Iron Kingdoms Help!

[timtitan]

I'm set to playing a Iron Kingdoms game and I'm really looking forward to it, but I'm having difficulty thinking of a cool class combination to play. The game starts with the players as level 1 characters from noble families and should go until level 14 or so. Can anybody give me some advice on a fun (does not have to be a damage dealer) class/multi class to play?

I have access to the Iron Kingdoms book and Liber Mekanicus, normal Players Handbook 3.5 and DMG, and the Tome of Battle.

The characters start with the predefined stats

17 16 15 15 12 12


I would prefer not to play a arcane mekanik as i'm not totally won over by the construction system, and cost of weapons makes me worry about gun mage. However the idea of a pistol packing duelist sounds really good. Maybe with gun mage levels later, or one to start then a dip for feats? I'd thought of maybe Warblade or Fighter to get more feats/abilities

I'd like the following abilities/themes
Ability to use a pistol
Ability to use a Caspian Battleblade (martial one handed weapon)
Fairly survivable and flexible.

Can anybody help me?

[The Glyphstone]

Whatever's the quickest way for you to qualify for being a warcaster. Because warjacks are awesome.:smallcool:

[Asbestos]

Whatever's the quickest way for you to qualify for being a warcaster. Because warjacks are awesome.:smallcool:

Too bad he isn't keen on being an arcane mechanik.

Honestly, I feel that Tome of Battle doesn't really fit the setting too much, especially the Sword Sage class.

Keep in mind that you don't need to be a Gun Mage to shoot things. Rogues and Rangers benefit pretty well from guns, they just have to carry a bunch. I don't see why your Warblade couldn't store a couple of guns on hand instead of standard D&D ranged weapons. I know that Warblades are not specifically addressed in the IK book (how could they be, they came out after IK) but I think that fighters get the gun skill (I forget the name) as a class skill and gain some other gun-related feat access. I wouldn't see it as a stretch for these to be applied to the Warblade as well. If you're really committed to the gun happy duelist, consider being a Scout (if you can find a copy of Complete Adventurer) and giving it the same gun-related bonuses that Rangers in the Iron Kingdoms get. Also, it might be good to know what the relative power level of the campaign/the rest of the party is. If its all top-tier optimized stuff, then you'll be stuck as a Warblade or a Rogue as you try to keep up with the not-very-setting-typical Wizards, the Gun Mage, while a fun class is far from powerful.

[timtitan]

I have been looking over Ranger as the first level, i'm just not sure how to include the spellcasting on the way to Warcaster. I want survivability in melee, at the moment all I can think of is Gun Mage, or Wizard.

Any suggestions?

[Asbestos]

If you're dedicated to being a Warcaster that pretty much precludes anything but a casting class and the absolute best class for it is the Arcane Mechanik. But, if you're dedicated to the idea of steam powered craziness, I believe there is a class in Liber Mechanika for melee types that let's them use steam powered armor.

[Cieyrin]

I have been looking over Ranger as the first level, i'm just not sure how to include the spellcasting on the way to Warcaster. I want survivability in melee, at the moment all I can think of is Gun Mage, or Wizard.

Any suggestions?

Remember that IK has it's own version of Ranger, that is more military scout than nature warrior. It's interesting, though quite a bit different than the original Ranger.

As for getting into Warcaster with melee survivability, you could Jade Phoenix Mage it up, which I could see fitting in with the Illuminated Ones, really. Warblade/Wizard/JPM/Warcaster could be a fun mix, I would say.

[Inhuman Bot]

I'm set to playing a Iron Kingdoms game and I'm really looking forward to it, but I'm having difficulty thinking of a cool class combination to play. The game starts with the players as level 1 characters from noble families and should go until level 14 or so. Can anybody give me some advice on a fun (does not have to be a damage dealer) class/multi class to play?

I have access to the Iron Kingdoms book and Liber Mekanicus, normal Players Handbook 3.5 and DMG, and the Tome of Battle.

The characters start with the predefined stats

17 16 15 15 12 12


I would prefer not to play a arcane mekanik as i'm not totally won over by the construction system, and cost of weapons makes me worry about gun mage. However the idea of a pistol packing duelist sounds really good. Maybe with gun mage levels later, or one to start then a dip for feats? I'd thought of maybe Warblade or Fighter to get more feats/abilities

I'd like the following abilities/themes
Ability to use a pistol
Ability to use a Caspian Battleblade (martial one handed weapon)
Fairly survivable and flexible.

Can anybody help me?

Asbestos: The class your thinking of is probably the Iron Head.

*swoops in*

As the person who referances IK the most on this forums, I'll give my 2 cents.

If you don't mind being a divine caster, Cleric or Favored souls are quite good for survivability, with their better-then-arcane-caster hit die. If you used the armoured greatcoat and a chain shirt, it's one of the better armour choices, possibly even to the status of game breaker at low levels. If you took a few levels in fighter, you could use the bonus feats for proficiency in pistols, or to get better with battleblades. However, if you can take flaws, that's even better. Take two, and get iron will and skill focus (concentration) (IIRC, those are the 2 pre-req feats you can get at level 1).

17 16 15 15 12 12
As for stats, I would probably go for
STR 15
CON 15
DEX 12
INT 16
WIS 17
CHA 12

Hope that helps.

[Leon]

Fighter Variant: Thug


I am guessing that your playing a Human noble but what ethnicity?


As nice as the Warblade is i don't think it lends its self greatly to IK - except for taking select maneuvers as individual feats

[Darkameoba]

ive played quite alot of iron kingdoms and i have a couple of suggestions for you. either go druid into blackclad (unstopable death at level 10ish, and you get wold wyrds) if you have access to the no quarter magazines, were the realy good druid class is, and even if you don't once you get stone shape you pretty much rule. or go into rifle man and take marksmen (the one that lets you add your dex to damage with range weapons) i might have mis named the rifleman class but you cant miss it, hes got a big cloak on and a rifle as big as he is.

only problem is if you are human nobles, its really hard to reason out being a blackclad lol

[Leon]

Rifleman is the PrC and Sharpshooter is the feat your thinking of