changeling chameleon tell me what you think. [Archive] - Wizards Community

changeling chameleon tell me what you think. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
biggie343
10-19-05, 12:06 AM I mentioned in character optimization that i would present the history of my changeling chameleon so here it is

Meet Myriad a male changeling rogue/chameleon

Myriad's mother was a passer who wed a his human father and neglected to reveal her true nature to him. Well, when out popped a gray oddity she had some explaining to do. This created friction in his family and his mother would not allow him to embrace his talent, because at heart he was a becomer, and he wanted to be everyone. A true troublemaker, when not under his mothers watchful eye he would steal pastries from the local baker disguised as one of his young friends. As Myriad matured so did his talents, he developed many personalities and the town where he grew up was subject to visitors from many distant lands, little did the townsfolk know this was all myriad's "practice sessions". His mother knew though and demanded that if Myriad was to continue this dangerous game it'd be best if he played it elsewhere. Sad as it sounds, his mother sent him away to protect herself.

Myriad left is birthplace in search of adventure and it wasn't to difficult for him to find. He found he liked the lavish life full of drinking, gambling, drugs, and women and sometimes men all the while not letting anyone know who he really was. In order to finance his luxorius and sometimes dangerous lifestyle he took on many jobs, disguised as a pious priest he collected donations, as trustworthy merchant he sold "magical" dusts and potions, and he often sold his body as an attractive prostitute. He eventually discovered breaking into tombs and dungeons brought in a bigger take and took less time, and he could still appraise his compaions valuables for less money and tell them he knew a guy who could fence it for them. He still goes home for time to time to visit his family, even if he has to go as his old self, to protect his mother.

Now Myriad travels with a group of adventurers in the form of Stewart Turddlehed Dingledump Stinkbottom, a gnome whose skills in the removal of traps and the opening of portals are above average and the party members will attest to that. The truth of his current mission is report all information regarding his party to another source, said source knows him as a female half-elf rogue who is more talented in staying out of sight, and said source is amazed as to how detailed Myraid info is, "almost like she's right in the party".

With Myriad's natural abilities and the extensive training he received at the School of Broad Horizons, or "Mimic Mansion" as the students more affectionately call it, he can imitate anyone of any class and any race.

this is what i started with

Male Changeling

4 levels of rogue

the sub levels from RoE

str 12
dex 14
Con 12
Int 18
wis 14
cha 18

feats

Able learner RoD
persona immersion RoE
master linguist RoE
quick change RoE
disturbing visage RoE

spec abilities

social intuition
evasion
minor lore
uncanny dodge

I would like to eventually take the chameleon PrC and know that i would need at least 5th lvl to meet the skill req not to worried about that (massive skill points)
Setherial
10-19-05, 05:20 AM I think your stats are very high (your DM must play a high powered game) and how do you get 5 feats at level 4 ??

The story is kinda weak, it's the story of every changeling I can imagine. "People distrust me because I'm a changeling so I was kicked out and now I'm an adventurer". I sort of like the bit about the mother not telling her husband and the child they had ofcourse betrayed that. That has potential. In fact from reading your story the mother sounds more fun to play then the character in question. I would take it as far as the mother disappearing at the end of her pregnancy (she ofcourse ran away so she can deliver the child in secret, leaving it in the care of someone else and then claim they took it from her, not to loose her husband when he realizes what she and the child are). The husband starts an investigation and finds out the truth much sooner then the mother had hopen for....

anyway a more interesting roleplaying approach would be that the child grew up with a mother who told him never to reveal what he is all his life. Maybe the mother looses her husband over all of this and the child learns to despise what he is as does his mother. Or maybe the family stays together but the father makes both child and mother promise always to keep their human masks.
So Myriad hides his appearance from everyone, and goes through life as a human boy/man. Never telling anyone his dark secret. (now this is something a DM can use)
biggie343
10-19-05, 06:38 PM Setherial thank you for your opinion

in response to your questions.

Yes the dm runs a high powered campaign, we use the 4d6 method but he allows us to roll till we get what we want. I'm sure if you roll enough you can get all 18's, i know its kind of silly, usually the party ends up with 18 str and dex. Here's what i rolled 18 17 14 14 12 12 and one bonus point at 4th level.

As far as the feats another high power play by the dm, great guy but a little monty haul.
2 racial/ancestor feats at 1st and the ability to purchase feats at the cost of half the xp till next level, limit one per level.

In regards to your opinions of Myriad's back story. Please keep in mind that I only started viewing and posting on these boards a few days ago so I haven't seen any other changeling histories. I also haven't had the opportunity to see much of the eberron info available, but I have read the RoE and am using what I learned from that to flesh out the character. For these reasons I'm asking for the board's critisism and assistance.

Staying with my original storyline, I wanted to emphasize the characters attraction to a lifestyle of crutches, the drugs, the booze and the womanizing. He needs an additional comfort now that he has been outcast from his family and will do just about anything to "fill the void". Including fathering and carrying children of his own. Maybe after attempting to create his own family, and being dissapointed in the fact that his offspring to this point have all been normal, his next step was drugs.(using BoVD rules)

The Ideas about playing the mother as a passer are much appreciated but aren't what I'm looking for. If I created a spark, by all means run with it.

Thank you again
Setherial
10-20-05, 03:09 AM Setherial thank you for your opinion

no problem, I find it hard to get any feedback from these forums (including the eberron forums) so I try to offer some ideas myself. Most people in my experience since I've been visiting like to jump into the popular flame topics and don't really contribute any good ideas.

In regards to your opinions of Myriad's back story. Please keep in mind that I only started viewing and posting on these boards a few days ago so I haven't seen any other changeling histories. I also haven't had the opportunity to see much of the eberron info available, but I have read the RoE and am using what I learned from that to flesh out the character. For these reasons I'm asking for the board's critisism and assistance.

I wasn't really reffering to stories by other people, it is just the normal psychological respose, it's the stereotype, it's what you expect from a race that is feared and pre judged. Everyone distrusts a changeling and thinks they are all thieves and con artists, so most of them become exactly that.

To me he's just a sad individual with superhero abilities :) Not really someone I would like to roleplay, that's why it is hard to give you any good ideas to further develop him.
Anyway in an attempt to picture this guy and try to figur out his history I would think he would have earned a rather bad reputation over the years. There won't be much poeple he trusts as there aren't many trustworthy people in the circles he moves in. His contacts will be shady individuals with a rather questionably reputation themselves. He'll know stuff like where to get certain drugs, illegal/dangerous weapons, people who can smuggle stuff in or out, etc (give him Knowledge Underworld/Crime or something)...
He probably has debts and enemies in a lot of towns, people who want to hurt him or worse. He'll be unwelcome in may places and will have to be carefull which desguise he uses where.
anyway he's disguisting :) have fun playing him :D (actually SinCity just popped into my mind, I would picture the world like that when playing him. I would develop some ties from him with the boromars in Sharn)

cheers

Seth
Need_A_Life
10-20-05, 04:36 AM Well, the story could do with some fleshing out; it is a good frame, very good frame actually, but without those useless details (such as the names of his friends or the situation where he stole from a merchant) it becomes dull to read. It is - as I said - a good start, but it is far from finished in my eyes. Changeling chameleons have always seemed like a good choice (add in quasilycanthrope and you can imitate animals as well...) for that guy who is everyone...

For inspiration on playing such a character try reading the first book of Belgariad and pay attention to Silk, he is the sort who does all kinds of infiltrations for fun... when it turns out that he is actually a possible heir to the throne I started losing interest... he became two-dimensional.
sfurtwangler
10-21-05, 01:49 PM Are you overlooking the fact that changlings can't be chameleons? or is your DM houseruling that they can (Since both humans and dopplegangers can)? I know that is more of a mechanical question than a development one, but one that is worth going over before you present your idea to your DM.
Need_A_Life
10-22-05, 05:37 AM down at the bottom of the web enhancement it says that changelings may be added at the DMs discretion.
sfurtwangler
10-22-05, 01:13 PM Oh! that's cool. Like I said, its an obvious ruling, but some DMs are sticklers about this sort of thing.
biggie343
10-23-05, 12:54 PM it also states in the RoD that if using the eberron campaign setting the class and feat able learner is allowable to the chageling

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
biggie343 10-19-05, 12:06 AM	I mentioned in character optimization that i would present the history of my changeling chameleon so here it is Meet Myriad a male changeling rogue/chameleon Myriad's mother was a passer who wed a his human father and neglected to reveal her true nature to him. Well, when out popped a gray oddity she had some explaining to do. This created friction in his family and his mother would not allow him to embrace his talent, because at heart he was a becomer, and he wanted to be everyone. A true troublemaker, when not under his mothers watchful eye he would steal pastries from the local baker disguised as one of his young friends. As Myriad matured so did his talents, he developed many personalities and the town where he grew up was subject to visitors from many distant lands, little did the townsfolk know this was all myriad's "practice sessions". His mother knew though and demanded that if Myriad was to continue this dangerous game it'd be best if he played it elsewhere. Sad as it sounds, his mother sent him away to protect herself. Myriad left is birthplace in search of adventure and it wasn't to difficult for him to find. He found he liked the lavish life full of drinking, gambling, drugs, and women and sometimes men all the while not letting anyone know who he really was. In order to finance his luxorius and sometimes dangerous lifestyle he took on many jobs, disguised as a pious priest he collected donations, as trustworthy merchant he sold "magical" dusts and potions, and he often sold his body as an attractive prostitute. He eventually discovered breaking into tombs and dungeons brought in a bigger take and took less time, and he could still appraise his compaions valuables for less money and tell them he knew a guy who could fence it for them. He still goes home for time to time to visit his family, even if he has to go as his old self, to protect his mother. Now Myriad travels with a group of adventurers in the form of Stewart Turddlehed Dingledump Stinkbottom, a gnome whose skills in the removal of traps and the opening of portals are above average and the party members will attest to that. The truth of his current mission is report all information regarding his party to another source, said source knows him as a female half-elf rogue who is more talented in staying out of sight, and said source is amazed as to how detailed Myraid info is, "almost like she's right in the party". With Myriad's natural abilities and the extensive training he received at the School of Broad Horizons, or "Mimic Mansion" as the students more affectionately call it, he can imitate anyone of any class and any race. this is what i started with Male Changeling 4 levels of rogue the sub levels from RoE str 12 dex 14 Con 12 Int 18 wis 14 cha 18 feats Able learner RoD persona immersion RoE master linguist RoE quick change RoE disturbing visage RoE spec abilities social intuition evasion minor lore uncanny dodge I would like to eventually take the chameleon PrC and know that i would need at least 5th lvl to meet the skill req not to worried about that (massive skill points)
Setherial 10-19-05, 05:20 AM	I think your stats are very high (your DM must play a high powered game) and how do you get 5 feats at level 4 ?? The story is kinda weak, it's the story of every changeling I can imagine. "People distrust me because I'm a changeling so I was kicked out and now I'm an adventurer". I sort of like the bit about the mother not telling her husband and the child they had ofcourse betrayed that. That has potential. In fact from reading your story the mother sounds more fun to play then the character in question. I would take it as far as the mother disappearing at the end of her pregnancy (she ofcourse ran away so she can deliver the child in secret, leaving it in the care of someone else and then claim they took it from her, not to loose her husband when he realizes what she and the child are). The husband starts an investigation and finds out the truth much sooner then the mother had hopen for.... anyway a more interesting roleplaying approach would be that the child grew up with a mother who told him never to reveal what he is all his life. Maybe the mother looses her husband over all of this and the child learns to despise what he is as does his mother. Or maybe the family stays together but the father makes both child and mother promise always to keep their human masks. So Myriad hides his appearance from everyone, and goes through life as a human boy/man. Never telling anyone his dark secret. (now this is something a DM can use)
biggie343 10-19-05, 06:38 PM	Setherial thank you for your opinion in response to your questions. Yes the dm runs a high powered campaign, we use the 4d6 method but he allows us to roll till we get what we want. I'm sure if you roll enough you can get all 18's, i know its kind of silly, usually the party ends up with 18 str and dex. Here's what i rolled 18 17 14 14 12 12 and one bonus point at 4th level. As far as the feats another high power play by the dm, great guy but a little monty haul. 2 racial/ancestor feats at 1st and the ability to purchase feats at the cost of half the xp till next level, limit one per level. In regards to your opinions of Myriad's back story. Please keep in mind that I only started viewing and posting on these boards a few days ago so I haven't seen any other changeling histories. I also haven't had the opportunity to see much of the eberron info available, but I have read the RoE and am using what I learned from that to flesh out the character. For these reasons I'm asking for the board's critisism and assistance. Staying with my original storyline, I wanted to emphasize the characters attraction to a lifestyle of crutches, the drugs, the booze and the womanizing. He needs an additional comfort now that he has been outcast from his family and will do just about anything to "fill the void". Including fathering and carrying children of his own. Maybe after attempting to create his own family, and being dissapointed in the fact that his offspring to this point have all been normal, his next step was drugs.(using BoVD rules) The Ideas about playing the mother as a passer are much appreciated but aren't what I'm looking for. If I created a spark, by all means run with it. Thank you again
Setherial 10-20-05, 03:09 AM	Setherial thank you for your opinion no problem, I find it hard to get any feedback from these forums (including the eberron forums) so I try to offer some ideas myself. Most people in my experience since I've been visiting like to jump into the popular flame topics and don't really contribute any good ideas. In regards to your opinions of Myriad's back story. Please keep in mind that I only started viewing and posting on these boards a few days ago so I haven't seen any other changeling histories. I also haven't had the opportunity to see much of the eberron info available, but I have read the RoE and am using what I learned from that to flesh out the character. For these reasons I'm asking for the board's critisism and assistance. I wasn't really reffering to stories by other people, it is just the normal psychological respose, it's the stereotype, it's what you expect from a race that is feared and pre judged. Everyone distrusts a changeling and thinks they are all thieves and con artists, so most of them become exactly that. To me he's just a sad individual with superhero abilities :) Not really someone I would like to roleplay, that's why it is hard to give you any good ideas to further develop him. Anyway in an attempt to picture this guy and try to figur out his history I would think he would have earned a rather bad reputation over the years. There won't be much poeple he trusts as there aren't many trustworthy people in the circles he moves in. His contacts will be shady individuals with a rather questionably reputation themselves. He'll know stuff like where to get certain drugs, illegal/dangerous weapons, people who can smuggle stuff in or out, etc (give him Knowledge Underworld/Crime or something)... He probably has debts and enemies in a lot of towns, people who want to hurt him or worse. He'll be unwelcome in may places and will have to be carefull which desguise he uses where. anyway he's disguisting :) have fun playing him :D (actually SinCity just popped into my mind, I would picture the world like that when playing him. I would develop some ties from him with the boromars in Sharn) cheers Seth
Need_A_Life 10-20-05, 04:36 AM	Well, the story could do with some fleshing out; it is a good frame, very good frame actually, but without those useless details (such as the names of his friends or the situation where he stole from a merchant) it becomes dull to read. It is - as I said - a good start, but it is far from finished in my eyes. Changeling chameleons have always seemed like a good choice (add in quasilycanthrope and you can imitate animals as well...) for that guy who is everyone... For inspiration on playing such a character try reading the first book of Belgariad and pay attention to Silk, he is the sort who does all kinds of infiltrations for fun... when it turns out that he is actually a possible heir to the throne I started losing interest... he became two-dimensional.
sfurtwangler 10-21-05, 01:49 PM	Are you overlooking the fact that changlings can't be chameleons? or is your DM houseruling that they can (Since both humans and dopplegangers can)? I know that is more of a mechanical question than a development one, but one that is worth going over before you present your idea to your DM.
Need_A_Life 10-22-05, 05:37 AM	down at the bottom of the web enhancement it says that changelings may be added at the DMs discretion.
sfurtwangler 10-22-05, 01:13 PM	Oh! that's cool. Like I said, its an obvious ruling, but some DMs are sticklers about this sort of thing.
biggie343 10-23-05, 12:54 PM	it also states in the RoD that if using the eberron campaign setting the class and feat able learner is allowable to the chageling