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View Full Version : Arms Race with DM, also char build in this case (3.5/PF)



BobVosh
2010-04-26, 06:34 AM
Basically one of my DMs, who due to various reasons I can't really quit from his game, has gotten to the point where playing in his game is just a question of how early do you die in this session.

I made an AA archer with a 44 AC, 19/23/12 saves, and 165 HP. Level 17.
Levels: Ranger 1, Wizard 5, Eldritch Knight 3, Arcane Archer 8. Comes to wizard CL 13, BAB 14. I figured it would be a decent gish.

Standard Buffs:
1/day item of shapechange, usually Elemental Body IV, or Giant form II.
Anticipate Teleportation
Iron Guard
Blink, Greater
Haste
Overland Flight
Resistance Superior
Stoneskin
Mirror Images
Shield

Obviously I cast the 13 hour ones early, and the rest are in whatever buff rounds we get. I do have a quicken rod:lesser which helps.

What spells are left in the Spell compendium in order to expand my survivability? If there really isn't anyway to get around this, what could I make in order to be quite survivable? I'm thinking some kinda strange build off of a low level good/neutral (no evil in the campaign) undead, pump my charisma, go with 2 paladin, X sorc, X dragon disciple. Since undead now add charisma to HP, charisma to saves, charisma as deflection vs what I'm smiting it should make it pretty good.

Other than that I just can't help but feel doing this will cause the DM to go to even more extreme lengths. However I can't help but feel that with those buffs I should be able to live through one round vs the mobs.

Defensive items:

+8 bracers of armor, with mod fortification (dropped, probably is an epic item, isn't it?) Glove of arrow snaring (couldn't afford much more, no glove slot anyway) Ring of deflection, 4 Amulet of natural armor, 5 Ring of Evasion Cloak of +10 escape artist Helm of adaptation (1.5x cost for amulet of adaptation


So AC is as follows: 10+8(bracers)+4(shield)+9 dex-2 (size)+9 natural+4 deflection+1 haste
Meh, looks like 43. AC=class level + 26. HP is close to 10/level, not amazing but certainly not bad. Enough miss chances to choke an easily startled donkey.
Most things we fight seem to have true seeing, ghost touch, and obsidian weapons.

Mainly just a rant, but anything to make me harder to hit would be nice. As to what is open: Completes, PHBII, PF. Possibly more if I specifically ask.
Whats banned: orb spells and celerity. Thats mainly it.

Gnaeus
2010-04-26, 07:52 AM
You seem to be open to changing your class build, and you have completes. Have you looked at Abjurant Champion (Complete Mage)? It is much better than Eldritch Knight.

J.Gellert
2010-04-26, 07:59 AM
In general, you can't really battle the DM in this aspect. If you raise your AC, he will raise monster attacks. Ghost touch? True Seeing? I'm sorry for you...

Tactically speaking, I'd go for offense. Make sure the enemy is unwilling or incapable to even try attacking your AC. Wizard CL is painfully low, but even so much as a Grease spell can help you avoid trouble at times.

The Glyphstone
2010-04-26, 09:55 AM
Note that undead do not, by default, add their Cha to HP. That is an exclusive trait of a small number of undead printed in MMIII and beyond, Unholy Toughness. Normal undead only add their Cha to Concentration checks.

BobVosh
2010-04-26, 10:00 AM
You seem to be open to changing your class build, and you have completes. Have you looked at Abjurant Champion (Complete Mage)? It is much better than Eldritch Knight.

Always a nice class, but I jumped into EK early in order to keep up BAB and wizard CL. By the time I could do AC with this, I qualified for AA which I wanted to try the PF version. Probably still a better choice though.


Note that undead do not, by default, add their Cha to HP. That is an exclusive trait of a small number of undead printed in MMIII and beyond, Unholy Toughness. Normal undead only add their Cha to Concentration checks.

It is a change for PF.

The Glyphstone
2010-04-26, 10:03 AM
Ah. I missed the PF part of the tag.

I guess the real question to answer is, is there any point? Is the DM simply optimizing monsters and encounters to kill the party, or is he fiating it? If you have an AC of 40, does he add 10 levels of Fighter to the next Fire Giant you fight, or does he just decide that the Fire Giant will have enough attack bonuses to hit you on a 5+ no matter what your AC is? Basically, is he adhering to the rules, or using Rule 0 to ensure your demise?

2xMachina
2010-04-26, 10:59 AM
IOTSV Sorc?

Veils: No.
Wings of Cover: No.

You'll survive a lot. Can't say that your attack would be very good though.