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Clepto
2010-08-18, 12:33 AM
I mostly lurk around here, but I have a lot of respect for the CO people on these boards. You guys do good work.

In the campaign I'm currently in, my characters have a pretty high mortality rate. Thus far, I average 2-3 sessions before I die. I blame it on my inability to NOT roleplay my alignment, and I always favor Chaotic alignments where possible. My current character has so far made it through 4 sessions, marking a record for this campaign. Needless to say, I don't expect my current character to last much longer. Which brings me to the reason for this post.

I'm planning out my next character as a contingency. Due to the rather high mortality rate of my characters, I'm running out of roles to play. I've done straight Warmage, Swashbuckler/Fighter/Duelist, Soulknife/Fighter/EWM, and Druid/Warshaper/MoMF (no, this isn't Pun Pun). That last one is my current character. As you can see, I tend to enjoy being in the thick of things during combat. I'm not a fan of the casting system, so I tend to avoid that unless the party needs it.

At the moment, our party is not particularly optimized. A couple of players aren't CO types, and a couple of us are. Our DM will let us do almost anything once, though he takes a rather dim view of turbo cheese, so we generally stay away from that. If someone comes across something game-breaking, we'll save it to trivialize the BBEG, but otherwise resist abuse. Our current party consists of a DMM-Cleric (Band-Aid), straight Druid (Offensive Caster), Ranger/OotBI (Self Explanatory), Warlock/Wizard/Eldritch Theurge (Caster/Controller, he currently has a fixation on Charming after successfully Charming a Beholder and having it do our dirty work for a couple sessions). My current Druid/Warshaper/Master of Many Forms is currently the face and the toolbox.

I've always been interested in Drunken Master, and I think I've found a way to make it work, and with the current build, the backstory practically writes itself.

TL;DR, here's the build, allowed books are SRD and Completes, Psionics and other books only by permission.

Stats: My DM has us roll 4 dice, reroll 1's, drop the lowest, repeat five more times. If you don't like your statline, reroll the whole set. My first set was all lower than ten, this was the second attempt. Don't hate me.

Str 16, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 15

Human Ex Lion-Totem Barbarian 2/Ex Monk 3/Fighter 4/Drunken Master 3

Starts Chaotic Good for Barbarian, then Lawful Good for Monk and Fighter, back to Chaotic Good for Drunken Master. It's all part of the backstory, cleared by the DM, so there's not really any shenanigans here.

Feats:
Able Learner (Human)
Dodge (1st Level, Drunken Master prereq)
Great Fortitude (3rd Level, Drunken Master prereq)
Stunning Fist (Monk Level 1)
Deflect Arrows (Monk 2nd Level)
Snatch Arrows (Fighter 1st Level)
Improved Natural Attack (6th Level)
Improved Initiative (Fighter 2nd Level)
Extra Stunning (9th Level)
Power Attack (Fighter 4th Level)
Flying Kick (12th Level), DM ruled that in the event of Pounce, which will happen every time thanks to Lion Totem Barbarian, the d12 from Flying Kick only applied to the first attack, not the iteratives.

Stat bumps Dex at 4 for the extra AC. Con at 8 and 12. Last two are open. Probably Wis or Str.

I don't have the skills completely planned out, but Tumble will likely stay as maxed as possible, alongside Diplomacy/Intimidate, with some ranks in other things like Climb, Jump, Bluff, and Spot. I might have a few points left over here and there, so maybe a skill trick or two, not sure yet.

The party has ripped off an Elder Dragon's stash, so we literally have more money than we can spend. Epic Items are disallowed. I planned on purchasing Monk's Belt, Periapt of Wisdom +6, either Ki Straps or Gauntlets of Ogre Strength, Boots of Springing and Striding, and a Keg of Holding (custom magic item from an old campaign, basically a Decanter of Endless Water that doesn't have a firehose setting, but it produces a strong alcohol instead. Normally ale or somesuch, and it's the size of a pony keg). I'll have problems overcoming DR, so maybe a couple wands of Greater Magic Fang and/or Greater Magic Weapon for the cleric or druid to cast on me.

I'll be coming in around level 12. I know it's not completely optimized, and very MAD-tastic, but it sounds like a fun brawler/charger. I don't want a muchkin, just something fun and semi-effective. The usual battle plan is to use Drink Like a Demon to drink until I can't feel feelings (currently only 3 drinks due to level restrictions), then Pounce and full attack until things are dead. Bonus points for out of combat social skill use.

Sorry for the wall of text, I just felt like it would be easier to understand with more explanation. Advice and critique is welcome.

Allanimal
2010-08-24, 12:13 AM
Human Ex Lion-Totem Barbarian 2/Ex Monk 3/Fighter 4/Drunken Master 3

Starts Chaotic Good for Barbarian, then Lawful Good for Monk and Fighter, back to Chaotic Good for Drunken Master. It's all part of the backstory, cleared by the DM, so there's not really any shenanigans here.


I imagined a similar build (though mine was only an 8th level character), but my DM would never allow the alignment changes...

Endarire
2010-08-24, 03:32 AM
When your alignment changes back to CHaotic, you regain your raging.

Killer Angel
2010-08-24, 03:51 AM
In the campaign I'm currently in, my characters have a pretty high mortality rate. Thus far, I average 2-3 sessions before I die. I blame it on my inability to NOT roleplay my alignment

:smallconfused:
I can see a paladin fall, for not roleplay his alignment, but a character dying?
Care to explain with examples how can a poor roleplaying be responsible for a high mortality rate in combat?
Unless all your characters are evil, and you always risk your life to help other PCs in mortal danger, I'm puzzled.

WinWin
2010-08-24, 10:54 AM
I would trade out stunning blow for the soulwarp strike ACF in complete mage. Not much is immune to nausia. Then pick up stunning blow later if you still want it.

I have also seen a monk use an expertise/improved trip/knockdown combo effectively. That could work out well and would be thematic for a Drunken Master.

You seem to have a high powered group, you do not want to end up playing the Load (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheLoad). Consider an Enlightened Fist, Divine Fist or Fist of Zukoen in order to provide a few swift buffs for your build. That way you character can still jump straight into melee without slowing down too much.

Reis Tahlen
2010-08-24, 11:15 AM
:smallconfused:
I can see a paladin fall, for not roleplay his alignment, but a character dying?
Care to explain with examples how can a poor roleplaying be responsible for a high mortality rate in combat?
Unless all your characters are evil, and you always risk your life to help other PCs in mortal danger, I'm puzzled.

What he says is that he dies BECAUSE of his chaotic roleplaying, not because he doesn't play it.

I can imagine that. I also have a high mortality rate in my campaign (even higher than Clepto: the longest lasted 2 sessions) because I always play good-aligned character: I frequently throw myself in to protect weaker PC/NPC, engage in situations an evil or neutral character would avoid, and it often leads to an heroic and/or brutal death.

WinWin
2010-08-24, 11:36 AM
H-A-P-P-Y
D-R-U-N-K

monk 2/bard 3/enlightened fist 3/drunken master 4

Requires only a single alignment change. Can be a party face and can entertain the party with drunken singing. Can also bluff enemies with incoherent and unpredictable antics.

Substitute bard for sorcerer and you would not require an alignment change. Attaining the ranks in tumble will be a problem without able learner. Would also allow for the Ascetic Mage feat from Complete Adventurer, subbing Charisma for Wisdom to AC and stacking Sorcerer levels with Monk for AC bonus. Also gives an Arcane Strike lite ability.

Hope this helps. In any case, good luck with this next character.

Greenish
2010-08-24, 01:22 PM
Have a looksee at the variant monk fighting styles (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#monkVariantFightingSty les). Might help a tad.

Killer Angel
2010-08-25, 07:17 AM
What he says is that he dies BECAUSE of his chaotic roleplaying, not because he doesn't play it.


Ah, yes, I misreaded.
Indeed, that makes more sense.