Help with Character Concept [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help with Character Concept [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The_Robot
03-15-07, 10:27 PM Might be starting up a new campaign soon. One that I would actually be a PC in! And though I have a love of all things warforged, I thought I might let that cool a while and try something else. But, I'm having a bit of trouble figuring out the best route...a little help?

The basic concept is, a goblin "Indianna Jones" type adventurer. Basically a "city goblin" who loves adventure, and danger. Sure, he loves to get paid, even better if he can get paid to dive head first into some dangerous ruin or ancient temple, but if the adventure sounds juicy enough, he'd probably do it just for kicks or to prove that he could. Also, like Indy, he would be well educated (at least for a goblin.) His backstory would include things like sneaking into anthropolgy and history classes at Morgrave, frequenting museums and libraries (probably not above stealing books and making his own small collection) or hanging out where intellectuals and/or adventureres do and just listening to their debates, diatribes and stories. I suppose as a first level character he would still be pretty "green," not a seasoned explorer yet, but a young hopefull adventurer with something to prove. he would be eager to show that he is not just some dumb uncultured goblin, and he is certainly not above throwing himself into dangerous situations to do so.

I know that the Extreme Explorer PrC from the ECS is an obvious choice, and I'm sure I will take it the second I can (expelling action points to do utterly ridiclulous things is what this character is all about). But what about a starting class? I'm a bit torn. I thing a good combination would be rogue/swashbuckler, obviously. But which should i take first? Should I focus on one and only take a few levels of another to add some of the features, or should i keep them balanced? Or, am I going about this all wrong, is there another class that would be a better choice?

As far as Feats go, I was thinking that Improved Initiative would be good, Action Boost a must, and I was planning on making use of the Luck feats that are in Complete Scoundrel (I was even thinking of possibly multi-PrCing Extreme Explorer with Fortune's Friend.) I guess besides my uncertainty about the starting class, the thing i'm most concerned with now are some good low-level feats. The luck ones are nice, but things that would actually add to my character's skills, saves or give me some kind of combat advantage would be better at the first few levels I think. This guy isn't going to be a fighter, he would prefer to sneak-attack or not at all, so i guess if he is going to take some combat feats, ranged ones would be best, huh? Possibly the Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack path?

Thoughts?
Kid SixXx
03-16-07, 07:00 AM Sounds like you're off to a pretty good start. I'd look into the Relic Hunter feat from RoE if you're lacking a spot in mid-levels.
The_Robot
03-16-07, 07:59 PM thanks, that'll help.

i ended up going with a Rogue, starting feat was Improved Initiative, with either Action Boost or Education as my third level feat (and which ever i don't take as my fifth.)
Cambian00
03-17-07, 10:26 PM Look at the Scout character class from the Complete Adventurer. I think that it is a perfect mesh with rogue and then into the Extreme Explorer.
The_Robot
03-18-07, 03:44 AM Look at the Scout character class from the Complete Adventurer. I think that it is a perfect mesh with rogue and then into the Extreme Explorer.

Yeah, I did look at Scout. I also looked at Urban Ranger. I still think I'll probably go with Swashbuckler, but both of those might be good choices too...

Thanks.
neantollo
03-19-07, 08:33 AM Instead of Swashbuckler, I would go with Ranger. Ranger/Rogue covers both angles; tracking, searching, survival in the winlderness to find the ancient ruins, and rogue to disarm the traps, etc. The Education feat seems perfect for the character, to reflect the scholarly training he has received.

If you have access to Complete Scoundrel, I think the luck feats might serve well for the character. With the various luck feats and all the action point feats, you will be quite able to make all the rolls you need, which is what Indy always seemed to do :)
Caul
03-19-07, 10:54 AM Honestly, I'm going to go contrary to everyone else and say, as I do to all my players...

Don't make a plan...

For all the planning of what your character might become, nine times out of ten, they may become something different. Anything is possible.
The_Robot
03-21-07, 03:56 AM Instead of Swashbuckler, I would go with Ranger. Ranger/Rogue covers both angles; tracking, searching, survival in the winlderness to find the ancient ruins, and rogue to disarm the traps, etc. The Education feat seems perfect for the character, to reflect the scholarly training he has received.

If you have access to Complete Scoundrel, I think the luck feats might serve well for the character. With the various luck feats and all the action point feats, you will be quite able to make all the rolls you need, which is what Indy always seemed to do :)

I thought of that, actually. Its not a bad idea.

And yes, the Luck feats are something I'm defiently looking to implement with this character...I might go so far as to take a couple levels of the Fortune's Friend PrC...
crashbangboom
04-19-07, 11:03 AM IN the Complete Scoundrel there are also feats to combine rogue and swashbuckler as well as rogue and scout and ranger and scout and not lose out on any class abilities.
Hideous Phidias
04-19-07, 01:03 PM I would look at the lasher prestige class too. It would be a good nod to the whip action of the movie Jones. (Hell a Goblin just named Jones sounds good to me.) I would go rogue the kill points what you want. I would change your first feat to Education. It gives you a +1 on two knowlegles and all knowledges as class skills. It goes with your back story of trying to educat yourself.
Hideous Phidias
04-19-07, 01:50 PM Feats : Education, Relic hunter, Action Boost, Inproved trip

Skills: Knowledge(s) architecture, history, religion, dungeonerring, geography, and local Search Disable Device, Openlock, Appraise, Decipher Script, Disguise, Ride, Profression, Tumble, Speak language

Weapons: whip or dagger whip hand crossbow

Magic Items: Hat of disguise, (You have to have the hat) mightied whip

Think I would consider for rollplaying: Remember you are of the proud race of Dhakaani, your fathers held the land long before the humans ever came forth. you may want to drop the whole I sneak around Mudgrave, be a Goblin who teach they have other monsters. People you may know Flamewing, Karg, and Dala Arand. Sharn is your city, it is built on the bones of your people. I would look for items of old Dhakaani they are here in your own backyard.

Reread Players Handbook, Sharn City of Towers and the Explorers Handbook if you haven't already,They have good background information for acharacter like this. I would also look at the Dragonshard on Dhakaani.
Captain_Kobold
04-19-07, 09:37 PM You might consider Bard as one of your classes: maybe a bit less combat-worthy but represents the assorted knowledge and tricks you pick up from the university and library.

Plus, you have the heroic history of your Dhakaani forebears, and tales of previous explorers you have overheard or read about with which to inspire your travelling companions.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The_Robot 03-15-07, 10:27 PM	Might be starting up a new campaign soon. One that I would actually be a PC in! And though I have a love of all things warforged, I thought I might let that cool a while and try something else. But, I'm having a bit of trouble figuring out the best route...a little help? The basic concept is, a goblin "Indianna Jones" type adventurer. Basically a "city goblin" who loves adventure, and danger. Sure, he loves to get paid, even better if he can get paid to dive head first into some dangerous ruin or ancient temple, but if the adventure sounds juicy enough, he'd probably do it just for kicks or to prove that he could. Also, like Indy, he would be well educated (at least for a goblin.) His backstory would include things like sneaking into anthropolgy and history classes at Morgrave, frequenting museums and libraries (probably not above stealing books and making his own small collection) or hanging out where intellectuals and/or adventureres do and just listening to their debates, diatribes and stories. I suppose as a first level character he would still be pretty "green," not a seasoned explorer yet, but a young hopefull adventurer with something to prove. he would be eager to show that he is not just some dumb uncultured goblin, and he is certainly not above throwing himself into dangerous situations to do so. I know that the Extreme Explorer PrC from the ECS is an obvious choice, and I'm sure I will take it the second I can (expelling action points to do utterly ridiclulous things is what this character is all about). But what about a starting class? I'm a bit torn. I thing a good combination would be rogue/swashbuckler, obviously. But which should i take first? Should I focus on one and only take a few levels of another to add some of the features, or should i keep them balanced? Or, am I going about this all wrong, is there another class that would be a better choice? As far as Feats go, I was thinking that Improved Initiative would be good, Action Boost a must, and I was planning on making use of the Luck feats that are in Complete Scoundrel (I was even thinking of possibly multi-PrCing Extreme Explorer with Fortune's Friend.) I guess besides my uncertainty about the starting class, the thing i'm most concerned with now are some good low-level feats. The luck ones are nice, but things that would actually add to my character's skills, saves or give me some kind of combat advantage would be better at the first few levels I think. This guy isn't going to be a fighter, he would prefer to sneak-attack or not at all, so i guess if he is going to take some combat feats, ranged ones would be best, huh? Possibly the Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack path? Thoughts?
Kid SixXx 03-16-07, 07:00 AM	Sounds like you're off to a pretty good start. I'd look into the Relic Hunter feat from RoE if you're lacking a spot in mid-levels.
The_Robot 03-16-07, 07:59 PM	thanks, that'll help. i ended up going with a Rogue, starting feat was Improved Initiative, with either Action Boost or Education as my third level feat (and which ever i don't take as my fifth.)
Cambian00 03-17-07, 10:26 PM	Look at the Scout character class from the Complete Adventurer. I think that it is a perfect mesh with rogue and then into the Extreme Explorer.
The_Robot 03-18-07, 03:44 AM	Look at the Scout character class from the Complete Adventurer. I think that it is a perfect mesh with rogue and then into the Extreme Explorer. Yeah, I did look at Scout. I also looked at Urban Ranger. I still think I'll probably go with Swashbuckler, but both of those might be good choices too... Thanks.
neantollo 03-19-07, 08:33 AM	Instead of Swashbuckler, I would go with Ranger. Ranger/Rogue covers both angles; tracking, searching, survival in the winlderness to find the ancient ruins, and rogue to disarm the traps, etc. The Education feat seems perfect for the character, to reflect the scholarly training he has received. If you have access to Complete Scoundrel, I think the luck feats might serve well for the character. With the various luck feats and all the action point feats, you will be quite able to make all the rolls you need, which is what Indy always seemed to do :)
Caul 03-19-07, 10:54 AM	Honestly, I'm going to go contrary to everyone else and say, as I do to all my players... Don't make a plan... For all the planning of what your character might become, nine times out of ten, they may become something different. Anything is possible.
The_Robot 03-21-07, 03:56 AM	Instead of Swashbuckler, I would go with Ranger. Ranger/Rogue covers both angles; tracking, searching, survival in the winlderness to find the ancient ruins, and rogue to disarm the traps, etc. The Education feat seems perfect for the character, to reflect the scholarly training he has received. If you have access to Complete Scoundrel, I think the luck feats might serve well for the character. With the various luck feats and all the action point feats, you will be quite able to make all the rolls you need, which is what Indy always seemed to do :) I thought of that, actually. Its not a bad idea. And yes, the Luck feats are something I'm defiently looking to implement with this character...I might go so far as to take a couple levels of the Fortune's Friend PrC...
crashbangboom 04-19-07, 11:03 AM	IN the Complete Scoundrel there are also feats to combine rogue and swashbuckler as well as rogue and scout and ranger and scout and not lose out on any class abilities.
Hideous Phidias 04-19-07, 01:03 PM	I would look at the lasher prestige class too. It would be a good nod to the whip action of the movie Jones. (Hell a Goblin just named Jones sounds good to me.) I would go rogue the kill points what you want. I would change your first feat to Education. It gives you a +1 on two knowlegles and all knowledges as class skills. It goes with your back story of trying to educat yourself.
Hideous Phidias 04-19-07, 01:50 PM	Feats : Education, Relic hunter, Action Boost, Inproved trip Skills: Knowledge(s) architecture, history, religion, dungeonerring, geography, and local Search Disable Device, Openlock, Appraise, Decipher Script, Disguise, Ride, Profression, Tumble, Speak language Weapons: whip or dagger whip hand crossbow Magic Items: Hat of disguise, (You have to have the hat) mightied whip Think I would consider for rollplaying: Remember you are of the proud race of Dhakaani, your fathers held the land long before the humans ever came forth. you may want to drop the whole I sneak around Mudgrave, be a Goblin who teach they have other monsters. People you may know Flamewing, Karg, and Dala Arand. Sharn is your city, it is built on the bones of your people. I would look for items of old Dhakaani they are here in your own backyard. Reread Players Handbook, Sharn City of Towers and the Explorers Handbook if you haven't already,They have good background information for acharacter like this. I would also look at the Dragonshard on Dhakaani.
Captain_Kobold 04-19-07, 09:37 PM	You might consider Bard as one of your classes: maybe a bit less combat-worthy but represents the assorted knowledge and tricks you pick up from the university and library. Plus, you have the heroic history of your Dhakaani forebears, and tales of previous explorers you have overheard or read about with which to inspire your travelling companions.