Hello, I am going to start a Skull & Shackles game soon and I have a few questions about the character I should play.
The team composition is currently:
- Ratfolk Rogue
- Gillmen Cavalier (Musketeer)
- Human Monk
Originally, I was considering making a druid (it would be my first time playing a druid) so that I could fill in the niches as best as I could. I should mention that I would appreciate being able to contribute to melee combat (just a personal preference) and so my main question is if I am considering the right class for the party. Would a cleric be a better option? Are there any other classes that I am overlooking that could provide for the party?
If I were to choose the druid, I am interested in the thematic archetypes (such as the tempest or storm druid), they however, replace the animal companion for a domain. Would that be a terrible trade-off? If so, what is a thematic and effective animal companion for an aquatic adventure?
Summary:
Is a druid the right choice for this party?
Are there any better classes for the current composition?
If druid is the best, are the thematic archetypes worth it?
What is a good animal companion for the ship/aquatic environment?
Thank you.
Trying to figure out how to phrase this without giving any spoilers...
Having played (and wiped) in the first module, I would highly suggest having a healer; at the very least, you're going to need wands of CLW and probably a couple of different characters who can use them effectively.
Having some general AoE capability is also a great boon.
Good luck!
This is an easy one, you need a second ratfolk rogue, so they can "swarm" and "flank"
Haha, I would love that. The party seems to be lacking in the support/range department though.
Given your team and preferences, my suggestions for class would be, in order:
1) Cleric
2) Oracle
3) Druid w/ animal companion
4) Druid w/o animal companion
5) Inquisitor
All of those can be very good at melee combat and, to a greater or lesser extent, fulfill divine spellcasting needs of the party.
Thanks for the advice guys, but I was wondering, is an oracle/cleric really that much better than a druid in melee?
You have a lot of tier five classes, so you should have a Wizard to do everything for you.
Also, put a lot of skill ranks into swabbing and rope carrying
Wouldn't the spellbook cause some hindrance in an aquatic campaign?
You have a lot of tier five classes, so you should have a Wizard to do everything for you.Wouldn't the spellbook cause some hindrance in an aquatic campaign?
Skull & Shackles takes place at sea, but isn't generally "aquatic" in the sense of taking place in or under water. There will be instances of wet fighting, but far from the majority.
Thanks for the advice guys, but I was wondering, is an oracle/cleric really that much better than a druid in melee?
How good a cleric, oracle, or druid is in melee doesn't depend on which of the three classes you are, as they all have the same hit points, attack bonus, similar armor & weapons, etc. Any can be built for no-melee, some-melee, or mostly-melee.
The reason I suggest a cleric or oracle is that their spellcasting will be more useful than a druid's. A druid is also a good choice.
I think Druid would fit well for you. After a few levels Druid has a lot more utility options than a cleric and utility is huge in this campaign. Also put ranks in profession sailor.
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Cleric with Selective Channeling neutralizes AoEs on sardine-packed ship fights. Kurgess for Travel domain.
Be a dwarf, saltbeard archetype; and, if the GM permits traits from any source, Call of the Longships rocks. (I played a dwarf monk who began with that, another trait granting damage to unarmed strikes, and the feat Corsair of Taldor -- was Prof:Sailor +10 at 1st level).
Seige weapon stuff can be taken later in the campaign, though, once you've got the chance to captain your own ship. I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to reveal that you start off as a swab and have the opportunity to get your own ship later on.
I think
- bard
- witch (with elemental patron for blasting and that hex for water breathing, use reach weapon etc.)
- cleric with fire domain (for blasts)
- inquisitor
might be great.
Bard might suit your role best, maybe take elf as race and that option to get an arcane spellcasting class as favored class (wizard) to have access to wands and scrolls and such for blasts :-)
After the first few levels a Druid is certainly or versatile then a Cleric, not as good a healer, but with wildshape and more skill points you can do more out of combat. Alternatively an Inquisitor gets better and better in melee, has good skills and can heal. Those would be my options.
Storm Druid
Alright guys, I've decided on a Human Cleric of Besmara with the Oceans and Trickery domains. Thank you very much for all of your advice; I considered all of it and appreciate the help. :)
No, that's not a great idea. Ships are not particularly easy to burn and there will be significant portions of this AP that will occur underwater. Every fire spell cast underwater is going to need a DC 20+ concentration check or it will fail.
Read the Paizo-published Player's Guide to this AP for some very good PC ideas. Also, in the Player's Guide you'll notice that ships have an ocean of hit points. Attacking the ship is nearly always way less effective than engaging its crew in hand to hand combat. Save the ifrit for a campaign in Katapesh.
I am wanting to play an Ifrit and being able to blast fire spells to potentially burn down enemy ships.
Enemy ships may be hard to burn, but long ranged area effect spells can be really useful. The group I'm playing in is short of those so I had to buy a wand of fireball.
If you want to use fire for a lot of things, that's fine. But since underwater adventuring is a predictable event for this AP, make sure fire isn't the only tool in your kit.
Something with healing Cleric is always good for that. But if that rogue or cavalier are not strong party faces you will definitely want to go Bard or Inquisitor for the social skills.
I had a buddy who had a lot of fun with a half orc witch with the scarred witch doctor and hedge witch archetypes. The concept was roughly "Pain is the best teacher." He was high constitution followed by decent strength, and focused on debuffing with a side of healing. In the first two books, he melee'ed ok and, oddly enough, made good use of intimidation. Truth be told, he may have just been lucky.
The other reason playing an ifrit is a bad idea is the 'concept' in this campaign is that you take over the enemy ship, not burn it into the sea...
The more you hurt a ship the less its worth in salvage. A lot of your early wbl and a great deal of your reputation in the pirate community centers around whether you have a reputation for 'Clan MacNicol' tactics (I burn all that I see) or not.
Yes you'd be dangerous, but dangerous is bad... Fiery people have an extra hard time making friends on a ship made of wood with no land nearby...