Making a Murderhobo

[Vhaidara]

I've always thought the term was rather comically endearing, so I want input on how to build a properly murderous hobo.

Some ground rules:
Low mental scores. To me, the term murderhobo applies best to characters like Thog (despite his 18 Cha), who simply do this for fun.

Not a full caster. Goes with the last one, like I sad, they just seem to calculating.

Mid to low OP. Something realistically accepted by a DM (assuming they accept that I'm going murderhobo). Not something that will make the DM hate his own life.

Focused more on multiple attacks. He needs to be able to murder a village before they can all run away, doesn't he? So a combination of multiple attacks (multiple commoners per round) and movement (catch runners) is ideal.

On your marks...Get set...BUILD!

[Xervous]

What level is it to be built for, what sourcebooks are allowed, and to what degree should the build be dependent on items?

[Erik Vale]

Agreed.
And range or melee?

[Vhaidara]

Melee, preferably. I picture someone who enjoys visceral close combat. But I would also say thrown weapons would be ideal to work into the build. Kind of a "kill first and second villagers with throwing axe in melee, then chuck it into villager 3 as he runs".

As far as books, anything on DnDTools is good, as well as anything available online (homebrew is not ideal, but can be fun).

It's a mundane, so gear dependence will probably be high.

I'm looking for a buildpath. Level by level, projection to 20. Lowest I would start is 3.

[Gemini476]

Whirling Frenzy Lion Totem Barbarian is the first level. +1 attack and Pounce fits this too well.

The weapon is probably a Greatsword (barring TWF shenanigans and EWP).

18 strength, 8 in mental stats. You've spent 17 points and probably have at least seven left, so boost up Con to 14 at the very least.

Race is something with LA+0 that either boosts STR at the detriment of mental scores or gives other benefits. Like Dragonborn Mongrelfolk for +6 Con and Flight.

Next levels are either Barbarian 2 to pick up some other ACF (Spirit Wolf Totem?), or Fighter 2 to pick up feats.

Level six onwards are probably spent on PrCs that can advance Whiling Frenzy or give proper Rage or Rage alternatives. I'm not too sure what goes in the middle.

Maybe Barbarian 2/Dungeoncrasher Fighter 6/PrCs X could work? Hmm.
A Charge+Bullrush with Pounce ends up as Charge at enemy -> Bullrush instead of attack at end of charge -> Full Attack, right? Put them up against THE WAAAAALL.

Drunken Master gives curved charges, so that should be looked into.

Doesn't that throwing PrC in Tome of Battle have some good stuff for kick-in-the-door, axe-the-guest, dart-the-barkeep gameplay?

[Vhaidara]

Since the character would be a silly Murfreesboro, I may decide to go for a double weapon.

Idea: barbarian chassis, dip ranger 2 for combat style, maybe dip 2 fighter for a feat and dungeoncrash/a second feat, then go for frenzied berserker. Then maybe a dip into warblade into bloodstorm blade.

[Emperor Tippy]

Pity about the low mental scores.

You can make a totally insane Factotum murder hobo (insane as in good and insane as it totally bonkers).

[Kazyan]

Consider 3 levels of Binder and the Improved Binding feat for Paimon's Dance of Death, which lets you run past a bunch of people and cut them up, available every 6 rounds. Combine with speed boosters (Boots of Striding and Springing + Rapid Wrath from Ghostwalk) for lots of fun.

[WhamBamSam]

Even with low mental scores, a Warblade can manage pretty well. They're also good at hitting multiple things at once and with Dancing Blade Form can reach further on their own turn, which helps for Cleaving through commoners.

Something like Goliath (or Water Orc with one more class level, but Goliath gets more reach) Whirl-Pounce Wolf Totem Barbarian 2/Warblade 16/Swordsage 1 (or Warblade 17 if you really care about avoiding multiclass penalties on your 20th level). If you can buy off the LA tack on a level of Crusader to the end as well.

Feats
1 - Power Attack
2 - Improved Trip (Barbarian)
3 - Exotic Weapon Proficiency
6 - Cleave
7 - Combat Reflexes (Warblade)
9 - Great Cleave
11 - Diehard (Warblade)
12 - Wild Cohort
15 - Quick Draw (Warblade), Extra Rage
18 - Martial Study (Some 9th you don't pick up through regular progression)

Generally, maneuvers are primarily Iron Heart focused, with a bit of Tiger Claw for the Dancing Mongoose line and Girallion Windmill Flesh Rip, and some White Raven for the charge stuff and WRT.

You should have high physical stats since the mental ones are being dumped. The usual weapon for EWP is a Spiked Chain, but you can change it with 5 minutes notice, so if you find something particularly gruesome and want to try it out on some villagers, you can do so. Have a longbow as well.

ECL 5: You know the drill. Melee stuff. You can Power Attack pretty hard, and can trip someone to leave them even more helpless than they ordinarily would be. You have a 20 ft radius reach with your Spiked Chain thanks to Powerful Build.

ECL 11: Now when when you massacre one commoner you can kill another, and another, and another. You also now have the Dancing Blade form, meaning the reach of your death chain is 25 ft on your turn and Iron Heart maneuvers are just going to get better and better at hitting multiple targets at once.

ECL 16: Wild Cohort is here because lots of White Raven stuff is awesome with other melee allies to get in on the fun, and because a smelly vicious animal seemed an appropriate companion. Quick Draw, because sometimes murderhoboing needs to happen at a moment's notice. Someone just insulted you from charge range away and you'd put your chain away for some reason? Yeah, dead. Someone's trying to run home to his wife and kids and is already too far for an AoO? Draw your longbow as a free action and shoot him dead.

ECL 20: You should now have all sorts of high level maneuver type goodies. War Master's Charge to get your animal buddy an extra pounce each turn. Dancing Blade Form+Adamantine Hurricane+Girralion Windmill Flesh Rip to turn the entire city watch into a bloody mess as a swift+standard action.

Won't really hold up in T3 play quite as well as a Warblade should, but for massacring commoners and mooks it should work splendidly.

[OldTrees1]

[ECL 13] Half-Ogre Barbarian (Spirit Lion, Whirling Frenzy, Wolf Totem) 2 / Fighter 2 / Swordsage 1 / Rogue (Feat) 2 / Warhulk 1 / Warblade 1 / Warhulk +3

Feats:
Combat Reflexes, Extra Rage, Power Attack, Improved Trip, Knock-down, Improved Bullrush, Knockback, Cleave, Weapon Focus, Three Mountain, Standstill, 1 more


You can slice through crowds of people while also being able to stop crowds from trying to get past you.

[Vhaidara]

@Sam: I'm noticing a few problems
1. GWFR requires wielding 2 weapons. However, since one of my ideas is to go for an orc double axe and enchant one end for throwing/returning, this could still work. Also, that name.
2. Is the reach coming from the Goliath Barbarian RSL? Because Powerful build doesn't give you reach.

Alright, currently, I'm thinking (my group ignore multiclass penalties entirely)
Goliath (for powerful build + Barbarian RSL, bought off ASAP)
Barbarian 1 (Spirit Lion, Mountain Rage ACFs): EWP (Orc Double Axe)
Ranger 1: Track, Favored Enemy (villagers [if arcanist is legal, I'm taking bloody FE villagers])
Ranger 2 : Combat Style (2-weapon fighting), Power Attack
Binder 1
Binder 2
Binder 3: Improved Binding (for Paimon and dance of death)
Warblade 1
Warblade 2
Warblade 3 Improved TWF
Warblade 4
Warblade 5 Cleave (WB)
Warblade 6 Destructive Rage
Warblade 7
Warblade 8
Warblade 9 Point Blank Shot (WB), Intimidating Rage
Frenzied Berserker 1 Diehard (FB) (Frenzy is too perfect)
Bloodstorm Blade 1
Warblade 10 Greater TWF
Warblade 11
Swordsage 1 (Holy 6 maneuvers)

Maneuver progression
WB 1 (Initiator Level 4): Punishing Stance, Wolf Fang Strike, Rabid Wolf Strike, Steel Wind
WB 2 (IL 5): Soaring Raptor Strike
WB 3 (IL 6): Stone Dragon's Fury
WB 4 (IL 7): Leaping Dragon Stance
WB 5 (IL 8): Mithril Tornado
WB 7 (IL 10): Dancing Mongoose
WB 9 (IL 12): Rabid Bear Strike
WB 10 (IL 14): (Need a good stance)
WB 11 (IL 15): Lightning Throw
SS 1 (IL 16): Girallon Windmill Flesh Rip, Wyrm's Flame, Inferno Blade, Desert Tempest, Leaping Flame, Burning Brand, Rising Phoenix (stance)


Anyone have any comments? Notice I left White Raven untouched. If they need my help murderhoboing, they don't deserve it.

[Osiris]

Pity about the low mental scores.

You can make a totally insane Factotum murder hobo (insane as in good and insane as it totally bonkers).

Well yeah, but we're supposed to use LOW OPTIMIZATION.
I know it's hard, it is for all of us. Our real challenge is making low op chars.

[Uncle Pine]

Just throwing a little advice: I know Paimon's dance of death is hilariously muderhobo-ish, but don't forget that since your low mental scores leave you really vulnerable to things like splitted ray of stupidity you might want to bind Naberius from time to time.

EDIT: Remember to take 4 ranks in Profession (murder hobo) to meet Naberius' requirements.

[Vhaidara]

I can see it now, making money with Profession (murder hobo) checks
Me: Hey, you look familiar! Do you have a relative in [village]?
Villager: I did, until someone butchered the village last month.
Me: I thought you looked familiar. Let me just check and make sure
*axes him in the ace*
Me: Yep, you look so similar with an axe to the face!

[Thanatosia]

How about a few levels in Paladin of Slaughter to power some Profane Lifeleach for funs & giggles. Get enough villiagers cornered in a small area (huddled for shelter) and you can take out a whole bunch of them at once in a particularly horrific style while healing yourself up of any damage taken (12 villiages hiding in the church? Guess who's about to get healed 12d6 damage!)

Probably not the most super-optimized thing you could do, but if you wanted optimized you'd be a wizard, this is for the evulz.

[Greenish]

You could dip Fist of the Forest to get Code of Conduct: Hobo.

Steadfast Determination keys your Will save to Con, so you can dump all the Wis. It requires Endurance, but that's a pretty hobo feat.

[Telonius]

Okay, here goes...

Chaos Monk (Cobra Strike variant)1/Barbarian1/Ranger3/Drunken Master5/Horizon Walker10

Cobra Strike gives Dodge and Improved Unarmed Strike (for Drunken Master). Ranger gives Endurance (for Horizon Walker). Barbarian grants rage, Horizon Walker allows you to become the ultimate hobo.

If I could work it in, I'd make some sort of a variant of Seeker of the Song... refluffed for it to be seeking the Big Rock Candy Mountain.

[WhamBamSam]

@Sam: I'm noticing a few problems
1. GWFR requires wielding 2 weapons. However, since one of my ideas is to go for an orc double axe and enchant one end for throwing/returning, this could still work. Also, that name.
2. Is the reach coming from the Goliath Barbarian RSL? Because Powerful build doesn't give you reach.1) Ah, I forgot that about GWFR.
2) I could've sworn that it was the weapon size that determined reach. Reading over that part of the SRD again, I seem to have gotten that wrong.


Alright, currently, I'm thinking (my group ignore multiclass penalties entirely)
Goliath (for powerful build + Barbarian RSL, bought off ASAP)
Barbarian 1 (Spirit Lion, Mountain Rage ACFs): EWP (Orc Double Axe)
Ranger 1: Track, Favored Enemy (villagers [if arcanist is legal, I'm taking bloody FE villagers])
Ranger 2 : Combat Style (2-weapon fighting), Power Attack
Binder 1
Binder 2
Binder 3: Improved Binding (for Paimon and dance of death)
Warblade 1
Warblade 2
Warblade 3 Improved TWF
Warblade 4
Warblade 5 Cleave (WB)
Warblade 6 Destructive Rage
Warblade 7
Warblade 8
Warblade 9 Point Blank Shot (WB), Intimidating Rage
Frenzied Berserker 1 Diehard (FB) (Frenzy is too perfect)
Bloodstorm Blade 1
Warblade 10 Greater TWF
Warblade 11
Swordsage 1 (Holy 6 maneuvers)What are the consequences of a bad bind with Paimon? If your mental stats are low, that might be a concern. Intimidating Rage might have similar Cha issues, though the Intimidate checks you need to make are probably trivial.


Maneuver progression
WB 1 (Initiator Level 4): Punishing Stance, Wolf Fang Strike, Rabid Wolf Strike, Steel Wind
WB 2 (IL 5): Soaring Raptor Strike
WB 3 (IL 6): Stone Dragon's Fury
WB 4 (IL 7): Leaping Dragon Stance
WB 5 (IL 8): Mithril Tornado
WB 7 (IL 10): Dancing Mongoose
WB 9 (IL 12): Rabid Bear Strike
WB 10 (IL 14): (Need a good stance)
WB 11 (IL 15): Lightning Throw
SS 1 (IL 16): Girallon Windmill Flesh Rip, Wyrm's Flame, Inferno Blade, Desert Tempest, Leaping Flame, Burning Brand, Rising Phoenix (stance)Might be worth losing one of the Tiger Claw strikes at Warblade 1 for Sudden Leap. You can also trade out old maneuvers for higher level ones at Warblade 4, and every even numbered Warblade level thereafter.

Prey on the Weak is a good 7th level stance for the concept, though you probably need Combat Reflexes to make real use of it. I'll mention Dancing Blade Form again, since more reach on your turn means more murder per round potential.

[Gemini476]

A bad bind with Paimon? Eh, it's not that bad.


Influence:Paimon’s influence makes you lascivious and
bold. In addition, Paimon requires that you dance (moving
at half speed) whenever you hear music.
The movement penalty hurts, but you can use Dance of Death every six rounds to get around some of that.

Also, charging.

[WhamBamSam]

A bad bind with Paimon? Eh, it's not that bad.That's actually sort of awesome for murderhobo RPing. I retract all concerns.


How about a few levels in Paladin of Slaughter to power some Profane Lifeleach for funs & giggles. Get enough villiagers cornered in a small area (huddled for shelter) and you can take out a whole bunch of them at once in a particularly horrific style while healing yourself up of any damage taken (12 villiages hiding in the church? Guess who's about to get healed 12d6 damage!)

Probably not the most super-optimized thing you could do, but if you wanted optimized you'd be a wizard, this is for the evulz.Problem is, with low mental scores you won't have the Turn Attempts to fuel it without Extra Turning or Nightsticks.


Well yeah, but we're supposed to use LOW OPTIMIZATION.
I know it's hard, it is for all of us. Our real challenge is making low op chars.I dunno. Even a pretty ordinary Factotum with high Int and decent Cha could make for a lot of murderhoboing fun. Do the usual Gnomish Quickrazor/Iajutsu Focus rigamarole, and max out Bluff. See how many people you can kill and still be able to convince all the other passersby that you didn't do it.

[Vhaidara]

So many good ideas, I want to make a party of murderhobos. Tippy, bring on the factotum, they need a leader.

[Xervous]

Isn't it some mix of factotum 7 / ardent 2 / xxx ?

[Azoth]

Wild Arctic Human Barb2 (whirling frenzy spirit lion wolf)/rogue4 (penetrating strike acf)/dread commando 4/sword sage 2/nightsong enforcer 8

Templates are found in Dragon 306 and are both +0LA

Racial Traits: +2 str, +2 con, -4int, -2 cha, +2 skillpoints/level, +2 spot/listen, +6 wilderness lore (survival or knowledge nature depending on DM adaptation), Ray of frost 1/day.

32pb stat array Str 18 Dex 18 Con 18 Int 6 Wis 8 Cha 6 (best part is you still gain skill points as if int 10)

If LA buy off is on the table for +1 LA I recommend using the Dark Sun human from Dragon mag 319. They get +2 to any two abilities of their choice and gain 1 psionic power known every few levels capping with a 4th level power. They gain enough PP to manifest each power a few times/day. So if you pick utility powers that don't require a save DC then you can increase your versatility nicely.

Human Improved Initiative (prereq)
1 dodge (prereq)
3 mobility (prereq)
6 darkstalker
9 open
12 open
15 open
18 open

Not so much a stand a kill type though with pounce, good sneak attack, and decent skills despite the bad Int you can easily wrack up a body count.

He plays very much the typical rags and begging approach to stabbing people in the face. You should have plenty to max Tumble, hide, and move silently, while keeping bluff and disguise decently built up.

The swordsage dip is to pick up a handful of manuevers. Most notable are shadow hand's teleportation maneuvers and distracting ember. For stance I am a fan of either assassin's stance or child of shdow depending on if you want miss chance or extra damage.


This guy rolls into town in rags and sets up begging on corners. When a victim or group of them get within range he springs into action charging them and proceeding to lay slaughter on the closest ones right off the bat. With 19 BAB 5-6d6 sneak attack and 2d6 sudden strike they should be crying. Next round he teleports away into the shadows and uses a move to hide again. While the paniced remains wonder wtf just happened, he does it again.

[Captnq]

His name is Madog. He wanted to be Mad Dog, but he thought he couldn't use the letter D twice.

[Osiris]

Cast Have somebody cast Greater Mighty Wallop on your greatclub. It's always funny when you end up dealing 10 times some lame commoner's hit points:smallbiggrin:

[Sith_Happens]

Uh, Inferno Blast anyone? First rule of being a murderhobo: Plan A is fire. Plan B is more fire.

EDIT: Crap, I did the "follow a link to another thread and post in it without checking how old it is" thing.:smallredface:

[lianightdemon]

Erm it's simple

Race: any
Class: any
Build: any
only requirement is act like a usual adventurer who spends most of his life wandering around adventuring without owning a home.

[Gildedragon]

Pity about the low mental scores.

You can make a totally insane Factotum murder hobo (insane as in good and insane as it totally bonkers).

Yeap. Factotum was gonna be my suggestion.

They are particularly good at the hobo bit of murderhobo: they can mcguyver a lot of gear into being.
With high appraise they become thrifty mofos. couple dips around (rogue, sneak attack fighter, swordsage 2, chameleon...) they can sneak attack for a lot, and IF boost it to Death on round 1

[StoneCipher]

Wait, if he is a hobo why does he have any quality weaponry at all? You should go down a drunken master path if you really want to be hobo-esque.

[SoraWolf7]

A housecat.

/drops mike.