Baron Munchausen in D&D 3.5 - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Baron Munchausen in D&D 3.5

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
baron_munchausen
Aug 13, 2008 11:39:38 Dear fellow gamers;

I have been a fan of "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" (1989) since it came out, and my last character was an attempt to create a character that would live up to the Baron in theme and deed. I am having trouble with him and wondered if you would be willing to help. I will cover what I attempted and hopefully let you see what I was trying to do and let you explain what I should have done.
Baron Karl Fredrick von Oakenhurst
Human
(Stats from last character attempt, next time they will obviously be different)
Str 9
Dex 15
Con 12
Int 13
Wis 12
Cha 17 (Baron Munchausen had to have lots of charisma, but it doesn't help survivability much I admit)
Level 1: Rogue; skill points, rapier proficiency, second best starting gold Feats: Education (Waterdeep, also took extra money instead of +1 weapon to afford lesser nobility lifestyle), Endurance (sleep in light armour, allow Diehard next: conscious from -1 through -9 to allow healing), Weapon Finesse (rapier)
Level 2: Cleric;[nobility (+2 moral bonus) & rebirth (auto cast cure light if -1 to -9, back up for diehard) self healing, shield of faith
Level 3: Sorcerer: Shield, true strike, Feather Fall Feat: Eschew materials ( I don't like the feel of sorcerers needing material components)
Level 4: Fighter; combat expertise (with true strike, bless, and nobility domain, I thought I would have some BAB to throw into defense)
Level 5: Rogue; Evasion and more skill points
I hit Level 6: Fighter right when I stopped playing the game. I was thinking of Leadership to get a cohort to fill some of the holes I would otherwise try to fill myself, and I didn't decide on my fighter bonus feat.

Can Baron Munchausen be recreated with D&D 3.5 rules and restrictions? Should I have tried to Paladin my way through fighter with healing despite the restrictions? Am I placing too much emphasis on knowing a lot and not concentrating on fighting? Would Favoured Soul be a better idea to allow my character to act without a prayer book and give me good saves, or do I benefit enough from the variety of possible cleric spells? Would Adept be better than cleric since I have fighting and armour covered with Rogue and then Fighter?

If you have any questions for me I will try to answer them and edit the post to reflect the greater need for information. This is my first post on these boards and I appreciate all the help that is offered.
#2
gilfalas_elaandrin
Aug 13, 2008 12:22:19 What about Factotum? The Baron could do it all and so can the Factotum.
#3
darksamuari
Aug 13, 2008 13:23:49 Either that or a Bard with massive ranks in Perform (Oratory).
#4
woodenbandman
Aug 13, 2008 19:14:15 Baron Von Munchausen is a Bard with a few levels of Marshal, ranks in perform Oratory and Act, as well as the Bardic Knack class feature and Knowledge (history, the planes), as well as some ranks in tumble and definitely use magic device.

The following spells are good for him:

Improvisation.

Actually that's the best one.
#5
baron_munchausen
Sep 17, 2008 13:54:14 Thank you for your replies. Unfortunately, I am not that familiar with the Factotum, so I will have to look into that. From what I have learned, bards are better for ranged combat, whereas the Baron if definitely a melee fighter, which is why I thought the two shield spells would come in handy, although I admit that the true strike might be difficult to get off in melee. I thought that my bless ability and my nobility domain would be enough to help the party in ways that a bard can be a party buffer, although I admit that the nobility domain is only useful once per day.

Is it worth concentrating in the second best at things class because of the BAB progression? Am I putting too much interest in skill points and is that biasing responses so that people suggest something with a better skill point allowance?

Considering the Baron's need for a high charisma to truly be in character, are there better things that I could be doing to use that charisma in things I need (hence my asking if I should paladin some of these levels)?

Thank you for your responses. I will look into Factotum and see what I think of that, and also investigate the Marshal class, but I am still interested in additional help.
#6
ikildkenny
Sep 17, 2008 14:26:20 Factotum an Bard are indeed the classes you should consider taking

just to compare the possible builds up to lvl 6:

yours:

Rouge1, sorc1, cler1, fighter1, rouge2, fighter2 (two flaws)
feats:education, endurance, weapon finess, diehard, shield of faith, eshew materials, combat expertice, 2 free; evasion
skillpoints:40+4+4+4+10+4=66; BaB 3

the bard:
Bard1, Marshall1, Bard 2-5 (two Flaws)
Feats: Education, Endurance, Diehard, weapon finess, eshew materials, 1 free(preferably: Melodic casting, perhaps Leadership or combat expertice), bonus: skillfocus diplomacy; Bardic knack, Aura(CHA to Ini), Bardic Music, allmost fullcaster
skillpoints: 32+6+32=70; BaB 3

the Factotum (one point here .. factotum is highly int-based ... so not the best choice for your array):
factotum 6 (two Flaws)
Feats: Education, Endurance, Diehard, weapon finess, 1 free (font of inspiration imho); Inspiration Points, minor arcane spells
Skillpoints: 32+40=72 BaB 4

I personally would go for the Bard ... you get all you really want:
healing Spells
Groupbuffs
other arcane Spells
70 Skillpoints and BaB 3 (notably Factotum has 4 and more skillpoints but no real use of its intbased mechanic)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 baron_munchausen Aug 13, 2008 11:39:38	Dear fellow gamers; I have been a fan of "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" (1989) since it came out, and my last character was an attempt to create a character that would live up to the Baron in theme and deed. I am having trouble with him and wondered if you would be willing to help. I will cover what I attempted and hopefully let you see what I was trying to do and let you explain what I should have done. Baron Karl Fredrick von Oakenhurst Human (Stats from last character attempt, next time they will obviously be different) Str 9 Dex 15 Con 12 Int 13 Wis 12 Cha 17 (Baron Munchausen had to have lots of charisma, but it doesn't help survivability much I admit) Level 1: Rogue; skill points, rapier proficiency, second best starting gold Feats: Education (Waterdeep, also took extra money instead of +1 weapon to afford lesser nobility lifestyle), Endurance (sleep in light armour, allow Diehard next: conscious from -1 through -9 to allow healing), Weapon Finesse (rapier) Level 2: Cleric;[nobility (+2 moral bonus) & rebirth (auto cast cure light if -1 to -9, back up for diehard) self healing, shield of faith Level 3: Sorcerer: Shield, true strike, Feather Fall Feat: Eschew materials ( I don't like the feel of sorcerers needing material components) Level 4: Fighter; combat expertise (with true strike, bless, and nobility domain, I thought I would have some BAB to throw into defense) Level 5: Rogue; Evasion and more skill points I hit Level 6: Fighter right when I stopped playing the game. I was thinking of Leadership to get a cohort to fill some of the holes I would otherwise try to fill myself, and I didn't decide on my fighter bonus feat. Can Baron Munchausen be recreated with D&D 3.5 rules and restrictions? Should I have tried to Paladin my way through fighter with healing despite the restrictions? Am I placing too much emphasis on knowing a lot and not concentrating on fighting? Would Favoured Soul be a better idea to allow my character to act without a prayer book and give me good saves, or do I benefit enough from the variety of possible cleric spells? Would Adept be better than cleric since I have fighting and armour covered with Rogue and then Fighter? If you have any questions for me I will try to answer them and edit the post to reflect the greater need for information. This is my first post on these boards and I appreciate all the help that is offered.
#2 gilfalas_elaandrin Aug 13, 2008 12:22:19	What about Factotum? The Baron could do it all and so can the Factotum.
#3 darksamuari Aug 13, 2008 13:23:49	Either that or a Bard with massive ranks in Perform (Oratory).
#4 woodenbandman Aug 13, 2008 19:14:15	Baron Von Munchausen is a Bard with a few levels of Marshal, ranks in perform Oratory and Act, as well as the Bardic Knack class feature and Knowledge (history, the planes), as well as some ranks in tumble and definitely use magic device. The following spells are good for him: Improvisation. Actually that's the best one.
#5 baron_munchausen Sep 17, 2008 13:54:14	Thank you for your replies. Unfortunately, I am not that familiar with the Factotum, so I will have to look into that. From what I have learned, bards are better for ranged combat, whereas the Baron if definitely a melee fighter, which is why I thought the two shield spells would come in handy, although I admit that the true strike might be difficult to get off in melee. I thought that my bless ability and my nobility domain would be enough to help the party in ways that a bard can be a party buffer, although I admit that the nobility domain is only useful once per day. Is it worth concentrating in the second best at things class because of the BAB progression? Am I putting too much interest in skill points and is that biasing responses so that people suggest something with a better skill point allowance? Considering the Baron's need for a high charisma to truly be in character, are there better things that I could be doing to use that charisma in things I need (hence my asking if I should paladin some of these levels)? Thank you for your responses. I will look into Factotum and see what I think of that, and also investigate the Marshal class, but I am still interested in additional help.
#6 ikildkenny Sep 17, 2008 14:26:20	Factotum an Bard are indeed the classes you should consider taking just to compare the possible builds up to lvl 6: yours: Rouge1, sorc1, cler1, fighter1, rouge2, fighter2 (two flaws) feats:education, endurance, weapon finess, diehard, shield of faith, eshew materials, combat expertice, 2 free; evasion skillpoints:40+4+4+4+10+4=66; BaB 3 the bard: Bard1, Marshall1, Bard 2-5 (two Flaws) Feats: Education, Endurance, Diehard, weapon finess, eshew materials, 1 free(preferably: Melodic casting, perhaps Leadership or combat expertice), bonus: skillfocus diplomacy; Bardic knack, Aura(CHA to Ini), Bardic Music, allmost fullcaster skillpoints: 32+6+32=70; BaB 3 the Factotum (one point here .. factotum is highly int-based ... so not the best choice for your array): factotum 6 (two Flaws) Feats: Education, Endurance, Diehard, weapon finess, 1 free (font of inspiration imho); Inspiration Points, minor arcane spells Skillpoints: 32+40=72 BaB 4 I personally would go for the Bard ... you get all you really want: healing Spells Groupbuffs other arcane Spells 70 Skillpoints and BaB 3 (notably Factotum has 4 and more skillpoints but no real use of its intbased mechanic)