Builds focused on debuffs?

[danzibr]

It seems most of the builds you see focus on damage or casting, a few on other neat tricks, some of buffs, but I haven't seen many which focus on debuffs.

In particular, I've seen Shneekey's optimization of Samurai fear stuff, and similarly Zhent fighter fear stuff, but can anyone provide other debuff builds? In particular, it'd be cool if something like an anti-Bard was out there.

[Pilo]

Focused necromancer:

Negative level: -1 to AC,Bab, damage, save, skill, test. Caster lose one spell of their highest level, -5 hps (removed from max hp so not healable). If a target has as many negative level than HD, it dies (no save) and come back as an intelligent undead, here come minor undead control.

At level 7, get enervation (ray, target gain 1d4 negative levels, no save), one of the best debuff spell.
The fell drain (Libris Mortis (Or Liber Mortis, there is a thread about that)) metamagic feat is nice (+2 level, if the spell do HP dammages, the target get a negative level). Use it with acid orb or ray of frost, it is a level 2 spell that give a negative level)

[Zubrowka74]

Search for "Bad Touch Cleric"

[Dusk Eclipse]

I once toyed with an Assassin build that focused on de-buffing to make death attack somewhat viable, I don't have my notes on hand; but it used

Hexblade 4 (curse and shadow companion), Paladin of Tyrany 2 for aura of despair, using the bind vestige feats to get Focalor's Aura of Despair, and ambush feats such as Staggering strike and Terrifying strike.

[Piggy Knowles]

Cleric 3/Church Inquisitor 1/Master of Shrouds 10

Fill in the last 6 levels however you'd like. Master of Shrouds lets you summon a ton of shadows, letting you strength-drain enemies down to almost nothing immediately. Church Inquisitor both lets you qualify for MoS early, and also gives you the Inquisition domain to boost dispel checks. A solid dispel is oftentimes the best debuff of all...

[JadePhoenix]

My party has a Hexblade/Binder that focuses on debuffing. Between dark companion, intimidate, aura of sadness and hexblade's curse, he makes the most badass targets a lot more manageable.
I used to play a spellthief with Staggering Strike, but that's a single debuff.

[Tyndmyr]

It seems most of the builds you see focus on damage or casting, a few on other neat tricks, some of buffs, but I haven't seen many which focus on debuffs.

In particular, I've seen Shneekey's optimization of Samurai fear stuff, and similarly Zhent fighter fear stuff, but can anyone provide other debuff builds? In particular, it'd be cool if something like an anti-Bard was out there.

Hexblades make fairly good debuffers...the curse is a free action, so slapping that out initially makes applying other debuffs easier...and many of their spells have cumulative effects.

Now, the downside is that their spell list is limited, and they taper off as a class later on, but for low-moderate level games, they're solid, and they can be used with interesting PrCs, like mindbender.

[HeadlessMermaid]

In particular, it'd be cool if something like an anti-Bard was out there.
A Bard can be customized to stack fear effects: Inspire Awe ACF, Haunting Melody, Doomspeak, even Combat Panache if you intend to deal actual damage. It's nice and very very flavorful, but don't overestimate its power: it can be shut off completely by immunity to fear (paladins, undead, constructs etc). Bards also have access to relevant spells: Slow, Blindness/Deafness, Cause Fear, Scare, Crushing Despair, Mind Fog, Wave of Grief, Dirge of Discord, Unluck, Fugue, Wail of Doom, Dirge...

Another option is becoming a ghost, preferably without eating up all the +5 LA. They come with a lot of debuffing options on their own, and class levels (hexblade, bard, paladin of tyranny) can be added on top of that. However, a ghost's defuffs affect all living creatures within range, and some don't even require an action. So if the rest of the party is breathing, it's a bit of a hassle to keep them safe. But it can be done.

A melee debuffer is strictly about fear effects. (As far as I know. There are debuffing maneuvers, too, but the DC is relatively low. I haven't seen anyone rely on these too much.) You can use Hexblade (Dark Companion ACF), Paladin of Tyranny, Fighter (Zhentarim Soldier ACF), Barbarian (Intimidating Rage) or Samurai (Imperious Command). There are several feats that more or less add a fear effect to a successful attack or charge.

And of course, there are a lot more debuffing spells in the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list, if you want to go there.

[JadePhoenix]

A melee debuffer is strictly about fear effects. (As far as I know. There are debuffing maneuvers, too, but the DC is relatively low. I haven't seen anyone rely on these too much.)

There are also Ambush feats. Sickening Strike is specially good.

[tyckspoon]

A Bard can be customized to stack fear effects: Inspire Awe ACF, Haunting Melody, Doomspeak, even Combat Panache if you intend to deal actual damage. It's nice and very very flavorful, but don't overestimate its power: it can be shut off completely by immunity to fear (paladins, undead, constructs etc).
Point of order: Doomspeak isn't a Fear effect. It's not even Mind-Affecting. It's really pretty awesome.


A melee debuffer is strictly about fear effects. (As far as I know. There are debuffing maneuvers, too, but the DC is relatively low.

Melee debuffs:
Three Mountains, weapon-style feat: Force saves against Nausea when you beat up opponents with appropriate weapons.
Stunning Fist (+boosting feats like Pharoah's Fist, Falling Star Strike, and Pain Touch)
Ambush feats (sacrifice Sneak Attack bonus damage to inflict various effects.) Special mention to Staggering Strike, which is both a powerful debuff and doesn't actually require giving up any damage.

(Possible build: Zhentarim Fighter/Monk with a Ki Focus Greatclub and Three Mountains. Scream at people and then beat them into submission with stuns/nausea.)

[gorfnab]

The Fear Hanbook (http://www.brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=3809.0) has some info and builds on debuffing.

[Roguenewb]

Like so very many other things, wizards do it best. At medium to high levels a wizard with a bunch of solid debuffs/save-or-Xs, can Leadership up that hexblade to serve as a save tank so that the debuffs stick. It's a hilariously nasty build.

[Devmaar]

A Bard can be customized to stack fear effects: Inspire Awe ACF, Haunting Melody, Doomspeak, even Combat Panache if you intend to deal actual damage. It's nice and very very flavorful, but don't overestimate its power: it can be shut off completely by immunity to fear (paladins, undead, constructs etc). Bards also have access to relevant spells: Slow, Blindness/Deafness, Cause Fear, Scare, Crushing Despair, Mind Fog, Wave of Grief, Dirge of Discord, Unluck, Fugue, Wail of Doom, Dirge...

Bards can get into Dread Witch, making fear immunity no more than an annoyance by the mid-levels

[Amphetryon]

Eberron-exclusive debuffer:
Daelkyr Halfblood Paladin of Tyranny 2/Binder 3/Hexblade 4 (with Dark Companion)/Dread Witch 5/Impure Prince 6. You'll need some finagling to qualify for Gatekeeper Initiate or a DM-allowed ACF to get Favored Enemy.

[killianh]

I think that just having an archivist with a well thought out spell list can work for something like this. Maybe taking a look at some existing beguiler builds would help too