Roleplaying Advice

[Raduin711]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! =]

For now I think I've come up with a concept I can work with.

Basically he'll be a Dwarven Sorcerer/Fighter/Spellsword who's the son of his clan's Ollam. Having grown up learning the finer points of Dwarven culture and history, he has a great respect for his people's accomplishments. However, when he began developing his magical talents, he realized that his people still had much to be desired. He still worships moradin, but seeks change. (Chaotic Good) I'm playing off the idea from the Hero Builder's guidebook that dwarves are more trustful of the dwarves whose sorcerous talents drove them mad than the ones who are more "normal", and my character rebels against this backward notion.

He is similar to me in that he desires social reform, but I intend him to be much more hard-headed about it.

His spells focus on dwarven-style magics, like magic weapon, and spells dealing with electricity and sonic damage, earth and stone, and objects.

 

[Raduin711]

Ill try some of the ideas here as well when it comes time to play. Thanks again!

 

[Desdichado]

Sounds like what you need is a slightly over-the-top hook or two. Whatever differences you're making in your characters are too subtle to show through in actual play. Here's a few examples I've seen.

• A druid who was a bit obsessive/compulsize with cleanliness. She had all kinds of little bars of soap, and she'd whip them out to wash her hands all the time.
• A ranger who was also a bit of a dandy. He was a major elfophile, and liked to dress and affect and elvish attitude.
• Another player, riffing off of that concept, made a character who was a tall, lanky human (described as looking like the Disney version of Ichabod Crane), yet he honestly believed that he was a dwarf. He was the most radical and vocal pro-dwarf advocate you'd ever meet.
• A goblin who grew up in a small town, and had sorta "made good" financially and socially. He liked to pretend he was a sophisticated, but when the hit the fan, he'd fly into a rage.
• A character who was paranoid of an imagined doppleganger (or changelings, but you already did Eberron, I guess) conspiracy. Imagine Fox Mulder, or Kolchak, except they really are just paranoid.
• A Some Like it Hot routine; a character is hiding out, disguised as a member of the opposite sex, or another race, or something. Always looking over his shoulder for some big organized crime boss who he imagines is right behind him all the time.

 

[Breakdaddy]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! =]

For now I think I've come up with a concept I can work with.

Basically he'll be a Dwarven Sorcerer/Fighter/Spellsword who's the son of his clan's Ollam. Having grown up learning the finer points of Dwarven culture and history, he has a great respect for his people's accomplishments. However, when he began developing his magical talents, he realized that his people still had much to be desired. He still worships moradin, but seeks change. (Chaotic Good) I'm playing off the idea from the Hero Builder's guidebook that dwarves are more trustful of the dwarves whose sorcerous talents drove them mad than the ones who are more "normal", and my character rebels against this backward notion.

He is similar to me in that he desires social reform, but I intend him to be much more hard-headed about it.

His spells focus on dwarven-style magics, like magic weapon, and spells dealing with electricity and sonic damage, earth and stone, and objects.

A Dwarven caster in Greyhawk is a very rare find to begin with. Play up the "lost tribesman" aspect of this and you might find yourself breaking out of your self-imposed mold. Get the DM to help you out by roleplaying out the glaring differences between your PC and the standard Greyhawk Dwarf.

 

[werk]

My suggestion, play something unlike yourself, so you can easily distinguish the role.

Female was already mentioned, which I seem to play a lot, but my suggestion is 'dumb as a fence post fighter'. Make bad suggestions, make bad decisions, it's OK, you're big and loveable and have the hit points so it really doesn't matter. Don't distract or trainwreck the game, but you can totally have fun with it and be completely out of yourself.