Soloing The Tomb

[Fax Celestis]

If you were going to solo the Tomb of Horrors, how would you do it? Assume you can have two extra levels above typical starting for ToH as a saving grace and as a reward for having the chutzpah to try it.

[Yami]

I am afraid I have not ran through the tomb, so I cannot help with specifics, but I'm thinking some Zilla with Leadership cheese may very well be what your looking for.

With druids you could craft a 4 person party from but one character.

[Draz74]

My gut reaction is to say "Factotum" ... wouldn't that be thematically most appropriate? And yet it's not a bad choice, either. Maybe could be outdone by some well-optimized CoDzilla, but it's probably the best class for this "out-of-the-box."

Oh, but this is one instance where I wouldn't hesitate to go "cheesy" and throw all of my feats into Fount of Inspiration.

Swordsage could be adept at this sort of thing too, perhaps. At least if the player is already familiar with the Tomb and knows when to turn on Stealth Mode.

[Worira]

Well, it depends how you define "complete" and whether or not you have prior knowledge of the Tomb. Frankly, if you've read the adventure, the Tomb's not all that hard.

[Frosty]

What level are people supposed to do the Tomb in? I wonder if a level 20 Fighter might have problems, if we disallow UMD and Leadership.

[Felius]

If the DM is nice, I would go to the WoTC board of character optimization. If the DM is cruel, I would go to the WoTC board of theoretical character optimization.

Anyway, more seriously: As I haven't run through it, what is the starting level?

[Metal Head]

Roll a big rock in front of you at all times. If the rock is big enough then you won't have too much trouble with traps.

[Ponce]

(Dwarf) cleric with stone shape and (if necessary) stone wall. Oh a hidden door I can't open? Well, let me just toss the earth aside! Bypassed! A trap, you say? Oh, I'll just encase that in solid rock. Break enchantment also helps, and ensure you have enough spells to be able to target every save and mook archetype you can think of. Make lots of search checks. Dispel magic is also your friend.

[Lochar]

Make lots of search checks.

Actually, since you're the only one? Gets some ranks in search and take 20.

Every square. Why not? It's your life on the line and no one to pull your bacon out of the fire.

[Irreverent Fool]

Astral projection.

[The Faceless]

Plenty of twenty foot poles, rope, several torches and lanterns, pieces of parchment to make maps and take notes on and writing implements, and a few kegs of potent explosive if such a thing is available.

[Ganurath]

I'd go Spellthief 12, abusing Rope Trick (Extended if neccesary) and UMD to keep myself alive. Carry a wand of Dispel Magic... Probably a Halfling with Tactile Trapsmith. The weapon would be some sort of throwing weapon with Returning and Spell Storing, while the armor would be a mithril chain shirt with... let's say Spell Resistance 13, Shadow, and Silent Moves. I don't see any harm in dipping for a wand of invisibility, every bit counts... Feats are rather scarce... I think I can afford a lesser Extend Metamagic rod, for the Rope Trick. Perhaps a friend in the form of a purchased Ogre Effigy, repaired by Repair Light Damage? Can't go without the panic buttons, either: several of the escaping variety. And, of course, a scroll of antimagic field for the lich.

[Saph]

Well, it depends how you define "complete" and whether or not you have prior knowledge of the Tomb. Frankly, if you've read the adventure, the Tomb's not all that hard.

Yeah. The main dangers of the Tomb are all the incredibly arbitrary and lethal traps scattered through it, which are virtually impossible to bypass safely without prior knowledge. If you do have prior knowledge, though, they aren't all that hard to find loopholes in.

- Saph

[Copacetic]

Be a Warlock. Get two envocations that let you detect and dispel magic. Do this every five feet.

[Emperor Tippy]

Go Pun-Pun?

What is the normal starting level for the Tomb of Horrors?

[Fax Celestis]

Normal's 10, so you get to go 12.

[Felius]

Be a Warlock. Get two envocations that let you detect and dispel magic. Do this every five feet.

Don't forget to summon something about of your weight and height to walk in this five feet first, so to see if there is any mechanical traps.

[Ganurath]

Be a Warlock. Get two envocations that let you detect and dispel magic. Do this every five feet.

Warlocks can detect magic at will by second level, and voracious dispel damages whatever is subject to its cleansing influence. Not only are the magic traps thwarted, but easily visible due to the plume of smoke.

Change of plan: Enough levels of Dread Necromancer for Charnel Touch, the rest Warlock. Take Tomb-Tainted Soul, for flavor and infinite heals. Take Supernatural Ability for the Eldritch Blast so the few combats aren't hindered by SR. Baleful Utterance for every door before you come within 60 feet of it. Fell Flight to avoid touching anything, and a portable hole full of dead animals so you can bait traps with The Dead Walk.

[Kyeudo]

I suggest Thrallherd. Use your Kobold Cleric with Kobold Domain thrall search for traps, while you back him up with an army of believers to actualy try the doors and hallways. If they die, so what? More show up tommorow.

[Severus]

I would play a 12 level bureaucrat.

I would initiate a work order to have the top of the tomb removed, then issue a no-bid contract for demi-lich removal :-)

[Chronos]

Wait, solo? As in, no klunky, awkward Bigs around to give away my position? Great, my rogue can sneak through unhindered (checking for traps every five feet, of course).

Mind you, I'm not familiar with the Tomb beyond the well-known fact that it's full of traps.

[Severus]

Wait, solo? As in, no klunky, awkward Bigs around to give away my position? Great, my rogue can sneak through unhindered (checking for traps every five feet, of course).

Mind you, I'm not familiar with the Tomb beyond the well-known fact that it's full of traps.

It's been decade(s) since I've seen tomb, but as I recall it was seriously old-school. Full of traps that were impossible to find and insta-killed you. It was really, really ridiculous for the level of party you were expected to take in.

[TheThan]

I think a level 12 rogue with maxed dungeoneering skills should be able to handle most of the traps. As far as taking on the boss himself, I think just getting to him is good enough. Prior knowledge will be necessary here, but I think its doable.

[Cruiser1]

Use a character with the Summon Elemental reserve feat from CM. That gives you continuous elementals to have step on squares to trigger traps, go through doorways before you, and so on. Earth Elementals can also Earth Glide through most surfaces, allowing you to check for secret doors or nearby rooms through walls. Make sure you speak Terran so your Earth Elemental can tell you what it sees.

[kjones]

Having run a party of six level 9 characters (partway) through the Tomb (we ran out of time, they made it pretty far tho) most of the above suggestions would be effective. Honestly, a moderately cheesed wizard who just flies everywhere would bypass more than half the traps.

And yes, "old school" is the word to describe it, if by "old school" you mean the school of D&D where everyone dies, all the time, for no good reason.

And sometimes, for good measure, your gender changes.

[Jack_Simth]

So... that'd be what, level 11?

At that level you're dealing with 6th level spells .... 7th, with a Candle of Invocation and a Cleric. Hmm.... ah, I know - a Gnome (to start small, for becoming medium later - the dungeon is not designed with Large people in mind) Cleric with Divine Metamagic(Persistent Spell) and a good selection of Persisted buffs - something from the Vigor line for healing, Find Traps (with Cross-class ranks in Search), Divine Power, Righteous Might, Divine Favor... we'll need a lot of nightsticks... and a Bead of Karma, can't forget the Bead of Karma ... yes....

[GoC]

I wouldn't go in with anything less than a 21st level batman wizard demilich.

Felius: XD
So would I!

[Ganurath]

A human Dread Necromancer 1 / Warlock 10 / Paragnostic Apostle 1.
Feats:
1. Tomb-Tainted Soul turns Charnel Touch into Infinite Healing
1. Battle Caster works for both classes, and there's no arguing with the extra protection.
3. Supernatural Ability (Eldritch Blast) because I hate SR.
6. Heighten Spell-Like Ability (Baleful Utterance) to ensure things break when you want them broke.
9. Force of Personality lets you dump Wisdom, because you won't need to see anything coming because you're too paranoid not to burn the bridges.
12. Improved Flight, because you're going to need to 180 eventually.

Invocations:
3 Least:
Baleful Utterance to kill the Demilich and bust down doors/traps.
See The Unseen because the Unseen will kill you dead.
Miasmic Cloud for concealment and choking vipers.
3 Lesser:
Voracious Dispel because you need to dispel things.
Fell Flight because the last thing you want to touch is anything in the Tomb of Horrors.
The Dead Walk to put that Portable Hole full of guard dogs to use.
1 Greater:
Eldritch Cone so that you can deal with multiple opponents.

Edit: Apostle KiP: Penetrating Insight

Essential Items:
Warlock's Scepter isn't so much essential, but it makes your life a whole lot easier.
Mithril Breastplate enchanted with SR X to make things harder for whatever spell is heading your way.
Vest of Resistance +4 because saving throws are a must and you'll need the slot a Cloak of Resistance would take for:
Cloak of Charisma +4 improves everything you do.
To round it out, we'll toss in a pair of Gloves of Dexterity, and an Amulet of Health to help the subpar hp and Fort saves.

[Aquillion]

Roll a big rock in front of you at all times. If the rock is big enough then you won't have too much trouble with traps.

This isn't really true. Why is it, when people think of traps, they always come up with solutions for pit traps, pressure plates, and nothing else?

That rock won't help you at all against

Spoiler

Show

the entire corridor that drops you in lava when you're halfway through it, the sphere of annihilation, the archway, the key/crown of death, the statue, the fake ending, that antigravity pillar chamber, the acid, the fake entrances... really, it won't help you against anything but a handful of pit traps near the beginning.

[Snadgeros]

Vow of peace/nonviolence. If I recall correctly, there are only two "living" things in there. You'll have to find another way around them.