New to D&D 3.5-Character HELP!

[Zaida86]

Ok, I have played D&D a few times in the past, but my current group is all very experienced and have super cool characters with awesome prestige classes and weapons and special abilities, and they really haven't been helping me out or giving me advice to get my character up to par with theirs. I am an Elf Warrior/Rogue/Shadowdancer and want to be able to kill things better! I am ranged and have an awesome swordbow but I still only roll 1d8 for damage... while out resident paladin werebear gets like 5 dice. Any help, advice, tips, or even new character ideas (I just died last night so I could start anew) would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!! Thank you in advance. OH and I would like to remain ranged... my AC sucks and I like not being the main target in combat :)

[Jgosse]

Ok, I have played D&D a few times in the past, but my current group is all very experienced and have super cool characters with awesome prestige classes and weapons and special abilities, and they really haven't been helping me out or giving me advice to get my character up to par with theirs. I am an Elf Warrior/Rogue/Shadowdancer and want to be able to kill things better! I am ranged and have an awesome swordbow but I still only roll 1d8 for damage... while out resident paladin werebear gets like 5 dice. Any help, advice, tips, or even new character ideas (I just died last night so I could start anew) would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!! Thank you in advance. OH and I would like to remain ranged... my AC sucks and I like not being the main target in combat :)

Ranger/scout with the swift hunter feat. and aim for taking shot on the run. if you are allowed look at Githzerai as a race.

[Jgosse]

Ranger/scout with the swift hunter feat. and aim for taking shot on the run. if you are allowed look at Githzerai as a race.

Also ask your Dm if you can take the bounding assault and rapid blitz feats. if you can look at ways to increase speed.

What level will you be starting at?

[Callin]

what is and is not allowed would be very helpful so we dont make suggestions that are flat out not going to be allowed at the table.

[Juntao112]

Ok, I have played D&D a few times in the past, but my current group is all very experienced and have super cool characters with awesome prestige classes and weapons and special abilities, and they really haven't been helping me out or giving me advice to get my character up to par with theirs. I am an Elf Warrior/Rogue/Shadowdancer and want to be able to kill things better! I am ranged and have an awesome swordbow but I still only roll 1d8 for damage... while out resident paladin werebear gets like 5 dice. Any help, advice, tips, or even new character ideas (I just died last night so I could start anew) would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!! Thank you in advance. OH and I would like to remain ranged... my AC sucks and I like not being the main target in combat :)

Hellfire Warlock. Warmage. Neither are optimal, but they get the job done, and you'll find that magic is more useful than a bow 9 times out of 10.

[Zaida86]

Hellfire Warlock. Warmage. Neither are optimal, but they get the job done, and you'll find that magic is more useful than a bow 9 times out of 10.

The down side to magic is our land is one where Arcane is outlawed, so we have to be careful what magic we are doing, And I am not very good with spells! Thanks for your thoughts, I will look into them tho :)

[Zaida86]

what is and is not allowed would be very helpful so we dont make suggestions that are flat out not going to be allowed at the table.

Thats part of my problem too, when we first started they said everything had to come out of the original 3 books, and now they are pulling stuff from I dont even know where. But what I know is- outta the 3 books for sure, we cant do arcane magic and we kill evil stuff... mostly dragons and giants and any outlaws doing arcane magic.

[Zaida86]

what is and is not allowed would be very helpful so we dont make suggestions that are flat out not going to be allowed at the table.


Also ask your Dm if you can take the bounding assault and rapid blitz feats. if you can look at ways to increase speed.

What level will you be starting at?

I am at a Level 11 currently

[Jgosse]

Thats part of my problem too, when we first started they said everything had to come out of the original 3 books, and now they are pulling stuff from I dont even know where. But what I know is- outta the 3 books for sure, we cant do arcane magic and we kill evil stuff... mostly dragons and giants and any outlaws doing arcane magic.

shoot your DM a message ask if you can use the complete adventurer and players hand book 2, if so the scout ranger option will viable.

if not ranger/fighter is your best bet.

[Zaida86]

Ok he said scout would be ok! awesome! Thanks for all the help and suggestions, and if you have more feel free to keep um coming:smallbiggrin:

[Jgosse]

Ok he said scout would be ok! awesome! Thanks for all the help and suggestions, and if you have more feel free to keep um coming:smallbiggrin:


ok if I were you I would take human or githzerai

if human take go scout 4/ ranger 7
if Gith take scout 3/ranger 6. gith get +6dex -2 int +2 wis. plus a mental Armour that gives you a 4 ab with no max dex while unarmored.

don't bother with the animal companion take distracting shot instead.
get the swift hunter feat so your ranger and scout levels stack.
take FE dragon,giant, and evil outsider.

[Xerlith]

I think that this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284283) may be useful to you.

Personally I'm a fan of Warblade-based archers and this build:

Duskblade5/Abjurant Champion5/Arcane Archer10 (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=525.msg69667#msg69667)

[Juntao112]

The down side to magic is our land is one where Arcane is outlawed, so we have to be careful what magic we are doing, And I am not very good with spells! Thanks for your thoughts, I will look into them tho :)

Invisible Spell (http://dndtools.eu/feats/cityscape--53/invisible-spell--1684/)

[Vhaidara]

I second Jgosse's idea.

Also, do you know what Paladin level that paladin is? Because a1st level paladin werebear is an ECL 10 (or 9) character. Lycanthrope adds hit dice and LA. In this case, he gets 6HD from the bear and +3LA if he is a natural lycanthrope, or +2LA is he is afflicted.

[Zaida86]

The DM made a special class to "level" with his bear form, so he was a level 8 when he was afflicted. so for the next 6 levels he is taking werebear levels. Supposedly that makes it easier to keep track of the level adjustments. so right now he has 3 levels of bear, and has no DR/Silver yet. He said he has 3 levels of Paladin to answer your first question.

[Vhaidara]

Alright. I know someone who's DM didn't realize about the animal HD. wanted to make sure he hadn't gotten spiked up to being like ECL 18.

Yeah, I'd go with Jgosse's suggestion of Scout/Ranger. The other primary archer option is the guy who can shoot you from like 2000 feet away at no penalty, which is awesome, but often impractical for real gameplay.