base class only campaign [Archive] - Wizards Community

base class only campaign [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lord Likk
02-10-05, 02:04 AM we're about to play a base class only campaign for a change of pace from the ridiculous uber-builds we're used to. it will probably be largely non-combatish, though i will surely end up dm-ing a good chunk of it and will thusly be able to influence this. anyway, i want to play a character who'll be able to participate in a lot of what we do in the campaign, whether it be combat or diplomacy or lying gathering information or what-have-you. beyond that, i've not yet decided even on an archetype, so i'm open to all suggestions.

now, to the crunch:

we've access to all 3.5 books except for complete divine, frostburn, and the races ones. racial substitution lvls shouldn't be too difficult to learn without having the book(s), though, so if anyone knows any good ones, shoot.

the dm (or group member who had the idea, rather) has forbade the racial paragon classes, but i think this was solely because of human paragon. even if that needs to be outlawed, i think we could all agree to validate the other ones.

i'm thinking a hefty amount of ecl would end up as highly beneficial, what with the limited power and scope of the base classes, especially if i'm not going to devote 20 lvls to one of them or be a spellcaster. all that is, of course, still up in the air, though.

some builds i've been toying with:

spriggan(mmII)7/brb1/rog3/sneak attack fighter(ua)9. 3 attacks per full attack, +9d6 sa, produce flame at will, and i can become a tank whenever i want, though i lose 3d6 sa and the sla's. i would definitely use a reach weapon with this build. perhaps longspear just for the change of pace from the classic and broken spiked chain.

svirfneblin3/wererat3/some roguish-type stuff14. this is actually the character my name on the boards comes from. he was the first non-base race character i played. i feel as though he'd make a 'true' rogue in that he'd have diddly-squat hp, but not in that he'd be able to keep up with the other damage-outputters as long as he's sneak attacking. what do you guys think of this? if it could be made to work and survive, it'd definitely be my favorite one. also, i seek a comprehensive answer to the question, "as a race with one racial hd, can natural wererats choose not to get that hd?"

incubus12/warlock8. my friend was going to play this build, but now he wants something with regen, so it's up for grabs. i like the fact that they get +16 cha, making me the party face and making my suggestions for a target to keep kissing me nigh-unstoppable. i also like how it's basically a cha-based grapple build that slowly e-drains the opponent it neutralizes instead of damaging them.

warlock20. a fun and different build that would still make me the party face and thusly give me a lot to do during play.

weretiger . . . 8?/brb or paladin or perhaps both. can one pull that off? do you lose barbarian abilities for becoming nonchaotic? i could be a wierd type of paladin, but part of the fun of this is dreading my actions while transformed. unfortunately, part of the fun of it is also taking and having the snow tiger berzerker feat.

anyway, is all of this crap? are there accepted uber base class builds floating around the forum that i just haven't bothered to search for? any suggestions as to one of these builds' superiority, optimization, etc.?
Dracophile
02-10-05, 02:25 AM Uh...well, have you considered the uber Druid 20? Combat, spells, Diplomacy. It should allow you to fullfill roles in and out of fights.
Lord Likk
02-10-05, 02:35 AM i've played druids before and they aren't fun to me unless i can wildshape into something wierder than an animal before later levels than we'll probably get to at all. i really like the vermin lord prc, but that, of course, isn't allowed. good point, though.
preacher of nothing
02-10-05, 04:35 AM Are you allowed psions? Because if you are, and you're familiar with the psionic rules (i didn't see the XPH in your book list), it might make a GREAT change of pace from traditional magic, and also a powerful combatant and pretty good face.

If not, ye good ol' pixie/warlock. Sure, it's got a +4 LA, but taking into consideration that everything it wants to do is at will :D
You can "sneak" in some rogue levels for flavor and SA.

~preacher~
Lord Likk
02-10-05, 10:24 AM and a psionic character has indeed crossed my mind. i think i'd play a psychic warrior tank, given the choices there. when i think of spriggan, though, it just appeals to me more by fulfilling both the tank and rogue role. it is by no means my favorite, though. i guess i'm just partial to rogues, and i haven't played one in a long while. do you think a spriggan psywar13 would be any good? what powers could help with roguishness when i'm not large size?
GrolubFranco
02-10-05, 10:35 AM Well everyone will say the same: Druid is the best core class. Over that you can choose cleric, which is also good or Warlock.
Lord Likk
02-10-05, 10:41 AM i'm looking for good builds, not good classes (i know which those are). most importantly, i'm looking for good monster races. there are far more of those out there than base classes, and i know i don't know them all.
Funny Slaughter
02-10-05, 11:14 AM play a sharn. oh, i want to play one. please :) somebody get me playing a sharn, no matter how! :cool:

gs
Funny
Lord Likk
02-10-05, 11:19 AM if i remember correctly, there wasn't one printed in . . . monsters of faerun? what book did they put it in? do they still get 3.0 haste in 3.5?
preacher of nothing
02-10-05, 11:21 AM For both psion and psychic warrior, i suggest the elan. no max age, and the best thing *gasp* abberations!!!!!!!!! :D

Yuo might want to go "King of Smack" (if you don't know what that is, do a search), but i have to warn you that it has a horrible glass jaw (dispel :( )

~preacher~
Lord Likk
02-10-05, 11:46 AM so would someone please tell me what a king of smack is?
Werebat troll paladin
02-10-05, 02:01 PM I think he's refering to a psychic warrior that runs around with many powers in effect at a given time.
I could be wrong.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lord Likk 02-10-05, 02:04 AM	we're about to play a base class only campaign for a change of pace from the ridiculous uber-builds we're used to. it will probably be largely non-combatish, though i will surely end up dm-ing a good chunk of it and will thusly be able to influence this. anyway, i want to play a character who'll be able to participate in a lot of what we do in the campaign, whether it be combat or diplomacy or lying gathering information or what-have-you. beyond that, i've not yet decided even on an archetype, so i'm open to all suggestions. now, to the crunch: we've access to all 3.5 books except for complete divine, frostburn, and the races ones. racial substitution lvls shouldn't be too difficult to learn without having the book(s), though, so if anyone knows any good ones, shoot. the dm (or group member who had the idea, rather) has forbade the racial paragon classes, but i think this was solely because of human paragon. even if that needs to be outlawed, i think we could all agree to validate the other ones. i'm thinking a hefty amount of ecl would end up as highly beneficial, what with the limited power and scope of the base classes, especially if i'm not going to devote 20 lvls to one of them or be a spellcaster. all that is, of course, still up in the air, though. some builds i've been toying with: spriggan(mmII)7/brb1/rog3/sneak attack fighter(ua)9. 3 attacks per full attack, +9d6 sa, produce flame at will, and i can become a tank whenever i want, though i lose 3d6 sa and the sla's. i would definitely use a reach weapon with this build. perhaps longspear just for the change of pace from the classic and broken spiked chain. svirfneblin3/wererat3/some roguish-type stuff14. this is actually the character my name on the boards comes from. he was the first non-base race character i played. i feel as though he'd make a 'true' rogue in that he'd have diddly-squat hp, but not in that he'd be able to keep up with the other damage-outputters as long as he's sneak attacking. what do you guys think of this? if it could be made to work and survive, it'd definitely be my favorite one. also, i seek a comprehensive answer to the question, "as a race with one racial hd, can natural wererats choose not to get that hd?" incubus12/warlock8. my friend was going to play this build, but now he wants something with regen, so it's up for grabs. i like the fact that they get +16 cha, making me the party face and making my suggestions for a target to keep kissing me nigh-unstoppable. i also like how it's basically a cha-based grapple build that slowly e-drains the opponent it neutralizes instead of damaging them. warlock20. a fun and different build that would still make me the party face and thusly give me a lot to do during play. weretiger . . . 8?/brb or paladin or perhaps both. can one pull that off? do you lose barbarian abilities for becoming nonchaotic? i could be a wierd type of paladin, but part of the fun of this is dreading my actions while transformed. unfortunately, part of the fun of it is also taking and having the snow tiger berzerker feat. anyway, is all of this crap? are there accepted uber base class builds floating around the forum that i just haven't bothered to search for? any suggestions as to one of these builds' superiority, optimization, etc.?
Dracophile 02-10-05, 02:25 AM	Uh...well, have you considered the uber Druid 20? Combat, spells, Diplomacy. It should allow you to fullfill roles in and out of fights.
Lord Likk 02-10-05, 02:35 AM	i've played druids before and they aren't fun to me unless i can wildshape into something wierder than an animal before later levels than we'll probably get to at all. i really like the vermin lord prc, but that, of course, isn't allowed. good point, though.
preacher of nothing 02-10-05, 04:35 AM	Are you allowed psions? Because if you are, and you're familiar with the psionic rules (i didn't see the XPH in your book list), it might make a GREAT change of pace from traditional magic, and also a powerful combatant and pretty good face. If not, ye good ol' pixie/warlock. Sure, it's got a +4 LA, but taking into consideration that everything it wants to do is at will :D You can "sneak" in some rogue levels for flavor and SA. ~preacher~
Lord Likk 02-10-05, 10:24 AM	and a psionic character has indeed crossed my mind. i think i'd play a psychic warrior tank, given the choices there. when i think of spriggan, though, it just appeals to me more by fulfilling both the tank and rogue role. it is by no means my favorite, though. i guess i'm just partial to rogues, and i haven't played one in a long while. do you think a spriggan psywar13 would be any good? what powers could help with roguishness when i'm not large size?
GrolubFranco 02-10-05, 10:35 AM	Well everyone will say the same: Druid is the best core class. Over that you can choose cleric, which is also good or Warlock.
Lord Likk 02-10-05, 10:41 AM	i'm looking for good builds, not good classes (i know which those are). most importantly, i'm looking for good monster races. there are far more of those out there than base classes, and i know i don't know them all.
Funny Slaughter 02-10-05, 11:14 AM	play a sharn. oh, i want to play one. please :) somebody get me playing a sharn, no matter how! :cool: gs Funny
Lord Likk 02-10-05, 11:19 AM	if i remember correctly, there wasn't one printed in . . . monsters of faerun? what book did they put it in? do they still get 3.0 haste in 3.5?
preacher of nothing 02-10-05, 11:21 AM	For both psion and psychic warrior, i suggest the elan. no max age, and the best thing gasp abberations!!!!!!!!! :D Yuo might want to go "King of Smack" (if you don't know what that is, do a search), but i have to warn you that it has a horrible glass jaw (dispel :( ) ~preacher~
Lord Likk 02-10-05, 11:46 AM	so would someone please tell me what a king of smack is?
Werebat troll paladin 02-10-05, 02:01 PM	I think he's refering to a psychic warrior that runs around with many powers in effect at a given time. I could be wrong.