High wisdow class suggestions.

[Mykaelous]

So I'm about to get back into D&D 3.5 with some new acquaintances and want to expand outside of my comfort zone of the generic good guy Paladin archetype I've always played. I recently played the game Planescape Torment and really appreciated how the game approached morality and demonstrated the importance of wisdom.

For my character I want to role-play as a true neutral philosopher. An individual concerned with experience and the nature of things. Naturally I looked toward the druid, but felt that the shape shifting ability didn't gel with my character. I also looked at cleric classes, but felt that the worship of a deity rather than an ideal like truth was also out of character.

Since many of you are far more knowledgeable about the subject than I, I am hoping that you can help me find a class that would fit the character I wish to role-play. I would even be interested in multi-classing from a druid at 5th level as another class(that would benefit from high wisdom score) or a prestige class that allowed me to continue my spell progression that would deny me from acquiring the shape shift ability. Thank you.

[Rebel7284]

Clerics can worship and ideal. It's in the player's handbook. It actually tends to be the optimal way to make a cleric too since you can chose your domains.

=)

Also Archivist is a cleric-like class that is described as seeking out knowledge.

[Know(Nothing)]

There are alternate class features for druids that swap their wild shape for different things, if that's your only hang-up on them. I'm sure there are similar for clerics with no deity.

[eggynack]

Actually, worshiping an ideal instead of a deity is just a native capacity for clerics, so if that's the only issue, then it is not one. As for wild shape, is there a particular aspect of it that doesn't appeal to you? You could always just use it in a defensive fashion, and mostly focus on casting.

Edit: On the ACF for wild shape issue, honestly most of the wild shape ACF's are bad enough that I'd advise sticking with wild shape even if you don't want to use it much.

[Metahuman1]

As an alternative, a Psy-warrior with a couple of levels in Monk can do very well as a funtional character in and out of combat that makes good use of wisdom.

[Xerlith]

So could, say, an Unarmed Swordsage with the Intuitive Attack feat. It's a lot of fun and fits the flavor quite good, I think.

[Metahuman1]

*shrug* either one works. Especially if your DM will let you dip Shiba Protector for one level.

[Hecuba]

Clerics can worship an ideal in general. By the letter of the law, Neutral clerics are only allowed for neutral patrons: that's one of the more commonly ignored rules, but if it is in force, cleric is out.

Archivist is somewhat problematic, as it's more int vs wis. It might meet your needs though.

Spirit Shaman might fit your needs. Complete Divine, page 14.

[Phelix-Mu]

Easy Mode: Cleric or druid.

Hard Mode: Monk, with as little Tash/archivist/Sacred Fist as possible.:smallwink:

[Kennisiou]

Spirit Shaman (complete Divine Page 14), and Oriental Adventures Shaman (Oriental Adventures Page 22 with errata updating them to 3.5 in Dragon Magazine 318) are both divine casters that really fit nicely with the philosopher archetype. Ardent (Complete Psionic page 5) is a great class for if you want to go for a wisdom-focused psionic class that fits nicely with the philosopher archetype. If you want to go martial and psionic you also have the option of going Psi Warrior (SRD). Swordsage (Tome of Battle 15) is a solid martial initiator class that likes wisdom and can really fit with the philosopher archetype (sage is in the name after all).

That's really all I've got off of the top of my head for classes that are satisfying to play, wisdom-based, and make good philosophers. I mean, there's other classes (monk, paladin with Serenity), but they're generally not as satisfying to play.

[Tommy2255]

I'm a big fan of Ur-Priest and am of the opinion the Any Evil requirement should be waived in almost every scenario (because it doesn't actually make any sense in the first place). Just tossing it out there for consideration. Great way to get 9th level divine spells without committing your entire build to divine casting, and actually forbids the worship of a deity.

edit: Come to think of it, it probably depends on what kind of philosophy you want to follow. I would choose Ur-Priest because if I were a philosopher, and I lived in d&d world, that's what I would do and how I would think. But if you want to look at some kind of eastern philosophy, some more martial build with a monk dip might be preferable. If you want a more western philosopher, you're more likely looking to full casters. I would even argue that some western philosophers would prefer intelligence over wisdom, since they tend to be more concerned with forming logical arguments as a method of understanding the universe, rather than meditation or achieving oneness with the world. There's a reason science-y stuff used to be called natural philosophy. Heck, you could even be a skillmonkey type, and focus on Diplomacy, Sense Motive, and Knowledge, to be the perfect debater (although I'm not sure how many skillmonkey classes benefit from high wisdom).

[Psyren]

Ardent is huge on philosophy, and will allow you access to a wide range of power without being tied to any specific deity or dogma. You can even contemplate diametrically opposing concepts, like taking the Good and Evil mantles on the same character.

[Urpriest]

Ardent is huge on philosophy, and will allow you access to a wide range of power without being tied to any specific deity or dogma. You can even contemplate diametrically opposing concepts, like taking the Good and Evil mantles on the same character.

This. The Ardent class might as well be named "Philosopher".

[Phelix-Mu]

Wishing I had suggested Ardent. It really is an excellent archetype for this concept, and with an interesting mechanic to boot.