Good base classes for Evil characters?

[senrath]

The title says it all. I'm trying to build a character for an evil campaign (ECL 4) focusing more on stealth than anything else, and I'd like to use a class that either requires evil or doesn't work as well when you're not evil.

The only ones I can think of off the top of my head are Dread Necromancer, and the two Paladin variants, but I'd rather not use those.

Psionics are banned, as is anything from Dragon.

[DragoonWraith]

Well, Rogue leads into Assassin, which requires Evil. I'm not sure I'm understanding, though: why can't you just use an alignment-neutral base class (like... pretty much all of them), and just be Evil?

[senrath]

I can. It's just that I'd rather use a class that requires being evil, since I can play an alignment neutral class in pretty much any other game. It's rare that I play in Evil games.

[dextercorvia]

Hexblade requires non-good. Not sneaky though.

[drengnikrafe]

Does the BoVD have some of these things?

[DragoonWraith]

No, it doesn't, just PrCs.

Stick to Evil Spells, Feats, and Prestige Classes; you have some good options out there. For Base Classes, your only real choices are like, Paladin of Tyranny/Slaughter, LE or CE Soulborn, NE Incarnate, and... I think that's about it (and only one of those classes, the Incarnate, is any good at all). I mean, Evil Clerics and Crusaders get a few abilities that are different from their Neutral counterparts, but that's minor.

So yeah, take some nice Evil feats or spells, and prepare yourself for an evil PrC or two, and play the character as Evil, and you should be doing alright. I get that you want to take advantage of the opportunity, but base classes just don't really give you that option.

[senrath]

Well, I guess I'll just pick a class based on what PrC I want to go into. Is there a list anywhere of Evil or non-Good PrCs (or even a general list of PrCs with requirements listed), or should I just start flipping through books?

[Mastikator]

Don't warlock need to be either evil or chaotic?

Warlock is an appropriate class. So are paladin variants, hex-blades, dread necromancers and many PrC like blackguard and assassin.

But I think you may have to come to terms with the idea that one or two are classes that work well as any alignment.

[Optimystik]

It's much easier for us to help you if you start with what you want to play, and then go to alignment from there. There's dozens of PrCs that have to be evil, and scores more that just can be.

Even "stealth" isn't enough info. Do you want stealth with magic? Stealth due to magic? Stealth without magic? How about combat ability? Melee, ranged? Skillmonkey? Party face?

[PId6]

Ur Priest; it's not a base class, but it's Evil enough and essentially cleric in 10 levels. You can build an actually decent Mystic Theurge this way.

[senrath]

Yeah, I probably should've specified further. But since I came into this looking for a base class, which is much more restrictive, I didn't think to post more specifics.

I guess what I'm looking for at this point is a melee based stealth character, with little or no casting ability.

[DragoonWraith]

Tomb-Tainted Soul or Necropolitan Swordsage/Shadow Sun Ninja?

[golentan]

Ur Priest; it's not a base class, but it's Evil enough and essentially cleric in 10 levels. You can build an actually decent Mystic Theurge this way.

You say "Decent," but I believe the word you're looking for is "Obscene" or "Ludicrous" or "Instabanned-from-game."

For Stealthy Evil? I'd say Warlock (magical invisibility = Yay!) or rogue (not by itself evil, but add Craven and you've got a big boost to combat damage that relies on you being evil).

[PId6]

You say "Decent," but I believe the word you're looking for is "Obscene" or "Ludicrous" or "Instabanned-from-game."

It's all a matter of perspective.

[Optimystik]

Tomb-Tainted Soul or Necropolitan Swordsage/Shadow Sun Ninja?

Scrap Shadow Sun Ninja; they're supposed to either be Good, or NPCs. (If you screw up with the capstone, that is.)

[PId6]

Scrap Shadow Sun Ninja; they're supposed to either be Good, or NPCs. (If you screw up with the capstone, that is.)

Capstone? What capstone? It doesn't have any abilities at 10th level. Absolutely none at all.

[Eloi]

Paladins are great for evil characters. So are Good-aligned Clerics. You should be one of those, it'll be great.

[gorfnab]

Rangers, Scouts, or both (Swift Hunters) can make decent stealthy based evil characters. Artificer is great for the evil or mad inventor type character. Bards can make for some surprisingly useful/versatile evil characters.

[Shademan]

just play a vashar. ANYTHING you do will be evil and any class you take will be so corrupted by you it changes it name to the evil variant.
(like, badfighter, meanrogue, darkwizard and...er...monk-with-attitude)

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Whisper Gnome Factotum, with Font of Inspiration twice. Max out Iaijutsu Focus and use a Gnome Quickrazor with Improved Weapon Familiarity (CW) instead of EWP, and get a Wand of Grease and/or a few bags of marbles. Knowledge Devotion is also an excellent feat for this. Dodge and Titan Fighting (RoS) wouldn't be bad for a defensive focus, and you could eventually get Elusive Target and/or the Spring Attack feats from PH2.

[Jair Barik]

if you go straught Hexblade you can potentially get into the talon of Tiamat PrC at level 5 as opposed to the level 6 most PrC's need (bar shenanigans and gestalt)

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

if you go straught Hexblade you can potentially get into the talon of Tiamat PrC at level 5 as opposed to the level 6 most PrC's need (bar shenanigans and gestalt)

Indeed, Hexblade 4/ Talon of Tiamat is awesome, just because ToT is so cool. Although I'd prefer something like Hexblade 3/ Sorcerer 2/ ToT 5/ Spellsword 1/ ToT 5/ Spellsword 4 for an overall better build. Use a reach weapon and get Power Attack and Combat Reflexes, and don't forget about Practiced Spellcaster. Maximize Breath and Clinging Breath are absolutely necessary, and remember that you can make it cling for multiple rounds so your cone of acid does 60 then 30 then 15 then 7 damage as early as level 9. It makes a capable second-row combatant, secondary AoE nuker, and a spectacular social character. Debuffing with fear effects is a superb tactic and definitely within this character's realm of capability.

[senrath]

Hexblade moving into Talon of Tiamat sounds like fun. Now to see if the DM says it's okay.

[DragoonWraith]

Scrap Shadow Sun Ninja; they're supposed to either be Good.

Argh, damnit Wizards and your stupid arbitrary alignment requirements. Well, just as the DM to waive that, it makes no sense anyway.

[Optimystik]

Capstone? What capstone? It doesn't have any abilities at 10th level. Absolutely none at all.

ICWYDT

Argh, damnit Wizards and your stupid arbitrary alignment requirements. Well, just as the DM to waive that, it makes no sense anyway.

It doesn't? The fluff seems pretty straightforward to me.

just play a vashar. ANYTHING you do will be evil and any class you take will be so corrupted by you it changes it name to the evil variant.
(like, badfighter, meanrogue, darkwizard and...er...monk-with-attitude)

Malmonk!

Yeah, Vashar are almost cartoonishly evil. In short, precisely what the OP seems to be wanting

[DragoonWraith]

It doesn't? The fluff seems pretty straightforward to me.

Meh, fluff is mutable. Most of it's poorly written, so I don't really bother remembering it.

[Kish]

Yeah, I probably should've specified further. But since I came into this looking for a base class, which is much more restrictive, I didn't think to post more specifics.

I guess what I'm looking for at this point is a melee based stealth character, with little or no casting ability.

Assassin is the obvious choice.

Hexblade has nothing to do with stealth, neither does Ur-Priest, nor does either qualify as melee-based. Although, from your last post, it sounds like you might have changed your mind about those features.

[Jair Barik]

Its a class that breathes fire. FIRE! And the other elements too but thats not the point. Also the fact that it relates to Tiamat makes it instant win. You can't however use metabreathe feats on it. Save that for the Dragonborn (fluff wise a Dragonborn Talon of Tiamat is a bit of an oxymoron)

[senrath]

Wait, why can't you use metabreath feats? I don't see anywhere that says you can't, seeing as it's a true breath weapon.

And yeah, I did kinda change my mind. Although what book are Vashar from? I'll look into them.

[Optimystik]

And yeah, I did kinda change my mind. Although what book are Vashar from? I'll look into them.

Like every other cartoonishly evil concept in the game, you can find them in BoVD.