Over the next few weeks, I'm going to discuss character building. Its one of the most important parts of building your game experience, after all. Before we get into what you should do, I want to touch on what you should not do. In any creative endeavor there is always the hazard of cliche. Here are five character cliches to avoid:
The Vengeful Crusader
"My brother was mildly inconvenienced by a goblin once. I have sworn to KILL THEM ALL!"
Who is it? Something happened in this character's past. Something really, really bad. And there was one race/religion/ideology at the center of it. Now this character has sworn to eliminate it. And HE. WILL. NOT. REST. Until it is done. An alternate version of this cliche is when the character is the champion of an ideal, such as nature, and flies into a rage whenever that ideal is threatened.
Who is at Risk? Avengers and Paladins tend to fall into the first kind (occupational hazard) although it could happen to anyone. Primal characters are much more likely to take up the second.
How to Avoid it? The concept isn't necessarily bad, but you have to flesh it out. It is extremely difficult for your character to learn and grow if they just try to murder everything that bothers them (just like real people!). If your character has a bias against a certain race or religion, any good DM is going to force you to confront it. Those interactions will create a dynamic character.
The Compulsive Troublemaker
"I'm going to stab this guard in broad daylight. What? I'm unaligned, remember?"
Who is it? This character saw the "unaligned" alignment and thought it was Christmas. They are the most obnoxious kind of chaotic neutral: dicks who do ridiculous things without rhyme or reason. They will stab anyone who looks at them wrong (or looks at them period) and attempt to steal anything that isn't nailed down. The very worst of them may even attack party members.
Who is at Risk? Rogues are especially prone to wanton stabbing and theft, but this cliche arises more as a result of the player than any element of the character itself.
How to Avoid it? Don't do it. Take your game seriously enough to enjoy it without going on a game-disrupting rampage. As long as you've got some grasp on what your character would do, you'll understand why your character wouldn't do any of the particularly obnoxious shenanigans.
The Stupid Warrior
"Me Smackwithaxe. Me no know grammar."
Who is it? This character is the strongest person ever. They can climb or smash or swim his way through any obstical. Sticky pickle jars are never a problem. When it comes to thinking problem however, they just can't. At all. And character always speak with badly broken sentences.
Who's at Risk? Any race with a bonus to strength and any class with strength as a primary stat.
How to Avoid it? If you're dead set on playing this, play a Barbarian. I'm reasonably sure 20 strength/8 intelligence is required for that class. Otherwise, find ways for your character to be smart. An excellent way to accomplish this is to take a look at your wisdom score. A character may have nothing in his head, but have excellent instincts. They can have phenomenal combat sense, but have no idea what to do in social situations. That's interesting in a way Big-Sword, Tiny-Brain never is.
The Dark Hero (With a Troubled Past)
"I can never forget... my terrible secret..."
Who is it? Something bad happened in this characters past. Something so bad that it scarred them forever. Now they live a life of shadows, forever staying just this side of good. They may make new friends and learn to live a moral life, but the darkness will always be inside... brooding...
Who's at Risk? Assassins and Rogues are the most obvious classes. For races, there's Drow, Tieflings, Drow, Humans, Drow, and Drow, though any race could fall into it.
How to Avoid it? The easiest way is to not use this kind of character development. Dark secretes are okay, but don't become some sort of wannabe anti-hero over them. Also, if you want to play a Drow, do so with care and originality. I understand that they come from a dark and oppressive world, but I'm done listening to them whine about it.
Amnesia
"I once new this place, but I took a tumble and now I can't remember. Who are you?"
Who is it? This isn't a character, its a character element. Still, I'm sick of it. This character's memory is gone for some entirely arbitrary reason. In the best cases, the block is magical or otherwise supernatural in nature. In the worse cases, it comes from (sigh) head trauma.
Who's at Risk? I forget
How to Avoid it? Just say no to Amnesia. You want to have lost memories? Awesome! Those are great tidbits for a DM to throw at you as the story unfolds. There's no reason for entire spans of time to be missing, though. Creating a past is fundamental to building a character. Take that past away and you'll have a very bland, uninteresting fellow. Also, HEAD TRAUMA DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Roll a D6!
Rather than get into a habit of posting a week behind, I will use this week to catch up. In the mean time, enjoy more Nerd Nonsense:
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Awesome Races
When creating a character, you have a lot of choices to make. Choosing your class is very important, but choosing your race is at least as important. Combat/stats terms, your race determines what sort of support you will have for your class. In role-playing and character development terms, however, your race determines absolutely everything. Every race has its own ways to be awesome, but there are a ton of races to work through. Rather than tie the blog up for the next three months, I've decided pick my top five for one post. But first, an honorable mention:
Honorable Mention: Gnolls
"Why is everyone staring at me? You've never seen a hyena person before?"
The Gnoll could easily top this list. The only thing keeping them from doing so is they do not appear in any published material. They were detailed in an online article meaning that you can only use the race on a fully updated character builder (or with access to its online counterpart). The Gnolls are a classic monster race and its really cool to see them fleshed out and playable.
Why They're Awesome: The Gnoll has a lot of beast flavor to it. Your racial power is essentially a pouncing strike and you gain a damage bonus when striking bloodied enemies. If you're really into the feral combat, the Claw Fighter feat is for you. It gives your Gnoll a "claw fighter claw" (for fighting claw fighting) which is exactly what it sounds like: a beasty-bit for wrecking enemy faces. The claw can even be enchanted (and disenchanted)! My 3.5 readers will probably remember natural weapons and this is the new edition's equivalent.
Number Five: The Gnome
"You want a joke? Alright, what's black and blue and about to get hamstrung?"
When fourth edition first came out, something was severely lacking. Though the classic Elves and Dwarves and Humans (honestly, who plays a human?) were all spoken for, there was a distinct lack of Gnomes. Some people didn't think it mattered and others had the audacity to suggest that it was a good thing, but we true believers knew the truth: DnD isn't DnD without these little tricksters.
Why They're Awesome: The Gnomes are masters of illusion and deceit. Some say the Eladrin are the fey masters of magic, but who has a feat that give them all of the Wizard's cantrips? That's right, the Gnomes. Their encounter power allows them to vanish after they are attacked. Its an excellent way to escape, but a better way to sneak attack for bonus damage. The Gnome also has a feat that gives a stealth bonus to everyone in the party. You may be a prankster, but you still know how to work in a team.
Number Four: The Revenant
"Braiiiiiiiins... No, I'm kidding guys. Come out from under the table."
The Revenant have been online for a while, but they were finally published in Heroes of Shadow. They lie somewhere between life and death, considered to be both a living creature and an undead one. The Revenant are unique in being a template race. When creating one, you pick any other life to be your previous one and may take feats and paragon paths as if you were a member of that race.
Why They're Awesome: The nature of this race allows for a tremendous degree of flexibility and customization. Being somewhat dead just screams "interesting and complex back story." Their racial power allows you to grab the remnant energy of a defeated foe and use it to empower your next attack. In higher tiers, you can take a feat that allows you to no longer be considered a living creature. You no longer need to eat or sleep and you become much better at the Thriller dance.
Number Three: The Deva
"These ruins are about five hundred years old. Trust me, I used to live here."
The Deva are a perpetually reincarnated race of angels and divine servants who gave up their immortality. Each Deva can remember all of their past lives and continue to grow and build their knowledge across lifetimes. When a Deva does finally kick the bucket, their essence is cycled back into the world and they reappear in some scrap of wilderness.
Why They're Awesome: The Deva are well suited for Divine classes, but their racial stats make them adept at just about any caster. They excel as both Wizards and Clerics and their racial power gives them added accuracy when it counts. Their feats focus on making the most of the race's high wisdom and accumulated knowledge. The Deva are honest and good, but still complex enough to create interesting characters.
Number Two: The Dwarf
"I came here to kick ass and drink ale. I'm all out of ale."
The Dwarf is a Tolken classic, right up there with stuffy, long-lived elves. A race known for both their combat prowess and their drinking problems, dwarves embody all that is awesome. Fourth has made a few statistical changes to everyone's favorite subterranean warriors, but they still live underground and weild hammers. Really, that's all anyone could ask for.
Why They're Awesome: Dwarves are exceptionally durable. They resist forced movement and being knocked down, their second wind is a minor action, and constitution is a constant racial bonus. Their feats lend added bonuses to combat, proficiency and damage with both axes and hammers, and even increases to your healing surge value. If you're looking for a warrior who will not fall and packs a hefty punch in a small package, you're looking for a dwarf.
Number One: The Dragonborn
"Come at me, bro! I got dragon blood!"
The Dragonborn used to be a template race like The Revenant. People who were especially pleasing to Bahamut could build themselves an egg and transform into a kickass part-dragon warrior. In fourth, the Dragonborn are their own race with no alignment or deity requirements. They are the survivors of an ancient draconic empire and they eat, sleep, and breath awesome (and fire, lightning, poison, or acid).
Why They're Awesome: In case you missed it the first time, the Dragonborn are part dragon. They have breath weapons and they generally dominate other "lesser" being. Many of the Dragonborn's numerous racial paragon paths increase their potent breath and/or give them the ability to fly. Once bloodied, a Dragonborn flies into a rampage, gaining bonus to hit and (with some feats) damage. The Dragonborn have gotten their own book and their options are quite numerous because of it.
Honorable Mention: Gnolls
"Why is everyone staring at me? You've never seen a hyena person before?"
The Gnoll could easily top this list. The only thing keeping them from doing so is they do not appear in any published material. They were detailed in an online article meaning that you can only use the race on a fully updated character builder (or with access to its online counterpart). The Gnolls are a classic monster race and its really cool to see them fleshed out and playable.
Why They're Awesome: The Gnoll has a lot of beast flavor to it. Your racial power is essentially a pouncing strike and you gain a damage bonus when striking bloodied enemies. If you're really into the feral combat, the Claw Fighter feat is for you. It gives your Gnoll a "claw fighter claw" (for fighting claw fighting) which is exactly what it sounds like: a beasty-bit for wrecking enemy faces. The claw can even be enchanted (and disenchanted)! My 3.5 readers will probably remember natural weapons and this is the new edition's equivalent.
Number Five: The Gnome
"You want a joke? Alright, what's black and blue and about to get hamstrung?"
When fourth edition first came out, something was severely lacking. Though the classic Elves and Dwarves and Humans (honestly, who plays a human?) were all spoken for, there was a distinct lack of Gnomes. Some people didn't think it mattered and others had the audacity to suggest that it was a good thing, but we true believers knew the truth: DnD isn't DnD without these little tricksters.
Why They're Awesome: The Gnomes are masters of illusion and deceit. Some say the Eladrin are the fey masters of magic, but who has a feat that give them all of the Wizard's cantrips? That's right, the Gnomes. Their encounter power allows them to vanish after they are attacked. Its an excellent way to escape, but a better way to sneak attack for bonus damage. The Gnome also has a feat that gives a stealth bonus to everyone in the party. You may be a prankster, but you still know how to work in a team.
Number Four: The Revenant
"Braiiiiiiiins... No, I'm kidding guys. Come out from under the table."
The Revenant have been online for a while, but they were finally published in Heroes of Shadow. They lie somewhere between life and death, considered to be both a living creature and an undead one. The Revenant are unique in being a template race. When creating one, you pick any other life to be your previous one and may take feats and paragon paths as if you were a member of that race.
Why They're Awesome: The nature of this race allows for a tremendous degree of flexibility and customization. Being somewhat dead just screams "interesting and complex back story." Their racial power allows you to grab the remnant energy of a defeated foe and use it to empower your next attack. In higher tiers, you can take a feat that allows you to no longer be considered a living creature. You no longer need to eat or sleep and you become much better at the Thriller dance.
Number Three: The Deva
"These ruins are about five hundred years old. Trust me, I used to live here."
The Deva are a perpetually reincarnated race of angels and divine servants who gave up their immortality. Each Deva can remember all of their past lives and continue to grow and build their knowledge across lifetimes. When a Deva does finally kick the bucket, their essence is cycled back into the world and they reappear in some scrap of wilderness.
Why They're Awesome: The Deva are well suited for Divine classes, but their racial stats make them adept at just about any caster. They excel as both Wizards and Clerics and their racial power gives them added accuracy when it counts. Their feats focus on making the most of the race's high wisdom and accumulated knowledge. The Deva are honest and good, but still complex enough to create interesting characters.
Number Two: The Dwarf
"I came here to kick ass and drink ale. I'm all out of ale."
The Dwarf is a Tolken classic, right up there with stuffy, long-lived elves. A race known for both their combat prowess and their drinking problems, dwarves embody all that is awesome. Fourth has made a few statistical changes to everyone's favorite subterranean warriors, but they still live underground and weild hammers. Really, that's all anyone could ask for.
Why They're Awesome: Dwarves are exceptionally durable. They resist forced movement and being knocked down, their second wind is a minor action, and constitution is a constant racial bonus. Their feats lend added bonuses to combat, proficiency and damage with both axes and hammers, and even increases to your healing surge value. If you're looking for a warrior who will not fall and packs a hefty punch in a small package, you're looking for a dwarf.
Number One: The Dragonborn
"Come at me, bro! I got dragon blood!"
The Dragonborn used to be a template race like The Revenant. People who were especially pleasing to Bahamut could build themselves an egg and transform into a kickass part-dragon warrior. In fourth, the Dragonborn are their own race with no alignment or deity requirements. They are the survivors of an ancient draconic empire and they eat, sleep, and breath awesome (and fire, lightning, poison, or acid).
Why They're Awesome: In case you missed it the first time, the Dragonborn are part dragon. They have breath weapons and they generally dominate other "lesser" being. Many of the Dragonborn's numerous racial paragon paths increase their potent breath and/or give them the ability to fly. Once bloodied, a Dragonborn flies into a rampage, gaining bonus to hit and (with some feats) damage. The Dragonborn have gotten their own book and their options are quite numerous because of it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)