[3.5]Creating Some Kind of Tanky-Sorcerer-Thing, and Would Very Much Appreciate Help

[Fenburg]

Hello everyone,

Me and my friends are getting together soon to start a new campaign (actually our first campaign (actually our first ever session of D&D)) and we decided that I would be the DM. The problem: since this is our first ever game, I kinda wanted to participate in the actual playing of a PC too.

I'm well aware of the problems that may occur when their is a DMPC (I think that's right term, when the DM has a Player Character too) in the game: railroading, knowing all the puzzles n' traps, being a general buzz-kill, but I think I've found a work around.


I'm going to be playing as a Lawful Evil Kobold that only understands and speaks Draconic, while the rest of the PCs have Good alignments, and don't speak Draconic. As a result, I will be, for the most part, unable and unwilling to direct, help, or even easily communicate with the rest of the players (from within the game, at least) for any other reason than combat or story progression. If everything goes as planned, the other players will get to control the progression of the game with as few hindrances as possible, and I will get to play a PC. Win-Win.


Actual Character Creation Details Located Here:
[Note: I have access to pretty much every non-setting specific sourcebook]

Race: Arctic Kobold

Clasess: Battle Sorcerer Lvl1/Fighter Lvl2/_____ Lvl_/Dragon Disciple Lvl 10

Ability Scores at Lvl1:

Str 12 (14 -2)
Dex 20 (18 +2)
Con 13 (15 -2)
Int 18
Wis 1 (3 -2)
Cha 13


Flaws:

Shaky: You take a –2 penalty on all ranged attack rolls.
Weak Will: You take a –3 penalty on Will saves.


What my character is: The character I'm building is a melee-focused spontaneous-caster. I know at first level I'm going to be a Battle Sorcerer (with the Drakken Familiar class feature). At level 2 I'm going to multi-class into a Fighter for 2 levels (bonus feats.) I have no idea what I'm going to be for levels 4-10; but whatever it is, it needs to either have full caster-level/spell progression or some way of acquiring the Animate Dead spell. For levels 11-20; full-on Dragon Disciple.

What I plan on my character being: A winged, half-dragon Kobold with 4 arms, tri/tetra-wielding sickles, with an AC so high as to be practically untouchable, occasionally flinging out spells. (The caster part of my build is; honestly, the least important. I'm willing to make sacrifices in regards to casting as long as I excel at melee and get the Animate Dead spell.)(My character may-or-may-not turn out to be the Big Bad/betray the rest of the party (I haven't decided yet) at the end of the campaign. It's okay if I'm a little OP; the other people I'm playing with have also heavily optimized their characters, and it will be a 3-on-1 fight during the final battle between me and them. (If that is the route I do decide to take the game)(Note: It shouldn't be too OP though, I do want them to win.))

Me and one of the other players in my group did a test battle between our characters (at Lvl 20.) He was a Deep Dwarf Duskblade Lvl10/Dwarven Defender Lvl10, with an AC of 24 and 180hp while in Defensive Stance, and wielding a Fullblade(2d8 dmg). I was what I described above, but with 8 Lvls of Battle Sorcerer, with an AC of 31 and 116hp, and wielding 4 Small Sickles(1d4 each). I won in, IIRC, 5 rounds with 34hp remaining. [Note: no spells were involved in this battle, neither of us had yet chosen any.]

What I'm looking for: a prestige class that I can acquire before level 11 that grants full caster-level/spell progression or a means of acquiring the Animate Dead spell. The reason I need Animate Dead is because it's a prerequisite for the Bonemail and Skeletal Hand grafts that you can get from the Graft Flesh feat. (Bonemail for more AC, Skeletal Hand for more hands to hold more weapons to do more attacks.) I would prefer a class with features that would improve my characters performance in melee combat rather than grant additional buffs to casting, but it's not a deal breaker if that's not possible

If there is anything else you need to know, or if their is something I forgot, feel free to ask.

[BowStreetRunner]

If you are looking for some PrC levels you can take with full sorcerer progression, try this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?294500-The-Improved-Sorcerer).

[ThisIsZen]

I would honestly suggest rethinking this decision, and not necessarily because of the DMPC inherently although that is often an issue, but because you've essentially given your party no reason to keep your PC around. It can't talk to them, it can't understand them, it's diametrically opposed to the party on moral grounds. There's no real justification I can think up as to why a party would even look twice at this guy.

Now for some parties that might not be an issue but I'd honestly find it kind of hard to swallow that I should just accept this seedy small lizard following me around purely for the purpose of helping out in combat. It stretches the limits of belief, if you get me?

If you're gonna run a DMPC (which I advise against), just run a DMPC. Make it something that makes sense in the context of the world and party. Don't saddle your party with something illogical just so you get to play someone on their side during combats.

[atemu1234]

Maybe Abjurant Champion?

[Fouredged Sword]

I am going to suggest a crystal dragon worshiping crystal master Kobold psion. You are not technically a sorcerer, but with all the tanky boost from share pain / psicrystal fun, you won't notice.

[Warrnan]

As far as building an arcane bruiser, here's how I usually do it: Sorceror6/fighter1/spellsword1/
abjurant champion5/eldritch knight7

For wings use the dragonborn of bahamut, but refluff it for evil instead as a "dragonborn of Tiamat". Very cheap permanent wings as early as level 2 or 3 iirc.

For 4 arms use girallon's blessing spell extended or permanancied or as a continuous item.

This build gets you everything you want. Ridiculous defenses through the spells vampiric touch, nerve skitter, greater mirror image, superior resistance, protection vs alignment and later mind blank. Good offense through channelling spells through your weapons. You can pick up smiting spell feat, bloodstone weapon enchant, spell storing weapon enchant, and arcane strike feat. This allows you to blow up your enemies pretty hard by shooting off several spells thru a melee attack or hold back and buff your allies. Win/win.

You aren't technically a half dragon anymore but you'll keep so many more levels of spell casting. If you end up playing this build you have 17 base attack and 18 caster levels and 9th level spells.

Granted this build is much more complex than "I hit them with my Greatsword." but I think the fun and flexibility are worth the effort. Plus with all those arms you can shoot of even more stored spells and arcane strikes.

[Ferronach]

It's okay if I'm a little OP; the other people I'm playing with have also heavily optimized their characters .... Deep Dwarf Duskblade Lvl10/Dwarven Defender Lvl10, with an AC of 24 and 180hp while in Defensive Stance, and wielding a Fullblade(2d8 dmg). [/SPOILER]

Welcome to the wonderful world of D&D! And to the even more interesting world of being the DM :)

Forewarning: I mean all of the following in a constructive manner and not as a bash or anything. I know you and your friends are new to this so I am trying to highlight areas of concern, not poke holes.

Did you guys equip your "level 20" selves or just hand the naked characters a basic weapon(s)?

To me it sounds like this guy is going full on "tank" mode in his head. Tank in this case being heavily armoured.
But then his stats just don't look right. I have had level 6-8 characters with 32+ AC and over 100 HP who are not even all that focused on AC/HP and don't have access to defensive stance. Are you adding his con modifier * lvl to his hp? (Remember this will be affected by anything that increases/decreases his con modifier).
By level 20 he should have way more AC than that as he should have enchanted armour, deflection and dodge bonus items, a dex item if he can increase his max dex bonus to AC in his armour, an enchanted animated tower shield, a con item to up his HP and so on. All of this will help him get his AC waaay higher than it sits here. Being a dwarf, he may want to look into races of stone and grab some of the cool dwarven armours found in there.

For your 4 arms, are you applying the two/multi weapon fighting penalties? Only your main hand will get full bonuses to attacks while the other 3 will take penalties.

Are you dead set on going with sorcerer? There are various classes that allow you to be a bruiser who just so happens to also be able to cast spells. There are also a number of other ways to get extra arms and AC. Some of the kobold stuff from Draconomicon (I never know how to spell that sucker) can get you a lot of what you are looking for without having to take any classes. Wings are just a feat and by having the dragon subtype and being dragon blooded, you get access to stuff like the dragon disciple PrC.

By level 20, both of your characters would have lots of magical items that will make them better suited to their tasks and aid them in other areas. Chances are that they will also have contingency items to get them out of hairy situations and possibly save their lives.

I will also advise against having a character that cannot communicate with the party as they will most likely kill your character. If any of them figure out that your character is evil, their "good-ness" will kick in and they will purge the evil lizard with steel, magic and fire.

What would be your character's motivation for staying with the party?
Perhaps one of the players has him on a magical leash that forces your character to obey the player's orders but does not specifically control your character's actions and in way affects his thinking.
Maybe your character has had a stronger and more permanent version of charm or dominate cast upon him.

I know that you want to play in the story too but I have found that as a DM I am so busy controlling all of the mobs during combat and the NPCs out of combat that adding in a character just adds to the confusion. If you are dead set on playing in the campaign as a player, you could always opt to try one of the many varied pre-built campaigns where you won't really know everything that is coming and you can't fudge a roll because you don't want your guy to die.

Being a DM is a lot of work and will keep you on your toes both during and between sessions. Having to keep track of your character and its’ growth during that time will just be another task to taken care of.

[ComaVision]

You may want to tell your Deep Dwarf player that he's really missing out by not taking Duskblade to level 13.