Low Magic Character Suggestions

[Gametime]

I'm going to be playing in a 3.5 game this summer where it is impossible to cast any spell of higher than 4th level and I was hoping the playground could offer me some character suggestions.

Some guidelines:
- The group I play with is aggressively unoptimized. I'm aiming for somewhere in the range of upper tier 4 or lower tier 3; I don't want to get bored, but I don't want to upstage anyone either. I was thinking a jack-of-all-trades sort might work, so that I can always contribute but rarely dominate.
- We're going to start at 8th level; if prior experience is any guide, we'll end up around 16th.
- Magic items are only restricted in that you can't get any that require casting a spell of 5th level or higher.
- Spell-like or supernatural abilities that mimic higher level spells are also out.
- Casting classes still get spells slot higher than 4th level that can be used for metamagic'd versions of lower level spells.
- No books are banned outright, but material from non-standard subsystems (such as incarnum, binding, or psionics) has to be specially approved. My DM isn't big on refluffing, so the case for including a class that uses anything other than Vancian magic will have to be pretty strong.
- I'd rather not use a lot of dips, more for aesthetic preference than anything else.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Mr.Bookworm]

Vow of Poverty.

Seriously, it sucks in almost all other games, but it's actually pretty decent in a game where magic is limited.

From there, or even without VoP, I would personally go with straight Druid. Wild Shape+Animal Companion+Greater Magic Fang*2 still works. Even with fourth level spells and lower, you still get some good tricks magic-wise, like Entangle. And you are also now the only one in the party with resurrection magic, thanks to Reincarnate.

Or if you want to do the jack of all trades thing, just pick Factotum and call it a day. No further thought required.

[Sacrieur]

Low level magic specialist?

Cleric / Wizard / Mystic Theurge / Archmage

Or something.

[Moriato]

Will you still be getting higher level spell slots? If so, I'd recommend taking as many metamagic feats as you can to fill them up. Heighten spell would be especially useful.

[Gametime]

Vow of Poverty.

Seriously, it sucks in almost all other games, but it's actually pretty decent in a game where magic is limited.

From there, or even without VoP, I would personally go with straight Druid. Wild Shape+Animal Companion+Greater Magic Fang*2 still works. Even with fourth level spells and lower, you still get some good tricks magic-wise, like Entangle. And you are also now the only one in the party with resurrection magic, thanks to Reincarnate.

Or if you want to do the jack of all trades thing, just pick Factotum and call it a day. No further thought required.

I'm always a little overwhelmed when I try to actually make a Factotum. I know they're good, but I never know what feats to grab to make my contribution in combat worthwhile. I'm not confident I could get my DM to approve Iaijitsu Focus, so the most obvious source of bonus damage is right out.

Druid sounds fun, though. Being a big bear is never bad.


Will you still be getting higher level spell slots? If so, I'd recommend taking as many metamagic feats as you can to fill them up. Heighten spell would be especially useful.

Yes, we will. Forgot to mention that, OP has been edited.

[PollyOliver]

To me, "do a lot without upstaging anyone" + "jack of all trades" screams bard. By level 8 you'll have some good buff spells, and focusing on either inspire courage or dragonfire inspiration (or both, if you use lingering song to stack them) will help your party out a lot. For a little lower power, skip DFI and just use regular IC. A badge of valor is a 5th caster level item, so you can get that to boost your IC 3/day. Get a wand of cure light wounds (or put some points in UMD and get a wand of lesser vigor) to do some healing. Jack of all trades can be accomplished with the feat "jack of all trades" and the bardic knack alternate class feature. You'll be the face, part-time skill monkey, and buffer, and you can toss in the occasional non-buff spell as well. Get a whip and trip or disarm with it if you want more to do in combat (though this gets harder as enemies get stronger).

Edit: ignore the badge of valor part; I read that as up to 5th, not 5th and above prohibited. But song of the heart + masterwork horn still nets you a +2.

[Mr.Bookworm]

I'm always a little overwhelmed when I try to actually make a Factotum. I know they're good, but I never know what feats to grab to make my contribution in combat worthwhile. I'm not confident I could get my DM to approve Iaijitsu Focus, so the most obvious source of bonus damage is right out.

Iaijitsu Focus is nice to have, but not necessary. Really, if you want to be a jack of all trades, you're not going to master one aspect of combat, but you can serve as the sneaky guy, the spellslinger, the tank, or whatever else you want when necessary.

And feat-wise, Font of Inspiration is the only feat you will ever need. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606) If you're a Human Factotum, taking the feat for all four of your slots gives you 10 extra Inspiration points.


Druid sounds fun, though. Being a big bear is never bad.

Yes, and on that bear note, if you're going into Druid (or any other spellcaster) and you decide to grab Vow of Poverty, you might as well pick up the Sentinel of Bharrai while you're in the Exalted section. It's a PrC that can be summed up in a single image.

http://jeremiejordan.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/bear-cavalry.jpg

This is an actual ability that SoB get, conclusively proving that Good is in fact way more ****ing metal then Evil.


Yes, we will. Forgot to mention that, OP has been edited.

Huh. If you wanted to do it, then, direct damage wouldn't be a bad choice. You could do a Mailman Sorcerer build, which only really requires fourth level spells.

[PollyOliver]

Yeah, factotum doesn't need iajitsu focus to be effective. They can do pretty much anything. Buff, sneak attack, skill monkey, what have you. In fact, they're also pretty good trippers if you're interested in that sort of thing. Strength plus intelligence plus casting (enlarge person, etc) make it pretty viable.

For druid...well it's definitely not tier 3, but it can do a little of everything. Fourth level spells mean you get most of the standard buffs except animal growth (greater and superior magic fang, enhance wild shape, barksin/spiderskin, freedom of movement). And if you have higher level slots, grab extend and quicken.

[Garagos]

Take a look at 3.0 Forsaker and see if you can update/convert it to 3.5. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who already have so you may be able to find one by doing some searching. Forsakers live without any magic so they seem to fit within the idea of the campaign.

The only problem I forsee is if you don't have items to spare for the character to break, but I guess you can always take Sunder and smash enemy weapons.

[Redland Jack]

Bearing in mind that I've just started playing, so my suggestion may be idiotic...

How about a Marshal 7 / Crusader 1

I think you'd have a lot to do (in combat, anyway). You'd have several minor auras that you could shift around depending on the battle type, your major aura would be +2 (I think), so it might do you some good. The 'let your allies move 30' option' seems pretty nifty. Then, switching to Crusader, you'll have options for healing your party through attacks, some ability to deal damage, protect your party, and some nifty battlefield White Raven options.

[Gavinfoxx]

As far as low tier stuff, can you play a more capable character and just hold back?

[Tvtyrant]

Play a Bard/Chameleon. You get an effing ton skill points that way and a tremendous amount of low level spell variety (fourth level spells in Bard and either Arcane or Divine depending on the day). You can also use it for lots of types of rolls like a melee, pure caster or skill monkey and switch the next day.

[Draz74]

The easy way to make a Factotum effective is just to play an archer. Knowledge Devotion, Manyshot, you're good. If that's not enough, be a devout worshipper of Ehlonna (True Believer feat) and pick up a Raptor Arrow or three (MIC).

No Font of Inspiration required. Fairly feat-intensive if you don't use cheese (Flaws?) for bonus feats, but not insanely so. You'll still have a couple of free feats in case you want e.g. Darkstalker.