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View Full Version : Playing a Changeling Beguiler?



Zaeron
2008-02-16, 07:33 PM
Hey everybody, I need some help!

This is the first time I've come to the forum with a problem as a player, not a DM, so... Bear with me.

In about two hours, I'll be playing my second session with Talon, a level 3 Changeling Beguiler. He's maxed out bluff (+15!), disguise, and other talk-y skills. His CHA and INT are both 18.

Here's my problem. I'm not quite sure how to play him. The rest of my party is a decent mix of rogue-y classes. We're all stealthy enough to survive, and most of us have ranks in disguise, etc. We're assassins.

My first session was really unsatisfying. Nearly everything I cast was resisted, and the things that weren't resisted didn't do a lot of good. The rest of the party is fairly well optimized for melee combat, and I simply felt like I was contributing next to nothing. It didn't help that I burned all of my first level spells in the first encounter to next to no effect at all, and had nothing else to do with my time but fire hand crossbows into melee ineffectually.

During social encounters, I found that I had little real use. most of the rest of the party can bluff or talk well enough to get by, and there are fairly few situations where you really need a dedicated liar. Overall, I simply felt like a swordsage or similar character would have been much more useful. Can anybody tell me what I'm doing wrong? We play again in 2 hours and I'd really like to be of more use.

CockroachTeaParty
2008-02-16, 09:24 PM
Well, with an 18 INT, it sounds like your enemies are just rolling lucky on their saves. Keep spamming, and something should stick.

As for social situations, perhaps you should talk to your DM about sharing the spotlight with the other socially skilled characters. Perhaps your group can split up, and have double the silver tongue opportunities.

Overlard
2008-02-16, 09:28 PM
Creative use of silent image should mean that enemies will rarely get a save against it.

If you're feeling you're being left out in social situations, then I think that's probably down to the playing styles of your and your friends rather than the beguiler class. The beguiler is probably the most socially-capable of classes, even moreso than the bard. Speak up more, use your skills, use your spells.

Mad Maudlin
2008-02-17, 03:16 AM
Maybe put more of your focus into the little roleplaying tidbits - You're a beguiler. If you're not shamelessly lying to someone every other encounter, you're just not getting the most out of your fluff :smallbiggrin:

And, if your average enemy has higher-than-average saving throws, try out a strategy that shouldn't allow a save. Bluff, intimidate and Silent Image your enemies into thinking you're much scarier than you really are. Or spam Color Spray whenever possible - as a beguiler you can justify catching one of your allies in the crossfire. And then roleplay the hell out of that one.

When the DM wants you to fight, try negotiating. The most interesting thing I ever did with my beguiler was to pose as a "Lathander's Witness" and convert a room full of goblins. They carried my stuff for the rest of the dungeon.