Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Fithero 05-21-06, 10:36 AM	There is a character i would like to try out, a wizard/rogue type character. Running the streets as a child this (any of the city-living races) saw that the only real people who had power were wizards. Sure, the town guards could swing swords and the hunters could shoot with bows but only the wizards could blast a foe apart from a distance with a great fire ball. Never able to afford the admission fee into the wizardy accademy, he sought to learn magic anyway that he could. He would spy on classes, listen in on the converstaions of wizard apprentices and finally watch the greatest of wizards cast powerfull spells. Eventually he gained enough knowledge that without practice he could go no further. He needed a spell book, ofcouse the theft of a spell book would not go un-noticed, so he stole a page from one book whose owner he had sapped. Took another off the sleeping body of another mage who he had coerced into drinking beyond their limits and so forth. With an (rather shoddy... yet working) spell book, he began to practice his magic away from peering eyes (non guild members were not allowed to use magic) eventually becomming as adept as an official apprentice. Im viewing this guy in patch-work clothes put together from old rags and such, holding onto what looks to be a bundle of uneven papers bound by string between two wooden covers. Im thinking he will be neutral, though on the evil side. He aspires to be wealthy and will put that goal ahead of everything, he is willing to risk his own life to obtain it. He is sick and tired of being poor and powerless, so he is doing whatever is needed to change his current standing. What do you all think? To cliche? Any help would be great, chiers. Later
TheChilliGod 05-21-06, 10:01 PM	Cliché? Never! A wizard that didn't learn from anyone but himself is by no necessary means a cliché, and I sure haven't heard of any other wizard (given reasonable settings) that didn't learn from *someone*. Something like Harry Potter, however, would be considered a cliché. But this guy's no Harry Potter! If you want to veer off the track of learning from nobody a bit, then maybe some hedge wizard of a thieves guild had recognized your character's potential in sneaking around and casting spells, so he may have tried to contact the character, and taught him a few of the things that classes don't teach, maybe he aided the character in the search for his first spellbook by creating a diversion, or maybe the wizard gave the character his own spellbook to copy down, using his own funds to guide the character through the process. Then the character became a member of the wizard's thieves guild, where he received rudimentary training from some guild supervisor on the mechanics of traps, sneaking, and basic combat. Don't forget a wizard also needs a spell component pouch for most of his spells. Maybe, since Mage Hand has no material components, your character could have used it at one point to nap someone else's spell component pouch? Maybe a student's pouch while in "class"? Maybe your character got caught, and had to be bailed out of jail for his offense (a perfect time to introduce a friendly NPC like the hedge wizard above, or a member of some thieves guild, and also an opportunity to introduce a rival NPC who is always on the lookout for your character so he can exact some personal revenge). Maybe the character, later on in his life, decided to become a mercenary wizard, seeking out jobs from the undercity for basic, wizard/rogue things like using Mage Hand to nab the key to the bank safe from the mayor, or using Charm Person to convince the prison guard to let some prisoners off the hook. (Charm Person would be a must if one seeks to gain more power and social standing anyway.) Or maybe the character used Prestidigitation (complemented with ranks in Tumble?) to perform in poor taverns and such for some money, before considering becoming an adventurer. Maybe, if you have the PHBII yet, you could look at the Beguiler for some info on roleplaying a rogue-mage combo, or you may want to switch for a beguiler entirely (despite their non-wizard casting methods, which may conflict with your background). Just a few suggestions, do with them what you will.
Fithero 05-22-06, 08:42 AM	Chiers TheChilliGod, good, sound advice. I think i will stick with the whole self taught thing, since its so rarely seen amoung wizards. With that ill be able to throw in a couple of things such as. Fighter: "Dude... zombies! Fireball..now...helpfull!" Streetmage: "Right, im on it" *spell fizzels* Fighter: "What in the nine hells was that?" Streetmage: "Im still learning that one!! RUN!" Im thinking that ill roleplay him not knowing about spell failure chance, so he will walk around in light armor (since ill take rogue levels aswell.. or make him gestalt rogue/wizard) and his spells will just muck up every once in a while. He will think he just mucked it up and try even harder... untill somebody points it out. I like the idea of the mage hand to steal others spell component pouches... really suits him. Also, i think ill have him take that feat that lets you ignore spell components worth less than 1gp, to show that he has kinda been using little to no components for so long that he can do without a few of them. Any ideas on race? Im not to sure on gnome.. their always mage rogues... are their any lesser known races? Perhaps a goblin or kobold? Chiers for any help. Later
shift244 05-23-06, 02:14 AM	I see a human, not being a fan for "non-core" races in general. And yes, Eschew Materials would be a nice feat. Perhaps you might want to see about getting Arcane Trickster levels as well... seems to fit this character perfectly. Nice going!