How about a bard, then?

[Kromm]

The martial artist I posted last week was well-received, so here's an example of another hard-to-play profession: the bard. This one exploits elven Magery to dabble in more magic than usual. He's not meant to be good in a fight, though he can survive a battle by making one good retreating parry and then running away fast. He is, however, a fair backup thief, scout, and wizard, and also a social monster. He illustrates what a jack of all trades – the oft-maligned "rogue-warrior-wizard" – might look like in the DFRPG. After adding a few character points and better gear, he could be stronger in any of the three areas (e.g., he might add ST and armor, or IQ and Energy Reserve, or lots of other things). Though his friends might wonder why they should support him, he's capable of negotiating for them in town and a lot of his spells could benefit better warriors and thieves.

Kellan Ellanjan

249-point Elven Bard

Kellan is a mischievous wanderer who, after several human lifetimes of trying, was finally accepted as a "bard" . . . mostly to get him out of the hair of heralds and skalds with one human lifetime apiece. He's likeable enough – articulate and good-looking – but he can't resist trickery or nosing into others' affairs. And though he'd die for his allies, he can't stick to a plan and has an annoying tendency to try to negotiate with anyone who isn't charging to attack, his roguish nature making things worse more often than not.

Kellan is no warrior and doesn't pretend to be. In a fight, he retreats as he parries or dodges, and actually runs away from the enemy if there's space. Once he's out of pressing danger, he casts spells. In his long life, he has learned far more traditional wizardry than bardic lore; his favorite trick is to cast Walk on Air and get above the battlefield, where he uses his bow, the Song of Humiliation, and the Concussion spell to harass foes from relative safety. His surprising quickness often lets him pull this off.

Out of combat, Kellan has the knowledge (if not the wisdom) that a long life brings, making him good at the classic social tasks expected of bards. He also aids the group with magic for remaining undetected – Hide, Invisibility, Mage-Stealth, and No-Smell – and by being generally sneaky.

Kellan uses his composite bow – which he claims is an "elven bow" – as his power item. It holds 8 FP. (He claims all his gear is "elven," including what little armor he wears: gloves and boots woven from fiber, which he calls "elven archery bracers" and "elven stealth boots." Other elves find this annoying.)

ST 10 [0]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 15 [100]; HT 11 [10].
Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will 15 [0]; Per 15 [0]; FP 11 [0].
Basic Speed 7.00 [20]; Basic Move 8 [5]; Move 8.
Dodge 10; Parry 11 (Rapier); Block N/A.

Advantages
Appearance (Attractive) [4]
Bardic Talent 2 [20]
Charisma 1 [5]
Elven Gear [1]
Forest Guardian 2 [10]
Magery 0 [5]
Penetrating Voice [1]
Song of Humiliation [4]
Voice [10]

Disadvantages and Quirks
Chummy [-5]
Curious (12) [-5]
Impulsiveness (12) [-10]
Sense of Duty (Adventuring Companions) [-5]
Sense of Duty (Nature) [-15]
Trickster (12) [-15]
Xenophilia (12) [-10]

Feels formal bards and heralds need to chill (and tries to help, like it or not). [-1]
Feels his haughty, reclusive elven kin need to chill, too (and ditto). [-1]
Overeager to aid true wizards – any but bona fide foes (usually allies, much to their chagrin). [-1]
Particularly curious about magical grimoires, however grim and foreboding. [-1]
Seeks the high ground in combat to better torment foes with words and arrows. [-1]

Skills
Acting-15 [2]
Bow-15* [2]
Camouflage-17* [1]
Carousing-12 [2]
Climbing-12 [1]
Current Affairs-15 [1]
Detect Lies-13 [1]
Diplomacy-15† [1]
Fast-Draw (Arrow)-15* [1]
Fast-Talk-16† [1]
Gesture-15 [1]
Heraldry-14 [1]
Hiking-10 [1]
Interrogation-14 [1]
Intimidation-14 [1]
Merchant-14 [1]
Mimicry (Speech)-15† [1]
Musical Composition-15‡ [1]
Musical Instrument (Drums)-16‡ [2]
Observation-14 [1]
Performance-16† [1]
Poetry-14 [1]
Propaganda-14 [1]
Public Speaking-17†§ [1]
Rapier-16 [12]
Savoir-Faire-15 [1]
Singing-15†‡ [1]
Stealth-15* [2]
Streetwise-14 [1]
Ventriloquism-13 [1]

Spells
As bard:‡
Concussion-15 [1]
Hush-15 [1]
Mage-Stealth-15 [1]
Silence-15 [1]
Sound-15 [1]
Thunderclap-15 [1]

As wizard:
Blur-13 [1]
Continual Light-13 [1]
Create Air-13 [1]
Darkness-13 [1]
Hawk Vision-13 [1]
Hide-13 [1]
Invisibility-13 [1]
Light-13 [1]
No-Smell-13 [1]
Purify Air-13 [1]
Shape Air-13 [1]
Walk on Air-13 [1]

* Includes +2 for Forest Guardian.
† Includes +2 for Voice.
‡ Includes +2 for Bardic Talent.
§ Includes +1 for Charisma.

Equipment

$1,500, 19.68 lbs. (No encumbrance)

Arrows, Bodkin Point, Fine ×12. Damage becomes 1d+2(2) pi. $72, 1.2 lbs.
Canteen, Full. 1 quart water. $10, 3 lbs.
Clothing. $0, 2 lbs.
Coins. 4 copper. $4, 0.08 lb.
Composite Bow (ST 10). 1d+1 imp, Acc 3, Range 200/250, Shots 1(2), Bulk -7. $900, 4 lbs.
Drum. $40, 2 lbs.
Elven Rations, 6 meals. $27*, 1 lb.
Light Cloth Armor, Hands and Feet. DR 1. $22, 2.7 lbs.
Light Rapier. 1d-1 imp (reach 1). $400, 2 lbs.
Personal Basics. $5, 1 lb.
Pouch. Holds rations. $10, 0.2 lb.
Shoulder Quiver. Holds arrows. $10, 0.5 lb.

* -10% for Elven Gear.

[Colarmel]

I thought by the description you were going to legitimize calling literally every piece of gear Elven for 10% off. Thanks for the character!

[Gnomasz]

Originally Posted by Kromm

He is, however, a fair backup thief, scout, and wizard, and also a social monster. He illustrates what a jack of all trades – the oft-maligned "rogue-warrior-wizard" – might look like in the DFRPG.

So I've been thinking about an adventure for a team of closely trained adventurers with varying specialties and now I think I might do it with an all-bards team. This could alleviate the "problem" of bards being hard, when everyone gets to play one and no scout or knight is there to make them feel bad.

Concussion-15 [1]

Not even the munchkiniest munchkin in my group would probably come up with the idea of playing a half-elf to get Concussion as a bard. As a lover of this spell, I'm impressed -- even though Kellan* is stuck with default Innate Attack. It's an explosion, so whatever.

*) Is the name, by any chance, a tribute to OOTS?

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Colarmel

I thought by the description you were going to legitimize calling literally every piece of gear Elven for 10% off.

Hey, go ahead and try it on the GM. Who knows, it might work? (It would save another $146.90, and as he's trying to avoid encumbrance so he can run away, he'd probably use it for zero-weight options like making the arrows balanced for +1 to hit.)

Originally Posted by Colarmel

Thanks for the character!

You are most welcome.

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Gnomasz

Not even the munchkiniest munchkin in my group would probably come up with the idea of playing a half-elf to get Concussion as a bard. As a lover of this spell, I'm impressed -- even though Kellan* is stuck with default Innate Attack. It's an explosion, so whatever.

Exactly. The default is DX-4, but with the +4 to hit an area (Exploits, p. 45), he'd use his full and fairly decent DX of 13. And as a big Concussion would be his only Concussion (he isn't energy-rich) – and as he isn't in a hurry to fight – he'd take the time to Aim and add Acc (+1), and perhaps +2 more for extra Aim (Exploits, p. 29). Obviously, if he added Energy Reserve, higher Concussion skill, etc. later on, he'd want to learn Innate Attack.

Originally Posted by Gnomasz

*) Is the name, by any chance, a tribute to OOTS?

Actually, it comes from the name of a guy I know IRL. :)

[mjonz]

I love this guy and I'd totally play him...
"I flash them a disarming smile and ask if there really isn't a way we can work this out..."

[zuljita]

I like it. Thanks for sharing.

[demonsbane]

Originally Posted by Kromm

The martial artist I posted last week was well-received, so here's an example of another hard-to-play profession: the bard.

Great! Perhaps these characters also deserve the format we have seen for others before. I know it's work, but FWIW.

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by demonsbane

Great! Perhaps these characters also deserve the format we have seen for others before. I know it's work, but FWIW.

That wouldn't be my decision. I write and hack rules. Totally different people who aren't me do layout with fancy software I know nothing about. I can fire off characters in forums format easily, but converting them to PDF is a whole other kettle of monkeys.

[demonsbane]

I fully understand that. Let me apologize for perhaps giving the impression of demanding more work to you!

It goes without saying that having anything of your forum support in PDF (and the above example includes even layout) is entirely extra.

So let's return to Kellan Ellanjan the Bard ;)