Anyone have a cool backstory idea?

[Madd_Hattington]

I am in the process of making a character who is out of the ordinary for my normal builds. Normally the group I play with don't Roleplay their characters or really interact with the world beyond "kill the beast". But this new group has been RP heavy and I am stoked to be invited to play with my own character.

The overall idea is a Teifling monk/barbarian who has the ability to craft items. The GM has approved building magic items if I survive a few levels. So what I ask from you guys is any suggested build ideas and/or cool backstory ideas for this character.

[Unoriginal]

Which magic item crafting rules will you guys use?

[sophontteks]

The building magic items is pretty far from what a barbarian would do and may not be the best combination for a roleplay-heavy experience. Explaining how a tiefling monk/barbarian could do this would be quite a stretch IMO.

Instead, start with where your character is from. Arr you playing on Faerun? The sword coast adventurers guide has a decent summary of the various locations in this world. If you don't have access to that you can see a decent list of major regions in the human description. Just google those locations one by one.

Read them, see if any catch your attention. Once you have a location it'll be easier to create a character that will fit into that location. A tiefling from Calimshan, for example, may have fought in the war between the Djinni, Efreeti, and humans as a mercenary. Tieflings from other regions may have been forced to live in slums.

Imagine what its like for your character growing up there. What events happened in the region when he was a child. Were the people xenophobic? Did they have slaves? Did they favor a particular fighting style? What was their use of magic? What did they do for fun?

[Unoriginal]

The building magic items is pretty far from what a barbarian would do and may not be the best combination for a roleplay-heavy experience. Explaining how a tiefling monk/barbarian could do this would be quite a stretch IMO.



There is no reason that a Barbarian would be unable to craft magic items. As long as they know the rare formulas to do it and do what is required, of course.


But of course, getting a bunch of formulas for free os quite an enormous boon.

[nickl_2000]

You are from a family of famous bloodragers, battle causes their eyes to glaze or and everything you see to be red. They can think of nothing else but the clash of weapons and the battle.

Due to this, all male members of your family have died heroically in battle at a young age. However, your mother wants you to live a long and healthy life. So when you started showing the signs, she took you to a monastery to try and help you overcome this blood lust and find you center. You are always trying to keep your peace and center, but when you friends are injured you find your family curse comes to the forefront.

Short and ugly, but it could be a decent base. Maybe the monks started you tinkering so that your mind would be focused on something besides the sounds of battle?

[smcmike]

The building magic items is pretty far from what a barbarian would do and may not be the best combination for a roleplay-heavy experience. Explaining how a tiefling monk/barbarian could do this would be quite a stretch IMO.


While I understand this point, it doesn’t seem very helpful. If we are here to criticize the build, you could start with “Tiefling Monk/Barbarian,” which seems designed not to make any sense. The thing is, though, it will probably work just fine in practice. Same with designing magic items: if the DM provides a supplementary magic item crafting system and allows this character to use it, nothing says it can’t work (and could help shore up the obvious problems with a tiefling barbarian/monk).

That being said, the rest of the advice you give is good. Situating the character in the world is a good thing.

If the DM gives you a lot of freedom to make up backstory (and in so doing write a bit about how the world works), I would have your character grow up in a special monastery set up for Tiefling children, designed to control their demonic nature. Your character struggled with the strict discipline of the monastery and left in an ugly fashion. He has an anger problem, manifested by his rages, and has some deep-seated shame that he needs to work through. Maybe the magic item crafting can be a sort of release for this, channeling his demonic nature into objects rather than holding it inside.

[sophontteks]

There is no reason that a Barbarian would be unable to craft magic items. As long as they know the rare formulas to do it and do what is required, of course.


But of course, getting a bunch of formulas for free os quite an enormous boon.
And they just learn these from the animals?

Crafting magic items seems a closely guarded secret in elusive civilized locations. It does not seem like a trivial thing where one just finds a recipe and mixes a few things together in the mess kit.

Its the players first roleplay heavy experience and I think he's better off starting with a blank sheet looking at the locations and getting inspired by the possibilities rather then the opposite approach of making something fit the choices they already made.

[Madd_Hattington]

The building magic items is pretty far from what a barbarian would do and may not be the best combination for a roleplay-heavy experience. Explaining how a tiefling monk/barbarian could do this would be quite a stretch IMO.

Instead, start with where your character is from. Arr you playing on Faerun? The sword coast adventurers guide has a decent summary of the various locations in this world. If you don't have access to that you can see a decent list of major regions in the human description. Just google those locations one by one.

Read them, see if any catch your attention. Once you have a location it'll be easier to create a character that will fit into that location. A tiefling from Calimshan, for example, may have fought in the war between the Djinni, Efreeti, and humans as a mercenary. Tieflings from other regions may have been forced to live in slums.

Imagine what its like for your character growing up there. What events happened in the region when he was a child. Were the people xenophobic? Did they have slaves? Did they favor a particular fighting style? What was their use of magic? What did they do for fun?

Really I was just wanting a monk who channels his rage while fighting so barbarian is just a means to the overall monk goal. I was thinking of making a monk who doesn't just dump every stat but Wisdom and Dexterity. But really I wanted to open the door to the masses and see what people online could think of!

As for setting it is a home brew. Not to much in the way of context as the GM seems to like the character to build the world as much as the story builds the characters.


Which magic item crafting rules will you guys use?

GM was thinking of using the base crafting rules but he might change his mind.

[Specter]

Tiefling Monk/Barbarian? I can see a guy who had to flee civilization because of a crime he committed (or was framed for).

[strangebloke]

I say, pick two characters from other media that you like, pick and choose characteristics from each, and then roll with it.

So for your guy I'm going with Yu Yu from Yu Yu Hakusho (for the tiefling/monk angle, and also a bit of the barbarian angle) and also Edward Elric (has monk flavor, as well as the ability to make weapons)

So who is Yu Yu?
1:Punk kid with a missing father and a deadbeat mother.
2:Lives for the thrill of battle
3:Can't/won't admit to any kind of weakness
4:exceedingly lonely, but will never admit because of trait #3

Who is Edward Elric?
1:Limitless ambition.
2:Exceedingly strong moral center.
3:Massive short-man complex. Hates not being taken seriously.
4:Immature. Bad aesthetic taste.
5:Strong bonds with his family, strong negative feelings towards his missing father.

So who is Edyu?

Yuyu#1 and Ed#5 are very similar, so I'll make Edyu a hybrid of both. Edyu was born to wealthy human parents, who tossed him out onto the streets when his demonic traits manifested. He was only a kid at the time, but miraculously he survived. For a time he was a nearly rabid street urchin, attacking, stealing, and generally turning into an evil little brat. Fortunately, some people took pity on him and brought him into their family and taught him discipline(monk training). His relationship with his adoptive family is rocky, but at the end of the day he would do anything for them.

Yuyu#3 and Ed#3 are very similar, so I'll make a hybrid again. Growing up on the streets made him cautious, wary of others. He puts on a 'face' that is invincible, indomitable, and utterly unfazed by anything, but it's all a mask for deep-seeded insecurities. Even with his best friends and family, he'll refuse to ask for help, and he hates it when people assume he needs help. (even when he really needs it.) If you don't get barb levels until later, I would roleplay that as him coming to terms with his own emotions and using all those hidden, pent-up emotions to wreck face.

So we haven't touched on his motivations yet, or his weapon-creation thing. I'm going to say that like Ed#1, he's got big dreams. He wants to make a weapon. He wants to make a legendary weapon, greater than all others. He left his adoptive family because he needs money, rare items, and training. This makes him kind of greedy but only with respect to things that relate to his longterm goal. He'll probably want to talk shop with and purveyors of magic items.

[Madd_Hattington]

Tiefling Monk/Barbarian? I can see a guy who had to flee civilization because of a crime he committed (or was framed for).

Sound like it could turn into something interesting.

[QUOTE=strangebloke] I say, pick two characters from other media that you like, pick and choose characteristics from each, and then roll with it.

So for you guy I'm going with Yu Yu from Yu Yu Hakusho (for the tiefling/monk angle, and also a bit of the barbarian angle) and also Edward Elric (has monk flavor, as well as the ability to make weapons)

So who is Yu Yu?
1:Punk kid with a missing father and a deadbeat mother.
2:Lives for the thrill of battle
3:Can't/won't admit to any kind of weakness
4:exceedingly lonely, but will never admit because of trait #3

Who is Edward Elric?
1:Limitless ambition.
2:Exceedingly strong moral center.
3:Massive short-man complex. Hates not being taken seriously.
4:Immature. Bad aesthetic taste.
5:Strong bonds with his family, strong negative feelings towards his missing father.

So who is Edyu?

Yuyu#1 and Ed#5 are very similar, so I'll make Edyu a hybrid of both. Edyu was born to wealthy human parents, who tossed him out onto the streets when his demonic traits manifested. He was only a kid at the time, but miraculously he survived. For a time he was a nearly rabid street urchin, attacking, stealing, and generally turning into an evil little brat. Fortunately, some people took pity on him and brought him into their family and taught him discipline(monk training). His relationship with his adoptive family is rocky, but at the end of the day he would do anything for them.

Yuyu#3 and Ed#3 are very similar, so I'll make a hybrid again. Growing up on the streets made him cautious, wary of others. He puts on a 'face' that is invincible, indomitable, and utterly unfazed by anything, but it's all a mask for deep-seeded insecurities. Even with his best friends and family, he'll refuse to ask for help, and he hates it when people assume he needs help. (even when he really needs it.) If you don't get barb levels until later, I would roleplay that as him coming to terms with his own emotions and using all those hidden, pent-up emotions to wreck face.

So we haven't touched on his motivations yet, or his weapon-creation thing. I'm going to say that like Ed#1, he's got big dreams. He wants to make a weapon. He wants to make a legendary weapon, greater than all others. He left his adoptive family because he needs money, rare items, and training. This makes him kind of greedy but only with respect to things that relate to his long term goal. He'll probably want to talk shop with and purveyors of magic items.

This is really cool! Thank you for the input!

[Unoriginal]

"They say that a good smith needs good tools and a good fire. That a good fighter needs good weapons and armors. Maybe. Maybe it's true. I've crafted good tools, in my time. Good weapons, too, and good armors. Couldn't say if those who bought them were good at anything but showing gold.

Me? I've never needed armor other than my skin and my wits. Never needed tools or weapons other than my hands to re-shape metal or my opponents' faces. And fire... fire came from within.

Needing objects? Ah! I'll show you objects you'll be proud to need!"

[Madd_Hattington]

"They say that a good smith needs good tools and a good fire. That a good fighter needs good weapons and armors. Maybe. Maybe it's true. I've crafted good tools, in my time. Good weapons, too, and good armors. Couldn't say if those who bought them were good at anything but showing gold.

Me? I've never needed armor other than my skin and my wits. Never needed tools or weapons other than my hands to re-shape metal or my opponents' faces. And fire... fire came from within.

Needing objects? Ah! I'll show you objects you'll be proud to need!"


These quotes are astounding!

[Unoriginal]

These quotes are astounding!

Thanks. I'm imagining a huge, silent type looking like a Tiefling version of Kratos in the new God of War.

[Madd_Hattington]

Thanks. I'm imagining a huge, silent type looking like a Tiefling version of Kratos in the new God of War.

Funny you mention that because the idea of raging fisticuffs came from the beat down he gives the other guy a few minutes into the start of the game! And the item creation came from the previous games where he got new weapons from beating up the bosses. XD

[Unoriginal]

That's a starting point. If you want him to look like Kratos, he'd be an older man. Plenty of RP opportunities here.

You could have him be the rival of plenty of other great smiths from other species, and when they meet they constantly bicker in a you're-doing-it-wrong-no-you fashion, even though they're friends in the end.

Are you starting at lvl 1?

[Madd_Hattington]

That's a starting point. If you want him to look like Kratos, he'd be an older man. Plenty of RP opportunities here.

You could have him be the rival of plenty of other great smiths from other species, and when they meet they constantly bicker in a you're-doing-it-wrong-no-you fashion, even though they're friends in the end.

Are you starting at lvl 1?

I think we are starting at level 3.

[GlenSmash!]

And they just learn these from the animals?

Crafting magic items seems a closely guarded secret in elusive civilized locations. It does not seem like a trivial thing where one just finds a recipe and mixes a few things together in the mess kit.

Barbarian's aren't necessarily tied to animals, or strangers to civilization. A Barbarian can be a Noble from Waterdeep, or Silverymoon. A Sage from Candlekeep, A Knight of the Order from Damara.

The Oultlander or Uthgardt Tribe Member backgrounds are more how you would build a tribal or cannibalistic character.


Its the players first roleplay heavy experience and I think he's better off starting with a blank sheet looking at the locations and getting inspired by the possibilities rather then the opposite approach of making something fit the choices they already made.

I do agree with this. Picking a background, choosing it's traits, and then deciding why he became an adventurer (usual a plot hook to the DMs campaign) has lead to a lot more fun for me than writing copious amounts of backstory and trying to shoehorn that character into the game.

[Vogie]

Way of the Open Hand Monk / Ancestral Guardian Barbarian
Chi Blocker / (EDIT: Kyoshi Warrior)
This blend will focus on disruption- your strikes impose disadvantage, in addition to your flurry of blows giving the Open hand technique debuffs. Likely would be either Monk 3 / Barb X or Monk 6 / Barb X (for Ki-Empowered Strikes) with the Clan Crafter Background

I'd focus this character as a sort of lumberjack-meets-IP-Man type, probably a woodcrafter or smith. Their ability to craft is a demonstration on why they are not a soldier or other type of warrior, and their rage is more of a flow state. Their fighting style is not necessarily a lethal one, as their mindset is more of a "proof house" feel - they're looking for vulnerabilities in their opponent's tactics, armor and technique. They'd be trying to point out the error in the target's ways in a desire for greater learning as a whole. As for the fluff, the "Ancestral Spirits" could be actual spirits that the character is consulting with and using as a self-guide and guide for others; Alternatively, the aspect of "spirits" could be downplayed and refluffed into a sort of Sherlock-Holmesian mastery of their craft, marital art, and deduction. The spirit shield ability is an extension of Deflect Missiles, the augury ability at barb 10 would be more like a meditative reflection on what to do, as though communing with r/Showerthoughts.




Way of the Long Death Monk 6 / Zealot Barbarian X
Fearmonger / Freedom Fighter
This blend is more focused on a more of a guerrilla fighter, dealing a mix of physical and magic damage, while also having the ability to Terrify your targets. Probably the Iron Road Bandit, Folk Hero, or Inquisator background, depending on if you're trying to be a terrorist, Robin Hood, or definitely-not-Batman.

I'd focus this character in one of the above ways, depending on the world you're dropped in - could be part of a rebellion, could be a bandit with a heart of gold, could be a vigilante who doesn't actually want to kill anyone (but is very good at it anyway). This character's rage is more of a righteous fury, either to help the disadvantaged or fight the power. This character's crafting would be focused on ways to help their cause - things to make them quieter & more stealthy, or items to make them more terrifying and strike fear in their targets.

[strangebloke]

Barbarian's aren't necessarily tied to animals, or strangers to civilization. A Barbarian can be a Noble from Waterdeep, or Silverymoon. A Sage from Candlekeep, A Knight of the Order from Damara.

The Oultlander or Uthgardt Tribe Member backgrounds are more how you would build a tribal or cannibalistic character.



I do agree with this. Picking a background, choosing it's traits, and then deciding why he became an adventurer (usual a plot hook to the DMs campaign) has lead to a lot more fun for me than writing copious amounts of backstory and trying to shoehorn that character into the game.

I mean, some stylistic choices get made pretty early on. "Guy with two knives," "Guy who casts spells and swords things," "Guy who has no magic," etc. Once you've made those choices, you're kind of limited as far as class goes. If your person fights in hand-to-hand, for example, probably not best to make a rogue (although you can do this.) Additionally, sometimes the mechanics themselves can inspire fun ideas.

Like, my 3.5 Goliath Barbarian had a hammer that was one size too large, which made me come up with a running gag about his obsession over the size of things.

My friend had a dwarven scout who minmaxed the crap out of his stealth and survival abilities. He picked up the cloak of elvenkind, the boots of elvenkind... and decided retroactively that his dwarf had a serious affection for all things elven, including elven females.

[Madd_Hattington]

Way of the Open Hand Monk / Ancestral Guardian Barbarian
Chi Blocker / Ky
This blend will focus on disruption- your strikes impose disadvantage, in addition to your flurry of blows giving the Open hand technique debuffs. Likely would be either Monk 3 / Barb X or Monk 6 / Barb X (for Ki-Empowered Strikes) with the Clan Crafter Background

I'd focus this character as a sort of lumberjack-meets-IP-Man type, probably a woodcrafter or smith. Their ability to craft is a demonstration on why they are not a soldier or other type of warrior, and their rage is more of a flow state. Their fighting style is not necessarily a lethal one, as their mindset is more of a "proof house" feel - they're looking for vulnerabilities in their opponent's tactics, armor and technique. They'd be trying to point out the error in the target's ways in a desire for greater learning as a whole. As for the fluff, the "Ancestral Spirits" could be actual spirits that the character is consulting with and using as a self-guide and guide for others; Alternatively, the aspect of "spirits" could be downplayed and refluffed into a sort of Sherlock-Holmesian mastery of their craft, marital art, and deduction. The spirit shield ability is an extension of Deflect Missiles, the augury ability at barb 10 would be more like a meditative reflection on what to do, as though communing with r/Showerthoughts.




Way of the Long Death Monk 6 / Zealot Barbarian X
Fearmonger / Freedom Fighter
This blend is more focused on a more of a guerrilla fighter, dealing a mix of physical and magic damage, while also having the ability to Terrify your targets. Probably the Iron Road Bandit, Folk Hero, or Inquisator background, depending on if you're trying to be a terrorist, Robin Hood, or definitely-not-Batman.

I'd focus this character in one of the above ways, depending on the world you're dropped in - could be part of a rebellion, could be a bandit with a heart of gold, could be a vigilante who doesn't actually want to kill anyone (but is very good at it anyway). This character's rage is more of a righteous fury, either to help the disadvantaged or fight the power. This character's crafting would be focused on ways to help their cause - things to make them quieter & more stealthy, or items to make them more terrifying and strike fear in their targets.

These are awesome! Thank you!

[Coec]

For a theme you could try this: grew up inn the woods with the wolves and the bears. Very jungle book style only your tiefling heritage made you more feral than mogley. A traveling hermit finds you and after a period of days gaining your trust using food, took you in. He was a monk who enjoyed crafting and isolation. He tried to help you control your feral side but teaching you martial arts. Hoping the discipline would help channel that primal instinct. As part of the training he had you work with him in his forge. There's a bit of solice and enjoyment you can get out of beating metal into shape. From something raw being beaten and put to fire (trials of life and combat) comes something pure and refined.

Or something like that.

[Maelynn]

A Monk crafting magic items... I find myself reminded of Dr. Strange. ;)

You could use that angle, of course. Going by what others have already suggested, you found your way into a monastery in an attempt to control and channel the (demonic?) rage within you. During your years at the monastery, you studied the use of magic items and how to craft them.

[Madd_Hattington]

A Monk crafting magic items... I find myself reminded of Dr. Strange. ;)

You could use that angle, of course. Going by what others have already suggested, you found your way into a monastery in an attempt to control and channel the (demonic?) rage within you. During your years at the monastery, you studied the use of magic items and how to craft them.


For a theme you could try this: grew up inn the woods with the wolves and the bears. Very jungle book style only your tiefling heritage made you more feral than mogley. A traveling hermit finds you and after a period of days gaining your trust using food, took you in. He was a monk who enjoyed crafting and isolation. He tried to help you control your feral side but teaching you martial arts. Hoping the discipline would help channel that primal instinct. As part of the training he had you work with him in his forge. There's a bit of solice and enjoyment you can get out of beating metal into shape. From something raw being beaten and put to fire (trials of life and combat) comes something pure and refined.

Or something like that.

Definitely gives me something to think about. Thanks you guys!