Essential D&D Characters

[GBantaR]

Survey question for the DDO community as a whole:

If Hollywood were to make a GOOD Dungeons & Dragons movie (not the travesties that they popped off in the 90's) what would you consider to be the essential main characters? I mean what races and classes?

Consider two things:
1. What you would like to see
2. What you think would be essential for a good story

I think the party would have to have a Paladin and a Rogue who, normally, wouldn't give each other the time of day, but who have to work together for some reason. I think the Paladin should be a Half Elf and the Rogue a Human for that extra bit of "I'm better than you" from the Paladin.

I would also love to see a Halfling Monk, and a Half-Orc barbarian just for the cool factor. They could also be extremely compelling characters in themselves.

What about for a spellcaster? What do you guys think?

Would love to hear people's ideas.

[donfilibuster]

It may depend on the setting, wether it's low level heroes climbing up or able characters on their own.

For example, on low level setting the fighter may be afraid of magic, the wizard would seek to find some magic lore and the rogue might be on the way to become a treasure hunter instead of a thief.
It may involve your typical elf and dwarf as well.

On high magic the backstories could be more complex and less cliche.
There might be a paladin that is struggling to stay on favor, or a cleric seeking to drive out a lurking evil.
The wizards might be tapping on too much power, etc.
There would be other races involved like drow.

[Chai]

I think something from Dragonlance would make a good live action movie (not the travesty that they popped off as a cartoon).

The dwarf is a dwarfs dwarf. The kender rules by definition alone. The wizard has character flaws out the wazoo. The paladin is in constant struggle to stay in the party with a "neutral" wizard he knows is actually evil. The "good" fighter and the "evil" dragon lord were lovers at one point.

-OR-

The story of how Lord Soth became a death knight. Mainly because good doesnt win out in the end, so its definately not cliche.

[donfilibuster]

I think something from Dragonlance would make a good live action movie (not the travesty that they popped off as a cartoon).

There's such thing as too much character development , each of the individual stories is worth a movie, yet the mistake with the franchise is to insist on making the movie out of Autumn Twilight.

Not that you can't do it, it's just too much cliche d&d and rushed action that there's no room for the backstory and context.

It was the first work of the series and if that was good almost everything else that cames after was good as well.
Until they tried to forcefully fit the setting to 3e of course, although the narratives save the day again in that mess.
Personal opinions of course, it's a good setting yet sometimes feels like a glass cannon.

What would work better to depict the events in autumn might be to scope out to tell the story of the war of the lance instead.
Remember the 12th module where you could do a table game out of the various armies movements? that'd be a good panoramic view of the age.

Otherwise the trilogy of raistlin with crysania makes a good movie and depicts d&d things like planar travel and deific ascension.

As for the results of their lattest movie attempt, it doesn't surprise me the least bit.
I don't feel bad for weis and hickman the way i feel bad for Ursula K. Le Guin.
The earthsea series had been failed time after time due to low budget and bad productions.
But Le Guin perseveres and the latest attempt she tried with Miyazaki because he had shown interest before.
Only to find Miyazaki had sort of retired and Ghibli turned the work to Goro and yet another mess came out of it.
Reading the story i'm under the impression Miyazaki regrets that decision, or at least i hope he did.
Again a series of books where the sequels grow and improve on the earlier works.

Another trial and error was hurrying up the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
How can be a sequel if the first one was bad or not good enough for seconds?
That's just another case where the first was good but the sequels were better.
Sadly Adams could not see it to its end, so it was left to the studio to be blamed.

The one fantasy author that is doing things right is Pratchett with discworld.
He takes personal duty to see nothing goes wrong and been refusing bad movie deals like forever.
The only thing is the british humour tends to make slow paced movies, yet the stories are no fail.

[Shuleagh]

I think getting stuck in the "we must have this" or "these are essential characters" mind set kills movies. A D&D movie where the director was forced to show a bunch of races/classes just to sort of prove its D&D would suck. I would much rather they just pick a universe and a timeline and just go with it. Focus on one tiny aspect of it (a country, state, or small group of races" and tell your tale.

[Doomcrew]

Rather simple, write a good story, let the characters fill the needs of the
story. Reap the rewards of a great movie.

End of the day, a good story will carry much. Whereas a weak story with
potential good characters, (read overused stereotypical roles) will be stale
and forgotten shortly, (only if the gods are merciful).

Would love to see a continuation/full version of the cg intro movie that DDO
started years ago. To me, there is potential there.


Cheers

[GBantaR]

OK, let me ask another question based on all you guys have said: Do you think a D&D movie should DEFINITELY be based on an already-existing backstory in D&D, or should it be based on entirely new characters, with just the elements (swords, sorcery, monsters, etc.) that make all D&D, D&D?

[Dulcimerist]

Two words:

Bruce Campbell

[phillymiket]

I would love a D&D movie to be dark and tragic.
That to me is much more compelling then jokey one liners or corny heroics and over-blown action.

Something that takes itself seriously.

Too many fantasy movies are too campy and one gets the feeling the producers don't respect or understand the material.

Emphasis on the characters and script. That's what makes a film stand out. Special effects don't impress me and are obsolete very fast.
Oh, and stick to the original lore.

With that anything would be a treat.

[FuzzyDuck81]

I vote for for the Belkar & Elan buddy movie!

[ToKu]

Just watch Record of Lodoss, done.

[Doxmaster]

I vote for for the Belkar & Elan buddy movie!

Tarquin and Scruffy. Two all mighty dictators; one is a lithe beast of passion, using his quick wit, talent for manipulation and ability to control the hearts of females everywhere to enjoy life all day and all night. The other is the dexterous genius behind all geniuses, who rules using mighty figureheads, when he isnt too busy bedding any fine female that crosses his path. Also, one of them is a cat.

[reaktorblock]

IMHO: constant recylcling of the Tolkien Clichees is nice in a MMO or in a P&P RPG. You are not really interested in stories (better read a book!) you are interested in building your char and watching that char in action. I dont say that this is stupid. It's the core of the game and its strategical, tactical and even economical and mathematical. Spiced up with some roleplay dialogues on the tabletop (that are mostly on the level of an 8 years old sandbox make believe games) it turns into a real funny and creative time. That is our hobby. Not a movie.

Every movie that shows elves, dwarfs, halflings, knights running through underground caverns fighting monsters (or dragons, or whatever) would be perceived as cheap LOTR rip off (what it would be). even when the dwarfs, elves & knights ride on dragons and pike one another with silver lances. I guess this was one of the main reasons why the D&D movie was rushed out before the lord of the rings hit the theatres. And I guess its also the reason why no one bothers to do a dragonlance movie.

Maybe some kind of spelljammer, planescape or yes, Eberron Movie. But dragonlance or forgotten realms? Been there, seen it.

[FuzzyDuck81]

Maybe some kind of spelljammer, planescape or yes, Eberron Movie. But dragonlance or forgotten realms? Been there, seen it.

Planescape could be weird and interesting.. maybe if David Lynch was involved it might cause a singularity collapse event where its good AND comprehensible to people who dont know the setting all at once.

Definitely agree though, no Forgotten Realms, as with the current state of cinema (uh, Twilight) if Drizzt was involved it'd be so emo it'd reach levels that would make Toby Maguire cringe - I'm looking at YOU, Spiderman 3! The adventures of Jarlaxle & Artemis Entreri could make an interesting antidote to the old buddy cop movie cliches though.

[aradelothion]

Two words:

Bruce Campbell

I would so watch this!

Edit:
I want Baldur's Gate 2..with Jeremy Irons as Irenicus.

[FuzzyDuck81]

I would so watch this!

Edit:
I want Baldur's Gate 2..with Jeremy Irons as Irenicus.

Could be fun - also maybe Claudia Black as Viconia, cant think right now would play Minsc & Edwin though... but the most important question: Who would play Boo?

[Hoglum]

Whatever they would do, I'd like to see it done in a more serious way. I'd say don't do live action, don't do cartoons. Do the really cool computer animation which is now available.

[Thornton]

I would say almost ALL live-action and for Pete's sake no Wayans brother(s).

[Chai]

Two words:

Bruce Campbell

Yeap, he would have to be riding a roller coaster in every day mundane life, which rolls through a portal into Ravenloft, which is chucked full of undead.

He would then have to fail a UMD check miserably by coughing out the last magical syllable needed to activate a rune, and all hell would break loose.

Some interesting puns about multiclassing while he is blowing things away with a shotgun that has limitless ammo come to mind.

[ProdigalGuru]

I think this would be a good cast:

The Sorceror that never has an appropriate spell.

The Rogue with no Search.

The Fighter tank that can't hold aggro.

The Barbarian with an Explosive Barrel fetish.

The Ranger that refuses to draw a sword.

And of course, the Cleric that doesn't heal.