Useful combat tactic for a Charlatan?

[Tr011]

I really enjoy the Charlatan (#335, p. 63), but as awesome as this 5-level-PrC is, my campaign will involve a lot of combat. Obviously, a Charlatan can do several things against spellcasters and humanoids, but what should I do when I am facing a Magical Beast or a bunch of Zombies that do not care what I talk?
I need a useful combat tactic that works against monsters, it may or may not involve skill-using (I'm gonna be the party's skill monkey).
Bonus points if the tactic involves something in pirate-style, if it involves something that a party's face/leader should do (like buffing allies, debuffing enemies or controlling the battlefield).

I also need to fill the five levels before getting into Charlatan with as many skill points as I can get (maybe Marshal, maybe one or two levels of Rogue for the skill points). The rest of the party will be a Tank (Knight), a glass-canon (Arcane Archer), a Healer/Divine supporter (Favored Soul) and one guy that hasn't decided yet.

Party will start at lvl 2, so I have to already do SOMETHING at this level (means w/o much money).

//edit: oh and I also thought it would be very useful to have some rerolls for the party. Ideas?

[Rebel7284]

factotum

[Tr011]

oh sorry, forgot to say this: My DM just banned Factotum. All other classes in official WotC material and Dragon Magazines are allowed.

[Rebel7284]

oh sorry, forgot to say this: My DM just banned Factotum. All other classes in official WotC material and Dragon Magazines are allowed.

That's ... curious... care to tell the story behind that decision?

Anyway, seeing that you want re-rolls, a cloistered cleric 5 is actually fairly good at that with the luck domain giving you one re-roll and the Alter Fortune spell from PHB2 giving you another one per 3rd level spell slot.  Worship some god of deception or the ideal of deception and mindfuckery =D

Oh and if you're a kobold, you can get trapfinding from the kobold domain.

edit: you do need trickery domain (or Dragon or Envy) to get bluff as a class skill.  Limits your choices a bit more.

[Tr011]

I looked a bit through the basic classes and thought now of heavy multiclassing on the first levels, because I think I won't really need high BAB. Cleric is nice, but I don't like paying XP for rerolls :/
I think something like feat rogue 1/cloistered cleric 1/fighter wizard 1/warlock 1/marshal 1 will be the start of my build, Rogue for 8+int skills and trapfinding, cloistered cleric for skills and domain, while wizard adds the familiar and warlock gives +6 to intimidate, bluff and diplomacy. Marshal fits my theme of a leader/coordinator/supporter and adding Cha to my lowest save is pretty nice. Able Learner and Human will cover that I can max out my class skills any time (it is needed because I need disable device and that's no class skill for Charlatans). The heavy multiclassing will give me almost any skill as a class skill as a sideeffect.

Factotum got banned because most of my party dislikes it for beeing very versatile and able to do "anything". Some regard them as overpowered. My DM said he won't allow any build that is capable of doing the other guys job and I don't even know if he will allow that wizard/cleric-levels in my build, but since the power of these casting classes comes from high level I should be able to convince him that it won't be a problem.

[OblivionSmurf83]

I can't think of any classes to help you; given the power level of your party, I'd suggest Dread Necromancer. That should help you a bit with Undead, and give you some spellcasting.

Incidentally, instead of X 5/Charlatan 5, have you considered Beguiler? It fits well with what sort of 'theme' you want your character to have, and it's a really good class. Same problems as the Charlatan, but it should be a more flexible class, and you could try and get into Mage of the Arcane Order for flexibility (I doubt your DM will allow Rainbow Servant shenanigans).

[Rebel7284]

Do you have to be human? if you are a changeling, you can take the rogue sub-level that gives you 10(!) skill points per level and lets you take 10 on several skills.  So perfect for a skill monkey. Also I believe changelings still qualify for Able Learner, but I have not checked.

edit: checked -  Prerequisite: Human or doppelganger.  Considering that changelings are a mix of the two, you can probably argue that this works for them too... they probably didn't want to list campaign-specific races in a general D&D book.

My DM said he won't allow any build that is capable of doing the other guys job.

In that case, I hope no one plays a druid as those can fill all roles starting at very early levels. =P

[DrHorrible]

Rogue with the Master of Poisons feat. At early levels poisons can be very effective, especially if you get access to Minor Creation, Psionic or a companion from which to take poison for free.