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8 months ago ::
Oct 11, 2012 - 12:07AM
#1
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Date Joined:
Oct 29, 2011
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Right, here we are again.
I just love this community! Everytime I need some opinions and help, there are lots of people to save me!
Now for the real thing... This time, my DM is starting a new campaign. And this one will be an "overpowered" one. Basically, we NEED to optimize the characters, or we will find death in no time. Ofc, we are not ignoring the other factors; We need to show some decent roleplay. The point is that we have to make roleplay and optimization walk together. Not that this is a problem, but I'd like some opinion on where to go. Let's get to business:
- We are 4 players. I got the role of Skill Monkey, and we have an Ultimate Magus as main DPS, a (healing-machine) Cleric and a melee focused character as tanker. I don't know the player's class choices. Yet.
- We are using, once more, every single official book, excluding Psionics and Magic of Incarnum. Access to every splatbook, classes, feats... Everything. We are not allowed to use Dragon Magazines though.
- 36 Point-buy.
- Starting at level 1.
- Setting is Forgotten Realms, but we are allowed to use things from other Campaign Settings. Eberron, Kalamar, Dragonlance etc etc etc.
As every person able to think for more than 2 minutes, I immediately went Factotum. Guess it's the best Skill Monkey out there, due to Brains Over Brawns and some other cheesy stuff. I've made a progression, and ended up like this:
>>> Changeling (Template: Dark Creature) Factotum 3 / Marshal 2 / Chameleon 10 / Exemplar 1 / Warshaper 2 / Swordsage 1
I already know some of will might think it's not a good idea to actually have the template, since there is always the Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis. But I know my DM; He loves Antimagic Field and Mordenkainen's-fcking-destroying-items-magic (forgot the name of the spell :P). So yes, I prefer the template itself. For everything else, I'd like some advice.
Details: The character is NOT made to shine in battles. Actually, she (it's a woman) tends to use Hide in Plain Sight just to avoid those situations. I plan on taking Darkstalker and, asap, a Third Eye Conceal, so a high Hide skill should be enough to flee from swords and rays. The idea is to max out UMD, Trapfinding, a handful of Knowledges, Bluff, Diplomacy... I guess you got the idea. Another thing: The two levels of warshaper are basically for defensive purposes - More Con, immunity to critical hits, etc. And the Swordsage level is to be taken as my 18th level, so I can benefit from a high level Stance and/or Maneuvers. To finish, she is Netherese (don't ask me how, it would take years to explain hahaha) and her patron deity is Shar. She is true neutral, though.
Right, that's it. Any thoughts?
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8 months ago ::
Oct 11, 2012 - 1:35AM
#2
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Date Joined:
Oct 24, 2005
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A changeling factotum/chameleon is certainly a good option. Something else to consider is factotum 1 / cloistered cleric (Unearthed Arcana) 19 with able learner. That gives you at least 6+int skill points at each level, effectively all class skills for all levels, and near-full casting. You can take the mind domain (Spell Compendium) for +2 to bluff, diplomacy, and sense motive and the herald domain (Book of Exalted Deeds) for +4 to diplomacy and intimidate. I'd have suggested the truth domain (Races of Eberron) for a bonus to sense motive equal to your cleric level, but it seemed too ironic for how I imagine you'll play the character. A variation on the above is to use archivist (Heroes of Horror) instead of cleric. You lose access to domains, but you gain the ability to grant allies combat bonuses by using knowledge checks.
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8 months ago ::
Oct 11, 2012 - 8:06AM
#3
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Date Joined:
May 23, 2012
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Welll... I don't know where to begin, however here's one thing, the Swordsage level at 18 is only good for a high level stance if you also dedicate a feat to the new stance, otherwise you've got a level 1 stance only. The other option of course is to take Swordsage to 2 and get your second stance which can be any level your IL and maneuver counts qualify you for. If your group hasn't read this they should, especially for optimizing a high powered game. UMD's probably the most important skill you'll have access to as magic is better than skills at most of the things skills are supposed to be good at. However there are certainly some exceptions wherein there is overlap rather than complete replacement. Perception and Stealth mostly make up those exceptions, as well as social skills with anyone that has Mind Blank.
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8 months ago ::
Oct 11, 2012 - 8:09AM
#4
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Date Joined:
Sep 25, 2005
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Now for the real thing... This time, my DM is starting a new campaign. And this one will be an "overpowered" one. Basically, we NEED to optimize the characters, or we will find death in no time. Ofc, we are not ignoring the other factors; We need to show some decent roleplay. The point is that we have to make roleplay and optimization walk together. Not that this is a problem, but I'd like some opinion on where to go. Let's get to business:
- We are 4 players. I got the role of Skill Monkey, and we have an Ultimate Magus as main DPS, a (healing-machine) Cleric and a melee focused character as tanker. I don't know the player's class choices. Yet.
I know very little about the Factoter (yay, School of Rock, reference!), but one thing about this party make-up sticks out: A healbot Cleric is not optimized.
If you really think you'll need in-battle healing, there are better ways to go about it.
(Those last two links are ways to make your party's tank your primary in-combat healer)
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8 months ago ::
Oct 12, 2012 - 4:42PM
#5
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Date Joined:
Oct 29, 2011
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Thanks for the replies so far.
Please continue to show your points of view, everything is been taken into consideration!
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8 months ago ::
Oct 12, 2012 - 9:22PM
#6
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Date Joined:
May 23, 2012
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