Playing for the first time.

[sanon]

I've always wanted to play DnD, but didn't have the time to, and just plain couldn't find a group. Now I have one (me, a very experienced DM, and another) and am abit overwhelmed.

First of all, we are both going melee classes, neither of us want to start with magic. He hasen't told me what he is going to be, but I'm sure it's something with Monkey Grip and big ass weapons.

I am considering 3, and just can't choose.

1. A Warforged Fighter with a single lv in reforged for the healing bonus. The main problems with this would be that I've been told Warforged are hard to start as. And I can't think of a suitable prestige class. And I also don't know much about crafting, which I would assume is important to Warforged.

Also, I won't be going Juggernaught for RP purposes.

2. A Human or Dwarf Psychic Warrior/ Pyrokintisict (mini Balrog FTW).

3. A Human or Dwarf Warblade of the White Raven and Iron heart specilization.

NOTE: They are in order of most favored to least.

So can anyone help with my class choosing? We are starting at lv 4, and any general new player advice would be greatly appreciated thank you.

P.S. Would requesting a Warforged Component like the Wing Cloak or Wand Holster be out of the question when we start the game? I have a strange affixiation with flying, and think the Wand Holster is just awsome.

[Dullyanna]

I'm afraid I can't tell you much about warforged, but I will say that a psychic warrior/pyrokineticist is nifty (Aside from the fact that it's limited to one kind of elemental damage). A real effective build with that would be kinda complicated, what with the numerous feats, power, and whatnot. I'd go with a warblade, or a battlefield control type fighter.

Edit:If you really want the psycho-pyro, check my third post in an old topic of mine for a (Relatively) straightforward build. Don't be a half-giant, though.

Linky:http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57274

[AslanCross]

I'm partial to the Warblade. Took me a while to understand how ToB worked, but now that I get it, I really like how it works. I haven't really read the Eberron books much, so I can't tell you much about Warforged.

A warforged warblade, though, would be made of win.

[Dullyanna]

Or a warforged psychic warrior/warmind

Edit:Don't actually do that:smalltongue:

[Raolin_Fenix]

I would honestly recommend playing a human fighter.

You'll hear a lot on this forum about how they're the weakest class out there. And it's true, to some extent. Especially if your friend is also going with a melee class. But there's something to be said for simplicity, and fighter's are certainly simple. I absolutely agree with your decision to avoid magic your first time playing; magic is complicated, rough to understand.

If you must play a caster, play a Beguiler (Player's Handbook 2) or a Warmage (Complete Arcane). They're about as simple as you can get as far as casters go: a list of spells they can cast, and how many times you can cast them per day. But again, if you can, avoid them. Things like spell DCs, ranges, casting times, durations, and above all, what spell to cast when and how to prepare them, will make your head spin.

You want to keep it simple your first time around. After you've run through a few sessions, and been on the receiving end of a few spells (so you have an idea how they work), then casters are the way to go.

[Zincorium]

Or a warforged psychic warrior/warmind

Edit:Don't actually do that:smalltongue:

Hm, actually it seems pretty solid, you don't get any high level powers but you'll have a good bunch of power points and decent BAB. Plus warmind has some absolutely awesome class features.

[Dullyanna]

Hm, actually it seems pretty solid, you don't get any high level powers but you'll have a good bunch of power points and decent BAB. Plus warmind has some absolutely awesome class features.

Oh, I know its a decent build. Problem is, it might be a wee bit complex for a first timer. Then again, the psycho-pyro ain't elementary either, since he'll still have to deal with all the psionic rules. And as far as simplicity goes, a human fighter is truly the best. It's a feat-monger, so you get to experiment alot, and thus weed out the nigh-useless crap i.e. monkey grip and toughness.

[Skjaldbakka]

I would recommend something like rogue or ranger for a first timer, honestly. Fighters have lots of feats, but this =/= lots of room for error.

[Dullyanna]

True, but he said his DM is experienced, so I'd imagine that he'd steer him away from anything that would really gimp him. Then again, that's an assumption on my part.

[SkanMan]

actually sanon im inna same boat as you ive played like twice but my dude's been dm'ing for like, years, so im glad you started this thread

[Cogwheel]

Actually, the simplest caster is a warlock, no?

Also, allow me to recommend a warblade above a fighter. Sure, it's more complicated at first, but it's astoundingly good fun, as opposed to "I hit it again". And they're, y'know, actually balanced.

Yeah, go warblade. You could even (with some cross-class, as well as picking the wild talent feat or a psionic race/1 level in a psionic class) go warblade/pyrokineticist, if you really want to.

[sanon]

Well the main reason I was thinking the pyro thing was beacuse, well it basiclly makes you a smaller Balrog :smallbiggrin:

So has anyone had any experience with Warforged? They look like such an awsome race, and an interesting RP.

So I should stick with Tome of Battle classes? Should I go Warblade or Swordsage. It would seem that the Warblade is more durable, and the Swordsage has more damage, plus more elemental abilities which I would imagine would be handy in a all melee group.

[Dullyanna]

I think the general consensus is that warblades are a bit easier to make a good build out of than swordsages.

[The J Pizzel]

The DnD group that I DM has a friend who we've been trying to get to play for a while now. His girlfriend even started playing a Scout while he sat in the living room and played Halo all the time. Then....I brought home the ToB. NO one in my group wanted to play anything out of it because they didn't want to learn the new mechanic of maneuvers. So, it sat in the living room crying and un-used. Then, our friend picked it up and started reading it. He is now a dedicated level 14 Warblade with White Raven and Iron Heart specialization. He carries a +1 Dragon Bane Battle Axe and a +2 large steel shield. He wears +2 Mithral Full Plate and has essentially become the greatest newbie I've ever seen.

Moral of the story - Warblade is a great intro to DnD. The maneuvers are a simple mechanic that is really hard to mess up. It breaks the monotony of a fighter. It's just complicated enough to teach you the rules, but just easy enough to make it non complicated (contradiction intended).

My adivice: go with either a Warblade or a Duskblade. Both are good intro classes that teach two mechanics. Fighting and maneuvers/spells.

pizzel

[sanon]

The DnD group that I DM has a friend who we've been trying to get to play for a while now. His girlfriend even started playing a Scout while he sat in the living room and played Halo all the time. Then....I brought home the ToB. NO one in my group wanted to play anything out of it because they didn't want to learn the new mechanic of maneuvers. So, it sat in the living room crying and un-used. Then, our friend picked it up and started reading it. He is now a dedicated level 14 Warblade with White Raven and Iron Heart specialization. He carries a +1 Dragon Bane Battle Axe and a +2 large steel shield. He wears +2 Mithral Full Plate and has essentially become the greatest newbie I've ever seen.

Moral of the story - Warblade is a great intro to DnD. The maneuvers are a simple mechanic that is really hard to mess up. It breaks the monotony of a fighter. It's just complicated enough to teach you the rules, but just easy enough to make it non complicated (contradiction intended).

My adivice: go with either a Warblade or a Duskblade. Both are good intro classes that teach two mechanics. Fighting and maneuvers/spells.

pizzel

Sweet, so Warblade it is, I suppose I'll set up my charecter sheet tommarow. How does starting equipment at lv 4 work?

First I gotta choose Human or Warforged >.<

[Driderman]

Well, unless you have a very short span of attention, playing a Warforged shouldn't be too much of a hassle. There are some extra things to keep track of, but not too much and it's good training.
Of course, that extra feat that humans get is nice, too...

[sanon]

Well, unless you have a very short span of attention, playing a Warforged shouldn't be too much of a hassle. There are some extra things to keep track of, but not too much and it's good training.
Of course, that extra feat that humans get is nice, too...

But I could see myself becomeing a cliche human warrior. With Warforged, I just pick a few quirks, and make sure I know how they are placed in the setting.

[kamikasei]

But I could see myself becomeing a cliche human warrior. With Warforged, I just pick a few quirks, and make sure I know how they are placed in the setting.

In its way the converse is a risk: you could end up playing a warforged as a stereotype whose only personality is being a warforged, whereas it might be easier for you to create a distinctive personality for a character who's not hugely different from you in terms of race. It depends on you and your group, of course.

[Dullyanna]

Kamikasei's completely right. Since this is your first time, don't get too stressed with squeezing everything out of a build, or roleplaying a really unique and interesting character.

[The J Pizzel]

I say go human for the extra feat. Not to mention it's your first character. Don't try to make pun-pun. Just make a fun character that you can learn with.

[sanon]

Here is his character sheet. Anything needing a die was done with a random number generator for DnD. Not sure about experience, what to take for stances and manuvers, or what to put for currency.

http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/view.php?id=27000

So how is it? Anything I should change? What should I take for making components, or should I rely on my DM for those?