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Xysma
Master of Realmslore
USA
1089 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Aug 2006 : 16:47:50
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For my campaigns I created a list of special qualities/abilities based on a d100 roll, we call it a "liferoll". Each time one of my players makes a character he makes a liferoll, which often helps him to determine what type of character he will play. The liferoll basically grants a free feat, skill bonus, special ability, or the like, nothing major, but it offers a starting point for character creation.
When I am making a character, I do take into consideration the classes of the other PCs; however, it may or may not affect the character I decide to play. I start out with a concept, race, class, and background in my head before I begin rolling stats. Once I have the character on paper, I then sit down and write a detailed history of the character to fully flesh him out. |
War to slay, not to fight long and glorious.
Aermhar of the Tangletrees
Year of the Hooded Falcon
Xysma's Gallery
Guide to the Tomes and Tales of the Realms download from Candlekeep
Anthologies and Tales Overviews
Check out my custom action figures, hand-painted miniatures, gaming products, and other stuff on eBay.
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Chosen of Moradin
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1120 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2006 : 16:56:33
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
The character concept is the first part. Once I figure out who the character is, all the other details -- like stats and feats and such -- simply fall into place.
The same for me. First of all, the race and class, and who the character is. The way he see the world, why he is an adventurer. With this in mind, I go for the choices (feats, skills, equipment)... |
Dwarf, DM, husband, and proud of this! :P
twitter: @yuripeixoto
Facebook: yuri.peixoto |
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2006 : 17:03:14
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When I was teaching myself 3E rules and mechanics I would build characters through a concept from Lv 1 to Lv 40...
When I started DMing 3E I found that is still useful for my players..get a concept, make a character development "tree" from Lv 1 to 20...so you can "map" out all the skills, feats and abilities you need for your PrCs...and it helps alot when leveling up a character too...much quicker.. |
Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly
- Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors
- 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Bladedancer
Learned Scribe
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2006 : 18:24:51
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| I usually let the other people in my gaming group pick what they want run first. Then I make a character that will help the party the most. So I usually end up playing a bard for all around utility or a fighte/rogue type so I can help up front and still be the party scout/trap monkey/finder of treasure. For some reason I can write up a pretty decent background(or at least I think so) out of the blue and end up giving help with that to my friends. |
Solarr Bladedancer
Mercenary For Hire
Master of the Ginsu Knives
They Slice They Dice They Will Cut through A Tin Can |
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Xysma
Master of Realmslore
USA
1089 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2006 : 15:03:42
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quote:
Originally posted by kalin agrivar
When I was teaching myself 3E rules and mechanics I would build characters through a concept from Lv 1 to Lv 40...
When I started DMing 3E I found that is still useful for my players..get a concept, make a character development "tree" from Lv 1 to 20...so you can "map" out all the skills, feats and abilities you need for your PrCs...and it helps alot when leveling up a character too...much quicker..
I tried that a time or two, but it never worked for me. Once I start playing a character, the campaign itself becomes the driving force behind where I am going with my character, rather than any preconceived notions I might have had. I have often even waited until a couple of gaming sessions into the campaign before writing my history, just to see how my character's personality develops. |
War to slay, not to fight long and glorious.
Aermhar of the Tangletrees
Year of the Hooded Falcon
Xysma's Gallery
Guide to the Tomes and Tales of the Realms download from Candlekeep
Anthologies and Tales Overviews
Check out my custom action figures, hand-painted miniatures, gaming products, and other stuff on eBay.
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11829 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2006 : 15:42:51
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As a player (which happens rarely) - I find myself always gravitating to some kind of character who can use wizardry. Then I have to find something to make them different. For instance, I'll run a priest-mage or a warrior-mage or some kind of scout-mage. For some reason, it seems like all my pc's are good and are "seekers". In fact, I'm very fond of law-enforcers. Whether its because someone is a noble and they want to secure the countryside for their peasants safety, or they're a detective, or they're a bounty hunter.
As a DM - Its all about the character concept, followed by the build that can be created within the rules. I will admit to min/max'ing npc's, but I do so without breaking the concept of the character. I also admit to spending a helluva lot more time designing my spellcasters than I do my fighters and rogues.
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Lysan Lurraxol
Acolyte
United Kingdom
33 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2006 : 15:48:09
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I DM, and when my group first started, I threw City Of Splendours and the FRCS at my players, I gave them 10 minutes to come up with a concept. They were not allowed to touch the Player's Handbook on pain of pain . I came up with Lysan some time ago, she started off as sort of an alter ego, and now has her own personality and life very different to my own. I go to more parties than she does though . |
http://lysan.livejournal.com
"Come join me in the dark..." |
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bitter thorn
Learned Scribe
USA
184 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2006 : 11:42:36
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| I tend to be a team player, so I frequently draw the duty of "what is the party missing?". I like to start with a region and decide what my characters place in that society will be and what is his motivation for becoming an adventurer. From there the rest of the charcter tends to fall in place rather readily. I like skill intesive characters so Rangers, Marshalls, and Rogues appeal to me. I'd love a chance to run a Cloistered Cleric someday. |
"Nobody listens to the Ranger!"
Our groups are all sticking with 3.X classic Realms. |
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Sian
Senior Scribe
Denmark
596 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2006 : 12:12:18
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| Horn ... what would you then do if the DM told a newforming party to sit in diffent rooms making their characters with no talking to anyone expect prehaps borrowing a book (that needs to go though the DM) |
what happened to the queen? she's much more hysterical than usual
She's a women, it happens once a month |
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Trace_Coburn
Learned Scribe
New Zealand
137 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2006 : 14:18:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Xysma
For my campaigns I created a list of special qualities/abilities based on a d100 roll, we call it a "liferoll". Each time one of my players makes a character he makes a liferoll, which often helps him to determine what type of character he will play. The liferoll basically grants a free feat, skill bonus, special ability, or the like, nothing major, but it offers a starting point for character creation.
Sounds like an interesting technique. Do you happen to have a copy of this 'liferoll chart' to hand? I'd like to take a look at it, perhaps see what sort of hooks it sets in my own mind....  |
D&D collection: Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual I, Complete Arcane, Arms & Equipment Guide.
FR sourcebook collection: Dragons of Faerūn, Faiths & Pantheons, FRCS, Lords of Darkness, Monsters of Faerūn, Player's Guide to Faerūn, Power of Faerūn, Races of Faerūn, Silver Marches.
I just got back into this, okay? Give me time (or better yet money) - I'll catch up soon enough. |
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Conlon
Learned Scribe
Canada
132 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2006 : 21:43:01
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Wow. Some really cool ideas here.
I like to have a fair amount of information about the locale that the character could have grown up in. Then I consider what I would do if given a chance to live there. I enjoy playing different types of characters from rogues to wizards to fighters. Never been big on barbarians or preists though.
I am running a campaign right now and when my players were generating their characters, I sat with them alone and we mapped out a good backstory for each of them. I made sure that they understood the society that they came from and their motivations for doing what they were doing. I had them flesh out family history, physical descriptions, and some of their accomplishments. This ended up making all the characters seem real and made role-playing come more naturally. |
My hopes are ashes, my dreams are dust. All my intentions mean nothing unless they are followed by action. |
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bitter thorn
Learned Scribe
USA
184 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2006 : 17:24:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Sian
Horn ... what would you then do if the DM told a newforming party to sit in diffent rooms making their characters with no talking to anyone expect prehaps borrowing a book (that needs to go though the DM)
Well..... depending on region and level I'd probably go with a character that can operate fairly independently. Rogues ands Clerics do that well at most levels and wizards at higher levels. |
"Nobody listens to the Ranger!"
Our groups are all sticking with 3.X classic Realms. |
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Where do you start when creating a character?
