Roleplaying a Thri-Kreen - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Roleplaying a Thri-Kreen

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
QuestorTelloc
Apr 05, 2011 23:02:34 Okay, so I'm playing about to start playing a 'kreen in a D&D game, and I'm looking for roleplaying ideas. Here's the background info:

The world- a custom campaign world. The northern continent, Abbadgard, is pretty much core D&D with the FR elements I like. The southern continent, Aerilos, is a core/Eberron/Athas mash-up, essentially "the war as in Eberron created the conditions as in Athas," kinda. I just cobbled the stuff I liked from the two and made it work with Abbadgard, which I already had established. The north of Aerilos is closer to Eberron, and thr south is pretty much Athasian. Anyway, my character, Chuka-tka, is a 'kreen from the deep desert of Aerilos and he's setting claw on Abbadgard for the first time when we meet him. Class-wise, he is a level 5 AEDU Hunter Ranger. He doesn't have anything against magic, but strongly prefers to do what he can himself. Mechanically, this means I'm using inherent bonuses instead of magic items (He has Practiced Study, too). All of his attacks have the "melee or ranged" option. Oh, and he's unaligned.

Roleplaying-wise, here's what I've got so far:
- His preferred clothing is just a loincloth, as in the 4 or 5 'kreen pictures in the DS books. Owing to other races' sensibilities as well as the colder temperature of Abbadgard than the desert, he will don a loose tunic. He hates having to cut the extra arm holes.
- He made his hide armor himself.
- He's only had kank nectar before. He really likes beer. And ale. And wine. And whiskey...
- What he calls "mammal" behavior amuses him greatly. To him, most non-kreen races are "mammals."
- He brought weapons from home with him. The moment he saw the craftsmanship in Abbadgard, he bought a greatbow and 90 arrows. He is, by the way, not yet proficient. (That'll be my lvl 6 feat, but it'll be fun to roleplay until then.)
- Torpor- He folds his legs and wraps his arms around them, with his personal belongings bundled in front of him, typically with his back to something if possible. I imagine this would be how the clutch would sleep in a 'kreen warren (or is it a hive?)
- He has just completed his year abroad (he's 7, just barely a 'kreen adult), and has decided not to return home yet. I don't know why, and neither does he.
- He does have a sense of humor, albeit it a thri-kreen one.

Feedback on what I've got as well as anything else you guys can think of would be appreciated.
#2
siromega
Apr 06, 2011 15:52:34 Bugs are jumpy. Your racial considers all jumps as running jumps (meaning your check is Ath/5 instead of Ath/10). My Horc Hunter Ranger likes to charge, and it works out well. You're Kreen should have an even easier time manuvering and hoping around the battlefield because Jumps can be made as part of any action that allows your character to move.

I suggest taking an at-will move like Throw and Stab, and making the most out of some of those feats and racials available to you. A lot of the people I play with often forget about things as simple as jumping and climming around the battlefield. It can add an extra layer of interest to normal combat.

Hope that helped.

Edit: One of my players is a Thri-Kreen, the Spirit Khanate (A large group of Thri-Kreen spirits who died horrible and painful deaths, and form the "Kreen Racial Memory") is strong within him, so he's nervous and jumpy and fairly instinctual. He also thinks elves are delicious.

You're a bug, you're chitinous and don't blink, have fun with it!
#3
QuestorTelloc
Apr 06, 2011 19:04:16 Heheh. I already had a great character line for Chuka:
"Don't try to intimidate me. I won over 500 staring contests... at the same time."

Also, a great character moment between Chuka and a highly attractive mammalian druid, who likes to sometimes be out an about in wild shape while Chuka is hunting for breakfast:
"Don't shoot! It's me!"
Chuka puts down his bow.
"... You look delicious."
"From a guy in a bar, that would be offensive. From you, it's unnerving."

So, yeah. Fun. Also, I had a different take on the 'kreen. Survival in harsh conditions means you need confidence and ability, not twitchy nerves. While capable of swift movement and great jumps, it does not mean they are prone to them. Especially since Chuka's tribe is nomadic, following food- jumpy people die from being noticeable.
#4
Mad_Jack
Apr 06, 2011 19:38:14
Then take it in the opposite direction - the guy is an unblinking statue at all times unless he's deliberately taking action, and then he does everything with great precision and economy of movement... When he moves, he moves quickly, when he's still, he's perfectly still. One second he's a rock and the next he's flashing into motion, reminiscent of a praying mantis, and then he's a rock again, like he wasn't just a hurricane of activity.

Play up the bug aspect. He'd have a great respect for order and organization (pick a character in the party for the 'kreen to look to as his "clutch leader", and talk about the other characters in terms of their role in the party), and take a very hive-like view of others - they're either "us", "food", "danger" or irrelevant. He looks at everything from the perspective of an ambush predator. Have him sniff people before deciding whether or not he likes them. Any perception check should be played out as sniffing the air while tilting his head from side to side. Make random absent-minded clicking noises while cleaning your weapons or setting up camp. And have him talk to insects (especially praying mantises) as though they can understand him, the same way that a "mammal" might play with a pet mouse or hamster.

#5
siromega
Apr 06, 2011 19:42:20 "I'm not paranoid, I'm situationally aware!" - Our Thri-Kreen Rogue|Fighter

Still, I get what you're saying. I think you could go far with the Stranger in a Strange Land kind of roleplay, or capitalize on a Thri-Kreens tendency to challenge leaders (for good or ill). That could go so far as to lead your Chuka and Co. to topple a few corrupt barons or whatever, assuming your DM is cool with it. Kreen, as you've already pointed out, also tend to see things in the predator-prey dynamic, so that could be an interesting sthick.

Have fun with whatever you decide.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 QuestorTelloc Apr 05, 2011 23:02:34	Okay, so I'm playing about to start playing a 'kreen in a D&D game, and I'm looking for roleplaying ideas. Here's the background info: The world- a custom campaign world. The northern continent, Abbadgard, is pretty much core D&D with the FR elements I like. The southern continent, Aerilos, is a core/Eberron/Athas mash-up, essentially "the war as in Eberron created the conditions as in Athas," kinda. I just cobbled the stuff I liked from the two and made it work with Abbadgard, which I already had established. The north of Aerilos is closer to Eberron, and thr south is pretty much Athasian. Anyway, my character, Chuka-tka, is a 'kreen from the deep desert of Aerilos and he's setting claw on Abbadgard for the first time when we meet him. Class-wise, he is a level 5 AEDU Hunter Ranger. He doesn't have anything against magic, but strongly prefers to do what he can himself. Mechanically, this means I'm using inherent bonuses instead of magic items (He has Practiced Study, too). All of his attacks have the "melee or ranged" option. Oh, and he's unaligned. Roleplaying-wise, here's what I've got so far: - His preferred clothing is just a loincloth, as in the 4 or 5 'kreen pictures in the DS books. Owing to other races' sensibilities as well as the colder temperature of Abbadgard than the desert, he will don a loose tunic. He hates having to cut the extra arm holes. - He made his hide armor himself. - He's only had kank nectar before. He really likes beer. And ale. And wine. And whiskey... - What he calls "mammal" behavior amuses him greatly. To him, most non-kreen races are "mammals." - He brought weapons from home with him. The moment he saw the craftsmanship in Abbadgard, he bought a greatbow and 90 arrows. He is, by the way, not yet proficient. (That'll be my lvl 6 feat, but it'll be fun to roleplay until then.) - Torpor- He folds his legs and wraps his arms around them, with his personal belongings bundled in front of him, typically with his back to something if possible. I imagine this would be how the clutch would sleep in a 'kreen warren (or is it a hive?) - He has just completed his year abroad (he's 7, just barely a 'kreen adult), and has decided not to return home yet. I don't know why, and neither does he. - He does have a sense of humor, albeit it a thri-kreen one. Feedback on what I've got as well as anything else you guys can think of would be appreciated.
#2 siromega Apr 06, 2011 15:52:34	Bugs are jumpy. Your racial considers all jumps as running jumps (meaning your check is Ath/5 instead of Ath/10). My Horc Hunter Ranger likes to charge, and it works out well. You're Kreen should have an even easier time manuvering and hoping around the battlefield because Jumps can be made as part of any action that allows your character to move. I suggest taking an at-will move like Throw and Stab, and making the most out of some of those feats and racials available to you. A lot of the people I play with often forget about things as simple as jumping and climming around the battlefield. It can add an extra layer of interest to normal combat. Hope that helped. Edit: One of my players is a Thri-Kreen, the Spirit Khanate (A large group of Thri-Kreen spirits who died horrible and painful deaths, and form the "Kreen Racial Memory") is strong within him, so he's nervous and jumpy and fairly instinctual. He also thinks elves are delicious. You're a bug, you're chitinous and don't blink, have fun with it!
#3 QuestorTelloc Apr 06, 2011 19:04:16	Heheh. I already had a great character line for Chuka: "Don't try to intimidate me. I won over 500 staring contests... at the same time." Also, a great character moment between Chuka and a highly attractive mammalian druid, who likes to sometimes be out an about in wild shape while Chuka is hunting for breakfast: "Don't shoot! It's me!" Chuka puts down his bow. "... You look delicious." "From a guy in a bar, that would be offensive. From you, it's unnerving." So, yeah. Fun. Also, I had a different take on the 'kreen. Survival in harsh conditions means you need confidence and ability, not twitchy nerves. While capable of swift movement and great jumps, it does not mean they are prone to them. Especially since Chuka's tribe is nomadic, following food- jumpy people die from being noticeable.
#4 Mad_Jack Apr 06, 2011 19:38:14	Then take it in the opposite direction - the guy is an unblinking statue at all times unless he's deliberately taking action, and then he does everything with great precision and economy of movement... When he moves, he moves quickly, when he's still, he's perfectly still. One second he's a rock and the next he's flashing into motion, reminiscent of a praying mantis, and then he's a rock again, like he wasn't just a hurricane of activity. Play up the bug aspect. He'd have a great respect for order and organization (pick a character in the party for the 'kreen to look to as his "clutch leader", and talk about the other characters in terms of their role in the party), and take a very hive-like view of others - they're either "us", "food", "danger" or irrelevant. He looks at everything from the perspective of an ambush predator. Have him sniff people before deciding whether or not he likes them. Any perception check should be played out as sniffing the air while tilting his head from side to side. Make random absent-minded clicking noises while cleaning your weapons or setting up camp. And have him talk to insects (especially praying mantises) as though they can understand him, the same way that a "mammal" might play with a pet mouse or hamster.
#5 siromega Apr 06, 2011 19:42:20	"I'm not paranoid, I'm situationally aware!" - Our Thri-Kreen Rogue\|Fighter Still, I get what you're saying. I think you could go far with the Stranger in a Strange Land kind of roleplay, or capitalize on a Thri-Kreens tendency to challenge leaders (for good or ill). That could go so far as to lead your Chuka and Co. to topple a few corrupt barons or whatever, assuming your DM is cool with it. Kreen, as you've already pointed out, also tend to see things in the predator-prey dynamic, so that could be an interesting sthick. Have fun with whatever you decide.