Maximize intelligence

[Dezeerer]

Hello :)

I'm afraid that there was probably some kind of similar topic but I really couldn't find it. If I am blind I would grateful for link.

So the business is to maximize the intelligence attribute under following conditions: we have and 25 levels to allocate. We are starting with int at 20. Level adjustment can be quite high but I would rather avoid paragon creature. Neutral good aligment or lawful good. As for the sources: anything published for d&d 3.5 and it's settings, except for magazines. Munchkin mode allowed but without some ridiculous exploits. Growing tentacles rather unwanted :smallbiggrin: I would be walking on air if someone would also suggest build for character not allowed to use magic items, or at least use lots of them.

[InvisibleBison]

Well, I wouldn't call myself an optimization expert, but here's what I can think of

- 6 level boosts: +6
- Age to venerable: +3
- Tome of Clear Thought or 5 wishes: +5
- Headband of Intellect: +6

Total: +20, for an Int of 40, or 34 if something happens to your headband.

[ExLibrisMortis]

Greater visage of the deity will add some intelligence, too. Then there's fox' cunning, if you don't want to use a magic item. With that, try playing a primordial half-giant (+4 int, LA +1). Intelligence buffs are otherwise pretty rare. If you are an artificer, you can stack a bunch of (temporary) magic items, but that can get expensive.

Some classes provide intelligence buffs, most notably Meditant and Crystal Master for a psionic character.

[Gildedragon]

Venerable Deep Athasian Human Necropolitan
+7 int there with 2 LA which has been bought off

[Dezeerer]

Thanks for the answer :) I think that more can be obtained, especially considering fact that one npc (not a demilich or paragon creature) has intelligence of 60 and is a grey elf lich. That fact gives her +2 int from race and +2 from three levels in paragon, but still we have 56 int to beat :P I personally can think of +2 from alchemy and +8 instead of +6 if we take vow of poverty. So there is 44. There are also templates, the inherited are allowed.

EDIT:
Ok, classes with bonuses to int seems nice. Venerable Deep Athasian Human Necropolitan with 2 LA is also a good one :)

[Gildedragon]

Venerable Deep Primordial Half Giant Necropolitan for +9 at +2 LA

[Inevitability]

Half-illithid and half-fiend both grant +4 intelligence. They can even stack if you acquire half-fiend through magic rather than ancestry.

[Shalist]

I would be walking on air if someone would also suggest build for character not allowed to use magic items, or at least use lots of them.

The feat 'chaste life' (BoEF 51) grants you a +2 (unnamed) to an ability score of your choice (max of once per ability), though you temporarily lose the benefits of the feat (pending atonement) if you ever willingly commit a carnal act.

While obviously not applicable to an item-free build, the Horseshoes of Flame (SS pg 57; 30240g) are otherwise worth a mention.

They grant a +10 (!! unnamed !!) bonus to intelligence for 21 hours per day (7 hours, 3x / day). Presumably you could use the "add another property" rules to include them with your your boots, and UMD to emulate being Race: ordinary horse. They do transform you into a 'creature resembling a nightmare' though, so bonus points if you can shapeshift into something else after using them.

[daremetoidareyo]

Half elf paragon 3 / human paragon 3 nets you a +4

[ExLibrisMortis]

Thanks for the answer :) I think that more can be obtained, especially considering fact that one npc (not a demilich or paragon creature) has intelligence of 60 and is a grey elf lich. That fact gives her +2 int from race and +2 from three levels in paragon, but still we have 56 int to beat :P I personally can think of +2 from alchemy and +8 instead of +6 if we take vow of poverty. So there is 44. There are also templates, the inherited are allowed.
NPCs can get all sorts of stuff through DM fiat, it's not easy to tell what their actual abilities are.

A venerable grey elf lich psion 5/crystal master 10/meditant 10 gets +2 racial increase, +2 template, +3 age, +6 level, +6 enhancement (item), +5 inherent, +3 insight (crystal master), +4 untyped (evil greater visage of the deity), and +6 untyped (meditant), for a total of 37, resulting in 55 if you start with 18 int. You can add an alchemical bonus to that (if undead can use drugs), and an item/ability that provides a sacred, luck, competence, profane or perfection bonus to intelligence.

You can also play a black ethergaunt, and leverage the +20 racial bonus to intelligence. Black ethergaunts have only +4 LA, and cast as 17th-level wizards, with only 16 hit dice. You can go black ethergaunt 16/wizard 1/swiftblade 8 (or ethergaunt 16/swiftblade 9, if your DM allows swiftblade to advance racial casting directly). That'd get you a starting intelligence of 38, with +3 age, +2 level, +6 enhancement, +5 inherent, and +4 untyped (evil greater visage of the deity), for a total of 58. If RHD also provide ability increases, add another +4.