Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Strudel_Lumpycakes 11-04-07, 09:55 PM	Next week, I'm starting in a campaign where all the players will start off as commoners. This isn't our DM being an ass, as we all agreed to it, and our last all-commoner campaign was a lot of fun (if brief). So now I'm leafing through my 30 something splat books trying to come up with an interesting character concept. I'm not totally opposed to min/maxing a bit either (My last commoner dealt 1d8+2d6+3 assuming he attacked on the first round of combat at 3rd level). My current idea is to be human, take sacred vow, then vow of poverty, then use the extra exalted feat to grab vow of nonviolence, then the vow of peace once I hit 2nd. Normally I wouldn't go for the nonviolence vow, as it tends just to **** people off, but since we're commoners, we (hopefully) won't see much combat, or at least be actively seeking it out. Later I might try for holy radiance and stigma, so I can at least get as close to being a healer as any commoner can hope to be. I'm thinking he'll be a kind-hearted kind of guy, but often very sad at the suffering that goes on around him. He'll also worship Phieran, the Tortured God, who is a champion of the poor and anyone else that must endure hardship (BoED). My character will be into self-sacrifice and denial, hoping to live up to the suffering of his deity. This might have a darker side that leads into destructive habits, like self-mutilation (similar to Flagellant practices). Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated, either mechanically or character-wise. Even if it has nothing to do with the guy I described above, I'd like to here it. Thanks.
SarahLynne 11-04-07, 10:08 PM	How about a character based on St. Francis of Assisis, or a male version of Mother Theresa? Not all members of the clergy have cleric levels.
Sezarious 11-05-07, 08:50 AM	Mmmm... Sounds like a flavoursome campaign. NPC class begginings are the best!
lancean 11-05-07, 04:57 PM	One question... why play an all-commoner party if you're going to min/max it? Isn't the POINT of a group like that to avoid being powerful?
Strudel_Lumpycakes 11-05-07, 05:29 PM	One question... why play an all-commoner party if you're going to min/max it? Isn't the POINT of a group like that to avoid being powerful? I'm not trying to min/max, even if the exalted feats are pretty cheesy. It fits with the character concept, and I couldn't normally play this kind of character considering all the borderline murder typical adventurers get away with.
Sinis 11-05-07, 05:34 PM	The "Commoner campaigns" that I've heard of let players trade in their commoner levels for another class at level two or three, and had some feat changing mechanics as well. As for character concepts, do whatever you want, from farmer to blacksmith, to wanderer in search of a monastery. Just sort of lead it in to a real class, if you're ever permitted to play PC classes.
Kitep 11-06-07, 12:28 AM	My current idea is to be human, take sacred vow, then vow of poverty, then use the extra exalted feat to grab vow of nonviolence, then the vow of peace once I hit 2nd. Don't you get only 2 feats at 1st level, and then a 3rd feat at 3rd level? Sounds like you've got an excellent character concept for not pursuing PC classes. Have fun!
bloodtalon 11-06-07, 08:04 AM	with the vow of poverty you get a free feat but has to be an exalted one