New to D&D, creating 3.5 char

[JW86]

Hi,

I would appreciate feedback on creating a character. The character is a githzerai planewalker - psionically trained assassin.

This is a level 15 creation following on from my previous simple orc barbarian.

1 Rogue/8Assassin/2(5due to Elocator)/4 Elocator.

Seems like it will be a fun build. Some arcane illusion magic with the assassin class, some various psionic abilities (largely allowing the telepathy school) for roleplaying fun, sneaking, persuasion etc., combined with some decent combat skills (due to the "flanker" bonus elocators get, alongside the rogue/assassin "sneak attack").

Current STR16, CON 16, DEX 18, INT 16, WIS 11, CHA 10.

I'm at work so don't have all the spells, powers etc., at hand that I've picked - but I appreciate I'm a bit of a newbie - so any comments/creative suggestions on what would make a good combination of the assassin and psion classes is welcome!

Thanks :)

jack

[Malak'ai]

Just wondering how you can qualify for Assassin after only 1 level in Rogue? Or have you taken other levels first and just grouping same class(es) together in your build summary?

[JusticeZero]

PRC usually need 6 levels to qualify for. the classes. How are you qualifying for either at level 2?

[Yora]

1 Rogue/8Assassin/2(5due to Elocator)/4 Elocator.
This doesn't make sense. It is three classes or four classes?

[Feilith]

If it's your first time I would suggest actually starting at lv. 1 so you can get a feel for the game and its mechanics. And I don't believe you'd qualify for assassin after only one lv. of rogue, so you may want to ask your DM for help. Also as a first time player I'd try to avoid psionics so you can get a feel for the game's basis and then add new things on top.

[supermonkeyjoe]

Good in theory, but a lot of it seems a bit off:


1 Rogue/8Assassin/2(5due to Elocator)/4 Elocator.

Not sure what you're saying here is it 1 level or rogue 8 of assassin 4 of elocator? (which cannot be done due to prerequisites) 8 of rogue, 2 of assassin and 4 for elocator?

There is also the fact that Githzerai has level adjustment which I cant remember off hand, +2? You need to take this off your level to determine the number of class levels you can have due to the race being more powerful than standard.

[JusticeZero]

psionics aren't any harder than other spells. easier in ways really. But the wonky build is an issue.

[Humble Master]

I really must echo what has been said above. You levels seem to be off and I really don't know what you mean by: "2(5due to elocator)". Also you will need to take into account the Level Adjustment of Githzeria.

Finally, I would highly recommend that you start at a lower level. It will let you learn the system while it is still relatively simple.

[JW86]

Lol - I am a newbie, and I have been schooled. Thank you.

Nonetheless encouraging to join a forum so active - thanks for answering me.

A little background - I've been playing 3.5 for the last 2-3 months with a very simple orc barbarian/fighter. It's been enough to get a basic feel for gameplay and really have a lot of fun.

Our DM is happy for us, once we hit Lvl15, to introduce a second Lvl 15 character into the RP. I'll admit what I settled on was a newbie's attempt at self-learning with half a dozen resource manuals and the d20 srd website. and I can see my attempt is fundamentally flawed!

Probably this is taking on too much at once, trying to create a Level 15 psionic multiclass character from scratch.

Malak'ai - yes to "Just wondering how you can qualify for Assassin after only 1 level in Rogue? Or have you taken other levels first and just grouping same class(es) together in your build summary?" - I was envisaging the finished product without fulfilling the necessary linear prerequisites.

And in regards to the confusing text "Psion 2(5)/Elocator 4" - this is to say 2 levels in psion, 4 in elocator. However 4 levels in Elocator allows one to take 3 additional effective levels in original class, hence the 5 in brackets for the purposes effective daily pp, powers known, etc.

HOWEVER - I think perhaps my original questioning is moot. I have jumped my guns and arrived at Level 15 character, without going over a linear path of progression from Level 1; therefore being an idiot and likely missing certain prerequisites to PrC.

Let me apologise now, get back to the drawing board, and come back with some more intelligent questions once I've reworked this.

[JusticeZero]

Sure thing, let us know if you have any questions. Any kind of magic user (wizard, sorcerer cleric, druid, psion, etc.) is going to take special getting used to that you won't have learned from melee. Be careful jumping into one at high level as the classes all play so differently in ways that aren't always immediately obvious.

[morkendi]

What are you looking to be able to do? Maybe we can help you. I did a character a while agothat was psy rogue 2/ psy war 4 or 5 I think/ psy assassin 10/ and rest illithid slayer. May be close to what you are trying for.


You can do a lot of what you are trying to do with this build. You need the feats practiced manifester to get your manifester lvl to 5. Should be able to go into psy assassin at 6. When I played this type of character, I found out the death attack ability was pretty useless as everything saved at higher levels. I ended up taking the expanded knowledge feat to get astral construct to use as a flanking buddy for sneak attack. I would put up a construct while I hid. I would buff up with prevenom weapon and streagth of my enemy. I would then boost a dim door to be a swift action to port into a flanking position for sneak attack damage. I did all the dice plus str and con damage. You can also take expanded knowledge to get minor creation. You can make some plant base poisons to apply with your assassin abilities.

[Gavinfoxx]

And in regards to the confusing text "Psion 2(5)/Elocator 4" - this is to say 2 levels in psion, 4 in elocator. However 4 levels in Elocator allows one to take 3 additional effective levels in original class, hence the 5 in brackets for the purposes effective daily pp, powers known, etc.

Yea that's not the nomenclature we use. If you want to care about caster level, you say caster level or CL or whatever. Your list of classes at particular levels is just that -- a list of your classes.

[JW86]

Excellent, thank you for the feedback and clarifying several things for me.

The basic concept I am trying to embrace is an extraplanar character who is adept at remaining undetected and sneak attacking. I would also like for them to be basically proficient at melee, and have a decent selection of spells/psionic powers, mainly for the purposes of charming, disguising, telepathic suggestion, teleportation, etc.

A character who is intuitive and perceptive, prefers to find tactical alternatives to bloodbath combat where possible, but when required can hit hard, fast, and get away quickly.

The purpose to Rogue and Assassin was really just to become adept at sneak attack and gain some proficiency at "hiding in plain sight", get some of the assassin arcane spells, etc.

The psion is for pure power points, and I was going to take Telepathy as the discipline. Basically, the idea of charming, planting suggestions, planting death-urges, stopping breath/heart, all seemed suitable and pretty cool for the character!

Lastly, Elocator was very attractive to me as it allowed use of "flanker" at 4th level, so I could effectively flank whatever opponent I was facing so that all attacks would effectively be sneak attacks, making the character much more dangerous at melee. The cheaper uses of dim. door/plane shift/teleport etc. also appealed. All the other PCs in my group are very much earth-dwellers, so it would add some uniqueness to the group. Additionally, the requisites of dodge, mobility and spring attack for the Elocator PrC rounded out the 'melee proficiency' side of my character from just hiding and casting powers.

I never saw "Psy assassin" or "Psy rogue" in the resources I was using for 3.5 - Complete Psionics or Expanded Psionics Handbook. Are they in a book? Because a Psionic-based Assassin character would suit much better than having some arcane ability and some psionic ability.

I obviously need to the re-work the character. Perhaps simply Rogue/Psychic Warrior would be less painful to work out, lol. Suggestions appreciated.

So main character points - Being perceptive/adept at hiding, delivering sneak attacks proficiently, tactical use of illusions and telepathy, and using the flanking bonus from the Elocator class to make most attacks count as sneak attacks. The idea of my character summoning astral constructs does not really fit my roleplay idea.

Thanks!

[Corinath]

I defer to you: Spoons McGee (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9940342&postcount=171).

The toon won an Iron Chef competition. Seems like a cool assassin type build.

[Gavinfoxx]

I'd suggest Psychic Rogue. STRONGLY suggest psychic rogue, maybe with a bit of swordsage mixed in.

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11034.0

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=234327

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723a

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723b

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723c



And instead of sneak attack, you should consider 'precision damage' as a theme. It's more generic, and it doesn't pidgeonhole you into one specific TYPE of precision damage. Though the link I sent you does have lots of sneak attacks

And Swordsage gives you flankers quite easily...

[Glimbur]

The basic concept I am trying to embrace is an extraplanar character who is adept at remaining undetected and sneak attacking. I would also like for them to be basically proficient at melee, and have a decent selection of spells/psionic powers, mainly for the purposes of charming, disguising, telepathic suggestion, teleportation, etc.

When I see this concept, I think Beguiler, from PHB 2. It's a fixed-list caster, so it's a gentler introduction to spellcasting than wizard or even psion, because you can't pick the wrong powers. The only problem is that you don't get sneak attack. There are ways around that; something about Unseen Seer (a PrC) and possibly Spellthief (base class, complete adventurer) to qualify for it.

Of course, this isn't psionic at all so it's not exactly what you have in mind. Psionic rogue or Lurk should do what you are looking for single-classed; I am not certain which one is better.

[JW86]

Again, thank you. I will research these tomorrow.

[Maginomicon]

Secrets of Sarlona page 113 has a "Psionic Assassin" assassin variant that uses powers instead of spells.

[morkendi]

I tried doing this on paper a few times, but the +4 La is killing it. If you are saying a character lvl is 12, that only gives 8 class lvls. Psy assassin only gives an increase every other lvl to the manifesting class. It is easy to get the manifester lvl to 5 to qualify, but you only end up with a group of 1st lvl powers. The best I can see is staying psy rogue which will at least grant you an 8 manifester lvl with access to some 2nd level powers. You only end up with 3 feats this way unless your DM allows flaws. One of those feats I would dedicate to expand knowledge to get astral construct as they can get pretty good once you can invest the powerpionts. They get access to different feats as they are increased. As a rogue, you would have a dedicated flanker plus something to do while you are hidden and moving into position. On another note, the githzerai get +8 dex, +4 wis, and a -2 int I think. It doesn't seem to be reflected in your stats. If you are stuck on playing a gith, that is fine. I would choose a different race with no more than a +1la because I feel you would be to far behind the party any other way.

[Gavinfoxx]

I wouldn't take any level adjustment if you are new.

I, in the strongest possible terms, wish to discourage you from taking an LA. Don't even think of it as an option.

Instead, use this list:

http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1281.0

To come up with a character that fits what you want, making sure to stay in 0LA/0RHD options.