Hi folks, I had some idle time these days and decided to built a 1st level Half-Orc draconic sorcerer, just for the fun of it. I imagine him as as a big bully, intimidating and bluffing his way through life, but always with an eye for potential trouble. Having a Greataxe helps in intimidating as well… He views his special powers more as a welcome boost to his formidable physical prowess, but this would change if he got more arcane power due to adventuring. The character is not optimized for spell damage output, but it was a fun idea for me. What do you think?
Hrud, Half-Orc Draconic Sorcerer
(rolled via random.org)
STR 16
CON 16
DEX 12
INT 10
WIS 10
CHA 18 (including racial bonus)
AC 11, HP 9, Fort +3, Ref +1, Will+2; AL:CN
Draconic Bloodline: Red (Fire)
Fire Spells +1 damage per die
Power at first Level: Claws
Feat: Intimidating Stance
Class Skills (2 ranks/level):
Appraise
Bluff
Craft
Fly
Intimidate
Knowledge (Arcana)
Perception
Profession
Spellcraft
Use Magic Device
Skills learned: Bluff, Intimidate, Perception (+1 rank for favored class)
Bluff +8, Intimidate +13, Perception +4
(The high intimidate comes from: CHA +4, +1 rank, +2 for being a Half-Orc, +3 because it’s a class skill and +3 from the feat)
Spells per day: 4 first
Spells known 4/2
0 Level (cantrips): Acid Splash, Daze, Mending, Detect Magic
1st Level: Shield, True Strike
Darkvision, +2 on Intimidate, Orc Blood, Orc Ferocity, Weapon familiarity:
proficient with Greataxe and Falchion.
Languages: Common, Orc.
Weapon: Greataxe, Atk +3, D 1-12+4, 20(x3) or 2 Claws Atk +3, D 1-4+3, 7 Rounds/Day
Stefan
Just curious, you're using 32 point buy in PF? That's pretty high. . .
He said he rolled it. It wasn't a point buy.
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I've always loved the grunt-with-spells idea of playing a half-orc caster :)
Back in 3.5 I once made a half-orc wizard that actually ended up rather effective with their spell-storing scythe (this was a lvl 5 concept though). I believe they only had 16 int at level 1 (thanks to the -2) but I tried.
The draconic bloodline of your half-orc could end up interesting if you take dragonic disciple: Half-Dragon Half-Orc... where did the human go?
Somehow I wish half-orcs still had their old adjustments (or something similar) so that it could be one of those "underdog" type things like a kobold.
Oh, and don't mind my ramblings. Someone let me have sugar.
He said he rolled it. It wasn't a point buy.
Well dang, those are some high stats (: What rolling system did he use?
It's all relative. I have (in front of the DM and other players mind you) rolled a set of stats with 2 18s, a 16, a 15, and 2 13s. Needless to say I put the 18 in Int for my Wizard with the other 18 in Con and the 16 in Dex.
He rolled randomly at random.org according to his post. Not sure if it was 3d6 or 4d6 or what.
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It's all relative. I have (in front of the DM and other players mind you) rolled a set of stats with 2 18s, a 16, a 15, and 2 13s. Needless to say I put the 18 in Int for my Wizard with the other 18 in Con and the 16 in Dex.
He rolled randomly at random.org according to his post. Not sure if it was 3d6 or 4d6 or what.
I've seen really weird stat sets rolled at a table. I saw one guy roll three 18s and three 4s.
But the melee arcanist type (and several other classics) usually require really good stats, so I generally use rolled stats when I DM to give players a chance at those types. The last few sessions I've used 4d6 deadlock, but with one reroll and one swap allowed. Usually ends up decent.
I wouldn't call the Sorcerer an Archmage anyway, since he's not a real spellcaster, after all. Save the spellcasting for those of us who actually had to, you know... work for our abilities and not have them handed to us by virtue of diluted dragon blood.
((Note... The above is the attitude of several Wizards I play, not my own. Such an attitude is exceedingly fun to play in game, but I enjoy playing Sorcerers as well. Just wanted to point this out before I get jumped on. *L*))
How does a 1st level Half Orc Sorcerer with a 10 Wisdom wind up with a +4 Perception check? Perception is not a class skill for Sorcerers, and your first level feat isn't Skill Focus.
(Edit): Oh duh, Draconic bloodline...
I used 4d6/drop lowest as rolling mechanism. It turned out surprisingly well.
I should have repeated the draconic bloodline in full, I guess, or at least provide a link.
Stefan
You may want to switch out Intimidating Prowess (I'm assuming that's what you mean by "Intimidating Stance") for Armor Proficiency (Light) and buy leather armor. Your AC needs more help than your Intimidate (and a +10 skill check at 1st level is plenty!). Since true strike only has verbal and focus components, you can cast it without worrying about spell failure. At 3rd level, if you take Arcane Armor Training and acquire a mithral chain shirt, you no longer need to worry about spell failure for anything else, either (it scales better than mage armor, although the spell makes a decent back-up since you get it as a bonus spell, and is cheaper than bracers of armor for the same level of protection).
Possible spells to think about, building on your concept of using magic primarily to improve his combat ability: enlarge person, identify, magic missile, bull's strength, false life, scorching ray, see invisibility, haste, heroism, rage. Also, you may wish to start taking ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) when you hit 2nd level, so you can qualify for the dragon disciple prestige class.
I've seen really weird stat sets rolled at a table. I saw one guy roll three 18s and three 4s.
*sighs* There's a reason for that. Check out videos 1 & 2 to see why.
You may want to switch out Intimidating Prowess (I'm assuming that's what you mean by "Intimidating Stance") for Armor Proficiency (Light) and buy leather armor. Your AC needs more help than your Intimidate (and a +10 skill check at 1st level is plenty!). Since true strike only has verbal and focus components, you can cast it without worrying about spell failure. At 3rd level, if you take Arcane Armor Training and acquire a mithral chain shirt, you no longer need to worry about spell failure for anything else, either (it scales better than mage armor, although the spell makes a decent back-up since you get it as a bonus spell, and is cheaper than bracers of armor for the same level of protection).
Possible spells to think about, building on your concept of using magic primarily to improve his combat ability: enlarge person, identify, magic missile, bull's strength, false life, scorching ray, see invisibility, haste, heroism, rage. Also, you may wish to start taking ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) when you hit 2nd level, so you can qualify for the dragon disciple prestige class.
That are some really good tips there, thanks a lot. I did mean Intimidating Prowess, of course. So, if I ever get around to play this character, I would take the Feat: Armor Proficiency (light) instead and buy a leather armor. It would be AC 13 then, nothing too good, actually, but then, this character isn´t meant to be the primary front-line fighter anyway in the long run. Scaring enemies with intimidation and being able to back up the threats in a pinch is more the tactic.
Yes, Dragon Disciple would probably be a goal, but rather long-term - with three skill ranks per level, you need to place some thought in what you learn. Anyway, a few fire spells are surely on the learning list as well - I would not be able to resist having a fireball with a nice damage bonus.
Stefan
*Ahem* casting "Resurrect Thread" :-)
I just wrote a background story for that character idea (No idea if I will ever play him, though). While writing, I changed the cantrip Acid Splash to Prestidigitation, as it seemed more fitting. Waddayathink?
Hrud
On first view, Hrud seems to be a typical half-orc: big, brawny, grey-green skin, clad in leather armor and wielding a greataxe, he looks like a typical barbarian. He reinforces that notion by being an intimidating bully, and where this is insufficient, he is also good at bluffing. He uses this for feints in combat as well, with some proficiency at catching his opponents off-guard.
The story of his life was set up as to make him what he seems now: a typical half orc. His human mother was slave to an orc chieftain, and was tough enough to bear him several kids. One day, though, an opposing tribe ruled by a red dragon decided to attack the lair of this tribe, the other tribe believing them to have a big treasure. When the dragon discovered that this was not the case, he incinerated both tribes. As some pregnant women and babies were in a cave too small for the dragon to enter, he just breathed fire into it, confident to kill all within. He succeeded for the most part. Some survived with great luck, as they were in the deepest recesses of the cave, just at the end of the extent of the dragon´s breath. Hruds mother survived badly hurt, the stress sending her into labor immediately, giving birth to Hrud in the still burning cave. Luckily, some air vents provided fresh air, or they all would have suffocated immediately. The first breath of the newborn was heavy with ashes from the dragons fire. His mother survived even this ordeal. After a few days, the few survivors gathered what they could from the remains of the camp and went searching for a new place to stay. But as the truly desperate survivors finally reached a human village, the welcome was hostile, predictably so. They were forcefully driven off. This was repeated every time, sometimes with bloody results, as some of the more orcish looking survivors were killed by the villagers fearing them to be hostile monsters. Finally, the destitute group reached a slum outside a big city (they would not be let inside), and a priest of a merciful deity took care of them.
The group straggled to survive and adapt, and managed barely. Of course, they had to bear a lot of abuse from their equally destitute human neighbours and everyone higher in the pecking order.
When Hrud reached maturity, his anger found a strange outlet, so it seemed: when enraged, his hands turned into red scaly claws capable of inflicting grievous wounds. Furthermore, he found that he was able to stun a person by pointing at them and snarling an insult.
Any possessions his family had were precious to him, as they were very poor and always going hungry. When some day one pot they used often broke, he just wished he could make it whole again – and all of sudden, it worked! Suddenly, he even had a source of some income or at least something he could use in bargains, as repairing stuff was much needed by the poor. Furthering this, he learned how to do minor tricks that were useful to him and his family. Finally, one day the priest did cast a healing spell on an unfortunate resident of the slum, he concentrated on this and suddenly saw how the magic flowed. These strange abilities (the priest thought that they were magic, but could not explain how Hrud might be able to work magic. As far as the priest knew, working magic required long, formal training.) made others wary of him, lest he be cursed somehow. It did nothing to make other people more trusting of him, quite the contrary. One day, a band of ragtag thugs looked for someone to beat up, and thought the half-orc with the strange, evil abilities to be the right target. One of the thugs had built himself an intimidating double axe from two stolen axe heads and an overlong handle. Barely able to lift the monstrosity, not to mention fighting with it, he just carried it around for shock value, and put it aside for real fighting. Hrud saw himself surrounded by the thugs and made a desperate move to grab this axe. To his surprise, he discovered that he was not only strong enough to list if easily, but instinctively knew how to handle it – not perfect, but good enough to injure one of the thugs with the first swing. He wished he had some armor, when suddenly some of the blows were blocked by an invisible force. He had not much luck with the attacks after the first lucky hit, and wished with desperation that he hit the main thug right now – and it just happened. In fact, he succeeded so well that he beheaded the thug with one blow, sending the others running.
He kept the axe and took the (somewhat smallish) leather armor, teaching himself how to wear it comfortably.
Ha has taken to play dumb so that enemies might underestimate him as the typical dumb half-orc. He surely is not the most intelligent creature, but not as dumb as he looks and acts.
Good story! I, for one, would have a (fiery) blast playing this guy!
Well, a slow office afternoon used productively after all... :-)