Only monster levels

[kulosle]

So my group is starting a new campaign and we all thought it would be interesting if all of are levels were in level adjustments and racial hit dice. So no class levels. We start at level 6 and we'll level up a few times, not sure how many, over the course of this campaign. But I'd like ideas for a full 20 level build in case we decided to use these characters or this idea again. My first thought is worlds smallest giant. Not sure how useful that is though without any class levels.

[Crake]

What about monster-based PrC like those in savage species or the fiend PrC from fiend folio?

[JaronK]

Level 6: Lolth Touched Mineral Warrior Half Minotaur Shadow Dark Water Orc. Only one hit die (ouch) but your Con and Str scores should be in the 30s and you're invisible, plus your move speed is 75'. You are the shadow ninja death giant! DR 8/Adamantine is still useful at that level, too.

JaronK

[kulosle]

Oh sorry i should mentioned that we have to be good. And yes monster based prestige classes are fine. As far as optimization level is concerned, it's pretty tricky. My GM likes us to optimize so that he can throw what ever he feels like at us, but we should all try to remain at the same power level. Thats no easy task. my group is always trying new things and sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. I did uber mount once and that was considered way too powerful. Things like planar shepard level of cheese are just straight out banned.

The important thing to remember is i need to be able to level up in a monster class. Which sounds very hard. And i really don't want to start with just one hitdice, but i might have too. Ogre mage seems good at early levels at least. Oh and my gm will make a class for any monster. So feel free to throw some other things out there.

[Nettlekid]

I believe Learnian Lumi is quite popular for an invincibility build. Learnian is from Savage Species, and it's basically the whole "you have lots of heads and your body is immune to damage and you can only be killed if they chop off all your heads, or with Disintegrate/Death Effects." And them Lumi is a positive energy outsider with a head that floats above their body, and is immune to negative energy/death effects. No neck means no beheading, so the ONLY thing that can hurt you...is Disintegrate. And a Spellblade for 6000 gp removes that threat. Tada!

[lunar2]

if monster classes are in, then trumpet archon is perfect. it goes to twenty, and if brewed correctly would be comparable to a T3 class the whole way. plus, it's lawful good.

[gorfnab]

Ghaele (SS) would be about a Tier 3 and an okay caster type, however they are a bit squishy.

There might be some playable dragon options if you look hard enough (Draconomicon and Dragon 320 and 332)

[Urpriest]

Oh sorry i should mentioned that we have to be good. And yes monster based prestige classes are fine. As far as optimization level is concerned, it's pretty tricky. My GM likes us to optimize so that he can throw what ever he feels like at us, but we should all try to remain at the same power level. Thats no easy task. my group is always trying new things and sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. I did uber mount once and that was considered way too powerful. Things like planar shepard level of cheese are just straight out banned.

The important thing to remember is i need to be able to level up in a monster class. Which sounds very hard. And i really don't want to start with just one hitdice, but i might have too. Ogre mage seems good at early levels at least. Oh and my gm will make a class for any monster. So feel free to throw some other things out there.

How is your GM defining "monster-based prestige classes"?

[bekeleven]

I am partial to pixies. +4 LA means you have nothing much going for you at level 6, but greater invisibility at will means you never get hit in the first place.

Random musings from dysfunctional rules threads:

Pixies can't harm other pixies with unarmed strikes (without cold iron boxing gloves). I recommend using this to inform your personality. Just hit people. All the time. Oh, did that hurt?
Pixies are naturally invisible, but have no see invisibility, glitterdust or faerie fire abilities. Raising children must suck. But more importantly, it's a great reason to chill out with other races for a while, holy crap, you people are so obvious!


Look into LA buyback, especially if you're low-LA high-monster hit dice. By level 6 you can be rid of a +1 LA for good.

Play Feral if you're mean. It's a powerful template for melee bruisers that gives abilities scaling off of monster hit dice.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Steel Dragon (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20040328a), Dragons of Faerun put its level adjustment at Wyrmling +2, Very Young +3, Young and Juvenile +4.

Tauric (SS, MM2) Human + Lammasu (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/lammasu.htm), and the Lammasu level adjustment doesn't get added into the end result. I'd get Prestige Paladin (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/prestigiousCharacterClasses.htm#prestigePaladin) if possible, and maybe throw on the Saint template.

[nyarlathotep]

I am partial to pixies. +4 LA means you have nothing much going for you at level 6, but greater invisibility at will means you never get hit in the first place.

Random musings from dysfunctional rules threads:

Pixies can't harm other pixies with unarmed strikes (without cold iron boxing gloves). I recommend using this to inform your personality. Just hit people. All the time. Oh, did that hurt?
Pixies are naturally invisible, but have no see invisibility, glitterdust or faerie fire abilities. Raising children must suck. But more importantly, it's a great reason to chill out with other races for a while, holy crap, you people are so obvious!


Look into LA buyback, especially if you're low-LA high-monster hit dice. By level 6 you can be rid of a +1 LA for good.

Play Feral if you're mean. It's a powerful template for melee bruisers that gives abilities scaling off of monster hit dice.


I do like pixies as an idea but they can pierce eachothers DR I think. As natural weapons and unarmed strikes of a creature with DR count as the think that overcomes its own DR don't they?

[Urpriest]

I do like pixies as an idea but they can pierce eachothers DR I think. As natural weapons and unarmed strikes of a creature with DR count as the think that overcomes its own DR don't they?

Only for Magic and Epic, not for other things.

[kulosle]

Monster prestige classes are the classes like the ones from libris mortis that just makes the monster better. A class designed purely to make a monster better at what it does.

[Fax Celestis]

A varag (MM-IV) would be pretty cool for a chargy-smashy build.

I, however, would rather play a downscaled Frostwind Virago. And look, someone already made a monster class for it! http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=197236

[Urpriest]

Monster prestige classes are the classes like the ones from libris mortis that just makes the monster better. A class designed purely to make a monster better at what it does.

Hmm. So for example, would Slaad Brooder count? What about Yuan-ti Cultist? (That one seems to require levels in base classes). Or Thayan Gladiator, which isn't made for any particular monster but is designed for monsters in general?

[kulosle]

Yeah anything that is explicitly monster themed is fine.

[Magesmiley]

Mmm the mind flayer has always struck me that it might be fun, especially with the prestige class that lets you get abilities from creatures that you've eaten.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

The dragon prestige classes in Draconomicon would work, but good luck qualifying for any of them before the epic levels.

Beholder Mage would be an extremely strong choice.

If you go with a Mind Flayer, use the psionic version in the Expanded Psionics Handbook which gives them Psion (telepath) 9 manifesting in place of all the spell-like abilities. If you want a more martial character, the Illithid Body Tamer prestige class in Underdark would be something to check out.