Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dirkk 06-08-05, 12:35 PM	We have wanted to try this for some time but usually we don't get there (damn you hormones!). We're both reasonably familiar with the rules but neither of us is really an expert. We both have DMed and played in a number of session though. I could use some help with it though....especially for ideas and opinions She made a character and shes quite unique (as it should be, we're talking eberron here!) Her name for now is Bruenne but is bound to change. Shes a level 1 minotaur druid. Inspired by the tauren in world of warcraft ofcourse. I wondered what effective level she is now? the 3.5 srd (only have the 3.0 books) says the minotaur as character has 6 monstrous humanoid levels? So if you add the druid level she has an effective level of 7? Or would i count it as a level 5 character because the minotaurs CR is 4 (+1CR for the druid level) Anyways its not that important, we're playing one on one here. whats her starting value of her equipment ?(she'll get this somewhere in the adventure, she starts with a huge club and a medium sling or something) I mean the level, you don't have to look the value for me in the dmg. What is her max rank for skills? i'd say 10? yeah i know these are questions for another forum but i would like to bunch them up here. Her racial choice puts her firmly in Droaam i thought and i suggested this to her and she was fine with it (she doesn't know eberron that well aside from the basic premises because we played some of the published wotc modules) Shes part of some minotaur clan but as a female druid with a foul temper and lots of strength (22) she has to live in a cave several miles away. She does all the rituals and healing and stuff for her tribe etc etc. Shes kind of solitary though so she will act alone probably. she wants to help others but her survival is the most important to her. I wonder what kind of grand adventure i would get her into? summer holiday is coming up so we'll have tons of time and playing one on one goes faster I think. I'd do something with the daughters of sora kell or maybe the orcs? gatekeepers? Maybe I could center the story around a magic item she gets at the start? I like the Flame alot too so maybe I can incorporate them somewhere? Probably as an enemy... Oh i don't have XPH btw so i don't want dreaming dark stuff etc although i really like the fluff around it. I might do that when i get the book eventually (I will) I don't want to get too dungeon heavy because i feel it isn't that fun one on one but i do want to include a good portion of fighting and conflict. Because we both like that. visiting tons of places and all that seems neat too. (i'm picking the things in eberron i like here) Droaam, eldeen reaches and shadow marches seem like good initial places to adventure but i don't see why she couldn't venture into more civilised lands (maybe she gets changed into a human? some kind of magic? she becomes famous?) So any ideas yet? I would love to hear your ideas! I'll post some more stuff later, its dinnertime.
Gurv 06-08-05, 12:52 PM	Actually, a PC minotaur with 6 racial HD and a level of druid is ECL 9. A minotaur has 6 HD and an LA of +2.Level Adjustment and Effective Character Level: To determine the effective character level (ECL) of a monster character, add its level adjustment to its racial Hit Dice and character class levels. Use ECL instead of character level to determine how many experience points a monster character needs to reach its next level. Also use ECL to determine starting wealth for a monster character. Monster characters treat skills mentioned in their monster entry as class skills. If a monster has 1 Hit Die or less, or if it is a template creature, it must start the game with one or more class levels, like a regular character. If a monster has 2 or more Hit Dice, it can start with no class levels (though it can gain them later). Even if the creature is of a kind that normally advances by Hit Dice rather than class levels a PC can gain class levels rather than Hit Dice. I don't see any reason that she shouldn't venture into civilized areas. She might be treated a little differently, and few things would be designed around her special needs, but I don't think the people of Eberron attack something without any cause. There is more national prejudice than racial predjudice.
Pallis 06-08-05, 01:24 PM	Another choice you could look at would be starting off in Sharn. Due to its cultural and ethnic mix a minotaur really would fit in really well; maybe the character's escaped from indentured servitude to the Daughters of Sora Kell, or perhaps she's on an undercover mission. There's certainly loads of potential hooks for getting such a PC into the city, and of course Sharn really does show off the real highlights (no pun intended) of Eberron. Whatever happens, and wherever you decide to place your game, I'm sure you'll both have a great time. Enjoy! :w00t:
FrznFury 06-08-05, 06:26 PM	I think that the Gatekeepers would be a great place to start, especially since you said her character was inspired by the Tauren (Gatekeepers are all orc.). Find some of the more twisted minds around here, they'll get you a great abberation-centered plotline. If you would like to run a DMPC, and you want to play a Warlock then this one (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=443454) needs no adapting. If you dont like the Warlock or don't have the book, then it can be adapted easily to any class you like. Have fun... Darn those raging hormones :D, they get in the way of everything.
KMFDM 06-09-05, 01:02 AM	If need be Dragonlance has a LA +0 minotaur in the Campaign Setting book. Medium sized thats pretty well balanced. I also love minotaurs and when theres low lvl campaigns reach for the DL minotaur. Im still trying to figure out a lower ECL centaur... its hard.
stembolt 06-09-05, 01:05 AM	Two suggestions: 1) Women, particularly ones in solo campaigns like adventures that have more to do with interactions than combat. So political or mystery or so forth. 2) Don’t play a minotaur. Use one of the standard races from the ECSB.
Setherial 06-09-05, 09:33 AM	2) Don’t play a minotaur. Use one of the standard races from the ECSB. Why ? Besides, playing the Eberron races might be unique to Eberron but so is playing a minotaur in civilized lands. The City of Towers novel had a minotaur living in sharn. I think playing a minotaur opens up some unique possebilities for adventure. And since it's a solo adventure the DM can really focus on the minotaur aspect.
stembolt 06-09-05, 09:43 AM	Unique in the sense of “for advanced players” (and DMs for that matter). This question is one of those catch 22s. Once you are experienced enough to do it, you don’t want to. Look at it this way, what does a minotaur offer that playing anything else does not? (also it is rough playing a creature with no rights in a world of rights. If the sharn guard came across her doing anything questionable they would kill her. She has in many ways less rights than a dog.)
Setherial 06-09-05, 10:37 AM	Unique in the sense of “for advanced players” (and DMs for that matter). This question is one of those catch 22s. Once you are experienced enough to do it, you don’t want to. Look at it this way, what does a minotaur offer that playing anything else does not? (also it is rough playing a creature with no rights in a world of rights. If the sharn guard came across her doing anything questionable they would kill her. She has in many ways less rights than a dog.) If she's working for one of the houses she has rights, if she is from a recognized country and not from Droaam as you presume she has rights, etc... Why does one need to be experienced to play a non human, newbies play dwarfs, gnomes, haflings, kalashtar, shifters, warforged... It's equally difficult to play those as it is a minotaur. In the end it's abou having fun. And if the awesome raw power of a minotaur, or the inspiration gained from warcraft help you have fun then go for it.
Dirkk 06-09-05, 10:52 AM	Why the minotaur? because its a cool visual. It has cool stats. She can start a reasonably high powerlevel without being a high level complicated char. Thats a big bonus for a one on one game. Well I probably need to say that my girl was an avid diablo II fan and she learned me to play it. She also played BG I & II, shes a HUGE fan of icewind dale I & we played icewind dale II in lan for the largest part with a 4 man party. She also likes Planescape: torment a lot but she never finished it so i guess that kinda shows the priorities. She likes finding cool magic items and bashing skulls just as much as you and me. So the emphasis would be on a cool but simple storyline revolving around her char. Personally i'm toying more and more with the gatekeepers idea. we just both played warcraft III and the orcs in eberron look alot like the orcs in warcraft so i might focus on that a little. I was thinking of letting her find a very powerfull magic item tied to a prophecy of some sort. The draconic prophecy seems to fit the bill but in this case an orc prophecy might be better. altho it could be "a" prophecy thats known by both the dragons and the orcs. I'm thinking of something with the planes. I really need to reread my ECS... I can't decide if I would set her up with the daughters of sora kell as patrons or as enemies? Any ideas?
talion09 06-09-05, 11:26 AM	... I can't decide if I would set her up with the daughters of sora kell as patrons or as enemies? Any ideas? They could be both. The daughters of Sora Kell have different agendas, and any of those plots could intersect with your main plot, convievably having the Daughters allied with you during one adventure, and then opposing you the next, due to how whatever the minotaur is doing affects their plans. For example, they could be allies/patrons if the minotaur helps to defeat a threat to Droam, but then a month later be enemies if the Minotaur decides to take some halfing gold to help the Boromars against Daask.
Sithis 06-09-05, 12:00 PM	What about an extraplanar/aberration threat to Droaam? Something subtle that has manipulated a Daughter or tribal group into serving it or its aims. This plays off both the Droaam idea and the Gatekeeper idea while also making the other intelligent species in the area both friend and foe. Maybe she needs to prove the influence or search the ruins of the empire for an artifact or information crucial to defeating the enemy (Daelkyr as the enemy would fit very well with this).
Dirkk 06-09-05, 12:00 PM	Ok so she lives somewhere in a cave in droaam. Now it was my idea to somehow get her to go to the Great crag (the capital of droaam) where she could seek adventures. She could be hired by the sisters or maybe go fighting in the giant arena, we'll see how the character develops (we're going to flesh out the character while playing) Now what reason could she have for abandoning her home? Shes an outsider in her clan but we've established that the character is a naturally solitary person. I think it would be neat if she would work for the sisters of sora kell. Maybe get her involved with house tharask or deneith or maybe even both. Clandestine help to Daask? the options are limitless. In time she could start working against the Sisters etc.
Dirkk 06-09-05, 12:03 PM	I like your idea Sithis, I'd think this would be a cool end plot though when she has some more levels and instead of threathening droaam make the daelkyr threathen khorvaire. I was typing the previous post while Sivis gave the idea, hence the double post...
stembolt 06-10-05, 12:38 AM	The explanation is very difficult. I liken it to a catch 22 because when you are wise enough to understand, you are also wise enough that it is not a problem. Monsters are tricky to play because they are, well monsters. Also they are difficult in the fact that they are limited in choice and inferior by design. My advice is to not play the minotaur. If you keep DMing in a few years you should understand why. In one scenario you took my advice in the other you didn’t. It is not really a waste of time, its not like you are playing white wolf or anything.
ussie 06-10-05, 01:23 AM	I had an idea that has been tossing around in my brain for a while and I figures that since my characters arnt gonna use it you might as well. It takes root with what else but a dusk hag, the dusk hag by some odd chance has a dream/vision of an elf and dragon duking it out with a silver orb floating between the two (in the vision the orb is the draconic prophecy or similar) the dream focuses to the orb which becomes an eye which becomes the eye of a minotaur. the hag decides that part of the draconic prophecy involves the minotaurs or they have some impact on it. This particular hag believes the prophecy to be the reason for the destruction of Cyre and decides that for the prophecy to prove false the destruction of the minotaurs is a must. your player character returns from a meditation retreat only to discover her tribe slaughtered. That is where the adventure begins, it will start of with a lil mystery clue finding, encounter some animals, vermin and jungle monsters. as the adventure progresses the PC will meet minions of the hag, more clues and eventually hopefully a great battle with the hag and her uber powerful consort guard, what have you. after avenging the death of her tribe your character realises she is without home and goes to sharn or something, if she discovers the motivations of the hag what does she do? was the hag not acting in the best interest (good of the many vs. good of the few) does your character develop a hatred for all prophacizing characters (i know i misspelled prophocizing)... what is her view of the prophecy, does she go to the dragon continent to learn more of this prophecy? its an idea.... IDEA 2 the evil demons plan an invastion, in order to do so, they use a bunch of hags and their minions to begin a war with the gatekeepers, your character is in the middle of this... the differnece is do u want to have an urban/rural mix or just rural, or continent spanning?
Dirkk 06-11-05, 03:15 AM	I was thinking rural. I want to add travelling but it doesn't necesarily have to be "continent spanning". Just khorvaire will do fine. Maybe xendrik or argonessen but that certainly wouldn't happen in the first few sessions. Damn she made her character sheet but i forgot it at her place :rolleyes: Anyway i've my driving examn on monday so i'll think of more stuff after that.
ussie 06-11-05, 03:43 AM	best of luck with your driving test. argonessen would fit in extremly well with a prophecy centric campaign as could xendrik
Pinky's brain 06-11-05, 04:11 AM	Why not let her play a Minotaur fighter/barbarian ... and leave the spellcasting to a cohort (a buffing artificer is good, a buffificer, wont steal her thunder). Otherwise you are really going to have to be carefull with your CRs ... a minotaur druid is a very weak combo.
Dirkk 06-14-05, 02:57 PM	I failed the driving test, have to go again 25th of july :( So anyway I don't care about the weak combo, its a one man party i can tailor the encounters as I wish. I think some kind of war between a cult of the dragon below and the gatekeepers would be cool. She can then even choose sides. She somehow gets mixed up in it. What would be the best place where she could live? Remember that her character is solitary so she could live anywhere in a remote rural place. I thought of Droaam first but now i realise that could limit my options...what about eldeen reaches/shadow marches?