Obtaining DR, 3.5

[Blackfang108]

As a backup character for an epic (lv22) campaign, what is the best Damage reduction I can expect to achieve, assuming Starting as an ECL 8 Awakened Dire Wolf?

With 14 levels to play with, what is the best Damage reduction you can post?

All 3.x Wizards books are open, but please provide your source.

Without Barbarian, the best I can find is 3/Cold Iron for the Fey Heritage feats in CM, p43.

Also, if you propose a template, please mention its LA.

EDIT:
Volks Waggin
ECL: 22
Magical Beast(Augmented Dire Wolf)
Pre-Awakening Stats:
STR: 30
DEX: 20
CON: 24
INT: 2 +3d6
WIS: 14
CHA: 10 +1d3

Oh, and assume the SRDs given Dire Wolf Feats, and Improved Bite Attack (bite=2d6).

So 4 Basic Feats
1 Epic
Bonus feats possible. (3 with current build, may change, 1 FGHT, 2 WARB).
2 Flaw Feats Possible.

Likely Flaws:
Deadly Strength
Perversion

EDIT: Suggestions for increasing my AC above 17 without using Barding are also appreciated.

[AmberVael]

Well...

DR 13/Lawful is what I can offer up right now, with plenty of other bonuses.

Two Flaws (not sure what I'd choose for the flaws): 2 Abyssal Heritor Feats
Four abyssal heritor feats (four wolf feats- using Embrace the Dark Chaos for the bonus feat, or all feats if needed. One of which must be Cloak of the Obyrith)
9 Thick Skinned
12 Thick Skinned
15 Abyssal Heritor Feat
18 Thick Skinned

The breakdown:

Abyssal Heritor feats come from Fiendish Codex I, as well as Embrace the Dark Chaos.
Abyssal Heritor feats I'd choose (and you have eight:)
-Cloak of the Obyrith (required)
-Claws of the Beast
-Demonic Skin
-Eyes of the Abyss
-Heart of the Nabassu
-Primordial Scion
-Precognative Visions

Each feat you take in this series increases the bonuses given by the other feats. Cloak of the Obyrith, for example, gives DR 1/Lawful for each feat you have, thus giving a total of DR 7/lawful with all of those feats.

Flaws come from Unearthed Arcana (at least originally) and each one you take (normally to a maximum of two) gives you another feat.

Finally, Thick Skinned comes from Savage species and adds 2 to your damage reduction each time it is taken (but can't improve your score past twice what it original was. IE- thick skinned can only give a bonus equal to the DR you already have.

Alternately

If you can get your Dire Wolf to start with a constitution of 20...

DR 16/-

Two flaws (Roll with it, Toughness)
3 dire wolf feats (3 Roll with it)
9 Roll with it
12 Roll with it
15 Roll with it
18 Roll with it

Roll with It, incidentally, is a feat from Savage species. If you have Con 20 and Toughess, it allows you to have DR 2/- with each feat.

The good side is that you have 16 unpassable Damage Reduction.
The bad side is that you used all your feats and I don't really think it is worth it. I'd probably do the Abyssal Heritor thing over this because Lawful weapons and attacks aren't amazingly common, and you actually get a ton of cool bonuses to go along with your DR.

[Saph]

Stoneskin is the traditional low-effort source of DR.

There are lots of ways to get it, but the easiest is to have someone cast it on you. Get a spellcaster cohort and have them cast it on you whenever you expect trouble (it costs 250 GP a pop, but at epic levels that's pocket change).

- Saph

[Blackfang108]

Stoneskin is the traditional low-effort source of DR.

There are lots of ways to get it, but the easiest is to have someone cast it on you. Get a spellcaster cohort and have them cast it on you whenever you expect trouble (it costs 250 GP a pop, but at epic levels that's pocket change).

- Saph

The problem with a Cohort is that it requires Leadership (unless I'm missing Something) and I don't think Leadership is allowed for this campaign.

I'll double check with my DM on that.

And I'll add my stats (pre-awakening, DM's been out of town and prefers we roll with him as a wittness.) to the top there.

[Blackfang108]

Oops. Wrong button.

[Burley]

*snip*
Without Barbarian, the best I can find is 3/Cold Iron for the Fey Heritage feats in CM, p43.

This stacks with Warlock DR, by the way, if you wanna go that route.

You could try putting on a template, like Half-Fey... I dunno...

[Blackfang108]

This stacks with Warlock DR, by the way, if you wanna go that route.

You could try putting on a template, like Half-Fey... I dunno...

Funny thing about templates:

Half-Celestial has a higher LA than Celestial.

Which book's Half-Fey from? One of the MMs, I assume?

[The Glyphstone]

Funny thing about templates:

Half-Celestial has a higher LA than Celestial.

Which book's Half-Fey from? One of the MMs, I assume?

As it should, since Celestial (just some critter who's native to a celestial plane) gives pathetic bonuses, and Half-Celestial (a creature with one angelic parent) is really, really good.

[ColonelFuster]

Half-fey is form Fiendish Codex.
And, half-celestial is geared towards if your character is half-outsider (like a guardinal or a solar), while celestial is for a native of a good-aligned plane.

[Blackfang108]

Half-fey is form Fiendish Codex.
And, half-celestial is geared towards if your character is half-outsider (like a guardinal or a solar), while celestial is for a native of a good-aligned plane.

Thanks.

And Ahh.

So having one angelic parent is better than having two, then?

(kidding.)

[The Glyphstone]

Thanks.

And Ahh.

So having one angelic parent is better than having two, then?

(kidding.)

It's bad naming. A Celestial Creature isn't actually related to Celestials (in the angel sense) at all - it's just a creature native to their home plane. A Celestial Polar Bear, for example, is just a Polar bear from one of the good-aligned planes who hangs around celestials so long that it starts absorbing some of the energy of the plane, getting fun stuff like DR Pointless/Evil and Smite.

Actual Half-Celestials with direct ancestry to a Planetar, Solar, or something similar get the cool stuff - SLA's, a crazy good flight speed, stat boosts, etc.

[Telonius]

Polymorph into a Naztharune Rakshasa (MM3), maybe? (I notice that it's listed as a racial rather than a special quality, in my online source...)

EDIT: Scratch that, it appears my online source was lying.

[Blackfang108]

Polymorph into a Naztharune Rakshasa (MM3), maybe? (I notice that it's listed as a racial rather than a special quality, in my online source...)

Assume I want to stay a Dire Wolf in appearance.

I like the idea of a perverted, talking wolf the size of my Volkswagen wandering the countryside and helping/annoying people.

And I figure I'll try and get a permanent Greater Magic Fang +5 (9100g. That'll be fun to lug to Sigil.)

[Eldaran]

And I'll add my stats (pre-awakening, DM's been out of town and prefers we roll with him as a wittness.) to the top there.

Why not just get a maximized awakening cast? I'm sure the extra money would be no big deal.

[Blackfang108]

Why not just get a maximized awakening cast? I'm sure the extra money would be no big deal.

I can ask, but I doubt it.

[Glimbur]

How do you feel about templates? I hear Mineral Warrior gives scaling DR /Adamantium, and when the DM starts giving everyone adamantium weapons that's more loot for you.

It would help if I knew where Mineral Warrior was from, of course. I think it's a Monster Manual...

[hamishspence]

Underdark: a Forgotten realms sourcebook. Though I figure, given a number of FR Monster compendium monsters originally appeared in other setting as well, its ok to use most FR content anywhere.

[Blackfang108]

Underdark: a Forgotten realms sourcebook. Though I figure, given a number of FR Monster compendium monsters originally appeared in other setting as well, its ok to use most FR content anywhere.

My one issue with templates is the increased LA.

I'm trying to keep my pre-class ECL down.

OTOH, does anyone know what the LA is on the Paragon template? (Doubt I'll get it, but it's worth a shot.

[hamishspence]

AS a +1 LA template of worrying goodness (DR 8/adamantine? Yes please!) its always a pretty good bet.

[Draz74]

Volks Waggin

*groans*

I understand Russian, and I am offended at your punnery.

If you don't know Russian and you don't know what I'm talking about ... er ... I don't know if that makes it better, or worse.

[hamishspence]

Paragon creature template from Epic Handbook requires DM's permission to apply (since no rules for giving a player it), doesn't have LA listed, but CR adjustment is +15.

Half-fey is from Fiend Folio (3.0, free update on WoTC)

Fiendish Codex 1 and Fiendish Codex 2 are Abyss and Nine Hells sourcebooks.

[Blackfang108]

AS a +1 LA template of worrying goodness (DR 8/adamantine? Yes please!) its always a pretty good bet.

Which one?

Sorry, I can't tell which template you're referring to. The Mineral Warrior?

Also:

I don't understand Russian, but I drive a Volkswagen Rabbit.

I was walking to my car and was trying to visualize how big a Dire wolf is and noticed that it's about the size of my car.

Why, what does it mean in Russian?

[Draz74]

I don't understand Russian, but I drive a Volkswagen Rabbit.

IWhy, what does it mean in Russian?

Volk is Russian for wolf.

[hamishspence]

Mineral warrior- was in response to asking about LA of it.

[Blackfang108]

Volk is Russian for wolf.

Oh, Wow.

I only knew that Volkswagen meant "People's Wagon" in German.

Wow, that brings new amounts of pun to this name.

>.>

<.<

PERFECT.

thanks Ham, I thought that's what you were referrign to.

hmm... that might work. I'll look at it when I get home.

[Draz74]

I only knew that Volkswagen meant "People's Wagon" in German.

Wow, that brings new amounts of pun to this name.

PERFECT.

And "volkov" means " wolves', " so you can expand your name to Volkovsvaggin if you want, since the German version actually pronounces the w as a v ...

Wait, why am I helping you with this?

[Thurbane]

The Boar Totem Barbarian (UA) has DR 1 point higher than usual for a Barbarian.

[sonofzeal]

Alright, this sounds like a job for HENRY THE INDESTRUCTABLE!

Dire Wolf 6 / Generic Arcanist 1 / Generic Divinist 1 / Generic Expert 2 / Generic Warrior 10 (LA+2)
Two flaws (I suggest Vulnerable and Frail, for reasons that will become apparent)

Build
LA1 -
LA2 -
wolf1 - Toughness, Roll With It, Roll With It
wolf2 -
wolf3 - Roll With It
wolf4 -
wolf5 -
wolf6 - Roll With It
Arcanist 1 - Roll With It
Divinist 1 - Roll With It
Expert1 - Roll With It, Roll With It
Expert2 - Roll With It
Warrior1 - Roll With It
Warrior2 - Roll With It, Roll With It
Warrior3 -
Warrior4 - Roll With It
Warrior5 - Roll With It
Warrior6 - Roll With It
Warrior7 -
Warrior8 - Roll With It, Roll With It
Warrior9 -
Warrior10 - Roll With It


TOTAL: DR 36/-

[Gorbash]

I understand Russian, and I am offended at your punnery

Pft, imagine how Slavic people feel.

[sonofzeal]

Note on Henry - that is likely the highest DR we'll see here (which is what was asked for), but I'll admit it's not particularly effective. Something that would help would be to drop two levels of Generic Warrior for one of Unarmed Swordsage and one of Warblade. Since your IL is high you'll be able to grab some high-level maneuvers, and even a small number of Maneuvers Readied will make a big difference. A second level of each would give you Wis-to-AC, Uncanny Dodge, and extra maneuvers known.