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DareTheRogue
2008-02-08, 08:57 AM
I am building a Goliath character. He will be a low wisdom character so no wis dependent builds please.
My ability rolls are as follows:
8
12
14
15
15
17

So dumping wisdom is fine in my book.
I don't want play fighter or barbarian, no ToB. The character is level 10 so 9 class levels plus the 1 LA.
what are your suggestions for classes?

Nebo_
2008-02-08, 09:02 AM
Now that we know what you don't want to play, tell us what you do want to play and maybe we can help.

Zincorium
2008-02-08, 09:04 AM
Honestly, with restrictions like that, no wonder you need some help finding a workable character class.


I'd go with duskblade, if you have access to the PHB 2. Goliaths don't have a penalty to intelligence, so you don't have to worry about not having a high enough score to cast the right spells. Focus on a two handed weapon and possibly take the battlecaster feat so you can wear platemail later on.


Ranger and then prestige into highland stalker would be a good choice if you weren't set on dumping wisdom for reasons you've yet to explain.

marjan
2008-02-08, 09:06 AM
Favored Soul, maybe. You don't really need wisdom for them so that should work fine. And I always thought goliaths would make one hell of a cleric.

Spell-less paladin or ranger could work, too.

Or a gish. Something like barb 1/sorc 5/ss 1/AbCh 5/ EK...

DareTheRogue
2008-02-08, 09:08 AM
well I have looked at possibly still wearing heavy armor playing a duskblade with battlecaster feat. Or a divine character but I'd like to dump stat my wisdom.

marjan
2008-02-08, 09:13 AM
Duskblade is good option. For divine casters your options are Shugenja and Favored Soul. Shugenjas don't need wisdom at all but they suck. Favored Soul sort of needs wisdom but it is not necessary (you only need it for save DCs, so if you focus on buffing and no-save spells, like Holy Word, it is not important at all).

DareTheRogue
2008-02-08, 09:17 AM
So favored soul focusing on buffing himself and the party. Possible combat worth also, with the dieties favored weapon thing.

marjan
2008-02-08, 09:18 AM
Paladin(or anything with concentration, diplomacy and ride as class skills)/Kensai would be good choice also. You can focus on tripping (and carrying equipment :smalltongue: ) since since your strength will be pretty high.

One more thing. If you want to play melee class remember that Favored Soul is only class that will allow you to "grow" (via Righteous Might), since goliaths are Mostrous Humanoids and thus Enlarge person won't work on them.

DrizztFan24
2008-02-08, 10:12 AM
bard? hehe, high enough charisma, buff spells, buff songs, bardic knowledge?
it's a workable thing, just not that effective at combat, unless you go with a crossbow build

Person_Man
2008-02-08, 10:32 AM
I'm of the opinion that there is no crunch reason to be a Goliath unless you want to use a Knockback build. LA is a ripoff.

And the OP doesn't want to use Fighter or Barb, so that's out. Any caster class is out. ToB is out. That leaves some Skill Monkeys, no spell variant Ranger or Paladin, or maybe a Paladin/PrC or Hexblade/PrC build.

Which would you prefer, DareTheRogue?

DareTheRogue
2008-02-08, 10:35 AM
Bard is a no.

Favored soul is a yes.
Heavy armor, large Goliath greathammer, heavy steel shield, medium diety's favored weapon.
buff self and party with spells

DareTheRogue
2008-02-08, 11:12 AM
I want to play the Goliath because we entered a giant only realm and my PC died. Well the DM told me to roll a giant cause there are only giants here, but I found a hole and picked up Goliath.

I don't want to play a fight or barb because we have one of each.

My rolls are the worst in the party and I like them that way. And because everyone in the party is so amazing and our roleplaying is rather bland I want to toss in a character that is a lesser to all of them, but is still able. We have a rogue and bard, and an over powered wizard. It is not that they need a new party member anymore but I'd like to play something with roleplaying application.

Person_Man
2008-02-08, 11:40 AM
You could also be a Half-Giant and be a psychic warrior. It would fit the fluff of your game, and it would probably be more effective then a Favored Soul.

marjan
2008-02-08, 11:43 AM
You could also be a Half-Giant and be a psychic warrior. It would fit the fluff of your game, and it would probably be more effective then a Favored Soul.

Half-Giant is nice choice (though I think Goliaths are better for general purpose), but PW with low wisdom sucks big time. If the OP isn't set on playing low-wisdom character then it is good.

AKA_Bait
2008-02-08, 12:34 PM
I want to play the Goliath because we entered a giant only realm and my PC died. Well the DM told me to roll a giant cause there are only giants here, but I found a hole and picked up Goliath.

I don't want to play a fight or barb because we have one of each.

My rolls are the worst in the party and I like them that way. And because everyone in the party is so amazing and our roleplaying is rather bland I want to toss in a character that is a lesser to all of them, but is still able. We have a rogue and bard, and an over powered wizard. It is not that they need a new party member anymore but I'd like to play something with roleplaying application.

So, your party configuration is:

Fighter
Barbarian
Rogue
Wizard
Bard?

Yeah, I'd go favored soul.

Person_Man
2008-02-08, 03:38 PM
Half-Giant is nice choice (though I think Goliaths are better for general purpose), but PW with low wisdom sucks big time. If the OP isn't set on playing low-wisdom character then it is good.

Ah, right you are.

Perhaps a Psion/Slayer then? Int based psionics, slightly lower BAB and hit points in the long run, much more power points and power.


A Goliath Favored Soul is just going to be rough to pull off. You lose a caster level from LA, and Favored Souls use the slower Sorcerer based caster progression as it is. So early on you'll be less powerful then the meat shields in your party (lower BAB, fewer feats, no source of bonus damage) and later in your progression you'll always going to be a full spell level behind all of the casters in your party. You'll have serious MAD, and you can only cast buff spells, since Favored Souls have the stupid duel caster stat requirement.

Human Paragon 3
2008-02-08, 04:07 PM
Half Giant + Psionics is definately the way to go, here. Slayer, as Person Man said, is a good PrC. Warmind may be even better for you though, as you will be able to synergize its abillities with your size increase as a half giant.

This is going to sound silly, but I recomend going Wilder/War Mind, since the surging euphoria will also help your combat and wild surge will help offset your missing manifester level.

DareTheRogue
2008-02-09, 10:34 PM
Ok after much work with my DM I finished!

Here is my Goliath Favored Soul level 9
Str 22
Dex 12
Con 17
Int 12
Wis 8
Cha 17

Feats:
Endurance
Combat Expertise
Improved Trip
Exotic Armor Prof (Battleplate) {I know I don't have Heavy Prof but he thought I should}

AC:
10+
Battleplate 9+
Dex 1+
possible heavy steel shield when wielding smaller weapon 2=
22 with shield 20 without

Attacks:
Large Heavy Flail:
Damage 2d8
Attack Bonus 13/8
Medium Heavy Flail:
Damage 1d10
Attack Bonus 13/8

Trip at +14 because of Improved Trip(+4), powerful build(+4), and strength(+6)

Skills:
Max ranks in Concentration, Knowledge Arcana, and Spellcraft

Spells:
Lvl 0: Resistance, Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Guidance, Light, Read Magic
Lvl 1: Shield of Faith, Cure Light Wounds, Divine Favor, Inflict Light Wounds, Magic Weapon, Bless
Lvl 2:Cure Moderate Wounds, Lesser Restoration, Spiritual Weapon, Bull's Strength, Bear's Endurance
Lvl 3: Cure Serious Wounds, Wind Wall, Magic Vestment, Lesser Visage of the Deity
Lvl 4: Divine Power, Nchaser's Glowing Orb, Cure Critical Wounds

ealan
2008-02-09, 11:53 PM
I like it, but why not use Goliath Greathammer and Sunder instead of Trip. Or trade out and grab the Spike Chain and Trip with it at like 20ft reach, monkey gripped to 30ft, forget Combat reflex, just take the reach combat at like 3d6 with a huge spike chain.

marjan
2008-02-10, 07:15 AM
I like it, but why not use Goliath Greathammer and Sunder instead of Trip. Or trade out and grab the Spike Chain and Trip with it at like 20ft reach, monkey gripped to 30ft, forget Combat reflex, just take the reach combat at like 3d6 with a huge spike chain.

He is not proficient with Goliath Greathammer. His reach is 10ft even if monkey gripped (it doesn't work that way).

DareTheRogue, avoid picking up cure spells at each level. Cure Critical Wounds is good if you need combat healing and for everything else there is CLW (if you have access to SC lesser vigor is much better). Unless you are low on money and stat-boosters I would also drop Bull's Strength and Bear's Endurance.

While Improved Trip is good feat you don't qualify for it with int 12 (unless your DM says otherwise).

If your DM gives you heavy armor proficiency full plate is good enough for you. If you really want to throw a feat to get more from your heavy armor, get Heavy Armor Optimization (though this is not all that good either). And I guess Endurance is prerequisite for something since otherwise it's pretty useless.

DareTheRogue
2008-02-10, 10:13 AM
Don't you love the ironic part of I don't have an intelligence score for something and my DM says take it. Well on the other point of armor, if I want Fullplate I need to take Heavy Armor Prof he says, but to take Exotic I just need Exotic, so I took the one with a higher bonus, while I know if I enter the party I can get +2 or +3 Fullplate. I notice Endurance's uselessness maybe not so happy that in this game you must have Endurance to carry a medium or heavy load.

So in response to not having the Int score, I will see what my DM says.

I am changing to Heavy Armor Prof and Fullplate.

And I changed out my healing spells for a few others, I don't have them at this moment.

ealan
2008-02-10, 08:12 PM
Well I would say if he said take it then you should get it, on the Improved Trip.
Greathammer, ok yeah he doesn't have Prof, oh well after looking it over he does get deity Weapon Focus with the Heavy Flail, and it is 2d8 when large. And used for Trip Attempts...
Heavy Armor, probably is better, Fullplate will only drop him one AC and if the party has +2 Fullplate laying around that they are going to give him, then he is golden.
Endurance, damn that is a complete load of **** that you need it to carry a medium or heavy load. Is it for extended periods, or you can't at all without? At least you'll be able to sleep in your armor, be paranoid.
Otherwise pop up the Int score one, Improved Trip it up.