ArGh Pirate

[Garetek]

Argh. So on extremely bad dice rolls, and major lackluster abilities of our cleric who cannot drop spells to heal, my w-gnome is Kia. Time for replacement.

Looking for a class that:
Allows me to be a melee combatant.
Disable device/ rouge stuff
And themed after a pirate.
Race:
Medium sized
Low-light or dark vision or both. I hate torchs on rogues.

Ecl 3
Not much to work with I know. But help is appreciated.

[The-Mage-King]

Fire elf (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/elementalRacialVariants.htm#fireElves) Factotum 3. You get all skills, Int to Str and Dex based skills, and can spend inspiration to get Int to AC.

Also, trapfinding.

[Kaeso]

Mage King's factotum is a very good suggestion and I don't think I can top that, but an alternative would be Rouge 4/Swashbuckler 16 with the feat Daring Outlaw. You get trapfinding, some skills, a pirate-themed class, int to damage and sneak attack.

[Greenish]

Daelkyr half-blood feat rogue2/warblade 1. Beg and plead your DM for Able Learner.

[The-Mage-King]

Mage King's factotum is a very good suggestion and I don't think I can top that, but an alternative would be Rouge 4/Swashbuckler 16 with the feat Daring Outlaw. You get trapfinding, some skills, a pirate-themed class, int to damage and sneak attack.

He's asking for ECL 3. My suggesting functions at that level, and works for a good base for multiclassing- factotum works with a lot of classes.

Want to add Warblade? Easy. Dependent on the same mental stat.

Swashbuckler? Actually would be a better choice- Int to damage at level 3, plus various class features made for pirates.

[Kaeso]

He's asking for ECL 3. My suggesting functions at that level, and works for a good base for multiclassing- factotum works with a lot of classes.

Want to add Warblade? Easy. Dependent on the same mental stat.

Swashbuckler? Actually would be a better choice- Int to damage at level 3, plus various class features made for pirates.

Factotum/Swashbuckler? I never really considered that. It sounds like it could work.

[The-Mage-King]

Factotum/Swashbuckler? I never really considered that. It sounds like it could work.

Yeah.

Of course, if he could talk his DM into giving a human a bonus to Int (maybe in trade for the bonus feat?) it would be better- pick up Able Learner as his 1st level feat, and then when multiclassing, keep the massive skill list and put ranks in any skill with no penalty.

[Garetek]

How does a factotum work? I've never used one before and would like help in learning about it.

[The-Mage-King]

Basically, they have a collection of points each encounter that they can spend to gain minor benefits. For instance, you can spend one of those points to gain 1d6 Sneak attack for one round, or gain Int to AC for one round.

It's a fluid class. And it's a skill monkey- 6+Int skills per level goes a long way when you have all skills as class skills.

A handbook on the class. (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2720.0)

[Rejakor]

I find a splash of martial rogue 2/swashbuckler 3 + daring outlaw works very well for dex/int based melee combatants of any stripe.

Hit And Run Fighter 1 (from drow of the underdork) works very well too (dex to damage when they're flatfooted, and you keep the bonus feat too).

The maneuver classes are great, too, and if you have a shadow hand stance (from feats or whatever) and are using shadow hand weapons (shortswords, knives), you can take the Shadow Blade feat to get dex to damage allatime.

Swift Hunter also makes a kinda nice TWFer. (scout 2/ranger X + swift hunter feat).

[Greenish]

Of course, if he could talk his DM into giving a human a bonus to Int (maybe in trade for the bonus feat?)If you axe human's extra feat, add int bonus and darkvision, how human would you actually be? :smalltongue:

Now, actually, (lesser) tiefling has int bonus and darkvision, and there's a sidebar on page 150 of RoD discussing allowing half-humans and other human descendant races to qualify for feats that require human. Aasimar and tieflings are name-checked as humans with traces of celestial/infernal heritage in the very same paragraph.

[The-Mage-King]

Now, actually, (lesser) tiefling has int bonus and darkvision, and there's a sidebar on page 150 of RoD discussing allowing half-humans and other human descendant races to qualify for feats that require human. Aasimar and tieflings are name-checked as humans with traces of celestial/infernal heritage in the very same paragraph.

That... Would work. Need to get an extra feat somehow for Half-Human Heritage, but it's viable.

[Garetek]

On factotum. Looks good pending gm approval.
Weapons:
Cutlass or?
Pistols or?(getting ewp firearms as a regional feat)
Armor? Or just run around in clothes.

Optional.
Rogue was going to be my base class and then multi swashbuckler and fill with PrC should he live.

[Greenish]

That... Would work. Need to get an extra feat somehow for Half-Human Heritage, but it's viable.Or just ask for the houserule described. It's no huge leap.


On factotum. Looks good pending gm approval.
Weapons:
Cutlass or?
Pistols or?(getting ewp firearms as a regional feat)
Armor? Or just run around in clothes.Cutlass is okay, though one-handed weapon (so you can two-hand it if necessary) might be better. Gnomish Quickrazor is often the weapon of choice for melee factotums, though that requires a feat for proficiency.

Pistols tend to have really useless stats, but if you're proficient, carrying one or two is not a bad idea, for ranged.

For armour, MW chain shirt is probably the thing, unless you've really high dex. Studded Leather offers higher max dex, and no ACP as masterwork. both can be combined with MW dastana (A&EG, OA) for a point more.

[The-Mage-King]

On factotum. Looks good pending gm approval.
Weapons:
Cutlass or?
Pistols or?(getting ewp firearms as a regional feat)
Armor? Or just run around in clothes.

Optional.
Rogue was going to be my base class and then multi swashbuckler and fill with PrC should he live.

I'd say a pistol and a cutlass for now. You can deal with melee and ranged threats with those two.

Thinking about it, if you are allowed flaws, I'd suggest a lesser tiefling with Half-Human Heritage and Able Learner at 1st level, and Combat Expertise at 3rd. Then go with a fairly basic Daring Outlaw build. For your one SLA/day, I suggest Nerveskitter now, and Sniper's Shot at later levels (when the Daring Outlaw part is online) if you go this route, beacuse if you get a carbine or rifle... Boom, headshot. If you go straight factotum, pick and choose.

[Rejakor]

Grab a brace of pistols, a cutlass(rapier or shortsword), a whipsword-belt, a pair of boot-daggers, some sleeve-knives, a grappling rope, and a net.

Swing on the rope into combat whenever possible.

[Greenish]

Grab a brace of pistols, a cutlass(rapier or shortsword), a whipsword-belt, a pair of boot-daggers, some sleeve-knives, a grappling rope, and a net.

Swing on the rope into combat whenever possible.Oh, going with a few exotic weapons, not a bad idea. Haberdash (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5266526) the Masked style.

Though there is an actual cutlass as a weapon from Stormwreck (it's slashing short sword, basically), if you're using some other weapon, I recommend scimitar. Good crit range, can be two-handed if you fancy. Very pirate-y.

[Edit]: Haberdash is a tad higher level though.

[Garetek]

So seeing as how I don't have a copy of my books infront of me, stats were rolled with my gm, and free assign.
18
18
18
17
17
16

Anyone that can help me flesh him out as I wait for my books to all arrive at this station would be appreciated.

[The-Mage-King]

...

You are blessed, good sir.

Put the 18s in Int, Cha, and Dex, the 17s in Con and Wis, and the 16 in Str. That gives you the needed scores for your primary attributes, while keeping your secondary attributes pretty high.

You have, depending on the race you chose, 60 skill points (if non-human w/ no Int bonus) or 66 skill points (if human or non-human w/ Int bonus of +2) to spread around any skills. You have 2 or 3 feats to choose, depending on your race, as well. Combat expertise is something you'll want for your 3rd level feat, unless you need firearm prof.

If you're human, you should decide if you'll take the suggested factotum 3/Rogue 3/Swashbuckler X build, or go straight factotum, or factotum/swashbuckler. If it's the former, you'll want Able Learner as your human feat- it eliminates the cross class skill cost- every skill point buys you one rank in any skill- and whatever you want for your combat style as your 1st level feat. For the middle build, see if you can get Font of Inspiration (from this article (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606)), and take it twice, with the 3rd level feat being the already suggest Combat Expertise. For the third, pretty much the same.

[Garetek]

Bleh,. I will find a way around the darkness and needing to carry a torch some other way. Even lesser tiefling still causes me a +1 la to hit the +2 int.

Oh well/

[Garetek]

And now I have confused myself. Why do I need able learner? When it says in the book.


"Class Skills: All"

[Greenish]

And now I have confused myself. Why do I need able learner? When it says in the book.

"Class Skills: All"For when you multiclass out of factotum.


Bleh,. I will find a way around the darkness and needing to carry a torch some other way. Even lesser tiefling still causes me a +1 la to hit the +2 int.Lesser Tiefling has LA 0.

[Garetek]

Ah okay. I got it now.

So To make sure I have it right.

Race: Human
Class: Factotum
Level: 3
Feats:
1:Able Learner
Human: Exotic Weapon Pro. Pistol(firearms.)
3:Combat Expertise

I know that taking the EWP now is probably not a smart idea. But I need to, to even allow him to have pistols, and for story elements as to why my character has them.

Future:
Rogue 3/SwashBuckler/3

Stat Increase:
4: Int
8: ?

Feats:
5:
7:

You all have a vastly greater knowledge of things than I do. I am slowly working my way through the books to even gain an inkling of the things that you all say.

Also: Skill tricks when I qualify for them? good idea?

I see some uses.

[The-Mage-King]

Ah okay. I got it now.

So To make sure I have it right.

Race: Human
Class: Factotum
Level: 3
Feats:
1:Able Learner
Human: Exotic Weapon Pro. Pistol(firearms.)
3:Combat Expertise

I know that taking the EWP now is probably not a smart idea. But I need to, to even allow him to have pistols, and for story elements as to why my character has them.

Future:
Rogue 3/SwashBuckler/3

Stat Increase:
4: Int
8: ?

Feats:
5:
7:

You all have a vastly greater knowledge of things than I do. I am slowly working my way through the books to even gain an inkling of the things that you all say.

Also: Skill tricks when I qualify for them? good idea?

I see some uses.

Er... You need to swich the firearm prof and the combat expertise- you have a medium BAB, so you can't take it until level 3.

To continue, skill tricks can be useful. However, you should pick them based on the next parts of this.


I'd suggest, right now, deciding on a core 7 or less skills you want to base your character on using- from the OP, Disable Device, Open Lock, and Search should be there. Tumble and Use Magic Device will always be useful, too.

Keep the skills that you choose to be your focus at maximum ranks, and then diversify- a few ranks in Diplomacy, a couple in Hide, ect. as needed. Of skill tricks, I'd suggest Clever Improviser, for if you find yourself without tools, and Acrobatic Backstab when you get to level 9, because free sneak attacks 1/encounter are always nice.

Your 8th level ability point should go to Int- you get that as a bonus to all Str or Dex based skills and checks. Remember, Initiative is a Dex check with a few modifiers tacked on, so you get Int to Init as well.

For your next feat, you'll probably want something to keep you from getting too damaged- I suggest Dodge, because it opens up Mobility and Spring Attack later, for stabby fun with your high Initative check, or Two Weapon Fighting, because you're going to be using sneak attacks a bit, and it'll help. Point Blank Shot is also a good choice, if you're using firearms to make said sneak attacks. If you go with it, you'll probably want the feats in it's chain too, other than the bow specific ones. And, of course, your 9th level feat needs to be Daring Outlaw (CScoundrel), for obvious reasons.

I'd suggest making your next level be in Swashbuckler, then rogue, and alternating until you have your three rogue levels and taking Swashbuckler the rest- I'm assuming that you're using multiclass xp penalties, so that keeps you from having any.

At your third rogue level, take the ACF (Alternate Class Feature) Penetrating Strike, from Dungeonscape. You lose trap sense, but you gain the ability to sneak attack Oozes, Undead, Constructs, and other things that are immune to sneak attack. Sadly, it's at only 1/2 your usual bonus dice, but hey, it boost your usefulness against those foes.


Other than those suggestions, your build looks solid. Hope this helps.

[Greenish]

Out of curiosity, what sort of stats do those firearms have in the campaign?

[Garetek]

Standard from DMG.

[Greenish]

Standard from DMG.Renaissance? Those are pretty poor, but I guess you can use one (or two) at the beginning of the fight. Reloading them in combat is a waste of time.

Still, if you've access to Dragon Magazines (specifically issue #310), I recommend thinking about taking a one-level dip in targeteer fighter. They gain EWP in two ranged weapons for free, and can trade their bonus feat for an ability to add Dex to damage with ranged weapons (only works against enemies vulnerable to critical hits).

Though not exactly RAW legal, your DM might let you stack that with Hit and Run variant from Drow of the Underdark, which allows you to add your Dex to damage vs. flat-footed enemies (max 30' range), as well as giving you a minor init boost.

Combining those, your first shot would be worth taking.

[The-Mage-King]

And if your DM doesn't allow that, then I suggest you focus more on the flanking and TWF side of combat- TWF will double your damage output in full attacks if you have your target flanked/flatfooted (see second skill trick suggestion/grab a Wand of Grease or Incindiary Slime and profit). I'd use the latter, because, fire.

[Garetek]

Would taking a two level dip into fighter after factotum be a good idea for some of the feats that I need and for save? As well as bab and what not

[Garetek]

Grab a brace of pistols, a cutlass(rapier or shortsword), a whipsword-belt, a pair of boot-daggers, some sleeve-knives, a grappling rope, and a net.

Swing on the rope into combat whenever possible.

Do you happen to have a book with whipsword belt in it so I can reference it?

[Greenish]

Do you happen to have a book with whipsword belt in it so I can reference it?Secrets of Sarlona. It's an exotic weapon, but a pretty nifty one.