Post/Author/DateTime	Post
boogahwoof 04-24-06, 07:57 PM	Ok guys I am having a problem. In my area i seem to be a good person to come to, to make characters or help with progression for folks. And i do not mind at all, I love building characters. But the delima i face is i am having to start one for myself and i seem to be completely drained of ideas. I just wanna play something fun and different, because as most do, i have my maxed out fighter and i also have a bonded summoner (warmage fire bonded). So if any ideas for cool and i put the strain on "unusual" characters would be prefered. I love to be different :confused: thanks yall
PaulH 04-24-06, 08:26 PM	Hi How about using a Warmage as a Light Infantry type? Or even a simple Gnome Bard? Calm emotions is an excellent spell. Have used it to overcome a difficult encounter before it even started. (As a Cleric). Then there's Critical Strike, Sonic Weapon, plus all the Illusions & Enchantments. Tumble behind an enemy, cast Critical Strike (swift spell, no AoO), & sneak etc. Or just tumble, go defensive (lots ranks in tumble for AC bonus)? to provide flanking for your Rogue friends! Fun characters aren't necessarily the class/race itself, but the way you play them. Cheers Paul H PS On another thread have suggested Swashbuckler 3/Warmage onwards. Imagine a suave gallant pugilist (Fist of Stone), who can dish it when necessary. "No, I won't disintegrate him. Gentlemen don't do that sort of thing......." :P
PaulH 04-24-06, 08:31 PM	Hi PS - most fun I've had roleplaying was a game of Saarbreenar at Conception last year. Had a group of yipping Kobolds with us, constantly challenging NPC's, saying "..reckon our tribal champion harder than your......" (meaning our party barbarian vs your big hairy fighter type). In town also kept asking where they could get a Paladin Burger, or at least Paladin meat. LMAO! :D Cheers Paul H
opa 04-24-06, 11:34 PM	I see you have your mage and your fighter , and you want something unusual Don't overlook Druid.. some of the finest roleplay available.. you can take a wacky animal companion... dire bat rider anyone? also at level 5 when you get wildshape you can be a wacky animal yourself and its a divine which you hadn't listed and its a powerful class I didnt like the class til I played one.. I have a flan rover of the barren druid (american indian type) and love him
Lomiat 04-25-06, 01:08 AM	None of the base classes are really "unusual," so it's the way you: a) roleplay, or b) plan for a prestige class that defines an "unusual" character. As far as unusual goes, I've not yet seen anyone play a Divine Prankster. The class certainly isn't overpowered (not a Radiant Servant, for example), but it has some diversity and thematically (goofy, but) interesting elements to it. It's from Races of Stone and can probably be best built as a Bard/Cleric combo. 1-Bard 2 through 4-Cleric (3rd level, get Craft Wondrous Item) 5-Bard (be sure to pick up Inspirational Boost) 6-Divine Prankster
clik_ml 04-25-06, 09:12 AM	I'm jealous. I'm dying to play a bonded summoner, but haven't seen hide nor hair for means of access to it (sadly my diviner I just started is one of two characters I'd like to play as one, I'm betting one of my other characters will eventually find access and have to use leadership to create a cohort bonded summoner). Spellcasters can do pretty much anything, so you'll almost never run out of unusual things to do with them. Some less-used/seen options: * an illusionist who almost entirely uses illusions in battles. * a wizard (or sorc) who through self-buffs outfights many fighters. * a rogue/cleric mix who can sneak attack undead and use cleric buffs to help rogue abilities. * a druid who pretty much only uses summon nature's ally in combat (maybe this is common, I dunno. It seems outrageously good, yet I rarely see it done). Hippogriffs, kitty cats, and big elementals can be pretty buff. * a bard/sublime chord build (these things can be so varied that I won't bother naming any beyond that I have hopes of playing a bard/bonded summoner/sublime chord if my diviner levels past 5 without getting access to bonded summoner). * a straight rogue (or barbarian, or paladin, i.e. someone you don't expect to have access to tons of spells/wands) with 1 level dip in cleric with magic domain, who uses copious wands and scrolls
spellbow 04-25-06, 02:21 PM	how about an elf archer going to the arcine archer Pc. you could be the archer/wizard in a group and you get a bunch of abilitys to use with your bow and arrows
Lupo 04-25-06, 06:37 PM	I'm jealous. I'm dying to play a bonded summoner, but haven't seen hide nor hair for means of access to it (sadly my diviner I just started is one of two characters I'd like to play as one, I'm betting one of my other characters will eventually find access and have to use leadership to create a cohort bonded summoner). Spellcasters can do pretty much anything, so you'll almost never run out of unusual things to do with them. Some less-used/seen options: * an illusionist who almost entirely uses illusions in battles. * a wizard (or sorc) who through self-buffs outfights many fighters. * a rogue/cleric mix who can sneak attack undead and use cleric buffs to help rogue abilities. * a druid who pretty much only uses summon nature's ally in combat (maybe this is common, I dunno. It seems outrageously good, yet I rarely see it done). Hippogriffs, kitty cats, and big elementals can be pretty buff. * a bard/sublime chord build (these things can be so varied that I won't bother naming any beyond that I have hopes of playing a bard/bonded summoner/sublime chord if my diviner levels past 5 without getting access to bonded summoner). * a straight rogue (or barbarian, or paladin, i.e. someone you don't expect to have access to tons of spells/wands) with 1 level dip in cleric with magic domain, who uses copious wands and scrolls yea, the summoner druid is one of the very efficient druid builts out there. it includes spell focus [conjuration], augment summoning and especcially important, rapid spell. apart from those three feats (eating up feat slots 1 to 6 or 1 to 3 for humans) you can either go the "caster-in-animal-shape-route" with natural spell at level 9 (6 for humans) or any metamagical at this levels, definitely go for craft wonderous, as a druid can craft for himself AND his animal companion. ciao martin m. ps: nothing stops attackers as fast as a giant croc appearing 15 feet in front of them and doing a charge, they are wonderful for getting rid of surplus corpses as well.
Nerax 04-26-06, 12:17 AM	yea, the summoner druid is one of the very efficient druid builts out there. it includes spell focus [conjuration], augment summoning and especcially important, rapid spell. apart from those three feats (eating up feat slots 1 to 6 or 1 to 3 for humans) you can either go the "caster-in-animal-shape-route" with natural spell at level 9 (6 for humans) or any metamagical at this levels, definitely go for craft wonderous, as a druid can craft for himself AND his animal companion. ciao martin m. To make him just a little bit diffrent from that take Skill Focus: Handle Animal and take one level of the Beastmaster PrC. Give your animal companion a big boost (+3 to your level for your effective companion) but it will cost you a spellcasting level. Or if you can find access to the Natural Bond feat (limited)that would add even more to your companion.
Lupo 04-26-06, 05:44 AM	To make him just a little bit diffrent from that take Skill Focus: Handle Animal and take one level of the Beastmaster PrC. Give your animal companion a big boost (+3 to your level for your effective companion) but it will cost you a spellcasting level. Or if you can find access to the Natural Bond feat (limited)that would add even more to your companion. the moment you throw in ANY other class without full spellcaster progression you get problems. suddenly your summoned animals will be merely speed bumps, remember that you have to meorize "rapid spell" summonings one spell slot up. for a druid mix, beastmaster is a boon, but you have to invest another precious feat "skill focus" into it, and druids are damn low on feats . the same goes for the limited "natural bond" feat, but it will only bring up your animal companion additional abilities at best to your total character level (and a fighter mix can't use his bonus feat slots for these), it works like "practiced spellcaster" (ok, with beastmaster you than add the three bonus levels, but then you already have burnt two fetas, skill focus and antural bond). and a mix is nowhere near a pure druid, concerning caster power :-) ciao martin m.
vikingtoo66 04-28-06, 02:09 AM	Get 5 levels of Monk then go to the Psychic warrior class with your Charisma as your main attribute you'll love the unarmored raw power with an AC like you were wearing Plate
Prochytes 04-28-06, 07:04 AM	Get 5 levels of Monk then go to the Psychic warrior class with your Charisma as your main attribute you'll love the unarmored raw power with an AC like you were wearing Plate Living Greyhawk does not use psionics. If we are going to have Character Optimization stuff on this board (and as I have said elsewhere, I have no problem with that), can we please make an effort to keep it LG-focused? Sorry for being snappish.
Reska 04-28-06, 08:14 PM	To make him just a little bit diffrent from that take Skill Focus: Handle Animal and take one level of the Beastmaster PrC. Give your animal companion a big boost (+3 to your level for your effective companion) but it will cost you a spellcasting level. Or if you can find access to the Natural Bond feat (limited)that would add even more to your companion. Or, like I did with my Wasteland Druid. 6 levels of Druid. At 7th, take Beastmaster (Hello...Dire Tortoise!). 8-10 is Wizard, and the rest Arcane Heirophant (Hello...Dire Tortoise Familiar!)
PaulH 04-28-06, 08:46 PM	Hi Master Many Forms is excellent Druid progression. OK, you stop gaining spells, but you get extra shifting per lvl, advanced shift options, can communicate/cast spells in shift form etc. Very good combatant. Add lvl of Barbarian and away you go...... :D 1st lvl - Wildshape into Humanoid (Troglodyte for extra Nat Armour) 2nd Lvl - Giants & Large. (Dire Ape for Str/Con. Rage & charge with 2H Sword) 3rd Lvl - Fast Wildshape (move equiv), Monstrous Humanoid Etc. Etc. Until 7th lvl - you gain all extraordinary special qualities of animal. Dire Bear casting spells (up to 3rd lvl), then raging, plus rend? or even a 13 HD Giant using that Greatsword in one hand! Cheers Paul H
Iswald 04-29-06, 12:52 AM	Master Many Forms is excellent Druid progression. OK, you stop gaining spells, but you get extra shifting per lvl, advanced shift options, can communicate/cast spells in shift form etc. Without the Natural Spell feat, you would be limited to spells that have just a verbal component.
clik_ml 04-29-06, 10:29 AM	Without the Natural Spell feat, you would be limited to spells that have just a verbal component. It's even worse than that, since animals can't speak languages, you aren't even allowed Verbal-only spells (books even go so far as to comment that animal's capabale of mimicry such as parrots can't create verbal components). However I'm pretty sure it is assumed that any wildshape build is including Natural Spell as it is mandatory that all druids take that feat at level 6 anywho. remember that you have to meorize "rapid spell" summonings one spell slot up. As for Rapid Spell'd summonings I'm not certain I'd call that mandatory, or even a good idea half of the time. Having better monsters is often worth the 1 round wait. If you summon for multiple rounds then it is essentially using 3 level 4 slots for 3 dire wolves vs. 2 level 4 slots for 2d3 dire wolves.
Iswald 04-29-06, 11:31 AM	It's even worse than that, since animals can't speak languages, you aren't even allowed Verbal-only spells (books even go so far as to comment that animal's capabale of mimicry such as parrots can't create verbal components). However I'm pretty sure it is assumed that any wildshape build is including Natural Spell as it is mandatory that all druids take that feat at level 6 anywho. Actually, I was just commenting on MoMF which allows verbal components and speaking while shapechanged, but none of the other components will work unless you pick an appropriate form (except if you have the feat).
Namarus 04-29-06, 06:56 PM	Or, like I did with my Wasteland Druid. 6 levels of Druid. At 7th, take Beastmaster (Hello...Dire Tortoise!). 8-10 is Wizard, and the rest Arcane Heirophant (Hello...Dire Tortoise Familiar!) You realise of course that your build is horribly un-optimised. You could have qualified for that doing; Druid 3/Wizard 3/Beastmaster 1/Arcane Heirophant 3. That gets you to the level 10 component of your build, with the same number of caster levels in druid, and more caster levels in wizard.
PaulH 04-29-06, 08:18 PM	Without the Natural Spell feat, you would be limited to spells that have just a verbal component. Hi Not necessarily so with Master Many Forms. I agree the only problem is spell components, which you need Natural Spell to get around. Though a new 'shape' with hands/means of getting components from bag, etc. gets around this. Dire Ape has no problems with this. (Master lvl 2 grants Wildshape Giant & Large). Then there is debate whether you can even gain ability to speak new language in form of sentient creature that has spoken language. Eg. Troglodyte, Elf, etc. Since you can shape into any humanoid. Shifter's Speech (Ex) "A master of many forms maintains her ability to speak normally (including verbal components of spells) regardless of the form she takes. Furthermore, she can communicate with other creatures of the same kind while in wild shape......" Using this idea in non LG game. Starting Barbarian, then 5 x Druid, then Master Many Forms. Dire Ape with Gt Sword, Buffing, Raging, Charging...... Might take lvl Warshaper, for immunity to crits/sneak/stunning. Cheers Paul H
Reska 04-30-06, 05:54 PM	You realise of course that your build is horribly un-optimised. You could have qualified for that doing; Druid 3/Wizard 3/Beastmaster 1/Arcane Heirophant 3. That gets you to the level 10 component of your build, with the same number of caster levels in druid, and more caster levels in wizard. Ahh, but I wouldn't have qualified for the Dire Tortoise until 10th level. As it is with mine, I can qualify for it at 7th. And who ever said it had to be optimised?
chitzk0i 05-03-06, 06:12 PM	... i put the strain on "unusual" characters would be prefered. I love to be different :confused: How about a barbarian who uses a trident and shield? What? Too wierd for you?
beyowulf 05-03-06, 10:33 PM	So if any ideas for cool and i put the strain on "unusual" characters would be prefered. I love to be different :confused: thanks yall How about a Jekyll & Hyde type Dwarven Barbarian. Acts very polite and courteous, somewhat intelligent, but blacks out when raging and never remembers anything. Tends to wake up covered in blood thats not his own.