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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Default Help with a bizarre character idea

    So, I know it doesn't make much sense, but I was rolling up a character, and got some really great rolls - 18, 18, 17, 16, 13, 10. Pretty good start for just about anything, and I got to thinking. I wanted to make a Gully Dwarf.

    So, even with one of the 18s in intelligence, he's going to have a 14 after adjustments - definitely not optimized, but fantastic for a gully dwarf.

    What I need help with, is coming up with a good explanation for the abilities. I'm leaning towards the character having an insanely strong survival instinct, and dumb luck beyond beleif.

    So here's what I've come up with so far:

    Old Name : What to call it for a Gully dwarf (and how in the world to explain it)

    The Survivor (Also known as Natural Selections Bane)

    Cunning Insight: Survival Instinct - Gully dwarves are good at very few things, but the one thing they are good at is surviving. When survival is on the line, gully dwarves can surprise just about everyone with what they can accomplish

    Cunning Knowledge: Dumb Luck - sometimes a gully dwarf does something utterly amazing, simply because they don't realize that they shouldn't be able to it.

    Arcane Dilletente: Ancestors Favor - The gods have forgotten the gully dwarves, so the gully dwarves have forgotten them, but the ancestors watch from... somewhere not here, and occasionally lend a helping hand.

    Brains over Brawn: Mind over matter? - They say that if you tell yourself somthing is impossible, it is, and if you don't, it's not. Luckily for the gully dwarves, impossible is a really bit word that hurts, so they never use it.

    Cunning Defense: Lucky Duck - whether it is a mistake on the attackers part, or the gully dwarf slipping and nearly falling on some loose dirt, it seems that it often happens at precisely the right moment to best benefit the gully dwarf.

    Cunning Strike: Hit 'em where it hurts - fighting dirty is the only way that gully dwarves know how to fight. Nothing is below the belt, figuratively speaking, for these vicious little scrappers.

    Opportunistic Piety: Lucky Charms - while the Ancestors look down upon them, there are other powers in the world, be they a lucky blue mushroom, a mumified lizard, or even a horse-apple shaped like a turtle. The gully dwarf collects dozens of these little trinkets, and genuinely beleives that they are mystical objects.

    Cunning Surge: Fight of Flight? - It has been said that there are very few things quite as dangerous as a cornered animal, and gully dwarves are no exception to this rule. When put in a tight spot, there are two options, and whichever one they choose, they commit themselves to it with abandon.

    Cunning Breach: Lucky Hit - Sometimes even the most inept and erratic of opponents can catch you off gaurd, striking a vital spot.

    Cunning Dodge: Run Like Crazy! - there is a time to fight, and a time to run. For gully dwarves, it is mostly the latter. There is no shame in getting the heck out of the way. In fact, for gully dwarves, it has become nearly an art form.

    Imp. Cunning Defense: How'd I Miss - the way that the gully dwarf moves, and the way he firghts are so erratic, that at this point, it is extremely difficult for even a seasoned fighter to guess where they're going to move next.

    Cunning Brilliance: How does he do that? - Just because you've had years of training, practice and experience doesn't stop a gully dwarf from doing just what you did. Trying to explain that he can't isn't going to do you much good, because he's likely already forgotten that he did it, but when a gully dwarf has been around this much, he's likely playing dumb as often as he really is being dumb.
    Last edited by DueceEsMachine; 2010-07-18 at 12:13 PM.
    What D&D Character would I be?
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    Lawful/Good Human Wizard/Sorcerer (2/2)
    Str - 14
    Dex - 17
    Con - 15
    Int - 16
    Wis - 15
    Cha - 18
    Hmmm.. Not too shabby. I think I'd do pretty well. Who knows?

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Colossus in the Playground
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    Default Re: Help with a bizarre character idea

    Quote Originally Posted by DueceEsMachine View Post
    Old Name : What to call it for a Gully dwarf (and how in the world to explain it)
    Fortune's Chosen could be good? Or Survivor (I know it's a class already but it's such a bad one nobody cares) or something to that effect. Just, y'know, something to emphasize that he doesn't really have a thing to do about it himself.

    Quote Originally Posted by DueceEsMachine View Post
    Brains over Brawn: ? - having a hard time with this one
    "Brains As Brawn": He simply has brains that act as extra muscular mass and thus add to his physical performance.

    Quote Originally Posted by DueceEsMachine View Post
    Cunning Defense: ? - and again
    Dumb Luck - Allows him to dodge more often?

    Quote Originally Posted by DueceEsMachine View Post
    Cunning Breach: - ? Again, cunning is difficult, since it is something that gully dwarves just don't have an abundance of.
    Lucky Hit - He happens to hit 'em where it hurts. Seems simple enough.
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    Math_Mage's Avatar

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    Default Re: Help with a bizarre character idea

    Cunning Defense--Lucky Duck
    Imp. Cunning Defense--How'd I miss?

    ?

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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Default Re: Help with a bizarre character idea

    Awesome Ideas, thank you.

    Hmm.... Survivor. I kind of like that. I suppose it could be entirely possible to talk to the dm about switching the prime ability score from intelligence to wisdom, since that is more about instincts and such, but it is not something that has to be done.

    Edit: okay, didn't use your brains as brawn idea, but it set me on the track to mind over matter, so thank you. I appreciate the help.
    Last edited by DueceEsMachine; 2010-07-18 at 12:11 PM.
    What D&D Character would I be?
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    Show

    Lawful/Good Human Wizard/Sorcerer (2/2)
    Str - 14
    Dex - 17
    Con - 15
    Int - 16
    Wis - 15
    Cha - 18
    Hmmm.. Not too shabby. I think I'd do pretty well. Who knows?

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    DracoDei's Avatar

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    Default Re: Help with a bizarre character idea

    He just has really good genetics for a gully dwarf, that is all...
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