Need advice on character concept.

[=Thunderbolt=]

So after many years here I think I've reached a point I just cant bring myself to roll yet another character like I used to. Coming up with a concept and plan for the build and then dropping it all after a time when you get bored with it gets old. The mechanical side of the game just doesn't appeal to me anymore like it did. This with no regular playtimes (and not enough time overall needed) isn't ideal. However I do enjoy this server, sertting, RP and character development.

So I had this idea to just roll a character from scratch, get rid of everything he has and just RP it from there with a odd RP build (Not too much planning) that has really nothing to do with combat. I'd start the character in Baldur's Gate and keep journal of what happens to him to keep it interesting. I'd write it when I play the character and have him stay in the inn when I don't.

Has someone tried something like this or should I just forget this?

I have tried flavor alts something like this, but not seriously and as a main.

[Moltrazahn]

With the implementation of 100% rcr till level 10. You can easily just make a character and go with it. Let the road carry you as you see fit.

Go with what you like... Race. Class. Alignment etc. You got 10 levels to let inspiration get you somewhere.

[Laughingman]

So many lonely nights I have spent standing around waiting to see where RP would take me. Usually after 2 hours of nobody RPing I log.

[Kiran]

What I do is try go out of my comfort zone.

My latest character Amenthes Serb was a bet, by someone actually that I could not make a "good" character. I do not speak of alignment or such, but someone who actually deep inside was somehow good, most of my characters were usually insane evil bastards who tried to run amock until usually killed or worse.

What kind of character do you usually play? The loner? The good guy? The bad guy? The "I will see what happens and who I meet and adapt my character based on what experiences he has rp wise guy?"

Whats your flavour

[Planehopper]

Hey old-timer!

I've considered characters like this in the past. Tried playing a few over the years intentionally free-flowing with one, a two-bit thief, lasting the longest (about lvl 10ish back in the day).

My very first character, one of the first Wyndsouls, was basically this too. I didn't know anything about the mechanics and building. I just went with it. That was a cluster fudge but it's a character I recall fondly.

They are probably the most fun but also pretty external-dependent, meaning without a mechanical goal in mind it gets hard to enjoy the time if you can't find any RP. You wouldn't think that would be an issue on the largest RP server, but alas..

I say go for it. I'd focus on some sort of character theme or base that was RP-friendly to make interaction with others easy, and of a race that is amiable with others. Other than that, see where the road takes ya!

[aaron22]

i did this with one character. i did not twink her at all and started with a backstory. from there i let the RP that she got involved in guide her choices. i started as a petty thief. i did have the benefit of having a set group that would meet a few times a week. i picked my new stats, classes and feats depending upon what i felt would be most appropriate for her. if i had a nice weapon and i had been using it alot, then i would pick weapon focus (x). it was pretty fun but the build became less and less effective as i progressed. there was alot of self gimping involved in this and battle prowess actually effects RP. so then there was a weird dead end and retirement was really the only reasonable avenue. oh and you will eventually be evil.

[Tekill]

You could randomly generate the character somehow. Create a random roll for: race, class, alignment..heck even stats. Make it so you have as little control over the character creation as possible. See what you get then try and make something of it from there.
You could take it a step further and have others do the same thing.
I did it once a got a gnome assassin...I thought he was sooooo cool until a dm killed him- which was uncool.

[Steve]

For a while, I RP'd a Character that didn't want to adventure, didn't want to leave the safety of a campfire or Tavern, that didn't want to do quests, or kill anything or lift a finger beyond the basic needs: a few coins, for a meal, an ale, and a bed.

I seriously tried to not gain any experience! To bad...that's impossible! Unless, I guess, one didn't even chat or emote.

Anyway, enough about me...what I read in your OP, Thunderbolt, is that you don't care so much anymore, but just like the general RP D&D experience. I think, however, you always need a backstory, in order to actually have a place for character development to come from. Cause like, if not...why even give your Character a name?!?

Or maybe...you're looking to play a Character that has total and permanent amnesia! Just a fleshy sack with 5 senses—maybe more...who knows...you might be rolling up a monk—and you want to have a direct and in-the-moment reaction to everything your Character comes into contact with...when they do come into contact with something.

But basically: if you are in no hurry and just "want to play," you really cannot go wrong!

[Tsidkenu]

I did this with my first, and most mechanically gimped, character on the server, Kemi, a halfling str-based 2h-style katana fighter/wm. I allowed interaction with other players change my build plan, though, and as it turned out Kemi's interaction with a priest of Arvoreen (Sa Jin To) turned her mind to more religious pursuits and I took up the Divine Champion class despite not having the Charisma to make it a solid mechanical choice (10 base CHA).

From that point I started pumping up her CHA instead of STR and she had 13 CHA when I retired her back in 2010, completely mechanically useless with bad equipment but it was a hell fun character to play. She became the defacto leader of the Hin Brigade, a group of shorties who terrorised ne'erdowells across the land with mixed success. Some of the real old-timers might have remembered her from before I started playing Aeili (I know Jonas Rokranon does since we tag-teamed the Shadow Dragon that attacked Candlekeep back in the day )

I followed a similar model of RP-first when I started Aeili, taking feats like Greater Spell Focus Divination despite it giving next to 0 mechanical benefit. I find these mechanically flawed characters the best to RP because you pretty much have to associate with others stronger than yourself to survive in the cruel world out there. It's great fun!

[Omega07]

Speaking from Newbies point of view maybe this could help with some inspiration.

With character concepts, Think of your own personal playstyle, Personality, Background traits that you have always enjoyed doing.

Couple that with classes you would personally enjoy exploring, A good method which I do myself is reflecting into 3.5 source works such as (And definately not limited to):
Players Handbook 3.5
Dungeon Masters guide 3.5
Libris Mortis
Book of Vile Darkness (Although warning there are some adult themes there but very good for blackguard and warrior of darkness themes fitting in with this server on a PG 13 scale.)

Another good way for inspiration is also the profession of the character, Imagining on a day to day basis what she/he would do. Funnily though, If hunting is your thing like you mentioned you could keep a journal of encounters and empathise from your characters perspective in bright emotions, Colours, Smells and really tailor the experiences to you.

Otherwise a popular profession in DnD is being a merchant, My partner in crime is interested in the Master Achemist class but coupling on the ability to enchant/Craft Arms, Armour, Wands and potions alike.

Again, I speak from Dnd experience from the past and not from the server but by what limited experience I've had here so far, It seems it would be the best platform for you to explore what you always wanted to, Irregardless of mechanical sense of builds.

Hope this helps!

[=Thunderbolt=]

With the implementation of 100% rcr till level 10. You can easily just make a character and go with it. Let the road carry you as you see fit.

Go with what you like... Race. Class. Alignment etc. You got 10 levels to let inspiration get you somewhere.

This is possible, but honestly thought of rolling a level 1 and just take it there.

So many lonely nights I have spent standing around waiting to see where RP would take me. Usually after 2 hours of nobody RPing I log.

This has always been a problem for me with a slow eurohours. Probably easy going social type of character eases this a bit.

Hey old-timer!

I've considered characters like this in the past. Tried playing a few over the years intentionally free-flowing with one, a two-bit thief, lasting the longest (about lvl 10ish back in the day).

My very first character, one of the first Wyndsouls, was basically this too. I didn't know anything about the mechanics and building. I just went with it. That was a cluster fudge but it's a character I recall fondly.

They are probably the most fun but also pretty external-dependent, meaning without a mechanical goal in mind it gets hard to enjoy the time if you can't find any RP. You wouldn't think that would be an issue on the largest RP server, but alas..

I say go for it. I'd focus on some sort of character theme or base that was RP-friendly to make interaction with others easy, and of a race that is amiable with others. Other than that, see where the road takes ya!

I had no idea what I was doing when I rolled Foinus and that made it so much fun back then. Then again everything was new and fancy with mechanics and RP with addition of plenty RL time to get things done.

I thought of a easy going theme yeah, maybe I'll start it sooner or later.

For a while, I RP'd a Character that didn't want to adventure, didn't want to leave the safety of a campfire or Tavern, that didn't want to do quests, or kill anything or lift a finger beyond the basic needs: a few coins, for a meal, an ale, and a bed.

I seriously tried to not gain any experience! To bad...that's impossible! Unless, I guess, one didn't even chat or emote.

Anyway, enough about me...what I read in your OP, Thunderbolt, is that you don't care so much anymore, but just like the general RP D&D experience. I think, however, you always need a backstory, in order to actually have a place for character development to come from. Cause like, if not...why even give your Character a name?!?

Or maybe...you're looking to play a Character that has total and permanent amnesia! Just a fleshy sack with 5 senses—maybe more...who knows...you might be rolling up a monk—and you want to have a direct and in-the-moment reaction to everything your Character comes into contact with...when they do come into contact with something.

But basically: if you are in no hurry and just "want to play," you really cannot go wrong!

That's quite right there I had this amnesia idea in my head. Have my character wake up in the docks with aching head and no menories abd no posessions. Maybe have a background that would be revealed in time. But yeah maybe the general DnD experience is what I'm after.

[Vermilion]

That's quite right there I had this amnesia idea in my head. Have my character wake up in the docks with aching head and no menories abd no posessions. Maybe have a background that would be revealed in time. But yeah maybe the general DnD experience is what I'm after.

You could do a PS:T style thing with that. Start as a level 1... well, fighter is less of a generic basic class than it was in AD&D.

The biggest challenge here is making it open ended enough that your PC could effectively adapt to whatever pathway the RP allows

You can start with 14 on two stats and 13 on all the others, which keeps your options open to whatever path you'd like to take.

[Your best friend]

I usually just read through sourcebooks, especially the ones on race and deities, until a character concept really stands out to me. I can pitch a concept I would do but everyone has different tastes! There's a strong possibility, for example, you don't like my favorite deities: Bane, Eilistraee, Vhaeraun, and Silvanus. Even just on geography, few people like Vaasa and the Underdark like I do.

From the mechanical end, once you have an idea of what sounds appealing to roleplay, I can try to make a viable build that fits the character concept. Just let me know if you want to take me up on that offer!

My last advice is to not rush into a concept. I rushed into about five characters I had a rough idea for -- and all five of them have been RCRed. On hindsight, I probably should have realized the concept wouldn't be all that fun to roleplay -- but again, I rushed into it.

[chad878262]

The one benefit you have if you plan on starting at 1 and plan/expect (or have just accepted the fact) that you probably will be in the single digits forever, or maybe get in to the low teens down the road is that you really don't need to worry about being able to hit 25 DEX or 21 STR and CON or whatever else...

So I would say come up with the background of where your character came from and assign stats based on that... A farmer with perhaps a solid CON and STR score as well as decent WIS, but average or slightly above/below average INT/DEX/CHA. A street rat with high DEX and maybe a bit of INT, but lower STR/CON due to being malnourished as a child. Point being there are many backgrounds you can come at it from and successfully RP it out.

Not sure about the idea of having 'nothing to do with combat' as that really limits your potential growth, but you could start with a level in rogue and take skill based on your background. Maybe a farmer has point in survival or a blacksmith in weapon/armor crafting, for example. Rogue is, IMO the closest you can get to 'commoner'... Or you could be Ranger/Farmer who often went hunting, maybe leave WIS at 11 so your spell casting is limited unless RP takes you to where you would learn/become proficient in chaneling the divine ranger magics.

Anyway, IMO it seems you essentially want to approach it from a PnP standpoint, so the best idea is to come up with a background only and use that to build your starting character with no plan as to what you are working towards, only what has brought you to where you are as you first enter the game world.

Good luck and all the best!