Rp Theory: the balanced character

[MikeH5]

Hello ladies and gentleman, today I am here to discuss the three greatest pros and the three greatest cons of playing a balanced character.

Pros:

1) You can cover all the bases. If you are suitably balanced Rogues find it harder to convince you to do stupid shit and Nobles find it more difficult to make a fool out of you.

2) The out manuever. So, you're playing a beastly vibro weapon king and the next thing you know you're up against an Anzati/Wookie/Verpine Jedi with a light saber and all kinds of bad ass. If all you're packing as a character is a blaster, a vibro weapon and some mean but ultimately moot or inferior "skillz" then you my friend are completely screwed. This Wookie may out class you in every form of combat imagineable, but how is his spot check? What is his sense motive like? Can you out run him?

3) Flexibility makes you a much greater character. If all you can do is talk, or blast, or slice & dice what happens when a Story Line or campaign has nothing to do with your area of expertise? Normally the character becomes useless or tries to create an environment in which his/her character is useful again (aka the mission goes completely FUBAR because the Fighter, who's only skill is fighting screws things up so he can participate)

Cons:

1) Master of none. Some times, like in a sniper duel all that matters is your senses, stealth and aim. With your ranks of Knowledge Alien Species, Craft, Repair and Proffession you might just be screwed... but this tends to be rare.

2) It requires you to think on your feet. In order to get your money's worth you need to try and work in as many of your increased portfolio of abilities into every encounter you can. Otherwise you might not be able to compete with the specialists.

3) I'll make this one brief. It plays hell on trying to grab certain Prestige classes.