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MKNGBRD
2017-02-15, 03:45 PM
A friend of mine is introducing me to the game next week and wants me to create a character for play. I know very little about the D&D universe but I love Skyrim.

That being said, let me define how I like to play in Skyrim:

I'm a good balance of magic, stealth and combat, favoring stealth.

I love setting trap runes and luring my opponents into them and using conjuration for distractions while I sit back and fire arrows or Ice Spikes from a distance.

However, when I am eventually discovered I wield a greatsword or battle axe and smash the enemy's face in. I rarely wield a shield.

I am also adept at mixing all manner of potions and using healing magic, though my healing magic focuses on healing comrades, not myself. I prefer clothing to armor.

I prefer the Nord, Khajiit or Mer races. I don't care to be a werewolf or vampire.

As a hobby I like to explore Dwemer ruins and tinker with their toys, and hunt.


Based on that description, how would I design a D&D character?

ATHATH
2017-02-15, 03:48 PM
What edition are you playing?

MKNGBRD
2017-02-15, 03:50 PM
What edition are you playing?

Fifth edition I believe.

Nimlouth
2017-02-15, 10:19 PM
Well... Skyrim is a tad different from normal D&D, both setting and mechanics wise.

So. I'll try to give you a preview of what you NEED to know before creating a character in D&D and then i'll recommend you a class based on your preferences from skyrim :).
I strongly recommend you to get a Player's Handbook (for the specific D&D edition you are going to play) and some dice.
(I'll try to make this simple so you don't get overwhelmed by it xD)


First of all repeat after me: "My character will start at low level and i can't do everything and be everything like in skyrim." xD

That said, there are various races and classes in D&D along with some basic stats that you may want to know about.

Stats: When you create a character in D&D, you "roll" a number of stats that represent your character in general lines.

These are:
-Strenght: Your character's muscular mass and physical power. "How much it hurts when I punch, how fast I can run and how much I can swim."

-Dexterity: Hand eye coordination, your "quickness" and "skill" with ranged weapons and acrobatics. "How silently I can move, how quick I react, how precissely I can aim a crossbow."

-Constitution: This is your "Health" stat. "How long can i hold my breath, how much can I resist poisons, how much damage i can take (In form of hit points :d)

-Intelligence: Your character's capacity to learn and accumulate knowledge and think logicly. "How many spells I can remember, how much do I know about a certain subject."

-Wisdom: This is your character's understanding of the world that surrounds him. A combination of philosophy and commmon sense. "How perceptive I am and how much attention I pay to the world. Which level of comunion do I have with a god or with nature."

-Charisma: This is your character's social magnetism and force of personality, combined with his good lookings and appearance. "How much weight do my words have into people's mind. How beliaveble are the lies i say. How strong is my will to manipulate others. How much of a leader I am. How "Hot" I am (lol)."

You can see at this point that a Warrior will use strenght and constitution (for example) as primary attributes, as much as a mage will use Intelligence and a rogue dexterity.

Races: This is your FIRST choice, different races will give your character different traits that you can use. In 5e you have the following race roster to pick from:

Normal races (Mostly allowed by ANY DM):
-Humans: All-round adaptative race. The most "Standard" and simple of it all. Overall good for anything but not excellent. Every human race in Skyrim is a normal Human in D&D.

-Elves: Slender, no beard, not as tall as a human, beautiful. They live hundreds of years, are really conservative and also don't sleep (WTF! O.o). They can be super noble or super ********s. Very much like elves in Skyrim, there are wood elves, high elves, and the drow (Which are edgy *******s that live underground... mostly... :d)

-Dwarves: Bulky, small, strong and stubborn. Dwarves are the people of the pickaxe and the hammers. Also beards... Also ale.

-Halflings: <Insert HOBBIT here>

Rare races (Not always allowed):
-Half-Elf: A human would say a half-elf is an elf, and an elf would say that a half-elf is a human. These are the outcasts, the misfits, the "I'm an elf with a beard and i'm beautiful as F" kind of people that everyone talks about but nobody really knows how to really roleplay them. Charismatic people they are.

-Half-Orc: What? You wanna smash things you say? You want to have identity problems like a half elf but being ugly? You like green skin? These are pretty much like the orcs from skyrim in appearance.

-Gnome: Happy go lucky folk that live long like an elf but tend to be less of a jerk. They are SMALL but hilarious and can have both the technological-gadget aproach (Rock Gnome) or the "I talk to squirrels" aproach (Forest Gnomes).

-Dragonborn: Dragon people... You can spit fire and ****. They are amazing.

-Tiefling: Half-human, half-demon. Being kind of a demon with horns and a tail doesn't mean you HAVE to be evil. They are the best for evil characters tho. So edgy.

-Aasimar: Celestial-blood race with celestial-like powers and celestial-like traits. Like tieflings but with ethereal wings and angel's stuff.

-Goliath: Giant blood runs through these people's veins. They are strong and big.

-Genasi: Like Aasimar or Tieflings but with "Elemental" genetic on them, like fire or air.

-Aarakocra: BIRD PEOPLE! WITH WINGS!


Classes: THIS is your most important choice to make since it will pretty much determine how your character will behave not only in combat, but in personality and life-goals. Note that not EVERY class has acces to magic and spells and even if you can cast spells, you can't cast ANY spell (yes, spells are pretty much class-bound in D&D). Wizards will not have any healing spell (for example) and a cleric or druid couldn't cast "Magic Missiles" in most cases.

-Fighter: Ahhh, the good ol' Fighter. I always say that if you don't have a character concept and don't know what to play you should roll a Fighter. They can use ANY weapon and ANY armor. Fighters are marcial experts that live for the battle and confrontation. A Fighter's strenght is his overall versatility and simplicity, that doesn't compromises his ability to fight and kick ass.

-Rogue: Stealth, backstabing, thievery, poisons, cleverness and the ability to be a jerk with your party and also save their lives in the same act.

-Cleric: A cleric's armor protects him as much as his god does. They can heal their allies or bring pain to anyone that defies their faith. This is a highly wise and religious class. Also they are deep in the "magical" side of the game.

-Wizard: <ATTENTION, DON'T USE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING> Knowledge, spells, spellbooks, spell lists, spell effects, spell scrolls, spell schools... S... SPELLS!! Wizards are the class for the people who likes knowing tons of stuff. They are super fun once you really get the hang of the game tho.

-Barbarian: Go Berzerk and rage your way through hordes of enemies, or doors, or walls, or mountains. Screaming wild strong tribal type of warrior with a fetish for raging and meat-shielding the party.

-Bard: A bard is an artist, a performer, a musician, a spellcaster and also a jack of all trades. It can fullfill many roles but also is not the best on any of these. You bassically play an instrument and lightning bolts start to fly arround you.

-Druid: "I take only what I need from nature and then return it in form of poop"-Pipin Stoneoak the "Wise", a Gnome Druid from a campaign i ran once. This is the guy who knows how to make tomatoes grow in the desert and also convince a bear to defend him. Plants and divine magic is the way of the wise druid.

-Monk: Martial arts freak.

-Paladin: An example for society and a more "Warrior-like" approach to the divine than the cleric. The paladin is a natural leader, a crusader, a protector.

-Ranger: What the Paladin is to the cleric, the Ranger is to the druid. These are scouts, archers, wardens, tour guides (xD)... A ranger is a master of survival and hunting. It represents the civilization reaching the nature and embracing it.

-Sorcerer: A wizard needs to know what he is doing to cast spells... A sorcerer in the other hand was just born with it. Like Harry Potter, a sorcerers has a gift that allows him to use the arcane magics with his force of personality rather than with his Intelligence.

-Warlock: You bassicly become the servant of an entity that grants you powers if you serve to it correctly. Doesn't mean you have to be evil but it leans toward that side of the specrtum. Cultists... Chtulhu stuff going on here >.>


So seeing all of your preferences in skyrim I would reccomend you to roll a Ranger since it can use spells and marcial weapons and also stealth, DPS or heal if needed. Other than that an Arcane Trickster rogue will be great for the more stealth side of things while keeping the magic aspect of the concept, without the healing that is.

Just remember that D&D is not only "Combat" focused. You are there to play a character like if it was a movie/comic/TVseries/Anime that will develope and live adventures along with a group of other weirdos like you called "Party"... Enjoy and welcome to the hobby :3

Also sorry for my english xD.

Potato_Priest
2017-02-15, 11:15 PM
@ Nimlouth
Add Tabaxi to that race list, since he's a fan of Khajiit. For the record, you also forgot most of the other Volo's guide races.

Edit: In case you don't have the book, I'll give some synopses. All of these go in the "rare races" category.

-Firbolg: Big huggable fairy-giants. They can talk to animals and have some nature related abilities. They are also pretty strong.

-Lizardfolk: Lizard People. They are pretty close to emotionless, and have no problem with cannibalism. They are great if you don't have much access to equipment due to their natural weapons and armor.

-Kenku: Bird People who can only speak by mimicking noises they have heard. They can mimic those noises perfectly though, and are very sneaky and deceptive.

-Tabaxi: Very curious cat people. They can climb and have claws.

-Triton: Merfolk with legs. They live at the bottom of the ocean and tend to be pretty arrogant about their awesomeness. They can breathe underwater, talk with fish, and have some water-related spells.

Nimlouth
2017-02-15, 11:39 PM
@ Nimlouth
Add Tabaxi to that race list, since he's a fan of Khajiit. For the record, you also forgot most of the other Volo's guide races.


Ikr, I was about to add Tabaxi but then I thought that maybe his DM doesn't owns Volo's because is a relatively new book... And I got lazy xD. Thanks bro! :3

MKNGBRD
2017-02-16, 09:33 AM
@Nimlouth
@Potato_Priest

Thank you both for your assistance; based on what you've told me I will probably go with the Ranger for starters and then explore from there.

I plan to do more research on the races and then I should be good to go. Much appreciated!

Freed
2017-02-17, 03:42 PM
Okay, before you completely decide on a class, I will say Ardent is good for smashing and healing, and I believe they can use bows.

Nimlouth
2017-02-18, 04:45 AM
Okay, before you completely decide on a class, I will say Ardent is good for smashing and healing, and I believe they can use bows.

He is supposed to play 5e m8... And why would he be an ardent anyway? A simple ranger using a two handed sword and a longbow could perfectly do the job and it is way easier to roleplay as your first character. "My name is Aagrimmar the neutral good Ranger and I wander the land hunting evil creatures and exploring the landscapes." And you're golden...

Freed
2017-02-18, 03:21 PM
He is supposed to play 5e m8... And why would he be an ardent anyway? A simple ranger using a two handed sword and a longbow could perfectly do the job and it is way easier to roleplay as your first character. "My name is Aagrimmar the neutral good Ranger and I wander the land hunting evil creatures and exploring the landscapes." And you're golden...
Oh, right. I kinda forgot 5e didn't have those. I just suggested Ardent for the healing stuff.

Nimlouth
2017-02-18, 09:32 PM
I just suggested Ardent for the healing stuff.

Ikr, sorry if I was rude xD... The 5e Paladin could be an excellent "Ardent" tho. He would be missing stealth and archery power and gaining more healing/melee capabilities if going for that side of the spectrum. There's also an Ardent on the D&Dwiki but (like EVERYTHING there) it is stupidly broken :p.

Did you meant the Ardent from 4e? or from 3.x?

An ardent would also kind of lean forward to the Lawful Good alignment which is "harder" to RolePlay being new to the game than Neutral/Chaotic Good.