I know it might be a bit early but here are my suggestions to my players in regard to class choice:
In my opinion the STAP calls for heroes who are of a much darker tone than the normal good-aligned guys in shining armor you send to stop say a wormgod from destroying the world. No this time the PCs have to negotiate a planar conspiracy to weaken Demogorgon himself (and destroy him afterwards). It is likely that they could expect help from one of the other two mighty demon princes, namely Graz'zt and Orcus (Tenebrous). But what Paladin would ask a power from the lower planes for help? Even if destroying the two-headed Prince of Demons, he would still help the other two to further their goals.
So I decided the warlock would make for a great alternative to the wizard in the STAP. Who wouldn't want to meet the source of ones power? I guess most clerics do. With his deceive item ability he could use a lot of wizard or cleric items, namely scrolls to cast certain important spells.
The PCs are going to travel a lot on board of a ship (surrounded by water). A heavy armor means, in most cases, a lower swim skill. The iconic group includes a fighter and a cleric, both wear heavy armor and are therefore at an disadvantage when wearing that type of armor. If they don't, they don't play up to their best abilities.
I think the swashbuckler would make for a better choice than the fighter. He wears light armor, carries a rapier and is the perfect choice for a pirate campaign.
To add a bit inner-group-tension I think the spellthief would make a great alternative to the rogue. Trying to wrest some of his dark powers from the warlock, he follows him and waits for the right moment.
After watching King Kong (the new one) I was very intrigued by the tribe populating Skull Island. I am not familiar with Greyhawk, in which I am going to run my STAP-campaign, but wouldn't make an Olman Spirit Shaman with the Atlan's Mark feat from Dragon for a great dark heroe? Perhaps Chitza-Atlan is to vile, please let me know. The abilities of the Spirit Shaman excel when it comes to spirits, so an encounter with a ghost ship would be great. And he doesn't wear heavy armot like the cleric does.
This group will be faced with a serious problem: it lacks a really strong hand. Normally I am for the iconic classes, but this time I feel it is time to try something new.
Please let me know what you think on all this or what you would consider great player classes for the Savage Tide AP!
Thanks in advance.
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Hate to say it cos I'm a fighter conisseur of the cleave feat family, but I think you're right about buckle swashers. Although... Blackbeard, a giant of a man, who took umpteen bullets and kept on scrapping, was finally felled by a highlander with a claymore; not really the rapier wielding Errol Flynn type.
Also think it sounds like the rogue will have ample opportunity to shine in this one.
Monks would have a good time, maybe even an edge, in shipboard combat where you really don't want to be stomping around in platemail...kind of hard to swim in.
Druids and rangers might get some fun out of the Isle of Dread.
Barbarians too; they also gain utility in arenas where armor is discouraged.
And wizards with access to range spells can really do some damage to an opposing ship. Also, water breathing would be nice.
The Swashbuckler should top the list of best choices. I'm sure we'll see a lot of them when STAP campaigns get under way. All of the core classes work just fine, as well, with some sacrifices when it comes to those that usually enjoy the protections of heavier armor. They should be able to donn heavier protection at certain parts of the campaign, though.
Clerics that take Plant and Water as their domains will really shine.
Druids have great utility on a ship, in a jungle, and even in extraplanar areas.
Bard is a great choice and fits naturally into the role of high adventurer on the high seas and everywhere else the campaign takes him.
Fighters already have Climb, Jump, and Swim as class abilities so they really have a basically good selection of skills that will get used a lot on board ship and elswhere.
Rangers... Well, they'll do just fine. The jungles of the Isle of Dread are going to be where they shine the most.
Any spellcasting class will do great. Having water walk, water breathing, freedom of movement and such will go a long way in this campaign.
That's my 2 cents.
Any arcane caster is going to need to max his ranks in Concentration to not worry about losing spells when the sea turns rough. Craft Magic Device becomes even more attractive in the feat selection, too, as it would let the wearer make an item to boost his Concentration total, in addition to all the other goodies it makes possible.
I'd look at taking some of the asian classes (wu jen, shugenja) and changing their cosmetics from oriental to tribal for a fitting sea mage. Either of these can take water specializitions.
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I'd look at taking some of the asian classes (wu jen, shugenja) and changing their cosmetics from oriental to tribal for a fitting sea mage. Either of these can take water specializitions.
Read my mind on this one.
Also, Skull and Bones has bokor and such; might use that for native spellcaster npc's if warranted.
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Air may also be a good cleric domain. A cleric with Air and Water would have three orthogonal dimensions for turning. That much charisma would also make for a good role for the party face, if for some reason no one wants to be a bard.
Since if I were to play a druid, I'd probably have sharks or dolphins as animal companions, I hope none of the authors use them as a villain. An ooze lord would be a cool twist on this villain archetype. He would be a natural ally for the Ghost Pirate LeChuck, or some flying menace. Especially when the PCs aren't so much becalmed as they are caught in toxic goo.
Can anyone think of a decent paladin?
Air may also be a good cleric domain. A cleric with Air and Water would have three orthogonal dimensions for turning. That much charisma would also make for a good role for the party face, if for some reason no one wants to be a bard.
Since if I were to play a druid, I'd probably have sharks or dolphins as animal companions, I hope none of the authors use them as a villain. An ooze lord would be a cool twist on this villain archetype. He would be a natural ally for the Ghost Pirate LeChuck, or some flying menace. Especially when the PCs aren't so much becalmed as they are caught in toxic goo.
Can anyone think of a decent paladin?
a paladin/swashbuckler with the Knight's Training feat, moving into dread pirate? oooh I think so... but then I despise most alignment restrictions. so I'd allow them to go for dread pirate, if they went for that letters-of-marque pirate hunter kind of feeling.
Warlock.. one that will make the island truly dreaded once hes done with it :D
All kinds of items/buildings erected for area control... and hauling off the natives into painracks to fuel them.
Oh, and no doubt turning all the demonlords onto eachother.. getting not just a complete kill.. but heres the killing line: turn them all into full simulcras and ruling all 5 realms as the supreme suzerain!
Why not a Scout/warmage? good for ranged combat, ship to ship. Imagine the suprise when a ship thinks it is out of range of bows and crossbows only to learn "acceracy" was cast. A great support character. This what I'm going to play in our game.
Btw.. why sit on ships?
I mean you would no doubt be forced to in the beginning.. levels 1-3, but later when you start hitting 13+, ill be damned if i dont build some type of underwater ability...
As in perhaps a waterelemental suit.. wearable for all kinds of nice abilities, while breathing water.
Besides, no doubt a majority will be spent on the island exploring ever deeper inland?
Not to mention the kopru, ill bet those will be back.. at that point you will be glad you had some way to go below the waves.