Recruiting: Rowaini Musketeers--One for All and All for One!

Rystil Arden said:

That's one reason I'm hoping for interesting personalities and roleplaying opportunities. Also, don't overlook multiclassing as a way to distinguish characters. With my new classes, multiclassing is actually a highly viable option.

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Yeah, but of those that are available, 2 don't exist yet, Witch is unplayable (female only), sage makes little sense, and Troubadour.. *shrug* leaving only swashbuckler.

Now don't get me wrong, I love swashbuckler, but if everyone's basically the same, it leads to the 'stepping on each others toes' concept. To me, Swashbuckler's always been the guy that sticks out instead of the norm.

Jemal said:

Yeah, but of those that are available, 2 don't exist yet, Witch is unplayable (female only), sage makes little sense, and Troubadour.. *shrug* leaving only swashbuckler.

Now don't get me wrong, I love swashbuckler, but if everyone's basically the same, it leads to the 'stepping on each others toes' concept. To me, Swashbuckler's always been the guy that sticks out instead of the norm.

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To me too--that's what makes the Musketeers so intriguing. You could have the two Swashbucklers who are both best friends and major rivals. (Read with French accent) "Oho! I have defeated eight of the Cardinal's guards! You cannot top that!"

"But of course! Look here! While you were fighting, I downed four sentries, captured the Cardinal, and slept with his beautiful daughter!"

"C'est dommage! But finished so soon? What does that say about you, my friend, eh? Eh?"

[sblock=Rystil]
Ok, I wanted to see my stats before I proposed this, but I think he'll work. I am looking at something along the lines of
Str 18
Dex 13
Con 16
Int 13
Wis 11
Cha 12

A very Porthosian character. And That is what I think I am going to go for. A huge man, who uses legendary strength, has a lust for life and can weild a blade well. So how do I build a Rowaini Porthos?

Looking over the swashbuckler (and I agree Porthos was mostly a swashbuckler), I can definitely make that work, but it would be underused as he is more about strength and con than Dex and Int. I think this makes him fun to play. Porthos was always described as an excellent swordsman, but used brute strength to overcome his oppenents rather than finesse. But without seeing the Knight or the Blademaster, it's hard to make the call. The Swashbuckler would give him a few skill points for social skills if he was say a minor noble.

But, you know in your mind what Knights and Blademasters can do. Would this concept work better with one of those classes (or even a combination? Swashbuckler/Knight could be fun)? I think this is how I want to run the character. But I have a character build first and no class Suggestions?

Tentative Character
Tristan d'Toussaint
Male Rowaini
Swashbuckler 2/ Knight 1

Str 20 +5
Dex 13 +1
Con 15 +2
Int 14 +2
Wis 11 +0
Cha 16 +3

BAB +3
Int +1
AC 15 (Base 10 + 4 Armor +1 Dex)
HP 10+1d10+1d12+6 = 33
Tristan's HP (1d10+1d12+10+6=31)

Fort +7
Ref +4
Will +2

La force des saints - Rowani Dueling Sabre +9 1d8+6 18-20/x2
Comp Longbow +5 1d8+4 20/x3

Skills 32+8+4
Appraise +8 (6+2 Int)
Diplomacy +13 (6 + 3 Cha +2 Syn SM +2 Syn KN)
Handle Animal +8 (5 + 3 Cha)
Intimidate +7 (4 + 3 Cha)
Jump +7 (2+ 5 Str)
Kn: Nobility & Royalty +7 (5+ 2 Int)
Perform +5 (2 +3 Cha)
Ride +9 (6 + 1 Dex + 2 Syn HA)
Sense Motive +6 (6 + 0 Wis)
Swim +7 (2+5 Str)

Feats
Proficient with all martial weapons, all armour, and shields, including tower shields
Weapon Familiarity Rowaini Weapons
Combat Expertise
Imp Trip
Imp Unarmed Combat
Mounted Combat

Special Abilities:
Canny Parry
Evasion
Knight's Honor: 1st Virtue:Courage--Knight Champion Hero's Challenge

Equipment
Legendary Item: "La force des saints" Rowani Dueling Sabre +1, provides +2 to prevent disarm
MW Comp Longbow (Str +4) 800 gp
20 arrows 1 gp
MW Quicksteel Chainshirt 1,250 gp
3 Noble's outfits 225 gp
Assorted jewelry to coordiate with Noble outfits 100gp
Silver Holy Symbol (Patron Saint of Health and Heartiness) 25 gp
Signet Ring with Toussaint Crest 5gp
Sapphire pendant 250 gp with Toussaint Crest etched into the face
Light warhorse "Puissant" 150 gp
Military saddle 20 gp
174 gp




Appearance:
Tristan d'Toussaint is a huge man. Standing nearly seven feet tall and weighting nearly as much as two men, Tristan is a mountain of muscle. The d'Troussaints have always been known for their strength though, often staging competions of strength at their chateau. Tristan has long black hair with green eyes. As large as Tristan is, there is almost no fat on the man, his huge chest and arms ripple with muscle. This huge frame is fueled by enormous amounts of food and wine, the more the better. Tristan loves life, wine, women and song. He nearly always has a smile, even during combat. He fights with his strength, over-powering his oppenents. He has a strong sense of honor and fair play though and will not take advantage of an opponent unfairly.

Background:
The d'Toussaint family has lived in the small and fertile valley of Colonne du Ciel for generations. There they own a large swath of land, rich with vineyards and golden wheat. They are a noble family, well respected in Rowaini society, producing strong fighting sons, and the occasional exceptionally beautiful daughter, often sought by more powerful families. In fact the strength of the d'Toussaint's is well known throughout the valley. d'Toussaint sons have been marching to war and returning with the spoils as long as any can remember. With bountiful fields and children, the d'Toussaint family is truely blessed.

It was in this verdant land that Tristan was born. The fertile valley, always good the the d'Toussaints was doubly good to Tristan, giving him strength unheard of in the valley, rivaling that of his great-grandfather Henri d'Toussaint. It was Chevalier Henri d'Toussaint's valor and loyalty in the great war that gained him the title of Baron d'Colonne du Ciel and expanded the family lands in the valley. The d'Toussaints remember well that royal boon and have always been staunch supporters of the Throne.

Tristan had all he could want, the finest horses, the finest tutors, both scholarly and martial. Yet d'Toussaint blood runs hot and the men do not find the bucolic life comfortable until later in life. So Tristan set out for the capital to serve in the royal musketeers. Tristan had always been taught to respect and protect the King and the Crown, for from that office eminated the power of the family and indeed Rowain itself. So while many men would have been reluctant to leave such a peaceful paradise as Colonne du Ciel, Tristan left for the excitement as well as a sense of duty.

The Royal Knights were a possibility for Tristan. But he wanted to be in a more cosmopolitan settinf for a while, and so chose to join the musketeers. Duty to the throne does not prohibit enjoying life after all and a man is not always assigned to chores. Tristan does still plan to join the knights at some point. The blood of Henri runs strongly in Tristan and the call of battle beats strongly in his heart. The Royal Knights are his next step, but for know he serves his King as his musketeer.

Tristan is well accustomed to living a life of luxury. He loves fine wine and food. He is very giving and treats his friends often when they go out. Tristan loves combat, it seems what the d'Toussaints were bred for, the drafthorses of the Rowaini nobility. In duels Tristan will often seek to use his strength to trip his opponents, putting them on the ground and demanding their surrender. Tristan also becasue quite well known back home for brawling, and his punches were rightly feared. Tristan's larves size and strength often lead others to think he is slow and stupid. Tristan allows other to think this as he can put it to his advantage at times, few who know him would consider him stupid however.

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Jemal said:

Yeah, but of those that are available, 2 don't exist yet, Witch is unplayable (female only), sage makes little sense, and Troubadour.. *shrug* leaving only swashbuckler.

Now don't get me wrong, I love swashbuckler, but if everyone's basically the same, it leads to the 'stepping on each others toes' concept. To me, Swashbuckler's always been the guy that sticks out instead of the norm.

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Two swashbuckles need never be the same. You can build a more traditional rogueish swashbuckler, a more fighterest swashbuckler, a bouncy swashbuckler, a spiked chain wielding swashbuckler, you can do a lot. I have one that in his background played Batman, and has many of the skills to continue to do so.

Troubador is a workable class as well, realy, and a Troubador/Swashbuckler would work ok.

Oh, and don't forget the impending Blademaster.

[SBLOCK=Fenris]Porthos was also big on honour, so he could make an awesome Swash/Knight. I would do 2 in Swash (the first two) to get skills and feats and put Canny Defense up to a max of 2 if you want to use it, and then cut and run before Precise and Insightful Strike. 1 in Swash might work too. Blademaster is more of a "Weapon Master" type character than a power player, but the Knight could be a nice synergy. I can definitely see Porthos bellowing a challenge to the most physically powerful opponent, hoping for a one-on-one duel to see who's strongest. Heck, he wound up in a duel with D'Artagnan at first (though they all did).[/SBLOCK]

RA, just because I have your attention here.

Did you have any of that info I asked for on Vanessa?

For what it's worth, I'm planning a swashie.

I'm intrigued by Blademaster too. I'd like my character to be something of a prodigious swordfighter; young but gifted.

...not that that would set him apart from most RPG characters of the genre.

[sblock=Rystil]
Sounds like a plan. Swash2/KnightX looks like it would work very well, and pick up the social skills he needs. I'll wait until you get the knight up-no rush though, I have my outline.

I was a little bummed though, I forgot about Rowaini stat adjustments. I had put the 13s in Dex and Int to get Dodge and Combat Expertise. The -2 Int kills CE, and thus Imp Disarm in the current configuration of stats. Imp Sunder doesn't work well with a rapier

Of course the racial stats give him a 20 Str.

I assume the rapier is the de facto weapon of a gentleman?

But thanks for the input, I think that gives me a pretty solid outline to work with.

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[SBLOCK=Fenris]Ah, yeah--you do get a Con bonus too. If you bait and switch Con and Int, you only lose 1 Con (Con becomes 15), and you get 14 Int for the +2 bonus.

The rapier is the weapon of choice for the gentleman with only the simplest of weapons training, but the Weapon Familiarity feat gets you the Rowaini Dueling Cutlass and Rowaini Dueling Sabre (or you could pay double and take two EWPs, but why would any Rowaini do that?)[/SBLOCK]

[sblock=Rystil]

Ok, he's coming along quite nicely. I would lose two! points of Con though, he'd had an 18 adjusted now, but the 15 could be a 16 at 4th.

But switching those two could work very well still.

I'll take a look at the Dueling weapon stats as well. That and I have no clue about Knight abilities, are they tied to any stats in particular?

But he's coming along very nicely.

Naming conventions for Rowaini?

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