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View Full Version : A little help from my friends...



ReluctantDragon
2007-03-26, 10:08 AM
(Joe Cocker, where would you be without Wonder Years?)

So, I'm planning on DMing a one shot game for my group. The group has been heavily influenced of late by 300, and as a result focused on melee characters quite a bit more. The fight descriptions have gotten a bit flashier, and fights have been a bit more involved as of late as well.

Along those lines, I'll be DMing a melee encounter. Here's where you guys come in. So far its going to be a 4 person group ECL at 12 with 1 free LA. I have a power attacking, lion's charging, shock troopering(?) half-giant with a Huge Fullblade(yes it is Wisconsinesque).

I also have a mind for a karmic strike monk, but not really sure about race or other feats.

So, back to you guys, I'm looking for some suggestions, help me finish out the monk, and feel free to provide ideas for other melee-heavy builds.

Virtually any published book is allowed, save for the ToB, which, yes, I realize would fit perfectly, but I don't really want that in this game. Other things of note is that the builds don't necessarily have to be evil. Shoot anything at me. All help is welcome and appreciated!

Thanks,
RD

alchemy.freak
2007-03-26, 10:24 AM
the first thing is, *clears throat* "this is SPARTAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

now that i got rid of that, my advice is this, be careful of criticals, maybe even soften the rules for crits if you want the game to last longer. there is a 5% chance of rolling a crit, and after that they may confirm it. if you have them fighting 100 opponents (and if it is inspired by 300, probably more than that) odds are 5 enemies will hit them EVERY turn. and of those 5 maybe 1 or 2 will confirm their crits. this is every turn here, if the encounter is drawn out that can add up to a lot of hits and crits over time.

this effect is magnified greatly if you increase the opposing forces size.

the bottom line: if you want a 300 sized mission then you need either a really good healer or really weak enemies, even they can add up to be a lot harder than you thought.

so eat a hearty breakfast, FOR TONIGHT WE DINE IN HELL!!!!!!

(o, 300, so many quotes, so many)

ReluctantDragon
2007-03-26, 10:48 AM
Well, I appreciate the comments alchemy.freak, but although the game will be 'influenced' by 300, its more in the fact that its a melee-oriented game, not a 300 redux. The comments from the first post are mainly to the fact that I'm creating a melee-oriented party to OPPOSE the players.

jlousivy
2007-03-26, 10:52 AM
i like the karmic strike/low blow monk. if someone hits him, he hits back, if someone misses them, he trips them. i'm about to be playing one here in a pbp game myself. And of course try to get a permanacy enlarge person or a few potions of it and go grappleman.

*insert any frenzied berserker*

i know you said melee, but if you include ranged(non magic) any ranged speced ranger with favoured enemies against them. Throw on 'hunter's mercy' and you're gold.

ReluctantDragon
2007-03-26, 10:55 AM
What is low blow from?

Variable Arcana
2007-03-26, 10:56 AM
Very much depends on what you're looking for...

If you're looking for a rollicking-good four-on-four melee... you probably want to pick one target nicely designed for each of the PCs... without more information on the PCs, I'm not sure what that would involve.

A few nice melee-type monsters:

- Chain Devils are always fun (you might need to add a level or two of fighter to one to make it level-appropriate -- adding feats like improved trip and combat reflexes, for example) -- best if one of the PCs is good at sundering, to help reduce the "dancing chains" problem.

- A hellcat or salamander might be nice if you've got a grappler...

- A Xill monk (with a monk's belt) can be a fun build -- high AC and lots and lots and lots of attacks -- if you get him up to a BAB of +9, he can qualify for the Improved Multiweapon Fighting monstrous feat, which gives him iterative attacks with all four claw attacks -- eight to ten attacks per round, any one of which can be a stunning fist, any several of which can be trip attempts... and so on...

- Big things like Clay Golems, Frost Giants, or huge Earth Elementals are always satisfying to take out -- and should take a while, giving lots of opportunity for description.

- Lots of fun builds starting from Centaur (and a particularly ancient Greek theme to it as well...)

Edit: And yes -- definitely buff the enemies before the combat. Potions are nice for this, or a buff-caster who flees when the fight starts. Think: What would V do? (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0427.html)

jlousivy
2007-03-26, 10:57 AM
low blow is from Complete Warrior

ReluctantDragon
2007-03-26, 02:17 PM
I will definitely look into that, then.

More suggestions? Need two more character ideas for opposition.

I realize having no info for what the players are creating makes it a bit vague, but I can tailor the environment to provide a challenge. I'm just needing ideas for builds for them to battle.

ocato
2007-03-26, 07:55 PM
Make a paladin with a sword and shield who is big into Combat Expertise/Improved Combat Expertise serve as the immovable opponent. Throws some heals and buffs around to his allies and generally just make the rest of his guys that much stronger.

I've also always wanted to see someone play a trident and net gladiator. That'd be pretty neat with some good feats (I think there is one where you are always set against a charge, make the opening of the fight pretty rough). Or you could have a druid in Giganto monstro form going bear crazy at the party, then right before they beat him, he shifts, heals the crap out of himself and pretty much is a big pain in the butt before reshifting to an even stronger form.

Ranis
2007-03-26, 08:07 PM
I can't find Low Blow in CW, can anyone point me to the page number?

jlousivy
2007-03-26, 08:22 PM
this used to be the link http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Low_Blow, ... dunno why it's not working right now

ReluctantDragon
2007-03-26, 10:12 PM
Yeah, so that feat isn't Low Blow.

Any other suggestions? So far all I've got are some monsters, and a paladin...

Lemur
2007-03-26, 11:45 PM
I think the feat you're thinking of is Defensive Throw, from the Complete Warrior, page 97.

jlousivy
2007-03-26, 11:49 PM
wow, my bad COMPLETELY, no idea why i said low blow instead of defensive throw sorry

Quietus
2007-03-27, 06:13 AM
A drunken master, already pre-soused. Those improvised weapons HURT.

For best results, perhaps a drunken master ogre is in order.

Variable Arcana
2007-03-27, 09:44 AM
- Large sized warrior with a spiked chain and the combat reflexes feat and a high tumble skill can be a huge pain. Every round he attacks you, then tumbles away as his move, leaving you with no choice but to take *two* attacks of opportunity as you run into his 15' reach to attack him. Give him improved trip as well and your PC has to spend one move action standing up (one attack of opportunity) and a second move action running in (two more attacks of opportunity) leaving no standard action to attack before the opponent tries to trip him again before tumbling away.
(I wish I could find/remember the OOTS episode where Roy faces this build.)

- AC-monger: massive dex, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, two-weapon fighting and defense, two weapons of defending (yes, they stack -- and stack with everything else), a monk's belt, an amulet of natural armor, ring of protection, magic armor, a shield spell, a blur spell...
No need to make this guy's attacks particularly powerful, just make him really hard to hit, and he'll take a long, long time to beat. For added fun, give him Improved Disarm and make the weapons Sais (+4 to disarm rolls).