Need help building...Flint Fireforge!

[Herzog]

I'm about to start playing Flint Fireforge in a 3.5 DragonLance campaign.

He's currently build as :

Race: Dwarf
Classes: Expert 2/Fighter 2
Stats: STR 16, DEX 10, CON 18, INT 8, WIS 12, CHA 13
Feats:Weapon Focus (handaxe), Nimble Fingers, Power Attack and Skill Focus (Blacksmithing)
Skillranks: Craft (Blacksmithing) 6, Craft(Carpentry) 4, Craft(Weaponsmithing) 2, Handle Animal 1, Open Lock 1, Speak Language 1

Class, Feat and skill selection are mine to choose from now on. (please don't comment the build up to now, it's fixed)

I'm looking for advise on how to proceed with this build, preferably from people who know the kind of character Flint is (also: preferably without giving away any secrets from the campaign)

I am restricted to the use of PHB, DMG, Complete Arcane, Complete Warrior, Complete Adventurer and Complete Divine (although I'm trying to get the DM to increase that selection, so any suggestions from other sources are also welcome)

For those of you who don't know who Flint Firestone is:
Flint Fireforge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Note: I didn't read that all the way through myself to avoid campaign spoilers....)

 

[coyote6]

It's Flint Fireforge, isn't it? (Now I'm getting a picture of a cross between Flint Fireforge and Fred Flintstone, with Tasselhoff crossed with Barney Rubble . . .)

As for developing the character, what do you want to do with him? You said future development was yours, and I'm assuming you aren't going to be stuck with the same developments as the novel's Flint (as that would be lame++) -- so figure out what you want the character to become, and do that.

 

[Herzog]

I can't believe I made that mistake, and I fixed it as soon as I read your post

(For those tuning in later: I originally wrote 'Flint Firestone')

As to developing the character:

I would like to/need to keep close to the original character (regarding interests, demeanor, love and hates,etc.)

I was focussing on his smithing background, and I'm planning to try and convince the DM to let me play the Battlesmith from Races of Stone, although I doubt he'll let me use that book. (he seems rather strict on the allowed books)

I'm currently considering Ranger levels, with two-weapon fighting, mostly because of the combination of high BaB progression and skill points.
However, I'm still not sure what he should be contributing to the group.

I could steer hem towards Dwarven Defender, but I'm not so sure about the usefullness of that class. Besides, I'm not sure I can fullfill all the requirments (haven't even checked whether there are (hidden) Int-based prereqs in it)

In other words, I'm not so much asking for advise on a build (I will probably do that later ) but more for advise on ways to fill the character-traits of Flint as he is portrayed in the books (which I haven't read to avoid spoilers!) using feats, skill allocation, classes and prestige classes.

As allways, any pointers welcome!

 

[coyote6]

In the books, he doesn't do much smithing, IIRC. I haven't read the Lost Chronicles, though, so maybe he goes to town there. It's been a long while, but as I recall, Flint was mainly the gruff fatherly comic relief in the novels. Wikipedia's description seems fairly accurate:

Flint is proficient in battle axe combat. His trusty battle axe is his favorite weapon. He wears a helm with hair that he claims to have come from the mane of a griffon, although it is actually from a horse. Even though Flint has a "severe allergy" to horses. He wears medium armor. He is friendly with everyone in the group, with the exception of Raistlin (whom he doesn't trust), and Tasslehoff. Aside from being close in height, these two are nothing alike. Flint is old, ornery, cranky, and gruff. Tas is happy-go-lucky, for the most part, curious, and youthful in spirit. However, despite Flint's apparent hate for Tas, deep down they are very close, almost as close as the bond between Flint and Tanis, perhaps even equal to that bond. He is a father figure to the group along with Tanis, and refers to everyone in the group as his "children".

I only read the first few modules, and ISTR he used a hand axe in those stats. I'm pretty sure the novels talked about a battle axe, though, as Wiki says, so make of that what you will.

There's one big thing about Flint from the second novel (I didn't read the later modules, so I don't know if it holds true in the adventures, too, or not) that I don't think constitutes a spoiler, because if it does, your GM may be kind of a jerk. I'm going to put it here, in spoiler text:

Spoiler

Flint dies of a heart attack towards the end of the second novel, and thus isn't part of the climax. Ergo, his "role" kind of gets chopped off suddenly. But if the GM kills your character off via fiated heart attack, and doesn't tell you ahead of time -- that would be a lame stunt.

Regarding Dwarven Defender: there's no Int requirement, though Combat Expertise works well with the Dwarven Defender schtick (more AC), and it has an Int 13 requirement. However, Dwarven Defender requires the Dodge feat, which requires Dex 13, which your Flint doesn't have.

 

[coyote6]

Regarding Battlesmith -- besides convincing the GM to let you use it, you'll have a couple of other problems: It requires Craft (armor or weapons) 10 ranks -- with that 1 skill point per level, it'll take you 8 more levels to get there. You'll also have to add Weapon Focus (warhammer) and Endurance to get it, and make a dwarvencraft weapon, and use it in a fight. If you are playing through the War of the Lance, downtime to craft weapons may be in short supply.

 

[Herzog]

I was aware of the battle axe / hand axe difference, but I don't mind too much.

regarding Dwarven Defender: yes, I was afraid of something like that. Oh well, wasn't too keen about it anyway.

as for BattleSmith: I was planning to alternate fighter and expert, but then realised the ranger would provide the necessary skillpoints as well, in addition to having Endurance as a bonus feat AND a good Bab progression.

Then I'll only need weapon focus (warhammer), so I should be able to get the requirements fulfilled in three levels (need to be lvl 7 to get 10 ranks....)

I'm actually planning to convince the DM of the difficulty of getting into the class and the few benefits I'll get from it as a reason to allow it
I've already played an Eberron Artificer with the DM in question, and although our opinions differ on how to communicate on Item creation, I think we can work it out....

As it stands, I'm planning to take levels in Ranger, focussing skillpoints in crafting. Of course, if someone knows good build options for gruffy comic relief dwarves, I'm still open to suggestions

 

[Herobizkit]

If anything, I would have substituted levels in Rogue if you're looking for skill points and some good ol' fashioned Dwarf power (disguised as Sneak Attack). As a Dwarf, I would have also put Charisma as my dump stat (making it 6 - he's dour and gruff and while he's likeable, he's not personable) and upped my Int to at least 12.

Important to note that, as per RAW, if you add a third class to your character, both your Expert and Ranger classes must be within 1 level of your Fighter class or you suffer a 20% XP penalty. Ultimately, that's up to your DM.

Fighter/Rogue is arguably the best martial multi-class you can have.

 

[Herzog]

If anything, I would have substituted levels in Rogue if you're looking for skill points and some good ol' fashioned Dwarf power (disguised as Sneak Attack).

Fighter/Rogue is arguably the best martial multi-class you can have.

Ok, this is kind of what I was looking for. Except I sense from your comments you don't know the character. (but, I could be wrong)

As a Dwarf, I would have also put Charisma as my dump stat (making it 6 - he's dour and gruff and while he's likeable, he's not personable) and upped my Int to at least 12.

Well, yes. That might have been a better choice, but I don't have any choice in the matter. The above stats are his for the first four levels, when he was already introduced as an NPC.

Important to note that, as per RAW, if you add a third class to your character, both your Expert and Ranger classes must be within 1 level of your Fighter class or you suffer a 20% XP penalty. Ultimately, that's up to your DM.

I know that and...you're almost right. Fighter is a Preferred class for Dwarves, so I don't have to count that one. Which still leaves me with the Expert class which will cost me the 20% penalty if I stack on another class.... Unless I keep it within one level of the Expert class (one, two, or three levels) and then stack on a PrC...

 

[FEADIN]

IIRC Flint is an axe and shield fighter, not two weapon if you want to stick to the icon and try to convince your DM to use a dwarven waraxe.....old module with new rules, no?

 

[GabrielNotchear]

I have nothing real to contribute, other than this picture of Sturm and Flint

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/SturmAndFlint.jpg