Tharivol123
2007-06-09, 07:10 PM
A group of friends and I recently decided to start up a new D&D campaign, using 3.0 rules and rolling our stats. We each made our characters independent from the rest of the group with the DM supervising. The problem with this is, in the past, we almost always had a team of nothing but melee types and no support characters. I decided to fix this and play a blasting style Half-elf sorcerer with high dex, con, and cha scores (scores are 10, 16, 14, 13, 7, 17).
Here's the problem. The rest of the party are an Elf ranger with similar dex and almost no str/con, a bard who is okay with a rapier and is actually our best melee member, and a cleric whose greatest feature is an insane turning check (he's the second best tank in our group and he has a total 16 HP at level 3). I have the feeling that if things don't improve my lovely 13 HP aren't going to last long in too many more fights.
So here's the advice I'm seeking. We're doing our level buys for level 3 next week. Should I take improved initiative to give me an init bonus of 7 (best in the group) so I can do some decent damage before the enemy acts, or should I take maximize spell and stay near the middle of the group for initiative but deal higher damage on a more consistent basis?
My main concern is which one will help avoid the encounter becoming a melee fight the best. With only 13 HP and +1 melee attack bonus and the only effective melee fighter being the bard (of all people) I know any serious melee engagement could turn into a TPK with just a few bad rolls.
Thanks.
Edit: Since I'm sure it will come up, my current first level spells are Mage Armor and Magic Missile. Ray of Enfeeblement will be my next spell (Avoiding Shocking Grasp at the moment because of the range)
Here's the problem. The rest of the party are an Elf ranger with similar dex and almost no str/con, a bard who is okay with a rapier and is actually our best melee member, and a cleric whose greatest feature is an insane turning check (he's the second best tank in our group and he has a total 16 HP at level 3). I have the feeling that if things don't improve my lovely 13 HP aren't going to last long in too many more fights.
So here's the advice I'm seeking. We're doing our level buys for level 3 next week. Should I take improved initiative to give me an init bonus of 7 (best in the group) so I can do some decent damage before the enemy acts, or should I take maximize spell and stay near the middle of the group for initiative but deal higher damage on a more consistent basis?
My main concern is which one will help avoid the encounter becoming a melee fight the best. With only 13 HP and +1 melee attack bonus and the only effective melee fighter being the bard (of all people) I know any serious melee engagement could turn into a TPK with just a few bad rolls.
Thanks.
Edit: Since I'm sure it will come up, my current first level spells are Mage Armor and Magic Missile. Ray of Enfeeblement will be my next spell (Avoiding Shocking Grasp at the moment because of the range)