Malapterus
2016-01-30, 02:10 PM
I am introducing a friend to D&D and we're trying to make a character based on his concept, that he will be able to understand as a newbie. This happens to be a gestalt game, which I know is not conducive to the effort, but it is the only game we have.
He wanted to be a self-aware self-operating 'stone golem with some metal' and so that is instantly solved by just making him a Warforged (or a unique creature using warforged stats). The concept of the warforged attracted the idea of the adamantine plating feat, so now our boy is welded into a suit of full plate. His alignment will be Chaotic Neutral/
He wants to be a guy who pushes into the thick of battle and destroys enemies one-by-one with devastating blows. He was very excited by the idea of critical hits and so his weapon is going to be a Large Great Scimitar (from Sandstorm). We should be taking one side of his Gestalt to be Fighter the whole way up (maybe a few Prestige levels; think he'll like Hulking Hurler once we make him a Large character). As a Fighter we're looking for critical hits, single massive attacks, and cleaving.
There is question as to what to do with his other side, though. We are definitely making his first level a Barbarian with the Whirlwind variant class feature. This will give him back the movement speed he loses to his adamantine body, as well as a few extra HP and skill points and the ability to throw out an extra attack in a pinch.
From there, I am thinking something unusual for a big hulking metal man - Rogue. The only thing he won't get is Evasion. Uncanny Dodge will help him when he is surrounded by enemies, and he will benefit from the reflex saves and trap-finding. The massive influx of skill points will offset his armor check penalties, which is another bonus, and the special abilities/bonus feats will be useful. The sneak-attack damage gives him what he really wants - damage.
The Sneak Attack is where I am a little stuck, though. It seems unlikely that he will be able to use it for its intended purpose with the full plate and the focus on Strength.
Another character is another in-the-thick fighter that can set him up for Flanking which will net him the extra damage, as well as setting him up for 'Opportunist'. My character is a mega spontaneous spellcaster so I can hit him up Invisibility to get that first strike in, or Silence to help him sneak up, or summon up monsters to flank for him.
Even with all this, I still worry this build is a waste if he can't set up the Sneak Attack damage on his own. Charisma is out the window, so he can't feint. There's no room in his build for Arcane Trickster and Scouts can't Skirmish in heavy armor.
Does anyone know how I can resolve this? I am looking for feats that let you sneak attack someone in the face, or do something to them to deny them their eyesight or dex bonus. I am sure I have seen a Feat somewhere about knocking someone off-balance to flat-footed. I am sure I have also seen feats to make someone treated as flanked when they are not otherwise traditionally flanked.
Please help me out ways a heavily-armored strong guy can, under his own power, line someone up for a sneak attack.
He wanted to be a self-aware self-operating 'stone golem with some metal' and so that is instantly solved by just making him a Warforged (or a unique creature using warforged stats). The concept of the warforged attracted the idea of the adamantine plating feat, so now our boy is welded into a suit of full plate. His alignment will be Chaotic Neutral/
He wants to be a guy who pushes into the thick of battle and destroys enemies one-by-one with devastating blows. He was very excited by the idea of critical hits and so his weapon is going to be a Large Great Scimitar (from Sandstorm). We should be taking one side of his Gestalt to be Fighter the whole way up (maybe a few Prestige levels; think he'll like Hulking Hurler once we make him a Large character). As a Fighter we're looking for critical hits, single massive attacks, and cleaving.
There is question as to what to do with his other side, though. We are definitely making his first level a Barbarian with the Whirlwind variant class feature. This will give him back the movement speed he loses to his adamantine body, as well as a few extra HP and skill points and the ability to throw out an extra attack in a pinch.
From there, I am thinking something unusual for a big hulking metal man - Rogue. The only thing he won't get is Evasion. Uncanny Dodge will help him when he is surrounded by enemies, and he will benefit from the reflex saves and trap-finding. The massive influx of skill points will offset his armor check penalties, which is another bonus, and the special abilities/bonus feats will be useful. The sneak-attack damage gives him what he really wants - damage.
The Sneak Attack is where I am a little stuck, though. It seems unlikely that he will be able to use it for its intended purpose with the full plate and the focus on Strength.
Another character is another in-the-thick fighter that can set him up for Flanking which will net him the extra damage, as well as setting him up for 'Opportunist'. My character is a mega spontaneous spellcaster so I can hit him up Invisibility to get that first strike in, or Silence to help him sneak up, or summon up monsters to flank for him.
Even with all this, I still worry this build is a waste if he can't set up the Sneak Attack damage on his own. Charisma is out the window, so he can't feint. There's no room in his build for Arcane Trickster and Scouts can't Skirmish in heavy armor.
Does anyone know how I can resolve this? I am looking for feats that let you sneak attack someone in the face, or do something to them to deny them their eyesight or dex bonus. I am sure I have seen a Feat somewhere about knocking someone off-balance to flat-footed. I am sure I have also seen feats to make someone treated as flanked when they are not otherwise traditionally flanked.
Please help me out ways a heavily-armored strong guy can, under his own power, line someone up for a sneak attack.