Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kosterz 12-22-03, 08:26 PM	This is my first D&D character, so I'd like some advice on what I could change, so here he be: Concept: A pole-weapon weilding warrior with great speed and mediocre power/defense, able to command certain beasts for riding. Expanded Concept: A low-level Lancer, Chad Fennix takes great pride in his agility and weilding of poled weapons such as Spears, Lances and Staffs. Though not great in his ability to attack with force or defend, he is indefinately strong when he attacks from the sky. His proud face shows that his determination is high and fitness great. He loves the outdoors, and spends time in the forest, to view all the beautiful birds and animals. ---------------------------------- Character Name: Chad Fennix Class/Level: 1st level Squire Lancer Race: Human Alignment: Lawful Good Deity: None Size: Medium Age: 18 Gender: Male Height: 6' Weight: 210 lbs. Eyes: Blue Hair: White Skin: Fair --------------------------------------- HP:10/10 MP: 0/0 Armor Class: Strength:12 Dexterity:16 Constitution:13 Intelligence:8 Wisdom:11 Charisma:9 Saving Throws---------------------- Fortitude: 1+2+0+1+0=4 Reflex: 2+2+3+1+0=8 Will: 1+1+2+1+0=5 --------------------------------------- Squire's Spear(Shortspear): ATK Bonus: Damage: 1d8+2 Critical: 1d8+2*3 Range: 20 ft. Type: Piercing Notes: A spear made for a squire lancer --------------------------------------- Skills: --------------------------------------- Studded Leather: Type: Leather Armor AC Bonus: +3 Max Dex: +5 Check Penalty: -1 Spell Failure:15% Speed: 30 ft. Weight: 20 lbs. Special Properties: None Buckler: AC Bonus: +1 Weight: 5 lbs. Check Penalty: -1 Spell Failure: 5% Speical Properties: None Backpack(Empty): (Page 108) Weight: 2 lbs. Contents: Blanket- 3 lbs.(Page 108) 3 Bread- 1.5 lbs.(Page 108) 2 Cheese- 1 lbs.(Page 108) 2 Meat- 1 lbs.(Page 108) Traveler's Outfit: (Page 108) Boots, wool breeches, sturdy belt, vest, cloak-5 lbs. Bedroll: (Page 108) Weight: 5 lbs. Total Weight: 18.5 lbs. + 20 lbs.(Armor) + 5 lbs.(Shield) --------------------------------------- Feats: 1st Level: Lightning Reflexes(Page 83) --------------------------------------- Special Abilites: --------------------------------------- Languages: --------------------------------------- Money: CP-1000 SP-100 GP-10 PP-1 P.S. Some things aren't added because those are things I'm not knowing on, I am a newbie.
LiXinjian 12-22-03, 08:49 PM	I don't know that Squire Lancer class or where it's from (are you sure it's not a prestige class?), so all I can suggest is a few skills and feats based on what I can imagine of it. Skills Ride (d'huh!) Handle Animal Knowledge (Geography) Knowledge (nobility and royalty) Diplomacy Spot Listen Feats Mounted Combat Ride-by Attack Spirited Charge Trample Animal Affinity By the way, seems you used Trydan's post to create your character, right? Nice job. Alternatively, you may want to go for a straight fighter and have him specialized in mounted combat (you'd get more feats). Or a Ranger to fit that nature theme you got going (more skill points, handy with your low intelligence score). Finally, you might want to throw javellins before closing in on an enemy, as they are pole-like (and thus fit your theme) and would benefit from your high dexterity score. Javellins of lightning might make you a Lightning-fast squire.. Lightning-Fast Skills Knowledge (local, Dalelands) 2 ranks knowledge (local, Waterdeep) 2 ranks (both will allow you to pick the initiative-boosting feats below. You could also come from either of these two regions, and you wouldn't have to buy those skill ranks associated with your homeland, ie. if you're from the Dalelands, you wouldn't need to pick Knowledge(local, Dalelands) to select the Blooded feat mentioned below) + any of the skills mentioned above Lightning-Fast Feats Lightning reflexes Weapon focus(javellin) Improved Initiative Blooded (from the FRCS) Thug (from the FRCS) + any of the feats given above By the way, I just love your character's name.
Kosterz 12-22-03, 09:24 PM	Regards to the comment on the class, its sort of a made up thing. My character is a Lancer(Dragoon) because his main ride is a Dragon, and he is only a squire, so he has a squad captain, etc. Skills Ride (d'huh!) Handle Animal Knowledge (Geography) Knowledge (nobility and royalty) Diplomacy Spot Listen Feats Mounted Combat Ride-by Attack Spirited Charge Trample Animal Affinity *pulls out PHB* Now, let me see what some of these feats are. Okie dokie, hmmm. These work, all of em. By the way, seems you used Trydan's post to create your character, right? Nice job. I used some of it, just the beginning, then I got my friends PHB(Players Handbook) and used the 3.5 Character Records Sheet. Lightning-Fast Skills Knowledge (local, Dalelands) 2 ranks knowledge (local, Waterdeep) 2 ranks (both will allow you to pick the initiative-boosting feats below. You could also come from either of these two regions, and you wouldn't have to buy those skill ranks associated with your homeland, ie. if you're from the Dalelands, you wouldn't need to pick Knowledge(local, Dalelands) to select the Blooded feat mentioned below) + any of the skills mentioned above Lightning-Fast Feats Lightning reflexes Weapon focus(javellin) Improved Initiative Blooded (from the FRCS) Thug (from the FRCS) + any of the feats given above 1)Whats FRCS 2)Those seem good for my guy, seeing he is based in speed. By the way, I just love your character's name. Thank you, i used my first name, but I don't know how I came up with the last name...
LiXinjian 12-22-03, 09:30 PM	Oh, and by the way, 210 pounds seems a bit too much for a Str12, Con13 character. If he's fit and agile, it would make more sense if he were slim.
LiXinjian 12-22-03, 09:33 PM	FRCS is Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting.. Blooded gives +2 to initiative, and +2 to spot checks Thug gives +2 to initiative, and +2 to intimidate checks
Kosterz 12-22-03, 10:26 PM	Alright, thanks for the advice. What do you reccomend for weight?
The_Yellow_Dart_Swinger 12-22-03, 11:22 PM	1) For finding out a weight for your characters, there is a random height and weight table on page 109 of the 3.5 ed. PHB. 2) Have you gone to the classes Fourm to see if your class is balanced or not? I'd just suggest as a first time D&D player that you just stick to the core classes like fighter for now and after you get some experience under your belt start designing classes. 3) Unless you've created some sort of 9 sided dice, I belive your HP should be 11, 1d10 (for most fighter type classes)+ 1 for constitution modifer. Or if your class uses a D8, you should only have 9 hp. 4) MP? D&D doesn't use MP for magic, you should check out the PHB for rules on magic unless your playing a modified version of D&D 5) Are you going to be mounted or not? Technically a lancer is one who uses lances, you use lances when your mounted, if that is the case switch your Dex with Str as your Dex doesn't matter very much if your mounted on a horse. (or what ever your character rides) 6) And even if your not going to be mounted I'd still suggest switching Str with Dex as pole's are NOT finesseable, you'll get more mileage out of your stats (since using spears is strength based and not dex based.) 7) However if the whole point of your character is for that "speedy" apperance, i'd go with improved inititive, weapon focus (weapon of choice), lightning reflexes, blooded and thug like LiXinjian said, and also maybe dash (5 feat more to movement, so a human would have a base speed of 35 with this feat) also think of agile and acrobatic for flavor 8) There is no eight, you must be confused 9) Number of languages equals racial languages + intelligence modifer if positive, so your character would only know Common. 10) I'd suggest just converting all your money into gold pieces, its A LOT easier to carry than 1000 cp (which only equals 10 gp) 11) If you have access, i'd suggest you go look at the Dragonlance campaign book. 12) Level 1 character riding a dragon? Talk about your broken characters, considering to ride something it has to be one size category larger than your character, a large dragon has a CR of a minimum of 10 or so, so it's like a tenth level character in very simpletin terms. Eh, im done.
Kosterz 12-22-03, 11:44 PM	Alright, I'll do a lot of renovations on my character, thanks for the advice homes, I really appreciate it. :D And I have a 3rd edition PHB I think, im not sure though, as it being my friend's book and all. But yeah, thanks. :D
Ithilorien 12-23-03, 12:20 AM	Originally posted by Kosterz Alright, thanks for the advice. What do you reccomend for weight? I frown upon randomly generating height and weight because you can then end up with characters who by your text are tall and agile, yet have numbers which indicate they are short and stout. I'm 6'5'' and I'd say reasonably well-built at 177 pounds, so I'd say 6' 160 lbs for Chad, sound good? Also, I don't think anyone else addressed it, so I'll ask: why is your character carrying around bread, cheese, and meat? While some cheeses may keep reasonably well and the meat may be considered to be dried, smoked, salted, or otherwise preserved the Player's Handbook also offers "Trail Rations" which are assumed to be nutritious, well preserved meals for an adventurer on the go, and may be cheaper, lighter, and take less space to write down than bread, cheese, and meat. :)
Kosterz 12-23-03, 12:27 AM	Have you actually ever eaten rations? Well, if you have, their horrible, but I guess that could be much easier, so, it sounds good, but rations are gross, if you have the wrong kind, and I think I did. And the weight sounds good, thanks. :D
The_Yellow_Dart_Swinger 12-23-03, 12:38 AM	Piece of advice, don't call me "homes" or i'll have to hunt you down and burn your house to the ground. :angel: *Cough* On another note, the skill Survival (3.5 ed) or Wilderness Lore (3.0) allows you to hunt/scavage for food, this includes but is not limited to, meat from animals you hunt, berries, mushrooms, fish, etc. And you only need to match a DC of 10 to feed one person. Oh, and that same random height/weight is on page 93 in the 3.0 edition PHB, FYI (For Your Information).
LiXinjian 12-23-03, 01:30 PM	I just wish to address some of Yellow Dart Swingers's comments. As far as everything else goes, I'm 100% behind him. It's true: there is no number eight; somebody must have been mistaken in accounting. Have them check this out before tomorrow. 5) Are you going to be mounted or not? Technically a lancer is one who uses lances, you use lances when your mounted, if that is the case switch your Dex with Str as your Dex doesn't matter very much if your mounted on a horse. (or what ever your character rides) 6) And even if your not going to be mounted I'd still suggest switching Str with Dex as pole's are NOT finesseable, you'll get more mileage out of your stats (since using spears is strength based and not dex based.) Actually, Dex matters to a mounted character. It's the primary stat for the Ride skill, which has tons of uses during mounted combat. You wouldn't want Chad to fail every ride check and constantly end up prone on the ground, would you? Yes, it's perfectly true that he can't use Weapon Finesse with a lance, but he already has a +1 modifier to Str. Combined with the +1 bonus for being on higher ground (which he will get for being mounted if his opponents are not), it makes a decent bonus to hit; no need to pump it up further. Certainly even more so if he takes the Weapon Focus feat. He'll do alright even when not mounted, I think. When he IS mounted and charging, he'll do a lot of damage even without more strength. Plus, he'll get the +2 to hit inherent to a charge... See, I don't think Kosterz's intent is to make the most powerful combattant ever.. he clearly wishes to have an agile dude who rides horses (or dragons... yeah, well, maybe later) and uses spears, lances, and perhaps even javellins if he likes my idea. And if he indeed likes my idea, Dex WILL benefit his attack rolls with the javellins much more than Str would. I think Chad Fennix the lancer is a combatant who does his very best to stay in the saddle and work wonders from there. Even with his biggest stat being Dex, I think he'll do okay in melee. Sure, he could do better, but then he wouldn't be as good in the saddle and that is the whole point of the character. By the way, Kosterz, do you know what a javellin of lightning is? It's a javellin that, when thrown, turns into an arc of lightning, and thus deals more damage than a regular, non-magical javellin would. Kinda like Zeus, except you don't have to be standing on clouds to throw lightning bolts left and right.
Kosterz 12-23-03, 05:49 PM	Wow, thats cool. Yeah and I read up on Ride and you need Dex for it so yeah. I figured I'd do this, start as a 1st level fighter, and like build myself up so like in the kingdom he is at he starts squire, then soldier, knight, etc. but he'll be a fighter still. Is that a bad idea or a good one?
LiXinjian 12-23-03, 11:10 PM	Fighter is a D&D game term to describe a character's calling and training. Squire, soldier, captain, lieutenant, etc, are all military ranks and/or occupations (to some extent). They are not part of the rules per se, but they ARE part of roleplaying a character. You could have a wizard that's a captain. He just wouldn't be as good with a sword than a fighter who'd be captain. Now, most of the times, members of a military unit are fighters. That's what they trained for: fighting with weapons. It doesn't mean a more bookish character (like a wizard, as previously mentioned) can't enter the military and thus gain ranks within its hierarchy. Of course, most wizards in the military are probably ranking officers, because they contribute in a very special way to an army's force. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that whatever class you pick, you (and your DM) can call Chad Fennix whatever you like. Most players refer to their character's profession by its character class: "I'm a fighter", or "I'm a wizard". But some others want to call themselves "squires" or "scout". It's perfectly fine, and it doesn't affect the game mechanics at all. Your fighter can gain ranks and go from squire, to lieutenant, to captain, to commander, etc, all the way to knighthood. Your DM will surely provide you with the in-game means to achieve such a rise in status, if only you will let him know you'd like to.