Help with character concept

[spectre72]

Our group is working on getting started on preparing for the release of Expedition to Castle Ravenloft and I am struggling with putting my character idea onto paper.

Base information would be 32 point buy 7th Level.

I am envisioning a monk like character with excellent sneak and hide that can cast spells like bull strength to self buff.

Like a 1e thief/acrobat (stressing the acrobat) that can self buff and prefers unarmed combat (almost ninja like ).

Core rules would be best, but I have a good chance of talking the DM into something outside of core.

My mental block is that I would need to start off at 1st level with another class and transition into monk at later levels for the unarmed combat components.

I thought of cleric to start, but then sneak, hide, and similar skills would all be cross class and that would eat up a ton of skill points.

I am not looking for a power house and am more interested in an interesting character because I fully expect to die before the adventure is over

 

[Wild Gazebo]

soulknife/psychic warrior

I'd progress one by one for the first few levels and then just take one class and run with it. If your more interested in flavour this might be your easiest option.


Rather than taking a monk class take a warrior class and specialize in unarmed combat.

my 2 cp

 

[Drowbane]

Battledancer 3 / Sorcerer 4

Battledancer is a charisma based monk-like class out of Dragon Compendium vol 1.

 

[Shazman]

I suppose you could go monk3/sorcerer4. Pick up the ascetic mage feat from complete adventurer and practiced spellcaster. If you get enough sorecerer levels to cast third level spells, pick up arcane strike. You might want to look into assassain, shadowdancer, dragon disciple, or thief acrobat as prestige classes.

 

[spectre72]

Pick up the ascetic mage feat from complete adventurer and practiced spellcaster.

Since I don't have complete adventurer could you give me a summary of what these 2 feats do?

Thanks
Scott

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

Rogue(Player's Handbook)/Shaman (Oriental Adventures).

The shaman gets unarmed combat and IIRC, tumble and such as class skills, along with divine spellcasting (including buffs). Rogue covers the rest.

You could go Ninja (Complete Adventurer)/Shaman (Oriental Adventures), too.

 

[Shazman]

Since I don't have complete adventurer could you give me a summary of what these 2 feats do?

Thanks
Scott

Arcane stirke lets you use up a spell slot as a free action to add +1 to hit and +1d4 to damage on melee attacks per level of the spell used. It lasts for for one round. Its requirements are Bab+4 and ability to cast 3d level spells. It's in complete warrior. Ascetic mage lets you use your charisma instead of your wisdom to determine you monk AC bonus from wisdom. It also lets you sacrifice a spell for extra melee damage (+1 to hit and damage per spell level). It's in complete adventurer. Practiced spellcaster lets you add up to 4 levels to your caster level for determining caster checks, and all level related variables of spells. You can only add levels up to your total hit dice. A monk 3/ sorcerer 4 would cast spells as a 7th level caster but his spells known would be the same as a 4th level sorcerer. I believe it requires 4 ranks in spellcraft and is found in Complete Arcane.

 

[Nyaricus]

Take your first level in rogue, and be a human. Take Improved Unarmed Strike and Able Leaner as your feats (IUS for laying the smack-down down, and AL because it is a feat from Races of Destiny which allows all skills, cross and class, to be bought for 1 point apiece.

Put your Int to 16, so you can keep up being a sneaky skill monkey.

Give yourself a nice Wisdom score as well (say, 15) and use your +1 bonus from level four to boost it to 16 as well. Nix Cha and Str, and ensure your Con and Dex are decent at least. Use buffs for Str.

Does your DM allow partial BAB stacking? Like, a +3/4 and a +3/4 nets you a +1 1/2 BAB? If so, your 6th level feat can be Improved Natural Attack, which ups your dmaage dice by one step.

Hmmm, other than that, wear light armour, and use a bow unless your decide to hoof into melle and lay some smackdown on the bad guys.

Hope that helped, cheers,
--N

 

[spectre72]

Thanks for all of your replies.

They have been very helpfull.

I am working on (ranger 1/ monk 1/ sorcerer 4 with the ascetic hunter and ascetic mage feats) with skill points spent in rogue type skills (hide, move silently, balance, tumble, etc...) that is being primed to become a thief/acrobat.

At level 6 I have the ascetic mage feat I can now raise my monk and ranger levels depending upon my needs. The first level of ranger was taken to give me many skill points, favored enemy (undead), martial weapon skills, and proficiency in light armor if I want to wear it all at first level.

One more level of monk and I will be eligible for Thief/acrobat.

I am also going to take the able learner feat, and have 1 added feat that I have not picked yet.

The character is looking good right now, so thanks for all of the help.