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Nalz
by focusing on a character who is so important or unique that they have been removed from the fabric of fate
you seem to be still sticking close to
focusing on a character who is so important or unique that they have had a great destiny written into the fabric of fate
Thanks Nalz, I was hoping you would not take offense
I like Lincoln Hills' idea, in terms of perhaps following in the wake of another PC, either assisting them specifically in the role of a bodyguard, servant, loyal family member or being along to ostensibly chronicle their deeds of renown
another idea might be to play a character with a more simple goal, such as the acquisition of wealth or to slake a thirst for excitement and adventure
perhaps they simply want to overcome a personal inner demon...fear, doubt, an addiction, etc.
Why not try a power hungry character who takes from the world rather than expecting for it to be given.
This doesn't mean evil or even chaotic. But a character who shuns divine gifts or handouts and believes in going out there and taking what is yours.
To me, this doesn't stand-out as great destiny cliche touching character. Rather, he's a man (or woman) who is going to get what he wants because he works at it.
Part of the whole "grand destiny" thing is that you're playing a character who is tied to divine structures. So, your next character should not have any divine ties. So, no Cleric, Inquisitor, Druid, Oracle, Paladin.
Actually, Druid might be okay, if they're connected to the Green Faith, and are just doing the will of nature. You are not a linchpin, you are a cog. If you do your part well, no one will know of your involvement.
On second thought, completely scrap my non-divine idea. What you need is a power greater than yourself, that you serve selflessly. Another PC, a cause, a force, a nation, even a deity would work. But in the end, it's not about you, it's about the greater power.
Now the question is: can you do that? Can you give yourself up for something greater? Something where you are not the linchpin?
You could always go with a bit of a palate cleanser; a character who doesn't really have a strong opinion about what happens next, or just goes with whatever they feel will be fun. It'll be an excuse to try a CG or CN character who isn't particularly hung up on morals, you could even focus on being the comic relief for the party.
One way of avoiding destiny is to focus on the immediate and the transient. Who cares about the fate of the Gods and the World, where's the nearest Tavern? A Bard would be the traditional choice for a carefree character, but a Rogue, Fighter, Cavalier, Barbarian, Sorcerer or pretty much any non-divine character would do. Hell, even a Cleric of Cayden Cailean could be an itenerant adventurer with no destiny.
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Combining the 'henchman' idea with the 'no destiny' idea, why don't you try to make your character someone that wrecked another person's great destiny?
Play the brown haired man that stole the blonde paladin's +5 legendary sword of awesome. And when the "man of golden lockes that wields the sword of awesome to save us all' rides into battle to defeat the demonlord with a subpar weapon.... it turns out poorly.
This would provide you with motivation. Guilt over causing such calamity to spread. You can then devote yourself to finding a new person to fulfill that destiny. Go around shoving the sword on blonde farm boys and tell them to fight the local goblin tribe...and follow along to retrieve the sword when the kid gets himself killed. Wash, rinse, and repeat until someone (another party member) surprises you.
Be sure to get the GM to provide some ridiculous list of prophecies that this party member is in no way qualified to actually accomplish. Then you should proceed to specialize in covertly faking those prophecies. An explanation for why you would do this is because the prophecy of the 'savior' would be the only thing that could unite the now disillusioned land and raise an army to stop the evil menace.
Power to you if you can get a group to work characters out together. Some people hate it when everyone's character seems to fit too well with another, but if you're smart, you can create group dynamic without having every PC knowing the other PC before the first session.
Having translated parts of the Aeneid in High School, I feel you. I often get inspired by something I've read or seen and base a character or two off it subconsciously (or intentionally). Totally normal thing to do.
Keep your conflicts personal. Don't fight for the Greater Good or some other virtue that is bigger than you are; fight for those close to you, or just fight for yourself. If your choice is between defeating the Big Bad and saving a close friend from death, pick your friend because the world as a whole just isn't as important to you as the people you've formed relationships with.
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I concur with the henchman concept. Be a punch-clock adventurer with a wife, two kids, a mortgage, and a two-story in suburbia. Every time someone in your party starts talking about how their god commands them to smite evil, tell them to simmer down because your daughter needs braces. Make a point of not caring about the overarching theme of the campaign, even if it MAY BE THE END OF THE WORLD. End of the world? Hell you got bills to pay and your creditors are the kind of blood sucking fiends who'll chase you into the next world anyway.
How about someone who is part of the larger picture, but is not the hero of the story? You somehow have access to one or more prophecies and you make sure they come true (or they are left unfullfilled). Don't be the sword, be the arm that swings it. You make sure the hero that was foretold has the sword of BBEG slaying and he is at the right spot at the right time to use it and save the world. Your reason for doing this can vary. I see this guy as one of two people a cleric/oracle of Pharisma, Nethys or some other diety tied to fate/ prophecy, and playing second fiddle is your destiny. Alternatively, a diviner wizard who sees himself gaining a lot of power by following the hero and making sure he succeeds.
I personally like the wizard, it gives you a reason to fight for the greater good, but those reasons are selfish and don't direcly tie you to destiny and fate.
One way to avoid having a destiny bigger than one's self is by being larger than life yourself. The rock-star bard, the swaggering swashbuckler, or the fearless warlord. You serve yourself and your ego. Maybe you care about the people around you, but your story revolves around you. Never say "It's the will of my deity that [...]", never worry about what the mysterious source of your powers wants, and never strive for a goal that you don't fully understand.
"The will of <deity>" is not really an understandable goal. "To get filthy rich" is. "To protect myself and my friends" is. "To be the very best" is understandable, even if it's abstract.
Don't put prophecies in your backstory. Have your character be SELF motivated. He does things because HE wants to do them, not because there's some prophecy or his deity wants him to.
Just my suggestion.
First thing that comes to my mind is playing a run of the mill type of non-magic guy, preferably with low charismatic value. In my mind that is mostly a Fighter, Rogue or Barbarian. Perhaps The thug rogue archetype fits the flavour.
Personally I would play a character that doesn't think very far ahead, a character kind of only concerned with himself and his direct surroundings having a hard time bothering with long-term issues. This doesn't mean he has to be an egocentric bastard, he could also be a really nice guy, but he's kind of the simpleton. The guy unconcerned with gods and demons, who's just in it for the thrill or some other very real/tangible goal.
In the end, the player characters are all heroes, so it's pretty difficult to avoid the 'above average person' stamp.
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I'm reminded of a line in the movie "Backbeat" about the Beatles' early days in Hamburg. The John Lennon and Paul McCartney sitting around a bar debating whether or not they should change their act or not, and Paul asks Pete Best (the Beatles' original drummer) what he thinks. Pete just gives him a withering look and says something like "I'm just the drummer. Who give a f@*% what I think?"
If you want to swing wide of destiny, then emulate Pete Best. :)
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On the original note, because I found it interesting... I may actually pick this guy up, sounds like alot of fun.
Half Elf Wanderer Monk:
Traits: Disbeliever, Carefully Hidden
Feats: Divine Defiance, Divine Denouncer, Seen & unseen, Exiles Path
Important Wanderer Powers:
Inscrutable (Su)
At 5th level, the wanderer gains a supernatural air of mystery. The DC to gain information or insight into the wanderer with Diplomacy, Knowledge skills, or Sense Motive increases by 5. In addition, by spending 1 point from his ki pool, the wanderer gains nondetection for 24 hours with a caster level equal to his monk level.
This ability replaces high jump.
With all this you receive a +4 will against divine spells, +3 more against divination and scrying and are under non-detection everyday.
You are outside the province of the gods and fate. Divine Magic does not effect you except in the most rare of circumstances.
I really like this concept... *goes to plot*