Author Topic: Done (Help me weed through...)  (Read 2662 times)

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bihlbo

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Done (Help me weed through...)
« on: October 05, 2009, 05:19:16 PM »
I'm starting in a PBP game in which the GM is giving us far too many options for making characters. I could really use some pointers from you all on how to make a game-breakingly overpowered character. Cheese (ala Pun-Pun) won't be possible, as we'll start at level 1 and have very limited resources, but I'm sure there's an option out there better than what I've come up with.


Limitations
As this is a PBP, I doubt we'll gain more than 2 levels, so planning past level 4 is pointless. I don't expect the game to go on for the year or two that'll take.

Multiclassing will be difficult and unpredictable. We have to find someone with levels in the new class if we take on something new. So planning for a character like "rogue 1/duskblade 1/champion 1" might be foolish if we never encounter a duskblade.


Rules Sources Allowed  (the whole list of the GM's gaming materials)
D&D 3.5 (base ruleset)
3.5 SRD
ToB: Book of 9 Swords
PHII
D&D's web previews (Marshall, etc)
Dragon magazine (from 3.0 to end of publication)
Savage Species
Deities & Demigods
Manual of the Planes
Oriental Adventures
Rokugan (from AEG)
Sword & Fist
Tome & Blood
Defenders of the Faith
Song & Silence
Masters of the Wild
Arms & Equipment Guide
Stronghold Builder's Guidebook
Monster Manual II
Fiend Folio
Monsters of Faerun
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
Magic of Faerun
Lords of Darkness
Dragons (from AEG)
Seafarer's Handbook (from Fantasy Flight Games)
and Traps & Treachery (from Fantasy Flight Games)
Arcana Unearthed
Arcana Evolved
The Diamond Throne
Transcendance
Legacy of the Dragons
Mystic Secrets
Book of Iron Might
Book of Roguish Luck
Advanced Player's Manual (Green Ronin)
Everquest RPG PH
the Commander class from EN Publishing's War of the Burning Sky
... and a bunch of other small press/pdf only sources I've never heard of


So Far
I told him I was going to use the EQrpg rules for an iksar monk, mainly because I like the racial stats for the iksar (not that they're the best or anything) and I'm familiar with that book. I'm less familiar with about 80% of the rest of the list, though I have pdfs of most of it. However, that's a lot of information to comb through, and I was hoping you all who have more experience with this sort of thing could give me some pointers.
Thanks!
« Last Edit: October 07, 2009, 04:49:12 PM by bihlbo »
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Sinfire Titan

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Re: Help me weed through these amazing options
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2009, 05:26:40 PM »
Pun-Pun is possible at level 1. You want game breaking? That's about as good as it gets.

The next step down is Shadow Miracle Gnomes, but I see no Races of Stone there.


Word of advice: CO isn't about Game Breakers. If you come to us asking for a game breaker, we'll just tell you to play something like Pun-Pun or the Twice Betrayer. Its also bad form (and bad rep for us) if you break a campaign with one of our builds. We get enough flak as is, don't add more fuel to the fire.


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bearsarebrown

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Re: Help me weed through these amazing options
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2009, 05:37:25 PM »
However, if you're just looking for, you know, an optimized level 3 character, we can help you out.

Maat_Mons

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Re: Help me weed through these amazing options
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2009, 04:45:48 AM »
Can you use any of the variant rules in the SRD, e.g. flaws? 

Oriental Adventures has two pieces of equipment that can be added to certain armors to increase the armor bonus.  A chain shirt with chahar-aina and dastana has a +6 armor bonus and still has a +4 maximum dex bonus and no speed penalty. 

The classes from Tome of Battle are good options.  To make a character the other players will love, try this.  Play as a crusader.  Take iron guard's glare as your stance, imposing a -4 penalty on attack rolls made against your allies (but not you) by creatures you threaten.  Wield a glaive and wear spiked armor, to threaten everything in 10 feet without spending any feats.  (At low levels, the attack of opportunity you get when a creature closes with you is pretty good too.)  Take extra granted maneuver and cycle through crusader's strike, leading the attack, and vanguard strike.  2 rounds out of 3, you will grant allies +4 to hit if you hit and 1 round out of 3, you will heal an ally by 1d6+1 if you hit. 

Emy

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Re: Help me weed through these amazing options
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2009, 06:12:00 AM »
You might want to check this thread out. It might give you some ideas.

Yeah, it was on 339. The new boards broke it.

bihlbo

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Re: Help me weed through these amazing options
« Reply #5 on: October 06, 2009, 02:34:27 PM »
However, if you're just looking for, you know, an optimized level 3 character, we can help you out.

Well, I don't really understand the extent of breakage possible, as I don't attempt it or read very thoroughly about it. Optimized is what I'm looking for. "Nigh unstoppable within reason" might be a good description. But, I'm not allowed cheese like spending a year making magic items, recruiting a horde of followers, infinite wealth (there's no wealth at all in his game), having any specific magic item, getting blessings of certain gods, wishes, or anything that would be out of the realm of possibility for a naked level 1 guy in the woods.
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RobbyPants

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Re: Help me weed through these amazing options
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2009, 02:55:25 PM »
Pun-Pun is possible at level 1. You want game breaking? That's about as good as it gets.

The next step down is Shadow Miracle Gnomes, but I see no Races of Stone there.
Although, Pun Pun doesn't work without Serpent Kingdoms either. :p
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bihlbo

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Re: Help me weed through these amazing options
« Reply #7 on: October 06, 2009, 03:15:24 PM »
You might want to check this thread out. It might give you some ideas.

Yeah, it was on 339. The new boards broke it.

I don't know what "on 339" means but wow that's painful to read. I'm inclined to do a copy-paste job to move it here, just so I can read it. Holy cow though, talk about a treasure trove of good ideas!
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InnaBinder

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Re: Help me weed through these amazing options
« Reply #8 on: October 06, 2009, 04:54:35 PM »
With your listed sources, I believe an Oathbound utilizing the Book of Iron Might makes a mockery of any Monk that hasn't been houseruled heavily.  Mix in Tome of Battle's Unarmed Swordsage and you win.
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Akalsaris

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Re: Help me weed through these amazing options
« Reply #9 on: October 06, 2009, 07:12:42 PM »
So...levels 1-4 and can't multiclass easily, if I read you correctly?

I'd go with a Human Crusader 4 from ToB: Book of 9 Swords - you're going to be the best party tank that ever lived, while healing a bit, dealing damage a bit, controlling the battlefield a bit, and being good at social situations. 

Seriously though, that is a weird book list.

The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: Help me weed through these amazing options
« Reply #10 on: October 07, 2009, 04:52:05 AM »
You have unseelie fey available?  Pick up the template at once.

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bihlbo

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Re: Help me weed through these amazing options
« Reply #11 on: October 07, 2009, 04:48:28 PM »
Thanks everyone, I got things mostly sorted out. I really appreciate the great advice!

And yes, that is a messy list of books. Personally, I think it's moronic, but it's his game not mine.
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tristanayres

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Re: Done (Help me weed through...)
« Reply #12 on: October 08, 2009, 11:11:55 AM »
What did you end up deciding on playing?

Thanks for your time

bihlbo

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Re: Done (Help me weed through...)
« Reply #13 on: October 09, 2009, 03:06:01 PM »
What did you end up deciding on playing?

This:

I'd go with a Human Crusader
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