Go Wild and help me build my next character!

[ChristaKatrill]

The DM has killed me TWICE. He seems to want a high powered campaign and is not giving us any loot and casting circle of death on us. oh did i mention there is no rezzing here? OK! he wants high powered and i want to give it to him. We are level 9 and im a girl...=p

I rolled rogues the first 2 times because i like the idea of being an assassin. I was neutral evil both times.

so heres the deal. Any ECL without LA I want this character to be insanely OP but i do not know all of the books by heart =/

Do you have a character you have been saving for such an occasion? do you have an incredible idea but your DM wont let you make it a reality? let me try it out for you! ill let you know how it goes when were done!

He is writing a blog about the campaign called "Tossing Coppers..." this is an inside joke because last campaign we threw coppers at everything to detect traps and check for mimics lol good times...

http://tossingcoppers.blogspot.com/2011/06/beginning-of-terrible-fellowship.html

if you want to check it out and get a feel for what were up against. There is a joke that the DM is the enemy. well this one really is! haha

level 9
36,000 gp
all the freedom in the world!
dont know where to start.

[Lord Ruby34]

1. Play a wizard.
2. You're a wizard.
3. Profit.

Or do the same thing as a druid. Or cleric. Or artificer. Or archivist. Or just go spell to power erudite.

It's easy.

[SleepyBadger]

Ugh... playing a druid or cleric? Or any arcane caster? (Although for level 9 I'd probably recommend druid or a cleric persisting death ward see this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207409) for some ideas.) But in any case play a character that has a good fortutide save :P

[Diarmuid]

Circle of Death seems like a pretty bad option to toss at lvl 9 chars. It specifically doesnt effect 9HD or greater.

[Piggy Knowles]

How about Archivist 2/Cloistered Cleric 1/Master of Shrouds 6? That will basically rip through encounters at your ECL.

Master of Shrouds can be found here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20041015b

Spamming Shadows can destroy most encounters, and Divine Metamagic -> Persistent Spell can make you all but impossible to kill. Animate Dead shenanigans will also be pretty beefcake, meaning that any time the DM sends on over-leveled encounter your way and you win, you have the opportunity to turn the tides against him.

Planning and Time are nice domains to start with - Improved Initiative and Extend Spell as bonus feats will serve you well. Time domain also adds Contingency to your spell-list, for use with Spell Trigger items. You may as well trade away the Knowledge domain for Knowledge Devotion as well, in case you ever want to muck about in combat. After all, you don't actually LOSE anything. But, really, leave combat to your minions.

Anyhow, a good game plan for most battles is Extended Meld Into Stone (should last you a couple of combats), Clairvoyance, and spam a target of your choice with summoned Shadows.

For spells to persist, again, I'd focus more on defensive spells to make sure your DM doesn't get lucky and off you, rather than turning into a super beatstick. People seem to love being the one to dish out damage, but that role's for chumps. You want to be an invisible presence, controlling things from the shadows. You want to be unkillable. Any round you spend emulating a fighter is a round you could have spent doing something better.

Mass Lesser Vigor is a good place to start for persistent spells, but Consumptive Field might be one of the single strongest options. There's a lot to choose from - especially since as an Archivist, you can potentially get almost any spell in the game.

PS - I'm really not a fan of "player versus DM" mindsets. I'm just pointing out a character that can work out well in the mid-levels against scaled-up encounters.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

If you want cheesy, you could go Venerable Dragonwrought Desert Kobold (with Loredrake) Rogue 1/Sorcerer 4/Spellwarp Sniper 4. Slap Arcane Thesis on Wings of Flurry, nab Split Ray, and go to town with your no-save daze and force damage on two targets per turn. If you have the feats, nab Quick Recovery so when you use Celerity (definitely use Celerity) you can make a save next turn to remove the daze.

Sauces:
Races of the Dragon: Dragonwrought, Wings of Flurry
Desert Kobold: Unearthed Arcana (also on the SRD)
Arcane Thesis, Split Ray: Complete Arcane
Spellwarp Sniper: Complete Scoundrel
Celerity: Player's Handbook II
Quick Recovery: Lords of Madness

Maybe that's too cheesy. Maybe you want to keep playing a dedicated sneak, and you just need to hide better. Let's go with everyone's favorite race/class combination, the Beguiler Beguiler. Get Darkstalker to synergize with your excellent hide bonus (max hide/MS btw). Nab Versatile Spellcaster so you qualify for higher levels of advanced learning. Dip a level of Mindbender to grab 100' telepathy, which qualifies you for Mindsight - with constant true seeing and mindsight, you pretty much detect everything but yourself. Enjoy dominating and confusing your foes while no one but your party knows where you are.

Sauces:
Beguiler (class): Player's Handbook II
Beguiler (race): Shining South
Darkstalker, Mindsight: Lords of Madness
Versatile Spellcaster: Races of the Dragon

Want something more straightforward to tear encounters apart directly, but the spellwarp sniper didn't grab you? Play a Druid! Get a Fleshraker animal companion with Natural Bond to keep him as efficient as possible. Better yet, Wildshape into a Fleshraker yourself, cast Venomfire on you and your companion (one casting, yay), and tear it up with ridiculous levels of damage. For more shenanigans, take Greenbound Summoning. All your summons have DR 10/magic and slashing, ability bonuses, entangle at will, and most ridiculously Wall of Thorns 1/day. That's right, you can spontaneously cast Summon Nature's Ally III to get 1d4+1 castings of Wall of Thorns, a potent 5th level spell, and then a bunch of entangles. Oh, right, get Natural Spell, duh.

Sauces:
Fleshraker: Monster Manual II
Venomfire: Serpent Kingdoms
Greenbound Summoning: Lost Empires of Faerun

Remember, while it's a popular notion that the DM wins all arms races, it's more common that everyone loses. Either way, bad for you. Beware being too cheesy.

[Graha013]

The DM has killed me TWICE. He seems to want a high powered campaign and is not giving us any loot and casting circle of death on us. oh did i mention there is no rezzing here? OK! he wants high powered and i want to give it to him. We are level 9 and im a girl...=p

I rolled rogues the first 2 times because i like the idea of being an assassin. I was neutral evil both times.

so heres the deal. Any ECL without LA I want this character to be insanely OP but i do not know all of the books by heart =/

Do you have a character you have been saving for such an occasion? do you have an incredible idea but your DM wont let you make it a reality? let me try it out for you! ill let you know how it goes when were done!

He is writing a blog about the campaign called "Tossing Coppers..." this is an inside joke because last campaign we threw coppers at everything to detect traps and check for mimics lol good times...

http://tossingcoppers.blogspot.com/2011/06/beginning-of-terrible-fellowship.html

if you want to check it out and get a feel for what were up against. There is a joke that the DM is the enemy. well this one really is! haha

level 9
36,000 gp
all the freedom in the world!
dont know where to start.

Tell your DM you only want to take 5 levels. And go Pun-pun.

[Lord Ruby34]

Tell your DM you only want to take 5 levels. And go Pun-pun.

Well if she wants to do that he can do it at level one. Pun-Pun. (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19869366/The_most_powerful_character._EVER.)

[Amphetryon]

I rolled rogues the first 2 times because i like the idea of being an assassin. I was neutral evil both times.

DISCLAIMER: This is tossed together in +/- 10 minutes. It may contain errors.

Neutral Evil Strongheart Halfling Necromancer (Immediate Magic: Cursed Glance) 5/Swordsage 1/Spellwarp Sniper 3. Banned Enchantment and Illusion.

Flaws: Vulnerable, Noncombatant.

Feats: Spell Focus: Necromancy (1), Martial Study: Clinging Shadow Strike (B), Scribe Scroll (B), Point Blank Shot (F), Martial Stance: Child of Shadow (F), Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy (3), Fell Drain (5 - Bonus), Fearsome Necromancy (6), Black Lord of Moil (9).

Maneuvers/Stances: Sapphire Nightmare Blade, Clever Positioning, Shadow Blade Technique, Cloak of Deception, Drain Vitality, Shadow Jaunt, Mountain Hammer, Rabid Wolf Strike, Assassin's Stance (Note the entire build is borked if this is unavailable).

[Stallion]

Human or Grey Elf 4 shaper or ardent/1 factotum/4 fiend of possession. Otherworldly at first level, have the fluff involve you being born during a Ritual of Alignment. Grab Practiced Manifester to keep your ML mostly up to speed. From there, just spend all your time either possessing things (like the beatstick's sword), animating objects (up to Gargantuan size), spamming astral construct, abusing minor creation with Linked Power, and throwing in the occasional side of blasting if you have room for Expanded Knowledge: Energy Missile. Survivability is the name of the game with this baby.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

Wizard 1/War Weaver 5/Spellguard of Silverymoon 4. Be the ultimate buffer. (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5881.0)

[ChristaKatrill]

awesome guys thanks so much!
you had a lot of great ideas to think about but i think im liking the druid idea more and more

(to the guy who said something about 9HD not being effected by circle of death....the whole party was lvl 8 at the time...he killed 3 of us and missed one of us.)

so if i pick druid what are some super nasty horrific items i can arm myself with and some really brutal animals i can wildshape into? i need

a fast flier
a fast swimmer with possible water breathing
a fast runner
a heavy melee damage dealer
and a high hit point tanky type

i have 36k gold to muck about with =)

cant wait to see what you guys come up with! =D

[Urpriest]

awesome guys thanks so much!
you had a lot of great ideas to think about but i think im liking the druid idea more and more

(to the guy who said something about 9HD not being effected by circle of death....the whole party was lvl 8 at the time...he killed 3 of us and missed one of us.)

so if i pick druid what are some super nasty horrific items i can arm myself with and some really brutal animals i can wildshape into? i need

a fast flier
a fast swimmer with possible water breathing
a fast runner
a heavy melee damage dealer
and a high hit point tanky type

i have 36k gold to muck about with =)

cant wait to see what you guys come up with! =D

Your hit points don't change when you wildshape, so the last won't matter. For high damage, the Fleshraker (MMIII) is wonderful, with a bevy of natural attacks that the spell Venomfire (Serpent Kingdoms? Maybe Spell Compendium) can grant piles of bonus damage on.

[SleepyBadger]

awesome guys thanks so much!
you had a lot of great ideas to think about but i think im liking the druid idea more and more ...
cant wait to see what you guys come up with! =D
Some general tips for your druid...
Obviously wis and con as high as you can get them, forget about the rest of your physical scores, spend most of the day wildshaped. And of course take Natural Spell.
I wouldnt forget about my animal companion either. You can also take a fleshraker for a companion (he's awsome, see previous post from Urpriest), I would even recommend him for a 9th level druid as it would have bonuses equal to a 6th level druid (or 9th, if your DM allows the natural bond feat to negate the -3 level adjustment.) (If you also take companion spellbond you can buff yourself and your animal in one go.)
Otherwise bears are solid grapplers, crocs are great underwater, cats can pounce (but so can fleshrakers). You really have a whole list of options.
And as for the gold... Complete champion has some great druid items like mantle, armor, ring of the beast but they are fairly expensive... don't have the book here right now. If you can't afford them, I recommend the wilding clasp from Magic Item Compendium, as this will allow you to wear wondrous items while wildshaped.

[Soranar]

Don't bother with a wildshaped druid, he's a wuss compared to this guy:

Although I doubt any sane DM would allow this build.

Race: ''lesser'' half-giant (from complete psionics)
Alignment:chaotic good
Deity: Kord
Age: venerable
template: primordial giant (from secrets of xendrik) and necropolitan (from libris mortis)

-a lesser half-giant is a half-giant that didn't progress his racial attributes, he gets no LA in exchange for losing the following features : STR+2, naturally psionic, psionic Stomp, powerful build

-a primordial giant gains the following abilities: all sla are caster +1, you gain access to 1 knowledge skill of your choice (in this case knowledge nature to qualify for sentinel of Bharrai), Str-4,Con -2, Int+4, Cha+4, warlock is added to your favored classes

-At one point during your life (say back when you were level 1) you turned into a necropolitan (become undead which stops you from getting penalties from aging) during which time you aged considerably (+3 to all mental stats).

STATS (32 pts buy)

STR 4 (-4 from template)
DEX 6 (-2 from race)
CON -
INT 22 (not your casting stat but it can be useful for skills)
WIS 18 (great for the arcane disciple feat)
CHA 25


normal feats a bold
exalted feats are in italics

Progression

1 Sorcerer Sacred Vow
2 Sorcerer
3 Sorcerer Vow of Poverty nymph's kiss
4 Sorcerer Vow of Obedience +1 to CHA
5 Sorcerer
6 Sentinel of Bharrai Arcane Disciple (Competition Domain) Celestial familiar : Coure Eladrin
7 Sentinel of Bharrai
8 Sentinel of Bharrai Further feats Depend on your playstyle +1 to CHA
9 Sentinel of Bharrai

Sorcerer vs Wizard

Wizards need a DM to not murder them in their sleep or when they prepare their spells. Their spellbooks and/or magic items are also vulnerable and they also can't take vow of poverty (the book being a nonallowed possession).

A wizard would be a better choice but your DM already killed you twice and I'm assuming you can't even rest safely. Here comes the undead sorcerer benefits: you never need to rest, period. All your spells are / day and you have a lot of permanent abilities. A wizard normally needs to use several spells to emulate what being undead gives you.

Sentinel of Bharrai makes you able to transform into a bear (negating any physical stats you might require and it's not wildshape so you can do it while being undead). That shape can even talk so you can still cast your spells. You also gain Divine might (once per day only mind) from the arcane Disciple feat and you can just cast fly on yourself to be a flying bear.

Finally, vow of poverty gives you magic items abilities your DM can't take from you and the cost in feats is quickly won back as it gives you bonus exalted feats which you need (namely vow of obedience, celestial familiar). As with being undead, it frees up a lot of spellslots from having permanent magic effects.

Speaking of which, you have maxed ranks in survival/ track, you never sleep and you have darkvision to 60 ft so it's unlikely something can sneak up on you in the wild. As for the city, your familiar has unlimited detect evil (it also has unlimited magic missiles as a caster level 4 and it can literally speak to anything.)

In short, you're an undead bear, that summons bears and casts like a sorcerer with 27 CHA.

[SleepyBadger]

Well if you take Soranar's advice you won't need a Death Ward... But your DM would probably kick you out :P

[mootoall]

What level does Planar Shepherd's Shapechanging thing kick in?

[SleepyBadger]

What level does Planar Shepherd's Shapechanging thing kick in?
Mhm... that's bound to Eberron, isn't it? :smallbiggrin:

[ChristaKatrill]

Alright! Ive got my druid. I was thinking half elf as it gets all the extra bonuses an elf does with no negative scores.

I am taking a fleshraker as a pet and wildhshaping into a fleshraker. =D

so now my question is...how do i figure my wildshape form? the wildshape ability is kind of vague...=/

do i take the fleshraker as a 4HD creature at lvl 9? O.o

someone up there said your HP doesnt change with form but your con goes up if the con is higher so logiacally so would your hp right?

[SleepyBadger]

Alright! Ive got my druid. I was thinking half elf as it gets all the extra bonuses an elf does with no negative scores.

I am taking a fleshraker as a pet and wildhshaping into a fleshraker. =D

so now my question is...how do i figure my wildshape form? the wildshape ability is kind of vague...=/

do i take the fleshraker as a 4HD creature at lvl 9? O.o

someone up there said your HP doesnt change with form but your con goes up if the con is higher so logiacally so would your hp right?
Wild Shape
1. You keep your base attack bonus, but they will be modified by the physical bonuses of your shape
2. You keep your HP (without any modifications).
3. You keep your mental stats but acquire the physical stats of the animal.
4. You keep your will save and the bases for reflex and fortitude but they will be modified by the animal's dex or con respectively.
5. You keep your type (humanoid, if half-elf).
6. You obtain the animals extraordinary attacks but not the extraordinary qualities.
7. You lose your own extraordinary attacks (which a half elf does not have).
8. You do not get any spell-like or supernatural abilities of the shape you chose.
9. You keep your base skill points (which would be modified if physical) and your feats.
Some of these can be modified by prestige-classes or feats.
It's always a good idea to keep separate sheets for your wild-shapes with the appropriate stats (and also for the creatures you might summon), as having to look these up all the time will slow thing down and annoy the DM (and fellow players.)
Fleshraker
You would normally take the fleshraker with 8 HD (4+4) as a 9th level druid.

[Talya]

and im a girl...=p

Excellent. Female geeks like us have a huge advantage. You merely need to learn to use your feminine wiles to gain real, ultimate power over the male geeks who are in awe of your extra X chromosome.

I'd offer to teach you, but I am extremely lazy.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Alright! Ive got my druid. I was thinking half elf as it gets all the extra bonuses an elf does with no negative scores.

I am taking a fleshraker as a pet and wildhshaping into a fleshraker. =D

so now my question is...how do i figure my wildshape form? the wildshape ability is kind of vague...=/

do i take the fleshraker as a 4HD creature at lvl 9? O.o

someone up there said your HP doesnt change with form but your con goes up if the con is higher so logiacally so would your hp right?

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11384248&postcount=44

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=1354.0

[Urpriest]

Alright! Ive got my druid. I was thinking half elf as it gets all the extra bonuses an elf does with no negative scores.

I am taking a fleshraker as a pet and wildhshaping into a fleshraker. =D

so now my question is...how do i figure my wildshape form? the wildshape ability is kind of vague...=/

do i take the fleshraker as a 4HD creature at lvl 9? O.o

someone up there said your HP doesnt change with form but your con goes up if the con is higher so logiacally so would your hp right?

The Wild Shape ability is actually not vague at all, it just uses very precise terms that you don't know yet. Check out my Monstrous Guide to Monsters when it's done, you need to know how monsters work to have one as a pet or wild shape into one.

[ChristaKatrill]

Thanks biff those guides are awesome!!

ooh Tayla...what are you doin later :smallwink:

[Petrocorus]

Rogue 2 / Beguiler 6 / Pr Bard 1 / Ur-Priest 1 / Sublime Chord 1 / Fochlucan Lyrist 9

BAB +13 Fort +5 Ref +13 Will +17 Skill point 136

You cast like a Beguiler lvl 7, a Sublime Chord lvl 10 and an Ur-preist lvl 10.
You need to be neutral evil.
And your are MAD. But if you can manage this, this is quite powerful.

Cloistered Cleric 4/Church Inquisitor 3/Pr Paladin 2/Sacred Exorcist 10/Contemplative 1
BAB +13 CL 19 Fort +11 Ref +5 Will +16 Skill points 80
knowledge and inquisition as bonus domain. And 3 chosen domains.

[Urpriest]

Rogue 2 / Beguiler 6 / Pr Bard 1 / Ur-Priest 1 / Sublime Chord 1 / Fochlucan Lyrist 9

BAB +13 Fort +5 Ref +13 Will +17 Skill point 136

You cast like a Beguiler lvl 7, a Sublime Chord lvl 10 and an Ur-preist lvl 10.
You need to be neutral evil.
And your are MAD. But if you can manage this, this is quite powerful.


Hrmph. That's a very late Ur-Priest entry, young man.

Why not just the classic Ur-Lyrist?

Savage Bard 5/Ur-Priest 2/Mystic Theurge 3/Sublime Chord 1/Fochluchan Lyrist 9, getting Evasion from Impulse Boots, and Druidic from...wherever your build got Druidic. More casting, better BAB, and less MAD.

[noparlpf]

Play Pun-pun, as long as the DM isn't limiting ridiculous nonsense like that. That would sure show him.

[Petrocorus]

Savage Bard 5/Ur-Priest 2/Mystic Theurge 3/Sublime Chord 1/Fochluchan Lyrist 9, getting Evasion from Impulse Boots, and Druidic from...wherever your build got Druidic. More casting, better BAB, and less MAD.

I didn't know this build, thank.

Where can i find the Impulse Boots? MIC?

[Coidzor]

Excellent. Female geeks like us have a huge advantage. You merely need to learn to use your feminine wiles to gain real, ultimate power over the male geeks who are in awe of your extra X chromosome.

I'd offer to teach you, but I am extremely lazy.

Wait. You're a girl? When did this happen? :smalleek:


I didn't know this build, thank.

Where can i find the Impulse Boots? MIC?

I think Impulse Boots are a soulmeld from Magic of Incarnum and are obtained through the Shape Soulmeld feat.

[Petrocorus]

I think Impulse Boots are a soulmeld from Magic of Incarnum and are obtained through the Shape Soulmeld feat.

My Banjo, Coidzor, what is your time zone?

I found the impulse boots in MoI, but it seems it gives Uncanny Dodge, not Evasion.

I'm trying to work on a variation of the prestige paladin i posted yesterday, a build which could have 7 domains; i have a little problem with the BAB.

[Urpriest]

Impulse Boots by default give Uncanny Dodge, you need another feat, Open Least (IIRC) Chakra, for them to give Evasion. So it's two feats, but better than two class levels, eh?