Broken Builds (3.5)

[Ryu_Bonkosi]

I am someone who has been playing D&D for a few years now and have wanted my characters to be the best they can be. But in doing this their builds become what is considered 'Broken', or so close to it that it doesn't matter. So I'm posting this thread so that I can see what all of you have come up with in your playing of the game.

To summerize, I want people to post their favorite Overpowered/Broken Builds here, (1-20 all feats included, and if possible list your source books).

Whether it be a Wizard that basically never stops casting a powerhouse spell, to a Barbarian who carves through anything in his path, i want to see it.

And thanks to all who decide to post.

(If there is already a thread like this please post a redirect link in your post.)

One of my Favorites:

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Half-Elf
1. Monk: (Stunning Fist, Improved Unarmed Fighting [Monk]), Iron Will
2. Monk: (Combat Reflexes [Monk])
3. Swashbuckler: (Weapon Finesse [Swashbuckler]), Great Fortitude
4. Swashbuckler
5. Swashbuckler
6. Fighter: (Power Attack [Fighter]), Alertness
7. Fighter: (Weapon Focus – Great Sword [Fighter])
8. Fist of the Forest
9. Fist of the Forest: Dodge
10. Divine Champion
11. Divine Champion: (Combat Expertise [Divine Champion])
12. Shiba Protector: Toughness
13. Dragon Warrior
14. Dragon Warrior
15. Cleric: Mobility
16. Shadow Dancer
17. Shadow Dancer
18. Cleric: Improved Natural Attack
19. Cleric
20. Mystic Wanderer
Sources Used: Players Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Complete Warrior, Complete Champion, Oriental Adventures, Players Guide to Faerun, Magic of Faerun, and Dragon Magazine #298.

EDIT: *Sorry, Spring Attack was from a previous version of the Build, but this one doesn't need it, so it was replaced with Improved Natural Attack*

[Gauntlet]

Have a present.

[Eldariel]

Have a present.

Note, the OP is obsolete. Pun-Pun is now a level 1 Kobold Paladin. Kobold because...well, long story, and Paladin because Pazuzu grants them Wishes particularly readily. Sources needed: Core, Serpent Kingdoms, Fiendish Codex I.

[Ryu_Bonkosi]

Let me make an amend, I don't want to see Pun-Pun, yes I know he is better than the gods but he isn't ment to be played and I want to see what EVERYONE has to offer to the Overpowered/Broken Build List.

[Greenish]

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Half-Elf
1. Monk: (Stunning Fist, Improved Unarmed Fighting [Monk]), Iron Will
2. Monk: (Combat Reflexes [Monk])
3. Swashbuckler: (Weapon Finesse [Swashbuckler]), Great Fortitude
4. Swashbuckler
5. Swashbuckler
6. Fighter: (Power Attack [Fighter]), Alertness
7. Fighter: (Weapon Focus – Great Sword [Fighter])
8. Fist of the Forest
9. Fist of the Forest: Dodge
10. Divine Champion
11. Divine Champion: (Combat Expertise [Divine Champion])
12. Shiba Protector: Toughness
13. Dragon Warrior
14. Dragon Warrior
15. Cleric: Mobility
16. Shadow Dancer
17. Shadow Dancer
18. Cleric: Spring Attack
19. Cleric
20. Mystic Wanderer
Sources Used: Players Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Complete Warrior, Complete Champion, Oriental Adventures, Players Guide to Faerun, Magic of Faerun, and Dragon Magazine #298.

How is that broken? It seems kinda weak, what with spring attacks and toughness and so forth. And half-elf?

Anyway, how about druid10/Planar Shepherd10 with Natural Spell.

[Ryu_Bonkosi]

How is that broken? It seems kinda weak, what with spring attacks and toughness and so forth. And half-elf?

Half-Elf because I like Half-Elves and You add your Con/Wis(x2)/Cha to your AC and your Dex(instead of Str)/Wis/Int to damage

[Boci]

Half-Elf because I like Half-Elves and You add your Con/Wis(x2)/Cha to your AC and your Dex(instead of Str)/Wis/Int to damage

It is very clear from that that your concept of broken dioes not match the normal definition used on this site, even with a bit a leeway.

[Icewraith]

IF you pump wis I can see that as being really nice, but not broken unless you're in a really high point buy or open rolling and have, say, 3-4 18s.

[Eldariel]

Well:

- Illithid Savant anything: Qualify with Polymorph Any Object, rest...doesn't really matter; eat few brains, become infinitely powerful, etc.
- Beholder Mage anything: Qualify with Polymorph Any Object, 9 free action spells per turn is good, I hear, especially with spontaneous Wizard-casting.
- Cancer Mage/Tainted Scholar: Not going there.
- Ur-Priest/Apostle of Peace: No.
- Incantatrix/Spelldancer/Halruaan Elder/Hathran/Red Wizard/Shadowcraft Mage: NO!
- Planar Shepherd: NO!!!!
- Dweomerkeeper: NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
- Hulking Hurler: Yeah, no.

All of that...is just too easy and not really even funny. Actually, most of Forgotten Realms material belongs in there... Yeah, it's that bad (see the Incantatrix-line? All of that, except for SCM, is FR specific).


So...that's it for the easiest ones off the top of my head (misses a few but I did that in a hurry). Anything more specific you'd want to hear about, or any kind of limitation in power?

[Mystic Muse]

any race, Necropolitan wizard/Tainted scholar.
Tainted Scholar is from heroes of horror and Wizard is core rules.

[imperialspectre]

I'm sitting here wondering if the OP is a well-presented satire or several paragraphs of undiluted noobishness. Either way is pretty funny, so the OP gets credit for making me smile through a splitting headache.

Have a cookie.

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[Greenish]

Half-Elf because I like Half-Elves and You add your Con/Wis(x2)/Cha to your AC and your Dex(instead of Str)/Wis/Int to damage

What's with the Spring Attack then? You'll be getting off one kinda weak attack per turn using it.

And Toughness? It leads me to conclude that my leg has been successfully pulled.

[Asheram]

I'm sitting here wondering if the OP is a well-presented satire or several paragraphs of undiluted noobishness. Either way is pretty funny, so the OP gets credit for making me smile through a splitting headache.

Have a cookie.

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Whoa, that's a big cookie!

[SurlySeraph]

The Twice-Betrayer of Shar is broken. The King of Smack is broken.

Olo Demonsbane has a few great builds, and I hope he'll show up with some of his ineffable, Hollywood-explosion-filled optimization wisdom. The Cleric/ Prestige Paladin build with Sword of the Arcane Order is particularly nice: simple, straightforward, and nearly a fullcaster with all spells automatically quickened. The use of Lightning Maces for nigh-infinite strings of attacks is a real classic.

[Ryu_Bonkosi]

What's with the Spring Attack then? You'll be getting off one kinda weak attack per turn using it.

And Toughness? It leads me to conclude that my leg has been successfully pulled.

Sorry about the Spring attack, that was edited so the build is right in the original post, and all the feats are needed to take the Classes, all of the Feats used (except Improved Natural attack [Which replaced the Spring Attack]) are necessary.

[Eldariel]

The King of Smack is broken.

I'd contest that. The King of Smack is merely a well-optimized Psychic Warrior, nothing more. It's not even a full caster and uses mere Metamorphosis over the grander big brothers. Size category scaling of UA Strikes and lots of natural attacks with relatively poor attack bonus...it's the definition of "fair".

[Ryu_Bonkosi]

Another good one in my Opinion:

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Human
1. Sorcerer Iron Will / Combat Casting
2. Sorcerer
3. Sorcerer Eschew Materials
4. Sorcerer
5. Sorcerer
6. Incantatar (Still Spell) Silent Spell
7. Incantatar
8. Incantatar
9. Incantatar ( Energy Substitution [Element of your choice]), Residual Magic
10. Incantatar
11. Incantatar
12. Incantatar (Energy Admixture [Element of your choice]), Weapon Focus [Ray]
13. Incantatar
14. Incantatar
15. Incantatar (Violate Spell [maybe]), Split Ray
16. War-Mage
17. War-Mage (Maximize Spell)
18. War-Mage Arcane Thesis (Ray Spell)
19. War-Mage (Empower Spell)
20. War-Mage
Sources Used: Player's Handbook, Player's Guide to Faerun, Complete Mage, Complete Arcane?(I forget), and Age of Mortals, Book of Vile Darkness.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Heck, I could take that build easy with Takahashi, even with a seven-level differential...

Basically Intimidation-version of Diplomacy. Use Imperious Command from Drow of the Underdark, plus the armor enhancement from the same source to let him Intimidate as a move action, then use a PrC to Take 10 on it, giving you a flat 46 DC level + wis mod + mods to fear effects check, or be Cowering. For everything in a 30' radius.

Scariest CW Samurai alive...

[Eldariel]

ScariestThe only CW Samurai alive...

Fixed that for you.

[Ryu_Bonkosi]

Heck, I could take that build easy with Takahashi, even with a seven-level differential...

Lets see how you like roughly a 450 damage ray spell blasting at your face with no save...

[ScionoftheVoid]

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Bubs, Venerable Strongheart Halfling Commoner3/Marshal1

Traits and Flaws
Uncivilized
Murky-eyed


Feats
Flaw - Flexible Mind = +1
Human - Animal Affinity
1 - Skill Focus: Handle Animal
3 - Dinosaur Wrangler


Cha can be as high as 22 (18 base, +3 age, +1 ap)

Buy an Animal Trainer's Kit

Beg the DM for a custom item of Handle Animal (we can technically afford up to a +7 item, depending on your cheese tolerance).

Activate a Marshal Aura of Motivate Charisma.

Become an affiliate of the "Animal Domain" organization (Complete Champion page 30); you only need a +4 affiliate score, and taking full ranks in Handle Animal and Know:Nature gets you there.



Total Handle Animal score: 37 (7ranks +6cha, +6aura, +7 item, +2kit, +2affinity, +3focus, +2affiliate, +1trait, +1flexible), with an additional +4 against Dinosaurs.



Now, the DC to rear a wild animal is 15 + the animal's HD, and doing so gets you up to three of that kind of animal. The DCs to train it afterwards are constant, so that's good. Assuming take 10 is allowed, or we get merely average rolls, we can reliably rear wild animals of up to 32 HD. This includes such fun ones as the Dire Rhinoceros (CR 9) and Dire Elephant (CR 10). However, we also get a +4 with Dinosaurs, raising the limit up to 36.

If you guessed that I was going to roll out a 36 HD dinosaur, you're on the money. Meet the Battletitan. At the low end of CR 16, it's not going to be soloing the Tarrasque any time soon. But with AC 35, four natural attacks that are not going to miss, legendary hp, impressive saves, a Str score better than a Storm Giant, Improved Grab, and a buttload of feats to customize with... yeah, you'll be travelling in style. And for all your effort, you get three of these.

At level four.

You can also raise Magical Beasts of up to 17 HD. I'm sure there's all sorts of fun there, too, but I'll leave that as an exercise to the reader.)

Bubs the Commoner, copied from the version in sonofzeal's signature. Looks fun and with those kinds of allies almost definitely broken. Only level four, which may not meet the OP's requirements. Sources that I can remember without looking up: Miniatures Handbook, Unearthed Arcana, Complete Champion. Good enough?

Edit:@^ You have to win initiative first and seven levels of Wizard casting is enough for Polymorph, which may require some caster level boosts (e.g. Practiced Spellcaster, CArc, +4 to a max of HD) to get Dire Tortoise. If that's possible (with seven levels worth of feats, class features and wealth) you probably lose unless you did the same, in which case you'd require an actual initiative roll (which can be improved with anything left over from the seven unused levels). Also, ~450 damage in one turn at level twenty is not that great. Why are you taking Warmage levels (Warmage Edge only applies to spells cast as a Warmage IIRC)? Why are you focusing those Split Ray, Maximise, Empower metamagics on a damage spell when you could get better results from Enervation whilst saving the feats wasted on Energy Subsitution? If you focus on damage regardless why take Energy Substitution over Searing Spell? What spell is giving you this damage anyway? Your "build" is irritatingly vague.

Heavily ninja'd.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Lets see how you like roughly a 450 damage ray spell blasting at your face with no save...

Was referring to OP, but how can you cast a ray when you are cowering like a 1/2 HD commoner?

[Eldariel]

Lets see how you like roughly a 450 damage ray spell blasting at your face with no save...

He was referring to the stat stack warrior which is admittedly rather unimpressive. Incantatrix is obviously much more so (and well-known), but choosing Ray as a seed spell is just poor choice: Simple Ray Deflection makes it a non-issue. Some SR: No autohit spell with no save tends to be the gold standard, or something like Combust that just doesn't collapse to simple defenses (generally Magic Immunity and Ranged Touch Immunity are the two big ones to work around).

@Shneekey: Immune to fear, most likely. Also, most likely able to operate from a rather long range and thus never in range for Intimidation.

[tyckspoon]

Lets see how you like roughly a 450 damage ray spell blasting at your face with no save...

Takahashi screams at you and you completely lose the ability to do anything. There are ways to prevent it- with 20 levels in full casting you can pre-empt Initiative or become immune to fear pretty easily- but if you don't do it you just lose.

[Lateral]

Note, the OP is obsolete. Pun-Pun is now a level 1 Kobold Paladin. Kobold because...well, long story, and Paladin because Pazuzu grants them Wishes particularly readily. Sources needed: Core, Serpent Kingdoms, Fiendish Codex I.

Umm, could someone point me to a description of that lv1 pun-pun build? I'd like to see the mechanics of that.

edit:

Sure. Make DC 25 Knowledge: Religion check. Pazuzu, Pazuzu, Pazuzu. Poof, Pazuzu appears. Wish for LE Candle of Invocation, start Wish-chain, get Sarrukhhood and scalykindhood and ascend.

...sweet. How do you get a high enough bonus on religion checks to hit DC 25 with 4 ranks in it? How does the wish chain work? Are there actual rules for the Pazuzu thing? How come the Pazuzu thing only takes a DC 25 check?

...I think you'd be best off just linking me to it.

Edit: Ok, that's a little clearer, but how does a Candle of Invocation give you an infinite wish loop? I can see the binding of a Wish-granting creature working, but can Wish really do that kind of stuff?

[Doc Roc]

A list of some tricks.

[Mystic Muse]

Was referring to OP, but how can you cast a ray when you are cowering like a 1/2 HD commoner?

Doesn't the Dread witch's class feature make it so you can delay fear effects? Or is this not a fear effect?

[Eldariel]

Umm, could someone point me to a description of that lv1 pun-pun build? I'd like to see the mechanics of that.

Sure. Make DC 25 Knowledge: Religion check. Pazuzu, Pazuzu, Pazuzu. Poof, Pazuzu appears. Wish for LE Candle of Invocation, start Wish-chain, get Sarrukhhood and scalykindhood and ascend.

[tyckspoon]

Umm, could someone point me to a description of that lv1 pun-pun build? I'd like to see the mechanics of that.

In short: Be a level 1 Paladin. Optimize your Know: Religion check so that you can (a) Know about Pazuzu and (b) know that he tends to grant no-strings attached Wishes to Paladins who sink low enough to call on him.

Recite the holy words "Pazuzu Pazuzu Pazuzu." Get him to Wish you up a Candle of Invocation (or Bind a Wish-granting creature on your behalf, whichever.) Use the Candle/Bound creature to attain infinite Wishes, initiate Pun-Pun ascension with said Wishes.

[Kosjsjach]

Heck, I could take that build easy with Takahashi, even with a seven-level differential...

Basically Intimidation-version of Diplomacy. Use Imperious Command from Drow of the Underdark, plus the armor enhancement from the same source to let him Intimidate as a move action, then use a PrC to Take 10 on it, giving you a flat 46 DC level + wis mod + mods to fear effects check, or be Cowering. For everything in a 30' radius.

Scariest CW Samurai alive...

This build intrigues me, but I'm wondering how you're getting your Wis to Intimidate (among a few other things). Would you mind fleshing this out?