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orcmonk220
Underboss
1608 Posts
    
 | | 08/06/2006 9:09 AM |
| OK, so, my town needs a veteran person in it. Basically, it was set up by a group of refugees fleeing a town under attack. Four people stayed behind to hold off the attackers. They were a pair of fighter brothers, their cleric cousin, and childhood friend. Now, I'm stuck as to which class I should back this childhood friend. Originally, he began as a wizard, because he needs to survive the fight (teleport away after the rest are killed), but I feel that's a little cliche. What class do you think would suit him. Nowadays, he lived in the town telling stories of his adventures (thus, he's getting 1-2 ranks in aristocrat). Maybe a Bard or charasmatic Rogue would fit. Please help.
Oh, and I want to avoid Sorcerer too. | |
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Rising Dragon
Sneak
91 Posts
| | 08/06/2006 11:30 AM |
| | Any class would work as you don't nessecary need some sort escape device to have the character live. Purhasp the true reason he live was because he ran away from a fight leaving his comrades to die . | |
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zenthrus
Commander
4836 Posts
SLC, UT
| | 08/06/2006 3:12 PM |
| He could have fallen and feigned death while his comrades died trying to save him. He could have had a one-charge magic item of teleportation. He could have secretly made a deal with a powerful demon/devil to save his life in exchange for committing some foul deed.
There are a lot of reasons for someone to survive the battle.
As to avoiding cliche...no two wizards should ever be the same, so I fail to see how wizards are cliched.
Try using the alternative class ability from the PH2. Perhaps he's a conjurer who, because of forsaking a familiar, was able to reactively teleport himself outside of the blast radius of a fireball (or dragon's breath, or ice storm, etc).
If you really don't like the idea of a wizard, try a sorcerer. Sorcerers are charismatic and the hooks for how they might survive a battle are endless (saved by a dragon with whom the sorcerer made a pact, variations of teleport spells, draconic heritage feats such as Draconic Wings which allowed the sorcerer to fly safely away, etc).
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orcmonk220
Underboss
1608 Posts
| | 08/06/2006 4:24 PM |
| | I actually meant the cliche of the old man in the tavern who is, in fact, a wizard. Sorry for the confusion there. | |
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Omand
Commander
3118 Posts
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | 08/06/2006 5:31 PM |
| Well, some questions for you:
1) Does it have to be a HE? Could your wizard be a woman instead?
2) Does he/she have to be old, what about middle-aged?
3) I think the cliche you are trying to avoid is the old man in the inn who nobody knows is a wizard that is a wizard. That is easy to change here as you already say he is telling stories, etc. You could have him performing even with Prestidigitation or some such.
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zenthrus
Commander
4836 Posts
SLC, UT
| | 08/06/2006 8:28 PM |
| Having the old wizard be a middle-aged wizardess is a good idea. Since I'm far too partial to wizards/sorcerers, I'm afraid many of my suggestions will include them [:D]
Other ways to turn the tables on the cliche:
1) No secret. It's no secret that the guy telling stories in the tavern is a wizard, since he also runs the local magic school, helps defend the town, etc.
2) Wizards don't wear plate. The wizard is either a Spellsword or a Duskblade. No one pays much attention to his spellcasting because he wields martial weapons and wears heavy armor into battle. Any spells being cast are channeled through his weapon anyway, so their effects are far less obvious.
3) No secret redux. From the strange color of his eyes, to the wings folded under his cloak, the Sorcerer's draconic heritage is too obvious to hide, so he flaunts it. His stories are famed far and wide, and his personality is so strong people tend to naturally warm up to him despite his unnatural nature.
4) Dwarves aren't wizards. The childhood friend was something of a novelty in their village. A dwarf child found abandoned/parents dying/perhaps stolen/etc. by a powerful arcanist who raised the dwarf to be a magic user. The dwarf dresses as a smith and has a reputation for the finest weapons and armor (since he crafts and enchants the arms and armor himself). The dwarf's prestige in the town is very high, and his blacksmithing keeps him wealthy enough to have earned a landed title. Few people can match his drinking prowess or his luck (he does occasionally cheat) playing 3 Dragon Ante.
5) We don't need no stinking wizards. The childhood friend was a rogue. The rogue replaced the need for an arcane caster, since he was able to utilize magical devices. His time is now spent telling stories of his adventuring days, playing cards, and occasionally performing 'magic' tricks (pulling coins out of ears, making scarves appear from nowhere, etc).
Basically it really shouldn't matter what class the veteran is. I would select a class that would most benefit your party members.
I.E. do they need access to magic supplies? Have an arcane caster; do they need access to healing? Have a cleric/favored soul/druid; do they need access to something underhanded? Have a rogue.
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Lachlarlan_the_Mad
Sergeant
470 Posts
| | 08/07/2006 11:13 AM |
| Making a wizard that isn't cliche is more about roleplaying that character than what classes or feats you choose.
For example, I am playing a very insane Gray Elf wizard.
In one adventure, a beggar was selling his own hand. My wizard bought the hand, mummified it, and carved the symbol of Insanity into the palm. He now runs around declaring it the "Hand of Zagyg," and that it chose him.
In another, he Prestidigitated his albino rat familiar rainbow colors, and wore it as a hat.
Recently, he's been wearing a fake beard. "All great wizards have beards" is what he says when asked about it.
He's a straight-up wizard focusing on conjuration, that is eventually going to be an Alienist.
He is very unique and very fun to play. | |
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orcdoubleax
Sergeant
692 Posts
| | 08/07/2006 11:34 AM |
| I once had an NPC who was a blubbering sleeping in the ditch drunk.
who once was and still is when sober enought to focus a wizard. A major battle does strange things to a person. Just because he is a wizard doesn't mean he emotional was able to survive the battle. | |
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Malin Lug
Sergeant
742 Posts
| | 08/07/2006 12:21 PM |
| If you are looking at a fairly high level, then you could do a rogue / shadowdancer who when the fight started to go bad, just hid. He (or she) hid as his friends were killed. AAAWWWW, big sad story. Now they are an alcoholic.
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scruffydude7
Underboss
1196 Posts
Rock Hill, SC
| | 08/08/2006 3:54 AM |
| He could be a bit of a coward who likes to exaggerate his stories and make himself out to be something of a hero. He could flee the battle when he realizes his life is in serious danger. Maybe the others only lose the battle BECAUSE he fled.
He could be a Bard, and cast invisibility on himself and run away when it becomes obvious that he can't win. No need to teleport when you are invisible.
He could be a Wild Mage and accidentally teleport himself away when he meant to cast a fireball, right after he casts a cone of vegetables instead of a cone of cold. | |
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