Greetings, fellow travellers.
As of yesterday's evening I am blessed with rather high (rolled) stats:
18, 18, 16, 14, 12, 9
This puts me into some dilemma. I intended to play a wizard but I feel these stats are rather wasted on him.
My second option would be to go bard (and then later into DD).
Let me give you a little background information on our campaign:
Now. My original idea was to simulate Karzoug from RotRL, namely a pure transmuter. Giving him most of the features described in the AP, including the crafting of a glaive, the robe, and possibly the talons. What I would not be able to copy would be the inherent bonusses and the implanted ioun stones.
With the rolled stat array and because we have another wizard (universalist) in our group I thought about going bard. Since the cleric also wants to focus on melee, together with the rangers and their pets, the buffing a bard could provide should be well received.
That's not where I want to stop though. Together with the DD (would be bard5/dd8/bard2-7) and a longspear focusing on sunder, I should be able to issue some damage as well.
The other option would be straight archer bard (none of the rangers will focus on ranged combat), which looks - on paper - even better concerning damage and arcane/bardic support.
Any thoughts? Please, focus on the class combinations I gave you. I am aware of... more optimal combinations, but either straight wizard, straight bard or bard/dd are the options I want insight into.
Ah, and I've read the guides by TM.
Thanks for your time, insight and help!
Ruyan.
I think a magus would be good. Str 16, Con 14, Dex 18, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 9. But, it looks like you're set on a wizard or bard combo. I shall have to take a look at the wizard and bard archetypes to see what else there is. I'll get back to you.
Thanks, I'd appreciate that. Oh, and by the way: only Core Rulebook and APG as source material - although I am still set on either straight wizard or bard+X.
Ruyan.
If you want to play a wizard, go ahead! What's wrong with an 18 (or even 20) dex or con? Those stats would work fine for any character, but yes, a bard would get more use out of them with his bigger skill selection and higher likelihood of getting into combat.
Elf wizard: S 9, D 20, C 14, I 20, W 12 or 14, Ch 12 or 14
With those stats, you could put ranks into all kinds of skills, and get bonuses in most of them. A +5 to AC, reflex saves and dex-based skills would give you a flexible and survivable wizard.
You could flip that around a bit for a bard of any race and you'd do quite well, too. There are so many types in the APG, I won't go into them, but the only negative stat could go into wis, and you'd compensate for that with your good will save and your rangers, who probably have good perception scores.
My recommendation would be a straight Archer bard. With the party you have you are already heavy on melee. Probably a Human bard taking your favored class bonus as extra spell.
Stats would be STR 9 (Bump at 4th), Dex 18, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 20. the rest of the levels go into CHA.
I think either an elf archer bard, or an elf bard with the arcane duelist archetype.
Str 9
Con 12 (14-2)
Dex 20
Int 16
Wis 12
Cha 18
Thanks for your replies and advice!
I'll try the archer bard! He will be human, since elfs are not available as race in this setting.
Ruyan.