Some character Ideas.

[dascarletm]

So my nephews started a 3.5 campaign and asked me to play in it.

I don't normally play, so I'm wondering what I can/should do. So many options.

He had me roll stats which are 1 of these 2 sets:

12, 9, 14, 16, 7, 15

14, 14, 10, 13, 6, 16

Starting level is 6 with standard gold, +1 random rolled item.

My other two nephews are a rogue, going master thrower, and a sorcerer. Specifics I know not, but assume low low OP as they are fairly unexperienced.

Campaign is good themed, and I'm thinking of either going Gandalf (have crazy power but hardly ever use it unless we are all going to die), or just be very low-op and take the brunt of all the punishment (let my character be the one that dies/loses a hand/etc.)

Any suggestions?

[Arc_knight25]

All depends on how unexperienced and age of said nephews. If they are quite new to the game and young in age, let them have the spotlight with their rogue and Sorc and make a Frontline melee.

Keep to the basics, don't over complicate and overpower them, so they are playing in your shadow.

I'd take the second stat line and make a Barb or Fighter and through that 6 right into Cha.

[ArcturusV]

With stats like that, and being a fairly Low Op game, it'd probably be something where I'd break out a class I don't usually get to play for one reason or another. Ranger into something like Leviathan Hunter jumps to mind. Simple, should be fun in a game where you don't necessarily have to worry about keeping up with the high knowledge, high skilled people.

So I'd definitely be on the side of taking a class that's weaker on the optimization side necessarily and just having fun with it. Almost any game you can play a miserly wizard who saves the ace up his sleeve. It's rare you can play a game where you run around as the Paladin and are considered a valuable part of the team, etc.

[dascarletm]

I was thinking of going paladin, I like that idea. Though the only problem is I don't want to steal away their options of doing evil stuff. I suppose I can put the 6 in int and just not realize when they do evil things...

they are 17 and 14, so fairly older. They have played some, a few times with me, and a few campaigns by themselves recently. I don't know what extent they know the game.

I know they were telling me that clerics suck, and that fighters will stomp them at every level.

[Callin]

I would roll something Divine since they have the Arcane covered. I would also do something that can help the rogue get his Sneak Attack Dice off. So how about Mystic Ranger with the Animal Cohort Feat. Go ranged and pick up the Distacting Attack at the level it gives and do ranged combat. Maybe summon an Animal or two to flank.

You could also do most of that and go Wildshape Ranger if ya wanted to do the melee.

Course then why not just roll Druid instead :smallwink:

[gurgleflep]

I was thinking of going paladin, I like that idea. Though the only problem is I don't want to steal away their options of doing evil stuff. I suppose I can put the 6 in int and just not realize when they do evil things...

they are 17 and 14, so fairly older. They have played some, a few times with me, and a few campaigns by themselves recently. I don't know what extent they know the game.

I know they were telling me that clerics suck, and that fighters will stomp them at every level.

Maybe go with a Paladin of Freedom or one of the other Paladin variants? (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm) There are a couple other variants that allow you to be evil and you may find interest in them, too.

[dascarletm]

Maybe go with a Paladin of Freedom or one of the other Paladin variants? (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm) There are a couple other variants that allow you to be evil and you may find interest in them, too.

They are good as of now. I'll just fall with them if they want to go the route of... Evil


I would roll something Divine since they have the Arcane covered. I would also do something that can help the rogue get his Sneak Attack Dice off. So how about Mystic Ranger with the Animal Cohort Feat. Go ranged and pick up the Distacting Attack at the level it gives and do ranged combat. Maybe summon an Animal or two to flank.

You could also do most of that and go Wildshape Ranger if ya wanted to do the melee.

Course then why not just roll Druid instead :smallwink:

That could work, but I'll just set up SA by getting into flanking with him. Druid I feel, would be too buff.

[ArcturusV]

Can always cash in those Paladin Levels for Blackguarding it up. Then go into PrCs like Disciple of Dispater or Warrior of Darkness.

[Waker]

A paladin with a relaxed code or a crusader would make a decent front-liner with a bit of healing. Bard could play the role of the know-it-all mentor type, relying more on subtle magic and clever use of knowledge.

[dascarletm]

A paladin with a relaxed code or a crusader would make a decent front-liner with a bit of healing. Bard could play the role of the know-it-all mentor type, relying more on subtle magic and clever use of knowledge.

That second one wouldn't be too far of from reality.:smallbiggrin:

[Waker]

Well, since the Bard is holding some appeal to you, what idea sounds best to you? Playing the straight traditional Bard, mix it up with Crusader or Warblade, go high magic using Lyrical Thamauturge/Sublime Chord or something else entirely?

Since you mentioned Gandalf, how about you consider Radagast (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bard)? Mix in some Divine (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bardVariantDivineBard) and Savage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bardVariantSavageBard) Bard and you would have yourself a Mini-Druid. You'd lose much of the classic Bardic Music abilities, but you would still have Fascinate/Suggestion. Were you so inclined, you go grab the Half-Elf sub levels and instead get Soothing Voice/Command.

[dascarletm]

Well, since the Bard is holding some appeal to you, what idea sounds best to you? Playing the straight traditional Bard, mix it up with Crusader or Warblade, go high magic using Lyrical Thamauturge/Sublime Chord or something else entirely?

Since you mentioned Gandalf, how about you consider Radagast (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bard)? Mix in some Divine (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bardVariantDivineBard) and Savage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bardVariantSavageBard) Bard and you would have yourself a Mini-Druid. You'd lose much of the classic Bardic Music abilities, but you would still have Fascinate/Suggestion. Were you so inclined, you go grab the Half-Elf sub levels and instead get Soothing Voice/Command.

Those are some pretty cool ideas. I think I'll mess around with some of those, see what I can come up with.

Thanks for the input everyone btw.

[Waker]

Well, if you do go with the Radagast idea, I'll make a quick suggestion. Grab the Wild and Savage Bard ACFs I mentioned before, take Obtain Familiar and then grab Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a). Then you could have three different animals following you around. I'd suggest having the familiar be more of a scouting creature like a bird of some type, while the companion and cohort are a bit brawnier to provide some tanking for the party.

[ArcturusV]

Nah, take a Cat as the Familiar, use the Cat's (Ex) Cuteness Distraction Aura ability in urban environments.

[ahenobarbi]

Buffer cleric I suggest. Maybe cloistered (to get some skills rogue might have missed). Because everybody loves good buffers (because their shtick is making others awesome and thus let's them have fun).

Meelee is IMHO a bad idea (it might give a "stealing coolnes for yourself" feeling).