(3.5) PHB, DMG and PGtF...what to do??? [Archive] - Wizards Community

(3.5) PHB, DMG and PGtF...what to do??? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dracophile
09-22-04, 04:13 AM As the title suggests, I need to build a character using only the 3.5 Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Player's Guide to Faerun. (The 3.5 MMI is the only "creature" book available for polymorphs.)

Starting at 1st level. 32 point buy.

The party already has a Cleric, a Barbarian, a Rogue (going Rogue/Ranger), and another Rogue (going Rogue/Fighter).

I'm interested in a melee build, but I've played just about everything in the PHB. I don't mind being a secondary caster. Are there any interesting melee-type builds that can be created with just these three books? I'm not very familiar witht he PGtF. (And, yes, I've already considered Druid 20. But I've done that before.)

Thanks :)
Zan
09-22-04, 04:26 AM The party already has a Cleric, a Barbarian, a Rogue (going Rogue/Ranger), and another Rogue (going Rogue/Fighter).

I'm interested in a melee build, [...] Are there any interesting melee-type builds that can be created with just these three books?
I think you could build a good trip master with just the core manuals, and with two rogues in the party it could be quite useful.
olothfaern
09-22-04, 04:37 AM you could also be a monk... it's different from the other 2 melee characters, but still has skills... hide, move silently, climb, balance, tumble, jump...

Since you get the 3.5 DMG, look into the Kusari-Gama as your weapon; basically one handed spiked chain, (look on page 144 & 145) and it's an asian weapon (fits in with your monk flavour).
Cold Napalm
09-22-04, 06:31 AM Well PGtF has the otherworldly feat if you are interested in polymorph...it's one of those must get at 1st level feats.

Umm you could try an eldritch knight build so you can melee and be a primary caster. fighter 2/wizard 5 or 6/ EK 10/ wizard to done. Nothing quite like having 8 attacks a round with 9th level spells.

From PGtF, incantrix is the most wonky broken thing there...but that's a caster class, not melee...then again, your party could use some arcane magic...depending on how high the game goes anyways (and mixed with some EK, you could make a passible melee build with it). Nothing says I'm gonna hit you like a quickened true strike.

Yeah yeah I have a wizard's bent...but honestly, if your party is going past 5 your gonna kinda want some arcane power...past 9 it's noticable and past 13 really get's to be a problem. A good cleric player can reduce this quite a bit...but that's assuming your cleric doesn't heal...in which case you have a shortage of another sort hehe.
lonewolf
09-22-04, 07:31 AM What about a dwarven Cleric/Figther/Hammer of Moradin ?
nikademus
09-22-04, 07:32 AM Hello,
as Cold Napalm already said, i would suppose a arcane caster as an addition
to your group.

Human
Wizard 6
Eldritch Knight 10
Feats
01) Militia
03) Dodge
05) Extend spell
06) Mobility
07) Spring attack

or probably you could do a chain trip fighter

Monk 6
Fighter 2
Divine Champion of Kossuth 5

with the usual Improved Trip, Combat expertise, Exotic Weapon spiked
chain feats.

Nikademus
Battousai
09-22-04, 08:09 AM If I were a caster , I'd rather take Otherworldly at level 1 and go ASAP in Incantatrix , I just love this PrC.
Sun elf Wizard 5/Incantatrix 10/Spellguard of Sylverymoon sounds good :D
You'll have a crapload of free Metamagic feats ( 4 from Incantatrix, 2 from Spellguard )

If cleric , the Eye of Horus-Re is as badass as the Radiant Servant.

If mellee , Hammer of Moradin is the way to go!
saethar
09-22-04, 09:44 AM I would normally suggest a bladesinger as a very good melee/secondary caster with "flavor" (as opposed to the straight EK posted above). The only problem is bladesinger got written out of PGtF in favor of CW.... Of course the old FR version is in RoF if you can get that worked in.

Saethar
:b:
Mommy was an Orc
09-22-04, 10:42 AM If you're in a game where you expect to buy/sell magic items, and no one else has it, the best feat in PGtF is Mercantile by a long shot. No other feat even comes close.

The thing about it is that you offer to sell party treasure for 70%, keeping 5% for yourself. Let's say the party finds 5000 gold worth of items. Normally, assuming the party eventually sells it when something better comes along, you're only going to get 500 gold each. Now everyone but you gets 700 gold. You get 700 gold+250 for a total of 950.

Look at what just happened - you've got 950 gold when normally you'd have 500. But it gets worse. You go out and buy the biggest item you need for 75%. Divide 950/.75 = 1266. In other words, Mercantile makes buying items cheaper than enchanting them...and eventually, as you'll have about 1.1 Million more gold than you're supposed to have at 20th level, that basically means you can do things such as affording all 6 +5 books of bonuses and things like that - and still have more money than anyone else in the party.
ck2001wendt
09-22-04, 11:05 AM The party already has a Cleric, a Barbarian, a Rogue (going Rogue/Ranger), and another Rogue (going Rogue/Fighter).

Uhhh...hello? Wizard 5/Incantatrix 10/Archmage 4/Loremaster 1 (for the extra feat).

I understand you want to do melee, but your party is shy an Arcane caster AND you get the three books needed to make what is still the standard "Optimized" Wizard.
Blade2718
09-22-04, 04:08 PM Arcane is necessary for your group, but you can melee once you pick up polymorph. The MMI is a good book for that; the annis hag is still a top-tier form. And if you have Otherworldly, it only gets sicker.
Dark_and_Stormy
09-22-04, 07:11 PM And, of course, there's shapechange... ;)
incubus
09-22-04, 10:21 PM Arcane is necessary for your group, but you can melee once you pick up polymorph. The MMI is a good book for that; the annis hag is still a top-tier form. And if you have Otherworldly, it only gets sicker.

Annis hag? Pshaw. Hydra and arcane strike any day.
Blade2718
09-23-04, 12:28 AM Pooh, hydra has too many HD to poly into quickly. Annis hag you can morph into faster.
schulerta
09-23-04, 12:57 AM You can Polymorph into a 7-headed Hydra at 7th level.

Other forms:

vs. Strong opponents: Roper (10th level); 6 Strands BAB ranged touch attacks (50'); each successfull hit requires a DC 18 Fortitude save or take 2d8 points of Strength damage. Sure a strong fighter will save most of the time, but eventually they will fail. A Bear's Endurance increases the DC to 20.

Underwater: Giant Octopus; 8 tentacles (1d4+5) 20' reach; Improved Grab on successful hit, Constrict (2d8+7) on successful grapple.

vs. Casters: Annis Hag, grapple them into oblivion.

Heavily armored foe (Iron Golem): Rust Monster; Touch attack and DC 17 Reflex save or corrode instantly, the save is Con based and can be increased with Bear's Endurance. A fully armored fighter would run like a scared little girl from you.

Check out the Polymorph thread in my sig. They have outsider forms as well.

Troy
Blade2718
09-23-04, 01:29 AM You can Polymorph into a 7-headed Hydra at 7th level.Bah, seven heads? That's it? I was thinking of the crazier ones in Savage Species...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dracophile 09-22-04, 04:13 AM	As the title suggests, I need to build a character using only the 3.5 Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Player's Guide to Faerun. (The 3.5 MMI is the only "creature" book available for polymorphs.) Starting at 1st level. 32 point buy. The party already has a Cleric, a Barbarian, a Rogue (going Rogue/Ranger), and another Rogue (going Rogue/Fighter). I'm interested in a melee build, but I've played just about everything in the PHB. I don't mind being a secondary caster. Are there any interesting melee-type builds that can be created with just these three books? I'm not very familiar witht he PGtF. (And, yes, I've already considered Druid 20. But I've done that before.) Thanks :)
Zan 09-22-04, 04:26 AM	The party already has a Cleric, a Barbarian, a Rogue (going Rogue/Ranger), and another Rogue (going Rogue/Fighter). I'm interested in a melee build, [...] Are there any interesting melee-type builds that can be created with just these three books? I think you could build a good trip master with just the core manuals, and with two rogues in the party it could be quite useful.
olothfaern 09-22-04, 04:37 AM	you could also be a monk... it's different from the other 2 melee characters, but still has skills... hide, move silently, climb, balance, tumble, jump... Since you get the 3.5 DMG, look into the Kusari-Gama as your weapon; basically one handed spiked chain, (look on page 144 & 145) and it's an asian weapon (fits in with your monk flavour).
Cold Napalm 09-22-04, 06:31 AM	Well PGtF has the otherworldly feat if you are interested in polymorph...it's one of those must get at 1st level feats. Umm you could try an eldritch knight build so you can melee and be a primary caster. fighter 2/wizard 5 or 6/ EK 10/ wizard to done. Nothing quite like having 8 attacks a round with 9th level spells. From PGtF, incantrix is the most wonky broken thing there...but that's a caster class, not melee...then again, your party could use some arcane magic...depending on how high the game goes anyways (and mixed with some EK, you could make a passible melee build with it). Nothing says I'm gonna hit you like a quickened true strike. Yeah yeah I have a wizard's bent...but honestly, if your party is going past 5 your gonna kinda want some arcane power...past 9 it's noticable and past 13 really get's to be a problem. A good cleric player can reduce this quite a bit...but that's assuming your cleric doesn't heal...in which case you have a shortage of another sort hehe.
lonewolf 09-22-04, 07:31 AM	What about a dwarven Cleric/Figther/Hammer of Moradin ?
nikademus 09-22-04, 07:32 AM	Hello, as Cold Napalm already said, i would suppose a arcane caster as an addition to your group. Human Wizard 6 Eldritch Knight 10 Feats 01) Militia 03) Dodge 05) Extend spell 06) Mobility 07) Spring attack or probably you could do a chain trip fighter Monk 6 Fighter 2 Divine Champion of Kossuth 5 with the usual Improved Trip, Combat expertise, Exotic Weapon spiked chain feats. Nikademus
Battousai 09-22-04, 08:09 AM	If I were a caster , I'd rather take Otherworldly at level 1 and go ASAP in Incantatrix , I just love this PrC. Sun elf Wizard 5/Incantatrix 10/Spellguard of Sylverymoon sounds good :D You'll have a crapload of free Metamagic feats ( 4 from Incantatrix, 2 from Spellguard ) If cleric , the Eye of Horus-Re is as badass as the Radiant Servant. If mellee , Hammer of Moradin is the way to go!
saethar 09-22-04, 09:44 AM	I would normally suggest a bladesinger as a very good melee/secondary caster with "flavor" (as opposed to the straight EK posted above). The only problem is bladesinger got written out of PGtF in favor of CW.... Of course the old FR version is in RoF if you can get that worked in. Saethar :b:
Mommy was an Orc 09-22-04, 10:42 AM	If you're in a game where you expect to buy/sell magic items, and no one else has it, the best feat in PGtF is Mercantile by a long shot. No other feat even comes close. The thing about it is that you offer to sell party treasure for 70%, keeping 5% for yourself. Let's say the party finds 5000 gold worth of items. Normally, assuming the party eventually sells it when something better comes along, you're only going to get 500 gold each. Now everyone but you gets 700 gold. You get 700 gold+250 for a total of 950. Look at what just happened - you've got 950 gold when normally you'd have 500. But it gets worse. You go out and buy the biggest item you need for 75%. Divide 950/.75 = 1266. In other words, Mercantile makes buying items cheaper than enchanting them...and eventually, as you'll have about 1.1 Million more gold than you're supposed to have at 20th level, that basically means you can do things such as affording all 6 +5 books of bonuses and things like that - and still have more money than anyone else in the party.
ck2001wendt 09-22-04, 11:05 AM	The party already has a Cleric, a Barbarian, a Rogue (going Rogue/Ranger), and another Rogue (going Rogue/Fighter). Uhhh...hello? Wizard 5/Incantatrix 10/Archmage 4/Loremaster 1 (for the extra feat). I understand you want to do melee, but your party is shy an Arcane caster AND you get the three books needed to make what is still the standard "Optimized" Wizard.
Blade2718 09-22-04, 04:08 PM	Arcane is necessary for your group, but you can melee once you pick up polymorph. The MMI is a good book for that; the annis hag is still a top-tier form. And if you have Otherworldly, it only gets sicker.
Dark_and_Stormy 09-22-04, 07:11 PM	And, of course, there's shapechange... ;)
incubus 09-22-04, 10:21 PM	Arcane is necessary for your group, but you can melee once you pick up polymorph. The MMI is a good book for that; the annis hag is still a top-tier form. And if you have Otherworldly, it only gets sicker. Annis hag? Pshaw. Hydra and arcane strike any day.
Blade2718 09-23-04, 12:28 AM	Pooh, hydra has too many HD to poly into quickly. Annis hag you can morph into faster.
schulerta 09-23-04, 12:57 AM	You can Polymorph into a 7-headed Hydra at 7th level. Other forms: vs. Strong opponents: Roper (10th level); 6 Strands BAB ranged touch attacks (50'); each successfull hit requires a DC 18 Fortitude save or take 2d8 points of Strength damage. Sure a strong fighter will save most of the time, but eventually they will fail. A Bear's Endurance increases the DC to 20. Underwater: Giant Octopus; 8 tentacles (1d4+5) 20' reach; Improved Grab on successful hit, Constrict (2d8+7) on successful grapple. vs. Casters: Annis Hag, grapple them into oblivion. Heavily armored foe (Iron Golem): Rust Monster; Touch attack and DC 17 Reflex save or corrode instantly, the save is Con based and can be increased with Bear's Endurance. A fully armored fighter would run like a scared little girl from you. Check out the Polymorph thread in my sig. They have outsider forms as well. Troy
Blade2718 09-23-04, 01:29 AM	You can Polymorph into a 7-headed Hydra at 7th level.Bah, seven heads? That's it? I was thinking of the crazier ones in Savage Species...