Long-term planning for D&D characters

[Imp]

when the wind blows, I shall bend

The way I work is more to find out what the players want to advance to and if it's a prestige class connected to an organization then that's what I build the adventures towards. They're handing you plot hooks, people!

It's not very realistic to plan a character out from 1st to 12th like they were going for a legal career, no, but it is (usually) fun, so why not try and play along?

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

You should show more tolerance to different styles of play.

Jürgen lighten up dude.

If people have fun this way who cares and why should you care, I mean it annoys you okay, but let other people have fun their own way. Live and let live.

Yeah, me giving a tolerance speech. Go You should show more tolerance to different styles of play.

If people are having fun with this, then I am not going to argue. However, it seems that this style of play is pretty much required for many, if not most prestige classes, and that's not very accomodating to more spontaneous characters. The feat prerequisites, especially, can be very restraining, since it takes such a long time to get new feats.

 

[Bacris]

Again, there are ways to "fix" taking feats that don't get you a prestige class you later realize you wanted.

PHB2 has retraining options.

Psionics has Psychic Reformation.

Or you could come up with your own rules as DM.

Planning is not mandatory with the rules available

 

[Wombat]

It was recently pointed out to me that many players plan their D&D characters a long time in advance - often for five, ten, or even more levels. They need to do this to get precisely the combination of feats and prestige classes they want.

And somehow, this seems vaguely annoying.

Actually, I find this much more than vaguely annoying; I find it antithetical to the whole adventuring concept. The hero doesn't know at the beginning of his adventure what he shall become; it is the process of discovery that is important.

Unfortunately, this is not how many D&D games work especially under D20, at least from most of the ones I have seen and people I have talked to. The "core concept" for many individuals is to map out the "perfect build" for a given character, with the notion that you don't take "just the right feats" your character is "screwed".

This is really sad. I think this is a major reason I prefer classless/levelless systems...

 

[sckeener]

Odd. I can think of several ways for an aasimar to create in-game opportunities that would meet your requirement. Did he not want to do any roleplaying at all?

bingo...I was the first role player in the group. I joined during City of the Spider Queen adventure. Everything focused on battles and the only reason to talk to anyone was to sell or buy stuff. To say I was bored was an understatement. With 2 DM changes during the game and no RP brought into the mix I felt hopeless...but they were my friends so I stayed.

Then they said they wanted a change and wanted to try role playing.....for 80% of the group it was a no problem change.....however, that one player just saw the rules as mechanics. His reasoning was he was already part celestial (aasimar) and becoming half-celestial should just mean embracing what he was....I agreed but I told him he needed to show me that he was embracing that...or seeking a way to bring it out (I figured a munchkin could understand a quest)...but nope...he didn't try to do anything...just wanted to argue that he should just be allowed to take the template.

My point of view was he already was a CG aasimar and unless he gave me a reason for why he was changing, I wasn't about to start having all aasimars just naturally progressing to HC for no reason.

We were playing in Mulhorand...

I consider the game a success...mostly because that 80% enjoyed the game so much they kept text msging, chatting, and emailing me about it....I think I got them hooked.

 

[Roman]

I generally plan my characters from level 1 all the way to level 20 (assuming, of course, that the campaign runs that long and my character remains in the game). It is quite simple and even people who have no supplements can do it easily provided they follow my model. Here is how I do it: I pick a class to start with at level 1, say a wizard. I then continue advancing in that very same class for the rest of the character's involvement in the campaign.

 

[Remathilis]

Here is how I plan a PC out.

0.) Discuss with the DM what he will/won't allow. Saves me headaches later. This can be done at any point thats confortable for you (I usually do it around step 3).

1.) Decide what role I want to fill in the game (basher, healer, tank, scout, trapsmith, blaster, sage, buffer, or socialite. You can fill more than one). Lets say I choose buffer.

2.) Decide what base class (1-20) level would work best for the idea. (Buffers typically are bards, clerics, wizards, marshals or dragon shaman.) This part might be tempered by what everyone else is playing. I choose bard.

3.) Check and see if there are any feats/PrCs/Spells that accomplish my goal. A Quick perusal shows many good bard-aligned PrCs. I choose virtuoso (an old standby). I also see that I want Song of the Heart from Eberron and Subsonics from Complete Adventurer. I'll leave other feats to choice later.

4.) Map out Pre-Reqs. Figure out what skills I need to start taking ranks in, what feats I'll need, and any other pre-reqs I'll need to have. I'll also note when is the earliest I can get said feats/prcs, but not necessarily when I'll take them.

5.) Quickly note Bab and Save Changes. If your BAB or a save bonus jumps tracks (lower or higher) recalculate what it will be 1, 5, and 10 levels into the PrC. This might make adjustments to ability scores, skills, and feats (no need to be a rapier expert if virtuoso gives you a poor bab).

6.) Finish character gen (if not done already) by rolling/assigning scores, race, and alignment (within guidelines of PrC, if any).

6a.) Check out spells (esp for spontaneous casters) and list a few "wants" and "must haves" for each level. Be ready to swap out a few ideas for later. (We're always getting pounded? Maybe take Cure Mod Wounds rather than eagle's splendor).

7.) Submit for DM approval.

 

[Particle_Man]

It's common, yes.

But planning is one thing. Actually following that plan is much, much rarer...

In my family there is a living counter-example in my sister, who is a veternarian and knew she would be one since she was eight years old. I pretty much was set on my path since my 2nd year of university (and I didn't so much change plans then as narrow down my options).

Now my evidence is anecdotal. But is yours more than anecdotal, or is it just 'you and people you know' that have changed career paths midstream?