New OOTS products from CafePress
New OOTS t-shirts, ornaments, mugs, bags, and more
Results 1 to 11 of 11
  1. - Top - End - #1
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Drakevarg's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Ebonwood

    Default [3.5] Hulking Out (Optimization Challenge)

    Been mulling this over for about a day now; how can I best maximize my character's Strength with the books I have? Just to see if there's anything I missed (there is), I thought I'd ask the Playground the same question. Here are the limitiations:

    - No Templates.
    - ECL prior to class levels must be <10.
    - Material can ONLY be from the following books:

    Player's Handbook
    Dungeon Master's Guide
    Monster Manual
    Draconomicon
    Libris Mortis
    Complete Arcane
    Complete Warrior
    Manual of the Planes

    - Ignore Errata.
    - Cannot involve the assistance of other characters.
    - Rules may be added when things I overlooked come up.

    The goal is simple: try to create a character with as high a STR score as possible.
    (Bonus points if you can give a reasonable backstory as to why the character would take the class choices he did. )
    Last edited by Drakevarg; 2010-10-17 at 04:41 PM.
    If asked the question "how can I do this within this system?" answering with "use a different system" is never a helpful or appreciated answer.

    ENBY

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Barbarian in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jan 2007

    Default Re: [3.5] Hulking Out (Optimization Challenge)

    Human Barbarian 1/Druid 8/Wizard 3/Warshaper 2/Frenzied Berserker 1/Bear Warrior 5

    Take the required feats and Natural Spell, and then choose whatever you want for the other three.

    When you want to nova for ridiculous strength, do the following:

    Wildshape into a Brown Bear: 27 strength
    Mophic Body: +4 bonus to strength
    Cast Bull's Strength: +4 Enhancement bonus to strength
    Cast Enlarge Person: +2 Size bonus to strength
    Rage: +4 bonus to strength
    Frenzy: +6 bonus to strength
    Bear form into a Brown Bear (again ): +16 bonus to strength

    for a grand total of 63 strength

    Edit: I forgot about a wildshape limit, adjusting accordingly.
    Last edited by ranagrande; 2010-10-17 at 06:26 AM.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Banned
     
    Dr.Epic's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jan 2010

    Default Re: [3.5] Hulking Out (Optimization Challenge)

    Quote Originally Posted by ranagrande View Post
    Human Barbarian 1/Druid 6/Wizard 3/Warshaper 2/Frenzied Berserker 1/Bear Warrior 5/Mystic Theurge 2

    Take the required feats and Natural Spell, and then choose whatever you want for the other three.

    When you want to nova for ridiculous strength, do the following:

    Wildshape into a Brown Bear: 27 strength
    Mophic Body: +4 bonus to strength
    Cast Bull's Strength: +4 Enhancement bonus to strength
    Cast Enlarge Person: +2 Size bonus to strength
    Cast Rage: +2 morale bonus to strength
    Rage: +4 bonus to strength
    Frenzy: +6 bonus to strength
    Bear form into a Brown Bear (again ): +16 bonus to strength

    for a grand total of 65 strength
    Does enlarge person work on animals? I thought there was a separate spell for that.

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Barbarian in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jan 2007

    Default Re: [3.5] Hulking Out (Optimization Challenge)

    Quote Originally Posted by Dr.Epic View Post
    Does enlarge person work on animals? I thought there was a separate spell for that.
    There is a separate spell for it, Animal Growth. However, after they errata'd Wildshape to function as Alternate Form, the Druid's type no longer changes.

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Kobold-Bard's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    England
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: [3.5] Hulking Out (Optimization Challenge)

    Quote Originally Posted by ranagrande View Post
    Human Barbarian 1/Druid 8/Wizard 3/Warshaper 2/Frenzied Berserker 1/Bear Warrior 5

    Take the required feats and Natural Spell, and then choose whatever you want for the other three.

    When you want to nova for ridiculous strength, do the following:

    Wildshape into a Brown Bear: 27 strength
    Mophic Body: +4 bonus to strength
    Cast Bull's Strength: +4 Enhancement bonus to strength
    Cast Enlarge Person: +2 Size bonus to strength
    Rage: +4 bonus to strength
    Frenzy: +6 bonus to strength
    Bear form into a Brown Bear (again ): +16 bonus to strength

    for a grand total of 63 strength

    Edit: I forgot about a wildshape limit, adjusting accordingly.
    So turning from a bear into an identical bear grants you +16 Strength?

    Magic is weird
    Piratebold-Bard by Elder Tsofu | Backer #121 of the Giantitp Kickstarter | My homebrew
    Quote Originally Posted by OverlordJ View Post
    New law: Obey me or you'll be crushed by a MOUNTAIN.

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Mar 2009

    Default Re: [3.5] Hulking Out (Optimization Challenge)

    Quote Originally Posted by Kobold-Bard View Post
    So turning from a bear into an identical bear grants you +16 Strength?
    You become closer to the Platonic Ideal of Bear, which grants you strength beyond that of the mortal incarnations of bears.

    http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showp...61&postcount=1 describes a recreation of the Hulk. Basically, whenever he takes damage, he enters a rage, which increases his size to Large, which allows him to qualify for War Hulk, which gives him tons of strength. Not too helpful for 10th level, but worth examining.

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Chimera

    Join Date
    Jan 2010

    Default Re: [3.5] Hulking Out (Optimization Challenge)

    Goliath barb5/warhulk10

    str18 (base15, +3 lv up)
    +4 racial
    +4 rage
    +2 barb alternative
    +6 enhancement (belt of str)
    +20 str (warhulk when you rage)

    = 54 str when you rage.

    Crap, no races of stone.
    Last edited by Runestar; 2010-10-17 at 07:19 AM.

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Colossus in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Finland
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: [3.5] Hulking Out (Optimization Challenge)

    Wizard 17/Barbarian 1/Frenzied Berserker 1/Warshaper 1 with Practiced Spellcaster and Reckless Rage (rest of the feats are up to the user). Shapechange into Pit Fiend, base 37 Str (+4 Warshaper). Alter Self to generic Medium Outsider; stats remain as they are. Wish to replicate Giant Size, +32 Str for total of 73. +6 Enhancement, 79. Use 5 Wishes or have inherents or whatever, 84. Cast Rage on yourself, +2 Morale. Hulk out (Reckless Raging Rage, Frenzy for +12), 98.

    Draconic Polymorph may be able to outperform Shapechange; not in the mood to run numbers right now. And I'm sure you could come up with +2 more somehow to hit 100.


    EDIT: And if that Wishing losing XP hurts you, you could do the same with a Cleric with Animal-domain instead; Miracle to replicate lower level spells costs none. Would probably make more sense with the Angry half anyways.

    EDIT#2: Doh, Reckless Rage isn't CWar. Well, whatever. -2 then, so only 96. Or if you Shapechange into Outsider and then Draconic Polymorph into Pit Fiend (again!) and get +8 Str. So 104.

    EDIT#3: And yeah, Cleric will mostly be casting Miracles since much of that stuff isn't on his list but hey, that's why Clerics get the spell in the first place! Also, Draconic 104 Str isn't nearly as sustainable as the 96 since 96 lasts for 10 min/level (or about 7 hours with Greater Rod of Extend) outside the Giant Size/Raging part while Draconic has a buff in the middle that's round/level.
    Last edited by Eldariel; 2010-10-17 at 07:46 AM.
    Campaign Journal: Uncovering the Lost World - A Player's Diary in Low-Magic D&D (Latest Update: 8.3.2014)
    Being Bane: A Guide to Barbarians Cracking Small Men - Ever Been Angry?! Then this is for you!
    SRD Averages - An aggregation of all the key stats of all the monster entries on SRD arranged by CR.

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Bugbear in the Playground
    Join Date
    Sep 2007

    Default Re: [3.5] Hulking Out (Optimization Challenge)

    Infinite loops aren't allowed, right?

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    dspeyer's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2008

    Default Re: [3.5] Hulking Out (Optimization Challenge)

    Are you allowed to be a barbarian/etc. with leadership who keeps a wizard cohort around to buff you?

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Drakevarg's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Ebonwood

    Default Re: [3.5] Hulking Out (Optimization Challenge)

    Quote Originally Posted by Foryn Gilnith View Post
    You become closer to the Platonic Ideal of Bear, which grants you strength beyond that of the mortal incarnations of bears.
    No, I checked this out before starting this thread. Since the bear form is a polymorph effect, you cannot rage into bear and then turn into a bear again. (Or vice-versa.)

    Quote Originally Posted by ranagrande View Post
    There is a separate spell for it, Animal Growth. However, after they errata'd Wildshape to function as Alternate Form, the Druid's type no longer changes.
    A new rule occurs: Please ignore Errata, since I don't use it.

    Quote Originally Posted by dspeyer View Post
    Are you allowed to be a barbarian/etc. with leadership who keeps a wizard cohort around to buff you?
    No. You need to be able to pull it off solo.

    Quote Originally Posted by Toptomcat View Post
    Infinite loops aren't allowed, right?
    If you can pull it off with these books, sure, I'd like to see it. But actually using it in-game would just get me smacked upside with the DMG.

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldariel View Post
    Wizard 17/Barbarian 1/Frenzied Berserker 1/Warshaper 1 with Practiced Spellcaster and Reckless Rage (rest of the feats are up to the user).
    What's the Warshaper 1 for? The +4 to STR and CON doesn't kick in 'til Warshaper 2.
    Last edited by Drakevarg; 2010-10-17 at 04:47 PM.
    If asked the question "how can I do this within this system?" answering with "use a different system" is never a helpful or appreciated answer.

    ENBY

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •