Third Party Member [3.5]

[goken04]

My friends and I are about to start a new campaign. As PCs, we are evil members of one of four important criminal organizations in the nation, our niche being smuggling illegal goods. I'm playing a Changeling Rogue/Factotum (w/ substitution levels, of course!) and the other decided party member is playing an Elf Ranger with Sublime Way variant with Fax's Falling Star Discipline. Our third player is completely undecided and I was wondering if the Playground has any fun suggestions I could make to him to complete our party. He will probably go with either a healer or melee role, or some combination thereof, though any suggestions are welcomed.

Things I have suggested to him (that he has not shot down outright) are:
Paladin of Tyranny/Duskblade/Suel-Arcanamach
Shaman (OA)
Duskblade
Melee Cleric
Binder

The player doesn't like Tome of Battle (unreasonable, imo), so anything from there is pretty much out. The DM will allow anything w/in reason. The Pantheon is the Norse Pantheon from Deities and Demigods, should it be relevant.

[Telonius]

An evil Knight could be interesting.

[Quirinus_Obsidian]

An evil Knight could be interesting.

hehehe... I am reminded of a certian skit

Spoiler

Show

Black Knight: None shall pass.
Arthur: What?
Black Knight: None shall pass.
Arthur: I have no quarrel with you, good Sir Knight, but I must cross this bridge.
Black Knight: Then you shall die.
Arthur: I command you as King of the Britons to stand aside!
Black Knight: I move for no man.
Arthur: So be it!

Arthur cuts off the Black Knight's left arm.

Arthur: Now stand aside, worthy adversary.
Black Knight: 'Tis but a scratch.
Arthur: A scratch? Your arm's off!
Black Knight: No, it isn't.
Arthur: Well, what's that then?
Black Knight: I've had worse.
Arthur: You liar!
Black Knight: Come on you pansy!

Arthur cuts off the Black Knight's right arm.


Arthur: Victory is mine! We thank thee Lord, that in thy mercy...

But in all truth, an Evil Duskblade would be fantastic. Some of the touch spells available to him to channel would be funny.

[Draz74]

The Ardent is a great variation on the normal Cleric concept. Decent healer at higher levels, too.

[goken04]

But in all truth, an Evil Duskblade would be fantastic. Some of the touch spells available to him to channel would be funny.

Agreed. Maybe even into Blackguard? That would be fun! My DM would wipe Improved Sunder and Cleave off the required feats list (unless he fixed Cleave), he'd make it worthwhile. This would be awesome.

There might need to be some tweaking going on to reduce the MAD, though...

Also,

The Ardent is a great variation on the normal Cleric concept. Decent healer at higher levels, too.

Really? I dare not even crack the pages of Complete Psionic. Really?

[Draz74]

Really? I dare not even crack the pages of Complete Psionic. Really?

Yes. Even the most fervent of CPsi haters admit that the book has at least a few decent things in it: the Ardent, the Soulbow, and the Linked Power feat normally comprising the "top 3" list.

I've even heard several people conclude that the Ardent is actually the best-designed full caster class in the game. I would agree, with the caveat that the Dragonfire Adept is also a similarly excellent design (woohoo no bookkeeping!).

[Berserk Monk]

Um, you guys need a healer. No matter what, a healer is something every party needs. You can get by without any other party role, but you need a source of healing. Tell your friend to make a cleric.

[Hat-Trick]

They might not need a dedicated healer, but someone capable would be needed, definitely. They could get by with a Dragon shaman, although that may not be the best they can come up with.

[Guancyto]

Factotum with UMD + wands of CLW/lesser vigor = phat healz.

Duskblade would be an excellent choice for him.

[goken04]

Factotum with UMD + wands of CLW/lesser vigor = phat healz.

Yeah. Plus I plan to take a level of bard at some point which will even eliminate the need for UMD checks.

But I also disagree that we need a healer. If the DM caters to the party's lack of a dedicated healer a little (a few belts of healing, copious potions) a party can do fine w/o a healer, if they play tactically. My DM and I (when DM) both feel it's more important to let the PCs play what they want to play and work extra hard as DMs to make up for whatever roles are lacking.

[The Manly Man]

With a rogue/factotum and a ranger, and a plot involving criminal factions and smuggling, I would go down the line of a character who also can be stealthy, maybe with some interaction skills too. I'd love to play a game where everyone can be stealthy. Every time we've tried to do it, we always get one player who changes their mind at the last moment and turns up with a fighter clanking around in full-plate, or a barbarian who refuses to hide in the shadows for the ambush.

How about a beguiler? They're always fun, and have UMD to help out with healing duties. Stealth skills, interaction skills, and 9 levels of great spells.

A warlock with the right selection of skills and invocations would fit in, but I find they get dull with extended play.

Ninjas and spellthieves fit OK, but have their own issues. A scout has potential too.

A dread necromancer might be fun. With minions that could act as spies, useful abilities, fun spells and a decent skillset. And if people are willing to take Tomb Tainted Soul, then your healing problems are fixed (or go necropolitan, but I find that narrows character options).

[goken04]

To whom it may concern: I talked him into playing a Duskblade going Blackguard. Our DM is allowing the Blackguard to progress Duskblade spellcasting rather than grant new spellcasting to make the build viable and not impossibly MAD. Gonna be awesome! Thanks everybody!!