Death Level Builds

[Kaelik]

The 3.0 FAQ explicitly said it wasn't. Nothing in the Persistent Spell feat changed, except for the level adjustment, so it still applies. Your opinion may be that it is fixed, but the official word from WotC is that it isn't. And way to derail a thread on ~5 a year old argument.

Actually, the 3.0 FAW said that you couldn't persist touch spells, and the 3.5 Persist feat was written differently in a way that omits the statement that you can't persist touch spells.

And don't accuse me of derailing the thread just because you don't like me, point the finger at the person who brought it up if you have to find someone to blame.

[altpersona]

comes great responsibility...

[woodenbandman]

My bad, I didn't know that there was a feat such as that that uses your INT mod for your HP. Yours is probably better, although I do like Abrupt Jaunt. Do you still die when reduced to CON 0, though? Watch that because a spider bite now kills you deader than dead.

[JaronK]

While I'm certain that most of the character ideas of yours, JaronK, are very valid, the point was that the character in question should be able to function fine on his own, which the bards don't really do. (Okay, if we start to argue that Summon Instrument can be used to call a pipe organ or somesuch, that takes up epic amount of space, and used as A: Battlefield Control and B: Something to knock over on other people's heas..).

Fair enough, I was just getting overly creative and forgot the original challenge!  Hey, I'm working long hours right now.

Fine, Human Bard 1 with Inspire Awe varient, Haunting Melody, and Extra Music, plus a masterwork instrument of some kind (preferably something you can play with one hand so you can still fight).  Anyone who gets within IIRC 30' must make a save vs his perform check (with a masterwork instrument and 16 Cha, that's going to average at DC 19-20 at level 1!) or be frightened and start running... and stay doing so as long as he can be heard by them.  And he can just keep it up pretty much all day long IIRC, stabbing people who run away and can't ever stop.  Add a flaw and Requiem and now even skeletons run in fear.  Eventually you'll get Imperious Command as the character levels up and really crush some fools!

Plus, you know, the usual skillmonkey-lite goodness that the Bard brings.

JaronK

[skydragonknight]

Not quite as good as I was hoping, but it'll do.

[spoiler=I Will Survive!]Race: Elan
Class: Psychic Warrior
Stats: STR 14 DEX 14 CON 14 INT 9 WIS 14 CHA 6 (25 PB)
Flaws: Shaky, Innattentive
Feats: Psionic Body, Enhanced Elan Resilience, Psionic Talent, Psionic Talent
Noteworthy Skills:  None.
Spells Prepared/Known/Powers Known: Force Screen
Explanation: 18 Hit Points, 8 Power Points, 20 AC(Scale Mail) at level 1.
Personal Thoughts/Summary:Requires only SRD and Complete Psionics. Basically, you're hard to hit, have a crap ton of health for those few times you do get hit and can chisel away at their life with any old melee weapon. Thanks to Elan Resilience and the feat that improves it, you can exchange power points to prevent damage on a 1:4 basis.[/spoiler]

[Celsius]

[spoiler=Azurin Warmage]
Build NameYou can't kill me if you're already dead
Race: Azurin
Class: Warmage
Stats: Str 10 Dex 14 Con 12 Int 18 Wis 8 Cha 12
Flaws&Traits: Spellgifted (Evocation), Vulnerable, Murky-Eyed
Feats: Shape Soulmeld (Arcane Focus), Hidden Talent (Offensive Prescience), Extra Spell (Power Word Pain), Spell Thematics (Magic Missile or Burning Hands)
Noteworthy Skills: None, really
Spells Prepared/Known/Powers Known: Everything on the list
Options: Level in Factotum to get Int to damage again! Replace Spell Thematics with Improved Initiative
Explanation: A simple Burning Hands spell on this character deals 3d4+8 dmg, Reflex halves, and if you run out, a Ray of Frost deals 1d3+8 damage. =D Against bosses, Power Word Pain deals 1d6+8 damage per round for an average of 10 rounds with no save allowed!
Personal Thoughts/Summary: This build focuses on hitting the enemy hard before he can do anything to you. the premise is simple, the enemy can't kill you if he's already dead! Best used when there is a tanker to help you soak damage, preferably one that is immune/resistant to fire! (try one of the fire races in UA)
[/spoiler]

[Kaelik]

[spoiler=Azurin Warmage]
Build NameYou can't kill me if you're already dead
Race: Azurin
Class: Warmage
Stats: Str 10 Dex 14 Con 12 Int 18 Wis 8 Cha 12
Flaws&Traits: Spellgifted (Evocation), Vulnerable, Murky-Eyed
Feats: Shape Soulmeld (Arcane Focus), Hidden Talent (Offensive Prescience), Extra Spell (Power Word Pain), Spell Thematics (Magic Missile & Burning Hands)
Noteworthy Skills: None, really
Spells Prepared/Known/Powers Known: Everything on the list
Options: Level in Factotum to get Int to damage again! Replace Spell Thematics with Improved Initiative
Explanation: A simple Burning Hands spell on this character deals 3d4+8 dmg, Reflex halves, a Magic Missile deals 2d4+10, no save or attack roll, and if you run out, a Ray of Frost deals 1d3+8 damage. =D Against bosses, Power Word Pain deals 1d6+8 damage per round for an average of 10 rounds with no save allowed!
Personal Thoughts/Summary: This build focuses on hitting the enemy hard before he can do anything to you. the premise is simple, the enemy can't kill you if he's already dead! Best used when there is a tanker to help you soak damage, preferably one that is immune/resistant to fire! (try one of the fire races in UA)[/spoiler]

I think being useful in a campaign that goes on for a while was one of the requirements. And 12 Charisma decidedly isn't.

[BowenSilverclaw]

*Sigh* Extra Spell doesn't work that way...
Also, Spell Thematics is only one spell for each level.

[Celsius]

In response to Kaelik: Actually, it isn't one of the requirements. Anyway, this build continues to be feasible for most low level play, but not for high level, since it only uses 1 level of Warmage. Future levels would probably be taken in Factotum, to further add Int to damage again. =)

In response to BowenSilverClaw: Thanks for your advice. I don't know about most GMs, but our gaming group ruled that an Extra Spell can be taken from any spell list, since the text in CArc is rather ambiguous. About Spell Thematics, that was a genuine oversight on my part. I meant either Magic Missile or Burning Hands, depending on your playing style. I'll edit it.

[Celsius]

Not quite as good as I was hoping, but it'll do.

[spoiler=I Will Survive!]Race: Elan
Class: Psychic Warrior
Stats: STR 14 DEX 14 CON 14 INT 9 WIS 14 CHA 6 (25 PB)
Flaws: Shaky, Innattentive
Feats: Psionic Body, Enhanced Elan Resilience, Psionic Talent, Psionic Talent
Noteworthy Skills:  None.
Spells Prepared/Known/Powers Known: Force Screen
Explanation: 18 Hit Points, 8 Power Points, 20 AC(Scale Mail) at level 1.
Personal Thoughts/Summary:Requires only SRD and Complete Psionics. Basically, you're hard to hit, have a crap ton of health for those few times you do get hit and can chisel away at their life with any old melee weapon. Thanks to Elan Resilience and the feat that improves it, you can exchange power points to prevent damage on a 1:4 basis.[/spoiler]

You could try using Body Fuel to drastically increase your PP, although you would definitely need a lot more Con to be able to pull this trick off...

[BowenSilverclaw]

In response to BowenSilverClaw: Thanks for your advice. I don't know about most GMs, but our gaming group ruled that an Extra Spell can be taken from any spell list, since the text in CArc is rather ambiguous. About Spell Thematics, that was a genuine oversight on my part. I meant either Magic Missile or Burning Hands, depending on your playing style. I'll edit it.

Fair enough

[PhaedrusXY]

I think being useful in a campaign that goes on for a while was one of the requirements. And 12 Charisma decidedly isn't.

Your build wouldn't be either, unless (until ? ) it became a necropolitan or other undead. Fairy Mysteries Initiate only lets you use your int instead of con for hit points at first level. Afterwards, you'd be getting 1 hit point per level due to your con.

[Kaelik]

I think being useful in a campaign that goes on for a while was one of the requirements. And 12 Charisma decidedly isn't.

Your build wouldn't be either, unless (until ? ) it became a necropolitan or other undead. Fairy Mysteries Initiate only lets you use your int instead of con for hit points at first level. Afterwards, you'd be getting 1 hit point per level due to your con.

No, FMI is every single level.

[BowenSilverclaw]

Where is FMI located?

[PhaedrusXY]

Where is FMI located?

It's from Dragon 319. I don't think I actually have that issue, but when I included it in a build some time ago, I thought someone said it only counted for 1st level. The thread where this was from has since went to the white screen of death, though. So maybe I misremembered.

[InnaBinder]

Where is FMI located?

Dragon #319.  Also, ninja'd.   

[BowenSilverclaw]

Thanks, I actually have that issue

And it says you use your Int mod for bonus hit points, but nowhere does it say that that's for first level only

[PhaedrusXY]

Thanks, I actually have that issue

And it says you use your Int mod for bonus hit points, but nowhere does it say that that's for first level only

Ok, great. Sorry for the misinformation.

[skydragonknight]

Ha. I just read this thread and was going to add FMI to X Stat to Y Bonus, but it's already there. Lord Kiwi and co. were very thorough.

[wO-_-OdrOw]

Race: Incarnate Construct Warforged Necropolitan Evolved Undead x2

You lose a level and 1000xp to become a Necropolitan, correct? If not, okay. If so, level 0 crusader?