Gestalt Fighter/Sorcerer mounted archer, advice and suggestions needed

[Asmor]

Okay, here's what's going to be the main antagonist in my campaign I'm starting soon. She's a princess kidnapped by a slaver whom the PCs are paid to rescue. However, the slaver and princess are actually lovers, and the princess will end up swearing revenge against the PCs for killing the slaver. The first time they confront her (they're gonna find out about it when they start having hits ordered on them), she's going to lead them through a portal into Sigil, where they'll lose her and become stranded, requiring her to get back home. I intend for her to be a recurring villain.

She's a mounted archer who usually uses Reduce Person, Magic Weapon and Mount to, well, mount an effective offensive (pun not intended).

The PCs are all level 1 gestalt characters.

Anyways, here's the character. Like I said, advice and suggestions are very welcome! In particular, I fear that the AC might be a little low and I'm wondering about the equipment selection.

Thesta, Level 3 Human Fighter/Sorcerer

HP: 3d10 + 3, 19 HP

STR 14
DEX 17
CON 13
INT 16
WIS 12
CHA 17

AC: 10 + 3 Dex

Saves:
Fortitude 3 + 1 Con = 4
Reflex 1 + 3 Dex = 4
Will 3 + 1 Wis = 4

BAB: +3
MW Comp Longbow 1d8 20/x3 110 ft.
3 + 1 MW + 3 Dex = +7

Rapid Shot
+5/+5

Reduce Person:
+2 attack (+1 Dex, +1 size), 1d6 damage (instead of 1d8)
+2 AC (+1 Dex, +1 size)

Concentration (Con) 6 + 1 Con = 7
Handle Animal (Cha) 6 + 3 Cha = 9
Knowledge (Arcana) (Int) 6 + 3 Int = 9
Knowledge (The Planes) (Int) 6 + 3 Int = 9
Ride (Dex) 6 + 3 Dex + 2 Syn = 11
Spellcraft (Int) 6 + 3 Int + 2 Syn = 11

Feats:
Mounted Archery (Penalty for mounted archery halved)
Mounted Combat (Once per round, if hit, make ride check to negate, DC>attack roll)
Point Blank Shot (+1 attack and damage within 30 ft)
Rapid Shot (Extra ranged attack at highest BAB, all attacks -2)

Spells
0th Level (6/day)
Light
Message
Mage Hand
Open/Close
Prestidigitation

1st level (6/day)
Mount
Magic Weapon
Reduce Person


Masterwork Composite Crossbow (400 GP)
Dust of Tracelessness (250 GP)
3x Potion of Cat's Grace (900 GP)
Wand of Cure Light Wounds (750 GP)

100 GP

9 gems
Jade (4d4x10 gp, 100 gp)
Bloodstone, Onyx, Rose Quartz (each: 2d4x10 gp, 50 gp)
Moss Agate, Blue Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Freshwater Pearl (each: 4d4 gp, 10 gp)

 

[Nifft]

900 gp for 3 potions? No way. Give her a Wand of Cat's Grace (3rd level) with only 10 charges left. Same 900 gp, but far happier princess.

She can't use Rapid Shot with a Crossbow, and she can't use a Longbow while mounted. So, she's going to have to use a Composite Shortbow.

Thus, her normal damage is 1d6 (20/x3). I'm going to suggest that she get a MW Mighty (+2 Str) Composite Shortbow for 600 gp, which will deal 1d6+2 (20/x3) damage. Sadly, reduce person does not lower her bow's strength rating, but it also doesn't reduce her bow's damage die -- so, if she's set on using reduce person, she should get a MW Mighty (+1 Str) Composite Shortbow instead (only 500 gp).

In place of Reduce Person, I'd choose Shield. It's a great spell that's never going to get old.

For sure she should ditch Magic Weapon. It's not a great spell even for Wizards or Clerics, and she'll outgrow it quickly. More importantly, though, she should have some sort of attack spell for those occasions when she's not able to buff for three rounds. Consider Ray of Enfeeblement.

Finally, what the heck is she going to do with that Wand of Cure Light Wounds? She has no ranks in Use Magic Device, and she's certainly not a Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin or Ranger.

-- N

 

[monboesen]

May I comment on something other than the build. Heck I'm going to anyway.

The story you have build is problematic for several reasons. First thing is, well you have already made the story, players usually do not like that, it will feel like railroading. Second requiring them to trust an enemy to bring them back from Sigil could be very unlikely. They might have killed her even before that by a lucky hit or decide to do it anyway damned the consequences. Or a hundred other things could change the entire situation. Simply stick with the fact that she will want revenge and be flexible about how she can get it.

If you want her to be a recurring villain she needs some dead sure way of fleeing when needed. Otherwise she will soon be a nonrecurring and buried enemy.

 

[Asmor]

May I comment on something other than the build. Heck I'm going to anyway.

The story you have build is problematic for several reasons. First thing is, well you have already made the story, players usually do not like that, it will feel like railroading. Second requiring them to trust an enemy to bring them back from Sigil could be very unlikely. They might have killed her even before that by a lucky hit or decide to do it anyway damned the consequences. Or a hundred other things could change the entire situation. Simply stick with the fact that she will want revenge and be flexible about how she can get it.

If you want her to be a recurring villain she needs some dead sure way of fleeing when needed. Otherwise she will soon be a nonrecurring and buried enemy.

My players really don't do well when given free time... I give them a city to explore, they just sorta sit there paralyzed waiting for me to tell them that a messenger runs up to them holding their next task. x_x

I'm not worried about feeling like I'm railroading them because, in order for that to happen, I'd have to have a plan. All I know for sure is that they're gonna get asked to rescue her, and if they confront her they're gonna end up in Sigil. I don't know how they're going to find out yet, or even if they'll want to go back, but Thesta has the only key to the portal and so if they do want to get back they're gonna have to find her.

Flexibility is the whole basis of my DMing technique, because planning is really not my forte... Actually, this is the first NPC I've ever fully statted. LOL. Usually I don't even bother coming up with names until they're needed. x_x

900 gp for 3 potions? No way. Give her a Wand of Cat's Grace (3rd level) with only 10 charges left. Same 900 gp, but far happier princess.

Good idea. Thanks!

She can't use Rapid Shot with a Crossbow, and she can't use a Longbow while mounted. So, she's going to have to use a Composite Shortbow.

You can use a composite longbow mounted, it even says so.

Thus, her normal damage is 1d6 (20/x3). I'm going to suggest that she get a MW Mighty (+2 Str) Composite Shortbow for 600 gp, which will deal 1d6+2 (20/x3) damage. Sadly, reduce person does not lower her bow's strength rating, but it also doesn't reduce her bow's damage die -- so, if she's set on using reduce person, she should get a MW Mighty (+1 Str) Composite Shortbow instead (only 500 gp).

I like the reduce person thing, it kind of adds personality and uniqueness to the character. Also, I'm just gonna leave it a plain MW Composite Longbow. At the moment I want her to be a very basic enemy and wouldn't even have the bow be masterwork except that I want to leave the door open for it to be enchanted in the future. The actual bow is important to the character.

In place of Reduce Person, I'd choose Shield. It's a great spell that's never going to get old.

For sure she should ditch Magic Weapon. It's not a great spell even for Wizards or Clerics, and she'll outgrow it quickly. More importantly, though, she should have some sort of attack spell for those occasions when she's not able to buff for three rounds. Consider Ray of Enfeeblement.

I'll replace the Magic Weapon with Shield, for sure. Only reason I took MW was because I wasn't sure what else to take. This is the first time I've tried making a caster who wasn't going to be using spells as a primary offense. But like I said, the reduce person is part of the vision I have for the character

Finally, what the heck is she going to do with that Wand of Cure Light Wounds? She has no ranks in Use Magic Device, and she's certainly not a Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin or Ranger.

Erm, I was unaware that she needed ranks in anything to use it. <shrug> I've been letting the players use wands freely, so I figure I'll just make that a house rule. Not that my players know the difference. x_x Is this new in 3.5 or was it that way in 3.0 too?

 

[Nifft]

You can use a wand of any spell that's on your list. Cure Light Wounds is not on the Sorcerer list, so she'd need Use Magic Device to use it. If she were a Fighter/Bard, she'd be able to use the wand.

Reduce Person: okay, it's not such a bad spell, and it is an unusual tactic. Just remember that she can't use a Mighty (+2 Str) bow when small, so make it a Mighty (+1 Str) bow. Also, remember that her missile damage does not change -- only her melee damage -- so it's really quite a good buff for her archery.

(Again, though, I hope she'll have some contingency for an ambush...)

Shield + Mage Armor (50-charge wand costs 750 gp) + Reduce Person + Dex => AC 4 + 4 + 2 + 3 => AC 23, not too shabby.

Hmm, it does say you can use a Composite Longbow from horseback. That's a change from 3.0, I think.

Next level, she could pick up Alter Self, and use that to take the form of a Halfling (-2 Str, +2 Dex), then apply Reduce Person (total -4 Str, +4 Dex, Tiny size). Your bow will only deal Small Longbow damage (1d6, 20/x3), but the size bonuses (+2 AC, +2 attack, +8 Hide) are sweet.

Alter Self is about the most flexible 2nd level spell available -- she could also become a troglodyte (+6 natural AC bonus), locanath (water breathing, probably some natural AC bonus too), or disguise herself as pretty much any PC race.

Anyway, thanks for correcting me on the composite longbow, and I hope I've been of some help to you!

-- N