Ever see a picture and decide to build the people in it?

[Seharvepernfan]

I saw this recently: http://i62.tinypic.com/dx0086.jpg

...and was inspired to build an npc(s) based on it: "Manhunters"
Orc Ranger 5
Favored Enemy (Humans) +4, Favored Enemy (Magical Beast) +2, Wild Empathy +5, Animal Companion (Eagle)
Str 18, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 6
Track, Mounted Combat, Rapid Shot, Endurance, Mounted Archery
Geography 4, Handle Animal 3, Nature 4, Ride 13/15, Speak Dragon, Spot 13, Survival 8/10/12
+1 Mty Composite Dragonbone Longbow (+4), 40 Cold Iron Arrows, MW Cold Iron Guisarme, MW Net, Net x3, Cold Iron Spiked Gauntlet, Dagger, MW Chain Shirt, MW Buckler, Eyes of the Eagle (also count as sundark goggles), MW Manacles, Rope 50ft, Wyvern Poison (pre applied by someone with poison use)
Wyvern Mount, MW Studded Leather Barding, Exotic Military Saddle


I know I'm not the only one; who else does this? Anybody care to share?

[Bullet06320]

I do that with tv shows and movies sometimes
im recently bouncing around ideas for Vikings on history channel
I usually don't put much on paper, but I have used some for NPC inspiration
I had the cheers cast down back in 2nd edition

[shadowseve]

http://0-media-cdn.foolz.us/ffuuka/board/tg/image/1336/64/1336642622769.jpg

This inspired me to create an evil bard npc. One of my fav villains of all time.

[Raishoiken]

this is an awesome idea, something i plan on eventually doing. epic character building and roleplaying experiences galore! i have a few characters i wanna build based on a couple anime/manga characters, though; Broly and Madara being big ones >:D

[Blue_C.]

Through college and up until I upgraded computers a couple years ago, I used to write a short paragraph length story about any image I used as a desktop background. Usually, I would include some game specific feat, item, trait, whatever, at the end of it. And I changed backgrounds about once a month, so the list is a bit over 100 bits long.

Every once in a while I read through it and, occasionally, try to make use of them.

One is was based off the avatar I got made for me, which you can see to the left. Instead of a cleric, I wound up rolling a Warlock that believed utterly that he had to wield a holy symbol in order to use his eldritch powers, and that said powers were a gift from the god of elves (whose name I shall not attempt to spell). Naturally, this annoyed the various clergy of said god.

[Jergmo]

http://0-media-cdn.foolz.us/ffuuka/board/tg/image/1336/64/1336642622769.jpg

This inspired me to create an evil bard npc. One of my fav villains of all time.

Funnily enough to me, I used the same picture to create a hero; the younger sister of a Dirgesinger who had been held hostage by a lich in order to give the Dirgesinger incentive to serve him, then turned into a Favored Soul that fought with a quarterstaff (using as double weapon) in service of a God that served as a guardian of the dead. She managed to inherit her brother's violin after he was killed by the PCs.

She showed up in a follow-up campaign that was based around a little girl they met and adored as the DMPC, ten years after the events of the last campaign. Upon finding out who she was, they all had an "Oh God what have we done" moment.

[Duke of Urrel]

I have a Dungeon Master's Guide from the year 2000, version 3.0. There's a picture in it that no longer appears in the 2003 printing. It's on page 148. It shows a big, burly, bristled bartender with beady eyes and no neck, wearing a smudgy apron, polishing a mug, and standing beneath a sign with the words "NO Spellcasting" crudely painted in broad brush stokes. The printed caption below the picture says: "We don't serve your kind here."

This picture was the inspiration for a non-player character of mine: Ráoudigar son of Gunthar, known as "Rowdy" to his friends, manager and proprietor of the Inn at the Crossroads. He's not as intolerant as the picture's caption suggests; that would be bad for business. On the contrary, he'll serve anyone, no matter how uncouth, and he has no prejudice against spellcasters. The location of his establishment, in the middle of a hilly wilderness surrounded by nomads, barbarians, and goblinoids, doesn't allow him to be choosy. But he doesn't tolerate misbehavior, and the locals will warn you not to cross him, because he is in fact a wereboar. Anybody who messes with his nice clean dining hall is likely to end up messily gored to death. Rowdy is the highest-ranking character of the commoner class that my PCs have met so far.

To this day, I've never found a picture that more clearly says "This guy is probably a wereboar," than that image on page 148.

[Vedhin]

Here's one I found during a search for character portraits:

http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs42/f/2009/089/b/b/Half_Her_Heart__s_Duet_by_yveline.jpg

My first thought was "I have to make this character!"
My second was "Wait, I'm looking for a character portrait for this character!"

[JeminiZero]

http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs42/f/2009/089/b/b/Half_Her_Heart__s_Duet_by_yveline.jpg
Maybe a Dragonfire Inspiration Bard?

[dysprosium]

Inspiration can come from anywhere.

I've made a couple of characters based on minis that I have. Most recent example is the technocat from an old Mage Knight sethttp://www.dragonmech.de/images/product_images/popup_images/dr120.jpg

I made a warforged Wildshaped Ranger Primeval with its primeval form a dire lion.

My gold medal Iron Chef entry (in my sig) is based on Michael Westen from Burn Notice.

[Riculf]

Personally I'd always wanted to make a Credible Hulk in 3.5. Used Bear Barbarian/Human Paragon/Primeval with powerful build and Major Storm Giant Bloodline. DM allowed me to use a primeval form that used the stats of an Skullcrusher Ogre as a representation of a "proto-giant". It's been interesting (if incredibly un-optimal :smallbiggrin:).

[Inevitability]

Maybe a Dragonfire Inspiration Bard?

That's what I thought.

[dysprosium]

Maybe a Dragonfire Inspiration Bard?


That's what I thought.

Heartfire Fanner might not be out of the question either.