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View Full Version : [4E] Gnoll Assasin: "And now to finish yo- barkbarkbarkbarksquirrel!"



Xallace
2009-09-19, 07:29 PM
With the advent of the Assassin class in 4e, I'm thinking the idea of a gnoll assassin is really interesting. Partly because I think there's interesting conflict in a pack animal becoming an assassin, also partly because using Claw Fighter as my primary weapon is now viable.

I have a few vague ideas about being cast out of his pack, and latching on to an adventuring party out of desperation. But aside from a preference for hunting his own food and a strange (by gnoll standards) discretion in his killing, I can't think of how to play this character, or what his backstory should be.

I think I want to play up some amount of loneliness, though not in a whiny way. I have a few vague feelings about him not fitting in with his birth pack, and more than that pledging his soul to Shadow kinda sets him apart from most. Goals include finding a group that he can truly call "family."

Other than that, I'm just trying to figure out some personality quirks he might exhibit. The title is a reference to how one of my friends plays Shifters, I thought it was appropriate. Quirks don't need to be particularly serious; and actually, fun should be key here.

Would anyone mind helping me out? I'd really appreciate any suggestions.

Lord_Ventnor
2009-09-19, 07:44 PM
Perhaps there was some kind of ill omen associated with his birth that caused his clan to ostracize him. Pledging his soul to the Shadowfell may have been done by him to try and impress the pack, but it served as the justification his clan needed to exile him.

Another idea might be that his loneliness caused him to enter a Domain of Dread, but he escaped it as well.

FoE
2009-09-19, 07:49 PM
Keith Baker did an article not too long ago on "Playing Gnolls." I'm cribbing mostly from that.

The gnolls who worship Yeenoghu tend to be cannibalistic Blood Knight types. However, there are gnolls who have turned their backs on the Demon Prince, typically because of isolation from other gnoll tribes. These are fairly aggressive hunter-types who live on the fringes of nature; perhaps your Gnoll Assassin turned to the powers of Shadow after being forced to re-locate an urban environment, perhaps as a slave. And he became an Assassin because it fits in with how he views himself always as a predator amongst prey.

Mostly I would play him as somewhat abrasive. Gnolls don't say "May I help you?" They growl "Tell me what you want!" Savvy?

Oh, and "yarr."

Grey Watcher
2009-09-19, 08:14 PM
As for backstory, there are two basic questions, I think:

1: When, exactly, did he (I presume) do whatever it was he did to get Shadow-based powers?

2: What, if any, relationship did this have to his being alone prior to meeting his adventuring buddies?

While it might be that he was ostracized from his pack because he took up the way of an Assassin, it might very well be that he took up Assassinry in order to survive after having been cast out. Or, maybe the two have nothing to do with each other.

As for keeping it from being whiny, just avoid harping on the subject. It's there, but don't draw attention to it. If you talk to your DM about it away from the game table, he might be able to work in some scenes where it can come up without you turning into that random woman who's always swooning in the opening credits of "Mystery!"

As for personality quirks that might be fun, play up the canine end of things, I guess. Make a point to have your character note important smells (you might ask you DM to include odors in the flavor text more often than he might normally do so, to let you pick up on them). If your Perception lets you notice a monster, maybe instead of seeing or hearing it, you smell it. This all works best if you've got a better than average Perception modifier, obviously. How does your character react to his fur getting dirty or wet? Does he use utensils when he eats or does he just shove his snout in the bowl? Has he ever been known to chase his tail, and if he does, how does he react if others catch him at it?

Just my random thoughts on the matter.