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  • Being A Healer and Loving It

    Advice/Tools, Fluff/Inspiration, Play, Players

    There are a lot of roles out there that are very fun to play.  Most of us prefer to play the action oriented damage dealing sorts.  I was not surprised when we put together our first 4th edition party everyone (and I do mean everyone) chose a strike role for their first character.  I was also likewise not surprised when they all decided this was a bad idea and started mixing it up a bit.

    One of the main problems was nobody wanted to be the healer.  Being the healer isn’t always very glamorous.  You don’t generally get to dish out tons of damage.  You aren’t always in the thick of things.  In short it isn’t a role that appeals to everyone.

    Playing a fun healer means having fun with your role.  The role of a healer has more to do with the other players than any other role.  By definition you must interact with the other players.  This means that from the start you should be planning those interactions more than the ones with the NPC’s.  If your focus is on destroying the enemy you will always come in second to a well honed striker of some other class.

    As far as builds go you have a couple of choices, but two main ones.  Are you going to be good at healing or are you going to be awesome at healing.  Either way doesn’t much matter because like I said before it has more to do with how you plan to interact with the other players to determine the amount of fun you have.  I would recommend being as good at healing as you possibly can because it will make your in-game actions more significant most often.

    Now, when you perform an action, most of the time it will be performed on another player.  Not always, of course, but certainly more often than not.  So the question of “fun” becomes one of how, why, and when you perform those actions.  In general it is “fun” to save someone from the brink of death.  It is also fun to boost your friend just enough so that he can deal the final blow and save the party.  So play to maximize your chances of doing these fun things.

    I also find it fun to talk and interact with the other players.  Role playing makes this fun.  Pretending to be a devote priestess might mean making it clear that you will not heal those who perform evil acts without penance.  So that rogue who kept a bit more than his share might need to show some sorrow (and give the money back) before you waste your goddess’ precious power on him.  This could be as simple as choosing to heal a different ally each round before finally consenting to save his life or it could be much more blatant and extreme.  Or maybe your character really is neutral and dispenses healing equally to enemies who surrender without questioning their motives.

    The PHB does not allow for rules regarding much more mercenary healers who use their powers only for wages.  It is assumed that a healer will perform these actions as a natural course of adventure in return for her share of the loot, but it is not impossible to imagine a situation where a healer holds a party for ransom at a particularly dangerous stage, refusing to use a powerful spell until an additional share of the treasure is agreed upon.

    Whatever you decide to do, mold your healer to the characters around you and you won’t be disappointed.  Just being the guy who hangs in the back and says you regain X HP once in a while probably won’t be as much fun.  Being the character in the party that everyone wants to please because his powers are unique and useful tends to be more fun.

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    Reading The Other Players

    Advice/Tools, Dungeon Masters, Play, Players

    Fundamentally all table top games are about interacting with other people.  It doesn’t matter if you are playing Monopoly, Magic The Gathering or Dungeons and Dragons.  Being able to understand what other people at the table are thinking is an invaluable skill in any game but can be especially useful in Dungeons and Dragons where player interaction has far fewer restrictions than most other games.

    If you are running the game, being able to pull of a lie at a table full of savvy players can be really difficult but at the same time very important in order to maintain suspense.  When you know all the secrets it can be difficult to keep them hidden until just the right moment (or to encourage the players in just the right way to find them).

    Here are some basics to keeping abreast of what is really going on at the table.

    First, watch for moods.  If you have been playing with the same group for a while, then you will know that when Eddy is in a grumpy mood he will be thinking about smashing face a lot more than usual.  When Cindy is happy she gets creative and devious and may try to mess with the other players.  A general rule of thumb is that happier people do more while those who are feeling glum will do less.

    Keep an eye on the time and the amount of caffeine consumed.  As players get tired their style of play generally changes.  If you have just found what you think is going to be a very tough fight but all of your party members are out of Mountain Dew and half asleep you may want to consider suggesting they tackle it another time.  A tactical error because someone is too tired to hold up their dice may not be a good idea, unless of course you are looking to sabotage the party, in which case this would be a good time to make your move.

    Pay attention to sudden changes in behavior as well.  A player who is whispering to the guy next to him is up to something, but so is the guy who suddenly starts dancing on the tavern tables.  This could be a signal of a surprise attack or just that the player is bored.  Either way keep your eyes open and adjust your plans accordingly.

    Learning to pass off a lie is extremely difficult, but perhaps the best tool is distraction.  Whether you are playing a devious NPC or just trying to keep a portion of the loot for yourself, getting the players to focus on something else is a good start.  Using out of game stuff like food, drink, their dice or what happened last week can all be useful.  Most of us can’t think about more than a few things at once and when we’re tired focusing on one thing can be a challenge.

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    How To Spot Game Exploits

    Advice/Tools, Dungeon Masters, Players

    Finding and abusing game exploits is an important ability for pretty much anyone who plans to play a game for the long term.  I’m going to talk about some skills that can be applied in generic terms to just about any game out there, including Dungeons and Dragons.

    Look for the infinite combo.  In other words, anything that adds a bonus but which doesn’t cost a resource, or which costs a resource which can be replenished.  In D&D the primary combat resource is actions.  There are only so many things that a character can do on his turn.  Once those actions are gone he has to end his turn.  Anything that allows more of the most crucial resource, or which bypasses that crucial resource can probably be abused.

    Which brings us to the next point.  Identify the critical resource.  If you ask a newbie to D&D what the most important number on the character sheet is, a lot of them will look at one of two things, either hit points or damage.  The truth is that neither of these is really the critical resource when it comes to combat.  There are ways for each class to deal massive amounts of damage, and hit points only matter if you get hit.  How you play the game will overshadow both of these.  What then is the critical resource?  There are several, but the most important in my opinion would be the number actions a character can take and the character’s base ability scores.  Anything that modifies these resources is asking for trouble.

    Now look for ways to modify the critical resource. Anything that adds to or takes away from the critical resource is powerful.  Potentially these things can be abused and badly.  In 3rd edition, for example, there were ways to raise base ability scores far beyond their intended levels.  This meant that characters could do ridiculous things far before they reached epic levels and after that it just got stupid.

    Look for the rule-breakers and special circumstances.  A lot of D&D is about combat.  This means that taking a look at the areas of the game that “don’t have to do with combat” can often be the most devastating ways of breaking combat. One example from basic D&D would be the spell Phantasmal Force.  A basic second level spell that could quite literally end any encounter against any level of opponent in one round.  But a lot of people I played with didn’t figure it out until they saw me play a magic user, at which point the DM would ban the spell.  A lot of people would read the spell and see that it “never causes any real damage” and simply gloss it over, thinking it could only be used in marginal situations or for role-playing purposes.  Not realizing that if you put an army of orcs to sleep for 1d4 turns that you had won the fight.

    Hope these tips help, and have fun breaking your game!

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    Being A Fun Power Gamer

    Fluff/Inspiration, Play, Players

    There are power gamers and then there are really, really annoying power gamers.  You know who you are (or at least the people who play with you know who you are).  You are the kind of person who has to squeeze every last advantage out of every single die roll. The person who has figured out the exact best strategy for each and every situation and then berates the rest of the party into doing it your way.

    So how can you make power gaming fun?  Is it possible to create a powerful character that doesn’t give the DM a headache?  Can you maximize your efforts without overshadowing the rest of the party and making the game generally un-fun for everyone?

    The key to being a fun power gamer is to understand two concepts: limits and differences.

    The limits I am talking about are primarily limits that apply to things outside of the rule books.  The rules are the rules.  Yes there is some room for discussion on certain points, but by and large the rules are defined.  However there are limits that are not written and often also unspoken.  For example as new splat books are published you may be tempted to run out and get all of the latest books in hopes of finding obscure feats that enhance your play style so that your planned character can maximize some combat action such as doing massive amounts of damage.  While the rules allow you to do this, your DM or playgroup may frown upon it.

    Is it unfair for the DM to restrict your game?  Maybe yes, maybe no.  Fairness is more than just doing what is written in the book.  Fairness is also making sure that everyone at the table has fun.  If the DM does not have time, energy or money to get all the latest books and review all of the information then it can become un-fun for him or her and they may simply apply a restriction in order to save themselves time.  If you have used obscure rules in the past to gain an unexpected advantage, don’t be surprised when the DM decides on this course of action.

    What about limits with the other players?  Combat strategy is one way in which a power gamer can get a true advantage over the other players.  It is possible to go through an entire combat without taking any damage.  It is possible to go through an entire campaign without taking any damage.  In fact it is possible for the entire party to escape completely unscathed from combats that appear on paper to be overwhelming.  Not every player understands this.  Most players aren’t even interested in figuring out how to do it.  Most of them are happy to wade in and slug it out knowing (or hoping) that the encounter is balanced and they will survive.

    The power gamer (and different kinds of power gamers) will find himself at conflict at this point.  Yes the combat may go better if the stupid Halfling would get into flanking position and just wait for one stupid turn so they can get in that extra damage.  On the other hand if you tell Joe one more time what to do with his character he may just punch you in the nose.  There are no rules (except house rules) governing these types of situations.  Learning the limits, especially the unspoken limits that other players expect from you will help everyone have more fun.  More than once I have watched players purposely undermine the power gamer’s efforts just because he pushed his min/maxing so far that it detracted from their role-playing experience.

    Now differences.

    There are many ways to play the game, and power can be defined in many terms.  Is power defined by combat ability?  Is it the ability to overcome encounters (no, not the same thing)?  Is it defined by treasure?  Ability to deal damage without magic items?  Being able to do maximum healing?

    When a pair (or more) of players put a definition of power on their character and then play to maximize that power at the expense of everything else they will inevitable come into conflict.  Understanding that these differences exist and that they are irrelevant until they start affecting the level of fun is crucial to avoiding the kinds of conflict that can lead to players actively undermining each other.  Differences in character builds, combat strategies, gear choices, negotiating styles and many other areas can all be equally powerful in terms of having a successful game experience.  If the goal is to have an enjoyable game session there are many ways to achieve this goal and each are as different as the people who play the game.

    Until next time, have fun!

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    Character Ticks - Making A Character Memorable

    Fluff/Inspiration, Play, Players

    Okay, there are characters and then there are characters that we remember (for good or ill) for years and years, long after they have been retired.  These are the characters that are talked about by the gaming group or to anyone who will listen even when the conversation has nothing to do with Dungeons and Dragons.

    One way to make a character memorable is to give that character a trait - a player playable trait - that sparks an emotional, physical, or mental reaction of some sort in the other players.  In many ways this can require a bit of meta-gaming, but in other ways it is just really thinking through who the character is and what he or she is about.

    An easy trick to developing this kind of trait is using a tick.  Something that happens at regular intervals.  Some examples would be a catch phrase such as a barbarian’s battle cry, which is used at the start of every combat, or the character always referring to himself in third person.

    Often during the character creation process we think in visual terms, i.e. the style of armor or the color of the character’s hair.  Unfortunately these things are relatively intangible.  The picture of that character is different in the head of each individual sitting at the table.  The shade of red in your heroine’s hair is going to be different for everyone.  The things that you as a player do, however, are going to be witnessed by all and will bring a much more tangible expression of your character that everyone can relate to.

    I cannot over-emphasize that these need to be verbal or physical actions.  The other players need to hear or see what you do.

    Now, be cautious in that you do not choose something that is very difficult to maintain.  A goofy accent, for example, works pretty good for about half an hour or so but then tends to become forgotten.  By the second session you don’t even bother trying.  Likewise complex or time consuming rituals will simply be annoying.

    Which brings us to the final point of the day which is that these kinds of ticks will probably annoy someone?  You can overdo it, and you probably should – just once.  Overdoing it once will implant it into the memories of everyone at the table.  Overdoing it twice and you will most likely be asked to stop.  Throwing in the occasional reminder will play to the character without driving everyone nuts.  The whole idea is to make the character come alive with those little details that make all of us real.

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    Backstabbing, It Could Be Fun!

    Fluff/Inspiration, Play, Players

    I’m not talking about the old backstabbing mechanic from yesteryear (don’t even get me started on the different iterations from various versions of the game) I’m talking about when one character in the party decides to grab the loot and/or slit throats on his way out of town, leaving a wake of destruction and a really pissed off party behind.

    Going against the party has a lot of ramifications.  First, it is likely to cause some out of game friction.  If, for example, you play in a game with your wife/girlfriend, then slitting her character’s throat in her sleep may cause you to sleep on the couch in real life.  In other words it really does piss of the players, not just the characters.  If you make enough people mad (or just one mad enough) you may find that you as a player are no longer welcome in your group.

    Next, understand that in all likelihood this is a suicidal path.  There are times when the evil-doer gets away with it.  Usually this is because there is generous support from a willing DM.  In most cases, however, the resources that the other members of the party can garner are simply overwhelming for one lone character.  So if you decide to undertake this option, beware that it will most likely ultimately result in some sort of permanent retirement.

    Now, for role-playing purposes, I highly recommend that you play a character that is evil from the start.  This can and will make for some interesting interactions from the start of the adventure.  If you play a good paladin for sixteen levels and then wake up one day and slaughter your companions there just isn’t a good way to explain it.  Many people have tried in many different ways, but the truth is it always feels unsatisfactory.  Plus it usually carries more out of game consequences.  When the evil warlock who the party recruited because they needed his support starts poisoning the water, nobody is surprised.

    I recommend this sort of option only for more experienced players.  In general once this happens the main adventure gets forgotten entirely.  For this reason it could really piss of a DM, and if you do it to a new DM they may really do some horrible things to your character by way of retaliation.  A group that has been playing for a while, will know how to handle the situation better and there is a greater chance that everyone at the table will find a way to enjoy it.

    Now, if you are going to do this and get away with it, here are my suggestions.  First, play an evil character.  Second, make yourself as valuable to the party as possible.  Third, gain a measure of control over at least one other party member.  Fourth, blame it on someone else.  Finally, get your DM’s permission first.

    In case your wondering these experiences are also almost always the most memorable.  People will talk about it for years to come.  You will be regaled in D&D history.  And you will never be trusted again.

    As always, have fun!

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    How Much Realism is Too Real?

    Advice/Tools, Dungeon Masters, Fluff/Inspiration, Play, Players

    Is there such a thing as too much realism in a fantasy game?  Most people that I have talked to would agree that yes there is a line that can be crossed where the game gets too real and it is no longer fun.

    So where do you draw the line?  My simple answer is “when it isn’t fun anymore.”

    Unfortunately in a game as dynamic as D&D, the definition of what is fun is as varied as the people who play it.  This means that the amount of realism that should be included in your game in order for it to be fun will also be different for each player.

    Some players want the game to feel as real as anything.  They want the game to feel as close to real life as possible.  This could mean live action role-playing and speaking in character at all times or complex house rules to govern occasional situations that arise.  Grappling and disarm rules, for example, have evolved over the various editions of D&D.

    Realism can also come in the form of the way that the game world evolves.  Treatment of social structures, businesses, commerce, family life, religion, and so forth can all be made more realistic – that is they can more closely mimic actual organizations or people, or they can draw closer to some fantasy ideal.  The level of realism again needs to reflect what is fun for the players.

    Some players really want to be involved in a game that is totally foreign to their lives.  They want to imagine themselves doing and saying things completely different from what they live day to day.  Other players would rather play a game much closer to their lives.  They simply want to extend their imaginations to the point where they are the heroes in an existence that greatly mirrors their own.

    As players it is important to understand where the expectations begin to impinge on the expectations of others.  If the degree of realism for one player is so diametrically opposed to another player’s then they may not be happy in the same group.  This means that they need to communicate with each other in order to find a compromise or agreement; even if the agreement is that one or the other leaves the group on peaceful terms.

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    Your First Character?

    Fluff/Inspiration, Players

    Do you remember your first character?  How about your first adventure?  Who did you play with?

    My first character was a magic-user.  I played under basic Dungeons and Dragons rules (the red box).  My brother was DM.  My Dad wanted to know what we were up to so he chipped in and played a thief.

    A 1st level magic user and a 1st level thief under the basic rules wasn’t much.  We crawled through some dungeon that my brother drew up.  We missed the secret door (of course) and triggered the trap.  I think we had a total of about 4 HP between us so needless to say we didn’t last very long.

    But I fell in love with the game.  I fell in love with magic users and went on to play several more later.

    What about you?  What was your first character?  Your first adventure?  What hooked you?

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    Pirate Name Generator

    Advice/Tools, Dungeon Masters, Players

    In my quest to pull together a variety of links that can be helpful to character creators everywhere I’m providing a link today to a pirate name generator.

    This is a pretty good generator that also provides ship names that can be used.  Ship names are often overlooked by DM’s, so this may be one of the more useful aspects of this tool.

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    The Importance of Making Player Assignments In Group Play

    Advice/Tools, Dungeon Masters, Play, Players

    A table top role playing game is a bit different from an MMORPG or some other activity.  Not all of the parts and pieces may be readily available.  Things like character sheets, minis, dice and so forth are the responsibility of everyone involved.

    In addition there are often some responsibilities that need to be dished out as well.  Mapping, treasure division, leadership roles, tracking initiative and any number of other administrative tasks need to be handled.  Often the DM will handle some of these for the players, often she will not.

    There are a couple of ways of making these assignments.  Where possible I recommend asking for volunteers.  Someone who wants to do a job is more likely to do a good job at it than someone who doesn’t really want the responsibility.  It is important to remember that these assignments don’t necessarily have to be role played.  The player drawing the map may not be the character drawing the map.  This makes it so that the fighter in the party doesn’t have to be walking around with a piece of paper in his hand rather than a shield.

    Helping out with these tasks can take a lot of the burden off of the DM.  This in turn will make the game run more quickly and smoothly.  If the DM is not having to worry about whose turn it is she may be able to put more effort into the witty remarks of the NPC noble.

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    Playing a Fun Rogue!

    Fluff/Inspiration, Play, Players

    There are lots of ways to enjoy playing any class, but the rogue (and perhaps the warlock) offers more opportunities to play with the information available to the other characters.

    Dungeons and Dragons is a game of many dimensions.  The opportunity to hack through monsters and snag the nifty lootz is always a lot of fun.  Exploring strange new worlds and discovering new creatures is part of what draws us to fantasy.  Interacting with others, however, is what draws us to tabletop gaming.

    Choosing a sneaky character (not necessarily a stealthy character) opens up many options for interacting with the other players in interesting ways.  If they do not know for sure what class you are playing they will act differently in different situations.  If they are not sure that they can trust you they will act differently.  If they are not sure what abilities you possess or what the true limits of your powers are they will treat you differently than scout/disarm.

    Yes, playing up the personality of your rogue will add time to the game and slow down the pace a bit.  This isn’t for everyone.  However it has a lot of rewards beyond just gold and magic items.  Many DM’s will not reward this style of play with experience points and some may be unfamiliar with it altogether, but the intangible rewards are real and exciting.

    Be cautious when interacting with other players.  Understand that creating barriers between characters can undermine the effectiveness of the party in dangerous situations.  Don’t hold back in a crisis just to prove a point.  Letting other characters die or suffer serious setbacks can create very real metagame effects such as getting a drink dumped in your face.

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    Providing Support Without Carrying the Party

    Fluff/Inspiration, Play, Players

    Sometimes a player finds himself in a party of players that for whatever reason they feel that they are simply carrying the party and that everyone else is just there to leech off of his or her well optimized character and strategy.  Sometimes these same players are leading the party and making decisions and at the end of the night they feel exhausted rather than excited by what happened during the session.

    What to do?

    First, realize that the game really is about having fun and if you aren’t having fun then you need to change something.  Often this step, as simple as it may sound isn’t usually very easy to take.  The player described here often feels a great deal of pride in their ability to min/max any situation so they are reluctant to be humble enough to admit that perhaps the problem lies not with the other players but with their own play style.

    Learning that supporting the party does not mean running the party can be a hard lesson to learn – one usually learned only after being asked politely (or not so politely) to find another group.

    Supporting the party is a combination of finding opportunities to step up and take over a situation and sitting back and letting the others work it out.  Most of the time the other players will be able to come up with a solution to nearly any problem.  Letting them work through it will help them learn the game and help them enjoy it more.  If they turn to you for help then so much the better.  If they don’t, no worries.  Focus on the aspects of the game that you enjoy the most and give yourself a break at other times.

    One trick that often helps is to focus very carefully on the role-playing aspects of the character.  Focus on the character’s personality.  Would that mage really use the same solution to get through this trap that the fighter you played three characters ago used?  Is this rogue really so altruistic as to care if the cleric gets hurt in a fight she started?

    Whatever solution you find, make sure it is one that makes the game fun to play!

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    Tips for Controlling the Metagame

    Advice/Tools, Fluff/Inspiration, Play, Players

    Metagaming – everything that happens outside of the game – is going to happen.  There is nothing you can do as a player or DM to stop it.  Whether it is simply the players discussing what roles they want their characters to play in the upcoming campaign (in order to build a well-rounded party), or running out and buying every pre-made module in order to know the DM’s next move – metagaming will happen.

    So what do you do about it?

    There are a lot of options, and a lot of opinions.  Some say embrace it.  Most say fight it and put a stop to it.

    My recommendation is to direct it, as comfortably as possible in a direction that fits your interests and tastes.  What I am talking about here is being as open and honest with your gaming group about what you feel is an appropriate level and type of metagaming.

    If, at the table you prefer that everything be said in character, then let people know.  Perhaps propose that a session or a portion of a session is run according to your style.  By opening the discussion you are enabling the other players to bring out their opinion and increasing the likelihood that they will support your opinion.

    If you fight it – especially in a confrontational manner I can pretty much guarantee that you will get nowhere.  Most likely you will frustrate and alienate other players.  At best you will get them to abide by your rules just long enough for them to find another game.

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    Help! My DM/GM Hates Me!

    Advice/Tools, Fluff/Inspiration, Play, Players

    This is a problem for a number of players.  They believe that their DM is simply out to get them.

    Real or imagined, this can be a huge problem for enjoying the game.  So what do you do?

    Realistically, no matter the actual cause of the problem there is only one answer.  Talk about it.  Don’t be confrontational or a jerk.  Just bring up the problem and ask what is going on.

    It is entirely probable that whatever the true source of the problem is has nothing to do with anything that you have considered to this point.  It is also highly probably that the problem can be easily resolved.

    A lot of people make the mistake of whining about the problem instead of dealing with it and drag the baggage around for months or even years before quitting and finding a different game.  This is unnecessary.  Either the problem is easily resolved or it isn’t, but it will never be resolved until it is confronted.

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    Help me! I Can’t Get Into Character

    Advice/Tools, Play, Players

    Have you ever had a hard time “getting into charcter?”  You’ve thumbed through the Player’s Handbook for a couple of hours already and have nothing to show for it?  Or worse, you have a character build and optimized, but you just don’t “feel it” when you play that character.

    First let’s back away for just a moment.  Remember that role-playing is about making a fantasy, even if it isn’at a medieval fantasy setting.  As a kid did you ever pretend to be superman.  Of course you did (ok, pick the heroe of your choice).  That is probably why you got into RPG’s in the first place, and its probably why you’ve stayed with it.

    So start with the fantasy.  Put the rule book away and grab a notebook and a pencil.  Yes, I said pencil.  You’ll want to erase things and make changes as you go.  Now start.  You can start with a name, like Firzna the Belligerant, or a race, or maybe even just a concept like “warrior princess.”

    Then brainstorm ideas about the character.  Is it a he or a she?  Tall?  Thin?  Fat?  Blonde? Grey eyes?  Just throw out random thoughts until you get some that you like.  Then think about what motivates the character?  Does she hate troglodytes?  Why?  Was her village rampaged by them or did his father tell him stories about the old days when the trogs used to steal children?

    Move onto why the character is adventuring.  Is she out to avenge wrongs or just looking for a good time?  The motives will guide you into more specifics about how he goes about it.  A sneaky thief, for example probably won’t stroll around in full plate, but an experience veteran in the local town militia certainly will try to get the best armor possible.

    By now you should have a pretty good idea of what your character is all about.

    If you don’t, then try and draw a sketch of your character.  Don’t worry, you’re not going to be sharing it with anyone, just start drawing and see what you come up with.  Notice what you include and what you don’t.  The gear you choose will tell you a lot about what you are going to play.  If you really don’t like to draw, then get online and start looking at some fantasy artwork.  Find a piece of art that matches your concept, or at least gets close and an idea will form in your head.  Then go and get your notebook and start writing.

    Now that you know exactly what you want to play, and how, go back to the rule book and find the race/class that matches your concept.  Yes it is possible that you won’t have a completely optimized character, but you will find something that works.  Don’t get caught up in the notion that a class name like wizard means that you have to be a stuffy old bookworm.  “Wizard” really only means a character that has access to the class abilities, skills, and powers of that class.  If your character concept is one of a warlock that uses wizard style spells, then call yourself a warlock (just write wizard) on your character sheet.

    Find the powers that best suit your character concept.  Ask your DM if you can rename some of them.  You don’t have to change anything else about them, just call them something else.  Your Magic Missile can become a “Doom Bolt” or similar.  Do the same with skills and feats.  Pick the ones that let the flavor you have already picked shine through.

    If you are in the unfortunate place of already having a character, then I suggest you do the same things already outlined, only you may not have all the customization options open anymore.  If this is the case, then either ask your DM what you can retool, or else focus on the aspects of your character you do enjoy.  I find that getting an image of the character is very helpful here.  Most of us have played computer RPG’s where we couldn’t customize things just the way we wanted, but having the graphic in front of me helped a lot to get into the game.  You can use the same trick with a tabletop with either a picture or a mini.

    Hope these ideas help, and enjoy your character!

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