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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Elder-Basilisk" data-source="post: 3337332" data-attributes="member: 3146">Are you looking for mechanical advice on making the character more powerful or making the character seem like a noble?For more power: Remove the aristocrat level. It's a dead level that will hold you back for the life of your character. (Sure, it will qualify you for spellsword, but a level of fighter will do that as well and will give you more hit points, boost an otherwise weak save, and give you a point of BAB and a feat). Wizard 5 can cast fireball. Aristocrat 1/Wizard 4 is stuck casting flaming sphere.For consistency with nobility:1. Take at least 5 ranks of Knowledge: Nobility and Royalty.A noble would be expected to know the important families of the realms, their holdings, and their symbols. 5 Ranks also gives you a synergy bonus to diplomacy. And a noble will generally find it advantageous to be able to persuade other people to do his bidding.2.  Take at least a few ranks of Knowledge: Local.If you are a noble who doesn't take noblesse oblige seriously, maybe you don't, but a good noble should know his fief--its layout, customs, strengths, and weaknesses.3. Take cross-class ranks in Sense motive. (If you stick with aristocrat, they won't all be cross-class).Everyone is going to trying to put one over on nobles. You need to be able to see through lies if you are going to rule wisely or judge justly. 5 ranks also gives you a synergy bonus to diplomacy, so you get a better net result out of cross-class Sense Motive than you do out of most skills--a net of +7 in bonuses for 10 cross-class skill points.4. Make sure that you speak whatever the language of diplomacy is. Your bonus languages for Int should be sufficient for this, but if they are somehow or other insufficient, spend ranks. (IRL, this would have been greek in the ancient world, latin in the middle ages, french during the eighteenth century, and right now, it is english--ask your DM what is analagous in his campaign).5. If you can spare the skill points, pick up one or two ranks of Perform. Nobles would often be taught to play an instrument as a part of their education.Good potential prestige classes:Archmage: nothing particularly noble about it, but it's a solid prestige class.Spellsword: If you do stick with that level or aristocrat, take a single level of spellsword so you can cast spells in a mithral chain shirt. You will also look a bit more like RL aristocracy if you carry a sword and wear armor to battle.Fatespinner: The obvious take on this is the dissipated and decadent aristocrat who spends his life in gambling dens. A different take on it would be a master manipulator who is rigidly controlled and aspires to control every aspect of fate and chance in his life and that of others.Mindbender: Not just a leader by birth...Accoutrements: Be sure to wear a noble's outfit or at least a courtier's outfit. If fashionable people carry swords or rapiers, carry one--even if you aren't proficient (The master's touch spell will fix that, but it's probably a waste as the sword is for show anyway). Pack a spare set of clothes with you and pay extra for private rooms with baths when you travel.</blockquote>

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