Needed New Character Ideas

[Thales]

Hi,
I will be a player in a new campaign starting at 1st level. Eventually, the party will be exploring The Return Temple of Elemental Evil. I need some ideas for fun characters. I have no real preference however I tend towards being a power gamer but I'm up for anything new and interesting. There are no shortages in the propsed party so I can play whatever I desire. Here are two ideas I had:

1) A Gnome Sorcerer that rides his fox familiar and is big into alchemy. Eventually, go for the Guild Mage as well. This is more of a role-playing character than a power gaming one.

2) The second character idea was an "Archer". I know it's been done lots before, but I couldn't come up with anything else new. Start as a Ranger, then switch to Fighter at 2nd level and proceed until I could qualify for the Initiate of the Arrow in the Sword and Fist book.

That's it. Any other fun ideas for this idea?

Thales

 

[Haggar the Horrible]

how about a dagger-chucking halfling? go fighter all the way, and you'll be unstoppable for about 20-30 ft.

 

[Numion]

2) The second character idea was an "Archer". I know it's been done lots before, but I couldn't come up with anything else new. Start as a Ranger, then switch to Fighter at 2nd level and proceed until I could qualify for the Initiate of the Arrow in the Sword and Fist book.

That's it. Any other fun ideas for this idea?

Thales

If you want a kick-ass (powergamed, optimized etc...) Order of the Bow Initiate, take three levels of rogue, then multi to fighter until you qualify for OotBI. The losing of BAB doesn't hurt OotBI at all, because the archers attacks bonuses are just insane at higher levels. Then you have a stealthy character who has evasion, sneak attack and maaaad archery!

Just try to get the party cleric / wizards cast GMWs on both your bow and arrows, because the bonuses stack. Oh, and forget melee weapons. Carry just a dagger in case you get swallowed. *winkwink*nudgenudge*

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Even more Ideas:
1) Barbarian / Bard (Skald).
2) A True neutral Cleric that has not devoted himself to a certain diety, and chooses as Domain Death and Healing
3) Personally I love Halfing Rogues. (If you want to be a good "Thief", take Skill Focus - if you houseruled it for a +3 bonus - on skills like Disable Device, Search. This will greatly reduce the need for healing potions and spells - and you will be considered a professional!
4) Bards (Halfing or Gnomes?) can be fun characters, especially since you don`t have to be a frontline fighter no have to memorize thousands of spells.
5) Combine 3 und 4. Rogue for skills, traps & treachery, Bard for style and performance... (Probably one of the best multiclassing options)
6) Monk? If you do it right, he can be a very valuable and fun characters.
7) If you hate thinking and negotiating Fighter is a good idea. Be sure to be able to take most Feat Chains (Int13, Dex13, Str13), and than take whatever you like as feats.
8) Crazy idea can be a Halfing Barbarian / Fighter concentrating on riding on a riding dog and a lance. Awesome and flexible!

 

[Jairami]

Playing in RotToEE right now, I can say the archer concept is a very fun one. My personal opinion is that psychic warriors make the best archers.

They have decent base attack; buff's to stats, attack, and vision; and most importantly, they get metaphysical weapon which makes both their arrows and bows into +3 weapons at 7th level instead of having to continue to advance in a spellcasting class to get higher enhancement bonuses. And as it gets weapon specialization you can use it to get to the order of the bow initiate without having to multiclass to fighter. Or you can go deep wood sniper as you still get bonus feats all over the place to meet the requisistes.

Best of all, your weakness (lower hit points) is negated by the fact that you are not as often in melee combat. What'cha think?

 

[Thales]

Some good ideas, thanks.

I especially like the idea of using Psychic Warrior as the base to an archer character. It's al little different from most archer types and the character would have psionics as a backup. I like it.

I have played Bards and Rogue combinations before but it didn't fit my personality. Good ideas there but I don't think I will choose a bard for this game.

If I start an Archer as a Ranger, what favored enemy would you suggest?

C.U.

 

[Jairami]

Don't be a human and choose humans. Can't go wrong with that in the short term or long term. +1 is pathetic, but occasionally it'll mean the difference in a bluff or sense motive or attack roll.

Otherwise... Well, Masters of the Wild has a wonderful section on choosing favored enemies. And besides being the best splatbook so far in my opinion, it also has a lot of other useful information for even one level of ranger from the RP perspective.

Edit: Why would you take a level of ranger except for the name?

 

[Thales]

The reason for a level of Ranger is sort of role-playing. And for powergaming, it would give the character Tracking, favored enemy (role-playing reason), and 2 weapon fighting. Besides, gaining a level in Ranger doesn't hurt the BAB at low levels when compared to a fighter level. (Although you may loose a feat.)

Any other good ideas?

 

[Hadraniel]

Play a dwarf arcane caster then a oozemaster. I just made one and he has to be if not the funniest character I have ever made.

BTW the oozemaster is in the Masters of the Wild.

 

[Numion]

Another spin to the arching concept is to play a cleric. Mostly viable with an elf with the Elf (from FR) and War domains. Free feats with the domains, and empowered boosting. At later levels you've got empowered Cat's Grace.

BAB is same as with PsyWars, but instead of PsyWar power, you've got the full spellcasting ability of the cleric as back-up. You'll get less feats, but enough to cover all the Archery feats, and you do get 'free' feats from the domains.

This kind of character fared almost best in the temple when we played it.