I’ve recently joined up with a local group who are about to start a Ghosts of Saltmarsh campaign. I’m completely new to role playing, other than an abortive four- or five-session long campaign in 2e almost fifteen years ago.
There are a wealth of resources online for DMs running their first game, but I’m struggling to find much for new players. I’m aware that I should do some prep work prior to our Session 0, but I don’t know the best way of going about it. The DM has said to turn up with a character concept and some dice, but I’m certain I saw somewhere that new players should also learn about the setting and such before starting a campaign - where would I do that without stumbling across spoilers?
What advice would you offer a new player who is equal parts excited and anxious about their first Session 0? Any thoughts on races or classes to avoid? Tropes or clichés that have been overdone a million times? Background or character creation guidance to help ease into that first PC? How much prep is too much?
Any thoughts, help, advice, warnings or dire imprecations would be hugely appreciated!
Session 0 is probably where the DM will go over the setting information.
Mainly, think of what kind of character you want to play.
How do you want them to fight in combat?
What can they do when there isn't combat?
What race do you want to be (I would pick one that gives a stat boost related to the class you want to be)
We can help in the forums with mapping those to classes and abilities.
For backstory, a few sentences is probably fine. Think about what your character did growing up / before adventuring, and then why they would be adventuring now.
Here are the backstories for the two most recent characters I have played, one longer, and one shorter:
Sentinel, Warforged Ranger / Rogue, in a Tal'Dorei campaign (the Critical Role setting)
Created by the dwarves of Mror Tarnak during the Age of Arcanum, Sentinel fought against the Primordials during The Calamity. Sentinel was rendered inert amid a fierce battle in the Cliffkeep Mountains as the earth collapsed around him. Forgotten for a millennia, recent events with the Chroma Conclave serendipitously unearthed Sentinel. Ashari from Terrah discovered his body during an expedition and were able to restore him to at least a limited functionality. With the breaching of the fire portal at Pyrah, Pa'tice decided that an expedition needed to be mounted to ensure that no other portals were forming in Exandria. Sentinel was chosen to venture out, with the belief that with time he would recover his lost abilities.
A chance encounter in the village of Kalmar (or possibly just make this Jorenn) had Sentinel aid in driving off a mysterious attacker that was terrorizing the village. Villagers had been found partially drained of blood with their bodies mutilated in ways beyond an ordinary person. When the assailant was accidentally caught in the act on a dark night, they fell into the river during the confrontation and have not been seen since. Unbeknownst to Sentinel, the attacker was the vampire Ixrattu Khar.
When news of Sentinel reached Kraghammer, the dwarven forgemasters of House Bronzegrip and the arcanists of House Thunderbrand were both mobilized to reclaim this lost technology. Scout teams have been sent to capture him for study, as the magitech behind Sentinel's creation is currently lost to time.
[then my DM added this]
Sentinel found his way to Kymel, and determined that there was a large planar portal about to open near Emon. While searching for reinforcements, Sentinel ran afoul of The Clasp, where he was captured and boxed up for sale to the highest bidder. The Myriad intercepted the shipment and he was sold to Kraghammer.
[the first session was the rest of the PCs on an escort quest to bring a box full of 'silks' to a trading post. the caravan was ambushed, and the crate was opened, revealing that it wasn't silks, but my character]
Chuk-Chuk, Goblin Alchemist in Storm Kings Thunder (the Forgotten Realms setting, which is the default 5e one)
[for the monstrous races, there is a table you can roll on for ideas about why you are a PC and not a monster, this is what I chose: You received divine insight that sent you on your path and occasionally receive new visions that guide you.]
Wandering the Underdark as a young goblin after a cave-in destroyed his tribe's warren, he was guided to a layman of Deneir who was searching for lost relics nearby. Raised in the temple of Deneir, Chuk-Chuk trained in the duties of a priest as well as learning the skills needed to recover lost artifacts. He received an abstract vision of the ordining being shattered and thus went off adventuring to fix it.
[and then I made a note the priest gave him that he presents to everyone he meets so they don't kill him, https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1TkqZq7wLOl5v37BUVQpJK0byEZCzPlHhdJtlVgzP6Pk/edit?usp=sharing]
I would only use your GM as the source of details about the campaign. If a campaign is mostly about fighting undead then some DMs would tell you that so you are effective fighting undead while others would regard that as being overpowered d will not tell you anything. There is also a middle ground where after you have created the bones of your character he might give you some hints for specifics such as if you are going to be a ranger he might help you choose favored terrain and enemies.
Who else is playing are they all novices? If experienced, are they going to make characters that are extremely powerful. There are plenty of guides of how to build an optimised character of a particular class, but unless everyone in the party is going for a maximum power character it is best to let the character concept base your decisions rather than start with how can a build the most powerful character possible. The guides can be useful in making your character strong enough to be viable. For example if you want to be a rogue, you will want your dexterity to be fairly high and normally your best stat. What is important is that everyone in the party feels as if they are contributing, if everyone is a relatively weak character the DM can tone down the difficulties, if everyone is a power character they can ramp up the difficulty. If there is mix then the weaker characters can feel they are not contributing and in battle they either get frequently knocked unconscious (or killed) or the DM decides the monsters never attack them (either as pure eta gaming or justifying it as the monster does not see the weak character as a threat) and they lose the sense of peril
You might want to up with a couple of character concepts, or talk to the other players regarding at they are creating before session 0. While a good GM can compensate i think it is always best if the group has a range of abilities, for example it is useful to have:
Someone who can be the "face" (a high charisma character who can persuade, intimidate or deceive others to do what the group wants
Someone who can heal
Someone who can act as a tank keeping es away from the more squishy characters
At least one person with good perception so you are aware of your surroundings
People who have decent attacks at range, for when it is difficult to get to the enemy (If they are attacking you from the top of a cliff or they can fly.
Someone who is good at buffing up the party and debuffing enemies (making the party and the enemy worse)
Of course an individual can cover more than one of these, wisdom is the key ability for Cleric spells and perception so the cleric will usually have good perception and the cleric spell list includes both healing and buff/debuff spells. Many clerics can wear heavy armor so a cleric can also be a tank (but many buff/debuff spells require concentration which means if you get hit there is a chance it can finish your spell so if you are a going to act as a tank.
Have an idea of what you want to play. Glance over the different classes (and their subclasses) and make a main pick and a backup pick. Yes some things will depend on the settings (especially for druids/rangers and maybe clerics a bit) but other than that any concept should work.
While the party should/could be diverse I do believe that peiple should have the ability to play what they want. Classes are pretty flexible so all the big gaps should be able to be filled with minimal effort.
Just get that combination of race/class & abilites in your head and character creation will go a lot easier. If you are new to RP and have no similar experiences from anywhere else, try to think of a concept that allows you to ease into it, no need to have a super detailed background. Some of it may come as you play.
There are no races/classes to avoid, it all works and is balanced pretty well. Ask the DM tough if there are any restrictions on races or sumwhat, it happens. (some DMs don't like variant Human or the bird people for low lvl campaigns).
Honestly it doesn't matter if certain types of characters have been done a million time ( the dumb fighter, the charming rogue, socially awkard wizard,...) If you want to play it, do it. Sometimes you can mix these up with small quirks or things that make them unique. You are doing this for fun after all.
Just go, talk to your DM and fellow players about your idea. If you have one you can also post it here and maybe we can help a bit if ye want.
Thanks everyone for your responses - there's a lot here to work through!
Is there an accepted way of getting a "Ghosts of Saltmarsh synopsis for players" (as opposed to "... for DMs") which would give me some inspiration for character concept? At the moment I have a vague feeling there are boats involved (and presumably ghosts, and a salted marsh?!), but I really don't know anything about the setting or campaign.
I'm not planning to do any min-maxing, but I'd like to feel like my character belongs to this world and would have a reasonable chance of getting caught up in this adventure, y'know?
Saltmarsh is a very small town on a rocky coast. Some of the new player back ground options in the book are Smuggler, Fisherman, Marine, and Ship builder. That gives you an idea of what kind of people can be found there and who would go there.
Here is a recent example from a Session 0 I ran a few weeks ago. I'm running Sunless Citadel. I told my players that they would be going to a large tournament festival, the Tourny prize was a magic apple that can cure illnesses or grant strength. I asked the players why their characters would go to this festival, do they want to compete and gain fame? Do they want to provide entertainment for money? Are they going to swindle tourists and pickpocket onlookers? Do you want to try and win the apple? Why? I used that to customize the plothooks for each player. So why are you in Saltmarch? Do you want to be there or did you just end up there?
The point: You don't have to make Plothooks for yourself, the DM will worry about that. Talk to them, ask them what might bring a Druid or Paladin or whatever to this small fishing village. Don't over think it.
I don't know about making background details only after Session 0. The way I look at it, there should always be a reason why your character chose to be an adventurer in the first place. It's a high risk, high yield occupation. If it was easy for most people, why stay a farmer or a cartwright or a card shark?
So a few things to consider:
* Why is my character willing to risk life and limb?
* Does my character have people or places that she/he/they really care about?
* What does my character enjoy doing when not adventuring? Similarly, if my character had to ride in a wagon or in a refugee ship with the common folk for days on end, what would he/she/they be doing or want to talk about? Would my character be comfortable in that situation?
* Does my character have any particular habits? What makes that person distinct from anyone else who happens to have the same race and class?
I have a number of ideas that have been circling around my head for months while I waited to find a group to join in with. Some of them are a bit more min-max than the others; some are more flavourful than powerful. The one I've been thinking is most suitable is Bjór Ivaldisson:
Bjór Ivaldisson is a viking warrior who exults in the thrill of battle; a human who has travelled the seas most of his life engaging in raids along the shoreline. Bjór recently left his family-clan following the death of his father Ivald, who had been the clan chieftain. As often happens in nature following the death of a pack leader, it is not uncommon for a new chieftain to consolidate their power by removing the offspring of the previous leader. Bjór didn't know who was going to take on the role and didn't think it prudent to wait and find out. Under the cover of darkness in the long night following his father's death, Bjór wrapped his belongings in an oilskin and slipped over the side of his ship, leaving behind the closest thing to a home he had ever known. Guided in the dark by the faint twinkling of a settlement in the distance, he found his way to shore and prepared to find himself a new life.
While his lack of any kind of formal education means he might struggle to win a debate, he's certainly no mindless thug. His education was in the ways of battle and the sea, learning how to act in concert with his clan-family as part of a highly organised team. Although his book-knowledge is limited, he does know how to read the sea and navigate by the stars; he knows how to stand in a shield wall and protect the warrior to his left and to trust that he will be protected in turn; he knows how to spot a weakness in his enemy and use it against them, whether by physically overpowering an opponent or using a distraction, taking advantage of the shifts in weight and balance which inevitably come on a fluid battlefield.
Where possible he prefers to fight from range, taking shots with his bow from a safe distance - but as the battle closes, any enemy who sees a ranged warrior as easy pickings in melee is going to be mightily surprised. Armed with his spear and shield, Bjór is almost preternaturally skilled, holding foes at bay with seeming ease and providing an impenetrable defence to any allies who stand behind him. Despite his skill with a spear however, his greatest love is recognising the moment in a battle when the close, orderly ranks of a shield wall are no longer required. Discarding his spear - ideally in the body of an enemy - Bjór will proceed to hack through any living foes with his battleaxe, a terrifying rictus grin fixed on his face and his eyes alight with the fury of death.
In terms of mechanics, I picture Bjór as a Fighter (Battle Master), variant human with the Sentinel feat. Primary stat is Strength, followed by Con and then Dex. He carries a shortbow, spear, battleaxe and shield.
So... how's that to start? Feedback would be wonderful!
Good stuff! It's a backstory that can fit anywhere and doesn't have to many details. It answers why you are a fighter and how you think. You are an adventurous spirit, that's all the motivation you need to get involved. The whole "the new chief may not want me around" hook got my DM blood pumping, I can think of so many ways to use that or even subvert that.
Leaving blank spaces in your backstory allows your DM to better use them, and allows you to better develop your character as you get to know them.
Post back in the forum and let us know how the session goes!
Mainly, think of what kind of character you want to play.
How do you want them to fight in combat?
What can they do when there isn't combat?
What race do you want to be (I would pick one that gives a stat boost related to the class you want to be)
We can help in the forums with mapping those to classes and abilities.
For backstory, a few sentences is probably fine. Think about what your character did growing up / before adventuring, and then why they would be adventuring now.
I do have a variety of character ideas I'd like to play to be honest, and all of them are fairly well different from each other with one fairly glaring exception: they all want to fight in the thick of battle. Any magic they conjure is invariably a boost to their melee combat abilities.
Do you mean in terms of like a profession? I like the idea of a character who can create things with his hands - a carpenter or a smith tend to appeal to me most. A warrior who balances his capacity for destruction in battle with a need to create things in times of peace kind of thing.
Most of the races appeal to me in one form or another, though generally I've got a preference for human. I am rather keen to create a Half-Orc Forge Domain Cleric, however.
I’ve recently joined up with a local group who are about to start a Ghosts of Saltmarsh campaign. I’m completely new to role playing.
It warms my cold DM heart to see a player excited about a session zero. My advice in bullet points:
*Don't go in with a fully formed character, stay flexible.
*Make your concepts mostly thematic, like "Navy Wizard with wand hand instead of hook, keeps mage hand cast, familiar is a parrot".
*Make a character that's willing to be part of a team and has a reason to be motivated by the plot hooks.
*Concept before Session 0, Backstory after.
*Talk to the DM, ask about his world and NPCs. If you want him to incorporate your backstory, incorporate his world.
Honestly Bhilli, the only thing you need is dice and enthusiasm. Have fun my friend.
Excited doesn't quite cover it - I've had butterflies in my stomach for the past two days!
I try to describe my characters conceptually using non-defined language, where possible. Bjór isn't a "Fighter"; he's a warrior. I aim to let their actions show who they are. That tends to mean I have a thematic concept in place which I then look at mechanics to bring to life, if that makes sense?
Yeah, the edgelord "lone wolf" character doesn't appeal to me in a social game. I can see way too many ways that can go wrong!
Dice and enthusiasm I can bring in abundance. I'm psyched to get rolling and see where it takes me!
Saltmarsh is a very small town on a rocky coast. Some of the new player back ground options in the book are Smuggler, Fisherman, Marine, and Ship builder. That gives you an idea of what kind of people can be found there and who would go there.
Here is a recent example from a Session 0 I ran a few weeks ago. I'm running Sunless Citadel. I told my players that they would be going to a large tournament festival, the Tourny prize was a magic apple that can cure illnesses or grant strength. I asked the players why their characters would go to this festival, do they want to compete and gain fame? Do they want to provide entertainment for money? Are they going to swindle tourists and pickpocket onlookers? Do you want to try and win the apple? Why? I used that to customize the plothooks for each player. So why are you in Saltmarch? Do you want to be there or did you just end up there?
The point: You don't have to make Plothooks for yourself, the DM will worry about that. Talk to them, ask them what might bring a Druid or Paladin or whatever to this small fishing village. Don't over think it.
Over-thinking is kind of my schtick. Hopefully my little blurb is broad and vague enough that I can meld it to pretty much any eventuality and, like you said, I tried to leave some fairly open-ended hooks there that the DM can pick up on if he chooses.
I don't know about making background details only after Session 0. The way I look at it, there should always be a reason why your character chose to be an adventurer in the first place. It's a high risk, high yield occupation. If it was easy for most people, why stay a farmer or a cartwright or a card shark?
So a few things to consider:
* Why is my character willing to risk life and limb?
* Does my character have people or places that she/he/they really care about?
* What does my character enjoy doing when not adventuring? Similarly, if my character had to ride in a wagon or in a refugee ship with the common folk for days on end, what would he/she/they be doing or want to talk about? Would my character be comfortable in that situation?
* Does my character have any particular habits? What makes that person distinct from anyone else who happens to have the same race and class?
I like these questions. Although I have a very broad answer to most of them, they seem like it would be worth spending a bit of time zeroing in on answers. Not having done any RP before, if my character was in a refugee ship for days on end I would be at a complete loss for words. That kind of preparation for me would be really useful - thanks for the pointers.
Good stuff! It's a backstory that can fit anywhere and doesn't have to many details. It answers why you are a fighter and how you think. You are an adventurous spirit, that's all the motivation you need to get involved. The whole "the new chief may not want me around" hook got my DM blood pumping, I can think of so many ways to use that or even subvert that.
Leaving blank spaces in your backstory allows your DM to better use them, and allows you to better develop your character as you get to know them.
Post back in the forum and let us know how the session goes!
I'll definitely post back, though it's going to be a couple weeks before things start happening. In the meantime I'll just be sat here, twiddling my thumbs and periodically checking my calendar to see how much longer I have to wait!
Again, thanks to everyone who commented and if you do have any further thoughts or advice, or if you want to share your experiences of your first campaign, I'd genuinely like to hear it.
I have a number of ideas that have been circling around my head for months while I waited to find a group to join in with. Some of them are a bit more min-max than the others; some are more flavourful than powerful. The one I've been thinking is most suitable is Bjór Ivaldisson:
Bjór Ivaldisson is a viking warrior who exults in the thrill of battle; a human who has travelled the seas most of his life engaging in raids along the shoreline. Bjór recently left his family-clan following the death of his father Ivald, who had been the clan chieftain. As often happens in nature following the death of a pack leader, it is not uncommon for a new chieftain to consolidate their power by removing the offspring of the previous leader. Bjór didn't know who was going to take on the role and didn't think it prudent to wait and find out. Under the cover of darkness in the long night following his father's death, Bjór wrapped his belongings in an oilskin and slipped over the side of his ship, leaving behind the closest thing to a home he had ever known. Guided in the dark by the faint twinkling of a settlement in the distance, he found his way to shore and prepared to find himself a new life.
While his lack of any kind of formal education means he might struggle to win a debate, he's certainly no mindless thug. His education was in the ways of battle and the sea, learning how to act in concert with his clan-family as part of a highly organised team. Although his book-knowledge is limited, he does know how to read the sea and navigate by the stars; he knows how to stand in a shield wall and protect the warrior to his left and to trust that he will be protected in turn; he knows how to spot a weakness in his enemy and use it against them, whether by physically overpowering an opponent or using a distraction, taking advantage of the shifts in weight and balance which inevitably come on a fluid battlefield.
Where possible he prefers to fight from range, taking shots with his bow from a safe distance - but as the battle closes, any enemy who sees a ranged warrior as easy pickings in melee is going to be mightily surprised. Armed with his spear and shield, Bjór is almost preternaturally skilled, holding foes at bay with seeming ease and providing an impenetrable defence to any allies who stand behind him. Despite his skill with a spear however, his greatest love is recognising the moment in a battle when the close, orderly ranks of a shield wall are no longer required. Discarding his spear - ideally in the body of an enemy - Bjór will proceed to hack through any living foes with his battleaxe, a terrifying rictus grin fixed on his face and his eyes alight with the fury of death.
In terms of mechanics, I picture Bjór as a Fighter (Battle Master), variant human with the Sentinel feat. Primary stat is Strength, followed by Con and then Dex. He carries a shortbow, spear, battleaxe and shield.
So... how's that to start? Feedback would be wonderful!
I like the ideas you've come up with so far. From your descriptions of how he fights, I'd come to many of the same conclusions. It does sound like you would place a standard array 8 in intelligence, possibly the 10 in charisma, and the 12 in wisdom. That would give him better perception for sailing particularly if perception isn't a proficiency. The sailor background should be a good place to start for personality ideas and such, since it would give you proficiency with Vehicles(water). I think more along the lines of a barbarian fighting style when thinking viking, and with the clan theme, perhaps some traits from Uthgardt Tribe Member would help with that theme if it jives with your thoughts on the matter.
I like the idea that he wants to start at range because it's the smart thing to do from a defensive standpoint, and it lends itself to the idea of an unconventional barbarian/tactical fighter.
I bring this up because one of the questions I had was why the PC wouldn't be the next clan chieftain? Was it because he wasn't ruthless enough or was too tactical? Was my reading on his charisma only being average spot on and the fact that more charismatic options were available in the clan that would be elected/ supported in a uprising? Or was there a more gifted warrior who has regularly bested your PC in sparring matches? Does he have no desire to be the clan chieftain? Does he have ambitious brothers who will stop at nothing to be the leader? He doesn't know who it will be but he knows it won't be him, why?
I like the ideas you've come up with so far. From your descriptions of how he fights, I'd come to many of the same conclusions. It does sound like you would place a standard array 8 in intelligence, possibly the 10 in charisma, and the 12 in wisdom. That would give him better perception for sailing particularly if perception isn't a proficiency. The sailor background should be a good place to start for personality ideas and such, since it would give you proficiency with Vehicles(water). I think more along the lines of a barbarian fighting style when thinking viking, and with the clan theme, perhaps some traits from Uthgardt Tribe Member would help with that theme if it jives with your thoughts on the matter.
I had intended to lay out stats exactly as you say. With racials, I was looking at 16, 14, 14, 8, 12, 10. I was leaning towards Pirate, rather than Sailor, purely because I could picture Bjón being potentially quite intimidating. The background feature for Pirate seemed to fit better for me. I'll have a look at the Uthgardt and see if it tickles my fancy!
People do tend to think of vikings as Barbarians, but I don't picture them that way. I think they were a lot more structured and organised as a whole, with a small number of berserk warriors who could go insane when battle started.
I like the idea that he wants to start at range because it's the smart thing to do from a defensive standpoint, and it lends itself to the idea of an unconventional barbarian/tactical fighter.
Yeah, I was swinging back and forth between a ranged and melee character and this seemed to hit the sweet spot for how I want to play the game. The shortbow is obviously not the most powerful option, but it fits how I see the character - I wouldn't expect him to upgrade to longbow because it would be too cumbersome.
I bring this up because one of the questions I had was why the PC wouldn't be the next clan chieftain? Was it because he wasn't ruthless enough or was too tactical? Was my reading on his charisma only being average spot on and the fact that more charismatic options were available in the clan that would be elected/ supported in a uprising? Or was there a more gifted warrior who has regularly bested your PC in sparring matches? Does he have no desire to be the clan chieftain? Does he have ambitious brothers who will stop at nothing to be the leader? He doesn't know who it will be but he knows it won't be him, why?
Ohhh, ok. This is exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to be asked. I absolutely had not considered the logic behind him not being the clan chieftain - it just seemed kind of "cool", y'know? So then I started asking myself why he's not the next chief and found myself realising that the description of him is beginning to teeter on Mary-Sue territory. Nobody has "preternatural skill" with any weapon at level one! I'll need to go re-evaluate somewhat.
In the meantime, how about throwing this into the mix?:
Bjór is the son of the previous chieftain, but he's far from a prodigy. He's learned the ways of fighting with his clan because he had to, but he was always cocky and arrogant because of his father's position. He would normally be expected to take on the mantle of chief following his father's death, but the clan has no interest in following him. His mother came to him in the evening after his father died and warned him that she had overheard some whispers: if he tried to claim leadership of the clan, he would be killed. Bjór leaves his home in the dark of night, fleeing in shame with a deep bitterness in his heart.
Perhaps in time he'll come to redeem himself. Maybe he'll realise that the clan were right and he wasn't fit to rule. Maybe he'll see the error of his ways and learn how to lead, earning back his rightful place as head of his clan. Or maybe he'll just get real good at killing things and take vengeance on the thieves who stole his birthright....
I greatly appreciate your comments - you made me reconsider who this character actually is and I think he's grown more interesting because of it!
I like that spin on why he wouldn't be the next chieftain! It gives a good reason why he would leave, a reason for the DM to revisit the clan if needed, an ally within the clan who could be used as a tool to draw Bjor back, and evidence that he's got some desire to revisit that in the future. It's still open ended enough for the DM to give justice to it either way as well. It also gives you some personality traits to define why his charisma is lower, and a way for him to increase his likeability without increasing his charisma. Perhaps he realizes that he's not the most likable when he's full-bore confident and tempers that when he needs help. With a 10, he's merely average with charisma and the knowledge of that can help him overcome his cockiness and other failings there, particularly as the fact that his clan didn't like him.
One of the interesting things about the possibility of redemption for your character is that he could do so by being able to earn the trust of his people again OR he could do so by simply coming to terms with the fact that he didn't put the work in during his youth to become an effective leader. There are other ways that might happen as well, but he doesn't have to take control of the clan to be redeemed. He could realize that whomever takes control is an effective leader who will keep the clan safe and that the best way for him to contribute to the clan is to either support the new chieftain or to simply go about his life elsewhere. This would be dependent on the new chieftain being effective, but it's an option that is on the table.
I like the idea of the Pirate fighter as a counteroption to the Sailor Barbarian. The fact that it meets your idea about who Bjor is just makes it that much better. As for the Uthgardt part, maybe just borrow a flaw or other personality trait from it. I think that might mean looking at acolyte and changing the religious references to clan/tribe references, but I might be thinking of another SCAG background. There might be some other things that might make sense once you look at it, but Pirate is probably a better fit conceptually overall.
This is probably one of my favorite parts of D&D in general and being a DM/ character creation in particular: talking over a character concept and having the player bounce ideas off the DM. Then the DM gives feedback and bounces other ideas off the player. I find it helps to give the character more depth than what I would normally be able to give him since those other aspects of the character are often quite foreign to what I would come up with on my own.
As promised, I return bearing tales of our Session 0, new-forged alliances and some unexpected developments.
I met up with the group as arranged. It's maybe worth noting that I didn't actually know any of these players - I've very recently got involved with a local gaming club, so this was a new campaign with people I hadn't previously met. We had a bit of a chat about what people were planning to do in terms of characters and it turned out that the four other players had come intending to play a monk, two fighters and a bard. I mentioned I was thinking about playing a fighter also and we merrily started to deal with stat generation and such. I had a bit of a niggle in my mind at the thought of having three fighters in the party and I decided to raise it with the group. It was generally agreed that party composition tends not to be a major issue, but that having two fighters and an additional support character might be of more use. One of my other character concepts was a Half Orc Forge Cleric, so I decided to bring that character along instead.
I am equally excited about playing the cleric, but had only done very limited preparation in terms of character design and backstory, concept and such. That made it a little trickier to set up my character sheet and I found it really challenging to do any kind of role playing, because I didn't really have any idea of who this character was - more on that presently.
We managed to get characters created, though the focus was nearly entirely on the mechanics of how to set everything up - of the five players, three of us are new to the game. The DM and two experienced players sat with us noobs and helped get everything organised.
My Half Orc is called Golg Ironfist. His post-racial stats are 16, 9, 16, 11, 14, 10. He wears chain mail and likes to hit things upside the head with his +1 mace. We made a brief start on the campaign and Golg proved to be incredibly effective in combat, but my pressing concern is working out who he actually is. I spent some time over the last couple of days watching videos about Half Orcs and came up with a rough outline of what Golg's backstory is - I would really appreciate feedback on this:
Golgarion Halfblood was born into a mountain tribe of barbaric humans. His tribe valued strength above all else and over the generations had taken to interbreeding with local Orc clans in order to increase the strength of their blood. To be a Halfblood was seen as an honour; a sign of strength beyond that of normal humans.
From a young age, Golgarion showed a great affinity for metalworking and used his prodigious strength to fashion weaponry, armour and wares for trade. Outwardly, his work was the savage and rudimentary work of the barbarian tribe, but it sometimes displayed an unexpected potency - weapons might cut through armour and bone with ease or armour plates would withstand blows that should perhaps have sundered them.
One of the tribe's trading partners was a stronghold of the Mountain Dwarves and before too long, the short folk recognised that someone in the tribe was crafting items beyond the ability of any regular smith. They sought out the source of these uncommon items and found themselves drawn to Golgarion. During one of their trade negotiations, the Dwarves made an unexpected offer: they would provide a suit of Dwarf-forged mithril for the chieftain of the mountain tribe in exchange for taking Golgarion away to apprentice with them in their halls of stone.
The tribal chief agreed to the exchange and Golg left his clan the next morning, travelling with the Dwarven trade delegation back under the mountains.
Over the following years, Golg learned to refine his craft. The Dwarves initiated him into their religion of the forge, unlocking some of the latent power they had sensed in his earlier work. His skill with hammer and anvil grew and under the watchful eye of his masters, Golg created some remarkable pieces of work and earned the name "Ironfist" from the Dwarves. To his frustration, however, he never fully achieved the mastery he sought. Though the Orcish side of his nature granted him a physical strength, it was at the cost of the patience and calmness of spirit the forge-priests counselled. One fateful day as he worked at some artisanal detailing, Golg's impatience got the better of him. Whether he tried too hard or worked too fast, the piece broke under the strain of his temper. A scream of explosive fury ripped from his chest as Golg dashed the ruined work to the side and grabbed the heavy smith's hammer from its rest. With a crack that sounded as though the mountain itself was splitting in two, the hammer thundered into the bare anvil. Magical force pulsed through Golg's body and as his eyes burned with rage, the power flowed through his hammer and sundered the anvil.
Golgarion was called before a trial of the forge. Though some among the Dwarves called for a severe punishment, others argued for understanding. They claimed that Moradin himself had granted strength and power to Golg and that their duty as followers of the All-Father was to help their troubled apprentice to overcome the claim of Gruumsh on his soul. Eventually it was agreed that the Half Orc's abilities were too precious to discard, but equally it was deemed too dangerous for Golg to remain in the Dwarven realm with no power to contain his fierce emotions. The elders of the forge decided that Golgarion would receive no further training or instruction of any kind until he demonstrated mastery over himself and charged him to travel beyond their borders until he gained control of the furious rage that simmered so close to the surface.
For the second time in his life, Golgarion Ironfist left his home. Determined to prove to his temple and his god that Gruumsh held no sway over him, he knew that returning to his previous clan was impossible. Instead, Golg set out for the realms of men, where he hoped the softer half of his soul might flourish.
I think that Golg is a temperamental and conflicted character, though his life with the Dwarves has taught him something of structure and order. He strives to control his impulses and feels shame when his emotions run unchecked. When calm, he displays the discipline that he wishes he could master, but he can be extremely quick to anger and his rage is explosive and terrifying to see.
His Dwarven training is reflected in the quality of blacksmithing he is able to fashion, but with every blow of his hammer there lies the chance that his impulsive nature will impact on the piece he is creating.
Golg's goal is to develop a maturity which grants control over himself. He hopes to one day return to his temple forge and complete his training.
I recognize that a lot of the advice asked/given here is about character particularities, but . . . as a new player, you might be interested in the "New Player Guide" which was recently added to the main site features.
The only other piece of advice I might offer is that your character is only as interesting as you can express at the table. That is, you can write an incredible story for this character with tremendous nuance to personality and psyche . . . it won't make much difference if it doesn't come across at the table. Whether that's because elements of the character's personality are difficult for you to portray at the table, or because the GM focuses so much on his adventure and having the NPCs talk to you that the players' characters never get a chance to emote or explore their stories.
For example, I ran a game several years ago where one of my players wanted to play a silent, intimidating sort of character. He imagined him to be like Clint Eastwood, with a grimace that could melt steel and communicated threat to his enemies. The problem was, the way this ended up coming across at the table was . . . a quiet character who rarely spoke and generally just made frowny faces at NPCs. Definitely not what he intended, and ultimately made the character a lot less fun to play.
The point is, it doesn't matter of the character is interesting on paper if he is only interesting on paper. Make sure it's fun to speak for this character, and try to make sure it's fun for the rest of the party, too.
Hey folks,
I’ve recently joined up with a local group who are about to start a Ghosts of Saltmarsh campaign. I’m completely new to role playing, other than an abortive four- or five-session long campaign in 2e almost fifteen years ago.
There are a wealth of resources online for DMs running their first game, but I’m struggling to find much for new players. I’m aware that I should do some prep work prior to our Session 0, but I don’t know the best way of going about it. The DM has said to turn up with a character concept and some dice, but I’m certain I saw somewhere that new players should also learn about the setting and such before starting a campaign - where would I do that without stumbling across spoilers?
What advice would you offer a new player who is equal parts excited and anxious about their first Session 0? Any thoughts on races or classes to avoid? Tropes or clichés that have been overdone a million times? Background or character creation guidance to help ease into that first PC? How much prep is too much?
Any thoughts, help, advice, warnings or dire imprecations would be hugely appreciated!
Session 0 is probably where the DM will go over the setting information.
Mainly, think of what kind of character you want to play.
We can help in the forums with mapping those to classes and abilities.
For backstory, a few sentences is probably fine. Think about what your character did growing up / before adventuring, and then why they would be adventuring now.
Here are the backstories for the two most recent characters I have played, one longer, and one shorter:
Sentinel, Warforged Ranger / Rogue, in a Tal'Dorei campaign (the Critical Role setting)
Created by the dwarves of Mror Tarnak during the Age of Arcanum, Sentinel fought against the Primordials during The Calamity. Sentinel was rendered inert amid a fierce battle in the Cliffkeep Mountains as the earth collapsed around him. Forgotten for a millennia, recent events with the Chroma Conclave serendipitously unearthed Sentinel. Ashari from Terrah discovered his body during an expedition and were able to restore him to at least a limited functionality. With the breaching of the fire portal at Pyrah, Pa'tice decided that an expedition needed to be mounted to ensure that no other portals were forming in Exandria. Sentinel was chosen to venture out, with the belief that with time he would recover his lost abilities.
A chance encounter in the village of Kalmar (or possibly just make this Jorenn) had Sentinel aid in driving off a mysterious attacker that was terrorizing the village. Villagers had been found partially drained of blood with their bodies mutilated in ways beyond an ordinary person. When the assailant was accidentally caught in the act on a dark night, they fell into the river during the confrontation and have not been seen since. Unbeknownst to Sentinel, the attacker was the vampire Ixrattu Khar.
When news of Sentinel reached Kraghammer, the dwarven forgemasters of House Bronzegrip and the arcanists of House Thunderbrand were both mobilized to reclaim this lost technology. Scout teams have been sent to capture him for study, as the magitech behind Sentinel's creation is currently lost to time.
[then my DM added this]
Sentinel found his way to Kymel, and determined that there was a large planar portal about to open near Emon. While searching for reinforcements, Sentinel ran afoul of The Clasp, where he was captured and boxed up for sale to the highest bidder. The Myriad intercepted the shipment and he was sold to Kraghammer.
[the first session was the rest of the PCs on an escort quest to bring a box full of 'silks' to a trading post. the caravan was ambushed, and the crate was opened, revealing that it wasn't silks, but my character]
Chuk-Chuk, Goblin Alchemist in Storm Kings Thunder (the Forgotten Realms setting, which is the default 5e one)
[for the monstrous races, there is a table you can roll on for ideas about why you are a PC and not a monster, this is what I chose: You received divine insight that sent you on your path and occasionally receive new visions that guide you.]
Wandering the Underdark as a young goblin after a cave-in destroyed his tribe's warren, he was guided to a layman of Deneir who was searching for lost relics nearby. Raised in the temple of Deneir, Chuk-Chuk trained in the duties of a priest as well as learning the skills needed to recover lost artifacts. He received an abstract vision of the ordining being shattered and thus went off adventuring to fix it.
[and then I made a note the priest gave him that he presents to everyone he meets so they don't kill him, https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1TkqZq7wLOl5v37BUVQpJK0byEZCzPlHhdJtlVgzP6Pk/edit?usp=sharing]
Site Info: Wizard's ToS | Fan Content Policy | Forum Rules | Physical Books | Content Not Working | Contact Support
How To: Homebrew Rules | Create Homebrew | Snippet Codes | Tool Tips (Custom) | Rollables (Generator)
My Homebrew: Races | Subclasses | Backgrounds | Feats | Spells | Magic Items
Other: Beyond20 | Page References | Other Guides | Entitlements | Dice Randomization | Images Fix | FAQ
I would only use your GM as the source of details about the campaign. If a campaign is mostly about fighting undead then some DMs would tell you that so you are effective fighting undead while others would regard that as being overpowered d will not tell you anything. There is also a middle ground where after you have created the bones of your character he might give you some hints for specifics such as if you are going to be a ranger he might help you choose favored terrain and enemies.
Who else is playing are they all novices? If experienced, are they going to make characters that are extremely powerful. There are plenty of guides of how to build an optimised character of a particular class, but unless everyone in the party is going for a maximum power character it is best to let the character concept base your decisions rather than start with how can a build the most powerful character possible. The guides can be useful in making your character strong enough to be viable. For example if you want to be a rogue, you will want your dexterity to be fairly high and normally your best stat. What is important is that everyone in the party feels as if they are contributing, if everyone is a relatively weak character the DM can tone down the difficulties, if everyone is a power character they can ramp up the difficulty. If there is mix then the weaker characters can feel they are not contributing and in battle they either get frequently knocked unconscious (or killed) or the DM decides the monsters never attack them (either as pure eta gaming or justifying it as the monster does not see the weak character as a threat) and they lose the sense of peril
You might want to up with a couple of character concepts, or talk to the other players regarding at they are creating before session 0. While a good GM can compensate i think it is always best if the group has a range of abilities, for example it is useful to have:
Of course an individual can cover more than one of these, wisdom is the key ability for Cleric spells and perception so the cleric will usually have good perception and the cleric spell list includes both healing and buff/debuff spells. Many clerics can wear heavy armor so a cleric can also be a tank (but many buff/debuff spells require concentration which means if you get hit there is a chance it can finish your spell so if you are a going to act as a tank.
Have an idea of what you want to play. Glance over the different classes (and their subclasses) and make a main pick and a backup pick. Yes some things will depend on the settings (especially for druids/rangers and maybe clerics a bit) but other than that any concept should work.
While the party should/could be diverse I do believe that peiple should have the ability to play what they want. Classes are pretty flexible so all the big gaps should be able to be filled with minimal effort.
Just get that combination of race/class & abilites in your head and character creation will go a lot easier. If you are new to RP and have no similar experiences from anywhere else, try to think of a concept that allows you to ease into it, no need to have a super detailed background. Some of it may come as you play.
There are no races/classes to avoid, it all works and is balanced pretty well. Ask the DM tough if there are any restrictions on races or sumwhat, it happens. (some DMs don't like variant Human or the bird people for low lvl campaigns).
Honestly it doesn't matter if certain types of characters have been done a million time ( the dumb fighter, the charming rogue, socially awkard wizard,...) If you want to play it, do it. Sometimes you can mix these up with small quirks or things that make them unique. You are doing this for fun after all.
Just go, talk to your DM and fellow players about your idea. If you have one you can also post it here and maybe we can help a bit if ye want.
It warms my cold DM heart to see a player excited about a session zero. My advice in bullet points:
*Don't go in with a fully formed character, stay flexible.
*Make your concepts mostly thematic, like "Navy Wizard with wand hand instead of hook, keeps mage hand cast, familiar is a parrot".
*Make a character that's willing to be part of a team and has a reason to be motivated by the plot hooks.
*Concept before Session 0, Backstory after.
*Talk to the DM, ask about his world and NPCs. If you want him to incorporate your backstory, incorporate his world.
Honestly Bhilli, the only thing you need is dice and enthusiasm. Have fun my friend.
Thanks everyone for your responses - there's a lot here to work through!
Is there an accepted way of getting a "Ghosts of Saltmarsh synopsis for players" (as opposed to "... for DMs") which would give me some inspiration for character concept? At the moment I have a vague feeling there are boats involved (and presumably ghosts, and a salted marsh?!), but I really don't know anything about the setting or campaign.
I'm not planning to do any min-maxing, but I'd like to feel like my character belongs to this world and would have a reasonable chance of getting caught up in this adventure, y'know?
Saltmarsh is a very small town on a rocky coast. Some of the new player back ground options in the book are Smuggler, Fisherman, Marine, and Ship builder. That gives you an idea of what kind of people can be found there and who would go there.
Here is a recent example from a Session 0 I ran a few weeks ago. I'm running Sunless Citadel. I told my players that they would be going to a large tournament festival, the Tourny prize was a magic apple that can cure illnesses or grant strength. I asked the players why their characters would go to this festival, do they want to compete and gain fame? Do they want to provide entertainment for money? Are they going to swindle tourists and pickpocket onlookers? Do you want to try and win the apple? Why? I used that to customize the plothooks for each player. So why are you in Saltmarch? Do you want to be there or did you just end up there?
The point: You don't have to make Plothooks for yourself, the DM will worry about that. Talk to them, ask them what might bring a Druid or Paladin or whatever to this small fishing village. Don't over think it.
I don't know about making background details only after Session 0. The way I look at it, there should always be a reason why your character chose to be an adventurer in the first place. It's a high risk, high yield occupation. If it was easy for most people, why stay a farmer or a cartwright or a card shark?
So a few things to consider:
* Why is my character willing to risk life and limb?
* Does my character have people or places that she/he/they really care about?
* What does my character enjoy doing when not adventuring? Similarly, if my character had to ride in a wagon or in a refugee ship with the common folk for days on end, what would he/she/they be doing or want to talk about? Would my character be comfortable in that situation?
* Does my character have any particular habits? What makes that person distinct from anyone else who happens to have the same race and class?
I have a number of ideas that have been circling around my head for months while I waited to find a group to join in with. Some of them are a bit more min-max than the others; some are more flavourful than powerful. The one I've been thinking is most suitable is Bjór Ivaldisson:
Bjór Ivaldisson is a viking warrior who exults in the thrill of battle; a human who has travelled the seas most of his life engaging in raids along the shoreline. Bjór recently left his family-clan following the death of his father Ivald, who had been the clan chieftain. As often happens in nature following the death of a pack leader, it is not uncommon for a new chieftain to consolidate their power by removing the offspring of the previous leader. Bjór didn't know who was going to take on the role and didn't think it prudent to wait and find out. Under the cover of darkness in the long night following his father's death, Bjór wrapped his belongings in an oilskin and slipped over the side of his ship, leaving behind the closest thing to a home he had ever known. Guided in the dark by the faint twinkling of a settlement in the distance, he found his way to shore and prepared to find himself a new life.
While his lack of any kind of formal education means he might struggle to win a debate, he's certainly no mindless thug. His education was in the ways of battle and the sea, learning how to act in concert with his clan-family as part of a highly organised team. Although his book-knowledge is limited, he does know how to read the sea and navigate by the stars; he knows how to stand in a shield wall and protect the warrior to his left and to trust that he will be protected in turn; he knows how to spot a weakness in his enemy and use it against them, whether by physically overpowering an opponent or using a distraction, taking advantage of the shifts in weight and balance which inevitably come on a fluid battlefield.
Where possible he prefers to fight from range, taking shots with his bow from a safe distance - but as the battle closes, any enemy who sees a ranged warrior as easy pickings in melee is going to be mightily surprised. Armed with his spear and shield, Bjór is almost preternaturally skilled, holding foes at bay with seeming ease and providing an impenetrable defence to any allies who stand behind him. Despite his skill with a spear however, his greatest love is recognising the moment in a battle when the close, orderly ranks of a shield wall are no longer required. Discarding his spear - ideally in the body of an enemy - Bjór will proceed to hack through any living foes with his battleaxe, a terrifying rictus grin fixed on his face and his eyes alight with the fury of death.
In terms of mechanics, I picture Bjór as a Fighter (Battle Master), variant human with the Sentinel feat. Primary stat is Strength, followed by Con and then Dex. He carries a shortbow, spear, battleaxe and shield.
So... how's that to start? Feedback would be wonderful!
Good stuff! It's a backstory that can fit anywhere and doesn't have to many details. It answers why you are a fighter and how you think. You are an adventurous spirit, that's all the motivation you need to get involved. The whole "the new chief may not want me around" hook got my DM blood pumping, I can think of so many ways to use that or even subvert that.
Leaving blank spaces in your backstory allows your DM to better use them, and allows you to better develop your character as you get to know them.
Post back in the forum and let us know how the session goes!
Over-thinking is kind of my schtick. Hopefully my little blurb is broad and vague enough that I can meld it to pretty much any eventuality and, like you said, I tried to leave some fairly open-ended hooks there that the DM can pick up on if he chooses.
I like these questions. Although I have a very broad answer to most of them, they seem like it would be worth spending a bit of time zeroing in on answers. Not having done any RP before, if my character was in a refugee ship for days on end I would be at a complete loss for words. That kind of preparation for me would be really useful - thanks for the pointers.
I'll definitely post back, though it's going to be a couple weeks before things start happening. In the meantime I'll just be sat here, twiddling my thumbs and periodically checking my calendar to see how much longer I have to wait!
Again, thanks to everyone who commented and if you do have any further thoughts or advice, or if you want to share your experiences of your first campaign, I'd genuinely like to hear it.
I like the ideas you've come up with so far. From your descriptions of how he fights, I'd come to many of the same conclusions. It does sound like you would place a standard array 8 in intelligence, possibly the 10 in charisma, and the 12 in wisdom. That would give him better perception for sailing particularly if perception isn't a proficiency. The sailor background should be a good place to start for personality ideas and such, since it would give you proficiency with Vehicles(water). I think more along the lines of a barbarian fighting style when thinking viking, and with the clan theme, perhaps some traits from Uthgardt Tribe Member would help with that theme if it jives with your thoughts on the matter.
I like the idea that he wants to start at range because it's the smart thing to do from a defensive standpoint, and it lends itself to the idea of an unconventional barbarian/tactical fighter.
I bring this up because one of the questions I had was why the PC wouldn't be the next clan chieftain? Was it because he wasn't ruthless enough or was too tactical? Was my reading on his charisma only being average spot on and the fact that more charismatic options were available in the clan that would be elected/ supported in a uprising? Or was there a more gifted warrior who has regularly bested your PC in sparring matches? Does he have no desire to be the clan chieftain? Does he have ambitious brothers who will stop at nothing to be the leader? He doesn't know who it will be but he knows it won't be him, why?
I had intended to lay out stats exactly as you say. With racials, I was looking at 16, 14, 14, 8, 12, 10. I was leaning towards Pirate, rather than Sailor, purely because I could picture Bjón being potentially quite intimidating. The background feature for Pirate seemed to fit better for me. I'll have a look at the Uthgardt and see if it tickles my fancy!
People do tend to think of vikings as Barbarians, but I don't picture them that way. I think they were a lot more structured and organised as a whole, with a small number of berserk warriors who could go insane when battle started.
Yeah, I was swinging back and forth between a ranged and melee character and this seemed to hit the sweet spot for how I want to play the game. The shortbow is obviously not the most powerful option, but it fits how I see the character - I wouldn't expect him to upgrade to longbow because it would be too cumbersome.
Ohhh, ok. This is exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to be asked. I absolutely had not considered the logic behind him not being the clan chieftain - it just seemed kind of "cool", y'know? So then I started asking myself why he's not the next chief and found myself realising that the description of him is beginning to teeter on Mary-Sue territory. Nobody has "preternatural skill" with any weapon at level one! I'll need to go re-evaluate somewhat.
In the meantime, how about throwing this into the mix?:
Bjór is the son of the previous chieftain, but he's far from a prodigy. He's learned the ways of fighting with his clan because he had to, but he was always cocky and arrogant because of his father's position. He would normally be expected to take on the mantle of chief following his father's death, but the clan has no interest in following him. His mother came to him in the evening after his father died and warned him that she had overheard some whispers: if he tried to claim leadership of the clan, he would be killed. Bjór leaves his home in the dark of night, fleeing in shame with a deep bitterness in his heart.
Perhaps in time he'll come to redeem himself. Maybe he'll realise that the clan were right and he wasn't fit to rule. Maybe he'll see the error of his ways and learn how to lead, earning back his rightful place as head of his clan. Or maybe he'll just get real good at killing things and take vengeance on the thieves who stole his birthright....
I greatly appreciate your comments - you made me reconsider who this character actually is and I think he's grown more interesting because of it!
I like that spin on why he wouldn't be the next chieftain! It gives a good reason why he would leave, a reason for the DM to revisit the clan if needed, an ally within the clan who could be used as a tool to draw Bjor back, and evidence that he's got some desire to revisit that in the future. It's still open ended enough for the DM to give justice to it either way as well. It also gives you some personality traits to define why his charisma is lower, and a way for him to increase his likeability without increasing his charisma. Perhaps he realizes that he's not the most likable when he's full-bore confident and tempers that when he needs help. With a 10, he's merely average with charisma and the knowledge of that can help him overcome his cockiness and other failings there, particularly as the fact that his clan didn't like him.
One of the interesting things about the possibility of redemption for your character is that he could do so by being able to earn the trust of his people again OR he could do so by simply coming to terms with the fact that he didn't put the work in during his youth to become an effective leader. There are other ways that might happen as well, but he doesn't have to take control of the clan to be redeemed. He could realize that whomever takes control is an effective leader who will keep the clan safe and that the best way for him to contribute to the clan is to either support the new chieftain or to simply go about his life elsewhere. This would be dependent on the new chieftain being effective, but it's an option that is on the table.
I like the idea of the Pirate fighter as a counteroption to the Sailor Barbarian. The fact that it meets your idea about who Bjor is just makes it that much better. As for the Uthgardt part, maybe just borrow a flaw or other personality trait from it. I think that might mean looking at acolyte and changing the religious references to clan/tribe references, but I might be thinking of another SCAG background. There might be some other things that might make sense once you look at it, but Pirate is probably a better fit conceptually overall.
This is probably one of my favorite parts of D&D in general and being a DM/ character creation in particular: talking over a character concept and having the player bounce ideas off the DM. Then the DM gives feedback and bounces other ideas off the player. I find it helps to give the character more depth than what I would normally be able to give him since those other aspects of the character are often quite foreign to what I would come up with on my own.
Well!
As promised, I return bearing tales of our Session 0, new-forged alliances and some unexpected developments.
I met up with the group as arranged. It's maybe worth noting that I didn't actually know any of these players - I've very recently got involved with a local gaming club, so this was a new campaign with people I hadn't previously met. We had a bit of a chat about what people were planning to do in terms of characters and it turned out that the four other players had come intending to play a monk, two fighters and a bard. I mentioned I was thinking about playing a fighter also and we merrily started to deal with stat generation and such. I had a bit of a niggle in my mind at the thought of having three fighters in the party and I decided to raise it with the group. It was generally agreed that party composition tends not to be a major issue, but that having two fighters and an additional support character might be of more use. One of my other character concepts was a Half Orc Forge Cleric, so I decided to bring that character along instead.
I am equally excited about playing the cleric, but had only done very limited preparation in terms of character design and backstory, concept and such. That made it a little trickier to set up my character sheet and I found it really challenging to do any kind of role playing, because I didn't really have any idea of who this character was - more on that presently.
We managed to get characters created, though the focus was nearly entirely on the mechanics of how to set everything up - of the five players, three of us are new to the game. The DM and two experienced players sat with us noobs and helped get everything organised.
My Half Orc is called Golg Ironfist. His post-racial stats are 16, 9, 16, 11, 14, 10. He wears chain mail and likes to hit things upside the head with his +1 mace. We made a brief start on the campaign and Golg proved to be incredibly effective in combat, but my pressing concern is working out who he actually is. I spent some time over the last couple of days watching videos about Half Orcs and came up with a rough outline of what Golg's backstory is - I would really appreciate feedback on this:
Golgarion Halfblood was born into a mountain tribe of barbaric humans. His tribe valued strength above all else and over the generations had taken to interbreeding with local Orc clans in order to increase the strength of their blood. To be a Halfblood was seen as an honour; a sign of strength beyond that of normal humans.
From a young age, Golgarion showed a great affinity for metalworking and used his prodigious strength to fashion weaponry, armour and wares for trade. Outwardly, his work was the savage and rudimentary work of the barbarian tribe, but it sometimes displayed an unexpected potency - weapons might cut through armour and bone with ease or armour plates would withstand blows that should perhaps have sundered them.
One of the tribe's trading partners was a stronghold of the Mountain Dwarves and before too long, the short folk recognised that someone in the tribe was crafting items beyond the ability of any regular smith. They sought out the source of these uncommon items and found themselves drawn to Golgarion. During one of their trade negotiations, the Dwarves made an unexpected offer: they would provide a suit of Dwarf-forged mithril for the chieftain of the mountain tribe in exchange for taking Golgarion away to apprentice with them in their halls of stone.
The tribal chief agreed to the exchange and Golg left his clan the next morning, travelling with the Dwarven trade delegation back under the mountains.
Over the following years, Golg learned to refine his craft. The Dwarves initiated him into their religion of the forge, unlocking some of the latent power they had sensed in his earlier work. His skill with hammer and anvil grew and under the watchful eye of his masters, Golg created some remarkable pieces of work and earned the name "Ironfist" from the Dwarves. To his frustration, however, he never fully achieved the mastery he sought. Though the Orcish side of his nature granted him a physical strength, it was at the cost of the patience and calmness of spirit the forge-priests counselled. One fateful day as he worked at some artisanal detailing, Golg's impatience got the better of him. Whether he tried too hard or worked too fast, the piece broke under the strain of his temper. A scream of explosive fury ripped from his chest as Golg dashed the ruined work to the side and grabbed the heavy smith's hammer from its rest. With a crack that sounded as though the mountain itself was splitting in two, the hammer thundered into the bare anvil. Magical force pulsed through Golg's body and as his eyes burned with rage, the power flowed through his hammer and sundered the anvil.
Golgarion was called before a trial of the forge. Though some among the Dwarves called for a severe punishment, others argued for understanding. They claimed that Moradin himself had granted strength and power to Golg and that their duty as followers of the All-Father was to help their troubled apprentice to overcome the claim of Gruumsh on his soul. Eventually it was agreed that the Half Orc's abilities were too precious to discard, but equally it was deemed too dangerous for Golg to remain in the Dwarven realm with no power to contain his fierce emotions. The elders of the forge decided that Golgarion would receive no further training or instruction of any kind until he demonstrated mastery over himself and charged him to travel beyond their borders until he gained control of the furious rage that simmered so close to the surface.
For the second time in his life, Golgarion Ironfist left his home. Determined to prove to his temple and his god that Gruumsh held no sway over him, he knew that returning to his previous clan was impossible. Instead, Golg set out for the realms of men, where he hoped the softer half of his soul might flourish.
I think that Golg is a temperamental and conflicted character, though his life with the Dwarves has taught him something of structure and order. He strives to control his impulses and feels shame when his emotions run unchecked. When calm, he displays the discipline that he wishes he could master, but he can be extremely quick to anger and his rage is explosive and terrifying to see.
His Dwarven training is reflected in the quality of blacksmithing he is able to fashion, but with every blow of his hammer there lies the chance that his impulsive nature will impact on the piece he is creating.
Golg's goal is to develop a maturity which grants control over himself. He hopes to one day return to his temple forge and complete his training.
I recognize that a lot of the advice asked/given here is about character particularities, but . . . as a new player, you might be interested in the "New Player Guide" which was recently added to the main site features.
The only other piece of advice I might offer is that your character is only as interesting as you can express at the table. That is, you can write an incredible story for this character with tremendous nuance to personality and psyche . . . it won't make much difference if it doesn't come across at the table. Whether that's because elements of the character's personality are difficult for you to portray at the table, or because the GM focuses so much on his adventure and having the NPCs talk to you that the players' characters never get a chance to emote or explore their stories.
For example, I ran a game several years ago where one of my players wanted to play a silent, intimidating sort of character. He imagined him to be like Clint Eastwood, with a grimace that could melt steel and communicated threat to his enemies. The problem was, the way this ended up coming across at the table was . . . a quiet character who rarely spoke and generally just made frowny faces at NPCs. Definitely not what he intended, and ultimately made the character a lot less fun to play.
The point is, it doesn't matter of the character is interesting on paper if he is only interesting on paper. Make sure it's fun to speak for this character, and try to make sure it's fun for the rest of the party, too.
In short:
- Session zero is meeting with gamemaster and other players.
- Usually all players are around same table but sometimes gamemaster invites players invidually.
- Usually characters are created together with gamemaster or other experienced players, especially with new players.
- Main idea is that gamemaster and players talk together about expectations of the campaign. Do you like combat, social encounters or exploration?
- Real life schedules: When people can play together? Is it once per month or more often? Who takes care of kids?