template Suggestions by class

[Iwasforger03]

I'd like to ask the playground their thoughts on a couple classes and what templates from 3.5 or pathfinder might best fit those classes.

For Instance, Bard. What kinds of templates might really boost a bard?

Or Ranger? Does Fey from pathfinder thematically fit Ranger, or what about Animal Lord? Were/whatever?

Barbarian I could easily see something like Wearbear, werewolf, etc. Animal might also fit a barbarian. What else might fit?

I'm looking at all the classes, but those popped into my head, so I tossed them out as starting points.

[meschlum]

I've got a thread up with reviews of the Pathfinder official templates, which might help: here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?352704-Templates-and-you)

Otherwise...

Bard: uses Cha and Dex, has lots of skills. Nightmare Creature (which is simply awesome for exactly that combination). Haunted One if you're focused on Knowledge skills. Advanced, because you need lots of high attributes. Maybe Half-Celestial or Half-Fiend, for the attributes, resistances, and buffing / debuffing abilities. Fey Creature is like a more expensive and slightly worse enchantment focused version of Nightmare Creature that has more defensive options, better flight, and does not require being evil.

Ranger: if you're an archer, get a Dex boost. Advanced Young gives you +8 to Dex (and +4 to Int / Wis / Cha) at the price of being one size smaller (so you can snipe more easily). It's CR 0. Fey is decent as it grants respectable defenses (and +4 Dex), but the penalty to strength is a bit offputting. Plus, it costs 2 levels in the long term, so you don't really gain ant accuracy or skills (the bonus to Init is nice). Besides, your spell-likes require Charisma, and you don't have much to spare. Lycanthropes and Animal Lords are insane in terms of attribute boosts, so go for it. If you're melee focused, you may want to wait a bit (you need to wait for Animal Lord anyway) so as to get the absolutely most insane attribute bonuses (and hit dice). Archery focused... small animals tend to have good Dex, so there is that.

Barbarian: Giant. Lots of Strength, lots of Constitution, bigger damage dice. Add Advanced for the fun of it, and wait until you can pick up one of the bigger Lycanthropic or Animal Lord forms for melee. Note that if you are Giant (and so size Large), you can become a were-creature where the creature is Large. If the creature is Young, it's one size smaller, so you can look at Gargantuan animals and get their stats (albeit at -4 to Str and Dex, and with at least 2 CR on your part: 1 for Giant, 1 for Lycanthrope). You usually want to be able to fly in order to reach your foes, so Half Dragon is good (and gives more Strength and Con).

[Dread_Head]

Only looking at 3.5 stuff here.

Bard: Draconic (Drac) is quite nice for the Cha & Con boost along with a couple of nifty abilites, works best on a melee focused bard I think with the Str bonus and Natural Attacks.
Half-Fey (FF) is also pretty nice on a Bard giving SLA's to shore up the Bards casting, nice stat boosts, flight and some pretty good immunities.
Unseelie Fey (DC) is lovely on a bard due to its LA0 and nice stat boosts, flight and the special abilities it grants.
Magic Blooded (Dr306) Is nice as a LA0 to boost Cha a little bit.
There's others that could work but generally it's better to not take level adjustment. Draconic and Half Fey are probably only worth it with LA buyoff anyway.


Barbarian
You want stuff which boosts your physical stats here so look at things like
Dragonborn (RotD) Flight and a Con boost.
Feral (SS) Various physical stat boosts and some nice scaling abilites
Mineral Warrior (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20031003e) (Underdark) Makes you super tough through Str, Con & NA boosts and ridiculous DR.
Lolth Touched (MMIV) Big boosts to Str & Con.
Half Minotaur (Dr313) Large Size and huge boosts to Str & Con
Half Ogre (Dr313) Str boost and 0LA if applied along with Half Minotaur
Apart from Dragonborn these al have LA1 which is as above not generally worth it without buyoff.

[weckar]

Are you looking for things that fit thematically or mechanically?

[Iwasforger03]

Are you looking for things that fit thematically or mechanically?

Both.

Thank you to Dead_Head and meschlum for the suggestions and points so far. I really appreciate it.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Bard: Half-Fey (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a) or Unseelie Fey from Dragon Compendium.
Barbarian: Mineral Warrior (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20031003e) or Half-Goristro (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060630x&page=1). Come to think of it, there's probably a variant half-fiend for just about any class that's not Wis-based.
Anything stealthy: Dark Creature (ToM) or Shadow Creature (LoM).
Wis-based, good-aligned: Saint (BoED).
Int- or Cha-based: Primordial Giant (SoX) or Phrenic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/phrenicCreature.htm).
Wild Shaping: Divine Minion (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20050209a).
Generally fun: Quasilycanthrope (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20040721a).