An artist?

[Scavar]

So my character is fast turning into what could be considered an artist. He doesn't actually paint or do anything with colors, merely does detailed sketches, and can do them quickly, sometimes even catching some spell work.

My question is, what does everyone think the proper class for an artist would be? I'd assume a bard...which I'd be willing to take some classes in, despite my stats being useless for it as I'm currently built for being a fighter/rogue. No way in the nine hells I'd reroll again(I've already had my ranger abilities taken from me once heh.)


What do you all think?

[dharma]

I, personally, do not see the Perform skill linked to drawing talent. That may be an unpopular viewpoint, but I see it as detailed perception, not the intertwined complications of song, dance or acting.

Intelligence would be the key, to me.

[Echelon13]

In my opinion, I honestly think that any class could do it. Dharma put it rather nicely in the above post, though the related abilities to being an artist would probably focus on dexterity, intelligence and wisdom.

[Scavar]

I like this view on it, it almost makes me feel like I need to reroll to balance out my stats more for this, but I really don't want to again -_-

13 DEX 14 INT 10 Wis. I originally just sketched things for memory, and as time went on I got use to looking at things as art. So I'd draw them just for drawing them. I'm at the point where sometimes I get paid for doing art, so I'll just keep RPing it I think...I'll pretend I'm not as strong anymore heh.

[Kaybrie]

Dex / Wis are primary stats for artistic expression, with wisdom being far more key then Dex... Int has little/nothing to do with it, unless you like tracing.

(Via the books anyways)

[dharma]

This would be a place where the books and I, personally, differ in opinion, if that is indeed the case, Kasso.

Why?
I believe in multiple intelligences.

/soapbox

What the classical, testing/accountability ACT=everything world of education does not realize is that the ability to make a plant grow, focus on craftsmanship, draw, paint, photograph, design or fix an engine are a skill set that requires an ability to distill the information in front of a person.

Intelligence.

Math, language skills and science backgrounds do not an intelligent person make.

This from a journalist that has passed Calculus III, with an A.

/soapbox

That said, I stand behind my interpretation.

[Kaybrie]

Well go ahead, but I still support the books. ^^;;

Why? Because Intelligence directly relates to IQ, and IQ does not = Artistic expression. A person with 200 IQ (20 int) still isn't necessarily a good artist, it simply means that they're good at learning, and if they had excellent minor motor functions it would mean that they could copy others artistic styles well, but to create on their own. Nope, that falls to wisdom, which is creativity, insight and awareness. Basically DnD 3.5 has intelligence and wisdom seperated to represent the strength of the left/right side of the brain, with wisdom also encompassing ones natural senses.

Point is; they're both very much thinking stats, but really, a character with high int, but low wis has little to no creativity.

[Scavar]

Either way, I feel like I need to reroll, but I just can't bring myself to.

I'm only level 7, but i've already done that once due to something else that happened to me. It's a pain -_- Either way I don't see any drastic changes happening.

[Kaybrie]

This is what the Able Learner feat is for, then boost a couple points where you think you need them to be an artist.

[Scavar]

No one's really even mentioned Skill points, what skills does everyone think would go into being an artist?

[Xanderleo]

Perform is the closest in my opinion for in game uses. It should give the clearest modifier as to how the art is received.

Also, being an artist myself I have to say dexterity does count towards making art. The physical aspect of it. It's a learned ability, affected by various degrees of talent, but a learned ability nonetheless.

That said, I largely agree with dharma. Because it's the safe thing to do being that he's smarter than me. xD

[undeadsteak]

I'd say perform is closest too, but I hate perform being the base of everything. Like, Music, Dancing, Painting... Why? Because only bards can take the skill, that just makes it very annoying, and only they can max it up.

[Scavar]

I think unless a DM tells me otherwise, I'm just going to be RPing this. I don't see a problem with RPing my stats getting higher for being artistic specifically. I mean to be honest, if my guy tried to paint something, or to add color, he'd fuck it all up.

He's just doing detailed sketches, because he use to when he was a ranger to keep track of tracks, and such. It was the only skill he kept from being a ranger. I don't want to have to reroll just to justify my growth as an artist, and I don't want to put points/levels into bard just to get perform. I mean honestly, I can see my quick sketchs coming out poorly, but something an artist takes time on, might be redrawn a billion times. /shrug

SO yeah*sticks out tongue* I still want your opinions though.

[Krya Flacongrace]

I, personally, do not see the Perform skill linked to drawing talent. That may be an unpopular viewpoint, but I see it as detailed perception, not the intertwined complications of song, dance or acting.

Intelligence would be the key, to me.

I would agree with that

[zkeleton]

I'm not sure why you think your chars drawing ability would somehow affect his stats. Especialy to the degree of having to remake the char. If you really think its affecting your char that much then put the stat gain you get every 4th lvl into whatever stat you think is appropriate.

I think you're right to mainly keep it as an RP thing. But if you want to reflect it directly in your char I think its more of a skill thing than a stat thing. Spot might be a good way to go since that reflects your ability to observe and pick out details of what you see. Which is the kind of thing that someone who sketches people, and objects, would develop.

Weapon Masters, Harpers and Invisible Blades can actually put points in perform as well if you really wanted to go that route without becoming a bard. Though, I'm guessing, it would probably be a stretch.

I don't think that WIS is really that necessary of a stat to have to reflect artistic talent. There have been a lot of great artists around that lived fast and foolishly and died young. I think you could even use CHA in many cases to represent that kind of talent. Artistic talent, and creativity, are such difficult (impossible?) things to quantify that I think you could use a high stat in INT, WIS, or CHA to represent artistic ability.

Putting all that aside though just because your char can draw well doesn't mean he's an artist. Just about anybody can learn to draw fairly well with enough practice but that certainly doesn't make someone an artist. Well, not a good artist anyway.