Highlander Challenge: There can be only one... level per class!

[Endril]

Hello Giants!

The title pretty much says it all. I'd like to know what kind of character(s) you would make if you could only put 1 level into each class. What race/classes/feats/etc. would you take? For rules, just don't go too crazy; 3.5 published books only.

[GrayDeath]

Hmmm, I`d probably take all the classes that grant multiple high saves and SLA`s or similar, as this concept pretty much excludes useful caster progresasion. Things like Monk, Paladin, Favoured Soul and such spring to mind, as well as of course all 3 ToB CLasses (late for maximum maneuver Level).
Also one of the ideas where a Race with some LA is a good Idea, as you cant "progress" well any way.

Detailed Build might be coming if I find more time.

[DeTess]

Is this base class only? Because I think it might be possible through bootstrap a caster progression by stacking lots of different PRC's and early-entry tricks.

[MisterKaws]

I tried to get this going over here a few years ago. This stub here was my best shot at it:

Silverbrow Human

1 - Monk(Decisive Strike, Cobra Strike Dodge) - Unorthodox Flurry, Imp. Initiative
2 - Human Paragon(Concentration)
3 - Rogue(Poison Use) - Craven
4 - Swashbuckler
5 - Incarnate
6 - Binder - Praticed Binder
7 - Totemist
8 - Cloistered Cleric(Travel Devotion, Time)
9 - Swordsage - Adaptive Style
10- Wizard(Abrupt Jaunt)
11- Barbarian(CC Lion Totem, Favored Enemy)
12- Hit-and-Run Fighter - Superior Unarmed Strike, Shadow Blade
13- Crusader
14- Warblade
15- Master of Nine - Extra Granted Maneuver
16- Scout
17- Exemplar
18- Factotum - Bonus Essentia
19- Incandescent Blade
20- Spellthief

didn't bother with choosing maneuvers, spells, binds, or melds, but you can get a ton of stuff with this. It's actually pretty viable from 1-20 as a jack-of-all, kinda roguish character.

[Biggus]

Is this base class only? Because I think it might be possible through bootstrap a caster progression by stacking lots of different PRC's and early-entry tricks.

Yeah, I was thinking similar. Even without early-entry tricks it should be possible to get 9th-level spells using something like Ur-priest as the base, if you can find enough caster prestige classes with similar entry requirements that you can meet them all.

On another tack, you could just look for classes with front- loaded features: a level each of Fighter, Barbarian, Ranger and Paladin of Freedom gives you a perfectly respectable 4th-level warrior to start from, especially given the existence of feats like extra rage.

[Dimers]

Psion, psychic warrior, wilder and ardent, because power points accumulate. Two of them even get bonus feats which you could use to take Practiced Manifester if you want higher-potency effects, ardent could conceivably learn stronger powers outright, ardent gets two "domain" kinda effects, and wilder can pump ML for one power.

Druid can get a decent animal companion with Natural Bond. -- EDIT: AFB, but I think 1st-level OA shaman can add to that? And if you add fey variant bard, it bumps up the companion by another tier.

Warlock can get a decent always-on benefit with one level.

A level of bloodline can get you higher caps on all your other levels. For example, druid + fey bard + OA shaman + Natural Bond = level 9 equivalent animal companion.

For race, I'd probably take dragonborn. Its benefits get stronger with character level.

[Endril_69]

I didn't specify prestige or not, I'm curious to see both. I was also thinking psionics and/or maneuvers, but manifester level will be limited. I was thinking about doing this with a level 12 character with no prestige classes and limited supplements (warrior, arcane, divine, adventurer, miniatures, stone, destiny, drow, sand, frost, city, dungeon), but I thought it would be fun to see what we come up with for an all books, 20 level character. I plan to post my own idea later.

My level 12 character is currently a goliath mountain rager that trips people. I'm noticing the classes I choose don't matter much aside from barbarian, but he can kinda double as a rogue.

[Particle_Man]

Are monsters allowed or would two or more monster hit dice break the rules?

[MisterKaws]

Are monsters allowed or would two or more monster hit dice break the rules?

Guess it should be 1HD and 1LA.

Though I guess you could get lower HD by Resurrection abuse. The parenting implications of this being a thing are also very disturbing. Imagine a world where a coming of age ceremony involves killing your son five times over. Fun as hell, ain't it?

[Endril_69]

I don't think you can take just 1HD, so that would be out. Maybe just +1 level adj max?

On a side note, skillful weapons come in handy if you're doing this more than a few levels, as you'll run out of BAB.

[MisterKaws]

I don't think you can take just 1HD, so that would be out. Maybe just +1 level adj max?

On a side note, skillful weapons come in handy if you're doing this more than a few levels, as you'll run out of BAB.

Oh yeah forgot about the 1HD rule...

[KillianHawkeye]

This idea worked better in 3.0 where a lot more classes were front-loaded with class features at level 1. The 3.5 transition changed some things to require second level or higher in various classes.

For example, you got Ranger's fighting style at 1st level in 3e, but it's at 2nd in 3.5 edition. Similar with Paladin, I think.

[magic9mushroom]

For rules, just don't go too crazy; 3.5 published books only.

Is Dragon permitted? Officially licenced, but they're not books.

[Endril_69]

Is Dragon permitted? Officially licenced, but they're not books.
I doubt I'd ever get to use dragon mag in a game I play or run, but if you have something in mind I'd like to hear it.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

I did this with a gestalt level 21 build, except I did allow for 3 levels in illithid savant. Everything else had 1 level each. If I could get those 3 levels, this is fantastic. Otherwise...

[Vulsutyr]

Imagine a world where a coming of age ceremony involves killing your son five times over. Fun as hell, ain't it?

Can I sig this?

[magic9mushroom]

I doubt I'd ever get to use dragon mag in a game I play or run, but if you have something in mind I'd like to hear it.

I do indeed, and it's double 9s.

Bard/Survivalist Fighter (Dragon #310)/Crusader (Tome of Battle)/Druid/Wildrunner (Races of the Wild)/Ur-Priest (Complete Divine)/Divine Oracle (CDiv)/Seeker of the Misty Isle (CDiv)/Geomancer (CDiv)/Fatespinner (Complete Arcane)/Sublime Chord (CArc)/Mystic Theurge/Unseen Seer (CMage)/Paragnostic Apostle (Complete Champion)/Wayfarer Guide (CArc)/Fochlucan Lyrist (Complete Adventurer)/Arcane Hierophant (Races of the Wild)/Spellsword (Complete Warrior)/Contemplative (CDiv)/Tainted Scholar (Heroes of Horror).

You need Primary Contact (Cityscape) and its prereq Favored (same book) to early-entry Wildrunner, in order to have Trackless Step for Arcane Hierophant. You need Ordered Chaos (Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss) to keep your alignment simultaneously legal for Wildrunner, Ur-Priest and Druid/Fochlucan Lyrist (you want to be Neutral Evil, and then additionally count as Chaotic thanks to Ordered Chaos). You need Alternative Source Spell (Dragon #325) to be a cheating cheater on "Xth-level arcane spell" prereqs (Sublime Chord, Mystic Theurge, Fochlucan Lyrist, Arcane Hierophant and possibly a couple more). You need Shape Soulmeld (Magic of Incarnum) and Open Least Chakra (same book) to get Impulse Boots and bind them to your feet to cheat your way into Fochlucan Lyrist.

The feats are tight, but doable with taint + magic locations (Iron Will and Skill Focus(Know(religion)) can be gotten from an Otyugh Hole and Frog God's Fane respectively); you don't need flaws. The skill points are extremely tight for Wildrunner + Ur-Priest, and you'll need a +3 Int modifier to get enough (you have to be an elf or half-elf, so I recommend a +Int elf), though they ease off somewhat after that.

The build requires Bard 1 (bardic music for Sublime Chord, bardic knowledge for Fochlucan Lyrist), Druid 1 (Speak Language (Druidic) for Fochlucan Lyrist, plus Survival as a class skill), Wildrunner 1 early-entried, Ur-Priest at 6, +1 to Ur-Priest every level from 7-10, Sublime Chord at 11, and +4 to Ur-Priest/+8 to Sublime Chord from 12-20 (which means taking all three of Mystic Theurge, Fochlucan Lyrist and Arcane Hierophant plus advancing one or the other every other level). Arcane Hierophant's +4 BAB requirement is tricky to meet given the absurd amount of multiclassing going on, particularly since almost every +1 BAB/+1 casting PrC requires +4 BAB or better itself - that's why I went with Fighter (variant for free Endurance) and Crusader (the other +1s are provided by Wildrunner and Fochlucan Lyrist). Most of the rest of the classes are replaceable, though the first couple of PrCs advancing Ur-Priest have to be chosen carefully since you don't have 3rd-level spells yet.

[MisterKaws]

Can I sig this?

Sure, go ahead.