[3.5] Ways to Stun

[Saint GoH]

Whats on the tin. I have a new player that played WoW for a long time and wants to fulfill the same role his Rogue did, basically stun-locking things to death. Available sources are all Core, Completes, Races of X, Eberron and Forgotten Realms sourcebooks, Dragon Mag on approval by DM.

I'm tempted into trying to convince him to play Wizard, simply because I don't know any ways melee can reliably stun. But thats probably a failing on my own part.

Any help Playground?

[Keld Denar]

Check out Person_Man's melee combo guide. There are a few pretty good ways. Melee can actually stun just fine. Shield Slam is a pretty reliable stun, and a Sudden Stunning (DMGII) weapon is very powerful in the hands of a Cha based character like a Paladin or Hexblade. Also, don't forget Stunning Fist, which, with a few melee debuff auras can be decently effective.

The best way to stun as a caster that I can think of, other than casting stun spells (most of which are high level), is use of Born of the Three Thunders, which has its own problems.

[Thurbane]

If he has a decent CHA, the Stunning Surge weapon enhancement (MIC) isn't bad (limited uses/day). The Sudden Stunning enhancement from DMG II is like Stunning Surge on steroids...and targets Reflex saves, often the worst save of higher level opponents.

[Saint GoH]

Hmm I'll have to read that guide more in depth. I was unaware there was a section on stunning/dazing.

And the Weapon enhancement sounds lovely, though it also has uses per day? (Not that a stun uses per day is a bad thing, I just don't like the idea of limiting his one trick pony more then it already will be)

[Keld Denar]

Stunning Surge and Sudden Stunning are both +Cha/day uses. Stunning Surge is 1 round of stun, but Sudden Stunning is 1d4+1 rounds, which is pretty much brokenly good.

Also, you can enchant a shield as a weapon. You could put Sudden Stunning on your shield AND your shield spike, then charge at someone with Shield Slam. You could only activate one or the other of the Sudden Stunnings, but you'd only need to after you find out if the Shield Slam worked or failed. With 2x Sudden Stunning though, you'd have 2x +Cha/day uses, which is nice.

[cfalcon]

I don't know the optimization level of your game so I can't recommend a straight up monk, but I will point out that Kidney Shot actually really is stunning fist.

The WoW rogue is an amalgam of monks and rogues, without the monk's unarmed proficiency.

The 3.5 base class ninja has an invis on demand that could be work pretty similar to vanish.

Nothing stands in for blind or sap, but of course the assassin has the paralysis and death attacks.


Hrm.