Find a weird niche.

[Mister Lamp]

We are starting a 1st level campaign soon, and I currently have a factotum built to use. I have played factotums before, so I'm NOT here for advice on that one. I made this because I like to have at least 2 characters for every campaign, just in case. For my second character, I thought I'd see what the people here could come up with.

Criteria:

• At least marginally useful 1-20
• Not ridiculously overpowered
• Has to have a very odd focus. just something that never shows up

thanks in advance, and Allons-y!

[Karlton]

How about a Healer from miniatures handbook? They are definitely not overpowered, but they are very unusual and certainly has their style.

There is a handbook on the old boards that can help you make a healer that is actually competent!

[Dictum Mortuum]

sorcerer with draconic feats

[SorO_Lost]

Something that never shows up? Crap, I think TVTropes would go nuts trying to list character tropes everyone here has used over the years

The goo girl threads were pretty original. Why not skip skirting around what the idea didn't outright say and do it? Be a goo girl hooker that makes people feel good. Or maybe, DM willing be one of the Dance spells and make people get jiggy with you

[Mister Lamp]

Something that never shows up? Crap, I think TVTropes would go nuts trying to list character tropes everyone here has used over the years

The goo girl threads were pretty original. Why not skip skirting around what the idea didn't outright say and do it? Be a goo girl hooker that makes people feel good. Or maybe, DM willing be one of the Dance spells and make people get jiggy with you

That's. . . a little stranger than I expected. or wanted. Besides, if I tried that, too many of my friends would start playing them :shudders:

[Alexei]

Perverted tentacle-wielding Whatever-social-class/Warshaper? Face party so they don't call you useless + make your DM never roleplay a female NPC again 

[Mister Lamp]

Perverted tentacle-wielding Whatever-social-class/Warshaper? Face party so they don't call you useless + make your DM never roleplay a female NPC again 

*note to self: Be more specific in title posts*

[Maat Mons]

If you want to take the last couple of ideas in a less disturbing direction, you could play a changeling (Eberron Campaign Setting) with 4 levels of swashbuckler for the seduction ability, assuming you can get the Dead Levels II article allowed. 

[betrayor]

Go Truenamer from Tome of Magic,I haven't seen anyone playing and while is far from overpowered if you optimize reasonably you will be able to be useful 1-20,
also it is nice to ask the universe for things and to simply happen.....

[Mister Lamp]

If you want to take the last couple of ideas in a less disturbing direction, you could play a changeling (Eberron Campaign Setting) with 4 levels of swashbuckler for the seduction ability, assuming you can get the Dead Levels II article allowed.

Actually, that seems kind of fun, and less likely to scar the other players and the DM. so maybe.
Healer seems interesting too.

[sirpercival]

OK, I think what you were looking for was something uncommon, not something bizarre.

Is homebrew allowed?  Because that would open up a lot of stuff.  If not, then I would suggest playing a Wilder.  Almost every other psionic class (that isn't a complete waste of space like Lurk or Divine Mind) gets played more.

You can have a lot of fun with a Wilder/Thrallherd.  And it's good from level 1 if you take Astral Construct, AC + Wild Surge is beautiful.

Another option is Spellthief.  I think spellthieves are really fun, especially if you can take the Trickster variant from Dragon Mag, and no one ever plays them.  Get yourself a Tooth of Dhalver-Nar (sp?) or just be in the same party as a factotum

[Mister Lamp]

OK, I think what you were looking for was something uncommon, not something bizarre.

Is homebrew allowed?  Because that would open up a lot of stuff.  If not, then I would suggest playing a Wilder.  Almost every other psionic class (that isn't a complete waste of space like Lurk or Divine Mind) gets played more.

You can have a lot of fun with a Wilder/Thrallherd.  And it's good from level 1 if you take Astral Construct, AC + Wild Surge is beautiful.

Another option is Spellthief.  I think spellthieves are really fun, especially if you can take the Trickster variant from Dragon Mag, and no one ever plays them.  Get yourself a Tooth of Dhalver-Nar (sp?) or just be in the same party as a factotum

Bizarre is fine, but those are just. . . too bizarre
Homebrew is unlikely, but I might could get it allowed.
Which magazine is the Trickster in?

[Alexei]

Perverted tentacle-wielding Whatever-social-class/Warshaper? Face party so they don't call you useless + make your DM never roleplay a female NPC again 

*note to self: Be more specific in title posts*

You are welcome 

A womanising party-face Swashbuckler/Exemplar using the Bluff skill as Seduction could be also lots of fun, and less disturbing than the massive tentacle grappling creature of gaping maws

PS. Too bizarre? Come on...

Edit: You could get  your own fanatical female groupies cheering for you in the background of the party, make a couple of them bards and you are set on the path to awesome 

[Mister Lamp]

Perverted tentacle-wielding Whatever-social-class/Warshaper? Face party so they don't call you useless + make your DM never roleplay a female NPC again 

*note to self: Be more specific in title posts*

You are welcome 

A womanising party-face Swashbuckler/Exemplar using the Bluff skill as Seduction could be also lots of fun, and less disturbing than the massive tentacle grappling creature of gaping maws

PS. Too bizarre? Come on...

Edit: You could get  your own fanatical female groupies cheering for you in the background of the party, make a couple of them bards and you are set on the path to awesome 

Hmm. . . I may actually end up doing that.
and not so much "too bizarre" as "too disturbing"

[sirpercival]

OK, I think what you were looking for was something uncommon, not something bizarre.

Is homebrew allowed?  Because that would open up a lot of stuff.  If not, then I would suggest playing a Wilder.  Almost every other psionic class (that isn't a complete waste of space like Lurk or Divine Mind) gets played more.

You can have a lot of fun with a Wilder/Thrallherd.  And it's good from level 1 if you take Astral Construct, AC + Wild Surge is beautiful.

Another option is Spellthief.  I think spellthieves are really fun, especially if you can take the Trickster variant from Dragon Mag, and no one ever plays them.  Get yourself a Tooth of Dhalver-Nar (sp?) or just be in the same party as a factotum

Bizarre is fine, but those are just. . . too bizarre
Homebrew is unlikely, but I might could get it allowed.
Which magazine is the Trickster in?

Dragon 353.

For homebrew, you could check out the Warpsoul.  You could try the Nullblade, but you're much less likely to get it allowed.  Or, of course, you could try something using Rituals.

From other peoples' stuff, you could try the Dementist or Sniper.

[Halinn]

Perhaps look into the Lightning Warrior homebrewed class. It's a caster, but not as strong as the wizard, mostly due to the lack of a familiar.

[Mister Lamp]

Perhaps look into the Lightning Warrior homebrewed class. It's a caster, but not as strong as the wizard, mostly due to the lack of a familiar.

I tried that once, but it couldn't stand up to my friend's Ranger. His animal companion was too good. 

[Halinn]

Perhaps look into the Lightning Warrior homebrewed class. It's a caster, but not as strong as the wizard, mostly due to the lack of a familiar.

I tried that once, but it couldn't stand up to my friend's Ranger. His animal companion was too good. 

Perhaps utilizing summons can help mitigate the weaknesses of the class, make it slightly more able to compete with the rangers, although of course without a familiar it won't ever really catch up.

[Mister Lamp]

Perhaps look into the Lightning Warrior homebrewed class. It's a caster, but not as strong as the wizard, mostly due to the lack of a familiar.

I tried that once, but it couldn't stand up to my friend's Ranger. His animal companion was too good. 

Perhaps utilizing summons can help mitigate the weaknesses of the class, make it slightly more able to compete with the rangers, although of course without a familiar it won't ever really catch up.

summons would only counter his SNA. I could NEVER stand up to his broken ranger-ness without a familiar. I may have to burn a feat just for Obtain Familiar, but that *may* be too OP.

[Tr011]

The combination of Fling Enemy/Ally and a full progressed Bloodstorm Blade. Read both texts and let your imagination do the rest.