By far Iv'e found that I make somewhat interesting characters, even if they don't last long. I decided to give some tips, for those who are new to the server and those who have just lost their favorite character and don't know how to begin again.

Firstly, if you want your character good or evil, make sure that if he is good, he has an evil trait, and if he's evil, he has a "redeeming quality" No-one likes a person who is purely good or purely evil. It's unrealistic, the way they act. Sacrificing people for the hell of it would qualify as evil, but it doesn't make sense. However, an assassin that kills for the cause of his choice, but feels remorse and sadness for those he kills, would be a cool concept for a character. The same for a character who is good. He can be good, but he might fall to the temptation of stealing every once in a little while.

When you decide to make a character who is crazy, that's fine. Your'e in the underdark, and the simple man would go crazy in such an environment, but don't go mugging people for no reason other than "I'm crazy" it's amazing how crazy people are unil they come across a person they OOC is more powerfull than them. rather, if your character is crazy, choose something that sets him off, and stick with it, whether it's the people he hates is religious, wears the color red, is associated with spellcasters, etc. etc.

Do anything to make your character stand out, within reason of course. An example is a character I recently created who has an extremely low charisma score. I made him scarred by acid and fire. along with knife wounds, to make him easy to see in the crowd, this creates more character interaction, because people will be curious, and thus can influence your character, which leads me to the next point:

LET OTHER CHARACTERS INFLUENCE YOU. People change. People change other people. It's not a crime to have slight changes in personality and beliefs due to the influence of a firiend you may come to know.

Another point, if you are unable to make an interesting character, don't. LET SOMEONE ELSE DO IT FOR YOU. What I mean is this, make a character with an interesting appearance alone. That's all. Set his/her alignment to neutral, and make him/her a faithless person. You are now perfect for being influenced by anyone else. You can do anything. You could become a member of the watch, you could become a follower of and evil god. It just depends on what other characters introduce you to. Make your character the picture of innocence, perfect for defilement or hardening into a law-abiding citizen.

Finally, on the subject of backgrounds, if you don't have one in mind, then start with what clothes you buy in the beginning of the game, and where you start in the begnning of the game. You could be a small-time noble who's lived in upper city all your life, or you could be a thug from lower. When people ask you about your character's background, start there, when they ask for more info, build up on the background, until you have a huge detailed background. after that, STICK WITH THAT BACKGROUND.

I think that's all, if any of this sounds wrong to the DMs, tell me. I'm good at fixing my mistakes, seeing as how they happen often.

My advice for creating a good character is to watch what I do and don't do it.

*thinks back to the good old days of tom_the_not_very_etc's identical topic* Anyway, Good tips, other then the faithless part. Very few in the FR are faithless, as the gods kinda make them selfs pretty appearant.

Petey1's really got some gems in here.

This is a really good guide! I think you've got the right idea, Petey.

to explain the faithelss part a bit more: what i mean is make your character simply ignorant of the gods, he/she doesn't have to believe in the nonexistance of gods, it could be he/she just hasn't really ever thought about them before... also, another really cool idea is to have a character who hates ALL gods in general. He believes in them, just hates their guts, maybe because his/her family was killed by religious fanatics. Thus making faithless your religion, in a sense.

And for the poor soul who cannot think of a background just yet, but have an idea for a character, start him off as escaping the illithid and not being able to remember his past.

Join a group and hope that inspiration leads you to remember your backstory to fit into a plot that is IG.

Yes. Very good pointers here, petey. To add to your good/evil trait dynamism, tragic flaws are also an excellent way to allow for an interesting character.

petey512 to explain the faithless part a bit more: what i mean is make your character simply ignorant of the gods, he/she doesn't have to believe in the nonexistence of gods, it could be he/she just hasn't really ever thought about them before... also, another really cool idea is to have a character who hates ALL gods in general. He believes in them, just hates their guts, maybe because his/her family was killed by religious fanatics. Thus making faithless your religion, in a sense.

Or you could just be a general Atheist, in a sense. Perhaps "cleric magic" is just similar to what a sorcerer does, and there just aren't any gods because it doesn't make sense for them to exist.

another very good point! an atheist who believes that divine magic is simply a more glorified version of sorcery would be a cool idea. I like it.

lovethesuit My advice for creating a good character is to watch what I do and don't do it.

To follow up on lts's point here, and he is entirely right by the way, I find that it really helps to watch what I do and try to copy that. I am the yang to lovethesuit's yin. Which is why, while there is nothing but love for love the suit, there is nothing but hatred for Oroborous--but DAMN interesting characters.

:roll:

Another point on religion is that while your character may have a patron deity, they don't have to follow their dogma to the letter unless they're a cleric or paladin. A chaotic fighter who holds Helm as his patron, and has somewhat sticky fingers. Religion tends to work in a state of, "your family is Catholic, you'll be raised to be Catholic, and chances are you'll be Catholic". It might be different in the Forgotten Realms, I dunno.

Also, on characters in general, give your character a greatest fear! Perhaps he had a traumatic childhood experience with goblins, or perhaps he's just arachnophobic? Maybe he has a fear of small spaces, or agoraphobic?

Keep in mind that character weaknesses are very fun. Sometimes, they make the character more interesting than any of their strengths! Try not to overdo it and go off into drama, unless you're into that kind of thing. Insanity and fears seem to be the most common weaknesses, can anyone think of about three more?

In closing, don't just let other people influence your characters. Let experiences do it as well! For example, if a character almost dies fighting giant spiders, maybe he would become afraid of or nervous around spiders? And keep in mind that it's always good to show that your characters have emotions, without over-doing it and heading into a soap opera.

Or wishes to make himself completely emotionless and gets frustrated when he gets all emotional. That was fun when Rich the Pitiless was emoting his dead cold voice or was watching something funny.

Don't be afraid of change for the worse.

Shit happens. Not everyone can be heroes. Sometimes that pro-football prospect blows out his knee in college and can never play again.

Sometimes your character can be fighting something, and lose, and continue playing despite this loss. I had a duergar who thought he was hot shit, until no one showed up for his "Date the sexy duergar for charity", and he became disgrunteled, angry, and a rebel leader instead of an art patron, since he lost all faith in his idea in beauty.

Don't be afraid to lose faith, motivation, etc.

It makes people around you react, and that makes great RP.

(Note: Don't take it to Emo levels, but sometimes its fun to fail).

A paladin who loses his way. A cleric who, as a human, fails an aspect of his diety. A dwarven warrior who finds himself befriending a goblin, and is therefore shunned by his community.

Aspects like that add depth to a character. Depth = win.

To win at EFU, be deep.

I personally agree entirely with the letting other people mold you thing after an absolutely amazing instance where I was pulled onto the Two Tooth Train at level 2 by simply playing a completely shattered TN slave ready to be molded.

I'd advise trying it completely!

Yes, allowing characters to mold you leads to really good character depth. A perfect example would be a character I created by the name of Spite. He was a rogue, and was neutral evil, I gave him a heavilly scarred face so that he would draw attention to himself, and essentially created him for no other reason than to get caught doing something illegal. That way I would finally see how the law system worked. I had him join a part for the "portal to the surface" quest, and once we roleplayed being all surprised that the portal did not go to the surface, he and nelas vowed to have revenge on the man who had us go in. During the quest I realized that spite was an extremely powerfull rogue and at the end of the quest, Nelas and I set out to kill the fellow who almost killed us. After killing him, I realized that I needed to make myself infamous if I was gonna get caught and given the death penalty later, and decided to leave my mark on the body. I searched my pack, nothing but my equipped gear, a few daggers, and a tarot card deck. It then hit me. I pinned the tarot card of death to dead man's chest with a dagger. At this point Nelas, (Not knowing my character's name IG) Began to call me "Death Card" or "Card" At that point I really got interested in my character. This fellow with no background at all soon became a former jewel thief on the surface, stealing to feed his daughter, until he stole jewels that were much too "hot" to sell, and wer'e dangerous to own. He then was double-crossed by followers of hoar, left deep in some mines with his daughter, and was tortured by drow as his face was cut by their blades, and forced to watch as they sacrificed his daughter to lolth. He thus hated and despised religion of all sorts. By the time I had figured out his storyline, he was "A Good Card, Assassin and Threat-maker" His personality became so cool. He was silent, and reserved. Open, yet dishonest. Not afraid to show himself, but not stupid enough to stay when he knows he was not wanted. He soon became obsessed with Clara Fireheart, convinced that she was his daughter in a different body, and that she couldn't recognize him because of the scars the drow had inflicted upon him. He sent her letters, filled with the tarot cards that had once fortold to him the death of his daughter, letters warning her not to marry fox, for he was not to be trusted. Eventually for the sake of spending more time with her, he took up the name, Jhonny de Blave, and became one of her friends. (She only knew him as an assassin when his mask was on) He thus became more sane, and less hatefull of the gods, believeing them to perhaps exist, since they had brought his daughter back to him.

The storyline ends on quite a bad note, a note I don't believe is fitting for him, but he died trying to save Clara. He was evil, but his redeeming quality was trying to protect her. Making him a very fun character to roleplay. But when it comes down to it, the one who influenced him into becoming this assassin feared by clara, rather than a level two rogue stoned in sanctuary, was Nelas, who influenced me by merely giving me the nickname. "Card."

Card was a good character, Kyle interacted with him on several occasions his web of decipt was well done, i am only sorry you never got the end that you wanted.

I don't really like Atheists or Agnostics in FR. I mean.. Is it really even possible? You may not have a patron, per se, or a deity of choice, but everyone is still going to admit The Gods exist. Afterall, 10 years ago they were walking across Faerun.

I guess 9lives is right... I still like the idea of hating the gods though. it would create more character interaction, you'd become a figure of hatred to paladin's and clerics, and if anything, it would allow the clerics and paladins to do what they should be doing, that is, trying to get people to follow their god, (that is what theyr'e supposed to do right?)

9lives I don't really like Atheists or Agnostics in FR. I mean.. Is it really even possible? You may not have a patron, per se, or a deity of choice, but everyone is still going to admit The Gods exist. Afterall, 10 years ago they were walking across Faerun.

Keep in mind that religion among slaves is often discouraged to the point of slaves seen praying being killed. Religion and faith gives hope, which is another thing that slaves should not have if they are to be kept productive. This could result in the mentality of being afraid to acknowledge the gods.

A character could still reject the gods without being a slave. Hell, a character could believe that the entire world is just something going on in his mind, and that he's really Ao. Or that the Spellguard only use eco-friendly, biodegradable dresses.

I don't think there's anything wrong with rejecting the Gods, or not favouring one- Just denying their existance.

sounds good sounds good. that was a shaky factor in spite's character, I was never sure if he should hate the gods or believe that they don't exist. I guess he hated them now....

petey512

LET OTHER CHARACTERS INFLUENCE YOU. People change. People change other people. It's not a crime to have slight changes in personality and beliefs

Absolutely.

Three other things that work really well when you come across a new character like Petey's:

1. Talk about new characters to others - it fits them in quicker. 2. Unless you are an observant genius have fun misinterpreting things. Being naive is not a weakness. Confusion is good. 3. Go with the flow. Sometimes there isn't going to be a fitting end.

There are a view views, in which one could conceivably deny the gods their godhood. But, as Ninelives points out, not their existence.

For instance, the very act of apotheosis could imply to some open minded person that a god is nothing more than a very powerful human, and not really something worthy of allegience at all, at least not any more so than a powerful military commander. In this sense, Atheism in the realms becomes not about denying that Gods exist literally, but saying they don't exist, conceptually.

<_<

Three other things that work really well when you come across a new character like Petey's:

1. Talk about new characters to others - it fits them in quicker. 2. Unless you are an observant genius have fun misinterpreting things. Being naive is not a weakness. Confusion is good. 3. Go with the flow. Sometimes there isn't going to be a fitting end.

Yeah, if you remain delightfully ignorant of a bad guys secret identity, even if you know OOC that he's the assassin who's been bothering you, then you'll probably earn his respect OOC and he'll try his best to make the game fun without killing you. That's just me tho.

DeputyCool has it. Do some research upon the Athar, if you feel like playing an 'atheist'. Denying their existence outright is all very well if your character is insane, or utterly deluded. However, it should not be taken as the normal thing, and is best be backed up with interesting and exciting.

Dr Ds Advice on making a sweet chat

Positive Cha intel and Wisdom. (if you have negative Cha DMS WILL PICK ON YOU!.) From Personal Expierience.

Dont Be Afraid to Resort to Fd What Dms Mean is Dont Fd Because (HE MADE ME MAD! OR HE DIDNT PAY ME WHEN I WAS MUGGING HIM!) If they attack you first or Worship a deity totally against you by all means kill them.

Also if you are a paladin TRY TO REEDEEM THE EVIL RATHER THAN KEEP IT A SECRET! DONT JUST LET THE EVIL GUY WALK AROUND AND CALL THEM EVIL! TRY AND GET THEM TO REPENT ETC.... Im Sick of the Bullshit I get from alot of Paladins. Such as Oh your evil so im just not questing with you.

Or Oh Your Evil GET AWAY GET AWAY! Rather than try and Reedeem you Im just going to leave you to EVIL!

Study Fr And Know your stuff

I was questing with this guy and he was all "Oh Chosen Dont have Public Schools." NO ONE IN FR HAS PUBLIC SCHOOL IT DOSENT EXIST SO STFU! THE ONLY THING CLOSEST TO PUBLIC SCHOOL IS A KINDLY MAGE WANTING TO APRENTINCE A STUDENT FOR FREE!

RP THE FACT THAT GOBLINS/KOBOLDS/OTHER MONSTERS ARE EVIL

I TRIED HATING ON A HALF-ORC WHO ALEGEDLY SAID DONT HARM INNOCENT GOBLINS IN UPPERS STREETS I STARTED MAKING FUN OF HIM AND STUFF AND PEOPLE WHERE ALL BOO CORUPT WATCHMEN! I SAW A PALADIN SAY ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL! IS THIS FOR REAL?

SOME ADVICE NO NO NO NO NO IN FR DROW/GOBLINS/MONSTERS ARE EVIL CREATURES THAT SHOULD BE DESTROYED IF I SEE A PALADIN THAT SAYS ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL I WANT TO SLAP HIM AND SCREAM WTF!

IF YOUR A PALADIN JUDGE BY ACTIONS NOT AURA!

I SWEAR I SAW A PALADIN HAVE NO PROBLEM QUESTING WITH SOMEONE WHO WORSHIPS A GOD THAT ENCOUAGES CARNAGE AND BLOODLUST WITHOUT PAYING ANY MIND AND CORRECT THE EROR OF THEIR WAYS. OR THESE CHARS ARE BEING RETARDED AND STUFF AND PALADINS ARE ALL "THERE DOING NOTHING WRONG!" JUST BECAUSE OF THEIR AURA PALLYS JUDGE MORE THAN JUST /DETECT EVIL

Also some advice

WHEN A PRIEST IS OFFERING YOU A BLESSING DEMAND WHO THEY WORSHIP. SAME GOS FOR PRIESTS BUFFING ASK THAT THE CHAR DOES A PRAYAR TO YOUR DEITY OR SOME SUCH RATHER THAN JUST BE A USELESS BUFF MACHINE!

ROUND 2

Advice on playing Evil Chars. You Dont need to creat a boatload of bodys to be considered evil. Do Some Smart Plans have Motivation for his evil ways Besides Just the Hell of it!

Try and make people who Arent already Evil EVIL! Convert the Chaotic Nuetrel to Chaotic Evil.

Work on Plans Specifically what you will do with the body!

DONT MAKE IT OBVIOUS YOUR EVIL PLZ!

Advice for Whiners/people grumbling about their Xp Loss

YOUR LUCKY YOUR NOT PERMA DEAD! IF YOU HATE XP LOSS JUST DONT QUEST! YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THE INSTANT YOU LEAVE THE GATES YOUR FAIR GAME! HELLS YOUR FAIR GAME SOME PLACES IN THE GATES THE UNDERDARK IS A HARSH PLACE DEAL WITH IT NOOBLET!

-Advice From Dr Dragon

Oh Docter, you are the living end.

Doctor Dragon, as a bit of friendly advice, your posts would be easier to read and thus more willing to pass on the wisdom they so eagerly wish to, if you refrained from excessive use of capital letters.

From one player to another, that is my humble opinion you smooth mac daddy, you.

It's amazing how I learned that rule a long ...Er

Back on topic

Just let the character flow from you, let it resemble -you- or an aspect of you.

make your character cool, opposite of dangerous dan

Dr Dragon

Study Fr And Know your stuff

I was questing with this guy and he was all "Oh Chosen Dont have Public Schools." NO ONE IN FR HAS PUBLIC SCHOOL IT DOSENT EXIST SO STFU! THE ONLY THING CLOSEST TO PUBLIC SCHOOL IS A KINDLY MAGE WANTING TO APRENTINCE A STUDENT FOR FREE!

Halruaa does, but it's a very isolated example. <_<

yikes three pages already.

Dr Dragon

Also, if you are a paladin, try to redeem the evil, rather than keep it a secret! Don't just let the evil guy walk around and call them evil! Try and get them to repent, etc. I'm sick of the bullshit I get from a lot of Paladins. Such as "oh, you're evil, so I'm just not questing with you."

It's "smite evil". Not "preach to evil".

Both are fine.

I'd have to agree, but to kill someone just cuz you sense evil, would destroy the factor of never creating a character who is pure good. Nobody likes that person and to tell the truth nobody want to play with that person. That goes the same for evil characters. Not just pickin on the good guys. I have personally never seen a single cleric/paladin preach to anyone they had realised was evil. they either argued or fought. I found it very boring.

I've never seen a cleric preach...

Yip I've never seen a cleric preach...

That is truely, Infinatly sad. EfU's clerics need to be smote for that.

And anyway: the whole "ur t3h 3v1L! I wont quest with you!!!!!1!!!" is annoying for more then IC reasons.

A: IC, the paladins oaths allow them to work with Evil, but not on a perminant basis, but on a quest to quest basis, because otherwise, a D&D campaign would be unrunable, as most of the time you end up with at least one aasimar paladin of helm and one "gifted young wizard who is attracted to necromancy". If paladins couldn't quest with evil, D&D would disintegrate.

B: Sometimes, when the server is slow, there are only enough people to support one quest party. So essentially, when you say "I wont quest with you", most of the time, they wander around the town a bit, Make a sending, no one is in town to show up, and log off.

[/rant from person who has been forced to log numerous times for that reason]

I've seen plenty of clerics preach. Preaching is probably the coolest part of playing a cleric, too. Well, basically everything about playing a cleric is cool, but I won't go into that.

There's a lot of good advice in this thread.

well i take that back iv'e had one guy prach to me. a bad guy. never a good guy. i have heard of sermons taking place tho, to be fair.

thomas is wise said:

Just let the character flow from you, let it resemble -you- or an aspect of you

yeah, all my characters represent something about me. petey sewle is my toublemaker side. Spite was my dark side. Eli Fellin is the guy I could never be. and Varlo Blave is the good side of me.

Please note however I made well over 100+ characters, I am either insane, because each Character has its own personality, religion (well most, I've only made ONE cyrist, THREE Talossians, TWO kossuthans, 4 Paladins, ONE helmite, Two Sharrans,....Two Followers of Orcus, One Tempussian, two Gargosians, etc...)

Remember for clerics to preach people have to come and listen.

I have seen clerics try to preach (mine have tried as well) on nights where there are near 30 people on and maybe two show up to listen. So I think if people want more preaching more people need to be open to listening.

this all good stuff on those who want to roleplay clerics.

Most clerics should make every opportunity to mention there god.

I played Rich the Pitiless, and People found him creepy, but there was no denying that he was a Jergalite. He would constantly mention his "lord Jergal" in every second sentence, he would preach before a battle, preach after a battle, and preach during a battle. A cleric should Take every opportunity to mention there god. Level is no excuse, a level 2 cleric should be preaching the moment he enters Sanctuary, not doing deliveries.

I don't play Secretive clerics for a reason, I do not like playing Sharrans, Maskites, or gods that favor stealth above taking a Stand.

Thomas_Not_very_wise I don't play Secretive clerics for a reason, I do not like playing Sharrans, Maskites, or gods that favor stealth above taking a Stand.

Actually, I believe only clerics of Mask, Cyric, and a few other minor FR gods have the alternate symol feat available to them.

Sharian priests are supposed to be pretty open I think? I dont know, The two P&P games I play are both greyhawk.