Help me make my nontalented bard cool [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help me make my nontalented bard cool [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Scraths
05-30-06, 04:41 PM Hey

My character is a ninth level Soulknife. He is a bard and wanders around from city to city playing for everyone he meets. Unfortunenatly his skills with his dear mandolin(which was given to him by his father) are very poor, so he annoys everyone he plays for.
The bard is a fairly good, but naive person and has recently teamed up with an evil psion(he doesn't know he's evil), to see the world and get new adventures to write songs about.

I like my character so far, but i would really like to give him some more personality, history, flaws etc.

Do you have any ideas?
Tevant_the_Bard
06-01-06, 08:40 PM ahh the sucky bard... fear not i am an experienced bard player and canhelp you.

1) Don't make up your own songs just say that you're going to sing a song about a great battle or something

2)but skill points in perform

3)Mandolin is good but you might want to look for something masterwork or magical

History wise just say your father was a famous traveling bard that spread his songs and poems etc. all over the land. Then when he was on his deathbed he gave his best mandolin to you and asked you to become a bard and follow in his footsteps. You might even get a masterwork mandolin if you show the history to your DM. Remember every bard was sucky in the beginning (unless you got godlike perform skills) My first bard was evil, conniving, and sucked at poetry. But he became (suprisingly) CG and was really good with a lute.
club2bash
06-01-06, 10:14 PM Multiclass to rogue so that perform becomes a class skill. What race are you?
Lord of the Ninth
06-01-06, 10:15 PM I shall assume you made this bard nontalented on purpose.

Consider reading Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain; the character Fflewddur Fflam mya serve as useful inspiration.

This seems like a surprisingly innocent character to be a 9th level soulknife, how has he gotten to where he is now? Where did he learn to do the things he can do well?

You may also want to answer such questions as:

What does he look like?
What clothing does he wear? (and why?)
You make mention of his father, but what of his mother?
Does he have other family?
Why does he travel?
How does he not know how bad he is at music?
Does he have any enemies?
Any friends?
Secrets?
Fears?
Goals or desires?

Good luck.
Caretaker
06-02-06, 05:02 AM 1) Don't make up your own songs just say that you're going to sing a song about a great battle or something

Since you're going for sucky bard, DO make up your own songs. on the spot. and ignoring trivial things such as rhyme schemes, melody, or grammar. The best sucky bards have sucky songs. Sing em. off key.

The way I see it, there's two ways to go with the sucky bard concept: either you are absolutely convinced you are an amazing bard, the world just doesn't understand your genius, or you are aware of your poor performance skill and try to improve yourself, practicing like a maniac but just laking the talent to make a proper performance.
In the first case, you would be arrogant and vain, displaying some prima donna characteristics. In the second case, you would be insecure and shy, not really daring to show himself, and just about ready to give up music and adventuring altogether. The only reason he goes on is his dream of being a great musician and the fact that your father sold his only cow to pay for the mandolin.

Also, ask yourself why your character performs so badly. Perhaps his singing voice is abysmal. perhaps he has no idea how to tune his mandolin. perhaps he can sing and play decently enough, but has an abysmal choice of song content ('I will know sing an Ode to Urine', 'this next song is called This thing I found hiding in my armpit')
Tevant_the_Bard
06-02-06, 12:35 PM well if you want to be sucky than i suggest you do make up your own songs (unless you're a famous poet) but still get skill points in perform so you can use all the cool class abilities.
Scraths
06-06-06, 04:55 AM Thanks for all the suggestions they are really usefull...

My character is a Xeph

I really like the idea Caretaker suggested, and I think i will make him a person that acts like he was royal or something, and thinks he's worth alot more than the rest of the world.

Please keep the ideas coming..
FIREBLAST3DRAGONMASTER
06-06-06, 03:12 PM try making him a littl more interesting add a class like sorecerer so he can use charm spells and maybe get a few good women. (no polymorphed dragons though happened t me once and i ended up at -1 hp and bleeding fast luckily their was a cleric Pelor there who heard the ruckus and was able to heal me. not that it mortall wounded me or anythin but I.......I'm.....I'm afraid to touch women. O.K. I said it.) Well thanks for the time professor really appreciate it.
FIREBLAST3DRAGONMASTER
06-06-06, 03:14 PM Try the electric guitar that get their attention!!! :P
Anaesthesia
06-07-06, 10:19 PM First, try this:http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20041223a

and this:http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/bk.

Go exotic. :D For an example, my current bard character(actually 7 level bard, 1st level virtuso), has nearly head-to-toe tattoos, uses an 'exotic' weapon (a whip, which is fun to do trip attacks), among other things. She is also afraid of the number 13. If you want to not suck at your instrument, try putting ranks in Peform(instrument type). I also recommend put ranks in Perform(oratory).

There is a list of 1001 Character quirks floating around the board somewhere.(ETA:here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=239739) it is!) It should be somewhat helpful to you.

If all else fails, ask your DM for hints. :)
Bard-of-all-trades
06-07-06, 10:56 PM 1) give him to a talented player.
OR
2) make him a bard. I mean sheesh, he's a soulknife for pete's sake.

I like my character so far, but i would really like to give him some more personality, history, flaws etc.

Do you have any ideas?If you like him, keep having fun with him.

It already sounds like he has a personality - a bumbling goofball; a good-intentioned person who just doesn't seem to know any better. For a history, you'll have to come up with that one yourself since we don't really know much about this guy of yours or the game you're in. It also sounds like he has a huge flaw - he's NOT a bard.
Multiclass to rogue so that perform becomes a class skill.How does this work?? Yes a Rogue gets perform, but so does, hm let me see - a Bard! Just one level would go a long way to helping him truly be a cool Bard.

Again, if you're having fun, I'm not going to stop you since that is what this games is for - having fun!
dawnjosie
06-16-06, 01:01 PM For addition inspiration, look at some real life musicians you believe are non-talented. You can get tons of role-playing ideas from these people.
Scraths
06-19-06, 05:11 AM still listening... :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Scraths 05-30-06, 04:41 PM	Hey My character is a ninth level Soulknife. He is a bard and wanders around from city to city playing for everyone he meets. Unfortunenatly his skills with his dear mandolin(which was given to him by his father) are very poor, so he annoys everyone he plays for. The bard is a fairly good, but naive person and has recently teamed up with an evil psion(he doesn't know he's evil), to see the world and get new adventures to write songs about. I like my character so far, but i would really like to give him some more personality, history, flaws etc. Do you have any ideas?
Tevant_the_Bard 06-01-06, 08:40 PM	ahh the sucky bard... fear not i am an experienced bard player and canhelp you. 1) Don't make up your own songs just say that you're going to sing a song about a great battle or something 2)but skill points in perform 3)Mandolin is good but you might want to look for something masterwork or magical History wise just say your father was a famous traveling bard that spread his songs and poems etc. all over the land. Then when he was on his deathbed he gave his best mandolin to you and asked you to become a bard and follow in his footsteps. You might even get a masterwork mandolin if you show the history to your DM. Remember every bard was sucky in the beginning (unless you got godlike perform skills) My first bard was evil, conniving, and sucked at poetry. But he became (suprisingly) CG and was really good with a lute.
club2bash 06-01-06, 10:14 PM	Multiclass to rogue so that perform becomes a class skill. What race are you?
Lord of the Ninth 06-01-06, 10:15 PM	I shall assume you made this bard nontalented on purpose. Consider reading Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain; the character Fflewddur Fflam mya serve as useful inspiration. This seems like a surprisingly innocent character to be a 9th level soulknife, how has he gotten to where he is now? Where did he learn to do the things he can do well? You may also want to answer such questions as: What does he look like? What clothing does he wear? (and why?) You make mention of his father, but what of his mother? Does he have other family? Why does he travel? How does he not know how bad he is at music? Does he have any enemies? Any friends? Secrets? Fears? Goals or desires? Good luck.
Caretaker 06-02-06, 05:02 AM	1) Don't make up your own songs just say that you're going to sing a song about a great battle or something Since you're going for sucky bard, DO make up your own songs. on the spot. and ignoring trivial things such as rhyme schemes, melody, or grammar. The best sucky bards have sucky songs. Sing em. off key. The way I see it, there's two ways to go with the sucky bard concept: either you are absolutely convinced you are an amazing bard, the world just doesn't understand your genius, or you are aware of your poor performance skill and try to improve yourself, practicing like a maniac but just laking the talent to make a proper performance. In the first case, you would be arrogant and vain, displaying some prima donna characteristics. In the second case, you would be insecure and shy, not really daring to show himself, and just about ready to give up music and adventuring altogether. The only reason he goes on is his dream of being a great musician and the fact that your father sold his only cow to pay for the mandolin. Also, ask yourself why your character performs so badly. Perhaps his singing voice is abysmal. perhaps he has no idea how to tune his mandolin. perhaps he can sing and play decently enough, but has an abysmal choice of song content ('I will know sing an Ode to Urine', 'this next song is called This thing I found hiding in my armpit')
Tevant_the_Bard 06-02-06, 12:35 PM	well if you want to be sucky than i suggest you do make up your own songs (unless you're a famous poet) but still get skill points in perform so you can use all the cool class abilities.
Scraths 06-06-06, 04:55 AM	Thanks for all the suggestions they are really usefull... My character is a Xeph I really like the idea Caretaker suggested, and I think i will make him a person that acts like he was royal or something, and thinks he's worth alot more than the rest of the world. Please keep the ideas coming..
FIREBLAST3DRAGONMASTER 06-06-06, 03:12 PM	try making him a littl more interesting add a class like sorecerer so he can use charm spells and maybe get a few good women. (no polymorphed dragons though happened t me once and i ended up at -1 hp and bleeding fast luckily their was a cleric Pelor there who heard the ruckus and was able to heal me. not that it mortall wounded me or anythin but I.......I'm.....I'm afraid to touch women. O.K. I said it.) Well thanks for the time professor really appreciate it.
FIREBLAST3DRAGONMASTER 06-06-06, 03:14 PM	Try the electric guitar that get their attention!!! :P
Anaesthesia 06-07-06, 10:19 PM	First, try this:http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20041223a and this:http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/bk. Go exotic. :D For an example, my current bard character(actually 7 level bard, 1st level virtuso), has nearly head-to-toe tattoos, uses an 'exotic' weapon (a whip, which is fun to do trip attacks), among other things. She is also afraid of the number 13. If you want to not suck at your instrument, try putting ranks in Peform(instrument type). I also recommend put ranks in Perform(oratory). There is a list of 1001 Character quirks floating around the board somewhere.(ETA:here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=239739) it is!) It should be somewhat helpful to you. If all else fails, ask your DM for hints. :)
Bard-of-all-trades 06-07-06, 10:56 PM	1) give him to a talented player. OR 2) make him a bard. I mean sheesh, he's a soulknife for pete's sake. I like my character so far, but i would really like to give him some more personality, history, flaws etc. Do you have any ideas?If you like him, keep having fun with him. It already sounds like he has a personality - a bumbling goofball; a good-intentioned person who just doesn't seem to know any better. For a history, you'll have to come up with that one yourself since we don't really know much about this guy of yours or the game you're in. It also sounds like he has a huge flaw - he's NOT a bard. Multiclass to rogue so that perform becomes a class skill.How does this work?? Yes a Rogue gets perform, but so does, hm let me see - a Bard! Just one level would go a long way to helping him truly be a cool Bard. Again, if you're having fun, I'm not going to stop you since that is what this games is for - having fun!
dawnjosie 06-16-06, 01:01 PM	For addition inspiration, look at some real life musicians you believe are non-talented. You can get tons of role-playing ideas from these people.
Scraths 06-19-06, 05:11 AM	still listening... :)