[3.5] New character ideas

[Mountain]

Our current campaign is coming to a close, and I want to have a good idea for my next character before the DM says "Okay, everyone make a character. You have 20 minutes."

I'm by far the best optimizer in the group, so I want to play something around tier 3 to avoid breaking the game. (please no replies about how I should play a tier 1 party-buffer, because tier 1 is the best and party-buffing won't unbalance the characters)

The goal here is to make a character who is fairly good at almost everything, but not outstanding at anything. (no lightning mace aptitude kukris)

Right now, I really like the idea of playing a melee factotum, possibly with a ToB dip for even more versatility. If anyone has a really cool idea along these lines though, I'm open to suggestions. Suggestions on anything (feats/skills/spells/class dips/races) would be appreciated.

[Greenish]

Bard. Always bard.

[Dusk Eclipse]

DFI Bard. Always DFI bard.

fixed that for you :smallcool:

[RFLS]

Only 1 level in any class or prestige class. It's pretty effective up to about level 10 if you do it right.

[Mountain]

1. I'd prefer to avoid playing a caster. I always play casters. A few spells from factotum or chameleon or a one-level cleric dip or whatever are fine.

2. Effective up to level 10 doesn't work out well if the campaign (like most of ours) goes almost to 20th.

Keep the suggestions coming; even weird stuff like truename utterances, shadow mysteries, or soulmelds. I love taking something generally considered to be garbage and making a playable character who uses it.

[RFLS]

1. I'd prefer to avoid playing a caster. I always play casters. A few spells from factotum or chameleon or a one-level cleric dip or whatever are fine.

2. Effective up to level 10 doesn't work out well if the campaign (like most of ours) goes almost to 20th.

Keep the suggestions coming; even weird stuff like truename utterances, shadow mysteries, or soulmelds. I love taking something generally considered to be garbage and making a playable character who uses it.

Hm....Ranger 1/Barbarian 1/Fighter 1/Paladin 1/Duskblade 1/Battledancer 1/Crusader 1/Warblade 1/Hexblade 1/Swashbuckler 1/Knight 1/Samurai 1 followed by 8 levels of various BAB classes might be playable. With the right feats, you could equal or exceed a straight-up Barbarian, and still retain full BAB. If fractional BAB and saves are on the table, it gets much better - you can afford things like Cloistered Cleric, Swordsage, or Psychic Warrior (actually, any 1 of those is still worth it).

Of course, how you'd fluff it is beyond me =P But it could be very fun.

[Mountain]

Hm....Ranger 1/Barbarian 1/Fighter 1/Paladin 1/Duskblade 1/Battledancer 1/Crusader 1/Warblade 1/Hexblade 1/Swashbuckler 1/Knight 1/Samurai 1

I actually laughed out loud when I read that. It may be the most ridiculous, while still playable, build I've ever seen. I'd say fighter-2, just because the second level is exactly the same as the first. :smallbiggrin:

Still though, if I want to actually fit my build on the character sheet, something like an Iaijutsu Focus Factotum/Warblade or a TWF Daring Outlaw? Our DM throws out tons of opportunities for skills to be useful, and my last 4 characters had 2+int skill points, so having 6-8+ would be nice, and both of those builds have some int synergy already.

If I wanted more of a martial focus, Bard-1/Warblade-X with Song of the White Raven could be fun. That one depends a little more on what else is in the party though. DFI is not allowed, but with Words of Creation, I could throw down a massive Inspire Courage.

[Bloodgruve]

I just finished up with playing a Factotum and it was just simply awesome. I ran a Dark Creature Whisper Gnome Iaijutsu Focus build. With a bit of negotiation about getting a target flat footed I net'd a high damage and fun to play character, all be it a bit broken.

But Factotum w/o IF would be very fun to play also. Dip a level of Swordsage for some fun maneuvers and get a bunch of Font of Inspiration for 8th level. Talk your DM into giving you Craven. Take a rank in every skill and use um effectively once a day. Just gotta bolster your combat prowess somehow and you'll have a great time.

Binder is also a very fun class. If you DM allows some Homebrew the Binder3/Totemist2/Midnight Occultist (http://forum.faxcelestis.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=22)X is a blender full of natural attack fun.

GL
Blood~

[HaikenEdge]

I haven't figured this build out myself yet (because I'm still working on it), but maybe a Warblade/Bloodstorm Blade/Crinti Shadow Marauder ranged multi-pouncer? As it stands, it won't be able as effective at ranged as it will in melee, due to needing a swift action to activate Thunderous Throw, and won't be as versatile as a factotum, but c'mon, you're multipouncing at range. That's got to be a "new character idea", right?

[dantiesilva]

Duskblade 5/ abjurant champion 5/ champion of the main elf god who I can not remembers name 10.

It is not exactly full casting, though tier 3 I doubt. It does sound fun though.

[AstralFire]

How about a melee-focused bard, a ritualistic assassin who speaks only in rhyme to their targets, marking their death?

[nedz]

So you want to be fairly good at almost everything but you don't want to play a caster ? Tricky.

Non-casting Druid — just give yourself a Wisdom of 9. Should be about Tier 3.

[Mountain]

Great suggestions. Unfortunately, the DM absolutely hates homebrew classes and feats. I absolutely never would have thought of a wisdom-less druid. Without their spellcasting, they might be a fairly balanced melee class.

As far as "doing everything," I'll have to be able to cast a few spells. I just don't want to play another full caster. For one thing, I've done it several times in a row, and for another, I habitually optimize my characters without meaning to. Optimization can turn game-breaking very quickly with casters, and completely by accident sometimes.

Another option would be crafting custom magic items to do the few things that can only be done by magic. Or I could UMD a few wands. As I think about it, I don't actually need to be able to cast spells. I just don't want to be useless when the enemy can cast spells.

[Raezeman]

fighter 20, two-weapon fighting. It looks awesome and is far from optimised.

[Waker]

If you are interested in a martial factotum, you could do just fine mixing in some warblade for the excellent intelligence synergy. Plenty of skills, good HP and BAB, and a slight mix of lesser magic and maneuvers.
Since you said you wanted something odd, how about Crusader/Incarnate? You could make an excellent tank between your good saves, immunities granted from soulmelds, can heal yourself and others with maneuvers and so on. Vitality Belt is especially useful since it can grant a fairly large boost to HP.

[nedz]

The low Wis Druid can still use wands.

You could bump Cha, max out Handle Animal, and be the face of the Druids.

You would also still get Wild Shape.

[Biotroll]

Binder. Even without online vestiges, he's good tier 3 imo. Being able to change your role every day is good too. On the same note Incarnate (or Totemist if you want to rip faces) are around tier 3 or 4 too. It's not casting and you will have something else to do than "I full-attack again."

[Helcack]

I'm doing something similar to this and my build is about:
Swordsage 2 Binder 1 Cloistered Cleric 1 Exoticist(Fighter) 1 Chameleon 7 Swordsage +3 Master of Nine 5. Most of your feats and Domains will be spend getting the feats required for master of nine, and you don't get it's awesome stuff until you hit level 15+ so I'd say it's solid tier 3 if you don't abuse Chameleon too much.

[Zombulian]

Do a Bardblade and always keep Undersong on, while specializing in Diamond Mind Maneuvers. Versatile Performer so you can mix multiple types of Perform for a +2. Recite poetry while doing interpretive dance to CRUSH THE WILLS OF YOUR ENEMIES IN A DUEL OF WILLS.

[Red Fel]

Seconding (thirding? Fourthing? I've lost count) ToB classes. If you don't want to play a caster (and I don't blame you, I hate the bookkeeping) ToB is melee done right.

That said, if you want to really encheapen (we're making that a word now) your character, maybe even go Vow of Poverty at some point, I encourage Incarnum. As others have mentioned, Incarnate, even with just a few levels for a dip, makes you an incredibly multifaceted, multifunctional, awesomely versatile character. Totemist is also nice for the various damage-dealing abilities. (Level 2 is the sweet spot for a dip.)

As a final note, if you want casting-esque that's not technically casting, may I suggest the Warlock? You get Invocations, which are sort of like spells except that most of them are at-will abilities instead of per-day abilities, and some provide a 24-hour passive benefit without the need for MM Persist. Further, by taking Binder dip and binding Naberius each day, you can use the Prc Hellfire Warlock abilities, which require you to take ability damage, and instantly recover that damage.

Yes. You can be an invisible shadowy laserblasting angel of death that burns with eternal flame but is not consumed.

[Dusk Eclipse]

If you are interested in a martial factotum, you could do just fine mixing in some warblade for the excellent intelligence synergy. Plenty of skills, good HP and BAB, and a slight mix of lesser magic and maneuvers.
Since you said you wanted something odd, how about Crusader/Incarnate? You could make an excellent tank between your good saves, immunities granted from soulmelds, can heal yourself and others with maneuvers and so on. Vitality Belt is especially useful since it can grant a fairly large boost to HP.

+1 to this, Factotum 8/Warblade 12 is quite good. Drop a few feats into Font of Inspiration, no more than 3 and go to town, at level 8 you get the awesomeness of cunning surge for a few extra strikes for those times you really need to kill down things.

[Mountain]

I have tried to look through MoI a few times, but it's a bit overwhelming at first glance. Could someone point out a good handbook/guide for incarnate or just incarnum in general? I don't really like totemist. I want to look like a person, not a monster from a 1980s Japanese movie.

If I decide against totemist, it looks like Factotum-3/Warblade-2/Factotum+5/Warblade-(the rest). Since I would only have 8 factotum levels, I'd need a few fonts of inspiration, but 2h weapons aren't that feat intensive anyway.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but with fractional BAB, I think I could switch warblade with swordsage for a still-effective-but-differently-functioning melee character. Better yet, mix swordsage and warblade so long as IL stacks. I'd lose high level class abilities and a few HP, but gain skill points and tons of maneuvers/stances. I am going for a character that always has something to contribute to any situation.

[Particle_Man]

Since you don't like the Totemist, and the Soulborn has a bad rep, that leaves the Incarnate:

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?PHPSESSID=m02vikr454p8p24oup2kom5110&topic=6920.0

[The Trickster]

If you are looking for a "wisdom-less druid", perhaps a eild shape varient ranger into MoMF? Always wantes to try that myself.