Help? I just can't make up my mind...

[Cedric]

Ok,

After three days of spinning my wheels, I decided to come here for some ideas. Now, the funny thing is that I have no shortage of ideas, with the stats I rolled using the "Organic" method from the book, I can be pretty much anything I want. However, I do know that I want to be a melee-oriented character of some sort.

Here's what we have to work with:

Str 15
Dex 14
Con 13
Int 18
Wis 16
Cha 11

I can swap any one stat with another, so that 18 can go anywhere I want.

With that in mind...thoughts?

I've kicked around..

Half-Orc Barbarian, Fighter, Rogue
Half-Orc Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, Cleric
Warforged Monk, Paladin (using the whirling steel strikes and Knight Training feats).
Human Rogue, Fighter (more fighter than rogue)
Dwarf Rogue, Ranger, Fighter, Barbarian

Or...various combinations of the above.

Gah!

Help?

 

[mikebr99]

Duskblade!

Mike

 

[Ciaran]

... a wizard?

Seriously, with those solid stats you might want to aim for Wiz/Ftr/Eldritch Knight. Swap Wis with Con, and you're golden!

 

[Cedric]

Both very solid suggestions, but I've definitely decided to stick to something that is pure melee this time (all of my recent characters have been casters of some kind).

 

[Rhun]

Both very solid suggestions, but I've definitely decided to stick to something that is pure melee this time (all of my recent characters have been casters of some kind).

If you want pure melee, it seems to me you will have to swap one of your stats into Con. 13 seems too low for a front line melee build. If you do this, obviously it eliminates your Monk/Paladin build, as you would have to swap your high score into Cha.

Just my thought, though.

 

[mikebr99]

Both very solid suggestions, but I've definitely decided to stick to something that is pure melee this time (all of my recent characters have been casters of some kind).

Swashbuckler/Duelist??

Mike

 

[Magesmiley]

No mention of what books you can use, or level.

One of my favorites for a front-line fighter is a dwarf, especially if you have an 18 for CON (to be 20 after the dwarf adjustment), which it sounds like you could do.

Assuming you have a wide range of books available...

1st: Take 2 flaws (from UA) to give you 3 feats at 1st level
Take toughness and Roll With It (SS) twice.
Also take the dwarf substitution level (RoS) if you can too.
HP 20 DR 4/-
2nd: Plain fighter level. Probably take Power Attack as bonus feat.
HP 25 + 1d10 DR 4/-
3rd: Another fighter level. Take Roll With It again for your feat.
HP 30 + 2d10 DR6/-
4th: Another fighter level. Probably take Weapon Specialization (some axe)
Raise CON by 1.
HP 35 + 3d10 DR 6/-
5th: More fighter
HP 40 + 4d10 DR 6/-
6th: More fighter.
Take endurance as regular feat, dodge as bonus (to qualify for dwarven defender).
HP 45 + 5d10 DR 6/-
7th Fighter again.
HP 50 + 6d10 DR 6/-
8th: Dwarven Defender
Bonus Point in CON
HP 63 + 6d10 + 1d12 DR 6/-
9th: Dwarven Defender
Take Roll With It again.
HP 69 + 6d10 + 2d12 DR 8/-

Continue on taking dwarven defender levels (the goal is to get more DR which will stack with the DR points from Roll With It). An alternate plan would be to just take Roll With It every 3 levels and go straight fighter (using the bonus feats to get nastier at fighting). This character is exceedingly good at absorbing very large amounts of damage, particularly if you also attempt to get the highest AC you can manage.

 

[Cedric]

Ahh...sorry for the lack of info.

We are using the core 3.5 books to start, along with the Eberron settings books. Later on there is a training/quest system to get feats or prestige classes from other books.

The characters are level one to start, but I want a serious idea where I'm going with the character.

 

[Magesmiley]

Well, I think I'd still go with the dwarven fighter. I'd probably aim for the high AC/high HP route of fighting. This is almost as good for sheer survivability. The primary goal for this character is the same - get into the thick of things and outlast the other side, preventing them from getting to your more vulnerable allies.

Swap CON and INT from your stats.

1: Fighter. If your DM will let you, take the Dwarven Fighter from RoS, otherwise take weapon focus (dwarven waraxe).
Take Combat Expertise as your other feat. Buy a tower shield and the best armor you can. You should be able to outlast most things you'll run into with this at 1st level. Use combat expertise and fighting defensively if necessary to make enemy attacks on you as futile as possible (ballpark their attack bonus and try to make sure they need to roll a 20 to hit your AC, applying fighting defensively and combat expertise as needed to this end). Make sure you spend points to keep tumble maxed (dwarves can tumble even in plate, plus eventually you want your fighting defensive AC bonus to go up).

2. Fighter (Power Attack)
3. Fighter (Toughness or Endurance)
4. Fighter (Weapon Specialization (dwarven waraxe))
5: Fighter
6: Fighter (Dodge + either Toughness or Endurance)
7: Fighter
8: Dwarven Defender

Continue with dwarven defender. You may consider dipping back into fighter if you can get the 8th level dwarven substitution level from RoS. Ability score points should probably go into CON, although you might drop 1 point into STR to raise the bonus.

If you can grab some non-core feats, go for the Heavy Armor Optimization and Improved Heavy Armor Optimization feats (both from RoS).

Whenever possible pick up AC enhancing magic items. Keep squeezing your AC as high as you can get it.

This build won't be a real high damage dealer, but it will survive nearly anything of a comparable level thrown at it.

 

[Bad Paper]

Swap Strength and Intelligence, go for pure half-orc barbarian with awesome Will save. You ROCK. Suggested feat chain: Power Attack, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip. Maybe you want Lightning Reflexes in the beginning, maybe you want Track at the end. Have fun!