Best dips for a build made out of dips? [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

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Nettlekid

2013-03-06, 12:26 PM

In a strange, highly homebrew campaign I'm in, I decided to be rather unorthodox and build a character almost entirely comprised of 1-level dips. The party has melee damage covered with a charging Barbarian and a Dervish, we have a good battlefield control caster, ranged support with a Warlock, and decent healing from a Shadow Sun Ninja. I decided to go super skillmonkey, to be the type to dash in and out, get info, steal stuff, and have my own agenda. I cannot do damage AT ALL, and I'm okay with that. It's been working well for me so far. My character considers it a victory if he can avoid a fight or get others to fight for him. But now I kind of want to expand. Mainly, I'd like the ability to shut down an opposing offense if I have to. But I'd be open to a lot. Mainly I just want suggestions, because I'm running out of ideas.

My build so far is:
Changeling Rogue 1, for the many skill points and the ability to take 10 on social checks. Feats: Expeditious Dodge, Mobility (prereqs)
Factotum 5, which is the bulk of my build. Spreading skill points around, applying Int to my Str and Dex checks, those useful SLAs and inspiration points, all provide me with an assortment of options. Feats: Evasive Reflexes, Darkstalker.
Marshal 1, to add my Cha to Dex and give me a free Skill Focus: Diplomacy for a prereq. Now I have Dex, Int, and Cha to my Dex skills.
Shadowdancer 1, for Hide in Plain Sight. I also have a Ring of Invisibility, but now not even True Seers or high Spot checks can find me; you'd need both.
Mindbender 1, for that awesome telepathy. Feat: Mindsight (BECAUSE IT'S AWESOME)
Warblade 1, because do Iron Heart Surge and White Raven Tactics really need a reason?
Exemplar 1, this is the pinnacle of my skillmonkey talents, because I now get to take 10 on all my best skills.
Cloistered Cleric 1, because I wanted some domain powers/devotion feats. I don't usually run out of movement so I didn't take Travel, instead taking Knowledge Devotion, Trickery Devotion, and keeping the Destiny granted power. Feat: Master Manipulator
Conjurer 1, mostly for the Abrupt Jaunt ACF. Those little teleports are pretty awesome. I also took the variant where you trade Scribe Scroll for a Fighter Bonus Feat, netting me Shadow Jaunt from Martial Study.

So that's my build thus far. As far as skills go it's suiting my purposes really well, and it's great for dealing in secret and whatnot. My party's seen my face like, twice, and since I'm a Changeling that doesn't even matter. So what else could I use? Is there a good PrC, or another base class that would synergize well?

QuickLyRaiNbow

2013-03-06, 04:59 PM

My immediate thought was Warlock. You'd get a ranged touch attack, which might be useful if you're forced into fighting, and your pick of some useful at-will utility powers. I'm thinking perhaps Baleful Utterance, See The Unseen, Spiderwalk, Beguiling Influence or Serpent's Tongue, with a special mention for Entropic Warding, which depending on your campaign and style could be really good.

Warlock 4 would give you 2d6 RTA, at-will Detect Magic, 3 invocations, minor DR and the ability to take 10 on UMD.

Hand_of_Vecna

2013-03-06, 05:23 PM

Surprised you don't have a Swordsage level already.

Rokugan Ninja is full BAB and gives SA at level 1.

StreamOfTheSky

2013-03-06, 05:23 PM

If you're Factotum 5, may as well go to 8 for the extra standard actions.

Barb is a good dip. Spirit Lion Totem gives pounce at level 1. Wolf Totem (which can combine w/ Spirit Lion Totem) gives Imp. Trip at level 2 as a bonus feat. You can use a wand of Blood Frenzy (level 2 druid spell, SpC) to get more rage uses/day. I suggest either Whirling Frenzy or...the immediate action rage....can't recall the name... instead of normal rage.

I think Crusader 1 is a surprisingly good dip. Gives you a pretty big amount of maneuvers front-loaded as known and readied (5) at 1st level, and takes no action to recover. Sue, they're randomly granted, but you would use them as the good ones come up, and fill other rounds using other maneuvers or spells. I think you can get the maneuver-granting items and have them apply to your Crusader maneuver list, in order to open up stronger/higher level options. In any case...it lets you have WR Tactics readied twice, hard to argue with that...

A Binder dip can open up some interesting options, especially if you take Improved Binding to expand your options to the 2nd level vestiges, too. Naberious and Malphus are just great low level picks, and you can change it daily as you need anyway.

EDIT: For Prestige Class, if you want more combat power, it's hard to top Warshaper for 1-3 levels. Crit and stun immunity, grow extra natural weapon, extended reach, untyped +4 str and con.... Just from the first 3 levels (next 2 are not nearly as good, but far from bad). You qualify thanks to your Shapechanger subtype.

Since you already have Mobility and a form of Dodge feat anyway, I suggest you look into Elusive Target feat, if your poor multiclassed BAB ever can reach +6. :smalltongue: It's an awesome feat, all the tactics are incredible. I especially like the largely overlooked 3rd one, Cause Overreach. The main reason people don't take it more often is the yucky pre-req feats, which you already have sucked down anyway.

jedipilot24

2013-03-06, 05:27 PM

Binder 2 with the Improved Binding feat to get Malphas. Naberius is also good.

RFLS

2013-03-06, 05:27 PM

From what I've heard, Chameleon is a good dip. Totemist 2 is also excellent; you'd get MORE short-range teleports.

TroubleBrewing

2013-03-06, 07:07 PM

Psychic Warrior 1 will net you a bonus feat and a 1st level power. I suggest Compression, if you're wanting stealth.

Nettlekid

2013-03-07, 12:17 AM

Related to this, what are the best 1st level Cleric spells that I should prepare each day, and what are the best 1st level Wizard spells for me to pick? Currently I have two Create Waters, Resurgence (our DM likes weird save-or-sucks) and Omen of Peril for the Cleric spells, and the Wizard spells I decided to learn are: Benign Transposition, Grease, Greater Mage Hand, Slide, Enlarge Person, Wall of Smoke, and True Strike. But I think I could do better...

Fellwarre

2013-03-07, 01:05 AM

Best d&d dip:

1 package velveeta cheese
1 package cream cheese
2 cans Hormel no beans chili
Cooked in a slow cooker until everything is melted together (some stirring required)

Second best Dip:
1 tube Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage- browned and crumbled
1 package cream cheese
Mix with an electric mixer
Dip with crackers, it's a thick dip.

Derpldorf

2013-03-07, 02:05 AM

I'd advise the cantrips - prestidigitation, the all around utility spell, and mending, for minor repairs.

Master of masks 1 grants you the ability to make two magical masks, I would suggest the Faceless and Lord. Faceless gives you a +5 competence against mind effecting abilities and spells and a nondetection effect with a saving throw of ... Well it's basically sixteen... But you are detected as true neutral as long as you wear it. Lord gives you a 1/day remove fear effect and +2 to diplomacy and gather information. You also detect as lawful neutral as long as you wear it. While the bonuses aren't particularly powerful they give you two chances to form cover identities to use in your nefarious endeavors.

A lvl 1 Soulguard can sacrifice a spell slot to gain true seeing at its divine caster level for 1/spell level rounds.

Slipperychicken

2013-03-07, 12:15 PM

Isn't the CoDZilla build made entirely of dips?

Zanthy1

2013-03-07, 12:17 PM

Zaq

2013-03-07, 01:28 PM

Long ago, I made an Iron Chef build that you may find interesting.

Part 1 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10175478&postcount=147)
Part 2 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10175488&postcount=148)

Not 100% what you're after, but it'll probably spark some ideas. (Plus, I'll take whatever chance I can to show that off, because I'm still proud of getting Honorable Mention on my first try.)