Help with a PC

[GrumblyBear]

I'm currently playing in a very small campaign... There's only two PCs and I'm having a hard time figuring out what class to play.

The other PC is a barbarian, so he does all the melee stuff. As far as heals go, our DM is pretty generous with potions and wands...


I was thinking I'd try to cover the arcane or psionic side of things, but I'm really not interested in playing a straight wizard/psion.

Any suggestions? I'm pretty flexible on what I'd play, but I feel like we should have some ranged combat options.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

What's your starting level? Books allowed/banned?

I'd recommend using Beguiler, to handle the skills the party needs. Something like Illumian (Krau/anything), Beguiler 1/ Wizard 4/ Ultimate Magus 10/ (full casting PrCs) 5, with Practiced Spellcaster: Beguiler before 6th to put 10/10 UM casting toward Wizard. Get Able Learner, Versatile Spellcaster, and plenty of metamagic. I'd go specialist Conjurer with Enchantment and Evocation prohibited, get Abrupt Jaunt in PH2 and Augment Summoning instead of Scribe Scroll via the UA variant. Use Orb of energy spells for direct damage, but you should mostly focus on debuffing/disabling/dividing opponents and buffing the Barbarian.

[Mafalin]

How about bard? Skillmonkey, arcane casting and healing all in one.

[Flickerdart]

A solitary melee guy is going to need backup, and a solitary backliner (i.e. you) is going to need protection. I would recommend a Dread Necromancer - they don't have the niche-stealing of the T1 casters, but they can provide a steady stream of disposable bodies to take hits and occupy enemies.

Alternatively, you can go for a glaivelock build. That way, both of you can mix it up in melee, but you'll also have utility with your invocations, and decent artillery options against flying opponents.

A dedicated archer would be a bad idea, because then your ideal situations rarely if ever overlap and then 50% of the party is feeling useless in evry encounter, which is bad.

[GrumblyBear]

How about bard? Skillmonkey, arcane casting and healing all in one.

I've actually never played a Bard... Any suggestions on what to do with one?

[gorfnab]

I've actually never played a Bard... Any suggestions on what to do with one?
The Bard's Handbook (http://www.brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=8284.0) and the Inspire Courage Optimization Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=9830) would be a good place to start.

Here is what I suggest.

Silverbrow Human Bard 8/ Virtuoso 2/ Sublime Chord 2/ Virtuoso 8
1. Melodic Casting, Dragonfire Inspiration
3. Draconic Heritage: Battle Dragon
6. Snowflake Wardance
9. Words of Creation
12. *
15. *
18. *

*Lingering Song, Lyric Song, Versatile Spellcaster, Knowledge Devotion, Doomspeak, Captivating Melody, or what not. Browse through the Bard's Handbook (as listed above) and see what you like.

Swap Countersong for Spellbreaker Song.
Swap Fascinate for Hymn of Healing
Swap Suggestion for Song of the Heart feat (ECS)
Spells: Inspirational Boost, Creaking Cacophony
Items: Crystal Echoblade, Badge of Valor

[Bloodgruve]

Artificer could be good here if your DM gives you Wealth By Level and the time to create items. This (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242070) is a thread that has a good explanation of what an Artificer can do.

GL
Blood~

[Waker]

A good rule of thumb when playing in a group game is to specialize in a large group and generalize in a small group. Since its a two-player game, you really should consider making a character that can do a bit of everything. Bard, Wizard PrCing into Unseen Seer or Arcane Trickster, Cleric with domains like Magic and Trickery, Binder, Incarnate or Totemist are all decent classes that are fairly flexible.

[Gwendol]

With a druid you can tailor yourself and your animal to fill out the adventuring party quite well: provide back-up and flanking partner to the barbarian, scout, magic artillery, heal, spam summons, battlefield control, etc.

Just an addition to Waker's suggestions.

[Person_Man]

Bard is definitely a good choice, as it has Skills and spontaneous spells.

I would also suggest the Spirit Shaman (Comp Divine), which is basically a spontaneous casting Druid without Wildshape. That way you can heal, summon, buff, and support your Barbarian friend without overshadowing him (as a Druid would). If you're really dying for Skills (which are generally overrated by mid-levels), you could find a Skillful PrC, or dip 1 level into Rogue and take the Able Learner Feat (Races of Destiny).

[GrumblyBear]

The Bard's Handbook (http://www.brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=8284.0) and the Inspire Courage Optimization Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=9830) would be a good place to start.

Here is what I suggest.

Silverbrow Human Bard 8/ Virtuoso 2/ Sublime Chord 2/ Virtuoso 8
1. Melodic Casting, Dragonfire Inspiration
3. Draconic Heritage: Battle Dragon
6. Snowflake Wardance
9. Words of Creation
12. *
15. *
18. *

*Lingering Song, Lyric Song, Versatile Spellcaster, Knowledge Devotion, Doomspeak, Captivating Melody, or what not. Browse through the Bard's Handbook (as listed above) and see what you like.

Swap Countersong for Spellbreaker Song.
Swap Fascinate for Hymn of Healing
Swap Suggestion for Song of the Heart feat (ECS)
Spells: Inspirational Boost, Creaking Cacophony
Items: Crystal Echoblade, Badge of Valor


What books are these from?

[gorfnab]

What books are these from?
Silverbrow Human - Dragon Magic
Virtuoso - Complete Adventurer
Sublime Chord - Complete Arcane
Melodic Casting - Complete Mage
Dragonfire Inspiration - Dragon Magic
Draconic Heritage: Battle Dragon - Races of the Dragon
Snowflake Wardance - Frostburn
Words of Creation - Book of Exalted Deeds
Lingering Song - Complete Adventurer
Lyric Spell - Complete Adventurer
Versatile Spellcaster - Races of the Dragon
Knowledge Devotion - Complete Champion
Doomspeak - Champions of Ruin
Captivating Melody - Complete Mage
Spellbreaker Song - Complete Mage
Hymn of Healing - Complete Champion
Song of the Heart - Eberron Campaign Setting (see also page 34 Music of Creation, feat itself is on page 60)
Inspirational Boost - Spell Compendium
Creaking Cacophony - Spell Compendium
Crystal Echoblade - Magic Item Complendium
Badge of Valor - Magic Item Compendium