Kiran wrote:So, I am looking for a build I could at level 18 comfortably solo with, and also take into the epic levels and have a shot. As I am lacking gear, pure fighter and such seems very unlikely as I do not have the items to pull it off.
I like starting my character's from scratch. Thus I avoid granting new characters experience through RCR, and the same holds true for loot and gold. (If I pass things over, I tend to loose interest if there is no regular RP to tie in my interest to that character) Thus for more than two dozen times, I have created a regular character with nothing more than 1000 gold to start with, and I have gotten them to the epic levels.
I prefer the surface, so these tips will be for surface.
Is your character someone with access to Invisibility spell?
> Just grind the quests, as invisibility alone is enough to do most of them at level 3 or 4.
If you are without that handy spell, then you need to get your hands little bit more dirty. But that is no problem for a Strength based Warrior. (Any full BAB class with Martial Weapon proficiency really.)
Level 1:
Spawn on the eastern farmlands, go the market area to buy: Armor, shield, blunt weapon, and few healing kits.
Then catch the rat for Farmer Thom, try your luck with the rolls.
Rush to the BG docks and start all four quests found in there along the shore line.
1) Stolen Goods (Inside merchant league building),
2) Packet Delivery (Near water after the above building),
3) Find the Crew (Half-orc in front of warehouse),
4) Iron for Iron Throne (In front of the really tall building.)
Head back to the eastern BG, visit Maltz, Aello, Sorcerous Sundires for packet deliveries, and Elfsong for crew member.
Head to northern BG, visit the temple of Gond, then head down towards the docks. There is a lady with a lost bracelet there, start the quest. Deliver the last packet into the nearby in.
And once you are back at docks, move left and head to the blushing mermaid to find the last crew member on top floor. Then you can turn in the iron quest. Head to the half-orc pirate and you will find the bracelet thief nearby. Turn in the crew quest, and finally also turn in the packet quest.
Go back to northern BG, and return the bracelet.
If you created a non-ecl adjusted character, you are now at level two.
Head to Northern farmlands, find the bandit cave. Loot the chests, claim stolen goods from the barrels. (Use highlight and spin camera if it is your first time.) Then return to the docks to collect quest reward.
Now, you can head to the graveyard in order to smash the undead to bits. Collect the remains as those are 25gp per piece. There is a lone chest in the ruins, loot it. (And the bones.)
Therefore, you have started earning money, and your first real purchase should be a full-plate. (I have always bought one before I get one from my loot.) After that, you need to start checking the consignment stores for bargains. You are looking for +2 and +3 equipment for few thousand gold pieces, and once you get better stuff, you just put your old stuff for sale for mere few thousand gold pieces.
And after your 3rd or 4th level, just run south along the trade way. Try do your best to avoid the mobs, it can be done, and your goal is to reach Beregost. Once you do, set either Beregost or Nashkel as your home location. After reset, you can choose spawn there, and do the Hunter Harrow and Radger the Badger quests with ease, not to mention acquiring the stock for Maltz. (Though the safest way to finish the Maltz quest is to wait for another reset.)
Thus, to hunt for loot in general:
- Very low levels: Bandit Cave, Graveyard + Cave, Hilltop ruins on the big bridge map.
- Low to mid levels: Cloakwood mines, Gnoll & Sea Cave west from Candlekeep (The free Torch Fighting feat can be used, if you find a torch first), Goblin Cave north of Beregost, Sharptooth Orc Cave east from FAI.
- Mid to mid-late epics: Xvart village south of Beregost, Fields of the Dead crypts north of BG, Troll and Ogre Cave even further north, and Ogre Fortress somewhere around those parts.
You will be eating a lot of healing packs, and investing in the heal skill is very much recommended, but the thing is the that more you loot, the more stuff you find. All those +1 or +2 weapons you do not even bother to put for 'auction' anymore, will still get you that 1k~ per piece. It adds up, and it allows you to fork out the gold required coins required for those +4 equipment.
And as for currently, I got a level 6 strength based 'warrior' - started from scratch of course. I have already found myself +1 Dodge boots, +3 Full-plate, +3 Deflection cloak, +1 and +2 weapons. (Got to hate those level requirements, though.

)
Oh, and once your level increases, you get to do more quests. The orc chieftain, Wyvern Egg, Mushroom hunting, Ore samples... etc.
So, if you want really easy time... I guess you could create a Strength based cleric with the Darkness domain. (Invisibility as a second level domain spell, and the domain itself is granted by deities of Evil, Neutral, and Good alignments.) You got that high strength loot carrying capacity, your spells give AB, Damage, AC, and healing. (Some AoE spells are handy too.) But most likely you will have to seek for that +3 Wisdom item.
But anyhow, if you do not want to play as a caster, it is perfectly feasible to start out as mundane melee character even from scratch. But, it comes with the caveat of having to loot chests.