The AP I'm DMing (Curse of the Crimson Throne) is coming to an end in a few weeks/months. Another guy in the group with loads of 3.5e DMing experience has stepped up and is planning to run Skulls & Shackles next for us. We’ve rolled up stats for the group (each person rolls 1 stat, then the array is created by placing them all together) and our stats are 16, 14, 13, 11, 10, 8. This is a bit lower powered than most people are used to, but since we will have 6 or 7 PCs, this is completely acceptable for us. Allowable source books are the Core Rulebook, Advanced Player’s Guide, Ultimate Magic, Ultimate Combat, Ultimate Equipment, Paths of Prestige, and Advanced Racial Guide. Other material can be included as the DM’s discretion, but 3rd party and 3.0/3.5e stuff is certainly a no-go for our group. Allowed Races are all core races, all “featured” races, and the Samsaran and the Varanas, but we don’t allow the different flavors of Tielfings and Aasimars, just the usual stat bonuses for those two. As for classes, everything is cool, save the Summoner.
Currently, the group is shaping up as follows:
Samsaran Storm Druid (me)
Tengu Stormborn Sorcerer
Tiefling Seareaver Barbarian
Drow Ninja
Swashbuckly Swordsman (Dawnflower Dervish Bard, probably.)
Old Salty Cleric (maybe)
???? <---- This is the guy we have to help!
My friend is extremely indecisive, so I’m trying to help him come up with some character ideas. In our two APs (CotCT and RotRL) he’s playing a Wizard and an Oracle. As he’s always drawn to full casters, he’s committed to avoiding playing a full caster this time around. However, I think he wants to still have some spells to toy with, so 4 or 6 level caster suggestions are probably the best. He is also up in the air about wanting to play an archer character as he’s aware that improved precise shot is almost 100% necessary, which leaves the primary archery options as Ranger or Zen Archer Monk. He loves Monks, and we have a few house rules that power the monk up a bit (not much, but some), but with our stat array, he’s worried about having a 0 modifier in his intelligence, since we’re also under the impression that this is a skill heavy campaign – at least early on, anyways. I’ve suggested a non-lethal rogue with the sap master line of feats, as I think it would make for the perfect enforcer on a ship, and with the Scout archetype stacking with the Pirate archetype, this could make for great flavor and lots of big non-lethal hits. My friend is also really interested in an Inquisitor which could make for many great flavor options, but I think archery on an inquisitor is a no-go with the campaign setting and the prevalence of cover on a ship requiring improved precise shot, which you can’t get on an inquisitor until 14th level or so (and we’ve been informed the campaign will end around 15th level.) So a melee inquisitor is a decent option he’s considering… I feel I should mention that my friend is one of the min-maxers of the group (I’m one of the others), so having a character this is not completely worthless is a must. Though, he realizes that powering down a bit is not a bad idea as it helps balance the party. Also, he’s not huge on the whole magic item concept (he’s an old 2e player) so any build that relies on specific magic items will be less attractive. Also we’re under the impression that items may come and go during the course of the campaign, so this is another reason to make a character generally self sufficient.
So I turn to you, forum community, with your infinite knowledge - Please help my friend out with some character concepts... GO!
He could build a "switch-hitter" ranger based on TreantMonk's Guide for Rangers. The gist is that you take the archery combat path, but the other choices are melee-oriented. Your bonus feats are archery-based and your BAB keeps you competitive at range, but you are willing and very able to mix it up when it comes time to board the other ship. The guide definitely goes into his thoughts on min-maxing the build.
He would have strong options at range or in melee, he would have a pretty good skill selection, and would not be reliant on magic items. I have not investigated what archetypes might work best, but the base class straight up is pretty solid, from what I can tell. I have a couple of these in play, but neither has advanced beyond early levels.
Have fun!
@Grey Lensman: Too true, good advice. My half-elf storm druid is dealing with his share of enduring, now that you mention it. Some lucky rolls and a very withdrawn personality are keeping him going right now. His first casting of shillelagh has been surprisingly effective.
We have a switch hitting ranger in our current CotCT campaign, and I'm sure favored enemy human would be fairly useful in Skulls & Shackles as well. I have a feeling that he will not want to play anything that he's already seen at the table before - I think he just wants to experiment with new things. But a Ranger is a good call - I believe this is his struggle.
As for my Samsaran Storm Druid, I am using Shards of the Past to grab Bluff and Intimidate as class skills - do you think that will help me to enjoy the first book? My Str is going to be low (-1 mod), so that will be a bit rough. One way I'm planning to help my scenario out is by playing a female character. I plan to play off stereotypes. Hopefully I can get simpler or more menial assignments and maybe I can intelligently play the seductive card. At the very least, I'm hoping that the expectations will be a bit lower towards a woman, so I can surprise the crew by being competent.
An Inquisitor seems like a good fit (not certain what book it came from though). Gives him the comfort of some spell casting from the start as well as the ability to function effectively as a martial combatant with either a bow or a melee weapon. He will also offer a good deal of out of combat functionality.
Since you seem to be following a water oriented theme withthe characters a merfolk would be a good choice having a base swim speed and with the string tail racial trait a slow but usable land speed, I would also agree withthe ranger switchhitter, merfolk have aracial archtype that could compliment that, and if not they have to stat boosts to adequetly play any class
Merfolk are an "Uncommon" race that the DM did not say we could use. I suppose it may be worth mentioning to him, but I'm not sure the player in question would be interested in playing a Merfolk anyways, lol.
Yeah, the guy who was thinking about playing an Old Salty Cleric has sort of settled on a Undine Cleric of Besmara, so an Inquisitor is probably much less necessary now.
Also, the player we are trying to help find a character concept mentioned a Halfing Flitcher Rogue. He's going for the Kinder concept from the Dragonlance Series. I'm not sure how effective such a build would be in this campaign, but if he's happy with it, I guess that's what matters.
Anyone else have any good suggestions?
What about a monk? The drunk-monk archetype while not the strongest by any means would thematically make a good drunken brawler/crewman for a pirate ship, the zen archer and MoMS are much more optimized.
Or an oracle of waves or wind? The character could roleplay as someone who divines the weather or sea and helps guide the voyage.
My poor character's skills problems have been due to lack of Climb and Diplomacy, actually. The halfling's racial bonus to climb checks and to Charisma (assuming his archetype doesn't affect them) will serve him well. Not to mention the number of skill points and class skills he will get as a rogue.
As for your storm druid, I'm not familiar with the Samsaran, but it sounds like you have a gameplan. Go with it and have fun!
I too like the alchemist, however I would personally go the beastmorph route. A bit into their class and they're gaining swim and eventually breathing under water fine. Give him feral mutagen and he's clawing things to death even in the water.
Not sure how your DM is, but what about a Synth Summoner? Still go quadruped for pounce, pick up swim and gills right away as well as some claws or slam and you have a solid aquatic creature with plenty of charisma and depending on how you want to build a good strength as well.
Master summoner could work well too. Lots of different options. Enemies in the air? You have a summon for that. Got an enemy on your boat? Summon for that. Enemy in the water? You get the point. Options abound.
Just a though. I know you said he was thinking Monk and that I understand if he wouldn't like these. Perhaps an Undine Tetori Monk? Picking up the amphibious racial trait of course. Grapple a non-water breather, hop off the boat and try drowning them.
Seems like your party might need a solid front line fighter if Skull and shackles is anything like other adventures. So personally I'd actually probably go synth summoner or master summoner if allowed.
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There is a Ranger archetype for rangers in Pirate of the inner sea called freebooter that may be perfect for him.
It grants an unlimited group buff in place of favored enemy, another in place of Rangers bond and a bonus to swimming in place of woodland stride.
He keeps ranger spells and feats. Thus he could easily go for range or melee (though with the party composition I would go melee). And rangers already have the perfect skill set for the game.
For Stats I would go (assuming Melee):
Human Ranger with the Focused Study trait, start with Profession: Sailor
Str: 16 (14+2 human bonus)
Dex: 13
Con: 12 (put point in at lvl 4)
Wis: 14
int: 10
Cha: 8
Invest skills in Profession: sailor, Climb, Swim, Acrobatics, Diplomacy, and other skill of players choice. Diplomacy is important even if it only enough to consistently assist.
I agree with Seriphim84. The freebooter ranger has been working pretty well for us in our Skull and Shackles campaign. He gets good skills, good group buff, and good archery combat (if he chooses that route).
You might also suggest that he invest in being able to run and repair siege weapons. We have a rogue archer doing that duty in our game and she's racking up a pretty impressive record - shattered the opponent's control wheel on our last ship combat action AND set it on fire to boot.
By the way, too bad on not allowing a summoner. I'm playing one and I'm having fun with it for the most part. His spells aren't very ship-to-ship combaty because the ranges are too short, but having an eidolon with gills is a big help.