IntroGreetings, all!
I'm part of a campaign starting soon with these parameters:
-A psionic campaign set in desert and Underdark regions. (The GM really likes psionics and wanted to run this campaign because I wanted to play a Psion.)
-2 main characters (a Druid/Planar Shepherd of Lamannia and a Telepath/Thrallherd). These characters are 'set in stone.' I quite want to play these characters as main characters, not others.
-We begin at ECL7 with standard wealth (19,000G) and EXP (21,000). We can spend EXP on crafting, power research, etc, but will start at a lower level as appropriate. (I don't want to start at a level lower than 6 after crafting, research, etc..) Our thrall (from Thrallherd) starts at 1 ECL lower than its master with 13,000G and 1 EXP less than is needed to reach the next level.
-28 point buy with all official and homebrew potentially allowed, subject to GM approval. This is a 3.5 campaign.
-The GM is currently totally OK with very powerful material (since that's the campaign's premise), but I want to avoid loops. Yes, I
could get
wish loops from Planar Shepherd by going with Fernia, but that defeats the game's point, and I'd rather play.
-The GM encouraged me to go Thrallherd out of curiosity to see how things will go.
-Thralls are treated as permanent party members and will stay until dismissed. I can have 1 Thrall at a time initially, and 2 Thralls at a time eventually. No keeping Thralls on deck (mind controlled/persuaded favorably toward me but 'inactive') like Pokemon.
-While I can have an arbitrarily large party (animals, mind controlled minions, etc.), I still have to
manage all these units. Keep that in mind if you encourage me to play a zoo.
-I can pay EXP to research new psionic powers at a rate of 200 EXP per power level. (Power research takes about 1 day per power level instead of 1 definite week per power level.) I can learn powers from other class and discipline lists this way. These powers
do not count against my limit of powers known.
-Custom spells and powers are possible, but subject to GM approval.
-Custom items may be allowed, but also subject to GM approval.
-Crafting takes 1 day per 10,000G instead of 1000G.
-No Magebred Animal Companions, but Warbeast is OK. (Even if this isn't RAW legal - and let's not debate that here - it's OK for now for us.)
Character BackstoryThe campaign's 2 main characters are angels from the Upper Planes sent to evaluate the Prime Material plane (and perhaps connecting worlds) to determine whether they should be purged or allowed to remain. These angels are given new corporeal bodies for their duty.
Thematically, this means no evil stuff, and probably also no Undead for any characters I control, and no Dragonborn or Warforged for the 2 main characters.
Current PartyGray Elf Psion5 (Telepath)/Thrallherd1 going more Thrallherd, Mindbender1, and perhaps Ghostbreaker (Hyperconscious)This character focuses on social skills, utility powers (like
teleport and
plane shift), and mind control. He will start the game with
astral construct researched among other powers, just because it's so very useful!
Strongheart Halfling Druid5/Planar Shepherd of Lamannia1 or 2 going more Planar Shepherd and Druid, and perhaps dipping ContemplativeThis character focuses on being a Druid. This means Greenbound/Ashbound summons, Greensinger Initiate (for Planar Shepherd), Natural Bond (for uber Fleshraker companionship ASAP), and Natural Spell (because it's so standard @6 it should be a class feature). Future planned feats include Summon Elemental (for Earth Elemental scouting), Dragon Wild Shape (because it's useful), Versatile Spellcaster (I can effectively cast all my spells spontaneously by paying 2 lower level slots) and anything else that seems especially spiffy.
And, yes, this Druid will have a Fleshraker Animal Companion. Is it Large due to HD advancement? I'm not sure. I look to you forumers to research that and post a definitive answer!
Where I Seek Optimization: ThrallI get a thrall from Thrallherd. This character is 1 ECL below its master. (It will likely start at ECL5 due to its master spending EXP on psionic power research.) I was considering these:
-Silverbrow Human Bard4/War Weaver5/Incantatrix1/Sublime Chord2/Incantatrix+8 party buffer and utility caster. (I may give him a level or 2 of Marshal for the auras.) Has the advantage of being CHA-focused when the main characters are INT- and WIS-focused. He's also potentially quite useful by his mere presence.
-<Race TBD> Bard4/Crusader1/Marshal1/Jade Phoenix Mage4/Sublime Chord2/Jade Phoenix Mage+6/X2. Arcane gish and party healer. Can be useful at fighting even in an
antimagic field, etc.
-Strongheart Halfling OR Warforged Scout Artificer20. Has the advantages of Trapfinding and being able to make us stuff super cheap. Has the disadvantages of being not very useful on his own otherwise. (He's basically a magic item factory that can sometimes be useful in combat.)
-A Wizard (Transmuter?) of some kind, perhaps going War Weaver and Incantatrix.
-A crowd control-focused character. Druids and Telepaths don't have that much in terms of AoE crowd control that I know of off-hand.
-I'm taking suggestions.
Where I Seek Optimization: ItemsI don't normally start a campaign having to itemize a small army. To recap:
-1 Psion (Telepath) focused on mind control, utility powers, and social skills, but minoring in other things (like blasting).
-1 Druid/Planar Shepherd of Lamannia focused on summoning and wild shaping, but minoring in everything else.
-1
Hi Welcome Fleshraker Animal Companion
-1 Thrall with stats to be determined.
-19,000G per main character and 13,000G for the thrall, or 51,000G total. Mercantile Background, crafting feats, etc. are useful here!
