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View Full Version : Need a PC, Take a PC



SamL
2010-11-26, 01:26 PM
Hello, all.

So I recently came to the conclusion that I make up far, far more PCs in my head than I will ever reasonably play (I tend not to play with DMs that run exceptionally lethal campaigns), but I enjoy making them up nonetheless. therefore, rather than letting them go to waste, I decided to start a blog under the same general concept of the "need a penny, take a penny" tray, where anyone who wants characters can just come and take them for use in their campaigns, if for whatever reason they don't want to make them up themselves. I try to write each character with a background that explains who they are, why they're in their chosen class, alignment, etc. (this blog is also done as a writing exercise in characterization). I just started it, so any (not excessively negative) criticism is welcome, and if you'd like to use any character on it as a PC or NPC, that's excellent. They can be tweaked as needed, obviously, and if anyone wants to contribute to the exercise, I think that would be wonderful as well.

Anyways, the URL is needapc.blogspot.com.

P.S. I hope it doesn't come off as excessively cynical that my first post is so blatantly self-promotional. I have been reading OotS for some time, but was only prompted to make this account as a good place to promote this idea. I will try to be a good forum citizen, however, now that I'm here.

bartman
2010-11-26, 01:43 PM
It certainly is an interesting concept, I think I will have to bookmark it and keep an eye on what you make, if for nothing more than ideas for my own characters

nedz
2010-11-26, 02:11 PM
Mmm,

NPCs might be more useful ?

SamL
2010-11-26, 03:41 PM
Well, I've always been of the school that a PC and a (character) NPC are essentially the same car with different drivers, so both work.

Adamantrue
2010-11-26, 06:49 PM
Not a bad idea. I've actually just been doing something like this with NPCs on my blog (http://thecruciblednd35.blogspot.com/search/label/Character%20Concept), though I'll admit I'm just doing it for fun. Meanwhile, DM Tools (http://www.dmtools.org/) has done it much better than I ever could, but again...I'm having fun.

I might suggest you go with a 25 Point Buy for Ability Scores, just because of how common I've found that to be the "Standard" when joining new games. People can always tweak the numbers if they have the option for better scores, but not being able to use what you've got because they can't meet the Prerequisites would suck.

Ravens_Wing
2010-11-26, 07:53 PM
Sounds like fun I have a few PCs that I had made for one knight stand campaigns. I shall have to see if I can find them so that others can make use of my strange Character concepts.

Psyren
2010-11-26, 08:50 PM
Some suggestions for this concept:

1) I would keep the backstories minimalist - the more blanks that a player can fill in with their own concept and campaign-specific details, the better. e.g. Don't name any villages, refer to acquaintances by title/relation only, and try to keep them at two paragraphs or less.

(Alternatively, provide two versions of the backstory - a highly adaptable skeleton with only the important bullet points, and a more fleshed-out sample backstory as an example of how each bullet can be incorporated into the PC's origin.)

2) This idea combines crunch and fluff - your sample PCs come with a story concept, but also mechanical suggestions such as starting ability scores, feats and equipment. A paragraph of advice on how to play the PCs throughout their career would thus be advisable. Bonus points if you can focus on the PC's primary tactics and focus at each level, or simply focus on levels where the PC's tactics would change significantly.

3) You should provide the PC's level too, as not all games start at level 1, and some builds become more viable if they are attempted at later levels without having to play through the earlier ones. The starting gear should of course be mapped to WBL.

Adamantrue
2010-11-27, 09:39 AM
Would you be interested in a minor collaborative effort between both of our blogs? I have some rough ideas that I'll never have time to flesh out, and I wouldn't mind sharing the ideas I do have time to follow through with for you to publish on yours.

Regardless, I'd think you may want to work on your format. While you do have all of the information required, it could possibly be displayed in a more streamlined manner. Having all the ability scores on a single line, for example.

bartman
2010-11-27, 09:52 AM
Would you be interested in a minor collaborative effort between both of our blogs? I have some rough ideas that I'll never have time to flesh out, and I wouldn't mind sharing the ideas I do have time to follow through with for you to publish on yours.

Regardless, I'd think you may want to work on your format. While you do have all of the information required, it could possibly be displayed in a more streamlined manner. Having all the ability scores on a single line, for example.

Funny i was just talking about this post to a friend of mine last night and mentioned the possibility of turning this into a collaborative work.

While I do agree the formatting needs some work, I personally do not like the one line attribute scores, ie: 12,13,14,15,16,17. I do think, however, Sam, that you could do away with some of the line breaks. Make the stat block a single paragraph, the skills block a single paragraph, etc. That would clean it up a bit, and make it look more like a character sheet. Just my 2 cents, feel free to expand or bash as you see fit.

Adamantrue
2010-11-27, 11:45 AM
I was thinking more like:

Str 13 (+1), Dex 15 (+2), Con 14 (+2), Int 8 (-1), Wis 10 Cha 12 (+1)

Though you probably don't have to include the modifier. The NPCs I've been posting have been in the classic MM style Statblocks, and that works fine usually. You can modify that layout a bit to show Skill Ranks & Synergy Bonuses instead of the total bonus fairly easily.

There are actually a bunch of options for a "Character Sheet" kinda look. I don't know my way around these boards yet, but Myth-Weavers (http://www.myth-weavers.com/forumhome.php) has an online Character Sheet system in place that you could link to. It would look like THIS (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=221052).

There is also the option of having them set up through TheOnlySheet (http://theonlysheet.com/homepage/) as file downloads. I'd actually be willing to do the file hosting through one of the sites I'm working with in the background.

Isn't there some kind of "Open Source Character Sheets" in here somewhere? One could choose to use them to, having the sheets posted to be printed out.

Callista
2010-11-27, 05:32 PM
Is there such a thing as a character database that could be used for this purpose?

It would be better if more than just one person could contribute; I like making PCs, too, and never use all of them. Some get put in as NPCs, but more often than not it's just their personalities and not their stats that get used. And anyway I haven't been able to DM in ages; I've got half a dozen piled up as-is.

Dralnu
2010-11-27, 05:47 PM
There's an old but very useful thread over here (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19880278/Encounter_%28VillainNPCMonsterTrap%29_Resource_Thr ead) that has tons of great NPCs to use. I recall using a four-armed ogre chief from there, as well as a backstabbing pseudodragon familiar, and a gnome wizard pretending to be a fighter accompanied by a monk pretending to be a wizard to totally throw off the party.

Hope WOTC doesn't delete that thread.