*sigh*

[Steel Leopard]

Have you ever had that overwhelming need to roleplay but at the same time you just didn't want to?

I guess I feel that way right now. *sigh*

I'm still fairly new, but I've blown through a lot of characters already at an astronomical rate.  More than the average newbie, you might say.  My ...exploratative... nature has led me into the cluthes of pointy-object-weilding enemies one too many times.

A couple of chars back I had one that I had unexpectedly grown quite attatched to.  No particular reason.  It was kind of crappy now that I think about it, and it didn't have THAT much roleplay behind it (okay, none of my chars did, because they all died at an amazing speed), but... it was special.  And then it died.

In mourning, I made another.  It died.  Still mourning, I made another, it died.  And now I was I just pissed and probaby tried something that bordered on the twinkish side, which I sorely regret and am quite ashamed of.

Still mourning.

*sigh, ramble ramble*

So, I've given myself a tiny break.

Now I want to roleplay, and try and find a character that will...live...and still be extremely enjoyable to play.  Like that one two characters back.  But I find myself again idea-less.  I should perhaps honestly consider laying off my usual habits and settle down into a more passive role in a clan or something.

*mourn, sigh, mourn, need roleplay -now-, mourn..*

I think the reason my characters die at phenomenal rates is that I get bored too easily or that none of them are a part of a clan or something, and I don't like being alone.  I like being able to hunt down people via roaming during the odd hours that I am on, which I don't think you can do very much of if you are clanned.

Again, sadness and sighing.

And rambling.

I'll shut up now.

[Akaramu]

I say go for a clan, and pick the right one. Look around if there is a clan with a bunch of PCs active at the times you play, that is maybe the most important factor - a really cool clan often isnt very fun if you are the only clan member on most of the time.

Also, ask IC about their rules. Some clans are less restrictive than others, not all require you to stay for a lifetime, and some might allow you to leave the city on your own or do what you want unless called.

I dont know why everyone recommends the T'zai Byn to new players. It is a great clan, but a player who plays off-peak and is alone most of the time might be very frustrated with the restrictions placed upon them - not everyone wants to either go solo RP chores, missing some fun roleplay in a tavern, or stay for the fun but have to break the rules to do so.

Ask around, I'm sure there is a clan that you might like.  

[Cavus]

I like being able to hunt down people via roaming during the odd hours that I am on, which I don't think you can do very much of if you are clanned.

Hunt down? You mean raiding? Then, my simple suggestion is not being a raider.

And, clans are perfect to learn game and how to live long. If you attack to raptor at 3-4 hours gameplay, you definetely die if you are not mul, or giant. It is simple. Go to a clan Byn (It has more than 7-8 PCs right now), or Kurac is best. Do rp with others, train yourself at combat, etc. Then, you may quit from there if you don't like much, and go for independent things. But, you will have better chance to survive because your char is trained well.
Salarr is also good. You have to go for training to Byn, or Academy, but later you are in your House. You're allowed to hunt, go and sit at bar, etc. if no one in House is available. (Note. I think Byn has similar rule. If no one attends to afternoon training other than you, you are automatically dismissed). But, Salarr is best because of being allowed to go outside of walls, and because of their Imms.

[Ghost]

I will suggest no Byn, nor Kurac.  Actually, not a single clan for your cure.

They are both great clans, but you will have to agree with the restrictions on you to work for one.  I realized that is not for me, to play a regular one in both of them.  While you are looking for a place to have fun over the last chars, it might not be the best experience  if you feel the same way as I do.

Go and learn about what a clan is offering first, and decide if you are up to it.  Most of the houses that recruit, have a first year of training and then making a contract.  You can try this first year, and see if that clan is up to you.  So you may end up in Byn or Kurac, or a noble house or none.  You just take your first year and go seek the rest of your life somewhere else.

Clanned ones -usually- live longer than independent ones.  If it is a long lived one that you want, get clanned.  That will do.  But that does not mean you will enjoy it.  There is a chance you end up in a clan that you are the only PC in it, and it is very restrictive not even allow you to go and enjoy your time in the taverns sometimes.

I think the reason my characters die at phenomenal rates is that I get bored too easily or that none of them are a part of a clan or something, and I don't like being alone.  I like being able to hunt down people via roaming during the odd hours that I am on, which I don't think you can do very much of if you are clanned.  

Not exactly.  Just use your imagination.  You are looking for a coded-clan that will take you, and let you go around kill people?  That is being a bounty hunter then.  And I think, you can just play one, that you are looking for.  You dont have to see a "You are Amos, a Runner of Tzai Byn, or a regular of Kurac, or the recruit of legions or arm of the dragon".  Use your imagination.  How many times do you think, the templerates of both city states seek a someone specific dead?  The answer is:  A LOT.  You can attach yourself one of the city states militia, or templarate, you wont be a coded servant of them, but RP wise, you will be their man. You can track down people, hunt them, and return to pick up your favor in your local city.  If you need training, they can even allow you to get it from a local Academy, before you roam the desert.  This is just an example of being a bounty hunter.
But being a bounty hunter, is one of the most dangerous roles ever.  So it is very likely you will end up dead as well.  But if you somehow live long, you might turn into a local legend.

Try a patrolling unit around your city state.  If there is not one already, you can start one (which takes some hard work) But you will most probably get the suppot from the local militia and templarate.  Though, if there is some hazardous plot around your city (like some raiders preying around your city.  Or a bored sorcerer willing to check how deadly is his new spell of destruction) you might end up dead.  But that will be a great RP experience.

Or try being a militia PC.  They live long, if there is not a hazardous plot around the city state as well.  But they dont go around exploring and roaming as such.

Well.. well... My suggestion would be not to look for a long lived char, but a char that you will enjoy playing even for a short time of play.  Like play a spy?  If you play it good they live quite long as well.

Or.. Play a thief?  A burglar?  If not caught, they live quite long as well, and even get some dirty job offers.

Play a servant of a noble, or a templar.  Not slave, servant.  You can even play an aide, if you feel like it.  But it is not for me either.

Or.. Play something that is odd.  Like an old and very very wise ranger that never gets into the cities, never kills anything if he does not have to.  A friend to animals and people.  Like the Montiego from the Ice Wind Dale Triology of R.A. Salvatore.

If you want to make a character that lives long, keep in mind:  The less you get into the fight, the longer your character lives.  If you keep the fights you get into, realistic, you will live longer as well.  But fighting and winning is tempting.  You always try something that challenges, and that is where you get your friendly mantis head.  At least, that was the story of my first five characters.  And all of them died before completing their third day.

[Maybe42or54]

Right, if you play off-peak -only-. Then the Byn probably won't be the right place for you.

I will make a suggestion though, look at those pc's logged on with you, You know what they say? When in Rome...

Maybe42or54 -He who loves Anchorman because Ron Burgandy reminds him of himself, only Ron is not as good looking-

[Delirium]

You don't have to join a clan to live a long time.

Most of my characters have been fairly long-lived and I only joined a clan with two of them, three if you get picky about defining 'clans'. I've had one survive for RL months of constant, steady gameplay out in the wastes, only going into civilization to trade off things I didn't need and couldn't use, or to buy things I couldn't find out there.

The trick is to think like your character. Don't stay in fights until you're half dead. Don't take on something obviously much more dangerous than you. Pick a territory and roam it until you know it very well, and know how to survive in it. Then, branch out, move on, or stay there.

This doesn't mean you have to make a cowardly character, it just means you should make one with a little common sense and self-preservation. Playing a non-clanned character doesn't mean you have to be uninvolved in plots, either. In fact, it's fairly easy to get involved in minor things whether or not you're clanned - you just have to have some initiative, and a little luck. Make nice (or not so nice) with people that are in clans, and stuff will happen. Have a good reason for your dune-wandering lifestyle so that it's IC for you to be reluctant to leave it, if you don't want to get gobbled up by the next clan that thinks you're half-decent.

[Steel Leopard]

I like being able to hunt down people via roaming during the odd hours that I am on, which I don't think you can do very much of if you are clanned.

Hunt down? You mean raiding? Then, my simple suggestion is not being a raider.

I meant 'hunt down' as in.. "Dude.. no one's in this tavern... where IS everybody?"