I am currently working on making a half-orc grave cleric that his shtick is that he "weighs" peoples actions to decide whether they live or die and he carries around a shovel and starts digging their graves for them. So far, he seems to be rather serious and heavy, so I want to lighten him up. What are some good ways to make a character like that more personable and likeable. He used to be a brewer, but got blown up and saved by a god, who then gave him his powers. So he is not a dark person, just has a grim duty now. I would love to hear any thoughts or ideas on how to make this character more interesting and playable!
Maybe you make him not only a brewer, but a former bartender aswell.
You could argue, that he got his Perception and Insight abilities, which are normally pretty decent depending on your WIS as a Cleric, from the countless encounters with all kind of people and patrons telling stories at the place he worked. Maybe he worked in a tavern near a harbour, where you get all manners of different people - adventurers, workers, salesmen, sailors, from all different levels of society.
So by the time he leaves this part of his life behind, he is pretty good at telling if someone is lying to him because he was used to deal with drunkards, people who tried to steal or bounce at the bar for criminal reasons, or people who were just trying to make a living somehow.
Same goes for his ability to pick up on things, offering comfort to people who need someone to talk, or kicking out troublemakers.
Considering mechanics, you might lateron double down on this with the Observant Feat. What better argument for a person being able to read lips than having worked in a crowded place?
As for making him more likeable, you could pair his actions with typical one-liners for a bartender, like "sorry, you already had your last round" when he just killed someone.
More examples would be:
“Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut…” – Ernest Hemingway
“Work is the curse of the drinking classes…” – Oscar Wilde
“You’re not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on…” – Dean Martin
“The hard part about being a bartender is figuring out who is drunk and who is just stupid…”– Richard Braunstein
“A bartender is just a pharmacist with a limited inventory…” – Albert Einstein
“You know you have a drinking problem when the bartender knows your name — and you’ve never been to that bar before…” – Zach Galifianakis
He could have an attitude where he views his duty as just that: it’s a job; nothing personal. The measuring and weighing is simply the way his god does business, and really both the world and that individual being weighed will be better off in the end. This could create a fun dichotomy where he’s doing his best to kill someone, but at the same time is almost friendly about it (“That’s a handy riposte there, friend, but this hole right here is just a better place for you, I’m afraid,”).
I encountered a similar dilemma with my white dragonborn grave cleric. A big scary looking dragonborn with an 8 Int, 10 Cha, and a terrible russian accent. So he may look, at first appearance, like a tanky fighter. I found that a great way to even him out was to play him as a very calm person. As grave clerics, we know that Death is inevitable. There's no need to lie, or cheat, or hurry when you are inevitable. And I found that playing a character who is very calmly doing such a grim job can in itself be much more intimidating than any fit of rage could ever be.
It's also nice to add a personal touch to the job. Carrying a shovel is good for the job, but actually starting to dig a grave at the beginning of an encounter might put you at a strategic disadvantage. When the fight starts, you'll be holding a shovel rather than a shield and a weapon. It may be best to find something simpler for the initial encounter period, and save the grave digging for after the fight.
And it will demonstrate his compassion if he performs a burial ceremony for every major enemy the party kills. It's not only a way of ensuring that the enemy does not rise as an undead, but it is a sign of respect, showing that despite our differences we recognize that the enemy has died just as we shall one day die just as all creatures inevitably die. My cleric, Viktor, carried a pouch of small votive candles that he would place on the bodies of the fallen enemies, light them, and he would say a quick prayer to his god (Kurgan) to tell him how well the enemy fought.
People like people who show respect. As grave clerics, we should respect all living creatures because we all share an important common trait - we will all die. When fighting an enemy, we can be polite and professional and assure them during the fight that we will pray over their grave once they have fallen. And they will fall. And if you stay cool and calm, the enemies will be even more unnerved by you, while your allies gain respect for you.
It's also great to incorporate a well thought out backstory! Backstory is just as important as race and class. So maybe as a brewer he could homebrew (pardon the pun) a new kind of beer in honor of each major Boss the party kills, like a commemoration. And at taverns, he could buy everyone a round of drinks and toast to all those who have had the honor of passing into the warm embrace of Death, friends and foes alike. My cleric had died of frostbite and starvation before being given the cleric job by the God of Death, so I was always hungry after that. So everywhere we went, I was buying meals, and I would round up hungry people in each town and buy them food, because I knew what starvation felt like.
Most people tend to think of Death as something dark and evil, something to be avoided at all costs. But we grave clerics know that Death is just a natural transition from this world to the next. It is something to be respected, sure, but not feared. Death teaches us to live every day like it's your last - because it might be! Live honestly, bearing no grudges and leaving no regrets. Do not revel in nihilistic violence, but also do not shrink from the danger of a worthy and necessary fight. When your time comes, it comes. Such is the natural order of things.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Tayn of Darkwood. Lvl 10 human Life Cleric of Lathander. Retired.
Ikram Sahir ibn Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad, Second Son of the House of Ra'ad, Defender of the Burning Sands. Lvl 9 Brass Dragonborn Sorcerer + Greater Fire Elemental Devil.
Viktor Gavriil. Lvl 20 White Dragonborn Grave Cleric, of Kurgan the God of Death.
You might also consider having him comment on behavior during combat, allowing him to weigh the virtue of his enemies and what he needs to do about it:
"That was kind of rude, friendo, attacking the wizard before he even got to turn around. Are you always like that, or are you just having a bad day?"
"So you're protective of your pals...Maybe I misread you."
"We all have choices, Mr. Owlbear, and you are making a bad one right now."
"Help me help you. Cool it a minute and let's talk."
"Everything has to end, but it doesn't have to end like this!"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
I am currently working on making a half-orc grave cleric that his shtick is that he "weighs" peoples actions to decide whether they live or die and he carries around a shovel and starts digging their graves for them. So far, he seems to be rather serious and heavy, so I want to lighten him up. What are some good ways to make a character like that more personable and likeable. He used to be a brewer, but got blown up and saved by a god, who then gave him his powers. So he is not a dark person, just has a grim duty now. I would love to hear any thoughts or ideas on how to make this character more interesting and playable!
Maybe you make him not only a brewer, but a former bartender aswell.
You could argue, that he got his Perception and Insight abilities, which are normally pretty decent depending on your WIS as a Cleric, from the countless encounters with all kind of people and patrons telling stories at the place he worked. Maybe he worked in a tavern near a harbour, where you get all manners of different people - adventurers, workers, salesmen, sailors, from all different levels of society.
So by the time he leaves this part of his life behind, he is pretty good at telling if someone is lying to him because he was used to deal with drunkards, people who tried to steal or bounce at the bar for criminal reasons, or people who were just trying to make a living somehow.
Same goes for his ability to pick up on things, offering comfort to people who need someone to talk, or kicking out troublemakers.
Considering mechanics, you might lateron double down on this with the Observant Feat. What better argument for a person being able to read lips than having worked in a crowded place?
As for making him more likeable, you could pair his actions with typical one-liners for a bartender, like "sorry, you already had your last round" when he just killed someone.
More examples would be:
“Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut…” – Ernest Hemingway
“Work is the curse of the drinking classes…” – Oscar Wilde
“You’re not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on…” – Dean Martin
“The hard part about being a bartender is figuring out who is drunk and who is just stupid…” – Richard Braunstein
“A bartender is just a pharmacist with a limited inventory…” – Albert Einstein
“You know you have a drinking problem when the bartender knows your name — and you’ve never been to that bar before…” – Zach Galifianakis
He could have an attitude where he views his duty as just that: it’s a job; nothing personal. The measuring and weighing is simply the way his god does business, and really both the world and that individual being weighed will be better off in the end. This could create a fun dichotomy where he’s doing his best to kill someone, but at the same time is almost friendly about it (“That’s a handy riposte there, friend, but this hole right here is just a better place for you, I’m afraid,”).
WOOT WOOT Grave Cleric!
I encountered a similar dilemma with my white dragonborn grave cleric. A big scary looking dragonborn with an 8 Int, 10 Cha, and a terrible russian accent. So he may look, at first appearance, like a tanky fighter. I found that a great way to even him out was to play him as a very calm person. As grave clerics, we know that Death is inevitable. There's no need to lie, or cheat, or hurry when you are inevitable. And I found that playing a character who is very calmly doing such a grim job can in itself be much more intimidating than any fit of rage could ever be.
It's also nice to add a personal touch to the job. Carrying a shovel is good for the job, but actually starting to dig a grave at the beginning of an encounter might put you at a strategic disadvantage. When the fight starts, you'll be holding a shovel rather than a shield and a weapon. It may be best to find something simpler for the initial encounter period, and save the grave digging for after the fight.
And it will demonstrate his compassion if he performs a burial ceremony for every major enemy the party kills. It's not only a way of ensuring that the enemy does not rise as an undead, but it is a sign of respect, showing that despite our differences we recognize that the enemy has died just as we shall one day die just as all creatures inevitably die. My cleric, Viktor, carried a pouch of small votive candles that he would place on the bodies of the fallen enemies, light them, and he would say a quick prayer to his god (Kurgan) to tell him how well the enemy fought.
People like people who show respect. As grave clerics, we should respect all living creatures because we all share an important common trait - we will all die. When fighting an enemy, we can be polite and professional and assure them during the fight that we will pray over their grave once they have fallen. And they will fall. And if you stay cool and calm, the enemies will be even more unnerved by you, while your allies gain respect for you.
It's also great to incorporate a well thought out backstory! Backstory is just as important as race and class. So maybe as a brewer he could homebrew (pardon the pun) a new kind of beer in honor of each major Boss the party kills, like a commemoration. And at taverns, he could buy everyone a round of drinks and toast to all those who have had the honor of passing into the warm embrace of Death, friends and foes alike. My cleric had died of frostbite and starvation before being given the cleric job by the God of Death, so I was always hungry after that. So everywhere we went, I was buying meals, and I would round up hungry people in each town and buy them food, because I knew what starvation felt like.
Most people tend to think of Death as something dark and evil, something to be avoided at all costs. But we grave clerics know that Death is just a natural transition from this world to the next. It is something to be respected, sure, but not feared. Death teaches us to live every day like it's your last - because it might be! Live honestly, bearing no grudges and leaving no regrets. Do not revel in nihilistic violence, but also do not shrink from the danger of a worthy and necessary fight. When your time comes, it comes. Such is the natural order of things.
Tayn of Darkwood. Lvl 10 human Life Cleric of Lathander. Retired.
Ikram Sahir ibn Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad, Second Son of the House of Ra'ad, Defender of the Burning Sands. Lvl 9 Brass Dragonborn Sorcerer + Greater Fire Elemental Devil.
Viktor Gavriil. Lvl 20 White Dragonborn Grave Cleric, of Kurgan the God of Death.
Anzio Faro. Lvl 5 Prot. Aasimar Light Cleric.
You might also consider having him comment on behavior during combat, allowing him to weigh the virtue of his enemies and what he needs to do about it:
"That was kind of rude, friendo, attacking the wizard before he even got to turn around. Are you always like that, or are you just having a bad day?"
"So you're protective of your pals...Maybe I misread you."
"We all have choices, Mr. Owlbear, and you are making a bad one right now."
"Help me help you. Cool it a minute and let's talk."
"Everything has to end, but it doesn't have to end like this!"