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Yae: Neverwinter Nights Style

I have been playing Dungeons & Dragons a very long time (a bit too long, probably), so, as you can imagine, I've long since created my favorite character concepts and played them well-nigh to death. When Neverwinter Nights came out, it gave me a good chance to work with some of the older characters (Sara, my monk, hadn't been played in about 5 years, and needed to be converted to 3rd edition) in this spiffy new game/editor/thing that Bioware had graciously given the linux-using masses (albeit a year after the significantly larger, windows-using masses got it). I was tickled pink! I ran it through with my ranger Narsillon, my paladin Laurel, and a few other favorites. But it wasn't until I was about to play a through the expansion, Shadows of Undrentide, with my friend Andy, that it entered into my head that it would be cool to base a character off Yae. It was his idea, actually, which makes me feel kind of stupid, because it's really pretty cool.

For those of your familiar with D&D in general or NWN in particular, depending on your level of experience and expertise, this might seem a bit strange for you. I know you're going to wonder "Why does a fighter have all that dexterity?" or even, "why does a fighter have all those things that aren't strength and constitution?" Well, I've always felt that there has been an underrepresentation of smart, agile fighters in the D&D universe, and I do believe that Yae fits that bill about as well as any other character I can think of. Remember, the idea of this character is not to run into the middle of a crowd and start bashing things. There's a reason she has mobility, and not cleave (beyond the fact that weapon master requires the former and not the latter). Even early on, before she has any levels as shadowdancer (with hide in plain sight) mobility allows you to disengage from a battle without suffering attacks of opportunity. That, coupled with two-weapon fighting and whirlwind attack, make her very fast, able to nibble down groups until they're managable. Even if you do insist on charging in, you still have expertise to give you an AC boost. Those not familiar with NWN will have to forgive the seemingly low charisma. There simply aren't enough points to raise it. The wisdom, I believe I can stand by.

This character was created up to level 20 in Neverwinter Nights + Shadows of Undrentide. However, the weapon master prestige class requires Hordes of the Underdark. If you do not have it, then I would suggest an alternate route, where you start out as fighter and alternate levels with rogue until level 7, which you should take as rogue, and then proceed to take your eigth level as shadowdancer. From there on out, alternate between fighter and shadowdancer, perhaps throwing a few rogue levels in to keep your sneak attack somewhat current. Additionally, since Yae would never use a shield, I decided to take two-weapon fighting. If you're a purist and don't want even that, I suggest replacing Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting with Power Attack and Cleave, then replacing Improved Two-Weapon Fighting with Great Cleave.

Starting Ability Scores:
	Name: Yae Age: 23 Race: Human Alignment: Lawful, Good Head: Default Hair: Green Voice: Female, Quiet Leader Strength: 16 Dexterity: 16 Constitution: 10 Intelligence: 14 Wisdom: 8 Charisma: 10

Level Up Objectives
Level 1: Fighter 1 Skills: Hide 2, Move Silently 2, Intimidate 2, Open Lock 1, Search 1, Tumble 1 Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Weapon Focus: Katana, Dodge	Level 11: Weapon Master 5 Skills: Hide 7, Move Silently 7, Parry 1, Spot 4
Level 2: Fighter 2 Skills: Discipline: 2 Feats: Mobility	Level 12: Weapon Master 6 Ability Scores: Dexterity 19 Skills: Disable Traps 4 Feats: Ambidexterity
Level 3: Fighter 3 Skills: Hide: 3, Move Silently 3, Tumble 3, Intimidate 3 Feats: Expertise	Level 13: Weapon Master 7 Skills: Hide 8, Move Silently 8, Parry 2, Search 3
Level 4: Fighter 4 Ability Scores: Dexterity 17 Skills: Disable Traps: 1 Feats: Spring Attack	Level 14: Weapon Master 8 Skills: Open Lock 2
Level 5: Fighter 5 Skills: Hide 4, Move Silently 4, Tumble 4, Intimidate 4	Level 15: Weapon Master 9 Skills: Hide 9, Move Silently 9, Discipline 8, Open Locks 3 Feats: Two-Weapon Fighting
Level 6: Fighter 6 Skills: Discipline 4 Feats: Weapon Specialization: Katana, Whirlwind Attack	Level 16: Weapon Master 10 Ability Scores: Dexterity 20 Skills: Spot 6
Level 7: Weapon Master 1 Skills: Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Tumble 5, Disable Traps 2	Level 17: Fighter 7 Skills: Hide 10, Move Silently 10, Parry 3, Disable Trap 5
Level 8: Weapon Master 2 Ability Scores: Dexterity 18 Skills: Spot 2	Level 18: Shadowdancer 1 Skills: Hide 20 Feats: Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
Level 9: Weapon Master 3 Skills: Hide 6, Move Silently 6, Search 2, Disable Trap 3 Feats: Improved Critical: Katana	Level 19: Fighter 8 Skills: Parry 8 Feats: Improved Parry
Level 10: Weapon Master 4 Skills: Discipline 6	Level 20: Fighter 9 Ability Scores: Dexterity 21 Skills: Parry 13

From level 21 on, I would suggest working on Epic Weapon Master, as it is a really, really nice epic class, with every third or fourth level taking an additional level as shadowdancer. If you don't have Hordes of the Underdark and are doing the Fighter/Rogue/Shadowdancer, you don't even have to worry about this, since you don't have epic levels! Which means you should go to your nearest store and pick up HotU.

The main goal, post-20, is to feed points into hide, move silently, search and disable traps during the shadowdancer levels and into parry, discipline and spot in the weapon master levels. My suggestion is that you use your epic feats for great dexterity, working up until level 28, at which point you have a dexterity of 25 and can then take blinding speed (the third goal of this character). Between there you have a Weapon Master Epic Feat. Your selection is a bit limited, as your strength is not high enough for the epic criticals even if you took the power attack/cleave path, so I would suggest Epic Weapon Focus. But really, it's up to you.

Remember, this is just my character and my concept. You can make Yae however you want, even changing this basic build. I would suggest you keep the skill pattern (2 points every other level, 8 points on the rest), as the skill situation is a bit tricky to balance, since fighters get so few points per level.