First off, I'm not looking for min-max advice, or even optimized character builds. I want feed-back on a few character concepts I had that I've not yet had a chance to try. I think they might be interesting.
Assuming level ten, here are the concepts;
Barbarian(4)/Rogue(6):
Race: Half Orc
Favored Class: Barbarian (extra rage rounds)
Rogue talents to get Weapon Focus(great axe/great sword) and Dazzling Display; Use Shatter Defenses to get sneak attack while raging/power attacking
Bard(Archaeologist)(6)/Dragon Disciple (4):
Race: Half Orc or Half Elf to get weapon proficiency w/ two hand weapon
Use spells to buff physical stats and increase skills/abilities
Use Archaeologist's Luck/Stat Boost/Arcane Strike to increase damage
Monk(4)/Druid(6)
Race:Either Human for bonus feat, or dwarf for stat bonuses
Use Wild Shape to increase physical stats, spells to buff stats further/heal, flurry while in wild shape for large sized damage
-Could potentially take Master of Many Styles, and two-weapon feats instead of flurry, but would decrease to-hit slightly.
I may add more concepts in later posts, but for right now I'd just like suggestions to make these ideas as effective as I can, because all of them are tied to RP-ideas I'd like to try out as much as the actual build.
Geno wrote: Monk(4)/Druid(6)
Race:Either Human for bonus feat, or dwarf for stat bonuses
Use Wild Shape to increase physical stats, spells to buff stats further/heal, flurry while in wild shape for large sized damage
This one is a tough sell, as I understand flurry is nearly useless in wildshape without the Feral Combat Training Feat for each type of natural attack.
I figure this would not work out as well as you hope.
MC Templar wrote: Geno wrote: Monk(4)/Druid(6)
Race:Either Human for bonus feat, or dwarf for stat bonuses
Use Wild Shape to increase physical stats, spells to buff stats further/heal, flurry while in wild shape for large sized damage
This one is a tough sell, as I understand flurry is nearly useless in wildshape without the Feral Combat Training Feat for each type of natural attack.
I figure this would not work out as well as you hope. I've actually made another thread where I asked about that. From that I figured out that anything can use an unarmed strike, so he'd be using the large size monk unarmed damage for it. If you have monk's vestments on, he'd be hitting for 2d8 at that point. From that level forward, he'd take two more levels of druid, to unlock huge size wild shape, then finish out with levels in monk.
It's generally suggested to go to level 7 as a Bard, if you intend to become a Dragon Disciple. Something about a new level of spells and Inspire Courage as a swift(?) action, iirc.
I have seen a concept for a Half-orc Barbarian 2/Rogue X that uses an Earthbreaker and Bludgeoner/Sap Adept line to do crazy amounts of nonlethal damage.
Seranov wrote: It's generally suggested to go to level 7 as a Bard, if you intend to become a Dragon Disciple. Something about a new level of spells and Inspire Courage as a swift(?) action, iirc.
I have seen a concept for a Half-orc Barbarian 2/Rogue X that uses an Earthbreaker and Bludgeoner/Sap Adept line to do crazy amounts of nonlethal damage.
I went with the extra level of Dragon disciple because it unlocks the second str. boost, and you end up at the same caster level either way. By tenth level, that is.
I'll have to look into that other build, though for nonlethal I usually go with a martial-artist/rogue combo; I call it the Judo-Chop style.
Also, the Archaeologist archetype that Geno is using doesn't get bardic performance, so the "start bardic performance as a swift action" benefit doesn't kick in.
i like them and they all seem pretty functional. personally, i'd suggest a 2 level dip in a full-BAB class for the bard/DD- he sounds like primarily a melee guy, so it makes sense (you'll get an extra +1 BAB plus other benefits, like feats/rage/favored enemy, without changing the top spell level you can access).
nate lange wrote: i like them and they all seem pretty functional. personally, i'd suggest a 2 level dip in a full-BAB class for the bard/DD- he sounds like primarily a melee guy, so it makes sense (you'll get an extra +1 BAB plus other benefits, like feats/rage/favored enemy, without changing the top spell level you can access). I could see that, but not until later levels. D. Disciple is pretty good about BAB, and the other bonuses you get from it are kind of awesome for combat.
Geno wrote: Barbarian(4)/Rogue(6):
Race: Half Orc
Favored Class: Barbarian (extra rage rounds)
Rogue talents to get Weapon Focus(great axe/great sword) and Dazzling Display; Use Shatter Defenses to get sneak attack while raging/power attacking
Two words: Scout. Archetype.
Charge people, Power Attack, loads of Sneak Attack Dice.
Geno wrote:
I could see that, but not until later levels. D. Disciple is pretty good about BAB, and the other bonuses you get from it are kind of awesome for combat.
i didn't mean to dip 2 levels of melee instead of DD, i meant drop to Archaeologist 4 and pick up 2 levels of melee (i really like barbarian for that cause you can use luck while raging but that will cause fatigue issues... really any full-BAB class that fits your RP/backstory would work)
Rynjin wrote: Geno wrote: Barbarian(4)/Rogue(6):
Race: Half Orc
Favored Class: Barbarian (extra rage rounds)
Rogue talents to get Weapon Focus(great axe/great sword) and Dazzling Display; Use Shatter Defenses to get sneak attack while raging/power attacking
Two words: Scout. Archetype.
Charge people, Power Attack, loads of Sneak Attack Dice. I could see that, but uncanny dodge stacks with both classes, and charging would really only be a once a combat thing. I'd prefer to start out with an intimidating glare to get shatter defences, or even make it into a cleave build incase I get surrounded. It wouldn't kick the first turn, but the second turn I'd be sneak-attacking everything around me I hit the first time. That would be awesome.
nate lange wrote: i didn't mean to dip 2 levels of melee instead of DD, i meant drop to Archaeologist 4 and pick up 2 levels of melee (i really like barbarian for that cause you can use luck while raging but that will cause fatigue issues... really any full-BAB class that fits your RP/backstory would work) I'm still not sure about that. Int is basically a dump stat for this build, and you need as many skill ranks as you can get from archaeologist to take advantage of that classes large variety of class skills. Not to mention, it would ultimately decrease my caster level, as DD doesn't give a boost to it at every level. Bards aren't exactly great casters to begin with (they can't even learn bull's strength or bear's endurance) and most of their better spells come at higher levels.
Eh, to each his own.
IMO "Once per combat" is quite enough when you have a Barbarian whipping out 5d6+Modifers damage on whatever poor bastard you just smacked.
Alright this is crazy but:
1: Barb
2: Bard
3: Sorc
4: Ninja
5: Ninja
6: Cleric
7: Barb
8: Ninja
Stats:
Str 14
Dex 14
Con 12
Int 8
Wis 14
Cha 18 (+1 at 4, +1 at 8)
Multi-talent mastery Half Elf, Urban Barb Archetype
Stupid amount of special abilities, including:
Auspicious Mark
Bard Know
Bard Perform 8r/day
Channel 1d6 x8
Controlled Rage
Crowd Control
Door Sight x5
Elysium's Call
Fey
Ki Attack Speed
Ki Jump
Ki Movement
Ki Stealth
Laughing Touch
Poison Use
Poison Variant Channeling
Rage 7r/day
Sneak 2d6
Uncanny Dodge
Vanishing Trick
Sounds like fun to me.
rangerjeff wrote: Alright this is crazy but:
1: Barb
2: Bard
3: Sorc
4: Ninja
5: Ninja
6: Cleric
7: Barb
8: Ninja
Stats:
Str 14
Dex 14
Con 12
Int 8
Wis 14
Cha 18 (+1 at 4, +1 at 8)
Multi-talent mastery Half Elf, Urban Barb Archetype
Stupid amount of special abilities, including:
Auspicious Mark
Bard Know
Bard Perform 8r/day
Channel 1d6 x8
Controlled Rage
Crowd Control
Door Sight x5
Elysium's Call
Fey
Ki Attack Speed
Ki Jump
Ki Movement
Ki Stealth
Laughing Touch
Poison Use
Poison Variant Channeling
Rage 7r/day
Sneak 2d6
Uncanny Dodge
Vanishing Trick
Sounds like fun to me.
It does sound like fun... However, at this point, you'd truly start becoming a jack-of-all-trades. The negative Int modifier would also make being a skill-monkey a pain, so skill allocation would be very important... Also, I have no idea where you'd go from here.
Well, you said not looking at min-max or optimal, and I'm not sure how high level your campaign is expected to go, just that you were thinking multi-class.
And from here, it's all Barbarian/Ninja. No, not a skill monkey, an ability monkey, but with high probability of being able to do serious damage as well.
And yeah, this was an exercise in what's possible with a 5-class build, going straight 2 class multi would obviously be more effective... but more fun?
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