Help me build a Master Poisoner

[Brutilious]

Hello All,

Was wondering if I could beg your assistance with a bit of optimization.

I just recently found a game of 3.5 to play in, so in that case, I'll need myself a character. I was hoping the community could share some insight on making a PC that uses poisons. As this will add flavor in and out of combat. I want to use a small sized race if possible even though they are somewhat lacking in melee combat, I know this may go against the term optimization, but I'm sure we can make something work.

My thoughts so far:

Race: Halfling or the like
Class: Ranger, Rogue, Bard? Duskblade?
Prestige: No idea
Weapon: Daggers? Throwing Knives? (applying poison to a throwing knife seems risky) Bow?

[Darrin]

My thoughts so far:

Race: Halfling or the like
Class: Ranger, Rogue, Bard? Duskblade?
Prestige: No idea
Weapon: Daggers? Throwing Knives? (applying poison to a throwing knife seems risky) Bow?

Race: Strongheart Halfling gets the bonus feat, but may be considered too setting-specific (Forgotten Realms). There is a subrace variant, Jungle Halfling (Unearthed Arcana) that gets poison use, but it still requires a standard action to use. The Master Poisoner feat in Drow of the Underdark is probably the most effective way to apply poison: no risk of self-poisoning, and you can coat a weapon as a swift action.

Class: Hmmm. I'm thinking Ranger 2/Fighter 2/Whirling Frenzy Barbarian 1 to start off with.

Prestige: I think Master Thrower is the best PrC for this, unless you want to chuck poisoned katanas, in which case Bloodstorm Blade is best.

Weapons: I think darts work best with Master Thrower, unless you can get your DM to agree that javelins work with "palm throw" (and then get Gloves of Endless Javelins as soon as halflingly possible). I looked at Talenta Boomerang for Boomerang Daze, which I think works by RAW, but I have some concern over whether a bludgeoning weapon should be delivering injury poisons. If you want to add some spellcasting in there somewhere, maybe some Assassin levels... fire shuriken is a lovely little spell.

If ToB is on the table, Warblade 1 + Bloodclaw Master 2 + Bloodstorm Blade 4 could be interesting... maybe throw a pair of greataxes with only a -2 TWF penalty.

[Twurps]

You're going to want 'safe poison use'. Ways to get this include (in no way exhaustive):
-Deepwood sniper (MotW): it's 3.0, but that shouldn't be a problem.It's ranged oriented, so bow's or throwing weapons
-Assassin: I like the class, but it's death attack is frowned upon on this forum for being to weak... I quess I play at a lower power level.

As a base class I suggest something with an animal companion. A snake can be a good source of poison.

[Venger]

as ever, the handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=4854.0) is a helpful place to learn the basics and see what appeals to you.

[mabriss lethe]

-You could also get more bang for your buck by using a sandblaster (MM3, sand giant entry, I think) One dose of poison can be used to nail several opponents in an AoE and it has a debuff rider effect of its own.

[Venger]

-You could also get more bang for your buck by using a sandblaster (MM3, sand giant entry, I think) One dose of poison can be used to nail several opponents in an AoE and it has a debuff rider effect of its own.

That is correct. It is nominally an exotic weapon, but since it doesn't require an attack roll, no one actually cares. make sure you've got a lot of sand in your extradimensional storage space of choice, each shot for this darn thing weighs 5 pounds.

[Brutilious]

Starting PC lvl is 3. So here's what I'm looking at so far.

Race: Jungle Halfling
Feats: Poison Expert (Contact)
Poison Master (Contact)
Weapons: Throwing Axe, Handaxe, Composite Shortbow.

Also playing out a medium sized character as they just seem inherently better in combat.

Thanks for the suggestions, and keep them coming!

[ShurikVch]

There are some stuff from Dragon magazines:

#349 have "Poisonmaking Guide" article - with prices to purchase, DCs to craft, and Poisoner's Kit (+2 on Craft (poisonmaking), Craft (alchemy) for antivenoms, and Heal vs. poisons; 100 gp)

PrC:
Poison Fist (#289)
Poisoner (#312)

Feats:
Deep Poisoning (#322)

Poisons:
#298
Ebon Fungus - Inhaled DC 15, 1 Cha/2d6 Cha; 500gp
#301
Night Venom - addition to other poisons: if victim fail initial save, then immediately fall asleep; 500 gp
Oakdeath - +2 DC to any other poison; 100 gp
#322
Magical properties which may be added to mundane poisons:
Concentrated - maximized damage
Gripping - may require more than 1 Fort save to shrug off and resist Neutralize Poison
Mounting - every new save is +2 DC (required Gripping)
Potent - +50% damage (required Gripping)
#355
Skinshedder - Injury DC 16, 1d6 Con/2d6 Con; 2000 gp
Skinvice - Injury DC 18, Paralysis; 700 gp
#358
Green Rapture - Ingested or Injected DC 14, 1d2 Con/Paralysis, 2d6 turns later turn into Kaorti or Pseudonatural Creature; 300 gp