We are starting a 3.5 D&D campaign basically in the Forgotten Realms setting. Our DM has some specific rules for multiclassing and taking Prestige Classes.
Basically they have to make sense to the story for one thing. For example if a requirement for a class is to meet a Knight of that order or something he would have to write it into the story... if it fits.
Secondly we can have tons of other classes or Prestige classes. Basically he is thinking a limit of 4 total.
So what would be some good options... we would likely start with a cleric type, rogue type, arcane magic user and a melee fighter, there probably will be another player as well. Any help would be awesome.
I've looked at some of the builds, but they all have more than 4 different classes/PrC's total. Even just to get to most PrC you have too multiclass... fighter/wizard just to get to Arcane archer... then only can do one more PrC for example.
THANKS IN ADVANCE!
.Skillmonkey: Beguiler5/Mindbender1/Beguiler14 works fine for this. Straight Bard also does the trick. A Rogue or Rogue with one level of Fighter can do it, but is less powerful.
Arcane Magic: Wizard, if Archmages, Incantatrixes, or Initiates of the Sevenfold Veil are easy to meet. If not, it's still a very powerful choice. Sorcerer is weaker, but you get the option of taking pretige classes that come from you harnessing "innate" power like the Fiend Blooded prestige class.
Melee: Barbarian/Fighter multiclasses generally work ok. A Cleric is better, though.
We will be starting at level 1 and going from there. Who knows if any of us will get killed off.
We aren't sure of what we want to play exactly and would like several ideas, since several members or whole party kill off could be possible.
Personally for me... I prefer characters that know what they know... not having to prep spells in advance is even better. Plus we will be limited to the spells we find in the spellbooks while adventuring unless there is a town nearby with a wizard or wiz college (or whatever class) to teach someone the new spells when we level. I like ranged, melee, sneaky, whatever...
I like ranged, melee, sneaky, whatever...
Halfling Rogue dagger master.
Rogue 6/Invisable Blade 5/Master Thrower 1/X8
Take the two weapon feats once you have some free ones to spare. Master Thrower gives Two with one blow, and thats really the only power thats better than sneak attack. After you get this from a 1 level dip, go back to anything with full sneak attack to finish your career.
Far shot, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus, Precise Shot,Two weapon fighting, Improved TWF, Geater TWF.
Remember that sneak attack applies to all of your attacks that meet its conditions. None of that 1/round crap they try to trick new players into thinking.
Max ranks in use magic device for a wand of invisability.
Mine is going to start off as a Moon Elf Ranger... here are the stats so far, level 1.
These include the racial modifiers
STR 15
DEX 19
CON 14
INT 13
WIS 15
CHA 17
I did take a Craft (bowyer/fletcher). I am allowed an Elvencraft bow to begin which is cool, since the starting gold wouldn't allow it, but DM figured I'm an Elf with that craft, so I made it.
I'm focusing on Archery for sure!
Feat: Point Blank Shot
Fav. Enemy: Magical Beasts (?)...
I'm considering dipping into Arcane Archer for the +1 and Imbue arrows (so only 2 levels), but I'd need a level of Wizard as well.
Then my questions come in to play...
AA doesn't gain spellcasting progression. So how much do I want to invest in Wiz and not focus on the Archery? And the Imbue arrow aspect is only good with certain types of spells (I'd have to look them up, not sure which are the best and/or what spell level?
Can the Ranger spells ever be put on the arrows?
What other fav. enemies are good choices. I'm thinking Evil Outsiders, Abberation, Undead (but piercing isn't effective, but magic (magic weapon) is.)
Other things I'm not thinking of??
- Arcane archer is generally terrible, don't go into it.
- Why is your charisma so high?
- Other Good favored enemies: Humans, Arcanists (from a variant book), Undead, Demons. Also, if you have played with the DM before, you know their tendancies.
Lots of ranger spells (In spell compendium) are all about "Shoot an arrow that does something magic" so you don't need to bother with wizarding either.
Im not 100% familiar with that elf race, +2 Cha -2 Con is my guess? Whatever it is, put the 15 from your cha into con or int. Whichever isn't getting a racial penalty. If your race doesn't give a +2 cha, put that 17 into con, int, str, wis, whatever.
If you really like arcane archer use the Path Finder version. I do not normally suggest that but at least that version will continue to boost spells.
Are you sure you want to be a moon elf and not one of the kinds of elf without a con penalty?
Bow and arrow enhancement bonuses don't stack in 3.5, so the +1 enhancement bonus from arcane archer 1 is always going to overlap with the enhancement bonus of your bow.
Complete Mage has an option to choose “arcanist” as a favored enemy. This includes everything that can cast arcane spells or use spell-like abilities. It's considered one of the best favored enemy options.
You might want to consider the option in Races of the Wild to trade the bonuses to bluff and sense motive from favored enemy to bonuses to hide and move silently. Also, if you choose orcs, undead, or “servents of Lolth” as a favored enemy, the bonuses are increased by 50%. “Servents of Lolth” includes drow, monstrous spiders, and driders.
If you take four levels of ranger, Player's Handbook II has an option to exchange your animal companion for the ability to grant a flanking bonuses to one attack of an ally per turn despite not actually flanking, even when using a bow.
Im not 100% familiar with that elf race, +2 Cha -2 Con is my guess?
Moon elf is just the name Forgotten Realms uses for standard (high) elves.
Love the Arcanist as favored enemy idea. Also am intrigued by the variant that grants flanking.
DM doesn't ok PathFinder... otherwise I'd be happy to do AA from that.
I'd be thrilled to get the bonuses to hide and move silent vs. bluff & sense motive.
You all are giving me some great things to think on! Thanks!
CHA is so high because that happened to be how the dice rolled that stat. We did a 4d6 throw out the lowest in stat order... but then could do it 3 times, and take the best out of each stat line. I'm sure there is some name for this rolling method, but no idea what.
There is, but it's not suitable for polite company.
Have you considered playing a sorcerer. Elf gets you the bow proficency and just spend your feats on bow stuff instead of spell boosts.
It will definately give you that arcane archer feel.
Prestige class wise, go into any of the standard gish prestige classes. Spellsword for a level, abjurant champion, ect.
On a side note... I wouldn't mind doing a cleric type, but I hate having to pick daily spells. I know the ranger does, but their aren't as many choices, or as many times per day... and they will be pretty focused to the archery type stuff... or certain buffs.
What do you all think of the Favored Soul class? I wish they could turn undead though... I'm sure you guys have some way around that... a certain domain or something.
I'm not sure how this DM works but when I played a long time ago it wasn't a bad idea to have a "back up" character to play ready in case yours "died" or couldn't get resurrected for a while. I'm thinking I'll do that just in case. So thank you for your other ideas as well.
As a sorcerer you don't have to step on her toes at all.
I am going to take a wild guess and say she is mostly a blaster? Fireball, orb of cold, that sort of thing?
You take spells like greater magic weapon, haste, truesrike, ect. Self/group buffs. Things where you "Imbue your arrow with greater accuracy, and make the impossible shot" aka cast true strike and attack.
If she is the group buffer type, you take spells like orb of cold. You carry the bow, and then cast orb of cold by "Imbuing it into your arrows". The imbuing it is entirely fluff, and you might not even have an arrow knocked, but you do describe your orb of cold as looking like an ice shard or something.
If you take the higher HD, armor allowing, full BAB prestige classes you won't even look similar in play.
You said... "if you take the higher HD, armor allowing, full BAB prestige classes you won't even look similar in play". Sooo are you meaning with the ranger/sorc build? Like what type of PrC classes are you talking about?
If I do the ranger/sorc build... which would be pretty cool... what are you thinking for how many levels of each?
Thanks for all the suggestions so far.
Stallwart Sorcerer (comp. Mage)
and
Battle Sorcerer (Unearth arcana)
firstoff, it is possible to combine the two ... and it is not one of the worst options you can have ... even taking this char all to max lvl isn't a that much of a bad option, but:
Prestige class:
Abjurant Champion
IF you want to go the "SelfBuffandsomeGroupBuffs" Route, he is your Guy - he's the No.1 Gish-Prestige Class ... gives full Casting and full bab (and some other nice gimmics) - you'll need BAB5, Combat Casting and one Abjuration to Qualify - no problem so far (one of your lvl 1 spells will be Shield anyways)
since I do not know what your Starting lvl is - a rough char breakdown untill you enter this wonderfull prestige class (which is 5 levels long).
StallwartBattleSorcerer7/AC1-5
pick up the "Basic" Spells: Shield, Enlarge Person, GreaterMagicWeapon
Some options to further Consider:
Divine Companion ACF (Compl Champ)
lvls after AC:
Divine Crusader 2 than Mystic Thurge: you'll get some Divine Casting (CHA based of course AND prepared - War Domain preferably) and thus access to the luminous Armor spells (which you will SO love)
Didn't notice your response, sorry.
I was suggesting you do sorcerer 20, and sub in a few levels of the full casting, full BAB, good hit die prestige classes.
Abjurant champion being the easiest to find and get into.
I would ditch out on battle sorc, because the bonus to hit isn't worth the extra spells.