I'm playing a one-shot on Thursday with a first level melee character (using Core and the APG). What are the most exciting class and/or feats I could use? I was thinking of going human fighter for the feats, but want to see what you guys think first!
Fighters are hardly "exciting", but they are the most reliable and all-round effective combatants. If you could use UM, I would say Magus, as they are amusing and versatile to play.
If you are not stuck in a dungeon, cavalier is an interesting choice.
I love paladins, but they do kinda suck at lv1, with their 1/day smite and detect evil, which does next to nothing due to the Detect Evil HD/Aura revision.
An Inquisitor with the "Growth" Sub domain - you can fight, cast spells, got lots of skills - and for several rounds a day (spend in 1 round increments) you can grow to Large size as a swift action :)
If you want exciting + first level + core & APG I say just go human fighter. It's not the MOST exciting but it'll offer the widest array of feats and at first level that's where all the fun is.
Maybe for added pizzaz you could spice it up with Agile Maneuvers, Step Up and Improved (insert combat maneuver here) and be the guy who speeds into melee, picks a single foe, and keeps him from doing anything the whole fight.
You could also go all core along the same lines and pick 2WF, Exotic Weapon - Net and Improved Trip; now you're a gladiator.
Personally I always enjoy focusing all my efforts on being better at using a shield in combat, even once pre-genning a 5th level fighter with 2WF and shield feats who just wielded 2 +1 Bashing small spiked shields in battle, but that's me. Still, 2WF, Improved Shield Bash and Throw Anything...you become a 1st level Captain America. That could be cool...
Maybe for added pizzaz you could spice it up with Agile Maneuvers, Step Up and Improved (insert combat maneuver here) and be the guy who speeds into melee, picks a single foe, and keeps him from doing anything the whole fight.
You could also go all core along the same lines and pick 2WF, Exotic Weapon - Net and Improved Trip; now you're a gladiator.
Personally I always enjoy focusing all my efforts on being better at using a shield in combat, even once pre-genning a 5th level fighter with 2WF and shield feats who just wielded 2 +1 Bashing small spiked shields in battle, but that's me. Still, 2WF, Improved Shield Bash and Throw Anything...you become a 1st level Captain America. That could be cool...
Most of the Improved [Combat Manoever] feats pre-require either Combat Expertise or Power Attack, depending on which you'd like to do.
The Captain America idea is pretty sweet, though!
I'd go with barbarian. Lot of hps, rage, some skills, no need for fancy feats and even fighter would not be able to afford the best armor they could wear.
Barbarian class is to near to reality for my taste. Even today most people are barbarians: tick out some rounds a day and do tons of damage (in real world often in emotional or commercial form). Little bit boring. I would prefer doing some maneuvers on a regular basis, maybe pick a Lore Warden. Or go with bards or rogues and have some more fun roleplaying.
I typically think of an exciting character as a character with a ton of combat options. A boring character is one that does one thing really well.
I would imagine a melee-oriented bard (maybe a dervish dancer or arcane duelist) would have to be one of the most exciting characters to play.
I'm playing a one-shot on Thursday with a first level melee character (using Core and the APG). What are the most exciting class and/or feats I could use? I was thinking of going human fighter for the feats, but want to see what you guys think first!
For a one-shot, I'd go barb. Take toughness. You'll be almost crit-proof. The hardest thing about 1st level is living to hit 2nd.
Barbarian = BORE barian! Exciting is in the feats for a 1 shot. Maybe play a Rogue Acrobat archetype with Combat Expertise and Improved Trip, then give him a Kama. Play a Geisha Bard with combat fans and weighted tops for her ranged weapons. You could say she scribes scrolls on either the ribbons she winds the tops in or paper versions of her fan weapons.
Heck, even if you played a base Ftr but you gave him some cantrips and scribe scroll through feats maybe then you also take craft: leatherworking not so you can make yourself cool leather armor (which I guess you still could do) but to wind "Scroll Bindings" around the hilts of your weapons. When you need a scroll your character just simply unwinds them as he reads.
Its a one shot, and first level; that's a total double whammy. Try to massage as many rules as you can and pick an interesting feat package and you'll have a great time!
I would play a human fighter...power attack, cleave, and improved sunder. Three distinct stategies that can be used at first level. Depending on stats, try to get a few skill points and get a trait that grants a bonus to acrobatics so you can tumble....would be fun to me.
Half Orc rogue! A 1st level one shot is the perfect time for a Rogue to shine. Sneak attack with a Falchion or GreatAxe and pile on the skills to boot.
What's a ridiculous core monster race? Tengu? Be a Tengu Ranger with Mounted Combat and a dire platypus or something as a mount and make the GM lose their mind.
Is Pushback an APG feat? It lets you push foes back 5 feet on a crit or something. I like moving my opponents around the battlefield!
I'm playing a one-shot on Thursday with a first level melee character (using Core and the APG). What are the most exciting class and/or feats I could use? I was thinking of going human fighter for the feats, but want to see what you guys think first!
How was the game and what character did you go with? There were a lot of really good ideas just in this one thread; hopefully it all went well.
Make a sorcerer. Half orc or elf, so you have a decent melee weapon, cast mage armor all the time, then run up and fight.
Not a great meleer, but it should be exciting!
Halfling Barbarian. Two weapon fighting. Two cleavers.
Personality based off of Gordon Ramsey.
Human Rogue with Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, and a longspear. Emphasize Strength, Cha, Int, Con, Dex, Wis. You can feint every round to get sneak attack, flank from reach, and do pretty good damage when you can't use your tricks. Use javelins as your back ranged weapon, so you don't have to drop your main melee weapon.
Outside of combat, you can be the party face and information broker. Maybe even do some traditional thief stuff like Disable Device, Perception, Stealth, and Sleight of Hands, and Use Magic Device. You'll have at least 10 skill points (8 + 1 human + 1 from 13+ Int for Combat Expertise), so you can be diverse.
An orc barbarian with 5 wis, int, and cha.
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Make a sorcerer. Half orc or elf, so you have a decent melee weapon, cast mage armor all the time, then run up and fight. Not a great meleer, but it should be exciting!Magus does exactly that way better.
Human Rogue with Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, and a longspear. Emphasize Strength, Cha, Int, Con, Dex, Wis.
Make a will-save! Oh, dear; there you go, sleeping on the job again.
Human rogues....What's a ridiculous core monster race? Tengu? Be a Tengu Ranger with Mounted Combat and a dire platypus or something as a mount and make the GM lose their mind.
Now we're talkin' fun.
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Gnome Knight Errant(20pt)
STR-13
DEX:12
CON+16
INT:12
WIS:12
CHA+14
Traits: Dangerously Curious, Eternal Hope
01 cava1 [Gendarme][Knight Errant][Mounted Combat], Ride-by Attack
AC20, 13HP
Equipment: four-mirror armor, heavy shield, Gnome Flickmace, scroll of Bless
Mount: (allowable per small character)
Soup-pot helmet optional
Make a sorcerer. Half orc or elf, so you have a decent melee weapon, cast mage armor all the time, then run up and fight. Not a great meleer, but it should be exciting!Magus does exactly that way better.Human Rogue with Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, and a longspear. Emphasize Strength, Cha, Int, Con, Dex, Wis.Make a will-save! Oh, dear; there you go, sleeping on the job again.
Human rogues....What's a ridiculous core monster race? Tengu? Be a Tengu Ranger with Mounted Combat and a dire platypus or something as a mount and make the GM lose their mind.Now we're talkin' fun.
= = = = =
Gnome Knight Errant(20pt)
STR-13
DEX:12
CON+16
INT:12
WIS:12
CHA+14Traits: Dangerously Curious, Eternal Hope
01 cava1 [Gendarme][Knight Errant][Mounted Combat], Ride-by Attack
AC20, 13HP
Equipment: four-mirror armor, heavy shield, Gnome Flickmace, scroll of Bless
Mount: (allowable per small character)
Soup-pot helmet optional
Well, um, um, um, there's that +1 to Will Saves Trait!!!!!
Yeah, yeah, that's the ticket!
:-P
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Eternal Hope and "just being a gnome" (enemies usually assume you're a caster no matter how you're dressed if you're small) avoids a lot of that. But show me a light-armored guy with light weapons and round earlobes, and they get the Colorspray or Sleep every time.
(The build above would probably dip paladin2 and fighter2 with Boon Companion at 3rd, yielding +4 to will saves; grants one Smite and one Challenge each as early as 2nd.)