[3.5] Need some recommended classes for low-power campaign

[ataraxic]

Hi.

We are going to play a new campaign soon. This campaign will take place within a large city. No adventuring to far away lands or hopping from town to town. We will be remaining within the city and doing jobs for the various political powers such as heists, assassinations, framing, or maybe suppressing a civil war or two.

To make this campaign even more interesting, we will be playing what we call "less played" classes. Classes you never really considered before when playing a traditional campaign. The encounters will be "low powered" to encourage classes which are less optimized for combat. However, spellcasting is to be kept to a minimum. No more than 4th level spells, and only if those spells are granted by a prestige class, such as Assassin (DMG).

So, we need ideas for classes that can fill these needs. So far we kind of like Assassin, Spymaster, Nightsong Enforcer/Infiltrator, Combat Trapsmith, Bloodhound, and Vigilante, although not all of these will be played we are making a collection of possible choices.

Can you guys add anything?

[Jackinthegreen]

Since spells are limited, I'm guessing ToB maneuvers and psionics are also cut down a lot, if present at all?

If you want to have a non-evil assassin, take a look at http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070401a

Complete Divine has several low-end caster PrC's like the Pious Templar or Holy Liberator.

In Complete Arcane there's only the Suel Arcanamach which is truly an oddball at 5th level spells, but still has some great flavor to it.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

CPsi Divine Mind with a 6/10 or less
-fester PrC or 4 levels of dipping, fits.
Aura buffs from the next room away. 
Some of the Auras are out-of-combat.

Psi Rogue from the wizards.com site, also
works with the same restrictions as above.
Neither are powerful or played much.

SRD Soulknife into Pyrokineticist
can walk around with "no" weapon.
Very basic sneaky class.

Rogue 1 / Pounce Barb 1 / Dungeoncrasher Fighter 6 / dip 2 / Warmind 5
... would work in a city as a slightly sneaky muscle guy.

any Monk variant 2 or so / dip 2 or 3 for qualifying / either Psi Monk PrC 10
... absolutely not overpowering.

[Nytemare3701]

Truenamer. Always Truenamer.

[Rejakor]

Binder.  Great class, never sees play.

Anything incarnum.

[Unbeliever]

Binder.  Great class, never sees play.

Anything incarnum.

+1

I was going to suggest some of the invocation classes, too.  There are some urban-themed ones and also b/c you'll be using them as more than a dip or a side class you will be using some of their more creative invocations.  Although I always houserule to give them more invocations anyway. 

I also like the Suel Archanamarch. 

[InnaBinder]

For your campaign, Ranger/Warlock/Scar Enforcer builds may be appropriate and fun.  A few suggestions from Surreal in the Warlock Information Compilation thread:

Half-Elf ranger 1/warlock6/scar enforcer 10/Eldeen Ranger 4(Greensinger)
 - would like to fit in half-elf bard sub 1 somewhere
 - get cha to saves, 1 greater invocation, sneaky ranger-ish, smites, sneak attack, hide in plain sight, disguise self

 half-elf ranger 1/warlock 4/scar enforcer 8/master of the yuirwood 4/corrupt avenger 3
 - get BAB 16, saves 12/7/12 + cha, 1 greater invocation, smite 3/day and tainted strike 1/day, sneak 2d6, disguise self, HiPS,
 - favoured enemy (human & elf) and sworn foe, good skills (102 + 23*Int), uncanny dodge, pass without trace, 2nd level arcane spells
 - play style is fairly open... probably more suited to the social role

 half-elf ranger 1/warlock 2/swordsage 2*/scar enforcer 8/shadow sun ninja 4/xyz 3
 *unarmed strike variant

[Captnq]

Binder.  Great class, never sees play.
Anything incarnum.

Binder. Especially if they allow 3rd party stuff. SECRETS OF PACT MAGIC, in particular. The villians of pact magic from the same publisher is turning out to be woefully unbalanced. But even core binder is good. The PC taking up binding has been doing well.

Incarnum rules look neat, but suck in play. TO, is just that, Theoretical. Actual application of the class has blown chunks.

[Karlton]

Binder seems to fit the bill perfectly.

It is a shame about the caster clause, because the Healer would otherwise have been my best bet. The class is actually sort of good, but though it is a full casting class, it never gets anything great. Ok, Gate breaks the campaign wide open, but apart from that spell you will be about as effective as a commoner in combat.

[DavidWL]

Jordan Vizier would be appropriate and cool (FR: Shining South)
Kender Night Stalker also (Dragonlance - Age of Mortals)

Best,
David

[Generic_PC]

If you're still looking for advice, Marshal from the Miniatures Handbook might be worth taking a look at.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

UA / SRD Generic Warrior ... is a better Fighter with
the possibility of UMD - restricted by your level cap.
Imperfectly built, a "fighter" like this is still low-power.