3.5 build/campaign help!

[knexkid42]

First off, this is my first post on this forum, though I have been using it to answer questions I've had over the past couple years. What I need help with now, is the campaign I'm in is having some issues that I can't really find a good answer for on my own. Our DM pitched an interesting campaign for us: restricted on available books during character creation, but we can "unlock" access to others through different encounters throughout the campaign.

So, we were restricted to the Player's Handbooks, Monster Manuals, DM Guides, all of the Complete books (Arcane, Warrior, etc.), and Arms and Armor 3.5 during our character creation. We got to start at 3rd level, but were also restricted on gold to only our 1st level starting gold plus about 20 extra gp. I managed to build a decent Druid with a Warbeast battle-trained wolf companion that outclassed my Druid in combat. My plan is to focus around Wild Shape once I get it and dive into Warshaper soon after. So far, my wolf has lived up to expectations and my druid has yet to be taken down.

The problem I am facing is that our DM neglected to inform us until after our third session (which finally brought us to enough experience to level up to 4th) that any non-story based encounters we have will be random to the point that they will not be level-matched. Half of our party was almost obliterated and would have been, had we not been lucky enough to have three spellcasters who had healing spells prepped. Also, we have yet to "unlock" access to any new books after our several encounters.

We've had three people who wanted to join in, who have bailed after a single encounter due to this. I want to get some feedback on what you all think of this situation. Also, I'm looking at building a backup character, just in case. I was thinking of diving into a blasty spellcaster, if anyone has suggestions for that based on the book list we're stuck with. Thank you.

[Zancloufer]

Okay, so my two cents here:

1) Challenge Ratings exist for a reason. Try to talk to your DM about being more reasonable with what he throws at you. TPKs suck. Alternately see if you can at least try to spot the encounters first and not just "Ancient Red Dragon Drops from the Sky" sort of encounters. Also remember to remind him about the insane Wealth and EXP you'd get for beating a higher level encounter. Some CRs 2-3x your level will literally drop your WBL and EXP needed to level at once in some cases.

2) Back-up caster. Even with just SRD/Completes Control mage>Blaster mage. IE: Evard's Black Tentacles will destroy many CR 7 encounter, while Ice storm would merely annoying them. Battlefield Control/Buffs are better than blasting for casters.

Also the whole "You have to find exotic spells/classes/tricks" instead of just automatically knowing them actually doesn't sound half bad. Makes some sense to.

[VariSami]

Oh my, this sounds almost too familiar. My friend implements very similar restrictions, and he also plays by the very random random encounter rules that caused a 11th level party encounter a hostile Great Wyrm Red Dragon as a random encounter (some quick Diplomancy saved them, though, and the DM had to call me [I had left the session early] to ask for advice regarding exp). He also had a set level at which characters would reset after dying, somewhere around 3-5 levels below party average. We did not receive extra material and were restricted to Tier 3 and below, though.

At the very least I suggest that you stick to Tier 1's like you seem to be doing. Unless the DM is willing to reconsider his gaming style, that is your best bet to live. If you go the Wizard-route, try to prepare at least something to help you escape from the more brutal encounters and advice the rest of the players to do the same. This trivializes the threat they pose, and might also make the DM reconsider whether or not such games are fun for anyone. Randomness ensures that there is a good chance for the next random encounter turning out less bad for you, so the system can be abused (and while I would normally advice against such playing, the real problem lies with the random encounter system).

[Yawgmoth]

Your DM seems to be confused; he doesn't seem to want to be a DM so much as he wants to be a CPU. Tell him to start actually designing encounters rather than rolling on tables written years ago by someone about 37 degrees separated from your table.

[Fable Wright]

Your DM seems to be confused; he doesn't seem to want to be a DM so much as he wants to be a CPU. Tell him to start actually designing encounters rather than rolling on tables written years ago by someone about 37 degrees separated from your table.

No, he seems to know what he wants to do: Build an environment where getting into fights is unpredictable and dangerous business, and where there are things your characters have never seen before that, with time, they can use themselves that aren't homebrew. The problem is that he's going about it wrong. Random encounters, which I don't personally use but can respect people using as a creative crutch, are a good way to tell the party that the world is unpredictable and dangerous. The problem, as you noted, is the fact that the tables are written without care for the level of the people in the environments. My recommendation would be to kindly ask him to slightly modify the random encounters table so the encounters are no more than 1d3 ELs above the players. If he refuses, then adapt. My recommendation would be to roll a beguiler. Scout ahead with access to Silence and Invisibility, and if you see an encounter you can't handle, direct the party away from it. Use illusions as need be to keep the too-extreme ELs from bothering the party.

Alternatively, if you'd like to stick with your current druid, prepare Omen of Peril, and ask the DM to roll random encounters when you cast it so he can give you accurate results. Avoid Great Peril and you're set. Later on, you can make some Boguns via Beget Bogun to use as flying scouts for even better predictions.

[JusticeZero]

Also, "Encounter" doesn't always mean "Battle". Sometimes "Encounter" means "We saw X. We snuck away before it saw us." or "An X landed in front of us. It asked if we had seen a Y. We cowered diplomatically and told it about the Y we saw yesterday. It was pleased at our show of respect and left on its business."

[knexkid42]

Thank you for the input, everyone. Its good to find that I'm not the only one who has had to deal with this type of issue in a campaign. I realize that when it comes to sorcerer/wizard builds that BC is usually better than Blasting, but I've had massive success in blasting in previous campaigns that this DM has made. And thus far, he has not given any indication that he has adapted to that at all, so I was hoping to give it another shot. I guess I'll see how the Druid holds up, and if he survives then I'll just keep my focus on the Warshaper run. I may post another thread for advice towards that build, so if you have any suggestions on that kind of build based on the books I'm stuck with, I'd greatly appreciate it.