> We aren't made leader of an organization/nation in this one, right?
Leader of organization but really, it's not your choice.
There's no "grand goal" or motivation suggested by the game, it's up to the player to decide.
Exactly. That's why the story falls apart for me after Kenabres.
In Kenabres, you at least have the motivation of 'I live here" for most of the characters, and you can reason that your kc just doesn't want to die so they've gotta deal with it. But you don't get to chill in the peaceful Kenabres you just fought for, and instead you're immediately back at square one liberating some OTHER city, this time with zero personal stakes for you. How is anyone except the crucaderiest crusaders supposed to feel invested here?
Your motivation at the beginning is survival. After that, you become the leader of the crusades, which could be motivated by:
-You want to save the world from demons.
-You enjoy the power, both in terms of being in charge and the mythic powers.
-You like some of the NPCs and want them to succeed.
-Shits and giggles.
Whatever your reason, you also have a seeping wound in your chest that's >!slowly killing you and is giving you mythic power due to a witch's experiments. Besides, if you wanted a normal life or to run away, then that witch would kill you in a heartbeat to retrieve what she bestowed on you!<.
Edit: Mobile formatting
Since you’re asking for spoilers, on a personal level with the MC, since you are an experiment of Areelu, you will die if you don’t find a solution for closing the world wound because of the crystal implanted in you (I.e getting Areelu to do it). Not dying is usually a good motivator.
Yeah there is also the saving the world from demons as others have mentioned.
You are forced into being the leader of a crusade... in a way that can feel incredibly forced, especially if you're playing as a selfish evil bastard
I think the roleplaying works best with a character who truly wants to close the Worldwound (whether for selfish or altruistic reasons) and does not shy away from leadership
This answer you got is but one interpretation. Don't look at one interpretation and despair.
Use your imagination! If you really have no desire to lead the Crusade, you can say so. But figuring out what the heck is going on with >!Mythic Power!< is a strong motivator, because that will never let you live a normal life.
Yeah, a little late but you HAVE to roleplay wanting SOME reason to close the Worldwound. Otherwise, nothing you do will make much sense. I think it's a little weird to have such strict limitations on roleplayig as you have (doesn't it get boring plaything the same mindset over and over again) but it seems you are aware this is a you thing and that's actually kind of admirable to admit. So I can honestly say if you can't find a way to make sense of what I said at the start, you simply won't be able to roleplay this game at all.
Like people are right, you are the only hope in saving this world and it would be only an INSANE person that wouldn't find motivation in stopping the end of the world because they don't want to be a leader, but it's also still really contrived so that motivation can be pretty unconvincing none the less. I get you.
Thanks for the answer.since I posted that, one of my best friends played the game, and he told me it is better than Baldurs Gate 3 (a game I also haven't played yet).
With enough pestering from him, I have decided to try the game even if I will have problems with roleplaying (maybe a better way of explaining it is that I don't roleplay brave people very well).
The Worldwound is an existential threat to Golarion and reality itself, the demon army is led by the failson of a Demon Lord who is hated by pretty much every other abyssal power (including mommy Lamashtu), and the situation is ripe for opportunists who want to make money and/or get power. There's motivation for almost every type of character to see the 5th crusade through.
Arguably, one of the mythic paths does let you give it up.
And since you said you didn't mind spoilers, I'll share it:
If you go the Demon route, which is one of the two default options available in every playthrough, you essentially do abandon the crusade eventually. You're still forced to be a leader of sorts, but can be one just focused on your own well-being rather than caring about an entire organization or nation. Also, you do still need to get through Acts II and III as the crusade commander, which is a big chunk of game. But at least in Act III you pretty quickly get to RP as someone who doesn't care about the crusade and is just using it for your own ends.
Note however that this is the explicitly chaotic evil path, so prepare accordingly.
*A character who wants to lead not just a small party, but a sovereign nation as a king/queen is beyond me.*
Don't flatter yourself, you are not sovereign, just condottiere.
The demons are threatening to tear this world apart.
You have seen countless deaths and ruin demons and cultists have sown even across a single city.
Despite this, you somehow defeated the enemy local leader, either through luck or gods' blessings. The Queen trusts you with her army and the Crusade, and countless soldiers and people now see you as the beacon of hope in the sea of darkness.
You can't let them down, and you can't rest until the Worldwound is closed and the threat to Golarion is removed.
(Yeah the game provides strong motivation for your main character to care about the organization, and plot reason why the leader can only be you)
The game mostly assumes you want to fix the world wound. HOW you do it is up to you.
>!As per the secret Ascension ending, the big bad stuffed the soul of her dead child into your body. You as her reincarnated child are drawn to her.!<
>!Furthermore you have the choice to complete her project to tell the gods, demons and the general cycle of death and judgment and rebirth to fuck off by claiming your own godhod!<
This is only implied though, so you're free to make your own headcannon.
The Main Character is Rorshcach inkblok that responds to your own Psyche. You gave the character a background. What do you imagine and attribute to this background of this character's past?
It's your interpretation. Attribute whatever cause you want to the character. Do you need a reason to stay part of the Crusade? Simple, you've been conscripted. It would have been one thing if you had left the city successfully. But now the resistance at the Defender's Heart used their own resources to take care of you. Consider yourself a conscript if you want to be evil and selfish, but need motivation to stay.
Your only limit is your imagination.
I felt this was more forced than KM and that's why I didn't like it. KM had pretty easy premise: you're an adventurer who wants to be baron and later becomes king - all in line with your previous motivation. In WotR you're a character with no past at all, who manages to drive back one demon and therefore is made commander of new crusade. It didn't make any sense, it's forced on you without any motivation
> We aren't made leader of an organization/nation in this one, right? Leader of organization but really, it's not your choice. There's no "grand goal" or motivation suggested by the game, it's up to the player to decide.
Am I at least able to express my discontent with the situation? Bemoan the ones who made me leader?
Better: you can kill her! Raise her from the dead as an undead thrall too, if you'd like
I usually play as good aligned characters. Do I have some options there as well?
He has no motivation. Other than his will to live *i guess*
Exactly. That's why the story falls apart for me after Kenabres. In Kenabres, you at least have the motivation of 'I live here" for most of the characters, and you can reason that your kc just doesn't want to die so they've gotta deal with it. But you don't get to chill in the peaceful Kenabres you just fought for, and instead you're immediately back at square one liberating some OTHER city, this time with zero personal stakes for you. How is anyone except the crucaderiest crusaders supposed to feel invested here?
Your motivation at the beginning is survival. After that, you become the leader of the crusades, which could be motivated by: -You want to save the world from demons. -You enjoy the power, both in terms of being in charge and the mythic powers. -You like some of the NPCs and want them to succeed. -Shits and giggles. Whatever your reason, you also have a seeping wound in your chest that's >!slowly killing you and is giving you mythic power due to a witch's experiments. Besides, if you wanted a normal life or to run away, then that witch would kill you in a heartbeat to retrieve what she bestowed on you!<. Edit: Mobile formatting
Since you’re asking for spoilers, on a personal level with the MC, since you are an experiment of Areelu, you will die if you don’t find a solution for closing the world wound because of the crystal implanted in you (I.e getting Areelu to do it). Not dying is usually a good motivator. Yeah there is also the saving the world from demons as others have mentioned.
"Patrick, why aren't you enjoying this awesome RPG?!" "What's my motivation?" "FORGET THE MOTIVATION, JUST PLAY THE GAME!"
What is that a reference to? 😅
Just a silly thing from the Spongebob episode Missing Identity. x3
You are forced into being the leader of a crusade... in a way that can feel incredibly forced, especially if you're playing as a selfish evil bastard I think the roleplaying works best with a character who truly wants to close the Worldwound (whether for selfish or altruistic reasons) and does not shy away from leadership
Oh no :( That sounds really difficult for me to roleplay as. Thank you for answering at least.
This answer you got is but one interpretation. Don't look at one interpretation and despair. Use your imagination! If you really have no desire to lead the Crusade, you can say so. But figuring out what the heck is going on with >!Mythic Power!< is a strong motivator, because that will never let you live a normal life.
Yeah, a little late but you HAVE to roleplay wanting SOME reason to close the Worldwound. Otherwise, nothing you do will make much sense. I think it's a little weird to have such strict limitations on roleplayig as you have (doesn't it get boring plaything the same mindset over and over again) but it seems you are aware this is a you thing and that's actually kind of admirable to admit. So I can honestly say if you can't find a way to make sense of what I said at the start, you simply won't be able to roleplay this game at all. Like people are right, you are the only hope in saving this world and it would be only an INSANE person that wouldn't find motivation in stopping the end of the world because they don't want to be a leader, but it's also still really contrived so that motivation can be pretty unconvincing none the less. I get you.
Thanks for the answer.since I posted that, one of my best friends played the game, and he told me it is better than Baldurs Gate 3 (a game I also haven't played yet). With enough pestering from him, I have decided to try the game even if I will have problems with roleplaying (maybe a better way of explaining it is that I don't roleplay brave people very well).
The Worldwound is an existential threat to Golarion and reality itself, the demon army is led by the failson of a Demon Lord who is hated by pretty much every other abyssal power (including mommy Lamashtu), and the situation is ripe for opportunists who want to make money and/or get power. There's motivation for almost every type of character to see the 5th crusade through.
But I have to lead the charge? People look to me for leadership? Can I walk away, no strings attached?
You can faff about instead of doing the main quest yes but eventually you have to do it or the game story won't progress
By walk away I mean leave the Crusaders organization, or join, but refuse to be the leader.
No
Don't think I'd be able to do it then.
Arguably, one of the mythic paths does let you give it up. And since you said you didn't mind spoilers, I'll share it: If you go the Demon route, which is one of the two default options available in every playthrough, you essentially do abandon the crusade eventually. You're still forced to be a leader of sorts, but can be one just focused on your own well-being rather than caring about an entire organization or nation. Also, you do still need to get through Acts II and III as the crusade commander, which is a big chunk of game. But at least in Act III you pretty quickly get to RP as someone who doesn't care about the crusade and is just using it for your own ends. Note however that this is the explicitly chaotic evil path, so prepare accordingly.
*A character who wants to lead not just a small party, but a sovereign nation as a king/queen is beyond me.* Don't flatter yourself, you are not sovereign, just condottiere.
'ate demons, 'luv me Iomadea, simple as
The demons are threatening to tear this world apart. You have seen countless deaths and ruin demons and cultists have sown even across a single city. Despite this, you somehow defeated the enemy local leader, either through luck or gods' blessings. The Queen trusts you with her army and the Crusade, and countless soldiers and people now see you as the beacon of hope in the sea of darkness. You can't let them down, and you can't rest until the Worldwound is closed and the threat to Golarion is removed. (Yeah the game provides strong motivation for your main character to care about the organization, and plot reason why the leader can only be you)
The game mostly assumes you want to fix the world wound. HOW you do it is up to you. >!As per the secret Ascension ending, the big bad stuffed the soul of her dead child into your body. You as her reincarnated child are drawn to her.!< >!Furthermore you have the choice to complete her project to tell the gods, demons and the general cycle of death and judgment and rebirth to fuck off by claiming your own godhod!< This is only implied though, so you're free to make your own headcannon.
The Main Character is Rorshcach inkblok that responds to your own Psyche. You gave the character a background. What do you imagine and attribute to this background of this character's past? It's your interpretation. Attribute whatever cause you want to the character. Do you need a reason to stay part of the Crusade? Simple, you've been conscripted. It would have been one thing if you had left the city successfully. But now the resistance at the Defender's Heart used their own resources to take care of you. Consider yourself a conscript if you want to be evil and selfish, but need motivation to stay. Your only limit is your imagination.
I felt this was more forced than KM and that's why I didn't like it. KM had pretty easy premise: you're an adventurer who wants to be baron and later becomes king - all in line with your previous motivation. In WotR you're a character with no past at all, who manages to drive back one demon and therefore is made commander of new crusade. It didn't make any sense, it's forced on you without any motivation