Post/Author/DateTime	Post
magicbehere 08-19-04, 08:13 PM	Last week I started playing in a campaign, I premade my character and wrote their place ground as being a cultist of the Dragon Below in the Eldreen Reaches. Right now the party consists of 4 characters (3 PC 1 NPC) and may be gaining 1 or 2 more players. The only problem at the moment is the NPC druid and PC ranger are Gatekeepers!!! The druid character (not player) is already mad at me for killing the Goblin who lead us into the sewers in the forgottn forge with my magebred dog. You see I killed him because he was standing between me and one of the shifters, he got hit and ran away leaving it to hurt me, I had to use my last scroll of CLW (the other 2 I made I gave to the Ranger because he could cast them without needing to roll), we paided him enouph earlier to make 2 more scrolls so I wan'ted the money back. Since I had my dog attack him I was far away from the body and the druid took the money and threw it into a sewer hole. The party also doest like the fact I looted in the middle of that battle (what could I do, seriously, i could not get into a square from which to hit the remaining baddies anyway). The druid says they will not heal me anymore (i am assuming until I prove myself to them, btw they dont know my religion). I am at 6 HP (my total) and we just found the Fountian that has CLW water, I plan on putting one dose in my water skin (one has already been used by the ranger). If this character lives through this adventure at all what can I do to have the other characters like them more? Should I not bother trying and just be more freindly with the new players who join? If they die I think I'm going to try Gnome Artificer or a Warforged Fighter (or Samurai if the DM lets me).
Save_vs_DM 08-20-04, 01:17 AM	This is a sticky situation, but I have a few suggetions: -Sit down with the other players and the DM to discuss ways to more fully integrate your character. If possible the DM should mediate this talk. Avoid critism and blaming others, just ask for alternatives for what you did. -On the goblin and killing him - you do know that you can move through an allies square? If the goblin was fighting with you, he is considered an ally and you should have been able to moved through his square. -Looting in the middle of combat is a sure way to anger other players. I've found that if you have nothing you can do that it is far, far better to simply use the full defense action - you might not actually be doing anything, but it will help? -Do you have a ranged weapon or a reach weapon? Both of these will help you in situations where you are "stuck" in a square. You are proficient in longspear and crossbow as a cleric, both of which will help you greatly in such a situation again. If worst comes to worst, pick up some rocks and throw them at the enemy. -It sounds as if you are playing an evil character in a party of mostly good players. This will spell trouble, either in the short term or in the long term. Sooner or later the Ranger and Druid are both going to realize your religion and sparks are going to fly. I have two suggestions on this part. -Have your cleric undergo a religious epiphany. Have him convery to the Gatekeeper relgion. This will probably change the fundamental makeup of your character, but this can lead to good roleplaying opportunities. -Speak to your DM. Hand over your current character as to be used as an NPC. This way he still "stays in the game" but can be used as a villain, not a character. -I want to know where you go the money for a magebred dog at 1st level, as well as how you taught him the "attack" trick (which takes handle animal). In situations like this it is often simply easier and less of a hassle to create a new character that works well with a party. But again, talking with the other players and the DM will provide good results. Keep a level head and a polite manner and your fellow players and DM should have plenty of suggestions that are bound to be much better than mine. Hope it all works out, hope this helped a little bit, and happy gaming! Cheers, Save vs DM
magicbehere 08-20-04, 08:53 AM	The Character is an artificer not a cleric and a magebred guard dog doesn't cost so much that I could not afford one with my starting money and not have none left over, I cross-classsed into a few skills, including Handle Animal, Diplomacy, Bluff, Sence Motive and Knowledge Religion. I have a sling as a ranged weapon but the only remaining enemy was the War Forged, He was in the same square he started in and I was near the sewer jets, from the look of the minatures board I could not get a shot in. I'll talk to the DM about working my character into the party better, maybe even just makeing a new one with a better back ground. I will be a cleric with the Life and Charm or Shadow domains, take Spontanious Summoner from the Complete Divine (I think thats the book it is in) and then take Ashbound because the prequisite is not being a druid, its the ability to spontaniously cast summon nature's ally, exactly what Spontanious Summoner does. Also since I will not be a Druid I don't have to hold up being an Ashbound, I only picked that little trick up from them, I'm not a member (I don't loose the feat if I dont follow the code if I'm not a druid, if they evn do so).
MarkB 08-20-04, 09:27 AM	Originally posted by magicbehere I'll talk to the DM about working my character into the party better, maybe even just makeing a new one with a better back ground. I will be a cleric with the Life and Charm or Shadow domains, take Spontanious Summoner from the Complete Divine (I think thats the book it is in) and then take Ashbound because the prequisite is not being a druid, its the ability to spontaniously cast summon nature's ally, exactly what Spontanious Summoner does. Also since I will not be a Druid I don't have to hold up being an Ashbound, I only picked that little trick up from them, I'm not a member (I don't loose the feat if I dont follow the code if I'm not a druid, if they evn do so). The Ashbound feat sounds a little dodgy. I don't think you can get out of upholding the spirit of the feat that easily - if you stuck with the Ashbound long enough for them to start teaching you their special abilities, they'd have to have been pretty sure of you, so either you do share their beliefs, or you were able to successfully bluff them over a reasonably long period, which should, at the very least, be reflected in your skill choices (as a DM, I'd quite likely want you to roleplay it out to some extent, complete with Bluff checks).
magicbehere 08-20-04, 09:46 AM	Your right that is pritty cheap, I'll think of something better and less twinkish.
Gurv 08-20-04, 09:57 AM	My suggestion: build a character that fits the group. It may not be your fault, but it sounds like the party you and your friends have formed is...illogical. Realistically, the characters are natural enemies, and would be at each others throats sooner or later. If you play the kind of game where people hang out together because they're all PCs (metagame logic if there ever was any), then that would be fine. But it doesn't seem that this is exactly the case, since the others already hate you. I am currently working with my play group to eliminate this kind of problem. My hope is that players will build characters with similar goals, or get rid of characters who are holding them back, just as they would NPCs. In the long run, its more fun to have the group kill your 'bad character' and then join up with one that won't be a problem. Gurv "The greatest harm can result from the best of intentions." -Wizards Second Rule
Todd 08-20-04, 11:36 PM	I suggest reading THIS (http://www.giantitp.com/frm0007.html). About halfway down that page "Decide to React Differently" might give you some ideas.
cyberpunk 08-21-04, 03:11 AM	I know that in the game I'm playing in we had two evil characters(myself and a rogue) and a neutral who was gonna be evil if he kept it up. I was playing an intelligent evil character, as well as one with a high charisma, and I roleplayed her to such a way that though myself and the druid clashed no one else had a problem with her. The DM said that we saw a bunch of drow being chased by a dragon, and myself and the thief thought it would be a good idea to raid it's hoard while it was out. The ranger didn't think so, so I charmed him and after alot of sticky situations the three of us left with a load of treasure. One item in paticulare was an extremely powerful sword(122k gp market price intelligent dragon slaying sword). The only person who could weild it was me(it was NE and so was I and I had the closest ego to it). So me and the thief sold it and equipped ourselves, I bought an item for the druid(cause she was our healer and I needed her to heal me and the rate we were going I was not going to). The gm realised his faux pas and charged me double price for druid vestments and only allowed me a headband of int +2 and boots of levitate which killed my portion. The rogue on the other hand scored gloves of dex +6 and flaunted his new power. This enraged all the players and most wanted him out of the group, and two players still treat him badly though we both agreed to change our alignment and play with the party better, (though neither of us gave up our loot). We've only played one session of that campaign since then, but we play a second one( alternating months) and the players still treat him poorly. My point to this rant is: be very careful you could jepordize your enjoyment of the game as well as everyone else's by taking the route of evil in a good party, I would suggest either an epifany or new character. The point is for everyone to have fun and if your play may take away from other people's enjoyment be the bigger man and try something else.
cyberpunk 08-21-04, 03:23 AM	Todd, that was an excellent article, I may make it required reading for my group. I must say I agree totaly with nearly everything in that article