So I am making a new character for our long term campaign(s) and I really want a fantastic backstory for my character... something that makes him a nice and interesting character to play...
What I have so far...
* He is an Arcane Archer * He is a deep gnome * He is level 3 * I want he to be a little crazy and different * I was thinking that he could have been imprisoned by Drow and that he learned arcane magic from watching time after being alone in the cell for ages * His magic is not strong enough for him to be a sorcerer or a wizard but only strong enough to enhance his arrows with magic * I thought about making him quiet old or maybe not that old but have him wear goat hair as if he had a long beard to make him look like he is really old because perhaps he really wants to be a wizard * I want him to be pretty confused and talk about himself in 3rd person
If you have any ideas, please hit me, I am very happy about every single reply.
I will admit I am not 100% familiar with Arcane Archer just yet. Does he use a crossbow, hand, heavy or what have you, or an actual bow?
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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
Um..okay. So picking up with the stuff I do have experience with. If you want him to come across as a little unhinged the DMG has some examples of madness, here are a few of my fave.
-The character experiences a powerful delusion. Choose a potion. The character imagines that he or she is under its effects.
-The character becomes attached to a “lucky charm,” such as a person or an object, and has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws while more than 30 feet from it.
Then there are the long-term madness Flaws which could also work.
-“There’s only one person I can trust. And only I can see this special friend.” (This one is always fun)
-“I can’t take anything seriously. The more serious the situation, the funnier I find it.” (As is this)
Since you want him tied into the Drow and to have learned magic through observation, on top of him being a little crazy I would suggest this. He was kidnapped/abducted/bought/acquired by a Drow wizard for use as an experimentation subject. Something untoward happened to the wizard as is often happens to wizards, drow, and drow wizards, in the confusion the character grabbed the few pages of the wizard's spellbook that survived and ran to freedom.
The goat hair wig/beard has a few options. One it could be just because he thinks that's how wizards should look, another is the beard is a kind of lucky charm for him, like a touchstone.
That is about all I got. I'll monitor this thread in case you need more help, honestly, my curiosity is piqued.
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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
The idea with him being easy going and finding anything serious, dead funny is great...
You got me thinking...
Obducted by a drow wizard, experimented with, wears the wig because he thinks/really wants to a drow wizard... And time after time he will have flashbacks and realize he was a prisoner all This time!
I don't know that I'd want to have the flashbacks, because after the realization that he was a prisoner the whole time, he'd likely change (personality-wise).
I think maybe he understood that he was a prisoner, but the experiments (and his own PTSD) permanently altered his mind so that he believes that he was a drow wizard but the experiments caused him to somehow turn into his current form. Give him the same mannerisms of a drow (including a love for spiders and a deference to women), make him believe that each time he gains new powers from leveling that he's simply regaining some of his power that was "lost" due to the experiment.
The beard could be because he remembers a beard (even though elves typically don't grow facial hair). Perhaps it was a fellow prisoner that he vaguely remembers. Perhaps he developed a personality that combines traits from both his drow prison guards and the wizard that was his cellmate. So, while it makes complete sense to him that these things intertwine, everyone else wonders wtf is wrong with him.
“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.
The Last Continent and Unseen Academicals are the only ones I can think of that really showcase the wizards, and, of the two, The Last Continent is better by far.
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
I am playing a Svirfneblin fighter as well, and while this species is only briefly described in the Elemental Evil Player's Companion, I think there are at least two important things one has to bear in mind:
Firstly, while they do not suffer from a severe light sensitivity like dark elves, at least rules-wise, I don't think anyone who was born and spent most of one's life deep below will come to terms with the whole concept of sky and vast space easily. I am trying to roleplay my character as being slightly agoraphobic and welcoming any kind of roof or shelter with a visible relief. He also wears self-made dark crystal googles, claiming that 'everything's too bright here!'.
Also, anything on the surface will be potentially questionable and new to a deep gnome should he/she be foolish enough to venture there. Do not forget the potent narrative tool of constant blunders and misunderstandings caused by interpreting customs the wrong way or using incorrect phrases bordering on innuendo.
That said, I would suggest choosing one main theme (and you seem to have a pretty nice idea how to do it already} and only add two, three small quirks to the mix. Otherwise it becomes a bit cumbersome to react quickly to the game, because you will be spending majority of the time thinking what to pick.
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"[D&D] is like hanging out... but with math" - Dan Harmon
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So I am making a new character for our long term campaign(s) and I really want a fantastic backstory for my character... something that makes him a nice and interesting character to play...
What I have so far...
* He is an Arcane Archer
* He is a deep gnome
* He is level 3
* I want he to be a little crazy and different
* I was thinking that he could have been imprisoned by Drow and that he learned arcane magic from watching time after being alone in the cell for ages
* His magic is not strong enough for him to be a sorcerer or a wizard but only strong enough to enhance his arrows with magic
* I thought about making him quiet old or maybe not that old but have him wear goat hair as if he had a long beard to make him look like he is really old because perhaps he really wants to be a wizard
* I want him to be pretty confused and talk about himself in 3rd person
If you have any ideas, please hit me, I am very happy about every single reply.
Best wishes
Read up on the wizards of Unseen University in Terry Pratchett's Discworld.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
could you maybe be a little be more specific?
I will admit I am not 100% familiar with Arcane Archer just yet. Does he use a crossbow, hand, heavy or what have you, or an actual bow?
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
bows only in the latest edition... subject to change tho i guess
Um..okay. So picking up with the stuff I do have experience with. If you want him to come across as a little unhinged the DMG has some examples of madness, here are a few of my fave.
-The character experiences a powerful delusion. Choose a potion. The character imagines that he or she is under its effects.
-The character becomes attached to a “lucky charm,” such as a person or an object, and has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws while more than 30 feet from it.
Then there are the long-term madness Flaws which could also work.
-“There’s only one person I can trust. And only I can see this special friend.” (This one is always fun)
-“I can’t take anything seriously. The more serious the situation, the funnier I find it.” (As is this)
Since you want him tied into the Drow and to have learned magic through observation, on top of him being a little crazy I would suggest this. He was kidnapped/abducted/bought/acquired by a Drow wizard for use as an experimentation subject. Something untoward happened to the wizard as is often happens to wizards, drow, and drow wizards, in the confusion the character grabbed the few pages of the wizard's spellbook that survived and ran to freedom.
The goat hair wig/beard has a few options. One it could be just because he thinks that's how wizards should look, another is the beard is a kind of lucky charm for him, like a touchstone.
That is about all I got. I'll monitor this thread in case you need more help, honestly, my curiosity is piqued.
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
Thank you very much for the great Input...
The idea with him being easy going and finding anything serious, dead funny is great...
You got me thinking...
Obducted by a drow wizard, experimented with, wears the wig because he thinks/really wants to a drow wizard... And time after time he will have flashbacks and realize he was a prisoner all This time!
Thoughts? Suggestions? More Input?
Thank you so much!
I don't know that I'd want to have the flashbacks, because after the realization that he was a prisoner the whole time, he'd likely change (personality-wise).
I think maybe he understood that he was a prisoner, but the experiments (and his own PTSD) permanently altered his mind so that he believes that he was a drow wizard but the experiments caused him to somehow turn into his current form. Give him the same mannerisms of a drow (including a love for spiders and a deference to women), make him believe that each time he gains new powers from leveling that he's simply regaining some of his power that was "lost" due to the experiment.
The beard could be because he remembers a beard (even though elves typically don't grow facial hair). Perhaps it was a fellow prisoner that he vaguely remembers. Perhaps he developed a personality that combines traits from both his drow prison guards and the wizard that was his cellmate. So, while it makes complete sense to him that these things intertwine, everyone else wonders wtf is wrong with him.
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“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
I am playing a Svirfneblin fighter as well, and while this species is only briefly described in the Elemental Evil Player's Companion, I think there are at least two important things one has to bear in mind:
Firstly, while they do not suffer from a severe light sensitivity like dark elves, at least rules-wise, I don't think anyone who was born and spent most of one's life deep below will come to terms with the whole concept of sky and vast space easily. I am trying to roleplay my character as being slightly agoraphobic and welcoming any kind of roof or shelter with a visible relief. He also wears self-made dark crystal googles, claiming that 'everything's too bright here!'.
Also, anything on the surface will be potentially questionable and new to a deep gnome should he/she be foolish enough to venture there. Do not forget the potent narrative tool of constant blunders and misunderstandings caused by interpreting customs the wrong way or using incorrect phrases bordering on innuendo.
That said, I would suggest choosing one main theme (and you seem to have a pretty nice idea how to do it already} and only add two, three small quirks to the mix. Otherwise it becomes a bit cumbersome to react quickly to the game, because you will be spending majority of the time thinking what to pick.
"[D&D] is like hanging out... but with math" - Dan Harmon