Suggestions for Character Build

[GameDoc]

I am coming up with a character concept and instead of starting with class or role, I am thinking more about some of the character's personality traits and quirks and then want to choose class, skills, feats, and powers accordingly.


So here's a short list of his virtuous traits:

1. Intellectual - curious about the world and wants to know at least the basics about everything. Tries to look at things from every perspective.
2. Good natured - most people like him or at least find nothing to dislike or take offense to.
3. Can slip away unnoticed - probably due to his ability to take an unassuming stance, perhaps augmented by some actual training in stealth.
4. Loyal - commits to friends, causes, or ideals fully.

As for shortcommings:

1. Unsure of himself - has a deep fear of standing alone or dejection.
2. Overcurious - can't let something go if he doesn't get a satisfactory answer.
3. Prone to personal vice - he won't knowingly harm another, but when it comes to personal vices he can't turn down the expereince if he can get away with it.
4. Stuffs his negative feelings - ruminates on his angers, fears, disappointments and then buries them deep instead of just letting go or resolving them.

I'm kind of picturing this character as the sort whose ultimate role in life is going to be as an advisor or counselor to kings, generals, or other leaders. He is not so much a great leader himself at lower levels, but as he gains expereince he is competent to lead on the authority of another. Keeps his vices private and away from anyone who might be harmed or disappointed, but if he goes too long without "cutting loose" he can become a bit of a brooder.

Typically, I think you'd use a bard, cleric, or wizard for that type of character, but I didn't want to limit myself.

So, what can the rest of you come up with?

 

[Aulirophile]

Gnome Cunning Bard with Bard of all Trades.

You can roll a stealth check whenever trouble starts if you have any cover or concealment, and go invisible when you take damage one/encounter. You're trained in every skill that matters, and have +4 to untrained skills anyway. You're Int/Cha primary all the way, so socialable and intellectual. Who actively dislikes Gnomes? Not very threatening.

On the other hand you're a little deceptive, and since you're racially known for it the general public might not trust you in a position of authority. And you're short. That can easily be worked into all those shortcomings.

Name him Tyrion.

Not sure how to express "loyal" mechanically, but you're ally friendly at least.

 

[Riastlin]

As I was reading your post I was definitely thinking Cunning bard as well, and gnome makes a good choice.

Another option though would be a halfling Storm Sorceror. Won't necessarily have a high Int for Int-based knowledge skills but could certainly play up the curious side. Additionally, the storm aspect could be used to explain the "moodiness". With daggers as implements and Dex as a secondary (and nearly primary) skill, it makes it easy for him to get good stealth and multiclass into rogue. Cha based means he could instead multiclass into bard if he wanted to pick up some healing instead.

Depending on how high you go in levels (i.e. how long is the campaign going to run?) you can even use some of your feats for skill training if you want to boost knowledge skills, though you still won't ever have a great ability modifier for knowledge skill since neither Int nor Wis will be particularly important. It just depends on whether the RP aspects are more important than the "efficiency/effectiveness" of the character (note: neither approach is wrong).

 

[Mengu]

Thirded. Gnome cunning bard seems like an excellent fit.

 

[bganon]

Bard is what springs to mind to me too, but as an alternative, what about some flavor of Warlock? Buried negative feelings, prone to vice, overcurious, and fully committed to a cause are all traits that could apply to a Warlock. And the stat array would be some combination of Charisma, Intelligence, and Dexterity, which seems to fit the overall concept. Plus Warlocks get Shadow Walk, which can help with the "slips way unnoticed" part.

If you want to stick with the Leader role, some flavor of Ardent (impetuous?) might work out too.

Of course, Bards are good at multiclassing, so you always have options there.

Really, the biggest part of class choice is about how a character fights in combat, rather than personality traits. I could imagine those traits applying to a Rogue, Warlord, Cavalier, or Barbarian, though you might be playing against type a bit.

 

[Peraion Graufalke]

Gnome Telekinetic Psion and Gnome Panther Shaman could also fit your criteria. Maybe even a Sentinel Druid, though they're not really focused on INT.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

First thing I thought of was an Artificer. That might be a good one to MC with Bard for the extra skill. Go human for yet another skill.

It fits the curious intellect, and good natured loyalty (leader role). He/she does like to smoke, drink, and carouse with the opposite gender though, because it feels good and opens up new experiences. Slight hedonistic tendencies (so long as nobody intentionally gets hurt).

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

My first thought was a Feypact Warlock, probably a Half-Elf, maybe a Half-Orc (as halfbreeds, they may be unsure of their positions in society, while still being sure of themselves and their abilities), gnome or halfling.

However, the Bard is an excellent choice as well, as good as or better than Feylock. I'd rank the Ardent as a close third.

I'd pick one- don't hybrid if you want to have Shadow Walk- and multiclass into another.

If the PC's vice is theft, that's a Warlock skill.

As for a Half-Elf power (if you go that route), Eyebite is a natural choice for "slipping away unnoticed," but others have merit: Nimble Strike, Magic Missile, some of the Cha-based Paladin or Ardent powers, and so forth.

 

[ourchair]

I would go with Tiefling Telepathic Psion. There's optimization potential and the flavor can work.

The key stats of the race/class means it's not difficult for him to make friends, but it also means that he's generally analytical in nature, so he kind of struggles between the rational and sociable halves of himself.

Take a multiclass feat in Wizard if you want to sell the 'curious' angle even more. I'd make him a good-aligned Tiefling, but his infernal heritage means that he's also 'vice-curious' regardless of whether he was 'brought up Tiefling' or not.

He's also fearful of the potential effect his negative emotions has on his powers, which could easily channel those emotions out unconsciously perhaps to the detriment of his friends or family.

 

[Nullzone]

Who actively dislikes Gnomes? Not very threatening.

Me. @#%^ing gnomes.