looking for gnome fighter concepts

[psijack]

hi there, me and a friend will be makeing characters for a new game, set in Forgotten Realms, (cormyr) and we've come upon a idea for our characters.
yep, gnomes!
we will be playing brothers, and hes makeing a wizard with a few rogue levels and i want to make a effective fighter type..
we havent rolled stats yet (wont do it till friday) so im trying to work out some concepts in advance.
ideally i would like be a up front fighter, rather than an archer..i am leaning toward some sort of fighter/rogue combo ,but i would like to hear any class combos that would work for the little guy.
thanks for any advice!

 

[Artoomis]

Are these long-term characters. Or starting above 1st level?

In either of those cases, a paladin with a riding dog (preferably half-celestial so it can fly) can be a great choice. The mobility offered by the dog is pretty amazing, especially in 3.5.

Also, in 3.5 the gnomes lance has reach! A gnomish paladin using Ride-by Attack and Spirited Charge is a rather unimposing figure that should be treated with respect!!

 

[Rozman]

Barbarian/Ranger with a gnomish hooked hammer might be fun

You'll want a high Dex and Con, with light armor if you want to move 30' and keep up with the big boys/ run back & help save your brother.

If the supplemental books are allowed, build towards the Devoted Defender and become your brother's bodyguard

 

[Jhyrryl]

I concur with the mounted gnome possibilities. The gnome in one of my groups took Leadership and acquired a red half-dragon/dire weasel for a mount. Crezzashar doesn't have wings, but he's always happy to be fed a potion when it's necessary.

 

[AuraSeer]

How about a ranger? It gives you combat ability with some stealthy roguelike qualities, and you don't have to multiclass.

Since you'll be proficient in the gnome hooked hammer, it's nice to get those free TWF feats for it. When you need some extra damage output, you can wield it as a single two-handed weapon. Also, if you take Improved Critical later on, those high crit multipliers can be a lot of fun.

If you want to be mounted, take a riding dog as your animal companion.

From a flavor point of view, it's natural to pick goblinoids or giants as favored enemies. Gnomes already get combat benefits against them, and the favored enemy bonuses stack.

 

[Pax]

hi there, me and a friend will be makeing characters for a new game, set in Forgotten Realms, (cormyr) and we've come upon a idea for our characters.
yep, gnomes!
we will be playing brothers, and hes makeing a wizard with a few rogue levels and i want to make a effective fighter type..
we havent rolled stats yet (wont do it till friday) so im trying to work out some concepts in advance.
ideally i would like be a up front fighter, rather than an archer..i am leaning toward some sort of fighter/rogue combo ,but i would like to hear any class combos that would work for the little guy.
thanks for any advice!

Consider a Gnome Artificer, with firearms. I know, it SOUNDS like an archer type.

But not if you can work with your GM and develop a blunderbus-type weapon; something short range and high damage (I'd suggest a range increment of 20', and maybe 5d4 damage ... minus 1d4 per range increment you travelled (so 5d4 in the first bracket, then 4d4, then 3d4, etc ... until it did NO damage at all).

Anyway, as a Gnome Artificer, you can make Artifice "specialised firearms" like flamethrowers (mimic Aganazzar's Scorcher), acid-sprayers (mimic Melf's Acid Arrow), and similar.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

A gnomish paladin using Ride-by Attack and Spirited Charge is a rather unimposing figure that should be treated with respect!!

Hee hee hee.

Is that *un* before *imposing* there by design?


Anyway, little gnomes (as if there were another type) all over the world dream of becoming a breach gnome one day. It's in Races of Faerûn. You get some bonus feats, uncanny doge (and improved), fighter BAB, good ref save, d10, and become really good holding a breach (with their Seal the Breach ability).

 

[Thanee]

Assuming 3.5 ...

If your friend is going rogue/wizard, he should definitely aim for arcane trickster (rogue3/wizard5-6/arcane trickster)!

As for the gnomish fighter-type, a straight ranger, ranger2/rogueX or fighter2-4/rogueX (or even barbarian1/fighter2/ranger2/rogueX - multiclass madness ) would be good, altho paladin can be a lot of fun, too, if that's something you're inclined to play (some people tend to dislike the LG alignment restriction).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Kae'Yoss]

paladin can be a lot of fun, too, if that's something you're inclined to play (some people tend to dislike the LG alignment restriction).

Some other people tend to dislike the "holyer-than-thou"-selfrighteous-bastard image paladins often have (for me, it was long out of the question, since paladins of Helm and Tyr made a really negative impression, and the ones of lathander or torm couldn't really make up for it. But now paladins of Sune make the class fun to play, and paladins of Kelemvor are another source of focused guys without too much arrogance).

In the case at hand, a Paladin of Garl Glittergold might actually be fun, too: A protector and teacher, but always good for a joke or prank (nothing beats falling for a prank and finding out that the party *paladin* is the culprit - finding out by him standing there and grinning)

 

[Artoomis]

Hee hee hee.

Is that *un* before *imposing* there by design?

Absolutely. A gnome on a dog, even a dog with wings, is not very imposing to, say, that 300-lb 6'7" evil barbarian, but respect is quickly won when the gnome excutes a ride-by attack for one-half of the barbarians hit points or more.