As a fan of Batman, to celebrate the coming release of the new movie, I'm working on a character very similar to Batman. The Black Wolf is a human rogue and one of the most notorious outlaws in a dark fantasy Kingdom that's the fantasy version of Gotham City. The Black Wolf has numerous robberies and assassinations on his/her belt (I haven't picked a gender yet), and even has contacts in the crime world, the city guards, and the royal court. But being a Chaotic Good, The Black Wolf only targets the wealthy, corrupt, and dangerous criminals. But what most people save for a select few DON'T know, is that the Black Wolf is actually the Kingdom's Prince or Princess, and one of the few decent and honest members of the cutthroat and corrupt royal court.
Do you think the criminal or noble background would do better?
I was thinking Haunted One from van Richten's if OP really wants that "born of tragedy" Batman feel, or even Investigator (also from VRGtR), but that works too
If the choice is limited to PH backgrounds, it really comes down to whether you want to lean Batman (Criminal/Spy for the underworld contact) or Bruce Wayne (Noble for the "welcome in high society" feature)
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
What's VRGtR? I'm a more casual player, I don't buy a lot of the more intense info stuff.
Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. It's the horror-themed sourcebook, basically, but there's things in it (like the backgrounds I mentioned) that can be easily adapted to other settings
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
In my experience a PC who has committed numerous thefts and assassinations is not 1st level. So you might have to tone back your starting info, but it is up to your GM so ask what is ok and not ok. Also you can list things that are the goals for your PC that fit into the Batman archtype.
Problems with Batman and starting PC's, he has lots of money, lots of training, lots of equipment and lots of help. In general that often does not describe 1st level PC's.
Custom background. Merge some of noble & criminal; presuming there is no separate vigilante background and that's why criminal is on the table. Are you going for "bruce Wayne's batman, or just batman in general such that one of his succesurs like terry mcguiness or guy who is Azriel or Damian or Gracen etc who may have worn the cowl at one point or another? People assume noble for bruce wayne, but batman need not actually begin as a high society member with much resources if it's someone else dawning the mantle.
There was a black Wolf Character in season 1 of Xena who began as a peasants daughter but led the overthrow of the corrupt former government afterwards becoming part of the lands new government.
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Thank you for your time and please have a very pleasant day.
As a fan of Batman, to celebrate the coming release of the new movie, I'm working on a character very similar to Batman. The Black Wolf is a human rogue and one of the most notorious outlaws in a dark fantasy Kingdom that's the fantasy version of Gotham City. The Black Wolf has numerous robberies and assassinations on his/her belt (I haven't picked a gender yet), and even has contacts in the crime world, the city guards, and the royal court. But being a Chaotic Good, The Black Wolf only targets the wealthy, corrupt, and dangerous criminals. But what most people save for a select few DON'T know, is that the Black Wolf is actually the Kingdom's Prince or Princess, and one of the few decent and honest members of the cutthroat and corrupt royal court.
Do you think the criminal or noble background would do better?
Not sure about you but this more chaotic neutral or evil. Your involved in the crime world and targeting the wealthy regardless of if the are corrupt.
For me, your Background is how your character was raised... what their life is like beyond just what benefits them mechanically. This character is 100% a noble, although I think you could swap the gaming set proficiency with something else that feels more appropriate to your character. The way I see it is that the character is undeniably a Noble... they're going to get the full benefits of being a noble while not in disguise, and so mechanically it would be a serious double dip to say that they also have all the benefits of the Criminal background on top of that. The Rogue Class Features represent what the character has done to separate themselves from their background, and Rogue is enough of a skill-monkey to still give you plenty of space to be an expert in skills that your background doesn't cover.
The only way I could justify the Criminal Background is if the royal family is truly, honestly so corrupt that they're seen as more of a particularly powerful mob family by the common people than as proper royalty.
As a fan of Batman, to celebrate the coming release of the new movie, I'm working on a character very similar to Batman. The Black Wolf is a human rogue and one of the most notorious outlaws in a dark fantasy Kingdom that's the fantasy version of Gotham City. The Black Wolf has numerous robberies and assassinations on his/her belt (I haven't picked a gender yet), and even has contacts in the crime world, the city guards, and the royal court. But being a Chaotic Good, The Black Wolf only targets the wealthy, corrupt, and dangerous criminals. But what most people save for a select few DON'T know, is that the Black Wolf is actually the Kingdom's Prince or Princess, and one of the few decent and honest members of the cutthroat and corrupt royal court.
Do you think the criminal or noble background would do better?
For me? Neither. Baldurs Gate: Faceless
I was thinking Haunted One from van Richten's if OP really wants that "born of tragedy" Batman feel, or even Investigator (also from VRGtR), but that works too
If the choice is limited to PH backgrounds, it really comes down to whether you want to lean Batman (Criminal/Spy for the underworld contact) or Bruce Wayne (Noble for the "welcome in high society" feature)
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
What's VRGtR? I'm a more casual player, I don't buy a lot of the more intense info stuff.
Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. It's the horror-themed sourcebook, basically, but there's things in it (like the backgrounds I mentioned) that can be easily adapted to other settings
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
In my experience a PC who has committed numerous thefts and assassinations is not 1st level. So you might have to tone back your starting info, but it is up to your GM so ask what is ok and not ok. Also you can list things that are the goals for your PC that fit into the Batman archtype.
Problems with Batman and starting PC's, he has lots of money, lots of training, lots of equipment and lots of help. In general that often does not describe 1st level PC's.
Off the top of my head, a couple could fit pretty well:
- As you said: Noble fits from a backstory perspective... If you're "just starting out" this would probably be the one I'd go with.
- Haunted One befits his tragic backstory
- Investigator or Urban Bounty Hunter could fit the skill-set
Custom background. Merge some of noble & criminal; presuming there is no separate vigilante background and that's why criminal is on the table. Are you going for "bruce Wayne's batman, or just batman in general such that one of his succesurs like terry mcguiness or guy who is Azriel or Damian or Gracen etc who may have worn the cowl at one point or another? People assume noble for bruce wayne, but batman need not actually begin as a high society member with much resources if it's someone else dawning the mantle.
There was a black Wolf Character in season 1 of Xena who began as a peasants daughter but led the overthrow of the corrupt former government afterwards becoming part of the lands new government.
Thank you for your time and please have a very pleasant day.
This gets my vote.
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Not unless you have a HUGE bank account... which a fantasy Prince or Princess most defiantly has.
Not sure about you but this more chaotic neutral or evil. Your involved in the crime world and targeting the wealthy regardless of if the are corrupt.
Fizikal
For the King!
For me, your Background is how your character was raised... what their life is like beyond just what benefits them mechanically. This character is 100% a noble, although I think you could swap the gaming set proficiency with something else that feels more appropriate to your character. The way I see it is that the character is undeniably a Noble... they're going to get the full benefits of being a noble while not in disguise, and so mechanically it would be a serious double dip to say that they also have all the benefits of the Criminal background on top of that. The Rogue Class Features represent what the character has done to separate themselves from their background, and Rogue is enough of a skill-monkey to still give you plenty of space to be an expert in skills that your background doesn't cover.
The only way I could justify the Criminal Background is if the royal family is truly, honestly so corrupt that they're seen as more of a particularly powerful mob family by the common people than as proper royalty.
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