Backup character ideas

[BowStreetRunner]

Given the option to create a 'stable' of four characters for a 3.5 campaign in which each player may alternate between characters from one adventure to the next, what sort of mix would you go for?


Each player's 'stable' of characters is limited to no more than one character with caster levels (including psionic users, invocation users and others with effective caster levels). Non-caster variants of classes like Ranger and Paladin are allowed, as are levels in classes that give SLAs, Supernatural abilities, and such.
'Near-clones' are also not allowed - so you can't have two characters that are basically two versions of the same thing.
The same base experience awards are given to all four characters, so they level more or less equally, depending on whether you have any funky XP things going on like spending XP on crafting or a LA on one character.
Characters that remain behind in your 'stable' receive a GP award equal to 50% the value of any non-coin treasure the played character receives and 100% of actual coins. (So essentially the same as if they got the same treasure and came back and sold everything for gold.)
The campaign begins at 5th level and is expected to top off around 15th level. It begins in an Illumian settlement located on the Plane of Shadow. The concept is something like Stargate Atlantis in a fantasy setting. Dragon Compendium and setting-specific sources (like Eberron or Forgotten Realms) are being handled on a case-by-case basis, but it looks like a build coming from multiple settings would be frowned upon while something that is fully rules-compliant within one specific setting would likely be approved.


Personally, I was thinking along the lines of an Archivist as my caster, as much for flavor as anything else. For the second character, I like the idea of skirting the caster rules by using SLAs and such. A non-spellcasting Ranger with the Forest Reeve prestige class might be fun. There is likely going to be a need for one character with a stealthy build for times when we need someone who can be sneaky and this could fill that need as well. I was also thinking of doing something from Tome of Battle for a melee-focused build, although I'm not sure what to pick there. I've played a bunch of martial adept builds in the past and it's hard to settle on one! That's about as far as I've gotten so far. Some of the other players have done Ars Magica before and the multiple-character thing is old hat for them. For me, it's hard enough at times to pick just one character, let alone several.

[BearonVonMu]

Four characters to switch between calls to diversity in builds. I would also assume that the other players would cover some of the standard bases half of the time.
How about:

An awakened housecat warblade (or Tibbit if the housecat is not approved)
A kobold sorcerer who was a mix of party buffer and mailman. At level five that means magic missile
A human scout who uses a longspear and power attack
If I could negotiate for a Pathfinder class, this would be a human musket master gunslinger. If not, then a Catfolk rogue.


I would want more than one caster in the bunch, a cleric or bard.

[Amphetryon]

Off the top of my head:


Darfellan Dread Necromancer
Azurin Totemist, Landshark Boots to Totem and Shedu Crown to Crown. Blink Shirt, Pegasus Cloak, Wormtail Belt
Strongheart Halfling Swordsage emphasizing Shadow Hand
Raptoran Archery Ranger (Champion of the Wild variant w/o casting) set to go into Beastmaster from Complete Adventurer at 6th.

Obviously, this is predicated on the DM not ruling Incarnum and/or Bo9S to be casting equivalents. If one of them is disallowed, I'd go Dwarf Barbarian or Halfling Scout to replace whichever archetype I needed to.

[daremetoidareyo]

Go mine the iron chef competitions.

[BowStreetRunner]

Go mine the iron chef competitions.
Those are great for individual builds, but I'm more interested in the mix here. Do you completely mix it up? Something like Caster, Melee Tank, Social Rogue, and Ranged DPS. Or do you stick within a more narrow range of builds? Something like Beguiler, Rogue, Scout, and Incarnate, all of which are focused on scouting and trapfinding.


Obviously, this is predicated on the DM not ruling Incarnum and/or Bo9S to be casting equivalents.
What I know so far is that Martial Adepts are not being lumped in with casters and neither are Incarnum users. Shadowcasters, Invocation users, and Psionic users are considered casters. Not sure about Binders or Truenamers. There is probably some other weird stuff out there in the setting specific sources or Dragon Magazine, but those will probably follow a similar pattern.

This DM used to run Ars Magica (where he came up with the idea for the use of multiple characters) and Star Wars (where he always limited players to one Force Sensitive character in their stable). I'm just glad he didn't also run Cyberpunk, or we'd have to deal with limbs being blown off in every combat!

[Vizzerdrix]

Hmm... This is tricky foe me. I put caster into almost everything. Its like my D&D Adobo.

Early entry Theurge kobold would is my kneejerk reaction, but I think an Artificer would be an amazing option as well. Hard for me to decide. One makes sure you have the spells you need at any given time, the other can be left to work while you adventure.

If LA is O.K. then taking Phrenic Creature ( or hidden talent) would get you into Pyrokineticist. Select Expansion as your power and go flame whip tripper. Build for as much battlefield control as you an get. Also take feats to get more powerpoints.

Ive had amazing success with harpoons and scouts. One of the few non casters Ive ever enjoyed was the standard scout/ranger build with harpoons on a catfolk.

Last would have to be a Peerless Archer build. I have always wanted to try it. Maybe play something with the Dark template with it.

Bonus 5th Character
This one would just to see how far the DM would tolerate setting dipping.
Human Fighter-4. Two flaws. That is 5 feats at first level, and 3 more after that. Total is 8 tasty, stinky feats. In o(r)der

Improved toughness. Troll Blooded. Aberrant Dragonmark (Shield). Mark of madness. Spellfire weilder. (Fighter only feat of choice). Mark of Xoriat. (Fighter only feat of choice).

That dips into Dragon, Eberron, and Forgotten Realms. Has two feats and a level open for customization. The only thing I regret is not being able to get the magic blooded feat into it. It can take a beating like nobodies business.

[ExLibrisMortis]

I would build a primary caster, then look at some mixes of non-casting subsystems, like incarnum, binding, ToB, for interesting abilities, and employ fusion to get them all at once. Don't ever play anything but the fused caster, of course (because I like casters, nothing else).

[BowStreetRunner]

I would build a primary caster, then look at some mixes of non-casting subsystems, like incarnum, binding, ToB, for interesting abilities, and employ fusion to get them all at once. Don't ever play anything but the fused caster, of course (because I like casters, nothing else).

Unfortunately, since the campaign is mid-levels (5th-15th) I don't know how easy it would be to gain access to an 8th level power like fusion. I'm definitely looking into Incarnum and will certainly use ToB.

I mentioned before using a non-spellcasting Ranger/Forest Reeve build. What other interesting prestige classes can anyone think of that have SLAs or Supernatural abilities that could fill in for the lack of casting ability?

[ExLibrisMortis]

Hm, if fusion is out, you can still use feat leech or Illithid Savant (which would require a scroll of polymorph any object, to become Illithid for long enough to pick up the PrC).

Ranger/Master of Many Forms is very useful, of course. Access to tons of special abilities. You can't pick characters with SLAs besides the archivist, as SLAs have caster levels, and are thus banned by your restrictions (like warlock), but some monsters have SLAs that you can use. Sorry, I misunderstood that. You can look at the dreadful Stonelord, with Magic in the Blood. Gets you 3/day earth-themed SLAs.

[MisterKaws]

(or Tibbit if the housecat is not approved)


Why not an Anthro-Housecat?

[BowStreetRunner]

Why not an Anthro-Housecat?

Awakened housecat...Tibbit...Anthro-housecat...What is the fascination with housecats anyway?

[MisterKaws]

Awakened housecat...Tibbit...Anthro-housecat...What is the fascination with housecats anyway?

They can trip dragons and can get suggestion at-will, although for a limited purpose. Still great if you have any effect that activates upon being touched. There was even THAT guy at IC who got a poison-immune Awakened Housecat and had it bathe itself in colorless contact poison.

[Troacctid]

Those are great for individual builds, but I'm more interested in the mix here. Do you completely mix it up? Something like Caster, Melee Tank, Social Rogue, and Ranged DPS. Or do you stick within a more narrow range of builds? Something like Beguiler, Rogue, Scout, and Incarnate, all of which are focused on scouting and trapfinding.
Well, you have to mix it up, don't you? You're not allowed to have two characters who are essentially different versions of the same thing.

I'd probably go with a stony earth dwarf warblade; a swift hunter with the Mulhorandi Divine Minion template; a marrulurk swordsage; and a caster of some kind.

[ahenobarbi]

I'd argue for lifting only one caster per player limit. First I'd rather have one arcane and one divine caster in the party at least, so non-casters would see less use with the limit (assuming party smaller than 8 PCs). Second many characters are better off with at least some casting.

So I'd preffer limit like (at most) one primary arcane caster, (...)one primary divine caster, no limit on low spell casting characters(can't cast spells of level higher than bard of the same level)(also I'd counts Artificers as casters).

With that limits I'd build a Mystic Ranger (divine), a Kobold Sorc(arcane), a Factotum (a corpse), and an Archer (a low opportunity cost opportunity to finally try one, yay).

[mabriss lethe]

For giggles, I'd make the entire crew Changelings. each of them a different build, but all of them use the same "default" form for their normal dealings.

Off the top of my head:

Caster: Beguiler
Alt 1: Dungeoncrasher leveling into Warshaper
Alt 2: rogue leveling into pyrokineticist (or sonokineticist if mind's eye is allowed)
Alt 3: dragontouched crusader with lots of draconic aura feats.

[trikkydik]

regardless of what class you choose i recommend going with simple builds, because making 5 alternating PC's can become cumbersome.

go with 2 fighters, one for melee and one archer specialist

add 1 rogue, for sneak missions and gather information.

add 1 sorcerer, go either elemental user, or illusion/enchantment. (i like to use themes, but think of the sorcerer in terms of combat mage.) use like all damage spells and a few mage armors/

for the 5th go with something random like a necromancer or a wizard who can cast random strong spells.