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View Full Version : Pick a class from 2nd ed to 3rd



Beelzebub1111
2010-06-06, 07:24 AM
Now, after my DM finishes Die Vecna Die he'll be switching from second edition D&D to 3rd. as the resident 3rd Ed veteran, I want to pick a class or class combination that isn't very powerful in 2nd but good in 3rd, either that or something that is impossible in second. Setting will be greyhawk.

I was thinking either:
Fighter 1/Wizard or Sorcerer X/Eldritch Knight 10 (or Swiftblade 10 or Knight Phantom 10 if allowed)

Straight Druid

Straight Sorcerer.

Sorcerer 1/Fighter X/ Dragon disciple 10

Halfling (or Poison Dusk Lizardfolk) TWF Ranger.

He seems to be okay with the Complete books aside from Ninja for some reason. So any other ideas?

Tengu_temp
2010-06-06, 07:44 AM
One word: CoDzilla. Sorcerers and rangers are actually better in AD&D than in DND 3.x.

J.Gellert
2010-06-06, 08:13 AM
+1 to that. I think it's official that WotC wanted to encourage people to play the previously underappreciated clerics, so that every party will have at least one healer, so they made CoDzilla.

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2010-06-06, 08:15 AM
Now, after my DM finishes Die Vecna Die he'll be switching from second edition D&D to 3rd. as the resident 3rd Ed veteran, I want to pick a class or class combination that isn't very powerful in 2nd but good in 3rd, either that or something that is impossible in second.

Any combination of arcane/melee is a destroyer of worlds in 2e, so given the above I'd probably try to avoid anything like that. Similarly, anything TWF actually goes against your stated goal, as TWF was king in 2e but is horrible in 3e.

Druid would be awesome, as from what I recall they were less playable in 2e than they were in 3.0.

If you want to take Dragon Disciple, qualify via Duskblade or Hexblade so you won't lose out on any BAB. Even then, you'd probably be better off gaining Half-Dragon via the Savage Progression (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030912a), you'll lose out on just as much BAB but you'll recover seven levels worth of class features. Definitely use Duskblade over Hexblade, though again going arcane/melee is something that was amazing in 2e anyway. In any case, get an Eternal Wand of Hound of Doom, and be sure to name it.

As Tengu_temp said, Clericzilla would be a good option. I'd go with a Human Cleric of Zarus (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20041203a) with the Strength and War domains and a Greatsword. Unless you can reliably get Nightsticks or craft them yourself you should skip DMM: Persistent, as crafting and shopping for magical wares in 3e is quite different from 2e. I'd probably make the final build Cleric 6/ Divine Oracle 4/ Contemplative 10, and be sure to get Power Attack somewhere in there. You should get Skill Focus: Kn: Religion via the Frog God's Fane so you won't have to spend waste a feat on it, but with a 2e DM you may not have any choice. If you can take two flaws then go ahead and start with DMM: Persistent along with Extra Turning, and get Power Attack at 3rd, Skill Focus at 6th, and Craft Rod at 9th. Your domains from Contemplative should be Law and Destiny, and at 17th you can DMM: Persist Choose Destiny if the game ever gets that far.

Warlock and Dragonfire Adept are quite different from anything that's available in 2e. A Dragonfire Adept with Entangling Exhalation who wears heavy armor and carries a tower shield with nonproficiency penalties is quite a change from 2e armor availability. Take Dreadful Wrath if you can, focus on the Intimidate skill, and be sure to get Never Outnumbered and Imperious Command.

Another build that didn't exist in 2e is the chain tripper. Goliath Fighter 20 should work fine, be sure to use the Dungeoncrasher ACF and the Zhentarim Soldier Bully substitution levels (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060327a), and maybe dip a level into Exotic Weapon Master for Trip Attack at around 10th level. Again, take Dreadful Wrath if you can, focus on Intimidate, and be sure to get Never Outnumbered and Imperious Command. Definitely get Knockback and Knock-Down, and maybe even go Fighter 9/ Exotic Weapon Master 1/ Warblade 10, which will allow you to get Weapon Supremacy at level 21 if you think you'll get that far.

Thane of Fife
2010-06-06, 11:17 AM
Sorcerers and rangers are actually better in AD&D than in DND 3.x.

:smallconfused:

There are no sorcerers in AD&D.

tiercel
2010-06-06, 02:08 PM
Play a 3.5 bard; they're certainly a good ways from their 2e cousins, without jumping on the "Tier 1 bandwagon" (i.e. going from 2e elven fighter/mage to 3.x "CoDzilla").

You'd still get some of the "gish" (fighting + arcane magic) stuff but with a different spin (skillmonkey, bardic abilities) -- a true 3.x gish, without careful building, probably just won't match up to the ease of a 2e fighter/mage multiclass.

Druid is of course another good choice, since 2e clerics were very often not that exciting and 2e druids were, for the most part, a gimped level-capped version of 2e clerics.

Just because clerics and druids can be CoDzilla doesn't mean they have to be. They will always be strong, solid choices -- two of the things that push druid toward DruidZilla is the combination of Natural Spell and some trick/argument to have most or all of your equipment accessible in wildshaped form (e.g. 3.0 wilding clasps), and the syndrome of "I am a telepathic Sun Tzu when it comes to controlling my animal companion/summoned creatures on the battlefield."

More generally, CoDzilla tends to become so in a vacuum. In general, your partymates will expect you, as a divine caster, to expend at least some fraction of your power healing/buffing *them*. To the extent you are doing this (and don't have 3+ rounds to prepare for every fight with buffs), your 'zilla will just be a solid, competent contributor, not so much the "I DOMINATE ALL YOU FOOLISH NON-TIER-1 MEWLING INFANTS" character.

Another alternative for "much different than 2e" is of course psionics, though I have less direct experience in 3.x psi (and of course you'd need the book and a DM OK with that).

Tengu_temp
2010-06-06, 02:49 PM
:smallconfused:

There are no sorcerers in AD&D.

Baldur's Gate 2 lied to me!

Beelzebub1111
2010-06-06, 07:34 PM
Interesting thoughts, all. I'm leaning towards druid (riding dog animal companion) with all the information given, but my DM is a complete...well...let's say "Jerk" when it comes to deities. It's a sort of "All our gods are watching our every move" mentality. He also uses spells that are banned for us (like the 2nd edition version of stone-skin), but that's another story.

Any Idea for spells to commonly prepare or class progression to take?

PId6
2010-06-06, 09:16 PM
Interesting thoughts, all. I'm leaning towards druid (riding dog animal companion) with all the information given, but my DM is a complete...well...let's say "Jerk" when it comes to deities. It's a sort of "All our gods are watching our every move" mentality. He also uses spells that are banned for us (like the 2nd edition version of stone-skin), but that's another story.

Any Idea for spells to commonly prepare or class progression to take?
Aspect of the Wolf is a good spell to use (Spell Compendium) for meleeing in early levels, while Enrage Animal (also SpC) is great early on since it buffs your companion and you can keep it up all day if you concentrate. In core, Entangle is an amazing control spell, while Produce Flame is a solid offensive spell in levels 2 to 4 (before Wildshape). Always make good use of Summon Nature's Ally, since it is one of your most versatile class features.

See Druid Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=1354.0) for detailed information on feat choices, Wild Shape forms, and other things.