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@bbt
It's fairly important not to go into conflicts with people about their style of play. Some people are actually very shy and often we get those linear responses like "He is fighter in chain shirt" which don't describe much. It's best to simply adapt and try to make suggestions in good moments or simply try to give him impression through description of NPCs and areas that details matter. After all, if you aren't describing your NPCs properly, why should the player bother also.
I don't require backstory.
I just want some idea of what the PC looks like. This could effect how NPCs react to PCs.
That's it.
I do not share your priorities.
Average male human fighter? Fine. There's one in the Core rulebook. I think his name is Valeros.
I don't care about the colour of his hair or eyes. I don't care if his nose is big or small. I don't care if he's fat or thin. I don't care if he wears green or brown. I don't care about the colour of his skin unless I'm running a campaign themed around racism. (I'm not.)
Tell me what armor he's wearing, what weapons he's displaying. That's enough for me to gauge initial NPC responses.
Now tell me why he's willing to risk his life in adventure. Tell me how he responds when he gets hit by three arrows but still has half his hit points left - like a human, or like a hero? Tell me if he's the first one to flee from a battle that's going badly, or the last one. Tell me if he thinks being good is about helping everyone, or helping only the worthy and punishing the vile. Tell me if he acts on emotion, or reason. Tell me what he'd do if he was rich and had no enemies to fight. Tell me what he does with his time when the party settles down to camp for the night. Tell me if he's romantic. Tell me if he's artistic. Tell me if he's cruel.
Better yet, don't tell me. Show me. But at least convince me you've thought more about these things than what your character looks like.
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I think it's up to you to put the description in your character. My buddy and I both have ifrit brothers, Hanz and Franz, who are exactly what you'd expect if you have seen the SNL skit. We only play the characters when we're at the same table, and every game we open up with the following (in a poorly imitated German voice):
"I'm Hanz!"
"And I'm Franz!"
"And we're here to BURN, YOU, UP!"
*High Fives*
Being an alchemist and debuff sorc, we tend to make up jokes themed around that. Otherwise we ab-lib in commentary about a (comically) troubled childhood, how our parents kept replacing Gunter, our dog, every time he would horrifically die in some accident. Or how our mother would burn down the house trying to cook.
...they are REALLY fun to play.
One of my favorite bits was when we were taking down cultists in some scenario. I'd daze them, he'd blow them up.
Franz (sorc): "Hey brother!"
Hanz (alch): "Yeah brother?"
"What did the cultist say to the sorcerer?"
"What brother?"
"NOTHING, HE'S DEAD!"
(both) "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
That said, the important bit is you have fun, and having fun is different for different players.
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I don't require backstory.
I just want some idea of what the PC looks like. This could effect how NPCs react to PCs.
I do not share your priorities.
Average male human fighter? Fine. There's one in the Core rulebook. I think his name is Valeros.
I don't care about the colour of his hair or eyes. I don't care if his nose is big or small. I don't care if he's fat or thin. I don't care if he wears green or brown. I don't care about the colour of his skin unless I'm running a campaign themed around racism. (I'm not.)Tell me what armor he's wearing, what weapons he's displaying. That's enough for me to gauge initial NPC responses.
Now tell me why he's willing to risk his life in adventure. Tell me how he responds when he gets hit by three arrows but still has half his hit points left - like a human, or like a hero? Tell me if he's the first one to flee from a battle that's going badly, or the last one. Tell me if he thinks being good is about helping everyone, or helping only the worthy and punishing the vile. Tell me if he acts on emotion, or reason. Tell me what he'd do if he was rich and had no enemies to fight. Tell me what he does with his time when the party settles down to camp for the night. Tell me if he's romantic. Tell me if he's artistic. Tell me if he's cruel.
Your response makes it seem like those are the things that you, personally, are interested in.
I don't think BBT, ultimately, would disagree with anything you said.
What he wants, in the interest of NPC reactions, is a visual description of the PC in question.
You mentioned "the colour of his hair or eyes... his nose big or small... fat or thin... wears green or brown... the colour of his skin". Those are all visual cues that can lead to a unique interaction with an NPC.
Not how heroic or altruistic your character is. That's usually only something that comes up after dating for a while. But the fact that your PC is old/young ugly/pretty Ulfen/Tien? That's something that leads to the first date.
Though, in the instance of hearing "Average Human Male Fighter", I'd try to nail down an Iconic first (and I wouldn't assume Valeros first), and then go with that when interacting with that player, just to make it simpler, and not force the issue.
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Because when I tell players that my drunk is actually a monk, there is an expectation around the table that my character does at least some damage, no matter how much I emphasize that he is action denial & buffing. It's the same problem as telling certain players that you're a battle cleric. All they hear is "healer." It happens often enough that I would rather tell you my role than my class for these "nontraditional" builds.
** spoiler omitted **
My -1 is a paladin and that's all people hear about him too. I get that far and then am handed all the party's wands of cure light wounds right off, despite the fact that if they know what's good for them he'll be doing the tanking. The meta around here is all glass cannon DPR builds all the time and the new players seem to gravitate towards that too - last week we had enough new players that we ran a table of In Service to Lore for them, and the GM told me that they all played rogues, ninjas, and rangers, to the last man. Needless to say, things did not go... optimally.
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@Renegade Paladin
Ouch...
I tell people my Zen Archer is a Howitzer Monk, because AC in the 40s at level 14 is still damn hard to hit. The Jingasa is just there to help negate one crit a day. The BBEG in 'Academy' lasted a round while his consort gave up trying to hit me...When the guy who looks like a Wizard with a bow walks up to you, don't try to fight him. Run for your life! Though that won't help you either... Better hope you can defensive cast that Teleport spell.
Although I am new and have not yet played pathfinder. I have played and run many other games. And have always encouraged players. Even the shy ones to introduce there characters with a sense of realism. No on walks around the real world with I sign that say's. My name is Bob and I am a librarian. I have my characters meet give a physical description then play. Sometimes with enjoyable results players going into adventures with complete false beliefs of who the party is. Theives thought to be fighters. wizards thought as thieves etc
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I have a gnome druid named Pai. She wanted to be different, unique, a new experience...
However, her lion did not want to be named something so prosaic. As he has an intelligence of three, and a rank in linguistics so he can speak Taldane, he is Regal Leopald Bonecrusher the Very First. At his own insistance.
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I have a gnome druid named Pai. She wanted to be different, unique, a new experience...
However, her lion did not want to be named something so prosaic. As he has an intelligence of three, and a rank in linguistics so he can speak Taldane, he is Regal Leopald Bonecrusher the Very First. At his own insistance.
He actually can't speak, just understand it. Lack of the proper soundbox and parts and all. Only those under the effects of the Awaken spell can form words, or familiars with the "Speak with Master" ability, though no one else can understand it. But since your lion can understand the language, it can potentially do a charades sort of thing to help you figure out what it wants to convey.
I know, I was sad too with my Victorian Era British hunter and his Gorilla Assistant, Judith. She's really bad at it, but she plays checkers and insists on tea time. She insists with extreme prejudice.
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Saans Asher Valduur Dalru'de Delsuunes
(S-ah-ns Ash-er Val-door Dahl-ru-day Del-suh-un-ehs)
Because I feel bad, I generally just stick with his first name, haha.
The last name is the only one thus far I've had mispronunciation on. I thought Del-Soon-Ehs, because I wouldn't think of suh-un without some sort of diacritic indicator.
Also, I am a monster for starting the pronunciation game...
@Divvox2,
Gnomes can get a Speak With Animals SLA. The Lion could easily insist on this, but probably not with such eloquence. It's just that no one else would understand it. Also, Hunter animal companions using the Cunning Pantomime Skirmisher trick. I know a guy who's Giant Weasle is the party face from time to time...Quite hilarious.
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I have a gnome druid named Pai. She wanted to be different, unique, a new experience...
However, her lion did not want to be named something so prosaic. As he has an intelligence of three, and a rank in linguistics so he can speak Taldane, he is Regal Leopald Bonecrusher the Very First. At his own insistance.
He actually can't speak, just understand it. Lack of the proper soundbox and parts and all. Only those under the effects of the Awaken spell can form words, or familiars with the "Speak with Master" ability, though no one else can understand it. But since your lion can understand the language, it can potentially do a charades sort of thing to help you figure out what it wants to convey.
I know, I was sad too with my Victorian Era British hunter and his Gorilla Assistant, Judith. She's really bad at it, but she plays checkers and insists on tea time. She insists with extreme prejudice.
Oh, Regal Leopald Bonecrusher the Very First can't speak a human language, I know that. However, he can speak with Pai (who is a lion shaman) when she has certain abilities active. They discussed it; Pai explained what things meant, and then he can understand when others say it. He can express pleasure and displeasure at what others say, and help them understand what his name really is.
I always get annoyed when I get refereed to as just "Elf" or "Oracle" or or "Hey You" or "Healer" when playing as this character. His name can be a bit intimidating to say as his full name is fairly long (Thutmose Amenkno Sekehimb) yet you could just call him "Thutmose" or "Thut" or "Mose" or "Amenkno" or "Sekehimb" or "Seke" or "Himb" or even just "Tas" by using only his initials. I even bring a picture to better help better represent Thutmose.
I also enjoy playing my characters more on a story basis rather than a cookie cutter character like "Bob the Generic Fighter".
If your like me you spend hours upon hours, several books open at once, making sure not only is the character right from a mechanical and from a level progressional standpoint, but from an aesthetic view as well. Light or heavy backstory, a name that fits, abilities/items/spells/feats/traits/skills/attributes that all mesh well together to make the character. Even to go look for a picture on the internet that better displays the vision one might have for the character.
This character, Thutmose, is by definition a "Selfless guide with divine powers". As a Solar Oracle, he has several tricks, items and powers that benefit the party as a whole in regards to travel in addition to buffing party members and healing.
Like just a few quick examples...
#2) Needs zero food or water as long as he gets 4-hours of sunlight per day and is the least likely one to get afflicted by a disease unless its magical.
#3) He can as a SLA, use Astral Caravan aka Shadow Walk to transport himself and five others party members at a rate of 50miles per hour for at max 5 hours per day. In later levels he will be able to not only Shadow Walk as a SLA but Dimension Door as well.
#4) He can also, when the revelation is obtained he can as a SLA Scry for 10 minutes per day in 1-minute increments as long as the Sun is out.
#5) With cantrips he can: Purify Food and Drink, Create Water, Stabilize, Detect Poison, Read Magic, Mending.
#6) Three wands on hand (Cure Light Wounds, Keep Watch, Bed of Iron) that assist the party, 2/3 for traveling.