Optimizing a Ranged Tripper?

[Kumori]

I have recently received inspiration which is directing me to build a master of the Bolas character. Ranged trips all round. I face 2 problems, however. First, I have no idea whether a tripping type character is really all that good and second, I've never built one, so don't know how to optimize it.

I don't have a specific campaign in mind for this guy, so any ideas for any level would be helpful to me. Any sourcebook should be fine.

Thanks for the input!

Edit: The obvious things are, of course, obvious. Improved Trip, Full BAB, maximizing Str score...

[Coidzor]

Well, generally tripping is best when you can compliment it with being able to beat on them for damage as well as far as I understand the orthodox thought on the matter.

Most tripping builds I've seen involve using knockdown in order to make it so that they rely primarily on doing damage>10 and then getting a free trip attempt rather than tripping and getting a free attack attempt... Or having factotum levels in a build that applies both intelligence and strength to the trip attempt and maybe gets big too... or both.

I can't recall if bolas would confer any of the benefits of getting big to their ranged trip attacks or not, actually, so that might be a potential problem, might not be one at all

The only real alternative to using bolas would be using lassos as far as I can recall for ranged tripping though... other than getting big and wielding a reach trip weapon and just being able to reach all of the battlefield anyway(most likely using the psionic power expansion).

As for whether tripping characters can be worthwhile, well, Saph's Horizon Tripper (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80415) is pretty well regarded and also has a sort of level-by-level progression.

[Zaq]

Bloodstorm Blade is exactly what you want. They can make normal trip attempts at range with no problems or penalties.

I have no idea if Improved Trip's extra attack would work with them, actually. It specifies "when you trip a foe in melee combat," and a BSB's ranged attacks are considered to be melee even though you're clearly operating at range, so . . . ambiguous. Probably doesn't work, but still, worth asking your GM about, at least. BSB still does ranged tripping just fine.

[Kumori]

I'm going to have to look that one up... What book is the Bloodstorm Blade in?

[Cog]

Tome of Battle.

Helpful link (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/lists/prc).

[Kumori]

Helpful link (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/lists/prc).

Me like! Thankses!

[raitalin]

The 3rd (? AFB) level Factotum (Dugeonscape) ability that lets you apply your Int bonus to Str and Dex checks works for tripping.You may also find something of interest in Exotic Weapon Master (complete warrior) or Master thrower (same)

[ericgrau]

Quick draw, rapid shot and eventually two weapon fighting for extra trip attempts. The attack penalty isn't as bad since they're touch attacks. Range penalties can add up fast though even on touch attacks and so you could get far shot and maybe ranged weapon mastery to greatly reduce those. Probably precise shot too. The one big advantage you have over melee is that you can full attack more often, usually with more attacks too. The disadvantage is that you don't get attacks of opportunity or damage. Besides improved trip you may want a way to get large size (race, enlarge person, etc.) for the extra +4.

Since there's not much advantage to magic bolas or even masterwork, you don't have much gold invested though. So you might want to combine this with an archery build given all the feat overlap. True prone things get +4 AC but you shoot the big things that can't be tripped, or the things with so little HP that they're simpler to kill. Or if there are plenty of things to trip then you spend the whole fight tripping and let your allies mop up the prone guys. And if you go this route you might want to also consider the ranged disarm feat.

At lower levels the same feats lend themselves even better for a damaging thrower build , so you might want to start off as a bola tripper/thrower and transition into bola tripper/archer once you can afford major magic weapons. Delay this as long as possible though with a +2 strength item, boots of speed for the extra haste attack, etc. If you want low level effectiveness you may want fighter to get all those feats early, and/or barbarian for the rage strength bonus. For race the Illumians (races of destiny) have an option to get a +2 to all strength based checks.