A good/lawful male PC sweetheart

[Guest Guest_Arconian_*]

Okay, here is a couple of color concepts; basically, I want a relatively pale skin, blue eyes and dark hair on a he, and brown hair, grey eyes on the human gal:

 

Wow, just wow loving them both but I gotta say my preference goes out to the human character. She just has that down-to-earth ranger/barbarian vibe going on you know?

[Domi]

I am glad you've liked them, but they are NWN2 generated characters, so I can't take a credit for any artistic accomplishment. I would hope for IWD2 style portrait if I go with the concept

 

And that's a vote in favor of a human character, gotcha!

[BigRob]

The human character does look better in my opinion, the half-elf characters generated by NWN2 look pretty solidly elven to me. Although, if you could find a way to overly the freckle effect on the half elven face, I think it would add a good human touch to her.

 

Is there a way to manipulate what expression the faces have? A less neutral expression may help with conveying character.

[Solar's Harper]

I personally favor the elven character, but then again thats love for elves rubbing off on me again.

 

About half-elves, as far as I know there is no true indicator to tell how they'd appear, yes they'd have elvish features, but it truely is up to who was the mother's species and who was the father's species, etc etc.

 

Well, one of your fears will be put to rest, at least, Solar's Harper. This is meant to be for a ranger, not a paladin.

 

Phew. ^.^

 

Eh, but still, my main point was just about party balancing for good or evil parties, or the neutrals but they can have more or less of each other.

 

I think a ranger helps rebalance the scales slightly, although there are currently 4 warrior classes, 2 priest classes, 2 rogue classes and 2 wizard classes. For all good/neutral parties, they can have Hildury level up her wilderness skill, however cannot charm animals that are common throughout the first few chapters as easily.

 

Either way, animal empathy is the one skill mostly lacking in the current wilderness warrior classes. Diriel and Hildury can compensate for any lagging from the new NPC in Wilderness Lore.

 

And I can't remember, but I think a ranger is also allowed to negotiate more effectively with those druids and rangers in chapter 2. Well, for as much as that is worth at any rate.

 

And on another issue, another thief (if the PC isn't one and there is not enough room in some parties for Nikosh) who is particularly good at detecting and disabling traps would help rebalance matters as well.

 

Anyways, these are just the outstanding party balance matters I can find which may cause problems for some playing styles. Nothing too serious, and yeah, not really of consequence since there is at least one thief and two wilderness fighters around already.

 

And yes, alignment can be a pain, but at least we should all be thankful evil characters don't have the opportunity to leave the party over reputation or what-not just yet. Although other consequences can happen naturally.

 

Sorry if I rambled again... habit I guess.

[Domi]

Is there a way to manipulate what expression the faces have? A less neutral expression may help with conveying character.

 

Not in the creation mode, nope. You can animate faces during the conversations, but that doesn't matter I do not intend to keep these portrait for the character for longer than necessary, I only threw them together for the 'feel' of it, and the coloring. I know that they do look lifeless w/o the expression.

 

Yep, SH, I like the elves too a lot

[Simbul]

Well, I think the main reason behind not including arctic subraces to IWD is the absence of these races in Faerun (at least, there are no snow elves in FR for sure)

 

I'd love to see a human ranger/wanderer archetype - I have a thing for Shaundakul and other traveler deities

[Domi]

There are snow elves on Faerun. They are detailed in one of the 'speciality' books dedicated to the 'cold' magic, Frostburn supplement for D&D iirc.

[Guest deathvvv]

yay... finally an option for lawful male PC romances

 

humans or half elven would be pretty good

but if its half elven maybe make her storyline tied to the tree in kuldahar perhaps?

 

I hope this one has a happy ending

[Silver]

The reason why snow elves aren't in IWD2 is pretty much same with why gold elves are absent - no matter how we look at it, all the characters were supposed to be from Luskan, and I don't think snow elves would be there. Drow - those would survive in that city, it's pretty much a treacherous city by itself.

 

The time of creation of IWD2 also is significant. If it was made now I bet they'd add Sun elves (seeing how they added those to NWN2. I still mourn the fact there are no avariels in NWN2 tho)

As you said, snow elves do exist. I found them under name of 'frost' elves also - but not many people even know it. In standard books for D&D you have only Sun, Moon, Drow, Forest, Water and Avariel mentioned. If they didn't add Water and Avariel to NWN2 (I think I can find a few reasons for it) it doesn't surprise me there are no Frost elves in IWD2.

 

As for romantic options: I agree with voices that Hildury wouldn't be a perfect romance. However, from different reasons than those mentioned.

I rarely play a half orc at all. Not because of some inner voices telling me to pick drow every time (I'm a fanatic) but more because of their stats. I don't like playing a barbarian, and half orcs actually don't match (to me) with any other class.

 

As for Peony - I don't know why, but I can't accept gnome (or halfling) pairings with 'big people' (be it human or elven blood people). Something about bed scenes of those makes my skin crawl.

 

I'm happy to see the new character won't be a paladin, if I play LG male he's usually a paladin, and two paladins in a group is a wee bit too much to handle (at least for some).

 

So much text, sorry for it!

[Domi]

The reason why snow elves aren't in IWD2 is pretty much same with why gold elves are absent - no matter how we look at it, all the characters were supposed to be from Luskan, and I don't think snow elves would be there. Drow - those would survive in that city, it's pretty much a treacherous city by itself.

 

I feel it's more likely to have a snow elf in Luskan, given the proximity of the Icewind Dale than a Drow to be honest. Both races are rare and reclusive, but it is easier for a Snow Elf to travel to Luskan (which only takes a desire on his or her part) than for a Drow to come to the surface (an arduous process), survive (an even more arduous process) and then get to Luskan.

 

The time of publication might indeed have something to do with it, because for all we know the Snow Elves introduction to the FR might just post-date IWD2.

 

As for Avariel, I simply don't see the point of the winged creatures that cannot fly, much as I like Kaelyn in NWN2.

[Silver]

with that last sentence - I got to agree. Oh man it would rock to fly in some cRPG game, finally...

[Simbul]

There are snow elves on Faerun. They are detailed in one of the 'speciality' books dedicated to the 'cold' magic, Frostburn supplement for D&D iirc.

Frostburn isn't setting-specific. In "canon" FR there are following elven subraces - sun, moon, wood, wild, aquatic, avariel and star (and lythari, if they can be counted as a subrace). Of course, you can declare snow elves existence in your FR - I was just speaking about canon one.

[Domi]

I see. I really don't see a huge collusion with FR lore to have the Snow Elves there, seeing there is a huge glacier region and the Icewind Dale in the world, but the barbarians definetly have the advantage of already being in the game/lore.

[Guest erik]

Hah!

 

'Dragon 236 in the Seldarine Revisited article. His entry can be found on page 16. The first paragrah in his description list the following about Snow Elves:

 

"(Rumor has it that snow elves also exist on the far reaches of the Spine of the World or even the High Ice portion of Anauroch in Faerûn, though this is unproven.)"

 

Okay, so it a weak reference at best, in a single Dragon article but it IS there. So I ask again now that I have the details (or lack thereof). Is there any interest in including them in this work?'

 

... from http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=732165&page=7

[Domi]

Wow, you rock. That's one real tough to find reference.

 

Sure, why not, as long as it is understood that with the snow elves in FR one is on the thin ice.