A few feats and a few spells - low levels!

[Balor01]

Soon I am starting a 3.5 campaign with a bunch of noobs. I however, have a few years of experience, but often fall into pit of overthinking things. I need to present these guys with something simple. Thus, I ask playground for some simple answers for characters that will not progress beyond lvl 4.

What I'd like of you guys is to suggest me:

3 feats for a cleric
3 feats for a fighter
3 feats for a rogue
3 feats for a wizard

and

3 lvl 1 spells for a cleric
3 lvl 2 spells for a cleric

3 lvl 1 spells for a wiz
3 lvl 2 spells for a wiz

Thats it. Our first meeting is this weekend and I can already see that I will need to give some simple yet competent options to each of them.

Inb4 someone posts links to handbooks: I have read them, but I need really basics here, thatswhy I am asking.

thanks

[fishyfishyfishy]

It might be a better to get an idea of what type of character they would like to play and give suggestions based on that.

[TwentyFold]

It might be a better to get an idea of what type of character they would like to play and give suggestions based on that.
Must agree, it mainly depends on the characters build, as you may want Augment Summoning for Summoning and ect.

[Darrin]

If you're looking at suggestions that can be given to new players who don't really want or need a bunch of optimization theory and handbook advice shoved at them, then I'd recommend:



3 feats for a cleric


Core:
Improved Initiative
Extend Spell
Blind-Fight (uh... yeah, drawing a blank here)

Outside Core:
Divine Metamagic (Complete Divine)
Sacred Boost (Complete Divine)
Sudden Extend (Complete Arcane)



3 feats for a fighter


Core:
Power Attack
Cleave
Quickdraw (debatable, but my BSFs use a lot of nets/flasks/tanglefoot stuff)

Outside Core:
Law/Strength/Travel Devotion (Complete Champion)

Blind-Fight -> Mage Slayer -> Pierce Magical Concealment is also a good feat chain that gives the BSF something interesting to do.



3 feats for a rogue


Core:
TWF
Weapon Finesse
Weapon Focus (shortsword)

Outside Core:
Craven (Champions of Ruin, take this at 1st)
Travel Devotion (Complete Champion)
Staggering Strike (Complete Adventurer, get this ASAP)



3 feats for a wizard


Core:
Improved Initiative
Weapon Focus (ranged spells)
Extend Spell

Outside Core:
Sudden Extend
Energy Substitution
Acidic Splatter



3 lvl 1 spells for a cleric


Core:
Bless
Cause Fear
Protection from Evil

Outside Core:
Ice Slick (Frostburn)
Conjure Ice Beast I (Frostburn)
Protective Interposition (Forge of War)



3 lvl 2 spells for a cleric


Core:
Bull's Strength
Silence
Spiritual Weapon

Outside Core:
Cloud of Knives (PHBII)
Dark Way (Spell Compendium)
Guidance of the Avatar (WotC website (https://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20010504a))



3 lvl 1 spells for a wiz


Core:
Color Spray
Sleep
Silent Image

Outside Core:
Benign Transposition (Spell Compendium)
Instant Diversion (Races of the Dragon)
Wall of Smoke (Spell Compendium)



3 lvl 2 spells for a wiz


Core:
Alter Self
Glitterdust
Web

Outside Core:
Arcane Turmoil (Complete Mage)
Cloud of Bewilderment (Spell Compendium)
Wraithstike (Spell Compendium)

[Balor01]

@Darrin

I'm naming at least an inn after you in my campaign.

[Calimehter]

Alter Self is a great choice, but it has the possibility of being kind of tough for noobs, since you need to know (and keep track of) the alternate forms available. I might suggest Mirror Image in its place, which is a great safety spell with simpler rules.

[Darrin]

Alter Self is a great choice, but it has the possibility of being kind of tough for noobs, since you need to know (and keep track of) the alternate forms available. I might suggest Mirror Image in its place, which is a great safety spell with simpler rules.

Good point. Less bookkeeping = better. I tried to stay away from summoning stuff, but Conjure Ice Beast is one of my favorite spells for clerics and the free action no save 10' burst 1d6 cold aura is too good to pass up. However, you could tell them the spell is Conjure Ice Wolf to start with and not worry about the other options until later. If you need another non-core 1st level cleric spell... I'd probably go with Ray of Hope (BoED).

[atomicwaffle]

im keeping this core

3 feats for a cleric
>SCRIBE SCROLL. Having a few scrolls of cure light/moderate wounds will save your life, especially if a rogue has use magic device. Say you're at -3, and the only person conscious is the rogue at 2 hp.
>Extra Turning. You won't always face Undead, but when you do, you'll face a lot.
>Lightning Reflexes At lower levels a bad reflex save will hurt you bad.

3 feats for a fighter
>Weapon Focus. Useful. mostly a prereq for lvl 4 where you get:
>Weapon Specialization. +2 Damage. +2, DAMAGE!
>Iron Will. Same reasons as Lightning Reflexes

3 feats for a rogue
>Improved Initiative. Get in position first, using hide and move silently. When combat has started if you are the first to act, you can Sneak Attack anything that hasn't acted. You want to go first.
>Point Blank Shot +1 attack and damage within 30 feet. also a prereq for:
>Rapid Shot. Extra attack. useful for when you start combat. And if you're within 30 feet, oh god.

3 feats for a wizard
>Combat Casting. This will save your life.
>Spell Mastery. Spell Mastery is so useful if you are captured. Having Knock, Locate Object (like your spellbook), and Detect Magic available to prepare WHENEVER is very useful

I also want to throw this in: except for the rogue none of these guys have spot and listen. Alertness is a great all-purpose feat along with Endurance/Diehard.

and

3 lvl 1 spells for a cleric
>Comprehend Languages. Those hobgoblins over there? yeah, they're planning something. You might want to know what it is.
>Magic Weapon. Because eventually you'll fight something with DR.
>Endure Elements. I love this spell.

Also gonna throw out: some excellent lvl 0 spells are:
>Create Water. It's like prestidigitation for clerics.
>Detect Magic. Duh.
>Light.
>Read Magic.

3 lvl 2 spells for a cleric
>Silence. Silence an area around an enemy caster or an area you don't want to make a sound in.
>Hold Person. That EG running away, yeah he won't be for long.
>Make Whole. Great way to extend the life of your gear or help an NPC that needs to fix something

3 lvl 1 spells for a wiz
>Ray of enfeeblement. At low levels this messes someone up. Straight up. Best necromancer spell IMHO in terms of bang = buck.
>Mage Armor. This is good.
>Feather Fall. Step 1: Climb to very high place while being pursued. Step 2: Escape.

3 lvl 2 spells for a wiz
>Knock. Srsly. U Guise. Srsly.
>Glitterdust. Blinds creatures. Outlines invisible creatures. Nuff' Said.
>Locate Object. As mentioned above
Honorable Mentions
>Invisibility
>Scorching Ray

These are my personal opinions based on experience. I request an NPC named Jert.

[Balor01]

Jert it is :) It'll be a barkeep of Inn of Darrin.