Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Psychoray 08-17-06, 10:17 AM	I'm going to play a sorc, but I don't want all the stuff that comes with a high CHA. I want to roleplay a guy who isn't very pretty, isn't a natural leader and isn't all that popular. Maybe even a little shy. The only thing he's got going for him is a good sense of humor and ofcourse, his magic skills. Now how do I justify the high CHA? (14/16)
Orchomenos 08-17-06, 10:45 AM	You could simply be Chaotic Good. You know you are great, but you don't want to be really involve with other people. Since you act very strangely, people do not talk to you out of necessity. If you have a mid to low wisdom on top of that (a good dump skill for a Sorcerer), you simply do not understand that people avoid you because of some excentric habits. For example, Christina Aguilera is very charismatic, but she will never be the leader of the Republican Party...
Psychoray 08-17-06, 10:52 AM	Nice option :) But I'd like to play a more... normal person :P Yeah, but Christina Aguilera is very pretty, so that's why she has a high CHA. My char isn't very pretty :P
PaddyPaddyFool 08-17-06, 10:55 AM	Well, first of all, you can refrain from ranks in Diplomacy (since that isn't a class skill, that shouldn't be too hard), or the Leadership feat. Charisma in D&D equates more closely to force of character than good looks and popularity - your character could be a brooding, intense, scary bloke or a completely off the wall nutjob and still have a high CHR; remember that intimidate is a CHR skill too. Also, by roleplaying low wis &/or low int (neither of which need to be all that high for a Sorcerer) you could make sure that the party didn't follow your lead all that much if you want to avoid that role. Good luck!
PaddyPaddyFool 08-17-06, 10:56 AM	Hmm... quiet, sense of humour, not all that good looking but has charisma: you're roleplaying Silent Bob!
Psychoray 08-17-06, 12:04 PM	Hmm... quiet, sense of humour, not all that good looking but has charisma: you're roleplaying Silent Bob! lol! Good one :D And thanks for answering, both of you :) If anyone has any more suggestions, i'm eager to hear em
Fithero 08-17-06, 12:18 PM	Just because you have a high charisma, doesnt mean you gotta use it ("just because your hung like a bull doesnt mean you gotta do porn" - to quote a certain movie). If youve seen gungrave, think of Brandon Heat, he is the silent type, but when he talks, people tend to listen to him, because he has a certain presence about him. You dont have to be a good speaker, or negotiator or whatever, you might just give off a certain "vibe" of confidence that others find appealing. Other examples include Aragorn off lord of the rings (wasnt very charismatic... but still a great leader) Maximus off of gladiator... ugly brute, but still commanded the respect of his followers. Yeah, i recon you could be a high charisma sorcerer and not have to be the party leader or face, just sit back and give advice or something, focus on another area :P Peace
The_Shaman 08-17-06, 03:51 PM	Hmm... well, charisma to me indicates force of personality. Being beautiful or outgoing helps, but is not necessary. Still, a charisma of 18 (or more, if you decide to maximize it) is basically at the end of what is possible for a human. It's the kind of charism that makes people go weak in the knees, head or other body parts when you pass by. You could have some features of your body that show you to be different (say, your hair turns to flowers), or a voice, eyes or even aura that exudes power. Alternatively, simply don't raise charisma, and invest - heavily - in arcane disciple feats. Try to persuade your DM to give you 1 free, and become a form of a favored soul, only without the weapon specialization or wings stuff. You could ask the DM to give you, say bonus feats like the wizard gets to help you on the way (since you'll be investing feats to keep your spell arsenal expanding).
Reversefigure4 08-17-06, 07:01 PM	You're charismatic, alright, but you don't waste your force of personality on little trifles like looking pretty or being popular. No, you use your force to bend the very fabric of the universe to your whims. A far better use of Charisma.
Tytalus 08-18-06, 02:10 AM	Unearthed Arcana has a generic spellcaster variant that lets you choose either CHA or INT as a casting stat (for an arcane caster). Spellcasting is still spontaneous, so it has the sorcerer flavour . Just choose INT as a casting stat and choose a CHA that fits your character concept. There are a few other minor differences, but overall they are very similar.
Boshi 08-18-06, 10:15 AM	Max out your intimidate skill. Just becaue you have high chr doesn't mean that you have to be good looking or likable...
Devlonir 08-18-06, 10:48 AM	I agree with the fact that high Charisma doesnt have to mean that you are pretty or likeable. Even when your Charisma goes 18 or above, you might simply have a presence of personality that comes from that high Charisma. Your personality is so strong that you can force reality itself to change according to your will (aka spellcasting). When you can do stuff like that, who cares about how you look or other people think about you? Charisma is a personal stat not one that comes from outside yourself. Just like every stat has it's source inside you. Constitution is another kind of stat like that. I mean, you can be someone that can take a beating, but still cant run more then a a few hundred meters without getting winded. Dexterity: Just because someone can fit himself in a suitcase doesn't mean he can dodge a blow easilly. D20 stats are a way to bring what a human can do down to 6 numbers. Your charisma can easilly come out only in the way you cast your spells and nothing else. This can either be by choice, or because you are simply a non-social type person. (Most of the things i typed are already said, but i think this sums it all up)
JulesCARV 08-18-06, 02:03 PM	Have you considered playing a psion instead of a sorcerer? Psion manifestation is rather similar to sorcerer spontaneous casting (at least, insofar as a Vancian class can be similar to a psionic class). You can call yourself a sorcerer if you want: just use the psion rules. Dump charisma, and use intelligence instead.
The_Shaman 08-18-06, 02:30 PM	Hmmm... Actually, I suppose the difference is mostly in terms of whether one prefers standard spellcasting or psionics - the two classes have similar numbers of spells/powers known, and under most rules dispels, anti-x fields, etc work in the same way on magic and psionics. Fewer people have the psionics books, though - but then again, you can find the mechanical stuff in the SRDs. The problem for psions, from what I understand, is that they have to be specialized, while a sorcerer can choose his spells known without regard for anything but the character's theme and flavor.
JulesCARV 08-18-06, 03:04 PM	Well, bear in mind that a psion's discipline is more like a cleric's domains than a wizard's specialization: that is to say, it is all benefit, no cost. A wizard's specialization gives the wizard enhanced spellcasting of the specialist school, but bars another school. A psion's discipline, like a cleric's domains, just allow the psion to pick from a specialized list and adds class skills. A psion can still pick any powers he wants from the generic psion/wilder list -- it's just that he can also pick discipline powers.
Psychoray 08-18-06, 03:32 PM	Have you considered playing a psion instead of a sorcerer? Psion manifestation is rather similar to sorcerer spontaneous casting (at least, insofar as a Vancian class can be similar to a psionic class). You can call yourself a sorcerer if you want: just use the psion rules. Dump charisma, and use intelligence instead. Small problem: Core only :)
Devlonir 08-19-06, 03:19 AM	Well, bear in mind that a psion's discipline is more like a cleric's domains than a wizard's specialization: that is to say, it is all benefit, no cost. A wizard's specialization gives the wizard enhanced spellcasting of the specialist school, but bars another school. A psion's discipline, like a cleric's domains, just allow the psion to pick from a specialized list and adds class skills. A psion can still pick any powers he wants from the generic psion/wilder list -- it's just that he can also pick discipline powers. We are getting off subject here, but a quick recap of that remark. Because it is simply not true. A cleric has a full divine spell list and a few extra spells from their domains (most of which are on his divine spell list anyway) Psions, have a very small list of standard powers and get most (useful) powers from their choice of discipline and get all new extra spells depending on the discipline. All clerics can summon creatures, psions can only summon creatures with a certain choice of discipline for example.
shift244 08-25-06, 05:07 AM	You're shy, and quiet. You have average looks and frankly you're rather plain looking. Your lack of attention to looks and being socially presentable does not on the department either. You have a hard time avoiding people enough as it is. You do enjoy a good joke now and then though, and share toughts and feelings with a few close friends. Yep, what few friends you have. The rest are merely aquintances. The way you carry yourself tho.. there's an air commanding respect and attention. When you walk in a room, everyone turns to stare. When you talk, people tend to take more notice. You hate it. It's always like this. You've often wondered if it'd worked out it you chose the stealth arts instead of magic. Why do they seem "interested" in what you do? Leader.. you may be able to if you tried, but you don't bother. People look at you often enough. You can spare some alone time. Popular? Hardly. They about forget you as soon as you leave the place, any place.. but when you're there... you're one of the few that stands out.