I'm relatively new to D&D but I've been reading the boards for a little while now. I will soon be starting a campaign with a group of much more experienced players, all pretty competetive guys.
My first thoughts were towards straight up Human Fighter as something pretty vanilla with which to learn the ropes while staying effective, but another guy is already playing one and I kinda figure we don't need two.
Our group at the moment:
Human Fighter
Human Bard
Lesser Aasimar Dread Necromancer
Binder; he hasn't decided on a race yet.
I suppose this post is partly a challenge to you optimisers and partly a request for inspiration, because I'm really have trouble picking a class.
I have a general dislike for spellcasting, and prefer to mix it up in melee (or shoot arrows from afar, I suppose) where it's possible, ideally with some kind of tricksiness to prevent "I hit the guy and deal X damage" monotony.
I've already rolled up my stats, and got extremely lucky in doing so, ending up with 16, 15, 14, 14, 14, 14 to assign as I will.
My current thoughts are Druid, Monk or some kind of Rogue/Swashbuckler thing. I've also been told that something from the ToB might be good if I don't want to use lots of magic, but I've not had much opportunity to read up on that just yet.
Our campaign will be largely wilderness-based, and the DM has warned us to expect dinosaurs a-plenty. We're starting at ECL 5 and using just about every book under the sun, but no flaws. Everyone has 9000 gold each to spend as they like and a further 5000 gold which can only be spent on a single item (unused gold out of this five thousand is wasted) to represent a kind of heirloom or inheritance of some sort.
Longer first post than I had originally envisaged, but these things have a way of happening. Thanks for reading!
Let me get you a link dude.
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=854152
If you decide on non-archery goodness, playing a druid with a Fleshraker animal companion is a great build. You can melee effectively, along with the Dino-buddy. Your spells will be mainly for buffs, but you will have them...
That group lacks a trap-finder, and a Swift Hunter is effective while still being elegant in build and easy to use. Definitely noob-friendly.
I'm obviously still open to suggestions, but that's at the top of my list for now. Going to fiddle around with builds a little and see what I can come up with.
Tips on specifics would be spiffy, especially just what kind of yummy bow to get as my heirloom.
it will survive any encounter that the rest of your party couldnt.. in fact it could adventure all by itself
Pixie Ranger 1
Ranger is ideal... as it makes the most of good attribute scores, you get a lot of skill points, good saves, Full BAB
Assuming 16, 15, 14, 14, 14, 14 you use your rolls
11 Str(15-4 racial )
24 Dex(16 +8 racial)
24 Con(14)
20 Int(14 +6 racial)
18 Wis(14 +4 racial)
20 Cha(14 +6 racial)
Feats:
Dodge(pixie bonus)
Weapon Finnesse(pixie bonus)
Track(ranger bonus)
Flyby Attack .... is most benificial, it allows you to use your flight to the most benifit in combat.... it keeps you safe(and out of Reach), and allows you to help with combat
Skills ...... these are very important....44 skill points to spend
Class Skills:
1 rank Craft (Int)(alchemy)
4 ranks Handle Animal (Cha)
4 ranks Heal (Wis)
4 ranks Hide (Dex)
1 rank Knowledge (dungeoneering)
1 rank Knowledge (geography)
1 rank Knowledge (nature)
4 ranks Listen (Wis)
4 ranks Move Silently (Dex)
1 rank Profession(herbalist or Apothecary) (Wis)
4 ranks Search (Int)
4 ranks Spot (Wis)
4 ranks Survival (Wis)
1 rank Use Rope (Dex)
buy 3 Cross Class skil ranks:
1 rank Spelcraft
1 rank Use Magic Device
1 rank Tumble
Favored Enemy .... at this level Animal would be great vs Dinosaurs
equipment:
10700gp +1 Animal Bane Serren wood Elvencraft Composite Longbow .... this finishes off your Gold using up your Heirloom allowance
Show
+300 gp Elvencraft Longbow(RotW p166)(DR349 p22)any Longbow (including Composite, Mighty, etc.)
May be used as a Longbow –or– a Quarterstaff. The wielder threatens the squares around himself/herself even if the last use was as a ranged weapon.
The bow is not damaged when used as a melee weapon and the wielder may shift between ranged and melee as part of a Full Round Attack (if desired).
+2,000 gp Serren Wood(BoED p38)
Arrows & bolts made from Serren wood gain the Ghost-Touch property as an Exceptional (i.e., non-magical) ability Bows made from Serren wood grant the Ghost-Touch property to their ammo as an Exceptional ability.
May be used as a Longbow –or– a Quarterstaff. The wielder threatens the squares around himself/herself even if the last use was as a ranged weapon.
The bow is not damaged when used as a melee weapon and the wielder may shift between ranged and melee as part of a Full Round Attack (if desired).
+2,000 gp Serren Wood(BoED p38)
Arrows & bolts made from Serren wood gain the Ghost-Touch property as an Exceptional (i.e., non-magical) ability Bows made from Serren wood grant the Ghost-Touch property to their ammo as an Exceptional ability.
Firstly, If I'm understanding things correctly, I'd have 8 hit points. Which is really very few.
Secondly, constant Greater Invisibility and flying seem pretty broken. I'd like to play a powerful character, but there seems like a very sharp line there between effective invulnerability and the DM just getting frustrated and somehow letting the bad guys see me, in which case I die in one hit due to the whole 8 hit points thing :P
they way to aviod Annoying your DM... DONT FLAUNT YOUR SUPERIORORITY ;)
just play it cool and dont hog all the attention... support the others in the Party, help them to survive(you will almost automatically Survive)
in addition you have SR 16 to help with Spellcasters
:D
It is tempting, I have to admit.
I'll think about that one.
Secondly, constant Greater Invisibility and flying seem pretty broken. I'd like to play a powerful character, but there seems like a very sharp line there between effective invulnerability and the DM just getting frustrated and somehow letting the bad guys see me, in which case I die in one hit due to the whole 8 hit points thing :P
btw .... even if you had 5HD... say you were Human Fighter 5... on average with 14 Con... you only have (12 hp 1st lvl + 30 hp(2nd-5th) = 42hp.... how many hits does it take to drop a fighter.... if your DM gets frustrated with him?
:D
Now what I want to know is what a pixie hexblade, or a pixie warlock would look like. Whats another good pixie build at CR 5?
Anything carnivore gives you. Anything.
Try taking a level of Marshall.
After a good night's sleep and much consultation with my guru this morning, I've decided that despite how awesome they are, I just can't bring myself to play as a Pixie. Accordingly, the below is a tentative Human build:
Human Scout 3/Ranger 6/Scout +1/Stalker of Kharash 2/Ranger +8
1 ~ Scout ~ Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
2 ~ Scout
3 ~ Scout ~ Favored of the Companions
4 ~ Ranger
5 ~ Ranger
6 ~ Ranger ~ Swift Hunter
7 ~ Ranger
8 ~ Ranger
9 ~ Ranger ~ Greater Manyshot
10 ~ Scout ~ Alertness
11 ~ Stalker of Kharash
12 ~ Stalker of Kharash ~ Improved Skirmish
13 ~ Ranger
14 ~ Ranger
15 ~ Ranger ~ Weapon Focus (Longbow)
16 ~ Ranger
17 ~ Ranger
18 ~ Ranger ~ Dead Eye
19 ~ Ranger
20 ~ Ranger
Ability Scores: Strength 14, Dexterity 16, Constitution 15, Intelligence 14, Wisdom 14, Charisma 14
(All advances to go towards Dex.)
Input much appreciated!
What does everyone think of an Urban Companion (hummingbird from Dragon Magazine #323)? I'm pretty sure the Alertness it gives me qualifies me for Stalker, and that means I can use the feat I have Alertness in at present to take Improved Favored Enemy, while also enjoying the hummingbird's inherent bonus of +4 initiative.
The only problem is it dying.. if that happens, I lose all Stalker class features until I can replace it (which admittedly only takes 24 hours, but could be longer if I'm not in a situation conducive to searching one out.)
1 ~ Scout ~ Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot (ACF: Tumble over Ride)
2 ~ Scout
3 ~ Scout ~ Favored of the Companions
4 ~ Ranger (ACF: Urban Companion - Hummingbird)
5 ~ Ranger
6 ~ Ranger ~ Swift Hunter
7 ~ Ranger
8 ~ Ranger
9 ~ Ranger ~ Greater Manyshot
10 ~ Scout ~ Improved Skirmish
11 ~ Stalker of Kharash
12 ~ Stalker of Kharash ~ Weapon Focus (Greatbow)
13 ~ Ranger
14 ~ Ranger
15 ~ Ranger ~ Dead Eye
16 ~ Ranger
17 ~ Ranger
18 ~ Ranger ~ Improved Favored Enemy
19 ~ Ranger
20 ~ Ranger
Edit: Minor alterations, including adding Weapon Focus (Greatbow) on the basis of qualifying as proficient off Lesser Bracers of Archery.