Greetings,

I have bought every product for this game and spent a lot of time organizing it (binders, plano boxes, sleeves, etc. Maybe I'll post that at some point with pictures to give people ideas). Unfortunately, I don't currently know anyone who wants to play. All the gaming groups that I know of currently play D&D 4th (which I don't like) and Pathfinder (which is better but still not my cup of tea).

I still love reading the rules and designing characters in case I run into a group that wants to play. I thought I'd run through this character concept to both make sure I am doing it correctly, and to get feedback.

Name: Dietrich Hauptmann

Step 1. Select Race: Reikland Human

*Note: I'm not a writer *

Dietrich grew up on a farm near the town of Flussberg, south of Ubersreik. His father, Nikolaus, was not your average farmer. In his youth, Nikolaus has been an enthusiastic Witch Hunter who specialized in hunting down the heretics who worshiped the chaos god of Nurgle. Unfortunately, after a particularly climactic hunt, he was wounded so severely in his left leg that it effectively ended his career. While farmer might seem an odd choice of career for a former Witch Hunter, Nikolaus found that his firebrand personality was very effective at "motivating" the farmhands to work with maximum effort, and to "persuade" merchants to buy his product at top price. And so his farm ended up being moderately successful.

Dietrich grew up under his fathers stern gaze and developed both a copious amount of discipline, and a hatred for the evils of chaos. His father, being reasonably educated, taught him to read and write. Dietrich was a good student, with a sharp mind and diligent study habits. He occasionally made trips to a nearby Priest of Morr. While he did not feel the calling of the god, he was enamored with the study of the dead and soaked up all the knowledge he could from the old priest.

Just after Dietrich's 17th birthday, the farmstead was attacked by a Nurgle cult. In fact, the cult leader was the son of a Nurgle cultist whom Nikolaus had killed during his Witch Hunter days and who had been harboring a desire for revenge for many years. Despite a valiant struggle, the farmstead was overwhelmed by the cultists'. The cult leader tortured the family for days, first killing Dietrich's mother and then his sister. The cult leader insisted that if Dietrich would worship Nurgle, both he and his father would be free. His fathers steely eyes, burning from his blood soaked face, gave Dietrich only one possible answer: "No". His father was instantly slain. The cult leader smiled at him, a smile that Dietrich would never forget. Then he said, "There is something I have to attend to. I will be back in the morning. I'll leave you this night to think about your fate."

During the night, the cultist continued to torture him. Just after midnight they decided to start desecrating his fathers body, in an attempt to cause him more distress. A great rage and sadness filled him, and then, something happened. Dietrich could almost "feel" death in the air. He reached for that feeling. The light seemed to almost flee from the room. The shadows grew longer. A heavy darkness surrounded him. The cultist who was holding him down fell back as tendrils of shadow began to clutch at his throat. The other cultist in the room looked at him, and his eyes grew large in terror, even though the cult of Nurgle was used to seeing horrors. Though Dietrich was nearly spent from the days of torture, his rage propelled him forward and he slew the cultist. He turned towards the one that had fallen to the ground but he saw that the shadows had done their job. Surprisingly, there was no guard at the door and he was able to flee into the night.

He made it to the Priests residence barely conscious. It took weeks to nurse him back to health. He returned to the farm to find it burned, the wells poisoned, and the bodies of the farmhands and his family bulbous and rotting, as if they had been killed by some disease. He buried his family and swore that some day he would have his revenge.

Step 2. Choose Career: Apprentice Wizard

Dietrich had an immediate burning desire to pursue the cult leader and destroy him. However, his reflective and controlled nature allowed him to see several things clearly. First, the trail was over a month cold at that point. Second, he knew that he possessed neither the skill nor power to overcome a leader of a Cult of Nurgle.

And last, he remembered drawing on death. While an uneducated man might wonder what that meant and be frightened, Dietrich was not an uneducated man. He knew he had drawn upon the winds of magic that night. While it was ironic that the son of a Witch Hunter would end up himself being magically in tune, he knew what path he must take. He set off towards Altdorf.

Perhaps it was his friendship with the Priest of Morr, or maybe it was the death and torture he had suffered. Whatever the reason, he found himself drawn to the Amethyst Order where many avoid or fear this order. He was accepted and began his training.

Step 3. Invest Creation Points

Generate Characteristics (22 points)

Strength: 3

Dietrich grew up on a farm and did his share of hard labor. While the torture and recovery weakened him, his years of physical work and youth allowed him to regain much of his strength (partly wanted this because I wanted a good intimidation score. I thought a scared son of a witch hunter death wizard would be intimidating).

Toughness: 2

The torture, however, did have a marked effect on his constitution. Lingering pains, a weakened immune system, and the complete loss of one kidney all factored in to a lower vigor. He hopes that with a further recovery time and the proper care from a Physician or Priest, he can recover (I intend to raise this stat at some point).

Agility: 2

While not exactly clumsy, Dietrich did not inherit his fathers keen ability to fire a pistol.

Intelligence: 4

Dietrich possesses a keen mind which was nurtured under his fathers stern tutelage and the Priest of Morr's wise and probing questions.

Willpower: 5

His upbringing by a Witch Hunter father instilled within him a force of will and inner strength known by few. While he was tortured for days, he did not break under the savagery of the cult of Nurgle. While his body may be weakened, his mind and his heart burn with the strength of 10 men.

Fellowship: 2

His hard past has made him withdrawn. The multitude of scars upon his face cause people to keep their distance, which he prefers anyway.

Wealth, Skills, Talents & Actions

Starting Wealth: Broke (0 points)

Dietrich left his farm with nothing but the clothes that the Priest gave him and a quarterstaff. He dug up 5 brass coins that he had buried under a tree on the farm as a boy, never thinking that he would need to take them as the extent of his wealth.

Skill Training (1 point)

Education, Spellcraft (Trained)

Dietrich's upbringing and his training at the College brought him education. He is starting to focus his studies on the Cults of Chaos in order to learn as much about his nemesis as possible (eventual goal of train education, and specialize in "Cults of Chaos". Should come in handy to recognize their symbols, markings, items, tactics, etc.).

As well, he is a quick student who is well on his way towards becoming a master wizard (Spellcraft Trained).

Talents (1 point)

Aethyric Attunement

His attunement was what saved him against the cult.

Skills (1 point)

Dark Hand of Death, Death's Messenger

Dark Hand of Death, though uncontrolled and accidental, was what he used to kill one of the cult members. Death's Messenger further enhances his scarred visage in order to be more intimidating to his enemies. He knows the value of fear and terror, a tenant that his father taught him. (Wanted something to do damage, and then something which might be interesting in a non-combat situation. And I thought it fit the character).

Step 4. Acquire Action Cards

The list looks like: Deaths' Messenger, Dark Hand of Death, Channel Power, Cantrip, Counterspell, Magic Dart, Assess the Situation, Guarded Position, Melee Attack, Parry, Perform a Stunt, and Ranged Attack.

Step 5. Determine Stances: Conservative

Dietrich is naturally reflective which lends him to a more cautious approach. However, he does possess some of his fathers firebrand personality and knows that taking risks is sometimes necessary. (start 2 conservative, 2 reckless. Default stance is conservative).

Step 6. Select a Party Sheet: Servants of Justice

Dietrich's ultimate goal is to hunt down and destroy the cult who killed his family. But in the meantime the general eradication of evil suits his purposes. (Obviously, this would be a choice to be made if I get in a group but this is what my character would lean towards).

Finishing Touches. The 10 questions.

1. Where are you From?

Near the town of Flussberg. Grew up on a farm but father was educated so does not have the background of a typical farm hand.

2. What is your Family Like?

Every family member that Dietrich knows is now dead.

3. What is your Social Class?

Wealth wise, Brass. However, due to education and upbringing, can easily fit in with the Silver.

4. What Did You Do Before You Became an Adventurer?

Grew up on a farm. Went to the Amethyst College. After achieving apprenticeship was sent out into the world to get practical experience.

5. Why Did You Become an Adventurer?

Wishes to avenge his family and eradicate evil where he finds it in the process. Ultimate goal is to track down the specific cult of Nurgle that killed his family but since he does not have a trail to follow will attempt to find any Cults of Chaos where they can be found.

6. How Religious are You?

Not very. Felt abandoned by the gods during his torture. However, due to his relationship with the Priest of Morr, does look upon Morr with some favor.

7. Who are Your Friends and Enemies

Obvious enemies are the Cult of Nurgle. Only friends are the old Priest of Morr, and a Bright Wizard named Maeric whom he met in a bar in Altdorf. Maeric shared a similar enthusiasm towards hunting down Chaos, though Dietrich thinks at times a little too enthusiastic.

8. What are your Prized Possessions

Fathers Witchunters Pistol. The only thing that survived the wreckage of the farm. It is not in operating condition, though it could possibly be repaired by a skilled artisan.

9. Who are you Loyal To?

The College of Magic and the Empire.

10. Who do you Love/Hate

Key nemesis is the Cult Leader, but hate all followers of Chaos (particularly Nurgle).

Long post I know. That's how I went about creating my character. Some details may change as I think on it more. Did I do anything wrong? Or any thoughts on the character?

A great and interesting way of creating your career. I should "force" my players to motivate all the statistics like that.

I found one thing that I think you missed during character creation. You say that you invested 22 points in characteristics, but I only count 16 invested points. I think what you did not add the +1 in starting intelligence and willpower that apprentice wizards get. As per page 28 in the Rulebook:

"First take the values indicated on Table 3-1: Default Ratings by Race. Next, increase each of the starting career's Primary Characteristics by one. The result is the default characteristic profile for that character."

So your apprentice wizard should start with 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 2. And only spend 3 points on str, 4 points on int and 4+5 points on will. So 16 points, which leaves you with some extra points for skills, talents and actions. I like the concept of the broke, tortured, scarred wizard set on revenge. But you could get som actions fitting in with his pesant background maybe? Things like Dirty Tricks, Call of the Wild and Fear Me! feels like actions that would go well together with the core concept.

I hope you find a gaming group soon!

I am not going to comment on your character creation process, you sure made a great effort on the background.

I feel sorry for not finding players for this. I had a similar problem, but on the other hand I only bought the core product, knowing in full that I might never get a chance to play it. However, I found some friends that wanted to try the new system, so I got a regular group now.

Why did you buy ALL expansions if you are not going to use them? Just for the reading enjoyment? This is the true definition of a hardcore fan! Also, since you made a character, I assume you are going to be a player. Players have it easy on my campaign, because they don't have to buy anything. At best, they make a small contribution to the GM's purchases.

Sad it's hard to find a group... where do you live btw, and did you see the post about playing Online?

Anyway, if I were to comment on one thing it's your characters background and the mood you set.

You've put him slightly in a corner, the corner being a very bitter and hatefull man, hatefull towards evil. This leaves very little room for any "fun". It's good to have a goal, but without any bright moments wont it get quite depressing, I'd say, to play?

This combined with low fellowship really sets a very grim mood. I can't think of me having a character who'd find much enjoyment in adventuring with such a guy, maybe apart from a zealot, but even then...

If it were me, I'd find a quirk, a distant loving memory, or something else that makes the character more than a very very angry man.

I am generally very reluctant to leave any of my statistics at 2. It simply sets your character up to fail at a wide range of tests, and may become frustrating for you. WFRP really encourages all round competence. One moment you might be straining to see mutants within a bunch of trees (Int), the next you might be trying to haggle down the cost of a new sword (Fel) and then trying to avoid being seen by the town watch (Ag).

Spivo said:

I think he can also decide to change his behaviour by in-game events, instead of having his behaviour be dictated according to his background. Sort of Scrouge Ebennezer. He had a mizerable background but in the end of the movie

I've started lots of gaming groups over the years. Regardless of the system, it still comes down to YOU getting people together to play. Trust me, there are PLENTY of people out there who are waiting and looking for gaming groups. It takes a while to get them together though and you need to use every channel available. It's like marketing a new kind of cola..you have to advertise.

Here's how it's always worked for me:

1. You need to create your own group eventually (infiltrate other groups if you must and snag players politely if that works). You won't always need to GM, but that's where you will oftentimes have to start.

2. When you create a group, tell people the scope: "We play Pathfinder, Boardgames and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 3rd edition." Facts are, you'll never hook a group by advertising just one game unless it's D&D (or Pathfinder or some Gothy-Vampire LARP). You need those other foci to make sure you can attract a larger number of players..then bait n' switch them later.

3. I keep a perpetual PLAYERS WANTED advertisement up at all of the local game, hobby, book, & comic stores. You need to bombard a lot of places at once, otherwise you'll be just waiting to find enough players and your group will never really get a start. Print out something nice with tear-off tabs at the bottom (make sure your NAME is on your tear off tabs). Another thing to look for is find out where WFRP is sold. Tell the owner of the store that if stuff sells that they should tell the buyers about your ad on the bulletin board. gallery.rptools.net/d/65777-1/GAMERS+WANTED+AD.doc

4. I also keep a perpetual, and frequently bumped, advertisement for PLAYERS WANTED on all the major online RPG forums (enworld, rpg.net, pencil & paper games, etc.) It's a terrible shame that FFG doesn't consider a gamers-seeking-gamers forum here to be of any importance (grrrr).

5. YOU MAY HAVE TO GM SOMETHING. If you form your own group, you can get all the players you want if you simply volunteer to GM. Again, you can bait-n-switch your players after you've got a group, but WFRP just isn't going to attract enough players to form a group (unless you're in Europe maybe).

6. Have a YAHOOGROUP discussion group for the group to go to instead of a confusing email chain.groups.yahoo.com/ It makes it a lot more official. Players are more attracted to groups that look organized.

7. Go to local game conventions. If you run something, you can oftentimes meet people. RunWFRP.

Jay H

p.s. I totally hear you on D&D4e and Pathfinder

@k7e9

Great catch. I posted in part to see if I was doing it right. I missed that rule, which means I have 6 extra points to play with! Thanks for the explanation.

@plutonick

Well, I am 28 years old and made a decent income (not super rich like making 6 figures or anything, but I do well enough). Also, I am single, so if I get into something I kind of indulge as I have the disposable income to do so. I have played the Tabletop game (Warhammer Fantasy) for over a decade at this point so I love the warhammer world. I enjoy reading the books so I ended up buying them all, though I haven't read everything yet.

@Spivo

I live in Cherry Hill, NJ, across the river from Philadelphia. I know I could probably find a group there but I honestly don't go to the Philly side that often (I'm not a big fan of large cities, particularly the driving part). There are a lot of gaming groups in the Cherry Hill area, but they all play D&D or Pathfinder (and one World of Darkness).

That is an interesting point. Maybe I'll explore his relationship with the Priest of Morr as a kind of grandfather figure more in his background story. I think I'll incorporate some of plutonick's idea as well. As he goes along in his adventures he comes to find there is more to life than just hunting evil.

@Illustrious

Well, with the additionally six points that I didn't realize I had I can up some of his stats. I will put at least one more at 3. Maybe agility to denote all the time his father spent showing him how to shoot his old pistol. I can then either up fellowship or use the other 3 points to get more talents, skills and actions that would fit with his background. I'd have to look to see the way I want to go. But at least one more stat is going to a 3.

@Emirikol

Thanks for the comments. The only problem I have is that I don't have a ton of experience with RPGs overall (I have played but the gaming groups I hang out with more often play board or tabletop games). And I've also never been a GM. This makes me a little nervous that any game I would run would not be engaging due to my never having been a GM before.

I suppose I can run some practice sessions with my Dad and his girlfriend. They haven't every played an RPG before but they are always up for doing anything.

I'll see about local advertising as well. Maybe if I get some practice in, and then run a few sessions, some GM will like it enough that he or she would want to run a game. Maybe I'll go and try to run some games at the local gaming stores and draw in some of the D&D people.

So first off, great post. I enjoyed reading it, but you asked for comments so here are mine (all of course optional, but I do this with all my players).

So your history seems ok, but it has one glaring problem.

datalink7 said:

This has too much of a ring of "Before I kill you Mr. Bond, I will leave now unexplicably and provide a plentiful opportunity for you to escape." You may want to look at this from an angle of 'what sort of stories would I want to see, and how do I communicate that to my GM?'

Lets say there are 8 cultists (as this is a number significant to chaos, but not really that important). We'll divvy them roughly as 1 Cult Leader, 1-2 Cult Mutants and 5-6 regular cultists. If they are sanctifying and preparing the sacrificial area, swaying around green fires and the like, it can be 1-2 Cultists in the room with the boy and the rest outside. This provides him with a much easier method of egress - 1-2 cultists, and slink away through shadows seeing something that may scar him for life (tiny nurglings suckling on open sores, which grow on bodies lit in green firelight, and burst occasionally releasing swarms of insects whose buzzing wings provide a rythmic hum in tune with the unholy chant). However some key questions need to be answered.

In WFRP farms usually have houses close together and fields further out. Living alone in the middle of nowhere is a recipe for disaster, but mayhap the crazy ass witch-hunter didn't mix well with folks, and thus built his farmhouse further out (and thus was the exception that gruesomely proved the rule). You have a few choices for plot development from a few subquestions. If the Witch-Hunter father was good at 'motivating farmhands' then where are the farmhands? Was he working for a noble who ended up being part of the cult? Or was he part of a village. In which case where are the villagers?

If you are angling for Angst/Self-Torture then the child may have escaped, but been unable to save them, and returned later with angry Sigmarites and/or villagers to find the farmstead poisoned and diseased. This means that the sacrifice went off and the cult (and said leader) can still be after you.

Alternately, if the farm was out in the boonies, and you were denied as a sacrifice, the cult may have very well paid the price, but some demonling somewhere has you 'marked' as its prey, and can incite other cults to come after you until a big showdown.

What do you think?

datalink7 said:

Right, I'll second the thoughts about the 2's. A TOU of 2 means you should never enter combat. 4 points of fatigue and you go unconscious, one lucky crit and you're character is in range of perma death. No capacity to make the critical rolls for recovery, shaking off taint (from the chaos plotlines) or diseases (you did mention nurgle right?). Overall this makes you a liability more than an asset. Also personally, I like and Agi of 3 as the 'Dodge' card has saved my tush more times than I can count.

datalink7 said:

Now this is interesting. I don't overall have a problem with your choice, but your history past the 'Something bad happened to my folks' is hazy. Wizard training is hard labor that involves a number of years. Where did you go? How did you get there as a kid with 5 brass? Who got you in? I'll address this in a moment.

datalink7 said:

This is convenient for play, but not convenient for character development or GM hooks. In WFRP (like the dark ages) people put out children as fast as they could because less than half would survive. Are you sure you have no uncle in Nuln? Who was your mother, and does she have any family? Were you just not close, and now have less reason to talk as your studies have made you quite different from your average farmer?

Your father is very clear, but I note your mother is never mentioned. Is she just that unimportant to you and the character? Did she die in childbirth (again convenience)? To a pox when you were 2? To a fever the winter of your 6th year? Do you have anything of hers? Do your cherish it like your fathers broken gun?

Someone mentioned a positive memory, this is a prime opportunity. Alternately (and this is sort of ironicly funny). If the father fought off a cult that had killed the parents of a baby, but was going to murder the child, he may have taken the foundling in and raised it as its own. Making you twice escape death by cult. Maybe there IS something special about this baby...

datalink7 said:

Here's my other bigger beef. Most Wizards train like Jedi where a given wizard will go through a number of apprentices (who of course survived general classes etc) over their career. Who was your mentor? What was your relationship with him like? Did he ever have to bail you and Maeric out of the pokey overnight for pranks or starting a fight, or maybe interfering with an investigation?

Your father was a Witch Hunter. Where was his chapterhouse? Who was his captain? Who were his brothers? Did they write you the letter to take the entrance exam for the colleges? Witch Hunters appear at college doors regularly and requisition mages for help in tracking down rogue casters. Did you volunteer? Is there one zealot/witch hunter you work better with?

Your character has a definite focus. Death to all Cultists! You are a Servant of Justice. Yet you think Maeric is too enthusiastic though when your life focus is cult hunting? Why is that? Is there a deeper character fear, where you want vengeance, but you freak out at the thought of pox-ridden hands caressing your flesh like they did that night at the farmhouse? Does that temper you? Provide something to overcome?

Just some suggestions and ideas for digestion.

Overall though, great post, big thumbs up. I know a huge group of gamers that works in the Jersey side of Philly area that does alot of indie games and non DnD stuff. I definitely encourage you to not give up and keep looking, and enlist the help of your FLGSes in trying to set up players and games.

k7e9 said:

The first time I rolled up a character, I made the same mistake and missed this. There is something else though that confuses me. (Only played a hand ful of times by the way) I thought when you invested creation points on broke/poor etc the associated skills, specializations, talents/actions were automatic? What I am seeing now if you have to pay a creation point to train a skills etc?

How did I miss that?

OK, I figured it out. Silly graph chart!

Oh, 2 more things that came to mind that I might suggest.

The first is that your father was a Witch Hunter that didn't leave because he was disilusioned of the church (he left due to injury). As Witch Hunters are a Lay extension of the Sigmarite Cult no doubt he was quite zealous, and much of your education (including that bit about the evils of chaos) is very Sigmarite heavy. As you describe your character as non-religious, is this because you have rejected your fathers beliefs and teachings of many years, found your own path, or something else?

Also, you list your character as somewhat older. In the empire children receive their dooming at the age of 10, and their quickening a year or two later, marking them as adults at 11/12. Being 17 makes you close to middle aged here. Not that there's anything wrong, but I wanted to bring it up in case it's relevant. As wizard training takes a few years, as a suggestion it might be possible that you could end up being 17 when you are finishing up your apprenticeship and getting ready to start 'adventuring' as it were?

Also lol @simpatikool - I just wrote up a short explanation of the chart when I noticed your new post ^_~ Here's to edits.

shinma said:

Shinma offers much sound advice in previous posts, but I wouldn't bite too hard into his AGE explanation. If the GM describes a middle aged man in warhammer that is a man in his fifties not in his late teens. If life expectancy is 32 years (like in Nigeria), that doesn't mean that people die of old age when turning 32. What it means is that an awful lot of infants die before they reach the age of adulthood. But those that do survive can reach the same age as in industrial countries. In warhammer and the Empire life expectancy will varies, but if we use data from 1500 century europe, life expectancy would be around 35-45. But studies of 1400-1500 century europe, does show that some places half of the population is under the age of 21. Again after a nasty plague in france left several hamlets in the Nancy region with a population whose age was 50 or higher. I should stop rambling now, but the point is life was hard in those times, and it should be reflected in the warhammer world in which it mimics.

But Shinma is right about that children in the empire grows up fast, and 17 years is old for starting an apprenticeship, since wizards will try to recruit those children with the gift between the age of 6-10, the later an gifted child start his apprenticeship the harder it is for him to learn and adapt to the winds of magic.

but than again your character might be a late bloomer. I don't think starting an apprenticeship that late is unheard of, but only very rare. but again rare and odd persons make excellent player characters.