I note that quite a number of people appear to have become eidolons after their characters were slotted at Family Ties. My backup character is an eidolon, but I'm wondering if I should run up something else after the latest influx - is eidoloning becoming oversubscribed?
Switch
to be honest ... i cant comment on the loyal or the native folks but we do police the fallen entrants quite scrutinously.....we went a long way to changing peoples view of the fallen at the last event.....so we dont want some numptie kid fucking it up for us
Illithidbix
Umm, interesting question really. I also noticed a apparent sudden increase in Eidolons, and had similar thoughts. To the point where I (very briefly) considered not playing Khaniel.
As it was I had already had brought along kit, make up and developed a fully fleshed out backstory with Ian and made arrangements with Theresa. Also I had far far too much enthusiasm for the concept for bandwagon worries to dissuade me.
I couldn't help wondering with some players who seemed to be "generic kit with soul symbol" whether an Eidolon seemed the easiest character to play at that point.
In away, I wonder if there can be "too many eidolons" in maelstrom, or what the saturation point is. Frankly I think it depends on what you're doing.
If your character is irreligious and in the trading game then there is possibly the thought "Aghrr! Not more bloody useless squiggle heads!" will occur when theres more than ten in the system, however I doubt that I'll ever get pissed of with have more brothers and sisters to talk, argue and fight with. It merely means we don't have to worry about being bored in the Maelstrom pocket.
Also, I'm sure that this sudden increase is actually after a quite low number previously, I seem to recall that there where a huge number of eidolons at the very first event, and this rapidly dropped as people found the challenge of playing one not to their tastes. It's possible this will happen with some of the current crop.
From my biased point of view, the Fallen (or at least the known ones) are far from over subscribed.
There seems to be lots of loyals, although the religious game seems active enough to cope.
There does now seem to be more native eidolons than natives (although mostly cus of the Wasp slaughter this event), however this makes a certain amount of IC sense. The Natives and their Gods would certainly have alot of interest in the festival of these strange and dangerous invaders, however the survivability track record of the snakes and bugs who've attended probably would push them to send immortals scouts instead to stir up trouble
Certainly I would avoid playing an Eidolon "because it seems the easiest next concept", more than anything else, you need a very strong character concept to be successfully enjoy playing an eidolon (or so the experienced players tell me).
Bacon
I think the acid test is this: If you really want to play an Eidolon, and you've got a rock solid concept that will allow you to have a heck of a lot of fun even if no-one pays you the slightest bit of attention, you will have fun no matter how many other people play Eidolons.
If you are relying even slightly on other players or divine missions to make the character interesting to play, you probably wouldn't have fun playing an Eidolon even if you were the only one in the game.
It's a tricky role to play. It has the highest turnover of players in the game, and you only ever get one shot at it. There's no telling how many of the eidolons currently playing will still be doing it by the time you need another character, so it's really a matter of how much you think competition will influence your enjoyment of your character?
Sho
I've been playing as loyal since event 4, making me, I think, one of the longest played loyals. It's not just the fun ascpect that makes life as an Eidolon difficult theres also a reponsiblity. Eidolons have the capablity to severly upset the way the ic game works, all it would take is one arsehole deciding to fuck about while he sorts out a new char by giving false imperatives, hiding blessings and generally being a cock. I think playing an Eidolon should be a priviledge, not a right WHILST keeping the only one shot rule.(I also think that I shouldn't have been allowed to play one but thats not the point). There are so many Eidolon now that they are, to be honest considered a joke by most players. There is no Mystique, no Majesty, to them they're simply whiny abaltive armour that occasionally hands out goodies. Playing an Eidolon, especially a Loyal, is one fo the hardest and in many ways, least rewarding things in the game. when done well few people notice, when not, derision. With no way to devolp and evolve it makes character concepts difficult to enact: "I am the Angel of Vengeacne fear my power Transgressor" response: double double *thud*
I've seen Eidolon banned from entering certain tents due to bad manners!
Untill either we as players or the pd refs do something to stop the rot then Eidolon will always be nothing more than a joke...and not a very funny one.
Illithidbix
The whole lack of respect issue is indeed a serious issue (and hence the amount of posts on the "Respect" and "scrutiny" threads dealing extensively with it), as argued there, whilst it isn't impossible to get serious respect as an Eidolon (Lies, Mardocai and of course Flail for examples), it is very very difficult.
I suppose the question every potential eidolon player needs to ask is can they happily deal with the prospect of the lack of respect from other players (or even just their characters)?
Ezhno Ohanzee
I think, as a Native player, that yeah, while there seems like alot of Native Eidolons, god we need em! For me, they are one of the few things really going for a native game at this time. Trying not to go into the Native FOIP, imo I feel there should be NO reason why a native is not devoted, so getting god bothered by so many Eidolons is very fun, and it trully makes you feel like you are a follower of the Divine.
So yeah, Native Eidolons, Bring em on
Bacon
Yeah, on second thoughts...
I think it does become harder the more of us there are, because we attract a hell of a lot of criticism, and then people draw comparisons as well. If you are not as cool as other Eidolons, people will tell you so. The more cool Eidolons there are, the harder everyone else has to work to keep up.
Loyal, Fallen or New World, sooner or later everyone gets told that they are not as cool as Flail. Therefore the game would be easier for everyone else if Flail did not exist. However, it would also be a lot less cool.
Leaving aside the competition for respect, there is also the competition for resources. Mortal followers who pray to gods won't do so for every Angel, only the ones they like. There are only so many mortals to go around, and so there will be a saturation point at which Loyal Eidolons will be thrown into competition with each other for Mortal love. The same goes for Demons and souls, only more so. If you're going to sell your soul to a demonic overlord, you probably want a brand that you can trust.
If Eidolon numbers continue to rise, we will eventually be at each others throats over prayers and souls. To me, this sounds like a cool roleplaying challenge, but I would understand if less masochistic roleplayers were disheartened.
Sho
I've never been prayed about and probably never will, I've never gotten noticed through Imperatives and Definitley wont be in the future. I spend to little time in the 'strom and I dont follow the god's will if I disagree with it. All these I've either heard to me face or behind my back, and they're all true. I play an Eidolon my own way as a guardian of the people, sort of like a more pro-active Aziraphale. I've stopped wars, saved god knows how peoples lives and souls, prevented fights and generally tried to make the world a better place. I like to think I'm one of the more effective Eidolons out there, when I'm in Blacks as Paladin I get the respect but as Sho i seem to have peoples trust, something which is far greater. I've paid for it sometimes, like the last event but in general I fell like I can get things done... My problem is that my downtime sucks balls I havent had one for three events and when I put one in it seems utterly futile, with more Eidolons this will get worse, armys of Eidolon are seen like the keystone cops and being a loyal Eidolon is I have to say the most thankless role I've ever had as aplayer in any system with the possible excption of running a UKM fife. I know it sounds like I'm whining and I probably am but we're dangerously close to over saturation of Eidolon as it is, which makes life that much harder fro people coming in to play them to have an original character idea, if someone were to ask me about playing an Eidolon I'd tell them not to unless they REALLY wanted to and had planned it out
Justice
Being perfectly...
Being perfectly honest its more about how you play than respect level.
You see as a fallen i have a very good concept and many of you know it, but if i get lack of respect from anyone i will kill them... and i wont even mull it over for a second. If i see a lone guy in the tavern i want to prey on him... If i want something i WILL get it because i will make it quite clear you either give it too me or you will die... Vengence will vouch for that im a bit of a phsyco IC.
Now lets talk about Loyals, the bloody bitch does have an excellent respect level and so does Mardocai... Now my reasoning behind that is because they have very strong characters. They will introduce them selves to the people they meet and those people will remember them because they do their thing with confidence.
Now lets examine the others, when i walk into the mailstrom i will introduce myself to a new Eidolon immediately there are IC reasons for this but those characters will remember me. Sadly on the flip side if you dont make an impact on me i will not remember you There are very few i do remember the names of sorry... but this is only because my contact with others is limited for some strange reason...
Now lets examine the faith game... If a loyal goes to a group who are playing the faith game they will generally get a good reception... However if you go to a group and they are not playing the faith game, as a loyal you are generally told to piss off... but again its all about the confidence you exude, your characters style and story and how you go about talkingto people.
I remember a time when i played my first character Scarab (God rest his soul) 2 loyals came to my friends camp and started the religious spiel... effectivly we were not playing the religious game and so a holy debate ensued... lets just say the loyals who came over suddenly couldnt answer the questions that were being asked of them and they were promptly shot...Total lack of respect from me and my group...
Get your concept right first, do your research into the god you folow and the demands he/she makes of you and be confident in you approach...
I firmly believe that it takes a great roleplayer to pull of an Eidolon fallen or otherwise if you use the steps above i believe you will be taken more seriously...
Btw this is coming from an ex-loyal so i like to think i know what im talking about
Will
p.s this is probably the longest post i have written on here lolz!!!
im a bit of a phsyco IC.
There are very few i do remember the names of