Exploratory Thread: Mercenaries (3.5e)

[Carrikature]

That's up to Carrik.

As for the boar totem barbarian, I think you'd be worse off going that route, you lose a lot of abilities just to gain a small extension to rage and 1 extra damage reduction. Diehard isn't a bad feat, but it's much less useful if it will only last during a rage (which you can only use 3 times a day).

The +1 bonus is fine. Don't use bear totem.

Barbarian is better I think, fighter is good for getting a couple of extra feats. Having said that, I think ranger 6/fighter 6/ Barbarian 8 is a very good balance. Either that or go full barbarian 20 for the mighty rage and tireless rage (and the option of moving straight on to an epic barbarian if we level up) or ranger 6 barbarian 14 to get indomitable will.

You've both done a ton of work, but a straight barbarian (or anything) might not be a bad idea for a first time character. That's up to Pinoy, of course. There's nothing wrong with multiclassing.

[Pinoy]

Maybe a straight fighter

[Ben Zwycky]

Yep, a straight barbarian would be simpler for you to manage (a straight fighter simplest of all). You don't need to be able to use the wand, since you're buying it for the party (and can easily lend it to someone else or ask them to carry it for you)

[Pinoy]

Ok straight fighter but have to put a fortification to my shield. Can i havemultiple iron will feat.

[Ben Zwycky]

Having a feat multiple times doesn't help you unless the feat description specifically says so.

You could add an insight bonus to saves on one item, a luck bonus on saves to another and a sacred bonus to saves on a third, these different types stack with each other. I have a +5 resistance bonus to saves on my cloak, +2 sacred on my necklace, +2 insight on my helmet and +1 luck on my gloves, all of which are separate types of bonuses so stack with each other, giving an overall +10 to saves.

[Pinoy]

My last character, barbarian 2/ fighter 16/ shadowdancer 2.

[Carrikature]

Pinoy, before we start over with a new set of classes, it might be better to decide what role you want to have in the party. You've been making melee type characters (which is perfectly fine), but do you have a particular fighting style that you'd like to do? It's easier to tailor items/feats/etc when you have a goal in mind. It also helps eliminate some of the back and forth because you have something specific to optimize towards.

There's nothing wrong with the ranger/fighter/barbarian you've been making, either, unless you just don't like its result.

[Ben Zwycky]

The thing I'm doing with my character to counteract sneak attacks is to have an eversmoking bottle and the blind-fight feat to help him cope with being unable to see. (My character is ideally suited to this combination, because as a half-dragon he also has 60' blindsense, something no spell or magic item can give you.) Rogues can't sneak attack you when they can't see you clearly (when you have concealment), so that would negate that possibility. I'm just telling you this so you might consider taking blind-fight as well, it'll help you deal with invisible enemies or fight better whenever I decide to use my eversmoking bottle.

[Pinoy]

My goal is to be a melee type who uses the two sunblades when fighting.That is why i wanted fighter so that i can have the grater weapon focus and critical

In addition, if we will fight a construct i have a adamantine moningstar bane construct. I wanted it to have greater weapon focus and critical.

[Pinoy]

My aim also is to have the epic perfect two weapon fighting in the far future. I want to dispatch all i face as soon as possible.

[Ben Zwycky]

There are only three feats that you can't get unless you have a certain number of fighter levels: Weapon specialization (fighter level 4), Greater Weapon Focus (fighter level 8), and Greater Weapon Specialisation (fighter level 12). You don't need to be a fighter at all to have improved critical.

Whatever class you choose, you'd be on the right track for perfect two-weapon fighting once you reach level 24 (assuming you get that far), since you're only one short of the dexterity requirement, or you could get it at level 22 if you go for pure fighter then epic fighter and improve your gloves of dex to +8 or higher.

[Carrikature]

Ben can you join us in Shoutbox, please. :)

[Pinoy]

Final answer 12 barb / 8 fighter. Class locked

[Pinoy]

Here is my final Level 20 character sheet.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ldw0ds554yaiz72/Farris.xls

[Ben Zwycky]

Have you included the animated ability (an extra +2 bonus) on the shield? Otherwise you can't use it while wielding two weapons at once. This would also make it more expensive to have the fortification on the shield than on the armor (the difference between +5 and +6 (11,000 gp) is less than the difference between +6 and +7 (13,000 gp))