I want to paralyze my enemies

[yilduz]

I always like planning builds, but I haven't played D&D in a few years. It has also been quite a while since I've looked at a PHB, so I don't remember nearly as much as I used to, especially since all the MMOs have put different abilities and strategies into my head. In fact, it was an MMO that made me want to see this strategy in D&D 3.5.

I want to play with a build that immobilizes, paralyzes, or otherwise makes enemies completely useless and/or helpless. I'm not partial to any race or class, and I'm fine with the character being mostly useless in any way other than making enemies useless, too - I just want to have fun with this build.

If you know of any spells, feats, abilities, races, classes, items, etc that would help in this build, please post them here. :)

edit: debuffs that don't completely paralyze/immobilize/etc enemies are fine, too - just whatever fits the idea of the character.

[Halae]

You could just show them 4chan, but I don't think that's what you had in mind

Anyways, the easiest way to get a paralysation thing going is to get an ability that does massive ability damage. one favorite standby of arcane spellcasters is the use of the spell Shivering Touch from Frostburn, which deals 3d6 dexterity damage that lasts for minutes. this makes it a dragon killer, and very effective. I once had a factotum who used it along with a spell-storing lasso to get amazing touch attacks with it

[molten_dragon]

I always like planning builds, but I haven't played D&D in a few years. It has also been quite a while since I've looked at a PHB, so I don't remember nearly as much as I used to, especially since all the MMOs have put different abilities and strategies into my head. In fact, it was an MMO that made me want to see this strategy in D&D.

I want to play with a build that immobilizes, paralyzes, or otherwise makes enemies completely useless and/or helpless. I'm not partial to any race or class, and I'm fine with the character being mostly useless in any way other than making enemies useless, too - I just want to have fun with this build.

If you know of any spells, feats, abilities, races, classes, items, etc that would help in this build, please post them here. :)

edit: debuffs that don't completely paralyze/immobilize/etc enemies are fine, too - just whatever fits the idea of the character.

Playing a batman-style wizard focusing on battlefield control is probably going to be your best bet for this. There are tons of useful spells that can paralyze, immobilize, stun, daze, and ability drain your opponents until they can't really act at all.

Here's a good guide to get you started: Guide

[Jallorn]

Well, if you want to go about it in a roundabout way, some powerful illusions could work.

But in all seriousdirectness, magic-wise, you'll probably want a lot of enchantments, although Psionics might be something to look into.

So yeah, enchantments, some evocations, probably a few transmutations. That's where you'll find most of your spells if you want about 20 different ways to immobilize someone. Illusions might have some good things to pick up that help with tactics, but they won't be a major focus.

More narrowly, as I see it, you'll probably focus on them in this order:
Enchantments, this is where all the best stuff is.
Transmutations/Evocations, I'm not too sure which would be more useful, but both have a lot that is essentially superfluous, not only to your specific goal, but also to an attached strategy. Transmutation will probably have fewer immobilizing spells you want, but more other kinds of spells that are useful in your build.
Illusions, these will play less into your specific goal of immobilizing than any of the other listed schools, but will also have the most utilitarian-type spells.
Necromancy will provide a few spells a la Evocation, but honestly, that's not huge.
Abjuration may have a handful of nice spells, but mostly, they don't really play into your focus.
Conjuration could be useful if you'd like to dual focus, but as stated, won't fit into your plan.
Divination is essentially a throwaway school.

[Supercomputers]

Book of Exhaled Deeds the feat "Touch of Golden Ice" deals 1d6 dex damage then 2d6 dex damage DC 14, when you touch someone...

It only does damage to evil beings making it a convenient detect evil, kinda, if they fail their saves...

[Necroticplague]

You could purposefully infect yourself with Whore's Delight disease, which parylyzes others for 1d4 hours under certain circumstances (it also does one point of stregnth damage to you to).

[umbrapolaris]

I want to play with a build that immobilizes, paralyzes, or otherwise makes enemies completely useless and/or helpless. I'm not partial to any race or class, and I'm fine with the character being mostly useless in any way other than making enemies useless, too - I just want to have fun with this build.

stun-locking rogue in wow?

[olentu]

I suppose a boomerang daze build would do the trick. Basically just the feat from races of eberron that makes anyone that takes damage from your boomerang make a fort save based on the damage dealt or be dazed for one round. Perhaps some bloodstorm blade for fancy super returning.

[Amphetryon]

Here is one way to do something like that.

[Nanoblack]

The mohrgs tongue graft from the libris mortis gives you an at will DC17 fort save touch attack vs being paralyzed for several minutes.

[yilduz]

Anyways, the easiest way to get a paralysation thing going is to get an ability that does massive ability damage. one favorite standby of arcane spellcasters is the use of the spell Shivering Touch from Frostburn, which deals 3d6 dexterity damage that lasts for minutes. this makes it a dragon killer, and very effective. I once had a factotum who used it along with a spell-storing lasso to get amazing touch attacks with it

Ability damage is one thing I've thought about and will definitely be a huge part of this build. That seems like a pretty nice spell, too. I'll look into that. Thank you.

Playing a batman-style wizard focusing on battlefield control is probably going to be your best bet for this. There are tons of useful spells that can paralyze, immobilize, stun, daze, and ability drain your opponents until they can't really act at all.

Here's a good guide to get you started: Guide

A figured a wizard is likely where I'd end up with this. Thank you for the link. I'll read it right after finishing this post.

Well, if you want to go about it in a roundabout way, some powerful illusions could work.

But in all seriousdirectness, magic-wise, you'll probably want a lot of enchantments, although Psionics might be something to look into.

So yeah, enchantments, some evocations, probably a few transmutations. That's where you'll find most of your spells if you want about 20 different ways to immobilize someone. Illusions might have some good things to pick up that help with tactics, but they won't be a major focus.

More narrowly, as I see it, you'll probably focus on them in this order:
Enchantments, this is where all the best stuff is.
Transmutations/Evocations, I'm not too sure which would be more useful, but both have a lot that is essentially superfluous, not only to your specific goal, but also to an attached strategy. Transmutation will probably have fewer immobilizing spells you want, but more other kinds of spells that are useful in your build.
Illusions, these will play less into your specific goal of immobilizing than any of the other listed schools, but will also have the most utilitarian-type spells.
Necromancy will provide a few spells a la Evocation, but honestly, that's not huge.
Abjuration may have a handful of nice spells, but mostly, they don't really play into your focus.
Conjuration could be useful if you'd like to dual focus, but as stated, won't fit into your plan.
Divination is essentially a throwaway school.

I did think about psionics while I was looking through the SRD. I've never done a character with psionics before, though, so I'm not sure. As for the schools, thank you for that. I was thinking Enchanting would be my most likely source, and where I'd end up focusing a lot of my attention, but I didn't really think about ranking the other schools as you have.

Book of Exhaled Deeds the feat "Touch of Golden Ice" deals 1d6 dex damage then 2d6 dex damage DC 14, when you touch someone...

It only does damage to evil beings making it a convenient detect evil, kinda, if they fail their saves...

Thank you for that. I'll look at it. :)

You could purposefully infect yourself with Whore's Delight disease, which parylyzes others for 1d4 hours under certain circumstances (it also does one point of stregnth damage to you to).

stun-locking rogue in wow?

I don't play WoW. Too many little kids and the game itself is too cartoony.

I suppose a boomerang daze build would do the trick. Basically just the feat from races of eberron that makes anyone that takes damage from your boomerang make a fort save based on the damage dealt or be dazed for one round. Perhaps some bloodstorm blade for fancy super returning.

That sounds like a lot of fun. I'll have to find that book and consider that one strongly.

Here is one way to do something like that.

I don't know what most of that stuff is. I've never even heard of an Evolved Necropolitan Star Elf. o_O
Where did you find the property "Paralyzing" for your weapon?

The mohrgs tongue graft from the libris mortis gives you an at will DC17 fort save touch attack vs being paralyzed for several minutes.

Sounds strange. I'll take a look, though.

Thank you to everyone that has helped so far.

Is there any kind of gear you can recommend for a character like this? Also, which race do you think would have the most advantage for being a character like this?

[ericgrau]

+1 battlefield control caster. 3 flavors available: sorcerer, wizard, druid. Sorcerers are my favorite kind of bcc b/c you can pick and even meta-magic your flavor of control at will without worrying about whether or not you'll have it later. OTOH sleet storm is one of my favorite spells and druids get it at the same level. I made a character who rarely did damage this way, and even when he did it, a grand total of twice I think, was more a minor thing to pass the time in the fight.

Assuming you don't need actual paralysis, enchantment has the weaker spells as they tend to be single target. Conjuration, evocation (the non-damaging ones), and transmutation (multi-target buff/debuff) are your best options. Try for various barriers, impediments and multi-debuffs.

[Keld Denar]

Gravetouched ghoul is a nice +2 LA template in Libris Mortis: the book of bad Latin. The DC of your paralyzing touch scales with level and Cha, so you can boost it pretty easily. From there, classes that impose penalties to save like Pally of Tyranny, Blackguard, Binder, or Hexblade all work out nicely. There is also the Improved Paralysis feat in LM for another +4 DC.

[Keinnicht]

Book of Exhaled Deeds the feat "Touch of Golden Ice" deals 1d6 dex damage then 2d6 dex damage DC 14, when you touch someone...

I find the feat "Vow of Always Being Stoned" from that book facilitates much better builds.

[molten_dragon]

Assuming you don't need actual paralysis, enchantment has the weaker spells as they tend to be single target. Conjuration, evocation (the non-damaging ones), and transmutation (multi-target buff/debuff) are your best options. Try for various barriers, impediments and multi-debuffs.

The other problem with enchantment is that most of the good spells in it are mind-affecting, which a lot of things will be immune to. Playing a spellcaster focused on enchantment is kind of like being a rogue. When it works, it works well, but when it doesn't, you don't have much else to do.

My suggestion for this kind of spellcaster would be to play a focused conjurer, since conjuration has by far the best battlefield control options of any of the schools available.

[Burnheart]

If your going to be a battle field controling wizard you might like some of the metamagic in this thread: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181036

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Well, if you're just wanting a lockdown build, something that is a combination of Takahashi no Onisan (see links in sig), combined with EWP: Spiked Chain and Improved Trip should be a walking field of 'stop doing that now'.

[ShriekingDrake]

Are their any good spell-based protections against or responses to paralysis or petrification--arcane and divine?

[Coidzor]

A blasting spell that helps with this is Frostbite from Frostburn, but it's a 5th level spell and so you'll probably usually have better options.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Are their any good spell-based protections against or responses to paralysis or petrification--arcane and divine?

Freedom of Movement shuts down Paralysis. Petrification is somewhat harder to negate, however keep in mind that most methods of petrification allow a Fort save, so undead, constructs, and other things with no Con score are generally immune to it.

That's why I suggested a combination of Cowering and Prone, because generally if it's immune to one, it's not immune to the other. There are exceptions, of course (constructs tend to be hard to trip and are mindless), but generally it's a pretty good combination.

Also, with the build I proposed, you never run out. You could literally use this every round, every day, and never get 'tapped'. That kind of endurance is really handy in a lockdown specialist.

[Benejeseret]

There is some PrC such as Oozemaster (I forget the proper name right now, reference backup?)

It lets you convert your arm into ooze to make Paralytic Touch Attacks that has a DC set by HD and CON...then find ways to max out CON to get an insane DC easily enough as a Touch Attack

[Lateral]

Shivering Touch is an insanely broken spell. Touch attack that does 3d6 dexterity damage, NO SAVE, as a 3rd level spell. Try Incantatrix and go with a twinned split ray reach shivering touch, if you want to get insane.

I don't suggest actually using it, though, unless you want to be hit over the head with the DMG.