Optimization Challenge

[soulsabre345]

I had a friend suggest to me to try and create a viable character that has no more than 1 level in any class (prestige included). So, I thought it would be a fun experiment for the forums if anyone's interested.

Rules are you can use any book you want, but you can have no more than 1 level in any class or prestige class, build for level 15 or 20, and if your making a build that a fairly sane DM wouldn't allow then mention it. Aim for T1-T3 or so.

[Lateral]

I'm pretty sure it's been done, but my Google-Fu is failing me.

@V: That has 2 levels of warblade, so it doesn't apply. Although replacing that 2nd Warblade level with a level in some toploaded dipping class (monk, perhaps) would work. Also, it's a mere 8th level.

Hey, what if you took the first seven levels of that, and then went Swordsage 1, Crusader 1, and perhaps some ToB prestige classes 1, and then... I dunno, Factotum 1? Do separate ToB classes (WB, SS, CR) track their abilities separately? If so, then at 20th level, you should have the maneuvers of at least an 11th level Warblade, an 11th level Swordsage, and an 11th level Crusader.

[Endarire]

Hood (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872838/Little_Red_Raiding_Hood_A_Tale_of_38_Guide_to_the_ 35_Dragoon). Requires partial BAB stacking or a way to compensate for a super low accuracy.

My build was Feat Rogue1/Cleric1 (Time Domain & Travel Devotion)/WhirlPounce Barbarian1/PsyWar1/Warblade1/Fighter1/Abrupt Jaunt Martial Conjurer1/Warblade+1. (Warblade2 is optional.)

I one-shot all non-bosses in the Red Hand of Doom. I two-rounded at least two bosses. I crit a foe in the last fight for ~200 damage when he had about 20 HP.

It works. You just need accuracy and a willing DM.

[Incanur]

The fractional bonus rule for multiclassing helps a lot here. Making the initial +2 for good saves a one-time deal also helps prevent silliness.

[Escheton]

Roll a die, pick the classes based on it, max out umd, win the game.

[Lord.Sorasen]

Do racial hit dice count as class levels? Because if they don't I think I won.

[Lateral]

Do racial hit dice count as class levels? Because if they don't I think I won.

...How, exactly, did you win.

[Eldonauran]

...How, exactly, did you win.

Probably some combination of outsider hitdice (or fey) that gains ____ spellcasting by default + prestige classes that boost it by +1 CL each level.

Somethings that come to mind: Nymph, Rakasha, Dragons, etc

[FMArthur]

It's not incredibly hard to dip a ton of classes that advance spellcasting at their first level to produce a character that is essentially a Wizard or a Cleric with a large and incoherent assortment of extra abilities. Ur-Priest makes it even easier (and is actually easiest to qualify for with dips); you need only 9 classes to advance your casting and you're as good as a 20th level Cleric, and with only a partially-finished build. Hell, you could do it all with Beholder Mage in the build. :smallamused:

[Greenish]

Probably some combination of outsider hitdice (or fey) that gains ____ spellcasting by default + prestige classes that boost it by +1 CL each level.

Somethings that come to mind: Nymph, Rakasha, Dragons, etcThe LA will kill you.

Besides, there was a build that got double nines from just one-level dips, in one of the (many) earlier incarnations of this idea.

[JaronK]

Black Ethergaunt Wizard 1. Tier 1. I win!

JaronK

[Lateral]

JaronK's correct, of course, if RHD don't count for this project. However, what Greenish said also applies-- you do have to level up into all of those RHD, and the LA will hurt you.

[soulsabre345]

A lot of nice ideas, but for the purpose of this project, stick to at least 75% of the levels being class levels. I will say I anticipated making a ubercaster would be pretty easy, I would think making a effective T3 melee would be reasonably difficult

[Incanur]

I don't see anything to prevent such a melee character from doing the pouncing ubercharger thing with support from a few maneuvers. I bet it'd make tier 3.

[SurlySeraph]

1 Lawful Neutral Human Sorcerer, with two flaws. Take Versatile Spellcaster, Heighten Spell, Sanctum Spell, and Precocious Apprentice.
2 Rainbow Servant
3 Cleric, take Iron Will
4 Church Inquisitor (use Versatile Spellcaster to use two 1st-level Cleric spells to cast Zone of Truth in your 2nd-level spell slot to qualify).
5 Mystic Theurge
6 Incantatrix, take Arcane Preparation (Complete Arcane), use the bonus feat to take Cooperative Spell.
7 Ultimate Magus
8 Mage of the Arcane Order
9 Mindbender, take Energy Substitution (any)
10 Elemental Savant
11 Visionary Seeker
12 Unseen Seer, take Skill Focus (Knowledge [Religion])
13 Sacred Exorcist
14 Divine Oracle
15 Wayfarer Guide, take Scribe Scroll
16 Loremaster
17 Geometer
18 Fatespinner, take Enlarge Spell
19 Arcane Devotee
20 Paragnostic Apostle

Casts as an 18th level Sorcerer and 3rd level Cleric, has a ton of useful little abilities, ridiculously high Will saves, and 0 BAB. Everything after 5th level is just a matter of finding caster classes that you can qualify for without taking a lot of feats, and can be reshuffled pretty much at will.

You can't make a very good caster with one level per class without early entry, but a good melee build shouldn't be hard. Fighter 1/ Whirling Frenzy Lion Totem Barbarian 1/ Ranger 1/ Swashbuckler 1, going into PsyWar and Martial Rogue if you need more feats, then into PrCs, ToB classes at high level to maximize IL, and possibly taking caster dips at high level to qualify for some more useful first levels.

[JaronK]

Remember how bloodlines work with Initiator levels too. If you want to go the melee route (and not the overpowered critter route) then you'll want Warblade and Crusader (and maybe Swordsage) to be your last levels while making good use of a Major Bloodline, so as to take advantage of the ridiculous (30+) initiator level. Throw in Master of Nine for good measure.

JaronK