Rules discussion

[Affirmative]

And that's one thing that annoys me--with the addition of the trait database, a lot of traits have been throttled. I get not wanting "overpowered" characters, but telekinesis is one of those that has been severely shortened down. I know for a fact that when healing was added to the trait database, it was only a 2-space trait and now it's suddenly (well, it's been a few months) 3. All of the other healing traits are 2-space. I know that Devin recently ran into this problem with Bone Bending as well. If changes like that are going to be made, it would be nice if officers made an announcement about it--like in a linkable Google doc that we all can edit and make changes to to list the going-ons, like was suggested in the doc. That way we all can see changes the officers make as well as plays the characters are making.

I'm not one of anonymity either, so I'm just going to post my opinions here.

• What is the point of battle stats? Like Jeje said in the doc (and others, probably, but I read it at 3 in the morning oops), it doesn't take into account past battle experience. Say I had Cezanne's stats rolled, or Tatter's. They're both traitless, but they'd both participated in wars/raids, and Cezanne was the General of the Dale until he became king. I suck at battling anyways, but none of that is taken into consideration when rolling for stats, just how powerful the character is now.
  
• Don't get rid of the teg system. PLEASEEEE. I know quite a few people are against it but as a genetics nerd I lovelovelove the new system of genetics. Of course, make it more clear that characters can roll stats without using it (I thought that was obvious, but it's not so clear to others) and just leave it up to chance, but I don't think the system needs to go/an overall. It makes sense genetically.
  
• There's definitely nepotism/favoritism going on, but that's always going to happen and I'm not going to call people out for it. When going through a person's "bad behaviors" as an excuse to deny a plot, is it taken into consideration that past behaviors don't always define a person (unless they've done some really shitty stuff)? I joined BQ when I was like... 11. I was a little shit and I know I've had my share of complaints against me. I've had complaints about others as well, but hey. I've grown up now, I'm an adult and if I have a problem with another person on here, I'm going to go to them, not an officer (unless the problem escalates and blahblahblah but I actually adore everyone on here and can't imagine fighting with any of y'all tbh)
  
• I like the "Champion" idea for challenging for kingdom rulership, but honestly it should only apply to diplomatic leaders, and the Champion should have to be the highest ranking member of the kingdom's army. That's it. It isn't specifically outlined in the rules (just that the ruler can pick a champion), but if that rule is going to stay it should be tightened down a LOT. Not just any horse should be able to Champion for the king/queen.
  
• Magic shouldn't be banned. I think that's a little... silly tbh. Magic is a fun trait and while it's easily abused, there shouldn't be a ban on giving it out ever again. The last Alliance was how many years ago? Set won it, and got magic for it, but I think that's the last time it was just "handed out." I know Errant got his from Gaia (and I thought when traits pass like that they're supposed to become non-genetic? Not that I take issue with it lol just curiosity really), Sahm has magic, and I think a more recent Squirt pony has magic? But of those characters, who's really active? Carnage on occasion of course, but it's not like we have 15 magic ponies racing around causing chaos.
  
• On the note of traits, I've most always played my traited characters as having weaknesses and limits. All of my characters that gain wings have had to learn how to fly. Cress has healing, but she can only heal so much before she becomes exhausted and has to rest. I've played her as honing that skill for years. When she first got her fire breathing, she couldn't control it, and had to find a pyrokinetic to teach her how to channel the ability. Stuff like that. I feel like that's the way traits need to be played--they should be discovered, and practiced. Adding "levels" to it, though, would only make it confusing. Who decides what the levels are, if a character has reached a new one, etc?
  
• Like Cal said, is Mkali going to be back? If not, she should be removed as an officer and someone else should be found to replace her. This is not a slight to Mkali, but if an officer leaves, they should leave their position as well. Find a new officer and add them, show them the ropes. Maybe add in a couple people for doing the more simple things like battle judging (I know Insane was added as a battle just but is she active?), rolling foal stats, answering questions, etc, and leave the "big" jobs (database updates, coding updates, etc) to the more experienced officers and owners. Also, as a side, I appreciate everything y'all do as officers and owners and couldn't imagine trying to run the longest-operating RP I've ever seen. Y'all do amazing work and I love that you're always willing to listen to the demands of us.
  
• We shouldn't need approval for every little plot we come up with. I remember years ago, when I played Sicke as a herd stallion, getting rejected for a small plot of him (just him) getting attacked by a mountain lion for ~drama~, and being incredibly sad about it. It doesn't matter so much to me now, but having to approve every tiny thing really throttles creativity.
  
• Someone suggested it in the doc, and I completely agree--people are always going to play with timelines (hell, look at Malekith, who I just brought back; logically, he should be ancient right now), so maybe Immortality should be moved down to a 0-space trait. That way immortal characters still exist and can be played 100 BQ years from now, but people won't feel shafted a trait space because so-and-so brought this mortal character out of the closet after four years and they're playing it like it's only 3yo.
  
• I love the suggestion of bringing herdlands back. Not all of my characters are likely to join kingdoms, and I don't want them to just bum around forever. A permanent home that isn't a kingdom would be nice.
  
• I also love the idea of random events happening throughout the lands, such as a sudden, severe ice storm in Taiga or the volcano in Tephra erupting. Floods, fires, etc. Give the characters of the land a natural (or unnatural) disaster and see how they work through it. Sticky a thread to the top of the board so all of the characters in the board can see it, and let them react to it how they will.
  

I think that's it for now.. this ended up a lot longer than intended, whoops.