Trying to build a Halfling tripper...

[NekoJoker]

Ok, so today i woke up and decided i would try something outrageous.

I want to build a Halfling tripper. This is a 3.5 build with almost all books available and some dragon magazines that could be thrown into the mix. And i may be able to pester my D to allow a couple feats from Pathfinder I found interesting

so, here we are, we have a 15 level build to do, the race would be halfing or any other equally small or smaller race, no LA or templates if possible.

So far i have gathered the following feats that i could hammer into the build Imp Trip (I can get it for free thanks to DM) Agile Maneuvers (Pathfinder) to use Dex instead of Str for any trip attempt, Pebble underfoot (dragon Compendium) adds a +4 untyped bonus on trip attempts, Underfoot Combat (Races of the Wild) and Confound the bbig folk (races of the Wild)

the idea here is to build an agile combatant focusing on trip attempts who just happens to be of a small (or tiny) race.

It would be great if the end result could trip medium and larger creatures withut much trouble.

Any ideas you may like to share with me?

[nedz]

I think that this thread should be in the 3.5 sub-forum ?

[NekoJoker]

Oh.. snap, you are right.

Mods, if you read this, please move this thread to de D&D 3.5 subforum.
thx

[Gavinfoxx]

Pssst. Try reporting your post. The little triangle with the exclamation mark.

[nedz]

Pssst. Try reporting your post. The little triangle with the exclamation mark.

I did that for him, which is why its here.

[nedz]

OK - an off the wall suggestion.

Dip Bard - this gives you
Exotic Weapon Prof Whip - trip with 15' reach
The ability to Wand Iron Thunder Horn, which is a mass trip cone thing.
Also Grease.
Plus a few other useful spells.

[eggs]

My first thought is Swordsage/Monk/Psionic Fist or Warmind/Swordsage or Shadow Sun Ninja

Monk primarily for the first two levels' Underfoot Combat (from the halfling level 1 sub level in the Champions of Valor Web enhancement... Hin Disciple?) and prerequisite-free Improved Trip (from the Passive Way combat style variant from Unearthed Arcana). Maybe also tossing in Invisible Fist.

Swordsage for Setting Sun maneuvers, which often reward small size, and which allow passable damage output/debuffs despite using move actions for Confound the Bigfolk. Also, Shadow Blade can complement a high-Dex approach to tripping.

Psionic Fist or Warmind for Psychic Warrior powers, which strongly complement this style of build. Psionic Fist's probably better in a broader scope (better unarmed damage, better manifesting, flexible bonus feats, works better with limited-reach/strength-unreliant builds), but Warmind's easier to piece together (just throw Knowledge Devotion or Education/Educated feats in there somewhere). If multiclass penalties aren't being used, Psychic Warrior is at least an equally appealing option.

Shadow Sun Ninja is primarily for advancing Setting Sun maneuvers without incurring experience penalties, and monk damage without Adaptation houserules. Without multiclass penalties, Swordsage is likely better - especially if unarmed SS is cleared.

[Answerer]

This just screams Setting Sun Swordsage to me. The throws are trips-but-better, and you can use Dex for them, and if you do, your Small size is a bonus, not a penalty.

[doko239]

If you're going Pathfinder anyway, take a look at Underfoot Adept, a Halfling-only Monk archetype that specializes in tripping larger opponents. A 20th-level Underfoot Adept gets to trip as if he were Colossal

[Traab]

If you're going Pathfinder anyway, take a look at Underfoot Adept, a Halfling-only Monk archetype that specializes in tripping larger opponents. A 20th-level Underfoot Adept gets to trip as if he were Colossal

How the hell does something colossal TRIP anything smaller than a building? A human getting "tripped" by a colossal would basically get hit by a wrecking ball. Thats not tripped, thats crunched.

[Torvon]

No time to read through this for now, sorry if some of the things I mention came up before. But there is a Paladin substitution for Halfling (something with Ruby or Rose) that lets you ignore the -4 for being a small race. I played a spiked chain halfling paladin/knight tripper once, who was riding a ... medium dragon. Oh the advantages of a small race!

Add PrC Hellreaver for lots of fun.

Didn't do a lot of damage, but had insane AC, very very tanky, insane saves, and a lot of utility. And of course lots of funny roleplaying potential.

Here is the character, in case you're interested (we had bonus feats).

Spoiler

Show

Class:
Halfling Knight4/Paladin4/Hellreaver2.

Stats mit Items:
STR 18, DEX 14, CON 18, INT 13, WIS 8, CHA 18

Defenses:
AC: 31 (12mechanus+4shield+2dex+1size+1natural+1deflect)
Touch: 18
Flat-footed: 29
HP: ~ 120
Fortidude: 13
Reflex: 8
Will: 14

Various
Gemstone of moderate fortification: 75% chance to negate sneak attacks / crits
Reliquary Holy Symbol: +2 uses of turn/rebuke undead

Shoulders
Cloak of Charisma +2

Arms
none

Hands
Gauntlets of Dex: +2 Dex

Rings
Ring of Protection +11

Head
none

Face
Pearl of Speech: speak draconic

Throat
Amulet of Health +2

Torso
Vest of Resistance +1

Waist
Belt of priestly might: +1 nat. armor, +2 STR

Feet
Steadfast Boots: +4 bonus to resist bullrush/overrun/tripped, AoO against charge (double damage)

Skills:

Good
Intimidate 8, Handle Animal 10, Knowledge Nobility 3, Knowledge Relition 9, Knowledge The Planes 5, Ride 13

Bad
Listen -5 (lol), Spot -5 (lol), Swim -13, Escape Artist -12 etc.

Feats:
Combat Expertise (level1), Imp. Trip (Bonus Feat Strongheart Halfling), Combat Reflexes (flaw), Mounted Combat (Knight level2), Ride-by-Attack (level 3), Parrying Shield (level 5), Power Attack (level 7), Divine Shield (level 8, Paladin Holy Warrior Bonus feat) , Dragon Cohort (level 9)

[doko239]

How the hell does something colossal TRIP anything smaller than a building? A human getting "tripped" by a colossal would basically get hit by a wrecking ball. Thats not tripped, thats crunched.

It's a Small creature getting to trip a Colossal with no penalty, not the other way around

[Spuddles]

This just screams Setting Sun Swordsage to me. The throws are trips-but-better, and you can use Dex for them, and if you do, your Small size is a bonus, not a penalty.

Yeah, I've had a ton of fun with setting sun school, on both sides of the screen. It's extremely effective, compared to what exists. I have to wonder why it took wotc so long to make a fun, playable, straightforward dynamic melee class.

[Traab]

It's a Small creature getting to trip a Colossal with no penalty, not the other way around

Sorry, I saw this

A 20th-level Underfoot Adept gets to trip as if he were Colossal

And read it as he counts as if the halfling were colossal sized, and wondered how in fluff a colossal anything could trip something other than, i dunno, maybe a giant or something simply due to the size difference. I understand when it comes to things like grapple checks the size modifier making a difference. If my arms are literally the size of tree trunks, you are going to have a much harder time breaking free than if my arms are the size of twigs, but that particular action confused me.