how to make the ultimate sentry?

[Noxangelo]

i remember reading an article where the idea was to one shot Cthulhu with the Seawise Giant using pathfinders mythic rules though i can't seem to find it again.

I didn't really care about that as a hulking hurler could just throw the moon instead but the scenario hinged off a guy who had used the mythic to turn himself into the Hubble telescope on steroids. Which i though was cool.

So i've been wondering, would you go about making something like that, or as close to it, with out resorting to epic, mythic or divine rules.

can be anything, character, monster, construct, magic item, mundane item (how ever that would work) anything. but must be rules legal (if only barely) and can only go to level 20 with the usual $200k per item max.

I am insanely time poor ATM so any help would be appreciated.

[Piggy Knowles]

Totemist has a bunch of stacking soulmelds that provide bonuses to Spot, allowing it to get some extremely impressive checks. RadicalTaoist had a build around this on the old Optimization Showcase series: https://www.enworld.org/threads/weekly-optimization-showcase-rusty-tempest_stormwind-radicaltaoist.471348/

It's not "Hubble telescope"-level sentry stuff, but it has multiple modes of detection, Spot checks high enough to consistently spot hiding invisible creatures and never needs to eat or sleep, making it quite a nice party sentry from a practical perspective.

Otherwise I'd recommend looking at scrying rather than just optimizing the hell out of Spot checks, as they tend to produce more dramatic results. You can see my own attempt at a scrying-heavy character here: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?593033-Optimization-Showcase-in-the-Playground-Big-Brother-is-Watching

[Maat Mons]

Well, here's a build I've toyed with that happens to be good at detecting things:
Elan Psion 10 / Crystal Master 10 (levels not taken in that order)

It uses the Telepathic Communication ACF for Psion (Telepath) to gain Telepathy. The range is 5 feet per manifeser level. So 90 feet here, unless I take the Practiced Manifester feet, or buy a manifester-level-boosting item.

It also uses the Mindsight feat to auto-detect creatures within range of it's telepathy.

One of the Embedded Gems selected from Crystal Master would be Sapphire, for continuous Touchsight while psionically focused. Touchsight is, essentially, Blindsight 60 feet.

Other Embedded Gems would likely include Azurite, to no longer need sleep, and Jade, to avoid ability score penalties during the untold millennia that Elans can potentially spend in the Venerable age category.

As with any high-level character, I'd buy a Hathran Mask of True Seeing. That gives continuous True Seeing. And that works out to ignoring invisibility, darkness, magical darkness, and illusions within 120 feet. Plus seeing the true form of Polymorphed creates in that same range.

And, obviously, I'd abuse the ever-loving crap out of Psychic Chiurgery to know every psionic power. What else am I going to do while capped at 20th level for all eternity?

[Rebel7284]

I didn't really care about that as a hulking hurler could just throw the moon instead


Just to note, a gargantuan sized Hulking Hurler would need to have 351 strength by my approximation to throw the moon. Not trivial to get without infinite loops, but certainly doable.

[Noxangelo]

what about combining a ring of x-ray vision with a robe of eyes,
make it intelligent,
give it high wisdom and reasonable int
ranks in listen; spot; search and sense motive.
give it the level 1 chronomancy (dragon 350) spell "skillful moment" at will (take 20 on next skill check)
give it ALL the permanency spell. ALL OF THEM!

or would that just not be worth the investment?

[noob]

what about combining a ring of x-ray vision with a robe of eyes,
make it intelligent,
give it high wisdom and reasonable int
ranks in listen; spot; search and sense motive.
give it the level 1 chronomancy (dragon 350) spell "skillful moment" at will (take 20 on next skill check)
give it ALL the permanency spell. ALL OF THEM!

or would that just not be worth the investment?

The issue is that by stacking average additive modifiers to spot you increase linearly the spotting range.
Just add once a + infinity modifier instead by making an omniscifer.(abuse some abilities to allows to add to skill checks the damage they took then take an infinity of damage(with abuse from some spells to cause an infinite damage loop) and not die through some other spells)

[Noxangelo]

The issue is that by stacking average additive modifiers to spot you increase linearly the spotting range.
Just add once a + infinity modifier instead by making an omniscifer.(abuse some abilities to allows to add to skill checks the damage they took then take an infinity of damage(with abuse from some spells to cause an infinite damage loop) and not die through some other spells)

yeah, but i'm not a fan of +infinite loops, those shenanigans are just too far for me.

[noob]

yeah, but i'm not a fan of +infinite loops, those shenanigans are just too far for me.

Without + arbitrary numbers loops you will not get the needed approx +3110400000000000 to spot checks just to see a single light year away.
So get spot range multipliers(if you are not using loops) from somewhere: stacking additive boosts is going to be negligible in front of the vastness of the task ahead.

[Noxangelo]

Without + arbitrary numbers loops you will not get the needed approx +3110400000000000 to spot checks just to see a single light year away.
So get spot range multipliers(if you are not using loops) from somewhere: stacking additive boosts is going to be negligible in front of the vastness of the task ahead.

fair point.

even gods would struggle to see that far.

[Calthropstu]

First, make a new hybrid plant. Add some magic. Make it grow really tall. Then name the new creation Sen. You now have a sen tree.

Hope this helps!

[icefractal]

It's not seeing to another galaxy, but the Telescope lens from Spheres of Power increases the range increment for Perception penalties. At CL 29, for example, it'd be -1 / 300 ft.