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Realms of Chaos
2008-05-29, 01:01 PM
I don’t normally post requests like this but right now, I am pretty conflicted. Right now, I am trying to design the development for a 20th level character. The first 10 levels are set, laid out below.

Skulk 1
Skulk 2
Skulk 3
Rogue 1 (mimicry alternate ability)
Rogue 2 (feign death alternate ability)
Rogue 3 (mimicry alternate ability)
Fighter 1 (drow of the underdark alternate ability)
Fighter 2
Shadowdancer 1
Shadowdancer 2

As further detail, the character is an unusually non-bloodthirsty skulk. However, the skulk is messed up in several other ways (soul is promised to elder evil by longstanding contract that he is trying to break, high corruption and depravity, deformity feats [he’s evil, by the way], etc.). Also has the darkstalker feat (which, combined with hide in plain sight, allows him to hide from anything). His main skills with be hide and move silently, followed by bluff and intimidate for social interactions, and disguise as the third most important tier of skill.

What to do with the next 10 levels up to 20 confuse me. Even after weighing my options, I am still pretty conflicted. I have composed a list of the classes that I have considered, along with my initial notes concerning them.

Night Mask Deathbringer 10 (Champions of Ruin):
This PrC is a bit of a double whammy. First of all, it increases the oddness of my character through features like creature of darkness and hesitating stare. Secondly, abilities like spiderwalk and ghost step increase my general. The great number of skill points is a bonus. However, with the relatively low charisma score I intend to end up with, its use might be slightly limited.

Death Delver 10 (Heroes of Horror):
At first, this class was an afterthought. Now, it seems pretty appealing. This class, in some ways, exemplifies the self-preservation instinct of a skulk and gives some handy spellcasting as well. It lacks hide and move silently as class skills, however.

Chameleon 10 (Races of Destiny):
This was my original plan before I became conflicted, although I can’t imagine why. Skulks, I was surprised to learn, are human, thus enabling them to take this class. Although the chameleon doesn’t have any needed class skills other than bluff and disguise, the combination of my levels in rogue and the able learner feat would let me continue purchasing ranks as normal. The changeable bonus feat and ability bonus are nice, and the opportunity to gain back trapfinding (which I traded away) or get some spellcasting appeals. However, I’m worried that it just might not fit the character design enough.

Avenging Executioner 5/Something 5 (Complete Scoundrel):
If I decide to take levels in two different PrCs, this is something to look at. My character has had enough of a whacked childhood to justifiably call genocide against any and all living things and he is already mentally unstable, making it just make more sense. The generous skills per level, the fact that I don’t need to take a feat to take levels in this, and the fact that all of my important skills are class skills makes me like this.

Master of Masks 10 (Complete Scoundrel):
This is an interesting thing, taking advantage of my character’s social abilities. The ability to change my role in a flash (while hiding my alignment and face, as a bonus) holds a similar appeal to that of the chameleon, although a bit more in flavor. The lack of preexisting spellcasting to improve makes me a bit weary of the dead levels, however. Also, of my main skills, only bluff appears.

Mountebank 10 (Complete Scoundrel):
This prestige class strikes me as an amusing option. Alter ego would let me walk around without drawing suspicion, tongue of the devil let’s my bluffs improve, and sideslip is an awesome escape mechanism. Alas, both hide and move silently are absent from its skill list.

Nightsong Infiltrator 10 (Complete Adventurer):
This class appeals for a variety of reasons. Good class skills, I get trapfinding, I gain trackless step (good for securing my identity as the “invisible man”)., and I eventually gain hide in plain sight (allowing me to hide both near shadows and in natural terrain). The abilities that help my team mates are just frosting. However, I’d need to negotiate the existence of the Nightsong guild to my DM and take the Alertness feat (ugh!).

Spymaster 7/ Something 3(Complete Adventurer):
This class was one of the earlier ones that I considered. Good class skills coupled with the ability to disguise myself better and improved protection from divinations (once my innate nondetection stops counting for much).

Darkrunner 10 (Lords of Madness):
This one is nice, possessing generous skill ranks and a good skill list, extending the range of my darkvision (gained from my second level of shadowdancer), and letting me squeeze through smaller spaces. Unfortunately, much like the Nightsong infiltrator, I’d need to negotiate the existence of a guild and take the alertness feat.

Thrall to Demogorgon 10(Book of Vile Deeds):
This is an awesome option for emphasizing my twisted and utterly insane nature. It costs a feat that is of very little use but rewards me with 4 bonus feats. Of particular interest are the abilities to take extra actions and to extend my reach by 5 feet (extending it to 20 feet as I will already possess the inhuman reach and deformity (tall) feats).

Binder 5/Knight of the Sacred Seal 5(Tome of Magic):
The last option I was really considering was that of a binder. By 10th level, with the improved binding feat, I could bind 2 6th level or lower vestiges. If I took an extra level in binder in place of a second level in shadow dancer and took two additional levels in place of the levels in fighter (delaying my other feat choices as I have to choose combat reflexes and mobility to get the shadow dancer), I would be able to bind Marchosias, whose supreme ability in matters of stealth would make me even better at what I do. However, I don’t know if I’d be willing to do this. As a side-note, the various influences and signs would also help emphasize my warped nature.

Right now, I need someone, anyone, who can suggest what they think I should do or show me a new direction to take. Thank you for bearing with me. :smallbiggrin:

Swooper
2008-05-29, 01:10 PM
...Skulk? Do you mean the class Lurk from CPsi, the race Skulk from... MM2? Or something else?

Adumbration
2008-05-29, 01:16 PM
...Skulk? Do you mean the class Lurk from CPsi, the race Skulk from... MM2? Or something else?

The race skulk, I think?

SolkaTruesilver
2008-05-29, 01:23 PM
Don't skulk (from Races of Destiny) already have Trackless steps?

And magical non-detection?

I'd suggest taking the PrC Exemplar, from Complete Adventurer. no more will you ever be afraid of rolling 1s.

Realms of Chaos
2008-05-29, 07:15 PM
Skulk the race from the FF and RoD.

Also, although they increase the DC to track them by 10 and do gain perpetual nondetection (DC 20 to overcome), these abilities mean little at higher levels (and their tracks can be... tracked, as opposed to trackless step, which completely stops this).