All over the internet, I see people either coming up with fun character ideas for kenku's or claiming that the race is entirely unplayable. As someone that rarely gets to play but has always wanted to go with a kenku, I was hoping to get an answer straight from the horses mouth. To everyone and anyone that has played a kenku, tell me if it's as tedious as everyone makes it out to be. What's fun about it? How have to found ways around the tougher RP aspects? What do your other players and DM think about your choice and actions? Do they try to mediate and help you a bit, or are you left to your own devices on how you get about? What's the overall experience like?
I have played multiple Kenku since their release. for the most part, you'll find that DMs (and players) quickly agree that the vocal issue was a dumb addition to the race with this edition and it is an RP penalty that is often just overlooked or ignored. It's mostly just like playing a flightless Aarakocra with cool mimicry powers.
EDIT: If you mean the whole "likes to follow orders" character flaw that they have; most parties seem fine with the Kenku player minion-ing about, and it leads to some funny situations when the Kenku tries to follow orders to the letter when the orders maybe weren't meant to be so specific.
The guy in my group takes his time to communicate as a kenku, like he is sifting through dozens of phrases he has heard and picking the ones that are appropriate. Also does a little bit of short quotes from movies and such that aren't obviously out of context, like one liners.
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"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
I run a Kenku NPC in my campaign, he communicates in the way HeroZero describes, occasionally including sound effects, such as a ticking clock to indicate a necessity for urgency, or the sound of a key turning in a lock to indicate something needs to be locked/unlocked. As mentioned in Volo's, it's important to include the meaning of the sounds in your description, as players will often have a heard time deciphering what you're trying to say.
My player speaks normally, we just keep it in mind that it might be slightly unsettling to NPC's. I impose disadvantage in the right moments, its the price you have to pay for the ability to mimic any sound or voice.
My player speaks normally, we just keep it in mind that it might be slightly unsettling to NPC's. I impose disadvantage in the right moments, its the price you have to pay for the ability to mimic any sound or voice.
Yeah we discussed how strange it would be to hear a sentence that might change voices partway through, or every sentence is another persons voice.
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"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
The mimicry trait can work out really well with some of the rogue (that's rouge to out 13 yr old readers) abilities, but the Wis and the Dex are also great if you want to play a ranger.
Alas, this might be a bit off-topic from the request, but I've always wanted to play a Kenku diplomat/emissary for a king or queen. They could literally deliver messages in the voice of their steward.
But yes, I am actually intimidate to play one because I don't think I could due it justice or otherwise figure out how to communicate with the group.
I have had 2 players play a kenku and have played an adventure birb myself.
Of the two players, one just ignored the speech restrictions, and another described how her kenku spoke. An example; Player 1: "Whiporwill asks the diplomat who they are working for." Player 2: "Ruffle warns the party of the traps by making the sound of falling rocks"
Both worked and neither was exceptionally bothersome, though Ruffle's player eventually got a note book and wrote out common responses so she didn't have to keep thinking them up.
Of my personal adventure birb I played a lore bard named Notes. I split the difference and just stated what he said most of the time but occasionally would do a more in-depth response like "Notes trills softly and recites a bawdy limerick to the serving girl" as part of a persuasion roll.
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GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links. https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole @BonusRole
This is a good read - as I have created a Kenku Fey Pact Warlock I can't wait to play - but haven't been too sure how to handle it. I will definitely discuss it with my DM to see what we can work out.
I'm so glad I found this thread! I haven't played a Kenku before, but am VERY interested and find their personalities and quirks very interesting and potentially very fun for an RP heavy session with friends.
That being said, what classes are ideal in a 3.5e setting? I have only ever played Rangers and Fighters and would like to get away from both classes. I had some interest in a TWC Rogue, but have NO idea how to build in 3.5e. And it seems most magic classes are hard for me to wrap my feeble mind around, haha.
From fellow Kenku players, what recommendations might you have for class choice with the Kenku?Keep in mind, I'm not so worried about min/maxing the Birb, as our party will be of decent size, and the DM prefers RP resolutions to combat, for the most part.
For fun, I would recommend getting a list of cool One Liners or song lyrics that you could use. It is a little meta for the setting, but most players get it and love it.
@Marukeru Kenku is not easy to rp. You have to put some madness in your character. You should not rp it just as a "gray human with strange nose". It is race that has course on it.
As i can is in 3.5 you will get -2 Str, +2 dex so no str melee class for Kenku. Rouge, Wizards and Warlocks should work nice with.
But if you do not like playing twised characters then for the joy of game i would suggest some sticking to classic lawful races.
This is all well and good. I got enough to work with that I fleshed out my crow and feel pretty cozy with how I'll work him. Thanks to all of you for the advice and stories, and keep it coming both for me as I progress and for new comers to the thread. After all this, feel like each race should have it's own forum section, like classes do (mods? Any thoughts?).
@Marukeru Kenku is not easy to rp. You have to put some madness in your character. You should not rp it just as a "gray human with strange nose". It is race that has course on it.
As i can is in 3.5 you will get -2 Str, +2 dex so no str melee class for Kenku. Rouge, Wizards and Warlocks should work nice with.
But if you do not like playing twised characters then for the joy of game i would suggest some sticking to classic lawful races.
Actually, I am using the Tengu from Pathfinder as my base, translated over to 3.5e, so, I have +2 Dex +2 Wis -2 Con currently. And it would seem the Kenku in his world don't quite have the course madness to them. HOWEVER, I am not playing him as some "gray human with strange noise".
All over the internet, I see people either coming up with fun character ideas for kenku's or claiming that the race is entirely unplayable. As someone that rarely gets to play but has always wanted to go with a kenku, I was hoping to get an answer straight from the horses mouth. To everyone and anyone that has played a kenku, tell me if it's as tedious as everyone makes it out to be. What's fun about it? How have to found ways around the tougher RP aspects? What do your other players and DM think about your choice and actions? Do they try to mediate and help you a bit, or are you left to your own devices on how you get about? What's the overall experience like?
#OpenDnD. #DnDBegone
I have played multiple Kenku since their release. for the most part, you'll find that DMs (and players) quickly agree that the vocal issue was a dumb addition to the race with this edition and it is an RP penalty that is often just overlooked or ignored. It's mostly just like playing a flightless Aarakocra with cool mimicry powers.
EDIT: If you mean the whole "likes to follow orders" character flaw that they have; most parties seem fine with the Kenku player minion-ing about, and it leads to some funny situations when the Kenku tries to follow orders to the letter when the orders maybe weren't meant to be so specific.
The guy in my group takes his time to communicate as a kenku, like he is sifting through dozens of phrases he has heard and picking the ones that are appropriate. Also does a little bit of short quotes from movies and such that aren't obviously out of context, like one liners.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
I run a Kenku NPC in my campaign, he communicates in the way HeroZero describes, occasionally including sound effects, such as a ticking clock to indicate a necessity for urgency, or the sound of a key turning in a lock to indicate something needs to be locked/unlocked. As mentioned in Volo's, it's important to include the meaning of the sounds in your description, as players will often have a heard time deciphering what you're trying to say.
My player speaks normally, we just keep it in mind that it might be slightly unsettling to NPC's. I impose disadvantage in the right moments, its the price you have to pay for the ability to mimic any sound or voice.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
The mimicry trait can work out really well with some of the rogue (that's rouge to out 13 yr old readers) abilities, but the Wis and the Dex are also great if you want to play a ranger.
Playing: Nothing Right Now
DM-ing: The Secrets of Skyhorn Lighthouse
Check out my homebrew: THE WARPER
Alas, this might be a bit off-topic from the request, but I've always wanted to play a Kenku diplomat/emissary for a king or queen. They could literally deliver messages in the voice of their steward.
But yes, I am actually intimidate to play one because I don't think I could due it justice or otherwise figure out how to communicate with the group.
I have had 2 players play a kenku and have played an adventure birb myself.
Of the two players, one just ignored the speech restrictions, and another described how her kenku spoke.
An example;
Player 1: "Whiporwill asks the diplomat who they are working for."
Player 2: "Ruffle warns the party of the traps by making the sound of falling rocks"
Both worked and neither was exceptionally bothersome, though Ruffle's player eventually got a note book and wrote out common responses so she didn't have to keep thinking them up.
Of my personal adventure birb I played a lore bard named Notes. I split the difference and just stated what he said most of the time but occasionally would do a more in-depth response like "Notes trills softly and recites a bawdy limerick to the serving girl" as part of a persuasion roll.
GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links.
https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole
@BonusRole
My DM has said that if anyone plays a kenku, he's decided that the Raven Queen (he's definitely a fan of her) has given them all the ability to speak.
My son is playing a Kenku and he is a creepy weird character ... he mimics the damnedest things to keep him that way ....
This is a good read - as I have created a Kenku Fey Pact Warlock I can't wait to play - but haven't been too sure how to handle it. I will definitely discuss it with my DM to see what we can work out.
Skameros - Bugbear Barbarian - Out of the Abyss - By Kerrec
Follow your Arrow where it Points - Tabaxi Monk - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
Citron Pumpkinfoam - Fairy Monk - Project Point: Team Longsword
So Kenkus are more or less Bumblebee from the Transformers movie ;)
A great old one pact might let a Kenku telepathy communicate when she can’t find the right sounds to communicate.
I'm so glad I found this thread! I haven't played a Kenku before, but am VERY interested and find their personalities and quirks very interesting and potentially very fun for an RP heavy session with friends.
That being said, what classes are ideal in a 3.5e setting? I have only ever played Rangers and Fighters and would like to get away from both classes. I had some interest in a TWC Rogue, but have NO idea how to build in 3.5e. And it seems most magic classes are hard for me to wrap my feeble mind around, haha.
From fellow Kenku players, what recommendations might you have for class choice with the Kenku? Keep in mind, I'm not so worried about min/maxing the Birb, as our party will be of decent size, and the DM prefers RP resolutions to combat, for the most part.
For fun, I would recommend getting a list of cool One Liners or song lyrics that you could use. It is a little meta for the setting, but most players get it and love it.
@Marukeru Kenku is not easy to rp. You have to put some madness in your character. You should not rp it just as a "gray human with strange nose". It is race that has course on it.
As i can is in 3.5 you will get -2 Str, +2 dex so no str melee class for Kenku. Rouge, Wizards and Warlocks should work nice with.
But if you do not like playing twised characters then for the joy of game i would suggest some sticking to classic lawful races.
This is all well and good. I got enough to work with that I fleshed out my crow and feel pretty cozy with how I'll work him. Thanks to all of you for the advice and stories, and keep it coming both for me as I progress and for new comers to the thread. After all this, feel like each race should have it's own forum section, like classes do (mods? Any thoughts?).
#OpenDnD. #DnDBegone
So what is the reason they lost wings?