D&D 3.5 One Round Kill...With a Scout

[Breitheamh]

Recently I've been toying with a build in my head that uses a different way to build massive amounts of damage on a melee character without using Power Attack. Specifically, using the Channel the Storm part of the Stormguard Warrior feat.

The basic idea would be to use Karmic Strike/Robilar's Gambit with Evasive Reflexes on a Scout/TWF Ranger, to move circles around an enemy that's full-attacking you, and because you're not using your attacks of opportunity, you're charging up the Channel the Storm ability.

I'm not sure about an exact build, but it would definitely involve enough Scout levels to qualify for Swift Hunter (to build up Skirmish damage as you move), and use the Ranger levels to grab the TWF feat chain. Obviously Karmic Strike and/or Robilar's Gambit and Evasive Reflexes. Martial Study and Martial Stance are necessary to qualify for Ironheart Aura to qualify for Stormguard Warrior, or maybe just a level of Warblade (level of Warblade is probably better. Less feat intensive and who doesn't love being a Warblade?).

Most other stuff is just gravy; Improved Skirmish boosts the damage if you can get them to attack you 4 times, Power Attack might help, although it doesn't gel with TWF, maybe Two Weapon Rend would be fun.

As for tactics, you would have to delay your action to go after your opponent during the first round, and you'd have to have high enough AC and HP to be able to withstand your opponent's full attack. You won't necessarily get it, although this actually works better if they do unleash their full might upon you.

Every time they attack, you get an AoO, which you forgo to take a 5-ft step after they attack. Or, every time they hit, you get an AoO, which you forgo to take a 5-ft step that interrupts their action, thus negating their attack, since they're swinging at the wrong spot. The former uses Robilar's Gambit, the latter uses Karmic Strike. Every time this happens, you get a stacking +4 bonus on your attack and damage rolls against them on your next turn. If it happens twice, you've moved 10 ft, thus activating Skirmish. When your turn rolls around, full attack with TWF, so every one of the seven attacks you make at 20th level gets a bonus equal to 4 x the number of times they attacked/hit you before, and the same bonus on damage rolls, plus 5d6 damage on every attack.

Let's say they attack 6 times, having a bunch of natural attacks. You will get +24 to attack and damage on every attack, +5d6 damage on every attack. Dealing an average of 287 damage.

Bear in mind, if you made it this far, this is just a theoretical estimate, and the whole schtick relies on the DM's interpretation of the Evasive Reflexes feat being the same as mine, which is not necessarily the case.

Any thoughts on the matter? I haven't put together a full build yet, I'm looking for feedback on the concept before I do that.

[Demidos]

Interesting, but with the obvious flaw you've already pointed out, namely that most things that are actually threatening enough to be worth killing that use melee attacks, well, are threatening to be full attacked by.

Theres some rollerblades (I know, its ridiculous) on some official WOTC web enhancement that allow you to take 10 ft steps. Its pretty classy to be able to one shot someone while on roller blades.

I would try to get miss chances, since those ignore the strength of the enemy and are thus fairly handy, especially if you're getting attacked alot.

Perhaps Iron guard's glare or something similar to draw their attacks? Possibly Knight levels, if you can stomach them.

At very high levels, a Starmantle cloak, of course, is awesome.

Overall, it suffers the flaws that you need to somehow convince them to target you, and that without them attacking you, you aren't dealing much. You might also want to consider adding Power Attack on ANYWAY, because with that bonus to hit, you wont be missing often.

Perhaps also use lightning maces/aptitude for crit fishing? Using two elvencraft splitting Hank's energy bows and thrikeen, you could technically TWF for double the attacks while still getting the enormous bonuses to hit.

....Of course, at that point the build becomes less about the scout abilities and more about the aforementioned combo, but the mentioned feats would still be very nice to keep the non-frontline scout off the front lines.

...I threw those ideas together off the top of my head, but now i'm really itching to go through that and try to build it...

[Breitheamh]

Okay, as ridiculous as that sounds, rollerblades would be supremely wonderful. :smallbiggrin:

On other notes: Miss Chance (darkness, invisibility, fog, dust, maybe a spell or two) and something that makes them attack me (knight's challenge, iron guard glare). Hmmmm....