3.5 Expedition to Ravenloft; backup character help needed

[5w337x7007h]

My group and I have just gotten to the Tser Encampment, and my character (a poorly chosen Undead Dread Necromancer) Is inevitably going to be killed by my team members, whether it's because I'm controlled by a stronger necromancer, or they decide to "heal" me.
So just in case, I want to make a backup character that can actually be helpful to the group. My group is a Duskblade (secretly evil), Mystic Theurge, Paladin, Ranger, Druid, and a Swashbuckler.
Any advice is appreciated.

[Namfuak]

I don't know much about that module, but just looking at the party you guys could probably use a skill monkey. A factotum would fulfill the role directly, or a beguiler might be nice if you want to add a bit more arcane power since right now the only arcane caster is the theurge, who is going to be slightly gimped in that field.

[Metahuman1]

Binder

Bard

Beguiler

Sorcerer

Favored Soul

Spirit Shamen

Sorcerer

Psion

Factotum

Cleric

Druid

Wizard

Erudite

Artificer

Archivest.

Take your pick, any of the above would be beneficial to the group with a moderate level of optimization. I'd suggest making sure what ever it is can take the Duskblade even if your worst and his best day coincide though, since Evil characters in my experience tend to knife you in the back and cover it up.

[Libertad]

What level is your group currently?

Also, does the Mystic Theurge specialize in a certain spell theme? Example: are his arcane spells illusion-themed, while his divine spells are healing-based? In such a circumstance, you can supplement the party well with battlefield control and "debuffing" spells (web, hold person, solid fog, etc.) as an arcane caster.

Also, you have a pretty large group. Including you, that would be 7 people, 8 if the Druid has a good animal companion. Your experience and gp will accumulate slower than usual, but your party may be able to hold their ground if they optimize well enough in their fields.

[5w337x7007h]

My friends all agreed that if one of our characters dies they'll have a replacement with a funny name, Mine will be Fozzie Bear. So I'm going to build a Werebear Fighter/Monk that uses grapples and tripping to his advantage. So I'm wondering if he'll actually need weapons, or if going Monk would do better. As a monk he gets fewer feats, but he also gets bonuses in unarmed combat. While as a fighter, he gains tons of feats, and can wear more than just clothes.

[Metahuman1]

My friends all agreed that if one of our characters dies they'll have a replacement with a funny name, Mine will be Fozzie Bear. So I'm going to build a Werebear Fighter/Monk that uses grapples and tripping to his advantage. So I'm wondering if he'll actually need weapons, or if going Monk would do better. As a monk he gets fewer feats, but he also gets bonuses in unarmed combat. While as a fighter, he gains tons of feats, and can wear more than just clothes.


For the love of humanity, do not do this.

First: The Werebear Template is HORRIBLY over priced on it's LA, you'll be nerfed beyond effectiveness by far by that alone.


Now, if the Dm is willing to Wave some or all of that for you, I suggest investing in some Totemist for Garillion Arms Soul Meld and Pounce. (I know there's at least one soul meld that grants it I just can't remember which one.) That's first thing.

And in place of Fighter Monk, I suggest Monk and Psi-warrior with that feat that makes them stack for things like Unarmed damage progression. Gives you the ability to do something other then just be a beat stick.

[Coidzor]

For the love of humanity, do not do this.

First: The Werebear Template is HORRIBLY over priced on it's LA, you'll be nerfed beyond effectiveness by far by that alone.

Indeed. Catching Lycanthropy from the werewolves, even if one remains in complete control of one's faculties is death for that character, as between the RHD and the LA, that character is not leveling up again in the module.

Monk is completely weaksauce. If you wanna be a savage, not especially optimized, melee-heavy character, go Totemist (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2943.0) 2/wildshape ranger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#ranger) 5/MOMF (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19528526/updated_Master_of_Many_Forms_Bible__official_wild_ shape_rules) X, that'll let you turn into a bear or giant or whathaveyou(some of them even with sneak attack) that has the ability to sprout extra, ghostly claws or develop a horrible insectoid bite, etc.

[5w337x7007h]

For the love of humanity, do not do this.

First: The Werebear Template is HORRIBLY over priced on it's LA, you'll be nerfed beyond effectiveness by far by that alone.


Now, if the Dm is willing to Wave some or all of that for you, I suggest investing in some Totemist for Garillion Arms Soul Meld and Pounce. (I know there's at least one soul meld that grants it I just can't remember which one.) That's first thing.

And in place of Fighter Monk, I suggest Monk and Psi-warrior with that feat that makes them stack for things like Unarmed damage progression. Gives you the ability to do something other then just be a beat stick.

I wasn't plotting fighter monk combo, but monk, and psionics does sound fun with a monk.

[Coidzor]

Tashalatora (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070212a&page=5) is the name of the feat, by the way, and it is from Secrets of Sarlona. It has the prerequisite feat of Monastic Training.


I wasn't plotting fighter monk combo, but monk, and psionics does sound fun with a monk.

Then I'd recommend against using the Xclass/Yclass construction in that sense in the future then, as that is the common shorthand for a multiclass or PrCing character when used with class names.

Also, there's 2 PrCs, Bear Warrior(Complete Warrior) and Primeval(Frostburn) do that what you want a lot better than a Fighter Werebear or Monk Werebear, and without the cost of making your character hobbled with subpar RHD and an LA.

Werebear costs you 6 levels with its racial hit dice alone and another 3 from the level adjustment. That's an ECL 10 character for a Werebear 1st level Monk or Fighter. The level cap for ravenloft is 12, and only towards the very end, last I checked, so you'd have, at max, 3 levels of either Monk or Fighter if you didn't instead grab 2 levels of PrCs. (At least, IIRC, one's first class level can't be a PrC even with RHD...:smallconfused: Even with 3 levels, it wouldn't make much different though.)

The RHD alone could afford you 5 levels in either Druid(same BAB but better saves than animal and some decent casting) or Wildshape Ranger (better BAB, same saves, better skills) both of which have the same Hit Die size and grant Wildshape in addition to a level of Master of Many Forms(Complete Adventurer) that grants you more than just animals to turn into, and at ECL 6 gets you grizzly bear form. Taking the LA into account, and that's 4 levels total of MOMF you could take, or 3 levels of MOMF and a level of Nature's Warrior or Warshaper(Both from Complete Warrior).

Or 5 levels of Barbarian, with its better BAB, HD, and skills but worse saves, and potential for nifty alternate rages (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#rageVariantWhirlingFrenzy ) and access to Pounce(see complete champion). Also, Wolf Totem. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wolfTotemClassFeatures ) And then top that off with a dip into Fist of the Forest and then starting off in Bear Warrior. So you're a barbarian that is all nature-y and turns into a bear when he gets mad, with the ability to pounce and get extra attacks on a full attack.

As for weapons, if you're relying on shapeshifting there's a couple of routes.

The first is Unarmed Strike + Natural Weapons and using either a Necklace of Natural Attacks(Savage Species) or an Amulet of Mighty Fists(DMG) depending upon how many natural weapons one has. I think the cut off is 4+ Amulet of Mighty Fists, 3 or lower, Necklace of Natural Attacks, but I'm only about 60% certain of my recollecting that proper-like.

The second is going the TWF-ish route and getting a mouthpick(Lords of Madness weapon property) weapon for a primary weapon and then either a necklace of natural attacks or an amulet of mighty fists for one's natural weapons.

The last I can think of I wouldn't recommend, but it would be TWFing with a mouthpick weapon and unarmed strike along with all of one's natural attacks.

Of course, a couple of levels in Totemist can just make you into a blender of claws and other natural weapons. The Horned Helm from the Magic Item Compendium is one of the more reliable ways to get a gore attack added into one's natural weapons, as well, and if one has access to that, the rules for combining magical properties into one item are much more streamlined.

If you really want to have a lycanthropy connection, I'd recommend the LA 1 template: Quasilycanthrope (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20040721a).

Maybe even Shifter from MM3/Eberron. There was a bit of a shifter handbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12352390) a bit ago

[5w337x7007h]

Ok, I'll read up through my D&D books and work it out. Also, my friends and I are plotting revenge on our DM if we end up in a TPK. And because Fozzie is more of a bad-joke teller, he'd be a bard. SO we decided I'd be Ms. Piggy, another Kermit, Animal, Fozzie, Gonzo, and Rizzo. :D We are attempting a Muppets in Ravenloft joke. It's all in good humor though.

[Coidzor]

In that case, see if you can just get ahold of Savage Species, make Anthro-rats, pigs, frogs(toad), and bear.

Then scratch your heads furiously about Animal and Gonzo. Mongrelfolk might work for one. :smallconfused:

[5w337x7007h]

I don't think we'll be getting that complicated on it, but thanks for the advice. :3

[Thurbane]

Having DMd the module, I'd suggest a good aligned divine caster. Favored Soul, Paladin or Cleric. There's a nice PrC called Knight of the Raven that becomes available to the PCs during the adventure. The Mystic Theurge wont want to take it, as it only advances divine casting. It's has very easy reqs: good alignment, divine casting and BAB +4 (thought it does also have a story specific req, but I won't spoil the surprise).