There’s a difference between saying “my character is less effective at combat, but I think that’s a good tradeoff for something else” and saying “my character is not less effective at combat”.
This is about the latter case. When someone doesn’t even believe that their character is less effective in combat, even though the math shows otherwise. They’re not making a tradeoff between effectiveness in combat and greater ability to roleplay—they’re just refusing to recognize that there is any reduced effectiveness that has to be traded off at all.
There’s a difference between saying “my character is less effective at combat, but I think that’s a good tradeoff for something else” and saying “my character is not less effective at combat”.
This is about the latter case.
Exactly. I’m not sure why I am having to state this distinction again and again, but yes, that’s precisely it.
Exactly. I’m not sure why I am having to state this distinction again and again...
I think this is because you keep leading with, “here is the best strategy to be effective in combat, and anyone who doesn’t follow it is worse than worthless”, and only later do you follow that up with, ”...oh, but if you’re not going for combat efficiency, then it’s cool”.
I think you could communicate your point more clearly by stating up front, “There are many ways to play that do not prioritize combat. However, if your primary goal is to be maximally effective in combat, consider the following: etc.”.
Noted. I led with that because of its direct relevance to the OP, but it does seem to be getting me pattern-matched to people who disdain play styles other than “kill everything as efficiently as possible” (although I think that most people who allegedly hold such views are, in fact, straw men).
I don’t, however, think that I ever said or implied that the people involved are worse than worthless… in the OP, “worth” in that phrase refers to effectiveness value of actions, not… people.
There’s a difference between saying “my character is less effective at combat, but I think that’s a good tradeoff for something else” and saying “my character is not less effective at combat”.
This is about the latter case. When someone doesn’t even believe that their character is less effective in combat, even though the math shows otherwise. They’re not making a tradeoff between effectiveness in combat and greater ability to roleplay—they’re just refusing to recognize that there is any reduced effectiveness that has to be traded off at all.
Exactly. I’m not sure why I am having to state this distinction again and again, but yes, that’s precisely it.
I think this is because you keep leading with, “here is the best strategy to be effective in combat, and anyone who doesn’t follow it is worse than worthless”, and only later do you follow that up with, ”...oh, but if you’re not going for combat efficiency, then it’s cool”.
I think you could communicate your point more clearly by stating up front, “There are many ways to play that do not prioritize combat. However, if your primary goal is to be maximally effective in combat, consider the following: etc.”.
Noted. I led with that because of its direct relevance to the OP, but it does seem to be getting me pattern-matched to people who disdain play styles other than “kill everything as efficiently as possible” (although I think that most people who allegedly hold such views are, in fact, straw men).
I don’t, however, think that I ever said or implied that the people involved are worse than worthless… in the OP, “worth” in that phrase refers to effectiveness value of actions, not… people.
Agreed, that is a clear example of mental bias.