3.5 Thug Fighter

[Rethmar]

In the game we're going to start soon, we will be playing in a thieves guild/mafia. We'll be starting at level 3.

My role comes down to the muscle, the street smarts, the guy who fits in with and knows the shady underbelly of the city, maybe a false role of town guard.
I've got the roleplaying down, but I need to build a character that can be the muscle he should be.

I plan on starting as a Fighter with the Thug variant, maybe the zhentarim fighter ACF as well.

Its looking like it will be a medium to low optimization game, I don't plan on going into ToB or dungeoncrashing for tons of d6s.

So maybe like 2-3 levels of fighter, and then something else. I don't really know what I want to do with this character, other than grabbing Power Attack and a few other obvious fightman choices.

You guys have any suggestions or cool ideas? Would love to hear them.:smallsmile:

[Blackhawk748]

The Urban Barbarian (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a) may be of help here, some of those ACFs are really nice, maybe tack some Urban Ranger on while your at it (Favored Power Attack isnt terrible if your FE shows up enough) Other than that, Dread Commando into Avenging Executioner?

[(Un)Inspired]

I think the Wilder makes a great thug. They hit harder (and can take hits better) than a fighter. They've got a great skill list with better skill points than the fighter and they kick even more arse when they get pissed off or upset.

[Rethmar]

Blackhawk748
Re: 3.5 Thug Fighter

The Urban Barbarian may be of help here, some of those ACFs are really nice, maybe tack some Urban Ranger on while your at it (Favored Power Attack isnt terrible if your FE shows up enough) Other than that, Dread Commando into Avenging Executioner?

You're right, those ACFs do a lot.
Skilled City Dweller eliminates the need for thug variant, as I'll have knowledge local and gather information.
Ferocity looks cool, and Roofwalker could be good.

Avenging Executioner looks cool as well, for the intimidation factor.


(Un)Inspired
Re: 3.5 Thug Fighter

I think the Wilder makes a great thug. They hit harder (and can take hits better) than a fighter. They've got a great skill list with better skill points than the fighter and they kick even more arse when they get pissed off or upset.

While Wilder would fit (and kick some ass, too), psionics is not on the table for this campaign. Should have mentioned it in the original post. Thanks for the suggestion. Incarnum is allowed, however. Maybe I'll check out Totemist or something and see if I can get it to fit thematically.

[gorfnab]

How about Factotum? It fits well for a street smarts type of character.

[(Un)Inspired]

How about Factotum? It fits well for a street smarts type of character.

Factotum is a fantastic choice if you want a character that can beat the tar out of his enemies and is loaded with smarts.

[NoseFeratu]

Maybe going SA Fighter, then Rogue, then Assassin for max SA d6 euphoria.

[gorfnab]

Maybe going SA Fighter, then Rogue, then Assassin for max SA d6 euphoria.
The slightly dubious way to do this with something like Feat Rogue 1/ Swashbuckler 3/ Sneak Attack Fighter 3/ Feat Rogue 13 (or Swordsage 2 {for Assassin's Stance}/ Feat Rogue 11) and take Daring Outlaw at 9th level.

[ShurikVch]

You're right, those ACFs do a lot.
Skilled City Dweller eliminates the need for thug variant, as I'll have knowledge local and gather information.
Ferocity looks cool, and Roofwalker could be good. If you go Barbarian, Dragon #349 have City Brawler ACF.
You lose: proficiency with Martial Weapons, Medium Armor, and shields
You gain: IUS, and can TWF unarmed; Improved (unarmed) TWF at 6th, and Greater (unarmed) TWF at 11th; penalty for using improvised weapons lowered to -2 instead usual -4

[NoseFeratu]

The slightly dubious way to do this with something like Feat Rogue 1/ Swashbuckler 3/ Sneak Attack Fighter 3/ Feat Rogue 13 (or Swordsage 2 {for Assassin's Stance}/ Feat Rogue 11) and take Daring Outlaw at 9th level.

Martial Study would work nicely instead of having to go Swordsage for 2 levels. Also, this assumes SA Fighter and normal Rogue.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

With Zhentarim Soldier you want to take nine levels of Fighter, and get the feat Imperious Command from Drow of the Underdark. This allows you to Intimidate as a swift action every round, and anyone you intimidate will cower for one round, and still be Shaken on the following round. Get the Never Outnumbered skill trick in CS, and once per encounter you can do this to every opponent within ten feet.

Be sure to get the free class features (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20061013a), and be sure to trade Ride for Tumble as a class skill (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a).

If you're not trading your bonus feats for sneak attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#fighter), I'll strongly suggest going Fighter 9/ Warblade 10/ Fighter 1. This gets you Swift Demoralization asap, picks up some decent level maneuvers immediately after along with extremely decent class features and stances, and at 20th level you'll count as a Fighter 18 for prerequisites and can spend that Fighter 10 bonus feat on Weapon Supremacy in PH2.

If you do go with sneak attack, Fighter 9 is still the perfect level to jump out, since even-numbered levels become dead levels, especially with the Dead Levels class features. Consider picking up Half-Orc Paragon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/racialParagonClasses.htm#halfOrcParagon) (Desert Half-Orc (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/environmentalRacialVariants.htm#desertHalfOrcs) for no Cha penalty) for even better intimidation, and you can say you got thrown in the Otyugh Hole in CS to get Menacing Demeanor for another huge bonus.