PDA

View Full Version : Player Help character advancement help -- fighter / warshaper.



rrwoods
2015-01-15, 03:23 PM
I have a character in a campaign I'm playing this weekend. Level 11 with 7,000 till 12. When I started this character I didn't know what I was doing, and thus took seven fighter levels thinking it was a "build your own prestige class" thing to do (sigh). I'm a Hengeyokai, so my favored class is useless. I'm a little stuck at this point.

The good parts: My DM is *extremely* good at balancing a campaign for his players strengths/weaknesses and telling a coherent story at the same time. I feel my character is contributing adequately to the party, and I'm having a lot of fun playing it, so there's no worries on that front. He's also let me treat both non-human forms of the character as forms that get warshaper's benefits. Unfortunately he's going by "whatever the book says" on XP penalties for multiclassing, and knowing what I know now about the options I have available to me, I feel as though I'm locked out of meaningful advancement.

My DM will be arriving at my place tomorrow and we aren't starting until Saturday, and we may have a conversation that's changing one or two things here. If XP penalties are waived I'll take levels in a martial adept class and not look back, no worries. But right now I'm operating under the assumption that I will eat XP penalties if I do so (which may still be the best option). Another possibility is to convince him to throw some skill points at me to qualify for a sweet prestige class, or waive some requirements.

The character so far is Fighter 7/Warshaper 4, with Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus: longsword, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Point Blank Shot, Quick Draw, and Precise Shot. Skill ranks are Autohypnosis 1, Climb 3, Concentration 8, Jump 5, Listen 2, Spot 2, Swim 2. Feat selection indicates even more that I didn't know what I was doing, but again, still having a great time with it so no worries on that front.

TL;DR -- this character is a mess! Where can I go from here? Help me Playground!

rockdeworld
2015-01-15, 07:37 PM
Would he let you enter Master of Many Forms (http://eberronunlimited.wikidot.com/master-of-many-forms)?

It may sway him toward loosening multiclass penalties if he's aware they only harm mundane classes. I don't know the best way to tell someone that though, other than "Would you please reconsider multiclass penalties. I think they only harm mundane classes like mine. I'd really like to finish my build with Warblade/Crusader/Swordsage levels, but right now I can't."

How does your character combine warshaper with ranged fighter in combat? If you're still doing archery, are you doing the things suggested in the Martial Archers section of the Archery Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?PHPSESSID=h63tmoidirrr93kiran34jalj6&topic=642.msg15070#msg15070)? A lot of those are things you can still do with your build.

Edit: The handbook references Hank's Energy Bow (http://realmofadventure.wikia.com/wiki/Energy_bow), which is described in the link.

rrwoods
2015-01-15, 09:19 PM
Would he let you enter Master of Many Forms (http://eberronunlimited.wikidot.com/master-of-many-forms)?

It may sway him toward loosening multiclass penalties if he's aware they only harm mundane classes. I don't know the best way to tell someone that though, other than "Would you please reconsider multiclass penalties. I think they only harm mundane classes like mine. I'd really like to finish my build with Warblade/Crusader/Swordsage levels, but right now I can't."

How does your character combine warshaper with ranged fighter in combat? If you're still doing archery, are you doing the things suggested in the Martial Archers section of the Archery Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?PHPSESSID=h63tmoidirrr93kiran34jalj6&topic=642.msg15070#msg15070)? A lot of those are things you can still do with your build.

Edit: The handbook references Hank's Energy Bow (http://realmofadventure.wikia.com/wiki/Energy_bow), which is described in the link.

Hm. If I continue to go the archery route, I'll probably just want to get that Energy Bow. As I don't have Weapon Focus for a ranged weapon at all yet, it's a three-feat investment to get to Ranged Weapon Mastery. A little easier if I end up taking more levels of fighter though, so that's something.

Dipping a class that gets Spot as a class skill unfortunately has the same penalties as just going with a martial adept class.

My guess is no on Master of Many Forms, but I'll give it a shot. What's the original sourcebook?

Unfortunately I've unwittingly dug myself into a corner here, or at least it feels like it. This is a campaign we haven't even played in two and a half years ... I've learned a *lot* about effective characters since we last played it, much less since when we started it. Needless to say I'd have done a ton differently if I could start it all over.

rockdeworld
2015-01-16, 11:22 AM
Needless to say I'd have done a ton differently if I could start it all over.
Sounds like your character could benefit from retraining (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060501a&page=6).

MoMF is from Complete Adventurer.

rrwoods
2015-01-16, 12:06 PM
Sounds like your character could benefit from retraining (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060501a&page=6).

For sure, and it's definitely something I plan to ask him about today.