Class/Race for a bodybuilding hippy

[Meanlucario]

What's the best race and class for a bodybuilder hippy? I'll figure out how to roleplay it later.

[Vizzerdrix]

Orc druid. Just, like, think green man.

[AtlasSniperman]

What edition?(For race)
I'd assume for "Bodybuilding hippy" the best class choice thematically would be Monk.

[Meanlucario]

Orc druid. Just, like, think green man.

"Learn to love others or I'll beat 'the good' times into you!"

[Meanlucario]

What edition?(For race)
I'd assume for "Bodybuilding hippy" the best class choice thematically would be Monk.

3.5. Forgot that part.

[AtlasSniperman]

3.5. Forgot that part.

In that case; Elf, Killoren, or Orc.

I agree with above that Druid would work, but I see them more hippy than bodybuilder XD

[Vizzerdrix]

Maybe a gnome?

[Long_shanks]

My DM fluffed his Clerics of Kord as bodybuilders that trained and wrestled to pay their respect to their god.

[Vizzerdrix]

My DM fluffed his Clerics of Kord as bodybuilders that trained and wrestled to pay their respect to their god.
Every flex a prayer! Every squat a psalm!

[Thurbane]

Wood Elf Barbarian?

http://img14.deviantart.net/8c56/i/2006/160/2/d/warrior_and_elf_by_hermes52.jpg

[thoroughlyS]

I'd assume for "Bodybuilding hippy" the best class choice thematically would be Monk.
Even better would be the Wild Monk (http://alcyius.com/USRD/srd/classes/baseCore/monk.html#wild-monk) (Dragon 324). It trades away some of the normal Monk abilities for WILD SHAPE. To elaborate, the Wildshape Ranger gets bumped up an entire tier for just Small and Medium forms, and this guy gets everything except Plants. If shapeshifting isn't your cup of tea, you could try to trade it away for this ACF (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druid) from Unearthed Arcana. Technically, you don't have the armor and shield proficiency to trade away, but perhaps you can convince your DM to let you have it without gaining the bonus to AC (which you already have).

[eggynack]

Orc druid. Just, like, think green man.
Half-orc opens up substitution levels. Pretty burliness based ones. You get to bully animals into submission and junk.

[Telonius]

Goliath Incarnate. Crazy hippy dude who lives on a mountain and tries to keep his chakras mellow. He's, like, a guru, man. Lives in a yurt and everything. Goliath, so he's still athletic.

[Vizzerdrix]

Half-orc opens up substitution levels. Pretty burliness based ones. You get to bully animals into submission and junk.

But thats not the hippy way, man. We gotta practise love and tollerance. We have to walk arm in slimy arm with our enemies or we will never become friends dude.

[eggynack]

But thats not the hippy way, man. We gotta practise love and tollerance. We have to walk arm in slimy arm with our enemies or we will never become friends dude.
Fair, though you can always read it as bringing animals to your side by showing off your awesome muscles. After all, you're using animal empathy, which is diplomacy rather than intimidate rooted, by way of strength. And you also make your animal companion and summons burlier, showing a general affinity for the body builder oriented side of nature. It helps that my preferred half-orc druid build is weirdly exalted themed, because the animal companion thing lines up thematically with exalted companion, and the face abilities work with the extra-good thing.

[Dagroth]

Half-Ogre War Hulk.

Nothing says "bodybuilder" like +2 Str every level.

[Metahuman1]

Goliath Incarnate. Crazy hippy dude who lives on a mountain and tries to keep his chakras mellow. He's, like, a guru, man. Lives in a yurt and everything. Goliath, so he's still athletic.

This could work.


Goliath Druid would be another way to go if you wanted them to be all in tune with nature man. They love nature man, and you can't stop the power of that kind of love man!




Or go with the biggest strongest creature you can find. Max strength. And give it levels in Bard. It's out there rocking on at Woodstock or singing protest songs!

[Meanlucario]

Goliath Incarnate. Crazy hippy dude who lives on a mountain and tries to keep his chakras mellow. He's, like, a guru, man. Lives in a yurt and everything. Goliath, so he's still athletic.


This could work.


Goliath Druid would be another way to go if you wanted them to be all in tune with nature man. They love nature man, and you can't stop the power of that kind of love man!




Or go with the biggest strongest creature you can find. Max strength. And give it levels in Bard. It's out there rocking on at Woodstock or singing protest songs!

I like these ideas. I'll look into them, thanks.

[eggynack]

Goliath Druid would be another way to go if you wanted them to be all in tune with nature man. They love nature man, and you can't stop the power of that kind of love man!
Goliath druid is more of an earth elemental thing than a bodybuilding thing, thematically. Least in terms of the additional options associated with it.

[Meanlucario]

OK, so I'm going with a Goliath. I still need to figure out a class.

[Thurbane]

Spirit Shaman, Druid, Barbarian, Ranger all seem like decent options.

[eggynack]

Spirit Shaman, Druid, Barbarian, Ranger all seem like decent options.
Notably, barbarians, druids, and rogues get goliath substitution levels. I kinda hate the druid ones, but they're there, and the barbarian ones, mountain rage especially, are pretty nice.

[daremetoidareyo]

Acolyte of peace bro

[Metahuman1]

Might not be optimal, but,

Bard/Unarmed Swordsage/Fist of the Forest.

You rock out/sing protest songs, and your all in tune with the power of music and rallying people man. You, like, are all into learning like, wisdom from around the world and from nature man! They even got these like deeply spiritual things like akido and tai chi and there outta sight man!


Spend feats to pick up learn martial maneuver and learn martial stance to get a white raven stance, and get song of the white raven. Ask the DM if he'll throw you a bone and let you use unarmed swordsage instead of Warblade or Crusader for that feat's benefits.

Fist of the Forest gives you some nature angle, a slam attack, and Con mod to AC, which means you don't need as much stat focus on Wis or Cha. More so if you can squeeze in Steadfast Determination to cover your Will Saves.

Stance aside, for manuvers, focus on Setting Sun and Diamond Mind.

[Meanlucario]

What book is the Pugilist from? I'm thinking of going Goliath Pugilist/Fist of the Forest.

[Meanlucario]

Found out that the class was homebrew. Any good unarmed classes I can look into instead?

[Thurbane]

Battle Dancer from Dragon Compendium isn't great, but might be a good fit for an unarmed hippy.

[Dagroth]

I still say you're not a bodybuilder if you're not gaining +2 Str every level.

[Meanlucario]

Battle Dancer from Dragon Compendium isn't great, but might be a good fit for an unarmed hippy.

It might work anyway. Now, is there a book that talks about the types of drugs (or at least weed) that hippies use?

[etrpgb]

What book is the Pugilist from? I'm thinking of going Goliath Pugilist/Fist of the Forest.

Dragon Magazine 310 page 37

But I join the others! Human/Half-ogre/Half-minotaur War Hulk (it costs you a LA+1, but it's worth)

Edit: why not join the ideas? Pugilist 3/Fist Forest 3/War Hulk 10/??? (you'll think about it)

[Meanlucario]

Dragon Magazine 310 page 37

But I join the others! Human/Half-ogre/Half-minotaur War Hulk (it costs you a LA+1, but it's worth)

Edit: why not join the ideas? Pugilist 3/Fist Forest 3/War Hulk 10/??? (you'll think about it)

Think you can link me to the data about the Pugilist?

[etrpgb]

Send a PM! Enjoy! I do not know your starting level, but adding few levels of Warblade/Swordsage there and there can also increase your versatility and power.

[Meanlucario]

Send a PM! Enjoy! I do not know your starting level, but adding few levels of Warblade/Swordsage there and there can also increase your versatility and power.

Got it, thanks.

[Metahuman1]

Unarmed Swordsage is generally the go too for a good Unarmed combat class. The other option is to go Monk/Psionic Class with the Monistic Training and Tashlorana feats.

[etrpgb]

About drugs the official rules are from the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/sanity.htm#drugsandSanity) itself or from Book of Vile Darkness. The SRD (I do not have the other book now) strongly suggest to homebrew (ehehe) new ones, the basic idea is a negative Initial Effect and a beneficial Secondary Effect.

It depends on the setting you will play, but I think you can suggest your master a set of drugs that gives a point of INT/WIS/CHA damage and +2 alchemical bonus to STR/DEX/COS plus some extra effects for fluff and fun.

[Meanlucario]

Unarmed Swordsage is generally the go too for a good Unarmed combat class. The other option is to go Monk/Psionic Class with the Monistic Training and Tashlorana feats.

How would one make a Swordsage a master of unarmed combat?

[etrpgb]

In the Tome of Battle description of the Swordsage is a suggested variant. But it is not formalized though, in my games we use this rule:

Unarmed swordsage:
Armor Proficiency: Light Armor (no shields)
Weapon Proficiency: Depends on the school. Just like SRD monk, or another school from the Dragon Magazine 330 (page 90).
The Unarmed Swordsage has Unarmed Strike ability as SRD monk.
Add Iaijutsu Focus and Autohypnosis as Skill
An Unarmed Swordsage can use Iaijutsu Focus with its weapons (or even bare hands) in all cases where a Rogue would be allowed to do a Sneak Attack.
The rest as the ToB Swordsage.

SRD Monk http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/monk.htm
SRD Unarmed Strike http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/monk.htm#unarmedStrike

[Meanlucario]

In the Tome of Battle description of the Swordsage is a suggested variant. But it is not formalized though, in my games we use this rule:

Unarmed swordsage:
Armor Proficiency: Light Armor (no shields)
Weapon Proficiency: Depends on the school. Just like SRD monk, or another school from the Dragon Magazine 330 (page 90).
The Unarmed Swordsage has Unarmed Strike ability as SRD monk.
Add Iaijutsu Focus and Autohypnosis as Skill
An Unarmed Swordsage can use Iaijutsu Focus with its weapons (or even bare hands) in all cases where a Rogue would be allowed to do a Sneak Attack.
The rest as the ToB Swordsage.

SRD Monk http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/monk.htm
SRD Unarmed Strike http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/monk.htm#unarmedStrike

Thanks, I think I'll go with this.

[Thurbane]

Life's short and hard like a body-building elf

Wood Elf battle Dancer 1/Spirit Shaman X/Fist of the Forest X/Knight of the Raven 10.

...but it looks like you're set on Goliath, so maybe above build using Goliath?

Unarmed Swordsage is definitely better than Battle Dancer, but if you're dipping, someone who dances might be a better fit thematically.

*note: above build is for thematics only, and is far from optimized.

[Meanlucario]

Wood Elf battle Dancer 1/Spirit Shaman X/Fist of the Forest X/Knight of the Raven 10.

...but it looks like you're set on Goliath, so maybe above build using Goliath?

Unarmed Swordsage is definitely better than Battle Dancer, but if you're dipping, someone who dances might be a better fit thematically.

*note: above build is for thematics only, and is far from optimized.

True. This is going to be harder than I thought.

[etrpgb]

What's the problem?

[Meanlucario]

What's the problem?

Swordsage or Battle Dancer.

[Dagroth]

Swordsage or Battle Dancer.

Battle Dancer is a terrible class... even worse than Monk. Arguably on par with the NPC Warrior class.

[Thurbane]

Battle Dancer is a terrible class... even worse than Monk. Arguably on par with the NPC Warrior class.

It's not horrible for a 1 level dip; Cha to AC, decent skill list, Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat...

[In my game, I'm giving the class the maneuvers and stances of a Swordsage.]

[Metahuman1]

As a dip Battle Dancer is pretty ok, but only if your gonna be Cha heavy. Very, very, cha heavy.

[Thurbane]

If you go Goliath, here's a character portait for you! :smalltongue:

http://68.media.tumblr.com/946ebdddae6abc3f30b30f630dac4526/tumblr_inline_nte59ytRge1r52oys_1280.jpg

[etrpgb]

Simple no-nonsense choice is really the Unarmed Swordsage/20.

A more complex Tome of Battle based can be something like: Cleric [Darkness, Time] 1, Monk (Cobra Strike) 2, Unarmed Swordsage 4/Master of Nine 5/Unarmed Swordsage 8.

Something more down to earth, probably weaker, but still fun if your party has a lower power level* id Pugilist** 3/Fist of Forest 3/Monk 2/War Hulk 10/Monk(?)

About the race, the Half-Minotaur can hardly be beaten for a LA+1 with its +12STR, -2DEX, +6COS, INT-2 and many smaller useful stuff. If you can convince your master to take both Half-Minotaur and Half-Ogre, even better. If I were the master I'd probably allow only the Half-Ogre.

If you do not mind being a full freak, consider Aberration Blood(Flexible limbs)/Inhuman Reach(Slimy-like tentacles)/Extended Reach. You got a fairly long reach, 10 for being large, 10 for the two feats = 20 feet! Keep handy a Spinning Sword (or a Spiked Chain or a Kusari-Gama or anything with reach) in the case you cannot punch and go adventuring.


* Remember the only power disparity that is a problem is between you and the rest of the party.
** The pugilist description has an infamous power that reads "the pugilist develops non-lethal damage only."
Apparently the author wanted to say something more, probably between "develops" and "non-lethal" that went lost.
Maybe immunity to some points of non-lethal damage? A part of normal damage ends to be only non-lethal? Hard to say.