Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Agent Graves 07-16-03, 06:56 PM	i was thinking about a concept for a character while reading one of terrey (sp) prachet's novels. My mind wandered and i thought what classes and race a punk rocker would be... if anyone is familiar with 'soul music' you'll know what i'm talking about. but if not... cutting a long story short; the main character comes to the big city and buys an insturment, that turns out to be magical, and the music it plays is infectious and affects ppl... that is a very glossed over summery, so i really suggest, if you havent already, read it. But hes not the character i'm talking about. Theres one part in the book where a barbarian (all leather and metal studs) comes into a music store asking for an instrument that goes "whhhaaauuuummmmmmmmmm" ... Try crossing billy idol with d&d... At the moment this is not for playing, but i think the concept is fun... actually the more i think about it, the more i want to play 'im. maybe a few levels in bard and a few in barbarian... cross a mo-hawk with a mullet... all black leather and metal studs... rough british accent... magical instrument (guitar of discord?) elvish maybe? i was thinking him being lithe and strong, but weedy... not with muscle bulk. And when he goes into a rage he uses his guitar... what do u think ppl?
lion93 07-16-03, 07:04 PM	Some kind of crazed infernal battle-guitar? Made from the metals of Acheron? Or perhaps some wierd device crafted in the depths of dwarven caverns? I'm guessing that the instrument is either of a)extraplanar origins or b) comes from the distant past. In either case, it's a strange mystery that would not be practicle, perhaps, to create in the 'main game period.' Give it some crazy backstory... buy the exotic weapon proficiency to wield it... and make a weapon/instrument that the legends will hail forever!
evoken_november 07-16-03, 08:31 PM	A literal battle axe with magical strings that allow it to play as a guitar?
Campeador 07-22-03, 08:18 PM	You don't even need the barbarian levels really. Just take it as bard and roleplay the rest of the attitude. :) Like the idea, btw :D:D
Basaxerxes the First 07-23-03, 06:12 PM	Originally posted by Campeador You don't even need the barbarian levels really. Just take it as bard and roleplay the rest of the attitude. :) I agree. Most of the punkers I know are more rogue than barbarian, anyway. Now, a skinhead bard on the other hand...:D
Agent Graves 07-23-03, 07:41 PM	thanks for your replys everyone. lion and evoken i like ur ideas about the instrument, especially the axe with magical strings. I am not a huge d&d player so i dont have much knowledge when it comes to creating magic weapons or knowing spells off hand. But i did get a chance to have a look at some bard magic;( i dont have any books on me at the moment so forgive me if i get these wrong): the shatter spell, shout, pyrotechnics and sculpt sound all fit in really well with the concept. Can anyone suggest anymore? i like the idea of using pyrotechnics because its like a stage show. And if i continue to think along the stage show idea i'd also get a few levels in climb, balance and jump... so u can climb to the top of the speakers and jump off. And max out preform... I was also thinking that he'd come from a noble family... or atleast a rich family, and he's rebeling against them and society. or maybe against the whole concept of a bard with a lute... I was going along the barbarian line because it seemed to fint into character of the punk rocker... Basaxerxes, u suggested rogue instead. can u explain why? We might aswell roll him up, and lets say he starts at level five... nice round number ok, just downloaded a roller and the numbers are: 10, 8, 16, 17, 17, 16 not too bad. i was thinking of chaotic good... and an elf...no real reason behind and elf, other than i think it would be interesting role playing a rebellious elf.. magical weapon like what evoken was describing... a great axe that becomes a heavy metal guitar when the magic word is uttered. maybe has properties like shout... but on a greater level? and sculpt sound (although that sounds like a pedal, hehe) And magic studded leather... many many studs... anyway, once again thanks for you replys ppl. hope to hear from u again
The One and Only... 07-23-03, 08:13 PM	I've been wanting to play a character like this. He would be pure bard, and played black/death/grind stuff. I even made a character history, but never met a DM that would let me play him. Keep in mind that the general populace will find you... heretical. You'd best be prepared to have a couple paladins hear about you and start a quest to stop it. You need to build up a strong fan base in the abyss and 9 hells so you have somewhere to hide: maybe you could also find a deific patron. Another cool thing you could do is have your guitar also be an axe. :D
evoken_november 07-23-03, 08:35 PM	You might or might not have the starting gold to afford all those enchantments at 5th level, but at least you've got a good handle on what you want your character to work for if you can't afford it now. The style you're going for with the spells you've selected is admirable as well. I'm not sure I picture it as an elf, though... maybe a half elf, if you're set against it being human. Also, the greataxe is really too big... honestly, they're enormous. The Battleaxe, while not as damaging a weapon, is probably closer in size to an actual guitar. Also, the strings don't have to be there full time, they could appear magically on command. In fact, the axe could be glamoured to look like a guitar if you so chose, so it looks like you're chopping down orcs and goblins with a guitar and leaving wounds that look remarkably axe-like. Does the character have a band? Perhaps you should write some bandmates into his history if he's starting at a level higher than 1. If you're level 6, one or two of them could even be cohorts via the leadership feat. Do you have a name for the act? I also agree that you'd likely be the target of some holy persecution, at least for a while.
Agent Graves 07-23-03, 11:56 PM	i wasnt wanting him to be totally heretical... more rebellious, but thinking more about it i reckon that he would be viewed as heretical by most of the populace... but i think that some of the younger beings would become fans... I also hadnt thought of using band, but that is an interesting idea. Do u have any suggestion on the members? if we're thinking heavy metal then a bass guitarist and drumms... thats another axe? and... magic maces?
Grislof the Blind 07-24-03, 08:20 AM	I once heard about a similar character.. make sure to research and develop at least 2 new spells... Overdrive = (whhhaaaauuuuummmmmmmmmmm) and Headbanger = an area enchantment that makes everyone hearing the bard bang their heads !
Basaxerxes the First 07-24-03, 10:52 AM	Originally posted by Agent Graves I was going along the barbarian line because it seemed to fint into character of the punk rocker... Basaxerxes, u suggested rogue instead. can u explain why? Hmmm. Well, I guess I've always looked at the barbarian as being part of the whole warrior-code, die-with-honour, type of 'scene,' which I haven't really noticed much in the punk rock types around here (myself included). Simply put, punks put a whole lot more emphasis on getting out of trouble through 'sneaky' means, included if necessary a judiciously applied boot to the whatnots. Another thing just this very second occurred to me (and this may be more important than all the tripe I've just written) and that is that the barbarian is a wilderness class, while the whole punk rock thang is almost entire urban. I'll think on it some more, and if anything occurs to me I'll post it up here!
TheMightyMcClaw 07-24-03, 03:35 PM	Yeah... the barbarian/bard is much better suited towards the Heavy Metal bard than the Punk bard. Rogue may work, or even straight up bard. Also, you might look at prestige classes.... I once tried a semi-similar concept in Tobias Lione, Bard of Power Metal. He was mostly modeled after Rhapsody and Hammerfall, with a touch of Power Symphony.... I ended up having to retire him, though. He had a wee bit of an epic mindset for a gritty wilderness campaign. He was bard/holy liberator/spellsword, by the way. Also... I assume this is based after old-school punk, yes? You did mention Billy Idol, and all the giddy-up about studded leather. Again, the rogue levels may help what your looking for. Almost definitely Chaotic Neutral alignment for sex pistol-esque antics. You also might want to give him a high con, for the whole tough bastard thing. However, if you wanted to make a new-school/pop-punk bard, it'd be easy: take a human or halfling, make him 15 years old, and give him no ranks in perform. Sorry. :P
Basaxerxes the First 07-24-03, 04:27 PM	Originally posted by TheMightyMcClaw However, if you wanted to make a new-school/pop-punk bard, it'd be easy: take a human or halfling, make him 15 years old, and give him no ranks in perform. Sorry. :P :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: That may be the funniest thing I've read in some time. Sad, I know...
Agent Graves 07-24-03, 06:26 PM	Originally posted by TheMightyMcClaw However, if you wanted to make a new-school/pop-punk bard, it'd be easy: take a human or halfling, make him 15 years old, and give him no ranks in perform. Sorry. :P :D nice one!
Zoticus 07-27-03, 06:00 AM	I agree with Basaxerxe's assesment of a punkrocker being a rogue/bard and a skinhead being a barbarian/bard. You might ask your DM to put the skinhead in as a rival in the campaign. Be sure that the guy has improved unarmed and wears steelcapped boots, though. I might just use this in my next campaign...and give him an item that gives him the unarmed damage of a monk of his character level.....mmm....so....evil!!!
Xalxika 07-28-03, 04:40 PM	Well, I've always seen Pirates as the Rock stars of their day since they were rebellious and lived in their own little world. With that said, you could go with a Fighter/Rogue or something similar. Edit: A level of bard would be in order too.
Theocracity 07-28-03, 05:44 PM	[shameless plug] You could always use my PrC....:D Six String Samurai (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=51261) [/shameless plug]
Agent Graves 07-31-03, 12:48 AM	I’m writing a back-story, when I get the chance, at work. So it would be great if anyone had suggestions. I was thinking of a name and decided on ‘Dafidar’… although everyone else would know him as ‘Crash’. As he will have taken on a new name when he rebels against the aristocracy. I’m trying to decide whether; -He enchanted the axe (or had someone else do it for him) or -He acquired the axe by other means… like he found it, or was given it by a mysterious person Also, I haven’t created a weapon before, so if anyone can give me any help that’d be great. I wanted to include a few spells including ‘shout’, ‘shatter’, ‘sculpt sound’ ‘pyrotechnics’… if anyone has suggestions about that too… Anyway, while I’m writing up the back-story enjoy this snippet I whipped up: The small Hamlet was silent. Even the birds had halted their song to watch the ensuing scene below. Crash stood in the middle of two intersecting cobblestone roads, the few buildings clustered around him were the only evidence of people. A Cart of hay and a few barrels had hastily been left when the small population of farmers saw what was coming down the road; The invading Orcs had turned their attention away from the villagers when they posed nothing more than a smack around the head and onto Crash, when he stumbled into the Hamlet. “Pounding Fuunnn!” slurred one Orc. Crash looked at him and his withering snarl was answered with the incoherent grunting of fifteen Orcs, all looking for a fight. He reached backwards slowly, grabbing the handle of the battle-axe that was strapped to his back. The grunting grew louder and his mouth became a sneering smile. One of the Orcs loaded his bow clumsily, drawing it back, aiming it with an attempt ot a threat. “Wot you fink you doing, eh?” Courageous, soot and dirt covered faces peered out of windows, shrinking back when they made eye contact with and Orc or Crash, himself. The axe now in his hands, he muttered under his breath. A green flicker of lightening ran up the axe from the bass of the shaft to the head humming softly… it flickered again, the head of the axe beginning to glow … His eyes closed to slits… Pottery shattered in one of the houses… And Crash sprang forward, slicing through the Orc in front of him Before they could react he swept the axe around digging it into the back of another, then using it as an anchor in the Orc’s back flung himself in a full spin taking the heads off two more. Wrenching it away he bounded up, off a crate, nimbly off a cart of hay, and onto the thatched roof of one of the houses. The stunned Orcs looked up to see Crash standing rather unorthodoxly, one arm in the air, the other clutching the shaft of the upside down axe. Green lightening crackled around the axe head casting off an unearthly light. One of the Orcs, Crash assumed he was the leader because of the skull he was wearing for a helmet, raised his sword and grunted menacingly at Crash. Haphazardly a few of the Orcs loaded their bows and taking aim, let fly the arrows… In one fluid motion Crash brought his raised hand down over the axe… four lines of green lightening flared in the air an inch from the axe as he passed his hand over it. Then shattered as the air rippled and a sphere of silence issued itself from the guitar. Crash strummed again, and the silence was smashed by a monstrous cacophony of noise. Whhhhaaaaaauuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm The arrows that were on their mark splintered and shattered as the noise rippled through them. It continued outwards before fading away to silence. But Crash strummed again… Whhhhaaaaaauuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm …And it was replenished, and the foundations of the houses around him shuddered, mortar vibrated from cracks between bricks, barrels and crates aged quickly, splintering and divulging the goods inside. Windows shattered, milk soured and birds erupted from nearby trees, seeking refuge from the noise. Their squawking drowned out by the disharmony that was erupting from the bard and his axe. The glow of the axe faded and Crash opened his eyes surveying the scene with a sneer of a smile. All that remained was the occasional creaking of timber, or the squishy explosion of melons in a nearby fruit stand. He nimbly hoped down from the roof, part of which had rained down on the occupants inside. He swung the axe onto his back and took an apple as he passed the creaking fruit cart. Without a backwards glance Crash strolled out of the hamlet leaving the destruction in his wake. A shaken priest wobbled out of the building that served as a town hall, hospital and chapel and shook his head trying to dislodge the ringing in his ears. He hurried back inside to sound the bell, the signal for safety, only to be met by a dull clunk and a large crack running up its side. People began to emerge, most looking a little dazed. Many had hay through their hair, from the thatch falling from their rooves, a few had cuts from shattered glass and some even had ear bleeds. The Orcs themselves were scattered, many flung back after receiving the full blow of the bard, some lay awkwardly on crushed barrels, others propped up against walls and one impaled on another’s sword. Rivulets of blood trickled down out of their noses and ears and slowly dried on the cobblestone. i'll write more when i have the chance... it helps me to flesh the character out
Kupokpok 08-01-03, 10:24 PM	Originally posted by Agent Graves And when he goes into a rage he uses his guitar... I just thought of something..... Quick-Draw McGraw's Alter-Ego, 'El-Kabong.' An anthropomorphic horse (see savage species) with 10 levels of 6-string Samurai.... Funny...