Low-Level Game, Newbies Welcome! [Closed]

[Herobizkit]

@RMcCall: Are you wanting us to make a more 'plug n play' style character that can fit any setting, or do you have any particular themes (again, concepts) that you're trying to avoid?

When I make characters, I try to tie them to the campaign setting. For example, if your starting world is coastal, I try and tie that character to the sea or sailing; if you're starting at/near a desert, I try and theme people who have either lived in or dealt with the desert climate.

Also, if you don't have a specific theme other than "generic fantasy D&D", what kinds of things DON'T you want to see? Because if that, I won't focus so much on back-story and just make "whatever would be fun to crash a dungeon".

At the moment, I'm juggling a few concepts:

a) a Goliath gentle giant "wrestler" (Fighter/Brawler or Arena Style) who wields a Spiked Chain;
b) a Warforged Ranger Beastmaster/Druid who is more animal than 'man' and comes with a partner animal.;
c) a Halfling Sorcerer... something something. Given the other two may be Cha-powered, having a third seems like overkill but also seems hilarious.

 

[Shayuri]

I just want to point out that having a Goliath and a Pixie in the same party would be pretty awesome.

 

[Herobizkit]

I know, it was my first thought.

Thing is, I'm really in love with the ranger/druid/beastmaster concept, but I can't divorce it from the Warforged concept in my mind.

Also, someone in my current 4e game is playing a Goliath Druid with an animal companion, so I'd feel like I was copying him lol

There was also the idea of an invoker/cleric I was bouncing around that focuses on burst attacks. Divine characters seem to fall to the wayside in 4e, so it might be nice to include one.

Also...

Sigh. So many options. >

 

[Shayuri]

What if the warforged's animal companion was a clockwork 'warforged' animal??? HMMM?!?!?

 

[Herobizkit]

Not a bad idea, but I was going full-on Beast Wars with the concept. Here's the pitch:

Warforged 'awakens' in a desert. No idea wtf. Wanders a bit, sees a group of jackals hunting. The Warforged watches the jackals work together, decides to follow them. The jaclaks are wary at first, but the Forged keeps his distance and they grow to accept his company. Once this trust is earned, the Forged 'bonds' with one of the pack and suddenly shifts his form into a jackal as well.

He lives his life as a jackal for a time. Eventually, a Druid of the Wastes happens on the pack, notices that one of the pack feels 'different', approaches, coaxes the Forged back into "human" form, then tutors him about life and the universe.

From an RP standpoint, I could be the Strong Silent Type, the Tarzan, or the Nature Sage who is One With Everything.

As a Goliath, I'd want to be more wild. The Arena Wrestler seems neat at first glance, but it's a character that I'm more interested in mechanically than from an RP standpoint.

Hence, the torn.

 

[RMcCall]

Cool ideas! The campaign will take place in a world in the ruins of a great empire. Most points of civilization are either impoverished or incredibly isolationist, and the wilderness is filled with danger and ruins from the past kingdoms. Primal magic is just beginning to emerge, so the primal classes will be treated with suspicion by townsfolk, if that affects your class decision.

Warforged would be a good fit, they could have been used by the long-dead empire. Most were destroyed or too old to work, or are being kept by the rich isolated cities, but something could have resuscitated you in an old ruin. People will likely treat you like an escaped slave, since warforged are only ever used as automated soldiers. You'd have strong incentive to become an adventurer because you would have a hard time finding a paying job otherwise.

As a half-giant (as I call goliaths), you'd be seen more as a wild monster, but you can pass as a really big human if nobody knows about your giant heritage. Half-giants are actually created in the Harry Potter sort of sense rather than Dark Sun, if you get my drift. Giant communities are small and territorial, so half-giants are pretty uncommon.

I don't want to say there are things I don't want to see, because I want you to play the character you like. I'll just help fit it into the setting after you offer an idea. Whether you make it based on RP or team balance is fine either way with me.

 

[Herobizkit]

If Primal magic is new, then perhaps I could do something along the lines of:

A wayward Druid of the Wastes is fighting a losing battle against the harsh desert; he find he cannot tame it nor learn how to properly live in it. As the Druid breathes his last, his Primal Essence floats around for a bit until the desert starts to drain its very life essence. Rather than wither away, it finds the best source of power it can find - a Warforged "core" - to be 'reborn'.

... but fusing a non-natural arcane structure with a Primal life force proves incompatible. The reborn soul is confused, disjointed, and awakens as a blank slate.

Progress to living as an animal with a pack.

------

From an RP standpoint, trying to rationalize how he gets from full animal to 'human' form either before he meets the PC's, or because of the PC's. In-game, he's going to spend most of his time in animal form, so there may be some communication issues to start.

Two emotional characters plus one who is 'seeking enlightenment' but can't (yet) speak or rationalize better than ME GRIMLOCK.

Also, still torn on the animals.

Also also, I've always fancied the concept of a bony-ridged Goliath in command of a bony-ridged Ankylosaur.

But again, don't know how/if they fit in your fantasy-land, if Giants aren't Dark Sun giants. Unless I'm a mutant giant. :3

Also the third, I'm assuming there's even a Desert in your game. *lol* I'm seeing ruins and getting a post-apoc feel, so maybe that's why I'm locked on to Dark Sun/desert themes.

 

[Shayuri]

I could see Seelia in armor made from mouse bones, and since it's Dark Sun, she would have acid blood and psionics.

I can roll with that.

More seriously though, I like the warforged druid idea. I do think it'd be sweet if 'animal form' was still clearly and obviously mechanical though. Mecha-jackal!

 

[Herobizkit]

More seriously though, I like the warforged druid idea. I do think it'd be sweet if 'animal form' was still clearly and obviously mechanical though. Mecha-jackal!

That is also the idea. :3

I don't think we're in a Dark Sun world (since Half-Giants are made the old-fashioned way, and I don't mean magic, or do I, depends on the couple), but I tend to gravitate to Dark Sun themed races, classes etc as they're different than vanilla D&D.

Pretty sure Warforged is a lock. It makes my brain tingle the most.

 

[Herobizkit]

Well, here's my first shot.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Howl, level 5
Warforged, Ranger/Druid
Spellscarred Harbinger Starting Feature Option: Dimension Shift
Hybrid Ranger Option: Hybrid Ranger Reflex
Hybrid Druid Option: Hybrid Druid Will
Hybrid Talent Option: Ranger Fighting Style
Ranger Fighting Style Option: Beast Mastery (Hybrid)
Beast Companion Type: Wolf
The Breach (Learn Primordial)
Theme: Spellscarred Harbinger

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 10, CON 14, DEX 14, INT 12, WIS 19, CHA 8

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 10, CON 11, DEX 14, INT 10, WIS 18, CHA 8


AC: 18 Fort: 15 Ref: 16 Will: 19
HP: 46 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 11

TRAINED SKILLS
Dungeoneering +11, Nature +11, Perception +11, Stealth +10

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +3, Arcana +3, Athletics +1, Bluff +1, Diplomacy +1, Endurance +5, Heal +6, History +3, Insight +6, Intimidate +3, Religion +3, Streetwise +1, Thievery +3

POWERS
Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack
Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack
Spellscarred Harbinger Utility: Spellscar Empowerment
Warforged Racial Power: Warforged Resolve
Hunter's Quarry Power: Hunter's Quarry
Druid Feature: Wild Shape
Beast Basic Attack: Beast Melee Basic Attack
Druid Attack 1: Grasping Claws
Ranger Attack 1: Predator Strike
Ranger Attack 1: Ferocious Insight
Ranger Attack 1: Partnered Savaging
Ranger Utility 2: Pack Alertness
Druid Attack 3: Roar of the Unbowed Beast
Druid Attack 5: Roar of Terror

FEATS
Level 1: Hybrid Talent
Level 2: Savage Wolf
Level 4: Beast Protector

ITEMS
Raise Beast Companion
Enduring Beast Hide Armor +1 x1
Magic Staff +2 x1
Essence of the Scout +1 x1
====== End ======

Re: Spellscar Harbinger and The Breach

I figure that since the area is in ruin, perhaps there are a few pockets of magical "fallout" that cause the rules of nature to bend. I'm thinking that this Warforged was caught in one of said areas. As a result of the damage, the Spellscar is actually a small gash in his chest which exposes his Core and (perhaps) leaks random magic here and there, giving him the abilities of the theme. This also accounts for him spending most of his time in "Beast Mode" as the gash is more protected in this form.