wrestling elf

[SirNMN]

so the party is at an elven festival and the party has to compete in some the the events when I mention wrestling they said that would be an easy win for the so I want to pit them against someone who can is an good challenge for them, the whole party is fighters how with a 28 point buy all maxed Strength. level 2 or 3 depending on the member one missed the last session so hasn't leveled up

[Hugh Mann]

Well there is the improved grapple feat. It would make narrative sense as the better wrestlers have technical skill not just brute strength.

[SirNMN]

Well there is the improved grapple feat. It would make narrative sense as the better wrestlers have technical skill not just brute strength.

That one is a given. I plan on having them be a bear totem barbarian.

[atemu1234]

so the party is at an elven festival and the party has to compete in some the the events when I mention wrestling they said that would be an easy win for the so I want to pit them against someone who can is an good challenge for them, the whole party is fighters how with a 28 point buy all maxed Strength. level 2 or 3 depending on the member one missed the last session so hasn't leveled up

I suggest making them incredibly uncomfortable. Like make the opponent a scantily clad very oiled bishonen. With long hair. And glitter. And, of course, don't forget suggestive sound effects that occur EACH ROUND.

[paddyfool]

Have a look at this guide: http://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=585.0 . Many of the tricks there aren't appropriate for level 2 or 3, but there are still some to mine.

Fighters don't make the best grapplers, even without wildshape or spellcasting or animal companions being allowed in the contest (and who's to say they wouldn't be?); that honour goes to barbarians and totemists. Both of which are appropriate for wood elves, who get +2 Str. If buffs are allowed, other elves might stay competitive with spells like Enlarge Person and Bull's Strength (both open to, say, a level 3 cleric with the strength domain) or with use of the Expansion psionic power etc.

Meanwhile, the high level grappling should be between the likes of: Brother Oak the treent; a tashalatora fond of the expansion power; assorted spellcasters summoning gribbly creatures; druids with pet bears, pythons or octopi et cetera.

EDIT: Apologies, high level discussion is a bit irrelevant. Maybe have them face off against some level 1 elf warriors without Improved Grapple to get in, then have a knock out tournament with some level 2 characters who are better built for it. Winner of the tournament gets a small prize and the chance to face the reigning champion (a bearbarian).

[SirNMN]

I suggest making them incredibly uncomfortable. Like make the opponent a scantily clad very oiled bishonen. With long hair. And glitter. And, of course, don't forget suggestive sound effects that occur EACH ROUND.

The group is playing a displaced unit of Spartans. They are are only wearing loin cloths, capes, shields, and helmets(purely roleplay no ac benefit), and oil they each carry multiple flasks for when ever it starts to dry. Feat wise it is just they all have taken shield wall, and phalanx fighting otherwise they have difference. so I am not sure how well that will work if they were playing a more typical game I think that would work great. might make them female offend there ancient Greek sensibilities since women couldn't attend the Olympics.


Have a look at this guide: http://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=585.0 . Many of the tricks there aren't appropriate for level 2 or 3, but there are still some to mine.

Fighters don't make the best grapplers, even without wildshape or spellcasting or animal companions being allowed in the contest (and who's to say they wouldn't be?); that honour goes to barbarians and totemists. Both of which are appropriate for wood elves, who get +2 Str. If buffs are allowed, other elves might stay competitive with spells like Enlarge Person and Bull's Strength (both open to, say, a level 3 cleric with the strength domain) or with use of the Expansion psionic power etc.

EDIT: Apologies, high level discussion is a bit irrelevant. Maybe have them face off against some level 1 elf warriors without Improved Grapple to get in, then have a knock out tournament with some level 2 characters who are better built for it. Winner of the tournament gets a small prize and the chance to face the reigning champion (a bearbarian).

thank for the link that will let me grab a feat or two. I hadn't considered that some one could enter the ring pre-buffed as if they try and buff in the ring if they lose the initiative there out of the fight.

So I should have said this sooner they have already cleared the preliminary round, I hit them with just what you are suggesting switching to wood elves should help. I wanted to have at least two notables NPCs for the competition. I have already established one, last years returning champion a half elf half troll barbarian who has already beaten them at a drinking contest.

[paddyfool]

Sounds like you're on track.

[2gig]

If weapons are not allowed, a Wood-Elf Monk with Improved Grapple as his/her bonus feat and a decent investment in Strength should provide sufficient challenge to make the match around 50/50. I'm assuming the goal is to knock the opponent unconscious, since pushing them out of a ring would actually be a lot easier for a bull-rusher and have nothing to do with grappling. The Monk may actually have a slightly lower Grapple check than the party members, depending on their builds, but the monk will hit much harder with the bigger unarmed-strike die. Another possible win-condition could be pinning the opponent, which depends almost purely on grapple checks.

[Eldariel]

One of the best low level grapplers is, oddly enough, Wizard. Which also just so happens to be the Elven favoured class. Here's an outline (http://tgdmb.com/viewtopic.php?t=13119) but basically you just use a few spells and get an Octopus Familiar [Stormwrack]. Go Martial Wizard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wizard) to pick up Improved Grapple and Improved Unarmed Strike on level 1, use the level 3 Elven Wizard Substitution level [Races of the Wild] to double the familiar bonus for a total of +6 to Grapple, cast Enlarge Person, Fist of Stone [Spell Compendium], Fearsome Grapple [Spell Compendium] & Bladeweave [Spell Compendium]. If damage dealing is allowed and it's just not a fight to the pin, Babau Slime [Spell Compendium] also works. Add Aberration Blood for good measure, though specialising in Conjuration and taking Abrupt Jaunt as a form of defense could also be cool. This would mean you'd take familiar with Obtain Familiar on level 3.

Rundown of the L1 stats:
14 Str = +2 > Fist of Stone: +6 Str for 20 Str = +5 total
0 BAB = +0
Octopus Familiar = +3
Enlarge Person = +5
Improved Grapple = +4

Total: +17 - if you jack the Strength up higher, you can of course add a couple of points. Buffs last 1 minute.

L2: +1 BAB for +18.

L3: Familiar bonus enhancement for +21.
Fearsome Grapple for +25.
(Aberration Blood for +27)


Defensively of course, False Life, Alter Self, (Mage Armor) [if unarmed attacks are allowed], etc. are good and Abrupt Jaunt [Player's Handbook II] would be godlike but way cheesy (seriously, who allows teleportation in a grappling match?). You could always Grease yourself to give yourself +10 on defensive Grapple checks, and Corrosive Grasp [Spell Compendium] can also be channeled through grapple in lieu of everything else (if damage is allowed). Bladeweave [Spell Compendium] means enemy has to save or be dazed while you grapple them.

[paddyfool]

If psionic are in, then Psychic Warrior also wins points for Grip of Iron +/- Expansion, for a very limited number of bouts a day.