Cloak Fighter

[Xavrias]

I'm gonna be starting in on a new campaign with some of my friends, and for once, I will not be the DM. So I'm trying to think up a character concept that I'll be willing to play throughout a campaign. I'm thinking of playing some sort of warrior/fighter that has the ability to use a cloak in combat. I want to be able to use it to, conceal, trip, disarm, etc if possible. I have basically all of my character backstory and stuff down, I'm just unsure on the mechanics. Also if possible I'd like him to use poisons.
So anyone willing to help me build a cloak wielding fighter please pitch in.
As a side note, I'd like to have enough power that I'm not useless, but it doesn't have to be superbly optimized.
Thanks in advance.

[Mutazoia]

I'm gonna be starting in on a new campaign with some of my friends, and for once, I will not be the DM. So I'm trying to think up a character concept that I'll be willing to play throughout a campaign. I'm thinking of playing some sort of warrior/fighter that has the ability to use a cloak in combat. I want to be able to use it to, conceal, trip, disarm, etc if possible. I have basically all of my character backstory and stuff down, I'm just unsure on the mechanics. Also if possible I'd like him to use poisons.
So anyone willing to help me build a cloak wielding fighter please pitch in.
As a side note, I'd like to have enough power that I'm not useless, but it doesn't have to be superbly optimized.
Thanks in advance.

So something like The Cape (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PajqY0VgYiU)?

[erikun]

Races of Stone has the (exotic) Gnome Battle Cloak. It's a cloak that mechanically works as a shield, cannot make shield bashes and gives a bonus to disarm attempts.

[ericgrau]

There's the gnome battle cloak which can shield and disarm, but not the rest. EDIT: It's also good at hiding ninjas.
Cloak dance (EPH) lets you use a move action to get concealment (20%) until your next turn. Or use a full round action for total concealment (50%).
Combat Cloak Expert (PHB2) lets you turn any cloak into a multi-tool for shield bonuses, causing flat-footedness, or denying attacks of opprotunity.
A cloak of arachnida (DMG, 14,000 gp) is very useful for a non-caster, since it gives you spider climb at will and web 1/day. One of the best battlefield control spells without a dip or UMD. And you can even move through webs, including your spell, so it never causes you trouble.
Cloaked Dancer (Complete Scoundrel) is a rogue/arcane caster hybrid that lets you use a cloak to distract foes

[ArcturusV]

I think he means "Cloak" like Star Trek fans say things like "The Romulan bird of prey has just cloaked" (disappeared).

In which case there's not too much to it. As a fighter you're dependent on Magical Gear to do it for you. Invisibility comes in a lot of forms as magic items. I think probably the greater worry is that you're trying to do too much, and Fighters do better when you have laser focus.

Some sort of Gish class is almost a requirement for this. Things like Slayer of Dominel, Assassin PrC, etc. Or just taking up honest levels of Sorcerer/Wizard and snagging up the magic you want.

[Crasical]

A rogue or a ninja with Cloak Dance, Combat Reflexes, and Karmic Strike? Cloak dance for 50% concealment, and when they swing at you you get to pop them in return and sneak-attack damage, since you're considered hidden?


I think he means "Cloak" like Star Trek fans say things like "The Romulan bird of prey has just cloaked" (disappeared).

Don't think so. He mentions 'wielding' his cloak and making trips with it.

[Xavrias]

Alright, thanks for the quick replies.
Yes these are the types of things I want, these look good, I'm gonna start doing some research into these. Cloak dance seems interesting.

[Gadora]

Well, as far as wielding the cloak, would a weighted cloak (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070314a) be useful? It's probably not something you can apply poison to, but it gets the same bonuses to disarming and tripping that a flail does.

[Crasical]

A weighted gnome battle cloak, maybe? d6 damage, +6 on rolls to disarm, can trip, and functions as a shield. Not a bad item. It's even one-handed so you can TWF with it and a light weapon, or wield it '2 handed' and power attack with it.

EDIT: I believe that you can pick up the exotic shield feat for free by trading it out for Tower Shield Proficiency if you have a level of fighter.

[CaladanMoonblad]

The title made think I had wandered into a Star Wars RPG post (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/CloakShape_fighter)...

Anyway, make sure to magic up your cloak or maybe make nice with the cleric to cast Make Whole on your fabric after each fight with a slashing weapon. : / Or maybe fill a bag of holding with cloaks. That way after each fight you can hand the old cloaks to beggars, and find favor with your benevolent patron deity.

[animewatcha]

Where would that trade out be?

[Crasical]

Where would that trade out be?

Races of Stone, I believe, right in the section around/before the shields are described.

[Xavrias]

So, I'm thinking I might want to eventually become a Duelist, or something like it. Unfortunately it seems my cloak counts as a shield, using the gnome battle cloak, and that stops me from being a duelist. Are there any other prestige classes like the duelist that I would be able to use. That would have that kind of flavor?

[Humble Master]

Dervish might work. You would be spinning around, dancing, and whacking people with a cloak.

[Gadora]

Dervish might work. You would be spinning around, dancing, and whacking people with a cloak.

Dervish only works with slashing weapons. The weighted cloak is a bludgeoning weapon.

[Gwendol]

Perhaps the swashbuckler will suit you better then? They don't get shield proficiency either, but at least they function while using one unlike the duelist.

[Diovid]

Swashbuckler (Complete Warrior) with the Shield of Blades acf (Player's Handbook II) and the Swift and Deadly acf (Drow of the Underdark) might be an idea. Swashbucklers even recieved a small update here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20070227x).

Other than Swashbuckler, Factotum (Dungeonscape) and Warblade (Tome of Battle) are pretty good for tricksy fighters who disarm and trip. Two or three of these base classes can even be combined since they all use intelligence a lot and because of the way multiclassing works with Warblades.

Last but not least you might want to take a look at the Daring Outlaw feat (Complete Scoundrel).

[Crasical]

Swashbuckler (Complete Warrior) with the Shield of Blades acf (Player's Handbook II) and the Swift and Deadly acf (Drow of the Underdark) might be an idea. Swashbucklers even recieved a small update here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20070227x).

Other than Swashbuckler, Factotum (Dungeonscape) and Warblade (Tome of Battle) are pretty good for tricksy fighters who disarm and trip. Two or three of these base classes can even be combined since they all use intelligence a lot and because of the way multiclassing works with Warblades.

Last but not least you might want to take a look at the Daring Outlaw feat (Complete Scoundrel).

PPPPPpppfttt hahahah. "Seduce to Learn Secret"? Wow. I -never- thought I would see that printed in an official WoTC capacity.

[Diovid]

PPPPPpppfttt hahahah. "Seduce to Learn Secret"? Wow. I -never- thought I would see that printed in an official WoTC capacity.
:smalltongue:

It's nothing special, I just thought I'd mention it for the sake of completeness. The dead levels articles aren't that well known.

[Talionis]

Swordsage has Setting Sun discipline that has a number of maneuvers that work well with the concealment.

[mabriss lethe]

The Master of Poisons feat in Drow of the underdark would help with poison use.

Hidden Talent (Minor creation) would help with poison (ab)use as well.

Parrying Shield from Lords of Madness might also help this build (gain shield bonus to touch AC)