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A new campaign of Way of the Wicked has started. For those who do not know, it is an evil-only mega adventure with a few house rules.
Due to the vagaries of the campaign's character generation, I have these level 1 stats. Please note, aside from racial modifiers these cannot be changed.
STR 17
DEX 12
CON 8
INT 10
WIS 8
CHA 18
I am aware that these are not ideal, and certainly not the bumper crop most advice-seekers submit. Nevertheless, these are my fixed numbers.
Other restrictions include alignment must be LE and because we will be interacting with suspicious NPCs, standard looking humanoid races are strongly encouraged.
Here is where I welcome advice.
Don Cassius Cornwall
Race:
- Human, so I can put +2 into Con then initial Favoured Class bonuses into HP while still getting skills.
Class(es):
- Antipaladin 2 (the campaign has an LE variant, for those who don't know it, that is more or less the only difference).
- Sorcerer 3
-Dragon Disciple 8
- Sorcerer 7
Because it is a 20 level campaign, the guy needs to survive at all levels, so a 17th level sweet spot is no use. Thus Antipaladin 2 with his great strength for fighting initially, then start building on the spells and Draconic powers.
The Draconic bloodline is compulsory for DDs, but I thought I might make him Crossblooded with the Stormborn line. This is because Crossblooded does not hurt much with DDs (the -2 to will doesn't make any odds against 3 classes with good will saves and the Paladin Cha thing) and Stormborn is good for flying and electricity. Let me repeat, Lawful Evil is set in stone, thus my only real Draconic options are Green or Blue.
The DM will be a stickler for roleplaying reasons for taking options (I also have no taste for justifying absurdities), so given his alignment, Red, Black, White and Good Dragons are out, as well as Abyssal, Orc and many other Crossblooded bloodlines. With Blue; Djinni, (Air) Elemental and Infernal are probably acceptable, but they don't give much. A Stormborn Dragon seems pretty cool too, as long as Daenerys Targaryen doesn't sue for copyright.
Feats to suit. Toughness may have to be a feat tax. Power attack, maybe Metamagic later, etc. etc.
HP and armour are a real concern. I went with AP 2/Sorc 3 because of the spell progression and because extra AP things I can't see using much.
Please critique this idea.
Alternately, please suggest an entirely different build, but bear in mind the alignment, initial stats and requirement to be playable from 1-20 are immutable factors.
Thanks.
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If you're not deadset on a caster focus you might consider an AP/Bard build. Bard works great with that Cha, Archeologist archetype swaps out singing for a personal Luck bonus to almost everything and the face skills will suit you well in a campaign with lots of talking and rp.
Combatwise you'd probably focus on 2Handed smashing or better a reach weapon, wearing heavy armour and taking spells such as Saving Finale, Timely/Gallant Inspiration, etc since "If the spell lacks a somatic component, however, it can be cast with no chance of arcane spell failure." These spells will also help greatly with survival, the chance to re-roll saves is fantastic.
This will make the most of the Str bonuses the DD provides, if you have feats to spare, and you probably do, Eldritch Heritage (Infernal or Orc) will add even more strength along with a few other bonuses that can be nice.
so Laxus if he'd continued his dark advance.
blue draconic/stormborn seems like a fair combo for a lightning-themed character.
the above AP/archaeologist bard combo (grabbing EH for stormborn i'd assume) is something i'd definitely recommentd if youre going for a combat bent.
if 3pp is allowed then the cabalist magus AT might be right up your alley (going for either, grabbing EH for the other), since it synergizes very well with your draconic physical stat buffs by being able to attack and cast in the same round more painlessly.
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I think it looks quite good. The human favored class Will allow you to take some extra spells to set of the crosblooded penalty, i guess you will want HP at least till you can get false life. But i dont think you will get slot from cross blooded. I assume you will want the draconic powers i suggest you make a case for the serpentine bloodline in the cross. It is still flavorfull and it gives that great arcana.
Other than that i think you have it covered. Toughness at level 1 and false life at level 8 if you concentrate on spells without somatic components in the begenning you can still be a front liner in a Heavy armor at least until you get spells that will make HP and AC less of an issue.
Edit: spelling issues
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Suthainn, XMorsX, you are champions.
Very different ideas, all three are extremely clever.
Equally as important, they make thematic sense within themselves without sacrificing ability.
I am going to have a hard think.
Meanwhile, any more suggestions are very welcome. ;)
Edit: Thank you also, fellow Captain Darling.
If you go crossblooded you will want a bit of meta magic to use the higher level slots here you dont have spells yet. My current favorite is reach Spell at the lower levels, possibly you also want meta magic focus but that may be a bit feat heavy. Generally i think you will be ready to cast the heavy armor at around level 10 where you get ligthning bolt or somthing like it. You will have a bab of +7 and a caster level at 7. And your str will be 20. Unless you og the route of the Dual-talentet human it will cost you powerattack at level 1 but that +2 extra on str will be worth it imop. And skilles, well you are never gonna rock in skills.
You can also get still Spell and stay in your full plate until you get form of dragon spells and Spelllikes.
Also start out with a reach weapon i like the bardiche that Way the baddies (or possibly the goodies?) is a bit away from your fragile self.
A good argument for crossblooded is the Extreme redundency of the draconic bonus spells. Also here i feel the serpentine bloodline offers good options. But also the stormborn have merit.
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I think I might build something like this to start with if I was going melee;
Human
1 Antipaladin 1: Human Feat - Power Attack, Level Feat - Toughness
2 Bard (Archaeologist) 1
3 Antipaladin 2: Level Feat - Lingering Performance
4 Antipaladin 3
5 Antipaladin 4: Level Feat - Skill Focus (Survival)
6 Antipaladin 5
7 Dragon Disciple 1: Level Feat - Eldritch Heritage (Orc)
8 Dragon Disciple 2
9 Dragon Disciple 3: level feat - ???
10 Dragon Disciple 4
Grab a Robe of Arcane Heritage asap from 5th onwards, it will boost your Draconic bloodline nicely and depending on how it is read by your GM should also effect your effective Sorcerer level for determining the bonus you get via Eldritch Heritage.
Of note here, if you go Orc Bloodline the trait 'Optimistic Gambler' works on the morale bonus from it and is an amazing investment. That can work out to be a *huge* morale bonus to hit/dam/will saves for 1d4+1 rounds... oh and you're a Bard so... Moment of Greatness to double it once (casting this will risk spell failure but it lasts a minute per level so is fine to pre-cast before a big battle).
Fates favoured would also be a great trait, improving the Luck bonus from Archaeologist to +2 (which would be up pretty much every fight once you get Lingering Performance).
By 10th you would be casting as a 4th level Bard at this point, have a +8 BAB, significantly high strength, wearing great armour and crushing people in melee with a 2 handed or reach weapon (ideally one with an 18+ crit range) which you use Fiendish Boon to make Keen for 15+ crits that regularly destroy enemies for upto 5 minutes a day, so likely 5 full fights which should be more than fine(gods alone know how much a Smite crit with that will do!).
At 11th you'd take Improved Eldritch Heritage and get even *more* strength! And hell, Greater Eld. at 17th is just ridiculous.
Damn... I want to play this now! lol
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I have a radically different idea that doesn't involve dragon disciple at all. (I unfortunately am not super familiar with the campaign, so not sure how well it will work thematically.)
If you can get this to fly with the GM, more power to you :)
Start with a charisma casting cast - perhaps Oracle of Bones. Pick up craft wondrous and save your pennies; when you hit 11th level... become a lich. Now you are undead, and you use your charisma to hitpoints. Generate lots of undead to run interference in the meantime.
Of course, that probably isn't going to fly :) So here is the more mundane suggestion: just become a straight sorcerer and take the Pit-Touched bloodline. Eventually, you pick up +6 inherent constitution bonus out of it. Also, very thematically appropriate.
I'd suggest double checking with your gm that LE antipaladins are allowed
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I'd suggest double checking with your gm that LE antipaladins are allowed
He actually already covers that in the OP, there is a special exception allowing them in the AP he is playing with a few minor changes to fit the Lawfulness. Though it's always a good idea to run character ideas past your GM first as you say, he may have some advice that is specific to the AP which helps in making sure you create a character that will fit in well.
So I get why Lawful Evil is required (what with the anti paladin levels) but I don't see why that limits your draconic bloodline choices. Unless it's a house rule the alignment of the dragons whose bloodline you have shouldn't affect your own alignment.
- Torger
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So I get why Lawful Evil is required (what with the anti paladin levels) but I don't see why that limits your draconic bloodline choices. Unless it's a house rule the alignment of the dragons whose bloodline you have shouldn't affect your own alignment.
- Torger
It isn't a house rule as such.
The game entry is competitive by compelling story and thus requires a comprehensive and coherent background tale in order to qualify for play.
I want to have a background I can write, roleplay and justify as well as tweaking out mechanical benefits.
Yes, I could make him an Archon-Blooded Aasimar with the Crossblooded Abyssal bloodline for extra awesome extra-planar power, but frankly, it'd be a pig to write anything less than Mary-Sue tedious for such a silly videogame mess and while I want to have a powerful character (I want to win), I need the GM to buy the character and I need me to have a substantial focus.
This is why XMorsX's Orc monster appeals, the elements have a nasty, green, poisonous synergy.
It is why I won't allow myself to have CE Draconic bloodline or other Chaotic type bloodline, I don't want to have to justify that nonsense and my GM certainly won't bother reading it.
Besides, Blue Dragons are cool.
You can also just go with the knight of the sepulcher antipaladin archtype. It is not a dragon but i like the image of the sickly knight turning to Dark powers to get the knigthly Life he wants, or revenge or what ever. Think a combination of the evil general in Willow and Val Kilmers Doc. Holliday from Tombstone.
Also at level 5 he can heal him self as a swift action:) so he can be a powerfull front liner.
With the Dual-talentet human trait you can have 20 in str and cha by level 4. You will never be a raging dwarf barbarian regarding HP but who cares. You will have to be cunning and pehaps a bit cowardly from time to time. But with your primary stats that good you will be able to spend a bit on a con bonus item when you get to that part of the game. And of cause at level 20 you will be in position to win the game with cha to HP and somthing like 180 extra hitpoints.
Edit: spelling
So I get why Lawful Evil is required (what with the anti paladin levels) but I don't see why that limits your draconic bloodline choices. Unless it's a house rule the alignment of the dragons whose bloodline you have shouldn't affect your own alignment.
- Torger
It isn't a house rule as such.
The game entry is competitive by compelling story and thus requires a comprehensive and coherent background tale in order to qualify for play.
I want to have a background I can write, roleplay and justify as well as tweaking out mechanical benefits.
Yes, I could make him an Archon-Blooded Aasimar with the Crossblooded Abyssal bloodline for extra awesome extra-planar power, but frankly, it'd be a pig to write anything less than Mary-Sue tedious for such a silly videogame mess and while I want to have a powerful character (I want to win), I need the GM to buy the character and I need me to have a substantial focus.
This is why XMorsX's Orc monster appeals, the elements have a nasty, green, poisonous synergy.
It is why I won't allow myself to have CE Draconic bloodline or other Chaotic type bloodline, I don't want to have to justify that nonsense and my GM certainly won't bother reading it.
Besides, Blue Dragons are cool.
Blue Dragons are sweet, no argument.
I get wanting not wanting to have a bizarre mish-mash pile of weird stats to have to justify to the DM but a different alignment than your bloodline might suggest doesn't seem like a huge stretch to me. Of course your mileage may vary.
- Torger