You know what I love to do? I love to read those long, detailed descriptions in the Player's Handbook of the lore for how various races behave, how they get along with other races, what classes are best suited to them... and do exactly the opposite, because quirky, eccentric characters are my jam. My current characters include a black Dragonborn bard who is snarky, but goodhearted; a tiefling paladin with the noble background who is an anxious mess and so sheltered he'd believe anything you told him; and an aarakocra monk with a nasty temper and a bad case of leap-before-you-think.
Anybody else enjoy this sort of thing? Flagrantly defying lore stereotypes, whether for comedy or just because people are individuals and they don't and shouldn't all adhere to the same rules? Anybody got a fun character that goes against everything their race or class should logically be?
I have a dwarf fighter that has the Cloistered Scholar background, so he prefers reading and writing to fighting. He's also not very good at crafting things, as most dwarves are. The biggest thing is that he refuses to drink alcohol, as he doesn't want it clouding his thinking. He also thinks bards are harmful as purveyors of history, as they tend to hyperbolize facts to make the subjects of their songs seem cooler than they actually were.
Yes, immensely. The behavior descriptions for different races and classes in the Player's Handbook can be a nice starting point if you're out of ideas, but defying them as much as possible is, to me, more fun. Once I played in a one-off game where my Barbarian character had the noble background. When we were doing character introductions, I didn't mention my character's class, only his dapper appearance and aloof personality. Before we entered the main dungeon, my character had an opportunity to show off his knowledge of fine wines. The other players, I think, assumed that I was some sort of spellcaster, right up until we got into our first combat encounter and I declared that I'd like to rage.
A PC that I enjoyed was a half-orc ("Technically a quarter") Berserker Barbarian. He was anxious, paranoid, and completely dependent on the Cleric for decisions outside of combat. Once combat was at hand however he was calm, focused, stoic, and assertively decisive. The player would use the term focus instead of rage. "Battles at hand, the time for fretting is over. Ignore the pain, ignore the fear, keep yourself and your friends alive no matter what, and whole if it can be helped."
Once combat had stopped he'd roll a Constitution check to see if he pissed himself. He'd pass out with a natural 1 lol. "Once we are out of ear shot I'll ask the wizard to cast Prestidigitation on my pants."
P.s. if your are curious, the Dc for pants wetting was 8+ half the enemy's CR (rounded down, minimum 1)
My fave was playing a Warforged that, in their eyes, has no ambiguity over whether they are "alive" and have a soul, and has emotions. I know lore basically supports this, but people still like to ask philosophical questions on the subject like "can something created really be said to be alive???" And MXLII's just like "yes thank you, next."
I have character I created for one campaign, that is a tiefling from a wood elf family, who became a druid and later a warlock. Forming a pact of the tome with a archfey as her patron. A young woman with an overall very calm and quiet personality, yet also friendly and inquisitive.
Having lived much of her life among the fey, she didn't find herself afraid of what others thought of her infernal heritage or even realize that this might be an issue. Yet also because of her time within the fey and wild places of the forest, she was left changed by such. Her appearance a reflection of the nature she had come to adore so much.
Yet, she would come to realize that there would be those who might be suspicious or fearful of her, and though this at times left her uncertain, she'd offer a friendly smile and disarming comment that would defuse such tension. That it was rare for her not to get those around the tiefling to like her.
I'm currently playing a drow who ain't nevah seen the Underdark! The character is an Oath of the Ancients paladin who comes from a family that has worshiped Eilistraee for generations. The character has been granted the Blessing of Corellon (from MToF), and is therefore genderfluid. The character is optimistic and joyful, and has Things To Say(TM) on the topic of the "escaping my depraved homeland," or "getting past my cruel upbringing" tropes.
I have a an AaracoKran monk who was raised in a monastery, and HATED it, and when he left he took to fighting in tournaments to earn money. Also, he does not care about good or evil, but tends to side on the side of good.
I have a tabaxi monkish barbarian, who talks in the third person, he is a charismatic wrestler type. who left the pit fighting arena he worked in after the fights started benign rigged and fake.
My Wood Elf Druid has the background Researcher, but as his INT is 10 and I chose the Nature skill instead of History, I like to say that he did not listen in school. xD
Oh god, here we go. I have no one to play with so I just keep making characters...
Kaper. A kobold paladin of chaos. Their oath was to keep life interesting, but no one deity is their god. She just waffles between trickster gods. She has become a port noble through a REALLY complex prank. Theg are also REALLY STRONG (for a kobold).
Din. An anxious glamour bard, who also doesn't talk. He is an Air Genasi drow, so his life hasn't been great, but he just wants to make you happy.
Alzi. Yyan-Ti who has been possed by a young wizard whos parents will not let him leave the house. Alzi doesn't speak coomon so he has to translate. She runs a tavern with her wife who thinks this is hilarious.
Lilli. Bloodhunter, Order of the Profane Soul. Who is her patron? A unicorn. Their an earth genasi, and the crystal growong out of their head has left them with short term memory loss.
I think my favourite was the lawful good goblin paladin I made for a one shot. With a greatsword. The great story made up for the disadvantage on attacks
You know what I love to do? I love to read those long, detailed descriptions in the Player's Handbook of the lore for how various races behave, how they get along with other races, what classes are best suited to them... and do exactly the opposite, because quirky, eccentric characters are my jam. My current characters include a black Dragonborn bard who is snarky, but goodhearted; a tiefling paladin with the noble background who is an anxious mess and so sheltered he'd believe anything you told him; and an aarakocra monk with a nasty temper and a bad case of leap-before-you-think.
Anybody else enjoy this sort of thing? Flagrantly defying lore stereotypes, whether for comedy or just because people are individuals and they don't and shouldn't all adhere to the same rules? Anybody got a fun character that goes against everything their race or class should logically be?
I have a dwarf fighter that has the Cloistered Scholar background, so he prefers reading and writing to fighting. He's also not very good at crafting things, as most dwarves are. The biggest thing is that he refuses to drink alcohol, as he doesn't want it clouding his thinking. He also thinks bards are harmful as purveyors of history, as they tend to hyperbolize facts to make the subjects of their songs seem cooler than they actually were.
Yes, immensely. The behavior descriptions for different races and classes in the Player's Handbook can be a nice starting point if you're out of ideas, but defying them as much as possible is, to me, more fun. Once I played in a one-off game where my Barbarian character had the noble background. When we were doing character introductions, I didn't mention my character's class, only his dapper appearance and aloof personality. Before we entered the main dungeon, my character had an opportunity to show off his knowledge of fine wines. The other players, I think, assumed that I was some sort of spellcaster, right up until we got into our first combat encounter and I declared that I'd like to rage.
A PC that I enjoyed was a half-orc ("Technically a quarter") Berserker Barbarian. He was anxious, paranoid, and completely dependent on the Cleric for decisions outside of combat. Once combat was at hand however he was calm, focused, stoic, and assertively decisive. The player would use the term focus instead of rage. "Battles at hand, the time for fretting is over. Ignore the pain, ignore the fear, keep yourself and your friends alive no matter what, and whole if it can be helped."
Once combat had stopped he'd roll a Constitution check to see if he pissed himself. He'd pass out with a natural 1 lol. "Once we are out of ear shot I'll ask the wizard to cast Prestidigitation on my pants."
P.s. if your are curious, the Dc for pants wetting was 8+ half the enemy's CR (rounded down, minimum 1)
I have a few....ok maybe more than a few.
Argost my lizardfolk barbarian whom is be coming a linguist and perhaps a solar if his lucky.
And I have a gentlemanly polite half ork-bard
And Annabel the nice(blood hunter) drow. Well she wasent raised by drow so she does not know their mean.
Current game- Pelegos: Coastal Chaos
Game world- Pelegos, homebrew
Role- Player
Players- (Me) Druid/bard : Flower, Dancer of Curses ------- Fighter/rouge : Blackshanks, ruffian --------Sorcereress - Melenie, prodigy
My fave was playing a Warforged that, in their eyes, has no ambiguity over whether they are "alive" and have a soul, and has emotions. I know lore basically supports this, but people still like to ask philosophical questions on the subject like "can something created really be said to be alive???" And MXLII's just like "yes thank you, next."
I have character I created for one campaign, that is a tiefling from a wood elf family, who became a druid and later a warlock. Forming a pact of the tome with a archfey as her patron. A young woman with an overall very calm and quiet personality, yet also friendly and inquisitive.
Having lived much of her life among the fey, she didn't find herself afraid of what others thought of her infernal heritage or even realize that this might be an issue. Yet also because of her time within the fey and wild places of the forest, she was left changed by such. Her appearance a reflection of the nature she had come to adore so much.
Yet, she would come to realize that there would be those who might be suspicious or fearful of her, and though this at times left her uncertain, she'd offer a friendly smile and disarming comment that would defuse such tension. That it was rare for her not to get those around the tiefling to like her.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b0/4f/81/b04f81ea0dd5154264a1281c5dfd9f96.jpg
I'm currently playing a drow who ain't nevah seen the Underdark! The character is an Oath of the Ancients paladin who comes from a family that has worshiped Eilistraee for generations. The character has been granted the Blessing of Corellon (from MToF), and is therefore genderfluid. The character is optimistic and joyful, and has Things To Say(TM) on the topic of the "escaping my depraved homeland," or "getting past my cruel upbringing" tropes.
I have a an AaracoKran monk who was raised in a monastery, and HATED it, and when he left he took to fighting in tournaments to earn money. Also, he does not care about good or evil, but tends to side on the side of good.
Pico De Lolobardo; Aarakocra bard.
Tyto is family of owls like the Barn Owl.
My firbolg is a greedy sneaky swindler.
And on a more out there note.
I have a tabaxi monkish barbarian, who talks in the third person, he is a charismatic wrestler type. who left the pit fighting arena he worked in after the fights started benign rigged and fake.
Current game- Pelegos: Coastal Chaos
Game world- Pelegos, homebrew
Role- Player
Players- (Me) Druid/bard : Flower, Dancer of Curses ------- Fighter/rouge : Blackshanks, ruffian --------Sorcereress - Melenie, prodigy
My Wood Elf Druid has the background Researcher, but as his INT is 10 and I chose the Nature skill instead of History, I like to say that he did not listen in school. xD
Oh god, here we go. I have no one to play with so I just keep making characters...
Kaper. A kobold paladin of chaos. Their oath was to keep life interesting, but no one deity is their god. She just waffles between trickster gods. She has become a port noble through a REALLY complex prank. Theg are also REALLY STRONG (for a kobold).
Din. An anxious glamour bard, who also doesn't talk. He is an Air Genasi drow, so his life hasn't been great, but he just wants to make you happy.
Alzi. Yyan-Ti who has been possed by a young wizard whos parents will not let him leave the house. Alzi doesn't speak coomon so he has to translate. She runs a tavern with her wife who thinks this is hilarious.
Lilli. Bloodhunter, Order of the Profane Soul. Who is her patron? A unicorn. Their an earth genasi, and the crystal growong out of their head has left them with short term memory loss.
I think my favourite was the lawful good goblin paladin I made for a one shot. With a greatsword. The great story made up for the disadvantage on attacks
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)