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[TheMooch]

So I have a lurking strangler (MM3 100) and i need to give it 4 class levels but I cannot for the life of me figure out anything that it would be remotely good at except a druid and that would be because of wild shape and animal companion. I am not allowed to have it PAO into anything else

any ideas playground??

[Zilzmaer]

Do you get to roll/buy/assign stat mods? If you can get a 12 or higher Charisma, you could go Sorcerer. The spells wouldn't be great, but they'd be better than your eye rays. Otherwise, an initiator class. They can get damage regardless of their stats.

[TheMooch]

No changing stats unless tomes are used. I don't really see an initiator being all that good, with the only attack being a lash that does 1d4 I will take a look which would you suggest? We have a crusader and swordsage/rogue already.

[Particle_Man]

I don't know the stats but the name suggests assassin to me for some reason. :smallcool:

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Warlock maybe, and just EB spam. I'd probably dip a Spellthief level to be able to use wands of Wizards spells from abjuration, divination, enchantment, illusion, and transmutation. That 1d6 sneak attack allows you to take Craven, definitely get Flyby Attack, and later be sure to pick up Point-Blank/Precise Shot.

[Urpriest]

Is this guy a PC or an NPC? Different options involved if you're going in either direction. If a PC, what kind of LA are you saddled with? If an NPC, remember that any class levels means it gets the Elite Array, so you can buff its Charisma or whatever stat you find appropriate.

If you really can only add class levels (so no changing Feats or Skills, no gear, etc.) then your options are much more limited. I probably would go for an Initiator, since they do pretty well with only one low-base damage attack. Perhaps Warblade: different enough from your party, but still toughens the guy up. Just make sure to pick maneuvers with lots of bonus dice.

[TheMooch]

this is for a sort of NPC but I get to build it. LA0 so just stuck with the 2RHD and no changing the base creature. I suppose warblade or warlock could work

[Urpriest]

this is for a sort of NPC but I get to build it. LA0 so just stuck with the 2RHD and no changing the base creature. I suppose warblade or warlock could work

If its an NPC then you get to use the Elite Array for ability scores, since once you have class levels that automatically upgrades. I take it you're treating everything as non-associated for this guy, so you're aiming for a CR 4?

Given that you've got some options. Your Eye Rays will take a lot of work to get to a respectable DC, and Sleep is soon to be useless anyway, though if this is a solo encounter then the party will be just within range of it. Suffocate is probably always going to be just a mediocre coup de grace. All around vision is mildly useful but doesn't suggest any specific applications, while Flight is nice but limited since it's slow enough that Flyby Attack is pretty much useless without more feats/items sunk in to raise the speed.

You are, however, naturally tiny. Given that, I'd go for some of the Killer Gnome style feats, except that you're still too low level for basically all of them. You'll probably want Shadow Blade for Dex to damage, since your Dex is good and with the Elite Array can get substantially better. Maneuvers means it's not strictly necessary though. In any case, Tiny does give you accuracy and AC, neither of which is a bad thing. It also makes it easier to Hide, so you may want to focus on being stealthy, which certainly fits the theme.

[Zilzmaer]

I'd probably go Warblade 2/Swordsage 1/Warblade +1. That gives you two sets of maneuvers to choose from. The Warblade gives you extra HP and a third-level maneuver. The Swordsage gives you Hide/Move Silently as class skills along with more than one skill point per level and second-level maneuvers. For feats, I'd suggest Shadow Blade and Improved Initiative. The ability increase should go into Dex. I'd suggest going with any maneuver that gives you extra damage; the Strangler won't have time to do anything else.

Edit: Shadow Blade requires you use a Shadow Hand weapon. Make sure the Lurking Strangler is using the Unarmed Swordsage variant, if you use Shadow Blade.