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View Full Version : What to do with the Mark of Shadow?



Draxar
2010-03-17, 09:23 PM
So, I need a new character for the game I'm in. Post apocalyptic Eberron, character will be level 10.

Due to my last character and another one a bit before that both having retired rather than died due to me going "They would do X, which means not going with the party", I'm planning to play as a professional adventurer, that way the character will stick around.

Looking around vague concepts, I like the look of the Mark of Shadow, the particular things you get both from the 'main' mark, and the additional powers (Dragonmark Prodigy, Adept and Visionary). Totting things up, as a level 9 Elf, I'd be able to have a greater mark, and the additional least and lesser abilities, as long as I take a flaw (which I can). Yeah I could take Dragonmark Heir, and have more feats to do other stuff, but if I don't, I

The problem is, I've no idea what I want to do, class-wise. The world is sufficiently post-apocalyptic that I won't need to be running around for my house, and I won't be able to get much in the way of support from them.

Requirements are that it doesn't take any feats, that it's interesting, and that it's not too overpowered – I'm the optimiser in the group, the others tend to be fairly haphazard about what they do with their characters, not to the point of utter suck, but to the point where I tend to take sub-optimal concepts, and optimise within their constraints, rather than taking stronger concepts/builds.

For people less familiar with Dragonmark powers, hee's the list of Spell-Like's that I'll to choose from, with my preferences underlined.

Prying Eyes. Shadow Walk or Mislead, 1/day
Shadow Conjuration or Scrying, 3/day
Minor Image or Darkness 4/day or Disguise Self, 4/day

Blindsight 2/day or veil of shadow (concealment) 3/day
Insightful Feint (bonus and quicker feints) 3/day or net of shadows (reduce enemies sight to dim 5 foot) 3/day

At 12th level I'll get another feat which could go on Dragonmark Visionary, getting me Hide From Dragons 2/day, or shadow form 1/day, as well as an extra use of the Greater mark.

So, what can I do with all that? It's a fair range of broadly useful abilities, and I lean towards the more toolboxy than sneaky ones. If I took Dragomark Heir I could start with the Shadow form ability, and generally get more choices, but if I don't then I could be halfway through a completely different prestige class. So I'm persuadeable to do that, but it'd require sufficient 'It'll work well with X, Y and Z" to convince me

Other characters I have played in this campaign (and thus wouldn't want to play anything too massively close to again):

Warforged Soulknife with some Tome of Battle, essentially does a lot of damage in one hit, then can withdraw to do so again. Changeling Factotum/Chameleon master of generalism. Avoral who was extra specially good at spotting things.

The character must be an elf in order to manifest a mark of Shadow.

So, any suggestions?

Dusk Eclipse
2010-03-17, 09:28 PM
Rogue/Wiz/unsee seer? to me tha mask of shadows seems a good fit for an assassin/roguish character.

Draxar
2010-03-18, 10:17 AM
Rogue/Wiz/unsee seer? to me tha mask of shadows seems a good fit for an assassin/roguish character.

Possibly. Might be a little too good a build compared to what the other players are doing. Plus, that sounds a bit too much like a spy, as opposed to an adventurer.

RagnaroksChosen
2010-03-18, 10:26 AM
may i sugest eaither full spell theif
or spell theif 1/ sorcerer x

all you need is 1 feat.
master spell theif

jiriku
2010-03-18, 10:39 AM
warblade/revenant blade/eternal blade

Both prestige classes are elf-specific, flavorful, and full of interesting abilities. It also gives you a solid platform of effective melee combat abilities. You'll be a frontline combatant, which your previous characters weren't, and you'll look badass with your double scimitar. Your mark gives you additional versatility, but the lack of spellcasting means you aren't going to be overshadowing the rest of the party by duplicating all of their abilities.