[3.5] Help me to build Nasus in 3.5e

[WeakestKobold]

My DM is going to start a campaign in the desert, so I wanted to base my character idea on a character from Shurima, Nasus, however, due to the world building and some decisions made by the rest of the players, the classes I thought about using, Duskblade and Hexblade, would not be viable. We are starting at level 2, so races or templates with ECL above 2 is a no go.

Could you help me with some ideas?

[Doctor Despair]

The stacking mechanic is kinda inimical to 3.5, as you don't gain power from stacks like that. You could do some sort of temporary hitdie shenanigans, but... personally, I'd think you're better off maybe doing like Blood in the Water on a critfisher build to represent the stacks?

[Troacctid]

What aspects of Nasus are you hoping to capture?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Maybe a Psychic Warrior, or perhaps an Ardent with Substitute Powers (https://web.archive.org/web/20210729143627/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070629a), and use Strength of My Enemy (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/strengthofMyEnemy.htm)? Later on you can use Persistent Power (from the 3.0 Psionics Handbook but still valid, SRD version here (https://web.archive.org/web/20160325132301/http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/msrd/ArcanaOccupationsandFeats.rtf)) to make that last all day. You can also use Vampiric Blade, or just get a weapon with the Wrathful Healing property, to copy the lifesteal abilities.

[H_H_F_F]

The stacking mechanic is kinda inimical to 3.5, as you don't gain power from stacks like that. You could do some sort of temporary hitdie shenanigans, but... personally, I'd think you're better off maybe doing like Blood in the Water on a critfisher build to represent the stacks?

That was my thought, but it's not a great representation with the duration, and it'd force you out of using a hammer.


What aspects of Nasus are you hoping to capture?

That's the big question.

Are we looking for "anything I kill makes me stronger"? "Get smashed with a hammer"? "Jackal headed desert scholar"? "I can slow you down"? "Beast mode on"?

Like, when you're looking at his ultimate, do you want to be able to specifically damage those around you while you become harder to kill? Or are you more looking for the feel of a "this is it" button, like a 1/day ability that makes you very powerful for a short duration of time?

What are you trying to capture here?

[Nihilarian]

I dont know the game or character in question but getting stronger from killing enemies is a staple of Necrocarnate

[H_H_F_F]

I dont know the game or character in question but getting stronger from killing enemies is a staple of Necrocarnate

Alignment doesn't fit, unfortunately. Unless they're less interested in emulating lore, and necrocarnate could fit extremely well, if somehow built on a melee chassis.

Again, we just need to figure out what elements of Nasus OP wants to have.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Believe it or not, I've actually already got a animal-person, death-themed, big-bonk-melee character build ready for show. It even gets more powerful with every kill, though not until super high levels.

Don't know what your optimization level is, so I'll run through the basics in addition to sharing the link.

Race: Longtooth Shifter (Races of Eberron or Eberron Campaign Setting)
Transform into a jackal-headed animal person (any animal that bites works, but I'm assuming you'll want jackal for Nasus). Only once per day at this level, but it does give you a bite attack and +2 STR for several rounds.

Level 1: Arcane Hunter Ranger (Players Handbook, Complete Mage)
Great skills, decent HP, good proficiencies, and a bonus feat. As long as you put two cross-class skill ranks into Knowledge (arcana), you get to replace your first favored enemy with Favored Enemy (anyone that casts arcane spells or uses invocations)... which is fantastic.

Levels 2-5: Warblade (Tome of Battle)
The premier non-magical warrior class. Warblade 1 gives you two different ways to smack people twice as a standard action, and one way to replace your (bad) Will save with a skill check. Later, you get the ability to attack vs Touch AC, letting you Power Attack even harder, for an even bigger bonk.

Feats:
You want Longtooth Elite and Power Attack as your first two feats. Both are really good, so which you take at 1 and which at 3 is up to your personal preference. Longtooth Elite makes your bite attack do a point of Con damage every time you hit with it; no saving throw, they just lose another chunk of their HP. Power Attack lets you sacrifice your attack bonus to bonk even harder. Each point of attack gives you 2 points of damage on your two-handed weapon and one point of damage on your natural attacks (right now, just your bite, later also your claws).

Later:
The build goes into Weretouched Master to get better at shifting, becomes a Gravetouched Ghoul (which you do have to ask your DM about first, because it's not something you can just choose to do), and eventually moves into combat as a move action, uses a standard action maneuver to paralyze some opponents with your claws, then coup-de-graces them as a swift action, giving you a massive boost of temp HP.

Link to full build (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25262847&postcount=38). This was for a competition, so it's full of flavor text for the (extremely edgy) character the build was supposed to represent. All the build stuff is inside of spoilers.

I mention using armor spikes for some reason? Ignore that, you don't have Two-Weapon Fighting.

Edit: I remember now! The second weapon, whether armor spikes or shield bash, is for Wolf Fang Strike. Which ironically might not even work with your fangs.

The "conservative" maneuvers list is missing that you can trade an old maneuver for a new one at Warblade 4. This is super flexible, but I'd recommend swapping Charging Minotaur either for Action Before Thought or for Mountain Hammer. Either way, you'll probably trade it for Quicksilver Motion eventually.

[H_H_F_F]

Believe it or not, I've actually already got a animal-person, death-themed, big-bonk-melee character build ready for show. It even gets more powerful with every kill, though not until super high levels.[/spoiler]

I remember that build! It's the one where you decided to just ignore the main component of that competition, which blew my mind lol.

[WeakestKobold]

What are you trying to capture here?

I'm trying to capture more of the essence of the champion, not necessarily the hyper bonk stack, but something like a combat tactician and a scholar with magical abilities and philosophy related to death and life.



Race: Longtooth Shifter (Races of Eberron or Eberron Campaign Setting)
Transform into a jackal-headed animal person (any animal that bites works, but I'm assuming you'll want jackal for Nasus). Only once per day at this level, but it does give you a bite attack and +2 STR for several rounds.
[/spoiler]

Unfortunely my DM is super restrict about setting specific books, but thanks for trying to help! :smallsmile: For the race I was thinking about Laika, since it's the closest I could get... Oh, and Arcane Hunter Ranger + Warblade seems cool, I will keep that in mind. Thanks!


Alignment doesn't fit, unfortunately. Unless they're less interested in emulating lore, and necrocarnate could fit extremely well, if somehow built on a melee chassis.


Oh yeah, I should have been more clear about that on my post. Sorry! All the Core books, Complete "insert name here", Savage Species, FC: I and II, OA, LoM, Races of the Dragon, Draconomicon, BoVD, BoED, Races of the Wild, Races of Destiny, Races of Stone, MH, Libris Mortis, Drow of the Underdark, Underdark, Serpent Kingdoms, Dragon Magic, Fiend Folio, Sand, Storm, Frost, HoH, ToM, ToB, Champions of Ruin and finally all web enhancements are allowed. My DM doesn't like incarnum sadly :/

[Quentinas]

There is the option of doing a Laika cleric of Anubis ,taking repose as domain and maybe law devotion, building towards debuffing and empowering your strike with the bonus of law devotion?
Or even if it's not a Jackal headed god there is Nephtys that has the repose and protection domain if you want to be a guardian maybe taking protection devotion , maybe going toward the war priest if you doesn't want the protection domain.

If you want to be more melee you could be doing a paladin with one of the devotion feat that could be interesting for Nasus . The main problem would be the mount that with the manuals you have can't be traded for anything, and the not so good spell for day , but you could take the divine crusader (choosing well the domain), the pious templar (for an accelerated paladin spell list), the consecrated harrier to be more lawful but it would not be easy with full paladin and you would lose the smite

This at least on the divine side of being a gish...on the arcane side I will think tomorrow now I'm sleeping

[PoeticallyPsyco]

I remember that build! It's the one where you decided to just ignore the main component of that competition, which blew my mind lol.

Yeah, at the time I created it there weren't enough entrants, and I had a cool idea that used 2/3 of the requirements, so I figured I'd pad the number of contestants.

I liked the build enough that I was happy submitting it even though I knew it wouldn't do well.

Edit: Though I must admit, I was expecting to get some credit for building so completely around Harvester of Souls.

[Beni-Kujaku]

Yeah, at the time I created it there weren't enough entrants, and I had a cool idea that used 2/3 of the requirements, so I figured I'd pad the number of contestants.

I liked the build enough that I was happy submitting it even though I knew it wouldn't do well.

Edit: Though I must admit, I was expecting to get some credit for building so completely around Harvester of Souls.

I still remember fondly that comp, it bred such good builds ! Your Warrior Philosopher was interesting (though Soul Eater has so much more going on compared to the flavorful-but-weak HoS that I can't really blame Yan), and I like how a Gravetouched Ghoul could represent Nasus's aging touch that slows people but deals less damage than an axe to the face. However, simply gaining temp HP would represent Nasus's passive life drain, not really how his offense improves when he kills someone.

[Troacctid]

How about a Ruby Knight Vindicator? Wee Jas seems like a pretty decent match for his philosophy. Cleric has the kinds of magic he likes to use. Crusader gives you that tanky melee quality (including lifesteal) with big single hits.

[WeakestKobold]

How about a Ruby Knight Vindicator? Wee Jas seems like a pretty decent match for his philosophy. Cleric has the kinds of magic he likes to use. Crusader gives you that tanky melee quality (including lifesteal) with big single hits.

Oh you are right! Cleric/Crusader/RKV really fits with what I had in mind, thank you very much!