A few Class Questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

A few Class Questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Rasputin666
10-28-07, 10:55 PM Hey, i've been thinking about getting into DnD, but was wondering "what class to play?". So i come to you...Is there a voodo, curse-esqu, pesdou-necromancy class(this comming from a recent southern-Biyou-gothic horror obsession)?

Also if there is no such class produced by WotC, has anyone else made one? And can a new player just pick up a new class? Thanks ahead.(and please excuse my poor spelling and grammer scattered throughout this post)
Lokathor
10-28-07, 11:44 PM Warlock is probably going to spark your fancy. They're in Complete Arcane.

Hexblade might also interest you (Complete Warrior), but the class isn't on the effective side of things, and playing with class fixes when you first start isn't always the best idea because you're not used to what's balanced and what's not.
Rasputin666
10-28-07, 11:55 PM Cool, thanks , where can i find info about the Warlock?
vorpo
10-28-07, 11:56 PM Cool, thanks , where can i find info about the Warlock?

Lok already said it, in Complete Arcane.
Nadaka
10-28-07, 11:58 PM Sorcerer or Wizard, while generalist classes, can be made to fit the build rather well. Its all a matter of spell selection, while you have access to a vast array of different spells, there is nothing stopping you from picking your spells known/scribed to match your desired theme.
Tempest Stormwind
10-29-07, 12:23 AM Cool, thanks , where can i find info about the Warlock?

I'd also suggest looking here (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drdd/20071012a) and here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ei/20061027a), which deal with 4e warlocks and epic warlocks respectively. Read those looking for ideas; most of what's mentioned there fits perfectly fluffwise with the existing warlock in Complete Arcane.
InkBlot
10-29-07, 01:26 AM Hey, i've been thinking about getting into DnD, but was wondering "what class to play?". So i come to you...Is there a voodo, curse-esqu, pesdou-necromancy class(this comming from a recent southern-Biyou-gothic horror obsession)?
The Binder. OMG. The Binder is exactly what you're looking for. It's from the Pact Magic section of Tome Of Magic (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060303a&page=4). Yes, Pact Magic. As Binders make pacts with incomprehensible beings from beyond the pale in exchange for great power. From level one. It's wonderful. So wonderfully exactly what you want that it has me typing in sentence fragments.

Binder = Horse
Vestige = Loa
Seal = Veve

Each vestige has a name, a title, a seal, a legend (usually tragic or at least ironic), an influence, a sign, and a set of powers it can offer you. Some also have special requirements you need to fulfill before they'll even think about making a pact with you. Once you draw the seal, call out the vestige's name and title, and perform the special requirement if there is one, an apparition of the vestige appears within the seal. That's when you have to be careful.

You have to be the wiliest son of an itch, or you're not going to be able to make a good pact with the vestige. Now, a vestige will never actually refuse to bind your soul, and thus you'll get it's powers no matter what. It's too sweet a temptation for them. But they will do their best to bargain for control over you. If you make a bad pact, the vestige will force you to act in their interest (their influence) and you'll be develop a physical manifestation of their presence (their sign). For example, if you make a bad pact with Aym the Queen Of Avarice then she will force you to give a coin to every dwarf who tells you his name, and you'll develop a star-shaped brand on the palm of your hand.

The writers of Tome Of Magic were also inspired by the Goetia. (http://www.esotericarchives.com/solomon/goetia.htm) This is a bit more obvious, as many of the angles/demons appear in Tome Of Magic as vestiges. In fact, I believe that all the vestiges, apart from one or two references to the major campaign settings, are from the Goetia and the traditions and books (http://www.esotericarchives.com/solomon/weyer.htm) which inspired the Goetia.

Really, a Binder is what you want.

EDIT: Mechanically, a Binder has d8 HD, 3/4 BAB, and 2 skill points per level. They get supernatural abilities that are either continuous or usable at-will (although the strongest ones have a 5-round delay between uses). Since each vestige comes with different supernatural abilities, you can fill different roles by making pacts with different vestiges. One day you're the medic, the next you're the spy master, and the next you're a humanoid flamethrower. However, Binders have no single stat they're dependent on. Strength based Binders are just as viable as Int based Binders. Charisma, however, can help you avoid suffering the influence and sign of a vestige. Also, almost every vestige has something that can aid you in melee; a melee Binder can always fight no matter who he has a pact with.

You start out being able to only bind yourself to one vestige at a time. Since a binding lasts for a day, this means you can only use one vestige each day. Of course, you can wait and see what kind of powers you need before you sneak off into a dark alley to summon up a helpful horror. You can take a feat (Expel Vestige) which allows you to reverse the process once per day, leaving you free to make a pact with a different vestige. At 8th level you can be bound to two at once, at 14th three at once, and at 20th four at once. Binders do get a smattering of other class features, but mostly things that improve pact binding, or activate only when you are bound to a vestige.
Sinfire Titan
10-29-07, 01:47 AM Dread Necromancer! Heroes of Horror.
Tempest Stormwind
10-29-07, 01:58 AM Dread Necromancer! Heroes of Horror.

Not a bad choice, but next to the binder and the warlock, I'd put it a distant third.

(I can't believe I missed the binder on my first pass through it! It's one of the few classes that I adore but have never seen in personal gameplay experience.)
nonsi
10-29-07, 10:26 AM Hey, i've been thinking about getting into DnD, but was wondering "what class to play?". So i come to you...Is there a voodo, curse-esqu, pesdou-necromancy class(this comming from a recent southern-Biyou-gothic horror obsession)?

Also if there is no such class produced by WotC, has anyone else made one? And can a new player just pick up a new class? Thanks ahead.(and please excuse my poor spelling and grammer scattered throughout this post)

Try this one and see if you like it: http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-131802

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rasputin666 10-28-07, 10:55 PM	Hey, i've been thinking about getting into DnD, but was wondering "what class to play?". So i come to you...Is there a voodo, curse-esqu, pesdou-necromancy class(this comming from a recent southern-Biyou-gothic horror obsession)? Also if there is no such class produced by WotC, has anyone else made one? And can a new player just pick up a new class? Thanks ahead.(and please excuse my poor spelling and grammer scattered throughout this post)
Lokathor 10-28-07, 11:44 PM	Warlock is probably going to spark your fancy. They're in Complete Arcane. Hexblade might also interest you (Complete Warrior), but the class isn't on the effective side of things, and playing with class fixes when you first start isn't always the best idea because you're not used to what's balanced and what's not.
Rasputin666 10-28-07, 11:55 PM	Cool, thanks , where can i find info about the Warlock?
vorpo 10-28-07, 11:56 PM	Cool, thanks , where can i find info about the Warlock? Lok already said it, in Complete Arcane.
Nadaka 10-28-07, 11:58 PM	Sorcerer or Wizard, while generalist classes, can be made to fit the build rather well. Its all a matter of spell selection, while you have access to a vast array of different spells, there is nothing stopping you from picking your spells known/scribed to match your desired theme.
Tempest Stormwind 10-29-07, 12:23 AM	Cool, thanks , where can i find info about the Warlock? I'd also suggest looking here (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drdd/20071012a) and here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ei/20061027a), which deal with 4e warlocks and epic warlocks respectively. Read those looking for ideas; most of what's mentioned there fits perfectly fluffwise with the existing warlock in Complete Arcane.
InkBlot 10-29-07, 01:26 AM	Hey, i've been thinking about getting into DnD, but was wondering "what class to play?". So i come to you...Is there a voodo, curse-esqu, pesdou-necromancy class(this comming from a recent southern-Biyou-gothic horror obsession)? The Binder. OMG. The Binder is exactly what you're looking for. It's from the Pact Magic section of Tome Of Magic (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060303a&page=4). Yes, Pact Magic. As Binders make pacts with incomprehensible beings from beyond the pale in exchange for great power. From level one. It's wonderful. So wonderfully exactly what you want that it has me typing in sentence fragments. Binder = Horse Vestige = Loa Seal = Veve Each vestige has a name, a title, a seal, a legend (usually tragic or at least ironic), an influence, a sign, and a set of powers it can offer you. Some also have special requirements you need to fulfill before they'll even think about making a pact with you. Once you draw the seal, call out the vestige's name and title, and perform the special requirement if there is one, an apparition of the vestige appears within the seal. That's when you have to be careful. You have to be the wiliest son of an itch, or you're not going to be able to make a good pact with the vestige. Now, a vestige will never actually refuse to bind your soul, and thus you'll get it's powers no matter what. It's too sweet a temptation for them. But they will do their best to bargain for control over you. If you make a bad pact, the vestige will force you to act in their interest (their influence) and you'll be develop a physical manifestation of their presence (their sign). For example, if you make a bad pact with Aym the Queen Of Avarice then she will force you to give a coin to every dwarf who tells you his name, and you'll develop a star-shaped brand on the palm of your hand. The writers of Tome Of Magic were also inspired by the Goetia. (http://www.esotericarchives.com/solomon/goetia.htm) This is a bit more obvious, as many of the angles/demons appear in Tome Of Magic as vestiges. In fact, I believe that all the vestiges, apart from one or two references to the major campaign settings, are from the Goetia and the traditions and books (http://www.esotericarchives.com/solomon/weyer.htm) which inspired the Goetia. Really, a Binder is what you want. EDIT: Mechanically, a Binder has d8 HD, 3/4 BAB, and 2 skill points per level. They get supernatural abilities that are either continuous or usable at-will (although the strongest ones have a 5-round delay between uses). Since each vestige comes with different supernatural abilities, you can fill different roles by making pacts with different vestiges. One day you're the medic, the next you're the spy master, and the next you're a humanoid flamethrower. However, Binders have no single stat they're dependent on. Strength based Binders are just as viable as Int based Binders. Charisma, however, can help you avoid suffering the influence and sign of a vestige. Also, almost every vestige has something that can aid you in melee; a melee Binder can always fight no matter who he has a pact with. You start out being able to only bind yourself to one vestige at a time. Since a binding lasts for a day, this means you can only use one vestige each day. Of course, you can wait and see what kind of powers you need before you sneak off into a dark alley to summon up a helpful horror. You can take a feat (Expel Vestige) which allows you to reverse the process once per day, leaving you free to make a pact with a different vestige. At 8th level you can be bound to two at once, at 14th three at once, and at 20th four at once. Binders do get a smattering of other class features, but mostly things that improve pact binding, or activate only when you are bound to a vestige.
Sinfire Titan 10-29-07, 01:47 AM	Dread Necromancer! Heroes of Horror.
Tempest Stormwind 10-29-07, 01:58 AM	Dread Necromancer! Heroes of Horror. Not a bad choice, but next to the binder and the warlock, I'd put it a distant third. (I can't believe I missed the binder on my first pass through it! It's one of the few classes that I adore but have never seen in personal gameplay experience.)
nonsi 10-29-07, 10:26 AM	Hey, i've been thinking about getting into DnD, but was wondering "what class to play?". So i come to you...Is there a voodo, curse-esqu, pesdou-necromancy class(this comming from a recent southern-Biyou-gothic horror obsession)? Also if there is no such class produced by WotC, has anyone else made one? And can a new player just pick up a new class? Thanks ahead.(and please excuse my poor spelling and grammer scattered throughout this post) Try this one and see if you like it: http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-131802