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Burley
2008-04-03, 03:34 PM
I'm starting a character next week that's a Druid//Ninja (3rd level, Gestalt). I don't have an animal companion, and I can't wildshape. I took the shapeshifting variant, mostly for style and a little bit to keep me from being overpowered...and book keeping.
Anyways, I'm trying to find ways to get my sudden strike in. Are there any Druid spells that would deny somebody their Dex bonus? (I'm only 3rd level now, but...I'll grow. I'll grow.) The only thing I've got so far is Summon Nature's Ally to grapple them.

Helps? Thanks!

senrath
2008-04-03, 03:41 PM
I think the Grease spell will do what you want.

Edit: Whoops, forgot that druids don't get that. A wand of it would be pretty cheap, though.

Solo
2008-04-03, 03:52 PM
Have the party wizard make use of Ray of Climsiness and Shivering Touch.


Muhuhaha!

batsofchaos
2008-04-03, 04:01 PM
Getting ahold of a Wand of Color Spray would be helpful, since Stunned creatures lose their dex bonus.

hylian chozo
2008-04-03, 04:11 PM
I think the Grease spell will do what you want.

Edit: Whoops, forgot that druids don't get that. A wand of it would be pretty cheap, though.

Try Sleet storm then, it's basically identical to Grease but with the added bonus of blinding people. Unfortunately, it's also a 3rd level spell.

The_Snark
2008-04-03, 05:31 PM
Try Sleet storm then, it's basically identical to Grease but with the added bonus of blinding people. Unfortunately, it's also a 3rd level spell.

Doubly unfortunately, you'll also be blind if you're within the area.

Kelpstrand is a 2nd-level druid spell that can render people grappled. It does very well at it, as a matter of fact, since you get your Wisdom bonus, caster level, and base attack bonus to the grapple, and it can hit multiple people at high levels. Takes less time than summoning spells, and you don't run the risk of hitting your own summoned ally.

Chronos
2008-04-03, 08:21 PM
Have the party wizard make use of Ray of Climsiness and Shivering Touch.Those won't make the target eligible for Sudden Strike, though, unless you do enough dex damage to immobilize them. In which case the Sudden Strike is basically irrelevant.

TheFlamingHobo
2008-04-03, 08:54 PM
With a character running entirely off Wisdom I don't see why you wouldn't be able to just spam ghost step.

Also take a look at Enduring Ki, that'll let your Ghost Step last for 2 rounds instead of one.

BardicDuelist
2008-04-03, 09:02 PM
Feint?

Isn't there a way to summon vermin, like spiders? Have them throw some webs out.

Edit: There is! Child of Winter from EbCS.

RTGoodman
2008-04-03, 09:12 PM
Isn't there a way to summon vermin, like spiders? Have them throw some webs out.

Well, you could do that, but being entangled (http://systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/abilitiesAndConditions.html#entangled) (the condition caused by entangle and webs and such) doesn't deny your opponent his Dex bonus. They just take a -4 penalty to Dex (among other things).

EDIT: If you're fighting an Animal, though, hold animal (Druid 2) works.

BardicDuelist
2008-04-03, 09:15 PM
Well, you could do that, but being entangled (http://systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/abilitiesAndConditions.html#entangled) (the condition caused by entangle and webs and such) doesn't deny your opponent his Dex bonus. They just take a -4 penalty to Dex (among other things).

EDIT: If you're fighting an Animal, though, hold animal (Druid 2) works.

Yeah, my bad. Feint.

The_Snark
2008-04-03, 09:21 PM
With a character running entirely off Wisdom I don't see why you wouldn't be able to just spam ghost step.

Also take a look at Enduring Ki, that'll let your Ghost Step last for 2 rounds instead of one.

He's not just running off Wisdom, though; he needs Strength and Con, and Dex won't hurt either for a sneaky character. This is the shapeshift variant, not wild shape.

And Enduring Ki requires you to spend another use of ki power to get the extended duration. It'll save you a swift action, but nothing else. Expanded Ki is a better idea if you're running off ghost step.

Burley
2008-04-04, 08:56 AM
I got my stats!
Str- 13
Dex- 16
Con- 12
Int- 13
Wis- 17
Cha- 12

So...yeah. I had planned on taking weapon finesse, because I'm not using my animal forms 24/7...they aren't sneaky lookin' enough. But, next level, my Wis will be a point higher, which will bump my mod to +4. I know there is a feat out there that lets me put my Wisdom to hit instead of strength. If I could just take it now, instead of wasting Weapon Finesse that'd be useful. I know about Zen Archery, but there's a melee one, right?

Azerian Kelimon
2008-04-04, 08:59 AM
Intuitive Attack, BoED. One of the few good things in that book. Get your DM to change it to a general feat.

Burley
2008-04-04, 09:35 AM
What are the prereqs on that feat, Azerian? My DM is really nice, but I dunno if he's gonna want to drastically change things for me.

(Something amusing: My druid Ninja, with all his glorious precision damage, has the Murky-Eyed flaw.)

BardicDuelist
2008-04-04, 09:49 AM
Two things:
If you can, swtich your Con and Dex. You only have a d8 HD, which is rather low in Gestalt, and will have a low AC no matter how you look at it being a ninja.

Also, Intuitive Attack is BAB+1 and only works with simple and natural weapons. It seems perfect for you, rigiht? Well it does require that you play an exalted character.

I just feel the need to point out, your build suggest somone who wants to go in and mix it up in a fight, but your stats won't let you do this well. I would spend a lot of time summoning to get flanking bonuses (I know, sudden strike won't work, but the +2 still helps). Also, don't waste the feat on weapon finesse. You're better off focusing on your spellcasting side for in combat use, and your ninja side for out of combat use (traps and sneaking).

Burley
2008-04-04, 10:08 AM
Well, I'm not changing it, sorry. I've made the character the way I like it, mostly. I'd love to min-max my stats, but I'm not supposed to be a meat shield, and I can't overshadow the other people in my party. My concept is solid and my stats were rolled after my concept and arranged to fit it. I'm happy with them.:smallsmile: Thanks for the advice, though.
I think an 18 AC with no armor or magic items is respectable at 3rd level.

I didn't know the feat was for simple and natural weapons only... That's not really worth it. A lot of my fighting isn't going to be in animal form, so, I do need to focus on my high scores for attacking, but all of my weapons are Exotic (Homebrew fans, nunchaku, kama, shuriken, sai). Maybe I'll stick with Weapon Finesse.

But, keep the Denied Dex suggestions coming. I've got "Summon a Hippogriff" at the top of my list, followed closely by "Kelpstrand", but that sounds like an aquatic setting spell.

nargbop
2008-04-05, 05:12 PM
Shivering Touch is the ultimate Dex-denying spells, from the Player's Guideto Frostburn. On a successful touch attack, do 3d6 Dex damage. This will paralyze sometimes and make very easy to hit most of the time. I have it loaded into a spell-storing sword with a DM-ruling that a hit with a spell-storing sword can discharge the touch spell.

The_Snark
2008-04-05, 05:26 PM
Kelpstrand gets an additional bonus if you use it within 300 feet of the shoreline, but it works fine anywhere, and it doesn't really need the boost. Could always reflavor it to be a vine rather than kelp, if you want to.