Help me build a crazy Russian

[Humphrey Boggard]

I've had a character concept banging around my head for a while and would like some advise on choosing mechanics that would fit. I'm not looking for an optimized character - the rest of the party isn't all that optimized and I don't want to dominate encounters.

Iosif Baryshev, Ustalov bear calvary. Iosif comes from a small part of Ustalov which has long been under the sway of a powerful cult of necromancers that has replaced most manual labor with undead servitude. Having grown up in this system Iosif has accepted rule by necromancers as a perfectly normal method of governance. To feed the ever growing need for undead fodder even minor infractions are punishable by death and eternal undead servitude. Of course Iosif is a good man and the glaring disconnect between the culture he has accepted and what he feels in his heart has driven him a bit crazy.

Character quotes regarding undead:

(Upon seeing peasants working on a farm) "Interesting! In my country all manual labor has been replaced by necromancy. (trembles and rocks slightly back and forth) So many farms, so happy, so productive."

(Discussing industry back home) "In my country number one industry is necromancy. Number two industry? Protection from rampaging undeads."

(Party is attacked by undead) "Reminds me of the Christmas! Time of traditional uprising of the undeads in my country."

(Speaking of his "friend" the necromancer) "Ivan? He very funny guy! He try kill me in my sleep and raise me as undead servant. Not this time Ivan! Such a kidder."

Until recently Iosif was part of the Ustalav Bear Calvary Regiment and calls his mount Comrade Bearsky. Comrade Bearsky is an escaped circus bear and is smart enough to have learned a number of tricks. Iosif refers to Comrade Bearsky as his lawyer.

Comrade Bearsky:

"With lawyer for bear legal problems not big problem!" Cut to courtroom scene where Iosif stands accused and Comrade Bearsky, wearing a bow tie, stands in as his lawyer. Bearsky rears up and roars at the Judge "Raaaaarrrr!". Judge quickly finds Iosif innocent.

(Speaking of Bearsky's legal prowess) "Can you believe his mom want him to be doctor?! One of finest legal minds in all of Ustalav!"

What do you all recommend for class options? Is Ustalav the right place for a Russian character to be from? I see Iosif as human but can be swayed if another race would fit the Russian flavor particularly well. What weapons would make sense for Russian Bear Cavalry? Is there a rules option that would allow Comrade Bearsky to wear heavy plate barding? Would it make sense to do this instead of a lighter barding? Are there rules that provide for a thematic treatment of vodka that doesn't lead to horrible addiction side effects?

Finally, we are currently at level 11 in RotRL. Other party members are a halfling witch, human oracle (of the heavens), human monk, and goblin paladin (mounted archer). I imagine Iosif fighting using dragoon tactics - charging into battle and then dismounting and fighting next to his bear. For ranged combat I think either a crossbow or some sort of large firearm would be appropriate.

[MacGurcules]

Strong work here. I gotta say, I'm probably going to be stealing a lot of this at some point.

With Comrade Bearsky factoring in heavily to the concept, class options are probably going to be running pretty strongly towards picks with animal companion class features. With the martial slant you've got, Ranger or Cavalier are likely choices.

The biggest issue you're going to run into there, mechanically, is the fact that animal companion bears are only medium in size. That carries the implication that it would be ill-suited as a mount for a medium character. You can solve this by playing a small race, though a medium size is hardly intimidating enough for the Comrade.

Fortunately, Cavalier has an archetype that seems more or less ideally suited. The Beast Rider archetype lets you take a medium-sized companion animal and bump it up one size. Also, animal companions gain feats as they progress, so you can easily give Comrade Bearsky heavy armor proficiency if you like.

[zefig]

If you're starting at 11, see if your GM will allow you to take a huge bear as your mount for the Mammoth Rider PRC. Fill up the preceding levels with barbarian, cavalier, or what-have-you.

[Petty Alchemy]

Fun concept all around, and pardon me for the off-topic but...

zefig wrote:

If you're starting at 11, see if your GM will allow you to take a huge bear as your mount for the Mammoth Rider PRC. Fill up the preceding levels with barbarian, cavalier, or what-have-you.

I started using "zefig" as an sn in 2001 before shifting to other names, and this is literally the first time I've seen anyone else use it. You even didn't capitalize the first letter, just like me. This is just so uncanny to me.

[zefig]

Petty Alchemy wrote:

Fun concept all around, and pardon me for the off-topic but...

zefig wrote:

If you're starting at 11, see if your GM will allow you to take a huge bear as your mount for the Mammoth Rider PRC. Fill up the preceding levels with barbarian, cavalier, or what-have-you.

I started using "zefig" as an sn in 2001 before shifting to other names, and this is literally the first time I've seen anyone else use it. You even didn't capitalize the first letter, just like me. This is just so uncanny to me.

That's really weird. I don't think I've been using it for quite that long, but it's been a while. How'd you come up with it? I just used my initials and then bought an extra vowel for pronunciation's sake.

[thistledown]

Brevoy is typically seen as the (kievien) russian nation, with a large dose of game of thrones added in. There's also Irrisin, for the Baba Yaga side of things. Ustalav is more romania.

Human is right. Brevoy is a mix of Kellid and Taldor ethnicities. I'm not sure of the mix in Ustalav.

Your description of undead for manual labor would be the country of Geb, far to the south. In fact, undead are most of the population there.

[Petty Alchemy]

I was but a young lad, out for a walk in the park on a sunny autumn day, saw an acorn, and it popped into my head. "I should use this made-up word as a name".

Proof that I use it: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/user.php?board=954437

[pocsaclypse]

First of all I love the character.

Second, could he take the bear as a cohort if he took the leadership feat?

[Lunchbox3000]

pocsaclypse wrote:

First of all I love the character.

Second, could he take the bear as a cohort if he took the leadership feat?

I agree it sounds more like a team mate than an animal companion to me anyway. I also very much love the idea.

[Humphrey Boggard]

thistledown wrote:

Brevoy is typically seen as the (kievien) russian nation, with a large dose of game of thrones added in. There's also Irrisin, for the Baba Yaga side of things. Ustalav is more romania.

Human is right. Brevoy is a mix of Kellid and Taldor ethnicities. I'm not sure of the mix in Ustalav.

Your description of undead for manual labor would be the country of Geb, far to the south. In fact, undead are most of the population there.

Thanks for the campaign setting knowledge! Would it make sense for a cabal of necromancers from Geb to set up shop in Brevoy? I could see them there trying to find some lost and forgotten lich or other powerful necromantic magic buried in the frozen steppes.

[Humphrey Boggard]

pocsaclypse wrote:

First of all I love the character.

Second, could he take the bear as a cohort if he took the leadership feat?

Supposing he gets the bear via a leadership feat what class would you recommend building him as?

[pocsaclypse]

A barBEARian of course.
...
...
Really though, I think a barbarian would work well.

[Doctor Kash]

LOVE the character concept. I played a similar character in a Ravenloft game.

As Crazy Russians™ are wont to do, he took over Barovia and instituted Communism. I'd spout off (in a bad russian accent) bastardized Marxist sayings with a bit of Borat mixed in.

"Religion is opiate of masses. Opiates make people happy. GREAT SUCCESS!"

Ustalav is for all intents and purposes Romania, but historically Romania had a lot of ethnic Slavs who were culturally very much what we now think of as Russia. The concept works within Ustalav.

[Akerlof]

Humphrey Boggard wrote:

Until recently Iosif was part of the Ustalav Bear Calvary Regiment and calls his mount Comrade Bearsky. Comrade Bearsky is an escaped circus bear and is smart enough to have learned a number of tricks. Iosif refers to Comrade Bearsky as his lawyer.

** spoiler omitted **...

What do you all recommend for class options? Is Ustalav the right place for a Russian character to be from? I see Iosif as human but can be swayed if another race would fit the Russian flavor particularly well. What weapons would make sense for Russian Bear Cavalry? Is there a rules option that would allow Comrade Bearsky to wear heavy plate barding? Would it make sense to do this instead of a lighter barding? Are there rules that provide for a thematic treatment of vodka that doesn't lead to horrible addiction side effects?

Finally, we are currently at level 11 in RotRL. Other party members are a halfling witch, human oracle (of the heavens), human monk, and goblin paladin (mounted archer). I imagine Iosif fighting using dragoon tactics - charging into battle and then dismounting and fighting next to his bear. For ranged combat I think either a crossbow or some sort of large firearm would be appropriate.

He totally sounds like a Cossack. They were tribes of expert horsemen who were such good warriors that the Russian Czars left them alone as long as they protected the eastern borders and provided soldiers. They were so well known for their loyalty and ferocity that they literally became a symbol of the oppressiveness ot the tsar's power. But they were also independant and high spirited enough that some groups even sided with the Bolsheviks during the revolution. So there is definite historical precedence of siding with their conscience, but still doing it in their own way. (I knew minoring in Russian literature would be good for something, someday!)

I would do your concept as a cavalier, a man of action supremely confident (even arrogant) in his riding and fighting abilities, fearless, strong willed, with the veneer of civilization but more comfortable out in the saddle, three days ride from a bed, hunting down horse thieves. (Mounted barbarian could also work as a Cossack.)

As for equipment, he needs a scimitar, better to call it a sabre. He doesn't need to rely on it as a weapon, but it's a badge that indicates he's a cavalryman. And a big, fancy hat, preferably fur.

The other Russian archetype would be that of a young cavalry officer from a "good family." He's more interested in drinking, gambling, and having trysts with women than actually leading troops. Though he is a good rider and not afraid of a fight. But rather than fight because, you know, fighting! like a Cossack, he fights for glory and honor and good stories to impress the ladies. He would totally prefer to be posted in the capital pulling parade and guard duty (lot more ladies, especially generals' daughters) than out hunting horse thieves. (Generals don't get stationed out in the boonies, colonels might, but if they aren't rich enough to manage to keep ther daughters in the capital, what's the point of seducing them?)