Best way to do this?

[Serke_Turinqui]

I want to make a dwarf that wields a big hammer(maul) and specializes in rat squishin'. The game will be played in an under-city type environment, is level 1, and uses only base classes unless specifically approved by the DM. I want your opinions on how to best make this character concept, I don't want to twink or anything, I just want the best in-game way to flesh out the idea. I was thinking maybe a ranger with favored enemy rat, but I'm not sure if the other ranger stuff would be good since I don't want to do ranged or dual wielding. So, what do you guys think?

[Hyfigh]

Only rat smashin'? What level are you playing to? What sources are available?

[Serke_Turinqui]

It's just a one-shot adventure so I doubt we'll level beyond 1st at all, maybe level 2, and I just like the idea of a dwarf running around with a giant hammer smashing rats flat, I mean they could be good at smashing other stuff, but they prefer it to be rats. The DM specified core classes only, though variants are allowed, he wants to stick to pretty much the PHB. He's trying to avoid optimization because we have players in our group that would find a way to twink mayonnaise.

[Jude_H]

It sounds like Ranger would be fine. Just swap the Fighting Style to Cleave->whatever->whatever.

And be sure to bring something to mess with swarms! (Poison would be especially handy for a dwarf. Might be worth some craft ranks.)

[Zaq]

And here I was going to say Warblade, since "base classes only" and "core classes only" mean two TOTALLY different things.

Anyway, Ranger/FE's pretty much the only (or at least the easiest) way I know of to get a bonus against a specific kind of creature, so if you want a mechanical effect for your hatred of rats, getting FE somehow is probably your best bet. That said, I'd personally say you should just roleplay your hatred of rats and choose combat options that, while they work very well against rats, also work very well against other things.

PHB only, though? Yeesh, that's rough. You really can't play an effective melee character with the PHB only. (Horizon Tripper requires the DMG, after all.) And this is supposed to improve balance? Your GM is rather misguided. He (or she) would be much better off actually encouraging people to take balanced classes instead of giving them the book that put the Fighter and the Druid side-by-side.

Can you at least swing the SRD/Unearthed Arcana? Some of the variant classes might give FE.

[Greenish]

PHB only, though? Yeesh, that's rough.It's level 1 one-shot. :smallamused:

I'd go with barbarian 1, with Extra Rage if you can wing it. The movement speed helps with chasing rats.

[Edit]: If you can get UA variants, Ape-totem barbarian gives you 10' climb speed, so the rats can't escape you so easily.