Can't Decide [Archive] - Wizards Community

Can't Decide [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kn1ves
05-20-07, 09:18 PM I'll be starting a level one campaign soon and am having trouble deciding on a race to play. Most of the people playing in the game have never gamed before but the DM, me and one other friend of ours have been gaming for years with many different systems. The DM has given me permission to play a race with a level adjusment of +1 maximum because he's played with me since we started gaming in high school and knows I won't purposfully outshine the newer players. Now the dilemma, I can't decide on a race. So far I've jumped between Gnome, Hellbred, Tiefling, Assimar, Golmoid (Dragon Magazine), Ghost Elf (Dragon Magazine but I don't remember the level adjustment right now and don't have my magazine handy) and Raptorian. I'll be handling the party's arcane caster role so that the newer players can focus on easier classes to start out with and my plan is to go Sorcerer 1/Wizard 4/Ultimate magus 10/Incantatar 10/Archmage 5. The DM's plan is to go as far as we can with this campaign and since we've never been in a game that lasted past level 21 or so I decided to make a 30 level build with high hopes. The scores I rolled were 17,17,17,12,12,6. Any suggestions on a race would be helpful.
Kn1ves
05-20-07, 09:19 PM Any ideas for an improved familiar would be great too.
Einvaldurinn_mikli
05-20-07, 09:29 PM You definitely don't want a LA race because that would impede your already hampered spellcasting. I say go with Gnome. The extra CON is very nice for a spellcaster. Either that or Human.
Johnny_Angel
05-21-07, 09:22 PM If you're playing a wizard, go with a Dwarf.

If you're looking to play something different, I'd go with either a halfling or a goblin wizard.
Naderion
05-22-07, 03:11 AM I would say gnome, it's easier to understand for the new players.
If you play an Aasimar or Hellbreed, they would have to learn what this means, too, and this adds a LOT mor things to the game they have to learn in the beginning.
DwarfPcfan
05-22-07, 09:42 AM You can't go wrong with dwarf, seriously dwarven wizards are really fun to play and they remain competitive from the beguining to the end

As a second choice, despite the fact that I will probably be flamed for saying this but elf would also be a great choice

take a look a the elven wizard racial substitution and believe you'll see why elves deserve respect as wizards...
YabaTheWhat
05-22-07, 10:55 AM If you're going for sorcerer 1 / wizard 4, then one of those classes needs to be your favored class. Otherwise you'll spend your entire career with XP penalties. Of course, your DM could just houserule that favored classes don't matter. (I like the Conan variant where you get bonus feats for reaching certain levels in your favored class.)

Barring the favored class conflict, my personal suggestion would be to go Changeling. It's one of my favorite races, because it doesn't have a level adjustment, and opens a lot of roleplaying opportunities. Since the other PCs won't find out bluntly that you're a shapeshifter until you walk into an antimagic field, you could drop subtle hints along the way. (Having a different eye color each time someone asks, that sort of thing.) Of course, if any of them read this post, it'd ruin the surprise. ;)
Kn1ves
05-22-07, 11:27 AM Does the level adjustment buy off really work out the way the book presents it? I'm having trouble seeing how hanging back a level isn't the same as having to gain more xp to level in the first place.
YabaTheWhat
05-22-07, 12:34 PM Does the level adjustment buy off really work out the way the book presents it? I'm having trouble seeing how hanging back a level isn't the same as having to gain more xp to level in the first place. If you have a level adjustment, it costs you 1000 more XP at every level (because each level costs 1000 more XP than the one before it). If you buy off the level adjustment, you pay a single lump sum to get rid of the LA (or rather, one point of it). After that, you earn slightly more XP than other party members (because you're a level lower while facing the same encounter CR) until you catch up. If you're playing a wizard, go with a Dwarf.

If you're looking to play something different, I'd go with either a halfling or a goblin wizard. A kobold wizard would work well also. Plus they have the sorcerer favored class, so he doesn't need to worry about sorcerer/wizard multiclassing.
Kn1ves
05-22-07, 01:19 PM I've been looking at the Cansin from Dragon Magazine and they get +2 Int and +2 Cha with no negatives plus a couple minor resistances and Entropic Shield once a day for a +1 level adjustment. Their favored class is Sorcerer.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kn1ves 05-20-07, 09:18 PM	I'll be starting a level one campaign soon and am having trouble deciding on a race to play. Most of the people playing in the game have never gamed before but the DM, me and one other friend of ours have been gaming for years with many different systems. The DM has given me permission to play a race with a level adjusment of +1 maximum because he's played with me since we started gaming in high school and knows I won't purposfully outshine the newer players. Now the dilemma, I can't decide on a race. So far I've jumped between Gnome, Hellbred, Tiefling, Assimar, Golmoid (Dragon Magazine), Ghost Elf (Dragon Magazine but I don't remember the level adjustment right now and don't have my magazine handy) and Raptorian. I'll be handling the party's arcane caster role so that the newer players can focus on easier classes to start out with and my plan is to go Sorcerer 1/Wizard 4/Ultimate magus 10/Incantatar 10/Archmage 5. The DM's plan is to go as far as we can with this campaign and since we've never been in a game that lasted past level 21 or so I decided to make a 30 level build with high hopes. The scores I rolled were 17,17,17,12,12,6. Any suggestions on a race would be helpful.
Kn1ves 05-20-07, 09:19 PM	Any ideas for an improved familiar would be great too.
Einvaldurinn_mikli 05-20-07, 09:29 PM	You definitely don't want a LA race because that would impede your already hampered spellcasting. I say go with Gnome. The extra CON is very nice for a spellcaster. Either that or Human.
Johnny_Angel 05-21-07, 09:22 PM	If you're playing a wizard, go with a Dwarf. If you're looking to play something different, I'd go with either a halfling or a goblin wizard.
Naderion 05-22-07, 03:11 AM	I would say gnome, it's easier to understand for the new players. If you play an Aasimar or Hellbreed, they would have to learn what this means, too, and this adds a LOT mor things to the game they have to learn in the beginning.
DwarfPcfan 05-22-07, 09:42 AM	You can't go wrong with dwarf, seriously dwarven wizards are really fun to play and they remain competitive from the beguining to the end As a second choice, despite the fact that I will probably be flamed for saying this but elf would also be a great choice take a look a the elven wizard racial substitution and believe you'll see why elves deserve respect as wizards...
YabaTheWhat 05-22-07, 10:55 AM	If you're going for sorcerer 1 / wizard 4, then one of those classes needs to be your favored class. Otherwise you'll spend your entire career with XP penalties. Of course, your DM could just houserule that favored classes don't matter. (I like the Conan variant where you get bonus feats for reaching certain levels in your favored class.) Barring the favored class conflict, my personal suggestion would be to go Changeling. It's one of my favorite races, because it doesn't have a level adjustment, and opens a lot of roleplaying opportunities. Since the other PCs won't find out bluntly that you're a shapeshifter until you walk into an antimagic field, you could drop subtle hints along the way. (Having a different eye color each time someone asks, that sort of thing.) Of course, if any of them read this post, it'd ruin the surprise. ;)
Kn1ves 05-22-07, 11:27 AM	Does the level adjustment buy off really work out the way the book presents it? I'm having trouble seeing how hanging back a level isn't the same as having to gain more xp to level in the first place.
YabaTheWhat 05-22-07, 12:34 PM	Does the level adjustment buy off really work out the way the book presents it? I'm having trouble seeing how hanging back a level isn't the same as having to gain more xp to level in the first place. If you have a level adjustment, it costs you 1000 more XP at every level (because each level costs 1000 more XP than the one before it). If you buy off the level adjustment, you pay a single lump sum to get rid of the LA (or rather, one point of it). After that, you earn slightly more XP than other party members (because you're a level lower while facing the same encounter CR) until you catch up. If you're playing a wizard, go with a Dwarf. If you're looking to play something different, I'd go with either a halfling or a goblin wizard. A kobold wizard would work well also. Plus they have the sorcerer favored class, so he doesn't need to worry about sorcerer/wizard multiclassing.
Kn1ves 05-22-07, 01:19 PM	I've been looking at the Cansin from Dragon Magazine and they get +2 Int and +2 Cha with no negatives plus a couple minor resistances and Entropic Shield once a day for a +1 level adjustment. Their favored class is Sorcerer.