Building an Indiana Jones type character

[montoya]

I have been thinking about this for awhile now, and thought a rouge/bard/dungeon delver was the best combo but I am not sure. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[hemming]

Use the 3.0 Lasher PrC (if allowed) - also get the whip climber skill trick

[montoya]

I'll check it out thanks.

[Ellowryn]

Also see if your gm would allow you the use of a revolver from pathfinder, or some similar weapon, and yeah lasher from sword and fist would be perfect.

Swashbuckler would probably be a better fit than bard or rogue, but meh they are kinda a bad class other than a 3 level dip.

[hamishspence]

I think the Factotum from Dungeonscape was modelled on Indy- with limited spellcasting in place of guns.

[lytokk]

There was a prestige class in the ECS called I think Extreme Explorer. Kind of character that gave a lot of luck bonuses through increased action points. The flavor of it read to me as Indiana Jones. Of course, if you're not using action points, it really doesn't help you out at all.

[Cog]

I prefer the Bardic Sage variant from Unearthed Arcana, with Knowledge Devotion. Illumian makes a decent race for entry - you can get bonus spells keyed off Dex or Str, as well as other benefits, including a CL increase to patch up taking a few levels in Lasher as previously suggested.

[SinsI]

Don't forget that Indy frequently uses guns, so some kind of gunfighter might be a better option.

Whips are for tricky movement or disarm, not combat.

[montoya]

Also see if your gm would allow you the use of a revolver from pathfinder, or some similar weapon, and yeah lasher from sword and fist would be perfect.

Swashbuckler would probably be a better fit than bard or rogue, but meh they are kinda a bad class other than a 3 level dip.

I was actually thinking about swashbuckler, maybe only 3 levels of it.

[montoya]

Don't forget that Indy frequently uses guns, so some kind of gunfighter might be a better option.

Whips are for tricky movement or disarm, not combat.

I don't think the DM will allow guns since this is a FR campaign, firearms are pretty nonexistent except for rare circumstances. Instead I was thinking of a repeating hand crossbow. Though yes a revolver would be nice along with brimmed hat that has a an enhancement bonus yet to be determined.

[montoya]

Also what is a good starting base class? Rogue or Bard?

[SinsI]

of course it is Artificier


I don't think the DM will allow guns since this is a FR campaign, firearms are pretty nonexistent except for rare circumstances. Instead I was thinking of a repeating hand crossbow. Though yes a revolver would be nice along with brimmed hat that has a an enhancement bonus yet to be determined.

some kind of Wand would be better, i.e. lesser Orb of Fire. Nobody says wands can't look like firearms.

[geekintheground]

only 1 factotum mention? wow, they even explicitly refer to indy as a "perfect example of a factotum". and, why the whip super specialization? sure he was good with it, but devoting class levels to it? he was pretty proficient sure, but a single feat covers that (weapon proficiency) (unless it was ever stated he was especially good with them)

[gorfnab]

Also what is a good starting base class? Rogue or Bard?
Factotum (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=272130) - really it makes awesome all purpose action style skill based adventurers.

For the crossbow consider taking the feat Hand Crossbow Focus from Drow of the Underdark. This gives you free action reloading with a Hand Crossbow.

[hemming]

only 1 factotum mention? wow, they even explicitly refer to indy as a "perfect example of a factotum". and, why the whip super specialization? sure he was good with it, but devoting class levels to it? he was pretty proficient sure, but a single feat covers that (weapon proficiency) (unless it was ever stated he was especially good with them)

Indiana Jones not especially good with a whip! My fandom disagrees, sir!

Well - Indy definitely had whip climber (see opening scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark) and I think an argument can be made for the whip hand ability as well (he certainly had improved disarm)

You definitely need more than one whip (mighty whip dagger and regular whip) - but the only way I know to make a really competent whip user is with Lasher

[Averis Vol]

I don't think the DM will allow guns since this is a FR campaign, firearms are pretty nonexistent except for rare circumstances. Instead I was thinking of a repeating hand crossbow. Though yes a revolver would be nice along with brimmed hat that has a an enhancement bonus yet to be determined.

woah woah woah. There is a gnomish nation in Faerun that has a gun as their starter package. Make you a gnome indy, and either focus into the gun, or just use it for special occasions since the gun kind of blows, or I'm seconding the lasher PrC because it gives you a ton of new tricks with your whip.

[Cog]

I don't think the DM will allow guns since this is a FR campaign, firearms are pretty nonexistent except for rare circumstances. Instead I was thinking of a repeating hand crossbow. Though yes a revolver would be nice along with brimmed hat that has a an enhancement bonus yet to be determined.
You can have firearms even with a hand crossbow, if you play a Bard; use Dragonfire Inspiration so every hit does literal fire damage.

and, why the whip super specialization? sure he was good with it, but devoting class levels to it? he was pretty proficient sure, but a single feat covers that (weapon proficiency) (unless it was ever stated he was especially good with them)
Lasher isn't so much for whip specialization as whip utility, at least the early levels.