Beginner Suggestions

[Michael Buble]

1st let me echo Awesome community here, never seen a better bunch of player and helpers!

I'm not new to NWN (many years of playing), and been around HG for about 2 years mostly playing ranged toons. Ranger called shooters, and AA's. I love my archers. I was thinking of trying a close up fighter as I start to discover more about kickback, immunities and other features that are ultra-important to melee builds then distance builds.

I'd like something that can deal devastating damage amounts but not go down in a couple of hits thus not being a burden on the party raising me all the time. I don't mind doing some buffing heading into battle but I'm not a good manager of offensive spells in battle just yet.

I have a few race books, nothing spectacular yet. I'll go off memory I think Half-Kyton, Brownie, Planewalker, Undying, Stinger, Nobarian, Thri-Kreen (please not that), and a couple of other minor ones.

What would you suggest? I'm looking for something that can run in the hells and contribute to a party.

Thanks so much!
- in game Michael Buble

[Torin]

What you describe fits well with a str-uni tank. Unfortunately, you don't have the subby for that. With Half-Kyton, Brownie you can make some very good dexers, but their damage is weak. Maybe a Brownie Assassin. With undying you can make a very funny character, a wisbased Staffmaster. But this one will have dire problems in hells due to stat checks. Maybe you find a Juggernaut book up till then.

[Yojimbo]

I have posted solid builds on 3 of the races you list and I think I have one on paper someone where another you mention. All 3 of them have been to Hell multiple times and 1 has even gotten 1x Demi with another very close behind.

Wrath of Nature
Sting of the Staff
The Hidden Defense

[uncanny]

Try a shifter . Or.. you have a few high con races there; how about an Accursed Pariah? That's one quasi I've been itching to play again.
Damage is high, SP is very good; buffs are always welcome. And hey. Regen 3% twice a round. What's not to like?

[magecat]

Nobarian

highergroundpoa.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=openbuild&action=display&thread=9410

You can run this with any medium weapon choice, and muck around with whether you want exotic weapons (although this build w/ a large race makes really good use of katanas).

[Deleted]

Straightforward decent tank builds- if you want the best balance I would go with half-kyton, 38barb/2blackguard, double weapon w the barb secret. You want con to 21 by epic levels, otherwise focus on str- the double weapon enabling feats prior to epic, after epic and into LL's you'd wanna focus the over- and devastating crit feat line, the rage feats, epic and leg wep focus, and as much greater str feats as possible. That should give you a toon with good damage, adequate ac, good damage immunities.

For pure survivability with an open sub, go tinker gnome and rdd/xdd with pg or pally splash. With that subby you can rake the starting level as bard, take 4 more ranks in lore and go straight into xdd from there. You'll have very good survivability with good ac, elemental imms and saves but damage imo will suffer.