Help with my Rogue/Fighter [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help with my Rogue/Fighter [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ericSHINRA
08-01-06, 04:56 PM I'm working on a character for my next campaign who belongs to a secret organization which has pledged itself to 'the protection of the balance', similar to The League of Shadows from the Batman comics.

Anyway~ my DM has told me the only thing I must include in my characters backstory is that he remembers very little of his childhood.

I want my character to be a ranged combatant, thus the fighter levels but he is more of an agent so I'm thinking he needs a level or two of rogue here and there.

What I need is an educated agent who can also serve as a decent combatant. If anyone has some ideas I'd appreciate it.

His alignment should also be neutral, but not True Neutral because I want him to be an individual devoted to bettering himself and a disregard for politics and debate but eventually I want him to find something to believe in.
keropie
08-01-06, 05:39 PM I guess if you want to stay away from True Neutral (though I can't think of a better alignment for 'the balance'), I'd head towards Lawful Neutral. I have a hard time thinking of much else for CN other than 'selfish,' and that doesn't seem to work.

You could have an interesting question as to what he knows of this group. Even looking at 'Batman Begins,' Bruce Wayne certainly thought the League of Shadows was a group of 'good guys,' and later found out more about them (I'd probably call it a LE organization, myself). So you could be a good aligned character to start, and have that change as you continue along with the organization, or possibly solidify if you decide the organization is 'wrong.'

Mechanically, it might just be easiest to split between fighter and rogue, or maybe look at swashbuckler instead? You might want some Rogue levels either way, just to pick up trap sense/open locks/etc., but I could see a swashbuckler as anything from 3 musketeers (not you) to James Bond (more you) and a whole lot in between. . .
ericSHINRA
08-01-06, 05:43 PM I had intended for him to be more a master of ranged combat so I'm not sure the Int Bonus to Melee is of much use. Actually, there are firearms in this campaign so that is more his closen style when it comes to combat.

We have a Swashbuckler in the game anyway.

If there is another class which would work with a ranged combatant thats fine too.
Reversefigure4
08-01-06, 08:13 PM A bard might serve you well. Well educated, decent combatant, set for ranged combat. If you want to be LN, just clear it with the DM.

Frankly, I'd run the idea past the DM first anyway. With the whole "you don't remember your childhood" thing, he might have his own ideas, and a League of Shadows agent might not fit them well.
ericSHINRA
08-01-06, 09:25 PM My DM likely does have plans for his past but that actually works with the League idea because he was born into the organization. I love the Bard class but I can't see him singing... I know the Bard can perform in other ways but I don't see this character as a Bard.

Mechanically, it might just be easiest to split between fighter and rogue, or maybe look at swashbuckler instead? You might want some Rogue levels either way, just to pick up trap sense/open locks/etc., but I could see a swashbuckler as anything from 3 musketeers (not you) to James Bond (more you) and a whole lot in between. . .

If I had to compare him to a spy/soldier, I'd say he's a lot like Revolver Ocelot... Only not as evil and more neutral.
keropie
08-01-06, 10:18 PM I see Revolver as mostly just a fighter, really. Fighter ranged build, of course. Maybe toss a little scout or expert or something in there every now and then for skill purposes. Or not.
ericSHINRA
08-01-06, 10:30 PM I see Revolver as mostly just a fighter, really. Fighter ranged build, of course. Maybe toss a little scout or expert or something in there every now and then for skill purposes. Or not.

Mhm, I admit I will need a few fighter levels but I'm still trying to decide how I could make him a bit more educated... Heck, all I really want is good skill selection.
Liachami
08-01-06, 11:18 PM You tempt me to suggest an elven character working towards Arcane Archer, with Wizard as the spellcasting class. Though, understandably, it would be awfully hard to manage with rogue, fighter, AND wizard.
ericSHINRA
08-01-06, 11:35 PM In terms of Magic, my character knows enough about it(his partner is an older Half-Elf Duskblade) but he personally never recieved any training or did much studying of magic.
keropie
08-01-06, 11:38 PM Scout gets 8 sp / level, and have a bunch of class skills. Experts (NPC class) get 6 sp / level, and can choose 10 class skills. Just a couple of random thoughts.
ericSHINRA
08-01-06, 11:40 PM I like the Scout class but the Skirmish abiltity doesn't stack with some of the feats I'd like to take(such as Rapid Shot). That doesn't really fit in the Developement boards since its Optimizing but oh well...
The Expert might work, though I don't like the idea of not recieving any special abilities.
Devlonir
08-02-06, 02:01 AM Ok, quick hop to optimization.

Dont see his skirmish ability as not stacking with stuff like rapid shot, see it as giving him more options. A single scout is almost forced to move all the time to be most effective. But sometimes, moving at close range of a character just isn't an option. And that is where the other combat feats come by.

I have a current party with a scout and he uses all kinds of archery feats. He is deadly, even when not skirmishing.

I agree that if you want a smart and deadly ranged combatant, scout is the way to go.
Wyrmul
08-02-06, 02:17 AM As for the character background I could see this character as entering an orphanage around 8 or 9 after "An Event" that the PC suppressed. After a year or two he had a limited formal education, read, write, some math, as well as an informal eductaion, sneaking, picking pockets, etc. He is fostered/apprenticed by the Leauge of Shadows analoge.
keropie
08-02-06, 11:07 AM The only thing I see about stacking with manyshot is that precision based damage (sneak attack, skirmish, etc.) only add damage to one arrow in the manyshot. But since no precision based damage will act differently, that doesn't seem to matter. The 'weakness' of skirmish shows up more in melee, where you can't full attack with skirmish.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ericSHINRA 08-01-06, 04:56 PM	I'm working on a character for my next campaign who belongs to a secret organization which has pledged itself to 'the protection of the balance', similar to The League of Shadows from the Batman comics. Anyway~ my DM has told me the only thing I must include in my characters backstory is that he remembers very little of his childhood. I want my character to be a ranged combatant, thus the fighter levels but he is more of an agent so I'm thinking he needs a level or two of rogue here and there. What I need is an educated agent who can also serve as a decent combatant. If anyone has some ideas I'd appreciate it. His alignment should also be neutral, but not True Neutral because I want him to be an individual devoted to bettering himself and a disregard for politics and debate but eventually I want him to find something to believe in.
keropie 08-01-06, 05:39 PM	I guess if you want to stay away from True Neutral (though I can't think of a better alignment for 'the balance'), I'd head towards Lawful Neutral. I have a hard time thinking of much else for CN other than 'selfish,' and that doesn't seem to work. You could have an interesting question as to what he knows of this group. Even looking at 'Batman Begins,' Bruce Wayne certainly thought the League of Shadows was a group of 'good guys,' and later found out more about them (I'd probably call it a LE organization, myself). So you could be a good aligned character to start, and have that change as you continue along with the organization, or possibly solidify if you decide the organization is 'wrong.' Mechanically, it might just be easiest to split between fighter and rogue, or maybe look at swashbuckler instead? You might want some Rogue levels either way, just to pick up trap sense/open locks/etc., but I could see a swashbuckler as anything from 3 musketeers (not you) to James Bond (more you) and a whole lot in between. . .
ericSHINRA 08-01-06, 05:43 PM	I had intended for him to be more a master of ranged combat so I'm not sure the Int Bonus to Melee is of much use. Actually, there are firearms in this campaign so that is more his closen style when it comes to combat. We have a Swashbuckler in the game anyway. If there is another class which would work with a ranged combatant thats fine too.
Reversefigure4 08-01-06, 08:13 PM	A bard might serve you well. Well educated, decent combatant, set for ranged combat. If you want to be LN, just clear it with the DM. Frankly, I'd run the idea past the DM first anyway. With the whole "you don't remember your childhood" thing, he might have his own ideas, and a League of Shadows agent might not fit them well.
ericSHINRA 08-01-06, 09:25 PM	My DM likely does have plans for his past but that actually works with the League idea because he was born into the organization. I love the Bard class but I can't see him singing... I know the Bard can perform in other ways but I don't see this character as a Bard. Mechanically, it might just be easiest to split between fighter and rogue, or maybe look at swashbuckler instead? You might want some Rogue levels either way, just to pick up trap sense/open locks/etc., but I could see a swashbuckler as anything from 3 musketeers (not you) to James Bond (more you) and a whole lot in between. . . If I had to compare him to a spy/soldier, I'd say he's a lot like Revolver Ocelot... Only not as evil and more neutral.
keropie 08-01-06, 10:18 PM	I see Revolver as mostly just a fighter, really. Fighter ranged build, of course. Maybe toss a little scout or expert or something in there every now and then for skill purposes. Or not.
ericSHINRA 08-01-06, 10:30 PM	I see Revolver as mostly just a fighter, really. Fighter ranged build, of course. Maybe toss a little scout or expert or something in there every now and then for skill purposes. Or not. Mhm, I admit I will need a few fighter levels but I'm still trying to decide how I could make him a bit more educated... Heck, all I really want is good skill selection.
Liachami 08-01-06, 11:18 PM	You tempt me to suggest an elven character working towards Arcane Archer, with Wizard as the spellcasting class. Though, understandably, it would be awfully hard to manage with rogue, fighter, AND wizard.
ericSHINRA 08-01-06, 11:35 PM	In terms of Magic, my character knows enough about it(his partner is an older Half-Elf Duskblade) but he personally never recieved any training or did much studying of magic.
keropie 08-01-06, 11:38 PM	Scout gets 8 sp / level, and have a bunch of class skills. Experts (NPC class) get 6 sp / level, and can choose 10 class skills. Just a couple of random thoughts.
ericSHINRA 08-01-06, 11:40 PM	I like the Scout class but the Skirmish abiltity doesn't stack with some of the feats I'd like to take(such as Rapid Shot). That doesn't really fit in the Developement boards since its Optimizing but oh well... The Expert might work, though I don't like the idea of not recieving any special abilities.
Devlonir 08-02-06, 02:01 AM	Ok, quick hop to optimization. Dont see his skirmish ability as not stacking with stuff like rapid shot, see it as giving him more options. A single scout is almost forced to move all the time to be most effective. But sometimes, moving at close range of a character just isn't an option. And that is where the other combat feats come by. I have a current party with a scout and he uses all kinds of archery feats. He is deadly, even when not skirmishing. I agree that if you want a smart and deadly ranged combatant, scout is the way to go.
Wyrmul 08-02-06, 02:17 AM	As for the character background I could see this character as entering an orphanage around 8 or 9 after "An Event" that the PC suppressed. After a year or two he had a limited formal education, read, write, some math, as well as an informal eductaion, sneaking, picking pockets, etc. He is fostered/apprenticed by the Leauge of Shadows analoge.
keropie 08-02-06, 11:07 AM	The only thing I see about stacking with manyshot is that precision based damage (sneak attack, skirmish, etc.) only add damage to one arrow in the manyshot. But since no precision based damage will act differently, that doesn't seem to matter. The 'weakness' of skirmish shows up more in melee, where you can't full attack with skirmish.