SEAL character

[catdragon]

I'm working on a new character that is coming into the campaign at 5th level. The group (PCs) that this character is joining consists of a cleric of Tempus, two paladins of Torm, and a mageblade (yes, it is the forgotten realms, and yes the GM allowed one player to play a Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed class).

I've been working on character concepts. My first was a ranger/monk moving towards the sacred fist PrC. However, I decided against this as we have plenty of "fighter" types. Looking at what was lacking I thought "mage" or "rogue."

Doing a bit more brainstorming, I cam up with a SEAL-type (SEAL stands for Sea, Air, Land an (US Navy military Special Forces team member), just in case not all of you know what it means) character. I was think half-sea elf rogue/ranger, or a single classed rogue or ranger. However, thinking ahead i am having a hard time planning out my progression.

Another interesting character would be a rogue/wizard SEAL-like character (perhaps dwarf?), but magic doesn't mesh well with non-spellcasting characters typically. What do you think?

Can anyone help or offer suggestions?

Oh, and last question.... in your mind, what defines a SEAL more, a rogue or a ranger?

 

[Zephyrus]

Consider maybe a Artificer. Artificers have the trap detection abilities of a rogue, can wear up to medium armor and their infusions can be quite useful. Further played from a militant perspective they can be something of combat engineers almost. With so many warriors his ability to provide a mixture of magical support could be great. Not only that but as a 5th Level artificer you'd have craft magical arms and armor as well as Retain essese. you can also make liberal use of Spell Storing Item infusions. Max Rank in Use Magic Device plus a decent CHA and Skill Focus UMD the skill check DC's are not bad. take the feat for the personal weapon enhancement. Have scrolls and potions aplenty already crafted. That could fit in real well with the party and does kind have your SEAL like feel. a Human Artificer would allow you to take both Skill Focus UMD and Magical Affinity at 1st level for a +5 bonus to UMD checks, plus max rank (for a 5th level char) and even just a +2 Cha modifier. thats a +15 before you figure in the artisan bonus and skill synergies. Its also easy to assume you'll at worst have crafted your own cloak of charisma.

 

[Dross Swordra]

It doesn't really matter for you at 5th level, but take a look at the Dread Commando prestige class from Heroes of Battle.

 

[catdragon]

Thanks guys. That's a good start. I looked at the dread commando. Good PrC for a SEAL-like character. And another game I am in, is written all over Dread Commando.

Unfortunately, the Eberron rule set is out for this game.

 

[lukelightning]

Druid. Then you can turn into a seal.

 

[nittanytbone]

Sounds like you want a skill-monkey who is also good at combat and who also has a good dose of stealth.

To be able to break and enter, conduct thorough searches, locate and disable traps, have lots of skill points for acrobatic skills (balance, swim, move silently, climb), etc, you'll need at least one level of rogue. This gives you trapfinding and access to skills like Disable Device as well as sneak attack damage. You should definitely take the rogue level at level 1 for maximum skill points.

Then, two levels of ranger would not be a bad thing. They help your Fort save out a ton, get you tracking, a favored enemy (this one's a no brainer: Humans!), and a combat style (Two Weapon Fighting or Archery) which meshes very nicely with sneak attack damage. The skill list is good and you can keep your search, spot, listen, hide, and move silently high.

If you want to improve your hand-to-hand combat prowess and defensive potential, I'd reccomend one or two levels of monk. If you later plan on getting more rogue levels, I'd stick with one level of monk (no need to get evasion twice!). If you don't want any more rogue levels, go with two monk levels to get Evasion. It'll help your saves (especially your awful will save!), get you access to some hand-to-hand combat feats, and continue your access to good skills. You do lose a bit of BAB, however.

If you want to improve your skills and damge potential, keep grabbing rogue levels. The sneak attack damage will keep piling up (and its basically doubled with TWF or rapid shot!) as will your skill list. Use Magic Device might be important if you want to be able to use gadgets (I figure magic items are as close to a SEAL's gear as you can get in D&D).

Maybe throw a level of fighter in if you must have the feats. But it will hurt your skills.

A level of wizard could be interesting if you carefully pick spells and a familiar, and it will go nicely with the high intelligence you should be having to have a ton of skills. It will increase your versatility and maybe let you save on Use Magic Device skill points. It also boosts the crucial Will save. You do lose out on some BAB and HP though.

You should definitely give a second look at being human for such a skill intensive build; the extra feat and skill points will pay off for you. Just take some ranks in swim and have a friendly mage cast "water breathing" (or use a scroll with UMD, or get a magic item that simulates SCUBA apparatus...).

For stats, I'd say you want 14+ int, 14+ dex, and 14+ con. Nothing else really matters, although good wisdom could boost your will saves and good strength improves damage potential slightly and lets you lug more stuff.

For combat, there's a few options. The dodge-mobility-spring attack path is safest but offers the least damage potential. The dedicated melee two-weapon fighting tree requires high dexterity to qualify for the feats but has good damage output. You can use TWF to throw things as well, in which case Point Blank Shot-Precise Shot-Far Shot might be for you. Rapid shot would send you down the archery path, and again point blank shot and precise shot might be a good investment. I don't think Combat Expertise-Improved Bluff is worth it, as you still can't make a full attack. It is something to consider though as you rely a lot on sneak-attack damage.

 

[mikebr99]

You might also consider the Scout class.

Mike

 

[The Souljourner]

I'd definitely go human, the feat and skillpoints are too critical to miss.
I'd also definitely take rogue at 1st, too many skillpoints to miss.

Don't take monk. The loss of a BAB will hurt, and you don't really gain much that works with the theme (the hand to hand attacks is about it, which can be simulated with spiked gauntlets).

You might consider taking the two weapon fighting path with the ranger and taking the bow chain with your normal feats. The TWF feats take a huge amount of dex normally, whereas rapid shot does not.... that only applies if you plan on getting up to 6th level in ranger, though. I wouldn't bother if you're not planning on doing that much, since TWF is vastly inferior to rapid shot as a one-off feat.

Really, I think as long as you play the character as a SEAL type, whatever you do will work out fine. I think three levels of rogue and five of ranger are essential. Maybe rogue 9/ranger 11 by 20th. That gives you combat style mastery, 3 favored enemies, and 5d6 sneak attack.

-The Souljourner

 

[Tarangil]

I'd say your Basic SEAL would be more or less a ranger, but if you want to specialize your SEAL character beyond just your stealthy fighter, adding rogue would be good for sneaks, Sorcerer to add in supernatural abilities, like above perhaps druid so you can be a SEAL literally , hell a even a level in Shadowdancer would make the guy quite interesting.

 

[DM_Matt]

How about Rogue 1, then Ranger 1-4, then Rogue 2, then Shadowdancer 1, then take all of Nightsong Enforcer. The last two levels can be anything.

To be the ultimate sneaky warrior, you are going to need HIPS. Nightsong Enforcer (Complete Adventurer), meanwhile, is the best commando PRC out there. Over ten levels, you get +10bab, +4d6sa, Imp Evasion, Opportunist, armor check penalty from light armor reduced by 2, and a lot of team-based abilities, like the ability to give all allies a +4 competance bonus to a variety of combat-realted skills, +1 when flanking, and +20 to listen and spot checks to see your own allies, which eventually develops into the aiblity to sense them within 100 feet and have the status spell always active.