................
I hate this but I've just hit a wall from frustration after a lot of shenanigans from the DM, who basically hand-waved my first dice-roll, which were epic I might add and I can understand such an OP roll going, then the stealthy character I was planning on making got yoinked by another player and I've been given her role, which is to be the party 'brute', ie stand up the front and hit things till they are dead.
Still starting at 3rd level, and I've been given the opportunity (DM has been understanding of the frustration and allowed me access to a few other shinies to make me feel better) to roll either a Natural Were-Dire Rat, a Tiefling (with the option of growing wings at 6th level) or Half-Dragon.
Now, I'm quite fond of the thought of a big, burly Were-Rat, but a Tiefling strikes me as quite a tragic figure to play, while playing a Half-Dragon still coming to terms with a rash bargain with a Wizard, allowing the commoner to be used as a test-subject in exchange for clearing a debt and going from a normal Humanoid into a 'mishapen freak' also is interesting.
Given that I have rolls of:
1) 5, 5, 5, 1 (15)
2) 4, 3, 2, 1 (9)
3) 4, 5, 5, 2 (14)
4) 6, 5, 2, 2 (13)
5) 6, 4, 2, 1 (12)
6) 4, 3, 2, 5 (12)
I think grabbing the Were-Rat (Human) and going along the TWF tree...
Human Form
Str) 15 (13+2 Racial)
Dex) 15
Con) 14
Int) 12
Wis) 11 (9+2 Lycan)
Cha) 10 (12-2 Lycan)
Hybrid Form
Str) 17 (13+2 Racial +2 Lycan)
Dex) 17 (Dire Rat's Dexterity)
Con) 16 (14 +2 Lycan)
Int) 12
Wis) 11 (9+2 Lycan)
Cha) 10 (12-2 Lycan)
...would prove interesting, especially if I grab two Dogslicers from the Pathfinder Campaign Setting and avoid going Rat in public, I could have a lot of fun. Also, probably have to take some levels in Rogue for the Bluff and Stealth skills as I'm denied taking the Fighter Variant, which I love which makes the Fighter everything I want it to be (T-T).
Alternatively, Tiefling Two-Handed Fighter would be interesting.
Tiefling:
Str) 15
Dex) 14 (12+2 Racial)
Con) 14
Int) 14 (12+2 Racial)
Wis) 9
Cha) 11 (13-2 Racial)
I think I'd definitely shift an attribute point to Wisdom to cover up that terrible penalty to Will Save, but having the Outsider (Native) Subtype should keep me from too many hassles till that happens and I can get Iron Will. Focusing on a Heavy Flail and being a tripping, disarming fiend (hehe) would be fun, or maybe just go for the Spiked Chain and have fun.
Wings at 6th level add a new dimension for the Tiefling Fighter, but I'll have to spend a feat to get them, but that's not so bad. And this character I'm allowed the Fighter Variant from the Pathfinder Campaign Setting, so that's a nice little bit of skill-monkeying, which I am wont to love unconditionally.
Half-Dragon Human
Low Hitpoints will potentially kill this character, but the High Stats, Natural Armor and mobility will hopefully keep him alive until he can gain additional levels, wherein those high stats should balance out the relative lack of class-based saving throws.
Str) 17 (9 + 8 Half-Dragon)
Dex) 15
Con) 20 (12 + 2 Racial + 6 Half-Dragon)
Int) 14 (12 + 2 Half-Dragon)
Wis) 13
Cha) 16 (14 +2 Half Dragon)
Again, not able to take the Variant Fighter from the Pathfinder Campaign Setting that I love so much, but making him a Barbarian (self-taught fighter) and building off that would be fun. And with those lovely High Ability Scores, I can intimidate like nobody's business, smart enough to 6 skills per level, so while I won't be the smooth-talking devil I normally enjoy playing, nothing is stopping me from dropping a rank or three into Diplomacy and Bluff along the way.
I think grabbing the Were-Rat (Human) and going along the Two-Handed Fighter tree... (To avoid Drizzt-dom, which the Party seems to be hell-bent upon this time around)
Human Form
Str) 15 (13+2 Racial)
Dex) 14
Con) 15
Int) 12
Wis) 11 (9+2 Lycan)
Cha) 10 (12-2 Lycan)
Hybrid Form
Str) 17 (13+2 Racial +2 Lycan)
Dex) 16(Dire Rat's Dexterity)
Con) 17 (14 +2 Lycan)
Int) 12
Wis) 11 (9+2 Lycan)
Cha) 10 (12-2 Lycan)
Okay, week before the game and my Tiefling and Half-Dragon got shot down. *taps desk with fingernail* pity, because I REALLY liked the prospect of the 'monstrous' PCs, so Natural Were-Rat is now my only option. I get the feeling I'm being set-up here for something later on in the campaign, but there's not a hell of a lot I can do!
So. Natural Were-Rat Human Fighter 1/Rogue 1 (Favoured Class: Fighter: Hitpoints) 22 Hit-Points. Eep.
Skills: 12 Skill Ranks: Acrobatics 1+3+2(6), Bluff 2+3+0(5), Climb 1+3+2(6), Diplomacy 1+3+0+2(6), Disguise 1+3+0(4), Handle Animal 1+3+0(4), Intimidate 2+3+0+2(7), Perception 1+3+0(4), Survival 1+3+0(4) and Swim 1+3+2(6).
Feats: Power Attack, Toughness (Fighter Bonus Feat), Persuasive (Human Bonus Feat).
Gear:
Primary Melee +1 Greatclub (Skullcracker) (1,005 gold)
Secondary Melee Longsword (15 gold)
Teritary Melee 'lucky' Silvered Dagger (22 gold)
Primary Ranged Masterwork Composite Shortbow (+2) (525 gold)
20 normal arrows (1 gold)
5 Cold Iron Arrows (300 gold and 5 silver)
5 Silvered Arrows (10 gold and 5 silver)
Armor:
+1 Chain Shirt (1,100 gold)
Misc Gear, including three spare suits of clothing, rope, everburning lantern, armor repair kit, whetstone, booze, flasks of Alchemist's Fire, Disguise Kit, approximately 1,500 gold.
Leaves me 1,521 gold to spare. Anything I should be doing with this coin? And yes I know the Greatclub will generate a "..... wut?" response but it's a flavour weapon for a dockside thug to own. And the Were-rat has the 'lucky' Dagger to deal with people whom he might accidentally infect. Also he lacks the disease bite since he takes a great deal of pride in his appearance. A 'Well Groomed' Rat, hehe.
Anybody? *taps screen* is this thing on?
Seriously, last time I am tapping this, I would like some peeps with better forum-fu than me to go over this character, built as much for Fluff as Crunch, and see if I've missed any 'must haves' for a character that just got tapped to be the Party 'Brute', ie stand at the front of the pack and wail on things until the damage-dealers can fire off their cannons and watnot.
Seriously, last time I am tapping this, I would like some peeps with better forum-fu than me to go over this character, built as much for Fluff as Crunch, and see if I've missed any 'must haves' for a character that just got tapped to be the Party 'Brute', ie stand at the front of the pack and wail on things until the damage-dealers can fire off their cannons and watnot.
I'm almost finished my Guide to Fighters, and I'm done the Bruiser section (though this also seems to possibly fit with the Brute section in my Guide to Rogues). Lycanthrope notwithstanding since its non-standard, your feats are blue and green, solid choices (Toughness is probably less useful than usual though since you are playing a non-standard race that grants you DR). As you already knew, Greatclub is a weak weapon, but I'm all for flavour outside of the domain of writing those guides--it reminds me of another character, we had a dockside thug PC in our Curse of the Crimson Throne game (Barbarian 1/Rogue1) that actually started with a Quarterstaff as a Barbarian, but she bought a nicer weapon at level 2.
For slightly more flavor, describe your great club as the cast iron crowbar you used on the docks. It just seems a bit cooler than a great hunk of wood.
As a carpenter myself, I do like the warhammer as well. And it can be the tool from work.If you swing it two handed you still get the 2-hand bonus damage, but you have the option of switching to one handed and using a shild (or barrel top or some other piece of gear).
But if you'r the party shield, higher ac from a shild would help.
Perhaps Light Flail and shield and spend an Ability point to get Int 13 and pursue the Combat Expertise Feat Tree for tripping/disarming, or go for the good old fashioned Longsword or Heavy Pick or Warhammer/Large Shield combo, since it is relatively easy to drop the shield and start swinging two-handed?
I was keen on getting an Ogre Hook or an Earth-Breaker from the Golarion Campaign Setting manual, but the DM's hand-waved that book entirely after taking one look at the Firearms section and going "Oh hell no." Sadly she's also barred us from 3.5 D&D shenanigans (shamaningans?) so it's the Core Rulebook alone for me. Bleh.
Thank you guys, for helping me out here. Reason I wasn't overall fussed about the shield in the first place is of 5 players, only one (the Aasimar Sorcerer) is a 'dedicated' caster and our Cleric, Monk/Rogue hybrid (Grrrrrrrrrrrr) and Ranger are all TWF freaks. Yes, the Cleric is Dual-Wielding spiked gauntlets and going for Improved Grapple, the Monk/Rogue is Flurrying with goddamn shuriken and paired Kama and the Ranger is using a Rapier and a Sickle for her weaponry. And every bastard has taken Two Weapon Defence to boost their AC.