New to the Dragonlance setting, how do I play this character?

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

sareld

Feb 16, 2007 9:09:43
As the title says, I am new to the dragonlance setting, but my DM is a long time fan, and wants to start running his adventures in Krynn instead of his old homebrew world. Ive taken a peek at the campaign setting, and decided to make the following character:

Race: Silvanesti Elf

Alignment: TN

Stats:

St: 13
Dx: 16
Cn: 14
It: 20
Wi: 14
Ca: 10

1: Ninja 1; Feat (Improved Initiative)
2: Transmuter 1;
3: Transmuter 2; Feat (Spell Focus: Transmutation)
4: Transmuter 3;
5: Transmuter 4;
6: Ninja 2; Feat (Practiced spellcaster: Transmuter)
7: Unseen Seer 1;
8: Unseen Seer 2;
9: Unseen Seer 3; Feat (Arterial Strike)
10: Unseen Seer 4;
11: Unseen Seer 5;
12: Unseen Seer 6; Feat (Greater Spell Focus: Transmutation)
13: Unseen Seer 7;
14: Unseen Seer 8;
15: Unseen Seer 9; Feat (Spell Penetration)
16: Unseen Seer 10;
17: Arcane Trickster 1;
18: Arcane Trickster 2; Feat (Quicken Spell)
19: Arcane Trickster 3;
20: Arcane Trickster 4;

Caster Level: 18 (Wizard)

Now, a couple of questions arise;

1) I understand that silvanesti elves are generally very aloof, but how? Im used to play snobbish grey elves from the SRD, but I understand that silveresti elves are even worse?

2) In a related matter, does the cha penalty I suffer reflect peoples reactions towards the silvanesti elves snobby personality, or can I enspect NPCs to react worse against my cha 10 silveresti than they would against a normal cha 10 PC?

3) I understand that wizards generally has to complete som kind of test to obtain a 'liscense' to practice their arcane magic, but how does that work? Do I need to mess up every wizard build I make from this day with levels of the 'Wizard of High Society' PrC, or can I simply take the test and join a guild without having to become a wizard of high society?

4) ... if I cant become a liscenced wizard without taking that PrC (which I wont), how hard is the life of a renegade? If I travel the world as a rogue, keep from using my magic in public, and keep myself protected by the non-detection spell, will I be able to avoid trouble?

5) Does the campaign setting contain stats for any critters that might make cooler familiars than the SRD ones?
#2

cam_banks

Feb 16, 2007 10:40:06
In general, you don't need to take levels in the Wizard of High Sorcery prestige class, but you do need to take the Test before you advance to a level that would have you casting 3rd level spells. Based on your progression plan, I'd have this occur at 6th level, before you take levels in unseen seer.

All mages are required to pass this Test and then join the Orders. Your transmuter would be considered a White Robe mage (which also makes sense given that unseen seers are divination casters), although I'm somewhat unclear why you'd go the transmuter route unless your plan is to be a buff specialist or something. It seems a little at odds with unseen seer.

In general, Silvanesti are disdainful of other races, somewhat elitist, snobbish, and haughty. You can probably just consider them to be very much like gray elves, yes.

Your Charisma penalty reflects their natures, so you have that covered. I suggest changing his alignment, however; there aren't very many neutral elves, and no White Robes are neutral (neutral good would be acceptable.) If this is an issue for you, I'd suggest playing a member of another race.

Cheers,
Cam
#3

zombiegleemax

Feb 16, 2007 10:49:49
Dont you need a +4 on BAB to get arterial strike?
#4

sareld

Feb 16, 2007 11:21:19
In general, you don't need to take levels in the Wizard of High Sorcery prestige class, but you do need to take the Test before you advance to a level that would have you casting 3rd level spells. Based on your progression plan, I'd have this occur at 6th level, before you take levels in unseen seer.

Ah, excellent. What will this test be? Ive heard something about it being three seperate tests, which will require some fighting and some puzzle solving, and also that the wizard needs to use every spell he knows at least once during these trials. What else is there to it?

All mages are required to pass this Test and then join the Orders. Your transmuter would be considered a White Robe mage (which also makes sense given that unseen seers are divination casters), although I'm somewhat unclear why you'd go the transmuter route unless your plan is to be a buff specialist or something. It seems a little at odds with unseen seer.

Ah, darn. I was gunning for a red robe of neutrality, with my magic of change and all. And yes, I plan on playing a utility wizard and mainly focus on buffs and boosts. Though my Unseen Seer class gives me bonuses to divination, I dont think that I can find divination spells on every level from 1-9 that I like... but with transmutation there is always nice spells avaliable.

In general, Silvanesti are disdainful of other races, somewhat elitist, snobbish, and haughty. You can probably just consider them to be very much like gray elves, yes.

Good, as I imagined.

Your Charisma penalty reflects their natures, so you have that covered. I suggest changing his alignment, however; there aren't very many neutral elves, and no White Robes are neutral (neutral good would be acceptable.) If this is an issue for you, I'd suggest playing a member of another race.

Hmm.. this guy is most definately not good, he is more like on the cruel side of neutrality. So dragonlance characters are less likely to deviate from the standard alignment of their race than those in regular D&D?

Dont you need a +4 on BAB to get arterial strike?

Man, this build have been floating around on the CO board for ages, and no one notices before you. Well spotted. Problem fixed.
#5

leowar

Feb 16, 2007 13:40:56
Ah, excellent. What will this test be? Ive heard something about it being three seperate tests, which will require some fighting and some puzzle solving, and also that the wizard needs to use every spell he knows at least once during these trials. What else is there to it?

You can read some examples of the Test in the Thread: the Test for wizard and sorcerers
I would love to hear story's that your wizard will be going through:D
#6

clarkvalentine

Feb 16, 2007 17:40:46
Your transmuter would be considered a White Robe mage ...

I don't think this is a given.

However, Cam is right in that red-robed elf would find himself unwelcome among his own kind.
#7

cam_banks

Feb 16, 2007 22:16:43
I don't think this is a given.

However, Cam is right in that red-robed elf would find himself unwelcome among his own kind.

Right, that's what I meant! In fact, transmuters are more likely to be Red Robes (who specialize in Illusion and Transmutation). It was the unseen seer that threw me off, and the Silvanesti elven background. This character would be a dark elf, i.e. one cast out of Silvanesti society, like Dalamar. Not as much a transgressor as Dalamar, of course, but certainly not accepted.

You got this from the CO boards? Well, there's your problem right there.

Cheers,
Cam
#8

zombiegleemax

Feb 17, 2007 10:07:03
Reason I know is that I have a 5th level rouge/1st level wizard (*Abjurerer specialist) who wants to eventaully take the White Robes and I wanted that feat for the sneak attack and was sad that it needs a +4 BAB to qualify for it.
#9

sareld

Feb 19, 2007 23:37:51
You got this from the CO boards? Well, there's your problem right there.

I didnt copy the build of the CO boards, I just posted it there for a bug fix.

And about my character being an outcast for being TN, isnt that a bit extreme? I mean, if a TN character lived amongst XG people, he would get along just fine under normal circumstances. I might understand it if it is because Silvansesi elves would consider red robes mages 'impure' or something like that, is that the case?

And about the color of my said robe, there wont be any. Ive decided to become a renegade mage, travelling the world as an adventuring scout, never letting people know that magic is the scource of my true power. I can at least keep some of my powers hidden, and pose as a dabbeler of simple magic if people find out that I use mage armor, shield, owls wisdom and cats grace, and then keep spells like haste, fly, bestow curse, disentegrate and the like for when no one is looking...

And about my choice of school, I chose transmutation because it is simply the most effective school for a rogue/mage type character. I get acces to highly useful spells for my specialization slot in every level from 0 to 9, while I can hardly think of any useful divination spells aside from scry, arcane eye, prying eyes and the ever popular identify.. a diviner simply wastes too many slots on utterly useless spells. Or am I wrong here?
#10

cam_banks

Feb 20, 2007 7:30:07
And about my character being an outcast for being TN, isnt that a bit extreme? I mean, if a TN character lived amongst XG people, he would get along just fine under normal circumstances. I might understand it if it is because Silvansesi elves would consider red robes mages 'impure' or something like that, is that the case?

Yes, that's the case. The Silvanesti (specifically, House Mystic, which is the caste most of the Silvanesti wizards come from) are extremely picky about this. Only White Robes allowed.

And about the color of my said robe, there wont be any. Ive decided to become a renegade mage, travelling the world as an adventuring scout, never letting people know that magic is the scource of my true power. I can at least keep some of my powers hidden, and pose as a dabbeler of simple magic if people find out that I use mage armor, shield, owls wisdom and cats grace, and then keep spells like haste, fly, bestow curse, disentegrate and the like for when no one is looking...

Well, good luck to you, then! It will be up to your DM to decide just how much trouble you get in. In this case, it's double trouble. You're not only a renegade mage, you're a dark elf waiting to happen.

And about my choice of school, I chose transmutation because it is simply the most effective school for a rogue/mage type character. I get acces to highly useful spells for my specialization slot in every level from 0 to 9, while I can hardly think of any useful divination spells aside from scry, arcane eye, prying eyes and the ever popular identify.. a diviner simply wastes too many slots on utterly useless spells. Or am I wrong here?

That's correct. The schools of magic aren't equal when it comes to the effectiveness of taking Spell Focus, but it's a requirement for the Wizard of High Sorcery prestige class to take the feat. If you're not going that route, you don't need to worry about it.

Cheers,
Cam
#11

zombiegleemax

Feb 20, 2007 10:13:42
Does being a dark elf in the 5th Age after the destruction of Qualinanesti and the capture of Silvanesti mean much any more?
#12

cam_banks

Feb 20, 2007 10:55:04
Does being a dark elf in the 5th Age after the destruction of Qualinanesti and the capture of Silvanesti mean much any more?

It does to other elves!

Cheers,
Cam
#13

zombiegleemax

Feb 20, 2007 20:05:42
But to be cast out of a homeland that they cannot call their own does not seem like all that harsh of a punishment, IMHO.
#14

zombiegleemax

Feb 20, 2007 20:09:57
Well, in a sense all elves are Dark Elves now. They are all a people without a homeland. If a were the elves, I'd wise up and forget the Dark Elf thing.
#15

clarkvalentine

Feb 21, 2007 19:03:22
But to be cast out of a homeland that they cannot call their own does not seem like all that harsh of a punishment, IMHO.

They still band together, though. True dark elves are forbidden to associate with other elves, even in exile.

If a were the elves, I'd wise up and forget the Dark Elf thing.

You can make a good case for that, yes. Especially now, I'd think a certain pragmatic segment of Elvendom would say "By the late great E'li, you're a wizard? Where in the Abyss have you been?"
#16

sareld

Feb 22, 2007 5:16:16
Race: Silvanesti Elf

Alignment: N

1: Ninja 1; Feat (Improved Initiative)
2: Transmuter 1;
3: Transmuter 2; Feat (Spell Focus: Transmuter)
4: Transmuter 3;
5: Transmuter 4;
6: Ninja 2; Feat (Practiced Spellcaster: Transmuter)
7: Unseen Seer 1;
8: Unseen Seer 2;
9: Unseen Seer 3; Feat (Greater Spell Focus: Transmutation)
10: Unseen Seer 4;
11: Unseen Seer 5;
12: Unseen Seer 6; Feat (Fortify Spell)
13: Unseen Seer 7;
14: Unseen Seer 8;
15: Unseen Seer 9; Feat (Split Ray)
16: Unseen Seer 10;
17: Fatespinner 1;
18: Fatespinner 2; Feat (Spell Penetration)
19: Fatespinner 3;
20: Fatespinner 4;

Caster Level: 18 (20, 17 non-divination and 23 divination) (Wizard)

Updated build! Now I can play a booster wizard in the low levels, and swich to a disentegrating nightmare at higher levels. Perfect.

He will have one goal in life; to become the greatest thief of all times. Magic is only a tool to achieve a greater goal to him, and thats why he know that he will never be able to complete the test. He will keep his powers hidden from everyone, and only use them while alone. Even the party (black robe) wizard will be thinking that Im just a simple rogue, and I will be stealing the components for my high level spells from him, so I wont need to buy them in magic shops.. problem solved AFAICT.

How is thieves organized in DL? Are the thieves guilds as tightly knit as the wizard guilds, or can a thief roam freely as he sees fit?
#17

zombiegleemax

Feb 22, 2007 7:37:17
If you cast higher level spells in front of the Black Robe watch out, he just might kill you on the spot.
#18

cam_banks

Feb 22, 2007 8:04:43
How is thieves organized in DL? Are the thieves guilds as tightly knit as the wizard guilds, or can a thief roam freely as he sees fit?

Thieves' Guilds exist in larger cities, performing the usual functions (taking a cut of the thief's takings in return for letting him operate within city walls) but there's no larger organization.

There are so few mages in Ansalon, and High Sorcery is so closely guarded a secret, that allowing renegades to remain active and letting other organizations of mages exist is not permitted by the Conclave.

Cheers,
Cam
#19

zombiegleemax

Feb 22, 2007 10:43:55
The Conclave is what has kept High Sorcery alive and well when others would destroy it.