Time and time again, I read about and have experienced players that 'want to play a Wizard, or a Priest, or a Troll Slayer…and I feel the WFRP elitist in me sigh. Honestly, I don't want to begrudge anyone from playing their game the way they want to play. It's just a game. But, inevitably, the complaints I hear from these same people are how the game is broken and the players overpowered. Where's the Grim and Perilous World?

Oh it's there. I promise. You just need to stop playing the game like it's D&D. I understand the reluctance to starting out as a Thug or a Commoner or a Flagellant. You aren't a Tank, or a DPS specialist, or a Healer. You're oftentimes a little more than a nobody. In fact, may I be so bold to say that in so many ways that fact is what makes WFRP so unique and so special. Min-maxing and gaming the system by running to a superior career like it's a D&D class steals away the story, which in turn steals away the fun.

That said, I'm pleading to my fellow WFRP vets, no matter edition is your favorite, to try and remember to champion Careers when you help introduce and explain this awesome Empire and game that is lucky enough to adventure in its environs. If you're a newcomer, understand that I get where you're probably coming from. I started with D&D and MMO's too. I get the attraction of being the overpowered Hero with phat lewts. All I ask is that you give THIS game and world a chance to be played the way the original designers…and the newest ones as well..meant for it to be played…as a Grim and Perilous World of endless adventures. Happy Gaming!

That looks like a common pet peeve of us GMs. The rule is , "make a memorable character, not a stack of min-maxed statistics who is designed to help min-max the party's diversity."

I recall in wfrp1e there were career "classes", which I think were caused by old D&D thinking: Warriors, Rangers, Rogues, Academics.
"warriors: come from a fighting background. this is not necessarily the military, but will always have involved hand to hand combat skills of some kind.

Rangers: are independent rural characters. Their lives may have been spent tending animals, or roaming the woodlands or mountains.

Rogues: live largely by their wits, usually in their cities where they can make a living from the mass of common and gullible people.

Academics: are the educated person of society. They can read adn write (which practically no one else can), and they often have lucrative jobs amongst the professions or skilled crafts.

In 3e, we've got traits which I think can be used for the Gm to help come up with mechanical effects for the game. When you've got social, rogue, bureaucrat, the GM can have an idea for a completely differen't game than if it is warrior, fanatic, and priest.

I much prefer the information for the GM, rather than a player feelign like he needs to "round out a party."

If every party was "rounded out", it would look like this:

Priest of Shallya

Swordmaster

Ironbreaker

Wizard: Grey Order Wizard

..

I am making the second character I have ever made for an online game.

Once i got the random career for a dwarf - Coachman, I thought to myself. Where is he from, looked at the dwarf races, saw Zhufbar could have Dwarven Engineering. Then my imagination went flying.

That be good for fixing a wagon, so then i took stats to make him average, made him slightly more agility for being on a wagon alot.

Took actions and skills to fulful this coachman role.

Then i thought to myself, thats what his job was. What was his personality, came across the Great sense of Humour rep card, gave me great idea for engineering and humour. Then I thought to myself. What is his goal, what did he plan to become. I used this to give my character a reason for travelling.

So. During this creation. I had a history, a job, a personality and a future all planned.

I found it fun.

The thing is, if it been a soldier i had gotten. You cannot help thinking along the terms of combat skilled. You could go for the drunken lazy soldier idea but when it comes for the time he has to do his job, combat, it will likely be a short life. I dont mean min/max. I just mean you more likely think of combat actions/tactics/skills.

My first character was a watchman. I did exactly what i just said. Took combat actions etc ect. But the quest was mostly social, so I had nothing to do. Luckily my gm's at the time allowed me to change some cards, as i was new to game. So I swaped some social skills. This meant I could do stuff. It made for a more enjoyable game from my point of view. I took socials that could be used in combat or out of it.

People get better at character creation, once they play at least once, with both combat and social encounters..