Messy Build, Wanna Help?

[Replacement]

Note: In terms to balance and overall effectiveness I realize this approach doesn't bring to much to the table. But thats ok!

Ok so I got alittle bored with my item-crafter cleric in a friends game so I'm designing a fun character that I'm gearing towards survivability. Pretty much I need to get a 20+ con at first level, Toughness, and then take Roll With It (Savage Species) to gain damage reduction 2/-. This feat is stackable so I plan on tacking it for almost every feat I acquire.

The setting it is the slight future after 'time of troubles' in Forgotten Realms. The DMs stat rolls are heavy (4D6 reroll 1/2, drop lowest). Any non-level adjustment race is available. I can take two flaws to gain a bonus feat at level one, plus I am also allowed a bonus regional feat. (yeah I know this sounds like powergaming/munchining, so thats why I'm going to powergame in a non-effective way ) Any 3.5 material is available.

So how the best should I use my Roll With It plans.

[pestilenceawaits]

take improved toughness instead of regular toughness it is better in the long run.

[Replacement]

Toughness is a requirement for Roll With It

[Roderick_BR]

Play a dwarf with paladin/dwarf defender levels.

[pestilenceawaits]

Toughness is a requirement for Roll With It

Doh! I didn't realize that. Improved toughness is still a good choice for this build.

[Indon]

I'd be a dwarven barbarian; nothing says intimidating like an insane short man that your weapons bounce off of.

Would Barbarian DR stack with DR from these feats? Even still, there's the large hit point pool.

[Fax Celestis]

Play a Shield Dwarf, and go Knight/Crusader/Dwarven Defender/Deepstone Sentinel. You'll be the ultimate in immobile destruction.

EDIT: In fact, Knight 3/Crusader 4/Dwarven Defender 3/Deepstone Sentinel 10 probably works, though those could use some tuning. I'm at work and don't have my books.

[Akennedy]

Be a Knight or a fighter! Prestige into.... hrmm.. Dwarven defender's good.. Can't think of a good prestige class...

[Replacement]

Ok so dwarf, most likly shield dwarf is a good start. And I believe the DR stacks with the feat/class DR.

[Bardbarian]

--->You could go with Dragon Shaman from PHBII, and end up with DR 3/- at first level with the right aura. Maybe switch off to gnome or a dwarf variant w/o a CHA penalty to have the class features of Dragon Shaman be more effective. The class isn't considered very optimal, but you did say that wasn't a big deal, so...

[pestilenceawaits]

I would go with knight or barbarian for the d12 HD and I think the Barbarian DR does stack.

[Replacement]

Here is one approach that I'm considering.

Dwarf Fighter
Spend all my feats to get Roll With It. Bonus fighter feats on Improved toughness and regular feats on Roll With It. Around mid levels Combat Expertise and then Improved Combat Expertise.

[Indon]

You can take Improved Toughness more than once?

If not, you could just grab more Roll With It.

[pestilenceawaits]

another option if you want to either play a duergar dwarf or take the wild talent feat is the war mind prestige class. you get DR and defensive stances full BAB and d10 HD
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/pr...es/warMind.htm

[Replacement]

You can take Improved Toughness more than once?

If not, you could just grab more Roll With It.

Roll With It isn't a fighter feat but Impoved Toughness is.

[Zincorium]

Iron Mind, from Races of Stone, if you're going the psionics route.

[ilovefire]

Heh, if you odn't mine -4 CHA and -2 INT, Mongrelfolk from FF and Races of Destiny provide +4 CON. Goodly stuff, taht.

[NullAshton]

...roll with it stacks?

*has an insane munchkinism build involving a fighter, two flaws at character creation, and taking that feat as the bonus feat each... and every... time...*

Go 42/- damage reduction!

[Bosh]

...roll with it stacks?

*has an insane munchkinism build involving a fighter, two flaws at character creation, and taking that feat as the bonus feat each... and every... time...*

Go 42/- damage reduction!

Any will-based save ftw!
With this sort of build I'd go mongrelfolk barbarian, take the races of stone PrC that makes you a dwarf wannabe for more con and take the PHB II feat that lets you use your con modifier instead of your wis modifier for saving throws.

A hideous mutant that you just can't kill would be fun to play :)

[TimeWizard]

For a different path, Elan Psion with Improved Resistance and a high Int. You can trade one power point to negate four damage. At mid-levels you'll be the least scarred character, at high levels you only take damage when you want to.

[Replacement]

Mongrel Folk WOOO,

Ok so I need to start with a 4th level character that could go anywhere. Roll With It is not a fighter feat so I have some free feats to spend.


Mongrel Folk (2 flaws, minimum Con equals 20+)
1st/Fighter: Toughness(fighter feat), Roll With It*2, Random Regional Feat
2nd/Fighter: Improved Unarmed Strike (eventually for Improved Grapple) or Power Attack (eventually for Shock Trooper, Complete Warrior)
3rd/Fighter: Roll With It
4th/Fighter: Mage Slayer, +stat to Con, Str, or Dex

Past Fighter 4 I dunno what to do, Barbarian? More fighter and work towards a prestige?

[Replacement]

So Twohander, TWF, Grapple...? which way do you guys think I should take the character.

[Zincorium]

So Twohander, TWF, Grapple...? which way do you guys think I should take the character.

Two hander. Not for power so much as simplicity, it takes 0 feats to be reasonably effective, and that's about as many as you have to spare. TWF fails to be a good choice for that reason alone. Grappling is far too specific to be a good choice for overall style, there are too many monsters which are ungrapple-able (such as shadows and ghosts), dangerous to grapple, or just too massively huge for you to succeed. It also does absolutely jack for damage.

[Replacement]

I just brewed up an idea like I would like some comments on.

Vicious upgrades on my weapons, +2d6, 1d6 to me, with my DR that will probly reduced to the min of 1. Now besides the fact that two handers are much easier to use, could this bonus make TWF in this case viable?

[Mike_Lemmer]

Toughness is a requirement for Roll With It

I'd suggest asking your GM if you can substitute Improved Toughness for the prerequisite instead of Toughness. I find it works most of the time; they view Imp. Toughness as what Toughness should've been.

[Everyman]

Ask your DM about that Vicious ability. It's not very clear whether that damage magical or not, so it may still make its way through your DR.

[PinkysBrain]

I'm designing a fun character that I'm gearing towards survivability.

No, you are not ... you are making a damage tank with a glass jaw.

HP and DR do not make for survivability, when you are getting hit you are already screwed (all the DR in the world won't save you from a wraith). Stealth, saves, HP, DR, AC, touch AC and mobility ... for survivability you need a careful balance between all of them, and probably a few I forgot.

PS. sharp senses and uncanny dodge for when something manages to slip past them.

PPS. forgot SR .... hmm, what I described sounds eerily like a monk ;)

PPS. forgot immunities and resistances.

[Ikkitosen]

Stone Dragon Warblade - there are quite a few immobile/resistant powers in Stone Dragon IIRC. D12 HD too. As said, Roll With It isn't a fighter feat, so fighter's no good.

[Darkshade]

if you're gonna crack out savage species go for survivor

[Replacement]

No, you are not ... you are making a damage tank with a glass jaw.

Ok so he is more fun then survival-based. But all majority of the things you stated are a problem with anyone that wants to start out with 4 lvls of fighter.

So my problem is using fighter as the base for this build. I do need the first level to be fighter, after then I don't really care.

edit: I was considering picking up Survivor, around level 5 or 6.