Advice for a Kobold.

[Razjah]

I would embrace the koboldishness and make this guy a master of all thing traps, especially setting them. It's something that probably hasn't been done at your table before and has a very different feel from other characters.

There is a ranger archetype that can make traps instead of getting spells. The class can make mechanical traps with supplies or supernatural traps with the substitute magical ability. It also gets trapfinding as a class feature. Possibly worth looking into.


Back on the original topic:
I went over the Ninja class slower, it does seem like a fun class. I'm no optimizer, but it looks like a player could have fun with it.

What stats do the party get? 15 point build, 20? Rolled stats? The strength penalty really doesn't matter that much with the sneak attack damage and magic weapons. Weapon Finesse alone should really help the ninja. Later one a simple +2 strength item can help later if the player is really worried about strength effecting damage.

A starting 10 Str will drop to a 6. This is still only a -2 to attack damage. The sneak attacks, twf, and magic should be more than enough for damage. In Pathfinder weapon finesse can be taken at level 1, there is no +1 BAB prereq anymore.

 

[JFranch]

We know the Kobold is underpowered, I ask to take the best of it ... but in the end it's a Kobold, with it's broken common, his attitude to shinny things and always hungry. It's part of the fun.

My friend told me he would acquire a Agile weapon. My character is a wizard Universalist specialized in magic objects creation (right now we travel the world aboard an animated flying wagon) so we have a "steady" supply of magic objects.

I will tell him about the traps "route".

 

[Razjah]

Agile weapon is definitely one way to go, but sneak attacks really want TWF. I don't know if the strength penalty is really worth "wasting" a bonus on. Maybe he can play a session or two before getting an Agile weapon. Then he can know if he really wants that extra dex bonus. If he does, go for it and be the best kobold ninja ever! I just don't see it mattering that much.

A level 8 ninja with a sneak attack with no magic and just Finesse most weapons would deal 1d4+4d6(SA)+0. Does 1d4+4d6-2 really make much of a difference? I would try to get it to an 8 Str personally, but I find a Kobold with no Str penalty wrong.

 

[airwalkrr]

(And at the notion that "official" material is any more balanced than third party material. There wouldn't be an "optimization community" if 3E official material had actually been balanced and playtested.)

Playtested? Yes, most of it. Balanced?

 

[Mike Myler]

I've played a lot of dangerous characters; A Drow Barbarian, a half-orc Draconic Sorcerer, numerous versatile halfling Rogues, countless human and elven power-mad Magicians - by and far, without any doubt or argument to the contrary, the most lethal and effective character I have ever played was the Kobold Bard, Stee Fan Kang (Sandman archetype, Perform: storytelling).

So I suggest you move your fellow player in that direction.

 

[haakon1]

Any kobold PC is cool by me. I agree with the "no need to min-max" comments.

The NPC kobold party member we had briefly -- DMPC kobold, you might say -- used random rolled stats with kobold modifiers (down) on them. I made him a sorcerer, with all Protective spells, no offense but his small crossbow. Fun character, and his "not particularly useful"-ness was a plus, lest I raise the wrath of the ENWorld community by having a character other than a PC do anything useful. Yes, a "BMX Bandit" DMPC kobold, if you will.

 

[Gfreak2x9]

Sadly I don't know of a feat that you could get to switch them but from what I am reading you can easily make a PC that is good without needing STR. According to the Advanced Race Guide they have a +2 DEX. -4 STR, and a -2 CON this makes them a pretty rough race to start off with but not impossible. You could take the Dodge feat giving you an additional +1 to AC. If you have a DEX MOD of at least +3 you can end up with a 19 AC. 10 +3 (Studded Leather) +3 (DEX MOD) +1 (Size) +1 (Natural Armour) +1 (Dodge) giving you a total AC 19. The Studded Leather does give you a Check Penalty of -1 but since Kobolds get a +4 Size bonus to stealth you will still have a total of +10 on Stealth Checks. 1 (Rank at 1st level) +3 (Class Skill) +3 (DEX MOD) +4 (Size) -1 (Check Penalty). You will also get an extra D6 Damage if you make a sneak attack. So why not make him a ranged rouge? Kobolds have Darkvison 60ft or 12 Squares. Small Heavy Crossbows still do 1d8 Damage (That critical on a 19-20 x2). This means that as long as you are within 60ft of your target you can hide in the dark and see him without any light source. If you hit him you will do 1d8 + 1d6 damage(If sneaking). If you critical you would do 22 points of damage. A 19 AC, with the possibility of 22 points of damage is not bad for a level one Kobold Rouge!

 

[Herobizkit]

The easiEST solution would be to make an Alchemist and use a Halfling Sling-Staff to fling goop (or whatever) at people. ^_^

 

[Razjah]

The easiEST solution would be to make an Alchemist and use a Halfling Sling-Staff to fling goop (or whatever) at people. ^_^

That would actually be a pretty cool character, alchemical stuff like acid, exploding jars, tanglefoot bags, etc would be pretty great. Heck, Pathfinder even has Alchemist bombs that can be thrown, re-flavoring that to be flung from a sling.

 

[Herobizkit]

That would actually be a pretty cool character, alchemical stuff like acid, exploding jars, tanglefoot bags, etc would be pretty great. Heck, Pathfinder even has Alchemist bombs that can be thrown, re-flavoring that to be flung from a sling.

Also flaming poop, bees nests, and green slime.

Kobolds are dirty.