Starting at level 3, don't know what to play. Help!

[danzibr]

In two days I'll probably be playing a premade campaign. Don't know what the party/party composition will be, but regardless, the DM will make it work (there may just be 2 of us players, 4 tops). We're starting at level 3, probably going to 5 at the highest. Now here's my problem: I have no idea what to play.

I'm used to planning characters with great plans for mid to late levels. I was starting to write up a PsyWar with the soulbound weapon ACF when I realized... it doesn't even get +1 until level 4. And I can just buy a +1 weapon. Has anyone played something which is fun and competent (though not OP, at least relatively) in the 3-5 range?

I'm up for absolutely anything. Caster, skill monkey, sword and board, whatever. I just have no clue.

EDIT: Should've mentioned it's 3.5, all books are go.

[ScrambledBrains]

Have you looked at Tome of Battle? The classes in there are generally fun to play and competent at all levels(1-20, that is) of play. The classes in it all can fit certain roles in a party, except for casting, and nothing like having options for your melee. :smallbiggrin:

[Randomguy]

Do everything at once and play a SOTA wildshape mystic ranger with the Trap expert ACF. You're a caster, a melee character and a skillmonkey all in one!

To reduce the OP ness of that, just cut out as many elements from there if you want. Don't want to find traps? don't take trap expert. Don't need arcane? Take out SOTA. Prefer to TWF or use archery instead of a 2h weapon and wildshape? Take out the wildshape.

Just about any single class full caster from PHB would do fine at low levels, but personally I'd go for druid, since casters don't have great survivability at lower levels.

Duskblades are a decent melee with some backup casting, and level 3 is when they get their signature ability. Go for it.

Paladin isn't terrible for the first five levels, but be ready to prestige out in case the campaign continues on.

[danzibr]

Have you looked at Tome of Battle? The classes in there are generally fun to play and competent at all levels(1-20, that is) of play. The classes in it all can fit certain roles in a party, except for casting, and nothing like having options for your melee. :smallbiggrin:
Ya know, I was actually going to mention ToB. I built a Warblade 1-20 once but never played him. Might be a good time.

So of the three, what do peeps suggest?

[sonofzeal]

Let me open up the Random Character Generator....

....


Warforged-Scout Incarnate who worships Halmyr (god of strategy and tactics), and who may optionally be trying to eventually get the Divine Champion PrC

[ScrambledBrains]

Ya know, I was actually going to mention ToB. I built a Warblade 1-20 once but never played him. Might be a good time.

So of the three, what do peeps suggest?

Well, as my Avatar suggests, I am a Swordsage fan, and I whole heartedly recommend them. You won't have the staying power of a Warblade or a Crusader, but you can stealth well with Shadow Hand as well as teleport and a few manuvers which take advantage of you having stealth. You can use Setting Sun to have fun judo-flipping creatures left and right. Diamond Mind has some good manuvers which swap saving throws with Concentration checks, though the only one that's an absolute need for the Swordsage is the Fort. one. Then there's the awesomeness that is Tiger Claw. :smallbiggrin: Desert Wind also has a few good ones worth picking up, though I can't think of any of those off the top of my head.

[Gandolfi Feesh]

2H Halfling Bardbarian.

Rock out with your c*ck out

[dspeyer]

You haven't given us much to go on, but let's see...

A small party suggests you should be prepared for multiple roles. The odd levels counter-indicate spontaneous casters...

Cleric -- divine and melee, though not great at the latter since the really good self-buffs come later

Druid -- the same, with fewer buffs but an animal companion and summons. Can scout a little by summoning an eagle or a dire rat, casting speak with animals, and sending it out.

Psion (seer) -- mage and scout. Int-sad makes for decent skill points and you can make hide a class skill with martial study. Precognition makes a helpful bonus too. Play a small race for extra stealthiness.

Swordsage -- melee and scout, simple enough

Ranger -- archer and scout. At low levels, archery is actually competitive.

[DarthPeleus]

Well, as my Avatar suggests, I am a Swordsage fan, and I whole heartedly recommend them. You won't have the staying power of a Warblade or a Crusader, but you can stealth well with Shadow Hand as well as teleport and a few manuvers which take advantage of you having stealth. You can use Setting Sun to have fun judo-flipping creatures left and right. Diamond Mind has some good manuvers which swap saving throws with Concentration checks, though the only one that's an absolute need for the Swordsage is the Fort. one. Then there's the awesomeness that is Tiger Claw. :smallbiggrin: Desert Wind also has a few good ones worth picking up, though I can't think of any of those off the top of my head.

When I think about swordsages. (http://cdn.static.ovimg.com/episode/296981.jpg)

[Lonely Tylenol]

I contend that, in the first three levels, Warblade is one of the strongest single-class options in the game when played right, if not outright strongest at least in a combat-heavy game. The two highest-op players at my table are both playing Warblade (one entered at level 1 and is Human; the other at level 2 as Goliath Warblade 1) in a large group where there are no real T1 or T2 characters (there is a Cleric, but being played as a healbot), and I can already tell the power disparity between them and the rest of the group is going to be huge (especially for the Goliath; the other player is decidedly more restrained).

If you want to fit comfortably in the group, not outshine anyone terribly, but also be useful in a wide range of situations, be a Swordsage. If you want to be a strong damage-dealer but not encounter-ending, play a Crusader or Warblade (but don't optimize the Warblade). If you want to show off your high numbers to the rest of the table, play a Warblade (and optimize it).

[ScrambledBrains]

When I think about swordsages. (http://cdn.static.ovimg.com/episode/296981.jpg)

:smallbiggrin: Indeed.

[ahenobarbi]

Hmm if you'd like to go into melee I'd recommend Cleric. If you're sure you won't get to play longer give him 14 Wis (to be able to cast spells and get bonus low-level spells), dump Cha, have high Str and Con (decent Dex and as much Int as you want for skills). Buff your self and fight :smallsmile:

I don't have experience with ToB so I'm not sure if classes there are "better" (cleric might have more out-of-combat utility).

[Greenish]

Go Binder. Doooo eeeeet!

[Gwendol]

Bard or cleric. You're never sidelined and have a ton of customization options (ACF's and domains, in addition to spells).

[Cwymbran-San]

At level three, i just built myself a Kalashtar psion2/soulblade1, pretty fun actually. You either hit devastatingly or not at all, use psionics for movements and buffs and strike with an indestructible weapon (yes, my DM is fond of sundering everything, even armor).

[Greenish]

At level three, i just built myself a Kalashtar psion2/soulblade1, pretty fun actually. You either hit devastatingly or not at all, use psionics for movements and buffs and strike with an indestructible weapon (yes, my DM is fond of sundering everything, even armor).Where do you get an indestructible weapon in that set-up?

[elvengunner69]

Got to say Druids are a very, very fun.

[Orsen]

To support some other people's opinion, I find you can never go wrong with Tomb of Battle. I mostly DM and haven't had a chance to play it yet but since one PC tried it in the summer, the group has never had less then two ToB characters in it and it just looks like tons of fun.
My other suggestion is Factotum. By the time you're 3rd level you can do tons. Use Knowledge Devotion to be respectable in battle and pump UMD and pick some utility objects for outside of combat. Just another really fun class to play :smallsmile:.

[Cwymbran-San]

Where do you get an indestructible weapon in that set-up?

Ok, strictly speaking, your mindblade may be sundered, but you can just manifest a new one with a move action, so it is nigh indestructible. Add Psi-Strike for 2D6 extra damage on hit for expending your focus and you have teh "i have but one shot, but if i hit, you are toast".
With the +2 bonus on any roll you like from "Insight" (seer power), you are likely to hit most CR 3 enemies, for 3D6+Strength.
Afterwards you need a full action (and a concentration check) to regain focus, so it won't happen in combat very often. That's why i called it a one shot action.

DISCLAIMER: I have to translate power/spell/class names myself from my material (it's not english), so please be kind if i choose the wrong wording (i have, to be honest, no idea if the feat is actually called Psi-Strike, it's just the translation)

[Psyren]

I'm used to planning characters with great plans for mid to late levels. I was starting to write up a PsyWar with the soulbound weapon ACF when I realized... it doesn't even get +1 until level 4. And I can just buy a +1 weapon.

All the +1 gets you is +1 to attack and damage, do you really need that? You don't have to worry about damage reduction, every weapon acquired via Call Weaponry counts as magic even with 0 enhancement. So if that's your only reason for swearing off Soulbound Psywar, I would strongly advise you to reconsider; particularly since none of the ToB classes can pull weapons out of thin air.

[danzibr]

All the +1 gets you is +1 to attack and damage, do you really need that? You don't have to worry about damage reduction, every weapon acquired via Call Weaponry counts as magic even with 0 enhancement. So if that's your only reason for swearing off Soulbound Psywar, I would strongly advise you to reconsider; particularly since none of the ToB classes can pull weapons out of thin air.
If the campaign were going higher, I would totally do Soulbound PsyWar... but it's not. The appeal of the Soulbound ACF is its versatility and cool factor.

Anyways, here (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=362734) is my current character. Still have a good bit to fill in.