Ven Riverside

[Reinstadler]

VEN RIVERSIDE
======
Race: water genasi
Gender: male
Age: 26
Size: medium
Speed: 40' land, 30' swim
Class: monk 1 / cleric 3
Alignment: N(LG)
Languages: Common, Native Tongue (pending description)

ABILITIES:
---------
STR: 10 [+0]
DEX: 14 [+2]
CON: 16 [+3]
INT: 12 [+1]
WIS: 19 [+4]
CHA: 08 [-1]

Initiative: +2

HP: 38
AC: 18
touch AC: 16
flat AC: 16
BAB: +2

SAVING THROWS:
--------------
Tot – Name.......Stat[base+mod+misc]
+9 – Fortitude...Con[5+3+1]
+6 – Reflex.......Dex[3+2+1]
+10 – Will..........Wis[5+4+1]

ASPECTS:
--------
Defining - Wildborn
Complicating – don't fence me in

HOUSE CLASS FEATURES:
---------------------
No armor or shield proficiency, simple weapon proficiency only weapons. No monk bonus feat nor flurry of blows. Combine monk and cleric levels to determine overall caster level, monk speed bonus, and both skill lists are considered class skills.

RACIAL FEATURES:
---------------------
+2 con, -2 cha
water genasi base speed is 30 ft. They swim at a speed of 30 ft.
darkvision up to 60'
create water (spell once per day as cast by 5th level druid)
+1 racial bonus / 5 character levels on saving throws against water spells and effects
water-breathing 3x normal

DOMAINS:
---------------------
Healing – cast healing spells as +1 caster level
Travel – freedom of movement 1 round per cleric level; survival is class skill

FEATS:
------
Combat Casting: +4 concentration to defensive casting
Self-Sufficient: +2 healing, +2 survival
Mitigate Suffering: restore 2+1/spell lvl ability damage for 10 min
based on reserved spell which must grant ability score (such as Restoration)
and secondary benefit of +1 caster level competence bonus to healing spells
Travel Devotion: 1/day standard move as swift action, then full action (no 5' step)
effect lasts a minute, can expend 2 turn chances to activate


SKILLS - per level: 4 + 1 (int), listen and survival and max ranks
------
Tot - Name..........................Stat[ranks+mod+misc]
+ 2 - Balance.......................DEX [ 0.0 + 2 + 0]
+ 0 - Climb..........................STR [ 0.0 + 0 + 0]
+10 - Concentration..............CON [ 7.0 + 3 + 0]
+ 2 - Diplomacy....................CHA [ 1.0 - 1 + 2]
+ 9 - Escape Artist................DEX [ 7.0 + 2 + 0]
+13 - Heal...........................WIS [ 7.0 + 4 + 2]
+ 2 - Hide............................DEX [ 0.0 + 2 + 0]
+ 0 - Jump...........................STR [ 0.0 + 0 + 0]
+ 0 - Knowledge: arcana........INT [ 0.0 + 2 + 0]
+ 3 - Knowledge: history........INT [ 1.0 + 2 + 0]
+ 3 - Knowledge: planes.........INT [ 1.0 + 2 + 0]
+ 6 - Knowledge: religion........INT [ 4.0 + 2 + 0]
+11 - Listen*.......................WIS [ 7.0 + 4 + 0]
+ 2 - Move Silently................DEX [ 0.0 + 2 + 0]
+11 - Sense Motive...............WIS [ 7.0 + 4 + 0]
+ 0 – Spellcraft....................INT [ 0.0 + 2 + 0]
+ 4 – Spot..........................WIS [ 0.0 + 4 + 0]
+13 - Survival*....................WIS [ 7.0 + 4 + 2]
+ 0 – Tumble.......................DEX [ 0.0 + 2 + 0]

*listen and survival treated at max rank from aspect Wildborn

I come up with 38 hp, not 36 (8+6+6+6 +12 Con)
You get a +2 synergy bonus in Diplomacy from Sense Motive
Knowledge (Arcana), Tumble, and Spellcraft are all trained only, so you need at least one rank in order to use them.
You should list your turn undead stuff
I think your spells should be 4 0-level, 3+1 1st level and 2+1 second level to account for you wisdom bonus

SPELLS:
-------------
4 Level 0 : Resistance, Light, CMW (2)

3+1 Level 1: Obscuring Mist, Endure elements, Bless, Magic Weapon, Longstrider (D)

2+1 Level 2: Lesser Restoration, Silence, Remove Paralysis, CMW (D)


GOLD: 117

EQUIPMENT:
----------
cloak of protection +1
bracers of armor +1
amulet of natural armor +1
pearl of power (level 1)
Holy Symbol
spell component bag
traveler's outfit
backpack
healer's kit
flint and steel
waterskin (2)
rope, silk 20'
rations (3 days)
skinning knife/sheathe
mirror
antitoxin (4)
sunrod (3)

[Reinstadler]

Standing he turned away as if the blue orange tongues licking the split cedar logs might dessicate him. Human almost or not really webbed fingers brushing seaweed-black hair from moonlit eyes luminous as wellbottom water. Still, Traylk thought, he's trustworthy he fought off those wolves as bravely as any man more than some and when the alpha had latched onto Nerman and dark arterial spray misted over everyone it was Ven who brought forth the light and the whispering - a nursemaid humming professionally to a distressed child - the scream intent on death rattle became a moan the big death made little.

No, the priest wasn't one of them, but that was the point wasn't it? He was supposed to model something more, something beyond the daily concerns of conquest and profit, well, that and make sure they made it to relieve the guards at Hagen.

The Hygeians had them pick their guide saying it helped if the men trusted the healer. "Where are the sisters?" Nerman leered at the robed men in the sparsely apportioned hall smelling of lemons. One of the brothers looked away disgusted. The other's eyebrows strained toward the rafters. Ven had walked up and planted his quarterstaff between Nerman's feet and deadpanned with hooded black eyes, "What? You think I can't light a fire on that cold road to Hagen?"

The men laughed raucously at Nerman as Ven clasped his shoulder awkwardly. "No, sorry men, the captain of the Hagen Guard specified no women. Seems clear why, no?"

There was grumbling, Traylk reflected, some glowering looks in the odd priest's direction but he could see the men grudgingly accept the way it would be and he picked Ven. They hadn't lost a limb, much less a man, in the week's journey to Hagen.

[Reinstadler]

So first issue for Ven is class. In recreating this character I liked the idea of the unarmed fighter - a boxer, a wrestler, something where I won't end up dragging out every kung fu trope. But I think class should be an open question as you said we can fix something to work.

Therefore I'll flesh out that character concept a little and see where that lands Ven.

So I'm thinking a monastic order that resembles the Hospitalers but with more public service and less crusading in nature. I would imagine them constructing monasteries in desperate towns perhaps ones struck by natural disasters or with refugees. Their devotion to public good (perhaps a deity like Hygeia) is the foundation of their order. They place preparedness and prevention at a premium thus working to build sanitation, helping the farmers work on good crop rotation, help/quarantine the sick, a focus on healthy living to keep illness at bay.

Ven would have been brought to such a complex as a young child seemingly about 4 by a naiad or nereid who felt her son would be best raised among this group of humans rather than as an outcast among her own people. She checked up on him regularly so as not to let him feel abandoned but rather fostered by the monastics.

I would expect to put points toward a variety of "knowledge" skills like engineering, history, politics, astronomy, but he followed the path of the sojourner - one of the groups within the monastics who travel the roads and riverways aiding the lost and injured. This would presume certain survival skills, but I don't really think ranger tracking or anything like that. I kind of like the idea of a staff fighter because it gives a non-lethal flair while still being effective for whoopass and I also like unarmed combat for the same reason.

[Gralhruk]

So, I was looking at water genasi - they are +1 LA, which is kind of crappy. There is an option for Lesser Planetouched which makes you +0 LA and adds this clause:

“

Planetouched: Planetouched are humanoids (not outsiders) with the planetouched subtype. They are susceptible to spells and effects that specifi cally target both humanoids or outsiders. Charm person works against them, and so does banishment. This trait replaces the outsider entry in each planetouched description.

”

I think it's a good trade. Probably too good, considering, so I'd say if you went +0 LA you'd also lose water breathing. We could double or triple the time he could stay underwater without breathing instead.

What do you think?

Edit: Also, thinking about classes . . . it depends on where you see the character falling in terms of martial prowess vs. spellcasting vs. skill stuff. I don't know if you've had a look at Tome of Battle, but there is a class called Swordsage (which has a pseudo unarmed version) that would make a great martial type monk substitute. Or we could do some sort of unarmed cleric, too. Or something else entirely - but mostly I'm open to allowing you to swap out weapon and/or armor proficiency for a monk unarmed damage progression.

[Reinstadler]

Ok, I spent some quality time with my 3.5 books, and I'm pretty sure I want Ven to be a cleric with healing and knowledge domains.

[Reinstadler]

Here's a stab at the basics. I'm good with the genasi modifications. You're all right with the swim speed? If not, I need to add that as a skill. And waterbreathing 3x normal?

Str 10
Dex 12
Con 16
Int 14
Wis 19
Cha 8

Defining Aspect: "Still waters run deep" - skills: Concentration, Healing

Feats: Combat Casting, Endurance, Run, Survival

Skills: Ranks
Diplomacy: 1
Knowledge (Arcana): 3
Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering): 5
Knowledge (Geography): 5
Knowledge (History): 2
Knowledge (Nature): 5
Knowledge (Nobility/Royalty): 5
Knowledge (Religion): 5
Listen: 1 (crossclass)
Search: 1 (crossclass)
Spellcraft: 3
Spot: 1 (crossclass)
Survival: 1 (crossclass)

What do you think?

[Gralhruk]

Swim speed is fine, and yes - I think x3 on the breathing is good.

For the skills related to your aspect, you might consider swapping those out for something cross class instead (that is, if you plan on putting any more ranks toward the cross-class stuff). Both concentration and healing are class skills for you, so it's easier to buy ranks there.

For feats, what is Survival? I'm not familiar with that one. You might also consider a feat called Intuitive Attack, which lets you use your wisdom modifier instead of strength modifier for attack (but not damage) with simple weapons (including unarmed strike and quarterstaff).

As far as class, you'll be going cleric 100%? A single level of monk might be a good choice, as you'd get wisdom to AC if you plan on going unarmored.

[Reinstadler]

So altering the aspect apparently means reworking the character. Survival was supposed to be Self-Sufficient.

Still planning on 4 levels of cleric. I'm thinking about wearing chain, but am feeling that's a bit off for a water genasi. Any ideas? I'm not thinking about hitting anything other than with healing spells, but I like the idea of Intuitive Attack.

Defining Aspect: "Wildborn" - skills: Survival, Listen. I like the idea of Ven being in tune and listening seemed more receptive to the world around. I thought it would be interesting if this thematically bled over into a receptivity to magic so I maxed Spellcraft and Knowledge Arcana

Domains: Healing, Travel

Str 10
Dex 14
Con 16
Int 12
Wis 19
Cha 8

Feats: Combat Casting, Endurance, Run, Self-Sufficient

Skills: Ranks
Concentration: 7
Diplomacy: 2
Healing: 7
Knowledge (Arcana): 7
Knowledge (Religion): 5
Spellcraft: 7

The previous build was a little grasping at too many things: the architecture-search learner and an intuitive child of nature. While I liked the possibility of ebbing and flowing between those concepts, I think this is a little more clear cut. I'm thinking now more of wildborn yet trained human, not a bestial nature held in check rather freedom constrained by civilized demands.

[Gralhruk]

Well, as I said, one level of monk gets you improved unarmed strike + wisdom to AC, which will be as good as a chain shirt for you. And I like it for your character concept. You can, of couse, rework the monk stuff to fit your thematic idea so I wouldn't throw it out based on the PHB image of the monk alone. Would that work or is it not really what you want?

If you really aren't planning on attacking anything, you could also look at the Cloistered Cleric, which basically sacrifices combat stuff for more skills and knowledge skills. Thematically, it implies a sheltered life of study, but I'm one that believes the fluff of your abilities is what you make of it. So I think it could easily fit your wildborn image, if that's what you want.

Although cloistered cleric doesn't solve your AC issue at all.

[Gralhruk]

Thinking on this further, maybe you could give up a domain for some sort of unarmed attack / wisdom to AC. Or we could invent some sort of reserve feat - so long as you have a certain school of spell available, you gain a bonus to AC equal to the highest level spell of that school you have available.

[Gralhruk]

Some notes:

• I come up with 38 hp, not 36 (8+6+6+6 +12 Con)
• You get a +2 synergy bonus in Diplomacy from Sense Motive
• Knowledge (Arcana), Tumble, and Spellcraft are all trained only, so you need at least one rank in order to use them.
• You should list your turn undead stuff
• I think your spells should be 4 0-level, 3+1 1st level and 2+1 second level to account for you wisdom bonus

Otherwise I think you are all set.

[Reinstadler]

I thought monks had a d6 so fixed to 38. Fixed diplomacy. know(arc) and tumble are listed at 0 for that reason. Spellcraft is fixed. Count of spells/level fixed.

I will add the undead stuff (Ven sucks at that) at some point. I also want to add the racial stuff.

Thanks