Post/Author/DateTime	Post
PacifistGod 08-03-07, 04:12 PM	I'm interested in playing a Rakshasa character, but I'm worried that such a PC would have little impact in a group. With the HD and the LA, it's already ECL 14 without any class levels. I have very little experience with playing high level characters, but it seems to me that a 7th level sorcerer wouldn't be much of an asset to level 14 party. Yes, I'd be hard to kill, but I'm worried that the PC would be all defense and little offense. Does anyone have any experience playing a Rakshasa? Or any advice/comments on monstrous characters in general? I'd appreciate all input.
Zaistars69 08-03-07, 04:25 PM	I'm interested in playing a Rakshasa character, but I'm worried that such a PC would have little impact in a group. With the HD and the LA, it's already ECL 14 without any class levels. I have very little experience with playing high level characters, but it seems to me that a 7th level sorcerer wouldn't be much of an asset to level 14 party. Yes, I'd be hard to kill, but I'm worried that the PC would be all defense and little offense. Does anyone have any experience playing a Rakshasa? Or any advice/comments on monstrous characters in general? I'd appreciate all input. I dm'd for a guy who played one. I had a whole party of monstrous with about the same level adjustment so they all sucked. I had to scale down the encounters to prevent them from dying constantly. You're right though your spell casting will be seriously lacking. I'd suggest focusing on spells that don't deal damage and with your high chr you can get away with things like charm that have save or die kinds of effects. He did a pretty good job of charming my baddies. I think his Chr was up in the mid 30s when we started that campaign. Things worked OK when I figured out the Rak sucked powerwise but we made it work pretty good until a seige crab with a wizard in the belly killed them all. But that was mostly player error, that's my story and I'm stick'n to it.
Rerecros 08-03-07, 04:29 PM	Rakshasa qualify for the Eldritch Knight PrC right off the hop, LA buy off as soon as you can. I suggest taking mostly buff spells. Take Improved Toughness as a first level feat, thats and extra 14 hp for starters. Just so you know, monster PCs are ALWAYS inferior to a human with class levels of equal ECL, but that certainly doesn't mean they aren't fun to play :D
Habbalah 08-03-07, 04:34 PM	With the right spells you can be very useful. Haste, ray of enfeeblement, ray of Exhaust, fly, GMArmor, See invisible, enervation, yes you can make an impact. With invisibility and improved invisible with a fly you can even scout ahead. With your full bab from your hit die your ray attacks will hit anything. It'll work just fine if you do it right. There's not much room for doing it wrong how ever.
Habbalah 08-03-07, 04:36 PM	Rakshasa qualify for the Eldritch Knight PrC right off the hop, LA buy off as soon as you can. I suggest taking mostly buff spells. Just so you know, monster PCs are ALWAYS inferior to a human with class levels of equal ECL, but that certainly doesn't mean they aren't fun to play :D I beg to differ toe to toe with a human caster he has SR, DR and more hit points. He'd smack around a human caster with as many levels if he did it right. If.
Ogreman 08-03-07, 04:42 PM	Although the MM entry says that rakshasas disdain close combat, your character could very well have decided otherwise. In that case, you could take sorceror spells that boost yourself (haste, bulls strength, etc), and have a warrior-type character. Also, I believe there are some alternate rakshasas in the MM3, which have different ECLs. Also, they have detect thoughts at will, which makes them prime candidates for that one PrC in complete warrior that I can never remember the name of. I've never played the 3.5 Rakshasa, but the 3E version was a blast, because instead of SR they had immunity to spells of level 8 or lower. Also, I had plenty of opportunity to use my limited spells to good effect.
Rerecros 08-03-07, 04:47 PM	I beg to differ toe to toe with a human caster he has SR, DR and more hit points. He'd smack around a human caster with as many levels if he did it right. If. Your Basic Rakshasa, Though it casts spells like a sorcerer and has full BAB, it only does so as a character of half his ECL (+7 LA). Against a Level 14 human sorcerer, with appropriate equipment, spell selection and feats (spell penetration), is a pretty fair fight, but that LA becomes pretty crippling over time. Although the MM entry says that rakshasas disdain close combat, your character could very well have decided otherwise. In that case, you could take sorceror spells that boost yourself (haste, bulls strength, etc), and have a warrior-type character. Also, I believe there are some alternate rakshasas in the MM3, which have different ECLs. Also, they have detect thoughts at will, which makes them prime candidates for that one PrC in complete warrior that I can never remember the name of. I've never played the 3.5 Rakshasa, but the 3E version was a blast, because instead of SR they had immunity to spells of level 8 or lower. Also, I had plenty of opportunity to use my limited spells to good effect. A zakya, a Rakshasa from the ECS is more built for physical combat, and would work great with the mindspy PrC.