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with an e
2009-04-27, 02:33 AM
Assume a campaign that is set in the prime material plane and is not planeshift oriented. Is it possible--and if so, how--for a player to properly play a non-native outsider and fit naturally into the campaign, if we suppose that the other players need not be outsiders?

I guess the first step would be to locate an outsider with a LA so that it is suggested as a player race. Then, the outsider needs to be from a plane and can plausibly have a goal in the material plane that coincides with what the party might accomplish. And then...

Well, uh, I'm lost.

Eldariel
2009-04-27, 08:18 AM
Well, that's pretty much it. At that point, I don't see a reason you couldn't play an outsider. Neraphim [PlH], e.g., are LA +0 Outsiders native to Limbo, so they could work out just fine.

Darrin
2009-04-27, 08:31 AM
I guess the first step would be to locate an outsider with a LA so that it is suggested as a player race. Then, the outsider needs to be from a plane and can plausibly have a goal in the material plane that coincides with what the party might accomplish. And then...


There are a couple ways to play an outsider with no LA. The easiest is a Neraph (Planar Handbook). Sorta what a Slaad would look like as a PC race.

You could also play an Aasimar or Tiefling using racial class levels and then just never take your racial class level. WotC article:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a

You could also use a lesser planetouched race (from PGtF). Normally this would make you a humanoid with the extraplanar subtype, but you can also take the Otherworldly feat at 1st level to change your type back to Outsider.

Star Elves (Unapproachable East) are also extraplanar humanoids. I'm not sure if the Otherworldly feat would work for them, but it couldn't hurt to ask your DM.

As far as why an outsider would be on another plane, any of the classic cliches should work just fine:

* Some horrible astral tornado blew through your home, which was 100 times more awesome than whatever mudball you're stuck on now, and you don't understand who these smelly people are or why the universe hates you. You just want to get back home.

* Family slaughtered by [blank], you were the only survivor, heard [blank] went to [wherever], sold family's remaining heirlooms to pay for a plane shift. And yeah, there's a lightning bolt scar on my forehead, you wanna make something of it?

* Magelord Fancypants, supreme wizard and leader of your people, sent you on a quest to retrieve the Sword of Smiting All Naughtiness, and you can't go back home until you find it.

* You're working for the BBEG through the "extraplanar minion exchange program". You were totally planning on betraying the other PCs, but they just saved your life and that elf chick is kinda hot...

* Amnesia. No friggin' idea how you got here, the only clue you have is you were found wearing a mysterious amulet with the name "macguffin" written backwards in High Orcish.

* "What are you talking about, this *is* my home plane. Now, if you would please just move aside, there's a dozen tiny invisible purple mushroom people who would like to organize a parade to commemorate my ascension to Supreme Lord of All Quality Footware."