alter ego [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

alter ego [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
tryco
06-22-07, 01:08 PM hi,

my player wants to have an alter ego for his character.
i find this a fun thing and it should encourage Roleplaying.

are there any special rules concerning alter egos? if not, could anybody make some up. i was thinking of diffrent feats and such.

thanks
t.
BattleofEvermore
06-22-07, 01:14 PM have it so that he's bassically playing two different characters. They of course will have the same ability scores and race but they will have a different class, feats and skills. Make sure his change from ego to ego his random or else he become over powered. Example one egos a wizard and anothers a fighter so he's castingg spells in a fight but then an enemy gets to close so he decides to "switch" to his fighter ego and slays the enemy. Have him flip a coin (1d2) at the beginning of every day. If it's heads he's one ego if it's tails he's another
Prince_of_Parkness
06-22-07, 01:55 PM In an older version of D&D there was a list of insanity types, and they stressed that it should not change the abilities of a character, but with magic you could make it happen. One would be to make the characters alighment change from good to evil, change their fighting style (ranged vs melee). The older version said that the chance of changing was 1:6 per day, but in stressful situation it changes to 1:6 per round
Anathema
06-22-07, 02:19 PM What kind of alter-ego do you mean?

Are we talking a Peter Parker/Spider-man type alter ego, or a Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde type alter ego?

In the first case, he's going to have to have different clothing for both. I'd recommend liberal usage of the disguise skill and similar magics. This would be almost pure roleplaying on his part, so just leave it to him to develop the different personalities and when to use them.

In the latter, I would recommend using a high-ego intelligent item with a differing alignment (nothing drastic, maybe one step away only). This would provide an avenue for a more uncontrolled change in attitude.

Good luck!
StoneStokes
06-22-07, 06:33 PM If you are talking about alter egos that he has only limited control over, check out the Control Shape skill on pg. 303 of the MM. Also check out the entry for lycanthrope. I think this might get you started.
Mr_Noble
06-22-07, 08:04 PM Check out the Mountebank prestige class in the Players Handbook II. Alter ego is a class ability. It's quite interesting.
tryco
06-24-07, 04:09 AM as i asked further my player wanted something like Gollem-Smeagul (LOTR). only the friendly friend version. like the same character talking to itsself, changing personalities every so often.

how should i rule this.

Check out the Mountebank prestige class in the Players Handbook II. Alter ego is a class ability. It's quite interesting.

i looked, but cant find it in the PHII. could you give the page number.
†Aeolus†
06-24-07, 04:34 AM Usually, the ego of an insane changes within a stress-situation (and is therefore uncontrolable). The situation and the alter ego depends on the thraumatic situation that caused the character to create an alter ego within himself.

For example, a victim of harsh and thraumatic sexual offenses sometimes "create" a "strong" "macho" type of person, to avoid being the victim. While being that person, he/she could draw the knowledge of things, he/she doesn't know otherwise from his/her subconsciousness (for example martial arts skills, as seen on TV or something). Victims of this alienism usually don't know about the "other one".

However, Gollum is (IIRC) not the typical split personality victim. This sort of problem is best solved through RP. Really, there's nothing that changes beside the view on certain things, and the personality and/or alingment (maybe some knowledge skills differ, but all in all it's not that much of a change). Also, Gollum is aware of his two sides (since he argues with himself).
OM_The_Tortoise
06-24-07, 04:46 AM Like the last poster said, the Gollum case is something that would probably best be solved by roleplaying, and not much mechanics are needed.
However, if you want to have a look at an already built class with an alter-ego, try having a look at this:
http://www.giantitp.com/Func0007.html
It might give you some ideas.
Mr_Noble
06-25-07, 06:04 AM i looked, but cant find it in the PHII. could you give the page number.

Blast.Stupid me it's in Complete Scoundrel.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
tryco 06-22-07, 01:08 PM	hi, my player wants to have an alter ego for his character. i find this a fun thing and it should encourage Roleplaying. are there any special rules concerning alter egos? if not, could anybody make some up. i was thinking of diffrent feats and such. thanks t.
BattleofEvermore 06-22-07, 01:14 PM	have it so that he's bassically playing two different characters. They of course will have the same ability scores and race but they will have a different class, feats and skills. Make sure his change from ego to ego his random or else he become over powered. Example one egos a wizard and anothers a fighter so he's castingg spells in a fight but then an enemy gets to close so he decides to "switch" to his fighter ego and slays the enemy. Have him flip a coin (1d2) at the beginning of every day. If it's heads he's one ego if it's tails he's another
Prince_of_Parkness 06-22-07, 01:55 PM	In an older version of D&D there was a list of insanity types, and they stressed that it should not change the abilities of a character, but with magic you could make it happen. One would be to make the characters alighment change from good to evil, change their fighting style (ranged vs melee). The older version said that the chance of changing was 1:6 per day, but in stressful situation it changes to 1:6 per round
Anathema 06-22-07, 02:19 PM	What kind of alter-ego do you mean? Are we talking a Peter Parker/Spider-man type alter ego, or a Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde type alter ego? In the first case, he's going to have to have different clothing for both. I'd recommend liberal usage of the disguise skill and similar magics. This would be almost pure roleplaying on his part, so just leave it to him to develop the different personalities and when to use them. In the latter, I would recommend using a high-ego intelligent item with a differing alignment (nothing drastic, maybe one step away only). This would provide an avenue for a more uncontrolled change in attitude. Good luck!
StoneStokes 06-22-07, 06:33 PM	If you are talking about alter egos that he has only limited control over, check out the Control Shape skill on pg. 303 of the MM. Also check out the entry for lycanthrope. I think this might get you started.
Mr_Noble 06-22-07, 08:04 PM	Check out the Mountebank prestige class in the Players Handbook II. Alter ego is a class ability. It's quite interesting.
tryco 06-24-07, 04:09 AM	as i asked further my player wanted something like Gollem-Smeagul (LOTR). only the friendly friend version. like the same character talking to itsself, changing personalities every so often. how should i rule this. Check out the Mountebank prestige class in the Players Handbook II. Alter ego is a class ability. It's quite interesting. i looked, but cant find it in the PHII. could you give the page number.
†Aeolus† 06-24-07, 04:34 AM	Usually, the ego of an insane changes within a stress-situation (and is therefore uncontrolable). The situation and the alter ego depends on the thraumatic situation that caused the character to create an alter ego within himself. For example, a victim of harsh and thraumatic sexual offenses sometimes "create" a "strong" "macho" type of person, to avoid being the victim. While being that person, he/she could draw the knowledge of things, he/she doesn't know otherwise from his/her subconsciousness (for example martial arts skills, as seen on TV or something). Victims of this alienism usually don't know about the "other one". However, Gollum is (IIRC) not the typical split personality victim. This sort of problem is best solved through RP. Really, there's nothing that changes beside the view on certain things, and the personality and/or alingment (maybe some knowledge skills differ, but all in all it's not that much of a change). Also, Gollum is aware of his two sides (since he argues with himself).
OM_The_Tortoise 06-24-07, 04:46 AM	Like the last poster said, the Gollum case is something that would probably best be solved by roleplaying, and not much mechanics are needed. However, if you want to have a look at an already built class with an alter-ego, try having a look at this: http://www.giantitp.com/Func0007.html It might give you some ideas.
Mr_Noble 06-25-07, 06:04 AM	i looked, but cant find it in the PHII. could you give the page number. Blast.Stupid me it's in Complete Scoundrel.