Challange: Salvage this Character

[Mushroom Ninja]

Back in the dark depths of time before I became interested in optimization (i.e. a year or two ago) I created a Changeling Lurk for an Eberron Campaign. Now, this was no powerful character. In fact, it was a somewhat weak character. You see, I created the character planning to use stealth, subterfuge, and disguise to accomplish my goals, but it turned out that the campaign was quite hack 'n' slash, railroaded, and DM'd by a relatively inexperienced DM, who opposed player creativity. This foiled my plans.

Now, you may wonder, why worry about this now? Well, my group has decided to return to this campaign. This means I must pull my Changeling Lurk out of the box again. I now need to find some way to salvage this character. I've looked at it for a while, but I'm out of ideas.

Here's the character so far:

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Changeling Lurk 9
Str 10
Dex 16
Con 12
Int 18
Wis 13
Cha 14

Feats: Psycrystal Affinity, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, Lurk Master

Powers: Chameleon, Deaden Blow, Far Hand, Mighty Spring, Psionic Knock, Psionic Levitate, Psionic Speak With Dead, Conceal Thoughts, Eradicate Invisibility

Now, the kicker:

The DM has arbitrarily decided that various books are off-limits including, alas, the Tome of Battle. I can probably get away with anything in Core, Expanded Psionic Handbook, the Eberron Books and the Complete books (except for warlocks which my entire group, somewhat irrationally, fears).

Also, all characters in this campaign have far less than they should by WBL.

So, the big question:

Can you salvage this character?

[The Glyphstone]

First question - is it a different DM, or at the least, have they gotten more skilled at running a game?

If neither, I suggest you just let your character continue to slumber until his potential can be realized.

[Mushroom Ninja]

First question - is it a different DM, or at the least, have they gotten more skilled at running a game?

If neither, I suggest you just let your character continue to slumber until his potential can be realized.

I am afraid that the DM has not changed very much at all.

Don't get me wrong, he's a good person, just not that creative.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Check out Chapter 8 in the PH2, and ask your DM if you can rebuild your character to be something more effective for his style of game. Keep the same style of character, maybe go something like Rogue/Psion/Psychic Assassin, using Practiced Manifester to qualify by 5th level. Get the Mind Cripple special ability, and go with two-weapon fighting or Metamorphosis into something with a lot of natural attacks.

[Mushroom Ninja]

The DM's paranoid against the PHB 2. I'm pretty sure he won't let me do any rebuilding (or I would have done it long ago).

[ClericofPhwarrr]

Tell your DM you want to make a new character, or get your old one killed off.

Then roll a full caster/manifester.

Edit: If he won't allow rebuilding, how are we supposed to be able to help you?

[Lemur]

Tell your DM you want to make a new character, or get your old one killed off.

Then roll a full caster/manifester.

Edit: If he won't allow rebuilding, how are we supposed to be able to help you?

Or if it's not too late, you could pull the "mysteriously lost my character sheet" card.

More to the point, it's harder to give generalized advice. What sort of criteria do you need to meet in order for the character to be considered "salvaged"?

[Mushroom Ninja]

More to the point, it's harder to give generalized advice. What sort of criteria do you need to meet in order for the character to be considered "salvaged"?

Hmm, that's a good question. I suppose I'm looking for a way to make this character more useful in a combat-oriented setting. In the end, I guess that boils down to ideas for classes/feats/etc. to take that could potentially let this character "catch up" a bit with the rest of the more combat-ready party.

I guess that's still a little vague...

[Stupendous_Man]

Lose your character sheet/ditch your character and build a rather powerful core cleric/druid/wizard/sorcerer, assuming there won't be much RP or stealth in his campaign.

If there will be more opportunity for you to do your thing, we can certainly help you make some sort of sneak.

[Yukitsu]

Take the PRC heir of syberous from the Eberron campaign book, procede to severely violate wealth by level in ways even the spell genesis can't match.

[jcsw]

Take the PRC heir of syberous from the Eberron campaign book, procede to severely violate wealth by level in ways even the spell genesis can't match.

Not only does he not qualify for that prestige class in more ways than three, that still doesn't help him. And you misspelled it too.

[Lemur]

It's not ideal, but you could take Expanded Knowledge: Mindlink and go into Thrallherd, which would have the benefit of giving you some actually useful powers plus free Leadership. So even if you can't ditch your current character you can always have a sidekick that's cooler than you are.

Maybe you could try to swap Lurk Master for EK (since Lurk Master is such a terrible feat no one would ever notice it being gone and Mindlink isn't that powerful itself), or see if you can get Psychic Reformation added to the Lurk list so you can do it next level. Depending on where you left off in the game (how long were you level 9 before the game ended) you could probably just swap whatever your level 9 feat was, because who really cares?

Is making a different character really not an option, though? Or for that matter, would it really be a problem to make the same character over with a different class (like Psychic Rogue, which is superior to the Lurk with practically the same concept)? Just make the case that while the other players want to go back to the game, you'd rather not go back to your character the way he was. It's not that unreasonable.

[Weizegger]

What alignment are you as well? This makes a difference considering several of the more divine prestige classes.

[Mushroom Ninja]

What alignment are you as well? This makes a difference considering several of the more divine prestige classes.

My alignment is CG.

[Yukitsu]

Not only does he not qualify for that prestige class in more ways than three, that still doesn't help him. And you misspelled it too.

Usually happens when I'm away from book.

[ClericofPhwarrr]

Hmm, that's a good question. I suppose I'm looking for a way to make this character more useful in a combat-oriented setting. In the end, I guess that boils down to ideas for classes/feats/etc. to take that could potentially let this character "catch up" a bit with the rest of the more combat-ready party.

I guess that's still a little vague...

If you can't rework anything you've already got (via any of the ways Lemur and I suggested), which would easily be my first move, you could ask for the book Champions of Ruin to be allowed. Specifically, the feat Craven: it gives you -2 to saves against fear, and +1 damage to sneak attack per hit die. That means at level 12, when you take it, you'll do +12 damage per sneak attack--and as static damage, this is multiplied on a crit.

Otherwise, it doesn't appear to be a terrible build, other than that you started with Lurk instead of Psychic Rogue.