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Hario
2009-10-10, 08:46 PM
Well to start, I've played dnd for many years, but for the past year and a half haven't had the urge to play and I've only played 4e twice when it came out in one shots. So now to get everything off my chest. My friend invited me to his new campaign one that will take place over the high seas, and exploration. The only book I have currently is the players manual, BUT the dm will allow any source, so if you have anything out of the players manual, if you could cite it so I could look it up later, that would be great.

So I do have a couple ideas but I don't know all of my choices out there so any and all info, character ideas, tips, tricks, etc. are appreciated. I however humbly ask no Pirate ideas, or evil characters, I don't enjoy playing those types, I try to stick to good if at all possible.

As far as I know here are the limitations on my character: Standard point buy Stat Gen, it will be an adventure on the high seas, I don't need the uber underwater protector, but I also don't need the tolkien hydrophobic character. I do not have a dnd monthly subscription, but my friend however does so I can look at any and all articles when I get the time to do so. I do not know what the other players are playing so any roles/classes are up in the air. I will consider any and all suggestions, its just going to take a little time to adjust since I've still not fully settled from 3.5 into 4e.

Thank you for your time.

p.s. also I don't know if there is any places to host character sheets online or not, I know there was a couple sites for 3.5, but I can't find them for 4.0

Lupy
2009-10-10, 08:51 PM
What about a rouge? Light armor and ranks in athletics will be good if swimming ever comes up, and a hand crossbow could be fired while treading water.

infinitypanda
2009-10-10, 09:24 PM
p.s. also I don't know if there is any places to host character sheets online or not, I know there was a couple sites for 3.5, but I can't find them for 4.0

Mythweavers.



What about a rouge?
Grr...

Kylarra
2009-10-10, 09:28 PM
You have any particular ideas or concepts you want fleshed out? There's really not much to work with atm other than something with range probably.

Xallace
2009-10-10, 09:49 PM
You have any particular ideas or concepts you want fleshed out? There's really not much to work with atm other than something with range probably.

+1. I would say off the bat a very patriotic privateer, once-captain of his/her own vessel now looking to redeem him/herself in the eyes of his/her country. Prescience Bard (leader, ranged, PHBII and Arcane Power needed) with a definite "forge your own destiny" mentality.

....but there's nothing to go on as to whether or not that would be of interest.

tcrudisi
2009-10-10, 09:54 PM
So I do have a couple ideas but I don't know all of my choices out there so any and all info, character ideas, tips, tricks, etc. are appreciated. I however humbly ask no Pirate ideas, or evil characters, I don't enjoy playing those types, I try to stick to good if at all possible.

I will consider any and all suggestions, its just going to take a little time to adjust since I've still not fully settled from 3.5 into 4e.

I'm going to third the statement about us not having any clues as to what you would want. Try this: tell us what you would play in 3.5, and we can tell you the best ways to do that in 4e. You can keep it as simple as "Fighter", but the more in-depth you go, the better the results from us.

Hario
2009-10-10, 10:00 PM
I played many classes in 3.5, wizards, clerics, fighters, rogues, you name it, I had many books and classes I could work with. I haven't had the chance to read up on every possible class. Overall I used to play clerics more than most but only because usually people choose not to play those, and not to mention that cleric was so powerful it would be hard messing one up.

Character concept wise I'm up for playing any set of classes, races, etc. I haven't experienced them all. The 4e system is extremely different in not just mechanics but also in fluff so its hard to judge. If it was a 4e eberron campaign I could practically pick it up and not skip a beat but mostly everything has changed.

tcrudisi
2009-10-10, 10:14 PM
Character concept wise I'm up for playing any set of classes, races, etc. I haven't experienced them all. The 4e system is extremely different in not just mechanics but also in fluff so its hard to judge. If it was a 4e eberron campaign I could practically pick it up and not skip a beat but mostly everything has changed.

That's kind of what I'm saying -- tell us what fluff you would do if this were a 3.5 game, and we can easily convert it to 4e. You know what kind of campaign you are playing in, so if this were a 3.5 game, what would you play and why? Would you play the captain, a bard, inspiring your sailors to operate at peak efficiency? Would you play the token ship Wizard, using your magics to keep the ship safe? Or what character concept would you do if this were 3.5?

Hario
2009-10-10, 10:44 PM
Well the most fun I had back in 3.5 was controlling the battlefield but also in doing good amounts of damage. I have a feeling this will end up me playing a cleric/paladin/ or warlord. I enjoy playing characters who are out adventuring to destroy evil. I was looking at dwarfs who have an anti-move ability but I've never played one before and have a terribly bad dwarf accent. I played a dragonborn warlord before, for a one shot, it was okay but its tough to coax a non-greedy dragon born to the new world unless they are greedy or the homelands are on the other side. I've also played plenty of humans, but mostly because an extra feat is extremely useful, and its easy to play your own race.

Fluff-wise it is hard to decide but I'd normally play an intelligent explorer who is looking to make a name for himself. The campaign will take place similarly around the time of Columbus. A similar back story of being contracted to explore and return resources to the mainland would be fine.

tcrudisi
2009-10-10, 10:51 PM
Would you prefer to control the battlefield via magic from a distance, or via the Fighter/Paladin from the front lines? They are both forms of control, just different in implementation.

Hario
2009-10-10, 11:09 PM
Would you prefer to control the battlefield via magic from a distance, or via the Fighter/Paladin from the front lines? They are both forms of control, just different in implementation.

Melee but having a ranged attack at will or encounter wouldn't hurt

Shazbot79
2009-10-10, 11:20 PM
Melee but having a ranged attack at will or encounter wouldn't hurt

I recommend a Watersoul Genasi Swordmage.

Thematic for the campaign, the Genasi get a bonus to Intelligence, so it fits the "learned explorer" aspect, and also the Swordmage is good at both melee and battle field control.

You can find rules for both the Race and Class in the Forgotten Realms Player's Guide and the Arcane Power supplement.

Also, you could take a nautical background to bolster the character concept.

tcrudisi
2009-10-10, 11:23 PM
Actually, just going off that, here's what I'd do (and I am assuming level 1):


Human Fighter
Str 18 (+2 racial for 20)
Con 10
Dex 11
Int 10
Wis 14
Cha 8

Trained Skills: Athletics, Endurance, Heal, Intimidate
At-Will Powers: Tide of Iron (useful for pushing foes around)
Footwork Lure (good for drawing foes away from allies)
Crushing Surge (good for staying alive)
Encounter Power: Shield Bash (high accuracy, decent damage, knocks the foe down)
Daily Power: Lasting Threat (great damage, permanent mark so you have it's attention for the rest of the combat)

Feats: Shield Push (when a foe ignores your taunts and attacks an ally, you push him away before his swing can connect, keeping your ally safe)
Weapon Expertise (heavy blade): +1 to hit is always nice.

He gets things like Combat Challenge (you taunt any foe you swing at into attacking you. If they don't -- you will make them suffer) and Combat Superiority (if you get an Opportunity Attack, you get +wis to your attack roll and they stop moving) and 1h Weapon Talent (you get +1 to attack with 1-handed weapons).

Basic strategy: you control the front lines. You use a Longsword (and are training to use a Bastard Sword, and will master that soon!) and a Heavy Shield to protect your allies from harm. You are not afraid to get in front of your foes, taunting them to attack you. If they don't, you punish them for their insolence with either Combat Challenge or Combat Superiority. If they try to escape, you punish them for their insolence. In fact, if they do anything other than attack you, they will be punished. You push them around, keeping them away from your allies. If one escapes and makes it to a squishy ally, you pull him away with your amazing footwork.

If your DM allows backgrounds, take Auspicious Birth (if he allows Scales of War) to get Str to hp instead of Con. If he follows LFR rules, take Impiltur (to use Wis instead of Con).

Wear Scale Armor, a heavy shield, and a Longsword. You'll have AC 19, Fort 18, Ref/Will 13. Every time you get ability ups, put them in Str and Wis. I would take Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword) at level 2.

This build will change if you start at something other than level 1, however, as paragon paths and epic destinies can really change how you approach builds.

*edit* I really like the Watersoul Genasi Swordmage idea, though Swordmages are fairly complicated to play well.

Kurald Galain
2009-10-11, 05:18 AM
If there's going to be a lot of action on shipboard, then any kind of teleportation is going to be very nice. It can get you from deck to the top of the mast or back, or from in the water back on the boat.

So for a suggestion, be an Eladrin, Shadar-Kai, and/or Warlock.

Shazbot79
2009-10-11, 05:25 AM
*edit* I really like the Watersoul Genasi Swordmage idea, though Swordmages are fairly complicated to play well.

They can be...

But in my current game there is a newer player who is playing a Swordmage to great effect. He kicks as much ass as the Ranger.

Xallace
2009-10-11, 08:12 AM
Dwarves make good druids (PHBII). Wis/Con based controllers, you keep skills relevant to boating (Athletics, Perception, Nature [for predicting the weather]), and you've got a nice slew of melee and ranged powers at your disposal. If you don't like the Beast Form, you can re-fluff it to being a fighting stance.

Would make a pretty good navigator, I'd think. Maybe a map-maker, one who dreams of exploring and subsequently illustrating the whole world.

CorvidMP
2009-10-11, 08:57 AM
Try a greatspear/"harpoon" weilding tactical warlord, any race with str or int bonuses should do the trick though the watersoul gensai would be perfect.
Get your int bonus up high enough and you'll actually benefit from wearing light armor.

You could use you attacks as an excuse to shout piratey orders to your comrades (Yarrrr!!! Shift ta starboard ye land lubbering spellslinger!!!)....
But since you said no pirates you could very easily go the more reserved learned route, or maybe be do a quiet tribal type to go with the harpoon.

Alos note that as a tactical warlord you can do a lot of pushing/sliding of your enemies...including sending them over board. You also move you freinds around alot which can save them from the same. It fits with your desire to control the battle feild as the tactical warlord has a very strong secondary controler role.

Hario
2009-10-11, 07:18 PM
Been looking at the water gensai swordmage. Intelligent blademaster looks pretty interresting. Is there any better feats for level 1 than it for that build?

Mando Knight
2009-10-11, 08:34 PM
Depends on your Strength and Int: If it's 16/18, then I'd suggest Weapon Expertise (Heavy Blade) or Focused Expertise (Longsword), the latter to be retrained to Focused Expertise (Bastard Sword) if/when you switch to that weapon. If your Strength is only 14, then I'd recommend Intelligent Blademaster/Melee Training (Intelligence).