Making an impaired character

[xroads]

On a similar thread (Making a Blind Character (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?345700-Making-a-Blind-Character)), Nettlekid asks us for assistance in making a blind character. In particular, he wants to build a character similar to one he saw in a movie.

I think this is an interesting idea. But I'd like to open the question a bit. If you were to create a blind character, what class do you think that character should probably be? What about a deaf character? What about a character that is a missing a limb?

In other words, if you had a character with a given impairment, what class should that character take and still be a formidable adventurer?

Rules:

Characters must be core a race.
The chosen class(es) should not rely on the character using a magic item to remove/replace the impairment. Pretend that the character doesn't have access to magic items when he/she decides her class.
Classes that have feats/edges that remove impairments in later levels are fine, but the character still needs to be playable even at the lower levels. In other words the character should be able to survive to those higher levels.

[John Longarrow]

I'd go with a legless Halfling Warmage, I'd max out Swim and call him BOB. Or an armless Druid fighting for his right to Bear Arms...

Sorry, couldn't help it.

On a serious note, I wouldn't go for a disabled character unless they were a caster. A Caster down one arm isn't as impaired as a Melee character. Of course if you are psionic that does open a lot of oddities.

[Gemini476]

Well, playing as a blind character at low levels is pretty much no-go - 50% miss chance, half move speed, -Dex-2 to AC... the list of problems just goes on and on.

I guess if you find some class that doesn't need sight to work it could be fine, but there aren't many of those. Anything that needs to hit in melee is out, ranged is lolno, Wizards are out since you have neither Line of Sight nor the ability to read a spellbook, most casters are out due to the LoS issue...
Druid could work, but that's just because you have a guide dog to attack for you and get your eyes fixed when you Wildshape (I think), Cleric could work past level 5 since you can heal your own blindness...

Maybe a Psion could work? I think I remember them having ways to sense stuff. Speaking of which, Mindsight would be useful. A Dragonfire Adept might work, since all you need to know is what direction to spray-and-pray with your breath. Yeah, that might be your best bet for level 5 and below. (Level 6 you can get Mindsight, and level 9 gets you Hearing the Air, which opens up more kinds of characters that could be effective.)

That's for blindness, at least. A character without arms could work if you take a class that neither wields weapons nor needs somatic components, like the Psion, while a character without legs would need some alternate method to move around, like being tied to an Animal Companion or riding a Special Mount or levitating/flying.

A deaf character would need to be well-versed in Drow Sign Language, and needs to find some other way to notice audible threats - pump that Spot sky-high, is my suggestion. Or get that Psion power that lets you feel sound.

A character lacking taste would fit right in with the standard party, but a character lacking a sense of touch might want to stay at home before their leprosy-esque syndrome gets them unknown wounds.


Really, often you need to ask yourself "why would this character go out adventuring?" and "why would the rest of the party let them tag along?"
If you can't find a good answer to one of them, make a different character.

[HammeredWharf]

A blind Wizard or a Sorcerer would be alright. Many - or maybe even most - good spells don't require LoS and you can probably make a spellbook with embossed writing. Later on, you could pick Mindsight and become a human scanner. Similarly, a blind or crippled Druid could work fine, especially with a mounted build.

[mabriss lethe]

Access to Synesthete (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/synesthete.htm) is probably your best low level option to stay functional in combat if you have any sort of sensory impairment.

[Morof Stonehands]

I played a Goliath Cleric once, who took Nonverbal Spell, because he was originally a slave, which in our setting meant he had his tongue cut out at birth. Being mute might be the easiest impairment on paper to play, but really difficult/annoying in person. Not telling your party members what you are doing is not always fun.

[Slipperychicken]

In PF Summoners can be pretty crippled while retaining basic functionality. Legless? Ride the eidolon. Blind? Use share senses, and you don't need to see an opponent to make your summons attack it. Deaf/Armless? Summon Monster is an SLA meaning it has no verbal or somatic components, and you can use still/silent spell to retain some casting.

Being a bard can work with most of those disabilities (except maybe deaf), particularly if you focus on IC. With a bit of thought, you can probably find performance types which work with most combinations of disabilities.

As for communication while deaf, you could use DSL(drow sign language), Battle Signs (from heroes of battle), or use a mindbender dip for 100ft telepathy. Also, a number of deaf people can communicate passably well by lip-reading and making the appropriate vocalizations for speech despite being unable to hear them. Or worst case, grab a chalkboard+chalk for accurate non-combat communications, or use a whistle (or some other musical instrument like a trumpet) to send signals to the party.

Any kind of minion-master shenanigans like Bubs the Commoner could work too, since you're not the one doing the fighting.

[Perturbulent]

An armless monk, unarmed swordsage, or druid might not be the worst thing ever, unarmed attacks can be with anything afterall.

[Derpldorf]

Let's see... A blind psycic warrior/mindbender/psibond agent would be pretty awesome. Maybe even try to find a way to shoehorn in some psycic mindspy.

[lytokk]

Are we talking about physical impairments only or are mental ones fair game?

I've done a couple of those in games that turned out pretty fun. The OCD orc barbarian was probably my favorite one. Human Wizard with Alzheimers, and the Sorceror with rampant hallucinations. Granted, more than likely the barbarian would be the only one actually playable in a real game, though they were all made for a game based around making characters that were inherently useless.

[John Longarrow]

Are we talking about physical impairments only or are mental ones fair game?

I've done a couple of those in games that turned out pretty fun. The OCD orc barbarian was probably my favorite one. Human Wizard with Alzheimers, and the Sorceror with rampant hallucinations. Granted, more than likely the barbarian would be the only one actually playable in a real game, though they were all made for a game based around making characters that were inherently useless.

lytokk,

That would be CDO. Compulsive Disorder for Obsessives. This is in Alphabetical order, proper for any compulsive / Obsessive...

[Perturbulent]

I also just built a warblade who cannot be touched. It drives him nuts, and tends to assault anyone who tries. He also has trouble speaking without explosively saying everything in his mind in a coherent torrent.
Assuming mental "impairments" count.

[dascarletm]

My latest campaign session had a deaf ranger as one of the enemies. His animal companion dog was trained to alert him to noise.
I made his level significantly higher than the party, which forced the players to exploit this weakness.

[Red Fel]

I'll start with a Blind character. Psion/Thrallherd. This works best for Small races, for reasons I'll explain, but can work for anyone. First, take the Psicrystal Affinity feat. You now have a Seeing Eye Crystal. Use Synesthete if you need to see for yourself. At fifth level, take the Telepathic Communication ACF to gain Telepathy. At sixth level, take Mindsight, and sense creatures (but not things) in your vicinity. When you're able, start Thrallherd. If you are Small, try to take a Large creature as a cohort, and he can carry you around. (Hodor?) Even if he can't, you now have your Seeing Eye Crystal, your See For Yourself power, your Seeing Eye Cohort, and your ability to sense delicious brains. You're set.

If I were going one-armed, it would be easy. He would be named MIKE (in all caps), and he would be a Wizard/Cleric, formerly evil but now not so much. He would have an obsession with creamed corn and fire-walking. Yes, that was a joke.

[paperarmor]

My version of Blind Swordsman goes like this Human Incarnate2/whatever else with Shape Soulmeld for the Shedu Crown, Blind-fight and Mindsight from Lords of Madness lets you be a badass from like level 3. If you want to go with TOB go swordsage/warblade, youd eventually get Hearing the Air as a back up against the random mindless foes.

[A.A.King]

I don't agree with Red Fel, if you are going to make a one-armed character it should be a rogue. He lost his arm because he couldn't pay his gambling debt. He is now trying to collect enough money to pay for one casting of "Regenerate" by stealing, gambling and cheating. They call him "The One Armed Bandit"

[dascarletm]

I don't agree with Red Fel, if you are going to make a one-armed character it should be a rogue. He lost his arm because he couldn't pay his gambling debt. He is now trying to collect enough money to pay for one casting of "Regenerate" by stealing, gambling and cheating. They call him "The Armed Bandit"

I drew a character based on a very similar concept. I think it turned out pretty good.

http://www.pokergamingproducts.com/images/D/10-41440_1.jpg

[Loxagn]

In cases like this, it's important to work with your DM. Most will be willing to work with you to make it so you can play the concept you want to play without being completely crippled so as to be Unfun, whether through homebrew or allowing for lessened penalties.

[MrNobody]

Half-seriously, i'd make a blind caster with an ALL BLAST AoE build, with a "Ratatouille"-like solution for blindness: the rat familiar sitting on his head pulling his hair in the direction where he as to cast the spell!
For the race, obvously a gnome in that nasty "pyromaniac-cliché" that lot of people seems to love.

For a deaf character, i can't imagine nothing more fun than a CE half-orc barbarian TWF, named Krunch, crueler than cruelty itself and a pain for his teammates.
-T1:"Ok Krunch, we got the chief, you can let the rest of the caravan escape".
*Gore sound of people being chopped*
-T1: "Krunch, stop that! There is no need...-
*More sound of bloody destruction*
-T1: "KRUNCH NOT THE BABIES!! Why don't you listen..."
-T2: "Bob, he can't hear you..."
-T1: "Oh, right...".

On the limbless side, an elf monk practicing kungfu's crane style and always keepeing the typical "standing on one leg" position because... he has only one leg! And thinking about the speed enhancement, he's even funnier!

[Red Fel]

I don't agree with Red Fel, if you are going to make a one-armed character it should be a rogue. He lost his arm because he couldn't pay his gambling debt. He is now trying to collect enough money to pay for one casting of "Regenerate" by stealing, gambling and cheating. They call him "The One Armed Bandit"

Yes, but how much time will an FBI agent with rakish good looks and a craving for mighty fine pie spend talking to your One-Armed Bandit before he has to get back to investigating the mysterious death of a local girl while dealing with the various idiosyncrasies of the strange and disturbing people in her isolated mountain hometown?

[dextercorvia]

Chain of Eyes is a nice low level workaround spell for a blind caster. It has an hours per level duration.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Paraplegic Elocater (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/elocater.htm), probably a Kineticist similar to Lina from Dota 2.

[Hamste]

An armless unarmed swordsage could be funny and still work

[pwykersotz]

A one-armed Duskblade could be fun. Focusing on mastering the martial and magical ways to reclaim his dignity after his aspiring career was cut tragically short from a wound that very nearly cost him his life. If he eventually gets hit with a Regenerate, he could then focus on bringing his second arm up to muster, and in combat using the classic "I am not left handed" sort of schtick.