Stupid D&D d20 crap

[Villain]

Ok, yes I know jack and $# about these rule systems and yes I guess they are great and it's really me that sucks... but! Could someone please explain how I should go about making a melee type sentinal character? I'm a bit lost with this finesse feat. It's only to effect To Hit by it's description... so how should I deal with damage bonuses? Do I just crank out the Dex? Put some in str? Should I create him with crap dex, huge str and will that screw this type of character up? Arg! I wish the book would explain more. Or I had a brain.

[Tanuvein]

Ok, yes I know jack and $# about these rule systems and yes I guess they are great and it's really me that sucks... but! Could someone please explain how I should go about making a melee type sentinal character? I'm a bit lost with this finesse feat. It's only to effect To Hit by it's description... so how should I deal with damage bonuses? Do I just crank out the Dex? Put some in str? Should I create him with crap dex, huge str and will that screw this type of character up? Arg! I wish the book would explain more. Or I had a brain.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Because of the point buying rules, if you are being a melee char, I reccomend putting 14 at least in Strength and Dex. As a sentinel, I believe dex effects more of your skills (every two points over 10 in a skill gives you a bonus), so you may want to put 16 into dex if you want to dodge better. The finess adds to your to-hit, but not damage. However, I find that the strength bonuses are largely negligent in this game, consnidering force powers.

 

I'd reccomend you put some good points into Dex, for your skills, Chrisma and Wisdom for interaction and powers. Generally, your powers will make up for lower stats.

 

There are also a TON of stat boosting items in the game.

 

Just a general idea of what stats effect:

 

Str - To-Hit and damage

Con - Health and Fortitude saves

Dex - Armor Class, and many skills, reflex saves.

Int - Skill points, lots of dialogue options, many skills.

Wisdom - Your Force powers, Will saves, and dialogue options.

Chr - Dialogue, comrade to-hit, and a few Force powers.

 

Finesse feat allwos your Dex to be considered for to-hit as opposed to Str, but not for damage.

[Aegis]

Well, there are two basic attributes to look at in an attack: Damage and Attack Rating (that's not the name in KotOR, but I don't remember the real name and it's close enough). AR is your chance to hit an enemy with an attack, damage is how much damage the hit does. Naturally, both values should be as high as possible.

If I understood things correctly, for melee weapons, strength determines both AR and damage. I'm quite sure dexterity increases AR for ranged weapons, I'm not sure about damage.

 

Anyway, Melee/Lightsaber finesse feats will make either strength or dexterity determine your AR. In effect, both these feats will only be worthwhile if your dexterity is higher than your strength. If it is, AR will be determined by dexterity instead of strength. If not, strength will still be used to determine AR. However, strength will always determine the damage.

 

By the looks of it, you could ignore dexterity and only get strength, but you have to remember that dexterity have other advantages as well (AR for ranged weapons and your defense, for example).

[Villain]

Well I guess I was wanting to know what people thought about progression of a middle man character that would like to focus slightly on melee. After character creation I'm just not really sure where I should allocate those rare attribute points. Since in this game skills actually matter or especially repair, I can't see going with Guardians and what I read about Sith Mauraders being broken... Oh and as you guys say, there are tons of stat items everywhere, but you could definitely focus on one or mix it up. Well, this time I was thinking of trying out critical strike if that makes any difference? Sorry for the n00b questions and thanks.

[Tanuvein]

Well I guess I was wanting to know what people thought about progression of a middle man character that would like to focus slightly on melee. After character creation I'm just not really sure where I should allocate those rare attribute points. Since in this game skills actually matter or especially repair, I can't see going with Guardians and what I read about Sith Mauraders being broken... Oh and as you guys say, there are tons of stat items everywhere, but you could definitely focus on one or mix it up. Well, this time I was thinking of trying out critical strike if that makes any difference? Sorry for the n00b questions and thanks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

A sentinel would be good, with 14 str, 16 dex and some points spread across wisdom and charisma, maybe int and con depending on what you want. After that, continue to raise dex.

[palathas]

This is the way I've built my sentinel

 

STR - 14 Slight dmg bonus and helps to hit early in game

DEX - 14 At least some dodge bonus and helps skills

CON - 12 Took toughness to boost HP

INT - 14 For those skills

WIS - 12 Due to the Level you can get I kept this low, your level gets added to Force sv DC's and your own saves are good as Sentinel

CHA - 12 Similar reason to above.

 

As I level I'll mainly be boosting Dex, I took Touhgness early and will be taking both Finesses. Not really sure if Melee Finesse is needed though. This way my AC should be good and chance to hit will be also boosted. The damage your weapons will be doing should keep me out of mischief and Force Powers will make up for the rest. Maybe not a combat monster but I can pretty much do everything solo without too much of a hit to combat ability. I also took Demolition and Repair to Class Skill Feats as early as I could. Doing well so far anyway.

[Zilod]

every +1 bonus in DEX gives

+1 to hit ranged

+1 defence

 

every +1 bonus in STR gives

+1 to hit with melee

+1 to damage melee (no sabres)

+2 to damage sabres

[Jeremiah]

every +1 bonus in DEX gives

+1 to hit with sabre

+1 to hit ranged

+1 defence

 

every +1 bonus in STR gives

+1 to hit with melee (no sabres)

+1 to damage melee (no sabres)

+2 to damage sabres

 

note that if you want to do a STR based char you need sabre finess to be able to apply the STR to the hit roll.

 

In my opinion generally is not a good idea to split points between STR and DEX, (expecially after char creation) you risk to end up to be less efficent, for my taste DEX jedis are the best but STR ones with sabre finesse are very viable too

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Are you sure you don't have it backwards? Str still determines to hit with sabers unless you take finesse. By just the name finesse implies dexterity.

 

I didn't really miss dexterity for my characters so far. I focused on damage resistance (toughness, master force barrier, master energy resistance plus some shields). I very rarely had them use a ranged weapon. Of course that doesn't mean you can't make a blaster jedi (Mira is a good candidate).

[Zilod]

every +1 bonus in DEX gives

+1 to hit with sabre

+1 to hit ranged

+1 defence

 

every +1 bonus in STR gives

+1 to hit with melee (no sabres)

+1 to damage melee (no sabres)

+2 to damage sabres

 

note that if you want to do a STR based char you need sabre finess to be able to apply the STR to the hit roll.

 

In my opinion generally is not a good idea to split points between STR and DEX, (expecially after char creation) you risk to end up to be less efficent, for my taste DEX jedis are the best but STR ones with sabre finesse are very viable too

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Are you sure you don't have it backwards? Str still determines to hit with sabers unless you take finesse. By just the name finesse implies dexterity.

 

I didn't really miss dexterity for my characters so far. I focused on damage resistance (toughness, master force barrier, master energy resistance plus some shields). I very rarely had them use a ranged weapon. Of course that doesn't mean you can't make a blaster jedi (Mira is a good candidate).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

aaaa true sorry.... really tought it was like KOTOR tht use the standard rules, in TSL they changed it probably to make STR more viable, sorry again and fixing it.