Completely Original Character ideas

[weckar]

Due to no fault of my own, I'm still playing in a 3.5 game.

As described in one of my more recent thread, I attempted to build an Artificer/War Hulk. After being able to consistently hit around 250+ damage per round, every round, at lv 6, I decided I should probably scrap it for something else...

My main problem is that I rather feel that all classes/mechanics are a little same-y by this point. I had half a mind of randomly rolling race/class/etc, but meh.
I've played most types of character already that I can get away with in my current group.

So, to cut the rambling: What is the most unusual character one can build - mechanically - within the confines of the 3.5 rules framework?

[Darrin]

Truenamer/Dragon Shaman.

[Inevitability]

Play a Hairy Spider that somehow got an intelligence score (one level in the fiendish progression class works, as does claiming you're an ex-familiar).

[martixy]

Due to no fault of my own, I'm still playing in a 3.5 game.

As described in one of my more recent thread, I attempted to build an Artificer/War Hulk. After being able to consistently hit around 250+ damage per round, every round, at lv 6, I decided I should probably scrap it for something else...

My main problem is that I rather feel that all classes/mechanics are a little same-y by this point. I had half a mind of randomly rolling race/class/etc, but meh.
I've played most types of character already that I can get away with in my current group.

So, to cut the rambling: What is the most unusual character one can build - mechanically - within the confines of the 3.5 rules framework?

a) When you get to a level of optimization of dealing 250 DPR @L6, things do get a bit samey, because there are not as many roads to that goal as something of lesser capability.
b) Many of the high opt builds are quite unusual in their makeup, except familiarity breeds contempt.
c) Frankly, the Iron Chefs are probably a very good source of original builds, since they force certain classes you are unlikely to see otherwise.

[Jormengand]

Truenamer/Dragon Shaman.

Or truenamer/monk, so you can take the amazing Disciple of the Word class which doesn't advance your monk features properly or your truenamer features at all. :smalltongue:

[Afgncaap5]

First, I'd recommend rolling a percentile die for this chart (https://i.warosu.org/data/tg/img/0433/50/1446137460297.png).

Then, rather than taking what you get there as your class, make it your profession. Your class isn't magician or swashbuckler or rogue or sorcerer or knight, that's your job.

Then, run an NPC class with that as their job. Ask your DM to let you have story-based progressions for abilities (ie., resolve a personal storyline or something) that can get rewarded with little perks (knowledge of a skill trick or a martial maneuver or new spell or something) and see what fun your character can have.

After all, you've more or less handled the mechanical side of characters before, why not really test that by intentionally limiting your mechanical options and seeing what kind of stories you can tell if you're just the farmer's kid who grew up to be a diplomat, or the latest in a long line of a goblin tribe's healers?

Alternatively, you can ask your DM if you can backport Spheres of Power into 3.5. Have your DM define your magical tradition for you based on a suggestion like "bee mage" or "mask merchant" or someting (ideally one that limits the classes you can take as well, such as in the example worldbuilding things in the back of the SoP book) and then see what you can do with that.

-Edit
Forgot to actually link the chart...

[Celestia]

Intelligent butterfly into Thrallherd. Fluff it that your beautiful wings fascinate people into worshiping you as a cult leader.

[Venger]

Play a Hairy Spider that somehow got an intelligence score (one level in the fiendish progression class works, as does claiming you're an ex-familiar).

my preferred method is skitterhaunt sentry ooze hairy spider

[InvisibleBison]

First, I'd recommend rolling a percentile die for this chart (https://i.warosu.org/data/tg/img/0433/50/1446137460297.png).

The more I look at that chart, the weirder it seems. There's a number of more-or-less synonymous terms placed in quite different spots (eg, wizard and magician), a lot of the placements seem somewhat arbitrary (for example, berserker and dragoon are both classified as slightly magical warriors, despite both being things that existed in real life) and a number of classifications that seem rather ambiguous (what is a "adventurer", as distinct from any other thing on the chart? How about a "trickster"?). It seems like it was made for some specific context, but no signs of such are present.

[Elkad]

Make a wizard, and then spend every feat and spell on optimizing your familiar. Every fight you take cover behind your tower shield and let your familiar do all your work.

The eventual goal is to just stay a half-mile behind the party (or safe in your tower back in town - even better) while it does everything.

[Inevitability]

my preferred method is skitterhaunt sentry ooze hairy spider

Works, but requires exploiting the same cheesy rule that gives us +0 LA Unseelie Fey so not all tables may allow it.

[flappeercraft]

Make any character of your choosing that is a Druid, now here is the catch. Make the animal companion any animal but the one with the highest strength score you can. Now, make it take the leadership and might makes right feats. Now you play the druid and make it part of the roleplay tgat just about everyone knows your animal companion and respects him but no one knows you. The druid would not be the one who commands the animal in everyone elses eyes, but just another follower/stalker.

[Hiro Quester]

The idea of an illiterate Barbarian who thinks he’s a wizard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?195049-Help-Me-Be-Annoying-with-a-Barbarian-Wizard) got a lot of laughs a while back.

Perhaps something on a similar line. Something decidedly bad at a job that it tries to do,but accidentally good enough at another job it does unintentionally to be still useful to your party.

Or something that starts out optimized for one task who then forswears that job and tries to live differently (while not retraining any of that history).

E.g. well-optimized fighter or rogue (or even your war hulk/artificer) to level 6, who then takes a vow of peace (not the feat, but the attitude of avoiding violence) and tries to make it as a diplomat/negotiator/party buffer (maybe a cleric and or bard).

Taking a character optimized for one job and make it try to abandon that job and become good at a second job could be an interesting challenge.

[Grod_The_Giant]

A Changling Binder 1/Totemist 2/Incarnate 2/Chameleon 10* is one I've wanted to try for a long time. Grab a chart of random character personality quirks and wake up every morning a different person.

Figure out how to use Fiend of Possession.

Gazebo Jones (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=9823824)is my favorite things ever.



*Might require some fiddling with class skill granting options to make work. I don't have my notes on hand.

[Venger]

A Changling Binder 1/Totemist 2/Incarnate 2/Chameleon 10* is one I've wanted to try for a long time. Grab a chart of random character personality quirks and wake up every morning a different person.

Figure out how to use Fiend of Possession.

Gazebo Jones (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=9823824)is my favorite things ever.



*Might require some fiddling with class skill granting options to make work. I don't have my notes on hand.

Page 12 of heroes of horror has a very long list of bizarre traits for your endeavor.

[Elricaltovilla]

Whenever someone comes along looking for a unique character idea, my gut instinct is always to suggest playing the most generic character possible. It's like "It was a dark and stormy night" or "the butler did it." Nobody actually starts a story that way, and the butler is almost never responsible, but everyone knows those are the cliches, so they refuse to touch them. Every special snowflake really has been done to death. So instead, play John Everyman.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

Whenever someone comes along looking for a unique character idea, my gut instinct is always to suggest playing the most generic character possible. It's like "It was a dark and stormy night" or "the butler did it." Nobody actually starts a story that way, and the butler is almost never responsible, but everyone knows those are the cliches, so they refuse to touch them. Every special snowflake really has been done to death. So instead, play John Everyman.

My backstory? On a dark and stormy night, my parents were murdered by the butler, leaving me to be raised by wolves, armed only with my father’s longsword.

[Gruftzwerg]

Play a chaotic-neutral DWK Kobold as Dragonfire Adept (or maybe a warlock) who is pretending to be a real dragon.
And since he didn't grew to his desired size, he has an colossal size complex. "That lil gnome wizard had to pay for his failure. His Permanent: Enlarge Person didn't work at all." (cause you are not a legal target for the spell).
So your duty is to become more powerful and to somehow get bigger, so that everybody acknowledges you as true dragon and obeys your commands.
Be the mascot of your group. Once you get access to "Humanoid Shape" at-will, play with multiple alter egos. Or even silly alter egos of your teammates to annoy em or make fun of em. Abuse Humanoid Shape to the max. . Steal everything you want (disguised as your teammates ^^), start fights in taverns, leave every place in pure chaos just to have a good laugh (yourself^^).

[Vaern]

The idea of an illiterate Barbarian who thinks he’s a wizard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?195049-Help-Me-Be-Annoying-with-a-Barbarian-Wizard) got a lot of laughs a while back.

I used this for a character in a one-shot game a while back. For the sake of in-game subtlety, his name was Fäk Wei`Saad.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Have you played a fear-based build?

Desert Half-Orc (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/environmentalRacialVariants.htm#desertHalfOrcs), (Savage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bardVariantSavageBard) ) Bard 8/ Dread Witch 1/ Nightmare Spinner 1/ Sublime Chord 2/ Dread Witch 4/ Nightmare Spinner 4, taking the first levels of Dread Witch and Nightmare Spinner as early as possible.
Replace Inspire Courage with Inspire Awe, replace another song with Haunting Melody, replace any other songs you want to with other ACFs.
Put max ranks in Intimidate since you'll start with a Dread Witch level making it a class skill, take Never Outnumbered, Imperious Command, and say you visited the Otyugh Hole for Menacing Demeanor.
Wear armor with the Fearsome property in Drow of the Underdark, which is a more recent version than the one in MIC.
Permanency + Enlarge Person gives +4 Intimidate.
Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm) can help boost Intimidate via invest skill ranks, but it's TO-level cheesy.
If possible take Dreadful Wrath, using the Half-Humans variant in RoD p150 to qualify.
Get Obtain Familiar and Improved Familiar (CW version) for a Krenshar.
Be sure to take Melodic Casting.
Of course take two flaws, and two traits: Abrasive and Unnatural Aura (Dragon 356 p89). For flaws consider Skulker (Dragon 328 p44) which causes you to save or become Shaken when you're in an opponent's threatened square, which has amazing synergy with Dread Witch.

[Mordaedil]

How does Artificer/War Hulk work when the first ability of the War Hulk prevents you from using any intelligence, charisma and wisdom based skill?

[grarrrg]

My backstory? On a dark and stormy night, my parents were murdered by the butler, leaving me to be raised by wolves, armed only with my father’s longsword.

Needs more "seeking revenge on evil uncle".

[Inevitability]

Needs more "seeking revenge on evil uncle".

Evil uncle who's also his twin brother.

No wait never mind forget that.

[weckar]

Loving all the suggestions and support. Seems I am not the first or last to deal with this!
Here's some individual responses, though:


The idea of an illiterate Barbarian who thinks he’s a wizard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?195049-Help-Me-Be-Annoying-with-a-Barbarian-Wizard) got a lot of laughs a while back. Actually did the reverse about a year ago: An illiterate wizard believing themselves a barbarian. She was awesome.


Have you played a fear-based build?
Yes. I am in no uncertain terms banned from playing one again. Same with Druids, actually.


How does Artificer/War Hulk work when the first ability of the War Hulk prevents you from using any intelligence, charisma and wisdom based skill?
It sets your effective ranks to 0 but you can still use the skills. Having enough bonuses from every category and a decent ability score (and the ability to use them untrained) almost negates that where it matters.

[Eldariel]

Not really unconventional per ce, but the NPC class Adept is quite enjoyable as a sort of a limited caster with some unique options (Divine caster with a familiar, some early spell access). A good way to self-restrict your power a bit while still being able to contribute on par with Fighters at least.

[Darrin]

Actually did the reverse about a year ago: An illiterate wizard believing themselves a barbarian. She was awesome.


I've been itching to play a Reverse Thogaturge for a while, but was considering a half-orc sorcerer trying to "prove" he's a barbarian. Expeditious retreat = fast movement, bull's strength = rage, etc. Could you give some details on how your illiterate wizard worked?

[weckar]

I've been itching to play a Reverse Thogaturge for a while, but was considering a half-orc sorcerer trying to "prove" he's a barbarian. Expeditious retreat = fast movement, bull's strength = rage, etc. Could you give some details on how your illiterate wizard worked?

Basically she had a tattoo'd spellbook (amped up by a dip into Geometer to save space) and a homebrew Flaw that made her illiterate for all other purposes but reading her own tattoos. Came up surprisingly often in the urban setting we played in (Ptolus).
Primitive Caster feat and a history as a tribal raincaller and storyteller quickly made it a very easy character to play. All magic became very ritualistic, and she would look towards the 'actual' Barbarian in the group for leadership moreso than anyone else purely due to a sense of kinship.

She in no way actually replicated the Barbarian class features, but she was a barbarian through and through.

[Jay R]

So, to cut the rambling: What is the most unusual character one can build - mechanically - within the confines of the 3.5 rules framework?

If you want a new experience, I recommend building the character a new way.

Don't start with mechanics. Pick a favorite character from a book or movie, and try to build to that.

If you start with Disney's Aladdin, then you'll wind up with a Rogue build that emphasizes climbing, acrobatics, thieving, etc., in that order.

If you start with Batman, then your climbing acrobat will be focused on detective skills, many clever little items, and strong preparation.

Is it possible to build a Green Arrow type out of an artificer / archer type?

You're good enough with mechanics that you'll design a workable character out of it, but he'll be different, and feel different, and play differently, from one you'd build starting with the mechanics.

[Afgncaap5]

The more I look at that chart, the weirder it seems. There's a number of more-or-less synonymous terms placed in quite different spots (eg, wizard and magician), a lot of the placements seem somewhat arbitrary (for example, berserker and dragoon are both classified as slightly magical warriors, despite both being things that existed in real life) and a number of classifications that seem rather ambiguous (what is a "adventurer", as distinct from any other thing on the chart? How about a "trickster"?). It seems like it was made for some specific context, but no signs of such are present.

Oh, I agree, a lot of the terms are nigh-synonymous, but the beauty is that a lot of the terms will have slight connotative differences that change from person to person. Case in point, for me when I think of a generic Adventurer, I think of the kind of gear-laden, lantern-toting, grue-dodging hero that you play in Zork games (the cover of Complete Adventurer was more or less made to resemble that kind of person in what I'm convinced was a nod to the Zork games and their (over)use of the word.) But to another person, maybe adventurer has a different meaning. That's why I really recommend just taking the word it gives you, and figuring out what that looks like as a profession and then make it with an NPC class.

[Mordaedil]

It sets your effective ranks to 0 but you can still use the skills. Having enough bonuses from every category and a decent ability score (and the ability to use them untrained) almost negates that where it matters.
Woah! That's... True. Jesus.

[Inevitability]

Woah! That's... True. Jesus.

GROK WILL SMASH YOU AND THen craft his teammates some much-needed magic armor. Good heavens, they could get hurt if they didn't watch out!



Related to the original hairy spider concept btw: something like a hairy spider fighter 2/stoneblessed 3/goliath barbarian 1 would be a completely normal Fine spider... except when they activate Mountain Rage, which suddenly causes them to grow to Large size.

Although now that I take another look, Stoneblessed requires the humanoid/monstrous humanoid/giant type. A Fine half-giant may be a better fit, even if it comes at +1 LA. Alternatively, cheese your way into getting Human Heritage.

[ben-zayb]

The eventual goal is to just stay a half-mile behind the party (or safe in your tower back in town - even better) while it does everything.
So...just an average wizard, then.

[JyP]

Play yourself, being teleported in a D&D world (a staple of 80's adventures), as an Expert.

Play Deadpool - a mad character "aware" that this is a game.

Play a Saint with Vow of Non-Violence. Play a redempted vampire with 15+ LA...

[BlackOnyx]

It would take some adjustments on the DM's part (LA determinations & such), but I've always liked the idea of playing an awakened animal and serving as the party's mascot & comedy relief.


The awakened I'd play if I had the chance? A charismatic Thompson's Gazelle named Randy.


Pure rogue build who maxes out jump, perform(dancing), and open lock. Frequently drops valuable objects (because hooves) and constantly hits on humanoid women. Employs "bambi eyes" whenever things go south (it works 'cause he's only two feet tall).


He's got a whole backstory about growing up in the savanna as "the weird one" in his herd. I like to imagine he never realized they couldn't understand him and just kept talking anyways.


As far as he knows, his folks are just "a little on the quiet side."

[Grod_The_Giant]

Related to the original hairy spider concept btw: something like a hairy spider fighter 2/stoneblessed 3/goliath barbarian 1 would be a completely normal Fine spider... except when they activate Mountain Rage, which suddenly causes them to grow to Large size
A Muckdweller might work; that would take you from Tiny lizard to Large godzilla.


Play Deadpool - a mad character "aware" that this is a game.
But who's wrong about what game they're in. Talk about everything in GURPS terms, or Savage Worlds or something.

[daremetoidareyo]

If you want a new experience, I recommend building the character a new way.

Don't start with mechanics. Pick a favorite character from a book or movie, and try to build to that.

...

You're good enough with mechanics that you'll design a workable character out of it, but he'll be different, and feel different, and play differently, from one you'd build starting with the mechanics.

Alternatively, choose mechanics first that you want to play with. find a prestige class with a winky ability and grow your character out from there.

or.

choose a skill. optimize that skill into the stratosphere,

[Darrin]

Roll d%:

01-88: Iron Chef Round {n (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?536247-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXXIX)}
89-00: Reroll.

Roll 1d4:
1: Gold
2: Silver
3: Bronze
4: Honorable Mention.