Design Challenge: Beating the Crab

[Talic]

Most of us have heard of That Damn Crab. The combat beast of doom. He's had an upgraded version, statted at CR 33. Here's what I want to propose.

Design the lowest ECL Gestahlt character that can beat the crab in melee. No debuffs for the crab, no pun-pun, no diplo-cheese, obey WBL, no candles and the like. Your goal is to out melee a melee beast. Stat out your build, all relevant feats selected, and items that will assist you in overcoming the crab's abilities.

Oh, and stay on the ground. No flight.

Divine Pseudonatural Paragon Advanced Monstrous Crab (CR 33)

Spoiler

Show

N Huge Outsider (extraplanar, aquatic, augmented vermin)
Init +13; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, Listen +42, Spot +37
Languages Aquan
AC 86 (Size -2, Dex +13, Luck +15, Insight +12, Natural +35, Deflection +3), touch 51, flat-footed 73
hp 544 (16 HD)
Immune mind-affecting effects, transmutation, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, aging
Resist fire 10, cold 10, electricity 35, acid 35
DR 15/epic
SR 80
Fort +34, Ref +28, Will +28
Spd 280 ft. (56 squares)
Melee epic tentacle +78 (2d8+46) or
Melee epic claw +78 (2d6+46) or
Melee 5 epic tentacles +78 (2d8+46) and
Melee 2 epic claws +78 (2d6+46)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Base Atk +12; Grp +82
Atk Options constrict 4d6+46, improved grab, rotting constriction
Abilities Str 63, Dex 36, Con 39, Int 18, Wis 36, Cha 17
SQ amphibious, fast healing 20, constant insight, spell-like abilities, alternate form
Divine Rank 0, domain SLAs (Ocean, Water, Celerity, Animal, Watery Death), grant spells
Feats Toughness^B, Combat Reflexes, Improved Grapple, Power Attack, Awesome Blow, Multiattack, Improved Multiattack
Skills Balance +42, Climb +55, Hide +27, Jump +55, Listen +42, Move Silently +31, Spot +37, Tumble +42

Amphibious (Ex): Although an advanced Huge monstrous crab is aquatic, it can survive indefinitely on land.

Constrict (Ex): An advanced Huge monstrous crab deals damage equal to twice its normal claw damage plus its Strength bonus on a successful grapple check.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an advanced Huge monstrous crab must hit with a claw or tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple with a +13 bonus as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

Rotting Constriction (Ex): Once the creature has hold of an opponent, each successful grapple check it makes during subsequent rounds permanently drains 2d4 points of Constitution. At the same time, the creature regains 10 lost hit points.

Constant Insight (Su): The creature makes all its attacks with a +15 insight bonus. The creature is not affected by the miss chance that applies to attacks against a concealed target. This bonus is included in the statistics above.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At will—blur, dimension door, shield, unhallow. Caster level 35th.
At will—obscuring mist, fog cloud, water breathing, control water, ice storm, cone of cold, acid fog, horrid wilting, elemental swarm, calm animals, hold animal, dominate animal, summon nature's ally IV, commune with nature, antilife shell, animal shapes, summon nature's ally VIII, shapechange, entangle, mark of the outcast, control water, rushing waters, dehydrate, drown, contagious fog, horrid wilting, mass drown, endure elements, sound burst, water breathing, freedom of movement, wall of ice, freezing sphere, waterspout, maelstrom, elemental swarm, expeditious retreat, cat's grace, blur, haste, tree stride, wind walk, mass cat's grace, greater blink, time stop. Caster level 25th.
3/day—greater dispel, see invisibility, haste. Caster level 15th.

The DCs are Charisma-based.

Alternate Form (Su): At will, a pseudonatural creature can take the form of a grotesque, tentacled mass (or another appropriately gruesome form), but all its abilities remain unchanged despite the alien appearance. Changing shape is a standard action. Other creatures receive a -1 morale penalty on their attack rolls against pseudonatural creatures in this alternate form.

Edit: Oh, and assume all buff spells with a duration greater than 5 minutes on the crab's at will spell list are active at all times on the crab.

[blue_fenix]

Anything//Anything with ring of freedom of movement negates a lot of the crab's strategy. After that it's just number crunching.

[Xuincherguixe]

No ranged weapons? A monk should be able to outrun it and pelt it with a crossbow. Not sure where the stats on that crab is so I can't check DR, and it's move speed.

[Talic]

No ranged weapons? A monk should be able to outrun it and pelt it with a crossbow. Not sure where the stats on that crab is so I can't check DR, and it's move speed.

I've edited initial post for the stats of the crab. No, a monk should not be able to outrun that hideous move speed.

[Chronicled]

What's the conditions for fighting? I.e. will there be time to buff, what's the terrain, etc.

I'm looking at a Cleric//Druid or Crusader//Druid base, but is DMM violating the spirit of the competition? What about having an animal companion help--or should I go Shifter Druid for the beast spirit alternate feature?

[A.Sondergaard]

Some questions...

First, is the HP regained from rotting constriction contingent on actually doing CON drain, or does it just gain HP because it's grappling?

Second and third, are templates allowed, and if so, how do you adjudicate LA when gestalting? Say, an ECL 6 guy with a +3LA template, would he be template 3-class3/other class6, or template 3-class3/template 3-other class 3?

Fourth, can the character be a necropolitan?

Last, at what point does this test, against a creature having at will Elemental Swarm and Summon Nature's Ally spells, stop being a test to see if you can out-melee a melee beast?

[Xuincherguixe]

I've edited initial post for the stats of the crab. No, a monk should not be able to outrun that hideous move speed.

OH. It's the upgraded one. I thought it was the CR4 thing.

Pray to your dark gods to take their own back.

[Talic]

What's the conditions for fighting? I.e. will there be time to buff, what's the terrain, etc.

I'm looking at a Cleric//Druid or Crusader//Druid base, but is DMM violating the spirit of the competition? What about having an animal companion help--or should I go Shifter Druid for the beast spirit alternate feature?

Provided no more than 2 nightsticks, then it's fine. Animal companion, let's assume it's distracting the Crab's mate.

[Talic]

Some questions...

First, is the HP regained from rotting constriction contingent on actually doing CON drain, or does it just gain HP because it's grappling?

Second and third, are templates allowed, and if so, how do you adjudicate LA when gestalting? Say, an ECL 6 guy with a +3LA template, would he be template 3-class3/other class6, or template 3-class3/template 3-other class 3?

Fourth, can the character be a necropolitan?

Last, at what point does this test, against a creature having at will Elemental Swarm and Summon Nature's Ally spells, stop being a test to see if you can out-melee a melee beast?

1) Contingent.
2) Yes, allowed.
3) Templates count against both classes. So a +3 LA template will reduce your total levels from both sides by 3.
4) Yes.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Assuming the following stats remain unchanged after I post my tactics, it is possible to defeat the crab (including its SLAs) at level 20 or, if you want to test your luck, level 17.

Divine Pseudonatural Paragon Advanced Monstrous Crab (CR 33)

Spoiler

Show

N Huge Outsider (extraplanar, aquatic, augmented vermin)
Init +13; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, Listen +42, Spot +37
Languages Aquan
AC 86 (Size -2, Dex +13, Luck +15, Insight +12, Natural +35, Deflection +3), touch 51, flat-footed 73
hp 544 (16 HD)
Immune mind-affecting effects, transmutation, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, aging
Resist fire 10, cold 10, electricity 35, acid 35
DR 15/epic
SR 80
Fort +34, Ref +28, Will +28
Spd 280 ft. (56 squares)
Melee epic tentacle +78 (2d8+46) or
Melee epic claw +78 (2d6+46) or
Melee 5 epic tentacles +78 (2d8+46) and
Melee 2 epic claws +78 (2d6+46)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Base Atk +12; Grp +82
Atk Options constrict 4d6+46, improved grab, rotting constriction
Abilities Str 63, Dex 36, Con 39, Int 18, Wis 36, Cha 17
SQ amphibious, fast healing 20, constant insight, spell-like abilities, alternate form
Divine Rank 0, domain SLAs (Ocean, Water, Celerity, Animal, Watery Death), grant spells
Feats Toughness^B, Combat Reflexes, Improved Grapple, Power Attack, Awesome Blow, Multiattack, Improved Multiattack
Skills Balance +42, Climb +55, Hide +27, Jump +55, Listen +42, Move Silently +31, Spot +37, Tumble +42

Amphibious (Ex): Although an advanced Huge monstrous crab is aquatic, it can survive indefinitely on land.

Constrict (Ex): An advanced Huge monstrous crab deals damage equal to twice its normal claw damage plus its Strength bonus on a successful grapple check.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an advanced Huge monstrous crab must hit with a claw or tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple with a +13 bonus as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

Rotting Constriction (Ex): Once the creature has hold of an opponent, each successful grapple check it makes during subsequent rounds permanently drains 2d4 points of Constitution. At the same time, the creature regains 10 lost hit points.

Constant Insight (Su): The creature makes all its attacks with a +15 insight bonus. The creature is not affected by the miss chance that applies to attacks against a concealed target. This bonus is included in the statistics above.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At will—blur, dimension door, shield, unhallow. Caster level 35th.
At will—obscuring mist, fog cloud, water breathing, control water, ice storm, cone of cold, acid fog, horrid wilting, elemental swarm, calm animals, hold animal, dominate animal, summon nature's ally IV, commune with nature, antilife shell, animal shapes, summon nature's ally VIII, shapechange, entangle, mark of the outcast, control water, rushing waters, dehydrate, drown, contagious fog, horrid wilting, mass drown, endure elements, sound burst, water breathing, freedom of movement, wall of ice, freezing sphere, waterspout, maelstrom, elemental swarm, expeditious retreat, cat's grace, blur, haste, tree stride, wind walk, mass cat's grace, greater blink, time stop. Caster level 25th.
3/day—greater dispel, see invisibility, haste. Caster level 15th.

The DCs are Charisma-based.

Alternate Form (Su): At will, a pseudonatural creature can take the form of a grotesque, tentacled mass (or another appropriately gruesome form), but all its abilities remain unchanged despite the alien appearance. Changing shape is a standard action. Other creatures receive a -1 morale penalty on their attack rolls against pseudonatural creatures in this alternate form.

NOTE:
The following tactic is infallible as long as the wizard either wins initiative or has a contingent Dimension Door to get himself away from danger then counterattack or employs the horribly cheesy celerity-type spells. Barring celerity, the tactic is still infallible using SRD, Complete Arcane and Complete Mage. The BoVD helps by giving access to an actual Vile Lance.

Wizard 5/Incantatrix 10/Archmage 5
This is essential to protect yourself from the crab's many abilities. Incantatrix is not really required-you can substitute the classe's use for this battle (getting enough timestop action to get all the buffs in one round) with a metamagic rod of quickening or the Sudden Quicken feat.

Timestop:
This is essential to get all the buffs active at once.

Resist Elements/Energy Immunity
The core spell resist elements offers more than adequate protection from the crab's energy-based spellcasting if you take into account the other protective spells below. To be really sure, you got to use the noncore spell Energy Immunity.

Shapechange
You shapechange into any human-shaped incorporeal undead. There are many of them out there. This makes you utterly immune to the crab's meele attacks as well as the attacks of any summoned Nature's allies plus any of its SLAs that affect the living. You also get only half damage from spells and magic weapons which, coupled with resist energy is enough to prevent you from taking energy damage.

Forcecage
This is used to trap the crab and prevent it from retreating.

Globe of Invulnerability
This is used to prevent the crab from using its Dimension Door ability. Because the Crab has immense spell resistance, the normal means for doing so (Dimension Lock, Dimensional Anchor, Forbiddance, ETF) cannot affect it. It has the added benefit of preventing the crab from using its low-level SLAs.

Caster Level Bonuses
It is possible through 2 feats from Complete Arcane and Complete Mage, 2 CL-boosting items and the Archmage's High Arcana to get CL 23, 25 for abjuration spells. This is essential to make the Crab's Greater Dispel Magic as ineffective as possible. A 20th level wizard can make the GDM utterly useless, ensuring the infallibility of the tactic.

+5 MAGEBANE GHOST TOUCH VILE LANCE
This is the weapon that will kill the crab. By this point it is trapped and it cannot use its low-level SLAs. It can still use GDM but its CL is not that high. The Vile Lance is not the actual Vile Lance spell but a shortspear under the continious effect of Curse Weapon, rendering the damage it deals unhealable. If your DM actually allows a Vile Lance item, even better. While not an Epic weapon, it counts as Epic against the crab, thus bypassing its DR. Since the crab cannot harm our meeling wizard and cannot escape, all the wizard has to do is roll enough natural 20s to kill it.

[Talic]

Assuming the following stats remain unchanged after I post my tactics, it is possible to defeat the crab (including its SLAs) at level 20 or, if you want to test your luck, level 17.

Divine Pseudonatural Paragon Advanced Monstrous Crab (CR 33)

Spoiler

Show

N Huge Outsider (extraplanar, aquatic, augmented vermin)
Init +13; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, Listen +42, Spot +37
Languages Aquan
AC 86 (Size -2, Dex +13, Luck +15, Insight +12, Natural +35, Deflection +3), touch 51, flat-footed 73
hp 544 (16 HD)
Immune mind-affecting effects, transmutation, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, aging
Resist fire 10, cold 10, electricity 35, acid 35
DR 15/epic
SR 80
Fort +34, Ref +28, Will +28
Spd 280 ft. (56 squares)
Melee epic tentacle +78 (2d8+46) or
Melee epic claw +78 (2d6+46) or
Melee 5 epic tentacles +78 (2d8+46) and
Melee 2 epic claws +78 (2d6+46)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Base Atk +12; Grp +82
Atk Options constrict 4d6+46, improved grab, rotting constriction
Abilities Str 63, Dex 36, Con 39, Int 18, Wis 36, Cha 17
SQ amphibious, fast healing 20, constant insight, spell-like abilities, alternate form
Divine Rank 0, domain SLAs (Ocean, Water, Celerity, Animal, Watery Death), grant spells
Feats Toughness^B, Combat Reflexes, Improved Grapple, Power Attack, Awesome Blow, Multiattack, Improved Multiattack
Skills Balance +42, Climb +55, Hide +27, Jump +55, Listen +42, Move Silently +31, Spot +37, Tumble +42

Amphibious (Ex): Although an advanced Huge monstrous crab is aquatic, it can survive indefinitely on land.

Constrict (Ex): An advanced Huge monstrous crab deals damage equal to twice its normal claw damage plus its Strength bonus on a successful grapple check.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an advanced Huge monstrous crab must hit with a claw or tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple with a +13 bonus as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

Rotting Constriction (Ex): Once the creature has hold of an opponent, each successful grapple check it makes during subsequent rounds permanently drains 2d4 points of Constitution. At the same time, the creature regains 10 lost hit points.

Constant Insight (Su): The creature makes all its attacks with a +15 insight bonus. The creature is not affected by the miss chance that applies to attacks against a concealed target. This bonus is included in the statistics above.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At will—blur, dimension door, shield, unhallow. Caster level 35th.
At will—obscuring mist, fog cloud, water breathing, control water, ice storm, cone of cold, acid fog, horrid wilting, elemental swarm, calm animals, hold animal, dominate animal, summon nature's ally IV, commune with nature, antilife shell, animal shapes, summon nature's ally VIII, shapechange, entangle, mark of the outcast, control water, rushing waters, dehydrate, drown, contagious fog, horrid wilting, mass drown, endure elements, sound burst, water breathing, freedom of movement, wall of ice, freezing sphere, waterspout, maelstrom, elemental swarm, expeditious retreat, cat's grace, blur, haste, tree stride, wind walk, mass cat's grace, greater blink, time stop. Caster level 25th.
3/day—greater dispel, see invisibility, haste. Caster level 15th.

The DCs are Charisma-based.

Alternate Form (Su): At will, a pseudonatural creature can take the form of a grotesque, tentacled mass (or another appropriately gruesome form), but all its abilities remain unchanged despite the alien appearance. Changing shape is a standard action. Other creatures receive a -1 morale penalty on their attack rolls against pseudonatural creatures in this alternate form.

NOTE:
The following tactic is infallible as long as the wizard either wins initiative or has a contingent Dimension Door to get himself away from danger then counterattack or employs the horribly cheesy celerity-type spells. Barring celerity, the tactic is still infallible using SRD, Complete Arcane and Complete Mage. The BoVD helps by giving access to an actual Vile Lance.

Wizard 5/Incantatrix 10/Archmage 5
This is essential to protect yourself from the crab's many abilities. Incantatrix is not really required-you can substitute the classe's use for this battle (getting enough timestop action to get all the buffs in one round) with a metamagic rod of quickening or the Sudden Quicken feat.

Timestop:
This is essential to get all the buffs active at once.

Resist Elements/Energy Immunity
The core spell resist elements offers more than adequate protection from the crab's energy-based spellcasting if you take into account the other protective spells below. To be really sure, you got to use the noncore spell Energy Immunity.

Shapechange
You shapechange into any human-shaped incorporeal undead. There are many of them out there. This makes you utterly immune to the crab's meele attacks as well as the attacks of any summoned Nature's allies plus any of its SLAs that affect the living. You also get only half damage from spells and magic weapons which, coupled with resist energy is enough to prevent you from taking energy damage.

Forcecage
This is used to trap the crab and prevent it from retreating.

Globe of Invulnerability
This is used to prevent the crab from using its Dimension Door ability. Because the Crab has immense spell resistance, the normal means for doing so (Dimension Lock, Dimensional Anchor, Forbiddance, ETF) cannot affect it. It has the added benefit of preventing the crab from using its low-level SLAs.

Caster Level Bonuses
It is possible through 2 feats from Complete Arcane and Complete Mage, 2 CL-boosting items and the Archmage's High Arcana to get CL 23, 25 for abjuration spells. This is essential to make the Crab's Greater Dispel Magic as ineffective as possible. A 20th level wizard can make the GDM utterly useless, ensuring the infallibility of the tactic.

+5 MAGEBANE GHOST TOUCH VILE LANCE
This is the weapon that will kill the crab. By this point it is trapped and it cannot use its low-level SLAs. It can still use GDM but its CL is not that high. The Vile Lance is not the actual Vile Lance spell but a shortspear under the continious effect of Curse Weapon, rendering the damage it deals unhealable. If your DM actually allows a Vile Lance item, even better. While not an Epic weapon, it counts as Epic against the crab, thus bypassing its DR. Since the crab cannot harm our meeling wizard and cannot escape, all the wizard has to do is roll enough natural 20s to kill it.

Globe of Invulnerability violates the Debuffs for the crab term of the challenge. So does Forcecage.

Buffing yourself is fine. But restricting the crab in any way that does not involve you grabbing it, physically pushing it, or hitting it with something, is against the rules. MELEE ONLY. If you cast, it'd better be spells that do not affect the crab, or if they do, are delivered with melee touch attacks.

[Nebo_]

Beastland Ferocity, Delay Death, persisted Wraithstrike and a ring of freedom of movement should do wonders. Pump your attack rolls and just keep hacking until it dies.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

The forcecage and Globe of Invulnerability are cast on the wizard, NOT the crab. As such, they do not count as debuffs-it is definitely not the wizard's fault that the crab happens to be right next to him when these spells take effect and is thus included in the AoE.

Alternatively (if you don't like my reasoning above), one can employ a Cloud Charriot scroll to be able to move 1 mile/round and still attack the crab. In that case, the plan is still infallible-the crab can't move more than 1 mile/round and only about 100 attacks are required to kill it if the wizard fully power attacks with a two-handed weapon (which he will have no reason not to do). If the crab employs his Tree Stride to teleport away, it still counts as beaten and it will have taken much unhealable damage to boot.

[Talic]

The forcecage and Globe of Invulnerability are cast on the wizard, NOT the crab. As such, they do not count as debuffs-it is definitely not the wizard's fault that the crab happens to be right next to him when these spells take effect and is thus included in the AoE.

Alternatively (if you don't like my reasoning above), one can employ a Cloud Charriot scroll to be able to move 1 mile/round and still attack the crab. In that case, the plan is still infallible-the crab can't move more than 1 mile/round and only about 100 attacks are required to kill it if the wizard fully power attacks with a two-handed weapon (which he will have no reason not to do). If the crab employs his Tree Stride to teleport away, it still counts as beaten and it will have taken much unhealable damage to boot.

In that case, how are you going to survive the time in melee range of the crab? It's got a better melee than you.

As for Forcecage, if it restricts the crab, it counts as a debuff.

As for globe of invulnerability, if it prevents the crab from using SLA's that target itself, then it counts as debuffs.

Arguing what does and doesn't constitute a violation of the terms of a challenge is a bit of an uphill battle when you're doing it with the person who set the terms. Just sayin.

As for the rest... Chariot spell violates the No flight condition.

[The Glyphstone]

But by that logic, wouldn't Greater Invisibility also count as a debuff, because it's restricting the crab by making it harder to hit you? Yes, it has constant True Seeing, that was somewhat hypothetical.

It'll be much harder to make a build capable of winning if every tactic is nixed on the ground of additional rules/clarifications added after the fact.

[Talic]

But by that logic, wouldn't Greater Invisibility also count as a debuff, because it's restricting the crab by making it harder to hit you? Yes, it has constant True Seeing, that was somewhat hypothetical.

It'll be much harder to make a build capable of winning if every tactic is nixed on the ground of additional rules/clarifications added after the fact.

The spirit of the contest is simple. Pick a PC capable race. Boost it with gestahlt, templates, or what have you. Beat the crab in melee. Using non-melee abilities with the specific and sole goal of neutralizing the crab's ability to move or use its powers isn't following that.

As for your first question, no, it's not the same. Spells that only affect you are one thing. Spells that include an enemy in their area of affect are another. That is affecting the crab with a non-melee combat ability, designed to reduce its effectiveness.

That is a debuff.

[Talic]

However, the Globe trick wouldn't even work. There's no way to get the crab inside the emanation. If you are literally IN it's square, it might, but then there's no way that forcecage will protect you from the tentacles..

Yeah, those might be thin enough to get through bars too, just like the lance.

[Chronicled]

However, the Globe trick wouldn't even work. There's no way to get the crab inside the emanation. If you are literally IN it's square, it might, but then there's no way that forcecage will protect you from the tentacles..

Yeah, those might be thin enough to get through bars too, just like the lance.

He's not poking into the cage, he's standing in the cage with the crab. The cage just lets him ensure the crab won't run away with its obscenely high speed.

I like this answer! I was looking at using shapechange, but getting incorporeality with it hadn't occurred to me.

[Talic]

He's not poking into the cage, he's standing in the cage with the crab. The cage just lets him ensure the crab won't run away with its obscenely high speed.

I like this answer! I was looking at using shapechange, but getting incorporeality with it hadn't occurred to me.

Ah, by that logic, then yes. I misunderstood the use of the abilities. However, if the mage is incorporeal, then spells (including Globe) will have a 50% chance of having no effect on the normal world. The crab could still likely escape. However, how do you react to the crab disarming? It can disarm a ghost touch weapon, and can actually likely sunder it.

Also, that beast has a 50+ touch AC too. Even with wraithstrike, power attack is hardly a sure thing.

[Talic]

Also note, the crab can use higher level SLA's, such as freezing sphere (force effect) to protect itself from incorporeal foes, and other higher level SLA's to deal damage, such as Cone of cold, and the like. even with a 50/50 shot, it'll have some means of fighting back.

Using the forcecage to trap it INTO melee, I think that's more in the spirit of the challenge, and the incorporeal is a nice touch. Yeah, that works, provided you can outlast it's SLA's. (Will it take too long to hit it 100 times? How many times does it need to hit you with a Cone of cold? Acid Fog? etc?)

[Chronicled]

How many times does it need to hit you with a Cone of cold? Acid Fog? etc?)

That's what the Energy Immunity is for. Although, in the contest's true spirit, shouldn't the crab be meleeing only?

[Kazuel]

For 1 I think the intent was for the wizard to roll nat 20s and thus negate the AC of the beast. Also, by your logic, armor isn't allowed because it makes the crab less effective. Weapons too shouldn't be allowed because getting hurt makes it less effective. I think Belial wins and deserves a cookie. Congrats!

[CASTLEMIKE]

ECL 21 Elf (Half Elf would be preferable for multiclassing penalty if racial allows taking Eternal Blade PRC) is one method. ECL 22 adding the Spell stiched template.

Warblade -10, Eternal Blade-10, Necropoliton - 1//Factotum -1*, Crusader-1*, Factotum +2, Sword Sage -1, (Mix to personal taste 5 levels of Master Thrower, Bloodstorm Blade, Iajustsu Master, Stormguard Warrior), For the final 10 levels: Marshal -1 (Motivate Intelligence), +4 Warblade levels at Eternal Blade levels 2, 4, 8 & 10, taking +2 Crusader levels and +1 Sword Sage level +2, Necropoliton -1, +2 other levels to personal taste:

+20 BAB, Initiator level -20 with Warblade Recovery based on Warblade -14 + Eternal Blade -10.

*The Crusader and Sword Sage levels basically provide foundation prerequisite manuevers to allow the Warblade/Eternal Blade class to take the highest level manuevers while meeting the prerequisites since Initiatior Level might not gestalt and they would have to use the standard multiclassing rules instead of taking the best features of the two classes. Later in the build it will add little things like Action Points and the very high Int mod to AC which will be high due to wearing magical armor (With the Crab's High BAB probably go for minimal magic armor according to SWBL) probably something like Celestial Armor for the flying ability and normal wandering around the town down time).

Primary Warblade/Eternal Blade: MK 15/ MR 8/SK 4 utilizing Warblade Recovery. Lots of manuever options with Eternal Blade and a Initiator Level of 20.

Eternal Blade Island in Time once an encounter plus Eternal Training 5/day. Guided Strike special ignores creature DR.

This PC should have the Immortal Fortitude Stance so he cannot die due to hit point damage which might not be legal in all games in which case add the Soul Locked template so he can keep coming back if he loses or move on.

Figure Int and Charisma are 15 and 14 base to start. At level 20 Int will be 20 due to leveling.

Intelligence and Charisma can be enhanced using SWbL. Motivate Aura Intelligence will boost all Intelligence bonuses allowing this PC to do crazy things with Intelligence based class specials and feats.

The PC should win Initiative based on Factotum -3 class special regarding applying Int mod to Dex bonus checks.

Take a feat like Kung Fu Genius or Caramendine Monk for Int to AC.

Take extra Fonts of Inspiration Feats.

P.S. It would take several or more games to get a good feel for how the various game mechanics work and interact in your campaign. 1 simple mistake or rules interpretation would kill most PCs. Of course if the PC encountered this thing shapechanged he might not even be aware of what he was dealing with for quite a bit.

Basically adding the Einherjer template would be one of the best things to do for most PCs but I'm not sure how that template would be weighted while Necropolitan is clear at +1LA.

Gear: 1 or 2* Torcs of Anti Magic 25,000 gp each from Underdark addresses most spell like abilities. (The Second torc would be crafted by an Arch Mage with High Arcana "Shaping" depending on how martial adept manuevers work inside a antimagic field for a martial adept).

[Illiterate Scribe]

Belial the leveller? Playing a cheesy incantatrix/archmage shapechanging batman wizard? I would never have credited it!

[Telonius]

I seem to remember a Warlock build that could damage the crab....?

[Lighturtle]

Crab has timestop at will, how the crap can you beat it?

[Illiterate Scribe]

Crab has timestop at will, how the crap can you beat it?

It is possible for a PC to get timestop at will for a mere 183,600, using no cheese beyond the magic item design rules.

[Citizen Joe]

I had actually considered a TDC challenge before to test out builds. There are four possible arenas
1. Underwater
2. Sandy beach (sand = no grease)
3. Underwater grotto/cave (restricted movement/closed environment)
4. Aboard ship

So, pick your environment.

[lord_khaine]

It is possible for a PC to get timestop at will for a mere 183,600, using no cheese beyond the magic item design rules.

there isnt magic item design rules, there are guideline that requires comparing the final product with the existing magic items to see if the result makes sense.

[Illiterate Scribe]

there isnt magic item design rules, there are guideline that requires comparing the final product with the existing magic items to see if the result makes sense.

The phrase 'DM' is not mentioned once in this passage.

I agree with you - magic item design isn't a set of rules, but there isn't an existing item that gives you a price for an at will 9th level spell, so we go to the guidelines for creating one.

I'm not arguing that that's right, far from it - but that is the RAW. And it's stupid.



But no less stupid than the rules giving all deities with the time, celerity, trickery, and who knows what other domains timestop at will, which is the most powerful ability in the game.