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[4e DnD OOC] Goum Lied, Everyone Cried
Goumindong
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
O.K. so here is the deal.
After I finish my one off adventure I am currently running I will be starting a 4e game that i hope to run from 1 to 30 using Wizards Published Adventures in Dragon, Dungeon and commercial. This game will run Saturday Morning at 8 AM Est, end before 1 PM EST, and begin in 2 to 3 Saturdays from now using maptools. They will be published adventures because this severely reduces my prep-time which means i can spend less time worrying about whether or not the dragon at the end of the adventure will kill you and more time worrying about stuff that is important, like whether or not my socks match.
I have given the players of that first game a chance to pick slots first and two have done so. So i will ask anyone else interested in playing to fill out a short survey so i can better pick adventures that suit you and tailor the world and adventures for the group. I would also ask that you do not read any of the adventures yourself, though skimming them for magic items and such is perfectly fine.
The Survey:
1. What type of game do you like to play: Horror? Survival? Action? Pulp? Noir? Ultra-Violence? Monty Hall? Monty Haul? Monty Python? Political(rather than clear evil)?
2. How "fantastical" do you like your play: Lots of Fantastic Shit? Lots of Mundane Shit? Civilization being mundane with lots of fantastic shit going on everywhere else?
3. Are there any specific themes you like in your play: I.E. do you want to play an "Arabian Nights" campaign? A Medieval Europe campaign? A Medieval Europe during the Black Plague campaign? An Asian Campaign? A Sea Campaign? A colonial type campaign? A Sci-Fi campaign(I.E. like the Wizardry series[DMs Note: If you have not played Wizardry 8, go find a way to get a copy and play it])? Airships?
4. What types of monsters do you want to see? Do you like orcs? Aberrations? Demons? Elves? Men? Racially Stereotyped nations from the South. Undead? Angels?
5. What types of monsters do you not want to see? Do you hate drow and the underdark? Do Dragons make you cringe that special cliche cringe? Do you hate Evil Wizards or Kolbolds? Are aberrations too much for your puny mind to handle?
6. Do you like artifacts playing an important role in the game? And/or how flavorful do you want magic items to be?
7. How dense do you like civilization to be? Dispersed? Small and crowded in by the darkness? Large and crowded in by the darkness? Are monsters everywhere, liable to ambush you if you wander off the beaten path? Are there beaten paths?
8. What relation do you wish to see between you and the other players? I.E. how do you know each other? Is this an ideological gathering? A monetary gathering? A grouping of necessity?
9. Do you want player background and motivation to be in the open or do you want it to be a secret that the player themselves chooses to reveal?
Once this is done(and only when its done). I will ask everyone to create a short background for their character according to the guidelines in the PHB. Pending question 9 being "secret" you may post whatever info of your character that you want so long as that info is truthful(I.E. i won't let you lie about how your character acts and what motivates them here, only in game where everyone has a chance to guess whether or not its true)
That is
1. Choose an alignment. Good, Lawful Good, or Unaligned.
2. Choose a deity(or deities) that as closely resembles your characters core beliefs and/or wishes as possible. Pick one or both. Feel free to pick evil deities if you feel your character would agree with some of their core beliefs and or wishes. You probably won't be able to worship those deities, but it will give me and yourself a better idea about your character.
3. Answer the Social, Decision Points, and Dire Straits questions for your character(pg 23,24). This will be public no matter what question 9 says or what you want. This helps other players get a feel for how your character will act without getting cues during the game which may be few and far between.
4. Choose some mannerisms for your character. Worry less about specifics. I.E. you don't need to know what your exact battlecry is, so long as you decide whether or not you have one and/or are the kind of guy who announces when he uses his powers like an DBZ character.
5. Answer the background questions on page 24. Feel free to be class ambiguous.
Once that is done everyone will choose their classes and make their character sheets. I wish to be finishing the survey and receiving character backgrounds by this Saturday. I wish to be making character sheets by next Wednesday.
For the sake of completeness. I have responded to the survey so that you know where I lie.
As has Lardalish, the first player
As has YesNoMu, the third player
TL:DR
Game: 4e Long term
Venue: Maptools
Time: Saturday Morning EST
Start Date: 2-3 Weeks from now
Required System Knowledge: Little to None, if you have a PHB you can play
Players: 3 more, 5 total.
Setting/Feel: You decide.
Creation: Standard level 1
After I finish my one off adventure I am currently running I will be starting a 4e game that i hope to run from 1 to 30 using Wizards Published Adventures in Dragon, Dungeon and commercial. This game will run Saturday Morning at 8 AM Est, end before 1 PM EST, and begin in 2 to 3 Saturdays from now using maptools. They will be published adventures because this severely reduces my prep-time which means i can spend less time worrying about whether or not the dragon at the end of the adventure will kill you and more time worrying about stuff that is important, like whether or not my socks match.
I have given the players of that first game a chance to pick slots first and two have done so. So i will ask anyone else interested in playing to fill out a short survey so i can better pick adventures that suit you and tailor the world and adventures for the group. I would also ask that you do not read any of the adventures yourself, though skimming them for magic items and such is perfectly fine.
The Survey:
1. What type of game do you like to play: Horror? Survival? Action? Pulp? Noir? Ultra-Violence? Monty Hall? Monty Haul? Monty Python? Political(rather than clear evil)?
2. How "fantastical" do you like your play: Lots of Fantastic Shit? Lots of Mundane Shit? Civilization being mundane with lots of fantastic shit going on everywhere else?
3. Are there any specific themes you like in your play: I.E. do you want to play an "Arabian Nights" campaign? A Medieval Europe campaign? A Medieval Europe during the Black Plague campaign? An Asian Campaign? A Sea Campaign? A colonial type campaign? A Sci-Fi campaign(I.E. like the Wizardry series[DMs Note: If you have not played Wizardry 8, go find a way to get a copy and play it])? Airships?
4. What types of monsters do you want to see? Do you like orcs? Aberrations? Demons? Elves? Men? Racially Stereotyped nations from the South. Undead? Angels?
5. What types of monsters do you not want to see? Do you hate drow and the underdark? Do Dragons make you cringe that special cliche cringe? Do you hate Evil Wizards or Kolbolds? Are aberrations too much for your puny mind to handle?
6. Do you like artifacts playing an important role in the game? And/or how flavorful do you want magic items to be?
7. How dense do you like civilization to be? Dispersed? Small and crowded in by the darkness? Large and crowded in by the darkness? Are monsters everywhere, liable to ambush you if you wander off the beaten path? Are there beaten paths?
8. What relation do you wish to see between you and the other players? I.E. how do you know each other? Is this an ideological gathering? A monetary gathering? A grouping of necessity?
9. Do you want player background and motivation to be in the open or do you want it to be a secret that the player themselves chooses to reveal?
Once this is done(and only when its done). I will ask everyone to create a short background for their character according to the guidelines in the PHB. Pending question 9 being "secret" you may post whatever info of your character that you want so long as that info is truthful(I.E. i won't let you lie about how your character acts and what motivates them here, only in game where everyone has a chance to guess whether or not its true)
That is
1. Choose an alignment. Good, Lawful Good, or Unaligned.
2. Choose a deity(or deities) that as closely resembles your characters core beliefs and/or wishes as possible. Pick one or both. Feel free to pick evil deities if you feel your character would agree with some of their core beliefs and or wishes. You probably won't be able to worship those deities, but it will give me and yourself a better idea about your character.
3. Answer the Social, Decision Points, and Dire Straits questions for your character(pg 23,24). This will be public no matter what question 9 says or what you want. This helps other players get a feel for how your character will act without getting cues during the game which may be few and far between.
4. Choose some mannerisms for your character. Worry less about specifics. I.E. you don't need to know what your exact battlecry is, so long as you decide whether or not you have one and/or are the kind of guy who announces when he uses his powers like an DBZ character.
5. Answer the background questions on page 24. Feel free to be class ambiguous.
Once that is done everyone will choose their classes and make their character sheets. I wish to be finishing the survey and receiving character backgrounds by this Saturday. I wish to be making character sheets by next Wednesday.
For the sake of completeness. I have responded to the survey so that you know where I lie.
Since I am going to be the DM. I will start out and answer relevant questions. I do not want this coloring your answers.
1. Horror, Political, Noir, Pulp.
2. Mundane and dark. Magic is few and far between and magic items are more a property of who wields them, and has wielded them rather than what they are. Magic is inexplicable and mysterious and only those removed from society know much about it. As in Planescape. Belief is paramount(but just how, i am not sure)
3. Night time is the right time... to be the DM or a monster. Dark Ages feel, Lade Medieval Europe scope.
4. Orcs, Goblins, Kolbolds, Aberrations, Intelligent Undead, Dragons, Aberrations, Ogres(but not most other giants), Oni, Golems, Medusa, Basilisks, Beholders, Magical Beasts of many sorts, Slaad, Gargoyles, Hags, Rakshasa, Hydra, Lizardmen, Werebeasts, classical mythological beasts.
5. Mundane Animals, Drow, titans, giants, colossus, Elemental based enemies, Formians.
6. I like magic items to be dependent on the player more than the item. They have history from who they were used by and what they were used for. Items become magical based on their close relation to a hero or a villain. Items become artifacts based on the strength of the wielders deeds. Some weapons are powerful based on the quality of their creation. All of them have been given their power by some persons strength, determination, and hard work, whether he slaved over it, folding and hammering it for months, whether it was willed to be as sharp as the wit of its owner, or whether a piece of the owner was imbued within it.
I.E. Magic item rewards will come in standard drops and may come via good roleplaying by the item(magical or otherwise) gaining properties and bonuses in accordance with the personality and play style of the character who posses it.
7. Dense with little living on the edges. Farming is localized and most people retreat to the safety of the city walls by night. Inns can operate on roads and in the wilderness, but only supported by local hamlets which are miniature versions of the larger walled cities.
8. Irrelevant
9. irrelevant.
1. Horror, Political, Noir, Pulp.
2. Mundane and dark. Magic is few and far between and magic items are more a property of who wields them, and has wielded them rather than what they are. Magic is inexplicable and mysterious and only those removed from society know much about it. As in Planescape. Belief is paramount(but just how, i am not sure)
3. Night time is the right time... to be the DM or a monster. Dark Ages feel, Lade Medieval Europe scope.
4. Orcs, Goblins, Kolbolds, Aberrations, Intelligent Undead, Dragons, Aberrations, Ogres(but not most other giants), Oni, Golems, Medusa, Basilisks, Beholders, Magical Beasts of many sorts, Slaad, Gargoyles, Hags, Rakshasa, Hydra, Lizardmen, Werebeasts, classical mythological beasts.
5. Mundane Animals, Drow, titans, giants, colossus, Elemental based enemies, Formians.
6. I like magic items to be dependent on the player more than the item. They have history from who they were used by and what they were used for. Items become magical based on their close relation to a hero or a villain. Items become artifacts based on the strength of the wielders deeds. Some weapons are powerful based on the quality of their creation. All of them have been given their power by some persons strength, determination, and hard work, whether he slaved over it, folding and hammering it for months, whether it was willed to be as sharp as the wit of its owner, or whether a piece of the owner was imbued within it.
I.E. Magic item rewards will come in standard drops and may come via good roleplaying by the item(magical or otherwise) gaining properties and bonuses in accordance with the personality and play style of the character who posses it.
7. Dense with little living on the edges. Farming is localized and most people retreat to the safety of the city walls by night. Inns can operate on roads and in the wilderness, but only supported by local hamlets which are miniature versions of the larger walled cities.
8. Irrelevant
9. irrelevant.
As has Lardalish, the first player
Well, in my D&D "career" I have had the worst luck with games. Something approaching 90% of the ones I join die off due to DM laziness or dick players before much past 2 or 3 sessions. So I haven't really been able to see what I do or don't like. I will try to answer these to the best of my ability though.
1) Well, I enjoy RP but I also love combat so as long as the rp and fights are balanced Im good for whatever. For instance, what you have planned for this game we're playing now seems to be right up my alley, 1/2 rp chances 1/2 combat.
2) Well, I like magic items but I think thats mostly a vestigial feeling from 3.5, Ive been playing a little bit in a level 1 campaign and even in our last session, I didn't really care about the items. So as long as we don't get gimped from lack of bonuses Im cool with low magic.
3) I don't really have any preferences here.
4) No real preferences here, I don't really have a problem with the fluff of any creatures.
5) As long as its not ALL ______, ALL THE TIME then Im fine with anything. Ooh, rust monsters, I dunno if they made it to 4e but no rust monsters.
6) Ive always wanted magic items to be special, have some sort of history behind them, but when you just sell em off once you get something better its kind of a wasted effort. So with the low magic campaign I think it would work well.
7) I dunno about this one, I don't exactly want a post apocalyptic world where the largest town is a group of huts with 15 people, But I also don't want to take a walk and stumble over 18 massive ancient empires.
8) Im good with almost anything. Each one has its pros and cons really.
9) This one kinda depends on the character and the way they were brought together. I don't know if I would want it to be a campaign specific rule. More like if one of the people was my best friend then they know all about me, but Joe Schmoe mercenary that we hired this morning doesn't know anything.
1) Well, I enjoy RP but I also love combat so as long as the rp and fights are balanced Im good for whatever. For instance, what you have planned for this game we're playing now seems to be right up my alley, 1/2 rp chances 1/2 combat.
2) Well, I like magic items but I think thats mostly a vestigial feeling from 3.5, Ive been playing a little bit in a level 1 campaign and even in our last session, I didn't really care about the items. So as long as we don't get gimped from lack of bonuses Im cool with low magic.
3) I don't really have any preferences here.
4) No real preferences here, I don't really have a problem with the fluff of any creatures.
5) As long as its not ALL ______, ALL THE TIME then Im fine with anything. Ooh, rust monsters, I dunno if they made it to 4e but no rust monsters.
6) Ive always wanted magic items to be special, have some sort of history behind them, but when you just sell em off once you get something better its kind of a wasted effort. So with the low magic campaign I think it would work well.
7) I dunno about this one, I don't exactly want a post apocalyptic world where the largest town is a group of huts with 15 people, But I also don't want to take a walk and stumble over 18 massive ancient empires.
8) Im good with almost anything. Each one has its pros and cons really.
9) This one kinda depends on the character and the way they were brought together. I don't know if I would want it to be a campaign specific rule. More like if one of the people was my best friend then they know all about me, but Joe Schmoe mercenary that we hired this morning doesn't know anything.
As has YesNoMu, the third player
1. Ambiguous political scheming and intrigue are fun! Fighting is fun and all, but I like the idea of being mostly an investigative group, who only gets out the swords when necessary.
2. I like the high-magic, or at least highly magically-influenced, like Eberron. A setting that looks (semi-)realistically at what it means when magic exists and can be harnessed.
3. Whatever sounds fun to you, although plane-hopping is appealing to me.
4. Intelligent stuff with motivations make nice opponents, the kind that we can reason with, or ally with after beating the stuffing out of. Alternatively, the really vile, nasty kind, who we can feel awesome about beating up. Gnolls are especially badass and vicious, and aberrations are spooky and nasty.
5. I think any monster can be used well. That said, the drow (and Underdark nasties in general) have never really resonated with me. Maybe I just need a good DM to pull it off, though.
What I don't like are intelligent things that fight to the death without saying a word, and don't seem to have a reason for it. It's like some of the FFTA2 fights based on misunderstandings: they're funny, but I'd get pissed if that actually happened to us in a game.
6. Artifacts are awesome. I don't mind other magic items being utilitarian and fairly common.
7. I like urban adventures, so at least a few decent-sized cities.
8. I like the idea of a detective agency party, maybe a semi-secret police group. Hush-hush type.
9. Eh, I don't like secrets from the party. In our last 3.5 campaign, one of the players was the advance scout for a doppleganger rebellion to take over the world. We never heard a word about this until the end of the game, when we all died and she ruled the earth. Dumb.
Anyway, looking forward to the game! See you guys Saturday.
2. I like the high-magic, or at least highly magically-influenced, like Eberron. A setting that looks (semi-)realistically at what it means when magic exists and can be harnessed.
3. Whatever sounds fun to you, although plane-hopping is appealing to me.
4. Intelligent stuff with motivations make nice opponents, the kind that we can reason with, or ally with after beating the stuffing out of. Alternatively, the really vile, nasty kind, who we can feel awesome about beating up. Gnolls are especially badass and vicious, and aberrations are spooky and nasty.
5. I think any monster can be used well. That said, the drow (and Underdark nasties in general) have never really resonated with me. Maybe I just need a good DM to pull it off, though.
What I don't like are intelligent things that fight to the death without saying a word, and don't seem to have a reason for it. It's like some of the FFTA2 fights based on misunderstandings: they're funny, but I'd get pissed if that actually happened to us in a game.
6. Artifacts are awesome. I don't mind other magic items being utilitarian and fairly common.
7. I like urban adventures, so at least a few decent-sized cities.
8. I like the idea of a detective agency party, maybe a semi-secret police group. Hush-hush type.
9. Eh, I don't like secrets from the party. In our last 3.5 campaign, one of the players was the advance scout for a doppleganger rebellion to take over the world. We never heard a word about this until the end of the game, when we all died and she ruled the earth. Dumb.
Anyway, looking forward to the game! See you guys Saturday.
TL:DR
Game: 4e Long term
Venue: Maptools
Time: Saturday Morning EST
Start Date: 2-3 Weeks from now
Required System Knowledge: Little to None, if you have a PHB you can play
Players: 3 more, 5 total.
Setting/Feel: You decide.
Creation: Standard level 1
Goumindong on
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additionally, my saturday mornings are currently unused and this sounds great.
Action, Ultra-Violence, Gritty, Noir. Political maneuverings punctuated by ultrastylistic, well described, over the top set-piece encounters.
2. How "fantastical" do you like your play: Lots of Fantastic Shit? Lots of Mundane Shit? Civilization being mundane with lots of fantastic shit going on everywhere else?
Some fantastic shit. I don't like the 'realms idea of a deity traipsing through your backyard every other day, but a major planar threat every couple hundred years is probably OK.
3. Are there any specific themes you like in your play: I.E. do you want to play an "Arabian Nights" campaign? A Medieval Europe campaign? A Medieval Europe during the Black Plague campaign? An Asian Campaign? A Sea Campaign? A colonial type campaign? A Sci-Fi campaign(I.E. like the Wizardry series[DMs Note: If you have not played Wizardry 8, go find a way to get a copy and play it])? Airships?
Airships would be badass, as would a more urban setting.
4. What types of monsters do you want to see? Do you like orcs? Aberrations? Demons? Elves? Men? Racially Stereotyped nations from the South. Undead? Angels?
If it bleeds, it's fair game.
5. What types of monsters do you not want to see? Do you hate drow and the underdark? Do Dragons make you cringe that special cliche cringe? Do you hate Evil Wizards or Kolbolds? Are aberrations too much for your puny mind to handle?
Drow. Kind of tired of Kobolds too.
6. Do you like artifacts playing an important role in the game? And/or how flavorful do you want magic items to be?
High flavor, standard power curve. I've played one too many campaigns where the artifact took the spotlight away from the players.
If it's an artifact because of our efforts, that's something else entirely.
7. How dense do you like civilization to be? Dispersed? Small and crowded in by the darkness? Large and crowded in by the darkness? Are monsters everywhere, liable to ambush you if you wander off the beaten path? Are there beaten paths?
I hate random encounters - hence the more urban setting where encounters are more deliberate.
8. What relation do you wish to see between you and the other players? I.E. how do you know each other? Is this an ideological gathering? A monetary gathering? A grouping of necessity?
Ideological, probably. My character will have his own motivation that'll probably be closely related, but not identical to that of the rest of the party.
9. Do you want player background and motivation to be in the open or do you want it to be a secret that the player themselves chooses to reveal?
Open is fine. I'd probably go ahead and reveal it pretty quickly anyway - stories are meant to be told, right?
I'd like to play a Striker or a Defender, but wouldn't mind a Warlord either.
We will deal with racial necessity/fluff/powers from dragon etc later.
As of this writing I am not opposed to anything published though we may need to make some changes. Its unlikely though you will be prohibited from taking unfinished classes(so you won't have access to sword mage and artificer except through multi-classing)
Edit: think about who your character is before you think about what your character does if you don't mind. If you know who your character is before you know what he does you get to flavor what he does better. You may not even need racial identity for this part.
And think about what game you want to play before you let me know who you want to play.
Its easier to change role than it is to change character concept. Its easier to change character concept than it is to change the setting and base assumptions. The setting depends on what everyone wants. Characters depend on the setting and feel. Role depends on the characters(though less so than characters on the setting)
1. What type of game do you like to play: Horror? Survival? Action? Pulp? Noir? Ultra-Violence? Monty Hall? Monty Haul? Monty Python? Political(rather than clear evil)?
I like an Action-Noir game, think Max Payne. However, my writer loves lovecraft, so a horror game is not amiss.
2. How "fantastical" do you like your play: Lots of Fantastic Shit? Lots of Mundane Shit? Civilization being mundane with lots of fantastic shit going on everywhere else?
Option three, civilization should be pretty mundane, and the average farmer should be way, way in the dark. Only the nobility really know just how tiny the city is compared to the giant evil world outside. Middle Earth is a pretty good example of this kind of thing.
3. Are there any specific themes you like in your play: I.E. do you want to play an "Arabian Nights" campaign? A Medieval Europe campaign? A Medieval Europe during the Black Plague campaign? An Asian Campaign? A Sea Campaign? A colonial type campaign? A Sci-Fi campaign(I.E. like the Wizardry series[DMs Note: If you have not played Wizardry 8, go find a way to get a copy and play it])? Airships?
I'm up for anything here, and can work with any background.
4. What types of monsters do you want to see? Do you like orcs? Aberrations? Demons? Elves? Men? Racially Stereotyped nations from the South. Undead? Angels?
I'll fight anything - I do like the occasionally banter with my opponents though, so a few intelligent enemies would be nice.
5. What types of monsters do you not want to see? Do you hate drow and the underdark? Do Dragons make you cringe that special cliche cringe? Do you hate Evil Wizards or Kolbolds? Are aberrations too much for your puny mind to handle?
I just prefer to not fight ONLY ONE KIND OF GUY EVER FOR FIFTEEN LEVELS.
6. Do you like artifacts playing an important role in the game? And/or how flavorful do you want magic items to be?
Magic items I can take or leave - but I like it to be standard. If there are +1 swords everywhere, don't expect me to treat the occasional artifact as something truly special - I'll treat it like a lamborghini in a world filled with other cars, special, but not unbelievable. Contrasting that, If magic items are special and rare - I'd hope not to find a +1 sword with not backstory or personality to it.
7. How dense do you like civilization to be? Dispersed? Small and crowded in by the darkness? Large and crowded in by the darkness? Are monsters everywhere, liable to ambush you if you wander off the beaten path? Are there beaten paths?
I've never given it thought, but Strong city-states with lots of monsters in between appeals to me.
8. What relation do you wish to see between you and the other players? I.E. how do you know each other? Is this an ideological gathering? A monetary gathering? A grouping of necessity?
No preference here, this should work out by player background IMO. Usually I prefer a stronger cohesion than "We're all in it for ourselves" though.
9. Do you want player background and motivation to be in the open or do you want it to be a secret that the player themselves chooses to reveal?
Out in the open, I'd rather not have anyone be the thousand year old heir to an ancient empire that will one day rise to consume the surface world in a million years of torment and only find out about it in the last session. Conversely, everyone has a secret or two that nobody else knows.
I like moral choices, I like action, I like gritty, I like to feel there is danger and challnge.
2. How "fantastical" do you like your play: I also like 'low-magic' but definitely not non-existent. Magic should be scary, powerful, and recondite (i.e. not every street vendor knows cantrips; highly esoteric, maybe even most people doesn't know it exists - but of course for us as players, we definitely wield it
3. Are there any specific themes you like in your play: hmm I actually like the classic dnd set up: more fantastical than Tolkein but not wildly out there. If it's going to be 'out there' then it needs to be WAY out there, like Planescape and beyond.
4. What types of monsters do you want to see? Any and all; I'm with Lardalish (hi Jefferson!): variety is the key.
5. What types of monsters do you not want to see? nothing's off the table as far as I'm concerned. I'm of the opinion that even the most boring and stale things can be made to be fresh and interesting, and often in very simple easy ways.
6. Do you like artifacts playing an important role in the game? And/or how flavorful do you want magic items to be? I like previously mentioned ideas about magic items. Important things, not just +1 axe and bracers of protection... they can be those things mechanically, that's great, but they need flavor. They aren't just sold in the streets of major metropolises.
7. How dense do you like civilization to be? I think here also variety is the key. A teeming empire and a desolate wasteland and a lush jungle and an endless ocean and labyrinthine magic dungeon... it's 1 to 30, I want to go to all of them, feel like I travelled the entire realm far and wide in my adventures.
8. What relation do you wish to see between you and the other players? Again I think variety is the spice of life... everyone comes from different backgrounds. I wouldn't want us all to be in the same militia or from the same holy brotherhood. If we know each other it is through random chance as recently met friends who form an adventuring company for some reason (hopefully a good one). I think every player should have the freedom to have the background and motivation they want.
9. Do you want player background and motivation to be in the open or do you want it to be a secret that the player themselves chooses to reveal? Hmm. I tend towards allowing secrets but I caution that it has in my experience ruined plenty of games. I think backstory should infrom what your character does in game but it should not be a major player in the story itself, because it by definition makes one player the star above others, and gives them perhaps motivation to go against the grain as it were and it can be divisive. Especially in early levels - why should we care that your long lost father is dangling from the edge of the pit trap? We barely know YOU! Escape the collapsing dungeon, every man for themselves! I think its best once everyone has gotten well-acquainted, and we can reasonably care for each others interests, then occasional side-treks into backstory-relevant quests can probably be quite fun for the whole party.
I have lots of character ideas. I'm leaning towards a zen-master-ish Fighter/Wizard like they describe in one of the latest Dragon articles, or a debonair, classic-dracula-vampire-sauve-yet-dark Infernal Warlock as I haven't gotten to play one yet.
http://lexiconmegatherium.tumblr.com/
Travel will/would play out as a series of skill challenges and/or combats that will last a session and only more in the case of a particularly long travel which is important regarding a quest. You would be unable to take an extended rest during travel(except as specific locations) even if that travel took longer than a day.
This breaks the travel up into a series of encounters more similar to a dungeon. So while you might have an encounter out in the wilderness it you wont have the problem of a 10 day travel being boring for 9 days and then OH SHIT STUFF HAPPENS. Or the problem of "difficult travel isn't" where you get an extended rest every day and there are no consequences.
I am really looking for a chance to try this out, so expect it at least a few times over the course of the game as a nice interlude between adventures.
It's the tabletop version of a travel montage! Nice!
http://lexiconmegatherium.tumblr.com/
Also Ive got a character concept that tasty has approved, Ill work on the rest once everyone has filled out the survey and such.
Rogue by the way.
Jordan of Elienor, Human Shaman
Otherwise i'll probably go like, tiefling warlord.
Edit: If nobody is gonna go leader then I'll fill that role.
1. Gritty Action Noir... but no clear moral certainty.
2. Magic will be divided. For the prime material it is distant and esoteric. In some places it will be commonplace. I am thinking of making this divide across the feywild. The players will know of this divide and adventures will take place across it.
3. Feywild will be more Urban, Prime Material will be more Tolkien/Points of Light.
4/5. Monsters seem to be my digression. Now Drow, Kolbolds.
6. High Flavor, standard power curve. Expect to get upgrades to your current items and gold at some points rather than new items depending on how stuff works out.
7. Dense with large unpopulated or low population in-betweens.
8. This one is where the largest disconnect is. Some of you want an ideological party, some want a mercenary for hire type party(I.E. detective agency) and one wants to make sure there is no common patron.
9. Completely Open backgrounds
Before we go into background, lets talk about number 8.
I am tentative on having the players be some sort of commission with unlimited scope. Think "Harry Potter". You've been adventuring and then one day a message(ritual) shows up and hands you an invitation to Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Except instead of a place where angsty brittish teenagers get repressed by Alan Rickman, its an inter-dimensional match making agency for those with the potential for epic destiny. And instead of sounding gay, it will be totally awesome.
If something like that is O.K. we can start posting backgrounds.
Additionally, drop the warforged idea completely, I'll be playing a Tiefling warlord unless someone is against it.
So we have a Warlord, a Rogue, and ( Fighter/ Wizard || Warlock )...
I'm thinking maybe a Paladin/Rogue crossover? Long arm of the faith kind of guy? 'That Ain't no preacher?'
And I'm not married to either of those character ideas either, if we want a nice balanced party. Really I'll play anything except a straight defender, because I'm currently playing a fighter and a paladin. I'd multiclass either one though... I also had, or rather my friend did and I thought it would be cool, an idea for a ranger/fey pact warlock thats basically the wild man/elf of the woods... very crowd-phobic, always smelling people when he first meets them... :P
I am open to suggestions.
@Legionnaired: Paladin/Rogue? Yes.
http://lexiconmegatherium.tumblr.com/
So by backgrounds do you mean a little story write up or those questions you were talking about?
Jordan of Elienor, Human Shaman
1. Choose an alignment. Good, Lawful Good, or Unaligned.
2. Choose a deity(or deities) that as closely resembles your characters core beliefs and/or wishes as possible. Pick one or both. Feel free to pick evil deities if you feel your character would agree with some of their core beliefs and or wishes. You probably won't be able to worship those deities, but it will give me and yourself a better idea about your character.
3. Answer the Social, Decision Points, and Dire Straits questions for your character(pg 23,24). This will be public no matter what question 9 says or what you want. This helps other players get a feel for how your character will act without getting cues during the game which may be few and far between.
4. Choose some mannerisms for your character. Worry less about specifics. I.E. you don't need to know what your exact battlecry is, so long as you decide whether or not you have one and/or are the kind of guy who announces when he uses his powers like an DBZ character.
5. Answer the background questions on page 24. Feel free to be class ambiguous.
2) All 3 points of Moradin and the first point of Erathis. Do I have to worship one of them? Cause I wasnt really plannin on it.
3) Imma just answer these in order. Social: Relaxed, Hopeful, Open-Minded, Decision: Easy Going, Dutiful (to my own rules which will basically be some monastic code Ill draw up and run by you), Kind, Dire Straights: Steady I guess, Happy-go-lucky, Calm
4) Always smiling, if I aint smiling? Bad things are going to happen. Unless asked for an opinion will probably hum to myself while people decide what to do.
EDIT: I always keep my neck covered to hide the horrific scar from having my throat cut. Done out of consideration for others, won't mind removing the scarf if someone asks.
5) Ill answer these in order also:
*To become a master in the monastery you have to find the way in which you will live your life. the monks can give you a start in the training, but ultimately I have to find my own way. I decided to go out and put my training to good use.
*Training in the monastery and my life as a thief from before I joined.
*Bought them with money earned from mundane jobs and worked off debts for having them made.
*Having my throat slit and being left for dead.
*Being found by one of the Monks who healed me and took me in.
*Family: don't have any that I know of. I don't keep in touch with my monastery, not expected. However if you decide to make the order I belong to (which Ill have to come up with a name for) not just a singular monastery then I will pay visits to any one I come to and will help them if in need. Of course, that might require retooling of modules so I dunno, up to you.
Jordan of Elienor, Human Shaman
edit: something else i should say:
For the second history question, feel free to omit that until later. And/or just be very ambiguous about it. I.E. "natural talent" or "trained" or "found mystical teachings" or whatever.
Jordan of Elienor, Human Shaman
1) Good.
2) This is interesting - I view my character as someone who was originally part of an exciting movement, but got disillusioned when it calcified and went down a separate path - still under his paladin's vows and wanting to follow his Diety without the 'institutional' ways behind him. A little too zealous kind of guy, but mixing that zeal with disappointment... - So Imagine Sehanine and Avandra's methods of service brought to the church of Pelor and Bahamut.
But it'd be really interesting to follow Erathis...
3) Social Situations - Reserved, Brooding, but Trusting of his friends and those who seem to be true believers (in whatever cause).
Decision Points - Commanding, Pragmatic, Protective
Dire Straights - Steady, Impassioned, Restless.
4) In combat, my character is quiet but fierce - toppling enemies like structures that must be attacked and systematically destroyed, nothing more, nothing less. However, the more violent and dire the fight, the more the passion comes out, and the more risks he takes to end the lives of his enemies and protect the lives of his friends.
+ My character decided to be an adventurer when the church got stale and machinistic. Instead of spreading civilization and order to free people's lives from back-breaking labor, they choked the reality out of people with their technological advancements.
+ I was a zealous follower of Erathis, and was brought up in the church as a master craftsman. At some point, I found that I loved defending the works of civilization more than constructing them, and I took up the longmaul, chosen weapon of Erathis.
+ With my first hammer, I forged my armor and longmaul. I still keep my original smith's hammer in my pack - and when sitting around the fire at night usually maintain my gear until the clanging gets to my companions, and I study great designs and schematics of the past.
+ Leaving the church. Though I knew it was right, the pain of having all of my relationships severed, and of the poverty that followed from getting kicked out of the craftsmen's guild cut my frame down from that of a muscular rail driver to a wiry street rat. On the streets, I discovered my understanding of frame and structural strength could set me up for some crushing blows on my foes.
+ I don't speak to my family - I've taken to urge them to be more radical and outward-focused with their faith, and they've taken to chastise me for my turning against the church. Nowadays, they just view me as a street wretch.
EDIT:
I think mechanically I'm going to take the Ranger multiclass feat, but play it off as 'spent some time brawling.'
2. Choose a deity(or deities) that as closely resembles your characters core beliefs and/or wishes as possible. Pick one or both. Feel free to pick evil deities if you feel your character would agree with some of their core beliefs and or wishes. You probably won't be able to worship those deities, but it will give me and yourself a better idea about your character.
Erathis, The Raven Queen. While he believes that cooperation and civilization are the keys to life, he has strong belief in fate and thinks that the way events happen is the only way they could have been. He also scorns the proud, and believes that pride only leads to arrogance and hubris.
3. Answer the Social, Decision Points, and Dire Straits questions for your character(pg 23,24). This will be public no matter what question 9 says or what you want. This helps other players get a feel for how your character will act without getting cues during the game which may be few and far between.
How do others perceive you in social interactions? Relaxed
How optimistic are you? Self-assured, what is to be will be.
How trusting are you? Skeptical
How assertive are you at a decision point? Adaptable
How conscientious are you about following rules? Pragmatic.
How empathetic are you? Thoughtful
How courageous are you in dire straits? Steady
How do you feel when faced by setbacks? Driven
How are your nerves? Unshakable
4. Choose some mannerisms for your character. Worry less about specifics. I.E. you don't need to know what your exact battlecry is, so long as you decide whether or not you have one and/or are the kind of guy who announces when he uses his powers like an DBZ character.
Keeps his teeth, nails, horns, weapons, and armor scrupulously clean.
Habitually checks himself to be sure of a maximum state of readiness.
5. Answer the background questions on page 24. Feel free to be class ambiguous.
Why did you decide to be an adventurer?
He decided to leave his home city when his youngest sibling was married.
How did you acquire your class?
His father raised him to be a leader to his three younger siblings, and he joined the watch of the city where he lived to provide for his family.
How did you acquire your starting equipment?
Most of it was bought over his career with the city watch, piece by piece over the years. He is fairly attached to all of it, specifically his weapon, which has a notch in the tip from a Greataxe hit, he owes the sturdiness of the blade his life. He doesn't repair the damage because it reminds him of his own mortality.
What's the worst event of your life?
The time orcs attacked the city, he had to wade through burning buildings to rescue citizens as the battle raged outside. He sometimes wakes and feels that he can still smell scorched flesh.
What's the best thing that's ever happened to you?
His family means the most to him, seeing them all reach the age of marrying and having careers was the happiest day of his life.
Do you stay in contact with your family? What do your relatives think of you and your chosen career?
He still sends letters and money home to his family. They do, however, want him to come home.
1. Choose an alignment - Unaligned.
2. Choose a deity(or deities) that as closely resembles your characters core beliefs and/or wishes as possible. Pick one or both. Feel free to pick evil deities if you feel your character would agree with some of their core beliefs and or wishes. You probably won't be able to worship those deities, but it will give me and yourself a better idea about your character.
Sehanine, The Raven Queen. He is a penitent seeker, unafraid of new experiences or of death. His own pride in the past caused him great ruin, and now he seeks to atone for his mistakes.
3. Answer the Social, Decision Points, and Dire Straits questions for your character(pg 23,24). This will be public no matter what question 9 says or what you want. This helps other players get a feel for how your character will act without getting cues during the game which may be few and far between.
How do others perceive you in social interactions? Reserved; hold your own council unless directly asked.
How optimistic are you? Brooding; what happens, happens. But we exist in that moment and actions have consequences.
How trusting are you? Skeptical; there aren't any promises.
How assertive are you at a decision point? Adaptable; always ready to try a new tack.
How conscientious are you about following rules? Pragmatic/Flexible; there are rules in the world, but they are ones that transcend any nation or ideology. I will bide by your laws so long as they do not infringe my or my friends best interest.
How empathetic are you? Stern/Thoughtful; slow to form attachment, but trust is lasting and loyal.
How courageous are you in dire straits? Steady/Fierce; fate is set, don't hold back for fear.
How do you feel when faced by setbacks? Stoic; again, what will be will be, and patience will be rewarded.
How are your nerves? Unshakable; death holds no sway over me, I have already seen the worst and lived.
4. Choose some mannerisms for your character. Worry less about specifics. I.E. you don't need to know what your exact battlecry is, so long as you decide whether or not you have one and/or are the kind of guy who announces when he uses his powers like an DBZ character.
Somewhat masochistic. Prone to dire utterances, but confident in his devotion. Prone to occasional outbursts that might seem insane or cryptic to others. Cares little for his personal safety or comfort - prone to sleeping on the ground, no bedroll and no fire. Laconic in repose but ferocious and impassioned in battle.
5. Answer the background questions on page 24. Feel free to be class ambiguous.
EDIT: revised, see next post.
http://lexiconmegatherium.tumblr.com/
Why did you decide to be an adventurer?
He was a Lawgiver/Warrior (sort of a Constable/Town Watch type) for his small-ish, predominantly Dragonborn settlement. Very zealous and prideful of his job, and from a Clan known for their prowess in battle, he always sought to be the greatest warrior amongst his peers. Having (in his mind, at least) mastered the physical aspects of combat, he turned to the mystical to increase his deadliness. But as he dabbled further and further into recondite arts and arcane witchcraft, he made pacts he couldn't refuse. He brought down a vile curse upon his settlement, his friends, and his family... one they did not survive. In his shame he wanders, humbled, looking for any way to regain his honor and atone for his pride.
How did you acquire your class?
See above.
How did you acquire your starting equipment?
In the shambles of his hometown, he gathered what he could, knowing his journey would be long and hard, and to remind him of where he had come from and what he had done.
What's the worst event of your life?
The day his family and friends suffered in his place.
What's the best thing that's ever happened to you?
The day he left his shattered village, he also pledged himself to the Raven Queen, vowing to atone for his prideful ways. In that instant, he saw a crow sitting on a branch, upon which rested a silver armband: one of his son's. He knew then in his heart that he could find redemption if he followed the road of his destiny.
Do you stay in contact with your family? What do your relatives think of you and your chosen career?
Cursed by pride to be alone.
http://lexiconmegatherium.tumblr.com/
Yo, missed this. My guy is Telemnos, a Tiefling. I'd be more than happy to be a wizard again, since that's what seems to be missing.
1. U
2. I'm kinda leaning Asmodeus. I want power over others, and I believe that I deserve to rule.
3. In social interactions, I can be seen as charming or brusque, depending if I feel like flattering the person I'm speaking with. I brood often, unable to focus on the pleasures of the moment for very long. I am not a trusting person.
At decision points, I am bossy and imperious. I know my idea is correct, and I rarely consider the views of others. I follow rules selectively, when I think they will benefit me the most. I don't care much about the feelings of others.
When things go bad, I break down. I put my own safety above all, and will even run away if the odds seem against me. Setbacks bother and annoy me. I start to feel restless if I sense something bad.
4. I am terse with the party and anyone I believe to be lower in station. Otherwise, I try to be charming and eloquent. Since I like Asmodeus, references to Baator come up pretty often ("to the hells with my diet, I'm eating this ice cream").
5. I'll answer background later, it's really late now. The worst thing to ever happen to me was when my swanky manor was attacked by gnolls. They killed my father, and stole the fortune I was to inherit.
Make a sheet on www.Mythweavers.com and then give me permissions. I will add you to the game notes section so we can more easily keep notes on the game. OOC will still be done here. Though i will be making announcements in both places.
edit: Remember, you can be any class with nearly any background. You can be a paladin of Erathis and still be a ranger or rogue, or fighter, or cleric, or Wizard in class.
Class defines how you achieve goals. Character defines what you are. You do not have to "justify" multi-classing in your background.
That being said, i think we have a pretty good mix(wizard, warlord, paladin, rogue, one whom i don't know)
edit 2:
Link to mythweavers info deposit
http://www.myth-weavers.com/games.php?gameid=2486
http://lexiconmegatherium.tumblr.com/
Yes, you can't put any points into charisma.
No really if you want to use something that is not core, just let me know what it is and ill probably let you use it.
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/view.php?id=73751
Check my stuff though, I did a lot of changing about and re-engineering as I went; I don't want to be stuck with a character thats not fun to play for 30 levels...
My 'gameplay concept' as a Fighter Warlock is going to be to take lots of Warlock powers that complement my role as a defender... Drawing enemies towards me and forcing them to attack me. Looking through the warlock powers I see a lot already that will be pretty evil in combat, especially with combat challenge. I can already mark an enemy with hellish rebuke, forcing him to either avoid me and take a to-hit penalty or attack me and take damage. So I'm mainly going to be putting points into Con and Cha, and occasionally Str. I chose Infernal Pact because a lot of the powers that use Con are in it and I like it flavor wise, but I'm going to be pretty screwed if I try to take the Life-Stealer paragon path since I don't get the Warlock Curse. Instead I might go for Iron vanguard or kensei.
http://lexiconmegatherium.tumblr.com/
If you want to be con/cha primary go straight warlock and not fighter/warlock. You will have a lot of problems with your primary attacks being under powered at later levels if you do not pump the same two abilities. At least half of your attacks will be strength based and you will be 2-5 behind the curve if not more. Which is a big deal.
So if you go for a fighter/warlock. Go either str/cha or str/con and then only pick warlock abilities that key off of that ability. That being said. Warlock powers and paragon paths are not great multi-class options.
Also remember that power source doesn't matter much. You are always free to define a power source as something different. E.G. A level 2 utility power of the fighter gives him regeneration of 2+con mod when he is bloodied for 5 minutes(its a stance). Feel free to say the power source is arcane/infernal/candyland and run with it.
I don't want anyone to make a sub-optimal character because it "fits their concept". Its not good for the party when one player is really efficient and one player really sucks.
Now, i am not saying "don't be a fighter warlock", but I am saying "don't be a fighter/warlock because it fits your concept, be a fighter/warlock because the powers you will chose define how you want your character to perform"
I tried to compartmentalize(not quite successfully it seems) character creation into three distinct parts. The where your character is, who your character is, what your character does.
Lardalish got the idea down pat it seems. He is playing a monk. His monk happens to be a rogue and uses the exact same mechanics as a rogue. But his character is still a monk. If i referred to him in game i would refer to him as the monk. If he wanted other powers outside of the rogue suite he would multi-class and pick up the powers he wanted. But he would still be a monk.
It might be better to think of the classes like this
Healing with minor in buffing or minor in control
Interposing Melee with minor in control or minor in striking
Punishing melee with minor in healing or striking
Ranged striking with minor in control or melee striking with minor in interposition
Ranged striking with minor in self preservation or melee striking with minor in control
Ranged striking with minor in self preservation or control
Buffing Melee with minor in healing or minor in control and a minor in interposition
Control with minor in striking or more control
Or, to put names to them
The cleric heals and either buffs from up close or controls from a distance(str cleric vs wisdom cleric)
The fighter gets in peoples faces and either keeps them there(shield+1 hander) or puts the hurt on them when they try and do anything else(two hander)
The Paladin gets in peoples faces and either keeps friends alive, or puts the hurt on enemies when they try and do anything else
The ranger either shoots at guys from afar and imposes some control or gets in their face and keeps attacks off his friends
The rogue either gets in peoples faces and manages the battlefield slightly or hits from range and stays stealthy
The warlock either hits from range and controls or hits from range and keeps himself alive
The warlord either buffs and controlls or buffs and heals
The Wizard either controls and blasts or controls and blasts in a different way.
Pick the aspects of how your character should play from the class. Do not pick the class from who your character is. You're a hero. Your character creation is notably different from any other thing in the world. A group of 5 paladins of the Raven Queen could be a cleric, rogue, ranger, warlord and wizard.
So now that you have defined who your character is. Define how they go about it.
edit:
Some things to note:
You can multi-class into artificer or swordmage if you so choose(pick one of their abilities and then use it as you would a defender or leader multi-class). I am going to hold off on the wizard class act powers for now, don't choose them.
Remember that you can retrain all feats(including multi-class feats, until you have taken a PP which requires one or paragon multi-classed), but you can't retrain base class or stats. So if you decide later that your multi-class doesn't fit you, you can trade into something else pretty quickly.
I've laid out most of my background in all the questions, I can write it up as a story if you'd like or everyone can ask me questions before the game begins, or you can just be happy with what you've got, all the same to me, heh.
Oh, I need a name for my monastery, I can't think of anything that isn't cheesy and bad, suggestions would be appreciated.
EDIT: Also, as part of my code Ive got no lying, I also am trained in bluff, if I dropped that for another skill would that be in the same vein of lawful stupid or do you think that change would be justified?
Jordan of Elienor, Human Shaman
Jordan of Elienor, Human Shaman
Init -1 HP /25 Bloodied 12 Healing Surge 6 ( used /8)
AC 16 Fort 15 Reflex 11 Will 13 Speed 5
Str 18 (+4) Con 13 (+1) Dex 8 (-1) Int 12 (+1) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 15 (+2)
Edit: Gogo horrible initiative
Edit: It's public now.
Updated sheet: Vanokh Thunderheart
EDIT: Maticore I don't think your sheet is public.
http://lexiconmegatherium.tumblr.com/
Also thanks for letting me know that the sheet should be public, never used myth-weavers before.
http://lexiconmegatherium.tumblr.com/