In my campaigns I have had an NPC based off of Artemis Entreri from the Drizzt novels. He is not a carbon copy, but he has no compunctions about killing uppity PC's. Luckily they have not been able to meet him in any adventures I have read.
Anyway to get back on topic I wanted to know if any of you had an Artemis inspired characters. I am asking because I lost the old build(hard drive crash). I had a paper copy also, but it can't be found either. If anyone has anything lying around I would appreciate it being posted so I can pick and choose when I do the new build. This is not anything needed for the immediate future, but since I have a few NPC's to build/rebuild it would save me a good amount of time.
As far as Jarlaxle I have never tried to make anyone/anything similar to him, but I am open to suggestion as to what classes he should have or any other ideas that come to mind. I don't even have a place for him in the campaign. I was considering making him the leader, and the Artemis clone his ace in the hole.
The Artemis guy was about a CR 26 by the numbers when I made him, but I exercise DM Fiat with the weapons so he may have been higher. Jarlaxle(sp?) should be about 2 CR's lower even though he is in charge.
Any suggestion builds are appreciated.
I found the old character.
Let's see the characters?
After Edit 3/9/09 10:29pm
I got the feats and skills down. I now have to choose magic items. It most likely won't get done today, but it should be done tomorrow.
IMHO, best thing to do with Jarlaxle would have to be Factotum. Plus it's simple. Stick to Factotum or prestige class out after 9 or 11 levels, and heap on Font of Inspiration in every feat slot you don't need for something else.
What book is Font of Inspiration in? I am not familiar with it.
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606
It's in the web enhancement I'll link below, and is probably the single most powerful / spammable feat for a factotum. Taking NOTHING but FoI is usually overkill, but it's certainly worth taking four or five times.
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606
Factotums are a nice class. I wish I had looked at them earlier.
Honestly, Chameleon fits Jarlaxle perfectly. As DM, just waive the Human requirement, or make Jarlaxle a half-drow. Something like Factotum 8/Warblade 2/Chameleon 10 would work pretty well.
I knew about the Chameleon, but I did thought they overlapped. I just looked at it, and there is some synergy. Thanks.
I would say that he's definitely got Master Thrower levels in there, and possibly Swashbuckler 3. Most likely he needs to have the UMD skill. Other than that, I have no clue how else to build him.
Just my 2cp.
PS: I am working on lesser NPC's that have a shorter time frame. I will be back on this project ASAP.
I don't think theres anywhere in the novels you can point to where he actually casts a spell, but he certainly makes use of plenty of wands and the like which UMD could accomplish. I think there is a point (maybe towards the end of servant of the shard) when he and Entreri are in a tavern brawl and Jarlaxle busts out the twin rapiers, Entreri actually notes his fighting style as "Swashbuckling".
I'm pretty bored late at night lately, maybe I'll put together a skeleton build for you and post it up.
yea seems more like Jarlaxle is something like rogue/swashbuckler with daring outlaw, full UMD ranks, and carrying a cool million or so in magic items on his person, maybe in a high powered campaign splash in some warblade would be cool.
I don't think theres anywhere in the novels you can point to where he actually casts a spell, but he certainly makes use of plenty of wands and the like which UMD could accomplish.
He will definitely have UMD. Right now I am thinking swash 9/ rogue 11/ ??
I don't know if there are any prestige classes that fit well. I may take Warblade as the third class.
Taking warblade at epic is quite potent since you'll add 10 or more+ your warblade levels to determine your total IL.
Wow, i feel like a geek...
Actually, Jarlaxle does have at least some spellcasting ability, it states that he makes some of his own magic items (Which spellcasting is usually required to do) and that he casts a few spells, in the Newer Book that he and Entreri was in 'The Promise of the Witch King'. He also does some other minor spellcasting in the bookd 'Road of the Patriarch'.
Wow, i feel like a geek...
Thanks for the information. I will probably use DM Fiat to give him the ability to create magic items, and/or cast spells as an X level Bard. That should cover any divine or arcane spells I need or I could give him the warlock ability to imitate any spell. I forgot exactly how it is worded.
As for the rest, i would definitly go swashbuckler for a lot of the levels, as he favors the one handed rapier type style, and his dex is good so he can use a lot of it with his daggers. As for his infinite daggers, there is an item in the Magic Item Compendium that can supply that, with just a little tweaking to make the daggers become rapiers on command.
He could also have the Corsairs Eyepatch, which it close to his, you would have to add Detect Magic and X-Ray to it though, as he has used the eyepatch for them both before. This eyepatch also blocks mental intrusions.
And his boots are magical, similar to Boots of Elvenkind, except that he can have them make an annoying tapping noise when he walks if he wants, or silent when he wants.
He also has a Portable Hole hidden in the lining of hit Bolero Hat, He has a button on his vest that you can store one item in, with a constant Nondetection spell on it, A belt that can come alive and stretch into a 100 ft rope, a couple of rings that when worn by 2 people, make them share healing and damage (I know there is one already, just dont know where or what they are called), +4 cape of the mountebank, a mirror than can be used to scry people. a whistle that can detect magic and banish summoned creatures, he also now has 2 more items, both are small stones, one the shape of a human skull, one dragon skull, the human one lets him control human undead, the dragon lets him control dragon undead, and it seems(According to the book) that the hit die limit is quite a lot, he had under his control at least 20 skeletons, and several others that were at least level 15 (Characters in the book that died earlier).
Also, he has a small dragon figurine that sticks to a doorway, and when the proper color of the dragon isnt said when someone walks through the door, it spews out a breath weapon according to the color, and you can change the color by whispering whatever color you want to it before you stick it to a doorway. The damage that it does is quite a bit, enough to damage a Dracolich enough that it melts half of its skull away with the red dragons fire breath. and a million other magic items, but these are all ones that he uses constantly thru all of the books. If i can think of any more i will add them.
in servant of the shard he heals himself and entreri at one point using some kind of clerical talisman
http://ca.geocities.com/cpboucher@rogers.com/Pages/CurrentCharacters.htm#ForgottenRealms
Hope you enjoy.
Cyrus.
I realize many of you have already moved on to v4, but for anyone still playing version 3.5, I wanted to post a link to my campaign setting which includes character stats and printable character sheet PDF's for Drizzt Do'Urden, Artemis Entreri, Jarlaxle Baenre, Catti-brie Battlehammer, Bruenor, Regis, and Wulfgar. There are also over 30 other characters with full stats and free printable character sheets from my Faerun based campaign. The linked page also has over 40 free character sketches to use with your own characters and campaigns.
http://ca.geocities.com/cpboucher@rogers.com/Pages/CurrentCharacters.htm#ForgottenRealms
Hope you enjoy.
Cyrus.
I did not forget about this thread, but between homework, running one campaign, and playing in another one I have not had time to finish either one of the builds, which are somewhere around 25. I don't have time for V4.
I realize many of you have already moved on to v4, but for anyone still playing version 3.5, I wanted to post a link to my campaign setting which includes character stats and printable character sheet PDF's for Drizzt Do'Urden, Artemis Entreri, Jarlaxle Baenre, Catti-brie Battlehammer, Bruenor, Regis, and Wulfgar. There are also over 30 other characters with full stats and free printable character sheets from my Faerun based campaign. The linked page also has over 40 free character sketches to use with your own characters and campaigns.
http://ca.geocities.com/cpboucher@rogers.com/Pages/CurrentCharacters.htm#ForgottenRealms
Hope you enjoy.
Cyrus.
Where did you get your pictures from?
That IS Jarlaxle. Casting? Fighting? UMD? A floating feat? Extreme Improvisation? Skills? All there. Nice build, Malkavon.
How does he get that with the above build?
In Servant of the Shard, R.A.Salvatore states fairly explicitly that Jarlaxle uses a swashbuckler style of fighting..
How does he get that with the above build?
Flavor. He can fight however he wants as long as he is effective at it. How does a Swashbuckler fight with any more "swashbuckler style" than a fighter? He gets Int to damage and the weapon finesse bonus feat... I understand that, but there is no "style" in most DnD. That's what flavor is for. And with the levels in Warblade you could do some really cool melee based stylistic things. Just 'cause he is described as fighting with lots of spins and flourishes doesn't mean he can't pull that off as a Factotum/Chameleon/Warblade.
Where did you get your pictures from?
I made every picture & every map on the site myself.
In Servant of the Shard, R.A.Salvatore states fairly explicitly that Jarlaxle uses a swashbuckler style of fighting..
How does he get that with the above build?
Salvatore has also stated on numerous occasions that he just writes stories and doesn't care one bit about if they fit D&D game rules or not. So most of what you read is NOT going to fit neatly into the D&D rules set.
Well upon looking in this book again, in the Tavern Fight where Jarlaxle fights, it certainly seems that he uses the Shield of Blades variant (5th level PHB2). Now obviously this is a book but again it strikes me that he definately has Swashbuckler levels.
Exactly why I posted this:
Snip---Now obviously this is a book but again it strikes me that he definately has Swashbuckler levels.---Snip.
Salvatore does alot of things in his books with various characters that would be beyond any character build unless it was well epic.
But he does write that Artemis notices Jarlaxle fights with the Swashbuckling Style, and that Artemis has contempt for the style although he noticed it's effectiveness in that fight.
Yes, Jarlaxle's staple is the magic item for every occasion. But where do they come from? Okay, maybe he did make some of them, but he's been on the road for a long time. Unless he's only using items that he made while heading Braegan D'arthe (sp?), he probably hasn't had the time/resources to create them.
IMO, Jarlaxle has a lot of influence/money. He has contacts, guide membership (or leadership, depending on the stage of his history), savvy, swindlemanship, and probably a whole lot of cash.
Now, I, however, am not savvy, nor connected/informed. I can't tell you exactly how to accomplish these things, but these would be my intentions (if I were to stat him out):
- find some way(s) to give him extra cash [feats?, affiliations?].
- Cha is his main stat [well, he might also have a magic item for this, too].
- Leadership feat [possibly good "as is" with a high enough Cha].
- Spellcaster, but only for low-levels spells - magic items do the big stuff.
Remember, Jarlaxle is an international man of mystery. He's not a great 'meleeist', but he fights well. He's not a master thief but has broken into your house on more than one occasion and is wearing your mother's earrings. He's not a teenage heartthrob, but can enchant any woman (or man, most likely).
I'll probably be electronically shot for this on the CO board, but keep in mind that a Chameleon PrC character could choose NOT to use certain aspects of his abilities (i.e. changing to arcane caster when he/she wants to).
Actually, now that I think of it, Chameleon is a poor fit for Jarlaxle, as it takes time to switch between jobs. He's a jack-of-all-trades at all times, not only after an hour's meditation.
I say find a way for J. to have loads of money, then spend it all on magic items.
I hope it has not already been said....
Yes, Jarlaxle's staple is the magic item for every occasion. But where do they come from? Okay, maybe he did make some of them, but he's been on the road for a long time. Unless he's only using items that he made while heading Braegan D'arthe (sp?), he probably hasn't had the time/resources to create them.
IMO, Jarlaxle has a lot of influence/money. He has contacts, guide membership (or leadership, depending on the stage of his history), savvy, swindlemanship, and probably a whole lot of cash.
Now, I, however, am not savvy, nor connected/informed. I can't tell you exactly how to accomplish these things, but these would be my intentions (if I were to stat him out):
- find some way(s) to give him extra cash [feats?, affiliations?].
- Cha is his main stat [well, he might also have a magic item for this, too].
- Leadership feat [possibly good "as is" with a high enough Cha].
- Spellcaster, but only for low-levels spells - magic items do the big stuff.
Remember, Jarlaxle is an international man of mystery. He's not a great 'meleeist', but he fights well. He's not a master thief but has broken into your house on more than one occasion and is wearing your mother's earrings. He's not a teenage heartthrob, but can enchant any woman (or man, most likely).
I'll probably be electronically shot for this on the CO board, but keep in mind that a Chameleon PrC character could choose NOT to use certain aspects of his abilities (i.e. changing to arcane caster when he/she wants to).
Actually, now that I think of it, Chameleon is a poor fit for Jarlaxle, as it takes time to switch between jobs. He's a jack-of-all-trades at all times, not only after an hour's meditation.
I say find a way for J. to have loads of money, then spend it all on magic items.
Agreed.. Except for maybe very low levels in Chameleon to give him rounding all over. In Fact I would make him a mix of Rogue, Swashbuckler (Ascetic Feat) with a sprinkling of spellcaster..
Reasons - He uses Magic Items like wands on a regular basis probably via high ranks in Use Magic Device. He uses his thrown daggers in combat but is a decent fighter in the Swashbuckler style. And he no doubt has some spellcasting ability..
High Charisma and Dex, decent Int..
Again though - Salvatore does not follow the rules of d&d in his books, he just uses them as guidelines
They also have a floating feat that he could use for even item creation (as already stated) and the ability to even alter their ability scores to a huge degree using Ability Boon.
As for the Jack of all trades aspect, that's what 8 levels of Factotum would be for.
Aside from the style complaint that "Oh Salvatore says he fights like a Swashbuckler!", this build has everything Jarlaxle has shown he can do. If you insist on Swashbuckler...
Factotum 8/Chameleon 10/Swashbuckler 1/Whatever other flavor you need 1