RP ideas for an Ifrit Warlord

[Feint's End]

So I got this game starting tomorrow and I have my character pretty well fleshed out ( Ifrit dex based Warlord using a custom spear to allow weaponfinesse and deadly agility) but my backstory and RP ideas are still a little iffy. So I wanted to hear some ideas on how to RP him.

Basic idea was a child found and raised by treasure hunters. After he became an adult he decided to do his own thing and got into conflict with his former colleagues resulting in a bitter atmosphere ever since. He is not a bad person per se but his live growing up has taught him to be careful and basically trust noone farther then they have a common goal.

The campaign is set in a hidden valley in a country dominated by Dragons, which are all kind of evil or at the very least not concerned with mortal life. Their lands are ruled by more or less cruel half dragon lords which can do pretty much whatever they want as long as they pay the demanded tributes to their dragon overlords and fullfill their every wish.

Any ideas on other personality quirks and/or goals I could play to? Right now I pretty much only have hard to trust people and being quite outgoing.
Any ideas how to add additional depth to the backstory?

[Red Fel]

Any ideas on other personality quirks and/or goals I could play to? Right now I pretty much only have hard to trust people and being quite outgoing.
Any ideas how to add additional depth to the backstory?

Backstory: Basically, just add questions. For example, he was found and raised by treasure hunters. Where was he found? Why was he left there? Does he know? (The latter two questions make great self-discovery plot hooks.) Why did treasure hunters decide to adopt/raise an Ifrit? He came into conflict with his colleagues. Why? About what? Was it violent? Bitter atmosphere ever since - do they want him dead? Exiled? Discredited? Basically, just ask more questions and fill in the holes.

Quirks: That's a tricky one. Quirks are hard to pull off in a non-annoying way. The trick is not to overplay them. Have a tendency to do X, immediately followed by Y. Play it right, and it creates precisely the amount of dramatic tension that the other players can enjoy. For example, I could play a Goliath Barbarian who has a pattern - when he gets told "no" by somebody who really doesn't have any authority to tell him "no," three things happen. He raises an eyebrow, and says, "... Really?" He cracks his neck and stretches his shoulders. Defenestration. (Great word, defenestration, use it today!)Basically, I'd suggest playing the character a bit, getting a feel for him, and seeing if anything fits. For example, does he dislike large bodies of water? Does he have a fondness for small fluffy things? Does he appreciate baked goods? And most importantly, do the other players at the table react in a positive manner when it comes up? Find something he dislikes, enjoys, or does, something that the other players enjoy, and play it up just a little bit.

Personality: Fun thing about Ifrits is the whole fire motif. Really, you can build a dozen great personalities around that, and since you're going with Ifrit, you may as well go with it. You mention, for example, that he is slow to trust and not very outgoing. My diagnosis: Smoldering coals. The fire that burns lowest burns longest, and can blaze to life under the right circumstances. Depict him as a warm person, friendly, but a bit detached. When he does open up, however, he becomes brilliantly compassionate and blazingly loyal. Save his truly furious moments for dramatic tension - let his blaze-ups be the stuff of legends in your group. Keep him quiet but warm most of the time, a shy smile and a sensitive eye, until he is provoked by a true and mortal threat to his friends.

Just a few suggestions.

[Greenish]

Ifrits age on the same scale as aasimar (somewhat slower than dwarves), much slower than most races. If the people raising him weren't from the more long-lived races, they'd be old or dead by the time he'd reached adulthood at age 60. It might be he's had more than one set of "parents" since he was found.

[Feint's End]

Backstory: Basically, just add questions. For example, he was found and raised by treasure hunters. Where was he found? Why was he left there? Does he know? (The latter two questions make great self-discovery plot hooks.) Why did treasure hunters decide to adopt/raise an Ifrit? He came into conflict with his colleagues. Why? About what? Was it violent? Bitter atmosphere ever since - do they want him dead? Exiled? Discredited? Basically, just ask more questions and fill in the holes.

Quirks: That's a tricky one. Quirks are hard to pull off in a non-annoying way. The trick is not to overplay them. Have a tendency to do X, immediately followed by Y. Play it right, and it creates precisely the amount of dramatic tension that the other players can enjoy. For example, I could play a Goliath Barbarian who has a pattern - when he gets told "no" by somebody who really doesn't have any authority to tell him "no," three things happen. He raises an eyebrow, and says, "... Really?" He cracks his neck and stretches his shoulders. Defenestration. (Great word, defenestration, use it today!)Basically, I'd suggest playing the character a bit, getting a feel for him, and seeing if anything fits. For example, does he dislike large bodies of water? Does he have a fondness for small fluffy things? Does he appreciate baked goods? And most importantly, do the other players at the table react in a positive manner when it comes up? Find something he dislikes, enjoys, or does, something that the other players enjoy, and play it up just a little bit.

Personality: Fun thing about Ifrits is the whole fire motif. Really, you can build a dozen great personalities around that, and since you're going with Ifrit, you may as well go with it. You mention, for example, that he is slow to trust and not very outgoing. My diagnosis: Smoldering coals. The fire that burns lowest burns longest, and can blaze to life under the right circumstances. Depict him as a warm person, friendly, but a bit detached. When he does open up, however, he becomes brilliantly compassionate and blazingly loyal. Save his truly furious moments for dramatic tension - let his blaze-ups be the stuff of legends in your group. Keep him quiet but warm most of the time, a shy smile and a sensitive eye, until he is provoked by a true and mortal threat to his friends.

Just a few suggestions.

Thank you Red Fel :smallsmile:. Those suggestions are all fantastic and I will definitely use some in the game tomorrow. (I love the smoldering coals idea :smallamused:)


Ifrits age on the same scale as aasimar (somewhat slower than dwarves), much slower than most races. If the people raising him weren't from the more long-lived races, they'd be old or dead by the time he'd reached adulthood at age 60. It might be he's had more than one set of "parents" since he was found.

Well two things. We are playing 3.5 even though I can use PF races and in 3.5 Aasimar age almost at normal age but for this game I still assume they age at a normal rate.

The second thing is that I assume Ifrit (similar to Elves) actually mature at a similar rate to humans but don't reach their emotional adulthood until 60+ (which would fit with the character fairly well actually ... he has 9 wisdom as of now).

[Shinken]

I'm about to play an ifrit Daring Champion. I think some of my notes might spark some ideas on you.

My character was abandoned at birth and raised in an orphanage. His orphanage was attacked by a horde of rampaging humanoids (orcs, goblinoids, I haven't decided yet) and most died. He survived by using a burning log as an improvised weapon, until the Hellknights showed up and the horde ran away. He took the entry testes into the Hellknights and was finally accepted. He is a loyal and thoughtful person who treats those under his command very well, but he is also a strict commander and a cruel, ruthless warrior.

[Feint's End]

I'm about to play an ifrit Daring Champion. I think some of my notes might spark some ideas on you.

My character was abandoned at birth and raised in an orphanage. His orphanage was attacked by a horde of rampaging humanoids (orcs, goblinoids, I haven't decided yet) and most died. He survived by using a burning log as an improvised weapon, until the Hellknights showed up and the horde ran away. He took the entry testes into the Hellknights and was finally accepted. He is a loyal and thoughtful person who treats those under his command very well, but he is also a strict commander and a cruel, ruthless warrior.

Thank you for sharing! It definitely helps me flesh out what I want from the character.