What would look like a character with every ability at 3?

[Conradine]

I think everyone tried to play - or at least write down - a character with super attributes ( 18 or more in every score ).

But, at the extreme opposite, what could be a character with 3 in every score? How could be roleplayed and what class or classes could suit him/her?

[JNAProductions]

I think everyone tried to play - or at least write down - a character with super attributes ( 18 or more in every score ).

But, at the extreme opposite, what could be a character with 3 in every score? How could be roleplayed and what class or classes could suit him/her?

Warlock or DFA could work.

Druid could too.

But overall? You're gonna suck. Especially given you're rocking 1dX-4 HP per level.

[ExLibrisMortis]

It's not so much "what class suits you?", but "when can the party necromancer kill me, animate me, and awaken me, because this sucks?". I mean, when I hear the phrase "all abilities at three", I start thinking of ways to get out of those stats, not about actually playing the character, because that sounds like torture.

If you really had to play such a character, play a totem druid, age to middle-aged, then become necropolitan. Totem druid lets you Wild Shape at level 1 (into your totem animal only), and your animal companion is that of a druid two levels higher (but again, it's your totem animal). Necropolitan gets rid of that crippling Constitution score and low hit point total. Together, you should be capable enough in melee by the time the party is level 4 or so, though you're still dumb as bricks, of course, and probably ECL 3 as well. At that point, it's a matter of waiting until someone can hit you with a (Maximized) awaken (applied via aspect of the wolf, as usual). Once you get your mental scores up past ten and score a periapt of wisdom, you're pretty much a regular druid, with only a few traces of your crappy, crappy past.

[Conradine]

I remember a cheesy, overpowered magic item from the Miniature Handbook: a belt who gave bonus to all abilities. And it was quite cheap too. No Dungeon Master - me included - would allow such an item, at least not for such a meagre cost ( 200.000 gp for a +6 ). Belt of Magnificence, I remember.

But it could be a nice custom item: a belt who grants a bonus to all attributes BUT only if the final score do not exceed 10.

It could be named "Belt of Tolerable Mediocrity".

[JNAProductions]

I remember a cheesy, overpowered magic item from the Miniature Handbook: a belt who gave bonus to all abilities. And it was quite cheap too. No Dungeon Master - me included - would allow such an item, at least not for such a meagre cost ( 200.000 gp for a +6 ). Belt of Magnificence, I remember.

But it could be a nice custom item: a belt who grants a bonus to all attributes BUT only if the final score do not exceed 10.

It could be named "Belt of Tolerable Mediocrity".

For reference, +6 to all stats on individual items is 216,000 GP.

So it's not bad savings-but considering how few classes really need ALL stats...

[sreservoir]

The +2 and +4 versions, at 25k and 100k respectively, are more expensive than just buying the individual ability boosters on all six stats (24k and 96k, respectively), even. To be fair, though, it's only under MIC rules that "common" item effects aren't priced extra for sharing a body slot with another item, though; otherwise, freeing up possibly multiple slots could have been worth the premium.

Certainly it was never cheesy, overpowered, or at a meagre cost, though. It's pretty overpriced for the actual value any single character is likely to get out of it.

[Venger]

belt of magnificence is a terrible item. in addition to the classes mentioned, binder can also function normally with all 3s.

[Thunder999]

Definitely gotta be a druid, your animal companion carries you through low levels then you just wildshape and suddenly have good physical scores.

You could also just spend some time turning ladders into 10ft poles until you can afford to pay a wizard to polymorph any object you into someone not terrible, fixing your physical scores and int, pick a class with strong will saves and you're set.

[Venger]

Wild shape no longer fixes your hp in 3.5, so that's playing with fire. If laddercrafting is allowed, why wouldn't the wizard be doing it himself? After all, he's several orders of magnitude smarter than you are. Setting that aside and assuming spellcasters sell for raw price, you're still vulnerable to dispel, which might be awkward.

[the_tick_rules]

I think everyone tried to play - or at least write down - a character with super attributes ( 18 or more in every score ).

But, at the extreme opposite, what could be a character with 3 in every score? How could be roleplayed and what class or classes could suit him/her?

Look down, about 6 feet down.

[Lans]

belt of magnificence is a terrible item. in addition to the classes mentioned, binder can also function normally with all 3s.

Binder can get a reversed shield other effect, buy some chickens, and you may be able to take a hit.

[SirNibbles]

Look down, about 6 feet down.

Agreed.




Most people in the world at large die from pestilence, accidents, infections, or violence before getting to venerable age.

Player's Handbook, page 109


I doubt someone with such low stats could survive to adulthood.

[ben-zayb]

If you're planning on getting Wild Shape, you might as well consider going Wild Shape Ranger / Master of Many Forms / Wildshaper. Ranger frees up feat slots for meeting MoMF requirements, and the additional 2 skill points compared to Druid will be more significant considering you have a -4 to INT. Consider the Spell-less Ranger ACF.

Speaking of skills, you can still be somewhat useful as a Bard. Grab the Bardic Knack class feature to make skillmonkeying easier, then focus on Bardic Music optimization for buff and debuff support.

You can also play as a ghost. That's 2 less ability scores to worry about. You can easily spam your abilities and Malevolence even grants you solid physical scores. Getting a body via Malevolence would allow you to still take martial classes for a primary or secondary BSF role, with the added perk that it's the possessed body that absorbs the damage.

A Ghost Bardsader or Bardblade build can actually be pretty viable. Sure, you'll lag behind Perform ranks and initiator levels, but that's a small price to pay for initially getting a 3 in all stats.

[ExLibrisMortis]

If you're planning on getting Wild Shape, you might as well consider going Wild Shape Ranger / Master of Many Forms / Wildshaper. Ranger frees up feat slots for meeting MoMF requirements, and the additional 2 skill points compared to Druid will be more significant considering you have a -4 to INT. Consider the Spell-less Ranger ACF.
I don't think Wild Shape ranger is a good idea. Normally, it's a great class for a focused Wild Shape build at a lower power level than a full druid, but it comes online at level 7 or 8 or so, depending on what form you're after exactly. This character is so weak at low levels that you can't afford to focus on level 6+--the build needs to be good right now, else you die. Going ranger, you'd not only have to wait for Wild Shape, you give up all your spellcasting, too, including your ability to use druid wands and staves. Spell trigger items don't require an ability score at all, just a spell list, so I would absolutely hold on to the druid spell list, avoid Wild Shape ranger, and go totem druid. (Granted, there are many excellent ranger wands, but the druid list is still a lot better.) Totem druids can qualify for Master of Many forms with just one level of druid (though you may want two, to pick up Natural Spell as bonus feat), and one level of MoMF lets you take the form of a humanoid with non-crappy physical stats. When combined with necropolitan, that takes care of all your physical scores at ECL 3, and you don't even look undead!

Regarding skills: human + Nymph's Kiss gets you three points per level, which should be enough to maintain some crucial skills and even enter a PrC or two, if needed.

[SirNibbles]

A spitter build is an option since it hits touch AC (or automatically hits within a cone once you have Deadly Spittle).

[Vaern]

I think there's sneak attack variant for fighters. Full BAB and a decent hit die size plus damage that scales directly with level minimizes the impact of your low ability scores.

[SirNibbles]

I think there's sneak attack variant for fighters. Full BAB and a decent hit die size plus damage that scales directly with level minimizes the impact of your low ability scores.

Unearthed Arcana, page 58.

Also, it might be more worth it to go Rogue at first level to at least get some skill points while you have the 4x multiplier. The HP can be gotten later, unlike the skills.

[Edreyn]

It can be 3 years old human child. Be an adventurer is those circumstances? No way. Even 1st level is earned somehow, even out of the game. Maybe an NPC when playing a demon attack on the orphanage.

Or... a demigod. This game can be funny!

[Conradine]

My nephew is 1 years old and has definetly 15+ in Charisma.

[SirNibbles]

My nephew is 1 years old and has definetly 15+ in Charisma.

I highly doubt it.

"Charisma measures a character’s force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness. This ability represents actual strength of personality, not merely how one is perceived by others in a social setting."

Emphasis mine.

Also consider that Bluff and Perform are both CHA skills and no one year old is going to do either one well.

[Alcore]

I think everyone tried to play - or at least write down - a character with super attributes ( 18 or more in every score ).

But, at the extreme opposite, what could be a character with 3 in every score? How could be roleplayed and what class or classes could suit him/her?

commoner, have him/her beg on the streets. At -3 to every check, HP roll and save nothing he does will be easy and due to con penalties from age he'll die 30-40 years early.

You can get away with 10s in primary areas but at 3 the rest of the party will try to be rid of you or sacrifice you.

[Unavenger]

Another class that works quite well is truenamer.

I'll give you a moment to stop laughing.

You don't actually need 10+utterance level to speak utterances, the way spellcasters need 10+spell level, and while you get an effective -8 to truespeak checks (normally you would have int 18, today you have int 3), no truenamer worth their salt doesn't pass checks very easily ordinarily, so you're going to end up with a few shots of something healy per day even at level 1 (and being able to heal maybe 25 hit points per day at 1st level is not, strictly speaking, bad - consider what we're working with here). You end up being a kinda bad healer who mostly hides during combat and gets everyone who actually fought their health back at the end of the combat.

Irrespective of class, there are some items - even just caltrops - which allow you to be relevant in combat so long as you can avoid getting hit because one shot is all that will take. So that's a possibility.

In general, though, you're going to have a pretty bad time of things no matter what.

[Vaern]

Unearthed Arcana, page 58.

Also, it might be more worth it to go Rogue at first level to at least get some skill points while you have the 4x multiplier. The HP can be gotten later, unlike the skills.
With the penalty to int, you're not going to be seeing a whole lot of skill points in the future anyway unless you're planning on going full rogue. Might be better to count on the rest of the party for skill checks.
Although, I suppose having a positive bonus in a couple of skills and being able to stack up 2d6 sneak attack by level 2 wouldn't be too bad, even if you end up not being able to advance those skills further later. Or maybe even just drop a point in a few trained only skills so you can at least attempt them, maybe with a magic item or spell effect to give you the bonus you need later on.

[Firechanter]

You could play a Pathfinder Summoner (original version), that one doesn't need any stats at all.

[Falontani]

Race/Alignment: True Neutral Glimmerskin Halfling

Starting Stats:




Stat

Rolled stats

Racial

Level Ups

Final Stats (before gear)



Strength

3

-2


11



Dexterity

3

+2


17



Constitution

3


8, 12, 16

12



Intelligence

3


4

4



Wisdom

3



3



Charisma

3


20

4











Level

Class

Base Attack Bonus

Fort Save

Ref Save

Will Save

Skills

Feats

Class Features


1

Warlock

+0

+0

+0

+2

Heal +4

Least Dragonmark of Healing (Cure Light Wounds), Fey Heritage(f), Fey Skin(f), Feeble, Inattentive

Eldritch Blast +1d6, Baleful Utterance



2

Warlock

+1

+0

+0

+3

Heal +5


Detect Magic, Spiderwalk



3

Warlock

+2

+1

+1

+3

Heal +6

Favored in House

DR 1/Cold Iron, Eldritch Blast +2d6



4

Warlock

+3

+1

+1

+4

Heal +7


Deceive Item, Breath of the Night



5

Warlock

+3

+1

+1

+4

Heal +8


Eldritch Blast +3d6



6

Warlock

+4

+2

+2

+5

Heal +9

Fey Power

Spider Shape



7

Wilderness Martial Rogue

+4

+2

+4

+5

Heal +9, Knowledge (Nature) +5

Improved Toughness(b)

Mimic



8

Martial Rogue

+5

+2

+5

+5

Heal +9, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Use Magic Device +3

Weapon Focus: (Touch Spell)(b)

Evasion



9

Dragonmarked Heir

+5

+4

+7

+7

Heal +9, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Use Magic Device +3, Spellcraft +1

Fey Legacy, Lesser Dragonmark of Healing (Cure Serious Wounds)(b)

House Status



10

Dragonmarked Heir

+6

+5

+8

+8

Heal +9, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Use Magic Device +3, Spellcraft +2


Improved Least Dragonmark, Additional Action Points



11

Dragonmarked Heir

+7

+5

+8

+8

Heal +9, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Use Magic Device +3, Spellcraft +3


Improved Lesser Dragonmark



12

Dragonmarked Heir

+8

+6

+9

+9

Heal +9, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Use Magic Device +3, Spellcraft +4

Fey Presence, Greater Dragonmark of Healing (Heal)(b)




13

Nosomatic Chirurgeon

+8

+8

+9

+11

Heal +9, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Use Magic Device +3, Spellcraft +5


Heir’s Mark, Nosomatic Chirurgy, Pestilential Touch, Eldritch Blast +4d6



14

Nosomatic Chirurgeon

+9

+9

+9

+12

Heal +9, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Use Magic Device +3, Spellcraft +6


Plague Bearer, Sudden Swarm



15

Nosomatic Chirurgeon

+10

+9

+10

+12

Heal +9, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Use Magic Device +3, Spellcraft +6, Knowledge (the Planes) +.5

Maximize Spell

Isolate Pathogen, Eldritch Blast +5d6



16

Nosomatic Chirurgeon

+11

+10

+10

+13

Heal +9, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Use Magic Device +3, Spellcraft +6, Knowledge (the Planes) +1


Nosomatic Touch, Fell Flight



17

Nosomatic Chirurgeon

+11

+10

+10

+13

Heal +10, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Use Magic Device +3, Spellcraft +6, Knowledge (the Planes) +1


Ascendant carrier



18

Warlock

+12

+10

+10

+13

Heal +10, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Use Magic Device +3, Spellcraft +6, Knowledge (the Planes) +2

Mastery of Day and Night

DR 2/Cold Iron, Eldritch Blast +6d6, Chilling Tentacles



19

Warlock

+13

+10

+10

+14

Heal +10, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Use Magic Device +4, Spellcraft +6, Knowledge (the Planes) +2


Fiendish Resilience 1



20

Warlock

+13

+11

+11

+14

Heal +10, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Use Magic Device +5, Spellcraft +6, Knowledge (the Planes) +2


Tenacious Plague

[DMVerdandi]

I think everyone tried to play - or at least write down - a character with super attributes ( 18 or more in every score ).

But, at the extreme opposite, what could be a character with 3 in every score? How could be roleplayed and what class or classes could suit him/her?

THOSE ARE LOW, LOW LOW scores.
At the risk of offending anyone, this would be a psychologically and physically infirm person. Like classically lame.

HOWEVER, As someone said before, like warlock and perhaps an incarnum class could work to where they actually have ability.

A good character example of this would be like... caska from BERSERK. at least on the mental scale. She has better physical stats even doing nothing for years.



It would be quite funny seeing like that physical shell being like infused with the powers of the supernatural.






" 'Bobby the baby' didn't know much. He didn't talk much or do much. He sucked his thumb when scared, and gleefully laughed when happy. But he had a certain call to the darkness... Sometimes we would see him stop and stare blankly, babbling some baby talk. It'd look like his eyes would almost go black when he did that... We asked children if they understood what he was saying, and they said he was "talking to the bad people. The under the bed people."

And when he was angry, sometimes his muttering would suddenly stop...and the forces of hell itself would speak for him.
We became friends with bobby...Because we wouldn't dare be his enemy."

:smallbiggrin:
Lol that'd be sick hehehehe.

[Angrith]

" 'Bobby the baby' didn't know much. He didn't talk much or do much. He sucked his thumb when scared, and gleefully laughed when happy. But he had a certain call to the darkness... Sometimes we would see him stop and stare blankly, babbling some baby talk. It'd look like his eyes would almost go black when he did that... We asked children if they understood what he was saying, and they said he was "talking to the bad people. The under the bed people."

And when he was angry, sometimes his muttering would suddenly stop...and the forces of hell itself would speak for him.
We became friends with bobby...Because we wouldn't dare be his enemy."



I think you just gave me my next campaign hook. Adults in the town are randomly vanishing, and the only clues are stories of the new orphans. They tell the party about the monsters under their bed and the shadows that lurk just out of sight when the sun goes down. Now I just need to find some suitable demons for the bogymen.

[RSGA]

THOSE ARE LOW, LOW LOW scores.
At the risk of offending anyone, this would be a psychologically and physically infirm person. Like classically lame.

HOWEVER, As someone said before, like warlock and perhaps an incarnum class could work to where they actually have ability.

A good character example of this would be like... caska from BERSERK. at least on the mental scale. She has better physical stats even doing nothing for years.



It would be quite funny seeing like that physical shell being like infused with the powers of the supernatural.





Every Incarnum class is out as you can't shape any soulmelds until you have over 10 Con. And so is almost every Incarnum feat. So it's looking like Warlock and the world's luckest Dragonfire Adept.

[Khatoblepas]

Tak, Mongrelfolk Wizard 5/Tainted Scholar 1
Str 3 (+0)
Dex 3 (+0)
Con 7 (+4)
Int 3 (-2) (Intelligent races can't get below 3 in int scores, so this is a small blessing)
Wis 3 (+0)
Cha 1 (-4)

Feats:
1) Open Minded (the ONLY use for this useless feat, otherwise Tak will never have enough skill points to enter TS)
3) Acidic Splatter


Skills:
Concentration 9 ranks
Knowledge Arcana 5 ranks.

Tak always wanted to be a wizard. He knew he had it in him. He wasn't the quickest on the uptake, and it took him so long to learn anything, but if nothing else he was determined. He was the sweeper in a mage's tower, beaten and abused all his life. He read all his master's books, and sometimes stole his master's wands to kill rats in the basement. It was a slow, and painful climb in power, since Tak couldn't muster the will to cast even the simplest spells himself, eventually learning how to throw magical acid. It was a revelation to him, he was casting spells, and he wanted more of that power. Using his small amount of power, he was cruel and petty, hiding in the darkness and maiming people for practice. This evil overwhelmed him, and what was merely a poor soul twisted into something darker, something wicked. Eventually, he found a way to use this feeling of evil to cast his spells, power that was far beyond what his body was capable of. He teeters on the edge of oblivion, his corruption and depravity overtaking him with every spell he casts. He desperately wants to hold onto that feeling, even as the evil rots him from within.

Tak uses a Wand of Sleep and a dagger for levels 1-3. He never fights anything stronger than him, always hiding away (using his racial +4 hide bonus to mitigate his terrible Dexterity), and only coming out from hiding to perform Coup De Graces. He knows he can't fight anything fairly, so mostly focuses on animals. From levels 3-5, Tak uses Acidic Splatter instead of a dagger and gets a little braver, throwing out acid from his hiding spots, using a Wand of Invisibility in case things get hairy. At level 6, Tak becomes a competent, even powerful Wizard, who will then do ANYTHING to become a Necropolitian and hold onto his evil without going off the deep end. He will do this at level 7, so he never loses his level in Tainted Scholar. Unfortunately for him, his threshold for going Insane is 14 Depravity, so he must do this soon.

Edit: Hmm, it occurs to me that using a reserve feat might not work as Tak technically can't cast 2nd level spells until level 6, he only has the slots. In that case, Unearthed Arcana Necromancer variant is his chosen specialisation, using the Skeletal Minion as his main bodyguard - it's much hardier than him, can use a crossbow, and is easily replacable.

[Ruethgar]

I’m just thinking of the different rules for younger ages, some of them give a -4 Str, meaning you are paralyzed until you are an adult unless you’re a +Str race.

[Melcar]

I think everyone tried to play - or at least write down - a character with super attributes ( 18 or more in every score ).

But, at the extreme opposite, what could be a character with 3 in every score? How could be roleplayed and what class or classes could suit him/her?

Have you seen Duck Dynasty? That!

[Shirow]

The support bard or demigod or child that will have their skills bumped x3 after reaching puberty all sound like great ideas.

If a gestalt paladin sorcerer from some monster race that increases charisma up the whazoo is not available (convince the DM to let you play a badly hurt, maimed deva, idk.) my take without foraying into necromancy would be (if we're talking up from lvl. 1) the following.

If you're gonna do something bad you better do it well:

Very adorable (human?) monk (-> forsaker?) who is in charge of caltrops(like it was mentiones), thundersticks, tanglefoot bags, torches.
I would want this character to be genuinely kind and win over everyone else despite being utterly useless.
Keeping the character from being assassinated might also be a great adventure hook.

Monk so it has good save bonuses, then it can also get a couple of flaws, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Toughness, eventually the spelltouched Bladeproofskin, deflect arrows, Improved Grapple though I don't see any use for it... then just spend much of the early encounters using Aiding Another or flanking/fighting defensively with a longspear or another polearm?

This monk variant also seems fun?

Undying Way
Monks of the Undying Way believe in patience above all else. They work to outlast their opponents by means of superior endurance.

1st-Level Skill Bonus: Concentration.
1st-Level Feat: Toughness.
2nd-Level Feat: Endurance.
6th-Level Feat: Diehard.
6th-Level Bonus Ability: When fighting defensively, using Combat Expertise, or using the total defense action, the monk gains damage reduction 2/-.
Prerequisites: Concentration 9 ranks.

The gnome's spell like abilities seem like they could help somehow but the racial adjustments are brutal.:smalleek: