So I had a thought for an interesting dhampir lineage background character, but I wanted to ask any dungeon master out there if this would seem kosher or not.
Gnolls, right? Big, nasty, wildly voracious beasties who are slaves to the hunger of yeenogu.
The way lineages are written, it seems that the previous traits and stat blocks of the character in question are overwritten completely for these new traits.
The character would be a gnoll who, through a night time visit by a dehydrated vampire on the run, was transformed into a dhampir. The idea being that becoming one would sever his ties to yeenogu and afford him some level of sanity/clarity he never had before, replaced by a more controllable thirst for blood and therefore his own master.
would this work? Or am I missing something crucial?
I’d allow it, sure. Though you’d have some problems in n civilized areas. Just try explaining to the average shopkeeper, I know I look like a gnoll, but really, I’m a baby vampire. That’s much better, right.
So for game mechanics, sure. It would just get kind of annoying to play, since either everyone would shun you, which would get unfun pretty quickly, or no one would comment on it, and then it’s like what’s the point. It might turn into a bit of a hassle to DM. With the right people it could work. Or it could turn into a main character situation, as everyone needs to figure a way to get you around town.
All this, of course, assumes using the standard FR lore. In other worlds it may work more or less easily.
I figure some sort of workaround was to wear some sort of concealing hooded poncho in more public dense areas so folks in the party wouldn’t feel the need to constantly vouch for the suspiciously chill gnoll.
I figure some sort of workaround was to wear some sort of concealing hooded poncho in more public dense areas so folks in the party wouldn’t feel the need to constantly vouch for the suspiciously chill gnoll.
That’s going to have to be a pretty deep hood to conceal a gnoll snout. But then, this is the kind of thing that will, situationally work for and against you. It’s a fantastic world where dragons exist and people see elves every day. Folks wearing a hood to hide their identity is going to be the sort of thing that’s simultaneously commonplace and raise suspicion.
But like I said, talk to your DM. Their opinion matters, while mine really doesn’t.
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So I had a thought for an interesting dhampir lineage background character, but I wanted to ask any dungeon master out there if this would seem kosher or not.
Gnolls, right? Big, nasty, wildly voracious beasties who are slaves to the hunger of yeenogu.
The way lineages are written, it seems that the previous traits and stat blocks of the character in question are overwritten completely for these new traits.
The character would be a gnoll who, through a night time visit by a dehydrated vampire on the run, was transformed into a dhampir. The idea being that becoming one would sever his ties to yeenogu and afford him some level of sanity/clarity he never had before, replaced by a more controllable thirst for blood and therefore his own master.
would this work? Or am I missing something crucial?
I’d allow it, sure. Though you’d have some problems in n civilized areas. Just try explaining to the average shopkeeper, I know I look like a gnoll, but really, I’m a baby vampire. That’s much better, right.
So for game mechanics, sure. It would just get kind of annoying to play, since either everyone would shun you, which would get unfun pretty quickly, or no one would comment on it, and then it’s like what’s the point. It might turn into a bit of a hassle to DM. With the right people it could work. Or it could turn into a main character situation, as everyone needs to figure a way to get you around town.
All this, of course, assumes using the standard FR lore. In other worlds it may work more or less easily.
I figure some sort of workaround was to wear some sort of concealing hooded poncho in more public dense areas so folks in the party wouldn’t feel the need to constantly vouch for the suspiciously chill gnoll.
Interesting idea. I'd suggest the character go with the "explanation" that they're the victim of a curse (technically true).
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
That’s going to have to be a pretty deep hood to conceal a gnoll snout. But then, this is the kind of thing that will, situationally work for and against you. It’s a fantastic world where dragons exist and people see elves every day. Folks wearing a hood to hide their identity is going to be the sort of thing that’s simultaneously commonplace and raise suspicion.
But like I said, talk to your DM. Their opinion matters, while mine really doesn’t.