Iconic Eberron Anti-heroes [Archive] - Wizards Community

Iconic Eberron Anti-heroes [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Fabian
01-24-06, 10:22 PM Hey guys,

What are some iconic Eberron-flavored anti-heroes?

I'm thinking of joining an 'alternative' PBEM campaign (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=574050) where the DM has asked for:

Please take care in designing these PC’s I am looking for characters with unique traits and questionable mores. This is an alternative adventure scheme—involving the development of anti-heroes who are essentially outcasts from the world of Eberron. Any class and race is available to you so please be unconventional.

I think he means to come up with PCs that are not afraid to do 'evil' things as part of a greater good (perceived anyway). In normal games, the PCs may be tasked with rescuing a noble lady or finding out who killed an important Dragonmark House member. In this game, the PCs will be tasked with kidnapping the noble lady or killing the Dragonmark House member.

So we're looking for PCs that can be part of a 'no questions asked' style troubleshooting team.

What combination of character classes/races may be suitable? The game will start at 10th level so all of the prestige classes would be available. The more Eberron specific the suggestions the better.

ON a side note, has anyone ever played in this sort of 'alternative' campaign? Any lessons learned from the experience?

Thanks for your input!

Fabian
Troubled Past - An Eberron PBEM
http://www.geocities.com/cfbenave/Eberron/Eberron-Page2.htm
Wanna play? Email me.
Phantomcrossing
01-24-06, 10:35 PM Rouge Mastermaker, a prestige class for artificers and wizards that tranforms them into warforged.
Rechan
01-24-06, 10:42 PM The first thing that jumps to mind is a Kalasthar quori nightmare.
DarkWarriorKarg
01-25-06, 12:25 PM Outcasts?
Bone Knight/Blackguard
Just about any shifter-type
Any priest involving the Dark 6
True Necromancer (Mr. Recycle, not create zomebie army 'just because')
Assassin
Spymaster

Basically, anything not involving a true paladin.
No enough info on the basic plot is given. What's needed? Stealth? Muscle? Nuking? Zombie army creation?
Kinger
01-25-06, 01:26 PM If you don't mind the mechanical failings, consider taking a level or two of Paladin and break your vows (or say you've broken them), causing you to fall. Too zealous in your pursuit of evil, perhaps, or maybe you've come to the conclusion that the ends really do justify the means.

Then you can become a Blackguard at some point and have the means justify the ends. :)
Euangelion
01-25-06, 02:41 PM It's pretty cliche now, so in a sense I hate to bring it up, but there's always the over-zealous Flamite archtype.

Other possibilites include a barbarian sakah from the Demon Wastes, anything from Droaam, a member of that Dhakaani goblin assassin monastic tradition (too lazy to look it up right now), a Valenar elf with an particularly unsavory patron ancestor, an Aerenal elf who takes up with the BoV (along the lines of Demise from the ECS), a Seren from a clan that reveres a thoroughly evil dragon on a mission from his/her "god," and so on.

None of these necessitate that the character be totally evil, just that there's not much morally holding them back from doing just about anything.
trashdog
01-25-06, 04:23 PM One of my favorite characters that I'll never get to play is a LN/LEish Hobgoblin Hexblade. Essentially, he/she (never did settle on a gender) is born into a minor Dhakaani clan that were once a scholarly caste of star-gazers. They carefully watch the moons, constellations, and the dates of coterminus periods.

So, this one was born on a "ill-fated" day. And, either because he was truly cursed, or because of a twisted self-fullfilling prophecy, he becomes a Hexblade. Now an outcast, his all-consuming goal is prove his village wrong. He sets his sights high, very high. He will become the next Emperor of the Dhakaan. This could also work with a Warlock or Sorceror, or even a Favored Soul dedicated to Dhakaani ancestors, or even prophecy itself. Hope this helps you generate more ideas.

Have fun with your game.
Raziel_Brokodar
01-25-06, 07:37 PM One of my favorite characters that I'll never get to play is a LN/LEish Hobgoblin Hexblade. Essentially, he/she (never did settle on a gender) is born into a minor Dhakaani clan that were once a scholarly caste of star-gazers. They carefully watch the moons, constellations, and the dates of coterminus periods.

So, this one was born on a "ill-fated" day. And, either because he was truly cursed, or because of a twisted self-fullfilling prophecy, he becomes a Hexblade. Now an outcast, his all-consuming goal is prove his village wrong. He sets his sights high, very high. He will become the next Emperor of the Dhakaan. This could also work with a Warlock or Sorceror, or even a Favored Soul dedicated to Dhakaani ancestors, or even prophecy itself. Hope this helps you generate more ideas.

Have fun with your game.

Awesome character idea, I've never had a hexblade... :P
talion09
01-26-06, 12:29 PM Use either one of the Shadowbane PRCs in the Complete Adventurer if you want a really fanatic, over-zealous Paladin.

Or play a Cyran Avenger (5 Nations) out to take down anyone and everyone responsible (in any way) for the destruction of Cyre. Which is a pretty broad list, lol

Breland, Karnath & Thrane = Broke succession and initiated last war

Valenar & Darguun = Rebelled against lawful Cyran rule and "stole" land

Aundair = Shut down New Cyre at Thronehold Talks

Dragonmark Houses = To some degree aided all the above against Cyre.

Church of the Silver Flame & Soveriegn Host = Didn't argue to uphold the rightful succession of Galifar.

Zilargo = Ally of Breland and helped to develop those new elemental items that helped to ravage Cyran troops.

Lhazaar Pirates = Attacked Cyran shipping (when Cyre still had the Valenar-held coastal region this would of been an issue I think) and worked as Privateers for the other nations

If I was playing a Cyran Avenger, I could theoretically nail anyone on the Central or Eastern part of the continent and be able to justify it, at least in my own deranged head.

And as for the Western regions that weren't implicated, who likes Droam anyways, lol. And the Daelkyr, Quoir or Lords of Dust could all get on the hit list as potential targets due to the conspiracy theories about the Mourning. Which opens up the Demon Wastes, Shadow Marches, and Sarlona as regions to go hunting in.

So you can expand that kill zone to include everything but the Eldeen Reaches now, lol

---
So in short, playing a Cyran Avenger gives you plenty of opportunity to do "evil" things in the name of good, because in the end, pratically everyone screwed over Cyre during the Last War.
Flack Jack
01-26-06, 09:18 PM This isn't a whole character but rather a means of adding character to that character. Have a pc who uses a lot of blood spikes from MoE to enhance his physical abilities. Perhapse a monk like the end nemisis in that cool Thai boxing movie that came out recently. He used a lot off needles for immunity to pain.
rampant
01-27-06, 08:03 AM Warforged ranger/rogue/assasin from the last war

Raven is silent. Raven is fast. Raven is unseen. Raven finds the mark. Raven kills the mark. Raven is unseen. Raven is silent. Raven is... free?
Endless_Helix
01-28-06, 10:04 AM A warforged warlock who got caught in Metrol when the mourning happend, giving him his demonic abilities... he'll go more and more insane as he progresses...
BoneLord_of_Skullthrone
01-28-06, 04:23 PM A hobgoblin barbarian who grew up in lower Sharn. He learned the value of violence, and when he was too wanted by the guard in Sharn, he left to form a band of brigands. They were decimated by the Citadel, and only he escaped. He found a temple to Dol Dorn where a benevolent priest healed him. for the first time in his life, someone had showed him compasion, and the longer he stayed at the temple, the more he learned.

He threw away the mantle of the brigand, and took up the mantle of the cleric. But when enemies from his old life found him, they destroyed the temple and slaughtered the other clerics and monks. Once again, he was the only survivor of his people, and this time he felt the sting of guilt for an atrocity that he had no control over. In his grief and anger, he vowed before his god, Dol Dorn, that he wold avenge the temple and slay all who preyed on the innocent and the pious.

I have an NPC made for this guy (CR5), but I don't have time to copy it onto the forums right now. :cool:

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Fabian 01-24-06, 10:22 PM	Hey guys, What are some iconic Eberron-flavored anti-heroes? I'm thinking of joining an 'alternative' PBEM campaign (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=574050) where the DM has asked for: Please take care in designing these PC’s I am looking for characters with unique traits and questionable mores. This is an alternative adventure scheme—involving the development of anti-heroes who are essentially outcasts from the world of Eberron. Any class and race is available to you so please be unconventional. I think he means to come up with PCs that are not afraid to do 'evil' things as part of a greater good (perceived anyway). In normal games, the PCs may be tasked with rescuing a noble lady or finding out who killed an important Dragonmark House member. In this game, the PCs will be tasked with kidnapping the noble lady or killing the Dragonmark House member. So we're looking for PCs that can be part of a 'no questions asked' style troubleshooting team. What combination of character classes/races may be suitable? The game will start at 10th level so all of the prestige classes would be available. The more Eberron specific the suggestions the better. ON a side note, has anyone ever played in this sort of 'alternative' campaign? Any lessons learned from the experience? Thanks for your input! Fabian Troubled Past - An Eberron PBEM http://www.geocities.com/cfbenave/Eberron/Eberron-Page2.htm Wanna play? Email me.
Phantomcrossing 01-24-06, 10:35 PM	Rouge Mastermaker, a prestige class for artificers and wizards that tranforms them into warforged.
Rechan 01-24-06, 10:42 PM	The first thing that jumps to mind is a Kalasthar quori nightmare.
DarkWarriorKarg 01-25-06, 12:25 PM	Outcasts? Bone Knight/Blackguard Just about any shifter-type Any priest involving the Dark 6 True Necromancer (Mr. Recycle, not create zomebie army 'just because') Assassin Spymaster Basically, anything not involving a true paladin. No enough info on the basic plot is given. What's needed? Stealth? Muscle? Nuking? Zombie army creation?
Kinger 01-25-06, 01:26 PM	If you don't mind the mechanical failings, consider taking a level or two of Paladin and break your vows (or say you've broken them), causing you to fall. Too zealous in your pursuit of evil, perhaps, or maybe you've come to the conclusion that the ends really do justify the means. Then you can become a Blackguard at some point and have the means justify the ends. :)
Euangelion 01-25-06, 02:41 PM	It's pretty cliche now, so in a sense I hate to bring it up, but there's always the over-zealous Flamite archtype. Other possibilites include a barbarian sakah from the Demon Wastes, anything from Droaam, a member of that Dhakaani goblin assassin monastic tradition (too lazy to look it up right now), a Valenar elf with an particularly unsavory patron ancestor, an Aerenal elf who takes up with the BoV (along the lines of Demise from the ECS), a Seren from a clan that reveres a thoroughly evil dragon on a mission from his/her "god," and so on. None of these necessitate that the character be totally evil, just that there's not much morally holding them back from doing just about anything.
trashdog 01-25-06, 04:23 PM	One of my favorite characters that I'll never get to play is a LN/LEish Hobgoblin Hexblade. Essentially, he/she (never did settle on a gender) is born into a minor Dhakaani clan that were once a scholarly caste of star-gazers. They carefully watch the moons, constellations, and the dates of coterminus periods. So, this one was born on a "ill-fated" day. And, either because he was truly cursed, or because of a twisted self-fullfilling prophecy, he becomes a Hexblade. Now an outcast, his all-consuming goal is prove his village wrong. He sets his sights high, very high. He will become the next Emperor of the Dhakaan. This could also work with a Warlock or Sorceror, or even a Favored Soul dedicated to Dhakaani ancestors, or even prophecy itself. Hope this helps you generate more ideas. Have fun with your game.
Raziel_Brokodar 01-25-06, 07:37 PM	One of my favorite characters that I'll never get to play is a LN/LEish Hobgoblin Hexblade. Essentially, he/she (never did settle on a gender) is born into a minor Dhakaani clan that were once a scholarly caste of star-gazers. They carefully watch the moons, constellations, and the dates of coterminus periods. So, this one was born on a "ill-fated" day. And, either because he was truly cursed, or because of a twisted self-fullfilling prophecy, he becomes a Hexblade. Now an outcast, his all-consuming goal is prove his village wrong. He sets his sights high, very high. He will become the next Emperor of the Dhakaan. This could also work with a Warlock or Sorceror, or even a Favored Soul dedicated to Dhakaani ancestors, or even prophecy itself. Hope this helps you generate more ideas. Have fun with your game. Awesome character idea, I've never had a hexblade... :P
talion09 01-26-06, 12:29 PM	Use either one of the Shadowbane PRCs in the Complete Adventurer if you want a really fanatic, over-zealous Paladin. Or play a Cyran Avenger (5 Nations) out to take down anyone and everyone responsible (in any way) for the destruction of Cyre. Which is a pretty broad list, lol Breland, Karnath & Thrane = Broke succession and initiated last war Valenar & Darguun = Rebelled against lawful Cyran rule and "stole" land Aundair = Shut down New Cyre at Thronehold Talks Dragonmark Houses = To some degree aided all the above against Cyre. Church of the Silver Flame & Soveriegn Host = Didn't argue to uphold the rightful succession of Galifar. Zilargo = Ally of Breland and helped to develop those new elemental items that helped to ravage Cyran troops. Lhazaar Pirates = Attacked Cyran shipping (when Cyre still had the Valenar-held coastal region this would of been an issue I think) and worked as Privateers for the other nations If I was playing a Cyran Avenger, I could theoretically nail anyone on the Central or Eastern part of the continent and be able to justify it, at least in my own deranged head. And as for the Western regions that weren't implicated, who likes Droam anyways, lol. And the Daelkyr, Quoir or Lords of Dust could all get on the hit list as potential targets due to the conspiracy theories about the Mourning. Which opens up the Demon Wastes, Shadow Marches, and Sarlona as regions to go hunting in. So you can expand that kill zone to include everything but the Eldeen Reaches now, lol --- So in short, playing a Cyran Avenger gives you plenty of opportunity to do "evil" things in the name of good, because in the end, pratically everyone screwed over Cyre during the Last War.
Flack Jack 01-26-06, 09:18 PM	This isn't a whole character but rather a means of adding character to that character. Have a pc who uses a lot of blood spikes from MoE to enhance his physical abilities. Perhapse a monk like the end nemisis in that cool Thai boxing movie that came out recently. He used a lot off needles for immunity to pain.
rampant 01-27-06, 08:03 AM	Warforged ranger/rogue/assasin from the last war Raven is silent. Raven is fast. Raven is unseen. Raven finds the mark. Raven kills the mark. Raven is unseen. Raven is silent. Raven is... free?
Endless_Helix 01-28-06, 10:04 AM	A warforged warlock who got caught in Metrol when the mourning happend, giving him his demonic abilities... he'll go more and more insane as he progresses...
BoneLord_of_Skullthrone 01-28-06, 04:23 PM	A hobgoblin barbarian who grew up in lower Sharn. He learned the value of violence, and when he was too wanted by the guard in Sharn, he left to form a band of brigands. They were decimated by the Citadel, and only he escaped. He found a temple to Dol Dorn where a benevolent priest healed him. for the first time in his life, someone had showed him compasion, and the longer he stayed at the temple, the more he learned. He threw away the mantle of the brigand, and took up the mantle of the cleric. But when enemies from his old life found him, they destroyed the temple and slaughtered the other clerics and monks. Once again, he was the only survivor of his people, and this time he felt the sting of guilt for an atrocity that he had no control over. In his grief and anger, he vowed before his god, Dol Dorn, that he wold avenge the temple and slay all who preyed on the innocent and the pious. I have an NPC made for this guy (CR5), but I don't have time to copy it onto the forums right now. :cool: