Character Creator's Block

[Corsair]

Ok here is the problem I'm having: The one character archetype I play the LEAST is rogues, specifically of the generic DnD dungeoneering variety. But that is exactly the one niche that isn't covered in my current party. I don't really want to play a rogue, but everything else I'm considering would step on the toes of other players in one way or another.

The rest of the party:

Dwarf Barbarian 1 / Fighter 5
Elf Duskblade 5
Goliath Cleric 5
Human Wizard 5 (Aiming foir Ultimate Magus)
Halfling Bard 5 (Aiming for Virtuoso)

Also important to note is I don't like playing characters similar to what I recently played or what I am playing in other games.

I was just playing an elf warrior (barbarian/ranger/Beastmaster) so I'm not really interested in playing another tanky type. Druid feels like it would have too much in common to the last character animal companion wise, and as a nature-y character. I'm playing a wizard in another group, so I don't want to play an arcanist... I feel like I am obligated to play some kind of rogue, but I just can't get excited for playing a trap/lock monkey, no matter how much I try.

My one character idea I was trying to make was a human noble of very minor lineage (like the 5th child of a minor count) deciding to adventure to raise funds and fame before cutting out his own little feifdom out of the wilderness. However I'm having trouble picking a class for him which will be useful without stepping on other people's toes. I really feel like I should be building him as a swashbuckler (or fighter with 1 level of swashbuckler for the people skills), but I'm afraid that he'll be superfluous in a party with 2 warriors and a warrior cleric already.

Sorry for the rambling, but I have no idea what to do and the game is right after work today.

 

[Wystan]

scout?

That is a good rogue/fighter hybrid

 

[Asmor]

You could do scout, I s'pose. Or beguiler. They both get trap finding.

I'd reccomend you take a look at another class that has trap finding, though... the Factotum from Dungeonscape.

 

[UltimaGabe]

If you feel like putting up with ridiculous amounts of bookkeeping, you could try and see if your DM will let you be an Artificer. They get Trapfinding.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Very interesting. I was just looking at a build for a rogue 3/swashbuckler 3 in this post. Mind you, I was complaining about the AC, so take it with a grain of salt.

I can give you the skill point break-down too, if you like; the usual open lock and disable traps stuff. I didn't put much into Hide and Move Silently. Sources: it uses Vexing Flanker from PHBII (Combat Reflexes is the prerequisite, and you get +4 when you flank instead of +2) and Daring Outlaw from Complete Scoundrel (rogue and swashbuckler levels stack for sneak attack, grace and dodge class features). A few skill tricks, too, also from CS. Oh, and Swashbuckler is from Complete Warrior.

That's one alternative. I also made a Fighter1/RogueX who wears heavy armor; he is designed to have a killer AC (33 at level 7) but can't really hit very well. He gives up evasion and takes penalties on a lot of roguelike skills, but he can still open locks with the best of them. He pretends he's a cleric in the hopes that the bad guys target him with reflex spells.

 

[szilard]

Druid - take a variant that loses the animal companion... or replace it with the elemental companion (Complete Mage?)... or just have an animal companion that fills a completely different niche than your last one (say, a bird or a mount or something).

Beguiler - This could work as your noble, and it also fulfills the rogue needs of the group. It is an arcanist, but of a very different sort than a wizard.

Scout - popular choice. A Swashbuckler/Scout might be an interesting mix - and it might work for a noble (big into hunting?) who wants to carve a fiefdom out of the wilderness.

Factotum - would probably work really well for your noble concept.

-Stuart

 

[FalcWP]

Well, for a noble-type, Swashbuckler is certainly a nice starting point. I'm going to be using a Beguiler 6/Swashbuckler 3 on Wednesday which is looking like it will be fun. He's going to be that party's trap monkey, while also providing utility arcane magic (we have a warmage) and being competent in melee.

Another option I like is a Swashbuckler/Scout. Skirmish is great for a Swashbuckler, thematically - you're encouraged to move around the battlefield. This could also benefit from Rogue levels, if you have Complete Scoundrel, letting you benefit from Daring Outlaw and Swift Ambusher. You might also be able to get your DM to allow a similar feat for a Swashbuckler/Skirmisher.

 

[Seeten]

We already recommended Rogue/Swashbuckler to Corsair, he doesnt like it.

He's a big whiner. =P

Make a character already, slacker.

 

[BASHMAN]

Here is some good options:

Artificer (eberron)-- focus on imbuing items with magical abilities. He'd basically be the party magic item factory. If he is a Warforged (living construct race from eberron) he can imbue himself with magical abilities. He gets trapfinding just like a rogue.

Beguiler-- PH2-- Essentially an illusionist/Enchanter who gets trapfinding, has d6HD, wears leather armor, 6 Skill points per level, and instead of sneak attacks, has spells become more effective when enemy is denied dex bonus (like ignoring SR, etc).

Ninja-- Complete Adventurer-- VERY cool class. A lot of people dismiss it outright because "sudden strike is more limited than sneak attack". Normally, this would be true-- the Dread Commando for instance is always running into hurdles trying to get to use Sudden Strike. However, for the ninja, it is VERY easy to utilize it, as he can become INVISIBLE, several times a day, and later even etherial. So he is guaranteed to succeed in sudden strike several times a day. Ninja also has 6 skill points, and is more combat focused than the traditional Rogue, but also has trapfinding.

Scout-- This is what I would choose in your situation. 8 skill points per level, movement speed and initiative increases, does extra d6s of damage any round he moves 10' or more. Has trapfinding of course. If you take the track feat, he is better than a ranger as the party's wilderness person.

There are 2 primary builds for scout that work great:
The melee skirmisher-- take the spring attack feat tree, and use a 2-handed weapon and charge into combat, moving between various enemies on the battlefield.

The archer skirmisher-- take the manyshot feat tree, and use a bow. You can move while doing manyshot!

 

[Cheiromancer]

One weird thing about the scout - correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that he can find traps, but can't do anything about them. Right?