Okay, 'fess up

[Mouseferatu]

Well, so far, out of an obscene number of characters, I've only come across three that I cannot currently update to my satisfaction. Two of those were necromancers, and I'm still hoping we'll see a necromancer class once we get the Shadow power source.

The other is Mangonel. He was a minotaur (created in 2E with the Humanoids Handbook), focused in the sling and with throwing weapons. And I just can't make him work with any of the current 4E classes, because there are almost no ranged weapon powers based on Strength.

(Not that I can't build him based around Dex; it just doesn't feel right. Maybe I'll get used to the idea, though.)

Disappointing, but I've still got a really solid success rate so far.

(Oh, I'm also a bit disappointed that, even with the houserule options, you cannot remove a class's "built in" skill training. But that's easily handwaved.)

 

[Dragonhelm]

Not only my previous characters, but I tried doing D&D versions of the cartoons I grew up with, like Lion-o and She-ra. The character builder was the only reason I got DDI. Everything else is just a bonus.

Shifters are wonderful for the Thundercats. I have an old half-elf who was inspired by the Thundercats who rides a white tiger (beast-rider kit from 2e, modeled after Battle Cat). I think this half-elf would make a good shifter. I might have to make the tiger into a dire tiger!

Well, so far, out of an obscene number of characters, I've only come across three that I cannot currently update to my satisfaction. Two of those were necromancers, and I'm still hoping we'll see a necromancer class once we get the Shadow power source.

Most of the ones I have trouble with are due to forthcoming rules. I have a few psionicists/psions that need the other psionic disciplines to continue.

My other problem is with races from prior editions that do not show up in 4e yet. For example, the Vanara from Oriental Adventures. And I so hope they update them! I also wish the Dragonlance races were in character builder. I can work most of them out, but ones like the irda, half-kender, and tinker gnomes are just "special flowers."

The other is Mangonel. He was a minotaur (created in 2E with the Humanoids Handbook), focused in the sling and with throwing weapons. And I just can't make him work with any of the current 4E classes, because there are almost no ranged weapon powers based on Strength.

(Not that I can't build him based around Dex; it just doesn't feel right. Maybe I'll get used to the idea, though.)

What you need is something like the melee training feats. They allow other ability scores to be used in place of strength in melee combat. So something like that for ranged attacks would be spot on.

 

[Abraxas]

What I have discovered in the process is that each time you convert, you may lose a little something, but you also gain a little something. The key thing is to go with your themes. Your character won't look 100% the way he did in a prior edition, but those themes will give you a fair approximation.

That's the problem though - I can't follow the themes with the 4E ruleset and arrive at a satisfactory approximation of my previous characters. My 1E druid can't even be approximated. My mutliclass character really don't work, and most of my single class characters are an amalgam of their classes and their signature equipment and style that just doesn't quite make the transition. (these are mostly 1E and 2E characters and only 2 were full casters)

I looked over the characters I have played in the past when I began playing 4E and only 2 came to mind (both from 3.X E) as being compatible with the 4E system. My current character (a rogue) is patterned after a previous character (a rogue shadowdancer) - however, in actual play they don't feel alike at all. And since we've been playing for a year, I've watched how the cleric plays and the cleric character I thought could make the transition wouldn't (and he wasn't a buff himself and out fight the fighter type cleric, in fact he rarely attacked the enemy directly at all)

All this is IMHO of course and YMMV. And this is as much of a derailment for this thread as I want to participate in - I don't want to divert it the realm of "demonstrating how I'm using 4E wrong when trying to approximate a character theme"

 

[Agamon]

Hmmm...no, but I should try.

Jordan, the B/X cleric, Merrot, the duel classed human ranger/illusionist from 1e (hybrid beast master ranger/wizard might work there), Agamon, my namesake 2e human necromancer might be a tough one...

 

[Mouseferatu]

What you need is something like the melee training feats. They allow other ability scores to be used in place of strength in melee combat. So something like that for ranged attacks would be spot on.

A feat like that would certainly help. But even then, since the Melee Training feats only apply to basic attacks, not powers, I doubt it'd really make things fit.

Still, I'm getting more comfortable with the idea of making him Dex-based. It's not optimal for a minotaur but, hey, it's not an addiction. I can stop optimizing any time I want to.

Really.

I just haven't wanted to.

 

[Dyson Logos]

Can't.

Won't run on my linux system. Not going to pay $200-$320 for a character creator for a game that I already spent over $200 for the books for.

Otherwise, yeah, I'd be doing that. I love making characters.

 

[Dragonhelm]

That's the problem though - I can't follow the themes with the 4E ruleset and arrive at a satisfactory approximation of my previous characters.

There are times when a person just can't do it. The half-giant I had such success with in 4e rules did not do so well in 3e rules. There was no equivalent for his psionic wild talents, and even when I tried some fan created rules, I just did not hit the mark.

A person can have good success with conversions, but it is by no means an exact science. Sometimes, your original rules set is just the best way to portray your character.

My 1E druid can't even be approximated. My mutliclass character really don't work, and most of my single class characters are an amalgam of their classes and their signature equipment and style that just doesn't quite make the transition. (these are mostly 1E and 2E characters and only 2 were full casters)

Have you looked at the hybrid rules in Dragon? I found they work a lot better for multiclassing than the regular multiclass rules. Though I like having both options.

 

[Shroomy]

Tonight I was bored, so I re-created my 3.5e character, a halfling druid/bard using the CB. In 4e, I made him a hybrid druid/ranger and at 1st level, I took the Hybrid Talent feat and got myself a wolf animal companion. At second level, I multi-classed into the bard class.

 

[Wormwood]

Holy crap---I honestly thought I was the only one.

I've recreated some of my favorite old characters:

Yeege Yuck, Cleric of Orcus (circa 1984)
Romulus Bloodbane, Drow Fighter/Magic-User (1985-86)
Mordax, Human fighter (1986), and
Thorgoth, METAL half-orc barbarian (2007)

 

[fanboy2000]

How many of you have used the character creator to recreate some of your favorite old characters from past editions, even though you know you'll never play them again?

I can't be the only one who does this, can I?

No, you're not the only one. I've done it, a lot.