I'm looking for some interesting ideas on character development for what is perhaps my second or third favorite character I've ever played.
Currently, I'm playing a Halfling Bard named Alton Nimblewit in a post-apocalyptic steampunk campaign. Think "Big O" without the mechs. There's two competing religions in the world: there's 'the flame', which is an amalgamation of most good and neutral religions; and 'the lawgiver', which is somewhere between Bane and Asmodeus...
... and Alton Nimblewit is a faith-revival type minister of the former. He's basically a 3' tall cross between famed/shamed televangelist Peter Popoff, and Convincing John of Fraggle Rock fame. He likes acts that kinetically charge the audience, and the rank-and-file clergy of the rather structured Flame grimace at him. Because he generally dresses in thrift-quality tweed jackets, you could also call him the "used car salesman for your soul."
Adding to this is the fact that he's generally a bit slow on the uptake. When I say 'a bit slow', he was given the nickname "Nimblewit" in college as a joke, and he still wears it with pride, having never got the reference.
I'm looking for some character development ideas on two paths:
First, Alton is known for his 'Altonisms,' which are outright bastardizations of classical idioms. He especially tends to use these when casting confusion, though it's not his intention. I'm trying to collect more to use in everyday context. Some examples are:
- "That sounds like the straw that put the camel before the horse."
- "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to buy good furniture."
- "We need to walk a line in the sand"
- "Don't judge a book by the jury."
Second, Alton is a bit of an innocent (literally; he has some Ravenloft ability), so I'm having trouble roleplaying him in some of the horror-type elements that seep into the campaign. How does a boisterous, cheery and faith-crazed televangelist roleplay horror without ruining the moment? Just being silent is his current reaction, but it'd be nice to play it a bit better.
Maestro blood line and eldritch Heirage chian
Antagonize feat
Role play wise take it in....Bequite for while less is some times more...Then flip a switch and go all Fire and Brimstone. Kinada inraged
I would make him Bipolar. Most of the time supper happy fun. Then when he meet with horror element. He is mean and hatefull at what causes the horror.
Antagonize feat fit that role play well
Diplomacy for supper happy fun time
Intimidate when it see the face of Horror
Have him have some mental block that he use to suppess his memorys so he happy. Or it all just a act wich is why it comes off fake or use car salesmen like. And he realy is angery for some act that done to him or some close to him that he wittness when he was young.
He could even work Modify Memory, Terrible Remorse, and Memory Lapse spell in to his stick.
Or He could want to share his own horror with other via Sotto voice, cause fear, Scare, and Fear spells.
Maybe take 1 level of Cleric or 2 of oracle to be able to cast Comand and or muderous command.
If Orcale I would do Ancestor, Lore, or Dark Tapestry.
With curse of hunted.
Maybe ask to spend a feat to add your curse spells to your Bard list.
Oracle's Curse (Ex): Each oracle is cursed, but this curse comes with a benefit as well as a hindrance. This choice is made at 1st level, and once made, it cannot be changed. The oracle's curse cannot be removed or dispelled without the aid of a deity. An oracle's curse is based on her oracle level plus one for every two levels or Hit Dice other than oracle. Each oracle must choose one of the following curses.
If Cleric I would chose domains of Madness, Insanity, chaos, Honnor, Repose, knowledge, Memory.
Look at Evangelist (Archetype) for cleric of level.
Hmm... the creepy dark side of Alton is interesting, and I'd consider adding curses if it weren't for the fact that a) curse spells in this world are subject to corruption checks, and b) it goes against Alton's principles.
I've already got his mechanical build in place... I went with Treantmonk's Archer Build, almost straight up, and at 10th level there isn't much to change at this point, other than a choice between straight Bard or Arcane Archer (got that thread in the advice board).
The quiet shut down mechanism seems appropriate, but I'm looking for ways to roleplay the after-effects of horror, even if I made all my saves.
Oracle curse is class trait or flaw not a spell. Please read oracle
Oracle curse is class trait or flaw not a spell.
I've read the oracle... not a big fan of it for one (doesn't quite fit Alton's modus operandi), and we already have one as a GMPC in our group (who, coincidentally, has the haunted curse). The other drawback is that I rely frequently on grabbing things out of my bag... Alton is the only one who comes prepared with things like powder for invisible creatures, alchemical items, and other adventuring gear that is frequently used in combat. Having to retrieve them as a standard action would be a big drawback...
As far as Cleric, the GM only allows the Cloistered Cleric archetype in this campaign, which is a bit of a downer. Besides, with a Wisdom of 7, I don't think there's much to gain from that class anyways.