I will make an attempt to keep this introductory post from being overlong - hopefully there will be plenty of time to provide lengthy textual responses later.

I recognize that there is a fairly vast discrepancy between Amia the server and Amia the place. Certain ideas and effects are limited by the inherent mechanics of Neverwinter Nights. Thus, it is logical to assume that any character features beyond the mechanical norm must be requested specifically. But what about more implicit features?

For example, I know that a noble character must be a requested. But what if a character concept outside what the game provides that should confer a mechanical benefit, but does not have to, is requested? Such as some of the 'Complete' base classes introduced in the 3.5e system. You don't need to request an entire progression from the DMs to be a Favored Soul, strictly speaking. You need only be a cleric restyled to be one, whatever that may mean to you. The same could apply to Spirit Shamans, Ninja, Hexblades, and even Warlocks, with varying degrees of difficulty resulting from an attempt to mimic such a class. The question is; is this allowed? Can you chose a class combination inside Neverwinter Nights' boundaries, and then claim to be a member of a class not technically represented once in-game? For that matter, what about other systems entirely, such as Shadowcasting, Incarnum, and the Way of Nine Swords? I can think of a myriad ways to mimic these with what resources we have, but can we state, in-character, that we are harnessing the power of these systems for roleplay, even if the mechanics say otherwise?

Tangentially related to this, what is the hard limit on character backstories? I recognize that we begin play at level 3 (and I also recognize that we technically begin play at level 2, but for all intents and purposes, our characters begin their Amian careers at 3rd), and there are implicit limits to our pasts because of this, but 3rd level is still quite above the norm. It can even be proven in-game that a single 3rd level character can, for example, slay a horde of goblins. That concept is, for us, nigh on superhuman. And, in fact, every adventurer can be described as superhuman to some degree, though in some cases we may need to substitute the social concept for the literal definition.

That said, while I would fully expect a DM to be...displeased...with a 3rd level character who claims to have led an army across Faerun and killed thousands before he arrived, what about similarly outlandish yet technically possible explanations as supported by mechanics? Can we use the excuse that we used to be an epic character, but [insert deus ex machina here] occurred, and now we're permanently drained of our power until we regain it the hard way? Everyone has experience from their former life, but how much can there be? Can I play anything from a naive newcomer who has no idea how the world works to an aged sage who always seems to have the answers, simply because he's been there and seen that? Neither? Both?

I know that a request must be made to be of nobility, but what about other connections? Can we be members of, or related to members of, or former members of, important factions like the Neverwinter Nine or Shadow Thieves? I suppose, in the end, my basic point is that, to the best of my knowledge, who we can be or play is largely determined only by a golden rule of very specific mandates and 'use your common sense'. I'm not asking for a list that covers every possible question, but what upper limit does Amia have on who we can be?

At any rate - I seem to have broken my above oath to not make an overlong post (as well as having had used the word 'limit' far too many times), but hopefully this will cover all of my main questions until new ones arise.

The reason this is in General Discussion as opposed to a PM, by the by, is because, on this subject, I value players with supplemental questions or even helpful anecdotes as much as I value the DM's ruling. I'm only one mind, after all, and I daresay I'm not the only one to have thought of or even asked this question. Thusly, my usual rules (as much as I can enforce them, anyway) to my threads apply; keep it civil, don't refrain from asking a question that you legitimately don't know the answer to just because you feel it may be unnecessary (the point of questions is that they are, in fact, necessary), and keep an open mind. We are here to learn, after all.


Oh, very well, one more time. 'Limit'.

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Contents subject to change without warning, reason, necessity, or logical imperative.

You may be whatever 3.5 class you want to be, representing it through the existing classes and PrC as long as you do not claim your character to have any additional powers from that class. So you may be a Ninja through taking Shadowdancer + Monk, but you cannot:

Ghost Walk (Su): A 20th-level ninja can spend two daily uses of her ki power to enter the Ethereal Plane for an extended period of time. This ability functions as the ethereal jaunt spell with a caster level equal to the ninja’s class level. Unless you request it and get it approved from teh DM team.


You can RP being a Red Wizard if you like , but you must stay true to it. On the other hand I heard that you must request a permission to play a Zhent. The best course of action is always: "When in doubt, ask a DM".

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Adding to Dead: You can of course request unique class features, and learn them through Roleplay rather than leveling, which makes it pretty interesting with what people can come up with.

There's no official rule, so you can't really break a rule. This is the Amian practice Dead also summed up:



The thing with canon factions is that you technically don't have to make a request, but then some factions require interaction with specific, difficult and famous NPCs to become a member of. If you want to be one of the Tel'Teukiira, you probably have had to be buddies with Khelben Blackstaff Arunsun, so that's a little more exclusive than being your run-of-the-mill Shadow Thief. If you know your lore and can be sure it is not unreasonable or extraordinary, you should be safe. Every cleric is a member of an ecclesiastical faction, for example, so you definitely don't categorically have to make a request. But as with emulating other classes, it's your responsibility to justify it and get it right; when you exercise your freedom of individual judgement and forego a DM stamp of approval, you are taking a chance and may not get such a favorable reaction to future Dream Coin requests if others are unhappy with your portrayal. But the risk is only theoretical if you know what you're doing, and I would take it any time.

Given that "epic" in our game is not epic at all, but only a matter of two weeks of hard work, there should be nothing unbelievable about having been a level 20 in your past and since then losing your powers. If something is easily achievable to anyone in Amia, without special merit and DM support, it should be equally possible before they arrived on Amia.

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In the past I've used stories like my fighter from the mainland, who had been in a few wars and was an experienced sort of guy, needed a few days to get his bearings after being on a rocky sea voyage over to Amia. Those first few days tend to be the levels 1-10, and then from 10 on it's a progression from where his story had started.

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