Help with a Mountain Man build

[Rune Katashima]

Mountain Man was just a fun term. Ignore it =P
So here are the rules for the build. I need his size to be large, even if I have to take an LA for it. He has to be Half-Dragon. He has to use a Greataxe. This is mostly a flavor build. I don't mind taking LAs, but if I can avoid them, I'd like to. I'm hoping I can discuss with my DM to remove the natural attacks and the breath weapon in exchange for a +2 LA instead of +3.
I'm going for something like a Barbarian/Frenzied Berserker *feel*, doesn't necessarily have to be that. I want high strength and DR. He needs to be a tank in the more literal sense than MMOs make it. (Which is a damage sponge) This definition of "Tank" is taking the hits while dealing them back just as much.
I rolled 18, 15, 18, 13, 14, 16 on his stats. I think that's pretty kickass.
Here is where I desire the help, in case there is better stuff as I don't have access to a whole lot of info: Half-Giant mostly for powerful build, now the greataxe is Large; Monkey Grip, now the Greataxe is Huge; Taking an LA to be Large, now the Greataxe is Gargantuan. That and with being a Half-Giant/Half-Dragon with prodigous stats, I think looks pretty good.
Do you see what I'm going for here? I want him to grind people to dust.

Thanks for any help. ^^

[Iku Rex]

Level?

Books available?

Why does it have to be a half-dragon?

[Rune Katashima]

Level: Up to ECL 20.

Books: All, ever. Note books that are campaign-specific though.

Why Half-Dragon?: I said it was flavor.

[Kizara]

Mountain Man was just a fun term. Ignore it =P
So here are the rules for the build. I need his size to be large, even if I have to take an LA for it. He has to be Half-Dragon. He has to use a Greataxe. This is mostly a flavor build. I don't mind taking LAs, but if I can avoid them, I'd like to. I'm hoping I can discuss with my DM to remove the natural attacks and the breath weapon in exchange for a +2 LA instead of +3.
I'm going for something like a Barbarian/Frenzied Berserker *feel*, doesn't necessarily have to be that. I want high strength and DR. He needs to be a tank in the more literal sense than MMOs make it. (Which is a damage sponge) This definition of "Tank" is taking the hits while dealing them back just as much.
I rolled 18, 15, 18, 13, 14, 16 on his stats. I think that's pretty kickass.
Here is where I desire the help, in case there is better stuff as I don't have access to a whole lot of info: Half-Giant mostly for powerful build, now the greataxe is Large; Monkey Grip, now the Greataxe is Huge; Taking an LA to be Large, now the Greataxe is Gargantuan. That and with being a Half-Giant/Half-Dragon with prodigous stats, I think looks pretty good.
Do you see what I'm going for here? I want him to grind people to dust.

Thanks for any help. ^^

You consider Goliath (races of stone) and the goliath greathammer?

[AmberVael]

Dang it, here I was thinking I'd be able to help with an 1800's mountain man reenactment type build, and instead I come across a half dragon barbarian tank.

Boooooo!

Ah well.
Lets see... you want these feats:
Power Attack (PHB)
Leap Attack (Complete Adventurer)
And lastly, but certainly not least, (if you can get it),
Battle Jump.
Possibly toss in Combat Brute (Complete Warrior) in there for good measure.

[Tengu]

Powerful Build and Monkey Grip don't stack.

[Rune Katashima]

Powerful Build and Monkey Grip don't stack.

According to my DM they do, which is all I need.
Although according to him, I can't use Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting :(

I'll explain some of this flavor for you guys. I created a roleplaying character and I'm transitioning him over into DnD and trying to make it work.

Explain the Goliath to me? Please? ^^

[Irreverent Fool]

The Goliath is a race from the Races of Stone that has the 'Powerful Build' racial ability. This means that the Goliath is considered large in all cases where it is advantageous and medium in all cases where it is not.

So, a Goliath can wield large-size weapons with no penalty, gets a +4 to grapple checks, doesn't suffer a -1 to hit and a -1 to armor class, etc.

In addition, they have a large strength bonus. They do have a level adjustment of 1, but it's worth it to play a character than has almost all the positives of being large with almost none of the negatives. And the strength bonus makes up for the lack of a point of BAB. If you want detailed stats, I recommend hitting up the Crystal Keep website and checking out the 'race index'.

If you take Goliath, then you can just take full levels in Dragon Disciple (DMG) to become a half-dragon with no level adjustment.

Spoiler

Show

From the D&D 3.5 Main FAQ:
A dragon disciple ignores the normal level adjustment
applied from the half-dragon template; in effect, he’s already
“paid” for the template through the 10 levels of his prestige
class. This is true of any prestige class that applies a template
or otherwise changes the character’s type or subtype.

I don't know if spellcasting falls into the flavor of your build, but you'll need 8 ranks in knowledge arcana and some means of spontaneous casting to become a dragon disciple. Remember, dragons cast much like a sorcerer does, so this really brings you closer to a dragon! I recommend Duskblade (PHB II) to qualify, since it gives you both a full BAB and spontaneous casting.

Edit: Ninja'd posts: 6

[Kristoss]

According to my DM they do, which is all I
Explain the Goliath to me? Please? ^^

Is like a half-giant but with more strength, is not psionic, and gets racial abilities that effects jump and climb.

//Damit my post got ninjad//

[playswithfire]

Goliath is here; as for the hammer, beats me
EDIT: double ninja'd

Half-ogre and half-minotaur are both LA +1 templates form DR313 that can be found on crystalkeep and will make you large, among other things

[Rune Katashima]

Just noticed there is also a feat called "Massive Frame" which specifically states it stacks with Monkey Grip. Whereas Monkey Grip and Powerful Build don't say anything about each other, I have seen just as many arguements for and against them stacking, worse-case scenario, I take Massive Frame and end the arguement.
If my DM was nice enough to allow Monkey Grip and Powerful Build, does that mean if I take the feat I can wield a Colossal Weapon? o.O
I read what the requirements were for "Large" creatures and that is why he HAS to be Large, given his height and weight surpass the given figures, but don't reach into Huge.

As far as casting, he is more of a psionicist, if anything. The guy controls earth-like powers. Meaning he can move stone, rock, etc all that through magic or mind power. It was originally through the mind but I don't mind tweaking for magic.
It's tough taking more levels in something for something that gives an LA. Taking levels to avoid an LA defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

I don't care much about armor for this guy, but DR would be awesome.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Tome of Battle, Warblade, Stone Dragon Discipline. Gets all kinds of cool maneuvers for melee combat based around using the strength of the earth.

[Rune Katashima]

Tome of Battle, Warblade, Stone Dragon Discipline. Gets all kinds of cool maneuvers for melee combat based around using the strength of the earth.

Wow... that sounds... really good. So is there a ready source I can find it other than buying it? I probably will anyways because I hear good things about ToB, but I can't find anything doing a quick scan over the internet and I don't have ToB right now.

[Kizara]

According to my DM they do, which is all I need.
Although according to him, I can't use Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting :(

I'll explain some of this flavor for you guys. I created a roleplaying character and I'm transitioning him over into DnD and trying to make it work.

Explain the Goliath to me? Please? ^^

Goliath has been covered.

The Greathammer is a massive warhammer (maul) that is a goliath racial weapon.

This Large-sized weapon deals 3d6 damage with a x4 crit and grants +2 to "opposed attack rolls to sunder an opponents weapon or shield".

Personally, I think flavor-wise and mechanically this is fantastic for your concept.

[Rune Katashima]

Goliath has been covered.

The Greathammer is a massive warhammer (maul) that is a goliath racial weapon.

This Large-sized weapon deals 3d6 damage with a x4 crit and grants +2 to "opposed attack rolls to sunder an opponents weapon or shield".

Personally, I think flavor-wise and mechanically this is fantastic for your concept.

It indeed sounds fantastic. Combining that with Sunder Cleave will be fun.

[Squash Monster]

If you're going to be a large-sized half-dragon, that means you get wings, correct?

Your build needs six levels of fighter. Get the Dungeoncrasher substitution levels out of Dungeonscape. Now you can bull-rush people into any solid surface for a boatload of extra damage. Note that you fly, and the ground is solid.

For the rest of the build, take Crusader. You get some nice self-heals from Devoted Spirit and some damage-reduction maneuvers from Stone Dragon.

[Leon]

^^ Suitable advice from a Suitably named Poster

[Rune Katashima]

As much as I've always wanted the wings, I'm foregoing them for this character for Roleplay/Flavor reasons. Go ahead and hate me for it, I deserve it =P

I think since his Strength is base 30 (+10), he'll be able to make Jump checks easily, with max ranks and a roll, he can do a Leap Attack and the Battle Jump thing off a flat surface, without having to run, because Goliaths don't have to. (I decided that the Goliath was kickass enough to use.) So drop 2 points into it and maybe some STR bonus items and he'll have 38 or 40 STR (+15). 20 ranks for 35 check, which I think would be the check to jump upwards 5 feet and 10 feet across, am I wrong? Jump is kinda messed up in my opinion anyway.

[Irreverent Fool]

Jump was less messed up in 3.0 and actually made sense. But it worked differently than all the other skills and required some extra calculation. It doesn't matter really, because past level 5, nothing you do makes sense any more.

You could wait until 4.0 comes out and play a Dragonborn...

You mentioned you don't have Tome of Battle. I highly recommend it. I also highly recommend 'refluffing' most of it, but mechanically it's hot stuff.

I didn't recommend Dragon Disciple just for the half-dragon template without an LA, it has some good bonuses in there on top of that, as well as a d12 hp and advancing that spell progression. But if it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit.

If you just want to be large, you could purchase a permanent enlarge person spell.

[Telonius]

Dang it, here I was thinking I'd be able to help with an 1800's mountain man reenactment type build, and instead I come across a half dragon barbarian tank.

Boooooo!

Ah well.
Lets see... you want these feats:
Power Attack (PHB)
Leap Attack (Complete Adventurer)
And lastly, but certainly not least, (if you can get it),
Battle Jump.
Possibly toss in Combat Brute (Complete Warrior) in there for good measure.

Give him a beard, overalls, a plaid shirt, a Greataxe, and a Blue Ox, and you're all set.

[zaei]

Give him a beard, overalls, a plaid shirt, a Greataxe, and a Blue Ox, and you're all set.

What book is the Blue Creature template from?

[Ascension]

That's a blue dire ox!