Silly, but effective, builds

[ArqArturo]

I know most of us create character that look badass, that can be used as potential BBEGs, or as NPCs, or theoretical builds. But, sometimes there's that one build that looks silly, others roll their eyes, and few think it might pull of because it's hilarious.

Then the psionic sandwich starts killing you with mind bullets, or with your own party members.

Are there any builds that are borderline silly, yet are effective? Or is silliness too distant from actual optmization?.

The only build I can think of that goes like it is both the Psionic Sandwich, or the Muscle Wizard.

[Hiro Quester]

A friend once played (back in AD&D days) a gnome Jester, who specialized in tumbling and jibing, and getting large foes to totally underestimate his abilities.

The gnome did a favor for a God, who granted him one wish. The gnome asked for the ability to use two two-handed broadswords, one in each hand. The DM set a ridiculously high bar on a percentage roll for the request to be granted, and passed it.

So the god (well, DM, also that player's spouse) decided that this would just be ridiculously amusing, to have a tiny gnome somersaulting into combat while expertly wielding two swords more than twice as tap as he was. It fit so well with the character's whole style.

So it was effective because it was silly. Silly but effective was that character's whole M.O.

[ArqArturo]

I had a Gully Dwarf rogue with Improved Feint, and while he was the party's comic relief, he was also an effective assassin, because no suspected from the groveling jester.

[Snowbluff]

Anything tiny with confound the big folk and iaijutsu.

:smalltongue:

[Prime32]

Would Thirsty Bear (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10132.0;msg=192957) count?

[bekeleven]

Iaijutsu Katana chucker falls pretty heavily into this category. I'm currently building a Petal ubercharger that would work as well.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

1. Get an item that gives a continuous effect of the spell Undersong from Spell Compendium, which allows you to roll a Perform check in place of a Concentration check.
2. Get the Diamond Mind maneuvers that replace a saving throw with a Concentration check.
3. Max ranks in Perform: Weapon Drill from Complete Warrior, so you make every save because of your amazing swordsmanship. Someone casts a fireball, you cut it in half!

A build for this would probably be something like the following:
Swordsage 1/ Warblade 1/ Crusader 2/ Swordsage 1/ Warblade 1/ Pious Templar 1/ Master of Nine 1/ Suel Arcanamach 2/ Jade Phoenix Mage 10
Use the Idiot Crusader trick with Master of Nine to help gain Moment of Perfect Mind, Action Before Thought, and Mind Over Body as Crusader maneuvers, and you can use one of them every round. You can eventually even get Stance of Alacrity to use two of those every round! You'll have Mettle from Pious Templar, and you can get a Ring of Evasion, so your swordsmanship allows you to completely avoid every effect that permits a saving throw!

[Metahuman1]

Fistbeard Beardfist?

Playing a swordsage who not only really does yell the name of every maneuver he uses as he's using it, but makes them up as he goes along so there always almost a complete sentence each?

A really, really, really good Diplomancer/Bluffomancer/Forgeryomancer?

Uber mount builds?

[Vedhin]

I once had an idea for a Mechanatrix Incantatrix melee build. Basically, get a familiar (preferably immune to electricity), Energy Substitution (electricity), and Persistent Spell. Persist a bunch of damaging aura spells (Wreath of Flames, Lightning Ring, wtc.), but on your familiar (you too if the familiar is immune to electricity). Move around in your mobile lightning fortress, slaughtering anything that approaches, and healing constantly from all the electricity damage directed at you.

[Kurald Galain]

Jumplomancer.

Wolf Hurler.

And Space Drop, which is a combination of the following abilities: (1) a familiar; (2) the ability to see through the eyes of your familiar; (3) flight; (4) a spell that is range "line of sight"; and (5) swapping position with whomever you hit with that spell. Then fly ten miles up, target any enemy next to your familiar, and hope that it cannot fly :D

[Yirrare]

Make a summoning focused character. (Loads of guides for this around.)
Age of character: 10
Find a few favorite summons. Give them a name each. Also, buy a trucker cap.
Take the feat Spell thematics (http://dndtools.eu/feats/players-guide-to-faerun--22/spell-thematics--2714/), and make all your castings look like orbs.

When battle commence, yell "X, I choose you!" and throw an orb summoning your monster.

You are now a pokémon master!

Best Regards
Yirrare

Edit: I forgot to say: When rolling initiative, turn your cap around. (This will make you look more badass.)

[Juntao112]

Fistbeard Beardfist?

Fistbeard Beardfist. (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=6062.0)

[ArqArturo]

Make a summoning focused character. (Loads of guides for this around.)
Age of character: 10
Find a few favorite summons. Give them a name each. Also, buy a trucker cap.
Take the feat Spell thematics (http://dndtools.eu/feats/players-guide-to-faerun--22/spell-thematics--2714/), and make all your castings look like orbs.

When battle commence, yell "X, I choose you!" and throw an orb summoning your monster.

You are now a pokémon master!

Best Regards
Yirrare

Edit: I forgot to say: When rolling initiative, turn your cap around. (This will make you look more badass.)

Alternatively, you can make an enlightened fist with the sane cap, be blonde, and speak in a heavily accented english accent, and go "rising tackle!" and "power geyser!".

[Immabozo]

Commoner 1/how ever many levels of whatever you fancy to qualify for/Cancer Mage 1

at level 1 (must be Commoner) take pig pond for a pig weighing you max load that gets heavier as your max load increases.

At Cancer mage 1, you become immune to the negative affects of disease. Contract Festering Anger for a cumulative +2 to strength every day. Since there is no mention of the pig growing in size as it's weight increases, we must assume it grows in density.

After 1 year, with a strength score of 740 and the pig weighing 20^73 pounds, the pig collapses into a black hole. A pig sized black hole. (credit to Grod_The_Giant and Flickerdart for the initial idea, and a whole slew of other people here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?342604-Can-you-swing-a-pig-weighing-your-max-load) for refining it)

[Snowbluff]

Commoner 1/how ever many levels of whatever you fancy to qualify for/Cancer Mage 1

at level 1 (must be Commoner) take pig pond for a pig weighing you max load that gets heavier as your max load increases.

At Cancer mage 1, you become immune to the negative affects of disease. Contract Festering Anger for a cumulative +2 to strength every day. Since there is no mention of the pig growing in size as it's weight increases, we must assume it grows in density.

After 1 year, with a strength score of 740 and the pig weighing 20^73 pounds, the pig collapses into a black hole. A pig sized black hole.
This is more or less perfect. :smallbiggrin:

I normally have to gate in black holes.

[Kazudo]

Gazebo Jones.

[sideswipe]

a character who is extremely fat and has optimised jump. falls on his enemies and uses the falling objects rules (many d6 damage) and since feather fall doesn't stop falling objects causing damage, only that you don't take damage, you have a ring of feather fall and you win :smallbiggrin:

[Harrow]

I don't remember the name of the build, but the idea was pretty simple. Dwarf Wizard with Poison Healer and Steadfast Determination. Then put your Tiny Viper familiar down your pants and have it bite you constantly for what is effectively fast healing.

[Immabozo]

This is more or less perfect. :smallbiggrin:

I normally have to gate in black holes.

You didn't know you can get black holes with Leadership? Oh yes!

Then shove your walking soon-to-be black holes into a portable hole filled with quitessence and then pull them out whenever and wherever and wage war, dropping black-hole-bombs.

[Kazudo]

Then put your Tiny Viper familiar down your pants

Couldn't read after that. Laughing too hard. I'm going to do this build at some point specifically for that joke.

[Snowbluff]

You didn't know you can get black holes with Leadership? Oh yes!

Then shove your walking soon-to-be black holes into a portable hole filled with quitessence and then pull them out whenever and wherever and wage war, dropping black-hole-bombs.

Excellent.

Now, is there reliably contract Festering Anger?

[Immabozo]

Excellent.

Now, is there reliably contract Festering Anger?


Brought upon by long-term, intense fury and hatred

What that means, is up to you.

[Kazudo]

What that means, is up to you.

So you know, get on the internet for a few minutes and type in current buzzwords. Festering Anger would explain my increase in bodymass and sudden blood pressure issues.

[Gemini476]

Sometimes innocuous sentences get hilarious results.
Take Pathfinder, for instance.

Make a quickdraw (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/armor/quickdraw-shield)light throwing shield (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/armor/shield-throwing) for 103gp.
Take the Quick Draw (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/quick-draw-combat---final)feat, and acquire a Blinkback Belt (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/a-b/belt-blink-back).


Benefit: You can throw the shield as a free action. Neither a shield’s enhancement bonus to AC nor its shield spikes apply to your attack or damage rolls.



Up to two one-handed melee weapons or up to four light melee weapons can be hung from the belt in straps or sheaths. When the wearer draws a weapon attached to this belt and throws it before the end of her next turn, the weapon teleports (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/t/teleport-object) back to its strap or sheath immediately after the attack is resolved.



If you have the Quick Draw (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/quick-draw-combat---final) feat, you may don or put away a quickdraw shield as a free action (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#TOC-Free-Actions).

The popular name for this trick is "Captain America", I believe. It's very silly, yes, but I do beleive that infinite attacks makes up for the low base damage.

[malonkey1]

What that means, is up to you.

Watch Fox News every day?

[Erik Vale]

-Snip-
I... Wow.... Just.... Wow... If you can dip into 3.5 grab Neraph Throw and Persistant attacker and you have unlimited free action sneak attack, which works against everything with a concievable weak-spot. [Load up on Knowledge [Architecture] and you destroy adamantium buildings by expertly throwing wooden shields at them]

My own silly but effectives:

Load up on gear for maximum attacks/limb [axe bucklers, weapons, gauntlets, concealed weapons, spiked armor etc]. You now have a walking wall of metal weapons, looks silly as heck.
Add Neraph charge+Sneak attack build+Persistent attacker+Lion Totem Barbarian Dip. Looks stupid. Hit fishes for ludicrous.
Especially if you do it on a warforged. It looks like someone made a spiky warforged, in combat the only way to describe his attack is 'He throws himself against you really really fast, and while your laughing at how silly he looks you suddenly become a expanding cloud of vapour'.

A [PF] Gillman wizard with Possess object. First you make a large [not actually large] statue with a hollow filled with water that you can seal yourself in. Then you possess to object... You have just created a magic mech, and you are perfectly safe inside it until it's destroyed, and there's no worry about running out of air because Gillman... And since your familiar can do it as well if he's close enough, grab a aquatic familiar and have it possess something like a stone bird perched on the statue's shoulder... Actually, make a Diorama/statue of a Giant fighting a Dragon [of similar size], hop into the giant and possess both.

Is it effective? Nowhere near as much but yes. Is it cool as F***. You bet your sweet a**. Is it something silly for the campaign and for a wizard to do... Yes.
Are you going to take that up with the giant made of adamantium and his pet dragon? No...

[Immabozo]

So you know, get on the internet for a few minutes and type in current buzzwords. Festering Anger would explain my increase in bodymass and sudden blood pressure issues.

Roflcopter


Watch Fox News every day?

Yes, this should get Festering Anger in about .5 minutes.

*GASP* Fox news must be rin by a Cancer Mage!!

EDIT: And a Beguiler

[Troacctid]

Get an elasmosaurus as an animal companion. Cast Swift Fly. Have it fly over the enemy's head. An elasmosaurus weighs just shy of three tons. Swift Fly wears off at the end of the round.

Lapras used Body Slam!

[jjcrpntr]

Not sure how "silly" it is. But my first character was a cleric that carried a glaive and wore light armor. I'd buff up and charge into the fight along side the barbarian.

I had crap for hit points, didn't really know how to use my spells efficiently until a few months in, but damn that guy was fun to play.

Best moment was when we were in a Yuan-Ti temple. Our wizard was out of spells, the bard had a wand of lightning bolt she was trying to use, and our barbarian failed a save that made him terrified of snakes. The DM had the boss, and both his bodyguards charge me. I 2shotted the boss and 1 shotted the body guards (as well as two other mobs) I rolled 5 crits in a row. The DM couldn't believe it and just laughed it off. Meanwhile he kept rolling 2's and 3's to try and hit me.

Ninja Cleric!

god that guy was fun.

[Amphetryon]

Sorry to toot my own horn, but:

Keiji Mutoh, Ninja for Peace (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=8798072&postcount=132)

[Immabozo]

Not sure how "silly" it is. But my first character was a cleric that carried a glaive and wore light armor. I'd buff up and charge into the fight along side the barbarian.

I had crap for hit points, didn't really know how to use my spells efficiently until a few months in, but damn that guy was fun to play.

Best moment was when we were in a Yuan-Ti temple. Our wizard was out of spells, the bard had a wand of lightning bolt she was trying to use, and our barbarian failed a save that made him terrified of snakes. The DM had the boss, and both his bodyguards charge me. I 2shotted the boss and 1 shotted the body guards (as well as two other mobs) I rolled 5 crits in a row. The DM couldn't believe it and just laughed it off. Meanwhile he kept rolling 2's and 3's to try and hit me.

Ninja Cleric!

god that guy was fun.

"It's time for some thrilling heroics" -Jayne, Firefly

[Immabozo]

Sorry to toot my own horn, but:

Keiji Mutoh, Ninja for Peace (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=8798072&postcount=132)

if you are going to "toot your own horn" you should fix the tables.

Sorry for the double post

[Amphetryon]

if you are going to "toot your own horn" you should fix the tables.

Sorry for the double post

The tables are messed up for all the IC challenges and other posts from before the forum upgrade. I understand your frustration, but I am not going to go back and fix every table from every one of those, and - failing that - your complaint here would clearly still apply, both to myself and everyone who references anything with a table from before that time.

Or, did you not mean "should" to come across quite so much like I'd committed some major error in linking to a less than perfectly formatted post that I made?

[Azoth]

Tibbit swordage specializing in setting sun throws.

Use the following feats: Combat expertise, Improved Trip, Don't mind me, twining step, confound the big folk.

Basically, you are a cat that can run into an enemy's square without provoking an AoO and throw them great distances with a forced Dex check that they can not gain size modifiers too.

Spectator: Did that house cat just Judo toss a Great Wyrm Dragon 60ft into a cliff?!?

Party member: Yeah...he does that when someone calls him fluffy.

[Immabozo]

The tables are messed up for all the IC challenges and other posts from before the forum upgrade. I understand your frustration, but I am not going to go back and fix every table from every one of those, and - failing that - your complaint here would clearly still apply, both to myself and everyone who references anything with a table from before that time.

Or, did you not mean "should" to come across quite so much like I'd committed some major error in linking to a less than perfectly formatted post that I made?

Sorry, bad day. That is probably coming across in my response. I do not mean it as is you have done this big horrible thing. Just a thought if you plan on linking past IC stuff. I know, at least for me, I'd get a headache trying to read all that

[ArqArturo]

Anything tiny with confound the big folk and iaijutsu.

:smalltongue:

Or a pixie Warblade armed with an Elven Courtblade.

[Jeff the Green]

CE tibbit Soulborn 2/Stone Blessed (goliath) 3/Goliath Barbarian 1/Warshaper 5/Totemist 2/Totem Rager 7

You are a super strong kitty (since Soulborn makes you immune to Strength penalties and the decrease in your Strength in cat form is a penalty) with tentacles and glowing blue claws who grows to large size when he's angry.

It also happens to be the only build I've come up with where taking Soulborn is a good idea.

[Vedhin]

CE tibbit Soulborn 2/Stone Blessed (goliath) 3/Goliath Barbarian 1/Warshaper 5/Totemist 2/Totem Rager 7

You are a super strong kitty (since Soulborn makes you immune to Strength penalties and the decrease in your Strength in cat form is a penalty) with tentacles and glowing blue claws who grows to large size when he's angry.

It also happens to be the only build I've come up with where taking Soulborn is a good idea.

It needs more Bear Warrior, so you can become a catbear.

[John Longarrow]

"Sock Puppet".

Not the cohorts name, just what everyone called him.

Pixie Sword Sage/Fighter with Shadow Hand, Combat Reflexes, and a spiked chain.

10 STR, but got Dex and Wis to damage while he cut anything proviking to ribbons. Being invisible helped....

They called him Sock Puppet because my character would talk to him but he'd always stay invisible. They acted like I had an "Invisible Friend" (like from childhood) until he started butchering things.

He also one shotted a BBEG that tried to flee. Poor guy, uber AC, low HP. Get critted by the invisible little guy. Took us a while to find the head though.

[malonkey1]

I can't remember the exact build used, but it started with Commoner 1 and the Pig Bond flaw, and then taking a PrC that lets you possess things, then possessing the pig and using it as your body, and it was actually pretty effective. It used the pig as a meat-shield (pardon the pun), and then retained its spellcasting ability.

[Bloodgruve]

Not sure if this was bending the rules a bit but I played in a game where a Wizard specialized in shaping force walls into cubes and filled them with water. Then another party summoned sharks into the cube. We basically shark tanked a bunch of encounters. I saw this happen with swarms of bees also.

Blood~

[malonkey1]

Not sure if this was bending the rules a bit but I played in a game where a Wizard specialized in shaping force walls into cubes and filled them with water. Then another party summoned sharks into the cube. We basically shark tanked a bunch of encounters. I saw this happen with swarms of bees also.

Blood~

Seems rules-legal to me.

[Prime32]

I don't remember the name of the build, but the idea was pretty simple. Dwarf Wizard with Poison Healer and Steadfast Determination. Then put your Tiny Viper familiar down your pants and have it bite you constantly for what is effectively fast healing.Trouserfang Dwarf.


I can't remember the exact build used, but it started with Commoner 1 and the Pig Bond flaw, and then taking a PrC that lets you possess things, then possessing the pig and using it as your body, and it was actually pretty effective. It used the pig as a meat-shield (pardon the pun), and then retained its spellcasting ability.If you walk away from your body, do you get to transform into Orcus? :smalltongue:

[Immabozo]

I can't remember the exact build used, but it started with Commoner 1 and the Pig Bond flaw, and then taking a PrC that lets you possess things, then possessing the pig and using it as your body, and it was actually pretty effective. It used the pig as a meat-shield (pardon the pun), and then retained its spellcasting ability.

It was very effective, and I am honored that you reference my thread! (not my build, only anothers inside my thread)

[Grod_The_Giant]

Commoner 1/how ever many levels of whatever you fancy to qualify for/Cancer Mage 1

at level 1 (must be Commoner) take pig pond for a pig weighing you max load that gets heavier as your max load increases.

At Cancer mage 1, you become immune to the negative affects of disease. Contract Festering Anger for a cumulative +2 to strength every day. Since there is no mention of the pig growing in size as it's weight increases, we must assume it grows in density.

After 1 year, with a strength score of 740 and the pig weighing 20^73 pounds, the pig collapses into a black hole. A pig sized black hole. (credit to Grod_The_Giant and Flickerdart for the initial idea, and a whole slew of other people here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?342604-Can-you-swing-a-pig-weighing-your-max-load) for refining it)
I don't remember the exact details, but if you only need one year's worth of Festering Anger, you can do it as a first level human commoner with Mind Over Body, provided you can scrape up 17 Con.

[Immabozo]

I don't remember the exact details, but if you only need one year's worth of Festering Anger, you can do it as a first level human commoner with Mind Over Body, provided you can scrape up 17 Con.

but wont you still die at 0 con?

And I am not positive that it is 1 year, I am no astrophysicist. Just one number that others came up with.

[Darrin]

I don't remember the name of the build, but the idea was pretty simple. Dwarf Wizard with Poison Healer and Steadfast Determination. Then put your Tiny Viper familiar down your pants and have it bite you constantly for what is effectively fast healing.

Trouserfang Dwarf (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19860262/The_Trouserfang_Dwarf:_A_Rebirth) by ChrisAsmadi.

Also:

Joe "Chuck" Awesome and Tom "Chuck" Awesome (Chicken-Infested Commoners) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16917984&postcount=4) by gorfnad