Aiel build help! - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 mesaknight Oct 20, 2012 11:57:05	So I am going to be part of a Wheel of Time campaign and would like to create an Aiel character. Obviously spears would need to be my primary weapon, I would need to wear light armor, and skills such as endurance, acrobatics, athletics and stealth would be necessary. Any advice on what class I should choose?
#2 Mad_Jack Oct 20, 2012 15:49:08	Spear feats at later levels generally require a certain amount of dexterity, so from the description I'd probably go with a Str/Dex fighter in hide armor and shield or maybe just a slayer in hide if you don't mind the e-classes... I don't know the series at all, but eladrin can be + Dex, have a couple of spear feats and get one extra skill (any skill, so they can pick up stealth) if human isn't a requirement or can't be refluffed.
#3 guest1458177341 Oct 30, 2012 21:15:19	Aiel, lessee. Spears primary weapon, light armor, Acrobatics, Athletics, and Stealth. Which particular clan of Aiel are you discussing here? There's several, and I can think of quite a few classes you could fit within them. Copying from the wiki: There are twelve recognized Aiel warrior societies: Sovin Nai (Knife Hands) Far Dareis Mai (Maidens of the Spear) Shae'en M'taal (Stone Dogs) Aethan Dor (Red Shields) Seia Doon (Black Eyes) Far Aldazar Din (Brothers of the Eagle) Rahien Sorei (Dawn Runners) Sha'mad Conde (Thunder Walkers) Hama N'dore (Mountain Dancers) Cor Darei (Night Spears) Tain Shari (True Bloods) Duadhe Mahdi'in (Water Seekers) Suitable classes could include: Knife Hands - Rogues! Rogues are completely obvious here. Maidens of the Spear - They get some of the most varied descriptions. Based on the idea of speedy skirmishers, I would have to say that Avengers (refluffed) are pretty obvious. Red Shields - Slow, famous for rearguard actions? Fighters or Wardens. Wardens wear light armor. Refluffing or power selection needed. But remember, Wheel of Time definitely operates on a pretty epic martial plane - refluffing even environment altering effects can reflect the power levels described in the books. The amount of lore we have on the rest are questionable, but remember, the Aiel use more than spears. Bows - Rangers! A bow ranger is a fine Aiel warrior. Switches to dual wielding a number of weapons that are not swords, when they feel like it (clubs, knives, etc.). While a ranger dual wielding knives is not optimized by CharOp standards, a bow ranger that uses them as a backup weapon is just fine. Warlords - No reason a warlord can't use a spear. They are, in fact, very good at it. Knives - The Aiel are often armed with knives, which opens up the Assassin class. So you have a variety of options. Background can grant you any of the skills that you lack (like a fighter without stealth can pick it up through backgrounds, ask your DM if you can just take a 4th skill since fighters deserve 4 anyway, they're a PHB 1 class and that was a PHB1 mistake).
#4 Mr.Durriken Oct 31, 2012 9:11:11	Have you considered the berserker class? It is str/dex and the flexibility between defender and striker. You can actually build straight one way or the other or mix. The builds also give you some interesting flavor options. And I think it has the skill option you might be looking for. It may be post E, but it is a full AEDU class, it just uses an aura like the essentials defenders rather than a mark. And the punishment is phenominal - W + d8. I love the idea of a spear wielding warrior. I always felt spears never got the love they deserve. They are the lost flexible melee weapon - great for charging or breaking a charge, can be used both piercing or blunt striking (like staff, and anyone who thinks otherwise should look at stickball bats), arguably could have a slashing tip, and should be among the most readily available weapons in all societies because they are low tech/easy to make/cheap. It also always bothered me that 4e never gave the option to use a spear as a thrown weapon (or a javelin as melee), other than improvised. There are only a few classes that give you love with a spear. Sentinal Driuds of spring get an extra +1 proficiency but they get the same with scimitars that are high crit... Cleric should be as good with a spear as mace, but the feats for bludgeoning weapons fit them better... Monks can go with spears... And you could use a spear as an implement with sorcerers. But thats about it. In general in 4e there are usually equivalent or better options than a spear and that kinda bums me out. It makes them so under utilized, whereas historically they were the most common weapon among the common soldiers for hundreds (maybe 10's of hundreds) of years. Babylonians, Pheniciens, Greeks, Romans, Gauls, Huns, Vandals, Zulus, Celts, Native Americans... spears were common among the all as a standard weapon or hunting tool. It was common from ancient societies on through the middle ages. You might even say that bayonets are a variant of the spear. Where's the love? So, please let us know what you end up doing with the concept and how it plays. Thanks, TjD

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

mesaknight

Oct 20, 2012 11:57:05

So I am going to be part of a Wheel of Time campaign and would like to create an Aiel character. Obviously spears would need to be my primary weapon, I would need to wear light armor, and skills such as endurance, acrobatics, athletics and stealth would be necessary. Any advice on what class I should choose?

Mad_Jack

Oct 20, 2012 15:49:08

Spear feats at later levels generally require a certain amount of dexterity, so from the description I'd probably go with a Str/Dex fighter in hide armor and shield or maybe just a slayer in hide if you don't mind the e-classes...
I don't know the series at all, but eladrin can be + Dex, have a couple of spear feats and get one extra skill (any skill, so they can pick up stealth) if human isn't a requirement or can't be refluffed.

guest1458177341

Oct 30, 2012 21:15:19

Aiel, lessee.

Spears primary weapon, light armor, Acrobatics, Athletics, and Stealth.

Which particular clan of Aiel are you discussing here? There's several, and I can think of quite a few classes you could fit within them.

Copying from the wiki:

There are twelve recognized Aiel warrior societies:

Sovin Nai (Knife Hands)

Far Dareis Mai (Maidens of the Spear)

Shae'en M'taal (Stone Dogs)

Aethan Dor (Red Shields)

Seia Doon (Black Eyes)

Far Aldazar Din (Brothers of the Eagle)

Rahien Sorei (Dawn Runners)

Sha'mad Conde (Thunder Walkers)

Hama N'dore (Mountain Dancers)

Cor Darei (Night Spears)

Tain Shari (True Bloods)

Duadhe Mahdi'in (Water Seekers)

Suitable classes could include:

Knife Hands - Rogues! Rogues are completely obvious here.
Maidens of the Spear - They get some of the most varied descriptions. Based on the idea of speedy skirmishers, I would have to say that Avengers (refluffed) are pretty obvious.
Red Shields - Slow, famous for rearguard actions? Fighters or Wardens. Wardens wear light armor. Refluffing or power selection needed. But remember, Wheel of Time definitely operates on a pretty epic martial plane - refluffing even environment altering effects can reflect the power levels described in the books.

The amount of lore we have on the rest are questionable, but remember, the Aiel use more than spears.

Bows - Rangers! A bow ranger is a fine Aiel warrior. Switches to dual wielding a number of weapons that are not swords, when they feel like it (clubs, knives, etc.). While a ranger dual wielding knives is not optimized by CharOp standards, a bow ranger that uses them as a backup weapon is just fine.

Warlords - No reason a warlord can't use a spear. They are, in fact, very good at it.

Knives - The Aiel are often armed with knives, which opens up the Assassin class.

So you have a variety of options.

Background can grant you any of the skills that you lack (like a fighter without stealth can pick it up through backgrounds, ask your DM if you can just take a 4th skill since fighters deserve 4 anyway, they're a PHB 1 class and that was a PHB1 mistake).

Mr.Durriken

Oct 31, 2012 9:11:11

Have you considered the berserker class? It is str/dex and the flexibility between defender and striker. You can actually build straight one way or the other or mix. The builds also give you some interesting flavor options. And I think it has the skill option you might be looking for. It may be post E, but it is a full AEDU class, it just uses an aura like the essentials defenders rather than a mark. And the punishment is phenominal - W + d8.

I love the idea of a spear wielding warrior. I always felt spears never got the love they deserve. They are the lost flexible melee weapon - great for charging or breaking a charge, can be used both piercing or blunt striking (like staff, and anyone who thinks otherwise should look at stickball bats), arguably could have a slashing tip, and should be among the most readily available weapons in all societies because they are low tech/easy to make/cheap. It also always bothered me that 4e never gave the option to use a spear as a thrown weapon (or a javelin as melee), other than improvised.

There are only a few classes that give you love with a spear. Sentinal Driuds of spring get an extra +1 proficiency but they get the same with scimitars that are high crit... Cleric should be as good with a spear as mace, but the feats for bludgeoning weapons fit them better... Monks can go with spears... And you could use a spear as an implement with sorcerers. But thats about it. In general in 4e there are usually equivalent or better options than a spear and that kinda bums me out. It makes them so under utilized, whereas historically they were the most common weapon among the common soldiers for hundreds (maybe 10's of hundreds) of years. Babylonians, Pheniciens, Greeks, Romans, Gauls, Huns, Vandals, Zulus, Celts, Native Americans... spears were common among the all as a standard weapon or hunting tool. It was common from ancient societies on through the middle ages. You might even say that bayonets are a variant of the spear.

Where's the love? So, please let us know what you end up doing with the concept and how it plays.

Thanks,

TjD