how to make a UBR

[ephemeralhart]

I haven't tried to do anything special before, despite having played intermittently since the server launched. However recently due to rp on another server I have plans for creating a character here and I think I need to submit a UBR. I can't find a means of doing this and the dm requests button as well as sending pms shows I don't have permission to use those features. I'm not sure how to do this, so any advice or help would be appreciated.

[DM Winter]

What's an UBR?

You do not need to submit anything to create a character. You download the game, the server files, and you're free to create a PC and play!

[Moonsong]

UBR = Unusual Background requests - are a Haven specific thing.

For example you play an Aasimar and want them to have wings.
Or you want to play a drow with celestial heritage and on top a red dragon parent.
Or you want to play a character that is half a fairy demon , and half celestial.

On Haven you have to send a so called UBR to the staff. Then they review it, and approve it or not. But for that you still need certain classes or a really good background story, that still makes sense, in order to justify it.

But i don’t know if such is a thing on BG if i think of the “play your sheet “ rule. Are such UBRs even allowed here?

[DM Winter]

We do not officially have that, but we do have a play-your-sheet rule. For example, you cannot play a human and pick tiefling as a race, or RP a class you're not (unless you're intentionally bluffing), or not RP a class you have (blackguard, for example).

But for the more, well, "snowflakey" of backgrounds, it is likely in people's best interest to shoot the DM team a message with the bio and explaining whatever needs explaining. If something like that isn't DM-granted, people (PCs and NPCs) should look at you like you're delusional or a real bad liar.

However, we currently do not support starting as the very very unusual races, like different fey creatures or undead or things like that.

But yeah, strange characters, if well written and explained (the DMs here care quite a bit about forgotten realms lore accuracy, if applicable ), can be given a green-light and be recognised by the DM team.

Also also, ephemeralhart, does the button on the top-left of the forums called "DM Requests" not work for you?

[Moonsong]

Yeah, if it makes sense, sure. The story should make sense.

But you get my point. A red and silver dragon, a celestial and devil, are normally very unlikely to produce offspring together, because they normally hate each other’s guts.

However, the DM request button on the upper left corner, under the date of server, should work. But it can be easily overlooked, happend to me, too.

Maybe the button could be made a like easier to spot?

[ephemeralhart]

Shouldn't be anything to exotic, but I was told I needed to submit a request to play surface drow?

Also part of the issue is that the forums are telling me I don't have permission to use the dm request button. So I couldn't just submit a request there.

[selhan]

Surface drow? Oh they wont approve of that. BG is nothing like Haven, if your drow goes top side and gets seen by the wrong folks, it gonna get filled with arrows or stabbed to death if not nuked. Bringing your UD character topside is at your own risk. And vice versa to surface players.

-->Pulled from the PVP Guildlines

<< Underdark and Surface PvP >>


- Underdark players on the surface, and surface players within the tunnels of the Underdark, who have been identified are considered to have consented to PvP and may be killed on sight. The exceptions are for the city of Sshamath and the Upperdark, where all involved are still required to follow normal PvP rules.
Characters outfitted in a way that completely hides their identifying features require the aggressor to apply normal PvP rules, regardless of which side the disguised character is from. The disguise must be complete and hoods by themselves do not count. Patterns of speech, accents, body language, and other distinctive qualities are discerned only through roleplay over time, and details such as "a funny-sounding name" or the size of the character alone do not count for the purposes of identification.

Unless you meet a player who will not show violence towards your drow which there is some of that. But that even puts them at risk, unless its on neutral grounds. But the drama wont stop. There is one player who was a drow, but from the powers of DMs and a bunch of Events and RP, that drow got converted over to a surface elf if I am not mistaken. ((OOC knowledge to me btw just incase people try to get froggy.)) That be about the only options from a DM team I thinks. Unless theres something out there I aint be knowing about.

[Whirlwind]

My advice - Send a nicely worded DM request along with any supporting lore of what you're trying to do from FR source material (ideally 3.5 and downwards).

This is what I did for my snowflake character who is an air genasi based on being exposed to planar energy as a baby rather than being descended from genies.

As long as you can explain it with supporting lore and decent story reasons, the DM's will likely/hopefully accomodate you, assuming you're not asking for a load of mechanical benefits too - not sure what they'd say then.

[ephemeralhart]

I'm very aware of the attitudes towards drow. The core issues is that both pms and the dm request button show I don't have permission to use these features. I did not want to make a public post and paint a target on myself for the pvpers who are likely going to be looking for me now.

[Moonsong]

As Selhan and Whirlwind said already.

If you take my advice….

… in my opinion it is made very hard to play surface drow, especially Eilistraeens on BG. There’s a lot of conflict about them. Some rare individuals like the Harpers and their friends are neutral, up to supportive to them.

But in my experience, the majority of surface folks are hostile. You see, most people don’t trust a drow, no matter how good they claim to be and how much good they try to do. Especially certain guilds like the Whitewood
Vanguard would shoot first, and not even ask after. Same goes for most elves. I will not spoiler what my character would do. But being an elf player, i will give a fair warning, most elves will greet a drow with hatred or few of them with distrust in the least. Especially the traditional elves or Sheverash worshippers, i can imagine will try to kill any drow they see.
To the UD drow they’re a traitor to Lolth, or respectively other UD deities. Sshamath again is different, because of I’m not mixing up the timeliness, taken over by Vhaeraunites, which are not all that friendly to them either.

Hence why there’s a lot of conflict between not just the surface drow, but also their supporters and those who are against them. Here on BG, it could very easily happen, that any drow, no matter who they worship, are a re kill-on-sight-target. Of course the players should be good enough roleplayers, so normally they will rp their intention for your drow before they attack in engine.

But i mean honestly well, if i advise, not to play a surface drow on BG, if you don’t want frequent conflicts or PvP situations or if you can’t handle situations with many people well. Because some will not hunt solitary, but in groups. Also there’s a lot of drama about the surface drow on BG. Light hearted rp will be a rare luck here.

So long story short: If you want to play a surface drow so bad, be prepared for a lot of conflict, drama and PvP, not just thrown at you, but other players as well. Being sensitive and considerate of those who don’t want that drama, is what i would ask i order to have a chance to dodge it.

Now you guys can stone me, but that’s my experience with the surface drow theme on BG and my conclusion so far. ^^

[ephemeralhart]

Ok, I'm starting to get a touch frustrated. I've referenced being unable to use the dm requests button or send pms 3 times now. Is there a way to fix this?

[Planehopper]

I believe sending PMs (and evidently using the DM Request function) is limited to accounts with X amount of posts, perhaps time. Unfortunately I don't know those parameters. It is an anti-spam/anti-bot measure.

As you continue as a member of the community you'll reach that threshold rather quickly (I am guessing its a relatively low number, and since youre at 4 posts right now, perhaps it is just 5?). In the meantime, you could joint the DM Screen discord (https://discord.gg/uhszWJT2) and try to connect with the DMs there.

[Azroth]

UBR = Unusual Background requests - are a Haven specific thing.

There are some here, just not in the way you'd expect. Mostly related to background however, nothing crazy.

If for example you wanted to make a convincing argument in order to attempt ( Even if unlikely ever approved save for in-game events that may lead up to it. Be it through capture and agreed consequences for story within the 3 days, or what ever ) to be a Drow on the surface, or a surfacer in the UD.

But the more common ones you may see here are related to a nobility background that needs to be approved

Source: viewtopic.php?p=474952#p474952

Unusual Characters
Every PC must be a legal adult (at least 18 years of age for humans or the racial equivalent for nonhumans). No exceptions implicit in character description innuendo or explicit will ever be allowed.

While most DM stances on certain events are covered under the DM Rulings topic, if you have a character concept that's out of the ordinary (e.g. atypical background/heritage, nobility, contact with lore NPCs, or a concept that can't be adequately described on your character sheet), send a request to the DM Team who will clarify and deal with any outstanding issues.

Note that PCs are allowed to have minor foreign nobility in their backgrounds, contingent on at least one of the following variables:
The PC has been expelled from the noble house and cut off by their family.
The PC's noble house has fallen from grace, rank, and favor.
The PC is indirectly related to the noble house and has no direct lineage that would give them title within it.
PCs also may not have Balduran, or Amnian nobility built into their backgrounds. Similarly, Drow cannot use major House names in their backgrounds in any major way.

Be honest and as thorough as possible, and respect the stipulations the DM Team set for your character, if any. Omissions or failing to comply to the stipulations can lead to your character's background either being rejected or retroactively revoked. In extreme cases you may be subject to disciplinary action.

[ephemeralhart]

I believe sending PMs (and evidently using the DM Request function) is limited to accounts with X amount of posts, perhaps time. Unfortunately I don't know those parameters. It is an anti-spam/anti-bot measure.

As you continue as a member of the community you'll reach that threshold rather quickly (I am guessing its a relatively low number, and since youre at 4 posts right now, perhaps it is just 5?). In the meantime, you could joint the DM Screen discord (https://discord.gg/uhszWJT2) and try to connect with the DMs there.

Thank you, that makes sense. I had been wondering if there was a discord server. Thank you for sharing that.