non-caster character ideas for 3.5

[Icarion]

Im going to start a 3.5 campaign and a friend asked me to help her pick a class.
She HATES magical characters and use to play with rangers, but im trying to make her use some others classes.( she's going to play some other campaigns in the future and needs the exp ).
So i was hoping if you could help me choose one for her. the things i know are:

-SHE HATES MAGIC, so no caster levels
-no rangers ( used to play with the non magical variant )
-no fighters (she will use one in the next campaign)
-i'm using a chotic killing character on the same campaign so avoiding chaotics will be good (Im playing a lawful neutral cleric)
-starting at lv 1
-complete books available.

thx for the help ! ( sorry for my english xD )

[eggynack]

That's a lot of things she doesn't want to do, but is there anything she does want to do? Also, how much casting is too much? Are bards cool? If so, then I'm tossing bards out there.

[mistformsquirrl]

Has she looked at the Tome of Battle? Warblade is distinctly non-magical yet it is a fighty type that's a lot of fun <._.>

Monk can be fun even if it's kind of weak - it's just a question of enjoying the RP.

Hrm... isn't there a non-casting bard out there too? One that still has the song but trades spells for BAB and HP? I can't remember what book that's from or if I'm just making it up in my head >.<

[TaiLiu]

A Lawfully Good "paladin" that's actually a Rogue. :smallcool:

[Azernak0]

Spell-less Wildshape Ranger into Master of Many Forms? "It is not magic; it is my own personal control over my body." It is less of a Ranger and more of a "I turn into a War Troll and Power Attack."

Is she opposed to magic because of having to keep track of it all? If so, she could try a Warlock. Very easy class, just shoots their little beam every round, and has some minor magical abilities without the bookkeeping.

What about a Dragonfire Adept? It is like a Warlock but gets less magic and breaths fire on people. Also pretty easy to play: "Get Endure Elements, it makes party immune to your breath attack, get Entangling Exhalation. Congratulations, no matter what you do you won't have a terrible class!"

Tome of Battle but if she doesn't like casters for the bookkeeping, she probably won't like the Warblade or Swordsage.

If nothing else, Barbarian.

[Icarion]

yes azernak0 , she doesn't like casters for the bookkeeping, and for the "cowardness" of it. (i almost exclusivelyuse casters )

She likes to kill stuff and be self sufficient (thats why she always plays ranger)
nice on the rogue/pala xD so much fun :smallbiggrin:

Bards beign too "soft" maybe won't work either. does warblade got magic ( slots and stuff) ? i've read it long ago and don't remember, she ok with "daily uses" of Su and Ex abilities.

[mattie_p]

Are you sure she doesn't want to be a caster? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195049)

[Icarion]

i looked the warblade, i see what u mean now, manouvers and stances may be a litlle tricky.

i will go with rogue. thnx for the help guys !

[eggynack]

yes azernak0 , she doesn't like casters for the bookkeeping, and for the "cowardness" of it. (i almost exclusivelyuse casters )

She likes to kill stuff and be self sufficient (thats why she always plays ranger)
nice on the rogue/pala xD so much fun :smallbiggrin:

Bards beign too "soft" maybe won't work either. does warblade got magic ( slots and stuff) ? i've read it long ago and don't remember, she ok with "daily uses" of Su and Ex abilities.
Warblades are sort of like that. They get per encounter abilities that they can recharge. How do you think she'd feel about warlocks? Their abilities are all at will, so it doesn't require any book keeping. They might be a bit on the cowardly side though, because they tend to fly constantly and shoot lasers. There's always the eldritch glaive build which is a more meleeish warlock.

[ArcturusV]

Well, probably too close to a Fighter for the taste of the person in question, but I'd suggest an Oriental Adventures Samurai. Iajutsu Focus as a class skill is always nice. You have a range of skills so you can have some out of combat use. It's a very basic class to play, no huge surprises. The Ancestral Daisho means you can customize your weapon(s) as you level up. Which is always a nice boost. Open up PrCs like Iajutsu Master and you can have a pretty decent strike potential with your Samurai.

Plus they are Lawful, so yeah. No alignment issues.

Would have suggested Barbarian in some flavoring, but alignment issues might crop up. So lets avoid that. It's not a bad call in general though.

Hengeyokai Rogue into Warshaper? It's not the most optimal thing out there, I'd admit. But it is something that's been a lot of fun to run around with. Got a good spattering of skills before you get into Warshaper, naturally have the qualifications for Warshaper by your creature type. Sneak Attack Natural Attacks are never bad things.

[Icarion]

Are you sure she doesn't want to be a caster? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195049)

so-much-joy.

[Icarion]

Well, probably too close to a Fighter for the taste of the person in question, but I'd suggest an Oriental Adventures Samurai. Iajutsu Focus as a class skill is always nice. You have a range of skills so you can have some out of combat use. It's a very basic class to play, no huge surprises. The Ancestral Daisho means you can customize your weapon(s) as you level up. Which is always a nice boost. Open up PrCs like Iajutsu Master and you can have a pretty decent strike potential with your Samurai.

Plus they are Lawful, so yeah. No alignment issues.

Would have suggested Barbarian in some flavoring, but alignment issues might crop up. So lets avoid that. It's not a bad call in general though.

Hengeyokai Rogue into Warshaper? It's not the most optimal thing out there, I'd admit. But it is something that's been a lot of fun to run around with. Got a good spattering of skills before you get into Warshaper, naturally have the qualifications for Warshaper by your creature type. Sneak Attack Natural Attacks are never bad things.

oh, im sorry arc, i forgot to mention that our dm HATES oriental stuff on d&d ( my bad, trully sorry cuz your advice its really good )

[TaiLiu]

oh, im sorry arc, i forgot to mention that our dm HATES oriental stuff on d&d ( my bad, trully sorry cuz your advice its really good )
I see. May I ask why?

[ArcturusV]

Well the Hengeyokai Rogue->Warshaper isn't really oriental. Well, Hengeyokai are from an oriental adventures book. But I mean fluff/mechanics wise there is nothing really "Oriental" about it. It's a humanoid which can shapeshift. The same sort of myths you find in almost every culture across the globe.

Though I can understand the Samurai thing as it might not fit in with the flavor of the game.

[Icarion]

Well the Hengeyokai Rogue->Warshaper isn't really oriental. Well, Hengeyokai are from an oriental adventures book. But I mean fluff/mechanics wise there is nothing really "Oriental" about it. It's a humanoid which can shapeshift. The same sort of myths you find in almost every culture across the globe.

Though I can understand the Samurai thing as it might not fit in with the flavor of the game.


I see. May I ask why?

He says ( and i see the point in some way) that some classes are way too much "real human world" (english failing at describing it xD) meaning that made direct emphasis to japan, mostly a lenguage sort of thingy ( the NINJA , the SAMURAI ... ) he doesn't look with very good eyes at the monks "asian" styles either.
the example he put ( that made me see his point) :
classes: NINJA , SAMURAI, SEAL TEAM, JAGUAR WARRIOR, GAUCHO(argentinian cowboy, over the top xD ).

he eventually let a ninja in one campaign but it was called "shadow killer".
it does not seem to be happening again with other "asian" classes.

[Juntao112]

I hear monks are self sufficient.

[eggynack]

I hear monks are self sufficient.
Truly, the most self-sufficient character would be a monk with the feat self-sufficient. That combo is unbeatable.

[Rubik]

Truly, the most self-sufficient character would be a monk with the feat self-sufficient. That combo is unbeatable.Even better with Vow of Poverty, since obviously monks are really good without items, and giving them even MORE itemlessness is just asking for trouble!

But seriously, don't do this.

[TaiLiu]

He says ( and i see the point in some way) that some classes are way too much "real human world" (english failing at describing it xD) meaning that made direct emphasis to japan, mostly a lenguage sort of thingy ( the NINJA , the SAMURAI ... ) he doesn't look with very good eyes at the monks "asian" styles either.
the example he put ( that made me see his point) :
classes: NINJA , SAMURAI, SEAL TEAM, JAGUAR WARRIOR, GAUCHO(argentinian cowboy, over the top xD ).

he eventually let a ninja in one campaign but it was called "shadow killer".
it does not seem to be happening again with other "asian" classes.
Ah, I see. :smallconfused: