Whelp, my Conjurer Died, building face smasher now.

[killem2]

Was distracted trying to hold off Kobolds with a bunch of badgers and about 4 rounds later, three kobold sorcerers came from the back and I was just in LOS, and they landed 3 sets of Magic Missles on me, killed me pretty easily at that point.

The party clean them up a few rounds later but sadly the city we started at is too low level to have a cleric and the nearest one is a two week journey.



UPDATED:
Thanks everyone, I went this route:

Dwarven Warpike (MW) (3d6 large sized), reach weapon, can make trip attempts (like spike chain)

It is an exotic weapon, but since I am using a Dragon Magazine variant Exoticist, I can take 4 exotic weapon profs.

So I am snagging, Jovar, Bonebow, Dwarven Warpike, and there is one other weapon I forgot the name but it allows a bull rush attempt or something with it. Not sure. Side note, I get tumble as a class skill with this type of fighter.

Anyway, my feats will be power attack, knock back, improved bull rush, improved initative, and combat reflexes (2 dex modifier thus far).

I am sticking with goliath.

I am going Barbarian 1: Dumping fast movement for pounce lion thing.
I am going Fighter 3: Dungeon crasher

I bought mithral chain shirt (though armor class almost seems point less lol)

I bought a healing belt.

I bought a ready-drink-helm (dragon magazine item) lets you load up 6 potions on each side of your head. As a free action you can take 1 or both readied potions. A move action will let you re-ready two new potions, another move action will let you load the contraption.


And I might buy a warbeast dire lion. (as per MM2 rules)

I have hit and run tactics, so I cannot use heavy armor or tower shields now.
I also have agressive train for +2 intiative -1 ac.

And in case you wanted to see it, I have the flaws (3rd party book): Drunkard and Agressive. I always run into battle, think later, and when not adventuring I must always spend 1d6+1 silver peices on liquor lol.




Tips, tactics? Anything?

[Eldariel]

Starting at 1 HD, even with 26 Con, is a tremendously bad idea if you're already behind a level. Imagine the second some ******* Kobold Sorcerers Magic Missile you... Takes three level 1 Kobold Sorcs two turns to drop you unconscious from full even assuming you kill one.

Have you considered simple LAless race Barbarian or Cleric or in general, something incredibly facesmashey that's also supremely survivable? DMM Cleric or just plain ol' Barb would certainly fit the bill.


'cause LA takes a while to be worth it as does Dungeoncrasher. Level behind from new character really doesn't help.

[killem2]

Well, the casters in question showed them self and shot a few times and ran into another area, that area just happened to lead back around behind us. I managed to move one space too far over and thus got myself in trouble.

I suppose I can change it up, I really like the dungeon crasher thing.

Do they make potions of shield?

Should I just go ahead and jump mineral warrior, and go fighter 2?

We have three people with healing belts, a cure wand, and lots of potions, we have a petal psion with a warbeast tiger, as well as the pyschic warrior and a rogue.



UPDATE: Since my DM says everyone else is almost ecl 5, to make an ECL 4 character at this point.

[Tokuhara]

2 Words: Rainbow Warsnake

[killem2]

2 Words: Rainbow Warsnake

I'm not sure what that means :(

[Karnith]

I'm not sure what that means :(
It means playing a Warmage (Complete Arcane) and taking levels in Rainbow Servant (Complete Divine), whose capstone ability lets you learn and cast spells from the cleric list. Since Warmages automatically know all spells of any level that they can cast, a Warmage 5/Rainbow Servant 10 can spontaneously cast spells off of the cleric list (plus a few domains and his own list).

Additionally, because text trumps table, the Rainbow Servant is a full-casting PrC, which makes it absurdly strong for classes like the warmage.

And there are some dubiously-legal early entry tricks that can allow you to go Warmage 1/Rainbow Servant X, because of the low skill pre-req (Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks) for the class.

[killem2]

I've talked with my DM, because of the party ECL, he wants me to start out at ECL 4 with one buy off of la, so at this point I could start as a goliath and be level 4.

[Eldariel]

2 Words: Rainbow Warsnake

Even with the early entry tricks, it'll be functional earliest on level 11 so seems kinda farfetched...

But yeah, I'd say leave out Mineral Warrior; it's an alright template but you already have Level Adjustment and LA gets exponentially worse. You can buy-off 1 LA easily enough (you can buy it off already on level 4, actually) but +2 takes much longer already and on these levels, it's probably crippling.


So ya, go with that. Level 4 Dungeoncrasher Goliath Fighter should be good for smashing face. Don't forget to add some Barbarian for Mountain Rage (Large size forealz!), Pounce & al. later on. And add Zhentarim Fighter if you take Fighter beyond 6; being scurry is always good.

[killem2]

Even with the early entry tricks, it'll be functional earliest on level 11 so seems kinda farfetched...

But yeah, I'd say leave out Mineral Warrior; it's an alright template but you already have Level Adjustment and LA gets exponentially worse. You can buy-off 1 LA easily enough (you can buy it off already on level 4, actually) but +2 takes much longer already and on these levels, it's probably crippling.


So ya, go with that. Level 4 Dungeoncrasher Goliath Fighter should be good for smashing face. Don't forget to add some Barbarian for Mountain Rage (Large size forealz!), Pounce & al. later on. And add Zhentarim Fighter if you take Fighter beyond 6; being scurry is always good.

So how about Barbarian 1/Fighter 3 Goliath, and if I snag hidden talent, I can get to gargantuan weapon I believe. Rage to large size, expand to huge, swing batta, swing!


Does it matter if I have a reach weapon?

[Randomguy]

So how about Barbarian 1/Fighter 3 Goliath, and if I snag hidden talent, I can get to gargantuan weapon I believe. Rage to large size, expand to huge, swing batta, swing!


Does it matter if I have a reach weapon?

It doesn't matter TOO much unless you're focused on tripping.

[Eldariel]

That's fine. And yeah, Reach is always nice; in general, Reach weapons are always better than non-Reach in D&D (though in larger sizes it gets a bit less automatic).

[killem2]

I decided against hidden talent, since it would only give me what like 1 round of expansion then it goes away?

I kind of wanted to pack in as much initiative bonus as I could before I start really diving in.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/135844296/Goliath-Dungeon-Crasher

Here ya go :)

This does not have to be final, I'm just making any tweaks I can before our next session in May.

[killem2]

Found a neat little alternative.

The Exoticist is a slight variant of fighter that lets you still advance as normal fighter, the only differences are you get 4 exotic weapon profs for free, and you get a limited number of fighter bonus feats to choose from (not really a big deal if dungeon crasher is bringing them down)

PLus you get access to these:

The exosticist gains a +4 bonus to Bluff checks to feint in combat.

The exoticist gains a +2 bonus to opposed trip attempts she initiates using her exotic weapon and opposed disarm rolls.

She gains a +1 competence bonus to all attack rolls if her opponent is not proficient with the weapon the exoticist wields.

Since I start with two flaws, a feat at 1st level, a bonus feat at 1st level fighter and then against at 3rd level character, I can do this:

Power attack, knockback, improved bull rush, Improved Initiative, Thug

I will probably dump the elven chain and use that money for other things.

Maybe I will pick up a Bonebow, a great spear, a spiked chain, and maybe a Great Sword if I get stuck in close combat?

I might also buy a Warbeast Dire Lion to go thematically with my lion totem barbarian :D (my dm uses the raw from MM2)

[ericgrau]

Tank + 1 HD is bad yeah. Be careful until you get to level 2. But with mineral warrior craziness I think you'll be fine after that.

Tank + expansion + shock trooper + greatsword is also bad with the dumped AC, but your spiked chain already gives you the answer to that. You may want combat reflexes as well.

[killem2]

Thanks everyone, I went this route:

Dwarven Warpike (MW) (3d6 large sized), reach weapon, can make trip attempts (like spike chain)

It is an exotic weapon, but since I am using a Dragon Magazine variant Exoticist, I can take 4 exotic weapon profs.

So I am snagging, Jovar, Bonebow, Dwarven Warpike, and there is one other weapon I forgot the name but it allows a bull rush attempt or something with it. Not sure. Side note, I get tumble as a class skill with this type of fighter.

Anyway, my feats will be power attack, knock back, improved bull rush, improved initative, and combat reflexes (2 dex modifier thus far).

I am sticking with goliath.

I am going Barbarian 1: Dumping fast movement for pounce lion thing.
I am going Fighter 3: Dungeon crasher

I bought mithral chain shirt (though armor class almost seems point less lol)

I bought a healing belt.

I bought a ready-drink-helm (dragon magazine item) lets you load up 6 potions on each side of your head. As a free action you can take 1 or both readied potions. A move action will let you re-ready two new potions, another move action will let you load the contraption.


And I might buy a warbeast dire lion. (as per MM2 rules)

I have hit and run tactics, so I cannot use heavy armor or tower shields now.
I also have agressive trait for +2 intiative -1 ac.

And in case you wanted to see it, I have the flaws (3rd party book): Drunkard and Agressive. I always run into battle, think later, and when not adventuring I must always spend 1d6+1 silver peices on liquor lol.

[ddude987]

Seems like a good face smashing guy. I would have eaten the 1 LA for mineral warrior. It is just so good. And the 8dr will help a lot with being in melee.

[Eldariel]

Seems like a good face smashing guy. I would have eaten the 1 LA for mineral warrior. It is just so good. And the 8dr will help a lot with being in melee.

That significantly delays your first buyoff too tho. 2 levels behind HURTS.

[killem2]

I MIGHT have been able to get away with a 3hd 1 mineral warrior. But, I'd rather just focus on face bashing now.

[killem2]

And add Zhentarim Fighter if you take Fighter beyond 6; being scurry is always good.

Ok, I finally was able to talk to my DM about this, at first, he was skittish, because he is a pretty big fluff person, and the organization doesn't exist in his world, so basically he let me have the substitutions but I don't get to RP any of the black network stuff.

Which, is ok :).

What feat should I take now, I have an extra one.

I already have quite a few goods ones in the OP.

I was thinking Cleave, since I do so much pain, it actually makes cleave seem ok.