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I decided to try out the new random background from Dragon 422, for Vol-Ka'Eth, my Thri-kreen Fighter|Barbarian Hybrid (Sohei theme). I must say that it was rather fun experiment, even though they were quite different from the basic idea I had in my head. I did 4 of them, but only the first and last caught my attention. Character stats are: Str 18, Con 11, Dex 18, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 8.

The first background was: Table 1 (3)-Executioner; 2 (12)-Bastard younger brother; 3 (13)-Press-Ganged; 34 (20)-Befriend captain & turn to trading; 6 (11+4=15)-Respected & settle merchant disputes; 28 (13+6=19)-Considered honored guest and start adventuring life. This one worked out well because of good rolls and successive training in diplomacy. The background benefits would be Diplomacy training with +2...

I'm back. For at least one more blog, the last of my Feywild Character Concept blogs. This one is the Satyr Witch. It was by far the most difficult for me to put together. So difficult in fact, that I had to build 2 characters to see how they would work side by side. Since I built two, I might as well give them both to you.

The two builds are based on the separate covens. Full Moon Coven was the easier one to build since the Satyr has neither Int nor Wisdom as its boosted stats, but I truly enjoyed the Dark Moon Coven more. The build ideas came from the skill bonuses that each coven grants. Full Moon grants Heal and later also gives you a bonus to Diplomacy. Heal is a Wis skill (your secondary stat anyway) and Satyrs get a bonus to Cha which helps the Diplomacy. Dark Moon gives you Intimidate...

  Character portraits are a wonderful thing to look at during my sessions. They remind me of my character's past, who he is now, and his choices to be made in the future. But perhaps most importantly, the portrait reminds me of the realism of it all. In the D&D fantasy worlds it's easy to lose yourself, and only  focus on combat or roleplay conversations, but sometimes we forget the realism aspect binding it all together, such as the mental strain a character can have. A portrait brings that missing element of roleplay back to me when I'm caught up in combat, or trying to make a consequential decision. It reminds me of everything I am forgetting and that is why for myself, an image of the character is one of, if not perhaps the most important part of his sheet.
  Not everyone...

So I just read Monte Cook’s last Legend & Lore article. Despite being interesting, I can’t say I agree with the design philosophy insight we got from it. Don’t get me wrong: I agree with the importance ordering, only not what they represent mechanically, as he explained them in the article.

Yes, the choice of class should have the greatest impact on the options you get to create your character, but I don’t think it should impact too much on the way a character is played (role). Creating a character is a very personal thing and classes should indeed serve as Archetype to propose a set of abilities relevant to that character, and provide references in pop culture. There can (and must) be Wizards that can deal damage as well as tank; only the methods should differ

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[Mostly cross-posted from my Blog]

Bill, the Gamesmaster (no not that kind silly), of our role-playing game group - referred to as 'Geek Club' by all and sundry - has been slaving away over a hot Obsidian Portal 'campaign wiki' (will webby wonders never cease? I remember attempting to affect a similar thing a few years ago by trying to get the Wikipedia engine running on my web domain, to track all of the characters, locations and evidence in the Call of Cthulhu RPG 'Masks of Nyarlathotep' campaign.) In the face of such community-spirited narrative-bolstering, I just had to do my thing and add a bit of art to the general flurry or activity.



So this is me at Geek Club. I'm a member of a race called the Tieflings, and get your spare change out, because I'm a Bard. You've got to love a bard....

A curious occurrence has been made far too apparent during past and recent sessions: a character begins and ends with the combination of his or her race and class.  While such an identity may help the player create an outward appearance, voice, and scant mannerism, it leaves a great deal unsaid and unfulfilled.

In looking at the characters, I've come to understand that there's a missing piece to each puzzle.  Race, Class, Alignment, Background, and Theme are great for fleshing out a character, and learned Skills further focus a character's efforts, but something must come before even these choices.

The concept of a character is a great opportunity to tie the various choices together while providing a key motivation throughout the character's adventuring career.  This idea must...

Flaws are important part of any character. Unless the game is pure dungeon delving only aiming to maximum loot and xp, roleplaying character flaws can be part of any game, even D&D4E. Game masters have tools for rewarding good roleplaying right in their hands!

You can read more about the topic at Shaper & Maker:

Character creation: Flaws make the character

 

A campaign is a shared story.  The premise of the fiction is determined by the DM, and the page-to-page action is determined by the player characters.  Like all good fiction, a good D&D campaign should strive, at every turn, to move the story forward in much the same manner as a short story or novel.

Novels usually begin one of two ways: a prologue introduces a primary character at a dramatic point, or the story begins in the middle of an event.  Unless a gaming group is keen to role-play their characters' backgrounds--which should already be in place when the game starts--the campaign should start in the middle of things.  

I know I am taking a divergent tone here, but the staple campaign begins in an inn or tavern.  While such an introduction eases players into

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I often tell my fellow gamers--especially when I am the Dungeon Master--that a character needs to exist beyond the character sheet.  Making a character is more than selecting options in the DDI Character Creator or rolling dice and choosing options that sound fun; a character should have a history, a background, and a purpose.

I bring this up as a topic because 4th Edition D&D seems to be disasterously lacking in the character background department.  With 4E rules, it's too easy for a player to simply create a shallow character, throw on some heavy armor, grab a heavy sword, and wander into the wilderness to attack a random monster.  The story should count for some of that fun--it should count for *most* of that fun--and a character background is a fantastic addition to

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