Playing an artist?

[Tech Boy]

I'm kinda an artist, I guess. http://the-ethan-yazel.deviantart.com/
I was wondering how one would play an aritst? Depending on the style of the time period of the game, the character would probably, in my case, be a traveling plein air painter. maybe even a cartographer. Just a general wondering artist.

But in game, how would this be played? You could this be useful to a party? I think it could be fun for the player, but when it comes to combat, you would have to multi class.

Alright, I think I've said my piece.

What do you think about this?

[Flickerdart]

Your game is running in the Belle Epoque? Awesome.

What you want are a few cans of Marvellous Pigments (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#marvelousPigments).

[Otherworld Odd]

1. Pick any class
2. Put points into Profession (Artist).


There you go, you got yourself an artist and you're still helpful. You could flavor your character around art, say he casts spells using his paintbrush, or creates magic items that are based around art.

[Flickerdart]

Ranger might suit such a character pretty well (favoured enemy coming from anatomical studies, or favoured terrain from mucking about in it for so long). Factotum, of course, would work too.

[Zaq]

This seems like a fluff issue, really.

[Yukitsu]

Reflavoured geometer/summoner. They draw glyphs to cast spells. This one would draw creatures who come to life.

[Kuma Kode]

This homebrew class (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125864) might be interesting if you're playing a 5th character. Somewhat warlockish.

[Super_Fluous]

Psion (Shaper). It uses Craft (Sculpting) to determine the appearance of Astral Constructs. You can very easily fluff it as manifesting your paintings in real life, or something along those lines.

[Slipperychicken]

Your game is running in the Belle Epoque? Awesome.

What you want are a few cans of Marvellous Pigments (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#marvelousPigments).

Wait... if I'm reading the description right, does that item mean you can make mobius strips, or other such impossible shapes? If so, I'm sure someone can figure out how to smash physics in half with that (not that D&D physics need much help being smashed)

[Flickerdart]

Well, it's a 2D object, so wile it might work from "your" perspective, as soon as it pops into reality it might look a little different. Especially if the "proper" way is impossible.

[Kuma Kode]

Wait... if I'm reading the description right, does that item mean you can make mobius strips, or other such impossible shapes? If so, I'm sure someone can figure out how to smash physics in half with that (not that D&D physics need much help being smashed)

Mobius strips are not impossible, I made them in, like, third grade.

Though I think it's safe to assume that Escher-like shapes defy the item's description that only "normal, inanimate objects can be created."

[Tech Boy]

This homebrew class (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125864) might be interesting if you're playing a 5th character. Somewhat warlockish.



Ooooooo.

I dig this.




Also: I am taking down notes from this entire discussion.

[Comet]

Yeah, the rules of D&D simulate combat and high adventure, with only a small section granted for things like art or cooking or other such stuff.

Just grab that section, namely the skill for craft or profession, and go to town. You won't be just an artist, but you'll be as much as an artist as the system allows.

On the other hand, as said above, you could integrate your arty stuff into the combat and high adventure via strange magics. I suppose that'd work.

[Curmudgeon]

There's always Nolzur’s Marvelous Pigments (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#marvelousPigments) to get some on-the-spot utility out of your artistic skill.

[begooler]

Geometer I like for the flavor. Combine it with Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil, the ridiculously overpowered prestige class based on color in Complete Arcane, and I think you'll be good.

Use spells like glyph of warding and explosive runes. (You draw a picture that sets of a trap when someone looks at it.) The Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus feat you had to take for Sevenfold Veil will increase the save DC's. You get glyph of warding spell for free as a Geometer.

When you create the veils the the Initiate makes, describe them in detail. Maybe they also contain flickers of images.

Craft: Painting. It's INT based. You're a wizard. You can also use it in a storyline when you are collecting clues to draw a picture of a person or a scene. I had a friend use this to good effect once.

Create Magic Tattoo: buff spell, uses craft painting

Prismatic X Spells: flavor and power

Edit: Ideas for artist as adventurer:
I think a plein air artist suits an adventurer, since the whole idea is that you have to go out into the world to paint. A surrealist painter might also fit, since adventurers encounter bizarre creatures and places. I think the psychogeography aspect of the Situationist International (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situationist_International) could also fit an adventurer, and the SI's connection to the Lettrism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypergraphics) movement might also make since with your rune drawing schtick.

[valadil]

Cartographer makes sense. Most other artist ideas I can think of just don't make sense for adventurers. Maaaybe you could go with the wizard who is really into properly typesetting the scrolls he makes. Maybe.

[some guy]

Isn't there a Thematic Spellcasting option or feat? I thought I had read about it once, but I don't know where it's from anymore.
Anyway, if you play a caster, you could use that in the sense of "I paint something in the air and suddenly someone is struck by lightning".

I ran a one shot last week wherein problems were caused by an insane goblin sorcerer who had acquired some marvellous pigments and who would cast color spray by flicking his brush around.

[begooler]

Cartographer makes sense. Most other artist ideas I can think of just don't make sense for adventurers. Maaaybe you could go with the wizard who is really into properly typesetting the scrolls he makes. Maybe.

I disagree, there's a whole host of reasons an artist would be an adventurer. OP's original idea makes a lot of sense. I also added a few in the edit to my first post.

[Yukitsu]

Edit: Ideas for artist as adventurer:
I think a plein air artist suits an adventurer, since the whole idea is that you have to go out into the world to paint. A surrealist painter might also fit, since adventurers encounter bizarre creatures and places. I think the psychogeography aspect of the Situationist International (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situationist_International) could also fit an adventurer, and the SI's connection to the Lettrism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypergraphics) movement might also make since with your rune drawing schtick.

If you're going to go out as Pleinair, you should keep a stuffed talking rabbit as your familiar, and always remain silent.