Thinking about Replacing my Character

[ColossusCrusher]

Basically, we're about to take a break because Winter Break is right around the corner, and this seems like a good point to retire one of my characters - another PC is doing the same, and it's plausible that mine is recalled because a war is about to break out.

The question is, what do I play?

We've got a Druid, Factotum, Sorcerer (with some gishy stuff added) and soon a Psychic Warrior. My current character is a Warblade-focused critfish, but as a result of LA buyoff and dying I'm about 13K XP behind (2 ECL). We're going to be doing a level jump to 14th, if I'm not mistaken, and I'd like to take something that can fill in some of our party's gaps.

I've linked the PsyWar to the handbook on this site, if it helps. Just from looking at what the party will have, we're kind of low on meatshields, but since I'm doing one right now I'm also a little tempted to just say, "screw it, caster time."

If anyone's got any suggestions I'd love to hear them. Big note is that while fun is important, so is filling in our gaps. We're also not the most optimized group, so keep that in mind. :)

And of course if you have any questions I'll try to answer them. Thanks!

[Rubik]

Basically, we're about to take a break because Winter Break is right around the corner, and this seems like a good point to retire one of my characters - another PC is doing the same, and it's plausible that mine is recalled because a war is about to break out.

The question is, what do I play?

We've got a Druid, Factotum, Sorcerer (with some gishy stuff added) and soon a Psychic Warrior. My current character is a Warblade-focused critfish, but as a result of LA buyoff and dying I'm about 13K XP behind (2 ECL). We're going to be doing a level jump to 14th, if I'm not mistaken, and I'd like to take something that can fill in some of our party's gaps.

I've linked the PsyWar to the handbook on this site, if it helps. Just from looking at what the party will have, we're kind of low on meatshields, but since I'm doing one right now I'm also a little tempted to just say, "screw it, caster time."

If anyone's got any suggestions I'd love to hear them. Big note is that while fun is important, so is filling in our gaps. We're also not the most optimized group, so keep that in mind. :)

And of course if you have any questions I'll try to answer them. Thanks!How about a shaper psion 5/constructor (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625b) 9, using the Primary Contact feat from Cityscape for early entry? Psyref that sucker out once you qualify naturally for the PrC, and replace it with Linked Power.

Shapers are great for utility, blasting, battlefield control, and summoning all three, if you're good with using your imagination and thinking outside the box, and they're great for endurance as well, so long as you use their power judiciously. That way you could use astral constructs for tanking, and assist the rest of the party in all sorts of good stuff.

[Darth Stabber]

Dread necromancer, seriously, no party should be without shambling hordes of walking dead.

Alternately totemist. Reconfigurable to fill in holes as you find them, and an absolute monster if you know what you're doing. Dipping a level of spiritlion totem barb helps, but you can get pounce in house a bit later. At least with the barb dip you stay illiterate. Also, the totem rager prc is fairly decent, and full of fun opportunities, and can lead into other barbarian prcs (like bear warrior). Barbarian1/totemist4/totem rager10/bearwarrior5 is a big winner (and you get so many attacks it's sickening).

[ColossusCrusher]

I was actually thinking about playing as a Psion or Totemist, funnily enough. My only reservations about a horde-style Dread Necro is that the Druid already has summons, and two summoners/minionmancers would make combat take forever (the same applies in a lesser way to a natural attack spamming Totemist), but they're all great suggestions. Any more? :)

[Darth Stabber]

I was actually thinking about playing as a Psion or Totemist, funnily enough. My only reservations about a horde-style Dread Necro is that the Druid already has summons, and two summoners/minionmancers would make combat take forever (the same applies in a lesser way to a natural attack spamming Totemist), but they're all great suggestions. Any more? :)

Color coded dice, roll all of your attacks at once, saves time (suggestion for saving time as a totemist) my set up, 4 red d20s for claws, 1 white one for bite, three shades of green for iteratives.

As far as other class suggestions, um… if you don't like icecream, might I suggest truenamer?

[ColossusCrusher]

Color coded dice, roll all of your attacks at once, saves time (suggestion for saving time as a totemist) my set up, 4 red d20s for claws, 1 white one for bite, three shades of green for iteratives.

As far as other class suggestions, um… if you don't like icecream, might I suggest truenamer?

I love ice cream, sorry. :D

I know it's a stupid hangup, but that whole illiteracy thing on Totemist is really bugging me - I know my DM might be willing to work with me on it, but still. Totemist into Thayan Gladiator looks pretty cool, but that would lock me in to just a different kind of melee damage machine and I kind of want to mix things up a bit.

[Darth Stabber]

I love ice cream, sorry. :D

I know it's a stupid hangup, but that whole illiteracy thing on Totemist is really bugging me - I know my DM might be willing to work with me on it, but still. Totemist into Thayan Gladiator looks pretty cool, but that would lock me in to just a different kind of melee damage machine and I kind of want to mix things up a bit.

If you go into totem rager you get literacy. As weird as it may sound for a class that is the theurge of the only two illiterate base class, it works by RAW.

[Gwendol]

An archer of some kind perhaps?

[ahenobarbi]

As some kind of summoner you could provide meat shields while being a caster. You can do it in a number of ways but I'd suggest using Wizard specializing in conjuration as a base (trade your familiar to make summons standard-action). Then 5 levels in Malconvoker (this looses one caster level but gives you extra summoned creature, so usually doubles numbers of yer summons). You can get into Malconvoker at level 6 without shenigans.

[Darth Stabber]

As some kind of summoner you could provide meat shields while being a caster. You can do it in a number of ways but I'd suggest using Wizard specializing in conjuration as a base (trade your familiar to make summons standard-action). Then 5 levels in Malconvoker (this looses one caster level but gives you extra summoned creature, so usually doubles numbers of yer summons). You can get into Malconvoker at level 6 without shenigans.

I think he was avoiding the summoner route as per:


I was actually thinking about playing as a Psion or Totemist, funnily enough. My only reservations about a horde-style Dread Necro is that the Druid already has summons, and two summoners/minionmancers would make combat take forever (the same applies in a lesser way to a natural attack spamming Totemist), but they're all great suggestions. Any more? :)

Besides druid is generally a better combat summoner. Malconvoker is better for playing D&D as pokemon (though still not as good as dread necro, cleric, or artificer)

[gorfnab]

An Inspire Courage/Dragonfire Inspiration Bard might be a nice fit.
Bard Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=8284)
Inspire Courage Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=9830)

[Mithril Leaf]

If you play a psion and get Hyperconscious allowed, you can always do the minionmaster route with Psianimate Dead (Which is better than the spell in almost every way, especially cost). Works with Constructor too.

[ahenobarbi]

I think he was avoiding the summoner route as per:

That would explain why no one mentioned summoning :smallsmile:


Besides druid is generally a better combat summoner. Malconvoker is better for playing D&D as pokemon (though still not as good as dread necro, cleric, or artificer)

I don't have experience playing characters focusing on summoning but rapis summoning looks like a big point in favor of conjurer.

[dspeyer]

You sound reasonably set on meat-shields. You have a psychic warrior, a semi-gish, a druid giant bear and his summonses, and factotums aren't helpless in melee.

Another caster might be good. If the sorcerer is gishy, then there are probably holes in his spell list. You could probably do a utility, blasting or battlefield control caster.

Also, there aren't a lot of skills in that party. A lot depends on what the factotum put ranks in.

Putting it all together with a lot of guesswork, how about a beguiler with a few arcane disciple feats?

[Chilingsworth]

Or, how about another gish, such as a Jade Pheonix Mage?

[Phelix-Mu]

I will vote for a skilled casterish, ranger, pally, etc. They are versatile in party role, lots of PrC, great flavor.

Really, for a character in campaign already in progress, try not to pick something you are totally unfamiliar with, unless you have good ranks in Think on Your Feet. A player in my last campaign retired a character after the guy got into hardcore drug production/distribution as a lifestyle, and his replacement was the first cleric he'd ever played, starting at level 12, I think. It was a disaster. For the first 3-4 levels, he never knew which spell to cast when, what he should be doing, etc. Kept trying to make melee attacks at a point in the campaign when a full caster should pretty much always be casting, let alone our major healer.

And as a DM always trying to figure out ways to make players think and be creative, try to come up with build after working out a role playing theme or likely background history. Smart people can usually do both simultaneously, but I have had my share of *ahem* "not-smart" players. PHB2 has some great chapters on fleshing out a history/personality for your character.

[ColossusCrusher]

I decided to go Kineticist Psion in the end and focus on close range and single target damage while the Sorceress uses fireball for fun and profit. :)

And the PsyWar decided to do some weird gestalt Ninja/CW Samurai Vampire thing instead. We're calling it The Experiment, while the Druid is swapping out for an Emo Dwarf that has Warlock and [Unknown] levels. O.O

In other words, it's going to be absolutely hilarious.