Optimize or Thematics?

[castlewise]

If you are looking for a flavorful option that provides flexibility and a ton of RP potential, how about Ritual Caster? Tons of divination and exploration stuff is open to you.

I haven't seen any ritual stuff in Essentials, which is too bad because it limits the kind of magic you can do outside of combat. I could get alot of use out of Skill Focus in dungeoneering. It fits well with the scouring old ruins theme, and dungeoneering is a nice skill to have.

Ironically my int isn't high enough for many of the knowledge themed feats. Then again your Indiana Jones and Lara Croft are not necessarily the brightest bunch

 

[Abstruse]

Can't speak for Croft, but that's DOCTOR Jones, PhD in Archeology. He's a teacher that just happens to go tomb diving.

And the reflexes fits better IMO. An archeologist would need to be able to dive out of the way fast when the trap goes off. Think of Jones in Last Crusade with the "penitent man kneels" scene. That looked like an attack against a Reflex defense to me. Same with the dart traps in the opening scene of Raiders.

 

[the Jester]

With that background I'd ask the DM if you could fineness your way into any cool ancient languages with linguist.

Or something like skill focus: dungoneering or skill power for a dungoneering skill, which also both fit pretty well.

I'm with Destil on this.

I'd take Linguist if the campaign provides situations where knowing languages helps (some don't, but many will dms let you find out interesting stuff this way).

 

[the Jester]

I just remembered that I house rule Linguist, too; I let pcs hold as many of the language slots as they like for later filling during play, by which I mean, "I'm going to learn the language of the tribe that's helping us here on the Isle of Dread" rather than "I know the language of the tribe that's helping us here on the Isle of Dread."

I allow a minimal amount of roleplaying and time to give a Linguist language. So far it's worked out well (but again, I don't limit my language list to the 7 or so in 4e; I'm halfway between 1e's "every subrace has its own tongue" and 3e's "these are the major languages" philosophy. I like it that not everyone can communicate with everyone else.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

I just remembered that I house rule Linguist, too; I let pcs hold as many of the language slots as they like for later filling during play, by which I mean, "I'm going to learn the language of the tribe that's helping us here on the Isle of Dread" rather than "I know the language of the tribe that's helping us here on the Isle of Dread."

I allow a minimal amount of roleplaying and time to give a Linguist language. So far it's worked out well (but again, I don't limit my language list to the 7 or so in 4e; I'm halfway between 1e's "every subrace has its own tongue" and 3e's "these are the major languages" philosophy. I like it that not everyone can communicate with everyone else.

In my homebrew setting, we have quite a few more languages than the baseline. There are several languages for the different human cultures and each race has their own, sometimes with dialects, and all of them have ancient root languages in varying stages of linguistic death. They're all potentially useful, but there are too many for even the Linguist feat to handle.

We houserule the old 3e convention of "you know a number of languages equal to your Int modifier, plus your native tongue." That works pretty well, and if someone wants to know a few more, there are plenty of feats to help out, like Linguist, Envoy to the Fey, Mark of Scribing, etc.

 

[castlewise]

How do you use languages in game? Do you have a different script you write in, sort of like a puzzle? Is it a skill challenge type barrier before they can proceed? Seems like it would make for some good RP but I'm having trouble imagining how to integrate it into the mechanics.

 

[Robtheman]

Do you get Sneak of Shadow as a multi-class option? Can you take a background that grants Dungeoneering as a benefit?

 

[DracoSuave]

How do you use languages in game? Do you have a different script you write in, sort of like a puzzle? Is it a skill challenge type barrier before they can proceed? Seems like it would make for some good RP but I'm having trouble imagining how to integrate it into the mechanics.

Monsters have languages.

They say things.

Knowing languages helps understand the things they say. This can become a valuable source of information and a method towards diplomacy.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

Monsters have languages.

They say things.

Knowing languages helps understand the things they say. This can become a valuable source of information and a method towards diplomacy.

It's surprising how quickly this can derail what you thought was a perfectly planned combat encounter.

DM: "So, the unspeakable horrors are preparing to attack; roll initiative."
Player: "I try Diplomacy. I use my encounter power, plus my racial. 41."
DM: "Your character can speak Cthonic!?!?"
Player: "Yup."
DM: "Frell."

heh.

 

[castlewise]

Results

Thanks for all the great replies to this thread. This is a pretty high grade forum if I don't say so myself.

We are having a session tonight so I thought I would let people know what I chose. This is our DM's first time so while I like the language option, I don't think they will be prepared for it and don't want to put them on the spot.

I decided to use my last feat for skill training and then put some characterization into my trained skills. I ended up with:

-dungeoneering (feat)
-streetwise
-history
-arcana
-religion

Which seems very archaeologist to me.