Trying something new, wanting some advice [cross-class]

[Sparta]

I am currently running a slightly sub-par sorceress/ rogue in DnD Encounters. I have been puzzling over how to plan her out in order to better compete with the World of Warcraft-esque nonsense that the other players are trying to pull of. (The munchkin'ing is hitting irritating levels - level 2 characters with 22+ stats and AC and hit points of ridiculous proportions.

I am running 13 STR, 15 DEX, 13 CON, 15 INT, 15 WIS, and 17 CHA.
My AC is 14 and I am sporting just 18 hit points at 3rd level.

Grant it the party allowed me to re-roll as my average stats before averaged like 11- only due to a 14 on one stat. Still I am looking for something perhaps gimmicky which would allow me to retain the roleplaying aspect of my sneaky sorceress without departing into munchkin territory?
AnY help is appreciated.

-Sparta

[Duke of Urrel]

Are you aiming for a prestige class, such as the arcane trickster (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/arcaneTrickster.htm)? If so, there are prerequisites to think about right away.

If you're concerned about how to shine when everybody else in your party is an optimizer, I would suggest trying to be as different from them as possible, but also as powerful as you can be in your own way. The more different you are from your comrades, the more likely you'll be able to accomplish a task that they can't do. Of course, you can't simply be different by being sub-optimal. But from my point of view, your stats aren't bad at all. They're just not insanely good.

[Urpriest]

D&D Encounters is a 4e thing, IIRC. Maybe that's the problem?

[Sparta]

Are you aiming for a prestige class, such as the arcane trickster (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/arcaneTrickster.htm)? If so, there are prerequisites to think about right away.

If you're concerned about how to shine when everybody else in your party is an optimizer, I would suggest trying to be as different from them as possible, but also as powerful as you can be in your own way. The more different you are from your comrades, the more likely you'll be able to accomplish a task that they can't do. Of course, you can't simply be different by being sub-optimal. But from my point of view, your stats aren't bad at all. They're just not insanely good.

Not thinking prestige class so much, nah. Might go that way in future, not sure though. I will have to think of how to make myself stick out- well, besides being the only person flinging around acid and fire spells :P

Have made an interesting connection tonight in our session as I have been burrowing a place for myself in a rather sizable Thief's Guild in the city we are in. Plus, I managed to save one of our big, tough fighter types by the timely application of a Burning Hands spell. (even though he got caught in the direct blast radius. think....center of the cone)

Anyways, current spell list:

Detect Magic
Read Magic
Ray of Frost
Acid Splash
Mage Hand (SOOOOOO useful for a rogue/sorcerer :smalltongue:)
Magic Missile
Mage Armor
Burning Hands


D&D Encounters is a 4e thing, IIRC. Maybe that's the problem?

We aren't playing Encounters in the strictest sense. Plus, the consensus at the local comic/game shop is that 4e is kind of rubbish for what we are trying to accomplish. A lot of our guys (and gals) feel that if we wanted to play something like 4e ought to just find an MMO to play together....
but that is beyond the point.

We use the Encounters stuff as a rough...well...suggestion....really. To be honest our current campaign has gone so far off the rails of the stuff from Encounters that calling it such is the only way to differentiate it from the three or four other campaigns going on amongst the patrons. (Pathfinder, DnD 3.5, Star Wars RPG, Paranoia to name a few) Sorry for that confusion :smalltongue:

[Urpriest]

We aren't playing Encounters in the strictest sense. Plus, the consensus at the local comic/game shop is that 4e is kind of rubbish for what we are trying to accomplish. A lot of our guys (and gals) feel that if we wanted to play something like 4e ought to just find an MMO to play together....
but that is beyond the point.

We use the Encounters stuff as a rough...well...suggestion....really. To be honest our current campaign has gone so far off the rails of the stuff from Encounters that calling it such is the only way to differentiate it from the three or four other campaigns going on amongst the patrons. (Pathfinder, DnD 3.5, Star Wars RPG, Paranoia to name a few) Sorry for that confusion :smalltongue:

Well, here's the thing. If you're drawing anything from the Encounters material besides plots, then you're mixing 4e and 3.5 rulesets. If you're doing that, then likely you're so heavily houseruled that we aren't going to be able to say anything constructive, and likely the other players are so "minmaxed" simply because they are interpreting the giant mess of houserules differently from how you are.

Now, if you are just taking the plots, that's a little silly (WotC are not exactly amazing storytellers, especially in the 4e era, you guys can probably put together something more interesting out of a game of Once Upon a Time or the like) but at least isn't symptomatic of that particular problem.

Anyway, what's your level breakdown? (I'm assuming something 1/something 2, but which is which?)

At higher levels, you want to go for the PrC Unseen Seer (Complete Mage), as it's generally the best multiclass rogue/caster PrC available (and yours is a concept that tends to be well-supported in the PrC department). You'll want to look at a guide like this one (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=1240) for pointers.

Until then, you're mostly a Sorceror with a bit of dabbling in Rogue, and should probably play like one. Read up on Solo's Sorceror Stratagems (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2180.0). The guiding philosophy there is to pick spells that are very versatile and that let you do a lot of things. For example, once you get 2nd level spells Alter Self is a great spell to pick up, giving you anything from extra attacks and natural armor via Troglodyte, to swimming/flight/other things via a variety of humanoids.

[Sparta]

Well, here's the thing. If you're drawing anything from the Encounters material besides plots, then you're mixing 4e and 3.5 rulesets.

Mixing the two systems. *hacking cough* No. We use 3.5


Now, if you are just taking the plots, that's a little silly (WotC are not exactly amazing storytellers, especially in the 4e era, you guys can probably put together something more interesting out of a game of Once Upon a Time or the like) but at least isn't symptomatic of that particular problem.

Anyway, what's your level breakdown? (I'm assuming something 1/something 2, but which is which?)

At the moment, its Sorcerer 2 / Rogue 1


At higher levels, you want to go for the PrC Unseen Seer (Complete Mage), as it's generally the best multiclass rogue/caster PrC available (and yours is a concept that tends to be well-supported in the PrC department). You'll want to look at a guide like this one (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=1240) for pointers.

Until then, you're mostly a Sorceror with a bit of dabbling in Rogue, and should probably play like one. Read up on Solo's Sorceror Stratagems (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2180.0). The guiding philosophy there is to pick spells that are very versatile and that let you do a lot of things. For example, once you get 2nd level spells Alter Self is a great spell to pick up, giving you anything from extra attacks and natural armor via Troglodyte, to swimming/flight/other things via a variety of humanoids.

I will read up on the links a little later on. Thanks for the insight. :D
Not a green player overall, but playing a Sorcerer like this is new to me. The last character I did a major spellcaster was basically a Mystic Theurge, more or less.

Anyhow, see you around the boards.

-Sparta