Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Eltheriond 11-29-06, 02:31 AM	Hey guys, In my normal game, our DM has the habit of using "load-bearing" BBEG's (dungeon/lair explodes/collapes after we beat him). Because of this, we get the chance to change characters quite often. Most of our normal players choose stranger and stranger characters to play (one currently being a Half Black Dragon/Half Orc Barbarian1/Brass Dragon Shaman 1...) I decided it's time to try a PC with more "character" and was looking for an opinion on how playable everyone would think of a Half-Orc Rogue tooled out to use a Whip Dagger, and Unarmed Strikes. I don't mind about PrC's and all books are available. I'm indifferent to multi-classing as well, if you think it'll fit, I'm good with that. BTW, it'll be ECL 7 or 8. Thanks for your help.
heax 11-29-06, 03:24 AM	I recently made an Indiana Jones style character, but I seem to have lost the build and character sheet. All I remember is that he was an Extreme Explorer with levels of Rogue and Ranger. I was using a variant for the Ranger wherein, instead of choosing favoured enemies, he would choose favoured terrains. I forget where this variant is from, though... any help? It might have been homebrew, but I swear I read it somewhere... And even not, Indiana Jones was a total urban ranger in his time out of the jungles, right? Right?
BadCatMan 11-29-06, 04:40 AM	Try the Lasher from Sword & Fist, possibly combined with Exotic Weapon Master from Complete Warrior. These will give you some neat tricks with the whip that will help you out with the Indiana Jones style, including the ability to grab things and swing across chasms. Although one thing I noticed after seeing the movies after many years: Indy doesn't actually use the whip all that much. Monk would be a good dip. The early abilities are good fit for a dungeon-crawling type (evasion, slow fall), and the unarmed combat is handy for an Indiana Jones type.
icedrake 11-29-06, 05:08 AM	How flavorful do you want the character to be? I made a very Indy rogue/bard/Crypt Raider from the Ravenloft books Van Rietchansien's Arsonal, I think, and that worked out alright. Bards do get ewp: whip for free, awesome knowledges and languages + bardic knowledge, a few cool spells (you can use cure wands) and UMD. Rogue/Ranger would be an awesome mix for sneaky skills plus flavor. TWF would let you use a whip in one hand and another weapon in the other. If you wanted to go a disarming or tripping route, fighter/ranger could be very successful with a dip into crusader for Thicket of Blades. You might want to check out the shifter race or the changeling race from Eberron, both have a very explorer feel to them. The changeling could impersonate the local humanoids in the area and mimic their languages and the shifter is extremely primal feeling race in terms of fluff and abilities. Shifting's a rage-like ability where you can gain natural attacks, enchaned armor or landspeed for 3 + con rounds. This would give you natural attacks without the need for imp unarmed strike and you could take the Weretouched master PrC from the ECS. Are you using action points, extreme explorer from Eberron's awesome but depends on a game using of APs.
X-Codes 11-29-06, 05:19 AM	Indiana Jones does not use his whip often at all, and he almost never fights with it. When he fights, he does so much more with his fists and gun. That said, he's not even a real brawler, he's a skillmonkey. Most likely a Rogue with the Education feat who has high ranks in str- and dex-based skills. Throw in Improved Unarmed Strike and whatever feats needed to do those whip tricks he did and you're done.
MaplessManiac620 11-29-06, 05:31 AM	Martial Rogue 4/Ranger 2/Lasher 2 Martial Rogue (UA, SRD) gives you all those skills Indy has at his disposal, including those trap-finding skills he's so adept at. This was a rough call against bard since it has it's own bonuses, but gives up Disable Device/Open Lock/Trapfinding. (Bardic Knowledge sure helps out on those little facts Indy's picked up over the years. Perform (Oratory) accounts for his lectures at the university, as well as his ability to charm the ladies (fascinate?). Don't forget free Whip proficiency. ) Ranger will give you those survival skills Indy needs, as well as access to free TWF. Wouldn't be Indy without a pistol (Hand Crossbow) in one hand and a whip in another. Lasher 2 gives you "Third Hand" which will allow you to do the tricks Indy does with his whip. You'll also suck a lot less in combat with the whip if you decide to use it. As for his unarmed abilities, Improved Unarmed Strike combined with Superior Unarmed Strike from ToB should suffice. Feats: Human:Able Learner, Lvl 1: EWP (Whip), Martial Rogue 1: Improved Unarmed Strike Martial Rogue 2: Weapon Focus (Whip), Lvl 3: OPEN Martial Rogue 4: Superior Unarmed Strike Lvl 6: OPEN Off the top of my head anyway. Other classes to check out: Master Inquisitive, Extreme Explorer, Temple Raider of Olidamarra, Exotic Weapon Master, Bard. Alternate base using Bard will start as Bard 3/Ranger 3/Lasher 2.
nittanytbone 11-29-06, 09:23 AM	Bard could work as well, with Perform (Oratory) -- he gives good lectures, right? This gives you prof. with the whip for free as well as a bevy of skills. He definitely has bard lore, I'd think. The main problem, being, of course, that bard sucks.
Tweedledope 11-29-06, 10:10 AM	If you name yourself Dr. Jones you get a free +23 ranks in Concentration checks versus Short Round... Also, you need a flaw for Phobia: Snakes. -=TD=-