Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 dr_mikeymike Oct 28, 2009 22:05:24	Hello everyone! I am getting ready to make a character for a friends 3.5 campaign, and being that we are both big 'Wheel of Time' fans, I thought it'd be cool to play a sort of Warder character.  I envision this character as being a cross between Lan and Birgitte (for all of you WoT fans out there :D), and I was thinking of a strictly martial character who peppers his enemies with a bow while wearing heavy armor.  I was thinking about giving him good Str, but maxing out Dex and taking Weapons Finesse as a perk and letting him use a short-sword.   However, I am wondering if it is possible to have a capable archer sort of character (I was thinking about giving him a composite longbow as his primary weapon so that he could stay close to the ward that he is guarding) who fits this vision, or if archery is too feat intensive/useless at higher levels.   That brings up another observation I've noticed on a bunch of these boards:  a lot of players (I consider them experts!  I'm still new to D&D..)  think that fighters are only useful for 5 or 6 levels, and this surprises me coming from a group who think straight classes are the best way to go.  What would you switch to for the most bang-for-buck and why?  I am curious to see what opinions are out there.
#2 bruceleeroy Oct 28, 2009 23:46:55	Fighters are best used as 2 level dips for the bonus feats. However, there is a variant Rogue class in Unearthed Arcana that trades Sneak Attack for bonus fighter feat progression, which makes a strictly better 2 level dip. Exoticist Fighter is a Dragon Mag variant (check out Crystalkeep.com for the index of base classes for more info). Highlights include 4 EWP at first level and some interesting abilities that can be taken instead of the usual fighter bonus feats. Take the Elven Courtblade and Spiked Chain, which can both be finessed and are both two handed. Try something like this for a warder-flavor: Human Feat Rogue 2/ Exoticist Fighter 2/ Warblade 16 Two Flaws (also UA) : Vulnerable (-1 AC) and Murky-Eyed (Roll miss chance twice) For two Feats at first level: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot Human Bonus: Rapid Shot Level 1: Combat Expertise Feat Rogue 1: Martial Study : Martial Spirit Feat Rogue 2: Martial Stance: Iron Guard's Glare Exoticist Fighter 1: Exotic Attack Level 3: Power Attack Exoticist Fighter 2: Imp. Trip With your Warblade levels, focus on White Raven and Diamond Mind maneuvers. This build will give you excellent skills in the early game, plenty of versitility with weapons and combat maneuvers, the ability to heal allies a small amount and defend them as well. It can be taken in a lot of different directions depending on the rest of your group and the campaign.
#3 selaphiel Oct 29, 2009 3:07:21	For the protecting of a ward there are few classes better then the one out of Sword and Fist, the Devoted Defender. Once per round they can parry an attack aimed at the person they are protecting. They also gain an armor bonus as long as they are actively protecting someone. For more of a warder feel (assisting an arcanist) you could try for some of the oriental adventures prestige classes. Many of them specialize in defending a spell caster (the book mentions wu jen, but if you use another caster I'm sure a DM wouldn't mind changing it). What this gives you is free empowered spells cast on you by that person, and many bonuses for being near that specific caster. I've read the Wheel of Time books so far, and a friend of mine has the actual WoT d20 book. I haven't looked it over yet (he just got it), but I am sure it has a warder class in it.
#4 jgumbyrx Oct 29, 2009 3:48:27	For the protecting of a ward there are few classes better then the one out of Sword and Fist, the Devoted Defender. Once per round they can parry an attack aimed at the person they are protecting. They also gain an armor bonus as long as they are actively protecting someone. For more of a warder feel (assisting an arcanist) you could try for some of the oriental adventures prestige classes. Many of them specialize in defending a spell caster (the book mentions wu jen, but if you use another caster I'm sure a DM wouldn't mind changing it). What this gives you is free empowered spells cast on you by that person, and many bonuses for being near that specific caster. I've read the Wheel of Time books so far, and a friend of mine has the actual WoT d20 book. I haven't looked it over yet (he just got it), but I am sure it has a warder class in it. I second the Devoted Defender (though, not sure how it would mesh with an archer-type). the Warder PrC from the WoT RPG is basically just a bunch of combat bonus feats, with some AC and Reputation bonuses (which all WoT classes/PrCs get).
#5 frostwolf Oct 29, 2009 4:13:07	Wheel of Time has a D20 book out, I think.
#6 thaosyr23 Oct 29, 2009 7:42:55	don't forget the cloak of elvekind/displacement (whichever you want to do)   Knight/Warblade/ I think defender was reprinted in Complete warrior.  You can use manuevers to show that he's a blademaster.
#7 phaedrusxy Oct 29, 2009 10:14:36	Ardents (especially with the Guardian mantle) can be quite good at this. Here are a few characters I've played that basically functioned as "bodyguards". brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.p... If you don't want to be a "caster", a "lockdown" style Crusader/Knight/Devoted Defender with the Thicket of Blades stance is probably about as good as you'll get.
#8 dr_mikeymike Oct 29, 2009 15:03:54	Thanks, folks!  I'll certainly look into your suggestions.