So, I'm starting to run low on ideas for why my characters would want to go on adventures, and so I'm wondering: Is it a bad idea to have a character whose wanderlust is so extreme that they simply have a thirst for dangerous adventures, and are even drawn to other characters that stand out from the crowd?
Both tortles and tabaxi have this kind of driving curiosity written into their racial description. It's not an unusual trope and I think you could have a lot of fun with it.
You can further develop the character by thinking about why they are so willing to do risky things. Do they have supreme confidence and don't really believe that they will ever fail? Do they risk their lives without hesitation because they have already lost everything else? Do they have a death wish? Are they trying to get a reaction from someone else? There's a lot of ways you could go with it.
What you just described (along with desiring to get rich killing monsters and plundering their treasure) was the motivation of literally every D&D character for decades until the Critical Roll Era came around, and people decided it needed to be more complicated than that for whatever reason.
So, I'm starting to run low on ideas for why my characters would want to go on adventures, and so I'm wondering: Is it a bad idea to have a character whose wanderlust is so extreme that they simply have a thirst for dangerous adventures, and are even drawn to other characters that stand out from the crowd?
It isn’t up to you to come up with reasons for the party to go on adventures, it is up to the players to think about that for there own characters. If they are not feeling motivated it is sometimes a good indication to bring that story to an end and roll up new characters.
What you just described (along with desiring to get rich killing monsters and plundering their treasure) was the motivation of literally every D&D character for decades until the Critical Roll Era came around, and people decided it needed to be more complicated than that for whatever reason.
I love this idea that critical roll changed the idea for adventuring. killing monsters plundering treasure is why I refused to play DND for 20 odd years, instead playing other systems that where story driven. So the idea of story telling in RPGs is much older then critical roll. Many many RPGs over history have utilized the ideas of stories to get players invested in the world. I refuse to run campaigns that don’t involve telling stories collecting gold and killing stuff is simply a route to tell that story.
What you just described (along with desiring to get rich killing monsters and plundering their treasure) was the motivation of literally every D&D character for decades until the Critical Roll Era came around, and people decided it needed to be more complicated than that for whatever reason.
I love this idea that critical roll changed the idea for adventuring.
It may have changed people's default assumptions, but adventures that have a plot beyond 'wander around beating up monsters and taking their stuff' have been around since near the start of the hobby.
I've done both at this point. I've had characters with super specific goals and motivations fueled by backstory reasons, and wanderlust characters whose goal IS adventuring.
What Ive noticed:
Backstory driven
Pros: Cool moments where DM brings up characters/events from backstory. Dramatic reveals of past events for soap-opera-esque DUN DUN DUN moments. Character motivations are often more nuanced.
Cons: Once you've resolved your Backstory-Drama(tm) your character's "Arc" is done and you're kinda just along for the ride. Hopefully by then you've developed the reason of "I'm invested in the party's goal enough to continue" motivation by then
Wanderlust/adventure driven
Pros: NEVER a lack of motivation. Gives you a reason to want to "accept quests" without having to think "Would my character want to help? Or would they turn it down" Provides more room for FINDING your character's motivation and bonds rather than already knowing them.
Cons: While others are having cool backstory moments (The cleric's evil secret half brother is the BBEG! Oh noooooo), you're just kinda like "oh neat :)". Unless YOU push for a "personal arc" the DM is gonna have to "Find something to feature you"
I have done both of these and usually while doing one, I'll miss the other lol. They each have their own appeal!
I'd say that it's a starting point to build something a bit deeper from. I would be looking for more than that from my players, because I like to build their personal stories into the core narrative.
A thrillseeker type character can work pretty well - one of my players runs a Goliath Barbarian who wants to collect stories of his great deeds of monster slaying, for example. He also took a level in Wild Magic Sorcerer, and has become addicted to using his magic awareness to sense magic, so for him going to unusual places, seeing weird magic and slaying monsters are all essential to his sense of wellbeing.
What a wanderlust type character truns into in terms of believability is that as an adventurer you literally have to put your life on the line to achieve things, and in an ideal campaign the characters are choosing to go into those places, so the question gets asked: why go into that near-certain-death place, e.g. the lich's lair? Why not go somewhere else that's also exciting? It's less that they wouldn't go, it's why go to that specific place?
Your character will need a reason to stick with their group as well and not go wandering off.
I've done both at this point. I've had characters with super specific goals and motivations fueled by backstory reasons, and wanderlust characters whose goal IS adventuring.
What Ive noticed:
Backstory driven
Pros: Cool moments where DM brings up characters/events from backstory. Dramatic reveals of past events for soap-opera-esque DUN DUN DUN moments. Character motivations are often more nuanced.
Cons: Once you've resolved your Backstory-Drama(tm) your character's "Arc" is done and you're kinda just along for the ride. Hopefully by then you've developed the reason of "I'm invested in the party's goal enough to continue" motivation by then
Wanderlust/adventure driven
Pros: NEVER a lack of motivation. Gives you a reason to want to "accept quests" without having to think "Would my character want to help? Or would they turn it down" Provides more room for FINDING your character's motivation and bonds rather than already knowing them.
Cons: While others are having cool backstory moments (The cleric's evil secret half brother is the BBEG! Oh noooooo), you're just kinda like "oh neat :)". Unless YOU push for a "personal arc" the DM is gonna have to "Find something to feature you"
I have done both of these and usually while doing one, I'll miss the other lol. They each have their own appeal!
I don't think that a wanderlust character has to miss the cool backstory moments. A character can be driven to adventure for adventure's sake, while still having some unresolved aspects of their backstory. Perhaps their adventure seeking lifestyle got them into trouble in the past. Perhaps they abandoned something that wants to seek them out.
So, I'm starting to run low on ideas for why my characters would want to go on adventures, and so I'm wondering: Is it a bad idea to have a character whose wanderlust is so extreme that they simply have a thirst for dangerous adventures, and are even drawn to other characters that stand out from the crowd?
I think a DM would be lucky to have a PC like that.
I think that could be fun!
Only spilt the party if you see something shiny.
Ariendela Sneakerson, Half-elf Rogue (8); Harmony Wolfsbane, Tiefling Bard (10); Agnomally, Gnomish Sorcerer (3); Breeze, Tabaxi Monk (8); Grace, Dragonborn Barbarian (7); DM, Homebrew- The Sequestered Lands/Underwater Explorers; Candlekeep
Both tortles and tabaxi have this kind of driving curiosity written into their racial description. It's not an unusual trope and I think you could have a lot of fun with it.
You can further develop the character by thinking about why they are so willing to do risky things. Do they have supreme confidence and don't really believe that they will ever fail? Do they risk their lives without hesitation because they have already lost everything else? Do they have a death wish? Are they trying to get a reaction from someone else? There's a lot of ways you could go with it.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
To some degree, that defines every character I've ever played.
What you just described (along with desiring to get rich killing monsters and plundering their treasure) was the motivation of literally every D&D character for decades until the Critical Roll Era came around, and people decided it needed to be more complicated than that for whatever reason.
It isn’t up to you to come up with reasons for the party to go on adventures, it is up to the players to think about that for there own characters. If they are not feeling motivated it is sometimes a good indication to bring that story to an end and roll up new characters.
I love this idea that critical roll changed the idea for adventuring. killing monsters plundering treasure is why I refused to play DND for 20 odd years, instead playing other systems that where story driven. So the idea of story telling in RPGs is much older then critical roll. Many many RPGs over history have utilized the ideas of stories to get players invested in the world. I refuse to run campaigns that don’t involve telling stories collecting gold and killing stuff is simply a route to tell that story.
It may have changed people's default assumptions, but adventures that have a plot beyond 'wander around beating up monsters and taking their stuff' have been around since near the start of the hobby.
You don’t need our affirmation but yes that sounds incredible. As a DM I would love to have a character like that to drive the story.
Be Excellent to one another. Rock on dude.
I've done both at this point. I've had characters with super specific goals and motivations fueled by backstory reasons, and wanderlust characters whose goal IS adventuring.
What Ive noticed:
Backstory driven
Pros: Cool moments where DM brings up characters/events from backstory. Dramatic reveals of past events for soap-opera-esque DUN DUN DUN moments. Character motivations are often more nuanced.
Cons: Once you've resolved your Backstory-Drama(tm) your character's "Arc" is done and you're kinda just along for the ride. Hopefully by then you've developed the reason of "I'm invested in the party's goal enough to continue" motivation by then
Wanderlust/adventure driven
Pros: NEVER a lack of motivation. Gives you a reason to want to "accept quests" without having to think "Would my character want to help? Or would they turn it down" Provides more room for FINDING your character's motivation and bonds rather than already knowing them.
Cons: While others are having cool backstory moments (The cleric's evil secret half brother is the BBEG! Oh noooooo), you're just kinda like "oh neat :)". Unless YOU push for a "personal arc" the DM is gonna have to "Find something to feature you"
I have done both of these and usually while doing one, I'll miss the other lol. They each have their own appeal!
I'd say that it's a starting point to build something a bit deeper from. I would be looking for more than that from my players, because I like to build their personal stories into the core narrative.
A thrillseeker type character can work pretty well - one of my players runs a Goliath Barbarian who wants to collect stories of his great deeds of monster slaying, for example. He also took a level in Wild Magic Sorcerer, and has become addicted to using his magic awareness to sense magic, so for him going to unusual places, seeing weird magic and slaying monsters are all essential to his sense of wellbeing.
What a wanderlust type character truns into in terms of believability is that as an adventurer you literally have to put your life on the line to achieve things, and in an ideal campaign the characters are choosing to go into those places, so the question gets asked: why go into that near-certain-death place, e.g. the lich's lair? Why not go somewhere else that's also exciting? It's less that they wouldn't go, it's why go to that specific place?
Your character will need a reason to stick with their group as well and not go wandering off.
I don't think that a wanderlust character has to miss the cool backstory moments. A character can be driven to adventure for adventure's sake, while still having some unresolved aspects of their backstory. Perhaps their adventure seeking lifestyle got them into trouble in the past. Perhaps they abandoned something that wants to seek them out.
Only spilt the party if you see something shiny.
Ariendela Sneakerson, Half-elf Rogue (8); Harmony Wolfsbane, Tiefling Bard (10); Agnomally, Gnomish Sorcerer (3); Breeze, Tabaxi Monk (8); Grace, Dragonborn Barbarian (7); DM, Homebrew- The Sequestered Lands/Underwater Explorers; Candlekeep