3.5 only build help

[KeithDas]

Alright ill start this off by saying im seeking help building a lvl 30 build focused on melee.

Max lvl adjustment 5
4.3 million gold
must be from published 3.5 books

The reason for this a dm i know is hosting an arena and the group members are very, very good i am decent as it stands but i need help because they are very arrogant. So i am trying to knock them down a peg or two any help i can get would be awesome

[Particle_Man]

Tome of Battle might be useful.

Of the top of my head, Warblade 20/Eternal Blade 10 might be interesting.

Or a healthy mix of Warblade/Swordsage/Crusader and Master of Nine.

You could also do some extra action cheese with Ruby Knight Vindicator.

Personally, I would avoid any LA above 0 unless the benefits are more awesome than more class levels.

[Tyger]

Alright ill start this off by saying im seeking help building a lvl 30 build focused on melee.

Max lvl adjustment 5
4.3 million gold
must be from published 3.5 books

The reason for this a dm i know is hosting an arena and the group members are very, very good i am decent as it stands but i need help because they are very arrogant. So i am trying to knock them down a peg or two any help i can get would be awesome

Will any of them be playing full casters? As in wizards, druids, clerics, etc. or is this an all-melee contest?

[playswithfire]

How about something like (not in this order) Wildshape Ranger 5/Master of Many Forms 10/Nature's Warrior 4/Fist of the Forest 1/Swordsage 10?

EDIT: Tyger's question is also very relevant

[Person_Man]

30th level? Well then, whoever goes first wins combat. A single Epic level spell can pretty much destroy a city. So my suggestion is to optimize Initiative (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=6000.0). Everything else is pretty much secondary.

[jvluso]

30th level? Well then, whoever goes first wins combat. A single Epic level spell can pretty much destroy a city. So my suggestion is to optimize Initiative (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=6000.0). Everything else is pretty much secondary.

However at that level, initiative may be obsoleted by foresight + celerity. A custom continuous item of foresight is recommended to cost 459,000 gp and would allow you to take immediate actions before anyone has started moving.

Also, despite being secondary, something to do when you win initiative is important. If you can do it as an immediate action, you will go before them unless they do the same thing.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

However at that level, initiative may be obsoleted by foresight + celerity. A custom continuous item of foresight is recommended to cost 459,000 gp and would allow you to take immediate actions before anyone has started moving.

Also, despite being secondary, something to do when you win initiative is important. If you can do it as an immediate action, you will go before them unless they do the same thing.If you both have foresight+celerity+shapechange into dire tortoise+whatever else, then who ultimately goes first will still be a function of good ol' intiative. Though I do agree that immunities at level 30 can be quite annoying, and it might take a while to probe through the opponent's defenses and contingencies. This is why on your turn you use time shenanigans to get as many actions as you want.

Edit: If you're dead set on melee, be a gish so you can still get epic spells, and be ready to put down your sword if one or more of your combatants finds one of the many ways to become immune to that line of attack.

[KeithDas]

I appreciate the feedback itll be mixed one guy always plays soul knifes one guy always plays casters they are pretty dead set in they're ways i was thinking of burning 4 la on stone giant.

Though i think ive found a way to make a full 3.5 crit monster

[Drglenn]

You'll want some method of flying and/or stopping enemies that are already flying. Otherwise flying enemies will just sit above you pelting you with spells/arrows/whatever.

EDIT: also stone giant would be starting ECL 18, 14 from racial HD, +4LA

[Tyger]

I appreciate the feedback itll be mixed one guy always plays soul knifes one guy always plays casters they are pretty dead set in they're ways i was thinking of burning 4 la on stone giant.

Though i think ive found a way to make a full 3.5 crit monster

OK, the soul knife won't be a problem, that's easy. What sort of optimization does the caster use, and what class do they use? What tactics do you usually see?

[KeithDas]

My main worry is beating the init but bladed gauntlets as per sword and fist 3.5 from the one Ive read is 17-20 now we improve crit and double it, next we take one of the other classes from sword and fist and if you already have imp crit it gives you an additional two

Now that this giant fail has happened we account for it being a 1d6 17-20/x3 and get retarded we make it a bigger, kaorti, and walla death and doom if my calculations are correct it should be a 3d6 12-20/x5+2 pump able lets assume we made it a +10 or +20 and have burst effects

[KeithDas]

We'll as far as the casters go they are very fond of manipulating the battle and aren't beyond using charisma based spells to mess with you while they get ready to set you up for death. The primary caster im concerned about has used ridiculously pump charm effects to really nasty effect

[Curmudgeon]

My main worry is beating the init but bladed gauntlets as per sword and fist 3.5 from the one Ive read is 17-20 now we improve crit and double it, next we take one of the other classes from sword and fist and if you already have imp crit it gives you an additional two
Sword and Fist is 3.0 (not 3.5), and widening the threat range past one doubling only works in D&D 3.0. D&D 3.5 explicitly forbids either keen or Improved Critical from stacking with anything else that increases that range.

[MeeposFire]

That stump knife also requires you to lose a hand which is not great.

[Wings of Peace]

Edit: Misread the OP.

You'll want three levels in Arcane Duelist (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20030224a) to keep up with the ridiculously high ac some epic creatures have.

[KeithDas]

dang so close to ultimate win bah the sword and fist i was reading was miss labeled as 3.5 then

Well ill focus on the class rather than gear atm so i can get that done and worry about gear later

[Keld Denar]

For a level 30 game, crits don't even matter. There are so many ways to be immune to crits, especially for the caster. You are best off with a shadow pouncer build or a flying charger.

[herrhauptmann]

dang so close to ultimate win bah the sword and fist i was reading was miss labeled as 3.5 then

Well ill focus on the class rather than gear atm so i can get that done and worry about gear later

Stop reading pirated pdf's :smalltongue: Sword and fist I think was the first sourcebook published in 3.0 after the PHB/DMG/MM.
Check the publish dates, late 2003 I think is the start of 3.5. Also look for things like the Alchemy, Wilderness Lore, and Scry skills.

edit: Why not play as punpun, with 30 class levels?

[TroubleBrewing]

edit: Why not play as punpun, with 30 class levels?

... :smallannoyed:

Uncool, dude. Pun-pun should have 1 class level and a level adjustment of 29. (Because he can.)

[herrhauptmann]

It gets tedious stacking "Half-X" templates onto a character. Punpun should be fine with being venerable, loredrake, and other draconic style templates. So I guess ~8 LA of templates, and 22 class levels.