Ideas for a city watch detective

[Pielorinho]

I'm getting ready to play a city watch detective in a CSI-style game. I think I'm going to be some of the main muscle for a combat-light game, and I'm musing about different character ideas. I'll be 7th level.

I definitely want to be a quarterstaff fighter, since that fits the image and is kinda fun. Ranger seems like a pretty good way to go with that: with Ranger6, I get four free feats (three of them useful), an animal companion (a wolfhound that I use for tracking fugitives and helping me in battle), a couple of spells (probably longstrider and jump for the most part), and favored enemies (which, with Unearthed Arcana's urban ranger variant, I can apply to organizations, which is really cool). I was thinking about going straight fighter, which means better HP and more choices with feats, but I like the favored enemy schtick too much for that, as well as the urban track feat.

For my choice feats, I'm thinking weapon focus (quarterstaff), combat expertise, and either improved trip or improved disarm. Either of these special maneuvers could be really useful to a muscle-detective.

I'm wondering what to do with my seventh level. One option would be to take a level of fighter, and take the other of the special maneuver feats (and an additional BAB point and better HP). The other option would be to take a level of rogue, for the skill points and, more importantly, the sneak attack damage. In a city campaign, most enemies will be sneakattackable, and that might be what's necessary to keep my damage up.

What do folks think? If I go rogue, which of the two special maneuvers should I keep? My wolf will be able to make trip attacks, but will be really vulnerable vs. 7th-level opponents and probably won't trip very often anyway. I'm not sure which would be more fun to use.

And is the loss of that BAB worth the extra sneak damage? I tend to think so--it's equivalent to a triple-powered Power Attack--but I'll already have pretty low attack bonuses anyway, and that might just make it worse.

Any ideas would be welcome! I'm not looking for a total combat monster, but I would like to make the character be able to fight interestingly with the quarterstaff.

Daniel

 

[Warbringer]

Read Simon Greens Hawk and Fisher series then go from there

 

[FalcWP]

I'd probably go for Rogue. You've said it's a combat light game, so my guess is that trapfinding and skill points will make more of a difference than a point of BAB and a combat feat (with sneak attack helping out when the combat bonuses would be handy).

Between Improved Trip and Improved Disarm... either really could be useful. I'd probably recommend Improved Trip, but you'll do well with either.

Rogue will also let you pick up a hand crossbow... which could be useful if you end up needing a decent, really easily concealed ranged weapon.

 

[Dross]

Stylistically I think disarm is a good way to go. This is mainly from the point of view that you want the criminals alive, and depriving them of their weapon should give them pause. The same goes for trip.

A successful diarm/trip full round attack could make the fight over quickly without any deaths.
Check the Justicar and Bounty Hunter PrCs from Complete books as some of their abilities allow for subdual damage with any weapon without the -4 to hit.

Your wolfhound can trip occasionally, or be used to aid another, or as a lookout against other criminals (have it hide beside an entryway and trip the first foe that enters, once down on the ground they'll be at more of a disadvantage).

 

[Pielorinho]

Ooh, I didn't even think of having the wolfhound use Aid Another--that's a great idea and perfectly in keeping with wolfpack tactics.

I get seven tricks for it, I think, including:
-Sic 'em!
-Heel!
-Aid me!
-Guard (and bark)!
-Track!
-one more!
And then one that I think I'll teach him, to use in conjunction with Improved Disarm (which I've never seen a PC use, so could be fun): Keep Away! The wolf grabs whatever just dropped and doesn't let anyone but me approach him while he holds it. Workable?

If we had eight levels, I'd definitely take a PrC that allowed easy subdual damage; but with seven levels, it's just not quite feasible. I figure I'll rely on being able to move faster than most foes (with longstrider and disarming and having a wolfhound nipping at their heels to persuade folks to surrender.

 

[Felix]

If the Urban Ranger gets Gather Information on his skill list and keeps Survival, then he can start taking Bloodhound at level 5. The subdual damage ability is a Bloodhound2 ability, so you'd have that.

If the Urban Ranger doesn't have those two skills on his list, then a short trip into Rogue will help you there. But with the loss of BAB, you'll have to wait until level 6 to take your first level of Bloodhound; you'd still get the subdual ability.

 

[Darklone]

If your DM allows Kingdom of Kalamar feats, in the 3.5 Players Guide there's a feat PACIFY that allows you to use non-lethal damage with one weapon without the -4 to hit.

If you can get a climpse at that book, it includes the Watchman class, essentially an Urban Ranger.

 

[Scharlata]

I'm getting ready to play a city watch detective in a CSI-style game. [...] I'll be 7th level.

Hi!
There was a PrC in Song and Silence (3.0) called the VIGILANTE that came to mind. Nonevil, BAB +4, GaIn 8 rks, Inti 8 rks, Sear 8 rks, SeMo 8 rks, Alertness.

What about a sorcerer/ranger [with Alertness due to a familiar], detect spells, quarterstaff prof., animal companion, Track, other detect spells and then 2 levels of Vigilante? Detect Evil 1/day/vigilante level, Rogue BAB, Good Ref/Will saves, Search fo Clues (automatic search check at crime scenes), and Streetwise (Gather Info/Sense Motive* bonus), and new spells, like: cause fear, disguise self*, detect magic, detect secret doors, identify, obscuring mist [1st].
* = adapted to 3.5

Enjoy, and remember: Horatio, Gil, and Mac are watching you!

 

[Brace Cormaeril]

Take Rogue at 1st, and get those skill points, on CSI-Greyhawk, skils are really important. Put a good score in Intelligence, and take the Ran6.
Street Kid (Rogue 1)
goes good.

 

[Sidekick]

Have you though tabout trying to adapt the Eberron PrC Master Inquisitive.

That's a solid Noir styel PrC and with a rogue/urban ranger buld it'd be well easy to qualify for...

Just a thought