Creating a character concept [Archive] - Wizards Community

Creating a character concept [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Shaun O'Braun
08-30-03, 06:08 AM Pick a cartoon character and build a character like that. For instance, the roadrunner would be a monk/wizard (illusionist). He runs really fast, he can make illusions that are real to him, and he doesn't wear armor. ;)

I really liked the shovel-wielder from the movie Mystery Men. Although he would work really well in DnD as a Barbarian/Exotic Weapon Master, in the movie he was more of a Paladin/Fighter.

Pick two or three skills, then build your character around those skills. For instance, I randomly (well, sort of randomly) picked Sleight of Hand, Speak Language, and Knowledge (geography). It looks like I'll be going for a rather unusual varient, a Bard/Rogue/Arcane Trickster build.

Pick a feat or feats that you really like and build your character around them. For instance, I randomly picked Stealthy, Magical Aptitude, and Improved Trip. It looks like I'll be going for a Rogue build, with a high Str, Int, and Wis scores for the skills needed to support these feats.

Build a list of PrCs, and randomly pick a PrC from the list, then build your character around that. I've such a list, and I can post it later. It's quite fun, really. Especially if you get a really unlikely combination of two PrCs and you have to come up with an in character reason for the two PrCs. Although, more PrCs go together than you'd think. Such as Oozemaster and Temple Raider of Olidammara.

And then, once you have the character concept, sit down and write a page or two about just how your character came to be. :D
Kharne
08-30-03, 06:33 PM Sounds interesting Shaun. Post that list of prestiges when you get a chance. I couple of the more interesting characters i've built came from randomly rolling the race and class and then going from there. I might try and combine that with a randomly rolled prestige i'm building to.

I might play around with the feat and skill build a bit later this weekend.

Thanks for the challenge...it really sounds like fun. Nothing makes my day more than one of my players coming to me with a character concept and me helping them figure out how to build the concept using the rules.
Shaun O'Braun
08-31-03, 03:11 AM Originally posted by Kharne
Nothing makes my day more than one of my players coming to me with a character concept and me helping them figure out how to build the concept using the rules. :blush: Well, this originally came from another direction . . . from a thread on the Character Optimization board (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=1197408#post1197408).

It really makes my day when I get to help someone with an unusual character concept create a really cool character using the rules, especially if I can support that character concept in such a way that their character won't drag down the rest of the party. Which is why, although I don't have the time to DM (and probably won't for at least the next month or two) I hang around the Character Optimization board so much -- I love helping people with builds.

This post was started in response to a person who asked for a "cool powerful build" and stated that he didn't have a character concept. I essentially stated that without a concept he shouldn't be posting on the Character Optimization boards, and I created this post to hold my (IMHO) meaningful reply to his question of how to find a cool concept.

Such as my concept for a pirate character (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=81195) -- I had a good idea of where I wanted to go, but I wasn't sure if I could do it or not. Or, a thread about being the best thrower (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=88033) possible -- I stated that a Barbarian 11/Fighter 4/Exotic Weapon Master 5 with Exotic Weapon Proficiency (orcish shotput) amongst other things would make the strongest thrower.

Such as my thread on a Drunken Monk/Sorcerer (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=87702). I'm still looking for a way to really make this character tick, so if you're interested, come on over and start brainstorming ideas. :cool:

PS My roomate is asleep, so the lights are off, and I need the lights on to see to pull the mouse/keyboard/monitor cables from my current computer to my old computer in order to find the PrC list and get it to this computer from a floppy disc. A slow archaic way to transfer information, I know, but it will be a couple of months before I can get anything faster. So, look for the list tomorrow, after myself and my roomate are both up and the lights are on. :)
Shaun O'Braun
08-31-03, 01:36 PM Well, I couldn't find the document today, so I picked up the splatbooks and the 3.5 DMG and listed the PrCs. I ended up with about 105 PrC or so, and then in order to make it a cleaner roll, I removed a few evil and NPC-only PrC to end up with a round hundred (such as Ravager, Blighter, Hexer, etc.), since most DMs won't let a PC have these classes. If you'd like to play an evil campaign, then random rolling won't workvery well for you.

Anyway, if you go to the IC portion of my website (http://www.banaticus.com/ic/) you'll be able to download the hundred-name random list in either Microsoft Word or WordPerfect format. :D
Shaun O'Braun
08-31-03, 02:01 PM WordPerfect Version (http://www.banaticus.com/ic/Random%20PrC.wpd)
Microsoft Word version (http://www.banaticus.com/ic/Random%20PrC.doc)

I just rolled randomly, using an online dice roller and ended with Knight Protector of the Great Kingdom and Ninja of the Cresent Moon. What a background that guy must have, right? ;D It'll be fun to write up something for him. I'll create another thread to talk about him tomorrow (or sometime later).
Something X/Knight Protector of the Great Kingdom X/Ninja of the Crescent Moon x

Rolling randomly again, and deciding that I'll create a female character this time, I ended up with Queen of the Skies (a varient of the King/Queen of the Wild PrC), and Dragon Disciple. This sounds like fun, but I wanted to add another class to the mix as well, so I rolled again and ended up with Snakelord (a varient of the Animal Lord PrC). I'm thinking that I'll try to tie this character into the only flying dragon-snake-like thing I know of the, the Couatl. DD and Queen of the Skies goes nicely together, especially if I take 9 levels of DD for wings.
Something X/Queen of the Skies X/Dragon Disciple 9/Snakelord X

Great way to come up with unusual characters. ;)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shaun O'Braun 08-30-03, 06:08 AM	Pick a cartoon character and build a character like that. For instance, the roadrunner would be a monk/wizard (illusionist). He runs really fast, he can make illusions that are real to him, and he doesn't wear armor. ;) I really liked the shovel-wielder from the movie Mystery Men. Although he would work really well in DnD as a Barbarian/Exotic Weapon Master, in the movie he was more of a Paladin/Fighter. Pick two or three skills, then build your character around those skills. For instance, I randomly (well, sort of randomly) picked Sleight of Hand, Speak Language, and Knowledge (geography). It looks like I'll be going for a rather unusual varient, a Bard/Rogue/Arcane Trickster build. Pick a feat or feats that you really like and build your character around them. For instance, I randomly picked Stealthy, Magical Aptitude, and Improved Trip. It looks like I'll be going for a Rogue build, with a high Str, Int, and Wis scores for the skills needed to support these feats. Build a list of PrCs, and randomly pick a PrC from the list, then build your character around that. I've such a list, and I can post it later. It's quite fun, really. Especially if you get a really unlikely combination of two PrCs and you have to come up with an in character reason for the two PrCs. Although, more PrCs go together than you'd think. Such as Oozemaster and Temple Raider of Olidammara. And then, once you have the character concept, sit down and write a page or two about just how your character came to be. :D
Kharne 08-30-03, 06:33 PM	Sounds interesting Shaun. Post that list of prestiges when you get a chance. I couple of the more interesting characters i've built came from randomly rolling the race and class and then going from there. I might try and combine that with a randomly rolled prestige i'm building to. I might play around with the feat and skill build a bit later this weekend. Thanks for the challenge...it really sounds like fun. Nothing makes my day more than one of my players coming to me with a character concept and me helping them figure out how to build the concept using the rules.
Shaun O'Braun 08-31-03, 03:11 AM	Originally posted by Kharne Nothing makes my day more than one of my players coming to me with a character concept and me helping them figure out how to build the concept using the rules. :blush: Well, this originally came from another direction . . . from a thread on the Character Optimization board (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=1197408#post1197408). It really makes my day when I get to help someone with an unusual character concept create a really cool character using the rules, especially if I can support that character concept in such a way that their character won't drag down the rest of the party. Which is why, although I don't have the time to DM (and probably won't for at least the next month or two) I hang around the Character Optimization board so much -- I love helping people with builds. This post was started in response to a person who asked for a "cool powerful build" and stated that he didn't have a character concept. I essentially stated that without a concept he shouldn't be posting on the Character Optimization boards, and I created this post to hold my (IMHO) meaningful reply to his question of how to find a cool concept. Such as my concept for a pirate character (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=81195) -- I had a good idea of where I wanted to go, but I wasn't sure if I could do it or not. Or, a thread about being the best thrower (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=88033) possible -- I stated that a Barbarian 11/Fighter 4/Exotic Weapon Master 5 with Exotic Weapon Proficiency (orcish shotput) amongst other things would make the strongest thrower. Such as my thread on a Drunken Monk/Sorcerer (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=87702). I'm still looking for a way to really make this character tick, so if you're interested, come on over and start brainstorming ideas. :cool: PS My roomate is asleep, so the lights are off, and I need the lights on to see to pull the mouse/keyboard/monitor cables from my current computer to my old computer in order to find the PrC list and get it to this computer from a floppy disc. A slow archaic way to transfer information, I know, but it will be a couple of months before I can get anything faster. So, look for the list tomorrow, after myself and my roomate are both up and the lights are on. :)
Shaun O'Braun 08-31-03, 01:36 PM	Well, I couldn't find the document today, so I picked up the splatbooks and the 3.5 DMG and listed the PrCs. I ended up with about 105 PrC or so, and then in order to make it a cleaner roll, I removed a few evil and NPC-only PrC to end up with a round hundred (such as Ravager, Blighter, Hexer, etc.), since most DMs won't let a PC have these classes. If you'd like to play an evil campaign, then random rolling won't workvery well for you. Anyway, if you go to the IC portion of my website (http://www.banaticus.com/ic/) you'll be able to download the hundred-name random list in either Microsoft Word or WordPerfect format. :D
Shaun O'Braun 08-31-03, 02:01 PM	WordPerfect Version (http://www.banaticus.com/ic/Random%20PrC.wpd) Microsoft Word version (http://www.banaticus.com/ic/Random%20PrC.doc) I just rolled randomly, using an online dice roller and ended with Knight Protector of the Great Kingdom and Ninja of the Cresent Moon. What a background that guy must have, right? ;D It'll be fun to write up something for him. I'll create another thread to talk about him tomorrow (or sometime later). Something X/Knight Protector of the Great Kingdom X/Ninja of the Crescent Moon x Rolling randomly again, and deciding that I'll create a female character this time, I ended up with Queen of the Skies (a varient of the King/Queen of the Wild PrC), and Dragon Disciple. This sounds like fun, but I wanted to add another class to the mix as well, so I rolled again and ended up with Snakelord (a varient of the Animal Lord PrC). I'm thinking that I'll try to tie this character into the only flying dragon-snake-like thing I know of the, the Couatl. DD and Queen of the Skies goes nicely together, especially if I take 9 levels of DD for wings. Something X/Queen of the Skies X/Dragon Disciple 9/Snakelord X Great way to come up with unusual characters. ;)