Snowflake Characters

[Tekill]

I see the term Snowflake Character used on these forums. It seems to mean, a unrealistically unique character.
I am a bit confused over this term - and I am not sure I like it.
I guess if everyone rolls a goodly drow then it ruins the lore, drows being an evil race. Same with orcs, they are a monster race, and also an evil race...messes with lore.
What about an evil Aasimar, same rule as drow (the light-human direct ratio to the dark-elf)?
If everyone rolls up an aasimar it might ruin the lore too since you would expect them to be fairly rare. So if I see a lot of Aasimar characters...are they snowflakes?
I read a post regarding Blackguard Aasimars being snowflakish. It made me think. I thought the concept of an Aasimar Blackguard was really cool. I really wanted to play one, and it seemed realistic/reasonable to me. I was thinking a fallen angel concept...and the racial stats would match perfectly. I would also like to play an orc or a good drow -actually the evil drows are more fun but I would be a good one if I could play a drow on the surface.
I suppose Drizzt and and even Deekin were snowflakes?
They are unique which is good but unrealistic as player characters, which is bad. So as players (as apposed to NPC's) we should have a responsibility to 'keep it real'.
But how do you do that and why?
What should we be considering when drawing the snowflake line in the sand?

[Endelyon]

Take it with a grain of salt.

A lot of people think that it's fun to roll a character with as bland and generic of a background as possible, and that's fine as a starting point, but frankly adventurers are at their heart snowflakes, every one.

[taylorstar]

Personally through Pen and Paper and both nwn 1 and 2 i have seen some really out there characters and not all of them have been that great despite how unique they were.

After getting tired of seeing it all i would create the most bland and basic of character concepts and build around that idea, the challenge of getting that character accepted and loved is a lot of fun and time well spent i feel.

With that said i do like to create the crazy concepts too like halfling barbarians etc.

[Steve]

What should we be considering when drawing the snowflake line in the sand?

Special Snowflake Syndrome

"The wise gamemaster is advised not to allow such a monstrosity unless the powergamer can explain exactly how a half-vampire, half-dragon Warforged came into being. Others will do it just to be disruptive or to refuse to play along with the campaign's genre because it doesn't interest them."

For a start.

[Zanniej]

I personally get annoyed a bit by snowflakes being overly snowflaky.

I just try to make a character with interesting characteristics, who is interesting due to being so close to reality. That's why my Drow Paladin living on the surface looks so much like me IRL. We've got the exact same character.

EDIT: On topic, even though adventurers are in essence all snowflakes, they should be believable snowflakes. And some races, like drow, don't need snowflakes, as they are really interesting by themselves already. You don't need that drow paladin walking around, because the daily power struggles that drow have already make a great story. Be that one drow that follows tradition and makes his way to the top by that, and you'll be special enough, without being a snowflake

The same goes for the adventurer. Be that adventurer that the bards sing about. Make your actions speak for you. Not the fact that you're a creature from another plane, out to set right all the wrongs that have been said about your race. If you're not believable, I'd see you more as annoying than interesting. If however you are the perfect halfling as they are in lore, now that is fun to RP with!

[mrieder79]

It's a game. Do what you want. Have fun as long as it doesn't mess up other people's fun. If someone doesn't like your fallen aasimar, just steer clear.

Surface drow are not permitted on this server, however, so that option is not viable.

[DM Bloodlust]

[chad878262]

+1 on mrieder79's post. Play what you want as long as its not against the rules. Who cares what anyone else thinks of your concepts? As long as they make sense to you and you can build a good story around them go with it. If someone gives you a hard time in the form of a good naturednatured jibe or two then take it in stride. If someone is being an outright jerk screen shot and report to dms. Pretty much work the same for any situation.

[Hoihe]

+1 on mrieder79's post. Play what you want as long as its not against the rules. Who cares what anyone else thinks of your concepts? As long as they make sense to you and you can build a good story around them go with it. If someone gives you a hard time in the form of a good naturednatured jibe or two then take it in stride. If someone is being an outright jerk screen shot and report to dms. Pretty much work the same for any situation.

As long as you keep to the server and setting lore, exactly.

And about setting lore... I want more PCs who encountered a druid, died and got Reincarnate'd. But that's a pipe dream, I love that 4th circle CHEAP raise dead spell. It's cheaper than clerical raise dead.

As an aside, one of the ways to learn blood magic is to survive death. Basically, bleed to death and recover by commanding the blood back into your body by accident.


Anyways!

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/raiseDead.htm

material component: Diamond(s) worth 5k Gold Pieces
Spell level: cleric 5

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/reincarnate.htm

Material component: Oils and unguents worth 1k gold pieces
Spell level: druid 4

[Tekill]

So what I got from this little thread so far is:
The bells and whistles are often overrated- there is a lot to say for keeping it simple.
Its about story not just character.
Trust the rules and trust the dm's.
Don't take others opinions to hard...this “^@%&$ “ is all subjective - just have fun.
We are all special...and also too self absorbed to care if anyone else is special.

And last but not least: if you die just suck your blood back into you body and you get a free prestige class – woo! *slurp*

[Hoihe]

So what I got from this little thread so far is:
The bells and whistles are often overrated- there is a lot to say for keeping it simple.
Its about story not just character.
Trust the rules and trust the dm's.
Don't take others opinions to hard...this “^@%&$ “ is all subjective - just have fun.
We are all special...and also too self absorbed to care if anyone else is special.

And last but not least: if you die just suck your blood back into you body and you get a free prestige class – woo! *slurp*

Well, that's one of the ways to do it!

Palemasters have being locked up in a small room with their undead off the leash and surviving.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campa ... isites.htm

Blood magus is in the Complete Arcana.

[NeOmega]

So what I got from this little thread so far is:
The bells and whistles are often overrated- there is a lot to say for keeping it simple.
Its about story not just character.
Trust the rules and trust the dm's.
Don't take others opinions to hard...this “^@%&$ “ is all subjective - just have fun.
We are all special...and also too self absorbed to care if anyone else is special.

And last but not least: if you die just suck your blood back into you body and you get a free prestige class – woo! *slurp*

Well, that's one of the ways to do it!

Palemasters have being locked up in a small room with their undead off the leash and surviving.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campa ... isites.htm

Blood magus is in the Complete Arcana.

It would be so much fun if getting your PRC required a quest too.

[Hoihe]

So what I got from this little thread so far is:
The bells and whistles are often overrated- there is a lot to say for keeping it simple.
Its about story not just character.
Trust the rules and trust the dm's.
Don't take others opinions to hard...this “^@%&$ “ is all subjective - just have fun.
We are all special...and also too self absorbed to care if anyone else is special.

And last but not least: if you die just suck your blood back into you body and you get a free prestige class – woo! *slurp*

Well, that's one of the ways to do it!

Palemasters have being locked up in a small room with their undead off the leash and surviving.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campa ... isites.htm

Blood magus is in the Complete Arcana.

It would be so much fun if getting your PRC required a quest too.

Yup! I actually based getting Dragon Warrior on Dragon Disciple's test-based requirement!

[BigJ]

Snokeflake A - A mechanically strong min/maxed bloody weird combination of classes/races/skills etc with just enough backstory to try and justify it all, all because the player just wants to feel unique and powerful = SNOWFLAKE.

Snokeflake B - A mechanically weak or strong build, but not necessarily min/maxed, bloody weird combination of classes/races/skills etc with a fulfilling backstory that the player creates and involves others in, adding to the RP on the server and isn't just wanting to be unique and powerful = COOL

Fine lines, true, but there you are.

Spot a snowflake?
They spout lines and lines of insightful philosophy quoted from RL, yet their WIS roll has -1.
They solve complex puzzles and know all sorts of scholarly lore yet roll INT at +0 and lore +2.
They have charisma 8 and yet are charming and dashing and think ALL should follow them.

Being harsh? Yeah, in a mood at home so on one. Bottom line as others have said as long as you both enjoy and help others enjoy this great server then all's good.

That said just one final point on min-maxing. Starting a character with 16 strength rather than 18 means being able to flesh your other stats to represent the character you WANT to play, rather than complicating your backstory / char. What do you lose? +1 AB +1 DAM, that's it, that's all, no great cosmic gain . . just +1 AB +1 DAM.

Worth thinking about I reckon,

BigJ

[DreWalker]

Im starting a guild called the Snowball. Snowflakes come to me!

(edited the name from snowballs to snowball....)