Another option is to play the Rincewind. A cowardly character who is convinced fate will contrive him to get mixed up in things, so he just does it anyway.
Mallick is just a 1st level rogue playing with a 5th level barbarian. He has to be cautious or he'll have to make a new character. Always make an adventurer.
I could have used some of your advice several years age when I played a paladin that was a scaredy cat. He could only fight when he is able to make successful Wisdom Saving Throw. Then he would hold up his sword and yell “By the power of Grayhawk I HAVE THE POWER!” Only then he was able to be brave enough to join the fight. Oh yeah, we were playing Cure of Strahd.
I once had a character in 7th Sea, he was a fairly competent bruiser character. But he was deathly afraid of the dark. In one scenario we had to enter a dark sewer and I wouldn't let my character descend into the darkness without holding two torches.
This is so smart. I'm gonna have to go look for more videos like this, and share with my table. Wait. is this the first video like this? Please make more of these.
Nice video. There's always so much info on making min/maxed heroes, but no advice for playing the other fun archetypes found in fantasy. I will watch your career with great interest.
I've seen two great cowardly moments, both in first combats of a campaign. A knowledge cleric hid behind a table and just cast guidance when a troll attacked the tavern in one. My favorite though was a spoiled noble character that sat down and cried on his turn I the first fight after arriving in Barovia. That character was a Legolas-wannabe and had also fallen out of a tree for his first skill check of the campaign. We found a lot of moments of hilarity like that to offset the bleakness of the Curse of Strahd setting.
I've done a few 'reluctant hero' characters, and this advice applies to them as well. A coward character is just a reluctant hero with extra reluctance after all. The closest I've done to a coward was a 2nd ed fremlin from the Book of Humanoids. He was a wizard/ thief but with the humanoid rule of a bestial fear of magic. He was scared of his own spells. He was very small so the party just tied his leg to a larger party member so if he panicked after magic missile, he wouldn't get far. He was also sometimes tied to a pet dog that would stand and fight. He was very much a comic relief character, and if we played that game longer, I probably would have done something like this.
Another good example of this type of character is Vila from the British Sci-fi series Blakes 7. A hugely talented and useful thief who tags along with party because if he left the party he would be hunted down like a dog with no one to save him, somhe can’t escape. In second last episode (51 episodes in) Vila admits to the party leader that he felt safe with the leader, because the leader always got them out of trouble. When a disaster happened the leader deliberately tried sacrificing Vila to escape the situation. Fortunately Vila was good a hiding and the leader saved the day in another way, but yeah, it changed the relationship.
This is a great video. You have inspired me. My favorite example of a coward in fiction comes from the red queens war, which follows a self professed coward on his journey with a Norse barbarian. Lots of great character moments with him, big fan.
I remember playing a cowardly healer from a more mundane world (basically ancient Greece/Rome but very slightly more magical) transported to the world of dnd. Their cowardice is basically them being cautious due to their lack of experience in this new world is a big part of their character, but another big part is their ignorance, both being nervous in harmless situations and making them enter scary situations without fear, doing risky things without knowing how risky it is, and basically doing things differently since they don't actually know how things are usually done. At one point, they faced off an adventurer in a guild threatening them due to them not realizing how deep in danger they are (they're a level 3 healer facing an adventurer who has slain dragons physically), amusing them into dismissing them when the other party member was scared the entire time. It does help they're from the crappier parts of ancient Greece/Rome, so they aren't that disturbed by dead bodies or ways people die (outside of the more extreme methods of death), but still have a healthy concern for their own mortality.
I have a concept of a character I want to try someday. They'd be a Bard or magic user of some sort. They'd present themselves as being someone who always knew what to do and have stories about times that they'd overcome overwhelming odds. In reality, when faced with troubles, they'd have no idea what to do and would rather be somewhere else. They'd prefer to let someone else solve the problem and then they'd take credit for it when they next meet strangers to grow their own legend.
I kinda love the idea that that Conan movie was a dnd campaign. It kinda works, you know? Btw, I'm probably gonna use this for my Forest Gnome Druid/Rogue, she's mice flavored in that she loves cheese and hiding, scurrying in and out of battle. I had the idea she Wild Shapes into a mouse to escape as her go to when terrified, but is completely willing to try and support her party.
How to play a coward in heroic fantasy? Why would you want to play a coward in heroic fantasy? If you want to play a coward, perhaps heroic fantasy isn't for you. Alternatively, if you want a role-playing character arc, where you go from being a coward to finding your intestinal fortitude, and evolving into the hero your character is ultimately supposed to be, that might work.
Another option is to play the Rincewind. A cowardly character who is convinced fate will contrive him to get mixed up in things, so he just does it anyway.
Be Usopp. Heroic coward that wills themselves to do combat even though they are scared is always a winner.
Mallick is just a 1st level rogue playing with a 5th level barbarian. He has to be cautious or he'll have to make a new character.
Always make an adventurer.
I could have used some of your advice several years age when I played a paladin that was a scaredy cat. He could only fight when he is able to make successful Wisdom Saving Throw. Then he would hold up his sword and yell “By the power of Grayhawk I HAVE THE POWER!” Only then he was able to be brave enough to join the fight.
Oh yeah, we were playing Cure of Strahd.
I love a weasely villain, but a cowardly "hero" works if he either has essential skills to help the party or gets to overcome his weakness.
I once had a character in 7th Sea, he was a fairly competent bruiser character. But he was deathly afraid of the dark. In one scenario we had to enter a dark sewer and I wouldn't let my character descend into the darkness without holding two torches.
come for the Topic. Stay for the Combination of Talking and Drawing
This is so smart. I'm gonna have to go look for more videos like this, and share with my table.
Wait. is this the first video like this? Please make more of these.
Nice video. There's always so much info on making min/maxed heroes, but no advice for playing the other fun archetypes found in fantasy.
I will watch your career with great interest.
I've seen two great cowardly moments, both in first combats of a campaign. A knowledge cleric hid behind a table and just cast guidance when a troll attacked the tavern in one. My favorite though was a spoiled noble character that sat down and cried on his turn I the first fight after arriving in Barovia. That character was a Legolas-wannabe and had also fallen out of a tree for his first skill check of the campaign. We found a lot of moments of hilarity like that to offset the bleakness of the Curse of Strahd setting.
Great video bud, gonna have to get around to watching the conan films now!
Drawing is a cool touch.
All the best!
I've done a few 'reluctant hero' characters, and this advice applies to them as well. A coward character is just a reluctant hero with extra reluctance after all. The closest I've done to a coward was a 2nd ed fremlin from the Book of Humanoids. He was a wizard/ thief but with the humanoid rule of a bestial fear of magic. He was scared of his own spells. He was very small so the party just tied his leg to a larger party member so if he panicked after magic missile, he wouldn't get far. He was also sometimes tied to a pet dog that would stand and fight. He was very much a comic relief character, and if we played that game longer, I probably would have done something like this.
All men would be cowards if they only had the courage.
Another good example of this type of character is Vila from the British Sci-fi series Blakes 7. A hugely talented and useful thief who tags along with party because if he left the party he would be hunted down like a dog with no one to save him, somhe can’t escape. In second last episode (51 episodes in) Vila admits to the party leader that he felt safe with the leader, because the leader always got them out of trouble. When a disaster happened the leader deliberately tried sacrificing Vila to escape the situation. Fortunately Vila was good a hiding and the leader saved the day in another way, but yeah, it changed the relationship.
This is a great video. You have inspired me.
My favorite example of a coward in fiction comes from the red queens war, which follows a self professed coward on his journey with a Norse barbarian. Lots of great character moments with him, big fan.
I remember playing a cowardly healer from a more mundane world (basically ancient Greece/Rome but very slightly more magical) transported to the world of dnd. Their cowardice is basically them being cautious due to their lack of experience in this new world is a big part of their character, but another big part is their ignorance, both being nervous in harmless situations and making them enter scary situations without fear, doing risky things without knowing how risky it is, and basically doing things differently since they don't actually know how things are usually done. At one point, they faced off an adventurer in a guild threatening them due to them not realizing how deep in danger they are (they're a level 3 healer facing an adventurer who has slain dragons physically), amusing them into dismissing them when the other party member was scared the entire time.
It does help they're from the crappier parts of ancient Greece/Rome, so they aren't that disturbed by dead bodies or ways people die (outside of the more extreme methods of death), but still have a healthy concern for their own mortality.
I have a coward character in my back pocket. He knows he has to keep the party alive to keep himself alive though.
I have a concept of a character I want to try someday. They'd be a Bard or magic user of some sort. They'd present themselves as being someone who always knew what to do and have stories about times that they'd overcome overwhelming odds. In reality, when faced with troubles, they'd have no idea what to do and would rather be somewhere else. They'd prefer to let someone else solve the problem and then they'd take credit for it when they next meet strangers to grow their own legend.
dude this was an excellent video, very insightful and I love your example
I kinda love the idea that that Conan movie was a dnd campaign. It kinda works, you know? Btw, I'm probably gonna use this for my Forest Gnome Druid/Rogue, she's mice flavored in that she loves cheese and hiding, scurrying in and out of battle. I had the idea she Wild Shapes into a mouse to escape as her go to when terrified, but is completely willing to try and support her party.
Solid advice.
How to play a coward in heroic fantasy? Why would you want to play a coward in heroic fantasy? If you want to play a coward, perhaps heroic fantasy isn't for you.
Alternatively, if you want a role-playing character arc, where you go from being a coward to finding your intestinal fortitude, and evolving into the hero your character is ultimately supposed to be, that might work.