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Nad
2008-03-14, 08:56 AM
Hi all,

My gaming group is going evil and I need a little help building a big bad orc.

I was trying to find a link to it but there used to be a short story on the Wizards site about a group in Ebberon that were adventuring together. Each section of the story was written from a different character's point of view; it was pretty neat. Anyway, one of the characters, Spike, was a warforged fighter who was absolutely obsessed with combat. That's who I want to play in this campaign but since we're using Greyhawk as the setting, I'll be going with Orc/Half-Orc/Other.

What I'd like is the community's help with suggestions on how to make this guy a complete war monger. I'm interested in playing the groups "tank" role so I'm defiantly going to be using a shield but I thought I'd take Improved Shield Bash and go two weapon fighting to make things interesting.

I'd appreciate any suggestions, feedback or alternatives.

Thanks,
Nad

Iku Rex
2008-03-14, 09:00 AM
Starting character level?
Books available?

Galdor Miriel
2008-03-14, 09:09 AM
Here is a different idea.

Start off with a couple of levels of barbarian
Go a couple of levels fighter( armored caster variant so will be able to cast spells in light armor of 1st and 2dn level with no failure)
Take two levels as a focused specialist transmuter
Take all five levels of Abjurant Champion


By the time you hit 10 th level you will be a great sword wielding orcish monster who can power attack for full BAB and connect because of the wraithrstike spell.

Its a strong melee gish build, throw in the right spells and you are away,

I played it and it was awesome, after AC take a level of spellsword to ignore arcane spell failure in light armor, then eldritch knight the whole way to 20

Get your strength, dex, con and intelligence up, in that order and enjoy the fun of playing an orcish wizard who actually kicks ass.

Even consider arcane disciple to get Rightous Might on y our spell list, so you can add the best cleric melee spell to the mix.

Galdor

SamTheCleric
2008-03-14, 09:15 AM
Orc Bard that sings Emo music?

Nebo_
2008-03-14, 09:33 AM
Here is a different idea.

Start off with a couple of levels of barbarian
Go a couple of levels fighter( armored caster variant so will be able to cast spells in light armor of 1st and 2dn level with no failure)
Take two levels as a focused specialist transmuter
Take all five levels of Abjurant Champion


By the time you hit 10 th level you will be a great sword wielding orcish monster who can power attack for full BAB and connect because of the wraithrstike spell.

Its a strong melee gish build, throw in the right spells and you are away,

I played it and it was awesome, after AC take a level of spellsword to ignore arcane spell failure in light armor, then eldritch knight the whole way to 20

Get your strength, dex, con and intelligence up, in that order and enjoy the fun of playing an orcish wizard who actually kicks ass.

Even consider arcane disciple to get Rightous Might on y our spell list, so you can add the best cleric melee spell to the mix.

Galdor

Barbarian is bad for gish builds. You can't cast when you're raging

kamikasei
2008-03-14, 09:34 AM
If you've got ToB, it sounds like a Crusader of Gruumsh or some other "let's smash heads" deity would do the job quite nicely. A great ability to soak up damage and gain benefits by doing so, ways to actually tank in the sense of giving enemies a reason to target you instead of your squishier buddies, and maneuvers to make sword- (or whatever-) and-board mroe effective.

Person_Man
2008-03-14, 10:33 AM
Be an orc instead of a half orc. They have better stat modifiers. There are magic sunglasses in a couple of different supplements to deal with the light sensitivity, though I can't remember which ones off the top of my head.

The primary reason to be an orc (or anything with orcish blood) is access to Headlong Rush (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20030301a). Combine it with Power Attack and Shock Trooper, plus a reach weapon or Karmic Strike + Combat Reflexes. Pounce would be more helpful, usually obtained through 1 level of Barbarian using the Lion Totem variant from Complete Champion or Psychic Warrior or a Tome of Battle maneuver. You could throw in Leap Attack or Spirited Charge for overkill.

That gets you a huge damage combo around ECL 6ish, which is half the battle of being a good melee build. From there you want to diversify. That's why I prefer Psychic Warrior, Warblade, or Knight, instead of Barbarian or Fighter centered build. Any of them can tank more effectively. If you settle on a base class and ECL, then we can help you fill out the details.

Nad
2008-03-14, 11:41 AM
Starting character level?
Books available?

Sorry, I should have provided this information previously.

This will be a first level character that I'll be rolling up later.

I use PHB II and Fist & Stone or whatever.

I don't have ToB.

sonofzeal
2008-03-14, 12:00 PM
Sorry, I should have provided this information previously.

This will be a first level character that I'll be rolling up later.

I use PHB II and Fist & Stone or whatever.

I don't have ToB.
Starting at lvl1, with that few suppliments? Do you at least use the Psionics material from the SRD? If so....

Orc
Barbarian1 (EWP: Spiked Chain)
PsiWar1(Combat Reflexes)
PsiWar2 (Combat Expertise, Improved Trip)

... and continue in PsiWar from there.



If you don't use Psi:

Orc
Barbarian1 (EWP: Spiked Chain)
Fighter1 (Combat Reflexes)
Fighter2 (Combat Expertise, Improved Trip)

...and continue in Wilderness Rogue from there.

Keld Denar
2008-03-14, 12:12 PM
Halforc

1 Lion Totem Barbarian 1 (Extra Rage)
2 Fighter 1 (EWP: Orc Double Axe)
3 Fighter 2 (WF: Orc Double Axe) (True Believer)
4 Fighter 3
5 Fighter 4 (Power Attack)
6 Pious Templar 1 Mettle
7 Pious Templar 2 (WS: Orc Double Axe) Bonus
8 Exotic Weapon Master 1 (Flurry of Strikes)
9 Pious Templar 3 (Improved Bull Rush) (Shocktrooper)
10 Pious Templar 4
11 Pious Templar 5
12 Pious Templar 6 (Headlong Rush)
13 Pious Templar 7
14 Pious Templar 8 (Melee Weapon Mastery: Slashing)
15 Pious Templar 9 (Leap Attack)
16 Pious Templar 10
17 Any full BAB 1
18 Any full BAB 2 (Slashing Fury)
19 Any full BAB 3
20 Any full BAB 4

I think I have all my Pious Templar bonus feats in the right spots...
The trick is that even though ODAxe is a double weapon, you only use 1 side of it, and 2hand it. You can alternate sides freely for different situations.
What you get:
Rhino's Pouncing Headlong Leaping Shockcharge of Flurry Fury
+19 +19 +19 +19(haste) +14 +9 +4 before STR and other bonuses. All attacks are 2handed(4:1 PA), 1.5x Str and be triple damage from Headlong Charge, and Rhino's Rush (cast before raging). Add in a valourous weapon for 4x damage on that charge. Damage from PA alone will be:
20x4 = 80 from Leap Attack
80x4 = 320 from multipliers
320x7 = 2240 from # of attacks per round from pounce.
Thats damage without base weapon and str multiplied in. You can also smite!

Ouch.

Any thoughts on this build?

EDIT:
I was thinking, and I think there should be some kind of mechanic for getting double damage again if you yell "Rhino's Pouncing Headlong Leaping Shockcharge of Flurry Fury" when you attack. Come on...thats just freakin cool. Eat your heart out ToB critics!

Person_Man
2008-03-14, 02:35 PM
ECL 1 Orc? Then I would go with Psychic Warrior. It's all in the SRD. It's fun. It's flexible.

Can you use Comp Warrior? Feats from other books found at the WotC website?

Paul H
2008-03-14, 03:48 PM
Barbarian is bad for gish builds. You can't cast when you're raging

Hi

Yes you can with Rage Mage PrC. (Not sure which book).

Simple bad guy is the 'Honourable Enemy' type. Just end up in Kensai. As he levels he can trade in some xp to make his primary weapon harder. In one local campaign I have a LN Dwarf Samurai 5 Kensai 6. Has a Katana +1/Holy/Corrosive/Ghost Touch/Sacred. Only cost master crafted Katana plus 1440 xp!

Other Kensai mixes include;
Warlock 7 Kensai xxxxxx
Cleric 7 Kensai xxxx
Hexblade 5 Kensai xxxxxx

Note: The Warlock not only uses his invocations to see in dark/see invisible, etc. , but can forgo his iterative attacks & channel his eldritch energy through his weapon for extra damage. Also check out Kensai's other abilities. (+8 Str anyone)?

Eg. Str 20 Orc Warlock 7 Kensai 4 (Practiced Spellcaster Warlock)
Using +2 Unholy Katana vs Good.
Att +22 Dam D10(Katana)+2D6(Unholy)+6D6(Eldritch)+9(Str)+4(Enh ancement vs Good). That's D10+8D6+13!!
That's without other buffs, magic crystals, etc.

Cheers
Paul H

Ascension
2008-03-14, 04:02 PM
Too bad you don't have Complete Warrior. It would be fun to go for Eye of Gruumsh just for the flavor.