2e help.

[GuestEleven]

Hello, I'm a relatively new player that has only played 3.5 and Pathfinder but we have some older players joining our group and one of the players is a 2e DM that is about to start a 2e campaign and I'm really not sure what I'm in for. I've decided even though I'm skeptical over taking three steps back from what we're playing now but I have heard the DM is really excellent so I'm approaching it with an open mind. I have two weeks to prepare a level 1 character which should be plenty of time, but I was hoping I could get some help here for direction on how I build my character. [ cp16.nevsepic .com.ua/278/27845/1475391219-045.jpg ] This is the visual inspiration for the character I intend to make, sorry for the break in the link but I can't add links or images yet. I really want to make her a sword and shield fighter with a shield stylized like her shoulder guard and though my eye is untrained I believe that weapon looks appropriate to be a long sword. Any help and guidance will be heavily appreciated, thanks a lot!

[Lord Torath]

Is your DM using the Players Option books? Core only (PHB, DMG, ToM)? Are the Complete <Class> Handbooks being used? Any particular house rules in effect?

I'd recommend your highest scores go into Dexterity and Constitution (unless you get an 18, in which case you can put it in Strength). Specialize in the Longsword, and take a ranged and a blunt weapon proficiency as well. Your DM may let you re-fluff a buckler into your shoulder-guard (pauldron), and you'll probably have to compete with the Wizard for magical protections (bracers of defence, rings and cloaks of protection, etc.). If that's all the "armor" you plan on wearing, you might be able to get your DM to allow the Armor Optimization Non-Weapon Proficiency from the Dark Sun rulebook (Dexterity check to gain a +1 bonus to AC if using any type of physical armor).

If Players' Option: Combat & Tactics or Complete Fighter's Handbook is being used, you might look into specializing in the Sword & Shield style (or Single Weapon Style if using the piecemeal armor rules instead of fluffing your pauldron as a buckler). And if you wait to spend your 3rd-level Weapon Proficiency until you hit level 5, you can put it toward Mastery for your Longsword, allowing you to spend your 6th-level WP on High Mastery, and become a Grand Master at level 9.

[LibraryOgre]

As Torath says, 2e very much depends on what rules the GM is using, and your concept heavily depends on how he considers that character to function. If you're calling it a shield, I can go with it being a shield, but the rules will determine a LOT about his this character is built.

In Skills and power, for example, I'd probably arrange her class like this:

10 1d12 HP (you're going to want them with little armor)
10 Defense Bonus (+2 to AC if unarmored)
5 Increased movement
5 Weapon Specialization

To counterbalance that, you have 15 points of penalties... In this case, "Limited Armor" (i.e. can't wear armor) is 15 points, and neatly pays for it. If you wanted, you could also limit yourself to Thief Weapons (which includes the Long Sword), and get another 5 points to toss into proficiencies.

For proficiencies, again, it matters what rules are in use. For PH only, I'd go with Weapon Specialization: Long sword, and probably toss in a couple other weapons beyond that (daggers are popular, and a club or other cheap and easy bludgeon might be nice). If you expand to Complete Fighters, add Sword and Shield style specialization, since that's your concept (though it's bonus... that you can choose to use your shield as a second weapon without penalty, seems stylistically odd for this character). If Combat and Tactics is also open, then you might also toss a specialization onto your specific shield (unless you GM decides it is a buckler).

If I were your GM, and you asked me how I would handle this, here would be my suggestions

Make your character as I suggested in Skills and Powers; this is a kit just for you. However, I would suggest that you not think of your shoulder bit as a shield. Instead, look at the Kote in Complete Fighters; it's normally a pair of armored sleeves that get treated as a buckler, but I think it works for this image. For proficiencies, take WS: Long Sword, and style specialization in Single Weapon and Two-Handed Weapon. If you are single weapon, you get to add +1 to your AC; if you go two-handed weapon, you get a -3 to Weapon Speed and +1 to Damage; I would let you set your style round by round. The result would be you have a 6 AC (with dex mods) when fighting single weapon... about on par with most character's starting armor).

[GuestEleven]

Is your DM using the Players Option books? Core only (PHB, DMG, ToM)? Are the Complete <Class> Handbooks being used? Any particular house rules in effect?

I'd recommend your highest scores go into Dexterity and Constitution (unless you get an 18, in which case you can put it in Strength). Specialize in the Longsword, and take a ranged and a blunt weapon proficiency as well. Your DM may let you re-fluff a buckler into your shoulder-guard (pauldron), and you'll probably have to compete with the Wizard for magical protections (bracers of defence, rings and cloaks of protection, etc.). If that's all the "armor" you plan on wearing, you might be able to get your DM to allow the Armor Optimization Non-Weapon Proficiency from the Dark Sun rulebook (Dexterity check to gain a +1 bonus to AC if using any type of physical armor).

If Players' Option: Combat & Tactics or Complete Fighter's Handbook is being used, you might look into specializing in the Sword & Shield style (or Single Weapon Style if using the piecemeal armor rules instead of fluffing your pauldron as a buckler). And if you wait to spend your 3rd-level Weapon Proficiency until you hit level 5, you can put it toward Mastery for your Longsword, allowing you to spend your 6th-level WP on High Mastery, and become a Grand Master at level 9.

I have just confirmed that the Complete Fighter's as well as Combat & Tactics are allowed. I am extremely interested in the Sword & Shield Style as well as the Grand Master. What book is grand master in? The high Con score makes sense, but why the high Dex if you don't mind me asking? I'm also curious about the ranged weapon proficiency, do fighters have a hard time dealing with kiters in 2e?

I might be seeing things wrong but it almost looks like we're viewing this as if my character won't have any armor on, which I can see how that may be assumed according to the photo I linked. In my group we are under the agreement that as long as a set of armor is magical it can have a skimpy appearance as shown. But I'm not against a very lightly armored and nimble fighter, in fact I like the idea and it makes more sense for the character I'm making.

As far as weird house rules go there is one really weird one that is hard for me to find a sense of direction with. The actual building of characters for 2e is a serious mystery to me, the whole system is because the DM is very story driven over numerical value or statistics. He even said that he doesn't care about what people rolls and values are, he just hears what you tell him and decides what happens. It sounds like a very strange way of doing things to me, but he will be the DM so there isn't much to be done. We will be using the proficiency system and he mention some other thing he does where he said "If you want your character to know a neat trick run it by me and we will make it work out." When I heard this I came to the conclusion that the skill system must vary drastically from 3.5 and Pathfinder. I asked my buddy what an example of the "tricks" he was referring to was and he told me that he had the rage class feature without ever taking a single level in Barbarian. Preparing myself for this world feels like a state of confusion and uncertainty, but I'm doing what I can to make it work.


As Torath says, 2e very much depends on what rules the GM is using, and your concept heavily depends on how he considers that character to function. If you're calling it a shield, I can go with it being a shield, but the rules will determine a LOT about his this character is built.

In Skills and power, for example, I'd probably arrange her class like this:

10 1d12 HP (you're going to want them with little armor)
10 Defense Bonus (+2 to AC if unarmored)
5 Increased movement
5 Weapon Specialization

To counterbalance that, you have 15 points of penalties... In this case, "Limited Armor" (i.e. can't wear armor) is 15 points, and neatly pays for it. If you wanted, you could also limit yourself to Thief Weapons (which includes the Long Sword), and get another 5 points to toss into proficiencies.

For proficiencies, again, it matters what rules are in use. For PH only, I'd go with Weapon Specialization: Long sword, and probably toss in a couple other weapons beyond that (daggers are popular, and a club or other cheap and easy bludgeon might be nice). If you expand to Complete Fighters, add Sword and Shield style specialization, since that's your concept (though it's bonus... that you can choose to use your shield as a second weapon without penalty, seems stylistically odd for this character). If Combat and Tactics is also open, then you might also toss a specialization onto your specific shield (unless you GM decides it is a buckler).

If I were your GM, and you asked me how I would handle this, here would be my suggestions

Make your character as I suggested in Skills and Powers; this is a kit just for you. However, I would suggest that you not think of your shoulder bit as a shield. Instead, look at the Kote in Complete Fighters; it's normally a pair of armored sleeves that get treated as a buckler, but I think it works for this image. For proficiencies, take WS: Long Sword, and style specialization in Single Weapon and Two-Handed Weapon. If you are single weapon, you get to add +1 to your AC; if you go two-handed weapon, you get a -3 to Weapon Speed and +1 to Damage; I would let you set your style round by round. The result would be you have a 6 AC (with dex mods) when fighting single weapon... about on par with most character's starting armor).

I really like the kit you designed, but will it be effective? Because of my unfamiliarity with 2e it is hard for me to look at something and say it is going to be good. If this will be effective then say no more, I love the idea and will probably run with it.

[Digitalelf]

The actual building of characters for 2e is a serious mystery to me.

I can't offer any advice that hasn't already been said, but I can say something to perhaps shed some light upon making a character in 2n edition.

First off, notice I said "making" and not "building". This might sound like simple semantics, but there is a slight difference. A difference in how to look at character creation in 2nd edition AD&D vs. 3.x and PF.

In later editions, part of the fun for a lot of people was the planning... You plan on getting this feat at level 3, this prestige class at level 5, this magical weapon by level 7, and by 20th level, your character is whatever you planned out, including magical items and equipment. But part of the reason you build a character a certain way, is you want to gain the bonuses (mainly to combat) that come along with those choices.

In 2nd edition, there is only so much you can do regarding character creation. Sure there are some things that can be forecast; such as how you might spend your proficiencies (both weapon and non-weapon) as you gain them. But as far a character class is concerned, you're pretty much stuck with what you chose when you created your character, unless your character is both human AND has some pretty exceptional stats (like 17 +), in which case you might be able to dual-class (which is not the same thing a multi-class). And bonuses? LOL... 2nd edition gives much much smaller bonuses overall. In 3.x and PF, with a STR of 16, you get a bonus of +3 (which is used for BOTH to hit and damage). By contrast, that same score of 16 STR in 2nd edition only gives you a bonus of +1 that can ONLY be applied to damage. It does not give you any bonus to hit; that comes with a STR score of 17. A STR of 18 only gives a character a +1 to hit, and a +2 bonus to damage.

Also, you can't plan on having certain magical items (regardless of character level), unless you have a VERY generous DM. In 2nd edition, magical items are just not a necessary component of characters as they are in later editions. I mean sure, everybody likes getting magical items. But in 2nd edition, a 3rd level character is lucky to have either (not both) a +1 weapon OR +1 armor... Again, unless you have an extremely generous DM.

Regarding skills. In 2nd edition, they are called proficiencies, and are classified as either weapon, or non-weapon. Weapon Proficiencies are used to "purchase" the ability to use a specific weapon. So unlike with 3.x and PF, a fighter has to choose which sword he or she wishes to use (e.g. long sword OR short sword), while a 3.x/PF fighter can use both.

Non-weapon Proficiencies are mainly the things a character can do outside of combat. But unlike skills in 3.x/PF, in most cases, every character can do the things proficiencies describe without having a slot in it, but having a slot in a specific proficiency means you are that much better at the task than the average character. For example, take "Fire-Building"... Every character can build a fire, but having a slot in fire-building, gives the character the ability to start a fire without the use of a tinderbox (whereas the character without a slot in fire-building needs a tinderbox).

Each non-weapon proficiency is based off of a specific stat (i.e. STR, DEX, WIS, etc.). Most give a small bonus however. To use them, you must roll the stat the proficiency is based of and get a score that is either equal to or lower than the stat in question. Using Fire-Building as an example again, it is based off WIS, and it is accompanied by a -1 penalty to the roll. So say your fighter has a 12 WIS... You want to start a fire using wet wood without using a tinderbox; in order to get the fire going, you must roll an 11 or lower to succeed.

I hope this helps you understand the 2nd edition mindset a little more. :smallbiggrin:

[Lord Torath]

I have just confirmed that the Complete Fighter's as well as Combat & Tactics are allowed. I am extremely interested in the Sword & Shield Style as well as the Grand Master. What book is grand master in? The high Con score makes sense, but why the high Dex if you don't mind me asking? I'm also curious about the ranged weapon proficiency, do fighters have a hard time dealing with kiters in 2e?Grand Master means you've put 5 Weapon Proficiency slots into a single weapon. It's in PO:C&T (Player's Option: Combat and Tactics). You can't put a third WP in a weapon until you hit level 5, but you only get WPs at levels 3,6,9,12,etc.(and 4 at level 1). So if you save that 3rd-level proficiency until level 5, you can hit Grand Mastery at level 9 instead of level 12.


The high Con score makes sense, but why the high Dex if you don't mind me asking?High dexterity helps your armor class, which, if you're running around basically naked, is going need all the help it can get. And even if you're not running around naked, dexterity helps your AC. Even if you're wearing full plate, you can get an extra 1-4 points of AC from a high dexterity.


I'm also curious about the ranged weapon proficiency, do fighters have a hard time dealing with kiters in 2e?One-trick ponies always have trouble with anything that isn't their trick. If you're fighting flyers, or someone on the other side of a chasm, or carrion crawlers, or if you just don't want to leave cover, there is almost always a use for a ranged weapon.


I might be seeing things wrong but it almost looks like we're viewing this as if my character won't have any armor on, which I can see how that may be assumed according to the photo I linked. In my group we are under the agreement that as long as a set of armor is magical it can have a skimpy appearance as shown. But I'm not against a very lightly armored and nimble fighter, in fact I like the idea and it makes more sense for the character I'm making.You might consider looking at the Swashbuckler kit in the Complete Fighter's Handbook. Gives you a bonus to AC in no or light armor, but requires you to spend some of your WPs on particular weapons (parrying dagger, stiletto, rapier, saber), which will postpone your Grand Mastery.


As far as weird house rules go there is one really weird one that is hard for me to find a sense of direction with. The actual building of characters for 2e is a serious mystery to me, the whole system is because the DM is very story driven over numerical value or statistics. He even said that he doesn't care about what people rolls and values are, he just hears what you tell him and decides what happens. It sounds like a very strange way of doing things to me, but he will be the DM so there isn't much to be done. We will be using the proficiency system and he mention some other thing he does where he said "If you want your character to know a neat trick run it by me and we will make it work out." When I heard this I came to the conclusion that the skill system must vary drastically from 3.5 and Pathfinder. I asked my buddy what an example of the "tricks" he was referring to was and he told me that he had the rage class feature without ever taking a single level in Barbarian. Preparing myself for this world feels like a state of confusion and uncertainty, but I'm doing what I can to make it work.Ask your DM about the Armor Optimization proficiency from Dark Sun. If he's allowing "tricks", he might be OK with that in an non-Dark Sun setting. Actually, Dark Sun gladiators get 1 point of Armor Optimization every 5 levels automatically (no Dex check required). If your buddy gets to rage, your DM might be willing to give you this.

Keep in mind that your starting ability scores are very likely to be your ending ability scores. There's not a lot of magic for increasing ability scores, and it's generally pretty rare. Skills do not generally have prerequisites, and you can't plan on getting particular magic items, so there is generally very little "building" of characters, just character development.

[LibraryOgre]

I really like the kit you designed, but will it be effective? Because of my unfamiliarity with 2e it is hard for me to look at something and say it is going to be good. If this will be effective then say no more, I love the idea and will probably run with it.

Moderately, especially at low levels. As level increase, you're going to find that you REALLY miss good armor, especially since you'll be competing with Mages (and, to a lesser extent, bards and thieves) for Bracers of Armor and Rings of Protection. The d12 HP and +2 for unarmored HELP, but you're going to be hard-pressed to keep up as a front-line fighter as ThAC0s improve, and you're going to eat a lot of healing to keep up. And, since the kit is pretty much "Using Skills and Powers to make your class", it might not be allowed by your DM. S&P has a... mixed... response among 2e players. TBH, I find it a better DM tool than a player one, for just such occasions.

Since you're allowed both C&T and Complete Fighter, but not necessarily S&P, let's go from there. C&T has the grandmastery you're interested in, but has some other neat bits, too. I would start with Specialization in Long Sword, and the Single Weapon and Two-Handed Weapon style specializations, as mentioned. For NWP, you might want to invest in Tumbling, from the Rogue list; you can use it to boost your AC by 4 in rounds when you don't attack.

For kits, your best option is the Swashbuckler; it will give you the +2 to AC (that I suggested in my "kit) and proficiency in Tumbling, though you'll want to switch from Long sword to Saber, and that means dropping two-handed style specialization (you could double up on single-weapon, though, and thereby ending up with your 6 AC while wearing little more than a baldric). It also means you don't have to spend extra for Rogue group NWPs, which will come in handy. But that's also a pretty set idea of character. Going with a Gladiator means you have to drop 2 early WPs into weapons that don't match your concept picture. Amazons can't get good at swords. Noble Warriors have to have armor. There might be other useful kits, but Swashbuckler seems like the best fit for the picture.

So, if I'm building this swashbuckler, here's what I have

Attribute Priority
Str Med
Dex High
Con Med
Int Low
Wis Lowest
Cha Med

WP (Swashbucklers get two bonus proficiencies)
Saber, Specialized.
Single Weapon style, double-specialized
Stiletto
Main-Gauche
(Your third level weapon proficiency will pretty much HAVE to be in Rapier, BUT you can't spend a slot on Saber Mastery until level 5, anyway, so it's not that big of a deal; if your DM lets you use Int proficiencies for WPs, you might pick it up at 1st level and forget about it, but I wouldn't stress)

NWP
Etiquette (bonus)
Tumbling (Bonus)
Your other 3+Intelligence NWPs can be spent as you like, but I would suggest Blind-fighting, Juggling, and Jumping... they work well with your "naked warrior" aesthetic.

EDIT: Oh, and I forgot something. Equipment. I mentioned the Kote above, but you might also look at Gladiator armor. The Galerus is mentioned in CFH, but isn't given stats; I'd call it a 1 AC modification, similar to a full plate arm. If nothing else, suggesting Kote rules for your Galerus might go over well.

[GuestEleven]

Thanks for all of the help guys. I think I'm good and ready to play. You have all been amazing help.

[MeeposFire]

I always go for higher intelligence and I find that much more helpful than high str (unless I can get 18/XX strength but usually that is not happening). INT is helpful because it allows you to get those proficiency (weapon and non-weapon) that you need or want. My preferred spread is slightly unusual because I would have str as being a low priority (high enough to ok at carrying stuff really) while having dex, int, and con being put ahead of it.

One interesting bit is that depending on the book certain things are better or worse despite looking like the same thing. For instance both C&T and the fighter handbook have prof rules on sword and board style but the one in C&T is better because it says you keep the AC bonus for bashing with a shield. I always liked the idea of going with that style and having either high dex or two weapon style to make myself having good offense with a strong defense.

The kote is a good choice if allowed. I played a nasty gladiator (using the gladiator class found in Dark Sun) who used twin cesti, tumbling, two weapon fighting, Kote, punching specialization, and the like to be an absolute monster up close. I also used those special gladiatorial armors found in the fighter book because partial armor is fun. Exotic feeling and fairly nasty only issue later on was that finding a magical cestus (let alone two) was very rare (indeed the DM had to actively choose to put them there or I would have to find a way to have them created for me).

[LibraryOgre]

Thanks for all of the help guys. I think I'm good and ready to play. You have all been amazing help.

Great! Let us know what your character looks like when you're done!

[GuestEleven]

Great! Let us know what your character looks like when you're done!

Fortunately the DM is super open and super helpful. He cares a lot more about the style of character and how much work you put into devising them than rules. I found out that he finds the weapon swing speed system to be silly and over complicated, but in turn he let me adjust the dmg bonus when using two-handed style to +2 instead of +1, he is letting me take sword and shield style (using the Kote as a shield) gaining a +1 AC bonus and +1 dmg bonus and giving access to the shield combat maneuvers, and also the +2 AC bonus from single weapon style. This way I have an effective +2 bonus to AC, damage, or split evenly depending on what I need.

The DM has ancient Rome on the map for his world so we have decided my character is from Rome and she learned the arts of sculpting, painting, and playing instruments as a child as well as sword play. When older she join the military at the age of 15 but never got sent off to a battle front. Her father(who is a senator) pulled strings to keep her posted locally and she eventually made her way to being a praetorian guard. Toward the end of her active service as a guard she found an opportunity to join in on the blood sports in the Colosseum and happened to shine marvelously among the gladiators. She spent the next two years in the arena earning fame for herself before finding out that her father was rigging her fights by poisoning or bribing her opponents. He did this not out of lack of belief in his daughter's capabilities, but out of desperation to keep his only child safe. After her next victory in the Colosseum she vowed that she would leave her city to grow strong enough to slay a wicked hydra that lives in the Roman countryside terrorizing small villages and the like, and that she would not return until she had. With that her story begins.

Given the background the DM is allowing me to pick up Gladiator proficiency and NWP. Here are the proficiencies I have decided would fit my character. I haven't been able to select them yet because I don't currently have stats rolled.

Blind Fighting
Charioteering
Endurance
Running
Dancing
Ettiqette
Heraldry
Musical Instruments
Painting
Pottery
Sculpting
Singing
Tumbling

Arena Acting
Dirty Tricks
Massage
Tactics
Taunting
Weakness Identify


The DM has also allowed me to take the Tough Skin racial to gain +1 to AC. I'm quite pleased with the character.

[Mutazoia]

One extra bit of advice: Use a bastard sword. Sure...most magic swords are Long Swords, but the trusty Bastard Sword can be used one handed when you have your shield, or you can drop the shield, swing that Bastard Sword two handed for extra damage. (Even though the books list "one handed" and "two handed" bastard swords, they are the same sword, the 2 entries are for how it's being used.) Your DM will most likely adjust the magic item drops to give you magic bastard swords (unless he's a ****), so don't worry about missing out on magic weapons.

Depending on how you are generating ability scores, as a melee type, make Chrarisma your primary dump stat.

[GuestEleven]

One extra bit of advice: Use a bastard sword. Sure...most magic swords are Long Swords, but the trusty Bastard Sword can be used one handed when you have your shield, or you can drop the shield, swing that Bastard Sword two handed for extra damage. (Even though the books list "one handed" and "two handed" bastard swords, they are the same sword, the 2 entries are for how it's being used.) Your DM will most likely adjust the magic item drops to give you magic bastard swords (unless he's a ****), so don't worry about missing out on magic weapons.

Depending on how you are generating ability scores, as a melee type, make Chrarisma your primary dump stat.

I would but the only real difference between two handed bastard sword and one handed is the swing speed which my DM doesn't employ. The damage difference is 1d8 or 2d4. I know that the minimal damage for 2d4 is 2 while 1d8 is 1, but it would be more difficult to get maximized damage on 2d4 than 2d8. Not to mention I don't think the bastard sword is listed as a thief weapon.

[hamlet]

I would but the only real difference between two handed bastard sword and one handed is the swing speed which my DM doesn't employ. The damage difference is 1d8 or 2d4. I know that the minimal damage for 2d4 is 2 while 1d8 is 1, but it would be more difficult to get maximized damage on 2d4 than 2d8. Not to mention I don't think the bastard sword is listed as a thief weapon.

Actually, it does matter. You'll roll higher damage average on two dice than just one. Not lots more, but a bit generally speaking.

[Lord Torath]

A Longsword weighs 4 lbs, while a bastard sword weighs 10 lbs. Now, not wearing lots of heavy armor, weight may not be a major concern. But using two-handed gets you +2 damage, so you'll be doing 2d4+2 with a bastard sword, vs 1d8 with a longsword. That's an average of 7 damage from the 2H Bastard vs 4.5 average from the 1H longsword

Does your kotor take up a hand, preventing you from wielding your sword two-handed?

Are you getting the Dark Sun Gladiator weapon proficiency bonus as well (proficient in all weapons, but still 2 WPs to specialize)? Automatic Armor Optimization every 5 levels?

[GuestEleven]

A Longsword weighs 4 lbs, while a bastard sword weighs 10 lbs. Now, not wearing lots of heavy armor, weight may not be a major concern. But using two-handed gets you +2 damage, so you'll be doing 2d4+2 with a bastard sword, vs 1d8 with a longsword. That's an average of 7 damage from the 2H Bastard vs 4.5 average from the 1H longsword

Does your kotor take up a hand, preventing you from wielding your sword two-handed?

Are you getting the Dark Sun Gladiator weapon proficiency bonus as well (proficient in all weapons, but still 2 WPs to specialize)? Automatic Armor Optimization every 5 levels?

The Kote does not take up a hand so I am able to wield the long sword with two hands, therefore I will do 1d8+2 damage. I will be getting the Armor Optimization, yes.

[GuestEleven]

Actually, it does matter. You'll roll higher damage average on two dice than just one. Not lots more, but a bit generally speaking.

Not saying you're wrong but I find that four sided dice don't roll very well and I rarely get a decent roll with them.

[GuestEleven]

Finally got my stats done up.

Str-18(Rolled 00 as well)
Dex-16
Con-16
Wis-13
Int-14
Cha-18(I didn't waste an 18 roll on this, the DM said that he only uses charisma for character appearance and actions and said to set it to a suitable value for our character's appearance and attitude.)

HP:14
AC:2 base/1 Sword and Sheild/0 One Handed

I have 120 gold to work with. I shouldn't have too hard of a time spending it, but if anyone has any suggestions I welcome them.

[Mutazoia]

I have 120 gold to work with. I shouldn't have too hard of a time spending it, but if anyone has any suggestions I welcome them.

If you have money left after buying weapons and armor, and the obvious stuff like torches, 50' rope with grapnel, Flint and steel, etc., then get:

Small Silver Mirror - Handy for looking around corners and under doors. With a light dusting of the Glass see spell, can be cut and fitted into frams to make mirrored shades that repell gaze attacks.

Bag of 1000 marbles - Poor man's "Grease" spell. Dump these in a hall way and watch the fun as monsters try to navigate their way through....especially if they have hooves. Also makes a good, make-shift sap.

Lantern Oil (at least two "skins") - Even if you don't have a lantern, eventually you'll find a troll you want to set fire to (or anybody else really really annoying). The second one can be used to add fuel to the fire, or as yet another poor man's "Grease" spell, now with burning damage!

A (non-magical) staff between 5-8 feet in length - The virtues of a 10' pole or other similiar device cannot be overstated. Poke the floor in front of you to find hidden pit traps, Poke the enticing gem on a pedistal, rather than using your precious fingers, a handy walking stick, an actual quarter staff for subdual damage...the list is endless. I recommend a staff rather than the 10' pole, as most dungeon corridores are 10' high, making the transport of a 10' pole rather cumbersome.

Hammer and pitons - Great for spiking doors shut, or assisting in climbing walls.

Scroll cases (3 or 4) - Even if you don't have any scrolls to put in them, these are handy. Putting newly found scrolls in them to keep them safe is an obvious use, but did you know you can also use them to:

Carry a small amount of water or other liquid (since they are water proof)
Place a small mirror at the bottom and cast "continual light" on it. You have a handy dandy flashligh that you can "turn off" by putting the cap on.
Trap and carry a venomous insect, for later deployment into a sleeping orc's sleeping furs.



Flour or chalk dust - For when those pesky invisible critters insist on attacking you invisibily. Throw a few handfulls in the air and let physics do the rest.

I could go on, but I'm thumb typing all this, and need to rest the digits ;)

[MeeposFire]

One extra bit of advice: Use a bastard sword. Sure...most magic swords are Long Swords, but the trusty Bastard Sword can be used one handed when you have your shield, or you can drop the shield, swing that Bastard Sword two handed for extra damage. (Even though the books list "one handed" and "two handed" bastard swords, they are the same sword, the 2 entries are for how it's being used.) Your DM will most likely adjust the magic item drops to give you magic bastard swords (unless he's a ****), so don't worry about missing out on magic weapons.

Depending on how you are generating ability scores, as a melee type, make Chrarisma your primary dump stat.

If the OP ends up getting two handed style the long sword is better. Due to the weirdness of the rules long swords get a +1 to damage when used two handed for 1d8+1 which is better than the bastard sword's 2d4 when used two handed. Sadly I do not think there is a real niche for the bastard sword.