Veteran Soldier [Archive] - Wizards Community

Veteran Soldier [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
shuman
07-18-06, 08:36 PM I have to make a character for an upcoming game. I am trying to get away from the meat sheild types of fighters that I have been playing, but not all the way to a wizard.

My idea is this: Since we are starting at 8th level, maybe a middle aged human retired soldier, very diplomatic and with a stern bearing. Kind of a historian on military battles and such (good skill points). Cant decide between Ranger, Fighter, or Swashbuckler. I do want him lightly armored, more of a tactical stick and move kinda beleiveable fighter instead of the towering brutes. I am not as concerned with min/maxing as I am with having an enjoyable character to play and have fun with. No evil.

I also thought of having a twist on his dark past, were he has a hidden graft. During a battle before his retirement, his left arm was severed below the elbow. Having no choice, the wizards grafted a nonhuman left hand into place. Upon realizing what happened, he left the service of his employer and now adventures. What creatures hand?

Maybe take levels of Marshall or Leadership feat? Any ideas? I picture a tall man, shaved head but droopy moustaches, perhaps with a monacle! Ancient clothing, ruffled shirts underneath tattered leather armor or breastplate. Military clothing, perhaps a civil war lean to the fantasy styles?
Piggyfreak6
07-19-06, 09:09 PM Have him have like, a bugbears arm when his army went and attacked a large goblinoid army and that was the only arm that would fit. Also take fighter and specialize in like, trip attacks or sunder attacks.
LuckyLeprechaun
07-19-06, 09:32 PM For him I like the Fighter/Marshall, or if your willing to be lawful and be a little restricted in your roleplaying, Knight would be a very good one in my opinion, they have very good combat basics (Full BAB, d12 hd, etc.) as well as a fair assortment of charisma-based skills.

As for what creatures arm, a gnoll arm comes to mind, very similar to a human arm, just with lots of fur, could be interesting.
shuman
07-19-06, 10:40 PM I dont have access to the Miniatures handbook. What are the requirements of the Marshall? Could one be a Knight/Marshall?
Devlonir
07-20-06, 05:28 AM Id say, just go fighter, but make him special by taking feats from the combat expertise tree (so he will need some int.) And other feats that increase his combat options (sunder maybe) But avoid feats that just increase your damage potential. In my opinion, a good war veteran is a great tactician and will not rush into any combat. He will play it smart instead of trying to brute his way true anything. Also take feats to improve what you can do with your shield and look for feats and equipment that fill your character's weaknesses. Increase your weak saves to show that you are hardened by war and thereby know how to survive a lot more then any other fighter. Go for Constitution as highest score for the same reason.

Now this might sound like another meat shield, but if you play it right, and with the higher intelligence and your multitude of combat options, you can become a lot more for the party. Why kill that ogre when you can also slice his Club in two and force him to surrender?

Also, in my experience, a nice option for when you have improved trip, is to use the spiked chain and, with some dex, take combat reflexes. Example: 5 creatures come to you to attack you, you trip 2 or 3 and suddenly, the odds are all changed as half their group is smack down on the floor. Combine that with a nice intimidate and your opponents might just flee in fear after just that one action.
TeediousPrime
07-20-06, 03:59 PM What creatures hand?

I say something reptilian, a Lizardfolk maybe. It would have to be something vile and disgusting to make him leave his employers, as most arms would be just as good as another when the only choice is no arm at all.
Malcaor
07-20-06, 04:23 PM probably go with a fighter or soemthign with marshal as second class.
club2bash
07-20-06, 04:46 PM go for a undead graft. if he worship pelor then that can be very interesting.
swashbuckler 5/ invisible blade 1/ master thrower 2 and fight with two daggers.
shuman
07-20-06, 06:22 PM What kind of grafts are possible? Doesnt the FF have info on grafts? Anyone have a copy handy?
The Jacob
07-20-06, 10:33 PM What about a troll s arm, it could even be slowly grrowing over the character, or make violent actions on its own.
LuckyLeprechaun
07-20-06, 10:36 PM I dont have access to the Miniatures handbook. What are the requirements of the Marshall? Could one be a Knight/Marshall?

The marshall has no requirements. You could be barbarian/marshall, a monk/marshall, etc. You could be a knight/marshall, but as you are just trying to make him diplomatic, marshall might be overdoing it, as knight is already a very charisma-based character.
shuman
07-20-06, 11:10 PM Thanks for the replies. I am imagining him like a fantasy Robert E Lee or Stonewall Jackson. We are playing in the Forgotten Realms, so after some reading, I decided to make him from Tethyr. He grew up around the civil wars ravaging the land, and the constant threat of goblinoid raids.

Trolls arm? I like, but that may be pushing it a bit with my DM. I like gnoll or orc. I also want to play him with a sort of British sense of humor at times (for those comic releif moments at 2 am!)
Shedeo
07-21-06, 05:20 AM I'd actually agree with the troll's arm. It doesnt give him regen or anything, but it fit to resize its new body. As stated, it could try to overgrow his body, but who knows what might happen there,... And if the BBEG finds out that a "troll" weapon might spring from it, he could create all kinds of ghastly troll concoctions. Allows for some better involvement, or perhaps the character is the only one whose blood works with that of a troll (thanks to some distant giant blood in his family tree?) and the BBEG wants that (not realizing why).

Anyways, if you have access to the PHBII, the Combat Focus feats are great for a character like this, methinks.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
shuman 07-18-06, 08:36 PM	I have to make a character for an upcoming game. I am trying to get away from the meat sheild types of fighters that I have been playing, but not all the way to a wizard. My idea is this: Since we are starting at 8th level, maybe a middle aged human retired soldier, very diplomatic and with a stern bearing. Kind of a historian on military battles and such (good skill points). Cant decide between Ranger, Fighter, or Swashbuckler. I do want him lightly armored, more of a tactical stick and move kinda beleiveable fighter instead of the towering brutes. I am not as concerned with min/maxing as I am with having an enjoyable character to play and have fun with. No evil. I also thought of having a twist on his dark past, were he has a hidden graft. During a battle before his retirement, his left arm was severed below the elbow. Having no choice, the wizards grafted a nonhuman left hand into place. Upon realizing what happened, he left the service of his employer and now adventures. What creatures hand? Maybe take levels of Marshall or Leadership feat? Any ideas? I picture a tall man, shaved head but droopy moustaches, perhaps with a monacle! Ancient clothing, ruffled shirts underneath tattered leather armor or breastplate. Military clothing, perhaps a civil war lean to the fantasy styles?
Piggyfreak6 07-19-06, 09:09 PM	Have him have like, a bugbears arm when his army went and attacked a large goblinoid army and that was the only arm that would fit. Also take fighter and specialize in like, trip attacks or sunder attacks.
LuckyLeprechaun 07-19-06, 09:32 PM	For him I like the Fighter/Marshall, or if your willing to be lawful and be a little restricted in your roleplaying, Knight would be a very good one in my opinion, they have very good combat basics (Full BAB, d12 hd, etc.) as well as a fair assortment of charisma-based skills. As for what creatures arm, a gnoll arm comes to mind, very similar to a human arm, just with lots of fur, could be interesting.
shuman 07-19-06, 10:40 PM	I dont have access to the Miniatures handbook. What are the requirements of the Marshall? Could one be a Knight/Marshall?
Devlonir 07-20-06, 05:28 AM	Id say, just go fighter, but make him special by taking feats from the combat expertise tree (so he will need some int.) And other feats that increase his combat options (sunder maybe) But avoid feats that just increase your damage potential. In my opinion, a good war veteran is a great tactician and will not rush into any combat. He will play it smart instead of trying to brute his way true anything. Also take feats to improve what you can do with your shield and look for feats and equipment that fill your character's weaknesses. Increase your weak saves to show that you are hardened by war and thereby know how to survive a lot more then any other fighter. Go for Constitution as highest score for the same reason. Now this might sound like another meat shield, but if you play it right, and with the higher intelligence and your multitude of combat options, you can become a lot more for the party. Why kill that ogre when you can also slice his Club in two and force him to surrender? Also, in my experience, a nice option for when you have improved trip, is to use the spiked chain and, with some dex, take combat reflexes. Example: 5 creatures come to you to attack you, you trip 2 or 3 and suddenly, the odds are all changed as half their group is smack down on the floor. Combine that with a nice intimidate and your opponents might just flee in fear after just that one action.
TeediousPrime 07-20-06, 03:59 PM	What creatures hand? I say something reptilian, a Lizardfolk maybe. It would have to be something vile and disgusting to make him leave his employers, as most arms would be just as good as another when the only choice is no arm at all.
Malcaor 07-20-06, 04:23 PM	probably go with a fighter or soemthign with marshal as second class.
club2bash 07-20-06, 04:46 PM	go for a undead graft. if he worship pelor then that can be very interesting. swashbuckler 5/ invisible blade 1/ master thrower 2 and fight with two daggers.
shuman 07-20-06, 06:22 PM	What kind of grafts are possible? Doesnt the FF have info on grafts? Anyone have a copy handy?
The Jacob 07-20-06, 10:33 PM	What about a troll s arm, it could even be slowly grrowing over the character, or make violent actions on its own.
LuckyLeprechaun 07-20-06, 10:36 PM	I dont have access to the Miniatures handbook. What are the requirements of the Marshall? Could one be a Knight/Marshall? The marshall has no requirements. You could be barbarian/marshall, a monk/marshall, etc. You could be a knight/marshall, but as you are just trying to make him diplomatic, marshall might be overdoing it, as knight is already a very charisma-based character.
shuman 07-20-06, 11:10 PM	Thanks for the replies. I am imagining him like a fantasy Robert E Lee or Stonewall Jackson. We are playing in the Forgotten Realms, so after some reading, I decided to make him from Tethyr. He grew up around the civil wars ravaging the land, and the constant threat of goblinoid raids. Trolls arm? I like, but that may be pushing it a bit with my DM. I like gnoll or orc. I also want to play him with a sort of British sense of humor at times (for those comic releif moments at 2 am!)
Shedeo 07-21-06, 05:20 AM	I'd actually agree with the troll's arm. It doesnt give him regen or anything, but it fit to resize its new body. As stated, it could try to overgrow his body, but who knows what might happen there,... And if the BBEG finds out that a "troll" weapon might spring from it, he could create all kinds of ghastly troll concoctions. Allows for some better involvement, or perhaps the character is the only one whose blood works with that of a troll (thanks to some distant giant blood in his family tree?) and the BBEG wants that (not realizing why). Anyways, if you have access to the PHBII, the Combat Focus feats are great for a character like this, methinks.