[Age of Worms] So do you think a Skullclan Hunter would work in AoW?

[Chiaroscuro23]

I'm starting up Age of Worms tomorrow. After asking around here what sort of character would work well the whole group sat down with the DM to make PCs. I decided I'd be the trapfinder, and I was thinking of a build along the lines of Rogue 3/Swashbuckler 3/Invisible Blade 5/I'll worry about when I get there 9. The DM said to me that maybe relying on sneak attacks isn't a good idea, because there's so many undead.

Of course, when you're the trapfinder, your options in combat are to either a) use sneak attack, or b) suck.

I'm pretty well sold on my Indiana Jones-style temple raider background as a smart guy who, because he's impetuous and lazy, failed out of wizard school but learned a few things about ancient magic in the process. As a result, he owes big money to the fat, evil dude in Diamond Lake, whose name I forget, and dreams of leaving town to make that big money by going into cairns and dungeons and taking the ancient treasures. Classic D&D motivation.

So I'm working on ways to not suck through the whole campaign. And I think maybe Skullclan Hunter is the way to go. Given our liberal house rules on cross-class skills I can reasonably get the Knowledge: Religion ranks, and if I take one level of cleric of Olidamarra pick up turning undead and the luck domain granted power. The bonuses to saves are nice, too. So my question to you guys are:

1. Is skullclan hunter worthwhile normally? Its power level looks okay, though the workaround for sneak damage to undead is poorly-explained.

2. Is it worthwhile in AoW, an apparently undead-heavy adventure?

Thanks!
-C.

 

[Stone Dog]

Where is the Skullclan Hunter again? I'm having a hard time locating it to review.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I'm pretty sure it's the Miniature's Handbook.

It, the Marshall, and the Healer are like some of the old bits that haven't made it to another format yet.

 

[Stone Dog]

Oh hell. Now I have to go look for that since I am curious.

 

[kenobi65]

As a result, he owes big money to the fat, evil dude in Diamond Lake, whose name I forget

Balabar Smenk.

I'm DMing AoW for one of my home groups now; we just started Part 2. I got to run Smenk as an NPC encounter for them last Sunday, and it was great. He's a cross between Sidney Greenstreet and Jabba the Hutt, only probably even more vile. Got to chew the scenery, big-time.

 

[kenobi65]

I'm pretty sure it's the Miniature's Handbook.

That is, indeed, where it is.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm pretty sure it's the Miniature's Handbook.

It, the Marshall, and the Healer are like some of the old bits that haven't made it to another format yet.

Bonded Summoner is nice, too, as are the aspects and a few of the other monsters.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Bonded Summoner is nice, too, as are the aspects and a few of the other monsters.

The RPG section was solid.

Too much miniature crap though.

They should've seperated out all those bits or reprinted all the Miniatures stuff that hadn't seen the light of day in the Heroes of Battles book.

 

[Chiaroscuro23]

I'm pretty sure it's the Miniature's Handbook.

It, the Marshall, and the Healer are like some of the old bits that haven't made it to another format yet.

That's right. It's basically a rogue/cleric multiclass PrC. You need to have the ability to turn undead, sneak attack of 2d6, and 8 ranks Knowledge: religion (the one applicable to undead). Through ten levels you get more sneak dice (1 per three levels, IIRC), immunity to a lot of undead attacks, better at attacking undead, and a permanent Protection from Evil. I hope that helps people evaluate the PC better.


And Joe's right, the RPG section or the Mini Handbook is solid. The rest not so much. I don't recommend it, actually, but the PrC seemed cool. I so rarely use PrCs that I'm excited to play around with them for this game.

-C.

 

[Chiaroscuro23]

Balabar Smenk.

I'm DMing AoW for one of my home groups now; we just started Part 2. I got to run Smenk as an NPC encounter for them last Sunday, and it was great. He's a cross between Sidney Greenstreet and Jabba the Hutt, only probably even more vile. Got to chew the scenery, big-time.

That's it, thanks!

In my backstory I have my dad lending me the money and me owing him. The DM decided it would be cool if my dad were Gelch Tilgast and he had gotten the money from Smenk, meaning that I now owed Smenk, and work for him as a gopher.

This has given me the strong impression that he has unsavory things in his home. Demons, undead or something, probably based on there being noises, smells, and occasional threats about being made to feed his pets.