First Time Playing 3.5 - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

First Time Playing 3.5

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
TheBringer
Dec 04, 2012 21:22:46 Howdy there!
My friends and I are thinkin about startin a 3.5 game for the first time, and I'd like some advice from people who really know the system. My dnd experience so far has just been from 4th edition and reading my dad's older dnd books as a kid. So, I do know some of the basics of 3.5, but not enough to pull of the character concept I have, I think.

What I'm fixin to do is make a druid and barbarian multiclass. Now, the multiclass system in 3.5 is a lot more involved than fourth edition's (and also more intuitive, since you actually level up as the class, from what I've gathered), so that is the reason I am askin for some advice here. My end goal is to be a bear that is either raging or casting druid spells. And sometimes a humanoid doing either of those, I guess. Also, I'd like to stick to the core player's handbook, but if somethin is absolutely necessary and available on the internet I could use it.

Since this character is startin at level one, the biggest question would probably be which class to start in, haha.
Also, the biggest thing I'm worried about is prolly needing too many ability scores. Strength for attackin, Wisdom for spell slingin, Constitution for raging and not dying, and then Dexterity is nice to have so I'm not always in the process of gettin slapped around by the baddies.

As for race, I was thinking half-orc or human. Half-orc for the delicious numbers, and human because in my experience hybrid type characters need more feats.
#2
JIntegrity
Dec 04, 2012 23:54:47 You may be happier with 1 Monk/X Druid. The Monk level will grant your WIS to AC, and you'll get improved grapple/stunning fist. There are others on here who will be able to help you much more than I, but I know at least this, and hope, if nothing else, that this helps.
#3
Maat_Mons
Dec 05, 2012 1:22:12
It happens that Unearthed Arcana has a variant of druid that gets rage instead of an animal companion, and that material is freely available online. Now, the entirety of Unearthed Arcana is optional rules that can be used at the discretion of the DM, but this sort of “give up one thing to gain another” option can be used in a normal game with no problem.

Your main issue with combining barbarian and druid is that you can't cast spells while in rage. At low level, this isn't an issue since you won't have enough spells to use them in every battle.

I consider the barbarian class to be poorly designed. Its first level is amazing, its second level is nice, but then it's pretty poor after that. I'm used to evaluating the class in a context where people can take the extra rage feat from Complete Warrior to gain two extra uses of rage per day.

Druid is a bit odd with regard to ability scores. Wild shape replaces your ability scores instead of adding to them. So, when in bear form, a half orc that put a roll of 18 in strength and a gnome that put a roll of 8 in strength wouldn't be any different. But, you don't gain wild shape until the fifth level of druid.
#4
draco1119
Dec 05, 2012 8:07:39 In a way, you've picked the easiest spellcaster to play, since it has a more limited selection if spells & really only needs one feat (Natural Spell) to work well. On the other hand, you've got to choose & direct your animal companion & summoned creatures, AND choose the best wild shape for any given encounter, which can get complicated.
For simplicity's sake, might I recommend using a barbarian base to enter the Bear Warrior prestige class, found in Complete Warrior?
#5
TheBringer
Dec 05, 2012 17:36:54 Thanks for the replies, all!

JIntegrity: Thanks for the advice, but unfortunately I am pretty much flavorly devoted to the barbarian. I'd rather not use unarmed strikes.

Maat_Mons: That druid seems very interesting, and I will definitely read up on it! However, if it cannot use a big two-handed axe or some other such thing I think I would rather stick with a pure barbarian.

Yes, the inability to use spells while doing my main "big damage thing" seems very frustrating. Especially since even though I would take most of my levels in druid (to get the big spells) I would like to keep the character as mainly a barbarian as far as strategy goes. Druid just provides some interesting utilities and an animal companion, as well as some big game changers later, I imagine, once getting to the really high level spells.

That seems like a mighty powerful feat. Is it something a barbarian could take right out the gate at level one?

Yeah, if I could get wild shape earlier that would be amazing cuz I wouldnt hafta worry about stats as much. But if I'm a level one barbarian AND a level five druid that seems a bit late to have to ride off of middling strength.

draco1119: Having played a paragon tier wizard in fourth edition, I'm not too worried about simplicity. Mostly my concern is the validity of the character concept I have being able to work. However, that prestige class seems interestin none the less and I might give it a look see.

EDIT: what would happen if I were to gain Fast Movement twice? For the rages it seems like I would just get another as a 1st level barbarian and a 1st level avenging druid, but for fast movement I dunno if it would stack or I would just have the ability twice but they would both do the same thing, causing no actual gain.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 TheBringer Dec 04, 2012 21:22:46	Howdy there! My friends and I are thinkin about startin a 3.5 game for the first time, and I'd like some advice from people who really know the system. My dnd experience so far has just been from 4th edition and reading my dad's older dnd books as a kid. So, I do know some of the basics of 3.5, but not enough to pull of the character concept I have, I think. What I'm fixin to do is make a druid and barbarian multiclass. Now, the multiclass system in 3.5 is a lot more involved than fourth edition's (and also more intuitive, since you actually level up as the class, from what I've gathered), so that is the reason I am askin for some advice here. My end goal is to be a bear that is either raging or casting druid spells. And sometimes a humanoid doing either of those, I guess. Also, I'd like to stick to the core player's handbook, but if somethin is absolutely necessary and available on the internet I could use it. Since this character is startin at level one, the biggest question would probably be which class to start in, haha. Also, the biggest thing I'm worried about is prolly needing too many ability scores. Strength for attackin, Wisdom for spell slingin, Constitution for raging and not dying, and then Dexterity is nice to have so I'm not always in the process of gettin slapped around by the baddies. As for race, I was thinking half-orc or human. Half-orc for the delicious numbers, and human because in my experience hybrid type characters need more feats.
#2 JIntegrity Dec 04, 2012 23:54:47	You may be happier with 1 Monk/X Druid. The Monk level will grant your WIS to AC, and you'll get improved grapple/stunning fist. There are others on here who will be able to help you much more than I, but I know at least this, and hope, if nothing else, that this helps.
#3 Maat_Mons Dec 05, 2012 1:22:12	It happens that Unearthed Arcana has a variant of druid that gets rage instead of an animal companion, and that material is freely available online. Now, the entirety of Unearthed Arcana is optional rules that can be used at the discretion of the DM, but this sort of “give up one thing to gain another” option can be used in a normal game with no problem. Your main issue with combining barbarian and druid is that you can't cast spells while in rage. At low level, this isn't an issue since you won't have enough spells to use them in every battle. I consider the barbarian class to be poorly designed. Its first level is amazing, its second level is nice, but then it's pretty poor after that. I'm used to evaluating the class in a context where people can take the extra rage feat from Complete Warrior to gain two extra uses of rage per day. Druid is a bit odd with regard to ability scores. Wild shape replaces your ability scores instead of adding to them. So, when in bear form, a half orc that put a roll of 18 in strength and a gnome that put a roll of 8 in strength wouldn't be any different. But, you don't gain wild shape until the fifth level of druid.
#4 draco1119 Dec 05, 2012 8:07:39	In a way, you've picked the easiest spellcaster to play, since it has a more limited selection if spells & really only needs one feat (Natural Spell) to work well. On the other hand, you've got to choose & direct your animal companion & summoned creatures, AND choose the best wild shape for any given encounter, which can get complicated. For simplicity's sake, might I recommend using a barbarian base to enter the Bear Warrior prestige class, found in Complete Warrior?
#5 TheBringer Dec 05, 2012 17:36:54	Thanks for the replies, all! JIntegrity: Thanks for the advice, but unfortunately I am pretty much flavorly devoted to the barbarian. I'd rather not use unarmed strikes. Maat_Mons: That druid seems very interesting, and I will definitely read up on it! However, if it cannot use a big two-handed axe or some other such thing I think I would rather stick with a pure barbarian. Yes, the inability to use spells while doing my main "big damage thing" seems very frustrating. Especially since even though I would take most of my levels in druid (to get the big spells) I would like to keep the character as mainly a barbarian as far as strategy goes. Druid just provides some interesting utilities and an animal companion, as well as some big game changers later, I imagine, once getting to the really high level spells. That seems like a mighty powerful feat. Is it something a barbarian could take right out the gate at level one? Yeah, if I could get wild shape earlier that would be amazing cuz I wouldnt hafta worry about stats as much. But if I'm a level one barbarian AND a level five druid that seems a bit late to have to ride off of middling strength. draco1119: Having played a paragon tier wizard in fourth edition, I'm not too worried about simplicity. Mostly my concern is the validity of the character concept I have being able to work. However, that prestige class seems interestin none the less and I might give it a look see. EDIT: what would happen if I were to gain Fast Movement twice? For the rages it seems like I would just get another as a 1st level barbarian and a 1st level avenging druid, but for fast movement I dunno if it would stack or I would just have the ability twice but they would both do the same thing, causing no actual gain.