Help with 4th party member(NPC)

[Corrik]

Okay so some friends and I recently started a level 1 campaign. One of the players dropped out on us after the first session. Until we find a new player we want to bring in a NPC character to help pick up the slack.

We have a Cleric, Favored Soul(me), and a Magitech Templar. As I said we are all level one. We don't really have a preference and are mostly looking for ideas that will make for an interesting party.

[gorfnab]

Since you're lacking some needed skills either a Beguiler or Factotum could be of use.

[Corrik]

I completely forgot about the Beguiler, that will do perfectly. Thank you kind sir, have a cool face :smallcool:

[Wyntonian]

this is a little off-topic, but what makes a beguiler/factotum better than a rogue? rogues are supposed to be the quintessential skillmonkies, right?

[subject42]

this is a little off-topic, but what makes a beguiler/factotum better than a rogue? rogues are supposed to be the quintessential skillmonkies, right?

Factotum tends to come out ahead of the rogue because:


It gets all skills as class skills.
It gets skill bonuses as a class feature
Its class features are INT-driven, meaning they'll probably have more skill points than the rogue.

[HalfDragonCube]

Factotum tends to come out ahead of the rogue because:


It gets all skills as class skills.
It gets skill bonuses as a class feature
Its class features are INT-driven, meaning they'll probably have more skill points than the rogue.


And they get trapfinding, however that can be made redundant by meatshield barbarians and their d12 hit dice.

The IP pool and SLAs don't hurt, either.

[veven]

this is a little off-topic, but what makes a beguiler/factotum better than a rogue? rogues are supposed to be the quintessential skillmonkies, right?

IIRC Beguilers have the largest skill list in the game (not counting the factotum), less skill points/level but like the factotum, they are Int based and usually come out on top in this department. They also get some cool DC boosting abilities against flat footed opponents. Not to mention full casting off of a limited but quite useful list. I love beguilers.

[Thurbane]

Beguilers & Factotums > Rogue at skillmonkeying is a pet peeve of mine. Sadly, it's almost undenyably true. The Rogue's 2 extra skill points/level and sneak attack do little to stack up against the plethora of abilities that both the Factotum and Beguiler get. Not to mention that they are both highly INT driven, so your 2 skill point/level advantage isn't so great anyhow.

Really, why bother being a Rogue when you can basically be a Rogue with FULL CASTING (i.e Beguiler)? You even save on skill points with your spells - why bother sinking ranks into climb when you get Spider Climb? Open Lock...nah, just throw a Knock spell. Hide? Move Silently? Invisibility and Zone of Silence... Bluff? Glibness.

...in any game where Beguiler is allowed, I can honestly see no reason to play a Rogue. IMHO, the Factotum and Beguiler were "stealth errata" to basically say "Hey, the Rogue is underpowered, here's some super duper new classes who do basically the exact smae thing only better". I know most people have no problem with this, but personally, it really bugs me. :smallfurious:

[NineThePuma]

Of course, if you really want to, you could just give Rogues all of the Swashbuckler's class features on top of their own. That tends to make them pretty awesome, IMHO.