Introduction to Characters
New to Wizards of the Coast's 3rd Edition rules? Not even sure what I mean when I say ‘Wizards of the Coast's 3rd Edition’? This is a guide for the new player trying to figure out where he or she should start when making a character for use in Neverwinter Nights (NWN).
Wizards of the Coast's 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons® rules allow for an unprecedented flexibility in creating a truly unique character. Two players choosing to play a Fighter can be as different as night and day depending on what feats, skills and what characteristics they choose to develop. This all can be very daunting to the new comer—especially if NWN is your first exposure to the 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules. There is always some confusion when you first create a character for a complex role–playing system, as there seems to be too many rules to keep track of and options to keep in mind.
Now let’s start with a bit of history; Dungeons & Dragons has been around for many years in various incarnations. The title ‘3rd Edition’ comes from the fact that several versions of the rules system for this famous game have existed before the current version. Each edition was quite different from the one before it. That difference is most apparent in the latest version—it is a large departure from the previous versions. As a new player you do not need any experience with the previous versions of the Dungeons & Dragons rules systems; in fact, it may be helpful to understanding the new rules if you do have preconceived notions.
All the rules needed to play Dungeons & Dragons are contained within a group of books (Wizards of the Coast's 3rd Edition Rulebooks) called the Player’s Handbook, the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual. The computer game Neverwinter Nights uses these rules.
I have taken the basic information from the NWN manual and added some additional thoughts on things to look out for each character class and things to keep in mind for a new player. Thinking of a character can be an easy or difficult process—to start with I always think of a character I would enjoy reading about in a fantasy book, seeing in a fantasy movie, or is featured in something I have written or role–played in a live setting. While creating a stereotyped fearless knight or a sly rogue and so on always has appeal, I encourage NWN players and Dungeon Masters (DMs) to create totally original characters that shatter the typical way each character class is presented. This is the mark of originality if you can create a completely new character using the standard rules. Those are the characters that stick out and become legends.