Character Creation Thread

[atawa]

Can someone please mail me the players handbook?

I'm having a bit of trouble creating my character, from one of the internet sites I created a half-orc with str 20/dex18. I'm sure this was not how this game was intended.............

[The Mad Monk]

Okay -- I've only played 1st edition, and I've rarely played outside Lawful Good, so this will be a bit of a stretch for me. I'm still working on a background and equipment, but basically she's the black sheep of a rather powerful family of wizards. She'll be a fine wizard one day -- if she ever completes her studies.

“Morganna”
Human Female Rogue (future psychotic mage chick )
Chaotic Neutral
17 years 8 months
5 foot 6 inches 120lbs
Level 1

Str: 14 +2 melee, +2 damage
Dex: 14 +2 missile, +2 AC, +4 reflex save
Con: 14 8 hp, +8 per level, +2 fort save
Int: 16 48 skill points, +12 per level
Wis: 8 –1 will save
Cha: 12

Skill Ranks Cost
Bluff............................4 4
Decipher Script ............4 4
Disable Device..............4 4
Disguise.......................1 1
Escape Artist................4 4
Hide..............................2 2
Innuendo.....................1 1
Knowledge (Arcana)......1 2
Open Lock....................4 4
Pick Pocket...................1 1
Read Lips......................4 4
Search..........................4 4
Sense Motive.................4 4
Spellcraft.......................1 2
Spot..............................1 1
Tumble..........................1 1
Use Magic Device...........4 4
Use Rope......................1 1

Total Cost 48

Feats:
Combat Reflexes
Dodge

Languages: Common, Native, Elven, Abyssal.

Carry Capacity: 58/116/175

Equipment:

Well-made traveler’s outfit
Well-worn bronzewood quarterstaff (1d6)
2 silver daggers (1d4)
Leather armor
Thieves Tools, Master Work
Backpack
Signet ring (on cord around neck)
Old, thick book: “Cantrips for Beginners”
bedroll
flint & steel
2 belt pouches
2 sacks
waterskin
map case
1 oz ink in vial
2 inkpens
10 parchment sheets
3 days' trail rations
silk rope, 50'
hooded lantern
3 oil flasks
28 gp, 7 sp.

Weight: 57.5

Speed: 30ft
Armour: 14

Distinguishing features: Moderately good looking. Dusky complexion, dark brown shoulder-length hair, dark brown eyes. “Aristocratic” bearing, rarely happy, never cheerful – though she can easily fake it if necessary.

Nicknames: “My name is Morganna.”

Quotes: "What did you say to me?"

Background: Born into a powerful, aristocratic mage clan, Morganna was always...different. Though having both an interest and a talent for magic, she never paid attention to her studies, always running away from her tutors and guards to roam the streets among the commoners. This was tolerated for a while, but by her teens she had gotten in trouble with the autorities and was becoming an embarrassment to the family. Threats and punishments, even beatings, didn't have lasting effect, so they took to locking her away -- but to no avail, as she escaped time and again.

They always brought her back, though, time and again, even though it was clear they had given up on her -- her father saw her as a disobedient, ungrateful wretch, her mother -- well her mother was far too involved in her own studies, and the studies of her more successful children, to care one way or the other. The magic training had stopped, though she continued on her own, in her own way.

This last time, she had managed to take some money with her -- enough to bribe a wizard in town to teleport her someplace far, far away, and still have enough left to live on, for a while.

Thus, she came to Waterdeep.

Of her old life, she bears nothing but a family signet ring, and an old but very solid quarterstaff bearing some faded runes, which she took from a dusty corner in the family armory.

Does her family know where she's gone? Do they care? Probably not. That's all right, because she can survive on her own, thrive on her own, and become a great wizard on her own.

Then she'll show them...she'll show them all.

assorted edits: I'll be making additions and adjustments, until someone says we're about to begin.

[Lonestar]

Morden Calhoun
Half-elf Ranger
Chaotic Good
5'10" 180lbs
22.3 months

str: 14 +3 melee +2 damage
Dex: 15 +3 missile, +2 AC, +2 Reflex save
Con: 11 hp (+8/level), +3 Fort save
Int: 13 20 skill points (+5/level)
Wis: 13 +1 Will save
Chr: 11


Feats:
Track
Wild Empathy
Favored Enemy: Undead
point blank shot

Skills:

move silently 6
listen 4
knowledge(geography) 3
Knowledge(nature) 3
Hide: 4

Starting package:
Studded leather (+3 AC,armor check penelty -1)
Longsword (1d8, crit 19-20/x2)
Longbow(1d8 critx3 range)
Backpack, waterskin, 1 day's rations, bedroll, sack, flint and steel, 2 torches, quiver w/quiver 20 arrows
18gp

AC +5

Deity: Thor!
Grey eyes.

[Ellestar]

Note that Power Attack is a bad choice (unless you need it as a prerequsite to other feats) because it's ineffective in most cases in 3ed (it's effective if you can hit a target AC on a 2+ roll on d20).

http://archivedboards.wizards.com/community-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=print_topic;f=271;t=003399

[The Mad Monk]

From skimming the thread you posted, it's probably most effective at lower levels, when the weapons damage range and your damage bonuses are still quite low.

BTW does your base attack bonus include strength bonus? If not, I should probably pick another feat because it's worthless to her at first level.

[Ellestar]

BTW does your base attack bonus include strength bonus?
No, it's in table Table 3–1: Base Save and Base Attack Bonuses (PHB). It depens only on class(es).

From skimming the thread you posted, it's probably most effective at lower levels, when the weapons damage range and your damage bonuses are still quite low.

Yes, maybe you'll get something, but you'll get more from Weapon Focus even w/o Sneak Attack. Then you are using Sneak Attack, Power Attack is completely worthless. As a rogue you don't have Barb's strength or Fighter's number of feats or their Base Attack Bonus, so wasting a feat that can't help you is a bad idea. I'm suggesting to look at Expert Tactitian (latest version is in Song&Silence) - extra Sneak Attack is always good. Prereqs: Dex 13+, base attack bonus +2, Combat Reflexes - so you can take it at 3rd lvl if you'll take Combat Reflexes now.

Also, for what you need Expertise? Disarming with daggers is a bad idea. Trip - bad strength. Expertise to get AC - same issue as with Power Attack.

Again, it's better to get more attacks/round - Ambidexterity+TWF gives 1 additional attack. -2 to attack, but instead of +2 to damage you'll get all your damage from additional attack.

So IMHO it's better to 'spend' 2 feats to get a good result instead of spending 1 feat to get a worthless result.

Or look here for more ideas.

http://www.daggerford.com/daggerford/feats.htm

[Kramerman]

power attack is good for me only when i want to get cleave, which can be very helpful

[Sandman]

I was having second thoughts about power attack for my barbarian. Should I pick another feat instead? I'm currently looking at iron will, dodge, improved initative, and combat reflexes.

[Kramerman]

well, cleave could be really helpful for a barbarian (and most fighter types), so if you are looking at that feat, you will have to take power attack as a prerequisite. This is what i suualy do, because as a fighter charcater, i find that cleave is very useful.

but as a barabarian, those other feats could be useful to.

[Hot Mustard]

Originally posted by Sandman
I was having second thoughts about power attack for my barbarian. Should I pick another feat instead? I'm currently looking at iron will, dodge, improved initative, and combat reflexes.

Barbarians get Uncanny Dodge class-abilities as they go up in levels - no need for the Dodge feat. The rest are worth considering. Think carefully about how you want to fight to help you choose feats. Are you going to run up to your enemies and then stand in one spot? Do you want to evade and weave? Do you want to take your enemies down quickly (because your own AC is low-ish), or are you confident enough to go toe-to-toe with foes for a few rounds(high AC)?

[The Mad Monk]

Originally posted by Ellestar
BTW does your base attack bonus include strength bonus?
No, it's in table Table 3–1: Base Save and Base Attack Bonuses (PHB). It depens only on class(es).

From skimming the thread you posted, it's probably most effective at lower levels, when the weapons damage range and your damage bonuses are still quite low.

Yes, maybe you'll get something, but you'll get more from Weapon Focus even w/o Sneak Attack. Then you are using Sneak Attack, Power Attack is completely worthless. As a rogue you don't have Barb's strength or Fighter's number of feats or their Base Attack Bonus, so wasting a feat that can't help you is a bad idea. I'm suggesting to look at Expert Tactitian (latest version is in Song&Silence) - extra Sneak Attack is always good. Prereqs: Dex 13+, base attack bonus +2, Combat Reflexes - so you can take it at 3rd lvl if you'll take Combat Reflexes now.

Also, for what you need Expertise? Disarming with daggers is a bad idea. Trip - bad strength. Expertise to get AC - same issue as with Power Attack.

Again, it's better to get more attacks/round - Ambidexterity+TWF gives 1 additional attack. -2 to attack, but instead of +2 to damage you'll get all your damage from additional attack.

So IMHO it's better to 'spend' 2 feats to get a good result instead of spending 1 feat to get a worthless result.

Or look here for more ideas.
http://www.daggerford.com/daggerford/feats.htm

The planned development for this character is going to involve one or two ranks of rogue, one or two ranks of fighter, and then wizard from there on out (three ranks total, the trade off being whether I take the extra feat, or evasion and the extra skills -- I'm leaning toward the latter). Her main weapon is to be the quarterstaff -- as long as it's viable, and probably after that. The daggers are there for chucking, and in case a shadow looks at her funny.

I'm hoping for role playing, I get more than enough power gaming from Diablo II.

[Kramerman]

definately that charcter might be kinda underpowered compared to some other ubertweaked ones on here, but she will definately be awesome to role play. have fun

[Jon Miller]

since I am back, I bet I need to finish with my character

Jon Miller

[The Mad Monk]

I'm not too worried -- so far, I have the only character who can pick a lock or disable a trap.

Since power strike is non-funtional to me until 2nd level anyway, I should probably put something else in it's place. I was thinking about improved trip -- but maybe she's not "suited" for it? What do you think?

She will have power strike and cleave later.

[Jon Miller]

Character

My character will be a Rogue\Wizard(illusionist)\Gnome Artificer (the gnome artificer is a prestige class open only to gnomes and humans from Lantan)

'Tarna' (after my brother's girlfriend who I think has a cool name)
Human Female Rogue
Neutral Good
19 years 2 months
5 foot even, 95 pounds
Level 1

Str 10
Dex 14, +2 missile, +2 AC, +4 Reflex Save
Con 14, 8 hp, +8 per level, +2 Fort Save
Int 18, 52 Skill Points, +13 per Level
Wis 10, 0 Will Save
Cha 8, -1 Modifier

Skill Ranks Cost
Alchemy 4 4
Craft (Weaponmaking) 8 4
Craft (Armorsmithing) 4 4
Craft (Metalworking) 4 4
Disable Device 4 4
Profession (Apocrathy) 4 4
Apraise 6 4
Use Magic Device 4 4
Decipher Script 4 4
Forgery 4 4
Search 4 4
Swim 4 4
Read Lips 2 2
Knowledge (Engineering)1 2

(I will be getting the knowledge skills architecture and engineering in my future wizard levels)

Feats:
Skill Focus: Weaponsmithing +2 to craft weaponsmithing
Mercantile Background +2 to appraise and craft weaponsmithing

Equipment: (200 GP)

Dagger, punching (2 of them) cost 4 GP 4 lb
Crossbow, Heavy cost 50 GP 9 lb
Bolts, crossbow (10) (x6) cost 6 GP 6 lb
Artisan's Outfit cost 1 GP 4 lb
Explorer's Outfit cost 10 GP 8 lb
Spellbook, wizards (blank) cost 15 GP 3 lb
Artisan's Tools, Masterwork cost 55 GP 5 lb
Book on Artificers (Lantan) cost? probably 3 lb
Backpack cost 2 GP 2lb
Bedroll cost 1 SP 1 lb
Blanket, winter cost 5 SP 3 lb
Donkey cost 8 GP
Saddle, Pack cost 5 GP 15 lb
Ink cost 8 GP
Inkpen cost 1 SP
Flint and Steel cost 1 GP
Paper (10 sheets) cost 4 GP
Lamp, common cost 1 SP 1 lb
Tent cost 10 GP 20 lb
Sack (2) cost 2 SP 1 lb
Rope, hemp cost 1 GP 10 lb

left 19 GP and 1 SP (an additional 10 GP if I get an outfit for free)

Armor is 12, speed is 30 ft/s

Worships Gond.

Speaks Lantanese among other languages (alphabet is Draconic).

Has large Green Eyes, Copper Hair, and Parchment-colored Skin.

Tarna was always a tinkerer with different gadjets and intended to follow her father's footsteps in becoming an artificer all her life. Well read and studied, she developed a strange wish to see what the other artificers of the world (the gnomes) were doing, right in the midst of her studies. She left on a merchant ship from Lantan and made her way to that cernter of learning, Waterdeep.

She intends to Study Illusion for a time (1 or 2 levels) and than follow the path of the Artificer.

Jon Miller
(question, do I get my feat before I pick what I am leveling in?? can I get Lightning Reflexs for Level 3 and so be able to Level in Artificer??)