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View Full Version : Fear effects build help...[D&D 3.5]



Kallisti
2009-09-15, 07:44 PM
I'm currently in the process of building a character heavily focused on curses, bad luck, and fear effects. I've heard a lot about some very powerful fear builds, and I need a little help. Specifically, I want feats, magic items, and prestige classes that will help me make use of my ranks of Intimidate, but advice on anything that creates a fear effect would be welcome.

Jalor
2009-09-15, 08:02 PM
What levels? What books allowed?

Zeta Kai
2009-09-15, 08:03 PM
Spells
Bane (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/bane.htm)
Cause Fear (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/causeFear.htm)
Eyebite (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/eyebite.htm)
Fear (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fear.htm)
Phantasmal Killer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/phantasmalKiller.htm)
Scare (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/scare.htm)
Symbol of Fear (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/symbolofFear.htm)

Items
Drums of Panic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#drumsofPanic)
Eyes of Doom (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#eyesofDoom)
Figurines of Wondrous Power (Ivory Goat of Terror) (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#ivoryGoats)
Horn of the Tritons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#hornoftheTritons)
Mace of Terror (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#maceofTerror)
Rod of Lordly Might (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rods.htm#lordlyMight)
Screaming Bolt (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#screamingBolt)

Feats
Live My Nightmare (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/spelltouchedFeats.htm#liveMyNightmare)
Persuasive (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#persuasive)

Psionics
Form of Doom (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/formofDoom.htm)

Epic Spell Seeds
Afflict (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/seeds/afflict.htm)

Frosty
2009-09-15, 08:03 PM
Hmm..sounds like a Halfling hexblade who goes into Luckstealer?

Kallisti
2009-09-15, 08:04 PM
What levels? What books allowed?

Level 2, but I wouldn't mind planning ahead.

Books allowed are pretty much anything I want, although the DM has made a fairly extensive list of changes and bans:Cancer Mages do not exist.

Pazuzu does not exist.

Incantrix does not exist.

Ruby Knight Vindicator does not exist.

Candles of Invocation do not exist.

Lesser Aasimar/Tieflings do not exist.

Dragonwrought Kobolds do not qualify for Lore Drake, but are still awesome.

Wish exists, but you had better have an iron-clad legal document handy if you attempt to cast it. Loopholes will be exploited.

DMM: Persist exists. However, anyone who attempts to use it spontaneously combusts and takes 100d12 damage. No save.

Natural Spell exists. However, spells cast while Wildshaped take an additional full-round to cast.

Attempting to take Initiate of Mystra will cause 1d8 Tarrasques to spawn next to you.

Attempting to take Mindsight will cause a localized black hole to appear directly adjacent to your head.

Monks are a full BAB class.

All Clerics are of the Cloistered variety.

Swordsages get Adaptive Style for free at 3rd level.

Paladins are replaced by the Divine Blade class.

Plane Shift et al does not exist. There are no other planes to go to. Spells that summon creatures from other planes must be reflavored into something DM-approved.

Leadership and the like exist. Your cohort will stab you in the eyes while you sleep.

Legendary locations do not exist where you are, and therefore are banned.

Contact Other Plane and the like do not function properly.

Metamagic costs cannot be reduced below 1.

Nightsticks exist. You may only benefit from one per day.

Diplomacy, Bluff, and Intimidate are DM-adjucated.

Knowledge (History) and Knowledge (The Planes) are rolled into one skill. For the purposes of meeting requirements, you are considered to have equal ranks in both skills (though it does not count as training those skills).

Wizards are a can of worms best left unopened, but if you must, then play Batman. Do not play God.


Hmm..sounds like a Halfling hexblade who goes into Luckstealer?

No halfling, since my character concept hinges on being an awakened cat, but I've already got hexblade planned.

sofawall
2009-09-15, 08:07 PM
That looks very similar, but not identical, to the ToS rules list.

Foryn Gilnith
2009-09-15, 08:07 PM
Intimidating Strike (PHB2)
Kiai Shout (CW)
Frightful Presence (Dcn)

sofawall
2009-09-15, 08:09 PM
No Dread Witch?

I forget source, sorry.

Kallisti
2009-09-15, 08:09 PM
That looks very similar, but not identical, to the ToS rules list.

It could be based on it, for all I know.


I read one Barbarian build that used a rage feat and something called Imperious Command or something like that. Does anyone know what those are?

sofawall
2009-09-15, 08:10 PM
They are awesome, and go incredibly well with intimidating rage.

ShneekeyTheLost
2009-09-15, 08:11 PM
Intimidating Strike (PHB2)
Kiai Shout (CW)
Frightful Presence (Dcn)

Kai Shout, the Greater version thereof, and Frightful Presence all only affect beings with HD less than yours. In other words, useless.


I read one Barbarian build that used a rage feat and something called Imperious Command or something like that. Does anyone know what those are?
Ahh, someone has been reading over Takahashi no Onisan.

Imperious Command is in Drow of the Underdark. When you Demoralize an opponent, they are Cowering for one round, then Shaken the next.

Barbarian with Intimidating Rage is a poor vehicle, though, because it only goes off once per combat.

Kallisti
2009-09-15, 08:12 PM
No Dread Witch?

I forget source, sorry.

Heroes of Horror? Yeah, that could work. And it fits the character concept pretty well. That's a good idea, thanks!

Kallisti
2009-09-15, 08:14 PM
They are awesome, and go incredibly well with intimidating rage.

Do you know what the names of the feats are for sure (I was just guessing) and what source they're from? I'd take levels of Barbarian if that would help get the effects I'm looking for. Besides, it would fit.

EDIT: Thanks. Is there a better vehicle for it than Intimidating Rage, though?

sofawall
2009-09-15, 08:15 PM
Isn't there a fighter substitution level with big intimidate synergy? I heard it come up in a CW Samurai discussion.

ShneekeyTheLost
2009-09-15, 08:17 PM
Well, at level 10, CW Samurai get Mass Staredown, which affects all opponents within 30' with a Demoralize. Normally worthless, but with Imperious Command, it is an effective lockdown. At CW Samurai 14, he can do this as a move action.

Kallisti
2009-09-15, 08:19 PM
Doesn't the Never Outnumbered skill trick render that obsolete? Fourteen levels worth of CW Samurai for a Tiny character with a 3 strength is too high a price to pay. Even if I end up taking the Human Form feats, it's still to high a price.

EDIT: Okay, so Never Outnumbered is only ten feet. I can live with that. Since we're only second level, going up to level ten CW Samurai would be...a hardship.

rypt
2009-09-15, 08:20 PM
Zhentarim Figher Substitution Levels (CV, web): Add bluff and diplomacy to class skills.
3rd level: Bonus Feat: Skill Focus(intimidation)
5th level: Extended Intimidation: intimidation lasts longer
9th level: Swift Demoralization: intimidate as a swift action

ShneekeyTheLost
2009-09-15, 08:23 PM
Zhentarim Figher Substitution Levels (CV, web): Add bluff and diplomacy to class skills.
3rd level: Bonus Feat: Skill Focus(intimidation)
5th level: Extended Intimidation: intimidation lasts longer
9th level: Swift Demoralization: intimidate as a swift action

Where is Extended Intimidation from?

rypt
2009-09-15, 08:25 PM
Its from zhentarim fighter substitution levels. Those abilities are not necessarily feats you can take somewhere else.

Zeta Kai
2009-09-15, 08:25 PM
I've edited my post above to include links to every fear-based player power in the SRD. You're welcome.

Kallisti
2009-09-15, 08:26 PM
I just looked up the web enhancement. It's an ability that makes the penalties from intimidate last 24 hours, and grants a bonus on intimidating a target you've intimidated in the past.

Swift Demoralize is pretty damn pwerful. Nine levels of fighter would hurt, though...

Kallisti
2009-09-15, 08:27 PM
I've edited my post above to include links to every fear-based player power in the SRD. You're welcome.

...you rock, Zeta Kai.

chaos_redefined
2009-09-15, 08:34 PM
Sorry to derail the topic, but this line doesn't make sense to me:

"Wizards are a can of worms best left unopened, but if you must, then play Batman. Do not play God. "

What exactly is the difference between Batman and God? I thought they were just different terms for the same thing, and TreantMonk merely called his God to attract attention.

Kallisti
2009-09-15, 08:37 PM
Sorry to derail the topic, but this line doesn't make sense to me:

"Wizards are a can of worms best left unopened, but if you must, then play Batman. Do not play God. "

What exactly is the difference between Batman and God? I thought they were just different terms for the same thing, and TreantMonk merely called his God to attract attention.

God is the paranoid, unstoppable wizard of game-breaking might.

Batman is pretty much the same thing, except that he dos it in a way that lets the rest of the party cling to the illusion of contributing, becasue letting other people dead your damage for you conserves precious spell slots to take down more monsters.

Please, Dear God (the deity, not the wizard build), don't let my build help thread turn into an argument about the definitions of Batman and God. I need that build help...

Olo Demonsbane
2009-09-15, 08:52 PM
Ok, the sweet thing about Intimidating rage + Imperious Command is this: when you successfully intimidate someone, they cower for the duration of your rage, which should hopefully be the entire battle, since they're cowering for it.

If you get Extra Rage, you can do it more than 1/day.

Take Never Outnumbered, and you can hit everyone within 30ft.

If you can squeeze in Instantaneous Rage, you can use your combo even when it isnt your turn.

Played well, this functions as the Barbarian-version of Maximized Empowered Timestop :smallbiggrin:

Kallisti
2009-09-15, 08:54 PM
Hmmm...Interesting...although Never Outnumbered is only ten feet. I think Instantaneous Rage might be a bit much, though. I doubt the DM will appreciate a Celerity-style effect of any sort.

Zeta Kai
2009-09-15, 09:18 PM
...you rock, Zeta Kai.

I know; it's a class feature. :smallbiggrin:

olentu
2009-09-15, 09:32 PM
Ok, the sweet thing about Intimidating rage + Imperious Command is this: when you successfully intimidate someone, they cower for the duration of your rage, which should hopefully be the entire battle, since they're cowering for it.

If you get Extra Rage, you can do it more than 1/day.

Take Never Outnumbered, and you can hit everyone within 30ft.

If you can squeeze in Instantaneous Rage, you can use your combo even when it isnt your turn.

Played well, this functions as the Barbarian-version of Maximized Empowered Timestop :smallbiggrin:

Hmm. From what I remember of the feats is this conclusion not extending what happens beyond the realm of what the rules actually say hapens. Though it has been a time since I reviewed that combo.

Akamai
2009-12-08, 04:32 PM
INTIMIDATING RAGE [General]
Your rage engenders fear in your opponents.
Prerequisites: Rage or frenzy ability.
Benefit: While you are raging, you designate a single foe within 30 feet of you that you can attempt to demoralize as a free action (see the Intimidate skill, page 76 of the Player's Handbook). A foe that you successfully demoralize remains shaken for as long as you continue to rage. You may only use this feat against a single foe in any particular encounter.

IMPERIOUS COMMAND
You strike deep and abiding terror in your foes.
Prerequisite: Cha 15, Intimidate 8 ranks.
Benefit: If you successfully demoralize a foe in combat, the foe cowers in fear for 1 round and is shaken in the following round.

NEVER OUTNUMBERED [Interaction]
You can demoralize multiple enemies.
Prerequisite: Intimidate 8 ranks.
Benefit: When you use Intimidate to demoralize an opponent (PH 76), you can affect all enemies within 10 feet that can see you, rather than only a single enemy you threaten. Each enemy rolls a separate modified level check to oppose your Intimidate check, but the skill check otherwise works as normal.


My interpretation of using an interaction of these feats would be the following:

1. Barbarian Rages, then can demoralize one opponent at up to 30ft, and every opponent that can see him within 10 ft.
2. Assuming all foes fail their saving throws, they cower in fear for only one round and are shaken in the following rounds.
3. Those that succeed are immune to demoralization attempts from the Barbarian. There is no retry.

NOTE: Demoralizing a second time with the Intimidate skill would not work, as the players handbook says that they can "Only be intimidated so far" (pg 76). Also, if you plan on power gaming, taking the Instantaneous Rage feat is the only way you couple potentially Coup de Grace a helpless (cowering) foe. However, I'm not certain if someone under a rage would take the time and precision to use a full-round action for a Coup de Grace (DM Discretion).

Any other ideas?

Grumman
2009-12-08, 05:13 PM
No halfling, since my character concept hinges on being an awakened cat, but I've already got hexblade planned.
Would the Tibbet race still work? You can still run around as a cat, but it makes it easier for the other players to suspend disbelief about treating you as an equal, instead of like a familiar. It might be a bit hard to take the cat's expectation of an equal share of loot seriously when it doesn't even have opposable thumbs.

Optimystik
2009-12-08, 05:23 PM
Nightmare Spinner (CM) is a good fear-based class as well. Weave fear into your illusions, make people drop dead.

Pluto
2009-12-08, 05:40 PM
No halfling, since my character concept hinges on being an awakened cat, but I've already got hexblade planned.

This tells me Intimidate-based methods are out.
-8 to Intimidate is debilitating at low levels and Fear doesn't work at high levels.

I'd recommend either Hexblade 4/Paladin of Tyranny 4/Binder/Knight of the Sacred Seal (Chupoclops), using the fear-based fluff of the various debuffs, or a spellcaster (using either the Dread Witch from HoH or the Nighmare Spinner from CM) with a variety of fear spells.

Your spells will hurt less from 2 Magical Beast HD than your Intimidate will from Tiny size.

SaintRidley
2009-12-08, 05:41 PM
Nightmare Spinner (Comp Mage) is a worthy addition to your work on a Dread Witch build, should you go that way.

Kallisti
2009-12-08, 08:41 PM
...this thread was dead...

...so is the game...thanks for the thought, though. I appreciate it. I'd probably have gone the Paladin of Tyrrany route.