[3.5] Character Help

[Nautilust]

I'm joining a new game under a new GM and we are playing 3.5 Ebberon. I want to play either an enchanter or a telepath so i can get dominate and mind-control people to fight for me. I'm not sure which one i'm going to go with however. I played a telepath in my last game and it was alot of fun, but the wider range of spells and sheer power of a wizard is tempting. The only reason I haven't jumped straight to enchanter though is because they lack the skills required to be a good face. So i need a way around that or i guess my choice is Telepath. I would like help building the most optimized face/mind-controller i can build. I do not know what everyone else is playing yet but we meet this weekend to build characters together. I would like to have a good idea of what i'm going to do before I arrive.

[Nifft]

There's an official Enchanter variant which does gain social skills: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/specialistWizardVariants.htm#enchanterVariants

You lose Bonus Feats for this, so be certain that you don't want Spontaneous Divination (for example). I'd personally recommend Able Learner with this variant, and then take Master Specialist as soon as possible.


Another way for a Wizard to go is to grab Able Learner at level 1 -- so either Human or Changeling, or perhaps Silverbrow Human -- and take half-ranks of social skills until you can take a level of Mindbender at character level 6 (which also gives you Telepathy, and access to Mindsight if your DM allows that feat). You'll get access to all social skills going forward.

This works with any Wizard type, including the Changeling Wizard racial sub, which is a Transmutation + Illusion specialist, and which gets Bluff proficiency immediately at level 1. Changeling racial Wizard also loses Bonus Feats, so again be certain you don't care about Spontaneous Divination.

Or don't be a Changeling, and just do Able Learner on a Human Wizard for 5 levels, then take Mindbender at ECL 6 for full-rank access. This allows you to nab Spontaneous Divination.


Weirdo idea: Human Paragon 1 -> Enchanter 1 -> Human Paragon 2-3 -> PrC ++
With Able Learner, this gives you any 10 skills as permanent class skills, in addition to your Wizard skill list. It also gives you +2 Intelligence and another bonus feat, but costs you 1 caster level, and that makes it very abnormal.


Finally, have you considered Beguiler? It's not as good as a Wizard, nor as good as a Telepath -- but it's not bad, and it's got quite a lot of skill points.


EDIT: Ooo, one more idea:

Changeling Rogue 1 (Able Learner) -> Wizard 4 or 5 -> Unseen Seer 10

You'd get social skills x4 + Social Proficiency from your Rogue level, and Unseen Seer gives you 6+Int skill points per level.

[Nautilust]

I looked at that, the main reason I was looking at an Enchanter, I should of mentioned actually; I apologize. Is that I wasn't sure if my GM was allowing psionics. However I just talked to him and he said they should be available.

I think after some consideration and talking to my GM I am going to play a pure Telepath. So how could I optimize a Kalashtar Telepath.

Another question. One of the players is new to 3.5. He's used to 5th edition. He wants to play a Artificer that eventually is able to build Constructs. What can tips and advice and tips can i give him so that his character doesn't suck.

[Nifft]

1/ Take the Mindlink po-- oh wait, you have it as a racial.

2/ Take the Thrallherd PrC.

3/ Profit.



Seriously, though, a Telepath is awesome.

Psi Charm, Read Thoughts, Psi Suggestion -- all solid gold.

PsiCrystal with Vigor + Share Pain -- obvious tanking potential is obvious.

Hostile Empathic Transfer is fantastic (but only if you're not using Comp Psi).

Finding the Mind Seed'd agents of the Dreaming Dark and using your own Mind Seed to replace them: Priceless.

[Nautilust]

Update on backstory. We run a detective agency and our characters have known each other for a few years, We already work together. He wants to play "A cross-between Ichabod Crane and Harvey
Bullock but Steampunk." I have yet to find out what class. Our other player wants to play an Artificer.

So i'm rethinking my class. I want to be a cross between Commissioner Gorden and John Constantine, i'm not sure about classes yet. We start at 1st. We are using Standard Point Buy and Standard Starting Wealth and are playing in Eberron. What classes should I go with?

Edit: I am thinking of going 1st level rogue, i will be picking up wizard next level. What feats should I pick up as I progress? How should I array my ability scores since i'm using point buy?

[Nautilust]

I'm looking at the Unseen Seer and the skill prerequisites are a little steep. I don't see how I can hit them starting out as a rogue and then dipping into wizard.

I want to play a Gray Elf or Changeling. I'm leaning towards Gray Elf. Playing a Human with Able Learner would make it easier but I don't want to play a Human. Am I just going to start off as a Wizard and dip into Rogue just before I go into Unseen Seer? I want to have the rogues starting number of skill points is there another way around this?

Also to reiterate are there any tips or advice I can give our Artificer to help him make a better character he is new to 3.5.

[Nifft]

Artificer: tell your friend to start here: http://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=399.0

Open up Base Classes -> Other -> look for the Artificer section.

Good stuff there, including this: http://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=2829


Wizard: Rogue 1 -> Wiz -> Unseen Seer only works if you have Able Learner.

Changelings should be able to take Able Learner -- it's limited to humans and doppelgangers, and a Changeling is humans and doppelgangers -- so you could do the Changeling Rogue 1 -> Wizard 4 -> Unseen Seer ++

If you need to be an Elf, then I'd suggest Telepath.

[Nautilust]

Well I just thought, couldn't I do rogue 1/wizard 3/rogue 1 then go into Unseen Seer. Its not the most optimized path. But I'm not playing with people that are going to leave me in the dust just because I took 1 extra level of Rogue.

I'll see if the GM allows Changelings to take Able Learner though.

What about feats? What should I pick?

[Nifft]

Changeling:

Racial sub changeling Rogue 1: feat Able Learner

Wizard 4: bonus feat Scribe Scroll, L3 feat: Practiced Spellcaster (Wizard)

Unseen Seer levels 6-15, L6 feat: Obtain Familiar (since you sold your Wizard Familiar feature for some kind of bonus)