Being Hard To Kill [PF/3.5]

[The Oni]

What theoretical build (or builds) would make a humanoid really, really hard to kill or otherwise neutralize in a fight? Actually being able to deal damage is a purely secondary concern.

[thethird]

Some fun:

Dvati (Dragon Magazine Compendium) Swashbuckler 5 / Devoted defender 3 / Hit and run fighter 4 / Swashbuckler + 8 (assuming LA buyoff)

Feats
1 Weapon focus (any weapon you like, rapier for coolness)
3 Alertness
6 Combat reflexes
F1 Vexing flanker
9 Adaptable flanker
F2 Martial study (any shadow hand maneuver you like)
F4 Martial stace (assasin stance)
12 Daring outlaw
15 Combat expertise
18 Allied defense

The trick is adaptable flanker, letting they flank enemies that are in front of them while still being side by side (if the bonus to flanking stack it is a +7 to attack, if not it is still a +4). They have reliable ways of flanking (just standing side by side) so they might do all their precision damage SA 9D6, plus DEX, plus INT. By using combat expertise with allied defense their AC sky rockets so enemies will possibly miss against them granting free attacks to the other twin. Maxing tumble with some bonus to it a nice dex and acrobatic skill mastery they should be able to hit a 40DC to move 10ft a round while still full attacking.

Funny thing since they are dvati you can pull the trick with a PC and have nice things as a melee. As a couple of NPCs (or PCs) Dvati stops being a requirement, if human weapon proficiency and weapon focus with a spiked chain could lead to a greater threatened area.

[(Un)Inspired]

http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1007491 check this out.

It's a huge pain to kill.

[Talionis]

Dwarf 4Hexblade/2 Incarnate/10 Ironsoul Forgemaster/1 Witchborn Binder/ 2 Incarnate/ 1 Warblade

You may want to get a Dwarf level that doesn't hurt Charisma, but you do want the Constitution bonus because Incarnate is so Constitution focused and more hit points would be a goal for a build like this.

You have Evasion for Fortitude and Willpower saves from Hexblade (You eventually can pick up actual Evasion from a soulmeld bound to your feet chakra). You also have a Familiar from Hexblade, so you can use the Share Soulmeld feat to grant your familiar all the same soulmelds you can use. Thus, you can heal each other. Incarnates are capable of ridiculous soulmelds to protect you. Vitality Belt adds a ton of hit points. There is a shirt that gives you spell resistance. Lots of different healing soulmelds.

Ironsoul Forgemasters have the energy resistance shields that stack with everything else, namely the Soulmeld from Dragon Magic that grants even more energy resistances. Don't forget the online, Astral Vambraces, found here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20060217a.

One level of Witchborn Binder grants you access to even more spell resistance without losing a level of meldshaping. More Incarnate grants even more meldshaping and chakras open, you can choose when you want to take those levels.

A level of Warblade gives you the Diamond Mind maneuvers that can replace Saves with Concentration checks. You are going to be a Constitution beast so that should be pretty good. Don't forget Iron Heart Surge to remove all sorts of effects that get through your layers and layers of protection. This is an option for you any level after 8.

In the end you'll be a sick tank. That can live through most anything. The damage might come from picking up an extra maneuver or two with Warblade and getting your concentration check and twice your concentration check to damage at high levels. These are both Diamond Mind maneuvers. Neither of those are insane damage, but they could theoretically be picked up with an item of Diamond Mind that will let you prepare them as maneuvers. You could cycle through them every other turn. Also because you have Ironsoul Forgemaster 10 any weapon you make and use will grant you a Daze effect, so that's not terrible. Hexblade's Hexpower can make it easier to keep opponents from making their save against the Daze effect.

The other thing to remember is that your Familiar shares all your soulmelds so the Acid spitting soulmeld can keep pace with a Warlocks elderitch blast and with the familiar you can double that damage, so that's not nothing.

[StreamOfTheSky]

What theoretical build (or builds) would make a humanoid really, really hard to kill or otherwise neutralize in a fight? Actually being able to deal damage is a purely secondary concern.

3E:
Wings of Cover spell (Sorc-only)
Abrupt Jaunt Conjuror Wizard alt. class feature

PF:
Emergency Force Sphere (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/e/emergency-force-sphere) is similar to Wings of Cover, but not sorc-only and can protect the party.
Teleportation subschool Wizard's 1st level ability is like Abrupt Jaunt except swift and Su (instead of immediate and SLA).

I would imagine any character wishing to be unkillable would want at least one of those things. Having other stuff like mirror image, contingency, etc... also helps. Basically, as with anything...you want to be a spellcaster.

The Initiate of the Seven-fold Veil PrC is also basically built entirely around being unkillable. It is nothing but layer upon layer of impregnable defenses that you can put up as an immediate action. Combine w/ Archmage's Mastery of Shaping to have an anti-magic field that doesn't include you in its area so you're still free to have flight and protective spells up while using the AMF's area to break line of effect on any hostile magic for even more fun! Sure, you can't cast out through it either, but if you don't care about offense at all...

Heck, if you really don't care about contributing to fights, just use Telekinetic Sphere on yourself and then Telekinesis to move around.

[Slipperychicken]

What theoretical build (or builds) would make a humanoid really, really hard to kill or otherwise neutralize in a fight? Actually being able to deal damage is a purely secondary concern.

There is that one trick involving ice assassins and aleaxes to give oneself the singular enemy ability. That way, the only thing which can hurt you is yourself.

[Talionis]

Also available is Wu Jen / Jade Phoenix Mage/ Archmage/ Jade Phoenix Mage

Mostly people think about the nigh infinite number of Body Outside Body clones that can run in Immortal Fortitude Stance that heal themselves almost every turn with the Devoted Spirit maneuvers. Archmage turns some of your spells into abilities your Body Outside Body clones can also use.

But for the truly desperate situation you can use Transcend Mortality and then get by the side effect of having to die by using your Emerald Immolation.

This build is a high level caster and has fairly high level maneuvers that you can use in melee.

[Particle_Man]

Crusader 20, perhaps using a feat or two gain some cool saves bonus maneuvers from Diamond Mind (and, sadly, a feat to get the stance immortal fortitude, which level of stance they should be able to get one of simply by right of being a crusader, but oh well), seems pretty hard to kill.