[PF] Juggernaut?

[Severance28]

Anyone have a build out there for a juggernaut type (high armor, massive health) in PF? I wanted to have an enemy npc in a game I am running be able to with stain a lot of damage, both spell and physical (blaster sorcerer in the party, as well as a bard a fighter and a ranger).

Any thoughts? They are all level 5 currently, but I'm having trouble challenging them with non-monster NPCs

[NightbringerGGZ]

Barbarians can usually absorb a fair amount of damage. Give them a source of DR (create an item or go Invulnerable Rager), some good Medium Armor to pump up that AC and the Superstition rage power to boost your saves.

Generally a single humanoid enemy can be easily handled by the party, so I would suggest either having them fight multiple barbarians or giving the enemy some boosts.

If you could provide some information on the kind of encounter you want to build I could offer more solutions.

[stack]

There's a feat that let's you turn combat expertise into DR as well. on top of invulnerable rager you get useful DR.

Bolstered damage reduction (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/bolstered-resilience) doubles you DR as an immediate action (caps at 20).

[subject42]

If you want a monstrous enemy that can take a lot of punishment, I rather like animated objects. They have hardness, rather than Damage Reduction, which affects most physical attacks and most energy attacks.

A medium animated object is sized as a medium creature, is CR 3, and defaults to having 2 construction points. You can grant 4 more construction points to make them CR 5.

If you style it as an animated statue defending the tomb of a lost warrior king, or something, you can give your party fits.

With a total of six construction points, you can make easily make it out of stone, giving it hardness 8 and an AC of 15. Additionally, it has construct immunities and immunity to critical hits.

That leaves five more construction points. Here are some suggestions


To make it feel Barbarian-y, you could spend one point on fast movement (increases base speed to 40ft).
Pick up Additional Attack to give a second slam attack (styled as two fists or two weapons).
By spending one point, you can increase its attacks from 1d6 to 1d8 for another construction point.
If you're really worried about the sorcerer, you can pay two points to get resistance 5 for the sorcerer's preferred energy type. Remember that this applies after hardness, so be careful with it.
If you'd rather not negate the sorcerer, replace stone with metal (hardness 10, AC 16).
If you replace stone with metal and don't use resistance, you get one construction point back, which you can use on something like grab.

[Severance28]

If you want a monstrous enemy that can take a lot of punishment, I rather like animated objects. They have hardness, rather than Damage Reduction, which affects most physical attacks and most energy attacks.

A medium animated object is sized as a medium creature, is CR 3, and defaults to having 2 construction points. You can grant 4 more construction points to make them CR 5.

If you style it as an animated statue defending the tomb of a lost warrior king, or something, you can give your party fits.

With a total of six construction points, you can make easily make it out of stone, giving it hardness 8 and an AC of 15. Additionally, it has construct immunities and immunity to critical hits.

That leaves five more construction points. Here are some suggestions


To make it feel Barbarian-y, you could spend one point on fast movement (increases base speed to 40ft).
Pick up Additional Attack to give a second slam attack (styled as two fists or two weapons).
By spending one point, you can increase its attacks from 1d6 to 1d8 for another construction point.
If you're really worried about the sorcerer, you can pay two points to get resistance 5 for the sorcerer's preferred energy type. Remember that this applies after hardness, so be careful with it.
If you'd rather not negate the sorcerer, replace stone with metal (hardness 10, AC 16).
If you replace stone with metal and don't use resistance, you get one construction point back, which you can use on something like grab.


I like this idea a lot; I'm definitely going to implement the guardian of the tomb idea a little down the line.
Unfortunately, I don't think it'll work for what I'm looking for. I've sort of built up an NPC as being strong and capable through hearsay, and it looks like the next session will end with an encounter. I wanted all the build-up not to be disappointing, without resorting to DM fiat.

[NightbringerGGZ]

Can you share some of what you've said about this NPC?

[subject42]

Are you amenable to Psionics? If you are, the Aegis (http://www.pathfindersrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/aegis) is comically hardy. A "challenging" NPC enemy would be level 5 - 7 by way of the encounter design chart.

Assuming level 7 for the enemy, you'd be looking at something like this:

Full BAB and d10 Hit Die

Good Fort and Will Save

Juggernaut Suit: +2 constitution, fortification, stalwart, treated as masterwork full plate

Damage Reduction: 3/-

Customization Points: 10 (not counting the free enhancements listed under Juggernaut Suit). There's a whole host of options (http://www.pathfindersrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/aegis/astral-suits). You should read about them. Additionally, the Aegis can shuffle this out several times per day as a standard action.

[CTrees]

Quick and easy method: Barbarian with a potion of Stoneskin - summoners get it as a third level spell, so it can fit in a potion.

[Severance28]

Are you amenable to Psionics? If you are, the Aegis (http://www.pathfindersrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/aegis) is comically hardy. A "challenging" NPC enemy would be level 5 - 7 by way of the encounter design chart.

Assuming level 7 for the enemy, you'd be looking at something like this:

Full BAB and d10 Hit Die

Good Fort and Will Save

Juggernaut Suit: +2 constitution, fortification, stalwart, treated as masterwork full plate

Damage Reduction: 3/-

Customization Points: 10 (not counting the free enhancements listed under Juggernaut Suit). There's a whole host of options (http://www.pathfindersrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/aegis/astral-suits). You should read about them. Additionally, the Aegis can shuffle this out several times per day as a standard action.


Oooh, Psionics. I haven't used them yet in the campaign, but I've never really omitted them, and I made it understood that they were around, if rare. This could be a nice twist.


Can you share some of what you've said about this NPC?

And as I said, mostly hearsay and rumors. I said he ransacked a village by himself (that was actually a wizard that the party has yet to meet), that he could punch through a stone wall with a single blow (again, doesn't have to be true), that his armor is indestructible... that he's an incarnation of a hero rumored to live over 100 years ago...

The only thing they know for certain is he's been making it his own personal duty to slay nobles-- he generally walks in the front door of their estate and just eliminates them, guards and all. He hasn't been seen in a few weeks or so, since every noble or reasonably wealthy merchant has tripled security around their mansions, although now the PC's are zeroing in on his location.

The encounter will most likely be inside, in his small hut in the woods. I'd like for him to be strong enough to take a few rounds of damage from the party, and deliver enough hurt back that they question their decision to fight him. Ideally, I'd also like for him to be able to escape, but obviously whether or not that happens is up to the dice when we do play...

[Alleran]

If you're allowing the Mythic playtest rules, then even just one mythic tier can provide a hefty boost to a character's durability.

Pack on half a dozen tiers, and you've basically made the One Piece Whitebeard.

[Cieyrin]

There's a feat that let's you turn combat expertise into DR as well. on top of invulnerable rager you get useful DR.

Bolstered damage reduction (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/bolstered-resilience) doubles you DR as an immediate action (caps at 20).

Stalwart (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/stalwart) is what you're thinking of and what my Invulnerable Rager Barbarian 2/Martial Artist Monk 1/Invulnerable Rager Barbarian +1/Unbreakable Fighter 1 just got to. Martial Artist is so I can breeze my way into Crane Style so to power Stalwart for DR 4/- at a reduced penalty, Unbreakable Fighter starts with Endurance and Diehard so my normal feat can be Stalwart. DR 5/- now, aiming right at DR 15/- by 11th. :smalltongue:

[Severance28]

Stalwart (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/stalwart) is what you're thinking of and what my Invulnerable Rager Barbarian 2/Martial Artist Monk 1/Invulnerable Rager Barbarian +1/Unbreakable Fighter 1 just got to. Martial Artist is so I can breeze my way into Crane Style so to power Stalwart for DR 4/- at a reduced penalty, Unbreakable Fighter starts with Endurance and Diehard so my normal feat can be Stalwart. DR 5/- now, aiming right at DR 15/- by 11th. :smalltongue:

This looks like just the build I'm looking for. Do you have enough feats to take bolstered DR feat too?

Can you give me a rundown of your build up to level 7ish? Do you lose any DR by wearing heavy armor?

[Cieyrin]

This looks like just the build I'm looking for. Do you have enough feats to take bolstered DR feat too?

Can you give me a rundown of your build up to level 7ish? Do you lose any DR by wearing heavy armor?

Human with Heart of the Wilderness alternate trait

Invulnerable Rager Barbarian 1: Power Attack, Raging Vitality
Invulnerable Rager 2 Reckless Abandon
Martial Artist Monk 1: Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Dodge, Crane Style
Invulnerable Rager 3
Unbreakable Fighter 1: Endurance, Diehard, Stalwart
Unbreakable 2: Vital Strike
Invulnerable Rager 4: Furious Finish, Roused Anger


The Italics are Rage Powers. The last 2 feats could be replaced with Bolstered Resilience and something else, like Toughness or something. Roused Anger maintains value here, as if you go get it up, you become immune to fatigue and thus can keep Bolstered Resilience going 1/rd. I like combining that with Furious Finish so I can smash a guy and go back into a Rage immediately.

As far as DR and armor goes, it doesn't matter what you wear, as none of those abilities key off of armor category. Just don't bother with Adamantine, as Stalwart only stacks with DR from class abilities. Armor Master Fighters and Stalwart Defenders stack with Adamantine if you want to pursue those.

[Propagandalf]

One possibility for a Juggernaut like character is a Synthetist Summoner.

-With a decent Constitution score its hp is almost double the normal for the same lvl PC.
-It gets a high AC with evolution points (improved natural armor).
-It has evasion from lvl 2 and high saves so reflex save spells are going to have a hard time affecting it.
-It can buff itself prior to combat for extra challenge.
-At lvl 6 it gets the Dimension Door as spell like ability 1/day, so it can escape when needed.
-You can also buff its con/str with evolution points if you want the monstrously strong superknight.

The Eidolon can be fluffed as the spirit of the deceased hero/warrior that is reincarnated in the sumoner. (and can, for example, be made to look like a ghostly knight).

Downside is that it's only proficient with simple weapons, so unless you want to give it the weapon prof. feat, it'll have to use a morningstar or something similar.

[Severance28]

Human with Heart of the Wilderness alternate trait

Invulnerable Rager Barbarian 1: Power Attack, Raging Vitality
Invulnerable Rager 2 Reckless Abandon
Martial Artist Monk 1: Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Dodge, Crane Style
Invulnerable Rager 3
Unbreakable Fighter 1: Endurance, Diehard, Stalwart
Unbreakable 2: Vital Strike
Invulnerable Rager 4: Furious Finish, Roused Anger


The Italics are Rage Powers. The last 2 feats could be replaced with Bolstered Resilience and something else, like Toughness or something. Roused Anger maintains value here, as if you go get it up, you become immune to fatigue and thus can keep Bolstered Resilience going 1/rd. I like combining that with Furious Finish so I can smash a guy and go back into a Rage immediately.

As far as DR and armor goes, it doesn't matter what you wear, as none of those abilities key off of armor category. Just don't bother with Adamantine, as Stalwart only stacks with DR from class abilities. Armor Master Fighters and Stalwart Defenders stack with Adamantine if you want to pursue those.

This looks great! Thanks for the help.

[grarrrg]

One possibility for a Juggernaut like character is a Synthetist Summoner.

...

Downside is that it's only proficient with simple weapons, so unless you want to give it the weapon prof. feat, it'll have to use a morningstar or something similar.

Synthesist's, unlike most Summoners, can actually make good use from dipping other classes.
Don't go crazy now, you still want tons of Evo-points and all the level based abilities you can get, but a well picked level or two elsewhere can really give a boost.
A dash of Barbarian can go a long way with the Weapon proficiencies, and (limited) Rage boost it can grant.

[Severance28]

Synthesist's, unlike most Summoners, can actually make good use from dipping other classes.
Don't go crazy now, you still want tons of Evo-points and all the level based abilities you can get, but a well picked level or two elsewhere can really give a boost.
A dash of Barbarian can go a long way with the Weapon proficiencies, and (limited) Rage boost it can grant.

But wouldn't dipping incur the same penalties (spells/evolution points) as a normal summoner? And it states that the synthesist uses the ediolons bab etc. Or is this a dip specifically for weap. prof/ extra movement/feat (fighter, barb)

[subject42]

Why not just use a morningstar? They're not bad weapons if you two-hand them.

[grarrrg]

But wouldn't dipping incur the same penalties (spells/evolution points) as a normal summoner? And it states that the synthesist uses the ediolons bab etc. Or is this a dip specifically for weap. prof/ extra movement/feat (fighter, barb)

Yes, it would lose the same as a 'normal' Summoner dipping, but if your goal is to make a Melee-Monster Eidolon, than that dip can really help.

And the Eidolon's Bab only replaces the BAB from Synthesist levels. So 2 levels of Barbarian gives you +2 Bab regardless of what form you are in.


Also, as it is a similar topic, see the Gundolon (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12152413#post12152413) build.
Part Synthesist, part Gunslinger, ALL CRAZY AWESOME!

[Than]

It's homebrew... but it's effective. I like to call it "Boss HP". Call it a trait, call it a class feature (BBEG1), call it whatever you like. If I need something that can take a beating and not go down in the first round I just pump up the HP. While playing the D&DN Playtest I hadchose to pit a group of five level 4 players against a single boss. Gave him the abilities of a level 6 fighter and over 150 HP. More than double what he would have even with max HP every roll. They were freaking out when he didn't drop on the third character's turn.

You're the DM. The books are guidelines. You make the rules.

[MukkTB]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSuvOVH0aSQ

I actually have nothing to add to this conversation. This just needed to be linked.

Edit - Definitely NSFW.