What your favorite character personalitie???
Other examples include half-orcs or monstrous races, not quite sure what to make of cities and political conflict, but generally agreeable. It's fun to play these characters as unsure, but willing to try. Every conflict can be a source of laughter, whether or not it lands the party in jail. They know basics, like killing is wrong, but they may not grasp the fact that public nudity is frowned upon.
The reverse is a very civilized person in the middle of a tribe trying to learn. It all makes for good fun, and fond memories at the table.
Clerics, Druids, and other divine casters tend to be my most played classes
In real life I'm a skeptical agnostic who doesn't have much faith and have deep seated trust issues... so playing a genuine believer is 'off type' if you know me. I guess I just like exploring a different world view.
"But you're a necromancer/warlock..."
"A lawful good necromancer/warlock that wears all black and saves kittens."
*Head xplodies*
My level 9 LN Monk, Rev. He is a major jerk to people, but always makes amends. Best example of this, we had a dwarf fighter in the group who randomly decided to go to sleep in the middle of the Temple of Eternity. We had just found some random acid kicking around, so I coated the bottom of his backpack with the acid. This caused a delayed burn and just after we passed through a Drow city, his backpack fell apart. I made up for the destruction by giving him the gold to buy a new pack.
(Remember, we're outside a Drow city and he's a LG Dwarf)
My level 4 N autistic Wizard, Abel (nicknamed Doom'n'Gloom). He's a really fun character to play with, because he's not mentally there. He doesn't learn/memorize spells the normal way, they just kind of "happen". He's also slightly empathic, picking up on ideas/thoughts/emotions from those around him. Casting is a lot of fun, because I have to roll a perception/empath check and if it beats X DC, he picks up an idea from someone nearby (either PC or bad guy) and then casts a "flashy hand" (as he calls them), a random spell that is similar to the thought/idea that he picked up.
My favorite moment with him was the party facing off with the big bad guy, who was thinking about blowing up the party. I rolled a empath check of like 27 and picked up on this thought. Suddenly, "I got fireball. Yay!" and fireball went off in the square next to me, hitting the entire party.
i'm having a blast with my 3rd ed warlock Shump... who's a bit crazy, lots paranoid, and just generally a manic nutjob the party lets loose every now and then who has a pet monkey and a twitchy eye. we had an enjoyable session yesterday when Shump (who looks like a hobo/vagrant) was attacked by a gargoyle. not one for melee combat, i didn't really know what to do... until i noticed that all this time (hidden away between 2 weapon entries) the bindle that was carrying his sac was actually a +1 club. so the big, angry, vicious looking 200-300 lb stone gargoyle was being fought back by a shaggy hobo and his pet monkey. using a stick. doesn't get more classic D&DWTFBBQ then that. Shump is an odd one as the character was originally intended as a joke. i never really expected him to survive from level 1-8...
my Basic/1st ed fighter Edward was a "thinking man's fighter". while he disliked being the one in command, he was intelligent and charismatic enough to rally the party if really needed to. he's the "i've seen this before a hundred times, hold on while i use these 3 generally mundane items to McGuyver our way to safety. now leave me alone, danggummit!" the only PC to have a small, reflective hand mirror on hand when we faced a medusa... and the crowbar needed to make sure she was gone for good. he's currently trapped in Barovia, staring at a certain castle... ah Edward :D . most of my fightery types tend to be variants on this, usually a little bit more vicious or cautious, as it's the type i'm more familiar with.
last monday, my other group (purely 3.x) started a game in case our normal saturday one has to be postponed. a LN dwarven cleric of moradin, focused on healing and buffing... the "creation and protection" side of moradin, and a very religious man. which is totally against my normal playstyle (which is usually very offensive, while Dolph is a very reactive PC). at 160-ish he's more a kindly father figure for the excitable young'uns that are new to the "adventurer" career and is honestly worried that they will kill themselves. he's got some experience as an adventurer and the party jokes about his "over-preparedness", due to him having almost 100lbs of stuff in (and on, and around, and hanging from) his backpack. i'm actually really enjoying playing the older dwarf, who was originally created as our party lacks a more dedicated healer (we do have another cleric and a druid, but both are more combat oriented)
I prefer Wizards, Clerics w/ the Knowledge Domain, and any other character concept that employs high ranks in the knowledge skills. Naturally, I prefer a high level of tactical thinking, cunning strategy, and powerful magic.
My two favored monster races are Mind Flayers and Minotaurs, for their Mastermind Perspective and Natural Cunning ability, respectively.
The type of knowledge isn't so important (nature, religion, academics, etc...), just so long as my character achieves dominance through mental faculty. (And it is very entertaining to watch people cringe when they realize they've been outsmarted & outflanked by a Minotaur.
Right Makes Might
One of my real life favorite quotes comes from Abraham Lincoln:
"Having conviction that right makes might, let us each in this conviction dare to do our duty, as best we understand it." (disclaimer: that may not be verbatim)
Clerics & Paladins appeal to me b/c of their adherence to a set of internalized standards, even at the cost of personal convenience or safety. It is my definition of heroism.
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In real life, I adhere to the idea that permanent, worthwhile changes require people to act under the guidance of strong convictions, tempered by carefully gleaned information. So, in other words, I role play people similar to myself, but with the ability to call down fire from heaven if the situation warrants.
Oh... and I like characters w/ fly speeds...
The other big thing I like to do with my characters is to have them possess some specific social status, where they may have superiors and/or subordinates. I enjoy playing with the tension of having my character balance his own goals with those of his boss or lord or whatever, and it creates fun roleplaying situations and at the same time gives my GM a free hook to get my character involved in a plot. Even better is when the GM is devious enough to give the superior some reason to keep his real goal secret from my character; the tension of deciding what to do when my PC finds out about it is the drama that a good RPG is made of. Yeah, I'm an intrigue addict. I do the same stuff in the games I run.
Being the actual leader of a group? Wouldn't work.
I get too caught up in my own agendas and end up throwing the GM curveball upon curveball, until the campaign disintegrates.
No, I like being the guy whispering advice into the ears of our leader, making the party stick together by subtle manipulation and keeping them strong (buffed or healed) in combat, while being able to hang back, contributing less than the rest of the party over-all, but making sure that what help I give is worth invaluably more.
Badass/tricksters are fun too. My current character, Valimar Mordis (Human Infernal Warlock), was heavily influenced by Dante from DMC. He's not a ripoff, like oddball, but I took a few traits from the character and added it to mine.
I'm in love with the new bard. Really, I've served my wife divorce papers to marry the DDI write up.
Low Intelligence and High Wisdom. Always talking in third person and just not that bright. Though she's aware of every situation and that some things just won't work out.
"Serrana thinks this is a bad idea." - Serrana, Ranger/Psychic Warrior
Brash confidant but afraid to lead. Always ready to jump into the action and save the girl. Though he's afraid to lead those he knows to battle.
"Stay back, I'll hold them off." - Roh, Psychic Warrior
In the past I've had a lot of fun with..
a crazy, klepto, assassin-rogue.
a broody, elf-hating, human bear-warrior.
a defensive but cunning elf rogue without his memories.
a mute cleric, in a random far flung future game.
a quick witted, sharp-eyed elven ranger.
In general I like characters that can take care of themselves and are fairly hard to kill. I enjoy monks, rangers, rogues mostly, with a nice elf, halfling or human as the race.
Usually I go for the high Int, low Wis rogue. Great at figuring out plans to do all sorts of daring things, but never realises that even though he can do it, jumping on the back of a dragon and yelling 'giddie-up' may not be a good idea.
The carefree Elf Ranger.
And my current favorite - Drow Cleric of Corellon.
Then there is his alter ego, the "Skull-Faced Man". Basically, when he it's time to kick some serious ass, my character puts on a skull mask, a tatered cloak, and fakes a raspy voice. When in the persona of the skull-faced man, he is incredibly stealthy, violent, and prefers intimidate over bluff. Basically, he becomes like batman or rorschach (from watchmen).
Mysterious past, trying to start over character: Sullen, reserved, and with a lot of skeletons to hide.
Enemy Agent/Potential Traitor: Not being certain which side your own to start and finding you like the money more than either.
"Hero": Arrogant, Brash, Vain, Proud, and willing to take stupid risks to prove how powerful he/she is. These are just the best to play in an over-the-top game like D&D.
Madman/Monster: Everything from a psychotic assassin who enjoys seeing life end for the love of destruction to a chaotic beast with malign plans for the destruction of the universe in his sights. These are some of the more difficult to play within a party but can be quite fun with the right attitude.
Saint: Someone who exemplifies all the best qualities of goodness. I mix it up between neutral and lawful good but either way I try to play the most compassionate and caring person I can without being too much of a wuss. The challenge is not sounding sarcastic.
Scientist: Thinker, researcher, and usually out of touch with reality. These characters can be fun merely by merit of a strange outlook.
Looks like I have a lot of things that are my favorite.
quick/impulsive, perceptive/paranoid, courageous/reckless, loyal/prideful, loving/vengeful, protective/vicious, plain-spoken/abrasive, independent/feral, practical/greedy, tough/callous, passionate/spiteful ...
Also, complex characters with inner conflicts. Always great. No matter what shade. As long as they're not over-dramatic.
Example: my new character Gabit Fleer (I am trying to have a slightly silly last name, yes. Used to be Flimmib). 4th Edition, mind you. He is a "Range" Ranger who uses two whips (I picked range because he doesn't need Toughness nor the benefit of wielding one-handed weapons like off-hand weapons, but Defensive Mobility's pretty good). His character accidentally became established as a bit of a coward and jerk. He was a farmboy (with farm strenght, not much else for him) that ran away from home, and found a Ranger group to train with. He learned to use double whips, and on the day of the team's attacking an orc tribe, Gabit screwed up, ran away in fear, and got everyone killed. Now he lives in the haunt of deaths of his Ranger clan and how he has left his parents without any word. But he just loves adventuring and fighting beasts so much.
That's my ka-raaaaazy character. That's conflict right there. That's what I like.
Absent-minded professor. Wizard, leader, or even rogue (or mad scientist in the right game), the guy who thinks about everything and is more interested in lore than action - or even survival. He doesn't suck in a fight, but it's not his focus.
Blathering con man. Pretends to know more and be more competent than he is - and he may be very good at what he does. It's just that he spouts so much, and tries so much, that no one can tell (maybe not even himself!) how much is garbage and how much is valid. His constant stream of truths, half-truths, outright lies, and utter claptrap can get the party out of trouble, or into it. Can be combined with either of the above two to make interesting variations.
Oddballs are fun to play. One of my favorite characters was Oddball (based off of Oddball out of Kelly's Heroes)
"It's a beautiful bridge, and it's gonna be there." Did you have a cohort named Moriarty who always kept up with the negative waves?
As for me ... I like "baa-lamb" characters. Like Tyrone Power's character in the 1940 The Mark of Zorro ... the kind of guy who'll just be sort of sitting there while a fight is going on, then, when the enemy leader is about to cleave the party leader in two, trip him, and smile disparagingly and shrug. They make very good jerk characters.
The gruff tough as nails Dwarf who is a real softy on the inside and cries when a love song is played beautifully by a good female singer, who rescues cats from trees for kids but will pick a fight in a tavern if a person looks at him the wrong way. usually with a Scottish accent.
The paragon of virtue Lawful-Good Paladin (think Galahad) who drives the rest of the party nuts with his bad singing of holy songs when he fights. usually played with a French accent.
The Bard (rogue class- no magic but expanded thief skills) that is charming and fun loving and sees life as a big joke being played on him by the Gods. I never found a good accent to do for him.
I once played a Cleric who would ask for forgiveness over the dead body of the creatures he slew, but somehow Clerics never captured my imagination.
The grim Paladin.
The cheerful, if mean, sorcerer.
Those are the basis for my male characters.
My female ones... are a bit nicer.
Usually arcane types, though.
I usually tend to play my characters as over-kind as well. I like being the nice guy (because generally the people I play with make their characters cynical or nihilistic.)
I heart Paladins.
Also, playing arrogant characters. People who are absolutely convinced that with their abilities they can overcome anything, even when they can't. It definitely creates a lot of love and hate within the party. They're the guys that will lead the charge without question. At the same time, they take some convincing to not fight on when the situation is hopeless. They'll save you and damn you, maybe all in the same day.
I also like the one who isn't going to take any BS from anyone. A good moment for that is while I was playing a Duskblade, after a particularly tough fight we were all searching the various bodies and trying to heal when a kobold shows up, screaming, "The Master will punish you, the Master will punish you!" and screaming it over and over. He didn't even get the second 'the Master' out before I cut in, saying, "Kelgore's Fire Bolt," and throwing my dice at the DM, killing it with max damage.
- Shadowrun, there is a reference to a Vid-Show (TV) character named "Sukie Redflower". It is mentioned in the "Street Magic" sourcebook. Anyway, my character LOVED Sukie Redflower. He was a mage.. and equated every adventure to an episode of her show. He always wore a Sukie Redflower t-shirt even after it started to stink.
"This was JUST like that time Sukie brought the house down on those trog street punks!"
- OR, the Warhammer RPG character who was a simple peasant who always saw conspiracies.
"What? There are no babies in this town? BY SIGMAR'S BULGING BICEPS! Where are the babies?!
Wait.. I know.. and it's terrifying. Wait for it... I've figured it ALL out.
The TOWNSPEOPLE ARE EATING THEIR OWN CHILDREN!"
Of course, the townspeople were not, but SOMETHING was.. and being half right is better than being all wrong.
... etc.I just love them. I always play characters with that trait and coming with the best insults to allies, ennemies, bosses....
Good but not nice:
I usualy play characters with good motivations, but who aren't always nice. While I'll save civilians and help people who deserve it, I can be an outright bastard to my ennemies. Sort of the Casino Royal James Bond Morality. If a big bad has comited heinous crimes, I will NOT spare him so he can escape and rego on a killing spree later (I'm looking at you Batman..). If a superior is being a jerk to me, I'll tell him to do an anatomicaly impossible act. If the authorities are corrupt and trying to arrest me, they better call a SWAT team cause I'm not surrendering that easily. I will use poison and dirty tricks. I will use a gun against a sword. In other words, I do good, but I'm not bound by these bothersome morality codes.
In other words, I do good, but I'm not bound by these bothersome morality codes.
So you're Neutral?