I need help breaking things

[memnarch]

Specifically, the game.

Yes, the DM asked for it. I'm going to be joining in a newish group and when I asked the going to be DM (they trade off occasionally), I got this: me: "So, uh, what level should I make my character for?" DM: "Level fifteen, and pick 1 epic item to go with it" Me: "Uh, ok? And standard wealth by level?" DM: "Yeah, basically break the game."

And the scary thing is is that I'll likely need it to keep up with the rest of the group's output. :smalleek: Seriously, the most talked about character is a multicolor-scaled-something with an apparent +80% miss chance, can phase through things 3 times a day, and swings with at least +60 to hit. And that's only what I've gathered from small talk. The group is more into uber-powergaming than i'm used to, so I'm feeling rather overwhelmed.

Anyway, I'd had been trying to figure out how to break the Factotum, with the epic item being something like a permanent ring of shapeshift, but I have no clue as to how to make epic items, or any other ideas for fairly unique super-cheese character (beside the super wizard of course, but i'm already playing one in a different campaign with the group).


So, any ideas on what I can do with 15 levels, 200000gp, and an epic item?

[Urpriest]

Well, Shapechange can already grant you some level of super-Wizard stuff, in particular Wish from Zodar and lots of free action divinations from Elemental Weird.

A permanent ring of Shapechange would, naively using the custom item guidelines (which your DM will probably be ok with given general behavior), cost the following:

9 (spell level) x 17 (minimum caster level) x 2,000gp x 1.5 for 10 min/level duration

Which gives you a cost of 459,000gp

If you wanted to save money (it sounds like for your epic magic item you don't, which is...silly, because there's no upper limit on item power so you could technically just keep stacking spell effects, and the fact that your DM doesn't understand this bodes ill at best), then you could go with a command-word activated item, for only

9x17x1800gp=275,400gp

[Randomguy]

Are they using cheese to do this stuff, or is there X free LA or something like that?


The first thing that pops into mind is the Planar Shepard, which would probably be the easiest way to break the game.

The next thing that comes into mind is to use gate (via candle of invocation) to summon in something really nasty, like a heavily templated LeShay (use templates to make it an outsider), then use Magic Jar via scroll to swap bodies with it (It's an immediate service, so you don't need to pay it), then use astral seed via scroll as well. Next, end the magic jar, dismiss the LeShay, and kill yourself. You revive 10 days later as a LeShay, which gives you all sorts of bonuses.

You'll need good security to do this though, since it leaves you vulnerable for 10 days.

You could also use True Mind Switch on the gated creature, but that might annoy it and it's friends.

A way to make this trick more powerful is to gate in more creatures, manifest fusion (possibly through a power stone or scroll equivalent) and do the same trick so that you come back as the fused creature.

[DeusMortuusEst]

If you want to use Factotum you could probably go with elf or some other race that gets lots of bonus feats in the beginning and then use Dark Chaos Shuffle to change them into Font of Inspiration.

Then shapechange into any race with lots of spellcasting (Black Ethergaunt anyone? You could arguably shapechange into one that has the spell you need for the moment) and use your many, many inspiration points to get many, many extra actions and cast many, many spells.

[memnarch]

Are they using cheese to do this stuff, or is there X free LA or something like that?
....

I have no idea, but it's very likely a combo of both.


Is spellcasting a supernatural or extraordinary ability though? I don't think shapechange allows for that.

[Slipperychicken]

Is spellcasting a supernatural or extraordinary ability though? I don't think shapechange allows for that.

I am led to believe it is a Natural ability, possessing neither the (Su)pernatural, (Sp)ell-like, or (Ex)traordinary tags. You also need to hash out spell preparation with your DM if you plan to use the Factotum ability to mimic Spellcasting.

[Urpriest]

I have no idea, but it's very likely a combo of both.


Is spellcasting a supernatural or extraordinary ability though? I don't think shapechange allows for that.

There are arguments about it. Suffice it to say that if your DM allows the more lazy, loose forms of cheese then you can count spellcasting as an Ex ability on the basis of things like the Hobgoblin Warsoul, the Lilitu, and a quote that says that every ability is either spell-like, supernatural, or extraordinary.

Technically though, you can't gain straight-up spellcasting with Shapechange, since the Hobgoblin Warsoul and the Lilitu have Ex abilities with specific names that grant spellcasting, so spellcasting in general isn't Ex (though you can use things like the Lilitu for limited spellcasting by that same token).

[demigodus]

And the scary thing is is that I'll likely need it to keep up with the rest of the group's output. :smalleek: Seriously, the most talked about character is a multicolor-scaled-something with an apparent +80% miss chance, can phase through things 3 times a day, and swings with at least +60 to hit. And that's only what I've gathered from small talk. The group is more into uber-powergaming than i'm used to, so I'm feeling rather overwhelmed.

I would suggest getting more detail on their power level. For example, how much damage on his hits? Any spells he has, or just swing, and get missed? Without something more concrete to aim for, people might give you builds that way over or under shoot your party.


So, any ideas on what I can do with 15 levels, 200000gp, and an epic item?

Have you considered playing a God (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19873034/Treantmonks_guide_to_Wizards:_Being_a_God)?

Alternatively, you could go for Cleric, with the Initiate of Mystra feat (cast in an antimagic field), and use DMM Persist to run fly around with a bunch of buffs on you, while wearing an anti-magic field, and shooting stuff out of it.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Any epic item? Ok.

Take Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm) so you can dictate its motives and reliably control it. This item has been in the possession of your family for over one million generations. It contains a portion of the life, soul, and experiences of every one of your ancestors since it was gifted to the first (your race) to have existed, by the very god which created him. It was originally an unexceptional magic ring, but every generation each wearer has added more effects. Due to your lineage, the consciousness held within recognizes you as the rightful bearer of the item, and only you or your oldest surviving offspring can benefit from any of its powers.

You may wear a glove or gauntlet over the ring so opponents will never have line of sight nor line of effect to it, and it will be impossible to slight of hand. As an intelligent item, it is treated as a construct, which means it continues to function in antimagic and dead magic areas, cannot be temporarily disabled via dispelling or destroyed via disjunction, and it gets to take actions during combat just like any other creature.

The base item is a Ring, it functions as a Ring of Sustenance and a Ring of Feather Falling, all effects are at caster level 100. It also has the following effects:

The following are always in effect on the wearer:
-Continuous Superior Invisibility as the spell (SpC).
-Continuous Nondetection as the spell.
-Continuous Magic Circle against Evil as the spell.
-Continuous Mind Blank as the spell.
-Continuous Favor of the Martyr as the spell (SpC).
-Continuous Freedom of Movement as the spell.
-Continuous Stormrage as the spell (SpC).
-Continuous Cloud Wings as the spell (SpC).
-Continuous Ray Deflection as the spell (SpC).
-Continuous Stone Body as the spell (SpC).
-Continuous Starmantle as the spell (BoED).
-Continuous Haste as the spell.
-Continuous True Seeing as the spell.
-Continuous Energy Immunity as the spell (SpC), five times.
-Continuous Spell Resistance as the spell.
-Continuous Foresight as the spell.
-Continuous Choose Destiny as the spell (RoD).
-Continuous Death Ward as the spell.
-Continuous Blindsight as the spell (SpC).
-Continuous Tremorsense as the spell (SpC).
-Continuous Twinned (CA) Fell Drain (LM) Fell Weaken (LM) Fell Frighten (LM) -Fire Shield (warm) as the spell.
-Continuous Twinned (CA) Fell Drain (LM) Fell Weaken (LM) Fell Frighten (LM) -Fire Shield (cool) as the spell.
-Continuous Twinned (CA) Fell Drain (LM) Fell Weaken (LM) Fell Frighten (LM) -Death Armor as the spell (SpC).
-Continuous Sense Link (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/senseLink.htm) (augmented for all senses) between the ring and the wearer, as the power (XPH).
-Continuous Adapt Body (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/adaptBody.htm) as the power (XPH).
-Continuous Touchsight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/touchsight.htm) (augmented to 530 ft.) as the power (XPH).
-Continuous Shield as the spell, with a Power Surged (DCS) Magic Vestment as the spell targeting it (+4 base, +25 Enhancement).
-Continuous Greater Mage Armor as the spell (SpC), with a Power Surged (DCS) Magic Vestment as the spell targeting it (+6 base, +25 Enhancement).
-Continuous Fell Drain (LM) Intensified (ELH) Thunderlance as the spell (SpC), with a Power Surged (DCS) Greater Magic Weapon as the spell targeting it (+25 Enhancement), and a Dolorous Blow as the spell (SpC) added to it.
-Five hundred instances of continuous Power Surged (DCS) Fell Drain (LM) Twinned (CA) Intensified (ELH) Cloud of Knives as the spell (PH2). (This grants a thousand free-action attacks per round, each of which deals 78 physical piercing magic weapon damage and bestows one negative level on anyone damaged by it.)

A bonus to AC, saving throws, spell resistance, initiative checks, skill checks, ability checks, caster level checks, opposed rolls, DCs of your special abilities and spells, and every d20 you roll that's not an attack roll, of +50 of each of the following bonus types: Circumstance, Competence, Insight, Luck, Morale, Profane, and Sacred. That's a total +350 to all of those.

A +100 Enhancement bonus to all six of your ability scores.

It possesses multiple instances the effects of the Spellblade (PGtF) enchantment, keyed to.... every potentially harmful spell and psionic power (via transparency) in the game.

At the start of each of the wearer's turns, it automatically activates a Temporal Acceleration (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/temporalAcceleration.htm) effect on him, augmented to 23 rounds worth of actions. At the end of the effect, he'll still get to take his full turn normally during his initiative.

It allows you to use following spells at will, DCs are 10 + spell level + your highest mental ability modifier + any modifiers you get to spell save DCs (+350 above), all are at the item's caster level of 100. The ring may also activate any of these using its own actions:
Power Surged (DCS) Intensified (ELH) Twinned (CA) Chain Spell (CA) Destruction.
Quickened Power Surged (DCS) Intensified (ECS) Twinned (CA) Chain Spell (CA) Destruction.
Snowcast (FB) Flash Frost (PH2) Fell Drain (LM) Widened Locate City (RoD).
Quickened Ruby Ray of Reversal (SpC).
Twinned (CA) Disjunction.
Quickened Twinned (CA) Disjunction.
Twinned (CA) Split Ray (CA) Intensified (ELH) Disintegrate.
Quickened Twinned (CA) Split Ray (CA) Intensified (ELH) Disintegrate.
Twinned (CA) Delayed (CA) Intensified (ELH) Wings of Flurry (RotD). (This can be activated during Temporal Acceleration, delay it a number of rounds equal to the remaining virtual time of TA.)
Quickened Twinned (CA) Delayed (CA) Intensified (ELH) Wings of Flurry (RotD). (As above, this can be activated during Temporal Acceleration.)
Twinned (CA) Wish.
Quickened Twinned (CA) Wish.
Time Regression (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/timeRegression.htm) (XPH).

The following spells are automatically activated any time an attack roll is attempted against him, an ability is targeted at him, or he would fall within the area of any type of ability, before the result of the ability is determined (his own abilities, and abilities from this ring, do not trigger any of this):
Power Surged (DCS) Greater Dispel Magic against the object or effect making the attack (as targeted or counterspell as applicable) (1d20+100). (Don't forget, you have Starmantle!)
Greater Teleport on the wearer, to be moved to the closest unoccupied square outside the area of effect of anything that triggers this.
Telekinetic Thrust (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/telekineticThrust.htm) (XPH) on the wearer to move him to the closest unoccupied square up to 100 ft. away that's outside the area of effect of anything that triggers this, if the Greater Teleport fails due to extraplanar travel being barred.
Indomitability (SpC) on the wearer.
Wings of Cover (RotD) on the wearer.
Timeless Body (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/timelessBody.htm) (XPH) on the wearer, duration shortened to only last for one instantaneous attack or effect.
Transmute Mud to Rock on the wearer after the triggering effect's resolution (due to Stone Body, this will automatically heal him to full HP).

Due to over a million different wearers having added abilities to it over the millennia, it would be impossible to catalog all of the ring's abilities. The above are the noteworthy ones, plus it has the capability to automatically destroy both the body and soul of an unworthy wearer who willingly dons it, with absolutely no chance to resist the effect. No known effects within the game short of those produce by a creature of divine rank 20 are capable of thwarting this ability.

[Eugenides]

Any epic item? Ok.



I am awestruck.

On a side note, there's always Pun-Pun.

[memnarch]

Any epic item? Ok.
....

Oh wow; that is some epic item there. :smallbiggrin:

[Slipperychicken]

Any epic item? Ok.


Could use Friendly Fire and Greater Blink on there, too. Making it out of Riverine could make the item a little more indestructible. The wearer is practically immune to harm anyway, but a little more couldn't hurt.


I dub this artifact The One Ring of D&D.