Airboat pilot - help needed [Archive] - Wizards Community

Airboat pilot - help needed [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
the shaderaven
03-30-06, 12:03 PM Hellow, I'm building a character for an incomming game at the Real Adventures forum and since this is whole new area for me (the planar/naval campaign) I surely can use some help.
I want my character to be able to fulfil the following roles onboard listed in order of importance.
Pilot: An individual skilled in the operation of the experimental Manta class airship.
Windsinger: A magically skilled individual dedicated to the control of the wind, and other miscellaneous magical supplements to the ship.
Shipwright: A skilled shipbuilder and architect that is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the ship.
We will be flying on the Ebony Tide - a colossal airship staying in the air thanks to a very powerfull build in levitation spell and moving with the help of the wind in his numerous sails.
Colossal vehicle; Speed wind x30 ft. (good); Overall AC -3; Hull sections 24 (sink 6 locations); Section hp 80 (hardness 5); Section AC 3; Rigging Sections 4; Rigging hp 50/100/75/50 (hardness 0), Rigging AC 5/1/3/5; Ram 4d6; 2 Light Catapults; 3 Ballistae; 75 ft. by 45 ft.; Height 15 ft; Complement 90; Watch 6; Cargo 15 tons; Cost 16,775 gp

On the lower deck of the Ebony Tide are two experimental manta class airship one of which my character is supoused to be piloting.
The base stats of the small ship are (though I plan to improve on this one):
Large vehicle; Speed wind x50 ft. (good); Overall AC 4; Hull sections 1; Section hp 60 (hardness 5); Rigging Sections 1; Rigging hp 50 (hardness 0), Rigging AC 5; Ram 1d6; 1 Repeating Crossbow; 10 ft. by 5 ft.; Height 5 ft; Complement 3; Watch 0; Cargo 0 tons; Cost 3,000 gp

Im still not sure how to build my character though. My first idea was:
Air half-elf artificier 10 | windwright captain 5 | dragonmarked heir 5

This gives good wind control abilities thanks to the mark of storm - gust of wind 4/day, winds favour or wind wall 2/day, control winds 2/day at caster level 20... not to mention that with use magic device and wands at early levels, staves (though not crafted by myself) at late ones i can have access to any wind spell out there.

This gives me also very good pilot skills... my profesion (sailor) check is maxed ranks + Wis + Cha + 5 + any magic item that i craft for the purpose. The problem is that except for winning the initiative in an air fight (which is nice if you start with dropping a hurricane in the enemy lines, but still...) and avoiding one attack to my manta per round (thanks to the Airship Combat feat which works mych like Mounted Combat, but with profession sailor instead of ride skill) I don't really see much practical use of really high sailing skill.
Artificier 10/Windwright Captain 5/Dragonmark Heir 5

As for the shipwright role... I hope 13 levels of artificier casting will be enough but I'm not really sure if that is true.

Will this be a viable character or I'm much better with going pure artificier and maxing profession (sailor) plus use magic device and getting my hands of some sick wand&staffs for wind powers.
the shaderaven
03-30-06, 04:26 PM :bump:
I really would love some imput before I can come with more detailed build for critique.
UMiskatonic
03-30-06, 06:35 PM Bonded summoner (air) would give you the services of an air elemental. That might be really handy.
lonewolf
03-30-06, 07:02 PM Trying to get in the game myself, I might add that Dragonmark Heir is not an allowed source. Only Artificers and Warforged are allowed from the Eberron Campaign Setting.

Were is windwright captain from?
Tempest Stormwind
03-30-06, 07:46 PM I don't know much about the Windwright Captain, but I can definitely say that Stormwrack's psionic power Helmsman (if you're manifesting it; if you have an item, Greater Helmsman comes with a better base effect, but it's harder to augment) is worth more than the weight of the ship in gold. Do whatever you can to make one or buy one -- making may be easy as an artificer, though you will need to speak to the DM about psionics/magic transparency with respect to item creation.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
the shaderaven 03-30-06, 12:03 PM	Hellow, I'm building a character for an incomming game at the Real Adventures forum and since this is whole new area for me (the planar/naval campaign) I surely can use some help. I want my character to be able to fulfil the following roles onboard listed in order of importance. Pilot: An individual skilled in the operation of the experimental Manta class airship. Windsinger: A magically skilled individual dedicated to the control of the wind, and other miscellaneous magical supplements to the ship. Shipwright: A skilled shipbuilder and architect that is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the ship. We will be flying on the Ebony Tide - a colossal airship staying in the air thanks to a very powerfull build in levitation spell and moving with the help of the wind in his numerous sails. Colossal vehicle; Speed wind x30 ft. (good); Overall AC -3; Hull sections 24 (sink 6 locations); Section hp 80 (hardness 5); Section AC 3; Rigging Sections 4; Rigging hp 50/100/75/50 (hardness 0), Rigging AC 5/1/3/5; Ram 4d6; 2 Light Catapults; 3 Ballistae; 75 ft. by 45 ft.; Height 15 ft; Complement 90; Watch 6; Cargo 15 tons; Cost 16,775 gp On the lower deck of the Ebony Tide are two experimental manta class airship one of which my character is supoused to be piloting. The base stats of the small ship are (though I plan to improve on this one): Large vehicle; Speed wind x50 ft. (good); Overall AC 4; Hull sections 1; Section hp 60 (hardness 5); Rigging Sections 1; Rigging hp 50 (hardness 0), Rigging AC 5; Ram 1d6; 1 Repeating Crossbow; 10 ft. by 5 ft.; Height 5 ft; Complement 3; Watch 0; Cargo 0 tons; Cost 3,000 gp Im still not sure how to build my character though. My first idea was: Air half-elf artificier 10 \| windwright captain 5 \| dragonmarked heir 5 This gives good wind control abilities thanks to the mark of storm - gust of wind 4/day, winds favour or wind wall 2/day, control winds 2/day at caster level 20... not to mention that with use magic device and wands at early levels, staves (though not crafted by myself) at late ones i can have access to any wind spell out there. This gives me also very good pilot skills... my profesion (sailor) check is maxed ranks + Wis + Cha + 5 + any magic item that i craft for the purpose. The problem is that except for winning the initiative in an air fight (which is nice if you start with dropping a hurricane in the enemy lines, but still...) and avoiding one attack to my manta per round (thanks to the Airship Combat feat which works mych like Mounted Combat, but with profession sailor instead of ride skill) I don't really see much practical use of really high sailing skill. Artificier 10/Windwright Captain 5/Dragonmark Heir 5 As for the shipwright role... I hope 13 levels of artificier casting will be enough but I'm not really sure if that is true. Will this be a viable character or I'm much better with going pure artificier and maxing profession (sailor) plus use magic device and getting my hands of some sick wand&staffs for wind powers.
the shaderaven 03-30-06, 04:26 PM	:bump: I really would love some imput before I can come with more detailed build for critique.
UMiskatonic 03-30-06, 06:35 PM	Bonded summoner (air) would give you the services of an air elemental. That might be really handy.
lonewolf 03-30-06, 07:02 PM	Trying to get in the game myself, I might add that Dragonmark Heir is not an allowed source. Only Artificers and Warforged are allowed from the Eberron Campaign Setting. Were is windwright captain from?
Tempest Stormwind 03-30-06, 07:46 PM	I don't know much about the Windwright Captain, but I can definitely say that Stormwrack's psionic power Helmsman (if you're manifesting it; if you have an item, Greater Helmsman comes with a better base effect, but it's harder to augment) is worth more than the weight of the ship in gold. Do whatever you can to make one or buy one -- making may be easy as an artificer, though you will need to speak to the DM about psionics/magic transparency with respect to item creation.