Eberron character concepts - bring'em on!

Flyspeck23 · Jan 12, 2005

This is related to this thread. We're currently in preparations to launch another Eberron campaign, and two people who've never really roleplayed before want to join.

I've given them some basic character concepts, but none seemed to work too well for them. Being newcomers, they both seem to favor melee combat over everything else, so characters should preferably be melee oriented.

The other characters of the group are a kalashtar psion and a changeling rogue, and I'd prefer the other two to be of other classes and races.

So what's your favorite Eberron character concept? And what character concept would work best for unexperienced players?

Henry · Jan 12, 2005

Here are the character ideas from the players in my current Eberron Game:

Warforged Fighter/Rogue: Trained as a "dirty fighting tactics" construct, quite a powerful and naturally meshing combo, and giving the player the option to wade in with a big weapon blazing, and getting flanking sneak attacks to boot.

Changeling Artificer: The social skills of a changeling mesh nicely with the natural high charisma of an artificer, and he can confuse people greatly on the battlefield, especially other artificers with bane weapons.

Shifter Ranger: The shifter abilities integrate with a ranger, no question, and I really don't need to say much about the obvious benefits of a ranger with a bolstered suite of physical abilities.

Kalashtar Cleric: Follower of the Path of Light, and a natural choice for undead destruction. The psionic feats can also naturally go hand-in-hand with the concentration of a cleric, and can enhance his battle prowess with no loss to spellcasting ability.

Halfling Rogue: Need I say more?

Half-Elf Monk: This PC is aiming for the Drunken Master PrC, but does quite well even as plain monk. He also carries the Lyrandar Mark of Storm, and has an excellent ranged ability that requires no weapons, with his gust and control wind abilities.

Human Rogue/Psion: Uses his charming abilities as a Telepath to enhance his sneaking ability as a Rogue. Can also mind thrust enemies when ranged weapons are called for, before even resorting to a bow.

Hope some of these help your players!

BlackMoria · Jan 12, 2005

In my experience, newcomers to the game should not play spellcasters as it tends to be overwhelming and slows the game.

So, my recommendation would be a Warforged Fighter and a Shifter Ranger or Barbarian.

I read your previous thread and noted that the kalashtar psion is ....well, less than optimal.

That means with newbies running a Warforged Fighter and a Shifter Ranger (my suggestions) and with a less that optimal psion and a changeling rogue - your party is definitely coming up short in the magic department. No divine caster (the Shifter Ranger at higher levels but that doesn't help you now) and no arcane caster.

I think you need to fill the party out with a NPC or two if you have no other players or if noone wants to change classes.

A NPC artificer would fit the bill. He could use wands of cure wounds for the healing, can do scorching ray, fireball, etc for the offensive punch and has infusions which will help with healing and buffing the Warforged Fighter.

Morrow · Jan 12, 2005

Unfortunately, my favorite ideas are already covered in your party. I'd like to see a kalashtar psion and a changeling rogue running a detective- er, inquisitives agency.

The changeling is an inquisitive who (of course) specializes in disguise, infiltration, and social skills.

The kalashatar is a seer or telepath with lots of information gathering powers. What he doesn't realize is that he's also a thrallherd. It's not his diplomatic skills that have earned him all those contacts and informants, its is psionic 'call' that forces them to bring him information.

On a totally different tact, I think I would enjoy a half-orc Gatekeeper druid- someone steeped in ancient druidic lore with a real defining mission that doesn't revolve around hugging trees and being nice to kittens. That character could really defy expectations, the Gatekeepers are really sophisticated for a bunch of orcs living in the woods. Besides, those new druid feats are cool.

Morrow

JPL · Jan 12, 2005

Orcs, goblins, and hobgoblins all have really interesting cultures in Eberron...and the info in the setting book is brief enough for a player to read and absorb.

Maybe something like a minotaur from the Land of Monsters? Instead of a conventional fighter, I mean. There's a Savage Species preview online that gives the minotaur class progression. Let the players see that a minotaur, while perhaps uncommon, is not automatically killed on sight...he might be your neighbor, in fact.

For a Sharn-based campaign...I have this vision of a cleric who thinks that the city itself speaks to him and answers his prayers. Maybe a homeless guy. Is he crazy or a prophet or both?

Or you can rip off "Firefly". A noble-blooded cleric and his crazed sorceress sister, hunted by mysterious forces. An older monk with a mysterious past. A failed paladin as a leader. A half-orc mercenary of limited intelligence. A naive young artificer. Etc.

derelictjay · Jan 12, 2005

In my Eberron campaign, one of my players is a dirty fighting dwarven rogue/fighter. And after a few games (he'd never been introduced to Eberron before) he decided his character probably came from the lower wards of Sharn and in his younger days ran with the local street gangs (I gave him some nice "criminal" contacts in the city too). His character emphisizes the bluff-attack method in combat, and carries a sap for purposes of getting "information".

cmanos · Jan 12, 2005

if it's their first time RPing, Id go with easy concepts like the Shifter Ranger or Warforged Fighter, maybe an Elven Monk.

Personally, I like the idea of a Paladin of the Silver Flame, Gnome Artificer, or Orc Gatekeeper Druid

Remathilis · Jan 12, 2005

If you want spellcasters for newbies, I always reccomend the spontaneous casters (sorcerer, mystic/favored soul). They are easier for newbies cause they can cast whatever spell they know and have a finite list (usually no more than 45 spells at 20th) so you can copy them straight from the SRD for them as needed.

As for eberron specifics, even novice PCs can grasp the warforged (the alienation is obvious), shifters (esp rangers and barbarians) and changelings (rogues or sorcerers). The Silver Flame is a great patron for divine PCs (esp if you allow them some non-corrupt backup in the church and keep the bad eggs to minimum at first.)

Master of the Game · Jan 12, 2005

If one of the new players wants to try a spellcaster type, try the Warlock. He has access to great magical power, and not having to keep track of spells/day or figure out which spells to memorize should make it ideal for a new player.

Flyspeck23 · Jan 13, 2005

Thanks! I'll pass those ideas along - or at least those I hadn't already.

Anybody else? My players got another 24h before they have to settle for a concept...