Min/max... kinda

[CRGreathouse]

I need help with making a character. The trouble is, I have a decent character concept in mind, and don't really want to vary from it. On the other hand, I don't want the character to be totally useless in combat or the other players will hate me.

I have picked out my stats, skills, and abilities, but these can change if it's needed. I haven't picked out my feats, or spent my gold.

male human Ari1: CR ½; ECL 1; HD 1d8+1; hp 9; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 12 (+2 Dex); Melee longsword +1 (1d8+1/crit 19-20); AL LN; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 14.
Skills and Feats: Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Knowledge (ancient history) +7, Knowledge (Coryani) +5, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +7, Knowledge (religion) +5, Listen +4, Sense Motive +4, Spot +4;
Equipment: longsword, 465 gp

 

[Crothian]

What help do you need? Just spending of money and choosing feats?

Ari = Aristicract? So, what concept are you going for here? Are you planning on taking more aristract levels or are you going to jump into a PHB class? Are you working for a prestige class?

You might choose Weapon Focus feat, to showe your superior training an aristicract gets. Also, a MW Longsword would be good. You can give it a little history like it was your grandfathers sword and now he's intrusting it to you. Then you can take Expertise. With the extra +1 from the MW weapon and +1 from WF, you'll still be able to hit things when you are able to use the Expertise feat.

 

[CRGreathouse]

What help do you need? Just spending of money and choosing feats?

Mainly, though if you (or someone) thinks I need a particular skill or ability score, i'm willing to edit a bit.

Ari = Aristicract? So, what concept are you going for here? Are you planning on taking more aristract levels or are you going to jump into a PHB class? Are you working for a prestige class?

Yes, it's aristocrat. He's just that - a minor noble with an interest in ancient civilizations. He's fluent in two dead languages...

I may take levels in a more normal class, but my current plan is to take aristocrat for a few levels. I don't know of any useful/relevant prestige classes.

You might choose Weapon Focus feat, to showe your superior training an aristicract gets. Also, a MW Longsword would be good. You can give it a little history like it was your grandfathers sword and now he's intrusting it to you. Then you can take Expertise. With the extra +1 from the MW weapon and +1 from WF, you'll still be able to hit things when you are able to use the Expertise feat.

I don't qualify for Weapon Focus. As for the masterwork - I'm not sure. I considered it, but I only get ~400 gp total, and my character's far from a combat fiend. Would he really lock up 70+% of his assets in a weapon?

Expertise is interesting, though; I can certainly see him having an interest in defending himself over attacking. I think I'll give him a shield (with his family crest, obviously), too.

 

[wallshot]

Aristocrat was not ment to be a playable race...hence it appears in the dunegeon masters guide under the heading of npc classes (or something close to that).

its great that U have a character concept in mind and U R not starting with a bunch of stats and fitting yor character into that mold, but just because U want yor character to be an aristocrat, doesnt mean U have to take that NPC class. U could just as easily say that your fighter character is the son (or daughter) of a minor noble and no one (out of character) is going to dispute it. It might even provide yor DM with a few plot hooks.

 

[DarkJester]

Sticking to aristocrat is really going to hurt you in the combat area. You most likely will not be competitive with the other members of your group , as you are an npc class and they are not. After the first level of aristocrat you really should multi out of it. Into expert if nothing else. I'd suggest rogue, even if you don't see your character as using the sneak attack bonus. You will get more skill points out of it. Maybe your dm will let you substitue sneak attack for something else such as a bonus feat every couple levels.

Or maybe you can talk your dm into giving the aristocrat some bonus feats or more skills or something. To make it more competitive with other pc classes(Yes I know it is an npc class and really shouldn't be on par with the others, but a pc playing one should be).

 

[Furn_Darkside]

Yes, it's aristocrat. He's just that - a minor noble with an interest in ancient civilizations. He's fluent in two dead languages...

I may take levels in a more normal class, but my current plan is to take aristocrat for a few levels. I don't know of any useful/relevant prestige classes..

Salutations,

have you looked at AEG's Swashbuckling Adventures?

It has a noble class which is like a pc-equivilant class to the aristocrat.

You could also look at the Thean bard in the same book- iirc, it is a non-magical version of the PH bard.

Either will give you a bit more to be useful to a group.

FD

 

[Dr. Zoom]

You could be a first level fighter with the same ability scores. You get 3 feats. Take Education to make all knowledge skills class skills, with a +1 bonus to any 2 knowledge skills. Take Cosmopolitan to make Diplomacy a class skill with a +2 bonus. Then take a fighter feat to reflect you martial training. Weapon Focus was suggested previously, as well as Expertise. You will have 24 skill points to spend, plus your bonuses in 2 knowledge skills and Diplomacy.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Salutations,

have you looked at AEG's Swashbuckling Adventures?

It has a noble class which is like a pc-equivilant class to the aristocrat.

You could also look at the Thean bard in the same book- iirc, it is a non-magical version of the PH bard.

Either will give you a bit more to be useful to a group.

They're not options for me. Pity.

Sticking to aristocrat is really going to hurt you in the combat area. You most likely will not be competitive with the other members of your group , as you are an npc class and they are not. After the first level of aristocrat you really should multi out of it. Into expert if nothing else. I'd suggest rogue, even if you don't see your character as using the sneak attack bonus. You will get more skill points out of it. Maybe your dm will let you substitue sneak attack for something else such as a bonus feat every couple levels.

True enough. Here's my deal: I want to play not only an aristocrat, but a member of the aristocrat class. If I can't find a way to do that, I'll take a different class concept entirely: perhaps a mounted-combat paladin or a wizard.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a freak who thinks role playing = low power. I can get into any character, from the ungodly power of my wizard Narya (buffs his Strength to 17-20 with bull's strength; lowest stat = 13; highest stat on level 7: Int 21) to my late half-orc paladin (his best score went into Cha, which dropped to 11 from the racial penalty). This character, though, is my current project.

Feats: Improved Initiative and Skill Focus (Sense Motive), perhaps?

 

[CRGreathouse]

You could be a first level fighter with the same ability scores. You get 3 feats. Take Education to make all knowledge skills class skills, with a +1 bonus to any 2 knowledge skills. Take Cosmopolitan to make Diplomacy a class skill with a +2 bonus. Then take a fighter feat to reflect you martial training. Weapon Focus was suggested previously, as well as Expertise. You will have 24 skill points to spend, plus your bonuses in 2 knowledge skills and Diplomacy.

Education and Cosmopolitan aren't available to me, and the skill point drop would be hard - I'd lose my only combat skills (Listen & Spot). Also, I'm pretty set on the class itself. (Thanks, though - if the feats were an option, I'd consider it.)

 

[Dr. Zoom]

Here is a stat block for the character I suggested in my post above. It's a little late, since you just said you wanted to use the Aristocrat class, but here it is anyways.


Prince Greathouse: male human Ftr1; CR 1; Medium-size Humanoid (human); HD 1d10+1; hp 11; Init +2 (Dex); Spd 30 ft; AC 18 (+4 chain shirt, +2 large wooden shield, +2 Dex); Atks +3 melee (1d8+1/crit 19-20, longsword), or +2 melee (1d4+1/crit 19-20, dagger), or +3 ranged (1d4/crit 19-20, dagger); AL LN; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 14.

Skills and Feats: Bluff +4, Diplomacy +8, Knowledge (ancient History) +7, Knowledge (coryani) +5, Knowledge (nobility & Royalty) +7, Knowledge (religion) +4, Ride +5, Sense Motive +2; Cosmopolitan (diplomacy), Education, Weapon Focus (longsword).

Possessions: Longsword, dagger, chain shirt, large wooden shield, adventuring gear.