Massive Lvl 1 Build

[Iudex Fatarum]

So I was recently DMing a campaign and I had a character build a lvl 1 character that was able to reach the massive damage threshhold. The way he pulled this off was
1. a full orc psychic warrior, 22 strength
2. then used expansion. He used expansion to make himself 24 strength
3. Crited on a great axe

This caused him to have 3d12 + 30 damage possible and he was able to do 60 damage. So my question is does any one know how to pull off an ECL 1 character that is able to reach the massive damage threshhold?

P.S. I lso thought the character was interesting, intelegence of 6 and so he thought he was a barbarian but had been exiled because when he "raged" he grew a size catagory.

[Tengu]

Actually, his weapon's base damage would also increase when using expansion. You might also consider scythe instead of a greataxe, it deals much better damage on a crit.

[Spasticteapot]

Actually, his weapon's base damage would also increase when using expansion. You might also consider scythe instead of a greataxe, it deals much better damage on a crit.

What we need to do now is find some way to give him at least a 25% chance of a crit on each attack.

Also, consider multiclassing to Barbarian. Orcs have it as a favored class, and there's nothing wrong with an additional +4 to strength.

[Person_Man]

Using a lance two handed from horseback, a first level human Fighter with Mounted Combat, Ride by Attack, Spirited Charge, and 18 Str.

On a normal charge, he deals 3d8+18 damage. If he crits, its 5d8+30.

There are a bunch of ways to get high damage at early levels. That's why the real challenge of combat is tactics, not lucky dice rolls. Terrain, flight, reach, invisibility, ambushes, magic, etc.

[Draz74]

What we need to do now is find some way to give him at least a 25% chance of a crit on each attack.

Also, consider multiclassing to Barbarian. Orcs have it as a favored class, and there's nothing wrong with an additional +4 to strength.

As soon as you show me how an ECL 1 character can multiclass.

[Deathcow]

...actually, I'm pretty sure there was a variant rule for multiclass 1st level characters somewhere... might have been the 3.0 DMG. You probably wouldnt have gotten both rage and spellcasting, though.

[Draz74]

Yeah, it was 3.0. They deliberately got rid of it in 3.5.

[Deepblue706]

"Apprentice Levels"

Basically...you got abilities from classes you didn't currently have levels in but you HAD to make that class your next level up, or something.

Yeah, I don't think they really thought that one out too well.

[Quietus]

Half-orc, 20 strength, barbarian, scythe. In a rage, 24 strength - +10 to damage. If you crit, 8d4x40.

Any questions?

[Belkarseviltwin]

Half-orc, 20 strength, barbarian, scythe. In a rage, 24 strength - +10 to damage. If you crit, 8d4x40.

Any questions?

Surely 8d4+40 not 8d4x40...

[Soepvork]

Might as well add in Powerful charge (feat) for an extra d8 (or 2d6) worth of damage

[Ikkitosen]

Yeah, it's when they do lots of damage without a crit that's more important. Like when they leap attack with a 2-H weapon. These tactics are generally more available at higher levels.

[Person_Man]

Yeah, it's when they do lots of damage without a crit that's more important. Like when they leap attack with a 2-H weapon. These tactics are generally more available at higher levels.

High levels?

You can get Spirited Charge or Battle Jump at 1st level. Knock-down only requires +2 BAB. Headlong Rush kicks in for Orcish characters at +4. Leap Attack at 5th level. Shock Trooper at 6th.

So even a low level Fighter who knows what he's doing can deal Massive damage pretty early. It's harder for other classes because they lack the precious bonus feats. But most melee combat builds I've seen pick up 2 levels of Fighter early on, and even if they forgoe them, they can still get pretty good feat combos by 12th level.

[Marek Haldir]

You know, that's neat 'n all, but who really needs to do that much damage at 1st level? What are you fighting that has that many HP that it would even survive the blow so that you would need to have it roll a massive damage fort save? and not just die because it's already at -30 HP or something.

[Neek]

Quick leveling by grinding the 7th-level city guards, I would reckon.

[talsine]

Quick leveling by grinding the 7th-level city guards, I would reckon.

someones been playing too much EQ lately...

[okpokalypse]

L1 Half-Orc Psychic Warrior

18 Strength, 4 Ranks in Jump, Run Feat (+4 to Jump Checks), Acrobatic Feat (+2 to Jump Checks).

Base Jump Skill @ L1 = +14.

Menifest Expansion to go Size L. Obese PC weighs 300 Lbs and carries 100 Lbs of gear. Expansion = 4,000 Lbs.

His new Large Size means rolling a 2 on a jump check gets him high enough to crush someone beneath him for 20d6 Damage (Falling Damage... 1d6 per 200 Lbs of Falling Object per 10 ft - Max 20d6).

So there ya go. L1. 20d6 Damage. (70 on Average).

No hit-roll needed, just a jump check :)

[Rigeld2]

No hit-roll needed, just a jump check :)

Except.. theres no rules for jumping onto someone. Sure, he jumps high enough in the air, but that doesnt mean he can actually land on someone, RAW.

[Fax Celestis]

L1 Half-Orc Psychic Warrior

18 Strength, 4 Ranks in Jump, Run Feat (+4 to Jump Checks), Acrobatic Feat (+2 to Jump Checks).

Base Jump Skill @ L1 = +14.

Menifest Expansion to go Size L. Obese PC weighs 300 Lbs and carries 100 Lbs of gear. Expansion = 4,000 Lbs.

His new Large Size means rolling a 2 on a jump check gets him high enough to crush someone beneath him for 20d6 Damage (Falling Damage... 1d6 per 200 Lbs of Falling Object per 10 ft - Max 20d6).

So there ya go. L1. 20d6 Damage. (70 on Average).

No hit-roll needed, just a jump check :)

And when he lands, he can yell, "It's-a me, Mario!"

[Setra]

And when he lands, he can yell, "It's-a me, Mario!"

Of course! It all makes sense now!

[jjpickar]

I think we should officially dub it "The Mario Build."

[Arceliar]

I think we should officially dub it "The Mario Build."

I'll second that...

*Edit: Leap of Heavens (from PHB2) only requires 4 ranks in jump. It gives a +5 on jump checks if you move 20ft and keeps the DC from doubling if you stand still. Lets Mr. Mario pull his ready-action-till-mr-koopa(kobold?)-charges-him.

*Edit Edit: Oh yeah, and every 10ft past 30ft your speed is you get another +4 bonus to jump checks. Xephs can 3x their day increase their speed (by 10ft at first level). The Speed of Thought psionic feat also increases speed and could be worth considering...

[Ikkitosen]

High levels?

As in generally not at 1st, yes.

[Person_Man]

Luigi

Half-Orc Monk 6/Psionic Fist 9

Notable Powers: Stomp, Expansion, Psionic Lion's Charge.

Items: Ring of Improved Jumping, +1 Flaming Shuriken

Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Combat Reflexes, Improved Trip, Wild Talent, Headlong Rush, Knock-Down, Leap of Heavens, Battle Jump.

Battle Jump is from Unapprouchable East. It gives you double damage on a charge as long as you drop from 15 feet above them.

Headlong Rush is from Races of Faerun. It gives orcs or half orcs double damage on a charge, but provokes AoO from everyone along the way (which is why the reach from Expansion is so important).

Leap of Heavens+Battle Jump+Headlong Rush+Psionic Lion's Charge+Stunning Fist+Flurry+Knock-Down+Improved Trip = Flattened enemies (and then you finish off your Flurry by throwing Flaming Shuriken)

At higher levels, you could probably fit in a Quickened Stomp.

[okpokalypse]

Except.. theres no rules for jumping onto someone. Sure, he jumps high enough in the air, but that doesnt mean he can actually land on someone, RAW.

He's treated as a falling object to those underneath.

And because it's large, it's a 2x2 area - so it's kinda like an AoE as well.

[Rigeld2]

He's treated as a falling object to those underneath.

And because it's large, it's a 2x2 area - so it's kinda like an AoE as well.

Cite a rule.

[Raool]

Duskblade with 18 STR and a Greataxe power attacking and using Blade of Blood spell as a swift action. If he would crit with the axe the damage would be: 3d12+6+2+3d6. 14-62 (45 avg. dmg.)

[lared]

I've yet to see a level 1 build that matches the one below:

Date : 08-22-06 02:53 PM

Okay, without using a single special rule, flaw, or race I will use a dirty trick shown to me by another on the boards here.

human Commoner 1

Cha-maxed (though not neccessary)
Skills- Handle Animal 4
Feats - Merchantile Background (FRcompendium), Skill Focus (animal Handling)
all other stats don't matter

Spend all starting gold on a herd of cattle. With the Merchantile background, that is an extra 300 gp. If I remember right, they cost like 5 gp each, so that would total of 100 cows.

Strategy- go prone and say "moo", which is "repeatedly run over that guy over there that I'm pointing to" in Cowsh. The enemy, if within 160' is charged over by the cows, needing no attack roll and causing 1d12 damage plus strength per 3 in the herd. If I remembered by numbers right, that is exactly 33d12+132 damage to everything in a 160' x 200' swath.

If the enemy survives that, you say 'Mooo' which means "come back here and get a treat after running over that guy again just for the fun of it" in eastern Cowsh (taught to the cows during 'off time' since you don't waste your time reading books or practicing anything useful). Repeat until combat ends.

This can take out just about anything I have seen here, by an NPC who has no weapons or training outside cowherding.

The poster of this actually got some of the math wrong; the commoner only has enough money to buy 50 cows. He's using stampede rules in the SRD under the bison entry.

[Person_Man]

I've yet to see a level 1 build that matches the one below:



The poster of this actually got some of the math wrong; the commoner only has enough money to buy 50 cows. He's using stampede rules in the SRD under the bison entry.

LOL. Sadly, the first thing I thought was what a poor build it was before breaking out into hysterical laughter. It's defeated by any spellcaster with Fly. Heck, even Warlocks and Dragonfire Adepts could kick his butt. It does give me some funny ideas for an encounter though...

[lared]

Another one I like from those wacky CharOp folks, using a first-level stance from Tome of Battle:

The Tiger Claw stance "Blood in the Water" is interesting for several reasons. For one thing, it implies that untyped bonuses CAN stack with themselves, but that's only an implication; it does, however, explicitly say that the untyped bonus it provides can stack with itself.

That bonus is a +1 to attack and damage rolls whenever you score a crit. This bonus has a very unusual duration; it lasts until you go one minute without scoring a critical hit, at which point it resets to 0.

Therefore, theoretically, you could continue building your bonus forever, if you could ensure that you inficted a critical hit at least once a minute.

How to do that, though? Well, here are a few interesting points to ponder:

1. A coup de grace automatically inflicts a critical hit.
2. The bonus from Blood in the Water applies to all attacks; the critical hit you score need not be with the weapons you plan to use in combat.

Therefore, the following bit of lunacy is possible:

1. Acquire a small, very sturdy critter. You want one with a high Fortitude save, and ideally one with high damage reduction. You absolutely do not want one immune to critical hits.
2. Render it helpless by whichever means you deem most convenient.
3. At least once a minute, pull it out and coup de grace it with your bare hand. This should inflict minimal damage, and your whipping boy should easily survive it if you've chosen well. Ideally, the whipping boy won't even feel it.
4. You will, however, have inflicted a critical hit, and therefore, your bonus will continue to build.

A spirited discussion followed wherein posters tried to identify the most reliable and optimized way to obtain this bonus.