Introducing freaky characters to the party

[ellestar]

In my newly started Eberron campaign, I've just ran into a slight problem. The current party consists of: Warforged Fighter2, Human Rogue1/Fighter1, Half-Orc Barbarian2, Elf Sorceress2. Two players are joining next session, one of them almost completely new to D&D, and the other one a regular at my game.

The problem is the veteran's character. He has decided to play a Shifter Barbarian, who grew up isolated from society, tortured and used to experiment with with one of the dragonmarked houses to attempt to creata a "super-soldier" for use in the last war to counteract the warforged. (He doesn't remember which house, thank you for the future plot hook )

The character is asocial, bestial and freaky to the bone. Why would any party want to have a guy like that with them? I need ideas on how to get this character into the party. I'm completely blank.

 

[Turjan]

Well, it's his decision to make a character like this. And as you said, why would any party want to have a guy like that with them? This is their decision . Just make it clear that it is really their decision and that they have the right to decide .

 

[Piratecat]

I've had this problem before, too. I've since told players that it's THEIR job to make sure that their PC has a reason to adventure and a reason to stay with the party. Otherwise, it's not much fun for anyone.

 

[Timeboxer]

Well, offhand: The warforged could be interested in any anti-warforged properties and any information that he might be carrying with him, and considering the warforged rights movement, he might want to "civilize" the barbarian.

Alternately, he could persist in being asocial, bestial, and freaky, but could maintain a very pleasant and attractive shape, so as to make a good impression. ("Little did they know that the cute little girl who joined them was a very able fighter.")

But possibly the best way is to go the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen route. With a warforged, a half-orc, and an elf, you have the makings of a potential party of outcasts; "We're all in this together" might be a very good party sentiment.

That's pretty much all I can contribute without knowing anything about your party, though.

 

[Saeviomagy]

In my newly started Eberron campaign, I've just ran into a slight problem. The current party consists of: Warforged Fighter2, Human Rogue1/Fighter1, Half-Orc Barbarian2, Elf Sorceress2. Two players are joining next session, one of them almost completely new to D&D, and the other one a regular at my game.

The problem is the veteran's character. He has decided to play a Shifter Barbarian, who grew up isolated from society, tortured and used to experiment with with one of the dragonmarked houses to attempt to creata a "super-soldier" for use in the last war to counteract the warforged. (He doesn't remember which house, thank you for the future plot hook )

The character is asocial, bestial and freaky to the bone. Why would any party want to have a guy like that with them? I need ideas on how to get this character into the party. I'm completely blank.

Tell him that he HAS to come up with a reason to hang out with the other characters, or he can find a new character to play.

He's a veteran. He should understand. It should be fairly easy to add "desperate to find a genuine friend" into his story.

Hell, you could even add "has a genuine friend" in. You have 2 people joining, right? If the other character is more-or-less normal, you could have some backstory wherein this other character found him wounded and nursed him back to health/gave him food etc. Then the party accept the normal character and ends up with the oddball as well.

 

[GrayIguana]

In theory I agree that it is the player's responsibility to find a reason to be with the group. Yet, my players tend to turn to me for ideas anyway, and I end up suggesting character options.

Could this character be a bit like Wolverine in the X-men (movie)? Maybe he feels that he could find the answers to his past by joining with these other outcasts. It would help if he realized this upfront and saved his anti-social behavior for those outside of the party.

 

[Nifft]

A priestess gives one of the less-experienced PCs control of the wild veteran via a magic collar which slams the barbarian into the ground (prone + subdual) whenever the newbie shouts, "down boy!"


One of the PCs bears an uncanny resemblance to the only person who ever meant anything to the barbarian. He regards this person as a parent or sibling, for no other reason.


The barbarian is on the run from someone and must trust the PCs to hide him as part of their group, since his hunters expect him to be solo.


-- N