Help a newbie! :)

[skypse]

Hello Everyone!!!

I'm new in this community and a complete noob in D&D games. I've only played 1/6 of a campaign (Legacy of fire) and I played a Necromancer that reached about 6-7 levels by the time we finished the story.

However we decided to change DM (our first one wasn't that good) and now we are starting a new campaign. The new DM said that we will begin at lvl 5 so I was thinking of playing a prestige class since I will get past the boring levels and I will start the class I want almost immediately. I was checking the available classes and I had an idea of a rage prophet and I wanted to get some more "pro" ideas on that.

So my concept is starting off as a Barbarian, going up to lvl 4, and then I get an oracle level with the Deafness curse. The reason I want this, is that I was thinking it would be fun to have the standard "idiot" barbarian fighter that can't hear his teamates and pretty much do whatever the heck gets in his mind :P I know it sounds childish but I guess I'm still at that point of D&D where I care more about fun than the game itself :P

I am not very familiar with all the traits and the feats I can get, the DM said he would help me but I wanted to have some ideas to study on.

My goal as a RP is to have a funny role playing part, and a strong fighting part of the game with the spellcasting side of the character to be more like a self-buffer than a mass buffer or healer or w/e. The first feats would be Power Strike, Cleave and Great Cleave I think, but any suggestions are totally welcome. Thanks in advance.

P.S. The stats will start 10 to all the basics +25 points cause we are noobs :D

P.S.2 The books we are gonna play are Core, Advanced, and all the ultimates

TL;DR
I am building a rage prophet, I will take deafness as the curse, I want to be more of a buffed fighter than a spellcaster, I am noob and need help, I will start at 5 lvl with 10500 G, stats are 10 to all the basics +25 points to spend.

[Kesnit]

So my concept is starting off as a Barbarian, going up to lvl 4, and then I get an oracle level with the Deafness curse. The reason I want this, is that I was thinking it would be fun to have the standard "idiot" barbarian fighter that can't hear his teamates and pretty much do whatever the heck gets in his mind :P I know it sounds childish but I guess I'm still at that point of D&D where I care more about fun than the game itself :P

I would seriously think twice about this. I know you said you just want to have fun, but the game needs to be fun for everyone. I can see the other players getting really annoyed with your PC if you are always off in your own little world.

[Fouredged Sword]

I think that the standard Barborical uses Barbarian + Oracle + rage prophet with the lame curse, as you become immune to fatigue and can thus bounce in and out of rage without problem to reset all those nice 1/rage powers.

[Feint's End]

I would seriously think twice about this. I know you said you just want to have fun, but the game needs to be fun for everyone. I can see the other players getting really annoyed with your PC if you are always off in your own little world.

Second this .... The deafness curse is by far the one with the most negative consequences and with the most disruptive influence on gameplay.
It will be very annoying for your group when they can't communicate with you and for your DM to put up with it.

You could ask to get the curse changed to being unable to speak ... would make it much more interesting roleplaywise without ruining gameplay for everybody.

[skypse]

The DM said that he will allow us to change one of our starting languages with kinetics so we will be able to communicate. I just won't be able to communicate with every NPC we come across but that's ok since my party is "normal"

However, I will reconsider the curse thing. What about the rest though? Any suggestions or sth?

@Fouredged Sword: Sorry but I didn't really get what you mean with that. You mean that I should just play a standard barbarian without the prestige?

[Fouredged Sword]

Barbarian 4 / Oracle 2 / Rage Prophet 3 / Barbarian X. Rage Prophet requires +5 bab and 1 level of Oracle, so you can enter at 7th level at best. It's a good class though.

I suggest you take the Lame curse. The -10ft move speed is countered by the barbarian +10ft move speed. As a barbarian, you suffer fatigue commonly, and cannot rage while fatigued. Once you hit 9th level, that would no longer be a problem as you are immune.

This lets you drop out of rage in the middle of combat without penalty. This allows you to go back into rage, resetting all the nice 1/rage powers you get from barbarian.

Though, one could pick up Good for What Ails You and regain the ability to hear while raging and drunk.

[skypse]

So I should stop leveling the prestige class when I take 3 lvls on it? why is that?

[Fouredged Sword]

You want more rage powers, not spellcasting. 3 levels gets you to oracle 5 for your cure effect, meaning you get immunity to fatigue. That is all you want. Then you want to go back to barbarian as soon as possible to get back to getting better rage powers.

A slightly later, but better build is

Barbarian 5 / Oracle 1 / Rage Prophet 4 / Barbarian 10

This gets immunity to fatigue at 10th level, but better barbarian abilities.

[skypse]

Yeah but what happens with the buff aspect of the prophet? I am gonna stay behind in terms of spells. I am not looking for nuke abilities and huge spells but I guess I could just create a barbarian if all I want is to get the curse at lvl 5

[Fouredged Sword]

Well, you can make a barbarian that buffs or a oracle that rages. Generally you take a few nice buffs you can use before combat and maybe the Revelation that lets you burn two spell slots to cure yourself as a swift action, and let that be what it is.

Really, you COULD go Rage Prophet 10, but you are going to always be way behind in spells. Self buffing is nice, but being good in melee to start with is a nice place to be.

[skypse]

I told you I am not looking for 9lvl or 7lvl spells. I want to be fighting. But I don't want to be a classic barbarian either. I need something that differentiates me. Is Rage Prophet such a bad fighter if he gets lvls? I can still get rage powers if I level up the prophet.

[Fouredged Sword]

As far as I can tell, you get to add the levels for determining the effects of the rage powers you currently have, but don't get new ones. This is a problem as you don't get new revelations ether. The more levels of rage prophet you take, the less powerful of a rage you get.

You ALSO don't get a greater rage duration.

If you want to hit things, take enough rage prophet to get something worthwhile, then switch back to barbarian.

[skypse]

Oh ok. I see now. I'll probably get some more levels in RP class before changing back to barbie. I'll decide that while playing.

Any suggestions regarding starting feats, traits, equipment etc?

My current choices are Veteran of battle (deity Gorum) and magical knack (+2 caster lvl for all oracle spells) for traits, Power Attack, Furious focus and Cleave for feats, and I'll wear a kikko light armor with a heavy flail for weapon (thinking of enchanting it to keen for the double critical threat for 8k gold.) And maybe a ring of featherfalling in case I can buy it after buying everything else from the basics. Also, I'm thinking of grabing a dozen spears as throwing weaps.

What do u think?

[skypse]

This is my character so far. Please tell me if you have any other ideas or any objections.

skypse.pdf - 33 KB (http://www.easybytez.com/d65jcc19ww04)

[skypse]

Bump! sorry for that I just really need some feedback before starting playing and we will start on Sunday so.. :)

[evilserran]

My personal thoughts is, you have "what you want to be" determined pretty good, but have you developed "who you are going to be?" In my personal experience, very rarely do characters i design ahead of time, end up matching the exact concept as i figure out who they are going to be. their backstory, their mannerisms, the quirks and foibles. You can be average joe barbarian by build and crazy super mega awesome joe barbarian with story. So i recommend, that you have a basic build, now... figure out your story. If you are deaf, WHY? HOW? if you are lame, were you wounded? Are you a talker, quiet and reserved, carefree etc. A lot of this will help you differentiate through things as you "create" yout character.

[skypse]

Cool. Thank you very much. I will start working on the story details right away. You are absolutely right from that point of view. BTW as my DM told me, divine spells don't count for spell failure penalty from armors, so I got a Rhino hide that gives me more AC and 2d6 dmg when I charge.

[Fouredged Sword]

Cleave is a standard action, and cannot be used with a charge. If you want to go charging, then you are better off with another feat. You will ether be full attacking up close or charging from a distance.

[skypse]

I have elemental strike as a rage power so I will get a free 1d6 elemental dmg when I charge as a swift action except from the 2d6 of the rhino dmg.

BTW I saw this today that it totally had slipped my mind when we were talking the other day:
A rage prophet’s class level stacks with barbarian levels for determining the effect of his rage powers, oracle revelations, and his oracle’s curse. This does not grant additional abilities.
Doesn't this mean that if I play Barbarian 4/oracle2/RP 1 I get 1+4=5 for my oracle's curse level? So when I get my first lvl as a RP I will also have Lame curse lvl5 which means that I am immune to fatigue. Ain't that right?

[Fouredged Sword]

That is... oddly worded.

I assume it means that you add your rage Prophets level to your barbarian level to determine the effect of barbarian things, and to your oracle level for oracle things.

As written it advances your barbarian stuff, but not your oracle stuff, as stacking your rage prophet level with your barbarian levels doesn't help your revelations as those are based on your ORACLE level. Adding two other classes doesn't do anything unless you also add them to your oracle level.

"ASK YOUR DM(tm)"

:smalltongue:

[skypse]

But it says that a Rage prophet stacks his levels with his Barbie levels to determine oracle curse effect....

[Fouredged Sword]

The point is that it doesn't help to do that. You add your rage prophet level to your barbarian level and check that VS the ability listed, and it doesn't matter because no matter how high your barbarian level it doesn't DO anything in relation to your curse.

This makes NO SENSE, but in a literal RAW reading, that is what I get.

Now as a DM I would parse that into something meaningful and useful, but as I said,

Oddly Worded.

ASK YOUR DM(tm)

[skypse]

Ok I'll ask him. He also told me the other day that I can use a Great Bow if I want instead of just having spears for ranged attacks (just in case I need them). Would that be a good option or not?

[Fouredged Sword]

Spears are nice because you get to switch hit between melee and ranged without a problem, and they adjust to your strength score without problem (a big deal if you want to rage while using them). Bows are better for longer ranges though, and sometimes the target is just 300ft away.

Personally, I would get both and then let them drop out of favor in return for heavily enchanting a greatsword as you level.

Take a shortspear. You can draw it and throw as a move and standard action, then you have your hand free again to wield your main weapon. A bow has a longer range, but it takes both hands.

I would get an enchanted melee weapon, 4-5 spears, and a bow set for your normal strength. The melee weapon is your main weapon. Spears are for when you want to have a ranged attack, but want to go back to wielding your sword immediately, and the bow is for when the target is going to stay out of range of your spears.

I wouldn't bother enchanting any of the ranged weapons. It isn't your best skill, so don't waste too much money on it. Focus on getting a means of flight instead.