Don't worry about commitment. I can't promise I'll still be playing in a couple of months or a year, but if I sign up for an adventure, I won't drop out before it's finished.
Here's what I've got so far for my character:
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Ries Moinnael
Half-Elven Fighter
Age: 21
Height: 5'10''
Weight: 105 lb
Strength - 12
Dexterity - 15 (+2 for half-elven, I think)
Constitution - 12 (-2 for half elven)
Intelligence - 14
Wisdom - 12
Charisma - 12
If I calculated correctly, I should have 16 skill points to use, and can put at most four points in any one skill.
I put four into weaponsmithing, eight half-points into escape artist, and four half-points into hide (the fighter class had annoyingly few interesting skills, so I used cross-class skills as well).
For feats, I took Combat Reflexes (means I can make a number of extra attacks per round equal to my dexterity bonus) and Weapon Finesse (for rapier – makes the damage based on my dexterity and not strength, as long as I have nothing in my other hand). Oh, and Ries is left-handed, though that shouldn’t affect anything
I'm wasn’t sure exactly how to pick equipment. I just took basic items, and made sure not to get anything too expensive. Anyways, Ries has a rapier (1d6, 18-20 x2), and two throwing daggers (I think 1d6 for a half-elf, because it’s medium, and 19-20 x2 with a 10 foot range). I thought it wasn’t unreasonable for him to have studded leather armor (armor bonus +3, armor check -1, max dex bonus +5), but if other people do I can change it to leather.
I’m also going to assume he has basic gear: a backpack, flint and steel, a waterskin, decent traveling clothes, basic weaponsmithing tools, and maybe 5 gp or so.
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If anything there doesn't work, or if I'm missing any information, please tell me.