Ballista wielding Minotaur help

[Doctordumb]

Im trying to make a character that can carry and use a light ballista like a crossbow. (inspired by the character Detritus in Terry Pratchett's Jingo)
Im thinking of using a minotaur but if there are better races to use please tell me. (I need min 25 strength if Im large)
Im not sure what class to play as, but I was thinking that scout would be good?
Also looking for good feats to get
I'm allowed any of the rulebooks except for BoVD and BoED with no homebrew.
We are also rolling for stats
Thx all

[OldTrees1]

Minotaur costs a lot of levels for lower than expected value but that might be fine. What are the other characters in the party?

What ECL do you start at? The Minotaur race costs 8 level so I presume you are starting at or above ECL 8.

Knockback from Races of Stone is a great feat for any Large Str based martial character.

An alternative race to use is a Goliath(Races of Stone). They only get +4 Strength (+10 while Mountain Raging) and require Mountain Rage from Goliath Barbarian 1 (substitution level from Races of Stone) in order to become Large sized. However the Goliath Race only costs 1 level.

[nintendoh]

Half ogre. Thats a win.

[Colonel Snazzy]

As well as said minotaur, there will be a lesser aasimar necromancer (me), master of the unseen hand (race unknown as of yet), warforged fighter and 2 people who aren't sure of characters. (I am in the party)

He is playing as a minotaur as that is the easiest way for him to be large and fufill the strength requirements for carry weight. (The gore attack is nice too.)

[GilesTheCleric]

If you're using the HoB 65-66 rules for (light) ballistas, then you're also going to need a crew of two in order to help you load it as a full-round action. You'll also want the Ballista Proficiency (HoB 96) feat.

Going with a really big crossbow instead (such as the Great Crossbow, AaEG 6) might be a better route.

[OldTrees1]

As well as said minotaur, there will be a lesser aasimar necromancer (me), master of the unseen hand (race unknown as of yet), warforged fighter and 2 people who aren't sure of characters. (I am in the party)

He is playing as a minotaur as that is the easiest way for him to be large and fufill the strength requirements for carry weight. (The gore attack is nice too.)

I would think the Minotaur race would cost too many levels compared to those other members. However seeing as you are in the group, what are your thoughts?

Half-Ogre (+6 Str & Large) from Races of Destiny, as nintendoh mentioned, is basically a no gore and no scent Minotaur without the 6RHD. So it only costs 2 levels.

[Colonel Snazzy]

I would think the Minotaur race would cost too many levels compared to those other members. However seeing as you are in the group, what are your thoughts?

Half-Ogre (+6 Str & Large) from Races of Destiny, as nintendoh mentioned, is basically a no gore and no scent Minotaur without the 6RHD. So it only costs 2 levels.

Yeah, that sounds pretty good, as he could just equip spiked gauntlets to replace the gore attack, and the HUGE level cost was really bad.
I think that its a great idea, at least flavour wise. (I gave him the idea for the character, so I may be extremely biased.)

[Doctordumb]

Yeah, half-Ogre sounds much better for me, the only problem, tho its only a small one, is carry weight. My max carry weight would allow 66 lb of equipment and scale mail is 60, leaving 6 lb for ammo and other equipment

[OldTrees1]

Yeah, half-Ogre sounds much better for me, the only problem, tho its only a small one, is carry weight. My max carry weight would allow 66 lb of equipment and scale mail is 60, leaving 6 lb for ammo and other equipment

Huh?
Large Size is x2
Light load for 16 Str (if you rolled a 10) is 76lb (so 152lb with your size)
Light load for 22 Str (if you rolled a 16) is 173lb (so 346lb with your size)
And that is Light Load.

Medium Load, Large, 16 Str => 306lb
Medium Load, Large, 22 Str => 792lb

Max load, Large, 16 Str => 460lb
Max load, Large, 16 Str => 1040lb

[nintendoh]

Old trees did the math. Math is hard thank you tree dude. As I said, half orge for the win!

[Doctordumb]

Huh?
Large Size is x2
Light load for 16 Str (if you rolled a 10) is 76lb (so 152lb with your size)
Light load for 22 Str (if you rolled a 16) is 173lb (so 346lb with your size)
And that is Light Load.

Medium Load, Large, 16 Str => 306lb
Medium Load, Large, 22 Str => 792lb

Max load, Large, 16 Str => 460lb
Max load, Large, 16 Str => 1040lb

Yeah, when I said max I meant max of light load but thanks anyway

[NerdHut]

Any time you're considering using a ballista, always look at Races of Stone's Great Crossbow. It's designed for carrying and requires less weirdness to make it work.

[Korahir]

A maybe important screw up in dragon compendium: urban druid is proficient with all crossbows. This includes Great Crossbows from Races of Stone (p. 155). This could make you proficient while giving you a casting class and an animal companion (Cha based casting though).

[5ColouredWalker]

And with your companions, you Ballista can always be mounted.

That said, technically, Ballistas are just large crossbows. As in Large for large creature. An appropriately sized crossbow for you is a Ballista.

[Gusmo]

If you just want to wield something that's disproportionate to your size, consider a goliath. They're a medium race that's allowed to wield large sized weapons. According to Races of Stone, goliaths stand 7-8 feet tall, so the contrast created by your large weapon will be all the more dramatic, as opposed to a large weapon wielded by a creature of actual large size. As others have pointed out, a ballista is basically an oversized crossbow, so a large sized great crossbow frankly might be bigger than ballistas operate by medium creatures.

[Matrota]

If you want to go hyper cheesy for a strength build, there is a way to get +18 strength for LA +2. Play a water orc, and give it both the half minotaur and the mineral warrior templates. Water Orcs get +4 strength, half minotaur template gives you +4 strength, and mineral warrior template gives you +2. This adds up to +10 strength. However, the character increases one size category from the half minotaur template. Since it is a monstrous Humanoid, it gains strength from the monster table for size increases, which is +8 from medium to large.

You also get +5 natural armor and DR 8/adamatine, which is really nice.

[Doctordumb]

If you want to go hyper cheesy for a strength build, there is a way to get +18 strength for LA +2. Play a water orc, and give it both the half minotaur and the mineral warrior templates. Water Orcs get +4 strength, half minotaur template gives you +4 strength, and mineral warrior template gives you +2. This adds up to +10 strength. However, the character increases one size category from the half minotaur template. Since it is a monstrous Humanoid, it gains strength from the monster table for size increases, which is +8 from medium to large.

You also get +5 natural armor and DR 8/adamatine, which is really nice.

Really good idea
Sadly our DM said no to stacking templates, Ill ask him anyway tho.

[Barbarian Horde]

Whats a ballista? It's an over sized crossbow that has been mounted to summarize it. My suggestion would create some type of bypod for a crossbow that's around the huge size category weapon (custom item talk to your DM). Take monkey grip as an after thought if your Minotaur is that of the typical size group (large) then you should be able to wield a heavy crossbow with this feat of a (huge) category size. Just keep in mind your weapons size when your walking into caves, houses, etc, etc. I would consider a sizing weapon at this point. If you need strength look into taking a what ever levels to cover your strength cost with war hulk.

"The wielder of a sizing weapon can change its size category as a standard action. For example, a Small short sword can be changed into a Large short sword. Spellcasters who polymorph themselves frequently tend to appreciate weapons with the sizing property." Source:Underdark Price: +1

[animewatcha]

If nothing else, Half-minotaur Goliath. LA +2 but +16 strength. Be a Large size creature that can wield a HUGE crossbow type weapon. Impale your enemies from a distance.

[Barbarian Horde]

If nothing else, Half-minotaur Goliath. LA +2 but +16 strength. Be a Large size creature that can wield a HUGE crossbow type weapon. Impale your enemies from a distance.

You could take mountain rage with the Goliath. Just grab a level of barbarian. While raging he would totally gain more str Assuming you don't want an LA +2 you could have that dropped to LA+1 and still be a (large) sized creature while raging.

[Pugwampy]

Balista,s take forever to reload . Unless your DM cheeses the reload time or you only fire it once per encounter , seems a bit pointless .

[Barbarian Horde]

Ballistas include all devices, which throw bolts, javelins, and spears with greater force than possible by human. Most are built along the lines of the crossbow, and are mounted on pivots for firing.
I don't think they would take as long as you think.

[Pugwampy]

Is he going to have help ? I think you need a crew of three using full actions to fire it off every round .

If not its 2 or 4 rounds ?

[flappeercraft]

If with point buy, put 18 to strength, then take a Half Minotaur Water Orc. This nets you 18 +4 Water Orc +4 Half Minotaur and +8 from Half Minotaur Size increase. This leaves you at a total of 34 Strength for only LA+1 and no RHD.

[daremetoidareyo]

A maybe important screw up in dragon compendium: urban druid is proficient with all crossbows. This includes Great Crossbows from Races of Stone (p. 155). This could make you proficient while giving you a casting class and an animal companion (Cha based casting though).

With urban druid, your mount could be your crossbow...

[Rebel7284]

I would also recommend a half-minotaur goliath. When you're using a Huge Great-Crossbow, that's pretty close to a ballista.

I will recommend skipping the line in the half-minotaur template about getting additional stats from changing size as that's fairly unbalanced in the early levels. I saw say this from personal experience. I build a half-minotaur goliath for my little brother for a low level campaign once and it was just not fun to play with the template as RAW due to the character dealing twice as much damage as level appropriate enemies had HP.

[flappeercraft]

I would also recommend a half-minotaur goliath. When you're using a Huge Great-Crossbow, that's pretty close to a ballista.

I will recommend skipping the line in the half-minotaur template about getting additional stats from changing size as that's fairly unbalanced in the early levels. I saw say this from personal experience. I build a half-minotaur goliath for my little brother for a low level campaign once and it was just not fun to play with the template as RAW due to the character dealing twice as much damage as level appropriate enemies had HP.

True it is unbalanced as crap but this guy wants to use it for a Crossbowman apparently so its not like he is going to use the +12 strength of the Half Minotaur much other than to carry the Ballista and other items.

[gorfnab]

You could take a level of Exoticist Fighter (Dragon #310, best option) or a level of Feat Rogue (UA) with the bonus feat spent on EWP: Great Crossbow (RoS), either one works but what you need out of this is proficiency in Hand Crossbow and Great Crossbow. Take the feat Hand Crossbow Focus (DoTU) and buy a +X Aptitude (ToB) Great Crossbow. Slightly cheesy interpretation leads to a character with these feats and weapon able to use a Great Crossbow for iterative attacks. For a larger size Great Crossbow pick up a pair of Strongarm Bracers (MIC), which allows you to use a weapon one size category larger than you.