I rolled some exceedingly low ability scores for a one-shot character that I will be playing tomorrow and wasn't sure what I could make with such low scores. However, after taking advice from other people, and considering my options, and being allowed to use +1 weapons to offset the low scores by my DM, I have made this character.
I would like to hear your thoughts on the character, especially regarding any improvements that I might make to negate the low scores further.
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Algir Magnusson - 300-year-old Dwarven, Lawful Neutral Life Domain Cleric. He is primarily a healer and uses magic to heal and buff the party. He does not use attack magic and tries not to use any spells that require saving throws, as his stats are relatively low. He focuses on healing and buffs for his party; although he has two melee weapons that he can use if needs be, he would only use them in self-defence if enemies are directly attacking him and his party can't help.
Algir was once a great master of the forge before his people cast him out for falling in love with a beautiful young Elf. He has lived on his own for one hundred years, but now his God has called him to stand against an impossible foe and blessed him with power so that he may better complete his task.
Although he has heeded his god's summons, Algir fears that this journey will be his last.
Personality Traits
I’m oblivious to etiquette and social expectations.
Ideals
My gifts are meant to be shared with all, not used for my own benefit.
Bonds
I entered seclusion because I loved someone I should not have loved.
Flaws
I am dogmatic in my thoughts and philosophy.
Enemies
Malvur (Whorson) Dradir. Malvur is the high council member who seized the Magnusson estate. Algir no longer believes that he will get vengeance against Malvur, but he has not given up hope.
Allies
The other party members
Ruby Beala. Ruby is the estranged daughter of Algir. She has the singular and somewhat dubious distinction of being the only known half-elf with a dwarven father. Although Ruby has taken her mother's family name, she cares for her father, and their estrangement is by his choice, not hers. Not welcome amongst either her fathers or her mother's people, Ruby has become a renowned and highly accomplished alchemist and makes her home amongst humans.
Other
Algir has a half-elven daughter named Ruby, from whom he is estranged. After his wife's death, Algir retreated into the wilds entirely, where he has remained alone for the past one hundred years. He has not heard from Ruby in all that time, although he has kept up with her exploits as a master alchemist and is exceptionally proud of her. Algir can not bring himself to make contact with his daughter, as she reminds him of her mother and everything he has lost.
Ruby has attempted to make contact with her father several times over the past one hundred years, but every time she has getting close, he has moved on somewhere else, as the pain of losing his wife is still too much for him to bear. However, his stubborn dwarven pride will not allow him to admit how he feels, either to his daughter or himself.
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Also, my DM allowed me to have +1 weapons to offset my meagre ability scores, which has helped me a lot. Other than that, that's pretty much everything. So there we have it, this is the character that I am going to play in tomorrows one-shot.
Even though I have not focussed much on backstory, as the character is only for a one-shot, I would love to hear what you think, especially any thoughts you might have about further offsetting the characters low scores.
I like the story. I personally would lean into the lower stats instead of trying to mitigate those weaknesses. His strength atrophied from his long time away from forging. Etcetera.
I had fun with my life cleric's less than average charisma. I played it in the campaign as rougher than the 8 he had. The whole group seemed to enjoy it. At least is what the DM kept telling me.
I wouldn’t worry about your low stats. You have a 16 wisdom so you can be reasonably effective as a spell caster. You have a great back story and focusing on buffing you’re allies is probably more effective than trying to do damage or debuff your opponents is.
My character was fun to play, and he didn’t seem underpowered or anything because I was focusing on healing and buffs.
Playing this character has made me wonder whether having high ability scores is always a good thing. If I had high ability scores, I would have probably gone with a paladin and just smote everything or a barbarian and just pummelled everything. I was playing a character who was so weak in most areas, though, and it was a lot of fun. I could still heal and buff the party just fine, but being so weak at other stuff made for some interesting roleplay.
This character turned out to be one of the best characters that I’ve ever played, and he pretty much sucks at more or less everything.
To his surprise, he even survived his journey, and he and his friends defeated the evil.
I just thought that to be strange and that you guys might want an update.
It's a wise man who realizes a dump stat is a golden roleplaying opportunity. I've played a Cleric with high Strength and garbage Dex before, and I ended up deciding it was because his masters constantly forced him to carry heavy books around the library but he never actually went outside to do any cardio.
Algir Magnusson - 300-year-old Dwarven, Lawful Neutral Life Domain Cleric. He is primarily a healer and uses magic to heal and buff the party. He does not use attack magic and tries not to use any spells that require saving throws, as his stats are relatively low. He focuses on healing and buffs for his party; although he has two melee weapons that he can use if needs be, he would only use them in self-defence if enemies are directly attacking him and his party can't help.
Character Sheet - ddb.ac/characters/46087535/N9XRY0
Image - https://ibb.co/L8RxvcD
Algir was once a great master of the forge before his people cast him out for falling in love with a beautiful young Elf. He has lived on his own for one hundred years, but now his God has called him to stand against an impossible foe and blessed him with power so that he may better complete his task.
Although he has heeded his god's summons, Algir fears that this journey will be his last.
Personality Traits
I’m oblivious to etiquette and social expectations.
Ideals
My gifts are meant to be shared with all, not used for my own benefit.
Bonds
I entered seclusion because I loved someone I should not have loved.
Flaws
I am dogmatic in my thoughts and philosophy.
Enemies
Malvur (Whorson) Dradir. Malvur is the high council member who seized the Magnusson estate. Algir no longer believes that he will get vengeance against Malvur, but he has not given up hope.
Allies
The other party members
Ruby Beala. Ruby is the estranged daughter of Algir. She has the singular and somewhat dubious distinction of being the only known half-elf with a dwarven father. Although Ruby has taken her mother's family name, she cares for her father, and their estrangement is by his choice, not hers. Not welcome amongst either her fathers or her mother's people, Ruby has become a renowned and highly accomplished alchemist and makes her home amongst humans.
Other
Algir has a half-elven daughter named Ruby, from whom he is estranged. After his wife's death, Algir retreated into the wilds entirely, where he has remained alone for the past one hundred years. He has not heard from Ruby in all that time, although he has kept up with her exploits as a master alchemist and is exceptionally proud of her. Algir can not bring himself to make contact with his daughter, as she reminds him of her mother and everything he has lost.
Ruby has attempted to make contact with her father several times over the past one hundred years, but every time she has getting close, he has moved on somewhere else, as the pain of losing his wife is still too much for him to bear. However, his stubborn dwarven pride will not allow him to admit how he feels, either to his daughter or himself.
-----
Also, my DM allowed me to have +1 weapons to offset my meagre ability scores, which has helped me a lot. Other than that, that's pretty much everything. So there we have it, this is the character that I am going to play in tomorrows one-shot.
Even though I have not focussed much on backstory, as the character is only for a one-shot, I would love to hear what you think, especially any thoughts you might have about further offsetting the characters low scores.
Thanks,
Forge.
A caffeinated nerd who has played TTRPGs or a number of years and is very much a fantasy adventure geek.
I like the story. I personally would lean into the lower stats instead of trying to mitigate those weaknesses. His strength atrophied from his long time away from forging. Etcetera.
I had fun with my life cleric's less than average charisma. I played it in the campaign as rougher than the 8 he had. The whole group seemed to enjoy it. At least is what the DM kept telling me.
I wouldn’t worry about your low stats. You have a 16 wisdom so you can be reasonably effective as a spell caster. You have a great back story and focusing on buffing you’re allies is probably more effective than trying to do damage or debuff your opponents is.
Professional computer geek
Just an update.
My character was fun to play, and he didn’t seem underpowered or anything because I was focusing on healing and buffs.
Playing this character has made me wonder whether having high ability scores is always a good thing. If I had high ability scores, I would have probably gone with a paladin and just smote everything or a barbarian and just pummelled everything. I was playing a character who was so weak in most areas, though, and it was a lot of fun. I could still heal and buff the party just fine, but being so weak at other stuff made for some interesting roleplay.
This character turned out to be one of the best characters that I’ve ever played, and he pretty much sucks at more or less everything.
To his surprise, he even survived his journey, and he and his friends defeated the evil.
I just thought that to be strange and that you guys might want an update.
A caffeinated nerd who has played TTRPGs or a number of years and is very much a fantasy adventure geek.
It's a wise man who realizes a dump stat is a golden roleplaying opportunity. I've played a Cleric with high Strength and garbage Dex before, and I ended up deciding it was because his masters constantly forced him to carry heavy books around the library but he never actually went outside to do any cardio.