Background, for duelist [Archive] - Wizards Community

Background, for duelist [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Delvor
10-04-04, 05:37 AM ( at 4th level)

Right I have an elven duelist highish stats, putting an 18 into his dex for 20 then adding his point to dex. total 21 (May have gloves of dex)
He is an extreme duelist, rapier, weapon finease , mobility and balance, tumble all that jazz.

Wondering any ideas how to play him, spoilt brat, hardened mercenary etc.

thanks.
Morka
10-05-04, 06:57 PM See the board FAQ by Trydan, it's excellent.
See also the two links in my Sig, tons of ideas here!

To be a duelist is good, great AC and all stuff. But you might think about a second fighting style that with make you different than most other duelist: disarm, sunder, charge, poison (crafted or extracted from an animal companion)... Are you able to cast spells? Perhaps beginning all your fights by summoning a monster to help you flank your foe, or use an animal companion.

Do you have familly? Does someone wronged you in the past, and now you want him/her dead, or worse?
TheMightyMcClaw
10-05-04, 10:45 PM I think it'd be cool to model a duelist after Alexandr Pushkin. Pushkin was, in addition to one of the most famous poets in Russian history, an abrasive and uncouth man. There was an instance of him going to a play.... he booed, hissed, catcalled, and otherwise harassed an actress so much that another member of the audience challenged him to a duel. Pushkin accepted.
He also had a bad habit of writing obscene poems about high-ranking government officials.
There was a quote about Pushkin by T.J. Binyon I particularly adore.... "He fell in love violently, repeatedly, and at the slightest provocation." Actresses, dancers, prostitutes, pretty woman he passed on the street....

I think that should be able to get you started.....
crazymonkdude
10-06-04, 09:07 PM I love dualists. Being an elf, you have an innate coolness factor that you need to exploit. Take that to the max. Elves are by their nature more patient than humans and other shorter lived races. Make him aloof and quiet, only talking when he has to. He is the best and he knows it. Not an arrogant braggard, but a confident, skilled combatant. Bickering is beneath him. He lives only to test his skill against different opponents. The only time he drops his cool facade is when he is in the midst of battle. Then his true joy is revealed, as he basks in the glory that is armed combat. He should take advantage of his movement feats by dancing around heavier armored opponents. If fighting against an obiviously weaker opponent, expertise yourself and trip and disarm your opponent to show them you are completely greater than they are. You can sniff your distain, but don't lower yourself to their standards by taunting or cursing at them. Being a dualist, you will prefer to fight one on one with the best warrior (usually the leader). Don't allow your teammates steal those battles from you. Things like, "He's mine" or "Leave that one for me" will allow your 'mates to focus on the rest of the enemies without stealing your thunder. As for the future, to keep with your personality, focus on imp. trip, imp. feint, imp. disarm, stuff that keeps your opponents on their toes. From Complete Warrior, look at Imp. Combat Expertise. When it comes time for the splitting of the treasure, act indifferent. You're not in it for the money. You're in it for the chance to prove your skill. That's all you live for. You are looking to become the greatest swordsman of your area. If you want to keep your opponents' weapons as trophies, more power to you. Make sure you get your share, though, because you deserve it and it is a sign of respect from your team. It also helps to buy better gear and more powerful weapons. Perhaps keep buying better enhancements to your rapier. But money is not what you crave. You crave the clash of battle, and the joy of victory. You might even challenge good NPCs to practice battles or mock duels in order to test your skill and learn some new manuevers. Always respect skill. It is the most important thing. That is what you are training for and it is what you desire the most.
But hey, that's just one idea I've been floating around with.
Vharuck
10-06-04, 09:21 PM Or you could play the young elven noble who trained in the elven military as per the law and took a few fencing classes daddy paid for and now thinks that he's the $#!+. He would taunt opponents, make small errors (not lethal, just say you make these errors while fighting weak foes to keep balance), enjoy wine and cheese and other amenities, and basically lord over any and all mortals he ever meets.

Would be fun to count down how long it takes till the barbarian in the group coup de graces you.
Delvor
10-14-04, 06:56 AM Thanks for ideas and help

do you think I should aim to prestige class him to Arcane duelist?

(Is there actually a class called duelist?, My guy is just a 4th level fighter)
Daniel _the_Zodiac
10-14-04, 06:38 PM (Is there actually a class called duelist?, My guy is just a 4th level fighter)

Yeah, it's a PrC in either the 3.5 DM guide or Sword and Fist.

I think you should use a dashing pirate as a source for ideas.
Stardrake
10-14-04, 11:45 PM For a possible example of what crazymonkdude is talking about, get a copy of THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1974, dir Richard Lester) and THE FOUR MUSKETEERS (1975, dir Richard Lester). Watch the late Oliver Reed as Athos. DEATH on 2 legs, with rather a good reason... Also, the films have some of the best sword work ever filmed (arranged by the master, William Hobbs).

Heck, see the movies anyway. They are superb.
Cantankerous
10-16-04, 05:33 AM Simply that the guy is a deulist ith a high dex means absolutley nothing to his personality other than the obvious issues he'll have with honor and the almost obligatory superiority complex. One other factor will probably be obsessiveness, but that is true of most massively succesful or challenge driven people.

He could be any way at all otherwise. From witty and foppish to boorish and abraisive. His elven heritage suggests a few broad points, but why play a sterotype? All that the elven heritage really needs to add to his character is that very alien way of viewing time and the immediate future that being so long lived vouchsafes an elf.

he could be scholarly and quiet, a swashbuckler ala the typical Alexandre Dumas characters or something utterly different, depending on how he was raised, specific parental values that might or might not have clashed with normal elven values and how that inter-realtes to him personally. Is he a rebel who dispises the typical elven values? He could be as dour and hard bitten as any dwarf if his background makes that sensible, someone who's been there and seen that too damned many times and has become moody, withdrawn and cynical.

The possibilities are endless.

Isshia

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Delvor 10-04-04, 05:37 AM	( at 4th level) Right I have an elven duelist highish stats, putting an 18 into his dex for 20 then adding his point to dex. total 21 (May have gloves of dex) He is an extreme duelist, rapier, weapon finease , mobility and balance, tumble all that jazz. Wondering any ideas how to play him, spoilt brat, hardened mercenary etc. thanks.
Morka 10-05-04, 06:57 PM	See the board FAQ by Trydan, it's excellent. See also the two links in my Sig, tons of ideas here! To be a duelist is good, great AC and all stuff. But you might think about a second fighting style that with make you different than most other duelist: disarm, sunder, charge, poison (crafted or extracted from an animal companion)... Are you able to cast spells? Perhaps beginning all your fights by summoning a monster to help you flank your foe, or use an animal companion. Do you have familly? Does someone wronged you in the past, and now you want him/her dead, or worse?
TheMightyMcClaw 10-05-04, 10:45 PM	I think it'd be cool to model a duelist after Alexandr Pushkin. Pushkin was, in addition to one of the most famous poets in Russian history, an abrasive and uncouth man. There was an instance of him going to a play.... he booed, hissed, catcalled, and otherwise harassed an actress so much that another member of the audience challenged him to a duel. Pushkin accepted. He also had a bad habit of writing obscene poems about high-ranking government officials. There was a quote about Pushkin by T.J. Binyon I particularly adore.... "He fell in love violently, repeatedly, and at the slightest provocation." Actresses, dancers, prostitutes, pretty woman he passed on the street.... I think that should be able to get you started.....
crazymonkdude 10-06-04, 09:07 PM	I love dualists. Being an elf, you have an innate coolness factor that you need to exploit. Take that to the max. Elves are by their nature more patient than humans and other shorter lived races. Make him aloof and quiet, only talking when he has to. He is the best and he knows it. Not an arrogant braggard, but a confident, skilled combatant. Bickering is beneath him. He lives only to test his skill against different opponents. The only time he drops his cool facade is when he is in the midst of battle. Then his true joy is revealed, as he basks in the glory that is armed combat. He should take advantage of his movement feats by dancing around heavier armored opponents. If fighting against an obiviously weaker opponent, expertise yourself and trip and disarm your opponent to show them you are completely greater than they are. You can sniff your distain, but don't lower yourself to their standards by taunting or cursing at them. Being a dualist, you will prefer to fight one on one with the best warrior (usually the leader). Don't allow your teammates steal those battles from you. Things like, "He's mine" or "Leave that one for me" will allow your 'mates to focus on the rest of the enemies without stealing your thunder. As for the future, to keep with your personality, focus on imp. trip, imp. feint, imp. disarm, stuff that keeps your opponents on their toes. From Complete Warrior, look at Imp. Combat Expertise. When it comes time for the splitting of the treasure, act indifferent. You're not in it for the money. You're in it for the chance to prove your skill. That's all you live for. You are looking to become the greatest swordsman of your area. If you want to keep your opponents' weapons as trophies, more power to you. Make sure you get your share, though, because you deserve it and it is a sign of respect from your team. It also helps to buy better gear and more powerful weapons. Perhaps keep buying better enhancements to your rapier. But money is not what you crave. You crave the clash of battle, and the joy of victory. You might even challenge good NPCs to practice battles or mock duels in order to test your skill and learn some new manuevers. Always respect skill. It is the most important thing. That is what you are training for and it is what you desire the most. But hey, that's just one idea I've been floating around with.
Vharuck 10-06-04, 09:21 PM	Or you could play the young elven noble who trained in the elven military as per the law and took a few fencing classes daddy paid for and now thinks that he's the $#!+. He would taunt opponents, make small errors (not lethal, just say you make these errors while fighting weak foes to keep balance), enjoy wine and cheese and other amenities, and basically lord over any and all mortals he ever meets. Would be fun to count down how long it takes till the barbarian in the group coup de graces you.
Delvor 10-14-04, 06:56 AM	Thanks for ideas and help do you think I should aim to prestige class him to Arcane duelist? (Is there actually a class called duelist?, My guy is just a 4th level fighter)
Daniel _the_Zodiac 10-14-04, 06:38 PM	(Is there actually a class called duelist?, My guy is just a 4th level fighter) Yeah, it's a PrC in either the 3.5 DM guide or Sword and Fist. I think you should use a dashing pirate as a source for ideas.
Stardrake 10-14-04, 11:45 PM	For a possible example of what crazymonkdude is talking about, get a copy of THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1974, dir Richard Lester) and THE FOUR MUSKETEERS (1975, dir Richard Lester). Watch the late Oliver Reed as Athos. DEATH on 2 legs, with rather a good reason... Also, the films have some of the best sword work ever filmed (arranged by the master, William Hobbs). Heck, see the movies anyway. They are superb.
Cantankerous 10-16-04, 05:33 AM	Simply that the guy is a deulist ith a high dex means absolutley nothing to his personality other than the obvious issues he'll have with honor and the almost obligatory superiority complex. One other factor will probably be obsessiveness, but that is true of most massively succesful or challenge driven people. He could be any way at all otherwise. From witty and foppish to boorish and abraisive. His elven heritage suggests a few broad points, but why play a sterotype? All that the elven heritage really needs to add to his character is that very alien way of viewing time and the immediate future that being so long lived vouchsafes an elf. he could be scholarly and quiet, a swashbuckler ala the typical Alexandre Dumas characters or something utterly different, depending on how he was raised, specific parental values that might or might not have clashed with normal elven values and how that inter-realtes to him personally. Is he a rebel who dispises the typical elven values? He could be as dour and hard bitten as any dwarf if his background makes that sensible, someone who's been there and seen that too damned many times and has become moody, withdrawn and cynical. The possibilities are endless. Isshia