New Campaign Means New Character

[The Rabbler]

A relatively inexperienced player in my group wants to host a campaign to try and improve his DMing. Because of this, he's limiting the campaign to core with other materiel allowed on a case-by-case basis. The only problem I have with this is that I have no idea what to build. So, playground, please share with me your favorite core or mostly core builds.

No Horizon Tripper.

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

While I assume he's limiting it to core to restrict the number of things he needs to learn, have you suggested that he runs a T3-4 only game to instead restrict the amount of silly balancing he has to do?

[The Rabbler]

While I assume he's limiting it to core to restrict the number of things he needs to learn, have you suggested that he runs a T3-4 only game to instead restrict the amount of silly balancing he has to do?

Those if us that know what the tier list actually is default to T3 characters or very self-controlled T1 characters; balancing stuff won't really be an issue.

The DM is only running this game to help improve his game-running/storytelling skills for what will likely be D20 future games later on. As such, he's not really interested in learning much about 3.5.

Anywho, I'm not going to debate his methods. I'm mainly just looking for an interesting concept or build that can function in a mostly-core environment. If there's something especially fun that comes to mind and needs a certain book to function, I'm sure I can convince my DM to allow it.

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

Oh ok.

In that case, go Psychic Warrior. Gish-in-a-can, not particularly broken, fun to play, IMO. Or some sort of Bardic Knack skill-focused Bard.

[The Rabbler]

Oh ok.

In that case, go Psychic Warrior. Gish-in-a-can, not particularly broken, fun to play, IMO. Or some sort of Bardic Knack skill-focused Bard.

Heh, what're the odds? Those happen to be the last two characters I made. Soulbound weapon psychic warrior focusing on hostile empathic transfer and a pseudo-diplomancer skillmonkey support bard.

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

Blast and damnation!

Let's see... Outside of Core, Binder, Totemist and DFA are quite fun, IMO. In Core as defined as appearing in the SRD, a Wildshaping Ranger with some of the urban UCFs to have some skillmonkey stuff is ok. In Core as defined by what's in the books, then go for an Arcane Trickster build.

[The Rabbler]

I've never tried a DFA before. Any suggestions on how to build one?

[Elric VIII]

Is PHBII considered core? Beguiler is a very fun class.

[The Redwolf]

Dragonfire adepts are cool, I didn't actually get to play one but I had it entirely planned out and written up and there are a lot of things they seemed to be able to do really well. Particularly I would say getting the greater wings invocation, the invisibility invocation, and cloud breath, because then you can go around invisible almost constantly since it lasts for 24 hours and have perfect flight, and then just fly above a group of enemies before they know you're there and drop a cloud of breath weapon on them to wreak some havoc. There are some other good things I had planned up too, but you said you don't want to go too overboard, right?

[Invader]

I'm having tons of fun with a DFA I'm playing right now. I went the Dragonborn Dragonwrought kobold route but without any of the cheese that you can get with it except for the free age bonuses.

Feats:
Draconic Heritage - Class Feat
Dragonwrought Kobold - First
Maximize Breath - Flaw
Entangling Breath - Flaw
Heighten Breath - 3rd

My favorite line from last session was from when the 2 clerics and the Duskblade wanted to rest to regain their spells was "Why would I want to rest, I have lots of breath left." :smallbiggrin:

[The Rabbler]

Dragonfire adepts are cool, I didn't actually get to play one but I had it entirely planned out and written up and there are a lot of things they seemed to be able to do really well. Particularly I would say getting the greater wings invocation, the invisibility invocation, and cloud breath, because then you can go around invisible almost constantly since it lasts for 24 hours and have perfect flight, and then just fly above a group of enemies before they know you're there and drop a cloud of breath weapon on them to wreak some havoc. There are some other good things I had planned up too, but you said you don't want to go too overboard, right?

This sounds like a lot of fun. In regards to going overboard, hit me with your best shot. I've been the closest thing our group has to a powergamer for years now and have learned that big guns are usually unnecessary, but quite nice to have just in case.


I'm having tons of fun with a DFA I'm playing right now. I went the Dragonborn Dragonwrought kobold route but without any of the cheese that you can get with it except for the free age bonuses.

I was under the impression that aside from epic feats, loredrake, oodles of sorcerer levels, and age bonuses, dragonwrought kobolds don't actually do all that much. I say "aside from" because I wouldn't be abusing any of that.


My favorite line from last session was from when the 2 clerics and the Duskblade wanted to rest to regain their spells was "Why would I want to rest, I have lots of breath left." :smallbiggrin:

That was my favorite part of my martial adepts and factoti.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Have you considered challenging yourself? Try out a monk, and min/max it as best you can to see if you can keep up. Maybe use a psionic race so you can pick up a few psionic feats.

I'd find it entertaining, but YMMV.

[The Rabbler]

Have you considered challenging yourself? Try out a monk, and min/max it as best you can to see if you can keep up. Maybe use a psionic race so you can pick up a few psionic feats.

I'd find it entertaining, but YMMV.

The problem with this is that it isn't a challenge. I can either go Psychic Warrior with Tashalatora and pretend to be a monk while actually being much better than a monk. Or, if I just want to be a monk, I'd max out my unarmed strike damage, take three levels of kensei to give me +1 throwing returning unarmed strikes, and then master thrower to doublethrow my own fists.

[hoverfrog]

A relatively inexperienced player in my group wants to host a campaign to try and improve his DMing.So you're doing him a favour and you want a nice simple game where he doesn't have to look up rules every five minutes. So you've got Player's Handbook classes, races and feats only? Oh, those were the days.

Why not go for the steadfast druid? Versatile enough for just about any situation, interesting to play and you get a meat shield to protect you for free in the form on an animal companion. If that doesn't suit then aim for one of the DMG prestige classes and make a solid build that aims for it from the beginning. Want to play an Archmage, then human wizard up to it.

[Invader]

I was under the impression that aside from epic feats, loredrake, oodles of sorcerer levels, and age bonuses, dragonwrought kobolds don't actually do all that much. I say "aside from" because I wouldn't be abusing any of that.


Without any of that they really aren't that optimized but I wanted to play a dragon and this was as close as I was allowed to get lol. There are better races to play as far as optimizing a DFA but a dessert kobold doens;t have th econ penalty and add dragonborn on top of that for a con bonus and they aren't terrible and they fit the class pretty well IMO.

[Mithril Leaf]

Dragonfire adepts of the dragonborn water orc varient are very cool and avaliable for free online. +4 to your constitution, a solid set of abilities and very few penalties are a nice combo.

[Kelb_Panthera]

The problem with this is that it isn't a challenge. I can either go Psychic Warrior with Tashalatora and pretend to be a monk while actually being much better than a monk. Or, if I just want to be a monk, I'd max out my unarmed strike damage, take three levels of kensei to give me +1 throwing returning unarmed strikes, and then master thrower to doublethrow my own fists.

How are you maxing out your unarmed strike damage with core + limited splats? Aren't most of the things that boost unarmed strike damage scattered through at least half-a-dozen sources? Besides, you could always go straight monk, no multiclassing, no PrC.

[The Rabbler]

How are you maxing out your unarmed strike damage with core + limited splats? Aren't most of the things that boost unarmed strike damage scattered through at least half-a-dozen sources? Besides, you could always go straight monk, no multiclassing, no PrC.

All I'd need to get okay'd is Greater Mighty Wallop from Complete Arcane with Kensei and Master Thrower from Complete Warrior.


So you're doing him a favour and you want a nice simple game where he doesn't have to look up rules every five minutes. So you've got Player's Handbook classes, races and feats only? Oh, those were the days.

Why not go for the steadfast druid? Versatile enough for just about any situation, interesting to play and you get a meat shield to protect you for free in the form on an animal companion. If that doesn't suit then aim for one of the DMG prestige classes and make a solid build that aims for it from the beginning. Want to play an Archmage, then human wizard up to it.

I made a solemn promise to my DM that I wouldn't play any full casters. He doesn't yet know how unfair core is, so I'm not going to burst his bubble with a druid.


Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I've decided on running a Dragonborn Dragonwrought Kobold Dragonfire Adept named Dargon Dragsson. Yup.