Master of Many Forms Help

[VGLordR2]

Hey, guys. My DM has allowed me to use Mulhorandi Divine Minion to qualify for Master of Many Forms early. We are starting at level five. My race is Changeling, and my character is entirely based on looking/being whatever he wants. However, I have a problem. I need to take a class at first level in order to qualify for the prestige class. Frankly, I have no idea what I should pick. I was thinking Rogue for 10+Int skills, or a Barbarian for the Rage, but neither really fits my character's backstory. I don't want a class with spellcasting, because I don't like all the extra bookkeeping. So, what class best fits the theme of a shapechanger, so that I can qualify for Master of Many Forms?

[Urpriest]

If barbarian and rogue were rejected because they didn't fit your backstory, it would be helpful to have a rough idea of what your backstory is.

[That_guy_there]

If memory serves the phb2 has alternate class options like the shapechanger druid, that may work.
Also I belive (though may be wrong) complete warrior has alternate class options for druids, rangers and paladins without spells. One of those might be up your alley.

[VGLordR2]

If barbarian and rogue were rejected because they didn't fit your backstory, it would be helpful to have a rough idea of what your backstory is.

Well, it's not exactly the backstory. Our DM's setting requires that all Rogues are evil and all Barbarians are complete savages. I don't agree with it, but that's how it is. My character does not reach the extremes that are required for those classes.

[Urpriest]

Well, it's not exactly the backstory. Our DM's setting requires that all Rogues are evil and all Barbarians are complete savages. I don't agree with it, but that's how it is. My character does not reach the extremes that are required for those classes.

What about Barbarians with urban ACFs? Most of the urban-themed ACFs are better than the normal barbarian features they replace anyway, and your DM can hardly argue that an explicitly urban barbarian is a savage.

If that doesn't fly for some reason, a level of Fighter never hurt anyone melee-inclined, and (wild shape) Ranger isn't a horrible choice either, especially if your DM rules that it gives you a boost to wild shape progression. Your DM sounds like the type who bans ToB out of hand, but if not Warblade and Crusader both make for good choices.

[crazyhedgewizrd]

How about a scout?

[hushblade]

So you need 3 levels before you get the pre-req feats? two levels of fighter couldn't hurt, pick bonus feats that would augment what you want to do with your wildshape forms. improved unarmed strike -> improved grapple is a solid choice. Then a level of a martial adept with martial maneuvers that provide a bonus that stays relevant through high levels.

[VGLordR2]

So you need 3 levels before you get the pre-req feats? two levels of fighter couldn't hurt, pick bonus feats that would augment what you want to do with your wildshape forms. improved unarmed strike -> improved grapple is a solid choice. Then a level of a martial adept with martial maneuvers that provide a bonus that stays relevant through high levels.

We're using Flaws, so I just need a one-level dip.

[hushblade]

Fighter 1. improved unarmed strike, pick up improved grapple later? Its something you'll want as a MoMF, you're a great grappler.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Ranger, or Urban Ranger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#rangerVariantUrbanRang er) if it would be more fitting. Since you're only taking a 1-level dip, use the Wild Shape variant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#ranger) to get Barbarian Fast Movement with that one class level. That gives you good BAB, two good saves, tons of skill points, decent HD, and you can use wands of Ranger spells such as Rhino's Rush and Cure Light Wounds.

Spellthief would be useful as well, 1d6 sneak attack to qualify for Craven and a lot of skill points with a good class skill list. You can use wands of any Wizard spells except those from the schools of Conjuration, Evocation, and Necromancy, plus Eternal Wands of any arcane spell regardless of what list it's from. A Wand of Wraithstrike is definitely at the top of the list, and an Eternal Wand of Glibness later on should come in handy.


We're using Flaws, so I just need a one-level dip.

Why do you even need a one-level dip at all? Flaws can show up before your first class level is chosen!

[VGLordR2]

Why do you even need a one-level dip at all? Flaws can show up before your first class level is chosen!

Prestige Classes require you to meet the requirements one level before you can start leveling in them. For example, many PrC's have prerequisites such as 8 ranks in a skill. A player can have the ranks at 5th level, but they have to wait until 6th to take the class.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Prestige Classes require you to meet the requirements one level before you can start leveling in them. For example, many PrC's have prerequisites such as 8 ranks in a skill. A player can have the ranks at 5th level, but they have to wait until 6th to take the class.

I'm aware of that, but that's going by Level Advancement, PHB p58. You can go from Character Creation, PHB p6, and completely skip that. Flaws don't have to fall on any specific level, your character could be born with them. Your first class level is a collection of skills that a character learned throughout childhood and adolescence, he could have had two flaws and thus met all the prerequisites long before that. Since he had the prerequisites for MoMF from infancy, so he could have spent his youth learning that as his first class level.

[VGLordR2]

I'm aware of that, but that's going by Level Advancement, PHB p58. You can go from Character Creation, PHB p6, and completely skip that. Flaws don't have to fall on any specific level, your character could be born with them. Your first class level is a collection of skills that a character learned throughout childhood and adolescence, he could have had two flaws and thus met all the prerequisites long before that. Since he had the prerequisites for MoMF from infancy, so he could have spent his youth learning that as his first class level.

Are you absolutely certain about this? Because if you are, my life gets a lot easier/happier/convenient.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Are you absolutely certain about this? Because if you are, my life gets a lot easier/happier/convenient.

The section in the DMG on prestige classes (p176) references the rules for level advancement on PHB p58 with regards to choosing a class being your first step. As just one example of a way to completely ignore this, we have the racial paragon prestige classes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/racialParagonClasses.htm) from UA. The only prerequisite for those is race, and you can take one with your first character level. You choose your class and race at 1st level at the same step of character creation on PHB p6.

The select-a-feat step comes far later, but that's for your 1st level feat, not for example a Human bonus feat. It comes later because that way you can pick a feat with a +1 BAB prerequisite at 1st level. You need Alertness and Endurance for MoMF, neither of which have any prerequisites, so it doesn't necessarily matter whether you gain them before or after choosing your first class level. Per UA p91, "A player may select up to two flaws when creating a character." It doesn't specify when during the character creation process that those two flaws must fall, only that they be taken when creating a character. You can pick your flaws, and thus gain those bonus feats, before you pick your race and class or even before you roll your ability scores.