Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 jaappleton May 14, 2015 7:43:45	I apologize for this wall of text, I'm on a phone. This isn't about the mechanics of the class. I want to play a Rogue, but I wait to avoid the sneaky thief or Assassin tropes. I've a few ideas, and some backgrounds to link them to. But I was hoping to get a few more ideas, since none of mine are really 'grabbing' me. I've got the idea of being a knife thrower in the circus with the entertainer background, or retainer the soldier background. Any other ideas would be wonderful!
#2 Athanasi May 14, 2015 7:55:57	The circus idea is great. A soldier background gives a lot of potential avenues . . . You could have been some kind of advance scout, or perhaps a courier who worked in war zones, which would incorporate stealth and fighting ability from a  very different angle than the two tropes you're trying to avoid. The new Swashbuckler subclass for rogues would allow for a very different feel from both the thief and the assassin . . . You could run as a mercenary, a pirate, or even a young nobleman who's studied swordplay under a master. Lot's of potential options beyond the thief/assassin.
#3 Dougan_Axehammer May 14, 2015 9:38:42	Treasure hunter (ala Indiana Jones) Pirate Charismatic Fencer (the Swordsman kind) Spy
#4 HermanTheWize May 14, 2015 9:53:54	What is your characters name?   Edit: This is important info for me before I weigh in.
#5 Macv12 May 14, 2015 9:54:28	Pardon me while I get specific. Hopefully some element in these ideas will get the gears turning.   You were a pirate if some renown. You had a rivalry with a certain navy captain, who could never seem to catch you. Catch you he did, recently. You escaped the wreckage of your ship, allowing everyone to think you died - except your rival, who knows you can't be counted out until he has a body. You could leverage your reputation for support (maybe you're a Robin Hood symbol to common people), but you can't draw attention to yourself until you're better-established. You grew up learning to duel for money. You aren't a soldier; you never learned how to kill someone. You learned to draw first blood. You learned crowd-pleasing moves, like knife throws and rapier flourishes. And of course, turning a crowd to your side. You may not be an expert in deadly combat, but you've got a lot of combat experience nonetheless. You used your skills to hustle for a street gang, but when their activities turned more serious, you wanted out. Now you know their names, faces, and crimes, and they're not happy about you leaving. Your family sent you to a monestary when you were a child. You were trained to be one of the guardians of the monestary, while other members meditated in peace. You were trained to "forget your mind" when fighting, to watch opponents carefully, and strike the instant they made a mistake (as those without your level of discipline always do). You fight when necessary, accepting death as part of life, but detest suffering; every attack is carefully measured to end the fight immediately, not wear the opponent down. But you were merely a guardian, not an ascetic; you remain firmly rooted in the world, not buying into the pseudo-magical superstitions about fighting without armor or whatnot. You recently learned of scandal within your monestary, and were disillusioned by their hypocrisy. You set out on your own, hoping to learn more about the "real world," and spread the wisdom you gained. Your parents always wanted you to be a knight, but you were never interested. Armor was too stuffy, shields were clumsy, and the ceremonies were boring. While other trainees would focus on pointless repetitive drills, you abandoned all the heavy gear and had fun dodging their clumsy attacks. Your style was fluid, always reacting in the moment, not bound by a memorized list of attacks. You could even fight with tiny "backup" weapons, like daggers, and come out on top with your technique. You weren't popular with your teachers, but so what? You were better than all their students anyway. Eventually they kicked you out of the academy. "Lack of discipline" or whatever. Sore losers, more like. But you realized that you couldn't go back to your hopeful parents with nothing. Using your skills, you need to achieve something to prove yourself before you can show your face again.
(Reply to #4) Dougan_Axehammer	HermanTheWize wrote:
(Reply to #6) HermanTheWize	Dougan_Axehammer wrote:
#8 Bumpo May 14, 2015 11:36:09	Thief/soldier - supply clerk
#9 Nevvur May 14, 2015 12:38:36	A doctor whose knowledge of anatomy is what makes his attacks so deadly, and whose surgical skills translate well into other feats of manual dexterity.   A trouble shooter hired by nobles to test their security systems/guard rotations/etc.   A private investigator who sometimes needs to go places he's not supposed to go, to get the information he needs to get.
#10 HermanTheWize May 19, 2015 11:53:25	Jimmy was a simple boy, with a very simple set of skills. He couldn't do math, write , read or even speak. But he knew that one day, how ever long it took, he was gonna get good at throwning knives at people. He was gonna show being clumsy and uncordinated didn't mean he couldn't do it.  He started off by throwing his parents kitchen knives at barrels at the young age of 8. Unfortunatly one day while running with knives in his hands, he slipped, and so did his ability to move his left arm. A knife had penatrated his shoulder, severing the nerve that helps his brain control his arm. Never the less, he was still determined to throw knives, and good at that. By the time Jimmy was 18, he could throw knives at dart boards; and almost hit the board every 1 of 5 throws!  Unluckily while trying to impress a crowd, jimmy threw his knife in the air and attempted to catch it. He lost his pinky and thumb that night, but he still kept trying. Now that jimmy is the stout age of 38 and only has 3 fingers, he has actively got worse at throwing knives the last 20 years. He knows it's his time to start his adventuring life. You are Jimmy, "The Lame".     You may not do things good, but you're still Jimmy.     Woo...done and done. I know this is gonna be the Rogue backstory you choose so have fun and let me know how it goes. Peace!     Edit:   P.S. Your Welcome.
(Reply to #9) Athanasi	Nevvur wrote:
#12 Nevvur May 14, 2015 21:17:16	Wish I could say it was my own, but I heard it on a recent episode of Being Everything Else. Give them a listen, one of the best RPG web shows I've encountered.
#13 irongyrfalcon May 14, 2015 22:38:53	Corvo Attano was a bodyguard before he was an assassin. A counter assassin, a better assassin than other assassins.
#14 jaappleton May 15, 2015 6:26:09	Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions, I got a lot of inspiration! The doctor one reminds me a lot of Tesshu from Tenchu. But I still have one issue... I'm an Eladrin Rogue. I don't have a name. Suggestions?
#15 HermanTheWize May 15, 2015 6:32:26	No takers for Jimmy?
#16 SterlingRat May 15, 2015 7:22:07	Take a noble or charlatan background and play the Gentleman. Pick something odd and long (at least four sylables) with an obvious nickname, but correct anyone that tries to call you by a familiar version of your name because it lacks the proper dignity and respect. Oh... and don't pronounce it anything like how it's spelled.   Chrispanchiwani - but don't let anyone call you Chris or Crisp... tell them the Ch is silent.