Help Wanted.

[Seanzie]

Ugh. I've been sitting here for hours. I've been searching up stuff like, the dietys, the alignments, and so on! I can't think of anything, I'm horrible at this, I want to think of something that is like really good and long lasting character. I've played so many bitch characters (TH......) and I'm ready to do this by myself. I can't think of anything. So I'm going to be dependent on the world and ask you guys.(:

So I'm looking to play a character, that doesn't stray from fighting, doesn't pass up a adventure. That isn't evil to everybody but is still an evil aligned character. And that's good at fighting, fun to be around, and lives in the docks.

I understand that backstory doesn't give all of this, but I can't make any of this and be happy with myself without some backstory. As of recently, I'm not able to go IG for awhile. So I think it is best to like post a journal (inspired by Caster13) about what happened in the past to my character. So I'm wondering if anybody good with FR and EfU lore would be so kind to help me figure something out, I would need something like ideas on where he would have lived, who he would follow, what alignment, what attributes I'd have, what would be my weaknesses, and I'm accepting all types of comments, good, bad, horrible, praise, ANYTHING! basicly, I'm desperate for help, and would be oh oh oh so happy if you would obliadge.  

I thank you so much yours truly.

-Mell0D

[Kinslayer988]

Woah there Seanzie! Remember that a character lasts long if you let him. Like how when you lost your stuff you quit Ranaldo who had much potential. Find a good simple idea, and stick with it. Create a long thorough background that will wow players and Dms. Remember that the more detailed you are the more we are pulled in.

Try to make somebody that you can join factions with and when factions die you can still have fun with. If you lose your gear or have a bad run DON'T GIVE UP! Stick with your idea, make it interesting, and make a distinct personality.

For example:
A LE nobleman who hates assassinations and fights with honor yet rules his people with tyranny and fear.
An ex-monk with a fear for monestaries
An ex-thief Who wanted to redeem himself

Just think about something distinct about you and your characters and MOST IMPORTANTLY:

Play something YOU enjoy

[Bearic]

Fun to be around and evil? This does not make sense! :O
 
 Really, though, um you could make someone who gets a long well with other criminals, or something, and that could make sense. The lawful evil thing sounds true. You could also just make someone that is so self serving they work for who ever is paying the most; basically neutral evil.
 
  I think some of the best ways to do it is start from something humble. Like did he work in a bar before as a bouncer, or was raised in an orphanage and had to scrap by just to live? Those sorts of things are what I like, any how; not some "i've been an adventurer for ten years now, check out my skills!" guy, not that those are bad, I'm just not great enough at playing to pull that sort of thing off. ^_^
 
If all else fails play a Dwarf Bard; hardest combo ever. I thought you were playing ashley rat now, though. She seemed right interesting to me. =]

[Paha]

The thing that gets me going in my characters, is that I am after something. I'm after some main goal and what I do simply aids me towards it.

I don't play just because I want to quest, nor just to talk to other characters without meaning. Get yourself a goal you want to achieve.

It can be anything, from becoming a lord and building your own faction - to gathering lore and history and learning the truth behind fall of the ziggurat, and what not. Maybe even only finding this some secret relic? Being treasure hunter and wishing to  earn this prestige as one and earn enough bounties for trading them to collectors, so that you may build your own estate?

Anything. If you want to strive for something, then you have reasons to go into exploring with people, you have reason to quest to gather supplies and gold to sponsor your pursue for it, and so on.

[Seanzie]

To answer your question bearic, I am playing rat, but i took no time at all making her. I'm someones buff bot hoestly, and I'm okay with it, but it's like I have no real goal, other than the stuff that's top secret, but I'm asking if anybody is good with FR lore. And if they would help me a bit. But I guess I didn't make myself very clear.

[Divine Intervention]

I'm not big on FR lore but honestly other than the country you can pretty much just make it up.  My favourite pc so far started out as "Im going to play a brutal LE cormyran soldier." A good goal and ideas of how to get there is far more important than super detailed backstory IMO.  Have an interesting goal and drive for it and you will make your pc develop.  Honestly, I can count the amount of times I've gone in depth or been asked about my pcs history, on one hand.

[Seanzie]

Alright well I thank you. And I'm finding as I grow older, and get in better, harder classes in school. I'm getting better at role playing. But I get discouraged because I haven't seen DM's have any like idea my characters are alive other than a few times that I get robbed when they don't like them.. So I just thought maybe it's me, maybe it's my PC's maybe it's nothing!

[ScottyB]

I haven't seen DM's have any like idea my characters are alive other than a few times that I get robbed when they don't like them.

I don't know about these new DMs, but back in my day we showed our affection by putting PCs through hell.

Also: variety is the spice of life. Change things up each character, even if the character after that goes back to your old formula. On EFUA I went paladin --> fat TN guardsman --> paladin --> dorf barbarian --> LG wizard --> ranger of Umberlee --> paladin. No consecutive LG characters! So try something that's not evil for a change.

As far as lore, come up with the character first and then see what FR stuff would support it.

[Drakill Tannan]

If you look in wikipedia for "FR wiki" you'll easily bump into the forgothen realms wiki. Browse if for a while, reading intresting articles that might give you an idea of what you could achive.

[Wildlings]

Alright well I thank you. And I'm finding as I grow older, and get in better, harder classes in school. I'm getting better at role playing. But I get discouraged because I haven't seen DM's have any like idea my characters are alive other than a few times that I get robbed when they don't like them.. So I just thought maybe it's me, maybe it's my PC's maybe it's nothing!

 
Play because it's something you want to play, not what you think the DM's will notice. Trust me, if you play hoping for DM attention, you will only find extreme disappointment, but, if you play because it's something you find fun, then it doesn't matter if the DM's have a clue you are playing.
 
Make goals for your character that doesn't need DM attention, this way you can still see some achievement without depending on the DM's to advance your story. My favorite character got very little to no DM help, yet I was able to enjoy her each time I logged on. This should be the goal, find interesting characters to get involved with.  Find fun things to RP about.. make your story as you go.

[tspawn35]

My favorite character got very little to no DM help, yet I was able to enjoy her each time I logged on. This should be the goal, find interesting characters to get involved with. Find fun things to RP about.. make your story as you go.

I totally agree with this.. My current character I am having a blast with. and oddly i tend to spend more time just rping in front of the Kingman then doing anything else. However, I find it to be a blast because I enrich my characters backstory and personality.

[Garem]

Getting frustrated at a lack of DM attention is a huge trap. If you're frustrated, it's because you're not having fun. If you're not having fun, DMs are not likely going to have fun being around you, so they just won't make efforts to interact or help push your plot ideas. It's a game for them too! They want to enjoy themselves as much as the next player.

[Ghost]

As was said above, it's simple really. Don't do things because you think it will attract DMs, do things because they're fun. If you're having fun then other players will want you around. DMs tend to watch characters they see having fun because they're entertaining to watch. Then, maybe with some luck, you wind up with DM attention.

Don't make you're characters to try to grab the DMs, just play the character you want to play and have a good time doing it. The rest tends to take care of itself.

[Haromaro]

Your character sounds very generic, so I think that you need to take an old concept and spin it with a new twist.

First off, I strongly recommend that you play a good-aligned PC and try to associate yourself with factions that you haven't been a part of before. Otherwise, I think the first step in figuring out this character is to simply try and understand why (s)he wants to adventure. Throw an interesting little tidbit in there. Is he searching for the cure to a disease from his homeland? Perhaps he's trying to reach immortality? Find a family heirloom? Avenge the death of a loved one? Establish a new religion, or bring a relatively powerless deity to power? If he has prejudices, what are they, and why does he have them?

I've always felt that a really good way to establish a new character is to figure out which deity he worships. This gives you a general outline of his goals and interests. Try to do something new. If you do go with a deity that's widely worshipped and often chosen for your character archetype, what makes this particular worshiper more interesting than Joe Blow's Paladin of Tyr?

Talk to someone about your concept on IRC. I recently spoke to Thomas about my first "real" character on the server and I found his input extremely helpful. If the person you talk to is intrigued enough to ask questions about your character  past the general, basic stuff -- good. That person is likely going to bring up things that you haven't even thought of, which gets your brain thinking and lets you flesh out more of your character's... well, character!

Really, it's your choice. You have to come up with a character on your own, or else it won't be nearly as fun to play. Browse the Player Information/Lore forums -- they have a wealth of information that goes a long way in trying to figure out what you want to play.

Hope this helped; cheers.

[SilentSouth]

I know this doesn't really have anything to do with this, but the EFU:A Community is awsome, everyone is so helpfull its just great. I mean look at all the positive, in depth gold mine info you got smacked out on this thread.