PDA

View Full Version : Playing a "non-traditional" race/class combo



Darthteej
2010-08-29, 12:14 AM
In AD&D, for both additions, race and class were a blurred concept. Any other race than humans was limited in what classes they could pick, and only a very small number of those had unlimited advancement.

Of course, that all changed in 3e, now any race could be any class, with no consequences for doing so, especially if they have the racial bonuses for it. However, most class descriptions still noted that some races very rarely would become members of certain classes.

Still the potential was there, and I open this thread as a celebration of non-traditional characters. I shall start the discussion off with my most recent PbP character, Grammuk, the Half-Orc druid. He was driven out of his hometown by hate, but returned with dozens of orcs, having gouged out his eye in a service to Grummsh. The raid was unsuccessful, and Grammuk was heavily scarred. To save the orc from certain persecution, the elf Talen took him in with the druids, and trained him for many a year. He is a wanderer now, preffering to avoid most people.

Now you.

Drakevarg
2010-08-29, 12:18 AM
Lizardfolk Wizard by the name of Feaia Nartur*. Does that count?

(Technically, he was a gish, but whatever.)

*Cookie for translation.

Gensh
2010-08-29, 12:30 AM
One of the players in my first campaign was a half-giant bard and another was an aasimar wizard. Not the worst combinations possible, especially since the two of them were the only ones who showed up one night, and I removed the adjustment after they finished a side-quest, but they were both pretty lousy anyway - the human monk got nine out of ten kills.

Greyfeld
2010-08-29, 12:44 AM
I posted this in another thread already, but this one is just begging for me to repeat it.

I once played with a guy who played a kobold wizard. He had a horrible Int score and thus could only cast something like level 0 or level 1 spells. But that didn't stop him from pretending to cast spells, then while the enemy was focused on his hand gestures, kicking them in the shins.

Darthteej
2010-08-29, 12:47 AM
I posted this in another thread already, but this one is just begging for me to repeat it.

I once played with a guy who played a kobold wizard. He had a horrible Int score and thus could only cast something like level 0 or level 1 spells. But that didn't stop him from pretending to cast spells, then while the enemy was focused on his hand gestures, kicking them in the shins.

Ah yes, the "RP vs power" thread. Touche, since I originally considered posting this there.

And yes, a lizardfolk wizard counts.

Drakevarg
2010-08-29, 12:52 AM
Becomes notably less non-traditional when you realize he's actually a Fighter 10/Wizard 4 Half-Seely Lizardfolk, who is the son of King Oberon. Bending the cosmos to your will just kind of comes with the package when your dad is essentially a diety.

FMArthur
2010-08-29, 01:04 AM
If you're confident enough in your ability to play a caster well, an old-aged Orc will have stat adjustments of +1 -3 -3 0 0 0 - enabling you to defy convention without actually being less powerful than a featureless race - just more vulnerable. I played a wizard like this and was almost disappointed in how little my disadvantage mattered.

Lhurgyof
2010-08-29, 01:07 AM
Mr. Bumblebux, the Umber Hulk Accountant

Igbon Slickbeard, Legendary Leaper, a dwarven rogue (although not so unusual)

Squwer the Gentle, Half-orc monk.

Irreverent Fool
2010-08-29, 05:15 AM
In my years of playing 3.5, I'd have to say the Human Fighter and Elven Wizard are probably the most "non-traditional" race/class combos.

In the game in which I'm currently playing, our wizard is a Hobgoblin Transmuter Master Specialist who has banned Necromancy, Illusion, and Evocation. He's probably the most fun character in the group.

pasko77
2010-08-29, 05:24 AM
My most loved character was Primus, half-orc Paladin.
He was the illicit son of a noblewoman, and his social state wanted him to carry on the charade that he was his father's true son, even if his physical features were pathetically obvious. A sort of honor-bound tragic hero.

kaptainkrutch
2010-08-29, 05:58 AM
One of my friends tends to make strange characters. For example, a halfling barbarian with full ranks in Craft (potato sculptures) and a warforged paladin who rides a steampunk-ish motorcycle for his paladin mount. He's always trying to make an aquatic elf character in non-seafaring campaigns.

Kobold-Bard
2010-08-29, 07:51 AM
...Still the potential was there, and I open this thread as a celebration of non-traditional characters. I shall start the discussion off with my most recent PbP character, Grammuk, the Half-Orc druid. He was driven out of his hometown by hate, but returned with dozens of orcs, having gouged out his eye in a service to Grummsh. The raid was unsuccessful, and Grammuk was heavily scarred. To save the orc from certain persecution, the elf Talen took him in with the druids, and trained him for many a year. He is a wanderer now, preffering to avoid most people.

Now you.

Aren't there a tonne of Half-Orcs Druids in Eberron?

Gnome Barbarian is my personal favourite. I fluffed his "great"axe as a bit attack and had him lunge and throw himself at people's shins/crotches.

It was awesome.

Greenish
2010-08-29, 08:03 AM
Aren't there a tonne of Half-Orcs Druids in Eberron?Yeah, given that the oldest druidic tradition is orcish and humans and orcs have intermingled rather freely ever since humans first came to the Shadow Marches. It can still be non-traditional in other settings though.

Ernir
2010-08-29, 10:13 AM
I have yet to play my Orc Wizard, who fights by clubbing people over the head with his 50-pound spellbook.

I am, however, playing my Orc Bard. :smallbiggrin:

TurtleKing
2010-08-29, 11:30 AM
Does my Ooze Binder named Squee count? You can find him in pbp Ooze: The Quest for Sentience.

Kifo
2010-08-29, 11:58 AM
Is my Gnome Mystic (Divine spontaneous caster from the Dreagonlance champaign setting) Healer specialist non-traditional ennuf for ya? All he did in battles was heal, but roleplaying him was good fun, until he ate a fireball. =/

Esser-Z
2010-08-29, 12:15 PM
Gnome Barbarian! Well, okay, I'm not PLAYING this, but using it as one of the agents of the rival adventuring company Them Bloddy Gnomes. Specifically as a Bloddy Angry Gnome.

(Others are Bloddy Sneaky Gnome [rogue], Bloddy Tricky Gnome [illusionist], and Bloddy Sining Gnome)

Volthawk
2010-08-29, 12:32 PM
Kobold barbarians are awesome.

Leeham
2010-08-29, 12:48 PM
Gnome barbarians are equally awesome.

Zaydos
2010-08-29, 01:42 PM
Gnome barbarian/druid that rides a wolf.

Leeham
2010-08-29, 01:53 PM
That's beautiful...

Iku Rex
2010-08-29, 01:57 PM
I played a kobold dungeoncrasher fighter for a few sessions. He was dedicated to a god of strength, and his primary tactic in battle was to bull rush his enemies into walls with devastating force.

Acero
2010-08-29, 02:01 PM
Darg the Drunken Dwarf Wizard, fighting with a fireball in one hand and a tankard in the other.

Lhurgyof
2010-08-29, 02:02 PM
Darg the Drunken Dwarf Wizard, fighting with a fireball in one hand and a tankard in the other.

So much win....

Ravens_cry
2010-08-29, 02:11 PM
Gnome barbarians are equally awesome.
I played one in Pathfinder Society. Sure, I don't do as much damage otherwise. But the role play was hilarious.
Another I played was a halfling mounted lance Fighter. Heck, the first character I ever made in 3.5 was a half-orc sorceress. And I ROLLED them stats.
Now, in a campaign with high levels of optimisation, these choices rarely work. But I think it's fun to play something outside the norm.

Zaq
2010-08-29, 02:16 PM
Darg the Drunken Dwarf Wizard, fighting with a fireball in one hand and a tankard in the other.

That is remarkably similar to my current character Giri, dwarven spirit shaman. His spirit companion, whom he hates, is an elephant. He doesn't pray for spells every morning. He just drinks (or, if you prefer, "communes with the spirits") until that damned elephant goes away.

Most of the other characters I play are human (did WotC HAVE to make them SO MUCH BETTER than every other race, nine times out of ten?!), so that's not terribly nontraditional. I did just play a warforged DFA who would have been very confused at the accusation that he had anything at all to do with dragons. (He was closer to Inspector Gadget.) Oh, and a killoren bard, but that's not really that weird.

My weirdness comes with the characters themselves, more than with their race/class combinations. I have always kind of wanted to play an orc bard (what makes you think that greenskins don't tell stories?), but the right game's never come up.

Count D20
2010-08-29, 02:35 PM
Dwarven wizard Carl Brutanadanasdilewski. All he wants is to work in his tower, drink beer and consort with succubi. But his neighbors always screw it up with thier horrible schemes or the random monsters that they encounter.
(Yes it's Carl from aqua teen hunger force)

Mechanically halfling barbarians look really good. With the same roll for dexterity and the same armour he would have the same AC raging as a human barbarian does normally.

Draz74
2010-08-29, 02:55 PM
Hmmm, most of my characters since 3e came out have been Human. I did have a Gnome Cleric and a Dwarf Rogue somewhere in the mix.

Urpriest
2010-08-29, 03:09 PM
Not exactly an unoptimized choice, but I'll always remember my friend's character Gragstein, the Half-Ogre-Half-Jewish Paladin.

nysisobli
2010-08-29, 03:22 PM
Hmmm i think mine would have to be the Changeling Beguiler, fought with illusions, and decided dual wielding heavy repeating crossbows was a good idea

kaptainkrutch
2010-08-29, 04:04 PM
Hmmm i think mine would have to be the Changeling Beguiler, fought with illusions, and decided dual wielding heavy repeating crossbows was a good idea

How did he accomplish that? Repeating crossbows have a hand-crank.

Greenish
2010-08-29, 04:13 PM
How did he accomplish that? Repeating crossbows have a hand-crank.One shot from each. Beguilers have poor BAB, so that'll do for his whole career.

I'm more curious about whether said character fought enemies using it's illusions, or fought illusions as enemies.

Zhalath
2010-08-29, 08:33 PM
I believe it was either my Elf Paladin of Freedom/Warlock (gestalt campaign), who charged in and hit things with Hideous Blow combined with Smite Evil, or my Desert Half-Orc Binder, who had Cha 18 and was named Keith. He was a half orc who could run across open sand and then charm you out of your shoes (and then punch you, because I used Ronove to support the melee guy).

cbs2186
2010-08-29, 09:32 PM
A friend of mine ran a Half-Orc once who carried a shield and a mallet. His name... Bok'Tong the Gong Bard. That's right, he beat the shield with the hammer and chanted.

Darthteej
2010-08-29, 10:35 PM
A friend of mine ran a Half-Orc once who carried a shield and a mallet. His name... Bok'Tong the Gong Bard. That's right, he beat the shield with the hammer and chanted.

That's awesome. Half-Orc bards seem to be rather popular in this thread.

big teej
2010-08-29, 10:38 PM
A friend of mine ran a Half-Orc once who carried a shield and a mallet. His name... Bok'Tong the Gong Bard. That's right, he beat the shield with the hammer and chanted.

I'm sorry but I'm totally cribbing that for my next bard

bobspldbckwrds
2010-08-29, 10:51 PM
drow barbarian...

in forgotten relms...

my dm wondered how i would react to drizz't. i took his tab money at the tavern.

Crossblade
2010-08-29, 10:57 PM
Dwarven Bard. Preform (Oratory) and off set with having a Dwarven WarAxe. (House rule of racial weapon prof.) Heck of a story teller! Still not sure why he's so sneaky though...

I also have a Kobold Barbarian sitting on my shelf too. Winged Dragon Wrought and having the RotD special ability Draconic Rite, able to cast the spell Shield.

Other than that, unusual race-class combos are:
Half Orc Sorcerer/Wizard
Gnome/Halfling Barbarians
Goliath Wizards (They don't have an Int penalty, but still seems odd)
Pixie Barbarian
Mid Flayer Barbarian
Goblin Barbarian or Sorcerer
Bugbear Sorcerer

Sdonourg
2010-08-29, 11:50 PM
A friend of mine once played Dwarf Fighter/Sorcerer and Orc Samurai.

Makiru
2010-08-30, 12:47 AM
Pre-RotD, I made a kobold dread necromancer that took all aberrant feats. I had to finesse charnel touch so he could actually hit with his nine-foot arms, since I really wanted his Con to be not negative.

I also made a half-farspawn archivist, although that's bad more from a mechanical standpoint.

Lord Raziere
2010-08-30, 12:48 AM
I'm playing a halfling paladin in a game on this board.

also got a character sheet for a goblin bard, half-orc monk and halfling barbarian

TurtleKing
2010-08-30, 03:39 AM
Well I have another one for you. Retired this character after one session since the DM made my character what he is not to keep the game balance. The character is Merlin Wildenberg a Shadow Marshal. I am supposed to be incorporeal but the DM only looked at the Marshal side and turned him into a meat shield. Nonetheless my character also became a herald to a diety on the first session of play. That is only version 1.0, and my actual character concept will be used later.

Edit: Was also using the racial progression for the Shadow with human as my former race. Merlin became a herald with one level in Marshal, and one in Shadow.

bokodasu
2010-08-30, 10:34 AM
I once ran a campaign based on an "adventurer's guild" that let anyone join if they paid their dues. The players were told to make the most ridiculous characters they could think of, and if they optimized anything rocks would fall and they'd get premade characters. Of course the guild sent them out on all the crap assignments that none of the real heroes wanted, and it ended with them accidentally saving the world. It was a very silly (and fun) campaign.

I remember the kobold paladin and the half-ogre bard, and the gnomish barbarian was highly entertaining. There was a half-orc wizard, but the other half wasn't human and I can't remember off the top of my head what it was. (Maybe halfling? I do recall she liked to wave her wand around and make wooshing noises, then punch enemies in the face.) I don't remember what the cleric was, but I do remember he was an atheist and highly resented getting personal instructions from the gods he didn't believe in.

Right now I'm playing a half-orc druid in a straight core-only campaign, which I picked to be a bit unusual, but looking at this thread it seems downright stereotypical.

Slots
2010-08-30, 10:51 AM
A friend of mine ran a Half-Orc once who carried a shield and a mallet. His name... Bok'Tong the Gong Bard. That's right, he beat the shield with the hammer and chanted.

Oh Bok'Tong, how great you were. Falling from a giant bird into an army of undead was not enough to contain your awesome.

As for my own "non traditional" characters, my only one was my first. I think it was some horrid gnome fighter combination that didn't work to well, especially when I tried to jump from one air ship to another...

I should really just randomly roll a race/class combination for the fun of it.