Emerald spire character help

[Dax128]

Hey all,

Getting ready to start emerald spire, our party is a monk, knife master rogue, and a barbarian.

We are limited to core races and classes with a 20 pt buy system and crafting magic items is limited to 1 item per session for arms, armor, rods, or wands.

I was planning on playing a debuff style character, but with lack of a dedicated healer, I think we would be in trouble.

That being said, I could use some help coming up with a character please. I was kind of thinking a reach cleric, but we have a lot of dmg and not much in way with control, do we even need a healer or could we suffice with a healing items so I could go arcane?

Please no spoilers to emerald spire as we want to be surprised, and I figure we will tpk once or twice lol.

Please help me come up with something to support the other players.

Thanks a bunch!

[Framane]

If you want a debuffer that can heal, I'd suggest going the Witch way.

For extra debuffing, I'd go Hafling to stack Hafling jinx with Evil Eye (Malicious Eye feat) and/or Bouda archetype, especially if your DM approves that Bouda Eye = improved Evil Eye and thus can be used with the Jinx.

For extra healing, Hedge Witch or Hex Channeler both gives a boost.

[avr]

Bards are your basic support character; they're arcane with some healing. With the right spells they can certainly do debuffs. If there's a knife master rogue you must be allowed archetypes so you could go with arrowsong minstrel for archery and for more of an arcane flavour, magician, archivist or studious librarian for more arcane wihout the archery, or court bard to replace inspire courage with a debuff.

[Framane]

Just realized you were asking about Core Rulebook option only. You can disregard my post about playing a witch, sorry.

[Backpack]

My advice Is to just play what sounds fun. Spire is not scaled for a four person party. I can think of a ton of examples where we never healed in combat and just killed everything before it could kill us. But we also carried a few fallen characters out the spire and paid in gold for a raise dead.

[Dax128]

Will look at bards, never played one before so no idea what to do with them lol.

I would love to play a witch and was all set to play one before he locked it to core and then I cried haha. I'm kind of hoping if we tpk like 2 or 3 times he opens up advanced player classes.

[Dax128]

Looking at bard did nothing for me personally.

I'm kind of tempted to play a sorcerer to be honest especially since we don't have a face character since everyone dumped charisma. Can always use UMD to wave a Healy wand or scroll.

Any advice on sorcerer that isn't a nuker? He is allowing archetypes and spells from the advanced and ultimate books.

[Cory Stafford 29]

You really need a cleric.

[gamerdork]

If archetypes are allowed, the seeker (sorcerer) is pretty decent, but may double up Disable Device with the rogue. Perhaps take pragmatic activator to use Int for UMD checks. Have fun!

[Belafon]

I've got a couple of options for you.

1) Razmiran Priest sorcerer archetype. They're really good at using divine items. You can take the traditional sorcerer control spells (create pit line, confusion) as well as everyone's favorite: haste. Plus you get to go around yelling "for the glory of Razmir!" all the time.

2) How about a druid? They've got a decent number of control spells (entangle, wall spells, spike stones) and can heal as well. There's a cave druid archetype that might be a good fit for exploring the underground Spire.

[Cory Stafford 29]

Belafon wrote:

I've got a couple of options for you.

1) Razmiran Priest sorcerer archetype. They're really good at using divine items. You can take the traditional sorcerer control spells (create pit line, confusion) as well as everyone's favorite: haste. Plus you get to go around yelling "for the glory of Razmir!" all the time.

2) How about a druid? They've got a decent number of control spells (entangle, wall spells, spike stones) and can heal as well. There's a cave druid archetype that might be a good fit for exploring the underground Spire.

Not to mention that a cave druid wildshaped into a carnivorous crystalline ooze can vital strike for insane amounts of damage.

[Rerednaw]

Core only? You do need an arcane and a divine. Emerald Spire is among the more lethal adventures, especially if you go in short a PC.

And no don't go mystic theurge. You'll get theurge to suicide the toon.

Core Wizard (probably Conjuration). Core Cleric maybe sun and healing, really pretty much any combo. War and .??? domains are okay for a semi-tanky backup. And a skill monkey/wall of meat say a Barabarian.

I'd point out the lack of a full party and run by the GM if say the Barbarian can pick up a trait that grants him trapfinding. Otherwise get ready for lots of trips back to town. Nm, even with, get ready for lots of town trips..at least till Rope Trick goes online.

[Imbicatus]

I'd recommend playing a dwarf or a half orc, because darkvision can be extremely useful in the spire.

[Dax128]

Lots of good ideas here, will keep some of these as backup ideas for the tpk I'm sure is coming. And thanks for replying, appreciate the help.

I think I've committed to a reach cleric with ferocity and tactics domains. I am leaning human for the extra feat since cleric is feat starved. If not human than half orc,but would have to look it over carefully to justify the loss of a feat.

[jeremiah dodson 812]

Play either a Bard or a Cleric(my choice) as a reach build. That will keep you and the Barbarian close on the battle field which will help, and hopefully either the Monk or the Rogue decide to change there mi d and play something a bit more useful.

[Tim Statler]

Combining Imbicatus's suggestion and Cory Stafford's is a good idea.

[nicholas storm]

Limited to core I would do a bard with that party

[jeremiah dodson 812]

Consider Dwarf for your reach Cleric the bonus Wis and Con are awsome. The 20' move doesn't matter because your already wearing medium armor, dark vision can be huge and they get great saving throw bonuses

[BuzzardB]

I will second a Dwarven Reach Cleric, I could see that being quite good in Emerald Spire.

It's hard to offer too much advice on whats good for that specific module without giving away stuff.

What I do know is that my Deepwalker Ranger is amazing, a rogue specializing in poisons and bleeds absolutely sucks and it would have been really nice to have a wizard or sorcerer.

[Rerednaw]

To the OP:

Regarding "Core" I see a lot of suggestions that do use Core races/classes...but non-core archetypes/feats/etc...is that allowed?

[Belafon]

Dax128 wrote:

. . . He is allowing archetypes and spells from the advanced and ultimate books.

[Daw]

Just a thought, is it wise to have a Knifemaster Rogue (who has traded away trapfinding) going into an extended dungeon crawl?

[Dax128]

I said the same thing, but he's a newbie, so....will be a lesson learned. I'm figuring at least 2 tpks probably more lol.

[Arktisk Rev]

I've currently completed 9 levels of ES Core with a Dwarf Reach Cleric of Pharasma. The 6th level domain for healing (all of your cure spells are treated as if they were empowered) 50% more healing, save our collective butts several times and I also took the Repose Domain. Shield Other went a long way with the Monk in our group.