Oh, the races? You almost make me wanna roll a grippli. Make him like an earth oracle or something. Little frog tossin around huge rocks with his power and shakin up the mountains, lol.
DM, maybe you should give thought to finding a like-minded DM (harder than it sounds) who likes your idea and wants to run a similar game, and then just go "OK, you got the backdrop, now here's 30-something applicants who still want in! I've picked some I like, now you pick some. Have fun!"
Kill Bill (both volumes) is a contender for me, but my head's too clogged with an out-of-the-blue cold or something, can't think of my other big ones. leaky nose, headache and all that. But I do appreciate movies that don't shy away from their own content, and kill bill pulled no punches.
Meh. What are we all worried about? A powerful race doesn't break anything. Only if a player is specifically out to hog all the fun by being a combat machine and attacking everything in sight do we have cause to worry.
Hey, checking in. No, I haven't submitted mine yet. I'm about done with my sorcerer, who looks a little unusual to me, but I'm also fighting the urge to make alternates. A halfling druid comes to mind. (long story, don't ask.)
Anyway, the sorcerer is looking like an eclectic mix of party face, fire-based blaster, summoner, battlefield control, and a smattering of knowledge. Getting late, but we seem to have no druids so far, so unless you're opposed to it, I might go ahead and roll up that alternate for the heck of it. At least with that one, I have SOME clue what his backstory is so far since he's one of my longer running personas...the sorc is from scratch.
Well, first off, Houston represent. (god that felt ghetto, I'm from Pasadena.) Second off, haven't got to do a RotRL yet, so I'm up for the challenge. Bread and butter, keep it core for best results eh? Hmmm...what have I not played yet...
Don't think I'm running any sorcerers, rangers, bards, monks, druids, or paladins yet. got a rogue in an idle game, but only got a taste of playing it...got a barbar applying for one...
Pffft. Slow schedule won't stop me. Been watching some idle campaigns for a couple months to see if they pick back up. It's a bit harder than that to chase me away from some good RP.
Yikes. And I thought a kidney stone was bad...best of luck with the whole experience, man.
As for balance? Quite often I feel that balance is secondary (and I mean a VERY close second) to flavor and unique mechanics. 3.0 dragon disciple. Most memorable prestige class description ever for me, power level be damned. The power of a class should rarely be a balance issue unless A: the player picks it just for that purpose and abuses it, and B: the GM is not skilled at creating content that mitigates said abuse. Now the B thing, only comes with time and experience and may necessitate putting up with A for awhile, but the whole thing is otherwise circumventable (spellcheck says that's apparently not a word, lol) with a little know-how.
Of course, all that falls by the wayside before the agreement between GM and players. Your game, your call. I'm keeping my foot forward either way.
Awww, no custom heavy miniaturized blaster rifle with scope and secret compartments?
I R sadface.
Guess I'll have an alias up soon. Backstory's basically done for me, checked over everything best I can to make sure I have it all in order. Pretty sure I do; it's been ages since I looked at my SE books, had to re-read a BUNCH of things. Game seriously needs an SRD, all the good stuff is scattered across so many books, lol.
The concept is forming for a techincal-minded rifleman with computer savvy and mechanical know-how. In simple terms of role, he's a slicer, a sniper, and a serious custom equipment specialist (If I get a chance, this guy's gonna design a starship. Always wanted to do that.)
A question comes to mind, since I'm having trouble tracking down a written answer: how many credits should we be using to purchase our starting gear?
Or, since we're military, do we HAVE starting gear? or are we getting some "standard issue" stuff after the fact? Not sure how to handle that part just yet.
Hmmm. First time I've ever heard someone try to use the saga edition ruleset. Had the books for awhile now, but never found anyone interested in them. Perhaps I'll dust off the old hardcovers and see what I can cook up.
The shout from the human male was unmistakably that of a soldier. Since her arrival, people had been whispering where they thought she couldn't hear, but her frilled ears missed very little. Now, it seemed, they had called their guards in a panic. Spears encircled her in the open street, but her wings remained folded. Picking out the leader of their number, her purposeful, measured voice sighed, and rumbled in query. "Is there a problem, guardsman?"
"We've had reports of some kind of...demon strolling through town, in broad daylight. Your kind aren't usually so brash, fiend. What do you want?"
Snarling at the description, Dracona's response was more a growl than a reply. Fiend?? Your tongue outpaces your mind, human. I am a Dragon, and I am here to trade with your merchants, not break your soldiers."
The captain's surprise was evident, but he kept his composure. "I'm not taking chances with the safety of my town. You'll either withdraw at once or be bound for inquisition." The captain waved behind him, and a woman in grey robes stepped forward and began to weave signs in the air with a low chant. Dracona folded her arms with a smirk. As the caster finished her spell, a glowing rune appeared beneath Dracona's feet. Breathing a sigh of relief, the soldiers lowered their spears.
"Amusing, how some people simply do not listen." Dracona dropped her arms and strode forward, stopping just outside the circle. The shock on the woman's face was quite plain, and the captain began to sweat. "Dragon. Not devil. Pay attention." Holding up the pouch tied at her belt, she addressed the unit as a whole. "I'm going to your market to shop, and then I will leave. Keep your weapons at your sides, and that's all I will do." She shot a threatening glare at the woman as well. "And keep your spells to yourself."
As she moved to leave, the group of spearmen parted, save for one. Though he trembled, he kept his spear aimed high, at her throat. His eyes burned with anger more than fear, and his teeth were gritted to the breaking point. "You monsters took generations of my family from me. I won't let you do it again."
Dracona raised an eyebrow at the young man, barely in his second decade of life. Slowly, she lifted a hand to the spearhead, closed her fingers around it, and squeezed. The splinters flew in every direction, and the steel point clattered to the ground. "Boy. Do not put me with the scum that tried to poison this world. I kill when I hunger and when I am wronged. I do not know your scent, and have taken nothing from you but this spear. Point your rage at the right monster, or your life, and your death will have no meaning."
Pushing him aside, Dracona continued her stride, searching for merchants with interesting wares. The entire unit wiped sweat from the brows as they exchanged nervous glances. The young cleric turned to her captain. "Do we...pursue? Or..."
"N-no," He stammered. "Just...make sure someone is watching her every move. I will alert the council and keep vigil. Issue orders: no member of the guard is to approach or engage her unless she attacks someone first. I only hope her intentions are benign; we may lack the means to stop her, regardless of her aims..."
Kinda off the cuff, but hey, that's the best RP right? The kind that just pops up when you let it flow.
It's ok, I counted on the LA. It's a fair trade for wings, if nothing else, though you'll probably notice my lack of abuse with some of the features. My choice of race/template is almost purely dependent on an existing character concept I'm trying to actually make playable. I'm probably just going to stick with standard human/template though. Trying to figure out a custom race that even comes close to what I want to present skyrockets the RP cost, and I do NOT want a +4-5 ECL race, heh. Was trying to figure out how to make an equivalent human/half dragon that drops a few features though, since they're not only non-essential, but purposely absent in my original vision of the character.
Sorry, tangent there. It's ok though, I can settle for existing stuff for now and just let some of my more unique changes emerge in game if appropriate.
BTW, are you using the ruling about level adjustments eventually being "bought off" at certain level plateaus? I seem to recall some kind of rule like that, but I can't remember where it is, or if it was made obsolete in the current ruleset...Eh, I'll manage either way, your call.
Now, I just need to figure out an appropriate RP sample...BRB.
OK, got that ten minute background done, though ten minutes was a generously short estimate. I'll work on the crunch later, but for now, feast yer eyes.
BACKGROUND:
NOTE: Locations, organizations, and events specific to this world are left undefined so that they can be implanted later, and because this character is also part of my own homebrew world. Final details can be posted in the Alias if/when accepted, but are not included here in the first draft.
NAME: Dracona
Race: human (Half-dragon)
Class: Barbarian
Alignment: Neutral. She enjoys too many things, some gratifying and some altruistic, to truly fall to one extreme or another. Also with her aging falling outside most humanoid cycles, she doesn't always see things in the typical perspective of human morals.
Appearance: Dracona is tall and massive, cutting an imposing figure head and shoulders above common folk; the natural might of her ancestors is unmistakable. Her scales are a deep crimson, though her general skin tone is a smoky gray. She prefers fitted clothing that prevents anyone from forgetting just how much muscle mass she carries, and that does not interfere with her tail and wings. Despite this, her face is not only human, but quite striking, perhaps made even more so by her powerful presence and her piercing gaze, focused through eyes like smooth rubies. Wide, frilled ears, a head of crested horns, and an untamed mane of blood red hair complete her memorable visage.
Personality: Honest, yet ambitious; empathetic, yet frank and earnest. Detached from society emotionally, yet intellectually drawn to it, Dracona is a creature torn by opposing urges, constantly trying to reconcile her dual natures.
CONCEPT ELEMENTS
1. born from an experiment between dragons, Dracona carries a mix of bloodlines from red and black dragons. She is humanoid, but figure is augmented with much of the tools and features of her ancestry. Her red blood provides her dominant features, but her black heritage shows through alongside it, especially in her skin.
2. Dracona has long been a survivor and a runaway, after escaping her tyrannous creators in her youth. She has learned to hunt, to fight, and to address her draconic instincts in the wilds, and only recently has learned to deal with humans. Like all dragons, she still carries strong instincts of hunting, hoarding, combat and lairing; these urges are at times in conflict with her surprisingly humane nature and her desire to be accepted by others. Though she is quick to retaliate against any danger or challenge, she is quite empathetic to the human condition, and does not relish the deaths of bystanders.
3. In conversation, Dracona is brutally blunt, and somewhat disdainful of petty matters, especially those that lack integrity or real value. Though she knows that humanoid civilization is mercurial compared the long lives of dragons, she cares little for decisions that make no real, meaningful gains for one's community or one's self. She is also older than most humans, bearing the logevity of her Draconic heritage, and she sometimes dismisses the value of temporal things when they do not interest her directly.
4. Dracona's physical behaviors are as much dragon as human; when she speaks, it is because words are needed. If a growl, a roar, or a display of might will do, she saves her speech. When she fights, she tries to remain disciplined, but when pressed, will sometimes act like a dragon: she may run on all fours, flaring her wings and baring her fangs to terrify her enemies when her rage overtakes her.
5. Dracona would be very much an imperious red dragon-child, were it not for her encounter with a peasant family in her youth. She was scavenging for food when she was caught by a farmer in his food silo. Rather than chase her away with a pitchfork, as had happened to her many times, he grew curious about the strange child, and in the end, he and his wife learned to accept her and began to raise her as their own. Their empathy and tolerance seeded a soft spot in her otherwise survival-hardened young heart. They met their end when her dragon parent tracked her to the farm, decades ago.
GOALS
1. Acquire treasure, build a hoard, find a place of leadership and power for herself, and find greatness through a combination of her might, wealth, and integrity, likely by founding her own city or even country.
2. Seek powerful opponents to challenge her strength, allow her to grow, and satisfy her simmering urge for battle.
3. In the far future, find a worthy mate, likely half-dragon himself, and sire her own brood. (Not counting on it.)
4. Meeting her draconic parent would be an interesting opportunity to either get on his good side, get some answers to his motives, or put him down once and for all (maybe even all three in some order.)
SECRETS
1. Unknown to Dracona, due to an astronomical unlikelihood caused by the nature of her creation, she is actually genetically incompatible with virtually all specimens, draconic, humanoid, or otherwise. Siring a child will be nearly impossible for her without exactly the right mate.
2. Dracona knows the burial site of the only potential mate she considered worthy and that might have been capable of giving her offspring. It is located in a snow-capped, cloud-swathed mountain, and camoflagued by mundane and magical means. She checks it regularly to ensure it is not disturbed.
PERSONAL TIES
1. Maiev, an ancient wizard of unusual origin, seems to be a cross of elven and naga blood, and while she and Dracona were at odds over the aforementioned mate for many years, his death has left a void they eventually filled. While they still couldn't be considered close, since their reconciliation, they are much more comfortable around each other in recent years.
2. Kakita Koji, a wanderer of foreign lands and culture, is one of Dracona's foremost teachers in hand-to-hand combat. He was the first person to endure the full fury of her rage in battle with calm and focus, and she was intrigued by his skills. In the intervening years, she trained under him in an effort to learn precision, control, and technique. While she remains draconic in her habits and style, she has developed much restraint under his tutelage and he remains optimistic in her progress.
3. Alkaine is another half-dragon creation of Dracona's parents. Though he shares much of her draconic gifts, he has little of her humanity and compassion. He fully embraces his draconic instincts and brings his cunning to bear against everyone around him in his quest for power, often trying to influence Dracona herself with diplomacy, riches, and clever plays at her goals and desires. His physical might rivals hers, but he has never quite bested her in a fair fight.
4. Miria Dremen is a young mercenary, and a descendant of one of Dracona's old friends named Telcia. the story goes that Telcia was once hired to assassinate Dracona by some upstart noble in retaliation for her thwarting his schemes, but she failed, and by some twist of fate, eventually came to befriend the dragonchild. Rumors abound that Dracona herself murdered the assassin-turned-companion, though this is far from reality. Sadly, the truth of Telcia's death has not reached Miria's ears, and the naive young warrior misguidedly plots against Dracona to this day. Dracona has made no move to attack her in return, since she made a promise to Telcia to protect her descendants.
MEMORIES, MANNERISMS, OR QUIRKS
1. Dracona vividly remembers the death of her mate; she could feel the life ebb from his blood-soaked body as he passed. She tends to stay away from mated couples, and takes pains to avoid scenes of romantic loss; the images only open old wounds.
2. despite having hardened claws from her ancestry, Dracona shies away from using them in combat, preferring closed fists and grappling to the bloody swipes of her claws.
3. While around people, or when indoors, Dracona folds her wings about her like a cloak to keep from banging into things or blocking eyesight.
EDIT: Forgot the RP sample, but falling asleep at keyboard. Will update sometime tomorrow.
Ok, I like this. Freeform, mid level start, fun requirements for firing up a character. Yeah, I'm feeling this one.
First reflex: A human barbarian with (if I can put it together) a modified half-dragon template. There are features I would purposely like to subtract while keeping the overall flavor and power of the template, level adjustment and all.
The background is already established, and I'm transcribing some material as we speak, but I'd like some suggestions on how I would best modify this. Based on the OP, I have the feeling that a custom race might simply be suitable to replace the whole affair, yes? The RP/LA scale seems like a good place to start.
Crunch is pretty much done, but with my choice of race/class/bloodline and the backdrop for the campaign, I'm at a complete "duuuuuuuh" for the background. Just gonna have to toss it around a bit and see if something good pops out.
side note: it was interesting trying to spend 125gp on a sorcerer with a 7 STR without loading him down. Will work on an alias presently, and the background will get put up as it forms in my head (collaboration is welcome, and will almost certainly speed things up.)
I have a bedrock sorcerer coming up. battlefield control, summoning, buffs, and some high impact spells at later levels, plus he'll be good in the dark.
Hmm. A very flexible array on set 1, could go for some MAD classes with that one. free weapon finesse AND power attack as well? I smell a killer sandbox.
sounds like a killer dungeon crawl, replete with traps, beasties, and all sorts of nasty challenges, am I right? Haven't had a lot of those here. I'll throw my hat in and see what pops out.
Need to fill in some gaps on the fluff, but the crunch is done. Switched to a kobold acrobat rogue for lots of high-flying ledge-walking cliff-jumping stabby action. Will make a profile tomorrow.
I'm actually thinking of a kobold ranger. Having his egg stolen and sold before he hatched would have brought endless opportunities for misadventure, including nearly being scrambled before birth. Being taken in by a shrewd sorcerer who had a way with words gave him the chance to grow up as something other than a skittish, cowardly slaver.
Concept just popped into mind as I read recruitment. I'll see if I can flesh it out over the next day or two.
Alright, I guess we better start collaborating if our party's meant to know each other. First idea that sprang to mind was a catfolk rogue using claws for attacks, and focusing on the spelunky, grab-and-go, opportune moment kind of characters who's a good kitty to keep for company, but just has a mischievous, larcenic streak.
Working on an alias and sheet now. Start throwing out those concepts and let's start building a party!
I had never really looked closely at SR before, but given the sheer mechanical analogies given, I can see how it breaks down as a shutdown for casters. I think the major shutdown factor comes from the fact that your answer to SR, your caster level, is basically unmodifiable outside a pair of feats, a racial choice, and a couple items at best. It's a very static stat that you have few ways of actively affecting, and vice versa for the DM. Need more HP? levels, con, temp spells. More AC? armor, shields, dex, feats, items, buff spells, size, nat armor, miscellaneous stuff. Need higher damage? buffs, items, better weapons, STR score, class features, feats, spells. Need to beat someone's SR? Spell penetration feats, a couple very niche items, or be an elf. Not a lot of variety in that last category, and two of them are choices you're stuck with, for good or ill.
I won't take a side in the argument specifically, as I see the value of SR mechanically, but I do see Story's perspective as valid. Removing extraneous dice rolls is not inconsiderable to the enjoyment and pacing of a game, and furthermore, if it works to make your game more fun and still feels fair to your party, it is a valid rule regardless.
I think the misleading thing, and the most overlooked, is that it counts as a dex bonus, and therefore is not only reduced by armor max dex, but can't even come into play if you happen to wear armor that caps out your dex bonus. I.E., +5 dex, +5 int, wearing leather armor, you still only add +6 dex mod to AC. you just treat your dex as being higher for the purposes of AC--limited by armor (assuming you even wear any at that point.)
BTW, try an elven monk with duelist levels. pump dex, wis, and int all for AC. use a siangham to qualify for all the bonuses, and laugh as your AC skyrockets.
Well, I'm not sure how different the rules are, but I think I have a 3rd ed source? have to check again. I would definitely be down for the powerhouse bruiser role; I have someone perfect in mind. You could say, it was made for this kind of game, in fact. Anyone got a good source of the intended ruleset and I'll take a crack at recreating it for the game.
A curious idea, if I may say so. I've been trying, slowly, and futilely, to design a campaign world around some core concepts and major characters that I've created over the years, and I constantly find myself lost on what step to take next. Perhaps a different kind of exercise will give me some input and insight on worldbuilding. I'll see if I can come up with something.
I figure I'm gonna make my kitty a straight up tribal champion with the barbarian class. Wicked claw damage, bites, rage, and a not-quite xenophobic sense of protection for the tribe. Where it goes from there, we'll see. working on the crunchy fluffy goodness currently.
feline fun for four or more? Sounds like my kind of game. Time to get ferocious. Any guidelines/limitations on what type of catfolk, fur patterns, physical types, species, etc.?
hmmm. Yeah I'm thinking I'll set up an alternate, just in case, since the most current list shows only one (really?) arcane character submission. Never made a seafaring arcanist, but perhaps it's time for an exercise in character creation, no?
Working up my first concept now. rogue(pirate) with a whip focus, covers a skillbase good for pirating, sailing, and trading, a little light on some of the hallmark rogueish stuff (read: traps) for flavoring and practicality purposes. She could probably be brawn or brains, somewhere in between I guess. I kind of imagine her ending up as a boatswain of sorts, among other things. You know, the disciplinarian. The one who cracks the whip when someone's dragging feet or thinking of mutiny. It's only a start, but I'm trying to shape some backstory now. Should have some kind of update soon.
Looking at that applicant list, though, I might just see about something more arcane as an alternate app.
Soo, if all our stuff's getting taken, should I even care about starting gold? or how should I handle that? Should I just keep it all? or spend it, knowing it's gone? I don't want to metagame, but I also don't want to worry about something if it's meant to be irrelevant at the start.
Got an idea forming for a saucy, whip-wielding lass who can keep sailors in line, dish out some pain, and make things happen. Only thing is, I'm torn between classes now. I like the rogue's pirate archetype for obvious reasons, but I'm also quite intrigued by the free hand fighter archetype, since both are, at least in theory, EXTREMELY compatible with a whip.
Since we're starting at level 1, though, I can't have both. CHOICES!!! ARGH!!! Might have to multiclass later, heh.
And yes, the fluff is coming along too. It's kind of a side by side thing this time, but usually one comes first. I'm weird like that.
Hmmm, bump up the 4 to a 7? Tempting. I'm torn though. with that 4, it'll be hard to put together some of the concepts I have, but at the same time, I kinda hate the feeling that I'd be wussing out of what the dice gave me. Decisions, decisions...
Oh, and yes. I would totally sail with a frog captain. do it.
Yeah, I have a bad habit of finding a recruitment thread and reading up on it, only to skip to the end and make my post, lol. Guess I should stop that.
Ooh! ooh! custom race time! I have a gatorfolk concept that'll be great in swamps! OR maybe I could finally get around to creating the most fabled race of all!
OSTRICHFOLK!!
what. you know you'd play one.
EDIT: awww. interest check already closed. Oh well. Feel free to PM if you want my gatorfolk race build (or the incomplete ostrichfolk one, lol.)
Wooooow. three 9's, four 10's, an 11, two 12's, four 13's, two 14's, a 15, and a 17. 18 rolls, and not a single 18. HAH.
so, likely array would be 17, 15, 14, 14, 13, 13. Hard to complain in the long run, but still funny how fickle dice can be. I'll see what I can think up, once I get a quick read on the RotRL handbook.
Hmmm, maybe I'll make an alternate here...but I don't feel the inspiration really flowing for some reason, despite the setting and scenario. Long winter, apocalyptic landscape, evil everywhere...weird. Why am I not getting tons of ideas here? this should be a playground for me...
Hmm, not a lot of arcane on the list, mostly magus, and a couple wizards. Maybe I need to fill in the arcane slot with a concept I have brewing...more of a build, really. no concept attached just yet. 2 days left. Only one way to know for sure how it'll work out.
Hmmm. Reading over the golarion deities a little closer, kinda feel like Iomedae might be a better fit for my idea. She's more closely linked to Lastwall, and her portfolio and domains just seem to align a little better with my concept and my plan. Working on it now.
Interested in the extreme here, and have a character emerging. A human Paladin of Sarenrae, who was coming of age when Tar Baphon made his move. He's had to watch his home of Ustalav turn against itself and fall to the undead, and since he grew up idolizing soldiers and adventuring warriors, you can BET he's itching to strike back. I have a few questions that'll help solidify some details, if you would be so kind:
exactly how many years ago would you say Tar Baphon pushed to the bastion of Lastwall? It's the trait I'm using and trying to get his age right for it.
What direction did the whispering Tyrant's forces come from/push to? Geography is my worst subject and just want to look credible in my background, lol.
Most importantly, any objections to a paladin? I'm perfectly willing--nay, eager--to discuss beforehand my ideas of what his alignment/code entail, and his relationship with Sarenrae, so there's no rules lawyering later about breaking/not breaking his code, or stepping on other players' toes. I know firsthand the drama that can come with a paladin in the party, and I want to spare us all the headache by sorting things out well beforehand, rather than choosing not to play a paladin at all.
Daynen
