Versatile low- & mid-level character build for modules?

chevalier

Hi, guys. I used to play paladins only, but some things change. I still don't really want to play as a proper caster, but would like to move the Galahad-to-Geralt axis a bit to the right.

So the goal would be to come up with a character builder that isn't a late bloomer, peaking out only in late teens and especially isn't gimped in the latter half of single-digit levels. A tough beginning would be okay, but afterwards I'd like to be able to enjoy the present rather than looking forward to the future on levels 6 to 9 and 12 and so on.

Still Good in alignment, so no classes requiring a non-Good alignment. No alignment change, hence generally no Paladin/Bard builds (though actually that is tempting).

Not yet prepared to play full-out Rogue. Leather is okay but prefer STR-based weapons, longer blades. Not really into DEX or archery, so no AA (except for some elf fun), however interesting that would be as a party member/NPC, and no Assassin, no SD. Bard could be cool, but we're looking at a solo build rather than a manager of sidekicks + buff + support (for the same reason no PDK, despite the huge roleplaying value).

Arguably pure paladin is still great for this sort of thing, especially its NWN1 version with unhalved caster level, but again, I'd like something different for once (or twice).

I vaguely recall playing Daggerford with a Rogue-Paladin(-HS?), dual-wielding and handling locks and traps, so perhaps something different now.

Candidates:

1/ Fighter/CoT/WM — because this enables WM at level 7. Well, this isn't really versatile, but it's a WM with its colourful features made early, so what's not to like? Extreme specialization sometimes leads to versatility through sheer high performance as opposed to conventional adaptability/multitasking.

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Can't really think about much else actually.

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2/ Early RDD? — certainly a unique character. Not really my cuppa but might be tempted one day. Especially with Bard(1) for no dangling level 1 spells.

3/ HE Bard(1)/Fighter(x)/AA — the good thing about this is no useless level 1 spells (unless EE actually does require the ability to cast level 1 spells rather than 1 level in bard, as per 'old' NWN1) and no XP penalty. I really dislike those single levels of Wizard, Sorcerer, etc., just to qualify for a prestige class or some other benefit, and pure Elf would require me to go with Wizard, hence no. On the other hand, protagonists don't really get away with being archers. Point Blank is still there, of course, but anyway.

4/ This would certainly be a late bloomer, but can AA and WM actually be combined at any stage, however late, in NWN1? Thinking Longbow + Longsword for the consummate (half-) elven warrior. Will have to check this in a trainer module.

EDIT: Checked this, see below.

5/ Any single character that (as was the point of my gimmicky paladin/HS builds):

• Detects all traps.
• Disarms most of them, perhaps with the help of potions, items or spells. At worst gets an opportunity to prepare for walking into a specific type of trap and ability to survive it at full health + buffed saves for the relevant type of trap.
• Can handle most doors and locks (e.g. Knock spell through UMD if skill doesn't suffice) to avoid missing out on the best loot, let alone getting stuck in the story.
• Fights better, especially with some preparation, and looks and feels closer to a warrior than your average rogue? Or feels like an adventurer, yes, but not too specifically a rogue or ranger.
• Preferably has Evasion if forced to use leather/light armour a lot of the time.
• But preferably capable of deploying in full plate for boss battles that aren't straight from the march. (E.g. leather for the road and basic exploration, as in dealing with traps, sneaking to scout ahead for recon/intel, etc., but full plate for boss battles.)

Obviously, Rogue/Fighter/HS is a distinct possibility here, or Ranger/X/HS, for some Harper roleplaying value. I suppose this is a start for some trainer fun. Perhaps based on Bard or Paladin if taking HS only late as an epic character (Great CHA) — something to consider when importing a high-level paladin into a high-level module that encourages subtler skills, though the powergaming value would be debatable. (Rogue (1 or 2)/Paladin(x) choosing to fall back on some of the inglorious skills of his early career would be roleplaying-plausible. Low-level and mid-level playability would be preserved by simplying being essentially pure-class at that point.)

Anything else worth considering for this purpose and with these assumptions?

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Re: Arcane Archer + Weapon Master

This is doable but when starting from Bard and adding on Arcane Archer you will need 10 levels of Bard (not because of the 3 classes limit but because of not being able to exceed level 10 in AA until you're epic) and will be foregoing any feats not required by the prestige classes until way after level 20. Hence you're probably better off skipping this combination. I'll try Bard to WM to AA.

On the other hand, I'm very happy with Bard(1)/Fighter(x)/AA(max), as you get to optimize and customize your character beyond bare class requirements. Obviously, though, Fighter/WM with some added archery feats would probably be more effective at the same job if you really wanted a longsword + longbow type of character. (Perhaps Ranger for free dual wielding and some useful skills).

With a limit of 4 or 5 classes we could probably do something like a more optimized Bard/Fighter/Ranger/AA/WM, not that it would make that much sense.

Re: RDD

Nope, not today. Not any time soon.

This leaves me with various AA and WM builds, or trying to make the most sense of any 3 of Fighter/Ranger/Rogue/HS.

Ranan

Figher/Rogue/Barbarian builds can be a lot of fun, Ranger/Rogue builds are pretty good too. It really depends on the type of character you're interested in playing. One of my personal favorites is Wizard/Fighter and pickup still spell to play as a spellsword/Eldrich Knight

chevalier

Thanks. Yes, I would love to play around with feats and skills, but somehow I feel a cognitive block. It feels like I'm twice older than back in 2006 and a bit overwhelmed. Perhaps I need an adjustment period.

I ended up making my usual 14 INT paladin, ended up storing away skill points by level 7 because other than Discipline, Lore and Persuasion (none of which has been particularly useful) I just had no idea what to dump the points in. Obviously not Ride for pre-1.69 modules. Might as well end up multiclassing this character just for some skills.

Next time I make a paladin I'll consider:

1) 12 INT, for precisely this reason
2) ditching Wis to go CoT and pick up some serious physical stats

Meh, will just see.

So far there's always Taunt, which is far from useless, and Concentration — it's not like I never cast in combat.

Edit: I've been playing Alazander's modules for a while (great stuff!) and gaining a whole new appreciation for fighter builds when watching one operate alongside my paladin. Granted, the henchie is one level higher than my paladin and is a troll with 22 STR and 20 CON, but things that can be done with a two-handed weapon and high STR bonus… for starters you use PA by default.

So let's say you're a reasonably high-level fighter, you can use PA by default and multiply it by the critical multiplier, with Improved Crits. Of course you have WF and also WS in your 2H weapon of choice. WS is another +2 to multiply. Let's say you start with 14 INT — you can add Expertise to the repertoire for those fights where you need high AC — you're still going to do nice damage without PA. You'll still be hitting folks while becoming almost unkillable, especially by 3/4 BAB types. Perhaps your saves aren't great, but you can probably spare some feats, you kill baddies in a much faster way, as you do enough damage to casters to get through their DR and interrupt them or just go KD/IKD on them, you also get Improved Crits + Great Cleave + perhaps PA for mobs. So it's not like you need high saves the same way a sword-and-board paladin does. You can switch over to CoT anyway.

I'm more and more tempted to finally try out one of those builds (never got around to back in original NWN1), though I'll first finish Crimson Tides & Tyrants with a vanilla pally.