Guisherry
2013-05-16, 08:50 PM
There's a bit in OOTS which involves (in brief, so as to not spoil the moment for those who haven't read it/should reread it) Belkar picking up a rock, and terror ensuing. It got me thinking that, perhaps, there should be a legend of sorts behind this seemingly global view of halfling + rock = fear/shock/awe. Naturally, this led to wanting to create a feasible character build for this little fellow.
A glance at most throwing builds (ones involving rocks, in particular) will reveal that it's (by and large) all about strength - big rocks, heavy rocks, rolling rocks off cliffs/dropping rocks while flying. Hulking Hurler and War Hulk leap to the fore, leading the way with both size and muscles.
The image in my mind, however, was of a simple looking halfling - small, speedy, but not unusually bulked up; one that could, with basically just a pouch and the clothes on his (or perhaps her) back, pick up a few small pebbles and match toe to toe (if not exceed) any solid martial character. This wouldn't be a sneaky fellow (I explored that path a bit), as it doesn't seem to be quite as effective, but also doesn't fit a character of such blatantly acknowledged legend.
Other restrictions I placed on this include:
- No magical items needed (while they most certainly could improve the build, it shouldn't be at all reliant on them - I'd be open to suggestions, though)
- No spell casting included in the build (again, they might be useful, but reliance on them wasn't what I had in mind)
- Has to be a continuous build - one that works from level 1, all the way up (levels 6-9 are points of vast improvement, finishing at a level 12 capstone, but 1-5 is decent)
- Info sourced from relatively core books (currently using 3.5e's PH1, PH2, CAdventurer, and CWarrior, and possibly CScoundrel), although I'm open to suggestions from a wider range of books. While I'm keen to keep it within said restrictions, things like the Skiprock (RotW) are examples of improvements for the build that I haven't really gone into (but feel free to go to town if anyone thinks of something). I also seem to remember a decent (homebrew) throwing prestige class appearing on these forums, somewhere.
Anyway! To the settle build details:
The Halfling with a Rock:
Ends up with Fighter 4/Swashbuckler 3/Master Thrower 5
Level Progression: Fighter 2/Swashbuckler 3/Master Thrower 1/Fighter 2/Master Thrower 4
4d6 rolled stats (minus lowest die): 12, 13, 14, 16, 13, 18 (second set of rolls used)
Str: 10 (12-2=10) OR
Dex: 20 (18+2=20)
Con: 14
Int: 18 (first 2 extra points go into this - 16+2 = 18)
Wis: 13
Cha: 13
Probably able to reconstruct these stats with a 25-point buy, or close to it.
Racial:
- +1 to ac/hit/all saves
- +4 to hide
- 20ft movement speed
- +1 to thrown weapons/slings
- +2 to listen/climb/jump/move silently
N.B - the group I've played with for some time has used the Pathfinder feat progression (one every odd level), and this build relies upon that) Suggestions for a feasible 3.5e feat progression build would be most welcome!
Feats (by level):
1) Point-blank Shot/Rapid Shot (Fighter Bonus Feat - FBF)
2) Precise Shot (FBF)
3) Two-weapon Fighting
5) Weapon Focus (rock)
7) Improved Two-weapon fighting
8) Weapon Specialisation (rock) (FBF)
9) Ranged Weapon Mastery (bludgeoning) (besides the +2 bonus, the +20ft to range is the key feature here, raising range from 10ft to 30ft)
11) Greater Two-weapon fighting
Maybe switch to rocks (from a small longbow) at level 5
Class Features (by level):
3) Weapon Finesse
4) Grace (+1 to Reflex)
5) Insightful Strike (add Intel mod to damage (not precision damage) with light weapons or finesse-able weapons).
6) Quick Draw,
Palm Throw (2 rocks thrown each attack, but with no strength mod bonus - OH NOES - damage resolved separately)
9) Evasion
10) Trip Shot - ranged trip (not within 5ft) - HWaR makes a dex check (with a +4) Vs their dex/str (which ever is higher). No stacking with Imp. Trip. (Maybe, instead, two with one blow - hit adjacent enemy at a -4 to both attacks… A little meh)
11) Snatch Arrows
12) Weak Spot (Ranged touch attack for attacks - doesn't apply Str bonus, though, ALAS:smallsmile:),
Critical Throw (Imp. Crit for Weapon Focus weapons (i.e. rock)).
Assuming, say, a 1d2 damage pebble, one's damage output (aside from a lovely array of skills/spare points) looks a little like this:
- Full attack (without extra feat attacks): +23/+18/+13 (all range touch attacks, which throw 2 stones for each attack)
- Full attack (including extra feat attacks): +19/+19/+19/+14/+14/+9/+9 (again, all ranged touch attacks with 2 stone hits per successful attack, damage resolved separately)
- Damage per attack (assuming intel damage applied, and 1d2 rocks used - damage is applied twice per attack, remember): 2d2+18. None too shabby - that's a ranged touch attack, damage from 20-22 per hit.
- Potential damage over the round (assuming all hit): 140-154 damage.
At level 11, with no magic items (just imagine a couple of +1 Collision rocks), it's a decent start for a racial legend. Can we do better?
A glance at most throwing builds (ones involving rocks, in particular) will reveal that it's (by and large) all about strength - big rocks, heavy rocks, rolling rocks off cliffs/dropping rocks while flying. Hulking Hurler and War Hulk leap to the fore, leading the way with both size and muscles.
The image in my mind, however, was of a simple looking halfling - small, speedy, but not unusually bulked up; one that could, with basically just a pouch and the clothes on his (or perhaps her) back, pick up a few small pebbles and match toe to toe (if not exceed) any solid martial character. This wouldn't be a sneaky fellow (I explored that path a bit), as it doesn't seem to be quite as effective, but also doesn't fit a character of such blatantly acknowledged legend.
Other restrictions I placed on this include:
- No magical items needed (while they most certainly could improve the build, it shouldn't be at all reliant on them - I'd be open to suggestions, though)
- No spell casting included in the build (again, they might be useful, but reliance on them wasn't what I had in mind)
- Has to be a continuous build - one that works from level 1, all the way up (levels 6-9 are points of vast improvement, finishing at a level 12 capstone, but 1-5 is decent)
- Info sourced from relatively core books (currently using 3.5e's PH1, PH2, CAdventurer, and CWarrior, and possibly CScoundrel), although I'm open to suggestions from a wider range of books. While I'm keen to keep it within said restrictions, things like the Skiprock (RotW) are examples of improvements for the build that I haven't really gone into (but feel free to go to town if anyone thinks of something). I also seem to remember a decent (homebrew) throwing prestige class appearing on these forums, somewhere.
Anyway! To the settle build details:
The Halfling with a Rock:
Ends up with Fighter 4/Swashbuckler 3/Master Thrower 5
Level Progression: Fighter 2/Swashbuckler 3/Master Thrower 1/Fighter 2/Master Thrower 4
4d6 rolled stats (minus lowest die): 12, 13, 14, 16, 13, 18 (second set of rolls used)
Str: 10 (12-2=10) OR
Dex: 20 (18+2=20)
Con: 14
Int: 18 (first 2 extra points go into this - 16+2 = 18)
Wis: 13
Cha: 13
Probably able to reconstruct these stats with a 25-point buy, or close to it.
Racial:
- +1 to ac/hit/all saves
- +4 to hide
- 20ft movement speed
- +1 to thrown weapons/slings
- +2 to listen/climb/jump/move silently
N.B - the group I've played with for some time has used the Pathfinder feat progression (one every odd level), and this build relies upon that) Suggestions for a feasible 3.5e feat progression build would be most welcome!
Feats (by level):
1) Point-blank Shot/Rapid Shot (Fighter Bonus Feat - FBF)
2) Precise Shot (FBF)
3) Two-weapon Fighting
5) Weapon Focus (rock)
7) Improved Two-weapon fighting
8) Weapon Specialisation (rock) (FBF)
9) Ranged Weapon Mastery (bludgeoning) (besides the +2 bonus, the +20ft to range is the key feature here, raising range from 10ft to 30ft)
11) Greater Two-weapon fighting
Maybe switch to rocks (from a small longbow) at level 5
Class Features (by level):
3) Weapon Finesse
4) Grace (+1 to Reflex)
5) Insightful Strike (add Intel mod to damage (not precision damage) with light weapons or finesse-able weapons).
6) Quick Draw,
Palm Throw (2 rocks thrown each attack, but with no strength mod bonus - OH NOES - damage resolved separately)
9) Evasion
10) Trip Shot - ranged trip (not within 5ft) - HWaR makes a dex check (with a +4) Vs their dex/str (which ever is higher). No stacking with Imp. Trip. (Maybe, instead, two with one blow - hit adjacent enemy at a -4 to both attacks… A little meh)
11) Snatch Arrows
12) Weak Spot (Ranged touch attack for attacks - doesn't apply Str bonus, though, ALAS:smallsmile:),
Critical Throw (Imp. Crit for Weapon Focus weapons (i.e. rock)).
Assuming, say, a 1d2 damage pebble, one's damage output (aside from a lovely array of skills/spare points) looks a little like this:
- Full attack (without extra feat attacks): +23/+18/+13 (all range touch attacks, which throw 2 stones for each attack)
- Full attack (including extra feat attacks): +19/+19/+19/+14/+14/+9/+9 (again, all ranged touch attacks with 2 stone hits per successful attack, damage resolved separately)
- Damage per attack (assuming intel damage applied, and 1d2 rocks used - damage is applied twice per attack, remember): 2d2+18. None too shabby - that's a ranged touch attack, damage from 20-22 per hit.
- Potential damage over the round (assuming all hit): 140-154 damage.
At level 11, with no magic items (just imagine a couple of +1 Collision rocks), it's a decent start for a racial legend. Can we do better?