Shattered Kingdoms

Well, I think anyone that's been here any amount of time has a countless amount of chars they've gone through. I try and try and try, and you know, most of them don't stick for one reason or another.

Usually I keep coming back and trying a different concept, perhaps going back to another one. Give it time and something will stick.

And as for not fully fleshing out a char before hand, I say do what makes you happy, I've had sucess with impromptu chars like Galstan or Vincento for those that remember, as well as chars with incredible forethought and backstory a'la Ulrich.

And also the idea that you can't RP without leveling is crazy talk. I have a 27 yr old veteran char that I've decided not to powerlevel and just kinda take my time with, and there's been plenty of solid RP even from the start. It's all about what you value, and how hard you try.

When I first started SK I played a new char every time I logged on. To see how things flowed in the game. My advice is steer clear of small and smaller size chars when you are starting out they level slowly. Also play something you like to play you might stick out a sorceror longer than a warrior just because you like spell casters (I know I did with my first). If you like following different ideas it is probably a good idea to stick with a grey aura char so you can change from day to day and no one will be too surprised. Also remember any personality can be translated to almost any race/class so long as you pick the right alignment for it. Something that is often over looked is starting city. Teron might seem like a good place to start because of your char but look at the deeper aspects. Teron is a deadly place Exile or Nerina can be equally friendly towards a grey aura and is a lot safer. My advice is probably an grey aura human sorceror from Exile or Nerina if you want to play a spell caster. Humans are a good race because they have a bonus to their main stat. Human merc white aura (for request of armor and weapons).

And get the poor guy lost in that crappy Exile newbie school?

This is fairly well-put, and I agree with the sentiment. You start with a very basic history, and a general idea of how your character might interact with others. In my experience, at least, the rest of the story writes itself retroactively the longer you play. Every interaction with another character brings up a few more questions to answer about who your own is, who he's been, where he's going. Eventually you find a few of these points that connect, and a few such lines begin to form a picture...

There isn't something "wrong" with you just because you haven't found a character you know and understand deeply enough that you just really love telling stories about him, and about this fictional world through his eyes. This is something that will come when it feels like it, like anything else involving creative inspiration. Until that day, do whatever pleases you, and don't stress out about it.

I guess my experience is a little different. Personally, I like my characters' past to be as detailed as possible. The more detailed they are, the more fake "memories" I've put into them, the quicker they come alive to me. A cardboard version of a character doesn't do it for me, and I tend to give them up fairly quickly.

The key for me is to refrain from the temptation of planning the character's future. A detailed past and an open future. However, I think it is a matter of personal preference.

One thing I do think can drown any desire to play is the neverending levelling, which unfortunately has been prolonged lately. Try not to get too obsessed with getting up in level - allow time to roleplay, take breaks, even f it means you may die doing so. Early connections (something you rarely get unless you go out and roleplay early on) is also a good way to ensure later interest in the character.

Well, I like setting some goals for my characters, but nothing too horrible...

For my Sprite Sorceror I wanted Polymorph. I was horribly bored on the character untill I did get it, but had some fun afterwards. Made "mock" forms of other races and nearly got turned into sprite paste when I unveiled my... Interesting... Centaur form.

The biggest problem seems to be that if you're below a certain level, no one takes you even vaguely seriously. Like there's a Master-level skill "Roleplaying" or something.

So if I try to RP more than level, I get mostly ignored and burn out.
If I try to level more than RP I get bored and burn out.

An interesting little problem.

Well the key here is to level appropriate to your level. As a GM mercenary, I'm not going to take a threat or big talk from an amatuer that I could crush just by flexing.

People of a level higher than Veteran I would probally say are extremely rare thing for the average joe of pyrathia to actually interact with so keeping that in mind if you saw a sorceror turn someone into stone at a lower level, you would probally [REDACTED] your pants. You don't want to be a know it all punk, or play a story that doesn't really fit in to your abilites.

A good example is asking questions to those around you or being a litle naive about certain things. Not everyone is going to stop and listen, but there will be some that do and you will be rewarded for your efforts.

Yes, yes. I know all about "keeping my nose clean" so I don't disappear in the middle of the night. Most people higher than veteran would sooner stick you on a pike than talk to you so I've learned that running is usually the best thing to do.

But I'm not meaning ignored as in "not taken seriously". I mean just ignored. I've tried talking to some people in the inn and they recall. A few people with less manners have outright stood up and walked out. While I might expect this attitude from someone in Teron or the Empire you don't expect it from someone in Exile which is where atleast two incidents of this have occured.

My only exception to date was my highest level Sorceror for obvious reasons *coughEnchantmentcough*.

I know that can happen quite a bit, but at the same time you have to make people want to talk or RP with you. It takes time. It'll come, just don't give up.

Well how about this...

I'm currently thinking of being either a Deep Elf, Dwarf, Elf or Human. Class-wise, I was thinking something of the Warrior/Adventure/Magician classes. No Clergy. No Necromancer, either.

What would you suggest race/class-wise? I have several RP ideas for pretty much all but nothing concrete yet.