Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 w0nkothesane Aug 06, 2009 19:11:05	Just looking to get some ideas and roleplaying tips on a character, and more specifically, background ideas and motivation for adventuring. My wife is playing the character, but being (relatively) new to D&D, on top of having a habit of locking up when she's put on the spot and asked to improvise, means that I'm helping her flesh her character out. The character started as a Gnome illusionist wizard, but we ran into some problems pretty early on due to bad roleplaying. The character turned out to be far too silly, and with no easy way to recover from the ridiculousness short of an overnight personality transplant, I sat out to come up with alternative explanations. My idea, which she has decided to use, is to alter the character to be a changeling, posing as a gnome. The changeling, as per the fluff section of their racial entry, has several personas, and lives in a given shape, under a given name, for months at a time, to blend in and avoid the suspicion that her heritage tends to arouse. She tries to balance out her moods and the trends of her life with personalities that are opposite those moods. This means that Fen, the bubbly, cheerful, absent-minded gnome is there to hide some brooding depression or a saddening recent event in the characters life. She's going to slowly hint at her character not actually being a Gnome through her actions and maybe momentary mood shifts back to her depressed self, until the party gets to a point where her changeling talents could save the party some grief in some way, and then make the big revelation. Throw some ideas at me about possible other personas for this character, backgrounds (she's preferably native to Sharn), the events that brought about her current sadness (and reactive bouncy persona), and motivation for adventuring.
#2 rekko Aug 06, 2009 20:19:26	Here a few ideas: The Last War: she lost contact with many of her friends and family, some have died, others travelled away, most are missing. She might have done espionnage, killed innocents unwillingly or has remorse, betray a friend, etc. The Mourning: Many have died, she ought to know someone. Maybe she knows something about what really happen, or a piece in the puzzle. Being a changeling: She has been oppressed, only for being a member of her race. Sharn: She worked for a criminal organization. Maybe she was one of those changeling hookers. She killed a noble to live her life in her place, but couldn't bear the burden anymore and fled. She's an illusion professor at Morgrave, but lost track of reality and nearly became mad. Reason for adventuring: She's so depressed that she needs to find her place in the world. She doesn't want to suicide, though she might have thought of it, but she wouldn't care risking her life in heroic deeds. Maybe adventuring will open her eyes on the good side of life and being her. She needs to get grounded in reality, what better way of doing so other than adventuring? She flees something and wants to gain contacts and new friends to help her against her enemy. Voilà! Rekko
#3 brandonstewart Oct 22, 2009 9:48:02	I thought changelings could only shapechange into there own size category. since a changeling is a medium character, it couldnt change into a gnome. Am I right?
#4 Gilo Oct 22, 2009 12:16:01	I thought changelings could only shapechange into there own size category. since a changeling is a medium character, it couldnt change into a gnome. Am I right?   You are right, unless you take the Facestealer PP (but that's not official WotC).
#5 Demetri_Knighthawk Oct 25, 2009 4:50:34	shifter illusionist evion.deviantart.com/art/Neph-the-Illusi... elf/halfelf/halfdrow illusionist nelesia.deviantart.com/art/The-Illusioni...