Challenge! I want to convert your concept!

[theNater]

1. A 12th level Aasimar wizard. He can teleport, throw fireballs, transform himself into a giant hawk, and has insanely high Knowledge skills. He carries a +1 defending, returning dagger that he beefs up with greater magic weapon and true strike in a pinch.

Wizard seems to have you almost covered. Dimension Door(6) is a teleport, Fireball(5) is, well, yeah, you can turn into a giant hawk with Fly(16), and all of the knowledge skills are class skills. You can start out trained in four of them, then it's a matter of Skill Training for the fifth and five uses of Skill Focus to get the scores insanely high, which you can do by level 10. You can snag a light shield(at the cost of one more feat) for the defense bonus you currently get from the dagger, and all magical throwing weapons are returning.

The one thing you can't get with a wizard is the ability to beef up your weapon, but the cleric's Weapon of the Gods(5) does just that. If you take the Initiate of the Faith feat instead of Skill Training in Religion, you can aquire that with just one more feat.

2. A half-elven Duskblade. His signature is using vampiric touch or energy surge for multiple strikes. He can also quicken spells. He uses a short range teleport to regroup his allies when things get out of hand. He is level 13.

Try a warlock. Vampiric Touch is Vampiric Embrace(1) at melee range. I don't know Energy Surge, but I know you can get multiple strikes out of action points. Short range teleports are avaliable by way of the fey pact's Misty Step, Ethereal Stride(2), Otherwind Stride(3), Fey Switch(6), and many others. Quicken spell lets you cast two spells in one round, so try this ally regrouping suggestion: Use Fey Switch to trade places with the ally in the most trouble, then Otherwind Stride to blast all of his foes and teleport yourself back to him. Does that cover the fundamentals?

 

[Phaezen]

This new dragon article should help a little,

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4dnd/20080613a

Particularly for bard, druid and monk

Phaezen

 

[theNater]

4. Wild Elf Shifter Druid (from PHB2 options). Able to spontaneously cast spells from the druid list, but can only cast spells that target himself. Grew up in wolf form until a child, and only then realized he was part elf. Identifies himself as a wolf, not an elf, but reverts to elf form when diplomacy demands or for subterfuge. Uses a stealthy stalking method of combat, where he would charge from hiding into an unwary foe then fade back into cover.

Things hard to model:
1. Wolves are fast.
2. Ability to "spring attack" and not end up toe to toe.
3. Ability to "buff" myself via druid spells.
4. Ability to be a wolf *or* an elf depending on the situation.

I am thinking most of this is possible. I would need to take a look at the werewolf entry in the MM and see if its useable then tack on rogue to it. The only thing missing is the "buffing or healing with druid spells" which you could recreate one of but not both via a few good multiclassing feats.

Rogue is good, but have you considered ranger?

An elf ranger with the Longstrider(16) power, Boots of Striding, and light armor can have a speed of 14 if he uses Expeditious Stride(10). You can get a pretty good turn of speed with any combination of those speed increasers. To "spring attack" you can use your move action to approach, then hit with Evasive Strike(1) or Cut and Run(3) to get away. Many stances function as self-buffs, check out Master of the Hunt(22). Fighters have some good stances as well, including Boundless Endurance(2) for healing and Defensive Training(6) for defense buffs. Alternately, multiclassing into cleric provides some more obvious healing and buffing, though it's hard to make those self-only, as some of them can only be used on allies.

And whether you look like a wolf or look like an elf is flavor. If we assume your melee attacks are bites and claws, there's nothing wrong with darting out from the underbrush, biting a guy, darting back into the underbrush, turning into an elf, firing an arrow, then turning back into a wolf(either taking two rounds or using an action point, of course).

 

[theNater]

Here's something for you to chew on -- a high level PC from a few games back.

This character was a light armor wearing, giant sword wielding warrior who dabbled in magic and, due to his prestige class, had managed to gain many draconic traits including breath weapons and frightful presence.

So far, easy enough, but he also used numerous draconic grafts to enhance his combat abilities -- gaining a tail to slam his enemies, claws on one arm, and scales grafted onto his skin to cover various vulnerable areas.

The end result was a human gish who was more beast than man. His oddness was always forefront, even before utility or effectiveness.

He would buff himself and then wade into battle with his sword, swatting with his tail as a secondary attack, trusting in his light armor, scales and various resistances (all from the PrC) to protect himself.

In 3.5 terms, this character was a fighter 3/sorcerer 3/talon of tiamat 9 (don't ask me where the PrC came from, I don't recall) who made extensive use of the grafting rules that appeared in the later 3.5 edition splatbooks.

Edit: Did some research. The PrC was from the Draconomicon and the Draconic Grafts from Races of the Dragon.

Mainly curious how you'd work the grafts -- just refluffed magic items, or something else?

I'd actually refluff the grafts as powers. The tail swats could be secondary attacks from powers like Passing Attack(fighter 1) and Rain of Blows(fighter 3). Defensive Training(fighter 6) could be a readiness to turn your scalier parts towards your foes, and what have you. Depending on how you want to deal with the breath weapon, you could use dragonborn racial characteristics and just look a little more...makeshift, or you could reflavor a blast spell from whichever class you multiclass into for your buffs.

The scales seem to mostly provide a good AC while allowing for spellcasting, you can simulate that just fine with scale armor, reflavored to be a graft.

 

[theNater]

While I do not want to engage in an extended discussion of the merits and implications of these facts, the statements are themselves admissions that you cannot do with 4E that which you can do with 3.x.

Is the reverse true?

I have an easier time making a solid melee combatant with a few good blast spells with the 4th edition ruleset. In 3rd edition, I was never able to manage that with just the PHB. Admittedly, I never tried it with a cleric; Flame Strike would fill the blast spell just fine. How many rounds does the cleric need to spend buffing himself before he's ready to match/exceed the fighter in melee capability?

 

[Lizard]

This new dragon article should help a little,

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4dnd/20080613a

Particularly for bard, druid and monk

Phaezen

Suh....wheeet. Very nice stuff. I especially like the encouragement to 'reflavor' powers or create minor 'variant classes' -- it's nice to see the apparent rigidity of the design fade quickly.

This is...intriguing....
"but rangers missing their pets should check out the Martial Power sourcebook, releasing October 2008."

Cool.

 

[Rpgraccoon]

I am not fond of other races or classes however I have a kinship towards mages and elves. I despise humans and brute fighters.
During my childhood I just felt like I didn't belong. Thus, I left my village at an early age. The outside world was hard and made me despise humans more and more. Later on I would pick up tricks to help me survive and soon I would meet up with a man who would lead me on a journey towards my path into magic. He would lead me on the path to dark magic and demonology. I would conjure devils to destroy my foes. and abjurations and seals to bind them or demons and the like and/or keep them at bay. Only occasionally would I use my own magic to fight preferring to command the devils from the back while they did the work for me. Eventually I would even bind my own companion an erinyes who would join me on my journeys.

ehhh why not...give it a shot.

 

[Pabloj]

theNater, would you mind emailing me at pabloj@adinet.com.uy? I need some help with some character buildings.

 

[theNater]

I am not fond of other races or classes however I have a kinship towards mages and elves. I despise humans and brute fighters.
During my childhood I just felt like I didn't belong. Thus, I left my village at an early age. The outside world was hard and made me despise humans more and more. Later on I would pick up tricks to help me survive and soon I would meet up with a man who would lead me on a journey towards my path into magic. He would lead me on the path to dark magic and demonology. I would conjure devils to destroy my foes. and abjurations and seals to bind them or demons and the like and/or keep them at bay. Only occasionally would I use my own magic to fight preferring to command the devils from the back while they did the work for me. Eventually I would even bind my own companion an erinyes who would join me on my journeys.

ehhh why not...give it a shot.

Sounds warlocky to me. It's just a question of reflavoring your powers into demonic summons rather than direct blasts. A few powers that come with such flavor:

Hunger of Hadar(5) fills an area with "flying, fluttering, fanged shadows", which could certainly be some kind of small devils.
Ambassador Imp(10) calls forth "an implike presence".
Fireswarm(15) causes demonic scorpions to swarm your target.

Dire Radiance(1) can keep your foes at bay and Dread Star(1) can bind them. Admittedly, there are no powers(of which I am aware) that let you bind a companion, but you could multiclass into cleric for Knight of Glory(19), which could be a demon of your choice bound to serve you for a limited time each day. Or, if you have a fellow player willing to help you out, their character could be bound to yours as a companion.

 

[howandwhy99]

Here's my character from OD&D. This isn't most of it, but this is pretty much all of the personal stats, none of the item stats.

Not trying to stump anyone here, but I'd be interested in how it can be converted to 4E.


Father Benedict Selzkin
Male Human Curate (5th level cleric)
5' 11", 26 1/2 y.o., 185#, brown hair, brown eyes.
Symbols: Alpha, Omega, Circle.

Str: 12 (+50 coins carried w/o penalty)
Int: 11 (No bonus languages)
Wis: 15 (+10 XP bonus for all in class XP)
Con: 7 (40% system shock - used for diseases, resurrection, some poisons, etc.)
Dex: 8 (-1 missile attacks)
Cha: 13 (+1 reaction bonus, max 5 hirelings)

Saving throws:
Death Ray / Poison: 10
Magic Wand: 11
Turn to Stone / Paralysis: 13
Dragon Breath: 15
Spells or Magic Staff: 14

HP: 20
AC: 4 (with armor - no dex penalty in OD&D)
Move: 9, Run 18
Alignment: Lawful
Languages: Common, Lawful (alignment language), Special (unknown to party at the moment) - Plus literate in all of these in any phonetic construction I wish to use. Which would be only one, as I only know the one Common alphabet). I can interpret languages I can read in Common in other symbols / alphabets with time.

Flail: 1d8 sm+med, 1d8 Large
Sling: 1d4 sm+med, 1d4 Large
Mace of Disruption: 1d8 sm+med, 1d8 Large (no magic bonus I know of, good chance to disintegrate any Undead on a hit)

Class Abilities:
Turn Undead: rolls 2d6+character level (+5) (2d6HD) as a 1st level Cleric (2nd with ring on - see below)
Weapon proficiencies: All armor, shields, non-edged weapons.

Clerical spells: 2 slots at 1st level or 1 slot at 2nd. Only 1 1st level slot when not wearing ring of... I don't know. Psychic deflation?
1st level spells: List of 6 maximum, these are the standard for my order. Custom upon request and research and.. just a number of other factors.
1. Cure Light Wounds - 1d6+"character" level
2. Purify Food & Water - Enough for 1 person / "character" level
3. Detect Magic - Shows all sorts of pretty colors. Lasts about 1 hour
4. Detect Evil / Alignment - Shows all sorts of pretty colors. Lasts about 1 hour
5. Protection from Evil / Alignment - Has multiple weird effects. I'm still learning this one
6. Light - 24 hours? Can't recall off hand.

Some of these may be permanent. Honestly, most spells are permanent until dispelled.

2nd level spells I haven't really explored so you can skip them.

Psionics: 120 Power Points: (costs are per use) - Unusable when ring is on.
Attack: 60 strength - Mind Crush, cost 20pp (destroys subject mind, chance for permanent damage)
Defense: 60 strength - Iron Will, cost 20pp (area effect that protects from psychic attacks, like AC)

Telepathy: possible to any creature, but limited to the language I speak "in my head" (the ones I know)
Range: sound of my voice (though I don't really speak)
Cost: 0, but PP must be at 100 or more.

Levitation: self only
cost: 1pp / turn (10 minutes is a turn, so this can go on a long time. Ben levitates in his sleep too)

Hypnosis: May be used telepathically. Effects everyone who can hear me and understand my words. This is effectively similar to 3e's "Suggestion" spell, but persistent every round until save ends.
Cost: 1pp/ low level or normal intelligence creatures (6 max/rd)
6pp / even higher level or above normal intelligence creatures (3 max/rd)

Molecular Rearrangement: (self only)
Cost: 1pp/turn for like materials (20 hours)
2pp/round for similar materials (1 hour)
6pp/round for harder materials (20 min)
This one is harder to describe. I don't lose my shape, but can pass through keyholes if the form of air. I can only change into things I am touching so fire injures me to change into it. I like to change into a beam of light on occasion. I travel in a straight line Instantaneously until I run into an obstacle (like a moon for instance), next round I can spend 6pp more to change direction for more instantaneous travel. The change to light thing is awesome, but leaves me naked wherever I show up. I can change into healing potion too, but if I were "drank" less of me would change back (the parts not in someone's stomach) and I would take damage for that. Tons of other potentials I haven't mentioned and/or tried.

Power Point Recovery: (zero during combat)
6pp/hour talking, 12pp/hour resting quietly, 24pp/hour sleeping.

Healing is per the normal rules: 1hp / night's rest. As the only quote/unquote "healer" in the group I don't use spells in combat for more than healing unless we have a plan for one or more of mine. Given the selection has no combat spells, that hasn't happened yet. Lots of spell use out of combat though.

Encumbrance: 540 / 1080 /1620 / 1800 max coins (weight is given in coins - 10 coins to the pound) With Medium armor (9 speed, not 12) I can take 108 pounds of gear without any further slowing, but my armor counts towards that total.

Most of the character is stuff about the campaign and a sizable equipment list (at church, with me at the moment, stored with so and so, etc.) I left these out as the best stuff we have is really cool in the way Molecular Rearrangement is cool. We can use the stuff for months and still not know everything it can do. Plus, I don't expect magic item write ups as most of the ones we use are group owned, shared, or stored for later trading or use.