How to Write, Build, and Post a PC

Introductions, tutorials, and meta-information will be found here. Get accustomed to play-by-post!
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ratwizard
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How to Write, Build, and Post a PC

Post by ratwizard »

How to Write, Build, and Post a PC

Step 1: Pick your campaign.

First things first -- you are going to want to figure out which game you want to play in. The OOC (out-of-character, or meta) threads for each campaign will have the campaign hook listed as well as any relevant character building requirements. For games in progress, we typically have a summary of events so far. Feel free to join either a new game that's still in set-up or one that's in progress. Both have their merits.

Step 2a: Make your character build.

Now, you want to solidify your character both mechanically and narratively. Depending on your personal preference, you might want to work on backstory and personality before the build -- if so, see Step 2b then return here.

Otherwise, you'll want to create your character's build (aka character sheet.) You can use the Player's Handbook from WOTC to do it by hand, use a builder online, or use the modded builder we have. When setting your character up, follow the specific requirements and instructions as per each campaign's OOC thread. In general, we use a 25 point-buy instead of 22, a free expertise feat, and a minimum of 4 trained skills granted by class. Other restrictions exist, such as limited starting gear or bonus starting gear in high level games. Again, see the campaign's OOC thread for the specifics.

Something of note are 4e Themes -- make sure your character has one. These were introduced in Dark Sun content and filled out in various Dragon Magazines. Essentially, they are backstories that give you various features and powers (or power choices) over your character's career. The modded builder we use has many of these. Otherwise, do some research on your own or have us give you some info about these.

Step 2b: Figure out your backstory.

Who is your character? What kind of family, social class, place, and backstory did they come from? How are they connected to the world around them? Do they have secrets? Rivals? Lovers? You'll want to think all of this out ahead of time.

It may be in your interest to look at any relevant lore. Check out our world map, read about places your character may be from. Use our discord chat to discuss these things if you want to bounce ideas off any of us or get suggestions. Placing your character into the setting might sound like a daunting task but it is very exciting and can be a fun experience.

Step 3: Post your PC.

It all comes together! Make a new reply on the OOC thread of the campaign. There are a number of things you need to use spoiler blocks for. See some of the other posts or OOC threads for examples from other players. This post will have some more information as well as templates you will need to copy. The easiest way to do that is to press Quote on the post, which will bring up a page as if you are going to quote and reply. However, just copy the spoiler box templates and paste them into your own post on the OOC thread. Then, just fill them out with your relevant information.

The rough format goes something like this:
  • Your character's full name. You can add a flashy title or descriptor if you'd like, such as Torvos Kalosi, the Exiled Vigilante.
  • A portrait of your PC. If it is too big and stretches the page, please place in a spoiler box.
  • Appearance, and also Personality. These are optional but recommended.
  • Ten-Minute Background. See link above for Instructions on what this is, as well as the template to paste over. This is by far the most important part of your post.
  • Character Sheet. If on the modded builder, just go to the Summary Tab and copy/paste what is there. (You'll have to add your Theme manually) Otherwise, find some way to get your sheet in text form that is easy to digest (or manually set it up like our builder spits out.)
  • Combat Block. See link above for the format to paste. Then, fill it out with the relevant combat information. It's pretty self-explanatory. This will be posted during each combat turn, as is essentially a snapshot of the status of your conditions, HP, powers used, etc.

Feel free to post your character even if it is unfinished and you haven't filled out all of the boxes. However, when you've finally got everything covered, let the DM know and prepare for the action! If necessary, harass any other players that still have yet to finish their character posts. You beat them!
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Fialova
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Re: How to Write, Build, and Post a PC

Post by Fialova »

[The following post is an example character post. This character was designed for a different setting and without our specific house rules, so those aspects will be slightly off. Look at this as more of an example of formatting.]

Karth, the Magnificent Manslayer

Image

Personality
As a narcissist Karth tends to be very confident in his abilites, and his self-esteem is never low. He goes into every battle without fear, completely assured of his victory from the start. He is always looking to make friends with new people (no one should miss the opportunity to gaze upon his gorgeous face, after all), though this is often made difficult due to the arrogance that often manifests in social situations due to his narcissism. He is extremely loyal to the few people he truly respects, and despite his overconfidence he is still a formidable opponent on the battlefield, so to some it might be worth earning that respect.
Appearance
Karth is somewhat tall, standing 6'3", with a fairly slender build. He has long, silver hair due to his elven heritage and he is very protective of it - many men have scars (or worse) to show as a result of touching Karth's hair. His manner of dress is never very fancy as he has always been of the lower class, but whatever the clothing he always wears it in a way that gives off an air of nobility. Even while at sea he makes a point to look his best, and can often be found tending to his precious hair. On his belt hangs a mirror that, while useful for some raids, spends most of its time reflecting Karth's face back at him.
Ten-Minute Background
Background and Concept Elements
Birth - Karth was born as the offspring of Queen Gwarta of Bridged City and one of her many guards. During her pregnancy it was assumed she would be giving birth to another of her husband's children, but when the child turned out to be a half-elf this was quickly proven to be false. The king consort, enraged by the discovery, demanded his wife reveal who the father was. Not wishing for controversy, she quickly revealed who the information and Karth and his father were banished and sent away in secret. The royal family told the public that the pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage and held a grand funeral for the supposed deceased prince. Meanwhile, Karth's father travelled with his newborn son to the city of Mithril to start a new life.

Early Life - Karth's father settled in the Harbor City section of Mithril and began taking whatever odd jobs he could find. As Karth got older he would sometimes help, but he usually caused more harm than good and was sent away. It was these times that he first began following the other boys around town, participating in various acts of thievery and creating bonds of friendship.

Later Life - As he got older, Karth began to grow bored with petty thievery. After all, it was his destiny to become king of Bridged City and he wasn't going to do that by pickpocketing the various merchants who came to Harbor City. He wanted more, but he didn't exactly know how to get it. Lucky for him his old friend Faust was an ambitious one, and when he stole a ship from the harbor he invited Karth and the other thieves who grew up together to join as his crew. Karth saw this as an opportunity, not only to relieve his boredom but also to gain more riches than he'd ever be able to scrounge alone.

The Magnificent Manslayer - As is custom among the Conspicuous Oils, Karth has a nickname that he goes by. When thinking up the names with the others he initially came up with such ideas as "Karth the Glorious", "The Radiant Ruffian", and "The Most Gorgeous Pirate Known to Man." These were all quickly shot down by the others, who said the point of the nicknames were to strike fear. Faust suggested he go by "The Manslayer" since he was always a ruthless fighter when the need arose, and reluctantly Karth accepted. However, it quickly came to everyone's attention that he was reffering to himself as "Karth the Magnificent" outside of their presence. They tried to get him to follow the captain's suggestion, only to be told that "the title simply does not express my greatness as well as it should." After some discussion they finally all came to a compromise, and Karth's nickname was officially made to be "The Magnificent Manslayer."
Goals
1) Karth ultimately desires to become the king of Bridged City. He feels he was wrongly banished, and that as retribution he deserves to gain the throne in place of his half-sister Hannatha.

2) I'd like Karth to get a chance to return to Bridged City so that I can develop that part of his story. He need not actually ever gain the throne as he wants, but I'd at least like to have him come to terms with royalty who are against him in some way, and perhaps meet his mother for the first time.
Secrets
1) Karth is actually the son of Queen Gwatra of Bridged City, making him royalty in the city-state. He ultimately plans to use this to become king and rule the city-state as he feels he deserves.

2) Karth was made a divine champion of Enkili without his knowledge, and most of his success and combat skill is a result of this. Enkili chose him for his personality, and as such the divine powers he possesses are triggered by him acting in line with his natural narcissism. Acting against this can sometimes have negative effects.
People Tied to Character
1) Karth's father is his only real family, and he cares deeply about his only son. He is the one who filled Karth's head with the idea of becoming king, and thus is directly responsible for Karth's narcissism.

2) Captain Faust is an old friend and Karth has a great deal of respect for the quirky man. He is one of the few people Karth views as an equal.

3) Queen Gwatra, Karth's mother, has a somewhat neutral opinion of him. As her own child she cannot hate him, but she was not sad when he was banished from Bridge City with his father. She wants to avoid a succession dispute just as much as the other royals who know of his existence, but would be torn somewhat if that were ever to happen.

4) The king consort of Bridged City was furious when he learned that Karth was not his son, and when he found out he immediately had the boy and his father banished from the city. He loved his wife enough to forgive her for her affair, but he hates Karth and his father and would likely go to any means to keep them from returning or gaining any sort of prominince in Bridged City.
Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks
1) Karth is very much a narcissist, and can sometimes be quite arrogant due to his self-absorption. Ironically, these personality traits are the direct cause of his successes in life, as well as his skills in combat, due to them triggering his divinely-granted abilities.

2) He has a very fuzzy memory of the palace interior from the time he was born. Occasionally it is the setting of his dreams, where he is revered by the citizens of Bridge City as a great leader.

3) He absolutely hates for anyone to touch his hair unless they are a very close friend, and even then he is not completely comfortable with it. Touching Karth's hair is one of the few ways to anger him (and the quickest), and has occasionally resulted in the injury or death of the unfortante offender.
Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions
Family - Karth's only real family is his father, and older elven man who was once a guard at the Queen's palace in Bridged City. While he is related by blood to the Bridged City royalty, most of them are unaware of his existence. The ones who do know of him want him kept a secret, so as not to cause a succession dispute.

Class - On his mother's side he is a member of the Bridged City royalty, on his father's side he is a common peasant. He was raised by his father in Mithril as a simple commoner, but his royal blood cannot be denied.

Profession - Karth is a pirate and he is good at it. He has been First Mate of the Quina Vjeta for a long time under Captain Faust, and not without reason. He was one of the few to survive the fateful encounter with the guarded merchant ship, and one of the even fewer to survive who was also a companion of Faust in his youth.

Institutions - he is a member of Faust's Crew, the Conspicuous Oils.
Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary
Primary - Karth's feeling of entitelement towards the throne of Bridged City is his primary motivating factor. He deserves to rule the city as he sees it, and he will do everything in his power to obtain the position he views as rightfully his.

Secondary - His years as a pirate have also fostered in him a desire for wealth. He has incorporated this lesser desire into his ultimate goal of becoming King of Bridged city by deciding that he will not yet return to the city-state until he has first amassed considerable wealth. This amassing of wealth will surely make it easier for him to obtain the influence he needs gain the throne, but he also wants it for the luxury as well.

Tertiary - Karth is always looking to make new friends, having grown up with very few. His personality tends to hinder him in his pursuit for companions, so one could say it is a never-ending search for those patient and accepting enough to handle his presence on a regular basis.
Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term
Short Term - Meet and befriend the new crewmembers. More friends are always nice.

Medium Term - Continue earning coin with Faust, until Karth as enough to return to Bridged City in style and live there comfortably.

Long Term - Win the hearts of the people of Bridged City and take over as monach instead of his half-sister Hannatha.
Character Sheet
Karth, level 7
Half-Elf, Warpriest
Half-Elf Power Selection: Dilettante
Background: Last of the Breed (Last of the Breed Benefit)
Theme: Sohei

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 13, Con 16, Dex 10, Int 8, Wis 21, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 13, Con 13, Dex 10, Int 8, Wis 18, Cha 10.


AC: 24 Fort: 18 Reflex: 15 Will: 20
HP: 58 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 14

TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +13, Insight +17, Perception +16, Endurance +12

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +3, Arcana +8, Bluff +3, Diplomacy +5, Dungeoneering +8, Heal +8, History +8, Intimidate +3, Nature +8, Stealth +3, Streetwise +3, Thievery +3, Athletics +4

FEATS
Level 1: Weapon Proficiency (Bastard sword)
Level 2: Devout Protector Expertise
Level 4: Battlewise
Level 6: Armor Proficiency: Scale

POWERS
Dilettante: Overwhelming Strike
Warpriest daily 1: Moment of Glory
Warpriest utility 2: Sohei Parry
Warpriest daily 5: Inspire Fervor
Warpriest utility 6: Stream of Life

Equipped Items
 

Code: Select all

Main Hand: Transference Bastard sword +2
Offhand:   Shield of Speed and Evasion Spiked shield (heroic tier)
Body:      Ebon Scale Armor +2

Head:      ---
Neck:      Healer's Brooch +1
Arms:      ---
Hands:     ---
Waist:     ---
Feet:      ---
Symbol:    Magic Holy Symbol +2
Ki Focus:  ---
Ring:      ---
Ring:      ---
Tattoo:    ---

Boon:      ---

Backpack
Adventurer's Kit,
Manacles, iron,
Mirror,
Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing)

All Items
Ebon Scale Armor +2, Shield of Speed and Evasion Spiked shield (heroic tier), Magic Holy Symbol +2, Transference Bastard sword +2, Healer's Brooch +1, Adventurer's Kit, Manacles, iron, Mirror, Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing)
Combat Block
Karth

Male Half-Elf Warpirest Level 7
Languages: Common, Elven, Tulrissian
Age: 27
Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 165 lbs.

Speed: 5
Initiative: +8
Passive Perception: 26
Passive Insight: 27
Senses: Low-light Vision

AC: 24
Fort: 18
Reflex: 15
Will: 20
HP: 58/58
Bloodied: 29
Surge Value: 14
Surges left: 10/10
Action Points: 1

MBA: +10 vs AC, 1d10+3 damage
RBA (unarmed): +3 vs AC, 1d4 damage

Resistances:
* 7 necrotic

Vulnerabilities: none

Saves: none

Active Effects:
* gain 5 THP when adjacent enemy dies
* allies gain +1 shield bonus to AC

Powers:

Blessing of Knowledge
Singing Strike
__________________________________

Second Wind [_]
Sohei Flurry [_]
Overwhelming Strike [_]
Smite Undead [_]*
Healing Word [_][_]
Knowledge to Spread [_]*
Sudden Inspiration [_]
Thought Twister [_]
Sohei Parry [_]
Inspired Steel [_]
Thought Storm [_]

* Can only use one of these per encounter
__________________________________

Moment of Glory [_]
Holy Cleansing [_]
Inspire Fervor [_]
Stream of Life [_]
Shield of Speed and Evasion (heroic tier) [_]
Transference Bastard Sword +2 [_]

Consumables: none

Important Features:
Class Features
Oghma Domain Lv 1 Features: Can use Wis instead of Int when making Int-based skill checks. +1 to next saving throw made before EONT to all allies in burst after I use Healing Word.

Oghma Domain Lv5 Features: When I use Healing Word, the target of the power can make a saving throw.

Racial Features
Dual Heritage: can take feats that require elf or human as pre-requisite.

Group Diplomacy: +1 racial bonus to Diplo checks for all allies within 10 squares.

Dilettante: can pick any 1st level at-will from another class to use as encounter power.

Theme Features
Sohei Lv5 Feature: +2 to insight and perception

Feat(ures)
Devout Protector Expertise: while using a shield, allies gain +1 shield bonus to AC

Battlewise: can use Wis for initiative

Item Features
Ebon Scale Armor +2: Gain 7 necrotic resistance. Gain 5 THP when adjacent enemy dies.

Healer's Brooch +1: when using a power that allows self or ally to regain hitpoints, add 1 to regained value
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