Need help creating a character under Epic 6 rules.

[Zethex]

Hey y'all!

So there is this campaign In which I am supposed to play a dwarf (any variant). Thing is relatively inexperienced, the campaign uses the Epic 6 rules (http://www.myth-weavers.com/wiki/index.php/Epic_6) and most guides are geared towards more complete characters. But I still hope to get a character that is at least partially optimized in his role and that is where I am asking your help, to either tell me how to achieve that in the archetypes below or provide your own ideas for a viable build.

I was thinking of playing an Earth Dwarf (UA p16) with some beefy martial build, preferably with a shield and/or some nice charging mechanic and lots of armor. Or some kind of ranged scouting class with good movement and maybe even some hiding capabilities, though it still has to be a dwarf.

Here is a list of allowed material:

Book of Exalted Deeds
Book of Vile Darkness (broken rules/classes wont be used)
All of the Complete Books
Deities and Demigods
Elder Evils
Frostburn
Heroes of Battle (Some of the feats and prestige classes and equipment only. The rest of it is not compatible)
Heroes of Horror (Not using Taint rules however - anything that requires Taint is unsable)
Libris Mortis
Lords of Madness
Magic of Incarnum
All of the Monster Manuals (though much of the playable races wont be allowed)
Planar Handbook
Player's Handbook II
All of the "Races of" books except Races of the Dragon (Really.. no player Dragons please. :P)
Sandstorm
Stormwrack
Tome of Battle
Tome of Magic

[limejuicepowder]

Fighters are not worth it in E6 'cause you're gonna get lots of bonus feats, so don't bother with it.

Warblade is my go-to class for melee, so start there. You could make a very respectable character just going straight warblade 6 of course. If you want a bit more mileage, take only 4 levels of warblade, with 2 levels of something else for your first two levels. You'll still get 3rd level maneuvers, plus some dips.

To boost up power, go barb 2.

For more, barb 1 crusader 1

For even more, whirling frenzy lion totem barb 1 crusader 1.

After that, take feats and equipment as you want the guy to play; but any of those frameworks are very strong.

[rockdeworld]

*clears throat*

Welcome to E6, brother. Earth Dwarves are a fine, mighty race, and they're a smart choice fer yer warrior needs. A bonus to saving throws isn't so important when it's not every enemy that's slingin em at ye, and ye'll find the bonus to strength a great boost to yer arsenal.

I see that Tome of Battle is among yer allowed books. Why not take a look at bein a Crusader (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=2645.0)? They're about the beefiest martial class ye'll find: shield up, and maneuvers down.

Failin' that, ye might like a Warblade (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176968). Ye can't go wrong with maneuvers that let ye mountain on yer enemies.

So grab yer sword and beer and get buildin. And remember: no matter what those outsiders say, it's still our gold. They're just holdin it on loan.

[Calimehter]

Or some kind of ranged scouting class with good movement and maybe even some hiding capabilities, though it still has to be a dwarf.

If you want to go this route, try googling the various threads and handbooks about "Swift Hunter". In E6, its a bit of a delayed benefit since you can't take it till relatively late in your career, but it fits the bill of 'scouty/hidey with range' quite nicely.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

If you want to make a Fighter, use Thug (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#fighterVariantThug) with Sneak Attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#fighter). Get Weapon Finesse, TWF, ITWF, Craven if possible, and with your extra E6 feats you can get Weapon Focus/Specialization, and the E6 Fighter capstone which enables you to get Melee Weapon Mastery, Greater Weapon Focus, and Improved Critical. Whisper Gnome (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20040807a&page=3) in RoS with the Extra Silence and Silencing Strike feats from that same book would work rather well.

If you want to make a strong melee combatant, Warblade 1/ Wolf Totem Barbarian (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wolfTotemClassFeatures ) 2/ Warblade 3 is fairly standard. Trade Fast Movement for Pounce via the Lion Spirit ACF in CC, trade Rage for Whirling Frenzy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#rageVariantWhirlingFrenzy ), and get Knock-Down (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm#knockDown). You'll still get 3rd level maneuvers/stances from Warblade, you'll get 4 base skill points at every level, and d12 hp every level. I'd definitely pick up Iron Heart Aura as 'allies' include yourself by default unless the ability specifies otherwise.

If you want to stick to Fighter without sneak attack, you'll need the Dungeoncrasher ACF from Dungeonscape, which you don't have listed. You would use a Goliath (RoS) or even a Half-Ogre (RoD), E6 replaces the level adjustment with a reduced ability pointbuy. Get the feat Knock-Back in RoS, and every attack allows you to smash your opponents into the wall/floor/each other to deal massive bonus damage from Dungeoncrasher.

[GreenETC]

Ah perfect, you picked the best Dwarf. Seeing as you want to use a Dwarf from Unearthed Arcana, I'm assuming you can use that book, so get some Wolf Totem Barbarian for free Tripping and Rages. Trade your Urgrosh Proficiency for the Dwarven Warpike, the best reach weapon, as per the rules in Complete Warrior p154. The build I'd go for would probably be something like: Crusader 1/Wolf Totem Barbarian 2/Dungeoncrasher Fighter 2/Warblade 1. Without Dungeoncrasher, you'll need to find something else to stick in those 2 levels, or possibly just go for Warblade 1/Wolf Barbarian 2/Warblade 4.

This lets you get tons of tripping, full BaB for Shock Trooping Power Attack, Dungeoncrashing (which is ridiculous in E6, as the 4d8+2xStr damage is better than half of level 6 characters' HP, and you have Charging Minotaur to add more), and with Extra Rage and Whirling Frenzy/Ferocity is insane on the damage/attacks front. I'd personally grab Moment of Perfect Mind and Action Before Thought with Warblade to be able to basically be immune to anything that doesn't target your sky-high Fort. With a tiny bit of Dex and Combat Reflexes, you can be slapping people everywhere.

[avr]

Seconding the Tome of Battle suggestions. They should cover charging quite nicely; you probably want a crusader if you're doing the beefy w/heavy armour & shield bit.

I'm assuming the sneaky ranged guy is supposed to be a different concept. You could do a binder (ToM) binding Malphas for the scouting. You can do that with one level in Binder and a feat, so that leaves 5 levels to get the movement & ranged capabilities. Psychic Warrior 5 could do so quite effectively. Expansion and Hustle are the most relevant powers, and it opens up psionic feats to do damage or gain more mobility.

Or, if you don't want to mix systems from two different books, Ranger 2/Psychic Warrior 4 gets you the +5 BAB you need to get feats like Greater Psionic Shot while doing the stealth more mundanely.

[Zethex]

Thank you all for the support. Anyway, while Barbarian Totems are allowed I just learned that sadly planetouched and elemental subraces are not :smallfrown:.
I guess I'll have to look at a different kind a' Dwarf.