Bumping this thread since there has been a few players stuck on what to do concept wise.

@Mr.Moloch:

We expect our next plot will be winding down in the next few weeks. This would be a good time for some of our current crop of level 10 characters to start thinking about how they could 'end' their character's story. Retirement is always encouraged as a way to keep the server fresh and prevent characters from growing old (but if you're enjoying your character just keep on playing!)

That said, we will be having some friendly chats and reaching out to people who the DM team feel are nearing a point where retirement for their character makes sense, and seeing what we can do to help make the process fun and memorable. If you're thinking you want to set aside your PC in an interesting way, contact me and we'll work out some awesome!

I thought I'd resurrect this to point something out.

While DMs want and reward ADVENTURE and INTRIGUE some players got it in their head we don't want Sims.

That's not true. If you enjoy roleplaying making bricks for orphanages, or gathering oak wood to distribute to peasants to make arrows to keep them safe from invading undead armies–go for it. If you're still involving a bunch of players and people are having fun, the DMs will still notice and maybe give you some fun roleplay scenes etc.

The whole point of this thread was to point out what DMs actively seek out and reward, what we as a group enjoy and like to see happening. Its not a condemnation of anyone else's playstyle, if you enjoy the Sims approach, good for you--we have done a TON to support this through the crafting system and bounty system. Put those occasio wood beams and stone harpy eggs and gorgon hides you can college to use making the most delicious stew ever and invite people over to your feast. The whole bottom line is still, will always be, HAVE FUN.

NPC Sponsorship can only be achived by Earning it in Game

Here's a useful link, with thanks from Lillysmurfen.

As always, many things like this are personal choice. However, there is always the restriction that anything substantive such as a heraldic title must be applied for.

Dear players,

Please read the above and remember it. Thank you.

love,

Mom

Using this to inform you all that you can now use .loot off chat command to drop your gear when you die.

Cheers.

Hi, I couldn't find any threads anywhere that explained this so I figured I'd make one.

I saw the Custom portraits thread and couldn't help but notice that everyone was doing it the hard way.
So I figured I'd start a new portrait thread with a quick and easy way to add portraits to your NWN from within the game itself!

Here goes: You can essencially add someone's portrait to nwn or make your own by simply dragging the jpeg of that portrait into your portaits folder… Then when in game you just type a simple command with the name of that portrait in it, and boom done. You can from then on see that persons portrait, or use it yourself if you want.

@Step:

1: Place a .JPG into your "/portraits/" directory where you installed NWN (Usualy its "C:\NeverwinterNights\portraits"). If there isn't a folder called portraits, create one.

2: Hop on NwN and get in game, doesn't matter if its offline or online.

3: Start the console (that yellow > text in the top left of your screen) by hitting the tilde key "~" (which is usualy in the upper left hand corner of your keyboard)

4: Type "Conv" and then hit the Tab key which will auto complete the command "ConvertPortrait" for you… or you could just write the whole thing yourself (remember, commands are CaSe SeNsItIvE)

5: Add to that the name of your image. For example "Lumomancer", don't add the .jpg extension to the text, it should end up looking something like (> ConvertPortrait Lumomancer).

6: This automaticaly turns the portrait into all the different sized files needed for nwn and automaticaly adds them to your game. Note that you won't see the changes until you log off then back on.

Note that the Jpeg image has to be of the right size in order to be a portrait, you can easily set that up with any draw tool. It has to be roughly 256 pixels wide by 512 pixels high, the game takes care of the rest.

Try using my characters portrait to see if you've got the trick :D

Enjoy!

I appluad you

Well written, well thought out. Thank you for sharing.

Just wanted to bump #2 again.

I can't begin to express how often I give out a task to PCs from an NPC like "Animate me an undead army", then the PCs go to every NPC on the server hoping for step by step instruction.

But when they save the Lord High-God of Necromancy from some paladins no one thinks to ask for help animating their undead army and a half an hour later they're back to asking me to possess Sanders for tips on animating undead armies.

Take advantage of the opportunities we give you!

If you're out doing interesting things with people in interesting places you're going to be given opportunities, don't waste them.

Adding an Index Here in hopes it will encourage players to read through this forum. It's very useful stuff if you want to avoid frustration and save yourself years of figuring this stuff out by yourself.

Creating a Character
"Hi, can I haz levul 10 powerbuild plz?"

Application Characters: Information on the entire application process. Featuring the Application Template, How to Submit Application and links to everything application related.

DM Factions: Information on the organizations characters can join IG, or apply for before creature to join when you start the character.

Races and Subraces: Information on many of the races you can play, this includes some subraces of which many players know very little, and some information on the standard races that many players don't know.

Your character's personality: A way to take your character and breath life into them, so they feel real and add substance to the world, as well as being more than "This is what I'd be like if I were (a) dwarf/orc/elf/evil/good.

Your character's personality (speedy version): I'd advise reading the above at least once, but this is a faster version of accomplishing the above in the form of a list of questions to ask yourself when you've finished developing the character.

Creating an interesting concept/What is a concept?: Similar to the above two. If you're looking to create a character that's real, three dementional and a joy for DMs and players to interact with, this would be the place to start. Once again, this is something I'd advise at least reading once.

Names: Big list of names for every race. Useful if you get stuck or get tired of the same three recycled NWN generated names. If I see another character with the name John Dilinger I will kill them.

Classes
"I'm a cleric of Tyr. PRAISE BANE!"

So you want to play a Druid, Cleric or Monk?: Tips for all three of these classes. Read 'em over before you make one, it's some basic stuff for those who don't know much about the classes.

So you want to play a Paladin?: If you're considering playing a paladin please, please, PLEASE read this! The information in here seperates a paladin from a fighter who runs around screaming "SMITE!"

So you want to play a Cleric?: If you're playing, or considering playing a Cleric, this is a must read. If you're wanting ways to please your god or get the attention of your diety, this is where you'll find some useful information. If you're not following the information in here you're not really a Cleric, you're just a very religious fellow, and there is a difference. PRAISE TORM!

Diety Information
"I'm dying of the plague. I think that means Talona likes me!"

Exciting New Gods!: Changes to the gods in CoA, there's even some new gods here that can be worshipped that you wont find anywhere else!

The Forgotten Realms Gods: The gods of the setting, clerics, druids and paladins need an appropriate one to cast spells. This page has links to each god's appropriate alignments, domains, and dogma.

The Orc Gods: The gods of Orcs. Approriate for half orcs. It's difficult to find their dogmas elsewhere, so take a look here before you create a half-orc, the orc pantheon is much more interesting than just Gruumsh.

So I have my character, now what?
"My level 12 Fighter is boring now that I've done every quest 1000 times.. But I can't figure out why.."

Player Plots: Advise from a fellow player on how to create interesting stories that will involve other players and be interesting for everyone involved.

Roleplaying: DivisionByZero's guide to roleplaying. Although alot of the stuff you'll see will seem like "old news" to experienced players, I advise going back and reading it over. Some times it's good to review the basics, alot of this you might have forgotten. For the sake of DM sanity, I'd advise reading the section titled "Rolling with the Punches".

I want to play the villain!: If you want to play an evil character, this is a good place to look for tips on how that can be done. It's got some useful advise on playing a good villain so that you can be the best Lex Luthor to who ever Arabel's current Superman is.

PvP and Death
"Dying is easy. Comedy is hard."

I died to monsters: The penalty for death in Arabel is harsh, we try and make it something to be feared so characters will react the way that normal people would in the face of death. It's still pretty leniant compared to RL. Here's the breakdown of the XP penalty for dying.

Rules for PvP: READ THIS BEFORE ENGAGING IN PVP. These are our rules and guidelines for PvP, if you break them we will break you.

How To Make DMs Happy
"For the love of god! Don't feed the Gurb, no matter what he promises you!"

Don't be Boring: The best way to get the DM Team to take notice of your plans/faction is to go about it proactively, and through Adventure and Intregue. Yes, I'm sure in real life a non-violent six hour country rock festival/protest would shut down the evil necromancer's corpse factory, but that's a really boring thing to do/watch for six hours.

Don't be vague: If you're looking to get our attention please follow this advise. "Hello?" rarely gets priority on our list of things to do.

Take Advantage of the Opportunities we present you: This post is one of my own creation, it's lengthy, but if you pay attention you'll walk away knowing how to take full advantage of the opportunities and events we throw your way IG.

Conclusion

I hope this guide has been helpful in some way to those of you who chose to read it. Remember that this is not the -only- or -right- way to develop your character, but is one that I've found works well for me and encompasses many of the beliefs -I- have about roleplaying. If you find another way to develop your character that works better for you, by all means, use it.

If you've only read through the colored in sections of this guide, and are having trouble understanding the rationale behind each of my steps, I suggest reading the whole thing from start to finish. Many of the things I suggest players do are rooted in some of the philosophies I've tried to share in this guide. If you still have further trouble understanding something within the guide, by all means feel free to contact me and I will try to illustrate the point better for you.
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Again, I hope this guide is helpful to you, and your next or current character will become all the more fun when you utilize this guide.

Respectful Disagreement

Now that I've conveyed as much as I can think of on the subject, you've thought about it, and you respectfully disagree with some or all the points I've made. That's fine. Some DMs even may not agree with some of the smaller and finer points that I've made.

This guide is one I've made based on my own opinions in hopes of conveying what I believe will help many players understand the mindset they should have when roleplaying. Whether or not you chose to follow it or listen to it is something I'll likely never know for sure.

I know these methods work for me, and is one of the reasons I've played about 8 characters in v3, and enjoyed playing 5 of them enough to play them for over 3 months, with the longest being a year (the other 3 were dropped due to time constraints). They may not work for you in that way, but I am confident they will if you really take the guide seriously and try your best to understand everything in its entirety.

In factions, we generally hope that you've at least demonstrated what you can do and not simply what you hope you can do someday in the future. However, we also realize that a faction is a position that makes it easier to accomplish something and make a lot more leeway.