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playswithfire
2009-07-11, 01:00 AM
I'd like some help tweaking a gestalt BBEG. It's a slightly modified version of something I did for the Character Builder Thread a while ago. Don't really have a use for it, but I like the idea and I'd like to have it ready in case it's needed, so I'm putting it here for review. The main goal was to be very difficult to kill, with the secondary goal to dish out a lot of damage.

The basic build is:
Sorcerer 6/Pale Master 10//Crusader 5/Battle Dancer/Spell Sword/Crusader+9
with stats in the rough order of CHA, STR/CON, DEX, INT, WIS

Yes, I'm aware I'm breaking the two prestige class rule for that level of Pale Master//Spellsword, but he's a BBEG instead of a PC and I don't think it's too unbalancing.

BAB: +16/+11/+6/+1
Base saves: 9/7/10
Hit dice: 14d10+2d8

Features:
8th level spells and maneuvers, some nice touch attacks and stat boosts, an undead cohort (most likely a Ghost Bard//Cleric/Swordsage2 who spams inflicts and inspires the BBEG and his undead minions), Steely Resolve 25, Furious Counterstrike, Mettle, Immunity to disease, nonlethal damage, stunning, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, death effects, critical hits, ability drain, and energy drain, as well as damage to his physical ability scores (Str, Dex, and Con)

Feats:
Level1 - Skill Focus[Knowledge(religion)]
Human/Flaw - Tomb-Tainted Soul
Flaw(Shaky) - Extra Granted Maneuver
Level3 - Power Attack
Level6 - Arcane Strike
Level9 - open
Crusader10 - Die Hard
Level12 - open
Level15 - open

Stances and Maneuvers:
Pretty confident on these, but I'd accept some tweaks.

Martial Spirit (Devoted Spirit 1)
Leading the Charge (White Raven 1)
Press the Advantange (White Raven 5)
Immortal Fortitude (Devoted Spirit 8)

Battle Leader's Charge (White Raven 2)
Revitalizing Strike (Devoted Spirit 3)
White Raven Strike (White Raven 4)
Divine Surge (Devoted Spirit 4)
Doom Charge (Devoted Spirit 5)
Flanking Maneuver (White Raven 5)
Rallying Strike (Devoted Spirit 6)
War Leader's Charge (White Raven 6)
Castigating Strike (Devoted Spirit 7)
Swarming Assault (White Raven 7)
White Raven Hammer (White Raven 8)


Spells Known
need help here; I don't play casters very often.

0 - Prestidigitation, Message, Touch of Fatigue, Dancing Lights, Open/Close, Silent Portal, Flare, Light, Ghost Sounds
1 - True Strike, Ray of Enfeeblement, Magic Missile, Backbiter, Sonic Blast Bestow Wound
2 Command Undead, Wraithstrike, Swift Expedition Retreat, Infernal Wound, Swift Fly Sadism
3 Vampiric Touch, Greater Mage Armor, Haste, Ray of Exhaustion
4 Greater Invisibility, Enervation, Fear, Backlash Animate Dead
5 Waves of Fatigue Stop Heart, Wrack, Night's Caress, Death Throes
6 Fleshshiver Superior Resistance, Create Undead, Spectral Touch Greater Heroism
7 Avasculate, Energy Ebb
8 Skeletal Guard


So, what I'd like help with is the three open feats, sorcerer spell selection, and any sorcerer ACFs that would work well in this build.

Gear recommendations also appreciated. Some things I'd planned to use last time were: Slippers of Battledancing, Deathguardian Bracers, Bonemail graft, +1 Martial Discipline(White Raven, Devoted Spirit) Rapier, various stat boosters.

Thanks in advance for any help.

ShneekeyTheLost
2009-07-11, 01:10 AM
If he has Rogue minions, Clarion Call (the tactical feat, not the maneuver) might be a good choice. Declare PC Tank to be flanked with a flat DC 20 Intimidate check, then sick the Rogues on him.

Stone Power might be good for 'ignore 10 damage a round in exchange for -5 on to-hit', and Shards of Granite is good for ignoring DR if your PC's like to rely on not being hurt when they get hit.

White Raven + swarms of mooks = swarms of DANGEROUS mooks. Sure, they still blow up easy, but now they've got some damage output and a chance of actually hitting.

Faith Unswerving can be pretty nasty. One Last Strike + Maneuver which heals = Why won't he STAY DOWN?. Keep Up The Pressure means being able to follow your target when he tries to move out of your way.

lvl 1 fighter
2009-07-11, 01:22 AM
Buy a Ring of Evasion.
Add the spell Superior Resistance (+6 saves). It's in the Spell Compendium.
Also learn Greater Heroism. (+4 moral atk/saves).

G. Heroism is 1 min/lvl and Superior Resistance is all day, so you can have them both up before the fight. Evasion + Mettle and your lowest save is +17.

Chain Dispel is also good against groups. (+25 max cl) It's in PHB II.

Use the feats for Martial Study. Pick up Shadow Stride and Shadow Blink. Flit around the fight at your leisure.

playswithfire
2009-07-11, 07:32 AM
If he has Rogue minions, Clarion Call (the tactical feat, not the maneuver) might be a good choice. Declare PC Tank to be flanked with a flat DC 20 Intimidate check, then sick the Rogues on him.

Stone Power might be good for 'ignore 10 damage a round in exchange for -5 on to-hit', and Shards of Granite is good for ignoring DR if your PC's like to rely on not being hurt when they get hit.

White Raven + swarms of mooks = swarms of DANGEROUS mooks. Sure, they still blow up easy, but now they've got some damage output and a chance of actually hitting.

Faith Unswerving can be pretty nasty. One Last Strike + Maneuver which heals = Why won't he STAY DOWN?. Keep Up The Pressure means being able to follow your target when he tries to move out of your way.

Haven't really statted out the minions, yet, but Clarion Commander does look interesting if you have rogue allies. Not sure it's worth two feats in this case, as the minions can probably keep people flanked on their own.

White raven is definitely there to turn undead minions into legitimate threats.

Can you initiate a maneuver as part of Faith Unswerving? It says an attack, not a standard action.


Buy a Ring of Evasion.
Add the spell Superior Resistance (+6 saves). It's in the Spell Compendium.
Also learn Greater Heroism. (+4 moral atk/saves).

G. Heroism is 1 min/lvl and Superior Resistance is all day, so you can have them both up before the fight. Evasion + Mettle and your lowest save is +17.

Chain Dispel is also good against groups. (+25 max cl) It's in PHB II.

Use the feats for Martial Study. Pick up Shadow Stride and Shadow Blink. Flit around the fight at your leisure.

Added Greater Heroism and Superior Resistance. Chain dispel looks nice, but I think I'll stick with Skeletal Guard for now. Also cracked BoVD and added a few nice spells from there.

Ring of evasion definitely makes the list of nice equipment.


Thanks for all your advice. Keep it coming.

ShneekeyTheLost
2009-07-11, 03:08 PM
Find a way to dish out a decent amount of Negative Energy damage, preferably area effect. Not only does it heal you and your minions, but it also hurts the PC's.

playswithfire
2009-07-11, 03:30 PM
Find a way to dish out a decent amount of Negative Energy damage, preferably area effect. Not only does it heal you and your minions, but it also hurts the PC's.

I was going to leave that primarily to the undead cohort, the Ghost Cleric//Bard who would start off an inspire courage and then spam Inflict X Wounds spells, but I guess it couldn't hurt to have the main character able to do it, too.

I know there's a Sorcerer ACF that gives you access to a cleric domain in place of 1 spell known per spell level. Is there a domain made up of all the various Inflict spells?

ShneekeyTheLost
2009-07-11, 03:34 PM
I was going to leave that primarily to the undead cohort, the Ghost Cleric//Bard who would start off an inspire courage and then spam Inflict X Wounds spells, but I guess it couldn't hurt to have the main character able to do it, too.

I know there's a Sorcerer ACF that gives you access to a cleric domain in place of 1 spell known per spell level. Is there a domain made up of all the various Inflict spells?

Sort Of (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spellLists/clericDomains.htm#destructionDomain). Best of all, it has Harm, which is a reset button for your hit points.

May I suggest, as your undead cohort, a Dread Necromancer//Bard? DN's do Negative Energy Bursts as class abilities...

Glimbur
2009-07-11, 04:28 PM
I hear good things about Lord of the Uttercold (which makes your cold damage spells do half negative energy), Energy Substitution (Cold), and Wall of Fire. Since your minions are generally immune to cold damage, you can throw walls into combat that hurt your enemies and heal your minions.