Character Creation

Aug 12, 2018 12:48 am
Discuss character ideas here along with creation process itself.

- Characters will begin at level 1.

- I'm leaning towards point buy variant to ensure balance but I'm open to the usual 4d6 drop lowest method if preferred by the majority of players. Players can choose whether to use point buy or roll 4d6 drop lowest method for ability scores. If choosing the latter, all rolls should be made here publicly.

- If you'd like you can choose to belong to a faction: see here for more info on factions.

- The campaign will be starting in the Dessarin Valley area, a lightly settled region of caravan towns, isolated homesteads, and uninhabited wilderness, near the Sword Coast as hired hands to a small caravan en route to small hamlet of Red Larch on its way back from business in Waterdeep along the Long Road. You may want to work in how you ended up in this area in your character's background story.

- Ket has gave us access to great online character generation tool via DND Beyond (see below for link - you'll need to create an account). You may use this to aid in character creation. Just make sure you don't use any disallowed resources.

List of allowed resource: PHB, Sword Coast Adv. Guide, Elemental Evil Player's Companion, Volo's Guide to Monsters (except monstrous races). Xanathar's Guide to Everything.
Aug 12, 2018 1:12 am
Hi all,

I'm assuming everyone would prefer to talk about character creation before committing to a particular class. I usually play either a thief or a caster, but can be flexible if the group needs other roles filled.

Does anyone else have any preferences or thoughts about character/group composition?

As for point buy vs rolling; I've done both. I prefer rolling (I like the idea of truly heroic characters) but am happy with whatever. I personally enjoy rolling and if you don't like the roll you can opt to do point buy as a back up. Just some thoughts. Happy to do point-buy if that's what the game calls for..

Looking forward to it!
Aug 12, 2018 3:33 am
Greets all,

I, too, am open to dice rolling, though I have never been a fan of online dice rollers for doing so. So, in a setting like this I am more inclined to go with a point buy or standard array. But I agree with Tsavo that however the DM chooses is fine.

If you would like, Tonka, I can create a campaign under my DnD Beyond account, and then share content for everyone. This would allow everyone to use the PC generator with whatever source books you want to use (I own them all, except the new upcoming Waterdeep books). That is where I create all of my PC's, which I then copy over here.

I love playing clerics, though for this game I was looking to do something different, like an Air Genasi Warlock. Personally I am pretty clueless about Faerun, as I have gamed almost exclusively in the Greyhawk setting since the early 1980's. I thought that my PC would work well with a backstory that has him somehow getting thrown from his own elemental plane and into Faerun, where he has zero clue as to where anything is. I literally would not have to pretend i don't know where I am or where to go, because I really do NOT know much about the setting.

And for the record, while I have been DMing for years, I am REALLY looking forward to getting a chance to play.

Sean~ alias Ket Onwall, the Bumbling DM
Aug 12, 2018 3:46 am
Hi all,

How about this. I will leave it up to individual players to decide whether to point buy or roll.

Ket, that sounds like a great solution if everyone is able to use your tools you have access to. Another solution can be if you all have Roll20 account, I actually have this campaign partly made there from previous attempt at play through (real time). Roll20 has a built in character sheet and rules compendium of sorts (although not complete only SRD stuff). I can give everyone access to it. Maybe we can use it for battle map purposes if you'd like. Although, I'm not sure what the best solution is for battles in a PbP setting. Do people usually just stick to purely theater of the mind or make use of battle maps and tokens during battles?

Also, Ket, if you're familiar with old Greyhawk modules, this module is techincally a "reworking" of Temple of Elemental Evil, although it really is completely different. And no familiarity of Faerun is techically necessary. I'm not really all that familiar with the lores myself. I will be treating effectively as a generic setting. If you have Sword Coast Adv. Guide that should give you enough lores to work with I think. Or what you suggest would work also.
Aug 12, 2018 3:57 am
All I have to do is create a new campaign and give everyone the link. You can then create a PC. Of course, you will need an account there, but it is free if you don't already. A few setup items are standard for my games, like turning off Homebrew, Critical Role and stuff. That way you only create a PC using 'official' sources.

I've never used Roll20, though I have tinkered with Fantasy Grounds and Roll20 both. I have been running PbP since 1999, at other sites as well as email. I normally post a map of the area so players can describe their actions. Other DMs I know have added grid coordinates on the map so people can say 'I move to D4 and attack the goblin' or something similar. A lot of things are theater of the mind, even in PbP.

I will create the new campaign and post the link in here so everyone can check it out.

Sean~ alias Ket Onwall, the Bumbling DM
Aug 12, 2018 3:59 am
As promised:

DND Beyond Campaign Link

Sean~ alias Ket Onwall, the Bumbling DM
Aug 12, 2018 4:28 am
I just tested it out the character generation tool. That's a great tool. Thanks Ket! Just make sure you don't use any content outside what is allowed without approval.
Aug 12, 2018 4:32 am
No problem. In the HOME page of the PC, you can turn off all outside content like Critical Role and Homebrew, which I have done. You should be able to view my character. If not, I can export the PC sheet and send it to you.
Aug 12, 2018 5:01 am
Hi Ket. I noticed during the character creation, even with outside contents turned off they list things like Unearth arcana and some other resources I'm not familiar with. I'd rather not use these.

Here are list of resources I'll allow - PHB, SCAG, EEPC, Volo's Guide (except monstrous races). XGTE. Outside that it would have to be special approval.

Your character looks good. I assume you used point buy. I think only thing left would be to write up and submit a backstory.
Aug 12, 2018 5:29 am
Hi all,
I usually go for casters, so actually thinking a melee class for a change of pace.
If i roll stats can I allocate them or would they be in the order rolled? (I have done both ways)
I am liking the factions idea, would probably go for Lord's Alliance, specifically Waterdeep.

Thanks to Ket for the DND Beyond access, it's a great tool.
Aug 12, 2018 5:34 am
You allocate them as you wish per PHB pg 13.
Aug 12, 2018 5:47 am
Great, thanks.

Rolls

Roll 1 - (4d6)

(3153) = 12

Roll 2 - (4d6)

(5451) = 15

Roll 3 - (4d6)

(3554) = 17

Roll 4 - (4d6)

(3422) = 11

Roll 5 - (4d6)

(3665) = 20

Roll 6 - (4d6)

(1516) = 13

Aug 12, 2018 5:48 am
So that's 11, 13, 14, 9, 17 and 12, I can work with that.
Aug 12, 2018 6:01 am
Andrew, you rolled : 11, 14, 14, 9 ,17, 12. That second roll is a 14 not 13. Don't want to be cheated an ability point :).
Aug 12, 2018 11:30 am
So am I right in thinking we have a melee and a warlock so far?

Stat roll:

Rolls

Stats - (4d6, 4d6, 4d6, 4d6, 4d6, 4d6)

4d6 : (5335) = 16

4d6 : (1525) = 13

4d6 : (5663) = 20

4d6 : (5166) = 18

4d6 : (6113) = 11

4d6 : (6414) = 15

Aug 12, 2018 11:32 am
So...

13, 12, 17, 17, 10, 14 - correct?

Do you want us to roll for starting gold and purchase gear or just stick with the class and background allotments?
Last edited Aug 12, 2018 1:28 pm
Aug 12, 2018 1:22 pm
Looks correct to me.

EDIT: also yes. so far a fighter and warlock. You were thinking rogue correct?
Aug 12, 2018 1:30 pm
twotonkatrucks says:
Looks correct to me.

EDIT: also yes. so far a fighter and warlock. You were thinking rogue correct?
I'm between that and a full caster (sorcerer or wizard). In your opinion, which fills the greater need for the group? Happy to play either.

But yes, I'd probably prefer a rogue.
Last edited Aug 12, 2018 1:52 pm
Aug 12, 2018 3:28 pm
Hi Tsavo,

I encourage you to try out the character creation tool at DND Beyond that Ket link above. It's well designed and also it generates a nice character sheet.
Aug 12, 2018 3:36 pm
Hey guys, looking back over what we've already got, I've got a couple of ideas of what I'd like to play, and I'll alter depending on any changes that occur between now and me putting them together. I'd like to stay away from the Rogue, since it's my general go-to, and I'd like to try something different. At the moment, I'm thinking of monk or paladin, or possibly a caster class like sorcerer or cleric. I'll probably end up using point buy for my attributes.

EDIT: At the moment I'm putting together a Grave Cleric using the link provided earlier, so you can count that as my part in the party.
Last edited Aug 12, 2018 3:54 pm
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