A little help?

[Saradium]

Hey All,

I have been playing 2nd ed for over a decade, and have been recently asked to join a 3.5 game. However, I have no experience in playing it, and reading the various books doesn't exactly clarify everything at a glance.

Am just looking for some ideas on a solid class to play, without having to do hours and hours of research, to go through picking the skills and stats that are required.

Any ideas/pre-made characters would be appreciated.

 

[Scharlata]

Hey All

Hi, and welcome to the boards!

I have been playing 2nd ed for over a decade, and have been recently asked to join a 3.5 game. However, I have no experience in playing it, and reading the various books doesn't exactly clarify everything at a glance.

Don't be afraid of anything from the 3.5 D&D rules, because if you survived the mess of the 2nd edition core and optional rule books you are best fit for 3.5 - even if things don't work the same way as before.

Am just looking for some ideas on a solid class to play, without having to do hours and hours of research, to go through picking the skills and stats that are required.

Just try something that doesn't concern itself with spells/psionics - at first. Try something out that focuses on combat. So you get a grip of initiative, armor class, attacks and damage - along your way to enlightenment.

Any ideas/pre-made characters would be appreciated.

Try to follow the basic insturctions on the first pages of the PHB. There you get all you need to know for your first character. Look up the premade characters of the WotC boards or the story hours of the EN world members.

Have fun!

Scharlata

 

[elmuthalleth]

Hi and welcome to the 3rd edition .

My opinion is that the best class for a beginner is a barbarian ( straightforward combat without feats ) , or a sorcerer ( few spell ) .

For examples of characters , go to the end of class description .

 

[Arkhandus]

I'd go straight fighter, barbarian, or sorcerer. Sorcerers have only a tiny handful of spells known at low level, so it's not much to keep track of.

Lessee.....for a fighter or barbarian, try out something along these lines. I'll use the standard point-buy for ability scores, out of the DMG, for simplicity's sake.
Level 1 Human Fighter (or Barbarian)
Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12 (or place your rolled/bought scores in a similar pattern)

Feats: Power Attack (for your level 1 character feat), Cleave (for your Human bonus feat), Weapon Focus - Greatsword (for your level 1 Fighter bonus feat, if starting as a Fighter)

Skills: Climb 4 ranks (total bonus will be modified by Strength, and by any Armor Check Penalty from armor worn), Intimidate 4 ranks (total bonus will be modified by Charisma), Swim 4 ranks (total bonus will be modified by Strength, and doubly so by any ACP, since Swim is doubly-affected by ACP), and, if playing a Barbarian, also get Jump 4 ranks (total bonus will be modified by Strength, and by any ACP) and Survival 4 ranks (total bonus will be modified by Wisdom)

Gear: Greatsword, backpack, traveler's outfit (the first outfit should be free; see the clothing entry in the equipment chapter), a few waterskins and trail rations (though Survival will usually keep you well-supplied during wilderness treks, if playing a Barbarian), and, if you can afford it, a chain shirt for armor (gives a +4 armor bonus to Armor Class) or studded leather armor otherwise (+3 AC), and, also if you can afford it, a shortbow and 40 arrows. If you can't afford a shortbow and 40 arrows (or better yet, a longbow and 40 arrows), instead get perhaps 10 javelins. Longbows have better range, but even shortbows are better-ranged than javelins. Longbows do more damage, but are more expensive. Javelins are best for damage though at low levels if you have a good Strength, until you acquire a composite longbow that allows a good Strength bonus to damage (note, however, that a composite bow can't bestow more Strength-to-damage than what the character is already capable of).

Pertinent Basic Stats For This Specific Build: HP 12, AC 15 (14 if studded leather), Speed 30 feet (40 if barbarian), Initiative +1, Base Attack Bonus +1, Grapple Check +3, Fortitude +4, Reflex +1, Will -1, Attack/Full Attack 1 greatsword attack at +3 melee (+4 if Fighter with Weapon Focus) for 2d6+3 damage (could use Power Attack feat to instead add +1 more to the attack roll for +2 damage, but this needs to be declared before you attack), or Attack/Full Attack 1 shortbow attack at +2 ranged (before range increment adjustments) for 1d6 damage, or Attack/Full Attack 1 longbow attack at +2 ranged (before range increment adjustments) for 1d8 damage, or Attack/Full Attack 1 javelin attack at +2 ranged (before range increment adjustments) for 1d6+2 damage, Armor Check Penalty -2 (-1 if studded leather), Climb +6 (+4 in chain shirt, +5 in studded leather), Intimidate +5, Swim +6 (+2 in chain shirt, +4 in studded leather), Jump +6 if barbarian (+4 in chain shirt, +5 in studded leather), Survival +3 if barbarian

 

[amethal]

Welcome to third edition.

Are you going to be first level?

Assuming you are, I'd suggest playing an Elf sorcerer. That's what I did. If that doesn't interest you, then ignore the rest of this long post!

Since you are a 2nd edition veteran, most of the spells should be familiar to you.

Sorcerers start the game knowing two first level spells, and 5 zero level spells (cantrips). You don't have (or need) a spellbook.

The table in the sorcerer section of the classes chapter of the players handbook shows how many spells per the day the sorcerer can cast. This is increased by having a high charisma - the relevant table is more or less at the start of the book, but basically assuming your charisma is at least 12 (and lower than something silly, like 24) the effect is you can cast one more 1st level spell than it says in the sorcerer table, due to your high charisma.

Unlike the wizard, he doesn't have to memorise (although the 3rd edition uses the term "prepare") spells in advance.

Thus, if your two first level spells known are magic missile and sleep, in any given encounter you can decide which is better to cast each round, until your spells per day are exhausted. Note that you can also use a higher level slot to cast a lower level spell - for instance if you have used all your zero level spell slots but you really need another light spell, you can use up a first level slot to cast it.

Sorcerers live and die by their selection of spells known. Pick spells that you think you are going to use a lot at low levels. Opinions vary.

I'd suggest :-

0 level detect magic, light, disrupt undead, prestidigitation, ghost sound
1 level sleep, grease

You could take magic missile, but its pretty useless at 1st level - I'd wait until 3rd level (when you get to choose another 1st level spell known), and in the meantime use a bow.

Sleep requires a will save, but doesn't work on undead. Grease requires a reflex save but also has some non-combat uses.

The "must have" skill is concentration, as it allows you to cast spells when under pressure - note that taking damage whilst casting no longer automatically disrupts a spell; instead you get to make a concentration check. Hopefully its a skill you will never use - keep your sorcerer well away from trouble - but when you need it, you really need it.

I also like giving sorcerer's the spellcraft skill (otherwise the detect magic spell isn't so useful), and knowledge (arcana) might be useful.

Other than that, there aren't any other skills you need.

The simplest feat to take is improved initiative. That gets used all the time.

I'll happily fully stat up an elf sorcerer (or any other kind of sorcerer) for you if you want one.

Has your DM told you which books are allowed when designing characters? There are loads of 3rd edition sourcebooks out there, but some DMs prefer only to use the players' handbook.

How are ability scores to be generated? (Not every DM uses the 4d6 drop the lowest method.) If it is by rolling dice, you don't want me doing it for you as I get lousy results. [last character - 15,14,12,9,9,9]

 

[Three_Haligonians]

Welcome to no more THAC0!

What kind of characters do you normally like to play? Personally I have a spellcasting crutch. I can't stand playing classes that don't cast. My first 3rd ed. character was a Sorceror, because that was the class I was most interested in. I think I would have found learning 3.0 much more tedious if I had picked a class I wasn't as interested in. I didn't mind going through all the spells because that's what I liked doing. Anyway, I guess that's just common sense.

It might be useful to take an old 2nd ed. character and convert it, so you can see the differences in the two editions. I'm sure people here on Enworld would be more than willing to help you.

It might be a lot to learn at first, but once you get the hang of it, 3rd ed. is way easier to play than 2nd, in my opinion, anyway. You'll never have to hope to roll a 1 again.

R from Three Haligonians

 

[IronWolf]

As the others have said, Welcome to 3rd Edition! Go into it with an open mind and you will probably find you enjoy it quite a lot. When I came back into the game with 3.5 (2nd edition had been what I played before then, and 1st edition before that and Basic before that...) I read through the PHB. That seemed to be enough to give me the general idea and over time I started figuring out the bits I hadn't picked up the first time.

As for classes I would probably go with any of the several already mentioned, but to add one to the list, if you can use Complate Arcane you might want to look at a Warmage. Similar to a sorceror you get a limited spell list (mainly spells of the blow things up variety) and an increased hit die. A friend of mine started back in with that class and it seemed to work really well for him.

Good luck and have fun!!

 

[irdeggman]

Welcome to the jungle. . .

Remember you always always want to roll high. None of that less than this number for some things and greater for others. Nice and simple higher is better (for the player) now if the DMis rolling higher that is not always a good thing