Since I always come here to ask for help with my players, I think I'll take some time to talk about my campaign - I like to call it Grand Dream. First of all, GD is one of my biggest RPG projects (the bigger being a martial arts pbem witha homebrewed system that lasted for 4 years and had more than 50 players over the years, but that's really not the point) in that I've put a lot of effort in it. Currently, I have 9 players split into two groups and three players waiting to join - I'll eventually have 2 groups with 6 players and will mix and match players from the groups to fit plot needs. We play with lots of houserules: there are no spells beyond 6th level (that is, the world has lost knowledge on them; creatures still get it as spell-like abilities, for example), Defense bonus, armor as damage reduction, LA buyoff and action points from Unearthed Arcana.
OK, that said, I need you guys to help me with one of the new players ^^
She is to play a ECL 9 githyanki (level 8 with buyoff; or would it be level7 with no ecl? got to check this). Mind flayers are important antagonists in my game; they are also very misterious and no one really knows what to expect from them and all. This githyanki character would be a pariah from her society, living in the material plane. She would meet the player characters and explain a bit about mind flayers, how to fight them and all. I wanted the character to have a very different, alien, feel to her - the player wants her to deal good, realiable, melee damage and have a nice versatility out of combat.
My thoughts for this:
a) Magic in the Blood. I don't use requirements for regional feats since I just use what makes sense in my campaign and all, and since giths get a lot of spell-like abilities as they progress in level.
b) I thought on a Binder, since the players have not met any and this would get her some versatility and all. Kinda weird for the militaristic and arcane githyanki society, fits perfectly.
c) A cleric or some divine character would work. Going into a PrC with good skills (a slightly reflavored Black Flame Zealot, for example) and a bit of multiclassing (say, Fighter Thug because of favored class issues, for example) could get an interesting character totally oposite to gith nature and all - they have no divine casters, instead worshipping their lich queen.
d) A dragonslayer could work, since giths are usually friendly with red dragons and all.
The group she will join has a Human Rogue/Invisible Blade focused on TWF and bluffing, an azurin Duskblade focused on Fell Weaken and criticals, a hengeyokai (fox) warblade/warshaper with excellent damage output,a xeph Ranger/Fighter/Dervish and an elf (my elves are very different than those from standard D&D) bard. She won't stay with this group forever, but I think it's important she works within it.
Thoughts? Suggestions? I really don't know where to go here.
:: big wide gesticulations :: How much reliable melee damage?
Dunno, i'd say something respectable for a level 7-9... I think maybe around 20 on a single hit, 40 for a full attack or something like that. I don't really know what is the expected damage per round.
Tell me\us\Gleemaxen what you want, more precisely, and we'll deliver. I'm presuming you don't want uparrrow shenanigans, or my normal stock answer which is LoB!
Er. :: does math on fingers :: A reasonable warblade build should be doing about 35 at 6, up to 50 at 8.
Tell me\us\Gleemaxen what you want, more precisely, and we'll deliver. I'm presuming you don't want uparrrow shenanigans, or my normal stock answer which is LoB!
I think the warblade/warshaper in my game does like 21 dpr on a full-attack without any boosts/maneuvers. With power attack at -2 and brute gauntlets, that's an extra +8 dpr for 29 dpr. That's on a regular full-attack and without use of natural weapons (I find it very interesting that the character considers biting or clawing at enemies 'just gross' ^^). I think something around that should be OK.
Githyanki Binder 8
1 Magic in the Blood (doesn't seem worth it to me in this case... unless she wants to Plane Shift enemies to really bad planes...)
2b Suppress Sign
3 Power Attack
4b Improved Binding (critical, since she's leaving before the end-game, it seems)
6 TWF
BAB +4/+4/-1, full Air Blast attack = 2d6+6+3d6 sneak x 3 (for 70.5 damage, average, all touch attacks w/ 10' reach)
20% concealment, combat reflexes, some silly Locate Objects ability...
Cross-class Hide, since Otiax's mist allows one to hide in it.
Are you suggesting that there's someone who wouldn't want to planeshift their mortal enemies to the positive energy plane for death-by-awesome?
Yeah, but then you gotta go there to loot them... I just don't know that its all that good in practice. Its a great tactic against the "meat", but you only want to do it against non-equipped bruisers.
Archivist 4/Fighter (Sneak Attack, Thug) 1/Black Flame Zealot 2
Bab +4, 3rd level spells
Ability scores: Str 10, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 8 (since you only need it for bonus spells), Cha 14
Feats:
1- Iron Will, Scribe Scroll (bonus)
3- Weapon Finesse
6- Knowledge Devotion
Class abilities: dark knowledge 4/day, lore mastery (+2 decipher script and knowledge: dungeoneering) death attack, immunity to fear, poison use, sneak attack +1d6, +2 on saves vs enchantment
Knowledge Devotion does all the hitting and damaging. I was thinking rapier + shield or rapier + kukri with gloves of the balanced hand. Solid 4 skill points/level with high Int through all levels, no problems with favored classes, very different from a stereotypical githyanki, I like it a lot.
I'm currently in love with the Mystic Ranger so I'll probably try a build centered on it as well.
My thoughts on Binder are mixed. While I personally love the class and it certainly fits thematically, it gives A LOT of options and I don't really knwo thsi new player and I'm afraid she might not handle that very well. Even then, great build, James ^^