Tanky (hypothetical) ECL 1/CR1 builds; or how to get the most out of your followers

[faceroll]

Alright, take a warforged, with 3,000 xp. Put the Incarnate Construct template on him. Then put on necropolitan and two evolved templates. He loses two levels (3,000 xp down to 1,500 xp, then pays 1,000 xp to go down to level 1 at 500 xp). Incarnate construct gives him -2 LA/CR, evolved template boosts him up +2 LA/CR, for a total of +0 LA/CR. (If buy off is in effect, apply evolved undead again, buy off at ECL 4, then apply it again after bought off for 4 additions of the template).

He was crucifed by a variant specialist wizard (necromancer) on a desecrated altar who had the corpsecrafter line of feats (so +6 HP/HD, +4 enhancement str/dex, +2 NA, +10' land speed, +4 initiative, +1d6 cold damage on natural attacks, +2 vs. turn attempts). If you really want to be abusive, go with an evolved x4 (bought off twice) necropolitan ancient incarnate construct magic blooded warforged dread necromancer 7 as the creator, for 34 charisma. This bumps HP/level up to 16, with a d12 HD. Yikes!

Where to go from here? What class? What feats? Note that with a base 18 str, we can get 26 str. With a base 18 cha, we can get 30 cha (old age as an incarnate construct, and magic blooded [we put some dragon seed in the warforge; sue us]).

Crusader 1, feats Adamantine Body, Improved Damage Reduction, Improved Damage reduction gets you DR6/adamantine, with Fast Healing 2, a 1d6+1 healing strike, and an AC of 21 (25 with tower shield).

Going with more offense, less defense, Psion 1 with Adamantine Body, psionic weapon and psionic meditation, using a Greatsword, gets 4d6+12 damage per hit, at +8 to hit (+10 if flanking). Still has DR2 and fast healing 2. Psionic Powers can be Entangling Ectoplasm (auto entangle on a touch attack), Force Screen, and Prescience, Offensive. That gets his AC up to 25, his to hit up another +1, and his enemy a -4 penalty to dex, and -2 on attack rolls.

[Greenish]

Bard! :smallcool:

Or maybe paladin of tyranny base sorcadin.

[faceroll]

Bard! :smallcool:

Or maybe paladin of tyranny base sorcadin.

Hmm, let's see, going with the lowest level mix of these creatures, a Bard with Inspirational Boost, a MW horn from Song & Silence, the Song of the Heart feat, and Requiem gives his undead allies a +4 morale bonus to attack and damage.

A paladin of slaughter2 is giving adjacent enemies -2 to AC. The bard and paladin using improved aid another and flanking gives the psion statted above another +10 to attack.

So with 3 level 1 monsters and a level 2 monster, we've go an effective +24 to hit with 4d6+16 damage (avg 30).

Everyone but the Bard will have at least 25 AC, and everyone has DR2 and fast healing 2. The level 1s will have 28 HP, every additional level gets you 24.5 more HP. 4th levels will have 97 HP; almost as much as hill giants, but smarter and with class abilities. They will hit just as hard, or harder, depending on the build. Duskblade 4 with psionic feats and channeled shocking grasp is doing 6d6+16, and with so much to hit, can easily power attack it up to 6d6+24 and still be hitting. Because of the low CR, you can easily mix a lot of them in. Injured creatures simply fall back and get healed by a low level Dread Necromancer in the back.