Cory searching for traps. Some habbits never die it seems.

Only now, he's learned to integrate it with roleplaying...kinda.

Honestly, I'd love to, at some point, play a character whose whole thing is that they're constantly searching for traps in ridiculous moments. Not so I can justify dungeon paranoia, though — I barely play in dungeon dives anyway. Just so I can not play the face for once.

*You enter a tavern*

"I check for traps"

*you notice the barmaid has quite a strong jawline*

Suddenly makes me think if a player I adore. She is a master of optimization, even without fully meaning to sometimes. She sets out on what she wants her character to be good at and builds them perfectly to it.

The thing is, she will then roleplay it to the hilt. Her wolf barbarian in Ironclaw who was a living tank but had no social skills or intelligence traits? Played as not understanding things that didn't involve punching and got wonderfully gleeful when the sneaking and planning was over. Her ranger who always wears their armour? ALWAYS wears their armour. It's not just been a joke but a point of weirdness that draws attention and causes trouble.

Sometimes all it takes to make a min-maxed character great is to roleplay what you built.

I'd say "no duh" but even that would be too obvious.

I remember when the Stormwind Fallacy was first brought up on the old WotC D&D forums. Just because someone has spent a ton of effort on optimization and number crunching doesn't mean they can't spend an equal amount on role playing. It isn't a zero-sum game for this. Of course most people will be more predisposed to one aspect or the other, and find it difficult to branch out, but it can and should be done to make a stronger whole.

Never change, Cory.