Low-Level, All-Scoundrel Game

[Maat Mons]

The DM wants to run a new game that will start at 1st level and end around 5th or 6th level. We'll all be members of a criminal organization. I suspect the campaign will mostly occur in a city. I don't really know much other than that.

Anybody want to toss out some character suggestions?

[Kurald Galain]

I suggest the Ashiftah witch archetype, who can become invisible at will. That sounds fitting for a sneaky scoundrel.

[Palanan]

Druid 1, but originally from the streets. Picked up by a do-gooder organization who tried to introduce you to the restorative power of nature, but you mainly learned about predators, prey, and which you’d rather be. Now you’re back on the streets with a few new tricks and a furry friend. Future levels in rogue, slayer or the like.

[Particle_Man]

An illusionist would seem apropos.

[Maat Mons]

Okay, so I wanted to some semi-blank-slate responses before I went into my own thoughts on the subject. I've given it a day, so now here goes.



The first thing that jumped out at me was the possibility of playing an Int-based caster, for extra skill point to put into scoundrel-y things.

My DM houserules prepared casters to work like they do in 5e. Which is to say, they get all the moment-to-moment flexibility that spontaneous casters get, but with the day-to-day flexibility of being able to change their "spells known" too. He still keeps spontaneous casters one level behind on spell progression, so I can't figure out any reason why anyone would want to play a prepared caster in his games.

Altogether, this makes Wizard and Witch very tempting.



I'm still considering doing a non-Int-based character though. In particular, Feyspeaker Druid looks like it could be good for a social character. It gets 6+Int skill points per level, which should largely make up for not being Int-based. And having Charisma as my casting stat more-or-less cancels out not getting any of the interaction skills as class skills. The DM doesn’t allow traits, so I can’t pick them up that way either. If I go this route, I will likely be from a commune that supplies the local gang with contraband plants that they sell on the streets. I’m inclined toward Druid Herbalism, but if anyone wants to try to sell me on a Domain or Animal Companion, feel free.




Should I consider partial casters? Since the game may never reach 6th level, I may never be more than one level behind of casting. Do any of the partial casters offer things that are worth that loss? I’ve looked a bit at Eldritch Scoundrel Rogue, Investigator, and Vigilantes of the Cabalist and Warlock persuasions. Why doesn’t Eldritch Scoundrel Rogue get the ability to ignore arcane spell failure in light armor? Are any of these four options significantly better or worse than the others?



I’m not sure if there will be any issues going around the city wearing armor and carrying weapons. Does anyone have advice on this front? I’ve looked a bit at Sacred Fist Warpriest.

[Kurald Galain]

they get all the moment-to-moment flexibility that spontaneous casters get, but with the day-to-day flexibility of being able to change their "spells known" too.

So basically, the Arcanist class

Should I consider partial casters?

Yes, because they tend to have much stronger class features than full casters. For example, note how the investigator gets some very high skill bonuses at low level.

I’m not sure if there will be any issues going around the city wearing armor and carrying weapons.

Mindblade magus is an option for carrying no weapons.

[Maat Mons]

Yeah, basically all prepared casters now work like Arcanists.

Except Arcanists are a level behind on spell progression, and all these other classes now gaining Arcanist-style benefits won't be. He’s also giving all these classes level + casting ability spells prepared, not counting cantrips. Combined with his habit of giving every character a free 18, that means these classes will wind up with more spells known that Arcanists normally get. They’ll have 6 1st-level spells known at level 1, when Arcanists normally get 2. And at 6th-level, the highest level this game might reach, they’ll have 11 spells know spread as they see fit across 1st- through 3rd-level spells, when Arcanists normally get 4 1st-level spells, 2 2nd-level spells, and 1 1st-level spell, for a total of 7 spells prepared.

Did I mention he said he felt prepared casters really needed a power boost?



If I go Wizard, I don’t think I’ll be an Illusionist. I just think Exploiter Wizard is too neat to pass up, if that’s the class I’m playing. Unfortunately, Exploiter Wizard is incompatible with specializations, and every archetype except the Haunted Heroes version of Pact Wizard. Speaking of which, I need to find out what he’s doing with classes that normally get to expend prepared spell slots to spontaneously cast things. I think they should just be bonus spells that always count as prepared, but don’t count against your limit on prepared spells, which I believe is what 5e converted them to. But I really should check.



If I go Druid, what will I do in combat at low levels? I'm not planning to have an Animal Companion, because I think Druid Herbalism is really neat. Summons only last one round at 1st level, which doesn't make them seem worthwhile. Many of the best Druid spells require natural vegetation, which won't be abundant in a city. And I'm not really a melee powerhouse without Wild Shape, which Feyspeaker delays until 6th level, meaning I may never see it.



If I went Witch, would it be worth it to use the Seducer Witch archetype to switch my casting stat to Charisma? It would get me better modifiers for social skills. But it would also get me fewer skill points to spend. Alternately, since Witch doesn’t get social skills as class skills, and I can’t use traits to gain class skills, the Vellemancer archetype would get me Diplomacy and Sense Motive. Getting +3 to each of those, while continuing to get plenty of skill points from Int, might be worth more than switching my casting stat to Cha for bonuses to Bluff and Diplomacy. Thoughts?

Also, at low levels, would it be worthwhile to use Invested Hex on the Healing hex to trigger some healing if anyone hits zero HP? Bear in mind, the DM has borrowed the idea of Death Saves from 5e, so we’re not actually that likely to die, as long as the party pulls through and can heal the downed members.