[3.5] Help With An (N)PC Build - "Dredd" Paladin/Gray Guard

[Thurbane]

So, looking for suggestions for an NPC (or may be a PC I play at some point, depending on who DMs next).

Chassis is Hellbred (body) Paladin 5/Gray Guard 7. Race and class levels are set. Will be finishing Gray Guard (10), but willing to look at other classes or PrCs after that.

The personality of the character will be heavily inspired by Judge Dredd (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Dredd) (more the Karl Urban movie version than the comic/Stalone versions): so, inflexible and unyielding, upholding law (and good?) at all costs, general bad@$$ etc.

Looking for suggestions on feats, skills, gear, Paladin ACFs (where applicable) etc. Please don't suggest different race, or class levels, These are set in stone.

My usual source limits apply: no PF, no Dragon/Dungeon Mag (expect the hardcover Compendium), no 3rd party. Ideally, nothing FR or Eberron specific either.

Interested in thoughts and suggestions.

Cheers - T

[Biggus]

The personality of the character will be heavily inspired by Judge Dredd (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Dredd) (more the Karl Urban movie version than the comic/Stalone versions): so, inflexible and unyielding, upholding law (and good?) at all costs, general bad@$$ etc.


The Karl Urban movie version is very close to the comics version as far as I'm aware (and very unlike the Stallone version), are there any particular differences you were thinking of?

Dredd is very strongly lawful (the phrase most associated with him, at least in the comics, is "I am the law") so Law Devotion seems highly thematic and fits with his ability to take incredible amounts of punishment and keep going.

What book is hellbred from?

[Thurbane]

The Karl Urban movie version is very close to the comics version as far as I'm aware (and very unlike the Stallone version), are there any particular differences you were thinking of?

Oh, I'm only familiar with the really early Dredd comics, where it was a bit camp and goofy. I thnk the karl Urban version may be more faithful to the later comics, that I'm not that familiar with...


Dredd is very strongly lawful (the phrase most associated with him, at least in the comics, is "I am the law") so Law Devotion seems highly thematic and fits with his ability to take incredible amounts of punishment and keep going.

I like that a lot for a feat suggestion!


What book is hellbred from?

Fiendish Codex II.

[Biggus]

Oh, I'm only familiar with the really early Dredd comics, where it was a bit camp and goofy. I thnk the karl Urban version may be more faithful to the later comics, that I'm not that familiar with...


I'm not up to date with the recent comics but I read 2000AD for quite a long time in the 80s and 90s. While the goofiness never entirely went away, there were a lot of more serious stories by then. The Karl Urban version is pretty close to Dredd as he was in that era.

As for other suggestions:

I found a reference online to an ACF called Gaze of Truth, which gave you the ability to use Discern Lies several times per day instead of Detect Evil at will, which seemed appropriate as it's very similar to Dredd's lie detector. Annoyingly however the site didn't say where it was from, and further Googling didn't turn up any more info.

Protection From Chaos (and Evil) fit as it protects you from mental influence and Dredd is often shown to resist attempts to control him when even other judges don't.

For the same reason the Force of Personality feat (CoV) would fit.

[Clause]

You can try:
Justiciar. Complete warrior
Shadowbane inquisitor. Complete adventurer
Blood round. Complete adventurer.

These 3 prcs are perfectly made for a judge Dredd like pc.

[RNightstalker]

I made the mistake of recommending Battle Blessing to a PC in my game. It allows full round spells to be case as a standard action, and standard action spells are swift action.

[Gorthawar]

I'm a fan of the lvl 3 half-orc paladin substitution level (RoD). Perhaps your DM allows it for a hellbred as it is a good fit flavor wise imho.

The paladin mount is another thing you probably want to replace with charging smite (phb2) the obvious option but stand fast (cityscape) might be of interest as well.

Grey guard (and half ork paladin) have intimidate as class skill so imperious command (DotU) could work as a feat.

[Thurbane]

Thanks for the additional suggestion. :smallsmile:

Special Mount would be cool if I could somehow get a Lawmaster

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/2000ad/images/7/79/Lawmaster-602x447.jpg

I think I'll trade SM for Charging Smite, and just buy a Clockwork Steed using WBL and call it a Lawmaster :smallbiggrin:

[RNightstalker]

Thanks for the additional suggestion. :smallsmile:

Special Mount would be cool if I could somehow get a Lawmaster

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/2000ad/images/7/79/Lawmaster-602x447.jpg

I think I'll trade SM for Charging Smite, and just buy a Clockwork Steed using WBL and call it a Lawmaster :smallbiggrin:

Horseshoes of Flame from Savage Species will give your horse the Nightmare look a la Ghost Rider; maybe a D&D equivalent of a motorcycle.