Help Requested

[Dej1975]

Hello guys, it's been a while since I posted as with the move I haven't had a group. My son is now in a group with some heavy optimizer players and I needed help to help him. Here is the premises.

He wants a Savage species Minotaur Barbarian. His DM is allowing him to have it without racial levels being deducted from his class levels. He uses +4 leather armor and wields a huge great axe, which is a +4 with icy burst/holy (usable because of monkey grip feat)… wait it gets better lol.

He is allowed any dungeons and dragons book 3.0 or 3.5 for templets and feats, as well as the ultimate books of feats. Sounds nuts I know. Now he has 20 total levels to split between his class levels and any templets he wants s long as it is a dungeons and dragons specific book, except epic handbook.

He is allowed his choice of 1 minor, 1 medium and 1 major magic item.

Like I said he wants a Minotaur Barbarian, is willing to take class dips if needed and was leaning towards the feral templet, but he is willing to change it up. Can you guys help me to optimize a build to help him keep up with these guys please? Thanks in advance.

[Doctor Despair]

Would he be OK with the Half-Minotaur template? That's very powerful.

[Particle_Man]

Warblade is a class that can cover a lot of the same ground as Barbarian and has cool maneuvers besides. The Bloodstorm blade prestige class would allow him to throw his great axe, using his strength to hit (and melee based feats), and have it return. Alternatively, Master of Nine is a prestige class that opens up more maneuver options (nice at level 16-20). All of these classes are in Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords.

Alternatively, if he wants to be “the strongest” then half-dragon gives him more strength (and wings!) and war hulk is an interesting option (more str at the cost of BaB).

[Darg]

war hulk is an interesting option (more str at the cost of BaB).

War Mind is a less extreme alternative to this although it can't mimic sweeping boulder or massive swing. However it does get some psionic powers.

[Albanymusicfund]

I believe somebody already recommended War Hulk so I will doubly encourage that as well.

It depends on what you're looking for, but if you want a Power Attack build nothing can come more complementary than the Frenzied Berserker class (stack this with the Shock Trooper feat and the Leap Attack feat and the DM may even ask you to tone it down).

The big important thing for your character will be items to avoid being vulnerable to many dastardly tricks the DM (typically by wizards) can throw at you.

1) Ring of Freedom of movement (DMG) or https://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rings.htm#freedomofMovement. This prevents him from being grappled, paralyzed, or denied movement. (An upgraded version of this is the Cowl of Warding from Magic of Faerun that, albeit more expensive, offers Mind Blank to protect against mind-affecting spells.

2) Bag of Holding. This is pretty standard stuff.

3) Truelight Lantern (MIC). This allows you and your whole party to have access to true sight for 10 minutes a day (to whack those gish builds that like to become invisible).

4) The Banner of the Storm's Eye (MIC) offers many good benefits like daze negation and fear suppression.

Hope this helps!

[Maat Mons]

"Minor, medium and major magic items?" Like the categorizations from the DMG random treausre tables? I don't think any of the other books use that. And Magic Item Compendium actually denounces it.

But, anyway, assuming his "minor" item can be anything costing less than 7,500 gp, his "medium" item can be anything costing less than 28,000 gp, and his "major" item can be anything non-epic, here are some possibilities.

Major: Cowl of Warding, Hathran Mask of True Seeing, a friggin' Airship
Medium: Bracers of Armor +1 Soulfire, Minor Cloak of Displacement, Winged Vest, Vest of Free Movement
Minor: Bag of Holdin Type III, Boots of the Battle Charger, Healing Belt, Ring of Sustenance, Strongarm Bracers

You'll note I didn't list and +numbers items. That's because I assume he'll find some of those relatively quickly on his adventures. So I don't advise spending those three item picks on the usual slew of bonus-grantind items (your Amlets of Natural Armor, Belts of Magnificence, Rings of Protection, Vests of Resistance, and what-have-you).

Also, I didn't get into the possibility of combining multiple printed magic items into one custom magic items, or the "common item effects" add-on table from Magic Item Compendium.

[bean illus]

Depending on what he's looking for ...

Minotaur and half Minotaur have large size, Str boost. That always makes me think tripping. But martial only goes so far; that makes me think rapid advancement caster.

There's a build that uses half Minotaur for Chameleon

Human: Half minotaur +1 LA
14 16 12 - 14 10 12
26 14 16 - 12 10 12
Level bonuses and Wishes to Str or Int

Facto 3/ Martial Monk 2/ Exoticist Fighter 2/ Cleric 1/ Ordained Champion 3/ Eidetic Wizard 1/ Chameleon 7

Large size +4 trip
+12 Str, +4 Con, -2 Dex, -2 Int
Scent, track, darkvision, gore, +2 NA, +10 speed

Bonus human feat
All skills as class skills, forever !
Int mod to Trip, Initiative, damage, GrappIe, more
Possible Knowledge Devotion Int synergy
EWP spiked chain for free
Five fighter feats, 2 with no prereqs whatsoever
Six "any" feats from level up
Travel Devotion
Channel Spell through spiked chain
Damage reduction = spell level +1 as a swift
Teleportation 10' several times a day.
Floating "any" feat. (Craft wands, etc)
Level 6+ spells from every class in the game
Memorize wizard spells without spellbook
Ability stat boost ... floating +6 (hint: Int)
Plentiful spell slots
Caster level 14-20
Two sources of Smite
Two sources of Turn Undead
Option for Planar Touchstone 7-9th level spells
... and more

A permissive DM would let you get away with murder on this build. I think there's a way to get Giant Size from Wu-Jen, and be 72 foot tall wielding the chain in a 130' diameter, turning opponents into trees with no save, no spell resistance.

[loky1109]

Wait, what??? Minotaur with 4 legs? O_o

[bean illus]

Wait, what??? Minotaur with 4 legs? O_o

Lol.
Typing at night. I added centaur and minotaur in my mind.