My first Iron Heroes... er, umm... Hero!

[MacMathan]

I agree somewhat about the jump from studded leather to chain not being worth it but then again I have always felt that way about medium armors, in most d20 systems I have seen there is the same problem.

The movement lost and additional penalites are never worth the small bump in protection the medium level gives. The only time I see medium armor is most campaaigns is if it is a mithril breastplate.

I am thinking I may bump up the protection of medium armors(and thus heavy too) like I have in my normal 3.5 houserules.

 

[Yuan-Ti]

My "Mighty Build" Archer....

Class: Archer
Level: 2

Str 14, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10 (I used a D&D 32-pt buy)

Ranged Weapon BAB +2, Other Weapon BAB +1, BDB +2

Hps: 19
Defense = 10 +2 (Class BDB) +4 (Dex) = 16 (17 with Dodge)
Passive Defense = 10
DR: 1d3/magic

Saves:
Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +3

Attack = Large Composite (Str +2) Longbow +7 (2d6+2, x3)

Traits: Dexterous (+2 Dex), Mighty Build (use Large weapons without penalty)

Feats: Improved Initiative, Dodge Mastery 1 (+1 defense bonus vs. target, dodge token pool), Rapid Shot Mastery 2, Weapon Focus Mastery 1 Longbow (+1 attack)

Class Abilities: Aim Pool, Deadeye Shot: Armor Piercing Shot

Skill Groups: Agility +9, Athletics +7, Perception +6

Skills: Hide +9, Move Silently +9

Equipment: Large Composite Longbow, Studded Leather, 40 arrows

 

[Yuan-Ti]

Hmm... Doesn't the Weapon Bond Trait allow you to gain proficiency in any one weapon, even exotic?

Oh! You're right. Sorry... I assumed it wouldn't. Actually, I don't see why anyone building a character around an exotic weapon would not take Weapon Bond. After all, why bother with Strength (except for skills) when you can dump all your points in CON as a fighter type and use your CON bonus for attack/damage? Seems like a problem to me. Actually, the flavor description includes Crossbow in it. Does this mean I could use Weapon Bond Crossbow (Dex) and add my Dex score to damage? This will likely need errata.

 

[Talath]

This is a conversion of my rashemi berserker that I've played a fair amount of times in my friend's FR game ... didn't use point buy, just the original stats for the character (4d6, drop lowest, arrange as desired); tried to do the stats in the new stat block format, dunno how successful I am

Vladislak Dyernina
Human Arcanist1/Berserker6
Traits Brave, Tough as Iron
Init +1; Senses Listen +8, Spot +7
Languages Aglarondon, Common, Damaran, Rashemi
--------------------------------------------------------
Def 15, active +5, passive +0
hp 98 (7 HD)
DR 1d4/magic
Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +8
--------------------------------------------------------
Spd 30 ft.
Melee Battleaxe +10/+5 (1d8+6/x3)
Attack Options Power Attack (I/III)
Mana Pool 12
Schools of Magic

Primary Evocation +2​

Secondary Abjuration +1​

Base Atk +6; Grp +10
--------------------------------------------------------
Abilities Str 19, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 14
Class Features Aspect of Power (Bounding Step), Berserk Strength, Furious Strike, Furious Throw, Fury Pool, Primal Yell, Uncanny Dodge
Feats Diehard, Endurance, Power Attack I, Power Attack III, Run
Skills Bluff +7, Climb +14, Concentration +12, Decipher Script +6, Diplomacy +11, Gather Information +6, Intimidate +13, Jump +14, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Listen +8, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +6, Spot +7, Survival +9, Swim +10, Use Magical Device +8 (+10 with written items)
Possessions Backpack, Battleaxe, Belt Pouch, Traveler’s Outfit, Winter Wolf Cloak
Backpack Bedroll, Flint and Steel, Grappling Hook, Silk Rope (50 ft.), Trail Rations (1 week), Waterskins (2)

 

[Drowbane]

This is a conversion of my rashemi berserker that I've played a fair amount of times in my friend's FR game ...

That'd be me

Vladislak Dyernina
Human Arcanist1/Berserker6
Traits Brave, Tough as Iron
Init +1; Senses Listen +8, Spot +7
Languages Aglarondon, Common, Damaran, Rashemi
--------------------------------------------------------
Def 15, active +5, passive +0
hp 98 (7 HD)
DR 1d4/magic
Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +8
--------------------------------------------------------
Spd 30 ft.
Melee Battleaxe +10/+5 (1d8+6/x3)
Attack Options Power Attack (I/III)
Mana Pool 12
Schools of Magic

Primary Evocation +2​

Secondary Abjuration +1​

Base Atk +6; Grp +10
--------------------------------------------------------
Abilities Str 19, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 14
Class Features Aspect of Power (Bounding Step), Berserk Strength, Furious Strike, Furious Throw, Fury Pool, Primal Yell, Uncanny Dodge
Feats Diehard, Endurance, Power Attack I, Power Attack III, Run
Skills Bluff +7, Climb +14, Concentration +12, Decipher Script +6, Diplomacy +11, Gather Information +6, Intimidate +13, Jump +14, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Listen +8, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +6, Spot +7, Survival +9, Swim +10, Use Magical Device +8 (+10 with written items)
Possessions Backpack, Battleaxe, Belt Pouch, Traveler’s Outfit, Winter Wolf Cloak
Backpack Bedroll, Flint and Steel, Grappling Hook, Silk Rope (50 ft.), Trail Rations (1 week), Waterskins (2)

Looks great bro. We need to get Vladislak back into action.

 

[Felon]

Oh! You're right. Sorry... I assumed it wouldn't. Actually, I don't see why anyone building a character around an exotic weapon would not take Weapon Bond. After all, why bother with Strength (except for skills) when you can dump all your points in CON as a fighter type and use your CON bonus for attack/damage? Seems like a problem to me. Actually, the flavor description includes Crossbow in it. Does this mean I could use Weapon Bond Crossbow (Dex) and add my Dex score to damage? This will likely need errata.

Yeah, major "WTF?" design on that one. A trait that lets you turn Strength into a dump stat? Not such a good idea.

 

[A'koss]

Yeah, major "WTF?" design on that one. A trait that lets you turn Strength into a dump stat? Not such a good idea.

Well I finally got the book and there are a number of feats that essentially allow you to do the same thing - Weapon Finesse, Tactics of the Mind... There doesn't seem to be much in the way of stat boosts in IH so it may not be too big an issue in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Yuan-Ti]

Yeah, major "WTF?" design on that one. A trait that lets you turn Strength into a dump stat? Not such a good idea.

If it allowed you to choose one stat to use for Attack bonus -- maybe limited to Dex (like Weapon Finesse), Int (you know where to strike), or Cha (you attack with flair!) -- but still have strength count for damage, then it would be fine. But instead it grants you, it seems to me, the equivalent of 3 feats/class abilities: Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Weapon Finesse (except stat of your choice), Pinpoint Strike (use a stat of choice for damage). Given that the other traits don't seem as great as this one, I think there must be a mistake. It would make more sense if it was any simple or martial weapon (or exotic weapon if the character also takes Exotic Weapon Prof), and if it only applied to hit.

Although I still don't see an argument for using CON bonus to hit and damage...

 

[Yuan-Ti]

Well I finally got the book and there are a number of feats that essentially allow you to do the same thing - Weapon Finesse, Tactics of the Mind... There doesn't seem to be much in the way of stat boosts in IH so it may not be too big an issue in the grand scheme of things.

But those feats are now all covered by a single trait. Doesn't seem right.

 

[Capellan]

Weapon Bond
1. You get a lot more feats than you do traits
2. The trait only gives the bonus with one weapon, the feats do it with many weapons.

For the example characters with ability boosting traits, are you factoring in the ability penalties they also apply?

Edit: Oh, and for the armiger, drop the Shield Mastery feat and swap his Dex down in favour of another ability - Armigers want to be hit