Make a good supporting level 1 character?

[Nettlekid]

A friend of mine is planning to DM her first campaign. Having only ever played higher level campaigns, she wants to bring things back down to level 1, where players have to use wits to survive. The campaign is designed for newbies, but it seems to be drifting since two of the players are brand new, one has only been in one other (also level 1) campaign, and one has about as much experience as the DM herself. I want to join, but I'm known in my group for playing optimized, highly effective characters that would drown out non-optimized newbies. So what might make a good, very non-optimized but still fun to play for the cleverness value sort of character that I could maybe use with the DM to give the newbies suggestions, like a wizened elder? I was thinking some sort of support character, like a Bard, Dragon Shaman, or Marshal. What else could fit the bill?

For setting, she says it's going to be a Neogi-overridden world where strong characters have been killed off. The party thus far is a Ranger, Druid, Cleric, and probably some sort of DPS. Although it seems as though the skillmonkey role is one that should be filled, that's the sort of thing that newbies like to jump on (even if not geared toward it) so I don't think Rogue or Factotum would be the right choice, even though in a regular campaign it would fit well.

[Gavinfoxx]

Bard? BARD!

[Psyren]

Support + Skillmonkey + ease of play? Look no further than Bard :smallsmile:

[Hand_of_Vecna]

Ya, it pretty much has to be bard.

Rogue, you'll risk stealing the lime light by always having the skills needed.

I often recommend Healbot Cleric as a support character, but since you have a newbie cleric you might outshine them.

I'd say go ranged and concentrate on using your attacks to secure kills on wounded enemies.

Alternatively in the unlikely event that everyone is going to play ranged/caster play a knight and frontline if you sword and board your damage outpu should be pretty mediocre.

[Palanan]

If this were me, I'd go beguiler.

Maybe because I'm missing something huge. I usually do. But I love beguilers.

:smalltongue:

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I'd make a Dwarf or Mongrelfolk Dragonfire Adept with Entangling Exhalation, and use Endure Exposure on everyone in the party every day. Wear heavy armor and carry a tower shield, nonproficiency doesn't matter because you'll never be making any attack rolls. Debuffing opponents and presenting yourself as a credible threat to draw their attacks is just as useful as buffing your allies.

[Fyermind]

Since you are worried about overpowering your friends, buffing them is better than debuffing enemies. I would watch out for beguiler because of the potential high tier effects of illusions.

Bards are great team mates.

Marshals are great for a dip for bards too.

[Acanous]

Bard 6/Marshal 3/Legendary Leader.
Get the Hero's Regalia. You are now awesome at making everyone else awesome.

[Telonius]

Other than Bard? Warlock or Dragonfire Adept might fit the bill, especially if they really want to sit back and let somebody else do the talking. It's not a true skillmonkey, lacking trapfinding; but it's definitely got the social skills covered.

[Daer]

bard is great, debuffing warlock fun but maybe not so supporting
perhaps artificer for skillmonkey if needed.

[RagnaroksChosen]

My suggestion,

Play a Wizard or Cleric.
But play them as buffer utility. This way you can gauge how good of spells you need.

I would lean twords wizards because they require a bit more finesse then clerics do so it will be easier to keep under wraps.

Actually my suggestion would be to play a transmuter, banning conjuration and (illusion,necro, or evocation) (again to further limit your self) and grab things like enlarge, Protection from, Feather fall, etc. and buff every one.

Edit: forgot plus this allows you to grab spells at the level the party is at... Like a low OP group I probably wouldn't grab things like alter self.

[Suddo]

perhaps artificer for skillmonkey if needed.

It would be hard but an artificier can be the coolest dude at the table, you just have to make sure not to outshine people. But if you use your wbl-mancy to give everyone else better stuff I think they'll like you.

[Nettlekid]

These are all some good ideas. Thanks for the input!

Bard does seem to fill the role I'm looking for, but from a more selfish point of view I feel that it would be too unnoticeable. A 1/day +1 on some rolls for a few rounds would be kind of swept under the rug. I don't want to steal the spotlight, but I do want to be acknowledged.

Knight is a very interesting suggestion. Based on the rest of the party (if they're all kind of back-away, sneak and stab sorts) then it might be just what the party needs, both mechanically and from a roleplaying aspect. Using Knight's Challenge and/or Goad together could be pretty good for this.

I definitely WON'T be going Dragonfire Adept, because everyone in my group knows I love them and want to play a powergamed Epic DFA, so that'll be red flags everywhere.

Marshal seems pretty appealing, maybe with the Draconic Aura feat to grab a Dragon Shaman aura to combo with. It'll buff allies like the Bard, but more consistently.

Warlock is an interesting choice, and those at-will invocations could be useful, but it doesn't feel right for the theme of the campaign.

I'm thinking Wizard might be a good way to go, actually. Maybe a Whisper Gnome Illusionist, with a minor in Transmutation for the buffs, who doesn't say much but can pull the headstrong newbie party out of tight scrapes by making clever Silent Images (a wall blocking off a corridor while an illusionary party runs away down a different route, or something). With Unearthed Arcana's variants, I could get two extra illusion spells per level, which gives me a good selection of buffs. I'd ban Evocation, Conjuration, Necromancy, and take the Gnome Illusionist substitution level to take a -1 CL penalty to Transmutation (so it doesn't feel too strong from the get-go).

Any other suggestions?

[Rubik]

These are all some good ideas. Thanks for the input!

Bard does seem to fill the role I'm looking for, but from a more selfish point of view I feel that it would be too unnoticeable. A 1/day +1 on some rolls for a few rounds would be kind of swept under the rug. I don't want to steal the spotlight, but I do want to be acknowledged.

Knight is a very interesting suggestion. Based on the rest of the party (if they're all kind of back-away, sneak and stab sorts) then it might be just what the party needs, both mechanically and from a roleplaying aspect. Using Knight's Challenge and/or Goad together could be pretty good for this.

I definitely WON'T be going Dragonfire Adept, because everyone in my group knows I love them and want to play a powergamed Epic DFA, so that'll be red flags everywhere.

Marshal seems pretty appealing, maybe with the Draconic Aura feat to grab a Dragon Shaman aura to combo with. It'll buff allies like the Bard, but more consistently.

Warlock is an interesting choice, and those at-will invocations could be useful, but it doesn't feel right for the theme of the campaign.

I'm thinking Wizard might be a good way to go, actually. Maybe a Whisper Gnome Illusionist, with a minor in Transmutation for the buffs, who doesn't say much but can pull the headstrong newbie party out of tight scrapes by making clever Silent Images (a wall blocking off a corridor while an illusionary party runs away down a different route, or something). With Unearthed Arcana's variants, I could get two extra illusion spells per level, which gives me a good selection of buffs. I'd ban Evocation, Conjuration, Necromancy, and take the Gnome Illusionist substitution level to take a -1 CL penalty to Transmutation (so it doesn't feel too strong from the get-go).

Any other suggestions?If you want a buff-wizard, look at the changeling ACF from Races of Eberron. You can double-specialize in transmutation and illusion, which, along with abjuration, are the best buffing schools. Then go for focused specialist from Complete Mage for additional bonus spell slots in both your specialist schools, and then for war weaver, from Heroes of Battle. This will let you buff the entire party as a move action, and is fairly easy to get into. Follow that up with abjurant champion, and you'll be rocking buffs like nobody's business. I'd dump conjuration, necromancy, evocation, and enchantment if you're not doing much beyond buffing.