What's the best solo build?

[Kurotowa]

The most self-sufficient class is the Warlock. It has social skills, offensive powers, defensive powers, and utility powers. As a one-person adventuring party, the Warlock is a great choice.

That said, a one-person game can ditch pretty much any concerns of party balance. Don't bother even trying to emulate the sort of adventures that a party goes on. Don't try to have a one-person adventuring party, had adventures suited for that one person. You can finally embrace all the lone hero stories that group play makes so hard.

 

[pawsplay]

A character that is not a dwarf. A solo character needs a good movement rate for running away...

Your saving throw needs will be very high. Iron Will, Great Fortitude, and probably Lightning Reflexes are a necessity. For this reason, good save classes such as Bard, Cleric, Monk, Paladin, and Ranger are good choices.

The much maligned straight up fighter, despite some weaknesses, has the best range of ability for combat. On the other hand, the wizard can cover more utility.

My inclination would be to go Fighter/Wizard/Spellsword. You can fight, yet also see invisible and fly. That's good. Plus, only your Reflexes would be low. What is normally the Spellsword's weakness (no real punch in any one area) works well for a solo character who must cover a lot of different areas. It's also accessible from a moderate level. Fighter 4/Wiz 3/Spellsword is very solid and playable all the way through (I'd say Fighter 2, then Wiz 2, then two more Fig, using mostly true strikes and such, then back to Wiz).

 

[Deset Gled]

The Ghostwalker PrC from Sword and Fist can make for a very cool lone adventurer. The PrC grants some pretty steep bonuses when fighting against a foe you have fought before who doesn't know your name. It also has an ability to feign death, with can be pretty helpful.

 

[Thanee]

A Wizard Variant Conjurer Specialist is quite good, I think. For the versatility, anyways.
Could even cast some healing spells via Arcane Disciple.

Generally, I think any character makes a good solo character, though.
In a solo game you do not necessarily be able to cover all the bases.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Shazman]

You could go rogue/paladin and either slayer of domiel from the book of exalted deeds or shadowbane inquisitor from complete adventurer. You'd have decent saves, good social skills, and you can fight decently and heal yourself. You could be a special agent of a religious organization that is sent on secret missions to fight evil.

 

[Zaruthustran]

I ran a very successful solo campaign with one of my main group players and he ran a barbarian. The premise was that he was the first born son of the tribal chief. His father was assassinated, and he was the prime suspect because he was second in line. He was actually framed by his brother who was believed to have died a few years ago defending a raid. In reality, the chieftan caught the older brother plotting against him and used the raid to banish him. The older brother defected to a rival tribe and helped them build a force that is poised to take over the players' tribe. He pinned the assassination on the player to cause more confusion and division in the tribe and also in the hopes that the player would be taken out by his own tribe. The player basically fled for his life with a vow to avenge his father's death. He was chased all over the countryside by bounty hunters while trying to get close enough to gather information and find the real killer. The solo premise was perfect because he was truly on his own. Nobody from his tribe was willing to side with him and anger the tribal council. The evidence was pretty damning, considering it was his blade that was found in his father's stomach. Running a solitary barbarian on the run who was trying to solve his father's murder ended up being a campaign that ran up to 9th level. I think it was as much fun for me to DM as it was for him to play as character.

That sounds totally kickass. So how did it end?

Also: thanks for the ideas, everyone. Warlock sounds pretty great; I'll have to look into that one.

 

[kenobi65]

#1: Han Solo.

#2: Napoleon Solo.

 

[Drowbane]

Gestalt makes for good Soloing...

Cleric with moderate Str, decent Con, awesome Wis, and decent Cha. I know you said you'd rather avoid them... but that doesn't change the fact (err, opinion...) that Cleric does SOLO better than anything else.

Runners up: Druid, Fighter/Rogue, Warlock

Edit: Warforged Psion (shaper). Self-healing, high AC, decent HP, plenty of power-options.

 

[moritheil]

The first thing that comes to mind is druid. Mystic theurge is also workable if you're willing to continually burn divinations and keep called allies around (that only works at higher levels, of course.)

 

[Patlin]

What should a solo character be able to do?

1) Fight (or otherwise damage monsters)
2) Heal self
3) Find and disable traps OR survive them when they go off
4) Utility magic

Obviously, you could mutclass.

A warforged artificer could do all of that.
A warforged Psion(shaper by preference) would have some trouble with 3, but vigor and such would help.
An elan psion loses out on (most of) the healing but gains some very nice racial abilities
A cleric could handle it
A scout or rogue can do it with some investment in the right items.
A paladin might work, with some weakness in area 3 -- leadership would be a great boon here.
A psychic warrior would work about the same as a paladin, though likely with less charisma the leadership wouldn't be so hot.

Probably the warforged artificer and the cleric would give you the best all around solo.