The online campain thread

[Cantousent]

Okay, Mus?, you've got your general idea. From what I can tell, you'd like to have a human barbarian who favors the bow over melee. Fair enough. There's a place in my campaign for such a character.

 

Now, if you're going to pursue the ranged motif, then you're probably going to want to invest in a decent dexterity score. So let's assume you want to make your dex your primary attribute. It's a little away from the conventional picture of a barbarian swinging a two handed axe, but it works well enough. On the other hand, you might want to mix it up in melee from time to time. Unnless you value crafting, you can get by without a high intelligence, which will reduce your skills but most of your class skills don't use intelligence anyhow. If you want to work with animals, charisma is probably not a huge concern, either. Wisdom is actually useful for one of your key skills, survival, so you certainly might consider bumping that score a little. Otherewise, dexterity and constitution are probably your key stats, and a dexterity of 13 should suffice for the key feats pertaining to ranged attacks.

 

I'm not saying this is the best min/max build, and others are more than welcome to pipe in with their suggestions, but the following spread would suffice to build your character:

 

str. 11

dex 14

con 13

int 10

wis 12

cha 10

 

That gives you a choice at 4th level of bumping either strength or constitution, depending on which you consider more important, for a full bonus, or increasing your dexterity with an eye towards better ranged skills.

 

As far as skills go, I suggest you go with what seems natural. Cross class skills may be taken at a one for two cost basis, so you might or might not want to invest in points.

 

For feats, I'd start with Point Blank Shot and then look at other feats that augment your ranged motif.

 

Here's the key, however: imagine your character. Look at him in your mind and imagine him walking through town, sitting outside his tent in the wliderness, hunting, fighting, and sleeping. Does he look strong? What kinds of skills does he possess? Unless you go out of your way to screw your character, I think the person you've described can do very well in a game. I've seen others take the idea and run with it and I have no doubt you can do the same.

 

Also, don't be afraid to ask other players what they think or even posting your character here for perusal. Sure, I'd rather you guys not know who's playing what until we begin, but it's even more important that new folks don't get screwed because they've never built a character before. :D

[Baley]

Since I'm a complete and utter ignoramus, could you explain to me the nature of the character templates? I mean the ones that go :

• Celestial
  Half Celestial
  Fiendish
  Half Fiendish
  Saint
  

And then could you give me some bard tips?

 

I'm curious about a couple of things:

 

- What instruments do they usually play?

- Some actual dwarven settlements?

- Could one build a fully non-combat bard?

 

 

Thank you.

[Kaftan Barlast]

I'm curious about a couple of things:

 

- What instruments do they usually play?

- Some actual dwarven settlements?

- Could one build a fully non-combat bard?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

1. Clever bards play something they can bring everywhere, that cant be taken away from them and that wont burn to cinders if someone throws a fireball on you. Which means, they just sing or recite poetry. That way they know theyll always be able to use their powers even if the DM lets the party be captured by goblins who disintegrate all their equipment and chops off your arms and legs. ( its actually a classic DM thing to go "Im tired of the PCs using their magic stuff to get out of tricky situations" and arrange for them to be captured or robbed so they lose said equipment )

 

2. NA.

 

3. No, every single class in D&D is aimed at filling certain roles in combat. The Bard is very weak in combat but D&D = lots of fighting

[Cantousent]

To Everyone: Plan on getting an OpenRPG server set up and running today. I would like to start our little chatfest, beginners game at noon Pacific time tomorrow.

 

To Baley: Half Celestials et al aren't in the core races, so that's not a concern.

 

As for your bard, I can only suggest the same thing I did for Mus?. Envision your character. What instrument does he play? If it's a piano, he's going to have a tough time until he develops the "baley's portable piano" spell. Is he ribald? Is he more of a swashbuckler or more of a poet? Does he like to travel, or does he prefer to attach himself to wealthier patrons? Keep in mind, you're creating someone to adventure, so whatever his background, he's travelling now.

 

Looking at your previous comments, which look weird but still funny and, most importantly, viable, he's a free wheeling bisexual with a large ****. Fair enough. ...But he's got to bring something to the party other than an oversized male organ.

 

So, does he strictly play an instrument, and I mean the performance kind? Does he he dance and sing and compose poems or songs? Is he good with a blade or bow, or does he prefer to sling spells from a distance? ...Or does he even prefer to inspire the other party members with lyrics and melodies?

 

You've taken an off-beat approach to creating your character, baley. The two options I can see would be to create a character and post him hear for input or hold off on building a character until after you sit in on the first session. No matter what, don't let the rules constrain your imagination. Sure, it's weird, and I'm sure it will be irritating from time to time, but it will also be refreshing.

 

Damn, that was almost a TOMBS report.

[Musopticon?]

Looking at your previous comments, which look weird but still funny and, most importantly, viable, he's a free wheeling bisexual with a large ****.  Fair enough.  ...But he's got to bring something to the party other than an oversized male organ.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's like you just crystalized the very essence of being Baley.

 

Edited April 21, 2006 by Musopticon?

[jaguars4ever]

Alright guys - I'm in the PCGen program and I'm about to create a char. What sources should I load from the source material pane?

[jaguars4ever]

[Surreptishus]

Couldn't you guys have a European group and a N. American group?

[Baley]

Thanks Eldar, I'm gonna work on the character.

 

So, we start in 7.30 hours?

[Atreides]

As for your bard, I can only suggest the same thing I did for Mus?.  Envision your character.  What instrument does he play?  If it's a piano, he's going to have a tough time until he develops the "baley's portable piano" spell.  Is he ribald?  Is he more of a swashbuckler or more of a poet?  Does he like to travel, or does he prefer to attach himself to wealthier patrons?  Keep in mind, you're creating someone to adventure, so whatever his background, he's travelling now.

 

Looking at your previous comments, which look weird but still funny and, most importantly, viable, he's a free wheeling bisexual with a large ****.  Fair enough.  ...But he's got to bring something to the party other than an oversized male organ.

He could swing his massive man meat to massacre his opponents before finishing them off with masculine man pudding. Cherry on top is optional.

[Cantousent]

ewwwww.

 

Erm, I've got Open RPG to work, but I can't get a dedicated server running. Perhaps we can meet at a server and "get a room," so to speak. Also we can meet on irc. I like the idea of creating a dedicated server for our games. If I can create it, I'd leave it up for a North American Group and a European group.

 

I planned on starting at noon here, which is in 3 hours. However, I've made myself available all day. ...And I don't mean this in and out nonsense. Except for bathroom breaks, I'm here to try to get all this started, so if we can get on irc and one of you technical geniuses can help me, maybe we can get that server up and running. :D

 

EDIT: Jags, just click load from the bottom right corner and the program will load everything. Having more options isn't a problem. As long as you choose a core class and race, the other options will show up as unavailable.

Edited April 21, 2006 by Eldar

[Blank]

Couldn't you guys have a European group and a N. American group?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No...

Edited April 21, 2006 by Blank

[Musopticon?]

I'd appreciate an European group, but I think I will be present in the first opening of our "room". I wanna see how this goes even if I'm not playing.

[Cantousent]

Two groups makes a lot of sense. I'd love to have everyone in my game, but right now that would be seven people. I could handle seven characters, but five is ideal for me personally and I suspect a European group would pick up a couple players from my group and then add a few people who aren't playing because it's not feasible to play in my cmpaign at whatever time my game starts.

 

EDIT: Ahh, first scheduling snafu. Okay, someone contacted me and mentioned that noon is a bad time. I'm going to push our grand adventure back two hours to 2pm PST. Unless, of course, you guys are all ready right now 9amPST, in which case, I've got the character sheets for the four folks who've already finished creating their characters. Let me know.

Edited April 21, 2006 by Eldar

[Musopticon?]

I had a brief talk with the owner of this comp and he wouldn't really appreciate me sitting here till the wee hours. So, earlier, preferebly weekend time, is necessary for yours truly.

 

You yanks have fun though.

Edited April 21, 2006 by Musopticon?

[Kaftan Barlast]

If nothing comes up tonight, Ill be there to observe (and spam " )

[Musopticon?]

Count on me being online for two hours at least too

 

gonna make your life hell, gonna make your game hell

[Cantousent]

"gonna make your life hell, gonna make your game hell"

 

Just wait until you get a load of the scenery. If the core group is there and you guys are just watching I'll probably start the actual game. If a bunch of folks show up at the last minute with characters, I'll probably run my training game that has some encounters (non combat and combat) to demonstrate how the game works in PnP mode.

[Kaftan Barlast]

Can I play my lvl 21 half-fiend, half-drow sorceress? Shes 11' tall and flips out and throws maximized AND quickened fireballs like all the time. And you cant kill her cause shes got like 400 clones hidden everywhere from Sigil to Baldurs Gate so she always comes back and flips out again.

 

 

sweetness.

[Cantousent]

I'll use her as an NPC. She and Drizzt get married and have Lloth babies.

[Kaftan Barlast]

I thought it was well established by now that Drizzt isnt into girls? " He'd just have a midlife crisis and run off with the gardener boy. Not to mention that he might not be comfortable with her being much higher level than him and so on.

 

 

Not to mention the fact that she belongs to that tiny minority of Drow that are actually EVIL

[Llyranor]

Just to clarify, the session should technically be in about 2h30.

[Baley]

My char The_Crimson_Pecker__Errol_.pdf

 

Now with arrows The_Crimson_Pecker__Errol1_.pdf

Edited April 21, 2006 by Baley

[Cantousent]

I like it, Baley. I'm inputing your info right now. He'll compliment the other characters nicely, which is a plus, but he's an interesting fellow in his own right.

 

I see you have a composite short bow, so you're going to be fighting from a distance. Probably not a bad idea for a first level bard. When you get spells, you'll be accustomed to fighting from a distance.

 

I see you've given yourself 2 points to singing and 1 to string instrument. Good enough. Not the most adroit bard in the realm, but you do have some skill spread out. I sometimes make bards in my game actually sing or dance in real life (it's usually good for a laugh, especially if we've had a few beers) but you're spared that since we're playing on the internet.

 

If this is the lad you envision, then I'm happy with your character.

[Musopticon?]

Thanks, Eldar.

 

Now I don't have to go over it with him on MSN. :D