Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Alkali Machmeter 10-16-05, 11:39 AM	Help! I just started D&D, and I dont even have acharacter yet! Can pLease someone give me a link to where I can download a PDF or Acrobat format character creation FAQ? Please! Thanx, Alkali
strumbleduck 10-16-05, 03:23 PM	I don't know of any character creation FAQ -- most people create their characters directly from the rules in the Player's Handbook. (See pg. 6 of the 3.5 version for an outline of the process.) If you let us know which specific parts you're confused about or having trouble with, I'm sure lots of folks here would be willing to help.
Gallameed 10-16-05, 07:04 PM	first you must pick a character concept and a race.
Llochlyn 10-17-05, 11:43 AM	there are two books that help for character creation a little (but really in my opinion) Hero builder's guidebook and Dungeon and dragons for dummies... You might want to take a look at them Anyway, it's up to you to picture what you would like to play in those games... Have you read fantasy books or such that could help you ? what kind of characters attracted you most etc... Work with the other players to build a group... If it's their first game too, work with your DM... If it's his first game too, then the basic party building is : A weapon guy A magic guy A skills guy A healing guy A weapon guy is the easiest damage dealer. Try to find a race that suits the kind of weapon he'll use. The 4 best hitters are fighter, barbarian, paladin, and ranger. Monk can be this one too, but are harder to play Magic guy is the spell slinger of the group. He can buff his friends and use violent or hindering spells. Wizards and Sorcerors are most common, but a druid can be oriented to this role too Skills guy is usually a rogue, for locks and traps, they are the best. They make good fellows for damage dealers when flanking ennemies. Bards and ranger have a lot of skill points, but not thos critical skills when exploring a dungeon. Healing guy is cleric or druid. cleric is usually easier to play, cause he has less abilities to keep track of, and his spells are more straightforward if you have a 5th character, a bard can be a good party enhancer, but you might want to strengthen one of the other aspects of you party. Races have to suit your envy first, but some associations are unwise (like a half orc wizard, because they have an intelligence penaly). Hope you'll like the game ! Good luck
monkmania 10-20-05, 12:57 PM	hehe if you haven't bought dice yet, make sure you get a nice set... you'll be rolling them a lot, and may get really attached to them so it's good to make sure you made a good initial purchase... ;)
Berzerker_prime 10-21-05, 11:02 PM	hehe if you haven't bought dice yet, make sure you get a nice set... you'll be rolling them a lot, and may get really attached to them so it's good to make sure you made a good initial purchase... ;) Or you may end up hating them with the burning passion of the elemental plane of fire... not that I'm bitter... Anyways, back to the OT... Whenever I'm making up a character, I usually think of a couple basic ideas. 1. What kind of character archetype do I want to have? I've been everything from big sword-weilding :censored:-kicker (in Exalted) to perky, hyperactive spell-caster (in BESM). In the D&D system, what class you choose goes a long way toward nailing this down. It's okay to be something stereotypical when you're first starting out. As you play, your character will grow and you will discover what they will and will not like doing. My D&D character's archetype was "annoying Mary-Sue," but she's really grown a lot. 2. What can I do to make the character memorable? This can be anything from a catch-phrase to a running gag or an inexplicable skill at something silly, like cooking. One of my two 7th Sea characters is a woman thief who cross-dresses as a male in order to divert attention from herself... that is to say, she dresses as a man in every day life and thieves as a rather obvious woman. It was fun to see the other players trying to figure that one out! This kind of thing is not often something that can be written down on a character sheet; it's an intangeable, but it really helps. 3. What kind of face does the character present to the world, how, and why? As the player, you know who your character really is. But the other players and characters don't know this. All they see is what your character shows them. If you go the Scarlet Pimpernel route, for example, everyone is going to think your character is a complete imbicile when he's actually a very clever, manipulative little schemer. 4. And finally, what kinds of things is the character carrying? Part of character creation under the D&D rules is spending money. Don't be afraid to venture into the frivolous things as well as the practical. Quite literally, let your character do the shopping. If there's some item that he wants, let him have it and come up with a reason he has it later. I did this with my Ranger's set of winds. She has no ranks in perform of any kind. As the party's Monk once said, "there are few that play to her equal." ;) The winds are now an integral part of her backstory and are quite possibly the most important object to her that she carries. In short, if you ask me, much of character creation is in the details you choose to add. Don't get too bogged down in having explanations for every little thing as they will often manifest themselves in time. Let the character taunt you with hints of detail as much as he taunts the other players with them. A good character can and very often does grow out of something very shallow. Hope some of that rant helps a little. Sweet water to you! Berz.