Crunch Suggestions for Fluff

[PnP Fan]

Okay, so, I've got a general concept, and I've got some ideas about classes, but I thought I'd run the idea past you folks to fish for a few ideas.

The fluff (at this stage) is pretty simple:
My character was an orphan, probably the oldest in the orphanage. He would live at the orphanage, but would work odd "jobs" for anyone willing to pay a little cash. During a particularly lucrative job (lucrative for a kid), he ran across some kind of aberration or cultists of an aberration, and was appropriately scared out of his mind. He turned over a new leaf, and became determined to protect people (particularly the orphanage) from these "things that man was not meant to know".

My initial thoughts are either Rogue/Paladin or Rogue/Ranger.
Pretty much any book is available except BoVD, and I'm staying away from Bo9S, just because none of the other fighter types were written using it, and I don't want to outshine them.

Edit: Character level is 6th.

Any alternate suggestions?

PnP

[Amiria]

Looks like you could go for one of the PrCs in Lords of Madness.

A Psychic Rogue (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723b) / Paladin to Sanctified Mind would be ok, if you are for Psi.

Rogue / Paladin to Topaz Guardian would also work. Topaz Guardian has few skill points, but at least Spot is a class skill.

A Ranger could become an Abolisher, but that PrC is a bit better for Druids.

[Serenity]

For the record, I think it's been determined that for the first few levels, Warblades and Fighters are closely matched, with a slight advantage going to the Fighter. And Fighters can somewhat bridge the gap at higher levels by taking the Martial Study. (Hey, everyone claims they run out of good feats to take quickly, so they can take it a whole bunch of times.) Similarly, Swordsages--a more likely class choice for you, since you want a somewhat roguish sort of character--aren't frontline fighters, but strategists.

[Jarlax]

I think that ranger is right on target for the character concept. i don't know that you need to include levels in rouge, a persons background before say age 14 probably doesn't need to be reflected with class levels.

however the distracting attack option from PHBII would fit well thematically if there was another rouge in the party. you understand how rouges like to work and have taken an ability that compliments them.

for your prestige class you could take vigilante to go with your streetwise persona from your youth. or take a more divine route and take Stalker of Kharash from book of exalted deeds, which would give you favored enemy evil, smite evil and track evil.

[Fhaolan]

Ranger, I would say. I agree with Jarlax that the 'childhood class' isn't necessarily relevant. I would express it as in the early years the characters were developing skills in stealth and whatnot, and the abberant encounter sent the character towards the Ranger path with the hatred/fear of abberations driving to 1st level.

Unless you start at higher levels, and the character is supposed to already be a 1st level Rogue at the time of the encounter.

I tend to start games at 1st level, so unless I'm using the 'multi-class at 1st level' optional rules, I don't start off with multi-classed characters. :smallsmile:

[Matthew]

There are also Ranger variants to consider. Personally, I would be inclined to talk it over with the DM and modify the Ranger Base Class to suit the character concept, rather than seeking to cobble something together via the Multi Class option.

[Fishy]

Psychic rogue/Ranger into the generic Slayer from the SRD?

And for added fun, isn't there a feat form Rogue/Ranger multiclasses?

[Person_Man]

If you're going to be a Rogue, you'll definitely want to pick up the Craven feat. It requires that you NOT be immune to fear (which means that a Rogue/Paladin can't take this feat) and imposes a minor penalty on your fear saves, but it increases your Sneak Attack damage by 1 point per character level.

But I think Matthew is correct. Your first level doesn't need to be Rogue. You can say that you had your experience while you were still a commoner. If you want a non-Tome of Battle Skills + Kills, I'd probably go with a variant Ranger build and pick up Favored Enemy: Aberrations, Arcanists (Complete Mage) and maybe Evil (Stalker of Karash). Pick up Favored Power Attack, Nemisis, and maybe Pierce Magical Concealment, you'll be set.

[Little_Rudo]

A lot of people are suggesting the Ranger. If your character isn't much of an outsdoorsman, you may want to try the Urban Ranger variant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#rangerVariantUrbanRang er), which gives him a more city-ish feel.

[GolemsVoice]

Wasn't there a prestige class dedicated to banishing outsiders back into their home plane? Name was "Knights of the something-or-other". Maybe you could just use their rules, or you could convince your DM to let yourself be initiated into that order.

[Telonius]

Are you looking exclusively for a melee class? If you're open to casters, depending on how you play it, an Archivist (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20051007a&page=3) could work. They can grant their allies bonuses against monsters based on their occult knowledge of said monster.

[PnP Fan]

Thanks for the suggestions folks, and keep them coming.

For the most part y'all are confirming my thoughts on the matter. The party is also lacking in a skillmonkey (a monk, but no rogues), which is driving the rogue portion of the character. The more I look at it, the more I'm thinking rogue/ranger or urban ranger. My big concern with the latter is that ranger (like paladin) isn't particularly functional after four or five levels.

I was avoiding full spellcasters because we've already got a cleric and a wizard, and I don't want to steal their thunder. (It's a pre-existing party of about 6 players already, so it's hard not to steal Someone's thunder.)

I hadn't given psionics any serious thought, mostly because I'm not too familiar with psionics (though this might be a good oportunity to do so). I think I will investigate this more thoroughly this evening.

So, please, keep the ideas coming.

[Telonius]

Ah, in that case: Rogue1/Urban Ranger 1 (or 2)/Rogue X. Make sure you get that first level of Rogue, you can't get those (8+Int)*4 skillpoints back if you pass it up. General advice: Make friends with your flanking partner, Mr. Monk. He'll be able to tumble through to set up your sneak attacks.