337 replies to this topic

[berelinde]

And rangers are supposed to have a 14 wisdom, IIRC (which I may not), but that didn't keep Minsc from having less than that.

It is always better when NPCs aren't as illegal as BioWare NPCs, though. Aerie is an elven cleric/mage, but a player can't roll one. And Anomen should not have been able to dual to cleric with his 12 wisdom. Anyway...

[Eric P.]

@ Eric: Red Stag sounds a bit like Kivan, IMO. I like the idea with the nymph though


@ Ras-Milk: I know full well that Diviners require high wisdom. But it makes no sense for this character. If it's a choice between following the rulebook and staying true to a character, I'd rather just toss the rulebook away. In any case, BioWare already broke the class rules for this: Minsc's wisdom is too low for a ranger, Aerie is a multi-class unavailable to PC elves, and Anomen's wisdom is too low for his cleric dual-class. Perhaps Diviner isn't the best choice for him anyway. I'll have to think about it. In any case, thanks for your input

Yes, I was hoping to avoid similarities beyond race and class. Red Stag is one of my PnP characters, originally written under 2nd Edition AD&D. I created him before becoming aware of any BG mods besides Solaufein. As for the dryad, she never used magical influence on him...he's fond of her, but is too naive to understand why. Most times, his demeanor is serious, but he's not "intense" the way Kivan is.

- E

Edited by Eric P., 25 May 2010 - 09:28 PM.

[Eric P.]

Name: Lauranwen
Race: Sun Elf, female
Class: Kensai/Thief (or just Kensai)
AL: CG

HT: 5'2"
WT: 106 lbs
Hair: Black
Eyes: Gold
Skin: Bronze

Starting age: 138 (as Level 1 Kensai)
Home: Silverymoon

Highest ability scores: INT, then DEX, then CON (equal to STR)

No backstory on this character, but should have a magical Elven Longsword named Dagor Carca ("Battle Fang") that is Keen (double the chance of a critical hit). She would be specialized in longswords, and highly skilled when fighting with two weapons. Original character has a dusty rose Ioun stone, but if that's overkill, omit. Lauranwen values academia, athletics, agility, perception, and stealth. She has knowledge of the Silver Marches area, of its history, and of nobility & courtesy. She practices calligraphy, dances, and acts. Her non-adventuring career is that of scribe.

[Eric P.]

Name: Luinloth ("Blue Flower")
Race: Half-Elf (Moon), female
Class: Ftr/Clr (possibly Battleguard, but not if race prevents it)
AL: CN
Patron: Tempus

HT: 5'5"
WT: 128
Hair: black
Eyes: blue with gold flecks
Skin: creamy white with blue highlights around ears and chin (typical Moon Elf coloring)
Age: 36

Home: Silverymoon

Luinloth was born as the result of a fleeting romance between a Human woman and a Moon Elf male. She was born in a field of blue flowers, hence her name. The Elf left the woman before Luinloth ever knew him. She had a brother (half-brother, as he was Human), who lived with her and their mother in Silverymoon. The brother went to train as a priest of Tempus, and Luinloth became interested in doing the same. One evening, the brother didn't return home from taining, and Luinloth claimed not to know what happened to him. There was no evidence to connect her to any foul play, but the young man was never seen or heard from again by anyone. Luinloth is always vague and carefully evasive if the subject ever comes up...

This dedicated priest of Tempus has a rapidly and randomly changing demeanor, living by whim from moment to moment, unpredictable. In battle, she's bloodthirsty. Most people who spend more than a few minutes in her company wonder if she's insane...and with good reason. Her one focus and dedication is to championing her patron, acting as a field commander and battle strategist. She frequently takes stock of her companions to make sure they're well outfitted for warfare, and she's eager to spar or to compare strategic notes most of the time. She's open to romance with male or female characters, but has little interest in a long, committed relationship. She learned from the story of her parents that nothing lasts forever. She's bitter about her father, and is sensitive about discussing him. When in town and not adventuring, Luinloth seeks out the finer things, as she's fond of fancy hair styles and dress, a marked contrast to her battle-scarred and bloody plate armor.

Luinloth's main weapon is whatever is the most damaging weapon allowable by her class. The original character uses a battle axe, as that is Tempus' preferred weapon, but class limitations on weapons would decide this. She wears a spiked gauntlet on her off-hand, and would use this as a holy symbol, unless the character acquires Tempus' holy symbol in the game.

This character has knowledge of the Planes, of war, of religion (Realms deities), and of the Silver Marches area and Silverymoon's history. She enjoys singing (especially battle songs), and she speaks many languages.

[Ipsissimus]

@ berelinde: I checked earlier today, and yes, rangers require 14+ wisdom.
@ Eric: A few things on your various NPCs. The Kensai kit sounds vaguely oriental/Kara-Turan, so I don't know how much sense it makes for an elf. I don't know, to me it just seems out of place. A Kensai/Thief seems an odd combo--an honorable warrior who seeks utter perfection with their weapons, who stabs people in the back and picks pockets? I'm sorry if I sound overly critical, but the Thief part just seems weird to me. There's a nifty mod called the Elven Racial Pack; it's old, but it's still somewhere on G3 (Modding Discussion maybe), and it has two elf-only kits: an Elven Knight and a Bladesinger. Maybe take a look at those? The Knight has to be good-aligned, and receives bonuses vs Drow and orcs. The Bladesinger is basically a fighter/mage with a few neat benefits, though those escape me at the moment. I like the idea of a scribe NPC, though.

And about the half-elf: Just my 2 cents, she sounds a bit frail for a warrior, especially as elves are supposed to be rather slender, and there's quite a few elves around already--IIRC, at least ten. Also, I have trouble picturing a fierce and dedicated warrior studying languages and the like. Of course, your character, your rules That said, I love the idea of her going shopping or something. I would imagine that the shopkeepers step...carefully...around her. Also, if you want her wielding a battleaxe, berelinde's b!tweaks and PPG's Ashes of Embers both allow clerics to use bladed weapons, since they make weapons stat- instead of class-based. And hmm, acquiring a holy symbol...do I smell a quest?

Last, for any NPC concept, I've found this quiz incredibly helpful. I'm not saying any of your characters is a Sue or Stu--in fact, you have some very interesting ideas there. But it helps with the details, I think

[Eric P.]

@ berelinde: I checked earlier today, and yes, rangers require 14+ wisdom.
@ Eric: A few things on your various NPCs. The Kensai kit sounds vaguely oriental/Kara-Turan, so I don't know how much sense it makes for an elf. I don't know, to me it just seems out of place. A Kensai/Thief seems an odd combo--an honorable warrior who seeks utter perfection with their weapons, who stabs people in the back and picks pockets? I'm sorry if I sound overly critical, but the Thief part just seems weird to me. There's a nifty mod called the Elven Racial Pack; it's old, but it's still somewhere on G3 (Modding Discussion maybe), and it has two elf-only kits: an Elven Knight and a Bladesinger. Maybe take a look at those? The Knight has to be good-aligned, and receives bonuses vs Drow and orcs. The Bladesinger is basically a fighter/mage with a few neat benefits, though those escape me at the moment. I like the idea of a scribe NPC, though.

And about the half-elf: Just my 2 cents, she sounds a bit frail for a warrior, especially as elves are supposed to be rather slender, and there's quite a few elves around already--IIRC, at least ten. Also, I have trouble picturing a fierce and dedicated warrior studying languages and the like. Of course, your character, your rules That said, I love the idea of her going shopping or something. I would imagine that the shopkeepers step...carefully...around her. Also, if you want her wielding a battleaxe, berelinde's b!tweaks and PPG's Ashes of Embers both allow clerics to use bladed weapons, since they make weapons stat- instead of class-based. And hmm, acquiring a holy symbol...do I smell a quest?

Last, for any NPC concept, I've found this quiz incredibly helpful. I'm not saying any of your characters is a Sue or Stu--in fact, you have some very interesting ideas there. But it helps with the details, I think

Anyone who adopted the character would, of course, be free to tweak it any which way. As for the Kensai, that character could very well be single-classed; the interest in thieving skills, in this case, would focus on stealth, rather than on robbery. As for the Half-Elf priestess, her original ability score rolls were STR 16, DEX 17, CON 16, INT 16, WIS 17, CHA 16. These were each 4d6, dropping the lowest die, rolls, applied in order. I know this is overpowered compared to BGII NPCs, so there, too, free tweakage is the rule. If she's made to be less hardy, she can still command from a safe place, rather than always being on the front line. Oh, I just remembered: she's been to a Sahuagin community before, having traveled under the sea with an adventuring company before.

I do recall that AoE component, as I always use it when I have all the mods I want to use installed

Anyway, just flinging ideas against the wall, in case anyone feels they can be used to create something interesting.

Thanks,
Eric
(I may have a few more...)

[berelinde]

@Ipsissimus: Kensai is a base class. While it may have originated as a samauri parallel (no idea), it's in the game, and as far as I know, elves are not prohibited from selecting it. As for the glut of elven NPCs, this is an ideas dump. Some characters may be fleshed out more than others, but there's nothing to say that every character that appears here, or any character, for that matter, is in active development. Maybe he's got a thing for elves. Ultimately, what makes or prevents a character from becoming a Sue is the writing. It's possible to turn the most well-balanced concept into a Sue through bad writing or too much modder infatuation with the character, but if the writing is good and the modder maintains sufficient detachment, even the most Sue-worthy idea can avoid the label. Seriously, though, all modders should put their character through the Mary Sue Litmus Test, but this should be done *after* the concept has been developed to the point whe the NPC has his or her own voice. Doing it too early will probably lead to severely skewed results.

Sleepy, mostly-groggy observation: The game already contains characters that would fail that test based on nothing more than their character concept. IMO, which may be somewhat biased, I don't think any of them actually are Sues. BG2 had some outstanding writers.

Universal tests aside, each player will have his or her own criteria for deciding whether a character is a Sue. Some consider any character that bends the rules even a little bit to be a Sue. This includes NPCs that don't meet the stat requiremnts for their class. Others are willing to overlook a great deal if their affection for the NPC is strong enough. Some players pick up on modder self-insertion or fantasy wish fulfilment, others ignore that aspect. It's all a matter of perspective.

[Adia]

Name: Zungmar
Race: Orc (If Possible)
Gender: Male
Class: Barbarian

Ooh, this does sound intriguing! I wish it had the chance of seeing the light of day. Just like romancable options for an evil female PC (we have Sarevok now, I guess, but I'd always love to see more), I'm itching for a non-elf/human romance.

...though I must say I've been brainstorming an idea of my own. Not sure if I'm brave enough to post it. No use really in brainstorming as I'd never get around to working on it (let alone finishing!).

Edited by Adia, 25 May 2010 - 01:44 AM.

[Eric P.]

The Kensai or Kensai/Thief character I posted is a Swordsage in her PnP incarnation, but Swordsage is a base class (as opposed to a kit) from a D&D book called Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords. The other two base classes in that book are the Warblade and the Crusader. The classes represent different approaches to training and use of what is referred to as "blade magic," also called the Sublime Way or the Nine Disciplines, special combat abilities that are usually taught at certain sword temples. Perhaps these classes could be made into mods. That would at least more closely reflect the character, and if I were to do such a thing, I wouldn't include a new class or kit without making it available (whenever possible) as the player's choice as well as assigning it to a mod NPC.

Edit: I guess base classes can't be added to BGII, so the three classes mentioned here would have to be made into kits.

Thanks,
Eric

Edited by Eric P., 25 May 2010 - 10:37 AM.

[Eric P.]

Name: Ramas Ankhalab
Race: Human (Mulani), male
Class: Paladin (possibly Undead Hunter)
Patron: Horus-Re

Home: Mulhorand

HT: 5'8"
WT: 147
Hair: bald
Eyes: brown
Skin: sallow

This young fighting man's greatest attributes are his CON and WIS, then STR and CHA. He's interested in spreading his patron's faith to other parts of Faerun, and in finding and destroying undead wherever they may be found. He began his adventuring career at age sixteen, having proven himself to his people as better suited to the role of paladin than to that of priest/bureaucrat.

Ramas would favor a sturdy breastplate for armor, and would carry a khopesh or scimitar (specializing in the weapon) and a composite longbow into battle. He is brave, with an inspiring presence, and a natural swordsman. He is skilled in the areas of athletics, perception, social skills, and wilderness lore (but most familiar with features of desert regions).

[Eric P.]

Name: Bran Helder
Race: Human (Illuskan), male; shapeshifter (bear)
Class: Ranger
AL: LG

Home: The North
Patron: Gwaeron Windstrom

HT: 6'0"
WT: 200
Hair: reddish brown
Eyes: gray
Skin: ruddy

That's right: a werebear! Not afflicted, but a natural lycanthrope (it happens). Bran's highest ability scores would be CON, then STR and WIS. He favors leather armor, great battleaxes (in which he's most proficient) and throwing axes, and bows for battle. His favored enemy would be any kind of monstrous humanoid. He's most skilled in the areas of athletics, perception, stealth, and wilderness lore (esp. that of the North region). He would be able to control the use of his alternate animal and hybrid forms.

[Adia]

Just throwing this out here -

Name: ? [I've been using Dixon in my head, but it doesn't really matter]
Race: Male
Class: Bard? [I'm sort of thinking of a writer-type of bard not sure how that'd be classed - a more cunning sort of bard]
AL: LE/NE?

I'm thinking perhaps a combination of Eldoth and Coran...sort of. I was thinking of the type of character that I'd like to see available for my evil female PCs - they tend to be charming, clever and selfish clever sort of evil rather than a chaotic 'grr!' evil. So, I was thinking something like a mercenary/trader character that is self-centered and might 'use' the PC for their own ends - is more likely to abandon the PC for greener pastures than betray them to their enemies.

So, I had the idea of a writer-bard who is on the look out for interesting plots to write about. Perhaps there are one too many bards out on the field, but I wanted something a-typical than the adventurer-type. Perhaps he heard rumours about the PC like many others, perhaps he's lurking around and overheard your tales of woe.

In exchange for you being graced with his presence the PC will either need to cut a price when you meet him (similar to the mercenary idea a little further up-thread), or charm him with an exceptional tale of why being with you will be worth his while. Dixon is along the idea of a charming rake - evil in that he focuses on himself and what will benefit him...but he is happy to tag along on your adventures, since surely that will benefit him too. Throughout the mod there will be chats in which he needs some more fuel for his artistic flame. The PC can either make something up; share a wicked tale of a past team member's misfortune; or perhaps be honest and share the PC's history.

And that'll be the corner-stone of the PC/NPC romance - building a relationship from their interactions. I'm imagining two main romantic paths - the PC can 'use and abuse' Dixon as he will happily do to the PC. In that way he is a typical mercenary - he wants to be paid, and the way the PC can do that is up to them. With stories, money or perhaps she can have a casual relationship. But like Coran, he may grow bored.

Otherwise, a unsteady relationship could form from the right PC being able to charm him. I don't see this as a redeeming relationship - in this case the PC would need to be like him: out for themselves and a relationship form on their mercenary similarities. While it would be as tenuous as the first, it will be based on more than just mutual gain. He will start to share with the PC, and something might happen. Or not.

Dixon isn't 'evil' in a chaotic sense - merely that he is out for what works best for him. He'll get along with characters that share that - Korgan, Edwin, Viconia. So, he'll fit in with most 'evil' parties. For good characters, he just won't care. There might be a few spats, but fighting isn't his style - more likely he'd try and provoke Edwin or Korgan to start a fight for him.

I haven't actually given much thought to race, age, appearance or whatever. Initially I was thinking human - but since there is no *need* for him to be human, he could be anything. Halfling? Half-orc? I did some reading and actually gnome kind of fits with his personality (heh, redeem gnomes from the Jan's and Quayle's of the world!). So, maybe gnome. It'd make a rather interesting potential relationship with Aerie (considering her worship of a gnomish god) and Jan. For alignment, I'm obviously leaning towards evil alignment, but I have no idea what fits. Lawful evil?

So *shrugs* there you go. First time I've tried this sort of thing, so hope it makes sense

Edited by Adia, 30 May 2010 - 02:43 AM.

[Phobia]

Name: Vreesh
Gender: Male
Age: 34
Race: Human
Class: Thief
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

This is a character I'm thinking of "Baldurizing" once I finish doing Zeke... er, I mean, once I release the Leopard love mod. Phew, corrected myself in time.

Vreesh is a desert bandit from the Calim Desert, who preys on desert wanderers and raids convoys, aided by his band of desert thieves. Their group is one of chaotic and independant individuals, who only work together to achieve a common goal or for protection. Vreesh is no different. He's not ashamed of what he does, nor is he sorry, though he does have a gentlemanly way of handling things. Perhaps a friendly face hides the worst kind of backstabber. Who can say, really?

He is currently in Amn to sort out a quarrel, meaning to get even with another thief who stole something dear from him.

I haven't actually given much thought to race, age, appearance or whatever. Initially I was thinking human - but since there is no *need* for him to be human, he could be anything. Halfling? Half-orc? I did some reading and actually gnome kind of fits with his personality (heh, redeem gnomes from the Jan's and Quayle's of the world!). So, maybe gnome. It'd make a rather interesting potential relationship with Aerie (considering her worship of a gnomish god) and Jan. For alignment, I'm obviously leaning towards evil alignment, but I have no idea what fits. Lawful evil?

I love the idea for an evil gnome to romance!

Edited by Phobia, 30 May 2010 - 01:05 AM.

[Amazor'dra]

While rummaging through old Neht files I stumbled across something I had completely forgotten about. An idea for an NPC when I had gotten tired of Yet-Another-Good-Drow and the lack of love for evil PCs, especially evil female PCs who happened to be rogues. Maybe if a certain wraith mod ever gets fully completed I'll work on this, but I doubt it. So, this NPC is up for adoption. This is also more of a ToB mod, despite being able to run into this character in SoA.



Name: Valrak Kilrahel
Age: 113
Race: Drow
Class: Rogue, possibly Assassin
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Religion: Lloth
Str: 14
Dex: 18
Con: 12
Int: 14
Wis: 12
Chr: 13
Bio: After being repeatedly nudged to talk about himself, Valrak glares and gives a few choice curses in Drow, but eventually explains in halting surface Common he is the third son of a minor House, with little in the way of aspirations beyond killing one of his older brothers to become 2nd Boy, and so less likely to become cannon fodder in the dark elves' many skirmishes. He describes in obvious relish some of the bloodier battles he had taken part in, with the killing of surface elves spoken of in pride. Valrak doesn't seem inclined to go into the details of his race's culture, but he makes it perfectly obvious that being on the surface with a bunch of surfacers is the last thing he ever wanted to do.

___
The PC was to first run into Valrak near the fighting pits/whathaveyou in Ust Natha, where it is first possible to talk and possibly get to know him, saying new things as the PC progresses through that chapter of the game. It isn't possible to actually recruit him until the PC travels through the tunnels where surface and dark elves are fighting each other. Badly injured and without the strength to resist, the PC has the option of tying him up and keeping him alive to possibly be questioned.

Like with Viconia, it is possible for Elhan to force a geas onto Valrak, making the drow beholden to the PC and forced to talk of what he might know of where Bodhi may have hidden the device to open up Suldenesslar. From then on, Valrak has to obey any direct order given by the PC.

__

• Evil PCs could tell him to kill various characters.
  
• Could be asked to create various poisons.
  
• Good PCs could try to get him to "mend his ways", but would fail miserably.
  
• IF (and a big if!) he was made romanceable, it would be of female evil PCs who are not surface elves.
  
• Unless specifically ordered not to, he'd attack Aerie, Viconia, Jaheira, and Solaufein.

__
Special Equipment:
Duel-wield a whip and short sword.

Edited by Amazor'dra, 30 May 2010 - 05:17 AM.

[Eric P.]

Valrak looks very cool, and worthy of consideration for a mod I hope someone will give him a go!

- E

[Amazor'dra]

Thanks! I hope so too. >.>

[Eric P.]

Name: Silfindil
Race: Elf (Moon), male
Class: Bard
AL: CG
Patron: ?

HT: 5'9"
WT: 123
Hair: Silver-white
Eyes: green with gold flecks
Skin: creamy white

Home: Evereska

Abilities: DEX would be highest, followed by CHA and INT.

Wields a rapier or similar, composite short bow, and whip. Wears a leather coat (AC 6). Began adventuring at age 138. Inspiring presence, almost otherworldly voice, and mentally disciplined. High ability with concentrating, deciphering script, diplomacy, disguise, intimidation, arcane knowledge, singing, sleight of hand, spell lore, and oratory. Plays a wooden flute.

No backstory, just these details.

[Eric P.]

Name: Thorik Stoneshield
Race: Dwarf (Shield)
Class: Cleric
AL: LG
Patron: Clangeddin Silverbeard

HT: 4'9"
WT: 187
Hair: black
Eyes: dark brown
Skin: deep tan

Home: Underdark (Earthroot)

Abilities: CON would be highest, followed by WIS, DEX, and STR. Began adventuring at age 64. Favors scale mail and heavy steel shields. Wields battle axes, if allowed. Possibly multiclass into Fighter/Cleric.

Again, just the basics, but hey, this one's a Dwarf!

[Eric P.]

Name: Melyanna Laelithar
Race: Elf (Sun)
Class: Monk
AL: LN
Patron: ?

HT: 6'1" (or tallest possible for race; abnormally tall)
WT: 130
Hair: black
Eyes: green
Skin: bronze

Home: (Shou expatriate)

Abilities: CON and DEX would be highest, followed by WIS and DEX.

Wields quarterstaff, sai, sling, and nunchaku. Began adventuring at age 120. Skilled in areas of agility, athletics, perception, stealth, and mysticism. Very agile athlete.

This Elf was found on the doorstep of a young couple in the far east region of Faerun, the counterpart to our world's Asian cultures. She was adopted, raised, and trained as a monk. She learned of her mysterious origin when she was a young adult, and determined to find any surviving members of her real family. Her travels have taken her all the way across the continent, and she may be encountered just about anywhere in Amn.

[Eric P.]

Name: Lauratha Woodsong
Race: Elf (Star), female
Class: Bard
AL: CN
Patron: ?

HT: 5'5"
WT: 87
Hair: Silver-white
Eyes: violet with gold flecks
Skin: pearly gray

Home: Sildeyuir

Abilities: CHA and DEX would be highest, followed by INT, CON, and WIS. STR is lowest.

Carries a composite short bow and a short spear, and favors a chain shirt. Began adventuring at age 137.

Lauratha enjoys singing, dancing, and playing stringed instruments; she owns a lute. She's highly able in the areas of academia, agility, athletics, mysticism, perception, social skills, stealth, and theatrics. She's also wise in the ways of the woodlands, intuitive, and has a natural talent for magic.