Help me survive the Horde. (D&D 3.5)

[TranquilKnight]

So we are about to start a campaign on an island where our ship has crashed, all level one and no starting equipment. So my question is, what are some suggestions for builds on an island filled with mostly undead, no equipment, and have to survive. Looking to mostly stay ranged and away from danger and stay hidden. Other rules are no evil aligned races or classes, Any and all complete books, Tome of Battle, and books of Faerun. Thanks for any help.

[nedz]

Ranger, maxed out stealth skills, favoured enemy undead.

Without equipment your going to have to rely on bits of wood and rocks.

Druid, summon an animal companion as soon as you can, and use shillelagh on whatever bits of wood happen to be lying around.

Sorcerer with Eschew Materials, and some suitable spells.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Actually, I'd suggest something more along the lines of a martial adept.

Since most of their damage comes from their maneuvers rather than their weapons, after a few levels, the difference in damage between weapons becomes meaningless (or replaced, with Insightful Strike).

Perhaps a Swordsage, with an emphasis on Shadow Hand and Diamond Mind? Perhaps a scattering of Stone Dragon and Desert Wind, to taste.

[GeekGirl]

I would probably go Unarmed Swordsage, so you don't even need to worry about a weapon. Maybe a few levels of Psychic Warrior for fun.

[00dlez]

In my current campaign, I talked the DM into letting me take ranks in "Craft (Natural Materials)".

Essentailly, he's able to make things from materials scavenged from nature. He's used vines and branches to make a ladder, makes tons of torches, made a VERY crude cart (and used a stoneshape spell for rock wheels). Those sorts of things.

These items have no resale value and are often of questionable integrity, but they usually last long enough to get the job done.

It cannot produce refined products. While I can make crude objects from wood, I couldn't make a barrel.

Other than that, yeah, any stealth class works or a barbarian that is able to punch things point blank in the face. Cleric would also seem survivable.

A arcane caster though... "Oh crap, a zombie house cat and I'm out of spells..."

[Telonius]

This is actually a situation where I'd consider a Vow of Poverty Monk. No items, so you're not losing anything. A few of the Exalted feats (as you gain in level) are specifically anti-Undead. (Sanctify Ki Strike, Holy Radiance).

Warlock might be a decent choice, if you focus on stealth. If you have no gear, they'll probably be the best and most consistent damage dealers for the first few levels. Also good for sniping off zombies from long range.

[Diarmuid]

Another option is Warlock. Steady all day ranged damage, eventually you can fly all day, be invisible whenever you want and all kinds of fun things.

[Person_Man]

Are you willing to brave the Incarnum rules? Incarnate can get:

Armguards of Disruption: Touch attack that deals decent damage vs. Undead, and a bonus to AC and Saves vs Undead.
Necrocarnum Circlet: Detect Undead and Animate Dead, both at will and at no cost. (Though you can only have one Necrocarnum Zombie at a time).
Astral Vembraces: High DR/magic, which is awesome against most undead.
Dissolving Spittle: At will ranged touch attack with decent damage.


And other goodies. All of them are "always on." Thus he's well suited for long slogs through multiple encounters.

[ThiagoMartell]

Warforged Warlock

[Novawurmson]

Warforged Warlock

Warforged Warlock/Warblade/Warmage/Warrior/Warshaper/Warmaster/Warpriest/Warchanter/War Mind/War Weaver/War Hulk/Warchief

...I'll show myself to the door.

[PinkysBrain]

If the DM is at least willing to let you keep a holy symbol then I'd say Cleric. Nothing will make you hide better on zombie island at level 1 than the spell hide from undead ... neutral cleric, so you can turn undead and get a bodyguard.

[Fable Wright]

I'm going to suggest Warlock. No material components, no assembly required, just blasting at a 250ft range from level 1. Be aware, though, that at higher levels you're probably going to have to use the Eldritch Glaive invocation and go into melee to do high damage. To help with this, I'm going to suggest dipping Cleric somewhere down the line after you manage to create a crude holy symbol. Grab Travel Devotion and sacrifice some Turn Undead uses to fuel it, and you're set. Either you can use it to move out of melee really quickly, or get back into the fray to vaporize a zombie if you really need to. It also opens up the Eldritch Theurge PrC, which is rather nice and opens up some spells like Knight's Move.

[Slipperychicken]

If you want to be an arcane caster, you can also try a Sorcerer with Eschew Materials, or the "Easy-Bake-No-Worries" Wizard (google it; it's a few ACFs and feats that basically free you from item-dependence from level 1, and ~6-8 free spells per level. No wealth needed. You can Wizard with no gold, no spellbook, no components). Extend Spell will be great to have your Rope Trick online from level 5.

Cleric or Paladin could be sweet with their anti-undead class features (Turn, Smite) and spells. If you can't start with one, it'll take a while to make a holy symbol, although it'll be totally worth it when you do. Also, healing class features will be more important in absence of items. Once you get 3rd level spells, most "survival" things will cease to be an issue. Consider using summoned badgers to quickly dig out shelter.

A Factotum can be really useful for crafting, utility, and healing. Take Eschew Materials so you don't have to worry about locating bat poo in the post-apocalypse. Take 10 on Survival, use Cunning Knowledge, and put ranks in it to feed your party members. Take Knowledge: Architecture and Engineering so your shelters won't immediately collapse.


If you can control existing undead, I doubt your party will mind much while they're trying to fend off the Horde with a stick, some rocks, and a cantrip.

Talk to the DM about how crafting will work, especially with materials requirements for magic items. The ability to make your own magic items will be critical if you can't find them in town. This will also help you decide whether to take Craft Wondrous Item or not.

[Catszeid]

If you really wanted to you could play a Soulknife. However, you would want one of the fixes floating around. The main benefit would be getting a free weapon with free enchants that you can change based on the situation. Later you could grab Soulbow too. Also, swordsage never hurts.

[Gavinfoxx]

Easy Bake No Worries Wizard (my version)!

Grey Elven 'Sorcerer' (who is really Wizard-classed, but fantastically changed to act more like a sorcerer), with:
-Elf Generalist Wizard Racial Substitution level, Races of the Wild
-Eidetic Spellcaster ACF, Dragon Magazine #357
-Collegiate Wizard feat, Complete Arcane
-1 Trait, Unearthed Arcana or SRD
-2 Flaws, Unearthed Arcana or SRD
-Domain Wizard Variant (Transmutation or Conjuration), Unearthed Arcana or SRD
-Eschew Materials Feat, PHB/SRD
-Arenal Arcanist Feat, Player's Guide to Eberron
-A Reserve Feat at level 3 (Fiery Burst or Acid Splash), Complete Mage
-Spontaneous Divination ACF at level 5, Complete Champion
-Alacritous Cogitation feat at level 6, Complete Mage
-hopefully permission to house rule that you can take Uncanny Forethought at level 9, with the Alacritous Cogitation and the Eidetic Spellacster ACF taking place of the Spell Mastery prerequisite, without access to the 'spell mastery' capability from that feat
-Hopefully permission to house rule for the character to count Autohypnosis (XPH, SRD) as a class skill, to describe his eidetic memory being useful for things other than spellcasting
-Another Great option for race is a Lesser Fey'ri with LA Bought off (make use of that Alter Self at will)! Also, Fire Elf works well too.

[Metahuman1]

Ok, some thoughts.

Monk 2/ Psi-warrior 18. The straight forward Psionic Monk Gish.

Unarmed swordsage, or barring that either a Warblade or a Crusaider with Superior Unarmed strike.

An incarnate class if you happen to have some mastery over that system.

A warlock. Works best if you can Use Sparrow Hangokio somehow.

A Sorcerer with the gear dependency reduces as per the easy-bake build. A reserve feat and one spell slot per day of the highest level spell you happen to have would be good here.

Ranger with Superior Unarmed strike might be interesting. Ask the DM about using that + some natural weapons gotten through a spell or two in a few levels for Two Weapon Fighting and make sure to use your spell compendium spells.

Druid is obvious. Yeah, your not at kill it all power yet, but your on route. And a reserve feat isn't a bad move here either.

Cleric if you can have a holy symbol. DMM Persist your must have buffs and pick up the fire domain for Fiery reserves.

Bard is a though with just Improved Unarmed strike and optimized Inspire courage. First few levels will be a hurtal, and you'll want Extra music early on if you can retrain it later, but once Dragonfire Inspiration comes online you'll be golden and the whole party's gonna love you.

Dragonfire Adept doesn't need much for it's class, has the right skills for stealthy, and that breath weapon with Entangling Exhalation Can be good range, crowd control, or if you prefer just battle feild control with the right options on the table.

[nedz]

How long are you going to be stuck on this island ?

If its not for the entire campaign, which, lets face it, would be very dull, then you should work out what sort of character you want to play long term and then come up with a survival strategy for level 1.

[molten_dragon]

I'm curious if you're playing the Serpent's Skull adventure path.

If so, I played a crusader and it worked out well.

[snoopy13a]

Make a half-orc fighter with 20 STR. Put four ranks in swim and take the Athletic and Endurance feats. Then swim for it :smallsmile:

[Metahuman1]

Make a full Water Orc Fighter with Flaw: Shaky, and have 4 ranks in swim, an 18 base str before Racial Mods, and Skill Focus: Swim, Endurance and Athletics and Swim for it if your gonna go that route.