{3.5} Noob Character

[AirGuitarGod32]

Hey playgrounders:

My buddy, Ben, is new to D&D, and wants in on my 1st level campaign. We need a skillmunky, but he's a Guild Wars player and has played Neverwinter Nights. He want s to use Base Half-Elf or Base Hafling. Here's in need of an "easy to run at first, but more complex later" build. I considered a Monk/Ninja/Assassin who kills people with his bare hands-type build.

Any other/better ideas? He's giving me the proverbial reigns.

[HCL]

Strongheart halfling swordsage?

Rogue? Maybe swap the sneak attack for a fighter bonus feat like unearthed arcana?
Spellthief?
Factotum?

[Kosjsjach]

Before someone beats me to it, I'll say that Factotum (from Dungeonscape) makes a spectacular skillmonkey.

EDIT: *eyeroll* You know that this board needs? A ninja smiley.

[AirGuitarGod32]

Strongheart halfling swordsage?

Base Races only, except for the DM's g/f........

[Starscream]

EDIT: *eyeroll* You know that this board needs? A ninja smiley.

Yeah, that would come in handy.

[Sliver]

Yeah, that would come in handy.

I kinda wish someone would have ninja'd you on that..

[Starscream]

I kinda wish someone would have ninja'd you on that..

Glad it didn't happen. When threads go recursive it's never a pretty sight.

[Kylarra]

I'll second swordsage or factotum.

[suryasm]

Halfling Rogue. When in doubt, go for the classics, I say.

Although Halfling Spellthief is a pretty good idea too, if you want something which gets complicated down the line. Or maybe a Half-Elf Scout.

[Akisa]

Base Races only, except for the DM's g/f........

Well that's a yellow card warning there ^^'

[Temotei]

Well that's a yellow card warning there ^^'

Maybe she's playing a troll.

[Quietus]

Rogue going into assassin, any base race. Rogue gets the basics - a broad skill set to help cover the "weird situation" stuff that noobs always bring up, which I love, and sneak attack in combat to help them learn the tricks needed there. Hide/Move Silently are duh-skills, disguise is nice to have, and barely a scratch off the surface of 8+int skills, and you can enter Assassin at level 6. Then they continue their sneak attack, lose a few skills, and learn the spell system with a limited low-level list. Have the DM help selecting useful spells, and waive the evil requirement as needed. It gets most of the game into one character, in an easy-to-start, gains-complexity sort of way.

[ericgrau]

Skillmonkeys are hard for new players to do well at, especially if the DM doesn't have too many skill checks. Monks and ninjas are even harder, though assasin isn't too bad b/c it's all kill.

First option is to get only a single level of rogue for trapfinding and play something else entirely, like melee. Second option is what's above: rogue/assassin or such. Tell him to read the rules on any skills he wants, maybe guiding him through his choices.

The simplest early game sneak attack comes via sneaking in, firing in the surprise round and/or firing at any monster with a worse initiative in round 1. Either way uses a bow. Later he can add on grease, greater invisibility, or the dreaded flanking melee with low AC and d6 HD.

[erikun]

Halfling Bard, perhaps? The skills and bardic music are simple enough at first, and magic should be easy enough to understand at low levels. Later, picking feats like Snowflake Wardance will give him some better combat utility.

[Eldariel]

Single-classed Halfling Rogue TWF (Halfling TWF has the same attack bonus as Human fighting with one weapon so you should be fine) with Penetrating Strike [Dungeonscape] and Dex>Con>Int>Wis/Cha>Str should do fine. Dip two levels of Swordsage at some point for Shadowblade (in Assassin's Stance) and some TWF-while-moving abilities from Tiger Claw (if high enough, Pouncing Charge is wonderful).

Max UMD, Tumble, Hide, Move Silently, Search, Disable Device, Open Lock, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Listen, Bluff, Sense Motive, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Knowledge (Local) [about in that order depending on how many skill points] and profit.


Maybe dip a level of Barbarian or such for the speed boost.

[AirGuitarGod32]

Maybe she's playing a troll.

she's a Half-Celestial

[Gnaeus]

Beguiler. You don't need to set up sneak attack or anything like that. Your spells are mostly self explanatory, and it plays well out of the box.

The more complicated later part comes in picking which prestige class you want to use to diversify your spell list, or if you want to use Arcane Disciple.

There are some small tricks that you can use at low level, but it isn't like monk where you can gimp yourself.

[Setra]

she's a Half-Celestial

Well as long as the DM isn't handwaving the LA

Edit: I'd agree with Swordsage or Factotum

[Amphetryon]

Halfling Scout. Take Scout for 2 levels, hop into Ranger for 2 levels, back to Scout to 6th and Swift Hunter. This isn't entirely optimal, but fills the skillmonkey role while not boring the player in combat, and allowing him to learn as he goes.

[Zaq]

Incarnate. It starts out simple to understand (help them with their soulmelds at first), then becomes slightly more complex as you gain chakra binds. They also make great skillmonkeys.

[AirGuitarGod32]

Well as long as the DM isn't handwaving the LA

Edit: I'd agree with Swordsage or Factotum

She's got the "****ing the DM" feat, thus he's waiving the LA

I'm not sure about Swordsage, but Factorum seems simple, right?

[Evard]

Well that seems like a campy that it wont matter what class is chosen since the gf will be the best at everything -_-;;;

[AirGuitarGod32]

Im tempted to agree, but I gave up trying to argue a long time ago...

the party would consist of the following:

Halfling Wizard: My buddy Eddie. This character will later become a Wild Mage
Elf Paladin of Correlion: My Buddy Ty. Later will take a Homebrew Elf class
Half-Elf Half-Celestial Favored Soul of Odur: DM's g/f Allona. Going to take Contemplative
Half-Orc Ronin: Me. Going to do "the ultimate samurai" and take any and all samurai prestige classes.
[Skillmonkey]: My friend Ben