Creating a tactician: What class?

[krunchyfrogg]

I'm going to apply for a PBEM game tomorrow, and the game is asking for a tactician-type (tanking is good, but optional). Is there a class that best fits the tactician? I know you think of a Fighter, but I don't think the Fighter class has anything special to offer the tactician mindset.

I Was thinking of creating a Cleric, Warrior-Cleric, or even a Ranger maybe. I've got an interesting background brewing in my mind, and will probably propose playing a Dwarf.

If there are any skills or feats geared, or particularly useful for tactitians, please LMK. The game is 3.5, and I only have experience with 3.0, also. I own the 3.5 books, and I don't think I'll have much of a problem getting into the game.

 

[Rystil Arden]

I'm going to apply for a PBEM game tomorrow, and the game is asking for a tactician-type (tanking is good, but optional). Is there a class that best fits the tactician? I know you think of a Fighter, but I don't think the Fighter class has anything special to offer the tactician mindset.

I Was thinking of creating a Cleric, Warrior-Cleric, or even a Ranger maybe. I've got an interesting background brewing in my mind, and will probably propose playing a Dwarf.

If there are any skills or feats geared, or particularly useful for tactitians, please LMK. The game is 3.5, and I only have experience with 3.0, also. I own the 3.5 books, and I don't think I'll have much of a problem getting into the game.

I would play a fighter and take nifty tactical feats from Complete Warrior, then use them to gain advantages using interesting tactics to outplay your enemies' own tactics (big brute Power Attacking? Elusive Target does the trick!)

 

[Yair]

I think that with his bonus feats the Fighter is the best tactical combatant, at least at low levels, focusing on any number of tactics and styles. Our current tank is simply a tower-wielding armor-clad fighter dwarf, and that works well for a tank; for a few feats he could tack on some tactical options (improved trip is darn good).
I don't like the ranger as a frontline combatant, generally, but YMMV.

If you want a tactician in the "orchestrate he battle" sense, a wizard with some terrain-modifying and battle-changing spells (dominate, fire wall, and so on) can be very nice.

The best class I've seen for a tactical commander is the Hunter from Iron Heroes; I don't think it fits a regular game, however, and I suppose you're asking strictly for D&D 3.5e.

 

[ForceUser]

I'm going to apply for a PBEM game tomorrow, and the game is asking for a tactician-type (tanking is good, but optional). Is there a class that best fits the tactician? I know you think of a Fighter, but I don't think the Fighter class has anything special to offer the tactician mindset.

I Was thinking of creating a Cleric, Warrior-Cleric, or even a Ranger maybe. I've got an interesting background brewing in my mind, and will probably propose playing a Dwarf.

If there are any skills or feats geared, or particularly useful for tactitians, please LMK. The game is 3.5, and I only have experience with 3.0, also. I own the 3.5 books, and I don't think I'll have much of a problem getting into the game.

Class is irrelevant. When it comes to tactics, it's all player-side, not character-side, though you could justify tactical brilliance with a moderately high Int and Wis (13+).

 

[Glyfair]

If you are using non-core books, I'd go with a Marshal from the Miniature's Handbook. Some combination of Marshal and Fighter is likely best.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

While its true that tactics are usually a matter of the Player's abilities, some DMs do require a basis for tactical knowledge in the players' PC, or at least expect a strong influence from there.

If that's the case, I'd go ranger and pump his Int & Wis. Fighting skills + more skill points than any class except rogue...

 

[Aaron L]

The Marshall class from the Miniatures Handbook is perfect. Fortunately if you dont have the book, they have the entire class online at http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20030906b


Take a loot, its pretty rad.

 

[fba827]

ForceUser already said sort of what I was going to say - being tactically minded would be more of function of character and attributes rather than class. So have a good mental scores (Int and Wis, possibly to a lesser extent Cha if you also want to be the quintessentialy leader/commander type at the battles)

Having high mental scores could lead to wiz. But a cleric of a war/battle god or a fighter or a paladin would make the most sense.

 

[blargney the second]

There's a Tactical Fighter prestige class in the Miniatures Handbook. It has some nifty abilities!

 

[dvvega]

I would go with the marshall as a commander type character but I would also look at heroes of battle and perhaps combine it with some cleric levels and the medic class.

So you would be commanding the group from behind the front lines while ensuring they're all healthy.

But I must agree that Marshall should be your first and foremost class. Perhaps the leader type prestige classes.

D