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ShadowsGrnEyes
2009-10-11, 09:01 PM
I"m going to be playing a drow in an upcoming game. we're starting at level 1 it's an underdark campaign so the level adjustment isnt going to be an issue.

Normally I'm really good at thinking up fun, if not perfect builds. . . but i am currently stuck. So I was hoping the forum could help me out, give me some good ideas.

Here's what I want.
The game is gestalt.
I want cleric/something.
I dont want to be straight cleric so a PrC or 2 would be nice.
I would appreciate CE or NE, so no lawfull requirement classes.
I'm playing a female drow, if we can play Lolth up I'd be pleased.
Combat based would be nice.

ok . . . GO

Glimbur
2009-10-11, 09:20 PM
Cleric//Rogue? That'd get you Sneak Attack and a lot more skills. Aim for Contemplative on the Cleric side, and maybe some weird PrC on the rogue side. The special abilities of rogue can be handy, but please don't take Rogue 20.

Mongoose87
2009-10-11, 09:25 PM
Cleric//Rogue? That'd get you Sneak Attack and a lot more skills. Aim for Contemplative on the Cleric side, and maybe some weird PrC on the rogue side. The special abilities of rogue can be handy, but please don't take Rogue 20.

Maybe Assassin?

Harperfan7
2009-10-11, 09:27 PM
Rogue/Cleric is very drowish.

Better yet, go...

Ges #1: Rogue/Assassin or Rogue/Specialist Wizard/Arcane Trickster
Ges #2: Cleric (w/destruction)/ maybe Divine Trickster from the gaming section?

EDIT: Divine Tricksters have to be able to turn undead, so scratch that.

Deth Muncher
2009-10-11, 09:52 PM
If you want to be specific, it should only be Cleric if your character is female, or Wizard if male.

Dacia Brabant
2009-10-11, 10:52 PM
Is Tome of Battle allowed? If it is, and if by "level adjustment isn't an issue" you mean you have up to 20 levels to play with, then I would go Cleric 5/Ordained Champion 5/Cleric 10//Crusader 10/Eternal Blade 10. Ordained Champion is from Complete Champion, you'll have to get your DM to waive the silly Heironeous-or-Hextor-only requirement but it's a 5-level, 3/5-casting PrC that gives some rather nice combat bonuses including a smite feature, which you'll also be getting eventually from Crusader.

(Edit: huh, Lolth doesn't have the War domain, that's weird, I thought she did since she's Corellon's counterpart. Oh well, you can still go into OC, you'll unfortunately just have to spend a feat on Weapon Focus.)

Unfortunately the divine-based ToB prestige class, Ruby Knight Vindicator, is usually banned in gestalt since it advances two classes at once, but Eternal Blade is still very very good for elven Crusaders (you qualify as a drow) because it gives them access to two powerful disciplines they wouldn't get otherwise, and its class features are awesome. Unfortunately it will make you MAD since it has Int-synergy (while Cleric requires Wis and OC and Crusader like their Cha) but it's not all that important and drow stat bonuses should help a bit anyway.

Of course I've been wanting to make a drow Cleric/Crusader of Lolth for a while now so I may be biased. :smallsmile:

If ToB's not allowed, I'd ask for Psionics and go Psychic Warrior, and if that's no go then I'd say Barbarian with the full Power Attack line: buff, rage 'n charge, heal up and do it again.

Flickerdart
2009-10-11, 10:55 PM
Instead of Rogue, consider going SA + Thug Fighter (UA). This loses you some on the skills department, but you get full BAB, meaning you can persist something that isn't Divine Power, and also meaning you can go Cloistered Cleric without actually losing anything. Alternately, you may want to consider Paladin of Slaughter.

Kylarra
2009-10-11, 11:03 PM
If you weren't against LE, I'd say paladin of Tyranny, but Paladin of Slaughter has a really harsh code of conduct, so if you do look into that route, see if you can get it reduced a bit.

Ernir
2009-10-11, 11:44 PM
Things that come to mind...

The Lolth-touched template. LA +1, likely to make your friends jealous. Requires you to be CE, and a high-powered game.

Psychic Warrior synergizes well with (Cloistered) Cleric. Crusader works well too, and fits thematically.

Cleric PrCs... uh, I can think of two that haven't been mentioned yet, both from this Web Enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20040522a). Which one depends on the game's power level. Dweomerkeeper is brokenly powerful, Nightcloak is far from it, but is so awesomely cool I think of it every time when someone mentions evil Cleric PrCs. :smalltongue:

ShadowsGrnEyes
2009-10-12, 12:59 AM
all very good advice. i really like nightcloak.

Thanks everyone

taltamir
2009-10-12, 01:07 AM
i think LA is not an issue means that everyone in the party is a drow... and no penalties are given.

Play a Cleric / Wizard ;). J/K

What kind of character do you want to play?

sambo.
2009-10-12, 01:16 AM
Things that come to mind...
what's the campaign rule on SleepyJus?

i'm the only Drow in Ernir's citybased pbp and am allowed to take poisonmaking as a skill and brew up poison with much higher DC's than normal. at a cost. Knowledge: Poison Making has proved very useful to my archer-mage type.

against things that are immune, it's kinda useless.

Myrmex
2009-10-12, 01:22 AM
Cleric//Rogue? That'd get you Sneak Attack and a lot more skills. Aim for Contemplative on the Cleric side, and maybe some weird PrC on the rogue side. The special abilities of rogue can be handy, but please don't take Rogue 20.

Prestige classing out on the cleric side would be better, since cleric gives you nothing, but at least rogue has 8 skill points/level.

gdiddy
2009-10-12, 01:48 AM
Barbarian 20 // Cleric 10 / Contemplative 10.

You'll make all kinds of friends.

PhoenixRivers
2009-10-12, 01:51 AM
Cleric/Contemplative // Ardent

Ardent is a Wis based psionic class, that embodies ideals, similar to domains. It's relatively beefy, and opens up new doors for you as a truly favored of Lolth.

Between having more of her domains, and manifesting those ideals that the domains represent, you could set yourself apart, and have some truly fearsome casting... Though it will definately be focused to Lolth's precepts.

Dixieboy
2009-10-12, 01:53 AM
Rogue/Specialist Wizard/Arcane Trickster

She's female though.

Superglucose
2009-10-12, 02:03 AM
Cleric/Rogue sounds fun. Take some PrCs on the cleric side, and suddenly you have what, ten dice of sneak attack on top of the already lovely Cleric casting? Let me put it this way: you're going to hit something for the already-too-much damage of a Cleric on 'roids (proven fact: divine healing causes cancer), and toss an extra 10d6 if they're flanked or otherwise denied dex bonus. Combine with spells such as Hold Person (fine, mass) to get your sneak attacks in, and combine with the fact that undead do not live against clerics (nice spells you've got there!).

Of course, I play mostly in core so I'm only really aware of what's in Core.

PhoenixRivers
2009-10-12, 02:04 AM
With hold person, you're not going for sneak attack. You're going for Coup de Grace, or manacles.

Grumman
2009-10-12, 02:37 AM
A build I've mentioned before is Shadow Creature Lesser Drow Warblade 5 / Dread Fang of Lolth 10 / Iaijutsu Master 5. Throw in Cloistered Cleric 17 / Drow Paragon 3 for the other side.

I'm a fan of Shadow Creature Lesser Drow as an alternative to the regular Drow race. It has the same LA as a normal drow, but you lose spell resistance and a few other things and gain total concealment anywhere except in full sunlight. You need to use evasion from the Shadow Creature's list of options and Assassin's Stance from Martial Study/Martial Stance to get into Dread Fang of Lolth, but you're really sneaky, always get the surprise round (and often get a full round instead of a standard action), and get sneak attack, sudden strike and iaijutsu focus.

Blacky the Blackball
2009-10-12, 03:26 AM
I'd go for a chaotic good Ranger who wields dual scimitars...

Grumman
2009-10-12, 03:34 AM
I'd go for a chaotic good Ranger who wields dual scimitars...
Who carries a sheet of lead and has the Quick Draw feat?

Mongoose87
2009-10-12, 03:46 AM
Who carries a sheet of lead and has the Quick Draw feat?

Completely unnecessary for Mary-Sue.

bosssmiley
2009-10-12, 05:03 AM
I'd go for a chaotic good Ranger who wields dual scimitars...

...with mauve eyes and a panther sidekick. But then, what kind of hack would ever write such an obvious Marty Stu. :smallamused:

Drow character without the *handjerk motions* factor. Just run a High Elf through a negative image filter, or use the no-LA Drow variant from the Tome Series Races of War collection.

PS: Derro > Drow

PinkysBrain
2009-10-12, 05:38 AM
I"m going to be playing a drow in an upcoming game. we're starting at level 1 it's an underdark campaign so the level adjustment isnt going to be an issue.
That's a non sequitur ... is the LA waived or what?

I dont want to be straight cleric so a PrC or 2 would be nice.
Can't go wrong with a Ruby Knight Vindicator.

Kylarra
2009-10-12, 09:31 AM
Can't go wrong with a Ruby Knight Vindicator.Well you "can" since it's pretty much a dual-progression class and gestalt frowns on those.

ErrantX
2009-10-12, 09:41 AM
I myself, would go Cloistered Cleric 5 / Divine Oracle 10 / Contemplative 5 // Spellthief 1 / Beguiler 5 / Unseen Seer 10 / Arcane Trickster 4 (w/ Master Spellthief).

Lloth Touched Drow as a race, of course.

Gives you all the (un)holy goodness on the cleric side, as well as a powerful base of skills, sneak attack, spell thievery, and illusion/enchantment magic for trickery and tasty goodness. Both sides can wear light armor, and you'll be able to fight pretty decently (especially with Divine Power). Lets you get in the mix with Steal Spell.

My 2 bent copper,

-X

Grumman
2009-10-12, 09:55 AM
I myself, would go Cloistered Cleric 5 / Divine Oracle 10 / Contemplative 5 // Spellthief 1 / Beguiler 5 / Unseen Seer 10 / Arcane Trickster 4 (w/ Master Spellthief).
You can't take dual progression PrCs like Arcane Trickster in gestalt, and you can't take PrCs on both sides at the same time.

ErrantX
2009-10-12, 10:15 AM
Thus why I don't play gestalt, too many dumb rules.

Meh.
-X

UserClone
2009-10-12, 10:20 AM
I recommend the feat Reactive Resistance from...Drow of the Underdark.

ShadowsGrnEyes
2009-10-12, 09:43 PM
wow thanks for all the great imput everyone. ok heres some questions that i feel i should adress as they were asked and that's just plain polite.

the DM is trying to run a high powered game so he is allowing up to a +3 level adjustment basically for free. . . i'll be a lesser drow, dark template, lolth touched, teifling (teifling will be applied like a template, the dm is allowing this)

again this GM is looking to make a very powerful game so in his gestalt he is allowing dual progreassion PrC's and you can take more than one at once.

the Dm has a history of not liking psionics, it annoys him, so i dont think i'll be allowed to take that path.

i like the idea of rogue cleric, any more creative suggestions to pile on top of that?

Ernir
2009-10-12, 10:27 PM
OK, one thing that completely changes how clerics are built... ask your DM if Nightsticks (an item from Libris Mortis, gives extra turning attempts) stack for purposes of fueling Divine Metamagic (Complete Divine, uses turning attempts to pay for metamagic cost). If they are allowed, buying/crafting as many as you can opens up whole new vistas of options for the cleric side.

UserClone
2009-10-12, 10:32 PM
I will have to echo the "Take the Thug fighter variant in combination with Sneak Attack fighter variant" sentiment. It's specifically allowed in Unearthed Arcana/SRD. Compared to Rogue, you lose 4 skill points a level and the Rogue special abilities, but you gain full BAB and keep the Sneak Attack, plus some of the class skills. It's a pretty sweet deal if you want to dominate in combat.

Also, Reactive Resistance is really nice, because it allows you to lower your spell resistance as an immediate action (Read: in order to accept a friendly spell, such as healing or buffing), rather than having to blow a standard action or risk your SR blocking said spells.

Kylarra
2009-10-12, 10:37 PM
I will have to echo the "Take the Thug fighter variant in combination with Sneak Attack fighter variant" sentiment. It's specifically allowed in Unearthed Arcana/SRD. Compared to Rogue, you lose 4 skill points a level and the Rogue special abilities, but you gain full BAB and keep the Sneak Attack, plus some of the class skills. It's a pretty sweet deal if you want to dominate in combat.You could still take the cloistered cleric variant then, the poor BAB, lower HD and armor loss are completely negated by the fighter proficiencies and you'll gain 6+int skillpoints instead as well as an additional domain.

deuxhero
2009-10-12, 10:48 PM
Keep in mind that 2 weapon fighting is a fairly poor combat style in 3.5.