Blackguards

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Basically I just want to know what class/classes would make a good powerful blackguard

[ May 31, 2004, 21:49: Message edited by: Equester ]

 

I made a fighter/blackguard once just for the hell of it. He was incredibly powerful. The fighter's weapon specialization and bonus feats combined with the blackguard's sneak attack makes for one devastating killing-machine.

Although I think it might be interesting to make a paladin/blackguard; since that's what the blackguard is really supposed to represent (I think!).

 

Yeah, essentially the Blackguard is a "fallen paladin"...the builds for both characters would be similar, you would just need to switch your alignment over by going on a bloody killing spree

Maybe try an Evil, Elf Ranger...High BAB from Ranger, as well as favored enemy and animal companion, a couple of spells that are useful, Hide is a class skill, and the racial benefits of Elf. Adding any other class would bring an XP penalty, though.

You could take Blackie at level 7, so long as you've gotten your Cleave feat. Might make a fun Blackguard character who's a little different from the typical fighter or paladin build.

Another choice is to build with a rogue, but the lower HP and midrange BAB would be a setback to a Blackguard tank.

 

I made a monk/blackguard myself. This may sound strange, but with the blackguard's higher BAB this amounts to 6 attacks per round base at level 20 with unarmed attacks. Damned powerful. Of course, you don't need to be a blackguard to accomplish this, but I like blackguards.

 

fighter/blackguard, an original and still the best... (havent tried monk/blackguard tho could be intresting)

 

Paladin/Blackguard is great since paladins do not lose their paladin abilities when falling, and you gain Dark Blessing (which is the same as Divine Grace) on top of aforementioned. This means 2xCHA bonus to saves. You will be untouchable. Extremly high cheese- and powergamingfactor though...

 

I'm playing a paladin/Champion of Torm - and he is a brutal tank! So far he's Pal 9 / CoT 2, but between his Divine Might and Divine Grace, criticals in 2 handed sword & longsword, he is tough! I rarely get damaged anymore!!!

 

I think your right i never thought of that, it would be a good character to fight mages and creatures with onhit attacks. Im not sure if feats like that stack tho...

 

@Bazuttu: Feats? What feats? The class abilities? They stack, I tried it myself. Slaughter...

 

I'm running a Lawful Evil ranger/blackguard (Quintessence St. James) through the HotU campaign. Wow, but she's efficiently vicious.

You need ten non-blackguard levels before you can start taking blackguard prestige levels, and Rgr10 makes for an interesting character - you get three favored enemies, same BAB as a fighter, minor spells, more skill points and class skills, and all the ranger/druid-specific story extras (like tracking or chatting with animals). I skipped the two-weapon fighting entirely by slapping on full plate and wielding a halberd, but if two-weapon wielding appeals, then ranger levels make even more sense.

Ten levels of fighter would probably give more raw power, if you choose your feats wisely. But ten ranger levels better fit the idea of a crafty manhunter. And if you're playing the original campaign and won't be going above level 20 anyway, ranger levels will let you qualify for blackguard rights earlier (since Hide is a ranger class skill).

 

OK, I haven't played NWN, so I don't know how it would work in that game, but fighter(4)/ranger(3-5) or fighter(4)/rogue(3-5) comes to my mind. A monk-based one, either just monk or monk(3-5)/fighter(4) could also be powerful. Monk/ranger if you want the AC bonus from WIS to add to your DEX-based one; ranger for dual-wielding if light armour or none.

If you go HotU, up to level 40, you could do fighter/ranger/monk.

 

A monk/blackguard could be very interesting, if you maxed out Wisdom and Dexterity. But...to get the best monk abilities, you'd need to forfeit armor and (probably) weaponry. Plus, the blackguard, like the paladin, benefits strongly from Charisma, which is of no special use to the monk. So, to make up for foregoing armor, the player would have to invest heavily in Wisdom and/or Dexterity, leaving little room for Charisma.

For my ranger/blackguard, I left dexterity at its minimum NWN value (8) and spread the extra points broadly, with emphasis on Strength and Charisma. She's wearing the heaviest armor available (with a two-handed weapon, ignoring dual-wielding bonuses), and the Charisma boosts her reflex saves. Just don't ask her to play the piano.

Now that I've considered the issue more, I'm thinking I should make the character a Rgr25/Blk15. Fifteen levels of Blackguard is the minimum for the Epic Fiend feat. Beyond that - since Rangers and Blackguards have the same BAB and HP and collect feats at the same rate - the only thing Blackguard levels gets her vs. Ranger levels is the extra sneak attack damage (+1d6 every three levels) and the mild boost to the summoned fiend (+2HD every five levels). Extra Ranger levels would give her new favored enemies and increase the damage on the previously chosen ones, and twenty Ranger levels qualify her for the Bane of Enemies feat (+2D6, above and beyond the normal +5 to hit and damage from having five favored enemies). Plus, Ranger levels improve the animal companion and add spells.