Author Topic: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold  (Read 6021 times)

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Nemo

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Ok, Im probably going to play in new session. Our characters are slaves of Ilithids, who did just free themselves and basically, are naked and unarmed in very, very bad place.
We have no racial or class restrictions (but no retraining!), and GM dont like psions and declared, that he is going to be very bitchy about psi characters. This, and lack of ANY material possesions at start of game makes me very nervous, and Im not sure what should I play. I have no idea how much optimized rest of party will be, but GM wants to be merciless and EVIL  :rollseyes, so yeah. He wants a lot of fights, and very little rest time. And probably wants to make us fight guerrila-warfare style. So no crafting.
Point Buy-32.
So, what should I play? There are basically no restrictions. At the moment, I have only few concepts:
1.) Some Shadowcraft Mage, abusing Shadow Illusion to the max. Duh. Dunno if I can pull it off, at ECL8?
2.) Some Tome of Battle character; IRON HEART SURGING! would be awesome, and they can regain their powers quickly, and killing Illithids just with martial power would be crazy funny.
3.) Some Factotum with crazy Iaijutsu? Still, I'm not sure that GM will say "ok" to Iaijutsu Master class. Sigh.
4.) Some warlockish or binderish class would be good. Because we are going to make a freakin rebellion, I dont think that we will have much time to rest, so their unlimited resources sounds pretty.
Feel free to suggest something better! Just bear in mind: no gold, and I don't like Vow of Poverty. I dislike Faerunish divine casters, and GM dislikes Psionics.
I dislike Clerics and Druids in Faerun, and I don't really want to play them. Also, lack of magic book and divine focus makes casters little sad  :banghead. I dislike polymorph spells, mainly because they make my character un-pretty  :lol
No flaws and traits, sadly.
« Last Edit: February 15, 2010, 07:09:19 PM by Nemo »

Solo

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2010, 07:18:16 PM »
A Binder2/Warlock5/Mindbender1/Hellfire Warlock3/Uncanny Trickster3/Ruathar3/Warlock3?
« Last Edit: February 15, 2010, 07:21:47 PM by Solo »

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Lycanthromancer

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2010, 07:25:22 PM »
Might I suggest a necropolitan dread necromancer?

Immunity to mind-affecting effects, and minions immune to such, and being less-than-reliant on having neurology, will do very well against critters that stun your nervous system then eat your brains.

Note: pretend you're a pretty, sparkly vampire.
[spoiler]Masculine men like masculine things. Masculine men are masculine. Therefore, liking masculine men is masculine.

I dare anyone to find a hole in that logic.
______________________________________
[/spoiler]I'm a writer. These are my stories. Some are even SFW! (Warning: Mostly Gay.)
My awesome poster collection. (Warning, some are NSFW.)
Agita's awesome poster collection.
[spoiler]
+1 Lycanthromancer
Which book is Lycanthromancer in?
Lyca ... is in the book. Yes he is.
 :D
shit.. concerning psionics optimization, lycan IS the book
[/spoiler]

dark_samuari

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2010, 07:30:19 PM »
What about Human Warlock 4/Binder 1/Ur-Priest 2/Eldritch Disciple 10/Hellfire Warlock 3?

The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2010, 07:40:44 PM »
You could only escape your illithid masters through death.
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Nemo

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2010, 07:52:31 PM »
Quote
A Binder2/Warlock5/Mindbender1/Hellfire Warlock3/Uncanny Trickster3/Ruathar3/Warlock3?
Sounds nice. At ECL8, it would be like Binder 2/Warlock 5/Mindbender1? Mindsight indeed would be pretty useful!

Quote
Might I suggest a necropolitan dread necromancer?

Immunity to mind-affecting effects, and minions immune to such, and being less-than-reliant on having neurology, will do very well against critters that stun your nervous system then eat your brains.

Note: pretend you're a pretty, sparkly vampire.

Its cool, but there is just one problem. We are supposed to be imprisoned for year or something. So how they captured me in first place :D?

Quote
What about Human Warlock 4/Binder 1/Ur-Priest 2/Eldritch Disciple 10/Hellfire Warlock 3?
This is very interesing, and I like fluff of Ur-Priest, so its even better. Should I pump some DMM: Persist, or not?

Thank for your replies, I'm going to read carefully Warlock and Binder handbooks again, and share my thoughts when I'm done. Feel free to drop other builds or hints about playing already posted ones; I'm not exprienced with playstyle of these builds, but I always wanted to try it :). Thank you guys!

Quote
You could only escape your illithid masters through death.
:D yeah, ghost is pretty sexy option, and suiciding just before release would be funny and ironic.
"Spells cast by a manifested ghost affect both ethereal and material targets normally, except for those that rely on touch, which work only on ethereal targets."<--so, can I eldricht snipe things with ranged touch attack, or its a no no? I might try to incorporate ghost into warlockish build, if GM is going to agree (I dont think it works with necropolitan, because if I remember correctly, I were suposed to do some ritual, and there is no place for it in slavehold :( )
EDIT
Oh, darn, being undead makes hellfire unusable, so it might depower me a little. I forgot about it.
« Last Edit: February 15, 2010, 07:58:51 PM by Nemo »

Nunkuruji

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2010, 07:58:24 PM »
No rest calls for Dragon Fire Adepts, Warlocks, Dragon Shaman, Necropolitans, etc.

At ECL 8, you should be able to rope trick away yourself for some reasonable rest, no?

dark_samuari

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2010, 08:01:53 PM »
Quote
What about Human Warlock 4/Binder 1/Ur-Priest 2/Eldritch Disciple 10/Hellfire Warlock 3?
This is very interesing, and I like fluff of Ur-Priest, so its even better. Should I pump some DMM: Persist, or not?

In regards to DMM: Persist I'd say go for it only if you feel you'll reach higher levels (it's a patient wait for that sort of power). But solid feats like Fly-By Attack and Extra Invocation are always open for a build like this. It only requires Spell Focus (Evil), Iron Will and Education (to meet skill requirements).

bearsarebrown

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2010, 08:03:23 PM »
Telekinesis based Ghost. You don't need items, just throw shit around. Enter Master of the Unseen Hand maybe!

Nemo

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #9 on: February 15, 2010, 08:09:42 PM »
Quote
At ECL 8, you should be able to rope trick away yourself for some reasonable rest, no?
To do it, I need to wait for spellbook, which is obviously evil and cruel. I'm not even sure if GM is going to let us choose spells in looted book  :banghead; this is why I was thinking about Shadowcraft kid, who masters one spell and just rapid fire it.

Quote
In regards to DMM: Persist I'd say go for it only if you feel you'll reach higher levels (it's a patient wait for that sort of power). But solid feats like Fly-By Attack and Extra Invocation are always open for a build like this. It only requires Spell Focus (Evil), Iron Will and Education (to meet skill requirements).
I see. Still, I feel a little uneasy on how to make it working right; I avoided diviners until now, mostly playing arcane casters and skill monkeys.

Quote
Telekinesis based Ghost. You don't need items, just throw shit around. Enter Master of the Unseen Hand maybe!
Urge to make little girl who died and now is back for tentacle pulling-out revenge rising. Still, to make sure that I can play that horror kid, it would be nice to take that ghost levels at the end of the build.
« Last Edit: February 15, 2010, 08:14:59 PM by Nemo »

Anklebite

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2010, 08:13:23 PM »
I can't help but reccomend a totemist. a totem rager should do pretty well. you can really play up the "absolutely fucking pissed off" angle really well with that. 
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bearsarebrown

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2010, 08:15:19 PM »
Making a telekenesis based ghost only requires 2 levels. Which could be bought off.
[spoiler]Technically you could take one level, buy it off, take the next... but that's silly[/spoiler]
From there you could create any Cha based character basically. Bard? Warlock? Binder?

I think ghost Binder would be really cool...

deuxhero

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #12 on: February 15, 2010, 08:52:15 PM »
Unarmed Swordsage with Martial Study:Iron Heart Surge

NiteCyper

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #13 on: February 15, 2010, 09:53:22 PM »
Ok, Im probably going to play in new session. Our characters are slaves of Ilithids, who did just free themselves and basically, are naked and unarmed in very, very bad place.
We have no racial or class restrictions (but no retraining!), and GM dont like psions and declared, that he is going to be very bitchy about psi characters. This, and lack of ANY material possesions at start of game makes me very nervous, and Im not sure what should I play. I have no idea how much optimized rest of party will be, but GM wants to be merciless and EVIL  :rollseyes, so yeah. He wants a lot of fights, and very little rest time. And probably wants to make us fight guerrila-warfare style. So no crafting.
Point Buy-32.
So, what should I play? There are basically no restrictions. At the moment, I have only few concepts:
1.) Some Shadowcraft Mage, abusing Shadow Illusion to the max. Duh. Dunno if I can pull it off, at ECL8?
2.) Some Tome of Battle character; IRON HEART SURGING! would be awesome, and they can regain their powers quickly, and killing Illithids just with martial power would be crazy funny.
3.) Some Factotum with crazy Iaijutsu? Still, I'm not sure that GM will say "ok" to Iaijutsu Master class. Sigh.
4.) Some warlockish or binderish class would be good. Because we are going to make a freakin rebellion, I dont think that we will have much time to rest, so their unlimited resources sounds pretty.
Feel free to suggest something better! Just bear in mind: no gold, and I don't like Vow of Poverty. I dislike Faerunish divine casters, and GM dislikes Psionics.
I dislike Clerics and Druids in Faerun, and I don't really want to play them. Also, lack of magic book and divine focus makes casters little sad  :banghead. I dislike polymorph spells, mainly because they make my character un-pretty  :lol
No flaws and traits, sadly.

1. If you're going to face a lot of Illithids, tactics to defend against them's what'll have to be kept in mind. Immunity to stunning and/or a high Will save is necessary to counter their favorite attack, the DC 17 Mind Blast. If you play an INT-based character, the "Keen Intellect" feat lets you base your Will save off of your Intelligence ability score instead of Wisdom. A Factotum's "Cunning Insight (Ex)" class feature allows them to add their INT-mod bonus to a saving throw by spending an inspiration point.

2. re: retraining: What about rebuilding? Rebuilding is more broken than retraining.

3. re: psionics: Why do they hate psionics?

4. "He wants a lot of fights, and very little rest time. And probably wants to make us fight guerrila-warfare style. So no crafting."

If one were to focus on crafting, one would rely on teammates to cover while taking the time to craft anyway, no? As has been mentioned, "Rope Trick" is neat. Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion, Portable Hole, Portable Cave, Plane Shift, Homonculi, etc. In this case, I see what you mean. You probably need equipment for crafting.

5. re: ScM: Why don't you know if you can pull it off, at ECL8?
Wizard 5/Shadowcraft Mage 3. Beguiler 5/Shadowcraft Mage 3.

6. re: Initiator: Looking good.

7. re: Iaijutsu: It's CHA-based and you need a weapon to draw. Is Clarion Commander CHA-based? "We have no racial or class restrictions..." Why must you get the okay to play Iaijutsu Master?
What about Knowledge Devotion?

8. Warlock sounds better than Binder because the Binder needs materials for the rituals, summon(ing)s, or whatever. As well, invokers have access to the beautiful "Blend into Shadows" feat from Drow of the Underdark.

9. Are undead immune to Mind blasts? Mind blast isn't a mind-affecting affect. It's more like a blast from the Mind flayer's mind. Are undead immune to stunning?
To your question of how they captured you in the first place, it seems you can still be stunned.
re: Necropolitan ritual: maybe you were one before you entered? Did you level up from 0 to 8 in the jail-cell too?

As a Dread Necromancer, combine with the Tomb-Tainted Soul feat or some such for infinite healing.

10. re: Ghost template class: Actually a good idea considering you said "we have no racial or class restrictions..." You don't need a backstory for why you're back. If the lack of restriction extends to templates, there's many that are traditionally restricted by fluff prerequisites.

11. "I was thinking about Shadowcraft kid, who masters one spell and just rapid fire it."

You still need fleece. Eschew Materials?

12. schturff

Reference(s):
Monster Manual I > Mind Flayer - TBA when I feel like it.

P.S. This post would have more fire if I wasn't distracted.
« Last Edit: February 15, 2010, 10:21:52 PM by NiteCyper »
Caveat: I edit my posts, ever and anon after.

Widow

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #14 on: February 15, 2010, 11:39:14 PM »
Hmm, this just screams Fiend of Possession.    I am about to venture into an underdark campaign that has a very similar story line and thats what I was going to play.

There are a couple of builds.

Karoti (Fiend Folio) or Abyssal Skulk (Monster manual II) for race: 2 HD, +2LA

2HD/ 2LA/ 1 Bloodline/ 1 Beguiler/ 2 FOP  or 2HD/ 2LA/ 1 Bloodline/ 1 Beguiler/ 1 Fop/ 1 Bloodline

If bloodlines are out: 2HD/ 2LA/ 1 beguiler/ 3 FoP

You want to drop HD go Blading and the Divine Minion template found here:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20050209a

2LA/ 1 Beguiler/ 2X (any high Will save class)/3 FoP

Continue with FoP levels, take at least 1 level of Fiend of Corruption later, and if you can get by the FAQ rules on Practiced Spell caster qualifying for PrC, go with a level of Mindbender.

A full bore build if you have time to go all out

2LA/1 Beguiler/ 1 Telepath/1 Bloodline/ 1 Marshall/ 1 FoP/ 1 Bloodline/  2 FoP/ 2 Uncanny trickster (advancing Bloodline)/ 1 Bloodline/ 1 Mindbender/ 1 Thrallherd/ 1 Fiend of Corruption/ 3 FoP

Or drop Marshall and add 2 HD from above.

That should result in the DM foaming at the mouth without actually being overpowered

dark_samuari

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #15 on: February 16, 2010, 01:23:22 AM »
I'm a little bit iffy on if an Illithid's mind-blast is considered a mind-affecting effect because if it was you could sink two feats into Willing Deformity and Willing Deformity (Madness) for full immunity. This could also add an awesome role-playing element in that you lost your mind being mind-blasted so much and being in such a stressful environment for so long.

I mean, it's a concept that has been done before...

Akalsaris

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #16 on: February 16, 2010, 01:27:28 AM »
I'll point out the obvious, that sorcerers don't need a spellbook if you decide to go for an arcane caster.  Sorcerer 2/Binder 1/Anima Mage 5 (using some early entry trick of your choice) would probably be a fun build.

PhaedrusXY

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #17 on: February 16, 2010, 01:36:14 AM »
I'm a little bit iffy on if an Illithid's mind-blast is considered a mind-affecting effect
It is. It works just like this, more or less. If you go with the psionic versions of illithids in the XPH, it works exactly like that.

I will third? the suggestion for a crusader. Either of the characters I'm using in Bowen's Red Hand of Doom should work well for this. The first one is immune to mind affecting outright at 5th level via the Deformity: Madness feat already mentioned (house ruled to work for a good character... but just make him evil and it works just fine...), and the second is a cleric. They both even started out as slaves in the fluff I'm actually using for them, and slaves to mindflayers would work perfectly.

You could take the Martial Study feat to gain the Diamond Mind counter that lets you use a concentration check instead of a will save for either character (or many others).
« Last Edit: February 16, 2010, 01:42:08 AM by PhaedrusXY »
[spoiler]
A couple of water benders, a dike, a flaming arrow, and a few barrels of blasting jelly?

Sounds like the makings of a gay porn film.
...thanks
[/spoiler]

Lycanthromancer

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #18 on: February 16, 2010, 01:39:08 AM »
He's using mind flayers. Why he won't let you use ILLITHID SLAYER I've no idea.

In fact, you should make an egoist/ranger/illithid slayer.
[spoiler]Masculine men like masculine things. Masculine men are masculine. Therefore, liking masculine men is masculine.

I dare anyone to find a hole in that logic.
______________________________________
[/spoiler]I'm a writer. These are my stories. Some are even SFW! (Warning: Mostly Gay.)
My awesome poster collection. (Warning, some are NSFW.)
Agita's awesome poster collection.
[spoiler]
+1 Lycanthromancer
Which book is Lycanthromancer in?
Lyca ... is in the book. Yes he is.
 :D
shit.. concerning psionics optimization, lycan IS the book
[/spoiler]

NiteCyper

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Re: Help with Underdark: Prison Break campaign character, ECL 8, no gold
« Reply #19 on: February 16, 2010, 02:23:06 AM »
[spoiler]Warning: all the hypertext in the following paragraph lead to the same page.[/spoiler]

Oh, I see now. It's an (Sp). Odd though, it says this ability is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell. It says at the beginning that it is a psionic attack. Is this normal terminology for a psionic attack?

In that case, instead of having to spend two feats (although you could grab those for free with taint or something, right?), you could take solely the "Shape Soulmeld (Planar Ward)" feat from MoI for immunity to mind-affecting effects.

[spoiler]Reference(s):
Monster Manual I > Mind flayer - http://yfrog.com/hqmmi186mindflayerpx
Magic of Incarnum > Shape Soulmeld feat - http://yfrog.com/j3moi40featshapeslmldpx
Magic of Incarnum > Planar Ward soulmeld - http://yfrog.com/50moi83soumeldsplanwardp[/spoiler]
« Last Edit: February 16, 2010, 02:37:15 AM by NiteCyper »
Caveat: I edit my posts, ever and anon after.