Help me create "John McClain" ..

[Kerilstrasz]

For those this name doesn't ring a bell, that's Bruce Willies in Die Hard :smallwink:

So...
I don't actually want to create "just" him (cause it would be just a fighter with good abilities).. i want to overdo it !

So.. if you are interested to help lets work with the following guidelines..

1) He is not a spellcaster! (duh)
2) He has to have a really high threshold for pain. (really high hp)
3) Really high fort saves
4) High will saves
5) Feats to make him as durable as possible like: Die Hard (duh), endurance etc etc..
6) Doesn't need to deal much damage
7) He don't knows any kind of martial art or fancy moves
8) He is damn lucky (that means luck feats ?)
9) He probably can trip & disarm , but not mandatory
10) He is human, about 30 years old.
11) Probably find him a self reloading repeating hand crossbow ?
12) Doesn't have to have high AC.. the flavor here is for him to get a lot of DMG but he will keep going because.. he is John McClain!
13) He ll be all the above at about lvl12
14) We ll use any 3 or 3,5E book, no mags, no homebrew.
15) About alignment.. hmm.. he is a police officer but he also disregards the law often so.. Neutral? not Evil.. so.. True Neutral (?).
16) Will give him addiction to tobacco too..
17) 32 point buy system.

So.. lets brainstorm a bit.. what can we do with these guidelines?

Thnx all.

Edit:Edited his name..

[limejuicepowder]

Factotum. Totally factotum.

Basically, 95% of movie badasses can be best expressed by a factotum. Good base, wide variety of useful skills, and most importantly they are the best at what they're doing when they need to be.

[Malak'ai]

His name is spelt McClain, but yes, he's your total "Everyman" badass :smallwink:.

Yippee-ki-yay, mother........

[Gildedragon]

So the best suited class would be warrior or commoner then...

[angry_bear]

So the best suited class would be warrior or commoner then...

He's pretty sneaky though, and has a variety of skills... I'd say a fighter/rogue. Maybe the dungeon crash alt class feature of fighter...

[Namfuak]

He's pretty sneaky though, and has a variety of skills... I'd say a fighter/rogue. Maybe the dungeon crash alt class feature of fighter...

Sneak attack fits thematically too. Perhaps a thug/SA variant fighter?

[Kornaki]

Whatever else he has I think it's clear he has to have at least evasion

[Kerilstrasz]

Factotum. Totally factotum.

Well... Totally not.. factorum is maybe the best for Sherlock Holmes.. but not for John McClain...

He doesn't need all this skills.. nether that minor spellcasting.. also factorum relies on high int.. we need high stam here.. really? d8 HD for J.McClain?


Maybe the dungeon crash alt class feature of fighter...

well... the bullrush trick is nice.. but we dont aim for damage here.. as for the ac to traps.. we wont him to actually get hit by a million traps and survive.. not avoid em :P



i ll return after a bit to see if there is some more feedback.. thnx though :)

[eggynack]

I'ma second factotum, even though it may not look like it fits directly. Basically, if I'm trying to free a group of hostages from a building while outnumbered and outgunned, I'm going to want to be a factotum. He has magic, yeah, but it's magic cobbled together from spare parts he had lying around. John McClane doesn't rely on brute force. He relies on cunning, and stealth, and can hit enemies where they'd never expect it. If any class in the game is going to have a repeating crossbow taped to their back, it's going to be the factotum. Moreover, the per encounter nature of the class perfectly matches his preference for quick engagements. He's not a dumb brute. He's a guy with a bunch of skills, and a bunch of smarts. He's totally a factotum.

[Malroth]

Boar Totem Barbarian 2 With ordered chaos Feat so can qualify for classes requiring lawful despite being chaotic, Denying stance Monk 2, Paladin of Freedom 4 with Serenity feat to add wisdom modifier to saves and Lay on hands (his amazing pre climax wound recoveries) , Sneak Attack Fighter 4 with Craven Feat.

Incredibly unoptomized but Tough as nails with very high saves and evasion, Adds wisdom to AC, Self Healing and All Save bonuses. the Factotum version would be better at almost everything but if you don't want spellcasting or swordsage the overall character is going to be weaker as a result.

[Namfuak]

Sneak Attack Fighter 4 with Craven Feat.

I imagine this assumes you can ignore the silly fluff of the feat. Really, the feat better describes someone who is careful and hangs back until the opportune moment to strike rather than a traditionally "craven" character, which imo actually does kind of describe John McClain.

[ThermalSlapShot]

I'ma second factotum, even though it may not look like it fits directly. Basically, if I'm trying to free a group of hostages from a building while outnumbered and outgunned, I'm going to want to be a factotum. He has magic, yeah, but it's magic cobbled together from spare parts he had lying around. John McClane doesn't rely on brute force. He relies on cunning, and stealth, and can hit enemies where they'd never expect it. If any class in the game is going to have a repeating crossbow taped to their back, it's going to be the factotum. Moreover, the per encounter nature of the class perfectly matches his preference for quick engagements. He's not a dumb brute. He's a guy with a bunch of skills, and a bunch of smarts. He's totally a factotum.

+1

Also

Boost Con to the stratosphere. Endurance (sucky but whatever) + Steadfast Determination = Con to Will Save.

Pump Str.

Pump Int

Hmmm actually a good non magical class would be a Warblade.

Human Warblade

Feats:
Level 1: Endurace
Race: Able Learner
Flaw (Ashton Kutcher): Steadfast Determination
Flaw (trouble finds him): Toughness
Flaw (hair loss): Troll Blooded (explains the glass.... and the walking after the glass)

[Ezberron]

According to the first movie, he's been a cop for "7 years".

He's pretty much an expert (skilled as a police officer). probably about 7th level to reflect the years of experience. and an 18 con.

Stealth, sense motive, bluff, climb, disarm device...

[Zonugal]

How about something like this?

John McClane
“You know what you get for being a hero? Nothin'. You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah, blah, blah, attaboy. You get divorced. Your wife can't remember your last name. Your kids don't want to talk to you. You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me, kid, nobody wants to be that guy.”
John McClane: Human Male Rogue 3/Fighter 1; CR 4; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 3d6+6/1d10+2; hp 28; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10; Base Atk +3; Grp +4; Atk +4 melee (1d3+1/x2; unarmed strike) or +6 ranged (1d4/19-20x2; 30ft.; hand crossbow); SA Sneak Attack (+2d6); SQ Trapfinding, Evasion, Trapsense (+1), Hit & Run Tactics; AL LG; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10.
Skills, Skill Tricks and Feats: Bluff +6 (6 ranks +0 cha), Climb +7 (6 ranks +1 str), Disguise +4 (2 rank +0 cha +2 synergy), Forgery +3 (2 ranks +1 int), Gather Information +8 (6 ranks +0 cha +2 synergy), Hide +8 (6 ranks +2 dex), Jump +7 (6 ranks +1 str), Knowledge (Local) +7 (6 ranks +1 int), Listen +7 (6 ranks +1 wis), Move Silently +8 (6 ranks +2 dex), Read/Write/Speak (Common and Dwarven), Sleight of Hand +10 (6 ranks +2 dex +2 synergy), Use Rope +4 (2 ranks +2 dex) and Swim +3 (2 ranks +1 str); Hidden Blade; Crossbow Sniper, Hand Crossbow Focus, Improved Unarmed Strike, Investigate, Quick Draw and Urban Tracking.
Traits & Flaws: Hardy; Meager Fortitude and Vulnerable
Variants: Hit & Run Fighter (DotU)

[KnightOfV]

Best way to make him is good ol' d20 Modern.

He just needs to be a mix of "Tough" (CON) Hero for DR, diehard ability, and good Hitdice so he can take all those hits

And "Fast" (DEX) Hero for Evasion, High dodge bonus (he does dodge a lot of gunfire), and enough skill points to do all that jumping/climbing/bomb disarming stuff.

System already uses modern firearms, and has Law Enforcement Background as a trait, then call it a day!

[Seharvepernfan]

Best way to make him is good ol' d20 Modern.

He just needs to be a mix of "Tough" (CON) Hero for DR, diehard ability, and good Hitdice so he can take all those hits

And "Fast" (DEX) Hero for Evasion, High dodge bonus (he does dodge a lot of gunfire), and enough skill points to do all that jumping/climbing/bomb disarming stuff.

System already uses modern firearms, and has Law Enforcement Background as a trait, then call it a day!

I'd do a mix of tough hero and dedicated hero. I never saw him as particularly dexterous though, but I might not be remembering correctly.

[Waker]

I'm rather surprised that no one has suggested Ranger with some of the Urban replacements from Cityscape (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a). He would have good BAB, Fort, Refl, a decent amount of skills and obviously he would go with Rival Organization (Criminals).
You might want to dip a level or two of Rogue so he can grab Forgery to better spot fake IDs.

[KillianHawkeye]

It's John McClane and Bruce Willis... :smallsigh:



I have nothing else to add.

[Crake]

Wasn't the diehard feat pretty much made in the image of john mclain? Watch the movies, read that feat, it's pretty much that.