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ealan
2008-01-09, 03:55 PM
Party is starting out, the DM gave out a pool of Items 1 per character, our choice. Well I was not there, I got a homebrewed bracers that improves natural attacks, not unarmed strike, not when in a wild shape. they are +7 attack and dmg. I need to build a level 1 character, I have this item. What race should I be, other then Kenku, my DM believes they should be Evil only and are in his campaign. I would like to play a rogue on top of it all considering it is what the party lacks, but only in mind of the trapfinding and open locks and disable device. I am in more need of a race the anything right now, any ideas. It doesn't have to be or look good, just humanoidish.

oh and it has to be LA+0 considering we have to have 1 lvl and we are starting ELC 1.

BRC
2008-01-09, 05:23 PM
Firstly, I would call Foul on your DM here, he's preety much pigeonholed you in terms of your magic item here. He's very much limited your racial choice if you want this to be any use to you.

That said, what comes to mind is the Races of Dragon kobold varient, which you can read on the wizards web site. Kobolds with that varient get some 1d4 natural weapons (I think) which normally are preety much fluff-only, considering that you can pick up a stick off the ground and deal more damage. However, for your purposes it will work. It will also give you a bonus on search and hide checks, which will be good for a rogue. If your DM is nice, I would see if you can get a synergy bonus from Craft (trapmaking), for disable device checks to disarm traps. I know kobolds are preety much the weakest race out there, but considering your situation I'd go with them. If your DM says that all kobolds must be evil too, and you can't find another LA+0 race with natural weapons, then I would complain. Your DM shouldn't force a magic item on you and then prevent you from using it.

Murderous Hobo
2008-01-09, 07:46 PM
You could try an unarmed beguiler with Weapon Finesse and Improved Unarmed Strike.

"Look I'm harmless, you already confiscated my rapier"

"BANG"

Nevermind.

Chronicled
2008-01-09, 08:24 PM
A monk’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.

Normally I'd say no to monks, but in this case...

Or even better, an unarmed swordsage.

Necromas
2008-01-09, 09:49 PM
Normally I'd say no to monks, but in this case...

Or even better, an unarmed swordsage.

I believe "DM gave out... homebrewed bracers that improve natural attacks, not unarmed strike" overrules the SRD quote.

These Kobolds (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a) will make an excellent rogue that uses natural weapons, has no LA, and no racial HD.

Jack Zander
2008-01-09, 10:43 PM
Pfft, sell the worthless bracers and buy your own magic item.

Chronicled
2008-01-09, 10:52 PM
*Hits self on head*

What was I thinking, suggesting a monk or swordsage? This obviously calls for a Psychic Warrior + Claws of the Beast! (And quite possibly Bite of the Wolf)

It's probably the best possible way to use that item, if your DM is allowing psionics.

ealan
2008-01-10, 01:15 AM
I think I am pushing the Kobold Variant.
Yes I know I got it pushed on me and I could complain, but at least I didn't say "Oh I am playing a Arcane caster!!!" and the DM goes "OK low magic campaign, have fun." Yes here is your starting magic item, in this world it is so rare you better use it. And over powered for a first lvl PC.
2 other items I found out were a +7 Greatsword, and a +7 bracers of deflection. The party is based on +7 magic items I believe. With 5 characters and I know 3 of the items, I wonder what the others were that they were picked over my pigeon hole.

Feralgeist
2008-01-10, 04:51 AM
be a warforged. They get slam attacks ;)

Chronicled
2008-01-10, 04:58 AM
be a warforged. They get slam attacks ;)

Good call. If you *are* going for natural attacks from race, then warforged are great for that sort of thing. They also make amazing Barbarians...

CASTLEMIKE
2008-01-10, 05:39 AM
Kobold or Warforged (ECS) Psychic Warrior suggestion for a leveling game.

marjan
2008-01-10, 06:13 AM
"Oh I am playing a Arcane caster!!!" and the DM goes "OK low magic campaign, have fun."

In that case you just say "Collegiate Wizard b****".:smallwink:


2 other items I found out were a +7 Greatsword, and a +7 bracers of deflection.

If magic items are rare wouldn't it be better to make use of most of them? If you use that homebrewed bracers you won't be able to use greatsword and bracers of deflection meaning that two of them will go to waste.

Rad
2008-01-10, 06:42 AM
If magic items are rare wouldn't it be better to make use of most of them? If you use that homebrewed bracers you won't be able to use greatsword and bracers of deflection meaning that two of them will go to waste.
I guess that's what the rest of the party got.

Kizara
2008-01-10, 07:12 AM
Wow, I'd be pretty fricken pissed if I got some jackarsed crappy bracer and someone else got a PLUS SEVEN GREATSWORD.... wow, I mean seriously.

At least allow the stupid fricken thing to simply boost any natural attack.

Also, if it's a low magic campaign, play a caster. So there's less magic? EXCELLENT! Now you have a CORNERSTONE on awesomeness. Divine casters work best, as you don't need any of the 'infrastructure' somewhat necessary with wizardry.

Also, there's a divine spell called Beast Claws or some such (clr and drd lists) that gives you natural claw attacks. It is, however, somewhat high level (4 and 3 IIRC). The point is, you got totally jacked for items, so turn it around and own anyways.

OH! And the best thing of all, get a druid. Use the things for your animal companion. At level 4, get a Fleshraker animal companion (MM 3) and watch your DM CRY as he realizes the thing has +7 enhancement on its attacks and damage. Don't forget to buff it with bull's strength and Endurance as well.
Still, even with how amazing that is, I'd still rather roll a cleric with that greatsword...

Necromas
2008-01-10, 11:12 AM
Also, if it's a low magic campaign, play a caster. So there's less magic? EXCELLENT! Now you have a CORNERSTONE on awesomeness. Divine casters work best, as you don't need any of the 'infrastructure' somewhat necessary with wizardry.

Also, there's a divine spell called Beast Claws or some such (clr and drd lists) that gives you natural claw attacks. It is, however, somewhat high level (4 and 3 IIRC). The point is, you got totally jacked for items, so turn it around and own anyways.

OH! And the best thing of all, get a druid. Use the things for your animal companion. At level 4, get a Fleshraker animal companion (MM 3) and watch your DM CRY as he realizes the thing has +7 enhancement on its attacks and damage. Don't forget to buff it with bull's strength and Endurance as well.
Still, even with how amazing that is, I'd still rather roll a cleric with that greatsword...

I believe he made it clear he wanted to play a rogue.

WorthingSon
2008-01-10, 11:37 AM
You might also like Kenku from MM3 p86. 2 claws (1d3) Small size 30' move. +4 Hide and Move Silently. Also, you get +4 when flanking instead of +2... +2 Dex, -2 Str.

kamikasei
2008-01-10, 11:38 AM
You might also like Kenku from MM3 p86. 2 claws (1d3) Small size 30' move. +4 Hide and Move Silently. Also, you get +4 when flanking instead of +2... +2 Dex, -2 Str.

He specifically doesn't want to be Kenku. His DM makes them Evil-only.

WorthingSon
2008-01-10, 11:42 AM
He specifically doesn't want to be Kenku. His DM makes them Evil-only.

I saw that... I just decided to be dumb and not think while I posted... Personally I'd tell the DM to go @$%@#%@# himself.

Tokiko Mima
2008-01-10, 11:46 AM
Hmm... well, in this case a totemist (From Magic of Incarnum) might be a class that's called for, in addition to your rogue levels. Totemists get all kinds of incarnum shaped natural attacks and if you're smart you can stack them so that you get a lot of natural attacks early on. The plus side of this is that you'll be capitalizing on bonus sneak attack damage, since every attack you make gains the bonus damage, making even simple 1d2 claw attacks attractive.

Be sure you take the two weapon fighting feat and use natural attacks (assuming you have more than one) as your primary weapon as well as a light weapon as your "offhand" iterative weapon.

Burley
2008-01-10, 12:04 PM
This is definitely a "Your DM isn't making being fair" thing. Talk to your DM about it. The worst that can happen is you'll play a warforged rogue with sneak attack slams +7. Then, your DM will be angry that you've now got an upperhand on the +7 greatsword character.
It comes down to this: Homebrewed items (In my Opinion) are almost never on the same level of balance as items from the sourcebooks, even if the book items are unbalanced. This item is an example of that. Sure everything has a +7, but they're all +7 applications that anybody can use. A +7 sword is applicable to just about everything with hands or telekinesis. +7 to natural attacks is good for things that don't show up in the core rule books, or are things that could get you attacked randomly by NPCs. (Let's face it: Nobody likes kobolds in the D&D worlds, and their gonna get attacked by everything.)

I would suggest asking your DM to either give you a different item, or to widen the items capabilities to help with other things, instead of just natural attacks.

Artanis
2008-01-10, 01:29 PM
I have to agree with the others who are saying that the DM isn't being fair. I could understand if everybody got equally crappy items, but an epic Greatsword? The OP is getting f***ed, plain and simple.

ealan
2008-01-11, 02:40 AM
First game session:
I came in, Rogue rolled, Kobold with the claw attack and his amazing necklace.
DM tossed it out. Said ok fine you have to play a rogue, you can use the necklace for unarmed strikes and go reroll a human character.

So here is my level 1 rogue with necklace:
12 Str
18 Dex
10 Con
15 Int
12 Wis
11 Cha

Feats:
Improved Unarmed Strike
Weapon Finesse
I know it should have been TWF according to another player but DM said if I use unarmed he will treat me to it for more or less pigeon holing me even more so I technically gained an extra feat: Two Weapon Fighting.


At 3rd level I will take Craven from ChampRuin.
At 6th level I will take Superior TWF out of BoNS.
AT 9th level I will take Versatile Unarmed Strike from PH2.
At 12th Savvy Rogue.

Any suggestions for progress with the character?

Chronicled
2008-01-11, 02:53 AM
Sigh... no love for the kobold PCs. What is this world coming to?