Character Build Idea 3.5 - Thoughts in the Playground

[Gemini Lupus]

Hey all, so I'm going to be playing in a new game this week, with a partially new group, with a brand new DM, and was wondering what the playground thinks of my build idea.

Disclaimer: I am not building a fully optimized character, though there will be some optimization going on. Also, we are starting at level 1. Haven't rolled stats yet.

So my idea for this character is Paladin 2/Monk 2/Sorcerer 6/Prestige Class 10.

I'm building him to be a fresh, young adventurer who wants to become a great hero like his father. He was raised in a monastery, where he learned to fight with sword and shield as well as unarmed. He showed natural agility and almost supernatural resistances. Unbeknownst to him though, arcane power lurks deep inside and will come out when he reaches level 5.

The two paladin levels are for hit die, martial weapon proficiency, and divine grace. The two monk levels are for saves and to get evasion.

What prestige class should I choose for this character? I was thinking Eldritch Knight, but that's kind of boring.

[Red Fel]

Hey all, so I'm going to be playing in a new game this week, with a partially new group, with a brand new DM, and was wondering what the playground thinks of my build idea.

Disclaimer: I am not building a fully optimized character, though there will be some optimization going on. Also, we are starting at level 1. Haven't rolled stats yet.

So my idea for this character is Paladin 2/Monk 2/Sorcerer 6/Prestige Class 10.

I'm building him to be a fresh, young adventurer who wants to become a great hero like his father. He was raised in a monastery, where he learned to fight with sword and shield as well as unarmed. He showed natural agility and almost supernatural resistances. Unbeknownst to him though, arcane power lurks deep inside and will come out when he reaches level 5.

The two paladin levels are for hit die, martial weapon proficiency, and divine grace. The two monk levels are for saves and to get evasion.

What prestige class should I choose for this character? I was thinking Eldritch Knight, but that's kind of boring.

What... are you trying to do, exactly? Make a spellcaster with martial weapons, good saves, and evasion?

[Doc_Maynot]

I would say take out the Sorcerer levels and have 10 Chameleon levels as your Prestige Class seeing as by your character's backstory he has a diverse range of talents.

[Snowbluff]

There is an Enlightened Fist (Sorc/Monk PrC), but I say do not take it unless you can find a way to slim down your Monk Levels!

Take Ascetic Mage.

[Tysis]

If you aren't dead set on arcane spellcasting I think something like Monk2/Favored Soul 8/Sacred Fist 10 would work quite well. You lose divine grace sure but you have 10 levels of perfect saves and a reason to boost wisdom to help with ac. You dont have martial weapon proficiency but you gain proficiency with your deity's favored weapon which depending on your deity could be a better trade.

[nedz]

Most Monk abilities, including Evasion, don't sit well with Armour.

You can get a form of Evasion which does work with Armour via Divine Oracle (level 3)[CDiv].
So something like
Paladin 2 / Sorcerer 3 / Divine Oracle 3+
with Divine Oracle advancing Sorcerer.

[Snowbluff]

Arcane casters can cast Mage Armor (Or the Luminous variety if wizard).

[Gemini Lupus]

I'm looking at a gish-ish character that will eventually be a Gandalfesque character, but I'm currently building for survival early on. I forgot to list allowed books: Core and Complete Series only. IIRC, evasion works with light armor, which allows for me to eventually get mithril chainmail.

Like I said, optimization isn't a big deal, but thanks for the suggestions!

[Snowbluff]

Enlightened Fist is Complete Arcane.
Ascetic Mage is Complete Adventurer. It gives cha to AC, and stacks the bonus from your Monk levels with sorc levels. Chainshirt would just eat money if you know Mage Armor. The feat also gives a small Arcane Strike. :smalltongue:

Ascetic Night would add some unarmed damage. Normally I would say not to take it, but size bonuses are more rare in that book list.

I think you should take both of the Ascetics, since Monk and Paladin have multiclassingphobia.

[Red Fel]

I'm looking at a gish-ish character that will eventually be a Gandalfesque character, but I'm currently building for survival early on. I forgot to list allowed books: Core and Complete Series only. IIRC, evasion works with light armor, which allows for me to eventually get mithril chainmail.

Like I said, optimization isn't a big deal, but thanks for the suggestions!

For a gish-ish character, with a simple yet effective design, you might do well with Duskblade from PHB II. Works nicely right out of the box, proficient with all weapons and armors, and gains abilities to reduce arcane spell failure. Oh, and channeling spells becomes a bit obscene.

I would also recommend checking the X stat to Y bonus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125732) thread. It sounds like you want to gain specific bonuses, and this is a great thread to find easy ways to get precisely the ones you want, without having to take multi-level class dips (unless that's what you want to do).

For example, if you want to increase your saves, three Diamond Mind maneuvers (Action Before Thought, Moment of Perfect Mind, Mind over Body) allow you to substitute a Concentration check for a save. And mind you, you can't critically fail on a 1, so with a high enough Concentration (which most casters should have anyway) that's almost guaranteed success on a save.

[Xerlith]

First of all, look at those Mystic Fire Knight 5th and 6th substitution levels (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20051104a)

Second - Bear in mind that Paladin/Monk is best in low-op games where you can pick VoP, Ascetic Knight, Serenity and stop caring about anything. Paladin/Monk/Sorcerer is practically unheard of, because there are better options of obtaining evasion and loss of caster levels is often severe in such multiclass option. I'd say ring of evasion gives you all the Monk abilities you need. :smalltongue:

Then...
Take your pick:

1)
Paladin2/Sorcerer4/Spellsword1/Abjurant Champion5/Sacred Exorcist8

16 BAB, 18th caster level, classic Sorcadin. Gets 9th level spells.

2) (Book of Exalted Deeds needed :smallfrown:)
Paladin5/Knight Of the Weave2/Abjurant Champion5/Eldritch Knight4/Fist of Raziel4

6th level arcane spells (from KotW' own list of nice spells), smite goodies, Caster Level 19th, more smite goodies, 2nd level Paladin spells, casts in light armor, but AbjChamp lets you use Luminous Armor for over +10 to AC. And you're still a paladin. Of sorts.

3)
Paladin (Mystic Fire substitution levels 5th and 6th)6/Suel Arcanamach3/Abjurant Champion5/Spellsword1/Suel+1/Ordained Champion3/Spellsword+1

5th level arcane spells, spell channeling, AbjChamp goodies, 20% ASF ignored.

4)
Paladin2/Sorc4/Spellsword1/AbjChamp1/Swiftblade9/AbjChamp+3

15th caster level with 7th level spells, 18 BAB, swiftblade goodness.

5)
Paladin2/Monk2/Sorc4/AbjChamp5/EK7.

Gets 17 BAB, 7th level spells with 17th Caster Level... Ascetic Mage lets you add your Charisma to AC when unarmored.

6)
Monk2/Paladin2/Sorc3/Enlightened Fist8/AbjChamp5

Ascetic Mage, 15 BAB, 7th level spells, unarmed damage as 10th level monk.

7)
Monk2/Sorc4/Enlightened Fist8/Sacred Exorcist4/AbjChamp+2

14 BAB, 16th caster level with 8th level spells, enlightened fist goodies, sacred exorcist gives you turn undead. Dropped paladin levels entirely.

8)
Cleric4/Ordained Champion3/Prestige Paladin2/Suel Arcanamach4/Abjurant Champion5/Monk2

You get 4th level Cleric spells, 5th level arcane spells, 17BAB, 17th arcane caster level...

The alternate version would be monk2/cleric2/OrdChamp3/PrPal2/Suel4/AbChamp5/Spellsword1/PrPal+1

I would like to point out that it's late here, I'm half asleep and didn't try to optimize. If any of the builds catches your eye, I can flesh it out a bit.

[Fax Celestis]

There's the underloved Sun Soul Monk (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20050601a&page=4). It's not incredible, but it's pretty cool, and you could fluff your mystic heritage as what causes you to spontaneously have flames that light themselves on fire or the ability to shoot lasers.

[Snowbluff]

Huh, someone actually mentioned Swiftblade. I thought I was going to have to drop a bag of delicious, powdered haste on someone.

[Xerlith]

Huh, someone actually mentioned Swiftblade. I thought I was going to have to drop a bag of delicious, powdered haste on someone.

Swiftblade'd. :smallbiggrin:

No, seriously, I love this class.

[Snowbluff]

Swiftblade'd. :smallbiggrin:

No, seriously, I love this class for a mobile spellsword type.

It's really wonderful. It's too bad it doesn't see too many folks helping it out.

My current build is Wiz6/SuperBouncy9/Spelldancer1/AbjChamp4. People were all like "But you have no persistomancy," so I was like "These feats line up and these skills are Swiftblade Skills!" :3

[Waker]

It's really wonderful. It's too bad it doesn't see too many folks helping it out.

My current build is Wiz6/SuperBouncy9/Spelldancer1/AbjChamp4. People were all like "But you have no persistomancy," so I was like "These feats line up and these skills are Swiftblade Skills!" :3

I love the Swiftblade PrC. Even with the caster level loss, I still say it's my favorite gish PrC.