Wizard Personalities

No two wizards are alike. They may have the same specialties, the same spells, even the same backgrounds, yet each has his own set of quirks, flaws, goals, and interests that make him a unique personality.

This chapter provides descriptions of different wizard personalities drawn from fantasy literature and mythology. Players should look at them all and see if any of the descriptions fit their conceptions of their characters.

Each player should think about what his character would be like if he actually existed-- would he be bold or cautious? Greedy or generous? Considerate or selfish? Thoughtful? Impulsive? Flamboyant?

If any of the personality types listed seem right for your character, feel free to use the description as a basis for making role-playing decisions about a PC's actions and goals. The descriptions can also be used to help decide how a PC interacts with NPCs and with other members of his party. If none of these descriptions seem exactly right for your character, perhaps one or more of them will inspire you to create a new personality type.

Each personality description below includes the following information:

Character Description: This section describes the character's general attitudes, motivations, and outlook, and how he is most likely to function in a typical campaign. In some cases, suggestions are given as to what types of players might find this particular personality type the most enjoyable to play.

Best Suited For: Some personality types are more appropriate for certain alignments than others, and some are more appropriate for certain kits than others. This information is provided here.

These are only recommendations, not hard and fast rules, and using alignments and kits other than the ones suggested might require some imaginative rationale on the part of the DM and the player. For instance, an Entertainer/Savage Wizard could exist, but he will probably be rare in a typical campaign world. Novice players are advised to remain within the alignment and kit recommendations in this section.

In Combat Situations: Each personality type approaches combat situations in a slightly different fashion. Some might charge straight ahead with their weapons swinging, while others might hold back to size up the enemy before committing to a course of action. Some might cast their strongest spells first, others might hold them in reserve. This section details each personality type's combat style.

In Role-Playing Situations: This section explains how the character is likely to react when encountering NPCs. These suggestions should be used as guidelines when role-playing conversations, including interrogations, interviews, and small talk. This section will also give an idea how the character might interact with the other player characters.

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