The CNPC Concepts Thread [Possible Spoilers]

[Luckmann]

I tag this thread with Possible Spoilers, not because there is intended to be any, but because there'll possibly be a few, probably minor ones, but possibly major, so if you are sensitive, stay out.

 

Now, anyway, there was this other thread, where I found myself running away with a concept, and realized that we needed a thread for suggesting CNPC:s! Woo. As I have harped on numerous times, the number of CNPC:s in the game is abysmal, and leave very little options in regard to choice, and it's exceedingly hard to push them away. Also, their reactivity leaves a lot to be desired.

 

And during the course of the "Lack of Evil Companions"-thread, I started drawing the outlines for a suggested CNPC, and realized I wanted a thread like this. In it, we will both broad-stroke suggestions for various companions as well as flesh them out as much as we desire, albeit not write them. It's mostly meant to be food for thought and little more.

 

Now, from my own perspective here, I'm going to be assuming balanced Attributes, as well as more diverse and different weapon focus groups. I hated how the existing CNPC:s got compromised and actually changed because of the Attribute system resulting in them getting "bad" Attributes, so if I suggest "bad" Attribute spreads for anything, it's because I operate under the assumption that they're not bad, and Attribute spreads are more about characterization and playstyle (beyond Tank vs. DPS), rather than lopsided and simple min/max.

 

I suggest everyone else does the same.

 

I will also assume a CNPC Level of 2, meaning 1 Ability, 1 Talent. This is purely because that's what I think CNPC:s should be limited to in terms of auto-leveling, in order for them to be a bit fleshed out, but still have ample room to move. It is by no means a rule; feel free to post full progressions suggestions in the same way CNPC:s in the game already has.

 

And without further ado, a "proper" post of my original idea that made me want this thread, below. I will put it in a separate post.

Edited April 17, 2015 by Luckmann

[Luckmann]

A Thug Rogue; "Scarpa".

 

The concept itself is a truly assholeish man - or possibly a woman - preferably written by Avellone, because I wondered what Avellone would write if you give him guidelines and parameters along the lines of "Rogue", "Despicable" and "Down to Earth". His characters are often nearly outlandish, yet on some level relatable or real, and with the aim of simple motivations (simpleton motivations, even?), I'm sure he'd come up with something that's actually grounded, yet eight kinds of interesting.

My idea was a rogue that's been working for Lord Raedric, introduced either at Raedric's Hold or in Defiance Bay. He would be a brutish enforcer, bounty-hunter-esque, a thug, rather than the usual cloak-and-dagger rogue, thief, or assassin; he would be the opposite of the "master thief" concept that has encapsulated the idea of fantasy rogues for a long time.

Rather than being "evil" for the sake of evil, he is simply a thug, albeit with aspirations and far from an actual fool, intelligent but ignorant, and with a sadistic streak. The kind of person that would laugh as he beats someone up, high on adrenalin, and claim that he's only proactively protecting himself or prioritizing himself in a s***ty world if called out on it; if you can't defend yourself or your belongings, what claim do you have on them?

Like the stereotypical skinhead or anarchist punk, with all the moral fibres of a gypsy and none of the romanticism. Has a father in Defiance Bay or Dyrford, a weary war-veteran or injured worker, that he loves, that is so very proud that his son has left the shambles of the poor quarters behind and is serving an esteemed Thayn.

Previously (or currently?) working with tracking down dissidents or people that would question Lord Raedric. Contacts with The Dozen, not so much the Doemenels, and has most likely participated in more than one mob out for Eothanian blood. Enjoys clubs (the weapon) and crippling people that owes him debts. Sent to find animancers for Lord Raedric, leading a small band of deadbeat ruffians.



Practically a mix between these two pieces, he has the potential to be handsome, but isn't really, with a questioanble attitude towards personal grooming and hygiene, with uncommon periods of vanity, or at least attempts at improvement that always cease soon after. Black hair, blue or brown eyes as depending on race. Rogueish, but not stylish, hints of intelligence, but muscular and scarred.

More mercenary enforcer than the first, but less barbarian than the latter.

Name: Simple, short, low-born, but preferably sharp. No silly monikers or call-names. Suggested: Scarpa, which will also serve as placeholder name for now.

Race: Human, probably Meadow, or Savannah just to set him apart as an oddity (or at least uncommon) one in the Dyrwood.
Culture: Dyrwoodan, like Edér, or simply Aedyran. Either way, it's +1 Resolve.
Background: Enforcer. +2 Athletics.

Suggested Attribute spread:

MIG: 18   PER: 9
CON: 13   INT: 12
DEX: 15   RES: 11

This is including modifiers from Race & Culture.

Class: Rogue (obviously).

Abilities: Crippling Strike. Scarpa is not the intelligent swashbuckler, he is about the pounding and the thuggery. He is the one to bust your kneecaps or blindside you in the ribs, not one to throw sand in your face or try to slash you across the eyes.

Talents: Weapon Focus Thug (Club, Hatchet, Dagger, Unarmed, Pistol). Scarpa is all about the thuggery and the simpler pleasures in life, such as watching someone pass out when clubbed over the head, or see someone shrieking like a schoolgirl when he punches them in the ****, or watching people on skateboards hurt themselves on YouTube. He is the very definition of a subhuman and practically encapsulates the entire philosophical concept.

Skills: Athletics first, Stealth second, and one to three points of Survival. Starts with no points in anything else (save the +2 Mechanics he unfortunately gets from Rogue).

Additional notes: Comes with a unique, but not overly special, Club. Basically a mean-looking polished branch that he's been using for years.

Edited April 17, 2015 by Luckmann

[gkathellar]

This is awesome. I'll see if I can pull together my Legalist barbarian idea in a similar format later today. I figure she can be part of an old Crucible Knight family.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Sounds good.

 

Fire Godlike Monk. Was born in poverty as the son of a farmer, had some success as a mercenary and now resides in Defiance Bay. Ashamed of his humble beginnings, and as such overcompensates by using big words and acting pretentious. I'll leave the name and gender up to you.

 

Aumaua Barbarian. Brutal pirate who raided the coast before ending up shipwrecked near Defiance Bay. Quick to anger and engages in lots of violence, often ****ing up paychecks when temper gets in the way. Preferably female, name should be a nickname rather than a given. Probably should use Ruffian weapons, like sabre and pistol.

[Arkh`Cthuul]

Interesting Idea.

 

 

Gonna throw in my concept too, if you dont mind.

 

"Tiona"  or "Tiona, Cursed by the Ancients"  if one is aiming for a more ... themed name.

 

Concept: "Barbarian on a "ridiculous Quest" (eg they just sent her off because she was obviously destined for it , see below). to save the Tribe ... and failed that Quest. Has tried to redeem herself in the eyes of her Ancestors ever since ... with very mixed success.

While she managed to battle various old enemies of the tribe (and since she`s still alive, won) she failed abymsally on everything regarding actually helping her tribe, and is as such banished.

 

Personality: I`ll use the Ingame reputation Types: Rational, passionate, agressive. (yes, the conflicts intentional).

She tends to use force first and second, unless someone reminds her of the ... more intelligent and long-term solutions.

So while she is not "evil" a very deeply rooted recklessness and readyness for Violence are central.

If one looks deeper yous ee the despair taking root due to her failure of achieving what she is meant to achieve.

 

Look: Tallish, well muscled but also not unattractive (proportionwise at least, see below). Some Scarring required due to Lifestyle.

 

Race: Death Godlike (sleeker Variant)

Culture: Living Lands

 

Stats: Might 18, Con 10, Dex 16, Perception 8, Intelligence 17, Resolve 9.

 

Level to Join: around 4 ( as she has had some adventures of her own).

Barbarian Talents: Rage and Greater Rage

Other Talents: Weapon Fokus Adventurer, one that fits otherwise (I`d go for boosting accuracy but I always do that with Barbarians ^^).

Skills: Atheltics, followed by Lore. Since she wants to be sublte but mostly fails at it I suggest 1 in Stealth.

 

Unique Equipment: "Sunderer of the Weak":  Exceptional Poleaxe, that adds +5% Sllash Damage but reduces Perception by 2.

Edited April 17, 2015 by Arkh`Cthuul

[Namutree]

Interesting Idea.

 

 

Gonna throw in my concept too, if you dont mind.

We mind. Be quiet and read the ideas of your betters.

 

JK.

[Arkh`Cthuul]

Oh, I`ll be silent (and invisible) then.....

[gkathellar]

"Kimburra;" an erudite barbarian

 

We hear a fair bit in PoE about the Crucible Knights - how they've been a while, and are increasingly cemented as an institution. As the law enforcement agency of Defiance Bay, some Crucible Knights are part of long-standing families who make up a political "upper class" within the order (and who drive much of the agitation for land and titles). Kimburra was born to that upper-class, and she is everything you might dread her being: a moneyed, childish amateur philosopher with a good education and too much power.

 

Groomed for the knighthood from a young age, Kimburra was raised with a belief  that the head of the state is the source of all civilization. She recieved the best education money could buy, where she was taught that civilization is power. And through all of this, Kimburra was totally insulated from the consequence of her actions - which taught her that power is everything. All of this has created a perfect little authoritarian proto-Fascist, whose tendency toward rationalization and violent temper have led her to despise the very institutions that created her. She sees Dyrwood as an illegitimate state, the Crucible Knights as an illegitimate order, and most of the gods as illegitimate moral authority figures; Kimburra longs for the coming of a glorious dictator, a Hobbesian Leviathan who can, "set this corrupt country back on the right track."

 

Only knighted several months ago but already distinguished by her enthusiastic enforcement of the law and habitual use of excessive force, it is just beginning to dawn on Kimburra's immediate superiors what she is and what she is capable of. Currently, she's on leave from her duties, after a particularly brutal beating of several Dozens agitators at a politically sensitive time. Because she has experimented with the worship of Woedica (an authoritarian deity who holds some appeal to her), she is likely to meet the Watcher at the Oathbinder's temple. Because the Watcher is a step above normal people, she sees them as a natural fit for her Leviathan. The Watcher's disposition ends up mattering little to her - in the end, past the philosophy and the rationalizations, Kimburra is a psychopathic sycophant, who wants a "worthy" master to exalt and kill people in the service of. Caed Nua doesn't hurt neither.

 

Because she is a scholarly character with significant education, I should mention the real-world philosophical influences Kimburra is likely to paraphrase. Thomas Hobbes, I believe I've already mentioned. She should almost certainly quote him word-for-word now and then, and it should be noted that the Dyrwood's recent social discord has fueled her misanthropic view of society much as the English Civil War fueled his. She would also be comfortable alongside the Legalists of ancient China, and often justifies her bouts of violence, including the killing of several scholarly rivals at a younger age, with the notion of "straightening out" twisted people and their twisted society. Her ideal dictator is roughly in line with the Nazi misinterpretation of Nietzsche's Overman.

 

 

In terms of appearance, she probably falls in between these two pictures. Clean and well-groomed out of habit, with hair cropped short to better suit her occupation. At rest, she seems professional and at ease, but she has a fiery intensity when engaged that can seem charming at first, but grows in the direction of unnerving. Since she's probably a psychopath, she has the conversational habits of one - she rarely moves or gestures when speaking, makes excellent eye-contact, and draws close to whoever she's speaking with.

 

Name: Long, noble, and a little masculine; I came upon Kimburra by hybridizing Old English names

 

Race: Meadow Folk or Mountain Dwarf; doesn't matter much

Culture: Dyrwood all the way

Background: Aristocrat. +2 Lore. She done got learned.

 

Suggested Attribute spread:

MIG: 15 PER: 9
CON: 13 INT: 17
DEX: 12 RES: 12

This is including modifiers from Race & Culture.

 

Class: Barbarian. Learned affectations be damned, all her good manners fall away in a fight to reveal the beast within.

 

Abilities: Frenzy. Disproportional response is practically her calling card.

Talents: Weapon Focus: Knight. Odd as it may seem, she is a trained knight, and if you ignore her wild-eyed hatred, she almost fights like one!

Skills: Given her educational background and the +2 Athletics from Barbarian, she'll almost certainly have dumped all of her points into Lore.

Additional notes: No, she's not going to betray the party for the forces of villainy. She's a horrible person, but she is definitively on the side of capital-C Civilization and capital-L Law - it is her opinion that the Legacy is a Bad Thing, even if it has shown the Duc for the powerless, illegitimate creature that she's convinced he is. Likewise, she holds a lot of other bad people in low regard - and as proof that she's totally justified in being recklessly violent toward just about everybody.

[Namutree]

"Kimburra;" an erudite barbarian

 

Great character. I want to comment on her personality and beliefs, but then I'd end up ruining the thread.

[Luckmann]

 

"Kimburra;" an erudite barbarian

Great character. I want to comment on her personality and beliefs, but then I'd end up ruining the thread.

 

Do eeeeeet. There's no use having a thread just for posting stuff no-one ever talks about or comments on. Then it's just another fanfic thread and I loathe fanfic threads.

[Namutree]

 

 

"Kimburra;" an erudite barbarian

Great character. I want to comment on her personality and beliefs, but then I'd end up ruining the thread.

 

Do eeeeeet. There's no use having a thread just for posting stuff no-one ever talks about or comments on. Then it's just another fanfic thread and I loathe fanfic threads.

 

It's not that talking about her would ruin the thread; it's what I'd say.

[Zwiebelchen]

A wannabe Paladin.

 

I came up with this concept of a highly unique and outright annoying manly-man Cleric in Plate armor that is trying to hit on your female lead constantly, bragging about him wanting to become a proper Paladin due to his noble background. He has a sister he is constantly reminding you off and otherwise hates his family, especially his father. He will go on and on about his issues, trying to take the moral highground everywhere and utterly failing in his attempts to get the better of the PC.

 

His quest involves him visiting his family and getting or not getting revenge for the death of his beloved sister. For some weird reason, it's up to you to decide on that. Did I mention that he won't ever shut up about her sister no matter what?

My idea was a character that is just outright annoying to have in your group, especially for women. This creates a nice dynamic in which you have to choose between having a potent cleric in your group or have mercy on yourself by killing him off as soon as possible.

 

Name: A. No-Men.

Race: Human
Culture: Who needs a culture when you can be a powerful Paladin?
Background: Stalker.
 

Special Ability: Surpreme arrogance (passive aura): Everyone within hearing range (including party members) has to roll against fortitude defenses once every 30 seconds. Who fails the roll will become stunned for 2 seconds, unable to grasp what he just said.

Suggested Attribute spread:

STR: 18

DEX: 10

CON: 16
INT: 10

WIS: 12
CHA: 13 (for some reason)

 

 

Class: Cleric.

Additional notes: Comes with a unique Shield.

[Namutree]

A wannabe Paladin.

 

I came up with this concept of a highly unique and outright annoying manly-man Cleric in Plate armor that is trying to hit on your female lead constantly, bragging about him wanting to become a proper Paladin due to his noble background. He has a sister he is constantly reminding you off and otherwise hates his family, especially his father. He will go on and on about his issues, trying to take the moral highground everywhere and utterly failing in his attempts to get the better of the PC.

 

His quest involves him visiting his family and getting or not getting revenge for the death of his beloved sister. For some weird reason, it's up to you to decide on that. Did I mention that he won't ever shut up about her sister no matter what?

 

My idea was a character that is just outright annoying to have in your group, especially for women. This creates a nice dynamic in which you have to choose between having a potent cleric in your group or have mercy on yourself by killing him off as soon as possible.

 

Name: A. No-Men.

 

Race: Human

Culture: Who needs a culture when you can be a powerful Paladin?

Background: Stalker.

 

Special Ability: Surpreme arrogance (passive aura): Everyone within hearing range (including party members) has to roll against fortitude defenses once every 30 seconds. Who fails the roll will become stunned for 2 seconds, unable to grasp what he just said.

Suggested Attribute spread:

STR: 18

DEX: 10

CON: 16

INT: 10

WIS: 12

CHA: 13 (for some reason)

 

 

Class: Cleric.

 

Additional notes: Comes with a unique Shield.

Hmm... Doesn't seem a good fit for PoE.

[Zwiebelchen]

 

A wannabe Paladin.

 

I came up with this concept of a highly unique and outright annoying manly-man Cleric in Plate armor that is trying to hit on your female lead constantly, bragging about him wanting to become a proper Paladin due to his noble background. He has a sister he is constantly reminding you off and otherwise hates his family, especially his father. He will go on and on about his issues, trying to take the moral highground everywhere and utterly failing in his attempts to get the better of the PC.

 

His quest involves him visiting his family and getting or not getting revenge for the death of his beloved sister. For some weird reason, it's up to you to decide on that. Did I mention that he won't ever shut up about her sister no matter what?

 

My idea was a character that is just outright annoying to have in your group, especially for women. This creates a nice dynamic in which you have to choose between having a potent cleric in your group or have mercy on yourself by killing him off as soon as possible.

 

Name: A. No-Men.

 

Race: Human

Culture: Who needs a culture when you can be a powerful Paladin?

Background: Stalker.

 

Special Ability: Surpreme arrogance (passive aura): Everyone within hearing range (including party members) has to roll against fortitude defenses once every 30 seconds. Who fails the roll will become stunned for 2 seconds, unable to grasp what he just said.

Suggested Attribute spread:

STR: 18

DEX: 10

CON: 16

INT: 10

WIS: 12

CHA: 13 (for some reason)

 

 

Class: Cleric.

 

Additional notes: Comes with a unique Shield.

Hmm... Doesn't seem a good fit for PoE.

 

 

It was good enough for BG2, to say the least.

[gkathellar]

It was good enough for BG2, to say the least.

 

+1 internets.

[Luckmann]

 

 

 

"Kimburra;" an erudite barbarian

Great character. I want to comment on her personality and beliefs, but then I'd end up ruining the thread.

 

Do eeeeeet. There's no use having a thread just for posting stuff no-one ever talks about or comments on. Then it's just another fanfic thread and I loathe fanfic threads.

 

It's not that talking about her would ruin the thread; it's what I'd say.

 

 

SAY IT, F****T!

[Namutree]

 

It's not that talking about her would ruin the thread; it's what I'd say.

 

 

 

SAY IT, F****T!

 

I'm not saying a thing.

[Luckmann]

 

 

It's not that talking about her would ruin the thread; it's what I'd say.

 

 

 

SAY IT, F****T!

 

I'm not saying a thing.

 

 

[hamskii]

This is a good idea for a thread. Modding companions into the game, btw, shouldn't be too difficult. The main difficulty at the moment comes from the fact that all the environments are hand-drawn, so there isn't an easy way to create maps. But editing existing maps, adding NPC's, and adding conversation nodes for reactivity throughout the game should be possible for someone with the know-how. The reason I say this is because FNV's very active modding community have created quite a few custom companions, and it would be cool to see the same thing from PoE.

 

I want to add a couple of thoughts (actually, thoughts from Chris Avellone) from pre-release. Namely, this blog post on companion characterisation and a backer update that covers companion design as one of its topics. I thought it might be more interesting to see how Obsidian design their companions, so that any player-designed ones fit into the game world more seamlessly. There's also this hilarious and thoughtful backer update by Eric Fenstermaker. One major thing mentioned in these updates that I feel that the suggestions in this thread are lacking is a description of the companions' internal conflicts, how these conflicts are examined/resolved by their quests and the game's narrative, and how those conflicts reflect on the overall themes of the game and the player's own quest. How, for example, does this character react to the revelation that the gods don't exist? To that end, may I suggest a modified template, based on the briefs used to summarise the existing companions (the example I'll use is Aloth):

 

Aloth

Race: Wood Elf

Class: Wizard

Sex: Male

Culture/Faction: Aedyre/Leaden Key

Age & Appearance: 62 years old, slender elf with pale skin and straight, dark brown hair.

Description: Obsessive, detail-oriented, deferential, instructive, dutiful, unperturbed by violence.

 

History

Aloth was beaten by his father as a child. This caused his soul to Awaken, effectively giving him something like a split personality. A past life female persona named Iselmyr surfaced and took occasional control of Aloth's body, primarily as a defense mechanism. These developments have given Aloth a strong need for control in all aspects of his life.

 

Aloth studied to be an arcane knight, but lost favor after trying to inform instructors about a student-run animancy experiment that would eventually kill a dozen students. Subsequently he joined the Leaden Key, but became separated from the rest of his group and now operates completely cut off from the organization.

 

Inner Conflict

Aloth's conflict is about his relationship to animancy and to the Leaden Key. Aloth wants to learn the reasons behind Waidwen's Legacy and ideally help to fix it. Aloth suspects that animancy is an affront to the gods, but he comes to learn that it is the leader of the Leaden Key who is perpetrating the crisis. On the other hand, he sees animancy as something dangerous that nevertheless might help him out with his Awakening. His arc ends with him either choosing to take up Thaos' mantle and run the Leaden Key or to oversee its dissolution.

 

Quest

Two-Sided

Level: 3

Quest Giver/Location: Aloth, Outside the Woedica Catacombs (either First Fires exterior or Copperlane catacombs)

Description: Find an animancer who knows about Awakenings to help Aloth understand his.

 

Two-Sided is the companion side quest that becomes available only if Aloth is in your party. Aloth can be added to your party in Act I when you first enter Gilded Vale. You must first complete "Never Far from the Queen" in the Copperlane Catacombs. When the opportunity is given, speak to Aloth about Iselmyr, the female soul that has awakened inside him. This begins the side quest. Your task is to find an expert on Awakenings somewhere in Defiance Bay.

 

Endgame

Over the course of your journeys, you have numerous opportunities to influence Aloth to greater independence or to a greater appreciation of authority. If you sway him to authority, he takes up Thaos' mantle and becomes the new grandmaster of the Leaden Key. If you sway him to independence, he burns Thaos' mantle and begins dismantling the Leaden Key. If you banish him after learning of his Leaden Key ties, he sacrifices himself to one of the Engwithan machines.

But what are the game's central themes? My personal feeling is that a lot of the game's narrative is tied up with knowledge, how to obtain it, and whether it holds the answers. This is appropriate as the setting is in the embryonic stages of its own scientific revolution. Nearly every companion's personal journey has elements of this: Kana's is most explicit, but it also features prominently in Sagani, Edér, and the Grieving Mother's quests. It is maybe most obvious in the animancy aspect of the storyline, but it also surfaces elsewhere. Another theme I have noticed is faith, in the gods or in authority in general, and the ways that doubting your own faith can motivate your behaviour (most notable with Thaos and Iovara, but also in CNPC's such as Hiravias and Aloth). There are a couple of other articles I've seen written by people who most likely have a much better idea of what they're talking about than myself, namely here and here. But maybe we should be ignoring these articles and my own thoughts—one of the things that player-created companions offer is a unique opportunity to have those companions reflect their creator's own interpretation of the game's themes.

 

I may add my own ideas for companions later. I have a couple of ideas for characters that I'd like to explore, but I'm very busy at the moment and haven't had the time to develop them (besides, my field isn't writing, or even the arts in general—this is very much a hobby for me).

 

Other resources: RPG Stack Exchange

Edited May 4, 2015 by hamskii