Possible PC

[w00f135]

I have left bits and pieces blank as I arent quite sure what to do, without my books on me I can't remember off the top of my head.

Player Email: [e-mail]
Name: Gumile Nibor
Race: Human
Faction: Free League (Indeps)
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Class and Level: Ranger lvl 1
Home Plane: Outlands
Sex: Male
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Scaggly Brown
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 176 pounds (80 kg)
Age: 27

Stats
Strength: 15
Dexterity: 16
Constitution: 18
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 11
Charisma:12

Max HP: d8
Injuries: <hit points lost from individual wounds>
Reputation: <how recognizable your character is>
Honor: <popular opinion of your character's ethics>

AC: <number required to hit you>
DC: <damage conversion to nonlethal>
DR: <damage subtracted from combat injuries>
Speed: 30ft
Initiative:
Base Attack Bonus:

Fortitude Save:
Reflex Save:
Will Save:

Class Skills <maximum of character level +3>
<skill points from any class can be applied here 1:1>

Cross-Class Skills <maximum of character level +3 divided by two, rounded down>
<two skill points spent here buy one rank>

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies
Simple Weapons
Axes
Bows
Light Blades
Light Armor
Shields

Feats

Special Abilities
Favored Class:

Equipment - 200 GP
Bag
- Dagger
- Bread
Total weight carried:

Clothing

------------------

Hit Die: d8
Skill Points: 6+Int modifier.
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple Weapons, three Weapon Groups.
Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor, Shields (except tower shields).
Combat Skill: High
High-Priority Saves: Fortitude, Reflex
Low-Priority Saves: Will

[Stix]

Heh -- you'll actually be the second CG Indep Ranger, but I'd wager the characters will be different enough in play that no one will confuse the two of you.

We use the Gestalt Class rules from Unearthed Arcana -- basically, for your first level, pick two classes and fuse them into one. If you plan to keep your stats as they are, I'd recommend a martial class like Fighter, Paladin, or Barbarian. With a little number-shuffling, though, all sorts of options are open.

[w00f135]

I will go for an Orc barbarian / fighter if you approve, but it was on the restricted races list...
I will have to go searching for these unearthed arcana rules, I haven't really been much beyond dnd 3 rulebooks, as that was the last time I was playing around... I think I have them sitting around somewhere as pdf's along with the psionics handbook and the like.... Ill do some reading

[Stix]

www.d20srd.org

That's where I get pretty much all of my 3.5 info.

An orc would be just fine. Could I possibly tempt you into making one of his classes Paladin, Priest, or Cleric, in service to one or all of the orcish gods? (Consider this a DM bribe worth 500 XP; I'm kinda crooked like that. )

[w00f135]

Just going through what is available, I might become an Orcish barbarian of the Serpent Totem, dedicated or a paladin of slaughter. Is there any way I can utilised the favoured class to create a combination of the two? It would be interesting to have a somewhat barbaric paladin, or a tribal orc barbarian priest?? I am going through the rules now...

[Stix]

The idea of barbarian totems is one I've been toying around with -- I'd like to make up a few that are more appropriate to the planes. I also don't require that barbarians be nonlawful (which is good if you want to combine it with a priestly class; see below).

The Orcish gods are as follows:

Gruumsh (Greater God of War, Conquest, Territory) - LE
Bahgtru (Intermediate God of Strength, Combat) - LE
Ilneval (Intermediate God of Warfare) - LE
Luthic (Lesser Goddess of Fertility, Medicine, Servitude) - LE
Shargaas (Intermediate God of Darkness, Thievery, Assassination) - NE
Yurtrus (Intermediate God of Death, Disease) - NE

If you'd like to roll out a paladin, your alignment options would be limited to LE (for Gruumsh, Bahgtru, Ilneval, or Luthic) or NE (for Shargaas or Yurtrus). Priests are mostly the same, though Shargaas and Yurtrus will accept priests of any evil alignment. A cleric (which is to say, a priest of the whole pantheon instead of one god) is probably best-served by being LE, but NE or CE could work if the character were to worship only Shargaas and Yurtrus (it'd be an interesting way to build up to the Assassin PrC down the line, if that intrigues you at all).

Since orcs' favored class is barbarian, any combination with it still counts. For example, if you wanted to be a barbarian-cleric, you could multiclass with a few levels of fighter without penalty. Likewise, if you were a necromancer-priest, you could freely add on some levels of barbarian later with no worries.

[w00f135]

I am thinking a NE necromancer-priest, dedicated to the gods Shargaas and Yurtrus, adding on barbarian later on (although I think for my first personal feat choice I might try to wing a barbaric one as they just seem more coherant with an orcish character as opposed to the priest ones... then again depends on my use of the undead etc)... I just liked the imagery involved with a totemic barbarian but hey... an orcish cleric is prettymuch a tribal shaman anyway...

I think a druidic avenger would be interesting to play as well? Especially if I further customized the orc by making him a Jungle or Desert subtype... but that bargains on just how much you want him ...specialized

New scores used: 20/16/15, 28 points divided between remaining 3 stat
Keeping in mind:
Orc Traits (Ex)

Orcs possess the following racial traits.

* +4 Strength, -2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma.
* An orc’s base land speed is 30 feet.
* Darkvision out to 60 feet.
* Light Sensitivity: Orcs are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
* Automatic Languages: Common, Orc. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, Undercommon.
* Favored Class: Barbarian.


New sheet:
Player Email: [e-mail]
Name: Nibur Zilug
Race: Orc
Faction: Free League (Indeps) <-checking on this, I'll have a look for orc factions
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Class and Level: Cleric lvl 1
Home Plane: Outlands
Sex: Male
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Dreadlocked, Black
Height: 7'0"
Weight: 246 pounds (110 kg)
Age: 32

Stats
Strength: 20 (24) +7 modifier
Dexterity: 10 +0 modifier
Constitution: 15 +2 modifier
Intelligence: 16 (14) +2 modifier
Wisdom: 9 (7) -2 modifier
Charisma: 9 (7) -2 modifier

Max HP: d8+4
Injuries: <hit points lost from individual wounds>
Reputation: <how recognizable your character is>
Honor: <popular opinion of your character's ethics>

AC: <number required to hit you>
DC: <damage conversion to nonlethal>
DR: <damage subtracted from combat injuries>
Speed: 30ft
Initiative:
Base Attack Bonus:

Fortitude Save: +2 [after applying class modifiers] [+4]
Reflex Save: +0 [0]
Will Save: -2 [0]

Class Skills
<Skill Points at 1st Level (2 + Int modifier) ×4. = 16>
<maximum of character level +3>
<skill points from any class can be applied here 1:1>
Concentration [(Con +2)]
Craft- Trap Making [(Int +2) +4] = +6
Diplomacy (Cha)
Heal [(Wis -2) +4] = +2
Knowledge (arcana) (Int +2)
Knowledge (history) (Int +2)
Knowledge (religion) (Int +2)
Knowledge (the planes) (Int +2)
Profession (Wis -2)
Spellcraft [(Int +2) +4] = 6


Cross-Class Skills <maximum of character level +3 divided by two, rounded down>
<two skill points spent here buy one rank>
Disable device [spend remaining 4] = 2

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies
Simple Weapons
Light Armor
Medium Armour
Heavy Armour
Shields (excluding tower)

Feats

Special Abilities

Spell casting: 3/1+1/

Rebuke/Command Undead- Modifier -2, 1 time per day, 60ft. RE: www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#turnOrRebukeUndead

Orcs are <i>dazzled</i> in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.

Darkvision out to 60 feet

Favored Class: Barbarian

Equipment - 200 GP
Club
- Dagger
- Bread
Total weight carried:

Clothing
Thick brown, dirty damaged robe, with an equally dirty grey open neck shirt underneath with dark green trousers.
Languages: Common, Orc
------------------

What do you think?

[Stix]

Here's some info from On Hallowed Ground (the PS sourcebook on the gods):

Shargaas, "The Night Lord"
Symbol: Red crescent moon with skull
Home: Gehenna / Krangath / the Night Below

While the orcish god Yurtrus is antilife, Shargaas simply hates life. He even rails against his own existence, and strikes out at those who make it any more unbearable (often after careful, considered scheming). 'Course, almost everyone fits that description.
Shargaas tries to remain aloof from the eternal battle between the orcs and the goblins, but it's nigh impossible to ignore the demands of Gruumsh. At the greater power's command, the Night Lord sends forth squadrons of assassins to remove the generals of the goblin army, and then withdraws so far into his realm that not even Gruumsh can contact him for a year and a day.
It's hard to find anything in the realm, really. The Night Below is a place of near-absolute blackness. Shargaas' petitioners can see just fine, but any berk who doesn't belong finds himself stumbling through the dark, attracting orcs like flies draw spiders.

Yurtrus, "White-Hands"
Symbol: White hand on black field
Home: Gray Waste / Oinos / Fleshslough

Yurtrus frightens even Gruumsh, for the intermediate power is nothing more than the denial of life and existence. Sure, Gruumsh could probably kill White-Hands if he so desired, but chant is he's afraid to get that close. Yurtrus has no mouth and never speaks, and sends plagues and disease as he will, capriciously. Orcs worship him only because they fear to anger him.
Almost nothing is known of Yurtrus or his realm, which is commonly called Fleshslough. That's because anyone who enters the realm never leaves, not even avatars sent by other powers. The entrance to the place is two great black-iron doors set into a forbidding hillside in Oinos; the stench of death wafts out every time the doors swing open.


I tend to make priestly classes a bit more fluid, like they were in 2nd ed AD&D. Priesthoods vary based on their gods -- some get weapon and armor abilities, some get bonus skill points, others might have increased spellcasting ability or new granted powers, et cetera. If you're sold on the idea, I'll get to working out the details immediately.

If you go with a divine casting class, though, that Wisdom score will need to increase (you'll need a minimum 11 to cast 1st-level spells, and one point beyond that for each additional spell level).

I'll fix up the racial description for orcs, too -- they're going to be a little better-balanced as a race to suit them up for play. Under the SRD's Variant Rules (in the Races category, I believe) is a system for Racial Paragon Classes; you might want to take a look at the Orc entry and consider it for multiclassing down the line.

Faction-wise: I think this character might be lacking something as an Indep (unless he's really, really into their cause). Orcs tend to be too emotional to make good Dustmen, but he could be an interesting (and very dangerous!) Doomguard or Fated. The Harmonium/Mercykillers/Fraternity of Order would be ruled out by virtue of his alignment, but the Believers of the Source, the Bleak Cabal, and the Society of Sensation could be sweet combinations. Also, depending on how much you want to play up the covert-assassination-secrecy thing, the Revolutionary League could be very cool, but it'd probably require reworking his stats to allow for a substantially higher Charisma.

[Stix]

Here's the updated info on orcs.

[w00f135]

I am thinking Doomguard, following Shargaas. Not too keen on the assassin side just yet though, hence Doomguard sort of romper-stomp play which would suit the orc with maxed out strength. I read the orc traits you linked (good bye +7 modifier to strength ) and I think they are reasonable, but he would have to have 20 (as I am picturing him to be an overtly strong/larger orc, I mean the bigger the more respected in their community). If you want to rework him then go ahead, my preference for stats would have to be: str, wis and con. Just to make him an all out fighter... (in saying that i also mean he should be a priest, but powerful in melee as an orc stereotypically should be) also if I get my feat it should be power attack

If you want to do it so it is everything you require then go for it, or I can rework it again, up to you but I'm eager to jump into the game !

[Stix]

As a Priest of Shargaas, the assassin thing is pretty much inevitable -- most of the priesthood's abilities involve thieving skills, sneak attacks, and darkness. If you're still planning to stick with Necromancer-Priest, maybe Yurtrus would be in order.

I should also warn you: if he's a Doomguard, he'll be lacking in any spells allowing him to heal or create anything.

[w00f135]

Hmmm... I was hoping probabally not directly healing spells but more like necromancy [e.g. the mage spell minor drain as opposed to outright healing] a disease priest would be an interesting twist indeed, but what kind of order would he fit into? If we can find a cohesive societal 'order' which he gels with then no problem, I'm happy with that.

[Stix]

I'm not sure I understand... can you give me an example?

[w00f135]

Somewhat, is there a greater philosophy within the city which is based around plagues and disease? I am sort of running along with an idea from warhammer fantasy table top army: skaven, where they had a whole sect of their society completely obsessed with spreading and infecting diseases, just for the sake of doing so. I think some absolutely 'snake bite' personality of a sect with no regard other than the spreading of Yurtrus' pestilence would be an interesting twist... of course he would probabally also be absolutely unable to be included with the preexisting PC classes, as he would want to infect them...

Just an idea, obviously a group like this wouldnt be indeps, for example. Maybe just an all around 'evil' city order?

Does that make it any clearer? it is still only brainstorming regardless

[Stix]

The factions more tend to divide along the lines of law and chaos. While there isn't anything quite like that so far, you could make it a character goal to create something like it. Here are a few thoughts as to how it might fit in with faction philosophies:

Believers of the Source: You may not know the path to divinity, but you can slow others' progress by afflicting them with wasting diseases.

Doomguard: The multiverse is dying; the only thing worth doing is to be part of the final blow that kills it.

Fated: Only the strong prosper, and you will weed out the weak with plagues and pestilence.

Does that help?

[w00f135]

Yeah that helps, I would think out of those my character would be suited to work with the doom guard 'while it suits him' - ala maybe initially he wants to be there killing it off, but later wants to create his own [idealism as you suggested] and either way doom guard would be a good selling point, I am thinking with the chaotic side / evil, he doesnt even SEE his plagues as being weed killers [ala fated] but infact blessings of corruption which he must spread before time runs out!

It could be very interesting?

[Stix]

So Chaotic Evil with a slightly-insane twist. I like it.

I'd like to point out that the factions aren't really just organizations; they're equal parts philosophy, political party, and religion in terms of how their members treat them. On the Outer Planes, belief creates reality, and faction members believe their philosophy so ardently that they actually gain special abilities from them. The Doomguard, for instance, due to their belief in destruction and fatalism, can pick up a piece of something that was destroyed and get an idea of how it happened. Their zeal gives them bonuses with swords, too.

If you don't want to be a member of a faction, that's fine; likewise, if the character is only paying lip service to the faction philosophy, that's fine (but he'll lose out on the membership benefits). Maybe he'd be better-served founding a temple and doing most of his recruiting within the faction -- that way, he can keep his membership and maybe even have an easy way to find followers.

So, Necromancer-Priest for sure? Not second-guessing the choice, just making sure.

[w00f135]

Yeah that would do me well I believe, we will say Orchish Necro-Priest, possibly out to found his own temple [of course, it depends on who and what he runs into ingame].

Will that be alright?

[Stix]

That should do fine. It might be tough to figure out ability scores (particularly if you still want the really high Strength)... here's a thought in that regard:

Str 16
Dex 10
Con 16
Int 16
Wis 16
Cha 11

This way, he still gets a good mod to both Str and Con, and his Int/Wis are in a good place for earning bonus spells, skill points, Will saves, and all that good stuff.

Your thoughts?

[Stix]

Incidentally, here's the class information for the priesthood of Yurtrus.


Casts spells related to:
Gray Waste, Evil, Negative Energy/Death, Decay, Destruction, Disease, Drought/Famine, Undead

d8 Hit Die
Simple Weapons, Maces (you'll also get Light Blades or Heavy Blades as a Doomguard bonus)
Light, Medium Armor, Shields (armor must be made from hides or skins, preferably from sentient beings)
BAB: Medium (as Cleric)
High Saves: Fortitude, Will
2+Int Mod skill points per level

Rebuke/Command Undead (as evil Cleric)
All Priesthood spells enhanced as though caster has Silent Spell feat (no adjustment for level)
Death Touch (touch attack, d6 per class level, if roll exceeds target's HP, it dies, no save)
Smite (+ Charisma bonus to attack, + Class Level bonus to damage)

Class Skills:
Concentration, Craft, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Factions), Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Medicine), Knowledge (The Planes), Knowledge (Religion and Philosophy), Literacy, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Control, Heal, Profession