Difference between revisions of "Character Concepts"

Revision as of 10:53, 29 July 2008

Put what you have for your concept here. Expect that I will have problems/questions/reservations with some of these concepts: it's nothing personal, but I've laid out rules for what "kinds" of characters are acceptable under the "group hook" section, and any character I feel is a risk (even a small risk) to these requirements will be rejected pending appropriate changes. I'm not going to tell you how you have to change your character, because I don't think its fair of me to do that, but I will try to be specific with what my reservations with the concept are (would people prefer PMs for that, or should I just post it?). Feel free to post more than one concept.

Most of you have done a good job with your 75 points to clearly define your character's role, so this may be a moot point. BUT, remember that you will get way more points through xp than to start, so its ok if your character is a long way from becoming a full fledged whatever.

Characters

Aefra Lastrangele'i Mai'enha La Eisenhei (Ed) Fae Illusionist.

Tithe (Brandon) Zealous Stone Elf Warrior

Aetan Finn (Matt) "Troll" bridge toll-keeper. Club-swinging brute (the "barbarian" to Brandon's warrior?).

Galen (Dieter) Healer and priest of Amora (super)human

Fantus (Gabe) Potion maker and perhaps a study in the workings of other magic. Get your bubbley brew while their hot, now with decreased chance of explosion! Oh boy! (Human)

Discussion thereof

--Matts 17:50, 16 July 2008 (MST)My concept is of a bruising something-or-other, who in the village is the toll keeper for the village bridge. Specifically I want him to be socially isolated at the start of the game, with no real place in society, and have him become socialized and find an identity as the game progresses.

Primary stats are physical, with presence a second (he's big and scary).

Possible evolutionary directions are big berserker, big warrior-diplomat, big druidy type.

BEN: the island has a city on it that probably sports 5-10,000 inhabitants, along with several small villages: there are probably several toll bridges on the island. Socially isolated is a touchy issue and I need some clarification on it: if he's a total loner, that violates the "must care about island" and "must care about auspice-bond" and the "must care about the high priestess" hook requirements.

--Matts 23:04, 16 July 2008 (MST)He certainly cares about all of those things; he cares a lot about the village too. He's just isolated from the bulk of its inhabitants, but if something threatened any of the things that he's essentially dedicated his life to, he'd be quite irate. I see it more as an initial outlook, that he's not skilled in the ways of the world and more of a scary brute, but the way I want his arc to go he overcomes that. My inspiration is basically "what if the foil of a fairy tale was the focus of a story instead?" and intend to paint the troll from billy-goats-gruff as just a misunderstood, malajusted hero rather than a villainous creep.

--Edmiao 09:05, 17 July 2008 (MST) mage of some kind. elemental race sounds interesting, but not set on that. proabably not the typical wizard, i think i'd like him to have various tricky things with magic, but totally unclear on what that might be at this point. upon reading the elemental section, mayhaps i won't be an elemental spellcaster.

BEN: yes, since elementals can't cast spells, that would be a problem. "Tricky" magic might make for a good faerie character, although he'd have to be eminently sane and well adjusted (I won't accept character concepts for insane or borderline functional characters). Hag magic (hexes, curses, etc), Druidic magic (calling on lesser spirits), or Stone Elves (Shadow magic, essentially, from WFRP) all come to mind as possible "tricky" magic.

--Dieter the Bold 13:46, 17 July 2008 (MST) Healer.... and lover. And you have to submit to the latter to gain the former. Well, that's just a fun idea. I may let that part drop. Although I do plan on being a healer. Although apparently divine magic isn't quite as easy to activate as mage magic, so don't place all your eggs in my healing basket. Also planning to have the diplomat/face-man role.

--Edmiao 14:47, 19 July 2008 (MST) i'm thinking illusionist. i got the fantasy hero grimoire. decided not to get the ultimate skill book. some spells i like: mental illusions to alter dreams, images to sight hearing and touch (illusionary monsters etc), confusion, fear inducing illusions, anti-detect illusions (images to detect illusion skill), detect illusions, detect magic, invisibility, illusionary shape shift. Racially, considering Fae, but have to get the image of a sprite with wings out of my head. maybe elf or human otherwise.

--Brandon 21:32, 20 July 2008 (MST) I'm thinking of a paladin-like warrior, an individual raised from birth to protect members/priests of some particular holy order. As such, he plays the tank role quite well, with a huge shield and strong defensive capabilities. At the moment, I'm thinking that he fights hoplite style, with a huge spear (or lance if mounted). In terms of back story, I want him to have been "given" as a child into this role by his parents, either because they were quite religious or because they couldn't afford other taxes. His name, Tithe, expresses this fact rather well. I'm inclined to give him something of a fae touch, either faerie or elf. Haven't decided yet if he should be full-blooded or half. One possibility is that he is a cross-cultural gift. For example, he could've been given to the Arthurians by the Fae of the Raven King as a gesture of good will. Either way, at some point he is a bit of a brainwashed zealot, and eventually comes to question his assumptions. We can talk about what point of development he is at when the game starts.

BEN: if you were tithed, it was likely by inhabitants of Caminus or one of the surrounding Isles: either the faerie conclave on Caminus, or Elven/Human nobility from any of the isles, to the Lord of Caminus or a Temple. The most sacred temple for quite some distance is the Regina Templum Camini, which could definitely have soldiers dedicated to it. Of course, other lesser temples on the island could as well.

--Brandon 15:43, 21 July 2008 (MST) Okay, sounds good. I'll think on whether I want to be associated with the main temple or a lesser temple. Currently, I'm favoring the idea of being tithed by the Stone Elves (and so being either full or half-elf), complete with a set of their heavy armor. Also, I'm toying with the idea of building in some (probably divine?) counter-magic into the character, so he plays an anti-spellcaster role, kind of like the Spell Breakers in Warcraft III: Frozen Throne. So, he could possibly have certain spell immunity, blunt offensive spells, steal positive buffs, and somesuch things.

GABE: Don't forget map hacks!

BEN: interesting. I like your ideas, and I may ask for some license to run with them, mostly pertaining to why there are stone elves living near Caminus, but that shouldn't be difficult. Inherent/Divine (particularly divine) countermagic could be very appropriate for a stone elf: I will probably not allow you to get offensive spells or "stealing" effects without a very good reason: offensive spells are the realm of mages, and stealing effects are really more in the spirit of the fae, but I'm happy to hear how you envision it.
As to your armor...this is ok, although I would recommend against it. the reasons are: you've got 75 points, which is very little, to make your character. Really bad ass armor isn't cheap (probably 10-12 of those points, if it's just basic plate mail, 20+ if its hooptie bidness). Second, I won't let you have anything better than basic plate mail as a starting character anyways. Third, the story opportunities for earning/finding/etc your armor will be fun/exciting: I haven't put this down yet, but I will be soliciting "desired developments" from each player for their character, and these will be incorporated into the story. So if you wanted super secret bad muthafucka stone elf armor, you'd probably get it at some point, and it would be way nastier than whatever you could get as a starting character, even barring attunement.
If you have some sort of deity/temple you want to be associated with, that's cool, but for the beginning of the story, etc, having you connected to the main temple might be handy. Don't feel obligated, but if you're waffling, go with the main one.

--Edmiao 16:18, 21 July 2008 (MST)if he were to buy plate at day one and then later found plate of uber awesomeness later, could he buy it for the difference in character points? doesn't make sense to carry around an old suit of plate because you spent character points on it a long time ago. same for swords and other weapons

--Edmiao 16:21, 21 July 2008 (MST) how's your potion guy in combat? my illusionist is a minor guy who distracts enemies but as of yet no direct damage. ie do we have a balanced group? two fighters, an illusionist, an alchemist and a healer? proably ok?

GABE: I was wondering if we get to sell back item exp as well.

Also plate is fairly cheap. At least field plate with chain or whatever is only around 6 points. The most plate armor becomes is around 8 points I think. Spears are like 15 points, and that is just for a med one. Weapons are far more expensive in general then armor. I'll post some general costs from the book later tonight if you all want some general ideas.

WIKI BLOCKER!

Well I can breath fire. And I can give potions to people to buff them in combat. I'm a utility person mostly, but I do have a dex that gives me a OCV/DCV of 5. Although I have no weapons. (A stick is five points.)

--Brandon 16:44, 21 July 2008 (MST) Thanks for the input, and of course you can run with the ideas! As for the other comments, I've got a few things to say. First of all, a clarification. I didn't mean that I wanted any offensive spells, but rather that I might be able to blunt other people's offensive spells. At the beginning, this could be as simple as silencing and/or binding spellcasters. Later, it could be more elaborate, but I'm open to other thoughts. Secondly, I'm totally not wedded to the stealing of auras, etc., just thought it'd be cool and in keeping with a counter-spellcaster. Regardless, it probably wouldn't be something that I would start with.

As for the armor, I'm thinking that the tithe was baby (or small child) me + badass Stone Elf armor. The catch is that I have to earn the armor through service. So, maybe I only start with the shield, and then have to earn the greaves, spaulders, etc. in turn (or maybe I haven't yet earned anything). Just a thought, but it would certainly fit in with my "desired developments." And I'm totally down with being associated with the major temple; I was leaning that way anyway.

Gabe, posting some general costs would be helpful for me to think about how I want to start things out. Thanks!

--Edmiao 21:43, 21 July 2008 (MST)see some OAAAA items from gabe