Building a Napoleon figure [Archive] - Wizards Community

Building a Napoleon figure [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Michael Hopcroft
08-06-05, 09:26 PM I'm trying to figure out the best way to do up a character who would do for a D&D world what Napoleon Bonaprte did for Earth: shake things up so that, even when he fell, nothing would ever be the same again.

Napoleon was a brilliant general. he came into prominence when his country's revolution, whch had thrown out the established monarchy, was teetering on chaos. He came in, stabilzied his coutnry, and took on everyone who tried to knock him down in hopes of reestablishing the old rulers. For about twenty years he was successful at this until his own hubris caused him to overreach himself of the steppes of Russia and his empire collapsed around his feet.

If such a person were to appear in a D&D world, he raises several interesting questions. Like which side a group of PCs would be on in the struggle that he initiates. Will they fight against him, or serve him enthusasitically? what if the order he replaced was utterly corrupt, yet the PCs still owed loyalty to it?

Wo9uld a Napoleon in a world like Greyhawk or Eberron need to be a mage to succeed?
Deflare
08-07-05, 02:30 AM Hmm... Assuming the campaign world is set up as absolutely perfectly for someone like Napoleon as late 18th century France was, a Napoleon type character is very possible and would be an absolutely awesome centerpiece for a campaign.

Stats: Pretty obvious here- ungodly high Charisma and Intelligence. Low Wisdom, though- between his disastrous march on Russia and his attempts to defeat the near-invincible British fleet, I wouldn't call him particularly wise.

Napoleon would be a hard character to make or play (as a PC or an NPC), but the effort would be worth it.

Would the PCs be with him or against him? Probably with him- when Napoleon siezed power in 1801, it was from a weak, ineffectual 'republic' that had been letting blood run through the streets of Paris for 9 years. I think the players would much rather ally with a strong unifying force like Bonaparte than try to survive in the political chaos that was the First Republic. I would.

I can't speak for Greyhawk, but to achieve Napoleon's conquests in Eberron... I don't think that it'd make much of a difference what his own personal abilities were; if he could secure the support of the army, which would include a few units of mages, then he'd be set. He'd have to be in one of the most powerful and heavily populated nations, though. I don't remember what the political situation in Breeland is, but the material resources of that place- notably, Sharn- would be ideal for a campaign of conquest. The annoying thing about Eberron is that none of the nations have a single mighty city comparable to Paris- one of the things that allowed Napoleon to take control so easily.

In case you couldn't tell, I like Napoleonic history. :rolleyes:
Molu Kai
08-07-05, 02:43 AM For a great war leader, I would think the marshall (MHB) base class would be ideal and then Legendary Leader (HoB) as a PrC.

He would certainly need to have a high level spellcaster (probably a diviner) as a cohort or ally.
katarl
08-07-05, 08:23 AM Really, any great leader just needs ambition, political and military support and must be incredibly ruthless. Leadership is helpful, as is charisma, but power is the only thing you 'really' need. You don't have to be a mage, or have an uber-godly cha score to win a battle, just a big army, and a lot of cash.

There are many such people who have popped up in history that united their country and made huge reforms, not all of them as well-liked as Napoleon is. People like Stalin, or Hitler, regardless of their personal morality did unite and strengthen their respective countries. Although Hitler did have a fair amount of charisma, Stalin did not, and so achieved his post through ruthlessness, doing what other people didn't want to, and propaganda. Other big figures include Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Ghenghis Khan, and others.

To shake the world, you need to have a lot of money and/or a lot of support, be in a period of internal strife, and be willing to do anything.
Azual
08-07-05, 02:03 PM I would say that while Napoleon was a genius in his own right. His conqering of Europe was small tolk compared to Saladin the Wise's uniting of the Arab world. I mean this guy was able to conques Egypt, Baghdad, and every muslim land in between and win Jerulsalem AND defand it in the third crusade.
Thats good genralship :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Michael Hopcroft 08-06-05, 09:26 PM	I'm trying to figure out the best way to do up a character who would do for a D&D world what Napoleon Bonaprte did for Earth: shake things up so that, even when he fell, nothing would ever be the same again. Napoleon was a brilliant general. he came into prominence when his country's revolution, whch had thrown out the established monarchy, was teetering on chaos. He came in, stabilzied his coutnry, and took on everyone who tried to knock him down in hopes of reestablishing the old rulers. For about twenty years he was successful at this until his own hubris caused him to overreach himself of the steppes of Russia and his empire collapsed around his feet. If such a person were to appear in a D&D world, he raises several interesting questions. Like which side a group of PCs would be on in the struggle that he initiates. Will they fight against him, or serve him enthusasitically? what if the order he replaced was utterly corrupt, yet the PCs still owed loyalty to it? Wo9uld a Napoleon in a world like Greyhawk or Eberron need to be a mage to succeed?
Deflare 08-07-05, 02:30 AM	Hmm... Assuming the campaign world is set up as absolutely perfectly for someone like Napoleon as late 18th century France was, a Napoleon type character is very possible and would be an absolutely awesome centerpiece for a campaign. Stats: Pretty obvious here- ungodly high Charisma and Intelligence. Low Wisdom, though- between his disastrous march on Russia and his attempts to defeat the near-invincible British fleet, I wouldn't call him particularly wise. Napoleon would be a hard character to make or play (as a PC or an NPC), but the effort would be worth it. Would the PCs be with him or against him? Probably with him- when Napoleon siezed power in 1801, it was from a weak, ineffectual 'republic' that had been letting blood run through the streets of Paris for 9 years. I think the players would much rather ally with a strong unifying force like Bonaparte than try to survive in the political chaos that was the First Republic. I would. I can't speak for Greyhawk, but to achieve Napoleon's conquests in Eberron... I don't think that it'd make much of a difference what his own personal abilities were; if he could secure the support of the army, which would include a few units of mages, then he'd be set. He'd have to be in one of the most powerful and heavily populated nations, though. I don't remember what the political situation in Breeland is, but the material resources of that place- notably, Sharn- would be ideal for a campaign of conquest. The annoying thing about Eberron is that none of the nations have a single mighty city comparable to Paris- one of the things that allowed Napoleon to take control so easily. In case you couldn't tell, I like Napoleonic history. :rolleyes:
Molu Kai 08-07-05, 02:43 AM	For a great war leader, I would think the marshall (MHB) base class would be ideal and then Legendary Leader (HoB) as a PrC. He would certainly need to have a high level spellcaster (probably a diviner) as a cohort or ally.
katarl 08-07-05, 08:23 AM	Really, any great leader just needs ambition, political and military support and must be incredibly ruthless. Leadership is helpful, as is charisma, but power is the only thing you 'really' need. You don't have to be a mage, or have an uber-godly cha score to win a battle, just a big army, and a lot of cash. There are many such people who have popped up in history that united their country and made huge reforms, not all of them as well-liked as Napoleon is. People like Stalin, or Hitler, regardless of their personal morality did unite and strengthen their respective countries. Although Hitler did have a fair amount of charisma, Stalin did not, and so achieved his post through ruthlessness, doing what other people didn't want to, and propaganda. Other big figures include Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Ghenghis Khan, and others. To shake the world, you need to have a lot of money and/or a lot of support, be in a period of internal strife, and be willing to do anything.
Azual 08-07-05, 02:03 PM	I would say that while Napoleon was a genius in his own right. His conqering of Europe was small tolk compared to Saladin the Wise's uniting of the Arab world. I mean this guy was able to conques Egypt, Baghdad, and every muslim land in between and win Jerulsalem AND defand it in the third crusade. Thats good genralship :D