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SoD
2009-02-08, 07:30 PM
Like I said, planning on playing a pixie. Just felt like playing one, not sure what role to try and fit into. Any help? Rolled stats are; 12, 17, 13, 10, 14, 11. Allowed books; Savage Species, PHB I & II, Complete; Adventurer, Arcane, Divine, Warrior, Scoundrel, Races of; All except Ebberon.

Any ideas?

Eldariel
2009-02-08, 07:34 PM
Well, Pixies have the obvious Level Adjustment-problem as full casters. Also, they can replicate caster-tricks as non-caster classes meaning those are the most natural for them. Rogue, Warlock, Scout and maybe Barbarian (imagine the "Oh, how cute! - Oww! Ouch! Return my internal organs!") are what I'd look at.

EDIT: Just incase I didn't make it clear, the Barbarian would of course be a Dex-based variant using the Cityscape "Ferocity" to get Rage-bonus to Dex too.

Flickerdart
2009-02-08, 07:35 PM
With your -4 STR, your Small size and Greater Invisibility at-will, it would be a sin not to play a Beguiler or Rogue, especially with the colossal bonuses to INT and DEX.

wadledo
2009-02-08, 07:52 PM
Consider Petal if you can.

MM 2 or 3, I believe.
A smaller(tiny), +2 LA version of the Pixie, with significantly higher bonuses.

2 more class levels and +8 to Cha is worth not being able to carry a butter knife.

Iku Rex
2009-02-08, 08:15 PM
Starting level?

Talya
2009-02-08, 08:36 PM
Consider Petal if you can.



Question on the ability adjustments for that race:

How do you handle extremely low ability scores? Obviously, the default formula is to figure out the ability modifier based on a 10 or 11 score...but anything less than -2 risks having a 0 or less in that score. So for a monster race with a 3 strength, what do you use? Obviously 3d6-8 does not work.

Starbuck_II
2009-02-08, 09:18 PM
Same as normal:
Point Buy you have to spend 1 point to bring it to 9.

When rolling: take whatever you get, but you must buy a Guantlet of Str +2 (seeing as you have LA, you can afford it).
Or hope for a 9.

Siosilvar
2009-02-08, 09:50 PM
Question on the ability adjustments for that race:

How do you handle extremely low ability scores? Obviously, the default formula is to figure out the ability modifier based on a 10 or 11 score...but anything less than -2 risks having a 0 or less in that score. So for a monster race with a 3 strength, what do you use? Obviously 3d6-8 does not work.

Isn't there a table somewhere in the DMG? (and another one for intelligence) Or am I remembering a previous edition?

Flickerdart
2009-02-08, 09:52 PM
PCs can never have a stat drop below 3, even with racial adjustments. Therefore, the Petal has an effective STR penalty of five in point buy, because nobody is going to sink 3 points into nothing just to raise a statistic they'll never need.

EagleWiz
2009-02-08, 09:56 PM
I believe the standard rule is that nomatter what you roll, no ability score can be below 1, and int must be at least 3.

Flickerdart
2009-02-08, 09:58 PM
I believe the standard rule is that nomatter what you roll, no ability score can be below 1, and int must be at least 3.
Is it only for INT? I thought it was everything. Hm.

Talya
2009-02-08, 10:09 PM
Isn't there a table somewhere in the DMG? (and another one for intelligence) Or am I remembering a previous edition?


Now that you mention it, yes I'm fairly sure there is. I've seen it, i just can't remember it.

Edit: Found it. Page 172-173 of the DMG.

Basically, treat their ability score as normal, then consult a table to find the new score. A Petal with a strength score of 3, would have a strength of 1 on a roll of 1-7, a strength of 2 on a roll of 8-10, a strength of 3 on a roll of 11, 4 on a roll of 12, etc, up to a strength of 10 on a roll of 18.

That's for using the "4d6 drop the lowest" method. No reason you couldn't use the same translation on a point buy, and they'd just get 2 at the base 8.

Starbuck_II
2009-02-08, 10:31 PM
PCs can never have a stat drop below 3, even with racial adjustments. Therefore, the Petal has an effective STR penalty of five in point buy, because nobody is going to sink 3 points into nothing just to raise a statistic they'll never need.

Nope, only Int can never be lower than 3.

Alleine
2009-02-08, 10:52 PM
The petal's LA applies to it as a cohort, it has no LA listed for being a PC.

Pixies work great as pretty much anything that needs dex. They're perfect rogues because of greater invisibility always granting SA, the bonus to int helping with skill monkeying, the cha boost helps with being party face. They kill as warlocks because you should never be missing with such a high dex, and the bonus to CHA boosts save DC's. Neither of those classes worry too much about losing levels to LA.

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-02-08, 11:14 PM
The petal's LA applies to it as a cohort, it has no LA listed for being a PC.Because WotC gets outraged at the thought of anything but small-to-medium sized heroes. There is no reason for a Cohort to have different rules than a PC.

Heliomance
2009-02-09, 09:21 AM
This is CO, not TO. Asking the DM to waive the rules slightly is perfectly acceptable.

MammonAzrael
2009-02-09, 01:06 PM
There's a Pixie Handbook (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1017351) on the WotC forums, and it's worth taking a look at.

If you use Savage Species, you can pick up Irresistible Dance, Confusion (instead of lesser Confusion), and Polymorph Self 1/day each in exchange for a +1 LA and the bonus Weapon Finesse feat.

And don't forget if you go Petal you'll lose the various SLAs of the Pixie, and it's natural invisibility.

SoD
2009-02-10, 02:14 AM
Starting level?

Starting at level 1. I'll be using Savage Species for it, but; as the Monster Manual says I replace it's Fey HD with its first class level...how does that slot in with Savage Species Racial Progression?

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2009-02-10, 02:29 AM
My first choice of class for a Pixie character would be Warlock, and dip one level into Mindbender. Get the Complete Mage allowed if possible (I think it's one of the best Completes, worth buying especially if you can get it used) for the Fey Heritage line of feats. See if you can treat the character as having Fey Heritage without taking the feat, as you would be an actual fey rather than just descended from them. Get Fey Power and Fey Skin, and be sure to take Ability Focus: Eldritch Blast to get +2 DC on any Eldritch Essence you use.

You would indeed replace your one racial HD with your first class level, but when you would do that is a bit iffy with the savage progression. You could be a Warlock 1 from level 1, replacing the fey HD, saves, BAB, and skills with that of a Warlock, but still get the Lesser Pixie Powers at level 1. Or, you could go with the Savage Progression as printed until level 5, and at level 5 switch from LA +4/ Racial HD 1 into LA +4/ Warlock 1. Be sure the 3.0 Pixie stats match the 3.5 stats, otherwise the savage progression will have to be updated accordingly.

Another idea would be to go with a Half-Fey (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a), using a small-size race such as Gnome as the base creature. Note that with the online savage progressions (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a) you don't have to immediately take each level of the racial progression.

Talya
2009-02-10, 10:35 AM
You guys have all lost karma for adding yet another thing to the list of 3.5 character ideas I want to try and yet have so few chances to try them in.

ericgrau
2009-02-10, 11:04 AM
With your -4 STR, your Small size and Greater Invisibility at-will, it would be a sin not to play a Beguiler or Rogue, especially with the colossal bonuses to INT and DEX.

Don't forget endless flight with good maneuverability (see flight rules).

Stephen_E
2009-02-10, 05:34 PM
Like I said, planning on playing a pixie. Just felt like playing one, not sure what role to try and fit into. Any help? Rolled stats are; 12, 17, 13, 10, 14, 11. Allowed books; Savage Species, PHB I & II, Complete; Adventurer, Arcane, Divine, Warrior, Scoundrel, Races of; All except Ebberon.

Any ideas?

The Joy, the fun.

Re: Savage Species and MM. Replace the fey level with your class level and note a few changes in racial abilities. Especialy the DR/Cold Iron. Makes them far more playable.

Check on Favoured Class with DM. Favoured class Sorceror is retarded.

LA buy off is nice (and fair) if the campaign goes to 16th level.

Take Barb 1st level - 12 hps + con. Scrumptious when you aren't getting anymore hps for your next 4 levels.
Then take 2 Fighter levels for more hps and feats.
3 Swashbuckler - add Int to damage. Possibly some Exotic WM. If you want to be more chessy take 2 levels of Monk - evasion and Combat reflexs. Scout is bad depending on Skirmish (see below) and Hexblade for Mettle, Cha bonus to saves and wand access for Hexblade spell list.

Dex 17 and Str/Con 14/13 (your choice which is which) Int 12. If you aren't going to take Swashbuckler (which does give you Weapon Finnesse twice) put the 12 into Cha for Hexblade purposes.

Feats - Spiked Chain Prof (uses Weapon Finnese, one of your racial bonus feats) Flyby Attack (prereq), Great Flyby Attack SS (move fly speed in straight line and attack number of targets = dex bonus with AOO from targets). Check with DM how he rules this working with Scout Skirmish damage. Keep Power Attack as an opption by using magic items to boost your Str to 13.

Hope this helps.

Stephen E

Tuft
2009-02-10, 07:57 PM
I'm playing a pixie variant sorceress in the Savage Tide Adventure Path, and I absolutely love that character to bits.

We started by using the Savage Species pixie, but soon found that the powers were a bit too quirky, and the ECL a bit too big for smooth running, so we homecooked a race by trimming down on the Savage Species stats.

This is what I ended up with:

http://hastur.net/wiki/Aerie_(D%26D_creatures)