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View Full Version : Help me build Link from Zelda [3.5]



Froogleyboy
2009-08-27, 09:00 PM
Okay, I wana play link in my next 3.5 campaign, so does anyone know of a build?

Milskidasith
2009-08-27, 09:02 PM
A melee character with whirlwind attack, cross class skills into UMD, some way of reducing falling damage significantly, and a way of casting a single weak blasty spell from his sword.

I'm really not sure how to do the last two, because I don't have swordsage or hexblade or duskblade or all the other classes that seem to involve swords and magic.

Drider
2009-08-27, 09:08 PM
If you look around, I believe there was a fairly detailed zelda d20 that had racial stats for deku shrubs, gorons, and zora, forest imp(skull kid race) along with hylalians(city-folk) and kokori(the forest children) and a bunch of monsters.

Innis Cabal
2009-08-27, 09:09 PM
Factotum. Seriously. Factotum. What class should Link be? Oh, Factotum looks awesome. Probably should go with that.

ShneekeyTheLost
2009-08-27, 09:11 PM
Probably a dip in Warlock for the shooting of the magic. The other magical abilities given are invocations. He's also dipped a level in Master of Masks (or gone all 10 levels in it if you are representing Majora's Mask version) for Gladiator Mask so he can use all those exotic weapons without suffering hugely.

Ponce
2009-08-27, 09:13 PM
Uh. Eternal Blade. Done.

Catch
2009-08-27, 09:16 PM
There's a dozen ways to do it. Any blend of martial, skill monkey and UMD should work, plus a few possibly-custom items. Tt really depends on what books you're allowed.

What level range are you looking at?

Jade_Tarem
2009-08-27, 09:25 PM
Link from Ocarina of Time

Gestalt Hyrulian (Bard9/Sorcerer1)/Fighter10 (Level 10)

Using Heroic Array for stats (why not?)

HP: (10 + 9d10 + 20)
HD: 9

STR: 14
DEX: 18
CON: 14
INT: 18
WIS: 10
CHA: 12

BAB: +10

Skills:
Handle Animal 13 Ranks
Perform (Ocarina) 13 Ranks
Ride 13 Ranks
Tumble 13 Ranks
Use Magic Device 13 Ranks
Appraise 13 Ranks
Climb 7 Ranks
Jump 6 Ranks
Use Rope 13 Ranks
Listen 13 Ranks
Spot 13 Ranks
Survival 7 Ranks
Search 6 Ranks

Feats:
Mounted Combat (Fighter Bonus - 1)
Mounted Archery (Fighter Bonus - 2)
Point Blank Shot (Fighter Bonus - 4)
Precise Shot (Fighter Bonus - 6)
Shot on the Run (Fighter Bonus - 8)
Dodge (Hyrulian Bonus)
Mobility
Spring Attack
Combat Expertise
Whirlwind Attack (Fighter Bonus - 10)
Celestial Familiar

Equipment:
+3 Holy Longsword "Master Sword"
+2 Longbow
+1 Returning Boomerang
Glamered Chain Shirt
Glamered Chain Shirt of Moderate Fire Resistance
Glamered Chain Shirt of the Deeps
Boots of Levitation
Lead Boots
Ocarina of Time
Longshot
Slingshot
Deku Nuts
Quarterstaff x 10
Flaming Arrows
Frost Arrows
Holy Arrows
Greater(?) Alchemist's Fire - Bombs
Custom Wonderous Item - Din's Fire
Custom Wonderous Item - Farore's Wind
CUstom Wonderous Item - Naru's Love

Celestial Familiar - Reduced Size Lantern Archon "Navi"

The special music abilities are accounted for by the Bardic Music and Bardic Spellcasting. This covers everything but the shooting from the sword, I think.

woodenbandman
2009-08-27, 09:29 PM
Hm.

How about:

Half Elf Warblade 6/Bloodstorm Blade 4/Eternal Blade 10. At level eleven you get a blade guide (Navi), and you have the diamond mind maneuvers for damage/whirlwind, the Bloodstorm Blade to ensure that your boomerang will always unerringly make it back to you no matter what.

A few items you need:

That eberron boomerang.
A Rod of Ropes
A Holy Avenger
A Shield of Ray Deflection/Spell Turning
A Gnome Twistcloth
A Vicious, Maiming Greatsword
A bunch of ditherbombs.
Some form of magical musical instrument.


For feats you should look at:
Point Blank shot (Obviously as a pre-req)
Shield Ward
Stormguard Warrior
Combat Reflexes
Evasive Reflexes
Robilar's Gambit
Wild Cohort
Hit up Martial Study to pick up a few Desert Wind things.

Ignore Whirlwind attack, there's a maneuver or even two that replicate it, but better. You don't really do a lot of damage with your boomerang, but there's a feat that is somewhere which allows you to daze people you hit with it (called boomerang daze I think), which will allow you to Island in Time yourself to go up and slap 'em a lot.

How's That?

Eldariel
2009-08-27, 09:30 PM
The special music abilities are accounted for by the Bardic Music and Bardic Spellcasting. This covers everything but the shooting from the sword, I think.

Which should be an ability of the sword anyways. Though I'd personally use some ToB to cover that part along with Whirlwind Attack and the like; maybe even Bloodstorm Blade for the Boomerang fun.

Milskidasith
2009-08-27, 09:30 PM
You forgot to mention his character flaws; he's got the mute homebrew flaw going, and is probably insane due to Navi's "annoying as hell" syndrome.

Mando Knight
2009-08-27, 09:34 PM
Your real problem? Which Link. Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass Link is totally different from Twilight Princess Link, and Adult OoT Link is different from his Majora's Mask self. Each one has similar abilities, but all have different secondary powers. TP Link is almost entirely martial with a few nifty magic items, WW Link is a sailor, OoT Link has magic music...

Jade_Tarem
2009-08-27, 09:37 PM
You forgot to mention his character flaws; he's got the mute homebrew flaw going, and is probably insane due to Navi's "annoying as hell" syndrome.

Good catch. However, I'm not very familiar with the flaws/traits system because my group never uses it.

Mushroom Ninja
2009-08-27, 09:37 PM
You forgot to mention his character flaws; he's got the mute homebrew flaw going, and is probably insane due to Navi's "annoying as hell" syndrome.

Navi? Annoying? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duRO3noyAKU)

mikej
2009-08-27, 09:38 PM
You forgot to mention his character flaws; he's got the mute homebrew flaw going, and is probably insane due to Navi's "annoying as hell" syndrome.

"hey, listen!"
"hey, listen!"
"hey, listen!"

I'd go Warblade/Eternal Blade, with Whirlwind Attack and some custom ( DM help ) sword.

edit: darn, ninja'd

Faleldir
2009-08-27, 09:53 PM
A Gnome Twistcloth

Nitpick: Link wears chainmail.

9mm
2009-08-27, 10:15 PM
if the energy blast form the sword isn't a property of the sword, then use a wand chamber and put, I don't know, an eternal wand of magic missle in there?

erikun
2009-08-27, 10:28 PM
Navi? Annoying? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duRO3noyAKU)
Watch out! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_97yscOQQzo)

Honestly, I don't think D&D models Legend of Zelda very well - anything that doesn't fit into one of the predescribed classes is usually hard to work out. Beyond that...

For race, Elf or Half-Elf would make the most sense thematically. Probably Elf, although Link never looked like someone with low CON. Classwise, Duskblade always struck me as the most appropriate: someone who can fight and cast spells. I'm not sure how the skills match up, though, as (Ocarina of Time) Link definitely has high ranks in Tumble. Possibly some decent Balance/Jump checks, at that.

Weapon would be a Longsword/Bastard Sword, as he swings it with both one and two hands regularly. Not sure how you'd model Link's Cyclone attack, as the Whirlwind feat is... rather uninteresting.

deuxhero
2009-08-27, 10:31 PM
I second the Rod of Ropes, doesn't get closer to a hookshot than that.

Knaight
2009-08-27, 11:03 PM
Pick a game, pick a spot in the game, and pick a desired level. Then tell us how much you are OK with home brew. Otherwise, we can't really help much.

elliott20
2009-08-27, 11:15 PM
also specify WHICH Link you want to emulate. There is no feasible way to get them all unless you want to make link a martial character with an obscenely high UMD score and have 99% of his in-game stuff come out via UMDs.

BobVosh
2009-08-27, 11:24 PM
The bard OoT Link doesn't teleport. Need to teleport, or that game would have been terrible.

Zeta Kai
2009-08-27, 11:24 PM
Most versions of Link could be decently emulated with levels in either Bard or Factotum. And as far as Navi goes, I can think of worse companions (http://residentevil.wikia.com/wiki/Ashley_Graham)...

ZeroNumerous
2009-08-27, 11:28 PM
Nitpick: Link wears chainmail.

Wind Waker Link doesn't, Ocarina of Time Link doesn't, Link to the Past Link doesn't, Minish Cap Link doesn't and Link's Awakening Link doesn't. I don't know about any others because I haven't played them.

FMArthur
2009-08-27, 11:32 PM
Always remember that Link has infinite UMD and proficiency with every weapon, ever.

Catch
2009-08-27, 11:33 PM
Wind Waker Link doesn't, Ocarina of Time Link doesn't, Link to the Past Link doesn't, Minish Cap Link doesn't and Link's Awakening Link doesn't. I don't know about any others because I haven't played them.

He wears a chain shirt under his tunic in Twilight Princess, as I recall.

Jade_Tarem
2009-08-28, 12:00 AM
The bard OoT Link doesn't teleport. Need to teleport, or that game would have been terrible.

Fixed. Stuff to extend length.

AstralFire
2009-08-28, 12:15 AM
He wears a chain shirt under his tunic in Twilight Princess, as I recall.

Doesn't the Link's Awakening DX Link also wear mail? I'm pretty sure the different colored armors/tunics in Zelda prior to OoT were mail armor.

ZeroNumerous
2009-08-28, 12:17 AM
Doesn't the Link's Awakening DX Link also wear mail? I'm pretty sure the different colored armors/tunics in Zelda prior to OoT were mail armor.

But Link's Awakening Link is having a nightmare and is transplanted into the nightmare via a shipwreck. Were he wearing chainmail, he'd have drowned.

Agmundr
2009-08-28, 01:02 AM
i beleive he was wearing a chain shirt.

Mongoose87
2009-08-28, 01:22 AM
How can the shooting ability be contingent on him having full HP?

Mando Knight
2009-08-28, 07:22 AM
The bard OoT Link doesn't teleport. Need to teleport, or that game would have been terrible.

Yes, he does. Only to certain locations, but after he gains the Ocarina of Time, he starts learning songs that take him back to the precipice of each dungeon he visits.

Knaight
2009-08-28, 07:32 AM
Why exactly is this so much easier to do with M&M? D&D is supposed to be able to handle fairly generic fantasy.

9mm
2009-08-28, 10:04 AM
Yes, he does. Only to certain locations, but after he gains the Ocarina of Time, he starts learning songs that take him back to the precipice of each dungeon he visits.

he also had a spell for porting in dungeons. usually to the entrance or to a marker he placed.

Triaxx
2009-08-28, 10:37 AM
What he was talking about was the Bard/Sorceror//Fighter build mentioned in the eigth post.

And OoT was small enough that the only dungeon you HAD to teleport to was Shadow Temple because it was the only way to get there, barring glitches.

Zuki
2009-08-28, 10:38 AM
Why exactly is this so much easier to do with M&M? D&D is supposed to be able to handle fairly generic fantasy.

Actually, it doesn't. Over time, the various mechanical assumptions of Dungeons and Dragons have created their own kind of fantasy genre. How many other modern 'generic' fantasy books or settings can you think of that make their wizards prepare specific spells that are only castable once? How many have extradimensional bags? How many involve heroes carefully looting every body they come across?

Etc, etc.

The fantasy genre was pretty different before Dungeons and Dragons, although it clearly took influence from the books of its day.

AstralFire
2009-08-28, 01:18 PM
Bardic Music is wrong; the songs are inherently magical, rather than Link being a magical musician. He's never implied to be inherently talented to an unusual degree with music. They would be a campaign specific effect.

However, if you were simply best seeking to recreate the feel of someone with the various powers available to Link, I would say Bard 2/Warblade 18, with the Song of the White Raven feat.

If you were seeking to homebrew Link, he would be a variant of the psychic warrior with per-encounter power-points, and a set power list. I'd be tempted to use the Force Training feat from Saga as the basis for all of his special abilities.

Elfin
2009-08-28, 01:26 PM
I'd make it Bard2/Warblade17/Eternal Blade1.

ericgrau
2009-08-28, 03:20 PM
Fighter with lots of feats and nifty magic items. It's a good fit; you mostly just need whirlwind attack and from there link relies on gear for all the cool stuff.

For the directional auto-block shield ability in some versions of the game, consider a tower shield.

The shooting ability contingent on full HP was originally him throwing his sword in early versions, but the odd graphics changed the public conception into a beam attack. In later versions it was a magical property of the Master Sword. Again, it's all about the gear.

Cieyrin
2009-08-28, 03:29 PM
So give the Master Sword Throwing and Returning and call it good?

Mando Knight
2009-08-28, 03:33 PM
So give the Master Sword Throwing and Returning and call it good?

No. It definitely doesn't act like a thrown weapon. Give it a Ranged Touch Attack ability that deals 1d6 damage on a hit.

OracleofWuffing
2009-08-28, 03:55 PM
But Link's Awakening Link is having a nightmare and is transplanted into the nightmare via a shipwreck. Were he wearing chainmail, he'd have drowned.
You're forgetting that items can make Link sink only if they're attached to his feet. :smallwink:

Maybe Complete Warrior's Arcane Strike might be a good place to reference for shooting sword power. Certainly don't use it as it is written, make it a property of the sword instead of a feat and give it a small amount of range at the very least, but it might help eyeball things if you think that way.

Cieyrin
2009-08-28, 04:08 PM
No. It definitely doesn't act like a thrown weapon. Give it a Ranged Touch Attack ability that deals 1d6 damage on a hit.

So a virtual level of Warlock, then, just for the Eldritch Blast and nothing else.

Mando Knight
2009-08-28, 04:27 PM
So a virtual level of Warlock, then, just for the Eldritch Blast and nothing else.

Sure. Or something like that. Maybe allow the weapon's enhancement bonus to apply to the attack and damage rolls for the ranged attack.

Nero24200
2009-08-28, 05:11 PM
I wouldn't really bother with the warlock level. Link is only ever able to unleash such a blast whilst weilding the master sword (or in the case of some games, simply pumped-up magical blades).

Rather than make it somthing link has, I'd just make a new type of weapon enchanment that grants the property.

Zergrusheddie
2009-08-28, 06:02 PM
Man, you guys are making sick with nostalgia. I would love to play MM or OoT but my N64 is as dead as a door nail. :frown:

Mando Knight
2009-08-28, 06:55 PM
Man, you guys are making sick with nostalgia. I would love to play MM or OoT but my N64 is as dead as a door nail. :frown:

Well, Wii (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii) do like to play our N64 games (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Console)...

Fizban
2009-08-28, 07:59 PM
You might try looking up the Blade of Arvandor in the Book of Exalted Deeds for the beam attack. It let's you make ranged touch attacks to deal some d8s of force damage at will.

I'm more partial to OoT and TP links so I'd leave out the sword beams. The LoZ d20 project is interesting, but too wrapped up in it's homebrew magic system to use with normal dnd, though at a glance it think it might be balanced enough.

There are three ways I'd do link, all mentioned above: straight fighter, warblade/eternal blade, or factotum. The straight fighter can do all of links combat styles with a high enough level for feats: power attack, leap attack, shield block, shield charge, shield slam, whirlwind attack, and so on. A feat to ignore natural armor or make a touch attack for one attack would be good too, with his tendency for stabbing huge monsters in the eye. The warblade/eternal blade has maneuvers that can do all of the above and can learn new ones from the blade guide. Most people look at the picture and scream "navi", but TP link's golden wolf/skeleton warrior is a better fit what with actually teaching him how to fight. Factotum of course lets you do all kinds of "find the gap" tactics and the limited magic use gives him the various spells and magic arrows he usually has without buying his gear a la carte.

Classic gear would include a Rod of Ropes (not quite a hookshot but close enough and a low low price), +1 Returning Boomerang (add stunning enhancement of choice or the boomerang daze feat), Efficient Quiver (99 arrows!?), Bag of Holding (combination bomb bag and where he puts the iron boots), waterbreathing armor (many flavors available), Mighty Composite Longbow, and + 1 Flaming/Frost/Holy arrows. The shield is an interesting case in that he can block all attacks with it like a tower shield, but can ignore it to two-hand his sword like a buckler, and it's a completely non-magical shield to boot. The Master Sword is easy enough: +X holy longsword, evil outsider bane optional, attached plot powers.

Froogleyboy
2009-08-29, 08:34 PM
Okay, I am allowed core, non-gestalt

Mando Knight
2009-08-29, 08:44 PM
Okay, I am allowed core, non-gestalt

:smallsigh: Which Link, though?

Jack Zander
2009-08-29, 08:50 PM
It would be easiest to not focus on a specific link, but rather just cherry pick abilities that all links have (whirlwind), and then grab those that you liked the best. Not all links could shoot beams from their sword, not all links had innate magical abilities, and not all links were masters of mounted combat. Pick those you find that are easiest to represent, and the end result will be a character that certainly feels like link.

AstralFire
2009-08-29, 09:02 PM
Core only, I'd just stick with a TWF Ranger, using a shield as your second weapon, dip up to 4 Fighter levels at most. The music is one of the least essential aspects to his character.