zachol
2007-01-21, 07:25 AM
'lo.
So, perhaps a few months ago, I was wandering around on Lockwood's site (http://www.toddlockwood.com/), looking at the fun concept art and stuff, and saw this picture, of Lidda the Halfling "Archer."
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/7886/liddawithbowrw7.jpg
Cool, no?
I immediately fell in love with the concept, and promptly put the thing in the back of my mind.
About a month ago, I got a chance to join a new pbp game, one set in Ptolus.
Having liked what I'd heard about Ptolus, and feeling like I wanted to try out the halfling crossbowman idea, I joined, filling the always-needed spot of "person who specializes in a crappy ranged weapon that isn't the bow and isn't a ranger, and who is about as good at melee combat as a poor-quality cleric."
Yes, every group needs that position filled. Even groups with only three players.
Especially groups with three players.
So, I ran with the idea, asked a few friends for feat suggestions, and made a character, Ernin Ward.
We've already started the game, though Ernin is still in the "level 1" stage where her possible feat choices are varied.
At this point, what I want is suggestions for feats.
I have her at a level 1 fighter, and intend to advance her in fighter pretty much solidly.
I haven't been able to find any PrCs that work with crossbow people.
I have point blank shot and precise shot.
I was intending to get rapid reload next level, for the level 2 fighter feat.
After that... perhaps weapon focus (light crossbow), then maybe some rapid shot or others.
I'm unsure, and would like some input on how to make the crossbow not suck.
Here is the full sheet, including a wide variety of fluff that isn't particularly needed, but might be helpful for determining some suggestions.
Or, if you're bored and interested.
Name: Ernin Berach Artan Mac an Bhaird (approx. "iron / pointed / bear / bard's son/daughter"), or Ernin Ward.
"Ernin Birch Arten Mach ahn Vaerd"
Race: Halfling
Class: Fighter 1
Sex: Female
Alignment: NG to CG. Ernin has a very selfless personality. Usually, she doesn't really care about the local government, but if there's a conflict between the city watch and someone she considers a good person, she automatically will side with the person and assume corruption.
Otherwise, she strongly dislikes tyranny, but doesn't actively campaign against it.
Style: Strong personality, very close to being a dwarf, if a bit more playful.
Supremely short, she stands at two and a half feet.
She has vivid red hair, which she keeps mostly short, though at times she's allowed it to grow out.
She is quite light, even for her height, her weight keeping around twenty to twenty-three pounds.
She's lived to be 21, which is about equivalent to 16 or 17 for a human.
Abilities:
Str: 12 (+1) (14-2ra)
Dex: 18 (+4) (16+2ra)
Con: 12 (+1)
Int: 14 (+2)
Wis: 12 (+1)
Cha: 10 (--)
HP: 11 (1d10+1c)
AC: 19 [Tch 15] [FF 15] (10+4d+3ar+1sh+1sz)
Speed: 20'
Init: +4 (4d)
BAB: +1
MAB: +3 (1b+1s+1sz)
RAB: +6 (1b+4d+1sz)
Grapple: -2 (1b+1s-4sz)
Saves:
Fort: +4 (2b+1c+1ra)
Ref: +5 (0b+4d+1ra)
Will: +2 (0b+1w+1ra)
Notes - +2 racial vs fear
Attacks:
Light Crossbow [+6 1d6 19-20 80' P]
Longsword [+3 1d6+1 19-20 S]
Dagger [+3 1d3+1 19-20 10' P/S]
Spiked Gauntlet [+3 1d3+1 x2 P]
[AB dam crit (range) type]
Ernin is small
Languages:
Common, Halfling, Dwarven, Gnome
Note - Ernin actually speaks dwarven better than halfling, but has been making recent attempts to learn more about her heritage, making her halfling nearly as good as her dwarven.
It's still more of a "second language" than dwarven, though Boris helped by speaking halfling as much as he could to her.
Skills:
Balance +2 (4d-2acp)
Climb +3 (2r+1s+2ra-2acp)
Craft (machines) +10 (4r+2i+2cmp+2ra)
Craft (weapons) +6 (4r+2i)
Escape Artist +2 (4d-2acp)
Hide +6 (4d+4s-2acp)
Knowledge (machines) +8 (4r+2i+2ra)
Jump +1 (1s+2ra-2acp)
Listen +3 (1w+2ra)
Move Silently +4 (4d+2ra-2acp)
Profession (engineer) +5 (2r+1w+2ra)
Search +2 (2i)
Spot +1 (1w)
Swim -3 (1s-4acp)
Use Rope +4 (4d)
Notes - Knowledge (machines) replaces ride as a fighter class skill (Ernin has never ridden anything, and grew up in the home of a machinist).
A +2 racial bonus replaces rofession (engineer), craft (machines) and knowledge (machines) replace the standard halfling +1 to thrown weapons and slings (Ernin never got the same experience most halflings do with fellow halfling children, instead growing up with future craftsmen and spending her time with her "grandfather").
+2 competence bonus to Craft (machines) from Ernin's background as an engineer's apprentice.
Skill ranks so far: 16 (4x(2b+2i)). Likely will remain at 4 ranks/level (2b+2i).
Feats:
1L - Point Blank Shot (+1 attack w/ ranged within 30')
1F - Precise Shot (no penalty to shoot into melee)
Gear: (cost/wt)
Explorer's outfit (10/2)
-- (sturdy boots, leather trousers, a belt, a shirt, jacket, gloves, and a cloak. many pockets)
- Belt pouch (1/-)
-- specie (-/-)
-- ID papers (-/-)
--- (citizenship and guildship)
- Waterskin (1/1)
- Dagger [1d3 19-20 10' S/P] (2/.5)
Studded leather armor [+3 5 -1] (25/10)
Leather buckler/spiked glove [+1 - -1] [1d3 x2 P] (20/3)
Light crossbow [1d6 19-20 80' P] (35/2)
Bolts, 20 (in pack, below) (2/1)
Longsword [1d6 19-20 S] (15/2)
Sidepack (ease of grabbage) (2/.5)
- (section for bolts, tracked above)
- Flint and steel (1/-)
- Sunrods, 2 (4/2)
- Artisan's tools, masterwork (55/5)
-- (for clockworks, crossbows, weapons)
- Smallish pouch
-- Various clockwork toys (25/-)
--- (thingamajigs primarily, but also bechingalws, geemies, and jobbies)
- Spare shirts, in pretty colors (1/1)
- Chalk (.1/-)
Weight: 30 lb (light load)
Liquid cash (in beltpouch):
pp: 4
gp: 8
sp: 8
cp: 7
Gems:
Loads: (32/65/97)
Armor:
Weapon: [damage crit (range) (reach) (disarming) type]
All weapons, armor, and other equipment are sized for small characters if possible and otherwise not noted.
[B]Notes:
Small (+1 attack/defense -4 grapple +4 hide)
-2str/+2dex as halfling
+2 climb, jump, move silently
+1 saving throws
+2 saving throws vs fear
+2 craft (machines), knowledge (machines) and profession (engineer), replacing the +1 to thrown weapons and slings
+2 listen
Knowledge (machines) replaces ride as a fighter class skill.
Ernin has a strong background as an artisan's apprentice. She comes from the Guildsman's district (the "clean" machinist's quarter), which is listed as both her current residence and place of birth on official papers.
Ernin is a member in full (albeit not much of a respected one) of the Southern Ptolus Chapter of the High Clockworks Guild. This is based mainly on her being backed by Boris and on the fact that the guild in general, and especially the local chapter, is falling out of favor and that new blood, however unskilled, is still welcomed.
As a consequence, she has access to the workshops and materials of the chapter at a reduced fee over a non-guildsman (1/2-3/4), the ability to sell clockwork locally without fear of harassment, and a small vote in the direction of the guild.
As a note, there is no "Northern Ptolus Chapter," nor is there really any other guild focused specifically on clockwork. There used to be, but not anymore.
Description:
Ernin has green eyes, a slight tan, violently red hair, and the appearance of a vaguely beautiful, minature human.
She reminds many of a small, redheaded elf or faerie, and is one of the better examples of the halfling race's connection to elves.
Ernin often wears a suit of studded leather, apparently once owned by an uncle of hers.
She tends to wear bright yet "earthy" colors, rarely wears any sort of dress or skirt, and never wears a hat, allowing her short hair to stick up in odd yet "nifty" places.
She also wears a nifty arm thing that starts as a buckler, winds around her forearm a few times, and ends in a leather glove with some spikes along the knuckles. She particularly likes this because it allows her a fallback melee weapon that she doesn't have to draw, and it allows her to use crossbows perfectly fine while wearing it.
She keeps a light crossbow on her back, a longsword on her left hip, and twenty bolts and a few effects in a bag slung over her shoulder to the right.
Personality:
She has retained a light personality, but in many ways she seems unapproachable. While she reacts playfullly, it is rare that she actually seems to take any interest, and her constant unwavering cheer makes her hard to read.
She speaks with a mix of dwarven (raised) and halfling (also raised) accent, which ends up sounding (to "us") like a blend of a light irish and a sort of cockney-british mush.
She often seems to act as if she was half-Grailwarden, keeping dwarven mannerisms and standing up for the dwarven race as if it were her own, but this is reasonable considering her upbringing.
Ernin splits her worship between the pair of Teun and Tevra, Goddesses of Machines and Clockwork (standard for many engineers) and Mirresh, the Goddess of Laughter.
She tends to pray to the clockworks when working and crafting, and to Mirresh in most other situations.
Ernin's personality is very close to Mirresh's, and she tends to give more time to Mirresh in general (she'd check the little box next to Mirresh on a survey).
A somewhat major part of the character is that she is a clockwork tinker.
I could very well switch her focus to guns, as they exist in Ptolus, but am sort of focused on the crossbow.
Edit: Yes, this has a point beyond simple feat choices. There are some other issues that I'm likely going to want to bring up.
So, perhaps a few months ago, I was wandering around on Lockwood's site (http://www.toddlockwood.com/), looking at the fun concept art and stuff, and saw this picture, of Lidda the Halfling "Archer."
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/7886/liddawithbowrw7.jpg
Cool, no?
I immediately fell in love with the concept, and promptly put the thing in the back of my mind.
About a month ago, I got a chance to join a new pbp game, one set in Ptolus.
Having liked what I'd heard about Ptolus, and feeling like I wanted to try out the halfling crossbowman idea, I joined, filling the always-needed spot of "person who specializes in a crappy ranged weapon that isn't the bow and isn't a ranger, and who is about as good at melee combat as a poor-quality cleric."
Yes, every group needs that position filled. Even groups with only three players.
Especially groups with three players.
So, I ran with the idea, asked a few friends for feat suggestions, and made a character, Ernin Ward.
We've already started the game, though Ernin is still in the "level 1" stage where her possible feat choices are varied.
At this point, what I want is suggestions for feats.
I have her at a level 1 fighter, and intend to advance her in fighter pretty much solidly.
I haven't been able to find any PrCs that work with crossbow people.
I have point blank shot and precise shot.
I was intending to get rapid reload next level, for the level 2 fighter feat.
After that... perhaps weapon focus (light crossbow), then maybe some rapid shot or others.
I'm unsure, and would like some input on how to make the crossbow not suck.
Here is the full sheet, including a wide variety of fluff that isn't particularly needed, but might be helpful for determining some suggestions.
Or, if you're bored and interested.
Name: Ernin Berach Artan Mac an Bhaird (approx. "iron / pointed / bear / bard's son/daughter"), or Ernin Ward.
"Ernin Birch Arten Mach ahn Vaerd"
Race: Halfling
Class: Fighter 1
Sex: Female
Alignment: NG to CG. Ernin has a very selfless personality. Usually, she doesn't really care about the local government, but if there's a conflict between the city watch and someone she considers a good person, she automatically will side with the person and assume corruption.
Otherwise, she strongly dislikes tyranny, but doesn't actively campaign against it.
Style: Strong personality, very close to being a dwarf, if a bit more playful.
Supremely short, she stands at two and a half feet.
She has vivid red hair, which she keeps mostly short, though at times she's allowed it to grow out.
She is quite light, even for her height, her weight keeping around twenty to twenty-three pounds.
She's lived to be 21, which is about equivalent to 16 or 17 for a human.
Abilities:
Str: 12 (+1) (14-2ra)
Dex: 18 (+4) (16+2ra)
Con: 12 (+1)
Int: 14 (+2)
Wis: 12 (+1)
Cha: 10 (--)
HP: 11 (1d10+1c)
AC: 19 [Tch 15] [FF 15] (10+4d+3ar+1sh+1sz)
Speed: 20'
Init: +4 (4d)
BAB: +1
MAB: +3 (1b+1s+1sz)
RAB: +6 (1b+4d+1sz)
Grapple: -2 (1b+1s-4sz)
Saves:
Fort: +4 (2b+1c+1ra)
Ref: +5 (0b+4d+1ra)
Will: +2 (0b+1w+1ra)
Notes - +2 racial vs fear
Attacks:
Light Crossbow [+6 1d6 19-20 80' P]
Longsword [+3 1d6+1 19-20 S]
Dagger [+3 1d3+1 19-20 10' P/S]
Spiked Gauntlet [+3 1d3+1 x2 P]
[AB dam crit (range) type]
Ernin is small
Languages:
Common, Halfling, Dwarven, Gnome
Note - Ernin actually speaks dwarven better than halfling, but has been making recent attempts to learn more about her heritage, making her halfling nearly as good as her dwarven.
It's still more of a "second language" than dwarven, though Boris helped by speaking halfling as much as he could to her.
Skills:
Balance +2 (4d-2acp)
Climb +3 (2r+1s+2ra-2acp)
Craft (machines) +10 (4r+2i+2cmp+2ra)
Craft (weapons) +6 (4r+2i)
Escape Artist +2 (4d-2acp)
Hide +6 (4d+4s-2acp)
Knowledge (machines) +8 (4r+2i+2ra)
Jump +1 (1s+2ra-2acp)
Listen +3 (1w+2ra)
Move Silently +4 (4d+2ra-2acp)
Profession (engineer) +5 (2r+1w+2ra)
Search +2 (2i)
Spot +1 (1w)
Swim -3 (1s-4acp)
Use Rope +4 (4d)
Notes - Knowledge (machines) replaces ride as a fighter class skill (Ernin has never ridden anything, and grew up in the home of a machinist).
A +2 racial bonus replaces rofession (engineer), craft (machines) and knowledge (machines) replace the standard halfling +1 to thrown weapons and slings (Ernin never got the same experience most halflings do with fellow halfling children, instead growing up with future craftsmen and spending her time with her "grandfather").
+2 competence bonus to Craft (machines) from Ernin's background as an engineer's apprentice.
Skill ranks so far: 16 (4x(2b+2i)). Likely will remain at 4 ranks/level (2b+2i).
Feats:
1L - Point Blank Shot (+1 attack w/ ranged within 30')
1F - Precise Shot (no penalty to shoot into melee)
Gear: (cost/wt)
Explorer's outfit (10/2)
-- (sturdy boots, leather trousers, a belt, a shirt, jacket, gloves, and a cloak. many pockets)
- Belt pouch (1/-)
-- specie (-/-)
-- ID papers (-/-)
--- (citizenship and guildship)
- Waterskin (1/1)
- Dagger [1d3 19-20 10' S/P] (2/.5)
Studded leather armor [+3 5 -1] (25/10)
Leather buckler/spiked glove [+1 - -1] [1d3 x2 P] (20/3)
Light crossbow [1d6 19-20 80' P] (35/2)
Bolts, 20 (in pack, below) (2/1)
Longsword [1d6 19-20 S] (15/2)
Sidepack (ease of grabbage) (2/.5)
- (section for bolts, tracked above)
- Flint and steel (1/-)
- Sunrods, 2 (4/2)
- Artisan's tools, masterwork (55/5)
-- (for clockworks, crossbows, weapons)
- Smallish pouch
-- Various clockwork toys (25/-)
--- (thingamajigs primarily, but also bechingalws, geemies, and jobbies)
- Spare shirts, in pretty colors (1/1)
- Chalk (.1/-)
Weight: 30 lb (light load)
Liquid cash (in beltpouch):
pp: 4
gp: 8
sp: 8
cp: 7
Gems:
Loads: (32/65/97)
Armor:
Weapon: [damage crit (range) (reach) (disarming) type]
All weapons, armor, and other equipment are sized for small characters if possible and otherwise not noted.
[B]Notes:
Small (+1 attack/defense -4 grapple +4 hide)
-2str/+2dex as halfling
+2 climb, jump, move silently
+1 saving throws
+2 saving throws vs fear
+2 craft (machines), knowledge (machines) and profession (engineer), replacing the +1 to thrown weapons and slings
+2 listen
Knowledge (machines) replaces ride as a fighter class skill.
Ernin has a strong background as an artisan's apprentice. She comes from the Guildsman's district (the "clean" machinist's quarter), which is listed as both her current residence and place of birth on official papers.
Ernin is a member in full (albeit not much of a respected one) of the Southern Ptolus Chapter of the High Clockworks Guild. This is based mainly on her being backed by Boris and on the fact that the guild in general, and especially the local chapter, is falling out of favor and that new blood, however unskilled, is still welcomed.
As a consequence, she has access to the workshops and materials of the chapter at a reduced fee over a non-guildsman (1/2-3/4), the ability to sell clockwork locally without fear of harassment, and a small vote in the direction of the guild.
As a note, there is no "Northern Ptolus Chapter," nor is there really any other guild focused specifically on clockwork. There used to be, but not anymore.
Description:
Ernin has green eyes, a slight tan, violently red hair, and the appearance of a vaguely beautiful, minature human.
She reminds many of a small, redheaded elf or faerie, and is one of the better examples of the halfling race's connection to elves.
Ernin often wears a suit of studded leather, apparently once owned by an uncle of hers.
She tends to wear bright yet "earthy" colors, rarely wears any sort of dress or skirt, and never wears a hat, allowing her short hair to stick up in odd yet "nifty" places.
She also wears a nifty arm thing that starts as a buckler, winds around her forearm a few times, and ends in a leather glove with some spikes along the knuckles. She particularly likes this because it allows her a fallback melee weapon that she doesn't have to draw, and it allows her to use crossbows perfectly fine while wearing it.
She keeps a light crossbow on her back, a longsword on her left hip, and twenty bolts and a few effects in a bag slung over her shoulder to the right.
Personality:
She has retained a light personality, but in many ways she seems unapproachable. While she reacts playfullly, it is rare that she actually seems to take any interest, and her constant unwavering cheer makes her hard to read.
She speaks with a mix of dwarven (raised) and halfling (also raised) accent, which ends up sounding (to "us") like a blend of a light irish and a sort of cockney-british mush.
She often seems to act as if she was half-Grailwarden, keeping dwarven mannerisms and standing up for the dwarven race as if it were her own, but this is reasonable considering her upbringing.
Ernin splits her worship between the pair of Teun and Tevra, Goddesses of Machines and Clockwork (standard for many engineers) and Mirresh, the Goddess of Laughter.
She tends to pray to the clockworks when working and crafting, and to Mirresh in most other situations.
Ernin's personality is very close to Mirresh's, and she tends to give more time to Mirresh in general (she'd check the little box next to Mirresh on a survey).
A somewhat major part of the character is that she is a clockwork tinker.
I could very well switch her focus to guns, as they exist in Ptolus, but am sort of focused on the crossbow.
Edit: Yes, this has a point beyond simple feat choices. There are some other issues that I'm likely going to want to bring up.