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View Full Version : Hello, I never played any race apart from humans. How would I adapt to others?



Sergio
2017-02-23, 03:56 PM
Hello guys! :)

You are my source of hope and light in this magma of madness and desperation I meet each time I will have to do something I'm uncomfortable with.

I'm planning to do a chaotic evil half-ogre barbarian.

I've got a few questions:

1) Where could I read the way members of a ogre tribe interact with each other?Is there a certain line of conduit ogres have to share with each other?

2) How could I characterize my half ogre? For example, I'm wondering if there are inherent flaws that members of this race share. For example, clumsiness when dealing with other races, a certain hate, an inclination for this of that thing.

3) When interacting with other races, why would a half ogre decided to actually separate himself from the tribe and join a temple? What benefit would he be dreaming to find, if he wasn't exiled and could actually live in peace (for what matters...) for his tribe?

4) Should I put certain stats pretty high and other pretty low for a roleplaying reason? Like for example, low wis and low intelligence. Or would I fall into stereotype?

5) Given that there is a chance I could have quite a few high rolls but also a pretty mediocre one, I was wondering what's the difference between a half ogre barbarian with high intelligence but low wis, and one with high wis but low intelligence. How could I act coherently?

Thanks for help.

[just to let you know... I'm playing on D&D 3.5]

Honest Tiefling
2017-02-23, 04:15 PM
What setting are you in? We could give you a hundred wonderful answers but it doesn't matter if it doesn't play nicely with the setting your character is in. Your DM might appreciate us giving you answers suited to the campaign.

Remember, intelligence is knowing that tomatoes are a fruit, wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad. Mad scientists are the classic example of high intelligence and low wisdom, while a humble druid unlearned in the ways of civilization but patient, wise, and thoughtful is a good way to play high wisdom and low intelligence. Does your character know a lot of things, but doesn't always apply it well, or are they ignorant, but observant?

And remember! Tropes are not bad, but can be used badly. If your group is sick of the BSF (or big stupid fighter), then maybe you should work with something else. But tropes exist for a reason! Just because it has been done before, doesn't mean it can't be done well again. I think it really comes down to, what are YOU comfortable with? I can play a poor wisdom, strength or charisma, sure, but lots of people prefer to be jack of all trades. Imagine your character interacting with the world...Does it seem one-note, or do you run out of ideas? Or are you pumped for it?

oudeis
2017-02-23, 04:39 PM
Mechanically, a low-wisdom character is going to be lacking in self-awareness and self-control. They just don't know how unpleasant, obnoxious, or just plain repulsive they are to be around. The can't understand why other people get upset at their violent outbursts of anger or their appalling dishonesty, gluttony, lechery, and larceny. In modern terms, they are on the high end of the Narcissistic disorder spectrum.

Mastikator
2017-02-23, 04:57 PM
Ogre culture should be in the monster manual of whatever game you're playing.

If you don't have access, ask your GM. Your GM should have a clear answer to "how do ogres act in this campaign setting" (as the GM will be controlling all other ogres).

Also they live in swamps and have donkey sidekicks.

Herobizkit
2017-02-23, 06:16 PM
I would strongly advise against playing a Chaotic Evil anything unless your DM is prepared to handle scum characters in their game. If your DM is asking you to do so, game on.

Assuming the DM has no specific input into Ogre society, it might help to look back on previous editions of D&D for some insight. For example, Pathfinder's Monster manual entry for Ogre:
Environment: temperate or cold hills
Organization: solitary, pair, gang (3–4), or family (5–16)

Stories are told of ogres—horrendous stories of brutality and savagery, cannibalism and torture. Of rape and dismemberment, necrophilia, incest, mutilation, and all manners of hideous murder. Those who have not encountered ogres know the stories as warnings. Those who have survived such encounters know these tales to be tame compared to the truth.

An ogre revels in the misery of others. When smaller races aren’t available to crush between meaty fists or defile in blood-red lusts of violence, they turn to each other for entertainment. Nothing is taboo in ogre society. One would think that, left to themselves, an ogre tribe would quickly tear itself apart, with only the strongest surviving in the end—yet if there is one thing ogres respect, it is family.

Ogre tribes are known as families, and many of their deformities and hideous features arise from the common practice of incest. The leader of a tribe is most often the father of the tribe, although in some cases a particularly violent or domineering ogress claims the title of mother. Ogre tribes bicker among themselves, a trait that thankfully keeps them busy and turned against each other rather than neighboring races. Yet time and again, a particularly violent and feared patriarch rises among the ogres, one capable of gathering multiple families under his command.

Regions inhabited by ogres are dreary, ugly places, for these giants dwell in squalor and see little need to live in harmony with their environment. The borderland between civilization and ogre territory is a desperate realm of outcasts and despair, for here dwell the ogrekin, the deformed offspring and results of frequent ogre raids against the lands of the smaller folk.

Ogre games are violent and cruel, and victims they use for entertainment are lucky if they die the first day. Ogres’ cruel senses of humor are the only way their crude minds show any spark of creativity, and the tools and methods of torture ogres devise are always nightmarish.

An ogre’s great strength and lack of imagination makes it particularly suited for heavy labor, such as mining, forging, and clearing land, and more powerful giants (particularly hill giants and stone giants) often subjugate ogre families to serve them in such regards.

A typical adult ogre stands 10 feet tall and weighs roughly 650 pounds.
Now, as a half-ogre, question is... what race is the other half of said Ogre? Did you grow up a "runt" in a tribe of Ogres, or did you look to your smaller half-kin for support? Or somewhere else? How were you treated there?

You mention a temple. Did you have a specific temple in mind? That will help shape the attitude/beliefs of your character.

Tropes are a great character base. You'll want to add aspects of your personality, beliefs and what not as you grow as a character and as a player. ^_^

Stats certainly help define your character. A higher Int suggests a character who considers facts before acting; a Higher Wis suggests a character follows their gut. A low Int character suggests someone who doesn't grasp the finer points of book learning/lore, living more simply in nature. A low Wis character might act first and think later, regardless of the situation.

A "stereotypical" muscle-head Barbarian will have high STR and CON and probably low INT AND WIS; having low scores in both suggests a very primal, "unga-bunga" kind of character who solves all issues with SMAHS!!1!

A more "noble savage" type would have higher WIS and maybe even CHA if he were a leader or aspiring to be one.

As you build your character, ask yourself why your character has such traits and what they could mean. Include your background, your skills, what weapons you choose... all of it makes your character more of a person.

ATHATH
2017-02-23, 07:28 PM
Just gonna drop this here: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?446414-No-Limits-No-Regrets-A-guide-to-the-Chaotic-Evil-alignment

Herobizkit
2017-02-23, 10:41 PM
That's a fantastic guide for CE.

It perfectly illustrates why CE is scum and such a pain to DM. :)

Stealth Marmot
2017-02-24, 09:33 AM
1) Ask your DM.

2) You can characterize your character however you want with any traits that your stats will allows (long multisyllable words do not gel with a 7 INT for example) The only difference is whether those mannerisms are common for your race, or uncommon. If they are uncommon, your character may have a hard time relating with their kin or dealing with the stereotypes. If they are common, then the character may feel a great deal of comfort filling the expected role an indulge in it more than they might actually be that way. (Being violent is expected for an Ogre, and the character may like that,m but they may act more violent than they naturally would because fulfilling the expectations is comforting for them.) Basically, you can have any race play any mannerisms, but you have to be aware of the environment that such a character is in.

3) There are a million reasons for a half-ogre to leave and join a temple. Maybe they didn't feel they were accepted by the ogres OR the humans so they joined a group where race was less important or overlooked. Or they are hoping to find redemption or solace for their ogre side and family through the temple. Maybe they want to be able to bring something that will ensure peace within their tribe by finding a religion whose worship and power will help their tribe find peace. Maybe the temple has donut Thursdays and the donuts are REALLY good.

4) You don't have to at all. Having balanced stats are fine, and there is no reason to have low INT or WIS unless you really want to play it. What do you WANT?

5) High INT and low wis means you are more likely to be easily distracted, obtuse, perhaps foolhardy, but able to comprehend languages, concepts, thoughts, complex ideas and remember things better. High wisdom but low intelligence would have poor memory and language and probably have a hard time with complexity, but have good instincts and attentiveness. They would be instinctual and aware, like how a dog can always be perceptive towards noises and sounds and even people's emotions (there is a reason we have Service Dogs to help with PTSD), but it's not like a dog can understand language more complex than two words or so.

hamishspence
2017-02-24, 10:11 AM
1) Ask your DM.

2) You can characterize your character however you want with any traits that your stats will allows (long multisyllable words do not gel with a 7 INT for example)

Using them wrongly or gratuitously, on the other hand, is its own trope:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DelusionsOfEloquence

So, in that sense, it could gel quite well.