Concerns on Freelancers

I've just been reading through the fluff about Freelancers and I have to say I'm not happy with whats been written about them, or at least I think it needs to be scaled down a bit. To me it reads as if the Freelancers are actually better at their roles (i.e. Spying, Subterfuge, Protection, Assassination) than that of the actual Agents which to me destroys the point of what this guild is. E.P.O.C.H Agents are supposed to be at the top of their game and complete experts in their chosen fields, not Freelancers. I always thought Freelancers were there to the grimey jobs that we either considered to miniscule or unimportant for a high profile team like E.P.O.C.H to undertake. It also suggests on multiple occassions that we won't undertake risky jobs which is completely incorrect as that is something we excel in.

I dunno maybe it's just me and I hope you don't take this personally Harly but I'm starting to feel that Freelancers are taking away the focus a bit of what E.P.O.C.H actually do. In my eyes it should be E.P.O.C.H's interests first (as us the guild are the heroes/villians) and then Freelancers are just something that comes with the package. I do think it's a fantastic idea as you know but at the same time if I feel it's cutting too much into our lore and becoming an emphasis of the guild then I think it's better if I speak my opinion on it.

Again this isn't meant to knock the idea as I think it's a superb one but I would personally like to keep focus on the guild as opposed to what we can offer non-guild members if you see what I mean?

Am I the only one who believes this is the right route to take?

I've read the mentionned fluff too and I slightly see your point. The "Freelancers are ultra-skilled heroes that work for epoch from times to times" is indeed what Freelancers are. It is indeed propagandish and it slightly shows that life as a freelancer is easier.

I think the actual fluff is good and that it is EPOCH's recruiter role to direct people to the more adequate recruitment section. Once more me thinks freelancers' application should be watched over by officers to redirect excellent ones toward a full guild membership and less interresting membership application toward freelancers.

I think the most important is not the fluff but how the recruitment is handled. That's for my two cents.

I agree that it's well written but I does scream out to me "Become a Freelancer, it's easier than actually joining, you'll be more UBER, and you'll probably prefer it to not being part of the guild" (a bit dramatic I know lol!) which is the opposite intention of what we're trying to achieve with the recruitment. I think we need to be inticing people to want to join by giving them the impression that "Yeah Freelancers are cool, but the experience of being involed in the actual guild is a lot better", as I mentioned before I think it needs to be completely scaled down. I think it's a great system for those players that don't meet the age requirement (for example Renia) and for those that are casual gamers only, but our goal at this stage is to recruit potential members that we feel are suitable for the guild.

EDIT: Another thing i forgot to mention is that whilst reading the fluff I felt as though I was actually reading about a rival agency rather than just a gun for hire that E.P.O.C.H uses at their disposal as a means to an end.

I see it as the only people that should be Freelancers are Sith under our age limit (Like Renia) already in the Sith guild or Republic characters as they can't join the guild anyway. The issue I have with Characters that meet our entry criteria for full membership who want to join as a freelancer is will they abuse the trust we put in them.

Well, okay I guess you can argue that I've tried to over sell it. I'd argue otherwise, I was just promoting it and giving it some background, which I think I did without making the normal Agents look worse, in fact, I said that Freelancers have less access and assets. But, it's a wiki. If it doesn't suit your tastes, you can change it.

Harlequin2 wrote:

Well, okay I guess you can argue that I've tried to over sell it. I'd argue otherwise, I was just promoting it and giving it some background, which I think I did without making the normal Agents look worse, in fact, I said that Freelancers have less access and assets. But, it's a wiki. If it doesn't suit your tastes, you can change it.

And thats all cool and I appreciate it, I just think it needs a bit of tweaking because there are certain aspects that I think need work, for example:

Quote :

This allows them to operate where normal E.P.O.C.H Agents would not risk being recognised.

Quote :

Many see them as a necessary evil as it is hard to doubt that their independance allows them to move where other Agents may be noticed and even recognised.

These are main roles of the Imperial Agents within the guild and assignments that the Agents themselves wouldn't hand over or be afraid to tackle personally. Thats just how I see it though and it is only fluff.

I'm not sure having a rivalry really benefits the Agency or the Freelancers either to be honest. A friendly rivalry I can completely understand if it was in the sense of competition. I know most Bounty Hunters have a code (or creed as it's called) where it states three things to prevent in-fighting or the Bounty Hunter to try and take anothers mark:

1. No Hunter Shall Slay Another Hunter
2. No Hunter Shall Interfere With Another's Hunt.
3. No Hunter Shall Refuse Aid to Another Hunter.

In a nutshell though I do think it's a great write-up, and if you're cool with me changing things around a bit then that'd be great. I'll drop you a PM with what I think would suit it best if you like mate?

Eh? I thought I read that Initiates were headhunted by other members from their promise. I thought I could carry some of that on. But sure, I'm okay with you changing it. I'll give some advice too if you'd like...

Harlequin2 wrote:

Eh? I thought I read that Initiates were headhunted by other members from their promise. I thought I could carry some of that on. But sure, I'm okay with you changing it. I'll give some advice too if you'd like...

Aye, Initiates are head-hunted (in the recruitment sense of the word) by showing great skill and promise.

Yeah any advice would be great as it's your original idea and I don't want to tread on any Trando-Toes or I can imagine that'd be the last thing I ever did! lol!

Maybe the fluff should empathise more the fact that freelancers are hired for a single and very specific mission clearly precise in his/her contract. On second thought I think that's what SS's trying to point. Freelancers are not an association within the association: just mercenaries for mercenaries ^^' if I may say so.