneak into a building at night without a DM around because I may be taking advantage of a situation where the NPC's "should" have a chance to spot me but they won't without a DM making a roll for them?

If the NPC is hostile already, then you can let the engine handle matters. But if not, then yes: when there are NPC in sight you need a DM to adjudicate.

I have noticed that no one uses stealth.

You have. And yet, you are wrong.
Actually, the game engine only shows the sneaking animations for your own PC, not for anyone else. So while it looks all the others are parading around, they're actually skulking just like you.

Is stealth allowed?

Yes, yes, thrice yes! It's the simplest and safest way to decide if you want to fight or flee an encounter, and works quite well even at level one. I think in ALFA, stealth is in usefulness only trumped by healing magic and AC.

is it acceptable to sneak back to the transition to avoid the encounter

Yes. Even for a paladin or a priest of Gargaros.

Did I miss something somewhere?

Yes: a lot of the rules. But that's our fault (and it's being worked on as we speak), not yours.

In fact, if you could make a list of all your questions, uncertainties and stuff you're being told but that isn't in the books it might help the documentation team a lot.

hollyfant wrote:In fact, if you could make a list of all your questions, uncertainties and stuff you're being told but that isn't in the books it might help the documentation team a lot.

Yes, this would be a great!