Character Building

G

gamekommander

Newbie
So, I just received my rulebook and am thinking about how to best build the character I want to play. I plan on building a Jackal-Wylderkin named Kilik (yes I know.... *looking at all the people who've larped with me before*). I want to be a Celestial Scholar in the long term but have 2 Claws for defense. The way I see it I have three options to start out with and I thought I would get your opinions on them.

1. Buy Read and Write (6bp), Read Magic (8bp), One 1st lvl Celestial Spell (1bp): This option gets my annoying double costs out of the way but leaves me with only one spell to defend myself with for the first event.

2. Buy Florentine (8bp), Two Weapons (4bp): This option allows me defense for my first event but I would have to make weapon phys reps to use for only one event (only getting these so I can have two claws/I have the claw phys reps already).

3. Buy Claws (8bp) and...?: I would be able to use a Claw but I would have to learn IG all of my other skills (Read and Write, Read Magic, Florentine and Two Weapons).

Love to hear your thoughts/if you care to share the character you're making feel free!


((Random Query: Do Claws work like other games where I can hold a Claw/Spackets in one hand (since spackets are an OOG item) and cast with my other hand?))
 
Hey Culp!

In looking at character building, my general focus has been to go for whatever useful unlimited-use skills I can. Since we're starting at the basics, having ONE spell will help you out so much less than, say, a weapon skill. Especially since the only people who can have profs at this level are High Orcs, and then only if they focus on it. Therefore, you might be better off getting your claw skills first, since your claws will be doing the same amount of damage as everyone else (relatively speaking).

However, not being able to read can be quite annoying (especially if you're going for a caster eventually), so maybe it would be beneficial to start with Claws (8 BP) and Read/Write (6 BP). That'd put you at 14 BP spent, and leave you one open for Teacher, or you can just save up for your Read Magic. The nice thing is that the first event (the tavern night) will be a murder mystery in a gaming store, so combat isn't likely to occur, and you will get 5 build just from that. So, the first time you need to worry about any combat is for the first weekend event, when you'll be sitting at 20 build.

Ultimately, go with whatever will be most fun for you and best fit the character concept you like. If you want to start with ACTUALLY being a mage, get those double-cost skills out of the way and rock that Stone Bolt or Light spell! There are still plenty of things you can do that don't involve slashing things with claws; however, if you're looking at skills for pure combat efficacy, claws or weapon skills are probably the way to go.

Hope that was helpful, and sans rambling!

-Mac
 
Valid points are valid. Another option occurred to me.... Would it be more beneficial to start out as a fighter and then go from fighter to templar to scholar? Class seems fairly malleable. I unfortunately won't be at the tavern night :(
 
With Alliance's "fluid Class" system, I would recommend that you start off with Claws, Florentine, and Two Weapons. This would technically make you a "Fighter" for your first event or two, but as you mentioned, you can just buy up your scholarly skills from there and slide on over to Templar and eventually a full Scholar. Be aware that each time you slide over a class, your Body points will drop.

Another thing to consider is that by donating to the chapter before you play your first event can earn you some Goblin Stamps which can be used to "buy" the experience from the tavern night that you're missing before you ever play the character...that would give you a few more Build Points to play with before your first event and keep you "on par" with the rest of the players who are able to make the first event. Additionally, and the best reason for it, is that it will help out your new chapter :thumbsup:

-Luke
 
I'm a little confused by your suggested notion of only using weapon phys. reps. until you get claws. Aren't the PC claws only dagger length? So it seems like continuing to use the weapons would have its own distinct advantage from the claws. Whipping out the dagger-length claws which can't be shattered or disarmed is useful in a pinch, and perhaps fun for roleplay. Particularly in the low level game, the difference in length with the actual weapons may be life-saving, however.

If you decide to ditch your weapon phys. reps., you could donate them to Monster Town for Goblin Stamps, or supply them to friends of yours who are first-time players and don't know how to make weapons. Good phys reps. never go to waste!

I am in agreement with Mac that personally, I favor the skills you can't exhaust like weapon skills in the early game over the times-per-day spells. It's the stronger ticket to continuous involvement.

Unlike Mac, I am personally not bothered in the least bit by playing a character without Read/Write. I find it kind of liberating, actually! In the early game, it makes a very easy conversation-starter with other characters, and a good way to make new friends if you ask others to help read for you. Everyone likes to feel useful, and if someone gets to do so just through literacy, that's an easy path to making friends. :shades:

Trace Moriarty
 
I dont have weapon phys reps. What I was trying to say (if I went the route) was I would have to make/get some, but that seemed silly if I was just going to get Claws later on (which I have the phys reps for). It was my understanding that Claws are short sword length (I need to recheck my phys reps).

It's not that I hate not having Read/Write but moreso that I need it for playing a Celestial caster (my intended route).
 
Good question for Jesse - can you clarify length of claws overall for PCs and NPCs?

The weapon specs in the Alliance rulebook list "Claws" and specify dagger length. Jesse and I engaged in a discussion about phys. reps. for monster claws, and I understood him to say that the dagger-length ones were just for the PC ability. I may have misunderstood, however.

Trace
 
PC claws are short weapon lenghts.

According to our rules in the 2010 addendum...

Short Weapon or Claw - 28 in- 36 in base 2 dmg.

NPC claws can be as small as daggers to as long as long swords, however, if using two, the NPC is even restricted to one Short and one long.

Hope this helps.

Jesse
 
More specifically, the old weapon size chart showed claws as dagger-sized, but it was a mistake. I believe there was a clarification from ARC at some point. I'd look it up, but this rules change supercedes it anyway. The new weapon guidelines are mostly the same, but they allow for slightly longer weapons and a little more freedom in how you do the weapon construction. One change I'm rather fond of is that it removes the requirement to have a thrust tip on weapons like hammers and axes that aren't allowed to thrust anyway.
 
ARGH! Thank you, Kyle, that post will be very helpful going forward... unfortunately, lack of it was less helpful for the six 25" daggers, six 33" shortswords, and six 44" longsword phys reps. I just made... Oh well. They're legal, just shorter than they could have been. Would have been especially nice with the daggers and shortswords.

Trace
 
gamekommander said:
Is there eventually going to be some sort of online database for our characters/buying skills etc?
Click to expand...
Yes, eventually. If you have Database Design, MySQL, PHP, Drupal, or other related skills or if you can turn a Word Doc into a fill-able PDF form, send me a PM.
 
So, relooking at this.... Since I bought goblin blankets for the tavern night I missed, I will be starting with 20bp. The way I see it I can buy Claws, Florentine and Two Weapons if i'm a fighter for 14bp or as a scholar for 20bp. Either way, the 6bp I "save" by being a fighter at first wouldn't be useful in obtaining the skills I eventually would want as a scholar so is there any real benefit in starting off as a fighter still?
 
If nothing else as a fighter you have more body (7 instead of 6 at 20 build) and you can wear more armor. You'd also have 6 free build if you wanted to get anything else instead of saving up for R/W - racial abilities are always good and first aid can be useful for just about any class.
 
Just stopping in to say, "Absolutely start with your weapon skill." I've never seen someone come into a game without a weapon skill and have as much fun as somebody who has a weapon skill. Even if it's a dagger, it lets you continue participating 100% of the time.
 
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