Post/Author/DateTime	Post
neo-Aeris 10-02-04, 06:30 PM	Um..... h-hi? -ahem- I mean, hello! Nice to meet you all! Uh, now where do I begin.... Well, I'll just start with the basics. I am a total newbie to D&D. Acutally, it's worse than that. I have never played it before in my life. But, I have been wanting to play it for the last year or so. Yay for me. My friend, who is also a D&D-wannabe, finally found a DM who is willing to tolerate playing with three sophomore girls (my two friends and me). Yay for everyone. Well, he informed us that he would be using the Eberron campaign and that it would be REALLY REALLY hard, especially for new players. He said something like "I'd be surprised if you didn't die in your first dungeon, let alone seeing any dragons." Oh, yeah, this REALLY boosted MY cofidence. (<- Best said with a side of sarcasim.) "That's okay," I told myself, "I'm already mildly proficeint in the D&D rules." (I got the books last year as a Christmas present, along with the dice as a stocking stuffer :D ). "How much harder can learning about Eberron be?" I comforted myself. A LOT gosh darnned harder, as I just recently found out. Just when I think I got the basics down (like learning the difference between Armor Class and the Armoire of Invincibility), I find hundreds of pages of literature that I have to learn. Warforged? Changelings? What the heck? Not only did I miss something, but that something slapped a "kick me" sign on my back and started laughing at my ignorance!! And how the HECK do you pronounce some of these names?! Does Xen'drik ryhme with Shmendrick? I've been to the "FAQ for Eberron Newbies", and it is really helpful. But as soon as I got to the part that said "Now that you know all THAT stuff, here's MORE links that'll guarantee to make your head implode!!!", I took a break and played Peasant's Quest. I have a lot of information, but how the heck do I use it? Like, how do I make a character without accidently conflicting with Eberron history? What is my first session of D&D going to be like? Should I learn a Hawaiin jig in case I have to impress the DM? Is there SUCH THING as a Hawaiin jig!? I would really appreciate any words of wisdom from D&D veterns.
Megatron 10-02-04, 06:43 PM	As a player, nothing has changed for you. You have more options, but there's no need to even look through the Eberron book if you don't want to. The sites you, as a player need to know are the Breland Ledger and *maybe* siberys.com (Ok, so I like to plug my own work, sue me) And of course this one. Read the Dragonshard Articles to get a feel for the world. Have fun. Oh and about what your DM said, most people won't see dragons in Eberron until high levels, if at all. PS try your hand at a few online eberron games if you want more experience
WotC_Doog 10-02-04, 07:04 PM	I'd recommend taking a look at http://www.playdnd.com, which has a nice Flash demo for D&D newbies that you can click your way through. It's a good introduction to roleplaying games, what you do with your dice, and what a sample session of D&D is like. It's specifically for people playing the Basic D&D game, but it's quite transferable to the game you'll be playing in. For background about Eberron, I'd look at this page: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/eb/20031216b It gives a visual overview of the Eberron world without too many crunchy rules details to worry about. I wouldn't worry too much about conflicting with Eberron history; just pick a race and class (I would suggest a class that doesn't cast spells -- rogue perhaps, or ranger, or fighter if you're all about busting heads), and think about some personality traits, and you should be fine. You might pick a region that your character is from, from the "Living in the World" chapter, and read up on it. Your DM should be able to help you with the rest -- with integrating your new character into the Eberron world. The best thing to do for your first session is to have fun and don't worry too much about the rules. Let more experienced players figure out how much your Attack Bonus adds up to, and you concentrate on imagining the adventure surrounding your character and enjoying the thrills and chills he or she undergoes. I'm sure my other fellow posters will have more good suggestions. Good luck!
neo-Aeris 10-02-04, 07:18 PM	Thanks for the help. I'm sure I'll get it sooner or later. Besides, our DM is a nice guy, and the whole reason I'm doing this is to have a good time. Of course, I planned to be a fighter from the start. Mainly because I like swords. (Okay, over-used 8-bit theater reference, I know.) I can't wait to get into the beat of things and start plaingy with my friends. Now that I think of it, they're probably just as clueless as I am. Thanks again!! ^__^
Just another user 10-02-04, 07:38 PM	First welcome to the boards. Second, take it easy :) I suggest you to read first the dragonshards articles to get a feel of the setting, then when you create your character's background, try to keep it more generic is possible, if you are not sure don't put names or locations in it, Eberron is vast and with your DM's help I'm sure it would not be too hard to find a place where your character would fit, eventually with some little tweaking to her story. Don't forget that even a lot of people born in Eberron won't know everything about thier world so this could probably help your roleplaying. ;) I see you want to play a fighter, I think is a good choice, because it is a simple class to play and that is good for the first times. Once you get a good grasp of the rules you can try something more "complicate" as the white mage err... the cleric I mean, the wizard or the druid.
ImmortalBlueMage 10-02-04, 10:28 PM	Might I also add, it's your DM's responsiblity to make sure that his players are educated both in the game and in the setting. So don't feel like you have to pull an all night cram session just to find out what "manifest zone" means. See, one of the nice things about your character in DnD is that, although this world is completley new to you, your character has been living in it all his/her life, so your character knows a lot of things you don't, get it? For example, let's say your PC lives in Sharn. You don't know what Sharn is? Well, that's okay, because your character does, she's lived there all her life. So if you ask what your character knows about Sharn (which should be a lot), your DM is going to give you a rough outline of the city and the neighborhoods you live in. Your character will not know everything about the world, but things like what Warforged and Changelings are, what happened during the Last War, etc are all general knowledge that your DM will provide for you if you ask during or before the game.
Neofish 10-02-04, 10:46 PM	She has Neo in her name too!!! :love: And she lives in California just like me too!!! Now anyways, hello and welcome to the boards. I don't believe that Eberron is any harder than learning say, I dunno, Forgotton Realms, I don't think you'll die at first level , heck thats what action points are for, good luck!
Ch@pel 10-02-04, 11:43 PM	Wait, hold on, it took you more than twelve minutes to find a D&D group that would accept eager, sophmore females into it? I hope I'm not sounding sexist, but damn, girls are a worth their weight in platinum, and ten times harder to find than Kyber dragonshards! (Mostly because D&D players say things like that... A LOT) But seriously, I've found that girls simply do better at role-playing than most guys. My group is about 50-50 for gender, and I've consistantly seen better RP-ing from the ladies. Not neccessarily game mechanics or story telling, but simply throwing themselves into a character. My suggestion, since you are already more or less familiar with the basic rules, just come up with a race and class for your PC, or at least have something in mind. Try not to get bogged down in thinking about who the character is, just figure what role you want to play in the party. You say you like fighters, well my girlfriend plays a war-forged fighter and she loves it. You do massive damage, and everyone in the party loves you for that. :D Also, it sounds like you're just learning about Eberron, and truth be told, so is everyone here. We only really have a couple of months head start on you. So don't worry about figuring out the whole thing right away, you'll hurt your head. The great thing is, you don't even neccessarily have to own the CSB if you don't have the money, there is plenty of info on these boards, the Dragonshard articles, and cove-world, which if I'm not mistaken is linked in the FAQ. Just keep hitting up the boards, we love questions, it makes us feel useful. ;) And come up with your character. If you can get the CSB, do so, its a really good read. Also, I don't think anyone mentioned it, but check out the Korranberg Chronicle. (linked in my sig) We're a fan created site/ newspaper and we like to think we're a good read too. Have fun in Eberron!
Doctor X 10-03-04, 01:43 AM	Wait, hold on, it took you more than twelve minutes to find a D&D group that would accept eager, sophmore females into it? I hope I'm not sounding sexist, but damn, girls are a worth their weight in platinum, and ten times harder to find than Kyber dragonshards! (Mostly because D&D players say things like that... A LOT) But seriously, I've found that girls simply do better at role-playing than most guys. My group is about 50-50 for gender, and I've consistantly seen better RP-ing from the ladies. Not neccessarily game mechanics or story telling, but simply throwing themselves into a character. Agreed. I think it mostly comes from a lack of obsession over combat (guy thing). As long as the guys in the group don't obsess over their presence and flirt the whole time, it's generally good to have girls in the group... but it's hard to find many who are willing to play. I'm hoping to get at least two involved in my upcoming campaign at college... I've found one already who seems interested, so that's a start. - neo-Aeris: I think your DM is going about the whole "difficulty" thing the wrong way. The only thing more difficult about Eberron is getting the feel of the setting. I will note that combat is supposed to be a lot more intense, but Action Points balance it all out, so as long as the player uses them wisely, it isn't that much different. Eberron does put a lot more focus on having a character with personality, though. Because intense pulp action is so deeply ingrained in the setting, the characters who participate in it need to be interesting, even in combat. This, in my opinion, makes fighters particularly difficult to make in Eberron. Remember that they, moreso than any of the other PC classes, embody the stylistic, technical approach to fighting. The responsibility for cool combat maneuvers necessary to any pulp fight scene falls on him more than anybody else. The spellcasters do the explosions, the rogues do the gut-wrenching suspense, the bards do the cool one-liners... but the fighter has to do the general combat... so the personality of how you fight is very important. You should do some research and build up a plan for your character's progression. Which feats will add to your style? Which ones will be entertaining to describe? What kind of weapon will you use, and how are you going to develop the way you implement it? Complete Warrior is a very good book for stuff like this. If anyone you know owns it, see if you can borrow it for a little while. You can find some very cool things in there. A good idea is to pick out one "big" feat that you like, and let it serve as your central idea. Build your character up to it; not only meeting the prerequisites, but taking other stuff that will work well with your style. Here's an example plan for a rather interesting Human Fighter/Dragonmark Heir one of my friends is making for my upcoming campaign. His "big" feat is a Tactical Feat form Complete Warrior called Elusive Target: * Indicates feats recieved as bonus feats **Indicates class features 1st: Ftr 1- Combat Expertise*, Favored in House (Orien)*, Least Dragonmark (Mark of Passage; Dimension Leap 1/day). 2nd: Ftr 2- Improved Trip* 3rd: Ftr 3- Dodge 4th: Ftr 4- Mobility* 5th: Drgmk 1- Lesser Dragonmark (Dimension Door 1/day)*, House Status** 6th: Drgmk 2- Spring Attack, Additional Action Points**, Improved Least Dragonmark (Dimension Leap +1/day)**. 7th: Drgmk 3- Improved Lesser Dragonmark (Dimension Door +1/day)**. 8th: Drgmk 4- Greater Dragonmark (Teleport 1/day)*. 9th: Drgmk 5- Elusive Target, Improved Greater Dragonmark (Teleport +1/day). He only has it laid out up until then, but I think that's good enough to define his own unique approach to combat. He'll be using a halberd in a defensive counter-attacking style with flexible movement capabilities, which is based off of the whole House Orien traveling thing. He'll use of Combat Expertise early on to boost his defense by moving numbers around. Improved trip will be cool for using that hooked-end of the halberd to pull people to the ground. Dodge and mobility add to his overall defensive movement approach, while meeting prerequisites for other important feats. When he moves into Dragonmark Heir, he'll be able to develop magical ways to move around in combat, implementing Dimension Leap and Dimension Door. On top of this, the additional action points will be great for attacking in general. Spring attack will be nice to add even more flexibility and movement. Eventually access to a full Teleport spell will allow him to travel insanely long distances instantly... but that's mostly for out-of-combat stuff. But when he finally reaches 9th level, his style will pretty much be complete, utilizing Elusive Target to do some very cool stuff, one of which being a classic Indiana Jones manuever-- standing between two bad guys and jumping out of the way at the last second, tricking one into stabbing the other. That fits both the Mark of Passage movement style, but also the pulp action feel of Eberron overall. It's good stuff. But that's not all Elusive Target can be used for, though. It can negate power attacks, and trick enemies into stepping off-balance, allowing the PC to trip them easily-- which fits well with the Improved Trip and halberd mechanics. This is the kind of stuff you want for a fighter... Not necessarily having anything to do with prestige classes or dragonmarks, but as long as you put a decent amount of thought into the way feats you take work together as a whole, you should be able to work something interesting out.
Dauntless 10-03-04, 01:46 AM	Now if only I could find some for my game... In all seriousness though, I wouldn't be too worried. Just go with the flow, and try not to make too many assumptions about the world. It will all come with due time. As someone said above me, you shouldn't feel like you have to study for some exam just to play a game. Also, you'll get a lot more respect from your fellow players if you stow away the chainmail bikini for your fighter. Nothing like a trash talking high-strength woman in full plate to dispel any notions other players or the DM might have. :)
Save-vs-DM 10-03-04, 05:07 AM	Welcome to the boards and the hobby (and who said female gamers are hard to find? In college I as the token male in one of my groups). As stated before, really don't sweat the small stuff. Personally I'd suggest playing a human fighter the first time, as that's the easiest to get going (It's the first character I handed my sister-in-law when she wanted to play). Also, we're always here to help with questions. If you're really stuck, I'm also happy to answer PMs as well. Cheers and good and great luck. Happy gaming, Save vs DM
Ardent 10-03-04, 11:53 AM	Thanks for the help. I'm sure I'll get it sooner or later. Besides, our DM is a nice guy, and the whole reason I'm doing this is to have a good time. Then it is exactly what you make it. Remember, the statistics on your character sheet are minimally important if you go into the game with a grin and play a role to the hilt. If the DM wants you to roll anything, grab whatever kind of die he specifies, do so and let him figure out the results. Your job is to make your character more than just a collection of gibberish on paper. Of course, I planned to be a fighter from the start. Mainly because I like swords. (Okay, over-used 8-bit theater reference, I know.) I can't wait to get into the beat of things and start plaingy with my friends. Now that I think of it, they're probably just as clueless as I am. Hey, I like swords too. Not as much as I like blunt implements of destruction, but it's not I wouldn't vote for a sword in an election or anything. That said, I'd recommend steering clear of the Fighter your first time around. As basic as it looks, you have to have a strong grasp of the feats available and really make sure you understand the combat rules to make the most use of all the Fighter's bonus feats. You'd be better served by taking a look at a more simplified class. The Barbarian is a melee monster (he likes swords too) and you don't have to worry about picking a bunch of feats and using them effectively. You've got one real combat choice: rage or don't rage. Same deal with the Ranger (who is, admittedly, a bit more complicated). You pick ranged fighting or melee fighting and then add your stealth, tracking and survival skills to your list of options. Rangers can be anything from melee machines to wily old woodspersons who set traps and ambushes for monsters rather than trying to fight them head-on. Probably the easiest class to get right into with your feet moving is the Cleric. I know everyone whimpers about the newbie being stuck playing the Cleric, but 3.x Clerics aren't complicated (as a matter of fact, you have very few choices to make and your party can help you make them) and can in some cases use swords. You have to pick spells, sure, but the thing to remember is that all those spells basically boil down to one thing: spontaneously casting cure spells. They have other uses, sure, but more often than not you're going to use them to heal your friends. As you get more comfortable you can start working your spell selection to make you a better warrior too. That said: stick to the basics. Know the races of the campaign setting, know the core classes and their functions and figure out your character's role.
neo-Aeris 10-03-04, 01:22 PM	Wow. This has to be the single most helpful forum I've ever been to. Everyone's all like "Don't stress, have fun, and if you need help I'm here for ya!" ((These comments are in no particular order.)) Eberron does put a lot more focus on having a character with personality, though. Because intense pulp action is so deeply ingrained in the setting, the characters who participate in it need to be interesting, even in combat. Kick ass! Now character development, THAT I can do. Although I haven't played D&D, or any game using d20, I HAVE been "roleplaying on the underground" (on online forums) for about three years. There, it's COMPLETELY about character development. Wait, hold on, it took you more than twelve minutes to find a D&D group that would accept eager, sophmore females into it? Now that I think about it, that does sound sorta weird. Huh, I guess I wasn't looking hard enough. The Barbarian is a melee monster (he likes swords too) and you don't have to worry about picking a bunch of feats and using them effectively. Heck, that sounds great, too. Although, I'm kinda hoping my charcter would be a Human, because I believe they are easier to develop as a character. Now, I know a Human Barbarian would not be nearly as powerful as say a Half-Orc Barbarian, but it is still an option, right? Nothing like a trash talking high-strength woman in full plate to dispel any notions other players or the DM might have. You, my fine sir, have read my mind. I'll show 'em who's the sword weilder around here! She has Neo in her name too!!! And she lives in California just like me too!!! Cool! That's, like, totally awesome, dude! (<- Said in exageratted Southern California surfer-dude accent.) I personally think CA is one of the best places around. Although, having Arnold Schwartzanegger as our govenor is a little embarassing. (Oh, geez, I hope I spelled that right.) See, one of the nice things about your character in DnD is that, although this world is completley new to you, your character has been living in it all his/her life, so your character knows a lot of things you don't, get it? For example, let's say your PC lives in Sharn. You don't know what Sharn is? Well, that's okay, because your character does, she's lived there all her life. So if you ask what your character knows about Sharn (which should be a lot), your DM is going to give you a rough outline of the city and the neighborhoods you live in. Good point, I never really thought of that! I guess it's all about playing your charcter's part. I suggest you to read first the dragonshards articles to get a feel of the setting, then when you create your character's background, try to keep it more generic is possible, if you are not sure don't put names or locations in it, Eberron is vast and with your DM's help I'm sure it would not be too hard to find a place where your character would fit, eventually with some little tweaking to her story. Sounds like a plan to me. To be truthful, that's how I start out most of my written works (roleplaying related or otherwise). Begin simple and build up from there. As they say, Rome wasn't built in a day. (Hey, that ryhmed!)
Ranthanas 10-03-04, 01:50 PM	Kick ass! Now character development, THAT I can do. Although I haven't played D&D, or any game using d20, I HAVE been "roleplaying on the underground" (on online forums) for about three years. There, it's COMPLETELY about character development. Yay! A role-player who role-plays! Heck, that sounds great, too. Although, I'm kinda hoping my charcter would be a Human, because I believe they are easier to develop as a character. Now, I know a Human Barbarian would not be nearly as powerful as say a Half-Orc Barbarian, but it is still an option, right? *splutter*. The half-orc is probably the weakest race going (although they don't make bad barbarians or brute fighters). The human is one of the strongest ones due to the bonus feat and skill points. The half-orc would probably be a little better in combat, but you have nothing to worry about there. You, my fine sir, have read my mind. I'll show 'em who's the sword weilder around here! Ummm... The rogue who just stole your sword? ;) Sounds like a plan to me. To be truthful, that's how I start out most of my written works (roleplaying related or otherwise). Begin simple and build up from there. As they say, Rome wasn't built in a day. (Hey, that ryhmed!) I wasn't foreman on that site. (Actually, it's a good system and it sounds as if the only thing you need help with is D&D mechanics) If you need help with constructing the character, the Character Optimisation forum is the place to go.
Doctor X 10-03-04, 02:16 PM	Heck, that sounds great, too. Although, I'm kinda hoping my charcter would be a Human, because I believe they are easier to develop as a character. Now, I know a Human Barbarian would not be nearly as powerful as say a Half-Orc Barbarian, but it is still an option, right? Well, not really... You don't have to follow favored class unless you're planning on multiclassing, and Humans can have any favored class they want, anyway. The only thing the half-orc gets is the +2 to Str. It's nice to have, but it doesn't make or break the character, especially when Humans get an extra feat and some skill points to make up for it, and don't suffer any penalties (half orcs get -2 to Int and Cha). As a matter of fact... Halflings would probably make the best barbarians in Eberron, although they suffer a penalty to Str. It's not so much a statistics issue as it is a background issue-- The Talenta halfings are one of the most dominant barbarian cultures in Eberron. Besides... they ride dinosaurs. Who doesn't want to ride a dinosaur?
Zathyr 10-03-04, 02:19 PM	Really, unless your GM is going to go into a really political story angle, with house rivalries and in-fighting being one of the main themes, then there isn't a whole lot you need to know about Eberron. It has action points, which help make for a more cinematic game, and has a few other interesting tidbits to the world that you've probably already picked up on. Beyond that, I'd say you're good to go. If you have a specific character concept in mind, we can help suggest feats and stuff that would best fit your ideas. If you're really daring, you can try venturing into the character optimization boards and seek help from them as well. Be warned, though, they are a serious and technical lot. The acronyms alone have sent people fleeing for their lives! :mymy:
neo-Aeris 10-03-04, 02:44 PM	Besides... ride dinosaurs. Who doesn't want to ride a dinosaur? Awesome! I can ride a DINOSAUR? Coolness levels are off the charts! I think the only person who doesn't want to ride a dinosaur is that lawyer guy from Jurassic Park. If you have a specific character concept in mind, we can help suggest feats and stuff that would best fit your ideas. If you're really daring, you can try venturing into the character optimization boards and seek help from them as well. Be warned, though, they are a serious and technical lot. The acronyms alone have sent people fleeing for their lives! Acronyms? Eep, doesn't sound like my knida place. When the going gets technical, I get FAR FAR AWAY FROM IT. I have a few general ideas of what I want my character to be like. I want her main goal of adventuring to, well, adventure. Someone who is traveling the world to appreciate it. She doesn't to neccesarily want to learn about other cultures, but she wants to experience them. I definetly want her to have some fighting backround, like in an army or miltia, but I don't want it to be a major turning point in her life. And lastly, when it comes to fighting, she wants to go all out and simply attack her enemy with her -ahem- "mad skillz". (For instance, her battle cry might be: "Today I'm going to be hitting, slashing, smiting, pummeling but most importantly KICKING your ass!") She's all for group tactics, as long as she has a major part. Uhhh..... know that I think about it, that's a little more than a few "general ideas". Oh well, I'm very flexible and open to ideas.
Doctor X 10-03-04, 03:07 PM	Acronyms? Eep, doesn't sound like my knida place. When the going gets technical, I get FAR FAR AWAY FROM IT. That's all right. We can help you out. Some preference for fighting style will be necessary, though. You don't need to answer all of these questions, but here's some general info we might need: You said you wanted her to use a sword, right? What kind of sword? Do you want it to be more finesse-oriented, brute force-oriented, or somewhere in between? How are you going to make use of your action points (new thing in Eberron if you haven't seen them yet)? Are you planning on multiclassing? If so, with which class? Are there any prestige classes that catch your eye?
neo-Aeris 10-03-04, 03:17 PM	You said you wanted her to use a sword, right? What kind of sword? Do you want it to be more finesse-oriented, brute force-oriented, or somewhere in between? How are you going to make use of your action points (new thing in Eberron if you haven't seen them yet)? Are you planning on multiclassing? If so, with which class? Are there any prestige classes that catch your eye? Answers in order: 1. Right. 2. A sharp one. 3.Somewhere a bit in between, but leaning towards brute-force. 4. I am a bit lost when it comes to action points, and I could use some more information on them. 5. No, I'm not planning on multiclassing, 6. but if I was, I wouldn't mind being a bard. 7. ............... who in the what now? I don't know much about prestige classes (if anything at all). If this post doesn't make me look like a total loser newbie, I don't know what does. Random Person "How 'bout that big arrow pointing at you with bright, flashing lights that sez 'TOTAL LOSER NEWBIE!!!' ?" ............ Yeah, that too.
Doctor X 10-03-04, 03:54 PM	2. A sharp one. Of course... but what else? Shortsword? Longsword? Greatsword? Two-Bladed Sword? Do you want to use two (i.e. one in each hand) or just one? Do you want to use a shield? Are there any other attacks you want to use besides your sword (i.e. tripping, unarmed strikes, grapples)? 3.Somewhere a bit in between, but leaning towards brute-force.[[QUOTE=neo-Aeris] Power Attack might be a good place to start then. I'll let you know that Power Attack is MUCH more powerful when you wield your weapon with two hands. If you want to continue with brute force, Cleave and Great Cleave are nice. These allow you to essentially cut through one unfortunate enemy to get to the other. Improved Sunder will be nice if you're planning on busting some shields. [QUOTE=neo-Aeris] 4. I am a bit lost when it comes to action points, and I could use some more information on them. The main thing you'll want to be worrying about with action points is adding them to your attacks. You can spend action points to add 1d6 to any d20 roll. For you, the most important d20 rolls are your attacks. You can take some feats to improve this, and gain new uses for your action points-- such as Action Surge, which allows you an extra Standard or Move action in a round for 2 action points. If you aren't doing a prestige class, you might want to go for one of these, because pure fighters have plenty of feats to spare... and this stuff is always great for adding to the feel of the Eberron setting. 7. ............... who in the what now? I don't know much about prestige classes (if anything at all). Don't worry about it for now, then. One I might suggest is the Extreme Explorer in the Eberron book, though... it's relatively easy to meet the prerequisites for it, and it's perfect for the archetype badarse adventurer that is a staple for stuff like Eberron. It also fits your character's "adventuring for the sake of adventuring" concept that you mentioned earlier. If this post doesn't make me look like a total loser newbie, I don't know what does. Don't worry about it. You have to learn somehow. You should see me play WhiteWolf among some guys I know that have been playing for the past 5 years or so. :uh-huh:
Just another user 10-03-04, 03:56 PM	Action points are easy. You have a number of them (5 + half you actual level rounded up), they are reseted every time you level up, you can use one to add 1d6 to any roll of d20 you do (attacks, skills roll, saving throws, etc) and to do other things like stabilze yourself when you are at -1hp and going down or to have an extra use from a limited class ability that you have already expended for the day (i.e. Barbarian rage). Some feats can change this mechanic slightly (i.e. the feat Action boost lets you add 1d8), some prestige class have special ability that must be activated using action points. Prestige classes are like the basic classes (figther, wizard, etc) with the difference that they have some prerequisites that must be satisfied before you can take a level in them. They usually can be taken around 5th level or more so you don't need to worry for now, but you should ask to your GM which Prestige classes are available in his campaign if you are interested, so that you can plan which feats and skills pick up while you are levelling to take one when you are ready.
Neofish 10-03-04, 04:11 PM	Of course... but what else? Shortsword? Longsword? Greatsword? Two-Bladed Sword? Do you want to use two (i.e. one in each hand) or just one? Do you want to use a shield? : Dude your break'in my heart. What about the bastard sword, it's by far the most well rounded sword around. I go for a fast-defense type fighter. I usally start out with Improved Initiative, Combat- Expertise, and maybe Dodge. If your really warrior bent in Eberron, your most likly an elf, at least a Valenar elf, Or perhaps a Warforged (very good for roleplaying.)
Solarious 10-03-04, 04:19 PM	Hmmnnn... *rifles through 3.0 Player's Handbook* Sword. Sharp'n Pointy. Somewhere inbetween finess and brute force, although you may lean towards HULK SMASH! I would suggest dual-weilding swords, but the rules can get messy there. Thus, I put in a recommendation for a Greatsword, the traditional hack weapon for many Fighters, with a 2d6 damage range and a critical (that's double damage for a Greatsword) on a 19 or 20 in your d20. Both reliable and powerful, with 1.5 times you Str in extra damage (opposed to just your Str bonus) because you use two hands to weild it. BUT. If you think that's too much HULK SMASH, then I suggest the tried-and-true method of dual-weilding a Longsword and a Short Sword. Lots of damage potential there, and there's two swords to poke stuff at with. Alternatively: the more defensive Sword/Sheild style. Less damage output, more survival potential (we can get to floating magical sheilds a little later ^^; ). And if you're going for exotic, the scythe is a fun, fun weapon with it's beautiful x4 critical multiplier. I'm afraid with any more options, you'll get overwhelmed. But what am I saying, I don't even get to play DnD. See you, have fun.
neo-Aeris 10-03-04, 04:30 PM	Of course... but what else? Shortsword? Longsword? Greatsword? Two-Bladed Sword? Do you want to use two (i.e. one in each hand) or just one? Do you want to use a shield? Are there any other attacks you want to use besides your sword (i.e. tripping, unarmed strikes, grapples)? EDIT: Well, other posters have something to say about what sword I should use, so check the next post down. I'm mostly one for swinging sharp things around, but grapples have also interested me. I want to start off basic and build up from there. Power Attack might be a good place to start then. I'll let you know that Power Attack is MUCH more powerful when you wield your weapon with two hands. If you want to continue with brute force, Cleave and Great Cleave are nice Sounds like a plan! I was intending to wield my sword with two hands from the start. The main thing you'll want to be worrying about with action points is adding them to your attacks. You can spend action points to add 1d6 to any d20 roll. For you, the most important d20 rolls are your attacks. You can take some feats to improve this, and gain new uses for your action points-- such as Action Surge, which allows you an extra Standard or Move action in a round for 2 action points. You have a number of them (5 + half you actual level rounded up), they are reseted every time you level up, you can use one to add 1d6 to any roll of d20 you do (attacks, skills roll, saving throws, etc) and to do other things..... Same feat can change this mechanic slightly (i.e. the feat Action boost lets you add 1d8), some prestige class have special ability that must be activated using action points. Okay, they sound simple enough. So at level 1 you would have 6 action points, right? Come game time, I can always ask the DM if I'm confused. Don't worry about it for now, then. One I might suggest is the Extreme Explorer in the Eberron book, though... it's relatively easy to meet the prerequisites for it, and it's perfect for the archetype badarse adventurer that is a staple for stuff like Eberron. It also fits your character's "adventuring for the sake of adventuring" concept that you mentioned earlier. Prestige classes are like the basic classes (figther, wizard, etc) with the difference that they have some prerequisites that must be satisfied before you can take a level in them. So, basically it's something I don't have to worry about until later. The Extreme Explorer sounds perfect, especially since it fit my character. Again, I'd like to thank all y'all for the massive amounts of help. It's really great to have people who are willing to aid newcomers to the game.
neo-Aeris 10-03-04, 04:46 PM	I hate to double post, but this deserve a section of it's own. Dude your break'in my heart. What about the bastard sword, it's by far the most well rounded sword around. I go for a fast-defense type fighter. I usally start out with Improved Initiative, Combat- Expertise, and maybe Dodge. If your really warrior bent in Eberron, your most likly an elf, at least a Valenar elf, Or perhaps a Warforged (very good for roleplaying.) I would suggest dual-weilding swords, but the rules can get messy there. Thus, I put in a recommendation for a Greatsword, the traditional hack weapon for many Fighters. ..... BUT. If you think that's too much HULK SMASH,.... Whoa, I seem to have a lot of good options when it comes to sharp, pointy things. I'm not really one for defense (Ha! Millions of flaming arrows speeding towards my bodies at thirty miles an hour? I can take it!), but using a bastard sword does sound good. I mean, if it's called a BASTARD sword, then it's gotta be tough. Then again, dual-weilding Greatswords sounds awfully good, too. But there's also a few downsides to dual-weilding. Hmm.... this may take a bit of thought. And you know what, forget the "leaning towards brute-force" thing. I wanna go all-out HULK SMASH!!!! And there is no such thing as too much of HULK SMASH.......
Ardent 10-03-04, 05:34 PM	Eh, for a good mix between force and finesse I'd actually lean towards the falchion myself. 2d4 base damage with an 18-20 threat range is a good tradeoff from the greatsword, especially when you pick up Imp. Crit or find a keen one. Just my thought on the swords bit.
Solarious 10-03-04, 05:48 PM	Sorry if you mistoke what I said, but you can't dual-weild Greatswords. I think >_> They're two-handed weapons. And if you like HULK SMASH, then Greatsword is the standard weapon of choice to smack things with. But Falchion is a nice choice too. If you have trouble deciding, then let the Player's Handbook tell you exactly what the weapon looks like. And go from there. Just pick the weapon that looks the most fun for you char, and that's that.
neo-Aeris 10-03-04, 05:52 PM	Sorry if you mistoke what I said, but you can't dual-weild Greatswords. I think >_> They're two-handed weapons. And if you like HULK SMASH, then Greatsword is the standard weapon of choice to smack things with. But Falchion is a nice choice too. If you have trouble deciding, then let the Player's Handbook tell you exactly what the weapon looks like. And go from there. Just pick the weapon that looks the most fun for you char, and that's that. Oh. Ha ha.... I knew that. I was just...... making sure you were paying attention!! Well, so far, the Greatsword sounds great..... Get it? Greatsword? Sounds great? Ah, nevermind, it was stupid anyway.
scalpel 10-03-04, 06:01 PM	Find a miniture you like and base your character off of the look of the miniture. Seems to work for me pretty well.
Doctor X 10-03-04, 08:04 PM	Whoa, I seem to have a lot of good options when it comes to sharp, pointy things. I'm not really one for defense (Ha! Millions of flaming arrows speeding towards my bodies at thirty miles an hour? I can take it!), but using a bastard sword does sound good. I mean, if it's called a BASTARD sword, then it's gotta be tough. Then again, dual-weilding Greatswords sounds awfully good, too. But there's also a few downsides to dual-weilding. Hmm.... this may take a bit of thought. And you know what, forget the "leaning towards brute-force" thing. I wanna go all-out HULK SMASH!!!! And there is no such thing as too much of HULK SMASH....... Well, first of all, you can't duel-wield a Greatsword. You HAVE to use both hands, or you can't swing it properly. If you want to go all out HULK SMASH, that's where you want to go, though... but don't expect a lot of flexibility when you need a free hand for something-- holding a torch while fighting, for example. The Bastard sword is great because it's the most powerful sword you can get without going complete two-handed. It's two-handed normally, but if you take the Feat, you can use it in one... and it deals 1d10 damage, which isn't that much weaker than the Greatsword. If you want to do some grappling, then a Bastard Sword might be cool because you can use it in two hands most of the time, and then put weild it with a single hand when you need a free hand to grab some throats. Improved Grapple would be nice for this... Now that I think about it... that's pretty cool. I think I could write up a little plan. Let's see... Fighter/Exreme Explorer with grappling and extensive HULK SMASH capabilities? *Bonus feats **Class features 1st: Ftr 1- Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword), Improved Unarmed Strike*, Power Attack*. 2nd: Ftr 2- Improved Grapple*. 3rd: Ftr 3- Action Boost. 4th: Ftr 4- Improved Sunder*. 5th: EExp 1- Additional Action Points**, trap sense +1**. 6th: EExp 2- Cleave, Dodge Bonus +1**, evasion**, extreme hustle**. 7th: EExp 3- Heroic Spirit*, Trap Sense +2**. 8th: EExp 4- Dodge bonus +2**, Extreme Action**. 9th: EExp 5- Action Surge, Pursue*,Trap Sense +3**. 10th: Ftr5 11th: Ftr6- Great Cleave*. And so on however you like... I like this setup... It definitely has some personality. Power Attack and Improved sunder will provide you with some definite HULK SMASHage early on. You can use Power Attack to deal some insane damage, and Improved Sunder to bust some shields, or even destroy other people's weapons. I can picture a guy standing there awestruck with what used to be a longsword in his hands-- the blade cut off at the hilt... Improved Unarmed strike will be nice just in case you ever feel like just jacking somebody in the face, which is a very pulp-ish thing to do once in a while. But Improved Unarmed strike is there mostly as a prerequisite for Improved Grapple, which will be nice whenever you need to just choke somebody. You can keep both hands on your sword most of the time, but when you need to get your hand around somebody's throat, you can let your main hand off the hilt for a turn, holding your sword to the side in your off hand, while you start a grapple. "Okay... That big thing you feel there is his windpipe-- that's your handle. Your thumb is on the corotid artery-- that's your button. Remember: Grab the handle, push the button." -Brock, Venture Bros. The Extreme Explorer levels will develop your action-point abilities like crazy. You'll have to take Action Boost first, but that feat is completely worth having. You'll be adding d8's to your attacks instead of just d6's. When you get far enough into Extreme Explorer, you'll not only have some cool uses for your action points, but you'll also have a LOT of them. The Herioc Spirit feat and the Additional Action Points class feature will provide you with 5 extra points per level. When you get Action Surge and Pursue, you'll be able to spend points to get extra actions... and if anyone escapes your grapple and tries to 5-foot-step away, you can spend a point to stay right up next to them. It's the ultimate "Oh no you don't!" tactic. Spellcasters will be taking beatings from you like it's their job. Cleave will be pretty cool, also... It's one of the most HULK-SMASH feats in the game. If you hit somebody hard enough to drop them (i.e. kill them or knock them unconscious), you get one free attack on another enemy within range. You essentially cut through one guy to get to another. Doing this kind of stuff in a fight is usually pretty impressive. It will usually get people to respect and/or fear you, which is always good.
Brastan 10-03-04, 09:02 PM	Welcome to the boards. Remeber that general DnD question should first be presented to the DnD forum on the Boards. If ya don't get a good responds then come here :). Ah were are my manners, welcome to the Madness. I see the advice given already and agree with it. Fighter,sword, general feats. Good for a starting point until you find something that really calls to you. As for the Greatsword you still get the 1.5 damage bonus for using it. Down side is that you Have to use it in two hands. Bastard sword with the Exotic Weapon proficiency is the best for over all utility. (An Masterworked Bastard Sword is also know as a Katakana in D&D). An interest in grappling eh, I got a crazy Eberron class combo that might be killer. (But I'll post that else were). You'll find that big sword and grappling don't fit extremely well together. I would recommend getting Feat: Cleave (and Great Cleave) This will allow you to kill a creature and then kill or damage the next. Also going along the path of Weapon Expertise will get to Feat: Whirlwind. Which is also good for mass slaying. I agree with finding a picture/model figure that seems to fit what you want your character to be. I do it for villain concepts all of the time. Moving to the game, your DM should help you with world details, also turn to your fellow players for help. If they've been at it for some time they'll know what's going on. Also find out who's in charge of the party, or the character who has the most common sense. Fallow their lead and you should be fine. Generally one player / character will take charge and be guiding the groups actions. I have rarely seen a group run as a true democracy, were every opinion is listened to (at the time). If something seems really stupid to you, stand back and watch people blowup, the laugh at there misfortune before helping the out. ;) Also don't forget rope, grappling hook, 10' pole, and a good suit of armor. Any class can work with any race story wise in Eberron. There are really no limitations base on culture. Although the flavor varies from region to region. Have fun, it should be just fine.
GoodTeletubby 10-03-04, 11:14 PM	ah, another one to welcome to the world of eberron, and d&d in general Fighters are some of the most flexible charachters in the game. Sword-fighter let's see, if you take it to the broadest interpertation of sword, that gives your the choice of: Short-Sword- A good weapon, but not usually used as a primary weapon, too small, but good for an off-handed weapon if you're using two, if you're dual wielding, you can use two, or one as an off hand with a longsword. Wielding two of the same give you the advantage of gaining more benefit from weapon specific feats, such as weapon focus and specialization Longsword- The bread-and-butter sword of D&D, good damage, automatic proficency for a fighter, and an excellent weapon when used with a second weapon, or with a shield, the longsword is your standard hack and slash blade Scimitar- generally considered a sword, it's supposed to be a sharper edge, and it makes a good weapon for if you want flavor, and the expanded critical range makes it pretty good, especially once you get improved crit, giving you a 30% chance for a critical threat, but it deals less damage, on par with the short sword. On the other hand, it's one handed, so you can power attack at 1::1 with it. Rapier- My personal favorite, but probably not suited to your charachter, the rapier is the blade of choice for nimbe, dexterous fighters, rather than brute force fighters, having the same crit range bonus as the scimitar, and the same damage drawback, and it makes for an interesting image of an elf wearing two on each hip <.< >.> Bastard Sword- Another good weapon for a primary one-handed weapon, I'd only reccommend it with a human, since it requires a feat to wield one-handed. Good solid damage, and lets you wield a shield as well. Falchion- THE very overlooked sword, it's basically a big scimitar, I'd reccomend a greatsword over this, though if you like the idea of doing crits with a two handed weapon, this would be the way to go, expanded crit range, 2-1 Power attack, 1-1/2 STR damage. Actually not an all that bad weapon. Greatsword- Your REALLY BIG SWORD, the greatsword's primary downside is the lack of a shield, hurtinig your AC slightly, but it sounds like that wouldn't be a problem for you, as it sounds like you'll be throwing yourself at the enemies anyway. I'd go with this, simply because the image of a woman in full plate with a 5-6' sword would be simply scare me out of my wits. This has almost all the benefits of the Falchion: 2-1 Power attack, 1-1/2 STR to damage, better Crit range than most simple x2 crit weapons. That's my basic breakdown of swords, and if you're looking for more of a role-playing charachter, I'd reccomend the Charachter Development boards rather than the Character optimization boards. Charachter Development is more focused on the role-playing/background/personality of the charachter, instead of the "Here's the mechanics to make you the most powerful fighter" focus. And if you really want to scare people, take monkey grip and Two Weapon Fighting, Wield a 5-1/2' large longsword in one hand, dealing as much base damage as a greatsword, and a 4' longsword in your off hand, you take massive damage, but the char seems really cool or if you want to really go wild with it, do it with bastard swords, a sword in your main hand doing more damage than a greatsword base then again, i'm a sucker for sub-optimized, flavorful charachters If you want anything more about swords, or more ideas in general, look me up on AIM, just click the little AIM man under the user-name, or just look up Black Ug on AIM, i'll be happy to help oh yeah, and the number one rule that you have to not forget: HAVE FUN! this cannot be restated enough, if you're not having fun, figure out what's keeping you from having fun, and discuss it with the other players and the DM
neo-Aeris 10-03-04, 11:49 PM	Oooooooo, there's so much cool, kick ass stuff here, I can hardly keep my pants on! All I can say to everyone is WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW. I think this has gone beyond HULK SMASH. It's more like...... SUPER AMAZING RADIOACTIVE TITANIC HULK SMACKDOWN!! I am so printing out this advice for future reference. I'm having fun just readnig this. Spellcasters will be taking beatings from you like it's their job. Darn straight! Also find out who's in charge of the party, or the character who has the most common sense. Fallow their lead and you should be fine. Generally one player / character will take charge and be guiding the groups actions. I have rarely seen a group run as a true democracy, were every opinion is listened to (at the time). If something seems really stupid to you, stand back and watch people blowup, the laugh at there misfortune before helping the out. Well, you know what they say. It's funny until someone gets hurt...... then it's hilarious. GoodTeletubby........ wow, that's the LAST person I'd think to go to for sword information. Thanks a ton for the down-low!
Doctor X 10-04-04, 12:04 AM	Now that I think about it, it's a much better idea for you to use a Greatsword instead of the bastard sword. You could get to your more powerful freats a lot sooner, and it wouldn't limit your grappling capabilities too much. Remember that you can HOLD a Greatsword with one hand. You just can't USE it that way. So if you ever want to grapple, you can just hold the Greatsword to the side in your off-hand, and then grapple with your main hand. You won't be able to combine sword strikes with grapples for full attacks, but that really isn't a big deal. So, if you did it this way, it'd look like this: *Bonus feats **Class features 1st: Ftr 1- Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike*, Power Attack*. 2nd: Ftr 2- Improved Sunder* 3rd: Ftr 3- Action Boost. 4th: Ftr 4- Cleave*. 5th: EExp 1- Additional Action Points**, trap sense +1**. 6th: EExp 2- Great Cleave, Dodge Bonus +1**, evasion**, extreme hustle**. 7th: EExp 3- Heroic Spirit*, Trap Sense +2**. 8th: EExp 4- Dodge bonus +2**, Extreme Action**. 9th: EExp 5- Action Surge, Pursue*,Trap Sense +3**. And so on, however you please. This is better overall, I'd say... but in the end, it's up to you.
Zathyr 10-04-04, 02:14 AM	No reason you can't use one weapon for a while then pick up something else later, too. You never know, you may find that flaming sword that lets you hack and burninate!
GoodTeletubby 10-04-04, 01:03 PM	GoodTeletubby........ wow, that's the LAST person I'd think to go to for sword information. Thanks a ton for the down-low! :blush: Just trying to help, I've only been playing just under two years myself, but I really enjoy this, and I don't think there's anything better than a charachter with a good personality to it. Enjoy your game, and have fun.
neo-Aeris 10-04-04, 06:53 PM	And so on, however you please. This is better overall, I'd say... but in the end, it's up to you. Wow, you've been a really big help!! Thanks for all the information and advice. I am 1314% sure that it will be helpful. . You never know, you may find that flaming sword that lets you hack and burninate! Oh. My. God. That sounds like one of the most awesome-est things evah. Burninating the countryside, burninating the peasants! Burninating all the people who live in thatched-roofed cottages!! (Whilst, at the same time, hacking at them with my sword.) GoodTeletubby! I just noticed that you go to WVU! I know someone else that goes there, so..... it's kinda cool........ yeah.
Gurv 10-04-04, 07:16 PM	Answers in order: 1. Right. 2. A sharp one. 3.Somewhere a bit in between, but leaning towards brute-force. 4. I am a bit lost when it comes to action points, and I could use some more information on them. 5. No, I'm not planning on multiclassing, 6. but if I was, I wouldn't mind being a bard. 7. ............... who in the what now? I don't know much about prestige classes (if anything at all). If this post doesn't make me look like a total loser newbie, I don't know what does. Random Person "How 'bout that big arrow pointing at you with bright, flashing lights that sez 'TOTAL LOSER NEWBIE!!!' ?" ............ Yeah, that too. Where, oh where, can I find 'total loser newbies'? Because if your posts are any indication, you may very well be the dream of every DM who has ever had to teach a new player. I have 5th year 'vets' who only show half the interest you do and seem to understand only a third of what they're interested in. Welcome to the Boards, and if there is ever a question I can help answer, I hope it is for someone as eager to hear the answer as you.
Gurv 10-04-04, 07:26 PM	My suggestion for a sword, btw, is the falchion. The greatsword does more damage, yes. But the falchion threatens a critical on an 18, and that is sooo hard to find in a really big piece of razor-sharp steel. And you'll find that the better version of that flaming sword you want so badly is based on how often you critical. If you question which trait has more value, look no further than the weapon price; the falchion costs 25gp more. You'll get what you pay for. And there is a much, much more important reason for using the falchion than mere game mechanics. It looks cooler. The greatsword...its so cliche, so over-done. Gurv "The greatest harm can result from the best of intentions." -Wizard's Second Rule
neo-Aeris 10-04-04, 09:40 PM	Because if your posts are any indication, you may very well be the dream of every DM who has ever had to teach a new player. Dream...... OR NIGHTMARE?! *du du DUN DUUUUUU!!* My suggestion for a sword, btw, is the falchion. The greatsword does more damage, yes. But the falchion threatens a critical on an 18, and that is sooo hard to find in a really big piece of razor-sharp steel. And you'll find that the better version of that flaming sword you want so badly is based on how often you critical. If you question which trait has more value, look no further than the weapon price; the falchion costs 25gp more. You'll get what you pay for. And there is a much, much more important reason for using the falchion than mere game mechanics. It looks cooler. The greatsword...its so cliche, so over-done. Razor-sharp..... critical hit.... looks cooler! Now THIS is stuff I like to hear. How can anyone think D&D is dorky when it has SWORDS and DRAGONS? I think they've got it all backwards. Oh, and another question: where's a good place to find a miniture for my character?
GoodTeletubby 10-04-04, 10:08 PM	Dream...... OR NIGHTMARE?! *du du DUN DUUUUUU!!* Razor-sharp..... critical hit.... looks cooler! Now THIS is stuff I like to hear. How can anyone think D&D is dorky when it has SWORDS and DRAGONS? I think they've got it all backwards. Oh, and another question: where's a good place to find a miniture for my character? i don't think you could qualify as a nightmare, personally, i'd love to DM for you any time, is your friend who goes here into d&d too? i could use a contact to try and get into a group here, and if you're looking for a school in a couple years, come on up here, it's a great school, as long as you've got the control not to drink yourself under the table every night. If you like it, I'd say go with the falchion, it's a good weapon, under-used, under-rated, and excellent for kicking serious ass. Good luck with the figher, and let me know if you can refer me to a d&d group in the area, I'd appreciate it.
Gurv 10-04-04, 10:30 PM	i don't think you could qualify as a nightmare, personally, i'd love to DM for you any time, No! I recognized first! [ahem] If you do like the falchion, then when building your fighter, look into the Improved Critical feat. Its benefits are much greater when used with this kind of weapon. As far as minis...perhaps a gaming store? This link (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=gamestores/locations) shows where you can find gaming stores. I dare not plug non-Wizard locations. But if their products aren't what you're looking for, I daresay these places will sell others.
GoodTeletubby 10-04-04, 11:42 PM	neo-Aeris, check your private messages, I just sent you a couple links with some minis you might like for your charachter. Hope they help.
Kiirnodel 10-05-04, 12:48 AM	I am impressed. Greetings to the baords, I consider myself an experienced and learned player....er DM..(I NEVER get to be a player...everytime I play as a player...everyone quits and asks me to DM) I've been a DM for 7 years so go figure! Enough about me and more about you! Eberron does complicate things...but I might have missed this...but what books do you own? I'd be able to help you better from there, the advice given here....well. I can quite agree with. Just listen and learn...and you seem to be very good at that..I encourage both genders to play... In my sig you See Lia and Alesryi are both female players! Also for my ignorance: Sophomores...College or High school? I'll tell you now...I'M a freshman...Me being 18 gives it away that I'm in college. Just to satisfy my curiosity that is. If you are using the falcion Power Attack is a great idea BUT: Great Cleave is possibly the most worthless feat at higher levels. I dropped a campaign at level 27 PCs. The two that had cleave never got great cleave and that was for the best...levels 8+ they never would have used it. Level 4 (min)-6 probably would have indulged in it....BUT Whirlwind usually get's better. Cleave isn't bad at all. Extreme Explorer is a pretty nice class, not my favorite...BUT IT HAS FLAVOR! Which is good in my book. Anymore questions ask away...and welcome to Eberron :D
Doctor X 10-05-04, 01:47 AM	Hmm... I wonder, though.... can Cleave be combined with Sunder? When you make an attack on an enemy's shield, the shield is technically the target, isn't it? If you deal enough damage to destroy it, shouldn't Cleave apply, allowing you to smash through somebody's shield and deal damage to them? I never really tought about this, but it would be pretty cool if it were legal...
Just another user 10-05-04, 07:22 AM	Hmm... I wonder, though.... can Cleave be combined with Sunder? When you make an attack on an enemy's shield, the shield is technically the target, isn't it? If you deal enough damage to destroy it, shouldn't Cleave apply, allowing you to smash through somebody's shield and deal damage to them? Or sundering more weapons, one after the other.
Kiirnodel 10-05-04, 12:27 PM	There is a certain feat in Complete Warrior in the tactical section that allows it...but due to copyrights...I do believe I can not tell you the rest of the feat *cough*Combat Brute*cough*
Zorloff 10-05-04, 12:30 PM	Hmm... I wonder, though.... can Cleave be combined with Sunder? When you make an attack on an enemy's shield, the shield is technically the target, isn't it? If you deal enough damage to destroy it, shouldn't Cleave apply, allowing you to smash through somebody's shield and deal damage to them? There is a tactical feat in the Complete Warrior called Combat Brute that allows you to cleave after a successful sunder. ...now back on the topic... Not sure if this will help too much but I try to imagine what I want my character to be/look like and go from there. My latest character idea is Guy Greenback. Strong and charismatic, but not to wise in the way of the world. Starting stats @ 1st: Str: 15 Dex: 10 Con: 10 Int: 10 Wis: 11 Cha:15 He's intimidating and tough and is a natural leader (even if he has no idea what to do or where to go!). Fully decked out in Full Plate with a shield and wielding a greatsword in one hand. Sooo his feats will be: 1st Level fighter (Human) Monkey Grip, Weapon Focus (Great Sword), Powerful charge I then flush out his personality, family background, politics and such. Which then leads to the skills... Cheers, Z
Gurv 10-05-04, 01:04 PM	My personal opinion on Cleave and Great Cleave, and the entire Power Attack feat tree in general: [ahem; takes deep breath] Power Attack is, for the most part, useless at lower levels. At first, even the fighter types cannot afford to sacrifice attack for damage, and even if they could, the pay off is minimal. Using a weapon in two hands increases that pay off, but still, Power Attack is little use at low levels. The only logical reason to pick it up before 5th level is to qualify for other feats. At higher levels, when you're hitting the armor class of a foe with even secondary attacks, is when you should be hitting with the Power Attack turned up. Cleave and Great Cleave are actually rather useful, depending on the DM and the style of the game. If the party is fighting large numbers of weaker creatures, then it is great. Both feats are useless if you tend to fight one big monster at a time. I suggest using Power Attack in conjunction with these, as the little buggers you're killing likely have lower ACs and because killing them in one swing is going to be high priority. [On a side note: I once knew a player who capitolized on Cleave and Great Cleave whenever the DM surrounded his BBEG with little minions. He'd rush in, hit the BBEG with his best attack, then target a minion with his second attack. If the minion went down, he'd cleave against the BBEG with his best attack modifier. Then he'd use his third, worst attack against a minion, again cleaving into the BBEG if the minion went down. Three attacks with his best modifiers, all though good use of Great Cleave.] Edit: Before anyone points it out, the feat no longer works this way, thanks to the geniuses of WotC, who I suspect spied on our games while creating 3.5 Again, both Cleave and Great Cleave benefit a higher level character more than a lower level one. As for Improved Bull Rush, Overrun, and Sunder...they're all good feats, but the main benefit of them is to avoid attacks of opportunity (and get a bonus on the atttempts, yes). So if you're not going to be using these tactics frequently, just take the AoO on the occassions that you do. If you are going to be using them, grab the feat, of course. Bull Rush is best in a large party. Pushing things off cliffs is such a rare opportunity, but pushing them past other players who get to make attacks of opportunity? Priceless. Overrun is best if you often fight loads of lesser creatures. (If there is only one creature, why would you want to run past it? Just go around, its not worth a feat unless you'd otherwise run past things.) Sunder is an underused tactic, which is best if you fight a lot of people instead of monsters. Its underused mostly because it almost never works. If you want it to work, you need a character who is going to deal a ton of damage to the weapon or shield (AKA, a high level one). I suggest using Power Attack at the same time, since the weapon is easy to hit, but has piles of hit points under all the hardness.
GoodTeletubby 10-05-04, 02:09 PM	There is a tactical feat in the Complete Warrior called Combat Brute that allows you to cleave after a successful sunder. ...now back on the topic... Not sure if this will help too much but I try to imagine what I want my character to be/look like and go from there. My latest character idea is Guy Greenback. Strong and charismatic, but not to wise in the way of the world. Starting stats @ 1st: Str: 15 Dex: 10 Con: 10 Int: 10 Wis: 11 Cha:15 He's intimidating and tough and is a natural leader (even if he has no idea what to do or where to go!). Fully decked out in Full Plate with a shield and wielding a greatsword in one hand. Sooo his feats will be: 1st Level fighter (Human) Monkey Grip, Weapon Focus (Great Sword), Powerful charge I then flush out his personality, family background, politics and such. Which then leads to the skills... Cheers, Z problem #1 is that monkey grip doesn't allow you to use a greatsword in one hand any more, you'd just be wielding a Large greatsword in two hands, you'd have to take Monkey Grip (Longsword) to get a Large longsword in one hand, but it'd deal the same damage as a Medium sized creature's greatsword ever so slight differences, but they're there note that this assumes you are playing 3.5, as in 3.0, a large creature's longsword was a medium creature's greatsword
Doctor X 10-05-04, 02:56 PM	I just looked at combat brute... it's beatiful for a HULK SMASH type character. If your DM is allowing Complete Warrior in his campaign, this would be great to take as a 10th-level bonus feat if you're using the Greatsword/Falchion-wielding Extreme Explorer setup I posted eariler. You might want Improved Bull Rush to make complete use of Combat Brute, however. You could swap one of your earlier out for that, or just wait until a later level... or just forget about it. It's up to you, in the end.
Neofish 10-05-04, 06:47 PM	If you REALLY want a combat monster, make a Goliath Barbarian, with a +4 STR and Powerful Build racial trait, the Goliath is the most powerful PC race ever made, the only thing is...well...there kinda hard to place in Eberron.
neo-Aeris 10-05-04, 07:33 PM	Eberron does complicate things...but what books do you own? I'd be able to help you better from there, the advice given here....well. I can quite agree with. Just listen and learn...and you seem to be very good at that..I encourage both genders to play... In my sig you See Lia and Alesryi are both female players! Also for my ignorance: Sophomores...College or High school? I'll tell you now...I'M a freshman...Me being 18 gives it away that I'm in college. Just to satisfy my curiosity that is. If you are using the falcion Power Attack is a great idea BUT: Great Cleave is possibly the most worthless feat at higher levels. I dropped a campaign at level 27 PCs. The two that had cleave never got great cleave and that was for the best...levels 8+ they never would have used it. Level 4 (min)-6 probably would have indulged in it....BUT Whirlwind usually get's better. Cleave isn't bad at all. Extreme Explorer is a pretty nice class, not my favorite...BUT IT HAS FLAVOR! Which is good in my book. Anymore questions ask away...and welcome to Eberron :D I only own the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master Guide, and Monster Manuel (3.5, of course). Well, er, I used to own them. But one of my friends 'barrowed' them a week ago, so I don't have them on hand. To answer your other question: I am a sophomore in..... high school. Nar, I feel like a five-year-old hangin' with the big kids here. Eveyone: Whoa. You guys are, like, combining all off your best ideas to help little old me. Character design, suggested weapons and feats, the works! I'm all giddy here. I can't wait to start playing so I can venture to the rest of the boards and start adding my opinions. All of you have been a major help :D . Oh! Another question! I think I heard about D&D games online. Are there any I could join to start getting experince? If so that would be, as they say, "da bomb".
Solarious 10-05-04, 08:07 PM	Dream...... OR NIGHTMARE?! *du du DUN DUUUUUU!!* Hey, I am the nightmare around here, no stealing my flame ;) Razor-sharp..... critical hit.... looks cooler! Now THIS is stuff I like to hear. How can anyone think D&D is dorky when it has SWORDS and DRAGONS? I think they've got it all backwards. You know, once one thinks about it, Gurv is right. +2d6 from Flaming Burst on a 18-20 is probably worth more than the 2d2 you'll miss out from the Greatsword. Improved Critical (or Keen Edge cast or inherit on the sword) will bump up the critical range to 15-20. One in every four hits! :devil: But do whatever suits you. DnD is really all about the fun, not the numbers. I always feel that the people of the optimization boards have forgotten that. Hence, my feeling of walking into a brothrel or something similar every time I go there. :twitch: Oh! Another question! I think I heard about D&D games online. Are there any I could join to start getting experince? If so that would be, as they say, "da bomb". You are looking for the Real Adventures Boards (http://boards1.wizards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=278), where we all cam game online without leaving the comfort of our homes! We can even have multiple campaigns running at the same time :D Remember, character slots fill up fast, and the gaming pace is slow ;) So you understand? Yes? Then LET THE DORK-ORGY PROCEED AS PLANNED!!! :pile: :invasion: :pile: And here's a live turkey for Thanksgiving. :turkey: <=== Zee Turkey.
GoodTeletubby 10-05-04, 08:32 PM	I only own the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master Guide, and Monster Manuel (3.5, of course). Well, er, I used to own them. But one of my friends 'barrowed' them a week ago, so I don't have them on hand. To answer your other question: I am a sophomore in..... high school. Nar, I feel like a five-year-old hangin' with the big kids here. Eveyone: Whoa. You guys are, like, combining all off your best ideas to help little old me. Character design, suggested weapons and feats, the works! I'm all giddy here. I can't wait to start playing so I can venture to the rest of the boards and start adding my opinions. All of you have been a major help :D . Oh! Another question! I think I heard about D&D games online. Are there any I could join to start getting experince? If so that would be, as they say, "da bomb". first off, feeling like a kid here is a good thing, i'm only a freshman at WVU, we're not all that much older than you and if you'd hop onto AIM right now, i'd like to talk, i've currently got an AIM-based game going in eberron, and i've only got three players, so if you'd stop by, we can see if they wouldn't mind you joining up
neo-Aeris 10-05-04, 08:32 PM	Hey, I an the nightmare around here, no stealing my flame ;) I wouldn't dare. You know, once one thinks about it, Gurv is right. +2d6 from Flaming Burst on a 18-20 is probably worth more than the 2d2 you'll miss out from the Greatsword. Improved Critical (or Keen Edge cast or inherit on the sword) will bump up the critical range to 15-20. One in every four hits! :devil: Huh.You have a point there. But do whatever suits you. DnD is really all about the fun, not the numbers. I always feel that the people of the optimization boards have forgotten that. Hence, my feeling of walking into a brothrel or something similar every time I go there. :twitch: Well, yeah. It is roleplaying, not rolemathclass. Some people take having fun too seriously. You are looking for the Real Adventures Boards (http://boards1.wizards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=278), where we all cam game online without leaving the comfort of our homes! We can even have multiple campaigns running at the same time :D Remember, character slots fill up fast, and the gaming pace is slow ;) So you understand? Yes? Then LET THE DORK-ORGY PROCEED AS PLANNED!!! :pile: :invasion: :pile: And here's a live turkey for Thanksgiving. :turkey: <=== Zee Turkey. WOOT! I have commited to total dork-age. And now I have turkey. How great is that? REALLY GREAT! Thanks again, Solarious!! ^____^ Here's a kirby dance for you: <(^_^<) <(^_^)> (>^_^)>
Kiirnodel 10-05-04, 08:55 PM	Thats cool, don't worry. I actually AM holding an online campaign based off of a survivor type game mixed into D&D. Check my sig (default settings lists signitures once, so check the top post :D) I am so glad you are looking to rolplay before you rollplay. I'd rather have someone be a fun character than be able to tons in vombat and a complete bore outside it, AS LONG AS THEY ARE OK with the rest of the group. I once allowed a kender....THAT was a mistake. I'm glad you've joined D&D! :D I like your idea, have you seen the Frenzied Berserker miniature? SHE is awesome! You kind of remind me of that... I always try to help! :D
Solarious 10-05-04, 09:08 PM	Well, yeah. It is roleplaying, not rolemathclass. Some people take having fun too seriously. I am grabbing that and saving it for a future quote! WOOT! I have commited to total dork-age. And now I have turkey. How great is that? REALLY GREAT! Thanks again, Solarious!! ^____^ Here's a kirby dance for you: <(^_^<) <(^_^)> (>^_^)> (_^.^____)O <=== My rabite thanks you for the kirbies. But a real kirby dance would have them chibi and have sets of three. Like this: <(''<) <(''<) <(''<) <=== Zee shuffle left (>'')> (>'')> (>'')> <=== Zee shuffle right <('')> <('')> <('')> <=== Zeey are twirling zeround (v,,)v (v,,)v (v,,)v <===Zee dive to the ground <(''<) ^('')^ (>'')> <=== Zee finishing poze (^^; ) <== Un sweatdrope for your entertainment.
Zathyr 10-05-04, 09:55 PM	Well, yeah. It is roleplaying, not rolemathclass. Some people take having fun too seriously. What do you mean? Math is great fun! :D ... Why's everyone looking at me like that? err... ps. flaming burst would add d6 + d10 on a crit, not 2d6. *slips away quietly*
smrtgmp 10-05-04, 10:38 PM	I personally think CA is one of the best places around. Although, having Arnold Schwartzanegger as our govenor is a little embarassing.Didn't you get the memo? Now that the Governator has taken over, the name of our state has been officially changed to Coddyfonya. Based on your posts thus far, I think you'll fit in nicely with the D&D crowd. Plus, we can always use more female gamers. They tend to roleplay more, not to mention they usually smell better than the stereotypical Comicbook Guy gamer. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy your first camaign. Oh yeah, i would also like to cast my vote for the falchion. The greatsword does a bit more damage on a regular hit, but the falchion will do more damage overall, especially once you start adding the various burst effects on there. Eventually you could have a flaming/shocking/icy burst falchion of asskickig doom. Throw a keen on there and you will do asstons of extra energy damage 1/4 of the time. Its hard to go wrong with that.
Solarious 10-05-04, 10:42 PM	What do you mean? Math is great fun! :D ... Why's everyone looking at me like that? err... ps. flaming burst would add d6 + d10 on a crit, not 2d6. *slips away quietly* First, math is the enemy, exterminate it on sight. *loads up rocket launcher* Second, I apologize for being more used to 3.0 rules. Yesh, +d10 on a crit.
master0fdungeons 10-06-04, 03:12 PM	first off, feeling like a kid here is a good thing, i'm only a freshman at WVU, we're not all that much older than you Speak for yourself there ;) My daughters are a freshman and sophmore in high school. I DM games for them and their friends. Not a bad deal for them as "Dad" buys all the books and they can always find a game. I kinda like having a few groups of players always willing to play too.