Your favourite CHARNAME?
Blackraven
Member Posts: 3,486
A few days ago in a thread about the Cleric/Thief @Lemernis posted a link to a website where people can post their favourite player characters they ever created. Here is the link: http://www.bgthewide.com/Pages/BG1EEFavePCs.aspx
This made me wonder who my fellow forum members' favourite creations are. I'm not asking which character class/kit you like the best, or which is the most powerful build you've ever accomplished (although a character's class and his power level are undoubtedly factors to take into account). I'm talking about the character concept as a whole. This includes the character's backstory you've come up with, their personality, their alignment, how you roleplayed these characteristics, their class/kit, how your character's personality influenced the way they practised their profession, character growth/development, maybe some funny or moving experiences your character had in the game, etc.
I think I have two favourites:
A CG Swashbuckler/Mage who was very charismatic (18 starting stat) and initially overconfident. Even still in Candlekeep he considered himself an excellent swordsman, while he definitely wasn't. His overconfidence made him prone to take risks. So he had to learn modesty the hard way, realizing that he might have bested a certain tougher opponent, but that he had to thank his victory to a large stock of healing potions rather than his fighting skills. He then started to adjust his arcane skills to enhance his swashbuckling skills. He used his magic almost exclusively to buff himself and if necessary debuff opponents so that he became a more fearful swordsman (spells like haste, stoneskin, mirror image, blur, protection from magical weapons, innate DUHM). His progress was gradual. At the lower levels, the lack of proficiency points for my dual wielder hurt, but in SOA he became a very complete character, with most thief skills well developed, his (dualwield and scimitar) proficiencies maxed out, enough memorizable spells. He could do pretty much everything.
Teyl, my halfling Cleric/Thief (Strifeleader of Cyric mod kit) was the first character I managed to roleplay as evil in an enjoyable way. I even considered him likable. I had given him a few 'soft spots' (nature, beautiful women, art), which affected his behaviour in certain events. He was a very cunning type, deceptive and manipulative. And he had to be, because he was a halfling of average strength, so not a strong fighter or even a reliable backstabber. Instead, he was very adept at setting traps and using poisons (the poison weapon ability comes with the Strifeleader kit I played). Teyl required a lot of micromanagement (with the use of cleric spells, careful scouting in stealth mode, setting traps, poisoned backstabs), which I really liked. Despite his lack of physical prowess and arcane firepower, he never felt like a weak character (nor as a relentless killing machine, so pretty well-balanced). The only reason he "died" was because he got charmed in the Cloakwood Mines, and getting charmed means instant death for solo characters.
So please let me know: Who are your favourite, most memorable charnames, and why??
This made me wonder who my fellow forum members' favourite creations are. I'm not asking which character class/kit you like the best, or which is the most powerful build you've ever accomplished (although a character's class and his power level are undoubtedly factors to take into account). I'm talking about the character concept as a whole. This includes the character's backstory you've come up with, their personality, their alignment, how you roleplayed these characteristics, their class/kit, how your character's personality influenced the way they practised their profession, character growth/development, maybe some funny or moving experiences your character had in the game, etc.
I think I have two favourites:
A CG Swashbuckler/Mage who was very charismatic (18 starting stat) and initially overconfident. Even still in Candlekeep he considered himself an excellent swordsman, while he definitely wasn't. His overconfidence made him prone to take risks. So he had to learn modesty the hard way, realizing that he might have bested a certain tougher opponent, but that he had to thank his victory to a large stock of healing potions rather than his fighting skills. He then started to adjust his arcane skills to enhance his swashbuckling skills. He used his magic almost exclusively to buff himself and if necessary debuff opponents so that he became a more fearful swordsman (spells like haste, stoneskin, mirror image, blur, protection from magical weapons, innate DUHM). His progress was gradual. At the lower levels, the lack of proficiency points for my dual wielder hurt, but in SOA he became a very complete character, with most thief skills well developed, his (dualwield and scimitar) proficiencies maxed out, enough memorizable spells. He could do pretty much everything.
Teyl, my halfling Cleric/Thief (Strifeleader of Cyric mod kit) was the first character I managed to roleplay as evil in an enjoyable way. I even considered him likable. I had given him a few 'soft spots' (nature, beautiful women, art), which affected his behaviour in certain events. He was a very cunning type, deceptive and manipulative. And he had to be, because he was a halfling of average strength, so not a strong fighter or even a reliable backstabber. Instead, he was very adept at setting traps and using poisons (the poison weapon ability comes with the Strifeleader kit I played). Teyl required a lot of micromanagement (with the use of cleric spells, careful scouting in stealth mode, setting traps, poisoned backstabs), which I really liked. Despite his lack of physical prowess and arcane firepower, he never felt like a weak character (nor as a relentless killing machine, so pretty well-balanced). The only reason he "died" was because he got charmed in the Cloakwood Mines, and getting charmed means instant death for solo characters.
So please let me know: Who are your favourite, most memorable charnames, and why??
Post edited by Blackraven on
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Comments
Carthius - Human Undead Hunter
Sword/Mace & board... Very slightly past his prime (late 30s/early 40s)... High Str, Con & Wis... lowish Dex
&
Daeglin - Elf Archer (Racial Enemy: Vampire)
Longbow/Q'staff... Low Cha... Bit of an asshole.
Their backstory is that Carthius (then a young dashing Cavalier) was romancing Lylis (Daeglin's sister).
Carthius and Daeglin hated one another and were in the process of fighting a duel in the woods when word reached them that Daeglin's town had been wiped out by vamps... Lylis included.
Now they're on your basic vengeance quest... purging evil an'all.
(These guys pop up in any RPG I get involved in with minor alterations to suit the main story. For instance, in my BG2 headcanon, Bodhi led the attack under instruction from Irenicus... The capture came later.)
If I play these guys from their earlier days, Carthius is a Cavalier, his Dex goes up, but his Con, Wis & Cha come down... Daeglin is the same (what's time to an Elf?), but his racial enemy is something more generic (Orcs/Hobgobbos or similar).
Edit: Sometimes Lylis travels with the younger versions as a physically feeble half-elf sorcerer or mage.
@Elrandir: that's an awesome concept, very exotic/unique. I hope you can bring her to life in one your next playthroughs, which you'd gladly detail on this forum of course
@TehthorilofLathander: what makes Thethoril oustanding to you?
@others:
any other memorable concepts?
I've read some really creative stuff in different threads on here. @booinyoureyes told me briefly about a chameleonic Blade (an extra-ordinary method-actor). Yesterday @SilverSoviet came up with a "field general" concept, a commander in the battlefield. @Rewolf is running a Kensai/Cleric who always wanted to be a monk, but settled for the next best thing when it turned out he didn't have what it takes to be a monk.
I'd really love to read about your creations. 2E may not be as flexible as later editions, but I still think that the variety of races, alignments, classes/kits/combos, and even weapon choices combined with a nice backstory allows for charnames who are as interesting as they are powerful.
15 Strength
18 Dexterity
16 Constitution
16 (17) Intelligence
18 (21) Wisdom
8 (9) Charisma
I gave him the wisdom, intellect and charisma tome from BG1. Jaheira got the STR, DEX and CON tomes.
I was playing a divine heavy team with Jaheira (On the backline with me) Keldorn (Cavalier), Valygar, Nalia (Swashbuckler) in BG2. It was a wonderful character and a wonderful game, playing full support back there with Jaheira made us a very powerful team even without arcane magic.
That moment when he got the Plate of Balduran on him, it was sweet.
Alia, the gnome Illusionist/Thief.
She was an observer of life more than a participant and despite Gorion's kindness she felt very much an outsider in Candlekeep. She loved reading and learning. When she wasn't in the library, she occupied herself by hiding and watching people. She was curious to see how people interacted so naturally with each other, a trait she quietly envied. However, despite her own insecurities, she genuinely cared for the town she called home and all the people who lived there.
An assassination attempt and the death of her father drove her from her home and into the wilderness. She did not adopt the Hero's attitude regarding her fate. Rather she hid and plotted her next move. Her need for revenge did not taint her gentle spirit. She clearly had to act, but wanted to do so quietly and with as little bloodshed as possible. Only those responsible would be aware that she even existed. And she would not put any more innocent people in danger.
I had a lot of fun with this character and the challenge. She was very easy to roleplay. Additionally, it was a whole new game trying to kill as few people as possible.
When you buff up with :
Death Ward
Chaotic Command
Defensive Harmony
Protection from Evil
Protection from Fire
Protection from Lightning
Negative plain protection
Armor of Faith
Magic Resistance
There really isn't that much left that can touch you. Not to mention with Insect plague to shut down the enemy casters, summons (Skeletal warrior, Fire elemental, elemental princes) to take the brunt of most close combat fights and Shield of Archon to take care of the rare fights where you might face an Imprisonment spell, there really isn't that much that can touch you.
My favorite part was installing one of those mods that give you access to all the strongholds. Since my character was a method actor (learned swordplay and dual-wielding for a role in a play he wrote for Gorion that involved himself and Imoen, for which my boy Firebead Elvenhair was the director) I imagined that he tricked all the stronghold givers into believing he was the appropriate class due to his exceptional acting (kind of like having skillpoints in "bluff")
I'll copy and paste what I said in this thread about him and the strongholds,
I'm also intrigued by your preference of divine magic over arcane magic. Most no-reloader would take arcane magic I think...
That being said, my (mostly solo) Cleric-Thief, mentioned above, had a lot of potential in my experience. I think I'm going to powerrun him through the first four chapters, into the Cloakwood Mines, where he fell to a dire charm, and then continue my journal where it ended on here.
I made her an Undead Hunter because level drain was the most annoying thing ever, lol. She had Purifier offhand and Flail of Ages on her main hand. I had Anomen, Minsc, Keldorn, Imoen/Yoshimo/Imoen and Nalia who got replaced with Sarevok. It was a lot of fun, though very melee heavy in the late stages (probably why it took me forever to realize how to properly use high level mage spells... Imoen just fireballed everything)
My favorite CHARNAME thus far is Ladrian of Candlekeep, a paladin-in-training, who serves Milil; the deity known as the Lord of All Songs.
In his youth, Ladrian was a troublemaker, often the cause of various mischief alongside his partner-in-crime, Imoen.
He dreamt about becoming a bard and travel across the face of Faerûn; to leave Candlekeep behind and become a true adventurer (and perhaps woo a lady or three).
While Gorion encouraged Ladrian's fondness of stories of yore, of music, singing, dancing and poetry all, he was strict about one thing; Ladrian was forbidden from leaving Candlekeep before "the time was right." Despite being somewhat bitter over this, Ladrian knew his foster-father meant well... and so he stayed.
He trained with the Watchers often, and became skilled with the sword, staff and bow. He could be seen aiding the inhabitants and visitors of Candlekeep with whatever was needed.
Ladrian didn't mind the chores for the most part; while he was full of himself and his abilities, and could even come across as sarcastic and snarky at times, he truly enjoyed helping others.
At the age of seventeen, he at long last felt the calling of Milil. Ladrian was honored and soon dedicated himself to his god.
Nowadays, Ladrian is a more honorable individual than he was in his youth. While still somewhat arrogant, his love for stories, music, dancing and poetry brings out a softer side of him... as can those that can earn his trust and friendship.
He longs even now for the adventures that he knows await him out there, away from the safety of the only home he has ever known.
Have you ever played with the Isra NPC mod? (Available for both vanilla Tutu/BGT and EE.) A cavalier of the Order of the Ruby Rose, who follow Sune. She's a bit like Ladrian, and I think she's romanceable in either BG1 or BG2 (or both). They sound like a great match!
Yeah I tried to make Lad a bit more... fun-loving and not-so-freaking serious all the time, while still being good and honorable.
That's what I like about RP:ing a paladin of Milil; I can easily see one of them being like that more than a paladin of, say, Torm.
10/19/10/18/16/13 at the start of BG1.
He's a classic, that's why (besides of being a Wood Elf) he never gets old.
"Shizlmurks-wtsbin Udi Ehu"
and he is an evil rich gnome racist whose god is money! He is of course a thief, CE and gay
He wears purple robes and a silly thing on his head and everyone who doesnt agrees to my order is called
an antignomist and has to die
I´m a specialist in assasination plans, blackmail, slavery and treason and genocid of all other humanoid races... i like orcs because i can use them for my evil plans very well. All will suffer under the red boot of Shizlmurks tyranny!
EDIT:
if this rings a bell in you... you are not as stupid as others think;)
@Shizlmurks, now that's one wicked Bhaalspawn. Did he achieve Godhood?
once i´m powerfull enough with the help of the gnomish inventions we have developed we will overthrow all gods and erase the memory of their existence for ever! So... we are working on it
In all honesty, Dorn's standard portrait fits the character pretty well, though if I were playing on a PC I'd definitely want a unique portrait.
I also prefer unique portraits, always.
Also, I DO roleplay my PCs, but only in dialogues and quests, the NPCs I take with me and the chooses I make, during battles... Incendiary Cloud x3 with an Improved Hasted Fighter/Mage with Fire resistance over 100 is a good example, and the one I gave before is another good one too.
Ok, looks like I re-wrote the Wall of Text... Nevermind the first line then.
Together in party, is "Madara". Fighter class, 2H sword and bows (like teacher, like pupil). True neutral. 18/00 str, 18 dex, 18 con, 18 int, 3 wis, 3 cha (lucky roll). Once over to 2, he gets copied. One copy becomes berserker 13 mage 28 (to resemble sage morph), and one copy kensai 13 thief 39 (to resemble initial form).
In same party is Sishui, a dwarf cleric. 18 str, 17 dex, 19 con, 9 int, 18 wis, 4 cha. After 1 he dies - becomes an abandoned char. After all, Obito will become a cleric.
Also, following him is Itachi, an Elf thief. 18 str, 19 dex, 16 con, 10 int, 10 wis, 10 cha. After 1 he dies - becomes an abandoned char. After all, Madara will become a thief.
There is also Kabuto. A half-elf druid. 18 str, 18 dex, 16 con, 5 int, 18 wis, 18 cha (very lucky roll, i would settle with 15 str). In 2 he is becoming an avenger (reptilian morphs like wyvern and salamander suit him perfectly, as well as druid class and healing techniques - sorry, spells). And mage spells are like a sage mode extras of sorts (what a great roleplayer and char creator i am, no?)!
Finally, there is Zetsu! A human mage. 18 str, 18 dex, 16 con, 18 int, 18 wis, 3 cha (VERY, lucky roll, i would settle even with 9-10 str). In 2 he is becoming a Wild Mage.
I roleplay a badass, villainous, overpowered, powergaming, uchiha and co party. With characters tailored around, or showing similarities, with their counterparts from that anime/manga. (spiral) Zetsu-Wild Mage, Kabuto-Avenger, Obito Ranger-Cleric, Madara Kensai-Thief/berserker-mage... I myself cannot comprehend how the hell i came up with this, collective idea...
My Necromancer on my first ever playthrough, that I took all the way through from start to finish named Magnus Magnusson (a surname that means I'm Magnus's son clearly shows I did not have a clue...) had a profound effect on me... To this day an over-riding wish to control the undead still beats in my blackened heart, that sits in a jar on the mantlepiece...
I must admit, I have recently had a lot of fun with a F / M / T a class I never played with before as they could not advance to high enough levels, but using kEEper, I have a gnome fighter / wildmage / thief and absolutely loved it. Now playing a gnome Necromancer / Cleric... He uses sanctuary a lot... And ignores all the pain and suffering his summoned skeletons cause...
Anyway, those are some pretty dark charnames you got there...
Makes me think how cool it would be to have a party of "Dark Brethren", including an assassin, a necromancer, an evil priest, and a blackguard. Surely this has been done before, but still sounds pretty cool.
@Demonoid_Limewire: kudos for the Beastmaster.