Belial_the_Leveler
2013-05-24, 09:18 AM
Here's my custom build of Hercules, son of Zeus, the most well-known (if not greatest) Greek hero. The build corresponds to his days as a mortal, before he became a god.
Since I was going to stat him as an NPC to begin with, I decided to do things backwards; I'd first stat him up without bothering to think of a specific class build, giving him whatever abilities I think he'd require to do him justice. And after I'd statted him up as I wanted him, I'd declare the result a level 20 build for an improved Barbarian class. From that build, I'll then go on and try to work a new Barbarian class - though I haven't done so yet.
What do you guys think?
Hercules CR 20
http://images.sodahead.com/polls/003641483/34329427_2285787_hercules19_answer_2_xlarge.jpeg
Medium Human (augmented)
HD 20d12+320 (455 HP, 555 while raging)
Speed 120 ft. (24 squares); Climb/Swim 90 ft, Jump 45 ft
Init: INITIATIVE
AC 41; touch 15; flat-footed 40, raging 47
(+1/+5 dex, -1 size, +9 armor, +17/+21 natural, +5 deflection)
BAB +20; CMB/CMD +38/49, raging +42/57
Full-Attack Large Greatclub +41/+36/+31/+26 (4d6+28, 19-20/2x)
Raging Large Greatclub +45/+40/+35/+30 (4d6+34, 19-20/2x)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks lots, see below
Special Qualities lots, see below
Saves Fort +27 Ref +14 Will +13, +8 vs spells
Rage Saves Fort +33 Ref +18 Will +21, +8 vs spells
Abilities Str 40, Dex 12, Con 31, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8
Rage Ab. Str 48, Dex 20, Con 39, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8
Skills Athletics 20 ranks, Perception 20 ranks, Intimidate 20 ranks, Survival 20 ranks, Craft: Stonemasonry 10 ranks, Craft: Bows 10 ranks, Craft: Weapons 5 ranks, Knowledge: Engineering 10 ranks, Expertise: Farming 5 ranks
Feats Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Extra Rage 6x, Improved Grab
Barbarian Feats Weapon Focus: Greatclub, Greater Weapon Focus: Greatclub, Extra Rage 3x, Toughness 5x
Environment Any Mediterranean or Olympian
Treasure Nemean Lionskin, Masterwork Mighty +19 Large Composite Bow, Masterwork Large Greatclub
Alignment Chaotic Neutral
Advancement by class; Favored Class: Improved Barbarian
Legendary Might [Ex]
Hercules' strength and constitution, like that of other barbarians of myth, is the stuff of legends. Legends about him. He gets an enhancement bonus to strength and constitution equal to 1/3 his level, round down (+6) and an inherent bonus to strength equal to 1/4 his level, round down (+5). Those bonuses are already applied to his stats above.
Brute [Ex]
Hercules' approach to most things is based on raw strength. He gets all bonuses and penalties of being large except for the actual size and reach - if legends are to be believed, he had this benefit since birth. He also gets the following benefits from the "Brute" power group;
Oversized Weapon Mastery: Proficient with Large weapons and non-light Improvised Weapons. When wielding any weapon or improvised weapon a medium-sized human normally couldn't, he gets a +1 competence bonus to attack and damage rolls per 4 levels (+5). Treat this as an Enhancement bonus for all purposes, including stacking.
Intimidating Prowess: Use strength modifier instead of charisma modifier for Intimidate. May employ intimidate in gather information and diplomacy checks.
Frightful Roar: Fear effect as the spell, once per 1d4 rounds. Save DC 10 + 1/2 HD + strength modifier.
Giant's Throw: May throw masonry, furniture, boulders, logs and other objects within his light load in addition to standard thrown weapons with a range increment of 100 ft, max 10 increments. Picking up unattended objects is a free action, enabling full-attacks with thrown weapons. Bonuses from other abilities apply normally.
Smashing Blow: As a standard action, perform a melee or thrown attack that deals double damage. Make a check of 1d20+BAB+strength modifier against the target's hardness+thickness in inches (if object or magical barrier) or opposed check (if creature). If successful, objects and barriers are destroyed and creatures are knocked prone. Unless otherwise specified, magical barriers have an effective hardness of caster level + caster's ability modifier + 5.
Stunning Strike: As a standard action, perform a melee or thrown attack. Targets hit must make a fortitude save dc 10 + 1/2 HD + strength modifier or be stunned for 1 round.
Sweeping Strike: When performing melee attacks in either standard or full attack actions may take a -2 penalty to attack to hit all creatures in a cone equal to his reach in length.
Knockback: When performing melee attacks in either standard or full attack actions may take a -2 penalty to make an opposed strength check against enemies hit. Enemies are knocked back 5 ft per point of failure in a direction of your choice.
Strength of Many: When performing noncombat work primarily based on strength such as tilling fields, digging, construction, blacksmithing and similar, multiply the amount of work completed from the base roll by the square of his strength modifier; performing such feats as building a city wall or an irrigation channel overnight are possible.
Quick Recovery: Recovers 1 hp per HD and 1 ability damage per 30 minutes of rest.
Enhanced Mobility [Ex]
Hercules' power enables him to move faster for far longer than most humans and easily deal with most terrain. He gains a +90 ft increase to his land speed and is immune to fatigue or exhaustion. In addition, he gains the following benefits from the "mobility" power group;
Rapid Climbing: Gain a climb speed equal to the land speed bonus.
Rapid Swimming: Gain a swim speed equal to the land speed bonus.
Great Leap: Any leaps up to half the land speed bonus can be made as part of any normal movement without checks required.
Overpower Obstruction: Ignores difficult terrain. May attempt to move through occupied squares as part of any movement; make bull-rush checks vs creatures and sunder attempts vs objects. If successful, the creature or object is shoved/broken aside and movement can continue normally.
Running Battle: May move before, after and inbetween attacks as part of a full attack action for up to his speed in total.
Dire Charge: May take up to 90-degree turns while charging. Does not need line-of-sight to a target to initiate a charge. Can perform full-attack at the end of a charge.
Rage [Ex]
Hercules, like all Barbarians, can rage for 2 + twice his level + constitution modifier rounds per day, or 52 rounds +54 extra rounds due to extra rage. His Mighty Tireless Rage gives +8 morale bonus to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, +8 bonus to Will Saves and -2 morale penalty to AC. He also has the following abilities from the rage powers tree.
Instant Rage: May enter rage as a reaction. Cannot be caught flat-footed.
Superstition: Gains morale bonus to saves vs spells and SLAs and effects that replicate spells and SLAs equal to 2 + 1/3 level.
Greater Damage Reduction: Gain DR x/- equal to constitution modifier while raging and half that while not raging.
Greater Energy Resistance: Gain resistance to all forms of nonphysical damage equal to constitution modifier while raging and half that while not raging.
Hide of the Beast: Gain Natural Armor bonus equal to constitution modifier while unarmored or wearing leather or hide armor.
Indomitable: Expend 2 turns of raging to end all ongoing mind-affecting effects except for morale bonuses. This is not an action; it can be used when it's not your turn, as a reaction or when a mind-affecting effect would prevent you from acting freely.
Extreme Endurance: Expend 2 turns of raging to end stunning, daze, paralysis and energy drain effects; you are not subject to such effects till the end of your turn. This is not an action; it can be used when it's not your turn, as a reaction or when an effect would prevent you from acting freely.
Physical Resistance: If being hit with any effect that causes ability damage, ability drain, or temporary ability score penalties, the effect is reduced by 1 point. This reduction increases by 1 for every three levels beyond 7th (to a maximum reduction of 5 at 19th level).
Withstand: Expend 2 turns of raging to end one ongoing non-mind-affecting non-instantaneous effect on yourself or resist a single form-altering effect. This is not an action; it can be used when it's not your turn, as a reaction or when an effect would prevent you from acting freely.
Nemean Lionskin
A trophy from his first legendary fight, the skin of the Nemean Lion is all but impervious to most weapons. It counts as a +5 greater fortification hide armor, +5 amulet of natural armor, +5 ring of protection and +5 cloak of resistance. The wearer gets DR 10/slashing or crushing that stacks with any existing DR. It takes up the appropriate slots and is considered an artifact.
Since I was going to stat him as an NPC to begin with, I decided to do things backwards; I'd first stat him up without bothering to think of a specific class build, giving him whatever abilities I think he'd require to do him justice. And after I'd statted him up as I wanted him, I'd declare the result a level 20 build for an improved Barbarian class. From that build, I'll then go on and try to work a new Barbarian class - though I haven't done so yet.
What do you guys think?
Hercules CR 20
http://images.sodahead.com/polls/003641483/34329427_2285787_hercules19_answer_2_xlarge.jpeg
Medium Human (augmented)
HD 20d12+320 (455 HP, 555 while raging)
Speed 120 ft. (24 squares); Climb/Swim 90 ft, Jump 45 ft
Init: INITIATIVE
AC 41; touch 15; flat-footed 40, raging 47
(+1/+5 dex, -1 size, +9 armor, +17/+21 natural, +5 deflection)
BAB +20; CMB/CMD +38/49, raging +42/57
Full-Attack Large Greatclub +41/+36/+31/+26 (4d6+28, 19-20/2x)
Raging Large Greatclub +45/+40/+35/+30 (4d6+34, 19-20/2x)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks lots, see below
Special Qualities lots, see below
Saves Fort +27 Ref +14 Will +13, +8 vs spells
Rage Saves Fort +33 Ref +18 Will +21, +8 vs spells
Abilities Str 40, Dex 12, Con 31, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8
Rage Ab. Str 48, Dex 20, Con 39, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8
Skills Athletics 20 ranks, Perception 20 ranks, Intimidate 20 ranks, Survival 20 ranks, Craft: Stonemasonry 10 ranks, Craft: Bows 10 ranks, Craft: Weapons 5 ranks, Knowledge: Engineering 10 ranks, Expertise: Farming 5 ranks
Feats Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Extra Rage 6x, Improved Grab
Barbarian Feats Weapon Focus: Greatclub, Greater Weapon Focus: Greatclub, Extra Rage 3x, Toughness 5x
Environment Any Mediterranean or Olympian
Treasure Nemean Lionskin, Masterwork Mighty +19 Large Composite Bow, Masterwork Large Greatclub
Alignment Chaotic Neutral
Advancement by class; Favored Class: Improved Barbarian
Legendary Might [Ex]
Hercules' strength and constitution, like that of other barbarians of myth, is the stuff of legends. Legends about him. He gets an enhancement bonus to strength and constitution equal to 1/3 his level, round down (+6) and an inherent bonus to strength equal to 1/4 his level, round down (+5). Those bonuses are already applied to his stats above.
Brute [Ex]
Hercules' approach to most things is based on raw strength. He gets all bonuses and penalties of being large except for the actual size and reach - if legends are to be believed, he had this benefit since birth. He also gets the following benefits from the "Brute" power group;
Oversized Weapon Mastery: Proficient with Large weapons and non-light Improvised Weapons. When wielding any weapon or improvised weapon a medium-sized human normally couldn't, he gets a +1 competence bonus to attack and damage rolls per 4 levels (+5). Treat this as an Enhancement bonus for all purposes, including stacking.
Intimidating Prowess: Use strength modifier instead of charisma modifier for Intimidate. May employ intimidate in gather information and diplomacy checks.
Frightful Roar: Fear effect as the spell, once per 1d4 rounds. Save DC 10 + 1/2 HD + strength modifier.
Giant's Throw: May throw masonry, furniture, boulders, logs and other objects within his light load in addition to standard thrown weapons with a range increment of 100 ft, max 10 increments. Picking up unattended objects is a free action, enabling full-attacks with thrown weapons. Bonuses from other abilities apply normally.
Smashing Blow: As a standard action, perform a melee or thrown attack that deals double damage. Make a check of 1d20+BAB+strength modifier against the target's hardness+thickness in inches (if object or magical barrier) or opposed check (if creature). If successful, objects and barriers are destroyed and creatures are knocked prone. Unless otherwise specified, magical barriers have an effective hardness of caster level + caster's ability modifier + 5.
Stunning Strike: As a standard action, perform a melee or thrown attack. Targets hit must make a fortitude save dc 10 + 1/2 HD + strength modifier or be stunned for 1 round.
Sweeping Strike: When performing melee attacks in either standard or full attack actions may take a -2 penalty to attack to hit all creatures in a cone equal to his reach in length.
Knockback: When performing melee attacks in either standard or full attack actions may take a -2 penalty to make an opposed strength check against enemies hit. Enemies are knocked back 5 ft per point of failure in a direction of your choice.
Strength of Many: When performing noncombat work primarily based on strength such as tilling fields, digging, construction, blacksmithing and similar, multiply the amount of work completed from the base roll by the square of his strength modifier; performing such feats as building a city wall or an irrigation channel overnight are possible.
Quick Recovery: Recovers 1 hp per HD and 1 ability damage per 30 minutes of rest.
Enhanced Mobility [Ex]
Hercules' power enables him to move faster for far longer than most humans and easily deal with most terrain. He gains a +90 ft increase to his land speed and is immune to fatigue or exhaustion. In addition, he gains the following benefits from the "mobility" power group;
Rapid Climbing: Gain a climb speed equal to the land speed bonus.
Rapid Swimming: Gain a swim speed equal to the land speed bonus.
Great Leap: Any leaps up to half the land speed bonus can be made as part of any normal movement without checks required.
Overpower Obstruction: Ignores difficult terrain. May attempt to move through occupied squares as part of any movement; make bull-rush checks vs creatures and sunder attempts vs objects. If successful, the creature or object is shoved/broken aside and movement can continue normally.
Running Battle: May move before, after and inbetween attacks as part of a full attack action for up to his speed in total.
Dire Charge: May take up to 90-degree turns while charging. Does not need line-of-sight to a target to initiate a charge. Can perform full-attack at the end of a charge.
Rage [Ex]
Hercules, like all Barbarians, can rage for 2 + twice his level + constitution modifier rounds per day, or 52 rounds +54 extra rounds due to extra rage. His Mighty Tireless Rage gives +8 morale bonus to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, +8 bonus to Will Saves and -2 morale penalty to AC. He also has the following abilities from the rage powers tree.
Instant Rage: May enter rage as a reaction. Cannot be caught flat-footed.
Superstition: Gains morale bonus to saves vs spells and SLAs and effects that replicate spells and SLAs equal to 2 + 1/3 level.
Greater Damage Reduction: Gain DR x/- equal to constitution modifier while raging and half that while not raging.
Greater Energy Resistance: Gain resistance to all forms of nonphysical damage equal to constitution modifier while raging and half that while not raging.
Hide of the Beast: Gain Natural Armor bonus equal to constitution modifier while unarmored or wearing leather or hide armor.
Indomitable: Expend 2 turns of raging to end all ongoing mind-affecting effects except for morale bonuses. This is not an action; it can be used when it's not your turn, as a reaction or when a mind-affecting effect would prevent you from acting freely.
Extreme Endurance: Expend 2 turns of raging to end stunning, daze, paralysis and energy drain effects; you are not subject to such effects till the end of your turn. This is not an action; it can be used when it's not your turn, as a reaction or when an effect would prevent you from acting freely.
Physical Resistance: If being hit with any effect that causes ability damage, ability drain, or temporary ability score penalties, the effect is reduced by 1 point. This reduction increases by 1 for every three levels beyond 7th (to a maximum reduction of 5 at 19th level).
Withstand: Expend 2 turns of raging to end one ongoing non-mind-affecting non-instantaneous effect on yourself or resist a single form-altering effect. This is not an action; it can be used when it's not your turn, as a reaction or when an effect would prevent you from acting freely.
Nemean Lionskin
A trophy from his first legendary fight, the skin of the Nemean Lion is all but impervious to most weapons. It counts as a +5 greater fortification hide armor, +5 amulet of natural armor, +5 ring of protection and +5 cloak of resistance. The wearer gets DR 10/slashing or crushing that stacks with any existing DR. It takes up the appropriate slots and is considered an artifact.