What if... [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

What if... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Treetrip Danglefoot
03-14-05, 11:31 PM What would you do if your DM said at the beginning of a new campaign, "Make some characters." and that was it?

You could be any level, any class, set your own statistics and all that jazz. What would you do with your character?

Mainly I say this, because I've been thinking about doing this with one of our groups. I think it might shock some roleplaying into them. Right now, well, we're pretty treasure/kill focused. And if my chance at DMing comes up, I think this might be pretty fun.
JezzTheLame
03-14-05, 11:36 PM well, I know that at least half my group would make near if not epic characters. I'd probably make a wilder, i like psionics, and only around level 10 probably a bit lower. My DM's done this before, we get to make characters any level under 21, and it kinda makes sense for roleplaying, because what? All four or five characters are the exact same level, have killed the exact same number of monsters, and have the same number of experience points when they meet, I doubt it.
Gargs454
03-14-05, 11:41 PM Personally, I think that approach is more likely to yield min/max builds, but you of course know your group better than I. The one caveat of course is that you would have to require the players to create characters that are at least pretty close to the same level.

If what you are looking for is a unique way of inspiring roleplaying, perhaps you could start out by doing something along the lines of demanding a fairly detailed back story before they ever pick up the dice. You could even award them their ability scores (or simply let them pick them) after you are given the backstory so as to ensure that they can create the character that they envision.

As I said, you obviously know your group better than anyone here, but personally I think that if I was just told to "create a character" it would make it more likely that I would lean toward a power build as opposed to an RP build. Perhaps that is because I have always had a set Char Gen system in the campaigns I have been in, which required the character to be dependent on the rolls more, or perhaps it is just me. At any rate, I hope that whatever you choose to do works out well for you.
Mirikon
03-14-05, 11:48 PM I'd probably do something obscene like Medusa 10/Warlock 20/Blood Magus 10 or Great Wyrm Red Dragon Sorcerer 20 or Harpy 10/Siren 10/Sorcerer 6/Dragon Disciple 10.
Ouranos Harpy
03-14-05, 11:54 PM Oh Mirikon, I like your Harpy.

nothing really much to add, if I was given the freedom I'd make a lot of Air centered characters. Offcourse to me Air also includes weather, lightning and Sonic.
Harrow Blade
03-15-05, 04:47 AM To gove so much freedom would be exhilerting at first and then become increasingly difficult as the game began and then progressed. I would suggest a resonably high starting lvl (about 15th) but insist that all the charaters be monsters and have them try to gain acceptance from normal societies (human, elf, dwarf etc). I like Gargs454's idea of making the players write their back story before they role anything.
Saihtam
03-15-05, 09:02 AM There's only one possible solution here : make all characters halfling illusionists. Then randomly select one character : he has to take all his future levels in frenzied berzerker. :rant:
trappedslider
03-15-05, 10:25 AM two words : FLYING MONKEY
Arkonth
03-15-05, 08:34 PM If given free will, I'd make six characters, then do the whole multiple personality thing so I could realize all my current ideas.
Nuntius128
03-19-05, 01:24 PM Half-BlackDragon Akutsukai(OA) Ogre Mage Shaman(OA)/Sacred Fist

-Or-

Sanctified Blackstone Gigant. 'nuff said.
Nor'Morgwae
03-20-05, 02:52 AM I would make a Terrasque-Lich-Sorcerer20-Monk20 or maybe just play Vacna. When you say the character's can be anything, they usually grab for the stuff they will never get to use ever again. If you say "anything goes" expect everything to show up.

I like the suggestion of making the backstory first. When the stats come first the players tend to make the character, then come up with a back story. If they have the backstory first it is easier to build the character with story in mind (at least that is the way it works for me as a player.)
Otto the Bugbear
03-20-05, 07:23 AM If you do give them the freedom to make what they want just to teach them a lesson about roleplaying, there's one thing I'd highly recommend. Just because the characters are 20th level doesn't mean the adventures are.

Start those 20th level characters off with a few 1st level adventures. Maybe make the final fight agains 6 kobolds and 2 orcs. Scary :eek:. These yield no experience of course. If you do this, you need to RP to a tee during the whole thing, to give them the hint about what you're after. Also, don't cater to their expectations of a certain length of game time. If you figure that adventure will take 5 hours of gaming, and their superior powers have them solve it in 1 hour... thanks for coming, see you next time.

Just a random thought.

Cheers

Otto :)
TheMightyMcClaw
03-20-05, 09:52 AM I was offered this option for an All Flesh Must be Eaten game. The game had previously included a Space Marine, a Ninja, a Cowboy, and a video store clerk.
I wanted to make Mini-Whitebase. (for those of you who haven't seen Mobile Suit Gundam, Whitebase is the name of a ship). Just a horse-sized spaceship, cruising around and talking through a loudspeaker.
The ZM didn't really fly for it, though. I ended up making a Mexican street youth instead.
Evil O
03-20-05, 01:34 PM Ohhh, Cool....
I might choose my latest creation;
Stolic Stoneshield (yes, raised by Dwarves, see below) Gnome Druid, 10lvl., A lion as companion, a few other animals maybe, he is a bit of a drug user and creates his own drugs from the forrests and mountains he is in, he invented this drug; Tsne, along his Dwarven friend Khondar an Alcymist. It is a mix of 2 items one at a time it does nothing but boiled together and then dryed, it can make wonders to your wisdom!! (you gain 2d3 Wis for 2d6 hours, then you must rest for 2d4 hours, at least or suffer 2d6 Con loss and must then rest for one hour per Con lost!)
He is fond of the Mountains as well as the forrests, he uses and creates his drug at least once a week.
He's raised by Dwarves in Giant's Run Mountains, west of the Vilhorn Reach.
He is out to find his family which he knows little of, only that they lived south of the Giant's Run and he got lost from then when he was 7-8 or 9 years old.

During a simple transport of goods to Proskur, the caravan was forced to camp due to an oncoming storm and during the setup of vagons and gnomes he got lost and had to take shelter in a uninhabited bear cave. The storm kept on for two days and when he finally could come out he had no idea of where he was or how he could find his family again. So he started walking, after more than a few days he came upon 3 dwarves who ended up being his only family, thus his Dwarven surname Stoneshield.

This character might be the best I've done in a long time, so him I might take as my charater.
Have fun
Evil O
Dreaming Bard
03-20-05, 03:31 PM Me? I'd make a level zero human, teenger. And I'd suggest that you make your players do this. Why? Because when you have no crutch you have to roleplay. If you want to be a wizard, go out and do it. A fighter? Find someone to teach you. My DM did this and it taight me a lot about role-playing.
Chandaroon
03-21-05, 01:45 AM Gee which God or Avatar should I be????????

I personally would not want to play a game that starts out like that. So I guess it's a good thing that I wasn't asked to. I don't like starting higher than 5th level. If I want to play epic level characters I'll DM, which incidentally I do.

That's my take. :)
AllistairAldred
03-21-05, 04:02 AM This would probably be rather extreme, but see if you and your players can take some improv acting classes, or if your in high school, go to drama club for a few weeks. D&D is much like improv acting in a chair. Throw roleplaying challenges at your party. Make it so they arent always out for blood. Put them up against some encounter that give no treasure. A VoP monk. Make them roleplay someo f their skill checks, they want to make a diplomacy, have them tell you what they want to say, and then give them a circumstance modifier on their roll based on role-playing. Dont JUST punish them for not role-playing, award them for roleplaying well. and if you do experience by the book, award XP for roleplaying, as was suggested earlier. It might seem corny, but have them do focus excercises before every campaign. Also, TELL them they need to roleplay more, they wont take very kindly just to being plunged into a situation where its roleplay, or don't play, more often than not they will choose dont play.
I started out giving you two cents, and ended up giving you a dollar, but there it is.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Treetrip Danglefoot 03-14-05, 11:31 PM	What would you do if your DM said at the beginning of a new campaign, "Make some characters." and that was it? You could be any level, any class, set your own statistics and all that jazz. What would you do with your character? Mainly I say this, because I've been thinking about doing this with one of our groups. I think it might shock some roleplaying into them. Right now, well, we're pretty treasure/kill focused. And if my chance at DMing comes up, I think this might be pretty fun.
JezzTheLame 03-14-05, 11:36 PM	well, I know that at least half my group would make near if not epic characters. I'd probably make a wilder, i like psionics, and only around level 10 probably a bit lower. My DM's done this before, we get to make characters any level under 21, and it kinda makes sense for roleplaying, because what? All four or five characters are the exact same level, have killed the exact same number of monsters, and have the same number of experience points when they meet, I doubt it.
Gargs454 03-14-05, 11:41 PM	Personally, I think that approach is more likely to yield min/max builds, but you of course know your group better than I. The one caveat of course is that you would have to require the players to create characters that are at least pretty close to the same level. If what you are looking for is a unique way of inspiring roleplaying, perhaps you could start out by doing something along the lines of demanding a fairly detailed back story before they ever pick up the dice. You could even award them their ability scores (or simply let them pick them) after you are given the backstory so as to ensure that they can create the character that they envision. As I said, you obviously know your group better than anyone here, but personally I think that if I was just told to "create a character" it would make it more likely that I would lean toward a power build as opposed to an RP build. Perhaps that is because I have always had a set Char Gen system in the campaigns I have been in, which required the character to be dependent on the rolls more, or perhaps it is just me. At any rate, I hope that whatever you choose to do works out well for you.
Mirikon 03-14-05, 11:48 PM	I'd probably do something obscene like Medusa 10/Warlock 20/Blood Magus 10 or Great Wyrm Red Dragon Sorcerer 20 or Harpy 10/Siren 10/Sorcerer 6/Dragon Disciple 10.
Ouranos Harpy 03-14-05, 11:54 PM	Oh Mirikon, I like your Harpy. nothing really much to add, if I was given the freedom I'd make a lot of Air centered characters. Offcourse to me Air also includes weather, lightning and Sonic.
Harrow Blade 03-15-05, 04:47 AM	To gove so much freedom would be exhilerting at first and then become increasingly difficult as the game began and then progressed. I would suggest a resonably high starting lvl (about 15th) but insist that all the charaters be monsters and have them try to gain acceptance from normal societies (human, elf, dwarf etc). I like Gargs454's idea of making the players write their back story before they role anything.
Saihtam 03-15-05, 09:02 AM	There's only one possible solution here : make all characters halfling illusionists. Then randomly select one character : he has to take all his future levels in frenzied berzerker. :rant:
trappedslider 03-15-05, 10:25 AM	two words : FLYING MONKEY
Arkonth 03-15-05, 08:34 PM	If given free will, I'd make six characters, then do the whole multiple personality thing so I could realize all my current ideas.
Nuntius128 03-19-05, 01:24 PM	Half-BlackDragon Akutsukai(OA) Ogre Mage Shaman(OA)/Sacred Fist -Or- Sanctified Blackstone Gigant. 'nuff said.
Nor'Morgwae 03-20-05, 02:52 AM	I would make a Terrasque-Lich-Sorcerer20-Monk20 or maybe just play Vacna. When you say the character's can be anything, they usually grab for the stuff they will never get to use ever again. If you say "anything goes" expect everything to show up. I like the suggestion of making the backstory first. When the stats come first the players tend to make the character, then come up with a back story. If they have the backstory first it is easier to build the character with story in mind (at least that is the way it works for me as a player.)
Otto the Bugbear 03-20-05, 07:23 AM	If you do give them the freedom to make what they want just to teach them a lesson about roleplaying, there's one thing I'd highly recommend. Just because the characters are 20th level doesn't mean the adventures are. Start those 20th level characters off with a few 1st level adventures. Maybe make the final fight agains 6 kobolds and 2 orcs. Scary :eek:. These yield no experience of course. If you do this, you need to RP to a tee during the whole thing, to give them the hint about what you're after. Also, don't cater to their expectations of a certain length of game time. If you figure that adventure will take 5 hours of gaming, and their superior powers have them solve it in 1 hour... thanks for coming, see you next time. Just a random thought. Cheers Otto :)
TheMightyMcClaw 03-20-05, 09:52 AM	I was offered this option for an All Flesh Must be Eaten game. The game had previously included a Space Marine, a Ninja, a Cowboy, and a video store clerk. I wanted to make Mini-Whitebase. (for those of you who haven't seen Mobile Suit Gundam, Whitebase is the name of a ship). Just a horse-sized spaceship, cruising around and talking through a loudspeaker. The ZM didn't really fly for it, though. I ended up making a Mexican street youth instead.
Evil O 03-20-05, 01:34 PM	Ohhh, Cool.... I might choose my latest creation; Stolic Stoneshield (yes, raised by Dwarves, see below) Gnome Druid, 10lvl., A lion as companion, a few other animals maybe, he is a bit of a drug user and creates his own drugs from the forrests and mountains he is in, he invented this drug; Tsne, along his Dwarven friend Khondar an Alcymist. It is a mix of 2 items one at a time it does nothing but boiled together and then dryed, it can make wonders to your wisdom!! (you gain 2d3 Wis for 2d6 hours, then you must rest for 2d4 hours, at least or suffer 2d6 Con loss and must then rest for one hour per Con lost!) He is fond of the Mountains as well as the forrests, he uses and creates his drug at least once a week. He's raised by Dwarves in Giant's Run Mountains, west of the Vilhorn Reach. He is out to find his family which he knows little of, only that they lived south of the Giant's Run and he got lost from then when he was 7-8 or 9 years old. During a simple transport of goods to Proskur, the caravan was forced to camp due to an oncoming storm and during the setup of vagons and gnomes he got lost and had to take shelter in a uninhabited bear cave. The storm kept on for two days and when he finally could come out he had no idea of where he was or how he could find his family again. So he started walking, after more than a few days he came upon 3 dwarves who ended up being his only family, thus his Dwarven surname Stoneshield. This character might be the best I've done in a long time, so him I might take as my charater. Have fun Evil O
Dreaming Bard 03-20-05, 03:31 PM	Me? I'd make a level zero human, teenger. And I'd suggest that you make your players do this. Why? Because when you have no crutch you have to roleplay. If you want to be a wizard, go out and do it. A fighter? Find someone to teach you. My DM did this and it taight me a lot about role-playing.
Chandaroon 03-21-05, 01:45 AM	Gee which God or Avatar should I be???????? I personally would not want to play a game that starts out like that. So I guess it's a good thing that I wasn't asked to. I don't like starting higher than 5th level. If I want to play epic level characters I'll DM, which incidentally I do. That's my take. :)
AllistairAldred 03-21-05, 04:02 AM	This would probably be rather extreme, but see if you and your players can take some improv acting classes, or if your in high school, go to drama club for a few weeks. D&D is much like improv acting in a chair. Throw roleplaying challenges at your party. Make it so they arent always out for blood. Put them up against some encounter that give no treasure. A VoP monk. Make them roleplay someo f their skill checks, they want to make a diplomacy, have them tell you what they want to say, and then give them a circumstance modifier on their roll based on role-playing. Dont JUST punish them for not role-playing, award them for roleplaying well. and if you do experience by the book, award XP for roleplaying, as was suggested earlier. It might seem corny, but have them do focus excercises before every campaign. Also, TELL them they need to roleplay more, they wont take very kindly just to being plunged into a situation where its roleplay, or don't play, more often than not they will choose dont play. I started out giving you two cents, and ended up giving you a dollar, but there it is.