Character Builder Thread

[Keld Denar]

What good feats and prestige classes there are for bards.

Typical caster bards follow one of a few builds.

Bard5/Mindbender1/LyricThamaturge3/Virtuoso1/SubChord2/Virt+8

OR

Bard6/LyricThamaturge3/Virt1/SubChord2/Virt+8

That gets you really good sorcerous casting from Sublime Chord and a bunch of useful stuff, while keeping the normal bardic gig up.

Awesome feats include:
Melodic Casting (CMagE) almost a MUST HAVE for caster bards
Song of the Heart (ECS) Very nice boost to music
Dragonfire Inspiration (DragonMagic) converts +x Inspire Courage to +xd6
Mindsight (Lords of Madness) great for the Mindbender build above
Metamagic Song (CAdv?) Burn music to add free MM. DMM for Bards!
Words of Creation (BoED) take small amounts of subdual damage to increase the potency of your songs. Crappy wisdom reqs and you must be Exalted (BLAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGG)
Subsonics (CAdv) Bad people can't hear your songs, great for Inspired Sneakage.

Everything else is just filler. Extra Song, Lyric Song, Requiem, Green Ear, Lingering Song, etc, are all OK, but not great. Take em if you want.

[dspeyer]

Da Pwnzlord:

While focusing on magic is probably the most powerful route for a bard, it doesn't seem the best fit for your character. Virtuoso extends your bardic music powers, which are great for a leader.

Consider mixing in some Crusader levels. Focus on White Raven and those Devoted Spirit maneuvers that benefit your allies. Take Song of the White Raven so everything stacks. The occasional offensive maneuver may prove very handy, and White Raven, like Bardic Music, effects all allies in range.

In any case, take Song of the Heart and Melodic Casting.

[Zain]

Hi
QX1
Can you please make me a 1st-10th level by level build humain fighter tank?

the stats, to be given are
14, 11, 12, 16, 13, 11

he's going to be the party tank, so class chages are ok so long as their only form the ok books the DM likes to be able to see what we see. Prcs OK

Alignment: LN/LG

house rules, almost all humans, very Xenophobic campaign evls are the antagonists dwarfs ok

PHB, PHB2 DMG, DMG2 MM, MM3, races of stone are all the ok books

thanks in advance

[dspeyer]

Zain:

How about Goliaths, from Races of Stone? They're great for tanks.

You seem to be missing a stat.

It's a shame Tomb of Battle is excluded. Every melee character wants that.

[Zain]

Zain:

How about Goliaths, from Races of Stone? They're great for tanks.

It's a shame Tomb of Battle is excluded. Every melee character wants that.

yes goliaths are in there, so sure fair game

i have never read T.O.B

to e-bay

have added the missing stat

[Murphyslabrat]

Hello all, this is my first post.

I am looking for help with a 9th level fighter or psionic warrior (depending on your preference). The stats rolled are 17 17 17 17 15 11 (3 sets rolled of 4d6, and we picked the best set. This one was clearly it). We're using DnD 3.5, and any source book is fair game.

The concept was to have a fighting style like Seung Mina or Kilik from the Soul Calibre series, with a personality more akin to that crazy pilot for Zaibach from escaflowne. I wanted to use polearms, but I don't know how to best leverage the feats. I am pretty new to DnD, and don't know equipment very well, so help with that would also be nice.

(Feel free to ignore) For reference, what I had before was a Githzerai fighter. Under the build I had, I spent three feats to negate the minimum range on reach weapons (dodge, mobility, and spring attack), combat reflexes (fed by the +6 dex for the Githzerai), expert tactician (to make my attacks of opportunity useful), power attack, leap attack, and the two weapon focus (glaive) feats along with the associated specialization feat. I like this build, so if you know of a template that would increase strength or something, I could take a hit to some of the weapon feats.

[playswithfire]

Murphyslabrat, this might not be exactly what you're looking for, but it's what occurred to me when I read your post, so hear it is. Some of it may seem a little weird, but bear with me.

Race:Elan
{table=head]Lvl|Class|feats, etc
1|Cloistered Cleric*|lvl1[Power Attack]
2|Barbarian**|
3|Barbarian|Barb2[Improved Trip],lvl3[Extra Rage]
4|Fighter|fighter1[Short Haft]
5|Fighter|fighter2[Combat Reflexes]
6|War Mind|lvl6[open]
7|War Mind|
8|War Mind|
9|War Mind|lvl9[open; Practiced Manifester?]
[/table]
*Cleric Domains:Knowledge from being Cloistered which gives you all knowledge skills as class skills, then War Domain for Weapon Focus in whatever polearm you want and I'd probably pick Competition.
**Wolf totem variant

Cloistered Cleric is random, but it gives you Knowledge(psionics) as class skill, which War Mind needs, weapon focus, which Short Haft needs, a Will save boost and some good skill points. And you can get minimal healing out of it to boot.

BAB 8, Saves 8/4/3, average HP of 52+9*CON
Barbarian rage and War Mind chains to boost stats and defense
If someone somehow gets within 5 feet of you despite your combat reflexes and improved trip, you can still use Short Haft as a swift action to get them.
War Mind gives you two 1st level powers and one 2nd level power at this point. At 5th level, you get sweeping strike, which is pretty nice, too.

[Keld Denar]

What? Cloister'd Cleric dip without Travel Devotion? BLASPHEMY!!!

Travel Devotion would ensure you could charge every round, since you can spend your swift action to move back from an enemy or around an obsticle and still have your full round action left to CHARGE!!!!!!!

Take that as your level 6 open feat, OR, more optimal would be to take War and Travel as your 2 domains (Kelanen in Greyhawk has both) and then swap out Travel for Travel Devotion using the rules in Complete Champion (where all the Devotion feats are). That 1 level of Cloistered Cleric is giving you 4 bonus feats! Thats pretty awesome.

[Murphyslabrat]

Take that as your level 6 open feat, OR, more optimal would be to take War and Travel as your 2 domains (Kelanen in Greyhawk has both) and then swap out Travel for Travel Devotion using the rules in Complete Champion

The description I read (from page 52 of the Complete Champion book) described them as feats, but mentioned swapping out the feat for the Travel domain? What are you describing?

[Keld Denar]

Annnnnnnnndddddddd, flip. Top of page 53, 2nd paragraph:

<snip>
In addition, you can choose to give up access to a domain in exchange for the corresponding domain feat. Doing so allows you to select up to three domain feats, but you cannot prepare domain spells or use the granted power of the sacrificed domain. In essence, you trade in a domain for an extra feat slot that you can spend only on a specific domain feat. For example, the above cleric of Pelor could choose to give up the granted power and spells of the Good domain for the Good Devotion feat.

[ex cathedra]

Clerics may trade in two of their domains for domain Devotion feats at any time, as long as they are thematically sound.

[playswithfire]

What? Cloister'd Cleric dip without Travel Devotion? BLASPHEMY!!!

...

swap out Travel for Travel Devotion using the rules in Complete Champion (where all the Devotion feats are). That 1 level of Cloistered Cleric is giving you 4 bonus feats! Thats pretty awesome.

I bow to the wisdom of the forums (and learn something new in the process). Definitely use Travel instead of Competition and swap it as everyone else suggests. People generally approve of the soundness of the rest of the build, though?

[Keld Denar]

Yea. playswithfire, build looks sound!

[Murphyslabrat]

I bow to the wisdom of the forums (and learn something new in the process).

I think I'm downright prostrate right now, so thanks all. I have more questions, but I think they belong in other threads.

I am immensely appreciative of the help.

[loopy]

Hey all, I was just wondering if I could get a level-by-level 3.5 build of my character Krusk.

Krusk is a raging combat monster, in the style of Urggzob from the Icewind Dale Let's Play.

Basically the character is summarised in 3 quotes:

"Let them come! Urggzob will crush their ambushes!"

"Ha ha! Urggzob is ten dictionaries!"

"Urggzob is the pinnacle of fighting fashion!"

Aaaanyway. Basically I was thinking he'd be a barbarian, as my DM is kind of sick of me pulling classes like "Factotum" and "Swordsage" out of the mix while everyone else uses rangers and fighters out of core.

However, anything out of the PHB, PHB2, or Complete series should be fine as far as building him.

We'll start at level one, and he'll be a Half Orc, stats with racial adjustments are as follows:
Str: 20
Dex: 16
Con: 18
Int: 12
Wis: 16
Cha: 6

I was hoping someone would able to build him up to level 10 with advice as to where to go from there, as I normally play skillmonkey's and have NO IDEA WHAT TO DO (EXCEPT CRUSH)!

Anyway, thanks for your help.

[quick_comment]

Im trying to make a psionic summoner that uses white raven tactics. This is at 14th level.

Right now im deciding between wilder 7/Ectopic Adept 5/Warblade 2. He gets ML 14 (with practiced manifester), with +3 wild surge. He gets 4th level maneuvers and 9th level constructs (two of them)

The other idea is Ardent 5/Ectopic Adept 5/Warblade 4. He also gets ML 14 (with practiced manifester)+2 overchannel, more powers than the wilder and initator level 9 for 5th level maneuvers and 8th level constructs. At level 15 he gets overchannel +3 and gets 9th level constructs.

Ive never played an ardent before. Any ideas for deciding/optimized these builds? What mantles should I pick?

[Jazarkrazaj]

I'll admit, I'm horrible at creating 'Monster' PC's.



1. I need a Level 1 Scout, White Wyrmling Dragon.
2. In your request specify whether you have requirements, preferences, or no limits on the following:
a. Any
b. Baseline White Dragon Wyrmling (Roughly 3 years old)
c. Scout
d. 'baseline' racial scores can be used, or the simple roll 4d6 drop lowest.
e. Chaotic Evil
f. House Rules: None
g. Concept: future co-hort for a Dragonfire Adept Dragonwrought Kobold
h. As sneaky as possible as a Scout would be nice.

[playswithfire]

Right now im deciding between wilder 7/Ectopic Adept 5/Warblade 2. He gets ML 14 (with practiced manifester), with +3 wild surge. He gets 4th level maneuvers and 9th level constructs (two of them)

The other idea is Ardent 5/Ectopic Adept 5/Warblade 4. He also gets ML 14 (with practiced manifester)+2 overchannel, more powers than the wilder and initator level 9 for 5th level maneuvers and 8th level constructs. At level 15 he gets overchannel +3 and gets 9th level constructs.

Why not Psion(Shaper) instead of Ardent in the second build? Unless there are some mantle-granted abilities you really want, you'd get better synergy and Psion gives you the bonus feats to grab the two required feats for Ectopic Adept.

[Player_Zero]

Right... So I have to have a 3.5e 13th level human cleric-tank to pretty much carry the group. Mostly we're comprised of suboptimal damage dealing classes and without me there would be no tank, so they would crumble like soft bread.

Basically what I'm looking for is either an idea for some prestige classes to choose, maybe some spell-based tactics to use and of course some feats which would be good.

Any books are allowed, I'm kinda encouraged to go all out on this one by the DM since the next bit is apparently really hard.

So, yeah, any tips on building a tank-based cleric in 3.5e would be greatly appreciated.

[Thelas]

I need someone to build an NPC opponent for a 3.5 campaign.
a. Books that can be used to build your character
Core, some complete (divine, champion, scoundrel), PHII, the mentioned unearthed arcana only
b. Race: (including any Level Adjustment Limits) A hobgoblin with the zombie template
c. Class: Any fighter-style class from the above books
d. Ability Scores (fixed or generation method): Use the elite array and increase one score by 3, one by 2, and one by 1.
e. Alignment: It's a zombie.
f. House Rules: are there any other requirements or unusual rules imposed on you/your character (e.g. no single level dips, no item creation feats, Track is being given to you as free feat, etc.) The opponents are gestalts. As a major opponent, he'll have two action points to spend [on anything in the Unearthed Arcana stuff]
g. Concept: what requirements or preferences do you have regarding concept? It's a hobgoblin zombie. It'll be fighting three level 3 or 4 gestalts. Classes of the PCs are as follows:
i. Monk//Sorcerer
ii. Cleric//Fighter
iii. Rogue//Swashbuckler
Really, other than that, it's not too important. Maybe try to design it as a hobgoblin fighter that DOESN'T know it's going to be a zombie and apply the template after?
h. Other: Is there any other information that might help someone make your character all she can be (e.g., what are others playing, the setting is largely wilderness, the DM is threatening to use a lot of undead, or the campaign will be heavy on combat and light on intrigue)?
I think I've already listed pretty much everything. The cleric's CHA is 8, so don't worry TOO much about turning.

EDIT:
Oh, I forgot a few things.
Show it level by level please.
Build up to one more than whatever you think is appropriate for the 3 gestalts at level 4 (so that if they get to level 5 somehow I have something prepared.) [Remember, this is a "boss" monster]
Thanks in advance!

[arimnaes]

Thelas: It will be very difficult to make a credible boss-level threat for three 4th (or so) level gestalt characters out of a hobgoblin zombie. Applying the zombie template to a creature causes it to lose basically everything it gained through experience (since zombies are unintelligent and have no recollection of their former lives.) That includes its HP, BAB, and saves gained from class levels as well as its skills and feats. In other words, even if the hobgoblin was a 20th level fighter in life, in death it will still have a single d12 hit die, no BAB, and no feats.

As far as I know, the only other undead templates that can be added to a creature are Lich, Vampire, and Death Knight. Lich is right out because the hobgoblin in question is not a spellcaster, and the other two are still a pretty far cry from a zombie. You may either have to bend the rules (i.e., call it a zombie while not following the rules for the zombie template) or change your concept.

[TheLibrarian]

I'm making an Illumian wizard for an upcoming campaign, and I was planning on basing him on word/rune magic, making him a Geometer. Thematically, aside from casting spells, he would make use of scrolls with spell glyphs inscribed on the back of them.
I was wondering if there were any cool word/sigil/glyph based spells out there, so far I've looked through the players hand book and the races of the dragons for the Power word spells, as well as explosive runes and sepia snake sigil and the symbol spells.
Glyph of warding from Geometer will help, but I was wondering if there was anything else out there.

[flare'90]

Hello boys, I need a full progression (1 to 20) for an Archivist, using a 32-point build. Preferaby Human, but this point can be subject to changes.
Also, if you can, some tips about how to play an archivist are welcomed.

[DracoDei]

Q. Draco1
I would like to see what an optimizer would do with:
-Mepholk
-32 point stat buy
- ECL 10 (So 1 racial HD, plus classes and acquired templates)
- no inherited templates
- non-evil alignment
- If possible, play to their racial strengths, rather than just taking a generically good build and slapping it on them (although knowing which generic build they fit best could also be good).

Note the wide selection of racial feats, although they may or may not be useful. Basically I want to get some slightly more empirical data on their balance, and see what roles they fit into.

[Keld Denar]

Man, that racial HD is killer, but try this...

Any Neutral
RHD1/Hexblade4/Fighter2/SuelArcanamach4/AbjurantChamp5/Spellsword4
Stats: Cha > Con > Str > Int > Dex > Wis

take the Hexblade ACF for the Dark Companion that gives -2 to saves. Take Dreadful Wrath which allows you to make an intimidate roll whenever you attack cast a spell. Take the Never Outnumbered skill trick that lets you make Intimidate checks against multiple foes.

Now, move your dark companion on top of someone, cast a swift spell, like any Abjuration once you have AbjChamp3, and spray them. Their chance of making the save vs your fear will be low, and their chance of making the save vs your spray will be lower. Now that they are sufficently debuffed, your caster friend uses a Save vs Death spell on them or you just melee them with their severly crippled AC.

Other feats that would help would be the Powerful Musk feat and Ability Focus: Musk. Power Attack should probably be in theere somewhere. Everything else is golden.

[DracoDei]

Thank you very much. As for the Racial HD, it seemed like the closest I could get to LA 0.5 which is where I thought they belonged since they are equal or better than humans on every point EXCEPT favored class (and for NPCs that becomes debatable, but that is a completely different question).

Speaking of favored class, are you sure you don't mean Fighter 3? -20% XP sounds painful.

(now to find out what half those classes actually DO...)

If you are going to be meleeing them, do you suggest taking Stench
Resistance, what about Improved Stench Resistance? Of course, that becomes less important once you get Delay Poison cast on you frequently enough, and moot when the party starts doing Heroes Feast every day...

[Roland St. Jude]

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