Ideas for dwarf fighter [Archive] - Wizards Community

Ideas for dwarf fighter [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
black2
07-27-07, 06:12 AM I'm writing a story on a dwarf character of mine and i was wondering if i could get any pointers for it?
warwinner
07-27-07, 06:59 AM Traditional dwarf ideas

1] Gruff
2] Ale drinking
3] Fearless
4] Sense of kinship/deep bond with friends/dwarves/clan
5] Hard worker/Team fighter
6] There when you need him
7] Makes sacrifice for those he likes

Not so conventional ideas

1] Afraid of magic
2] Hates tall people/races, inferiority complex because of speed/height, giantkiller
3] Loves eating small amounts of poison
4] Fasts, is celibate etc and [over] exerts himself to the limit, over discipline, excess restraints/expectations on himself
5] Likes dancing with axes spinning, juggling weapons and singing
Free1983
07-27-07, 12:33 PM What do you mean with pointers. Just ticks & stuff, or a real backstory?
spyderfreek
07-27-07, 12:49 PM ONe of the most interesting dwarves I have ever seen is Pikel Bouldershoulder. He pretty much breaks all of the conventional dwarven characteristics. I recommend reading the CLeric Quintent and paying close attention to the brothers Bouldershoulder. They will give you a great contrast to build from.
black2
07-27-07, 05:45 PM What do you mean with pointers. Just ticks & stuff, or a real backstory?

Ideas for a real backstory would be helpful, because that's what i'm trying to write.
black2
07-27-07, 05:47 PM Traditional dwarf ideas

1] Gruff
2] Ale drinking
3] Fearless
4] Sense of kinship/deep bond with friends/dwarves/clan
5] Hard worker/Team fighter
6] There when you need him
7] Makes sacrifice for those he likes

Not so conventional ideas

1] Afraid of magic
2] Hates tall people/races, inferiority complex because of speed/height, giantkiller
3] Loves eating small amounts of poison
4] Fasts, is celibate etc and [over] exerts himself to the limit, over discipline, excess restraints/expectations on himself
5] Likes dancing with axes spinning, juggling weapons and singing

Thanks there are a lot of good things here that i'll use. Maybe i'll put you in my dedication list.:D
JulesCARV
07-28-07, 01:40 AM Is there any particular campaign setting you're playing in?

Does the dwarf have any particular alignment?

What religious views, if any, does the dwarf have?

What style of fighter will the dwarf be?
Free1983
07-28-07, 07:33 AM You could have a happy clan dwarf fighter who has decided to go out of the caverns to get whatever he wants.

OR

You could have outcast-paria-not belonging anymore to any clan-dwarf fighter who hasn't decided to go out of the caverns, but was thrown out anyway. Now, why was this dwarf thrown out?

He stole from fellow clanmembers
He committed (sp?) blasphemy and the cleric of Moradin excommunicated him
He murdered the killer of his brother that would have gone free because no-one but your fighter has seen the murder
He's under some kind of enchantment of an evil mastermind dwarf who needs someone on the outside to look for other minions
He's always drunk and keeps bothering the female dwarfs.

I'm sure you'll be able to find your own reason. Remember that if you go for option number one, family is always a good way to tie your players into the campaign. They are bound to do something if their brother is kidnapped and is going to be sacrificed for some kind of evil god.

Other things you might want to give a thought.

Where did he learn to fight. Did he join the local militia, was he in the dwarven army and looking forward to become a dwarven defender one day, did he learn how to swing an axe from his father or did he practise a lot when trouble broke loose in the bar.

If you want a background, you might want to include some motives to start adventuring. Possible motives are: Money, fame, improving knowledge/skill,...
Then you ask yourself, "why does my fighter want -insert motive-?"

Money, because your fighter has always been a poor sod and saw his little sister die from starvation (or something less dramatic)
Fame; In the great hall of the clan, all heroes of the clan are depicted and every holy night their names are sung by the bard of the clan. Your fighter might want to join the list of heroes. Or, his family isn't that much respected in the clan and he wants to change that.
Improving skill: One day, a human visited the clan and when the dwarves dared him for a friendly fight, the human knocked out the best warrior out in no time, just with his bare hands. He also had a special technique for kicking multiple opponents in a very short time. The human was amazingly fast (even for a human) and your fighter wants to know the secret of all these techniques.

So perhaps you should add a special moment where your fighter learns what he wants from life.

Hope this helps,

Cheers
Deadlion
07-29-07, 12:34 PM Ahhh, the Dwarven fighter - Perhaps one of the least cheesy archetypes there are.

However, it is still an archetype. You may be fine with that, in which case, your dwarf should be loyal, honourable, strong, tough, taciturn, stubborn, and above all utterly relentless in combat.

Or you may want to put a little twist to your fighter. Now, let's see...

DIFFERENT FIGHTING STYLE:

~ Two-weapon-fighter, uses a scimitars, rapiers and other weapons that lend themselves to fast, graceful combat techniques.

~ Master marksman. While not a stranger to melee, he excels with a bow (or crossbow) in his hand.

DIFFERENT PERSONALITY:

~ Your dwarf cannot stop talking. He is optimistic, playful, has an infectious chuckle and cannot go five minutes without cracking a joke.

~ Far from the stoic, implacable stereotype, your dwarf is a seething mound of emotions. The slightest insult can send him into a violent rage, while something as small as a single word of praise can make him fall in love.

~ Although he has a natural talent for combat, he hates it. The sight of blood makes his stomach turn, and he feels an inordinate pang of guilt every time he takes a life. If it weren't for his loyalty to his friends, and his knowledge that they NEED his skills, he would likely retire and become a peaceful farmer.

DIFFERENT BACKGROUND:

~ Your dwarf's family were merchants, and as such he grew up always on the move. Due to this he is far more open to and accepting of other cultures than your typical, clannish dwarf.

~ Your character isn't just your average dwarf warrior - He's the last in the royal line of the lost dwarven nation of Khazrak Thrunn (or whatever)

~ Rather than growing up in a dwarven mountain fastness, your character comes from the big city. He started life in the ghettos and learnt to fight the dirty way on the tough streets.

Those are just a few ideas. I'm sure you, or anyone with a fertile enough imagination, should be able to come up with more. Mix and match such ideas until you have the appealing basis for a character, and then flesh it out until complete.
I always find that the background and so on of a character is nowhere near as important as the character themselves. If you can get into your dwarf's head when playing him, and act as he would act, say what he would say, then it doesn't matter even if your entire background is just a single sentence - you'll still have a great, memorable character.
black2
07-29-07, 10:01 PM Ahhh, the Dwarven fighter - Perhaps one of the least cheesy archetypes there are.

However, it is still an archetype. You may be fine with that, in which case, your dwarf should be loyal, honourable, strong, tough, taciturn, stubborn, and above all utterly relentless in combat.

Or you may want to put a little twist to your fighter. Now, let's see...

DIFFERENT FIGHTING STYLE:

~ Two-weapon-fighter, uses a scimitars, rapiers and other weapons that lend themselves to fast, graceful combat techniques.

~ Master marksman. While not a stranger to melee, he excels with a bow (or crossbow) in his hand.

DIFFERENT PERSONALITY:

~ Your dwarf cannot stop talking. He is optimistic, playful, has an infectious chuckle and cannot go five minutes without cracking a joke.

~ Far from the stoic, implacable stereotype, your dwarf is a seething mound of emotions. The slightest insult can send him into a violent rage, while something as small as a single word of praise can make him fall in love.

~ Although he has a natural talent for combat, he hates it. The sight of blood makes his stomach turn, and he feels an inordinate pang of guilt every time he takes a life. If it weren't for his loyalty to his friends, and his knowledge that they NEED his skills, he would likely retire and become a peaceful farmer.

DIFFERENT BACKGROUND:

~ Your dwarf's family were merchants, and as such he grew up always on the move. Due to this he is far more open to and accepting of other cultures than your typical, clannish dwarf.

~ Your character isn't just your average dwarf warrior - He's the last in the royal line of the lost dwarven nation of Khazrak Thrunn (or whatever)

~ Rather than growing up in a dwarven mountain fastness, your character comes from the big city. He started life in the ghettos and learnt to fight the dirty way on the tough streets.

Those are just a few ideas. I'm sure you, or anyone with a fertile enough imagination, should be able to come up with more. Mix and match such ideas until you have the appealing basis for a character, and then flesh it out until complete.
I always find that the background and so on of a character is nowhere near as important as the character themselves. If you can get into your dwarf's head when playing him, and act as he would act, say what he would say, then it doesn't matter even if your entire background is just a single sentence - you'll still have a great, memorable character.
Thank you for everything here, this is great stuff.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
black2 07-27-07, 06:12 AM	I'm writing a story on a dwarf character of mine and i was wondering if i could get any pointers for it?
warwinner 07-27-07, 06:59 AM	Traditional dwarf ideas 1] Gruff 2] Ale drinking 3] Fearless 4] Sense of kinship/deep bond with friends/dwarves/clan 5] Hard worker/Team fighter 6] There when you need him 7] Makes sacrifice for those he likes Not so conventional ideas 1] Afraid of magic 2] Hates tall people/races, inferiority complex because of speed/height, giantkiller 3] Loves eating small amounts of poison 4] Fasts, is celibate etc and [over] exerts himself to the limit, over discipline, excess restraints/expectations on himself 5] Likes dancing with axes spinning, juggling weapons and singing
Free1983 07-27-07, 12:33 PM	What do you mean with pointers. Just ticks & stuff, or a real backstory?
spyderfreek 07-27-07, 12:49 PM	ONe of the most interesting dwarves I have ever seen is Pikel Bouldershoulder. He pretty much breaks all of the conventional dwarven characteristics. I recommend reading the CLeric Quintent and paying close attention to the brothers Bouldershoulder. They will give you a great contrast to build from.
black2 07-27-07, 05:45 PM	What do you mean with pointers. Just ticks & stuff, or a real backstory? Ideas for a real backstory would be helpful, because that's what i'm trying to write.
black2 07-27-07, 05:47 PM	Traditional dwarf ideas 1] Gruff 2] Ale drinking 3] Fearless 4] Sense of kinship/deep bond with friends/dwarves/clan 5] Hard worker/Team fighter 6] There when you need him 7] Makes sacrifice for those he likes Not so conventional ideas 1] Afraid of magic 2] Hates tall people/races, inferiority complex because of speed/height, giantkiller 3] Loves eating small amounts of poison 4] Fasts, is celibate etc and [over] exerts himself to the limit, over discipline, excess restraints/expectations on himself 5] Likes dancing with axes spinning, juggling weapons and singing Thanks there are a lot of good things here that i'll use. Maybe i'll put you in my dedication list.:D
JulesCARV 07-28-07, 01:40 AM	Is there any particular campaign setting you're playing in? Does the dwarf have any particular alignment? What religious views, if any, does the dwarf have? What style of fighter will the dwarf be?
Free1983 07-28-07, 07:33 AM	You could have a happy clan dwarf fighter who has decided to go out of the caverns to get whatever he wants. OR You could have outcast-paria-not belonging anymore to any clan-dwarf fighter who hasn't decided to go out of the caverns, but was thrown out anyway. Now, why was this dwarf thrown out? He stole from fellow clanmembers He committed (sp?) blasphemy and the cleric of Moradin excommunicated him He murdered the killer of his brother that would have gone free because no-one but your fighter has seen the murder He's under some kind of enchantment of an evil mastermind dwarf who needs someone on the outside to look for other minions He's always drunk and keeps bothering the female dwarfs. I'm sure you'll be able to find your own reason. Remember that if you go for option number one, family is always a good way to tie your players into the campaign. They are bound to do something if their brother is kidnapped and is going to be sacrificed for some kind of evil god. Other things you might want to give a thought. Where did he learn to fight. Did he join the local militia, was he in the dwarven army and looking forward to become a dwarven defender one day, did he learn how to swing an axe from his father or did he practise a lot when trouble broke loose in the bar. If you want a background, you might want to include some motives to start adventuring. Possible motives are: Money, fame, improving knowledge/skill,... Then you ask yourself, "why does my fighter want -insert motive-?" Money, because your fighter has always been a poor sod and saw his little sister die from starvation (or something less dramatic) Fame; In the great hall of the clan, all heroes of the clan are depicted and every holy night their names are sung by the bard of the clan. Your fighter might want to join the list of heroes. Or, his family isn't that much respected in the clan and he wants to change that. Improving skill: One day, a human visited the clan and when the dwarves dared him for a friendly fight, the human knocked out the best warrior out in no time, just with his bare hands. He also had a special technique for kicking multiple opponents in a very short time. The human was amazingly fast (even for a human) and your fighter wants to know the secret of all these techniques. So perhaps you should add a special moment where your fighter learns what he wants from life. Hope this helps, Cheers
Deadlion 07-29-07, 12:34 PM	Ahhh, the Dwarven fighter - Perhaps one of the least cheesy archetypes there are. However, it is still an archetype. You may be fine with that, in which case, your dwarf should be loyal, honourable, strong, tough, taciturn, stubborn, and above all utterly relentless in combat. Or you may want to put a little twist to your fighter. Now, let's see... DIFFERENT FIGHTING STYLE: ~ Two-weapon-fighter, uses a scimitars, rapiers and other weapons that lend themselves to fast, graceful combat techniques. ~ Master marksman. While not a stranger to melee, he excels with a bow (or crossbow) in his hand. DIFFERENT PERSONALITY: ~ Your dwarf cannot stop talking. He is optimistic, playful, has an infectious chuckle and cannot go five minutes without cracking a joke. ~ Far from the stoic, implacable stereotype, your dwarf is a seething mound of emotions. The slightest insult can send him into a violent rage, while something as small as a single word of praise can make him fall in love. ~ Although he has a natural talent for combat, he hates it. The sight of blood makes his stomach turn, and he feels an inordinate pang of guilt every time he takes a life. If it weren't for his loyalty to his friends, and his knowledge that they NEED his skills, he would likely retire and become a peaceful farmer. DIFFERENT BACKGROUND: ~ Your dwarf's family were merchants, and as such he grew up always on the move. Due to this he is far more open to and accepting of other cultures than your typical, clannish dwarf. ~ Your character isn't just your average dwarf warrior - He's the last in the royal line of the lost dwarven nation of Khazrak Thrunn (or whatever) ~ Rather than growing up in a dwarven mountain fastness, your character comes from the big city. He started life in the ghettos and learnt to fight the dirty way on the tough streets. Those are just a few ideas. I'm sure you, or anyone with a fertile enough imagination, should be able to come up with more. Mix and match such ideas until you have the appealing basis for a character, and then flesh it out until complete. I always find that the background and so on of a character is nowhere near as important as the character themselves. If you can get into your dwarf's head when playing him, and act as he would act, say what he would say, then it doesn't matter even if your entire background is just a single sentence - you'll still have a great, memorable character.
black2 07-29-07, 10:01 PM	Ahhh, the Dwarven fighter - Perhaps one of the least cheesy archetypes there are. However, it is still an archetype. You may be fine with that, in which case, your dwarf should be loyal, honourable, strong, tough, taciturn, stubborn, and above all utterly relentless in combat. Or you may want to put a little twist to your fighter. Now, let's see... DIFFERENT FIGHTING STYLE: ~ Two-weapon-fighter, uses a scimitars, rapiers and other weapons that lend themselves to fast, graceful combat techniques. ~ Master marksman. While not a stranger to melee, he excels with a bow (or crossbow) in his hand. DIFFERENT PERSONALITY: ~ Your dwarf cannot stop talking. He is optimistic, playful, has an infectious chuckle and cannot go five minutes without cracking a joke. ~ Far from the stoic, implacable stereotype, your dwarf is a seething mound of emotions. The slightest insult can send him into a violent rage, while something as small as a single word of praise can make him fall in love. ~ Although he has a natural talent for combat, he hates it. The sight of blood makes his stomach turn, and he feels an inordinate pang of guilt every time he takes a life. If it weren't for his loyalty to his friends, and his knowledge that they NEED his skills, he would likely retire and become a peaceful farmer. DIFFERENT BACKGROUND: ~ Your dwarf's family were merchants, and as such he grew up always on the move. Due to this he is far more open to and accepting of other cultures than your typical, clannish dwarf. ~ Your character isn't just your average dwarf warrior - He's the last in the royal line of the lost dwarven nation of Khazrak Thrunn (or whatever) ~ Rather than growing up in a dwarven mountain fastness, your character comes from the big city. He started life in the ghettos and learnt to fight the dirty way on the tough streets. Those are just a few ideas. I'm sure you, or anyone with a fertile enough imagination, should be able to come up with more. Mix and match such ideas until you have the appealing basis for a character, and then flesh it out until complete. I always find that the background and so on of a character is nowhere near as important as the character themselves. If you can get into your dwarf's head when playing him, and act as he would act, say what he would say, then it doesn't matter even if your entire background is just a single sentence - you'll still have a great, memorable character. Thank you for everything here, this is great stuff.