3.5 I Want to play Optimus Prime

[Coplantor]

Easy, I want to play a character that can transform into diferent constructs (even if my DM wont allow me to transform into a fire truck). And just for the sake of it. ROCKET PUNCHES!

The solution to rocket punch seems to be Warforged Kensai, now, warforgeds can use alter self to turn into other constructs, so what I need is a build that allows me to get into Kensai and also gives me a reasonable amount of Alter Self per day.

As a variant rule, all characters start with 3 feats and they gain extra feats at every odd level.

My two current ideas are Dragon Fire Adept 6 to get the alter self SLA and then a melee class (probably warblade) to get some combat power and meeting the BAB preqs for Kensai. I dont know how many lvls of Kensai I will take.

The other idea was to start as a battle sorc with the precocious aprenctice feat so I start with one use of alter self and I can use the mithral plating feat without arcane spell failure. Then going warblade to meet the Kensai Preqs.
I dont know if I stay as a battle sorc 1 warblade X Kensai X or if I'll go to Battle Sorc 4 to get extra 2nd lvl spell slots.

Use the most optimization you feel like, the campaign wont really need it, I was also thinking about using different easy access gish PrC that grant some + spellcasting level after getting my last Kensai lvl to improve the casting capabilities (more uses of alter self) without loosing too much BAB.

Ideas? Use whatever book you feel like.

EDIT: Tell me of any better build you can think of or help me choose between the options above. Also, is there any way to improve natural attacks damage other than the improved natural attack feat wich can be taken only once?

[Runestar]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a

The cityscape web enhancement has a druid variant which lets you wildshape into animated objects.

So...warforged druid? :smallbiggrin:

Dunno about the rocket punch though. Reflavoured produce flame?

[hamishspence]

Isn't there a necklace that allows you to enchant your unarmed strikes?

Throwing and Returning (and maybe Exploding from Complete Warrior) do the job.

[Coplantor]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a

The cityscape web enhancement has a druid variant which lets you wildshape into animated objects.

So...warforged druid? :smallbiggrin:

Dunno about the rocket punch though. Reflavoured produce flame?

Seems an interesting option, but those powers come at high levels, reflavoured produce flame might work (for a moment I was going to say "but I really want rocket punches, then Iremembered nothing of this is real:smalltongue:")

Now, the actual problem is that there's already a druid in the party, and I'm ussually the optimizer in the party, so my DM knows that if I play a druid it might be troublesome for him.


Isn't there a necklace that allows you to enchant your unarmed strikes?

Throwing and Returning (and maybe Exploding from Complete Warrior) do the job.

Have'nt heard of that necklace. Throwing and returning are already on the list once I hit my first Kensai lvls.

[FinalJustice]

Warforged Gish with Spell Thematics: ROBOTS!

To you Rocket Punch needs, go with the Blood Wind spell. It allows you to make natural attacks from a distance. Iterative natural attacks. Refluff it to fit your thematics and go to town.

Then, you have Alter Self. Later, you have Polymorph, if you ever reach 9th level spells, Shapechange.

For the class levels, I'd recomend Monk/Sorcerer/Enlighted Fist/Abj Champion/Eldritch Knight, so that your unarmed attack packs some punch. But our fellow forumites may have something better.

Then, Drakehelm with Divine Powah, Righteous Smack, Giant Size (CArc, Wu Jen Spell).

Thank you, now I want to play a mecha-morphing character.

[Quirp]

I don´t know which level you are aiming for, but a warforged monk/tatooed monk/kensai perhaps taking no more than two levels of monk and warblade instead of monk: monk 2/warblade 3/tatooed monk 7-9/kensai 6-8
You just have to get the tatoo that allows you to use alter self number of tatooes times per day each for number of tatooes hours I think.
It is not that high powered (monk is in there), but I think it could be fun to play.

[Coplantor]

Where is the Blood Wind spell? And where is the tatooed monk from?

[Radiun]

Make a battle sorceror, ask your DM to let you give up all your spells known and per day to instead use two spells at will. Alter Self and Blood Wind(SpC).
Blood Wind will let you perform natural attacks out to 20ft

[Quirp]

The tatooed monk is in Complete Warrior you need some feats to get into but monk 2 can give you all but Endurance.

[Coplantor]

Make a battle sorceror, ask your DM to let you give up all your spells known and per day to instead use two spells at will. Alter Self and Blood Wind(SpC).
Blood Wind will let you perform natural attacks out to 20ft

Maybe we could use the collective hive mind of the playground to create a class or PrC around this concept?

@^:Well, I dont think that 2 levels of monk can ruin a build, actually, a two level dip is sometimes relatively good, you loose only 1 point of BAB, you get +3 to all saves, in this particualr case, natural damage goes up, bonus feats and evasion.

[Greenish]

Where is the Blood Wind spell?Spell compendium.

Totemist can chuck out unarmed strikes pretty well too, come to that, although how it fits to any build I don't know.

[Ossian]

First of all: what a commendable choice. Optimus is warforged awesome, and you deserve a high five for the idea.

I see the fun of the challenge in coming up with a "build" that allows to do Optimus Prime stuff, but isn't just easier to create a war-forged of appropriate size and stats and give him levels in Marshal (heroes of battle) and Paladin (lay on hands is some kind of Prime matrix thing) with PrC "Legendary Leader" calling you from a few levels away

All other things can be replicated with "alter self - truck" at leisure and ranged punch attack (returning) with some kind of alchemical combustible for the rocket punches to return.

Great concept anyway :)

O.

[AslanCross]

I hope you can approximate Peter Cullen's voice, though. :smallwink:

[Coplantor]

I hope you can approximate Peter Cullen's voice, though. :smallwink:

This is by far, the greatest flaw of my character.

EDIT: Maybe I can trade a +1 LA for alter self cha modifier times per day at HD/2 caster level, gotta ask that to my DM.

[Critical]

Warforged + Bloodstorm Blade = Rocket Punch? :smallbiggrin:

[Coplantor]

Warforged + Bloodstorm Blade = Rocket Punch? :smallbiggrin:

Bloodstrom blade comes from wich book?

[hamishspence]

Tome of Battle (The Book of Nine Swords).

[Coplantor]

Tome of Battle (The Book of Nine Swords).

Is it that prestige class that throws weapons like a maniac?

[hamishspence]

It is indeed.

[Coplantor]

What are it's preqs?
I wont be seeing any ToB till next weekend.

[Last Laugh]

I'm sure there is a better way to do this but
Warforged cleric 9//crusader 1//Ruby Knight Vindicator 10

Ruby knight vindicator requires:
1 devoted spirit strike and 1 devo stance.
Intimidate 4, hide 4, Kno(religion) 8.
Ability to turn undead
Must worship wee jas

If you pick Transmutation as one of your domains you get alter self as a second level spell
Blood wind (1st level spell) is a swift action and lets you use natural weapons at a range. Casting blood wind is a swift action and lasts for one round.
17th level casting and +17 base attack
you can convert turn attempts into swift actions.
Travel devotion is a nice choice

You can use cleric spells to buff yourself (magic vestment, magic weapon spells, Righteous might)
Improved natural attack (slam) helps.

Transmutation domain also gives:
polymorph, shapechange, polymorph any object, and enlarge person.
I found it on page 181 of Races of Eberron

[Asheram]

Seems an interesting option, but those powers come at high levels, reflavoured produce flame might work (for a moment I was going to say "but I really want rocket punches, then Iremembered nothing of this is real:smalltongue:")

Now, the actual problem is that there's already a druid in the party, and I'm ussually the optimizer in the party, so my DM knows that if I play a druid it might be troublesome for him.



Have'nt heard of that necklace. Throwing and returning are already on the list once I hit my first Kensai lvls.

Rocket punch. == Warforged component. Rod (arm) of ropes.

[Coplantor]

Rocket punch. == Warforged component. Rod (arm) of ropes.

Wow, I believe I know somethign abut my DnD, but I have no idea of what that means. (Maybe because I have almost no idea about Eberron and warforgeds other than they are living constructs)

[KellKheraptis]

Definitely all about the warforged components here. Personally, I'd go Warforged Artificer. Any combat capability can come from how you're built, literally.

[Coplantor]

Sooooo, what are this Warforged components exactly?

[Siegel]

What do you think about that :

Optimus Primal PrC (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144053)

?

[Ravens_cry]

Rocket punch? Simple, gauntlets of returning and throwing.

[Coplantor]

What do you think about that :

Optimus Primal PrC (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144053)

?

I dont know, I was'nt thinking about turning into animals as much as I was thinking about turning into a FIRE TRUCK! Well, maybe not a fire truck, but other kinds of constructs or maybe animated objects.
Although I could give it a try.


Rocket punch? Simple, gauntlets of returning and throwing.

Well, this is much cheaper than class levels.
If I use this maybe I can go through the Dragon Fire adept way to have re fluffed fly (ROCKETS!), a flame thrower! and increased AC. Plus, DFA benefits from CON bonuses

[Vizzerdrix]

Okay. Here is a thought. What about a fire house wagon?

http://content.cdlib.org/dynaxml/data/13030/21/kt7x0nd621/files/kt7x0nd621-d3e1516.jpg

You'd need to either summon or fake the horses though, but that isn't so hard to do. Sorc, with the feats for an extra familiar and the feat that turns them into constructs then just share your Alter self with them. You becoming the wagon, them becoming clockwork steeds. Or not.

[Coplantor]

Awesome! OK, I just gotta choose now, I still want to know about components, aret hose feats, items, or something else?

[FishAreWet]

Alter Self + Warforged = Astral Construct forms -> Awesome.

[Vizzerdrix]

Awesome! OK, I just gotta choose now, I still want to know about components, aret hose feats, items, or something else?

I think they are add ons for the warforged. I'm not sure but I think almost any magical item can be created as a component.

[DragoonWraith]

The Amulet of Natural Attacks (Savage Species) is A. much, much, much better balanced than the Amulet of Mighty Fists (by a lot, Mighty Fists is so overpriced it's not funny), and B. allows you to put Throwing/Returning on your Unarmed Attack, instead of throwing a glove at someone. It'll cost you a bit more (ANA makes each natural attack so enhanced equivalent in cost to a manufactured weapon that costs 300 gp before masterwork/enhancement bonuses), but they'll actually be your fists, which I think is worth it.

Otherwise, I'd think the Warblade would be good because White Raven also allows a lot of battlefield commander/inspiring presence, which are important parts of Optimus Prime's character.

[Eldariel]

The Amulet of Natural Attacks (Savage Species) is A. much, much, much better balanced than the Amulet of Mighty Fists (by a lot, Mighty Fists is so overpriced it's not funny), and B. allows you to put Throwing/Returning on your Unarmed Attack, instead of throwing a glove at someone. It'll cost you a bit more (ANA makes each natural attack so enhanced equivalent in cost to a manufactured weapon that costs 300 gp before masterwork/enhancement bonuses), but they'll actually be your fists, which I think is worth it.

Amulet of Mighty Fists is priced for two natural attacks as an off-slot item :/ This means you need 3 or more natural attacks to make it comparably worthwhile and even then, if one of your attacks has iteratives, it's optimal to just get Necklace for that. At that point, you need like five or six natural attacks to gain more mileage out of it than the Necklace. But ya, it's possible to make beneficial use of the Amulet; it's just hard.

[DragoonWraith]

I know, I have a character who has... 16 natural attacks? 4 tentacles from being Illithid, 2 claws and 10 tentacles from Aberrant Armorlord. And I still use an Amulet of Natural Attacks, because it's just better - straight enhancement bonuses are not worth much at all. I'd rather have special qualities on a few of my natural attacks than +3 to all of them, which is what the decision came down to.

[Eldariel]

I know, I have a character who has... 16 natural attacks? 4 tentacles from being Illithid, 2 claws and 10 tentacles from Aberrant Armorlord. And I still use an Amulet of Natural Attacks, because it's just better - straight enhancement bonuses are not worth much at all. I'd rather have special qualities on a few of my natural attacks than +3 to all of them, which is what the decision came down to.

Yeah, you obviously gotta get abilities houseruled into AoMF. 'cause otherwise it's never worth it as a single 3rd level Druid-spell; Greater Magic Fang, is the same for free.

[Kelb_Panthera]

I don't have any build suggestions really, but my childhood memories are demanding that I point out that Optimus Prime was an 18 wheeler, not a fire-truck.

[Squider]

Again I'd echo Warforged Druid.

However use the Totem Druid Variant from one of the Dragon Magazines. Faster wild shape progression at the expense of only one animal on which you focus (your totem animal).

Of course, you pick ape.

[Arti3]

Have your Warforged cut his hands off and replace them with Returning Flaming Burst Gauntlets that somehow are rocketed at an opponent. Take Druid 5/ Planar Shephard(Cybertron) 10/ Monk 5.
Great AC, wild shape into various techno-awesome and rocket punch, as long as your playing steampunk.

[Flickerdart]

Kensai/Totemist for the rocket fists. Enchant your Girallon Arms with Throwing and Returning.