Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Megrim_Lord 01-27-05, 07:18 PM	I've started my 1st FR campaign IRL, my PCs are brand new to the Realms, and after the first session it went quite well, however, in an attempt to help introduce my players to the Realms and provide a more roleplaying enriched atmosphere, I wanted to introduce a DMPC who is very Realmsy, with a really fleshed out background and lots of little quirks, mostly for RP purposes. I also wanted him to be a source of IC various odd bits of information. The last thing I wanted to incorporate in him was have him be a Spellfire Wielder, however I am rather unsure of what class I should have him be. I was picturing him as the quiet fanboyish type, so far my introduction for him includes him admitting he was stalking the party after leaping out of the woods and using his spellfire abilities to save one of their arses. The party is 1st level, and is fresh out of an academy, where they studied, becoming the top of their classes and this new character would have quietly worshipped the ground they walked on while he was taking private lessons on how to control his powers. I want him to take up a more supportive role in the party gamewise, so I dont detract from their successes, but at the same time I want him to be a really fleshed out, interesting character who is always fun to interact with. My PCs are currently as follows (role in parenthesis): Female Human Cleric of Oghma (Healer / Semi Tank) Male Human Rogue (Skill Monkey / Trap Disarmer) Female Ghostwise Halfling Druid (Healer) Male Half Drow Artificer (Skill Monkey / Blaster / Crafter) Female Human Wizard (Full Fledged Caster) Male Maenad Wilder (Tank / Psionic) Female Human Barbarian (Tank) Now, a few questions: 1. What race should he (the new DM/NPC) be or what would you suggest? I was thinking human, Gnome or dwarf 2. What Class? most of the stereotypical roles are taken twice over already, so I thought about either a Bard or Psion 3. Where should he come from? My ideas so far vary between Amn, Calimshan, and a Lantanese Fishmonger 4. What kinds of things can I do to give him that Realmsy feel? 5. Is there anything this party will ever concievably NEED that they dont have the ability to eventually acquire, based on their current lineup?
Draco Strang 01-27-05, 11:55 PM	In response to your questions: 1. Whatever race you think fits best. Humans and half-elves can pretty much go anywhere and fit in anywhere, as can halflings. This really depends on your class. I'd reccomment dwarf or human. I'll explain later. 2. You have no true fighter. Barbarian, sure, but he's really your only frontline character. I'd reccommend fighter, paladin, or ranger. Preferably fighter for the giant hit die, and loads of combat feats to make him a machine. 3. Again, whatever fits the background you want. From Alagaron to Menzoberranzan, what fits the story best is what you should do. 4. Have him take a regional feat, and only speak common and his regional languages. That'll show that he's "from somewhere". Also, he could very obviously dress like a character from that area, and suffer the prejudices/superstitions/local customs from there. 5. If you add in your fighter, you'll have all of your bases covered. You've got a healer, a rogue, a wizard, a psion (kinda neat) a barbarian tank, and another secondary character or two that fill nice niche roles. Pick that fighter up, and I think you'll have a party that can handle anything at anytime. Hope I helped some.
Julias_Redford 01-28-05, 03:25 AM	Half-Elf Bard (leaning more toward the elvish side) raised in Candle Keep would probably be ideal. Keeps things fun (because bards get into lots of trouble and they are very interesting) They have loads of information from candle keep, and being a bard he has a chance to know it anyway =) I have played a bard for a long time and have NPCed a few too so if you have any questions or want any pointers E-Mail me and I can try to help out =)
Alac Luin 01-28-05, 06:56 PM	Although another fighter would help this party, it's not great for a DMPC. The fighting would at least be on par with the other barbarian, and would over shadow the other PCs. A bard is an excellent Support character. Most of the time, stand back and sing. For that realmsy feel, look at Faeruns history and find battles and such and make up names or stuff. "Elric starts to sing a song about the heroics of Elvina, a female defender of Castle Grimstead during the battle with drow in 864 DR., although this was a disaster for Castle Grimstead, the parties morale increases." Have a history! Aglorond, moved to silverymoon, moved further west, met the party. Perhaps he was urged to leave Aglorond to get away from being close to Thay. Seems several members of the comunity were afrade that the spellfire would attract the red wizards. This also works well for a half elf. This bard could also like the idea of Oghma, and has become enamered by the female cleric, if this is romantic in nature is up for debate. Just some suggestions.
Megrim_Lord 01-28-05, 07:02 PM	Interesting ideas, I think I just might go with the bard, but one mechanical question I've been wondering about can a spellcaster with the ability to use spellfire absorb spells he casts on himself?
Alac Luin 01-28-05, 07:36 PM	Interesting ideas, I think I just might go with the bard, but one mechanical question I've been wondering about can a spellcaster with the ability to use spellfire absorb spells he casts on himself? By the RAW, no. to absorb the spell, you need to have a readied action. There have been a few people finding work arounds and house rules that change this (I just read a neet one on the Eberron boards of all places). When the search function comes back on line, do a quick search to see what others have said in this regards.
Megrim_Lord 02-02-05, 03:19 PM	Alright, after much consideration, here's what I came up with: Mourgram Uthelienn Male Human 1st Level Bardic Sage from Aglarond True Neutral I'm still fleshing out the history, but I went with the forced-to-flee-because-of-his-powers route and have him as sort of the laughingstock of the academy the PCs went to because he couldn't do much and wasn't very good at being a bard. However at the same time no one knew he was recieving secret lessons by the resident archmage on how to control his spellfire. Right now I have his introduction as him stumbling out of the woods and saving a party member from a potentially lethal spell. Currently I have a bigger issue though: my BBEG. My plot involves various things going on in the background that the PCs don't put together until later at higher levels. I plan on having the BBEG's main goal as unleashing a nearly uncontrollable diety of pure evil, born from the battles of Selune and Shar, long locked away by Ao and forgotten. I'm planning on introducing my BBEG as an 18th or 20th level character who quickly climbs to epic levels as he is furthering his evil goals right under the PC's noses. his first appearance will be brief and shocking, as I plan to have him save the PCs from certain death. The plot is not the issue though, it's what he should be I wanted him to be a charming, devonair, if not also a very dark and mysterious figure throughout the game, so I immediately thought Moon Elf, Human or Half Elf would be a good race. Then I wanted to establish a link between him and the ancient civilizations, so I immediately came up with the idea of him being a vampire lord, but I realized it would set him far too high on the ECL scale for him to accommodate what I wanted next; Ur priest levels and a moderate to good fighting capacity. I'm a bit stumped on him and any ideas or recommendations are appreciated
Megrim_Lord 02-07-05, 06:24 PM	bump
Alac Luin 02-07-05, 06:51 PM	There are many ways to go here. a Shade prince. A Red wizard... an associate of the one chasing your spellfire wielder. Or outcast red wizard, enemy of the red wizard chasing your spellfire wielder. A renegade Cleric of Kossuth? Found an old text describing an elder elemental god (then altering the "Return to the temple of elemental evil" to be run). A Nar Demon binder from ages past just returning from the Abyss, the altered flow of time in the planes insured he didn’t age much. For the “devonair” aspect I think that a Shade works out, possibly trying to bring a deity from the plane of shadow. Or even a calishite could work, attempting to bring back the genies, this doesn’t fit with “born from the battle between Selune/Shar” but is realmsy. I’d go with wizard before cleric, but that’s just my taste which can change depending on my mood.
Alac Luin 02-07-05, 06:57 PM	...have him as sort of the laughingstock of the academy the PCs went to because he couldn't do much and wasn't very good at being a bard. Hmm, puberty voice changeing? Now as the campain starts his voice has settled into a mellow Baratone? ;)
Megrim_Lord 02-08-05, 06:25 PM	Hmm, puberty voice changeing? Now as the campain starts his voice has settled into a mellow Baratone? ;) actually, he plays the Yarting, though now I see a legitimate reason he might not be able to sing... :D