Ever played Kender?

[The Serge]

I've run Kender as NPCs. They're fun to use primarily because PCs familiar with the race tend to overreact and miss out on more essential clues during the encounter. I don't have them stealing constantly, and I don't have them ticking people off left and right. I play each as an individual and go from there.

 

[brun]

Yeah, I think this is the best way to go kender. Mine was a second edition thief, but he was seeking for his true way; at some point he was a hardy fighter, then a priest, and even managed to believe he had to powers of a wizard. Really fun to roleplay.

 

[Henry]

...(This basically means no stern, grim paladins composing the majority of the group and no heavy stop the end of the world themes)

I think Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman may have something to say about that...

I have played in my career two kender and one halfling who sort of acted like a kender. The important thing to remember is that kender have an inner child to them, but this inner child is tempered with the maturity gained by beings who wander for most of their adult lives. They do NOT steal the wizard's spell components, nor the cleric's holy symbol, nor their money. They do not intentionally shaft their party members, especially out of items that they use frequently. Kender are driven by the acquisition of pretty baubles, and by the fascination of how things work. They are as likely to steal the enemies' baubles and gum up the works of the enemies' devices, than their allies.

However, this is also tempered by common sense. It has been stated in many Dragonlance products that a kender knows that doing something suicidal will end their fun - forever.

Keeping these things in mind will enforce the fun that kender are supposed to be, and not the desctructive little klepto's that too many players malign them as.

 

[Deedlit]

I've played a half-kender, would love to play a true one, and am DMing an all-kender game over on the IC board. I find far too many people play kender as suicidal, and the kencyclopedia has been a great help to me in playing kender, and an asset I am thankful that I will have for the all-kender game. As for kender and death, they don't fear death, nor do they exhibit much caution(Teetering on the edge of pits in dungeons, for instance), but they understand that they only die once, and after they die, they don't get to adventure anymore in the material plane. They are willing to sacrifice themselves when needed(Like to save their friends), and when they do die, they like it to be in a thrilling way that they can't possibly survive.