[3.5] New character suggestion

[Dyne]

My 6th level Druid just bit the big one and I'm having a hard time deciding what'll be the best addition to the team. Let me start with a rundown of the team. We have a fighter, rogue, scout, ranger, 2 clerics, a bard, sorcerer, and wizard.

So, yeah all the bases are covered but I kinda wanted to stay as a caster. I was thinking of the rainbow warsnake. But I can also see another meat shield in the party's need/want list. Any suggestions?

[lytokk]

Will start by asking what sources are available to you? What's banned? What would you like to play?

I've been having some fun with my warforged artificer in a game with a roster as big as the one in your game. Mostly serving as utility for now, as well as item crafter.

[Dyne]

It's a forgotten realms campaign but all official sources are available. No third party sources

Edit: now that I remember he is against psionics

[Aegis013]

That's a huge party with all the generally desirable class roles already redundant, so I wouldn't worry about what would be useful to the others. I say play whatever you think is interesting or sounds like it could be fun.

[Drork]

Commoner! The is the answer to any party that doesn't need anything. Take him on a few adventures then retire once you have worked out what you really want to play. Leaves the DM with an awesome NPC to boot.

[Segev]

If psionics wasn't off the table, I'd suggest a Psion Telepath with an emphasis on communication powers. With a party that size, being able to stay in touch when split up and communicate silently is a huge advantage.

If you're just looking to have fun, my suggested "be whoever you want" build is a Changeling Incarnate 3/Totemist 2/Chameleon 10, plus whatever you like beyond level 15. This gives you a huge number of soulmelds, allows you to bind to your Totem Chakra, and the variety of soulmelds with the re-allocating essentia can give you a vast array of skills. Chameleon lets you cast spells or be a tank or be a skill monkey however you feel you need to on a given day, and stacks nicely with the soulmelds you've chosen for that day. As a Changeling, you can even alter your appearance to be a totally different person each time you change your alotment of skills and powers.

[Segev]

Oh, at 6th level...

You could also look into playing either a White Dragon Wyrmling or a Pseudodragon, and taking levels of Dragonfire Adept. If you get the fog invocation, you can give yourself total concealment and use your racial blindsense to pinpoint the squares your enemies are in. That's all you need to breathe on them; you don't CARE about miss chances.

[Ruethgar]

Cpuld be a Rhulisti Life Shaper who stumbled through an air elemental weird's pool and made it to Fearun. Going lower op and just focus on life shaping beasties or have it be something to make you unique in addition to your class abilities.

An Artificer would not be remiss and you could play up the whole craft thing, or a cleric and go for more of an "I am god" approach since life shaping literally lets you create life. And you can easily adjust your life shaped creations to fit the party's optimization level.

Just remember that there aren't many ways to control the things if they get too powerful. It is fluffed that they do what they were built for, but give them too much power and they might start deciding how best to complete their purpose in life on their own, think iRobot.

Edit: Just saw the post before me and you could play a super dragon. DWK, DFA, White Dragon class(the class has no prereques but is highly suggested to be white dragon only), Draconic Class and Half Dragon Class with LA buyoff. Also remember that Dragon Wings' glide is a modification to falling and thus a free action for potentially 30ft extra movement so even if you have flight from beig a pseudodragon it might not be a bad choice.

[Stuvius]

A Duskblade might be a fun addition. You can wade in and hack and slash when the occasion warrants but also utilize a fair selection of spells.

[lytokk]

Now that duskblades been mentioned, I'd go ahead and second that. Its a fun class to play, and will present some offensive opportunities the party may not have. I don't think you could have a bad time with that.

[Dyne]

Duskblade fills both what we may need (another tank) and what I want (a caster). I was kinda looking at hexblade but this works better.

[ZamielVanWeber]

Be careful. Dusk blade is bulky but not a tank (tanks are pretty rare in DnD). It is a solid choice, especially with its burst damage capacity in a party that lacks it.

[Janthkin]

Be careful. Dusk blade is bulky but not a tank (tanks are pretty rare in DnD). It is a solid choice, especially with its burst damage capacity in a party that lacks it.Yeah, burst can be fantastic (swift True Strike + Power Attack + Shocking Grasp or Vampiric Touch on a 2-handed weapon), but you're not wearing the heaviest of armor to do it. An Animated Shield is on your "buy soon" list. Helpfully, you'll (eventually) have access to Greater Magic Weapon, so you don't need to over-invest on the beat stick.

Another option would be something like a Marshall or Dragon Shaman: something that can buff the whole (very large!) party as easily as a single individual, but in a manner which compliments the Bard.

*edit: or a Warlock with Eldritch Glaive. Level 6 is right where perpetual flight comes online, and it has completely different flavor than anything else currently in the party.

[Dyne]

Hmmm I could do something dragon born with the dragon shaman for flavor. We don't really have many non core races in the campaign. One genasi and a sun elf. Maybe a dragonborn lesser aasimar dragon shaman

[Ruethgar]

You can be a Silver Hatchling with White Dragon 5 and ECL 3 after buyoff and 1000xp to lvl 4. Take Loredrake and Magical Trainig and you are a lvl 2 sorcerer with 3d12 HD +3 BaB +3 to all saves and a fair bit of skill points. Not very powerful but you will be leveling faster than the rest of the party and you aren't helpless. Next level sorcerer take a drakken lizard familiar with the Dragontouched DMGII ability and Dragon Wings for its feat for a mini me.

Or skip the dragon levels and just play a Silver Dragon Hatchling(Dragon Type, Double low-light and 120 dark vision, +2 Cha, Cold Subtype, Speed 20ft, Immune to Acid) and go Duskblade as normal with a side of Loredrake for a little boost. Expend a feat on flight which isn't too bad if you retrain the redundant Light Armor Proficiency feat Duskblades get for free upon attaining lvl 1 for Improved Dragon Wings(skipping prereques as per the dragon type interaction with dragonblood requirement) or normal Dragon Wings if you don't want to be cheesey about it(and want free movement speed).

[ZamielVanWeber]

Hmmm I could do something dragon born with the dragon shaman for flavor. We don't really have many non core races in the campaign. One genasi and a sun elf. Maybe a dragonborn lesser aasimar dragon shaman

I highly recommend you don't take dragon shaman. It is a very weak class and you will spend most of your time totally overshadowed by the other players.

[Ruethgar]

Also Dragonborn can be quite restrictive similar to the paladin or exalted feats you have to be a goodie two shoes to keep it and the platinum dragon has some sway over what you do. I would suggest a Silver Hatchling from Dragon #332 if you want a similar look but with more flexibility. Dragonfire Adept makes a better Dragon Shaman. If you want an aura take it as a feat, not as a class. Or since you are a true dragon you can fuel it a little with Loredrake spells.

[Extra Anchovies]

Maybe a psion, binder, or Incarnum-user? Then you won't ever be redundant with another party member.

If you want to play a dragon shaman, play a Dragonfire Adept and take the Draconic Aura feat(s).

[Zetapup]

If you want to be a tank, I'd recommend crusader or warblade if tome of battle is alright in your group. They've got a decent amount of options and can deal some solid damage. You might end up outshining the other melee characters though.

If you still want to be a caster, I'm a big fan of the warlock class. At will invocations plus an at will eldritch blast which you can deal quite a bit of damage with if you go eldritch glaive or claws and take a few levels of hellfire warlock (although you'll need a way to get rid of the con burn. A level of binder for naberius or a few wands of restoration are pretty popular options for that). Plus, you can choose what you want to focus on: scouting, damage, battlefield control, etc.