Adorable Kobold of Gnomey-death [Archive] - Wizards Community

Adorable Kobold of Gnomey-death [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
WrathoftheDm
02-23-06, 03:09 PM Hey guys, I need some help. I'm a pretty generous DM.

My players are all pretty powerful for their level do to some interesting but not game breaking builds (I like to limit them as little as possible). So anything I give them needs to be able to make up for that. The party is mainly superdeadly/trip-happy within a 30' area so I need a distance based villian.

I'm just looking to make a challenging and ... "interesting" recurring villian for them. No need for "RAWR!! OMG this will destr0y the w3rld!" but they have lots of hitpoints and I'm not worried about hurting them.
Here's my idea so far:

I'm making a gnome obsessed Kobold Ranger. He's not especially bright but he makes up with that by being tenacious. He figures he *KNOWS* how to kill gnomes so if he turns any one he needs to kill into a gnome first:
A) He'll do it right
B) He gets to kill a gnome

Kibber
Male Kobold

+1 Greater Gnomebane Distance Composite Longbow (+3 Enhancement & +4d6 damage vs Gnomes)

1 Arrow of Hold Monster = 225 gp DC: Will 17
1 Arrow of Polymorph Any Object (Gnome) = 600 gp DC: Fort 22

1) Kobold Ranger Substitution* Point Blank Shot
2) Ranger * Rapid Shot
3) Ranger * Endurance, WF (Composite Longbow)
4) Ranger
5) Ranger
6) Ranger * Many Shot, Precise Shot
7) Dragon Devotee
8) Dragon Devotee* Improved Rapid Shot
9) Dragon Devotee Improved Favored Enemy
10) Dragon Devotee* Ranged Disarm
11) Dragon Devotee
12) Ranger Improved Diversion
13) Ranger
14) Ranger
15) Ranger
16) Ranger Improved Precise Shot
17) Ranger
18) Ranger
19) Ranger
20) Ranger

Favored Enemy (Gnomes): +12 (+15 damage)
Favored Enemy (Animals): +2 (+5 damage)
Favored Enemy (Aberrations): +2 (+5 damage)
Favored Enemy (Construct): +2 (+5 damage)

I need:
A) Help improving the build. I'd like to get his favored enemy way up, but switching to Dragon Devotee from RotD, means that I get free sorc levels to use for that wonders of wonders: True Strike. Not to mention helpful ability boosts and free feats.

B) Help improving his equipment to make absolutely SURE he turns his enemies into gnomes. The saves on PAObj are pretty paltry if I can get them up it would be nice.

Thanks in advance!
EonOmega
02-23-06, 03:14 PM Vampires are always good. Just take off a bit of the level adj. Or make a wizard vampire lord. Have them try kill him, just to be slapped into oblivion. Get him some gear to do it off crystalkeep, they have good stuff to do it. Is there arrows of polymorphing or something? Perhaps you could make his arrows specifically do that.
WrathoftheDm
02-23-06, 03:20 PM I've already been beating them to death with a 30th level Wizard/Monk/Enlightened fist Vampire in my other campaign for about 3 years now. I think they might hurt me if I ever use vampires again. ^^
Khan the Destroyer
02-23-06, 03:28 PM Perhaps putting a poison that deals constitution damage on the arrow. If they fail against the con poison, their fortitude save will go down as well, increasing the chance that they fail against the PAO effect.

What are the Hold Person arrows for in particular? If the creature fails and is held, he can just CDG it.
WrathoftheDm
02-23-06, 03:42 PM I just copied and pasted from the place I kept the character build. So they don't *need* to be there.

But the reason he has them is because he's discovered through trial and error that some folks just plain can't be turned into gnomes. They are much too hardy for that. But those folks tend to have weak minds. So Hold Monster is to hold them in place while he deals with their friends.

(Fighters have incredible fort saves, but horrendous low will saves...this is especially true in my party. ^^)

But good call on the poison. It was there in the early builds but I plumb forgot about it!
Malakai_Demonos
02-23-06, 06:35 PM Cool idea. However, where are you geting the arrows that have spell effects from. Are they spell storing, b/c you are not suppose to put those on ammunition I hear. Cool idea though, but how are you doing. It isn't an ancient DM secret is it.
WrathoftheDm
02-23-06, 07:29 PM Actually, I don't find anything in the SRD that says you can't enchant arrows with spell storing. It seems to me to encourage the idea since it specifically sites "+1 arrows" when discribing how an enhancement bonus on a bow works with an enhancement bonus on an arrow. However, no. I am not giving them magical weapon properties.

Specifically, I am using the rules to make a single use activated item. Much akin to the necklace of fireball beads. Namely, the effect takes place when the arrow is fired at an opponent.

The magic item creation table allows us to make a single use, use activated arrow by the forumula:

50gp x spell level x caster level

50gp x 8 spell levels x 15 caster levels = 6,000 an arrow (You'll notice I miscalculated the cost up there. Misplaced a decimal. So let's rework this...) I don't like this number. This is not as powerful of an effect as an arrow of slaying which is only 2,200gp as the opponent is still nearly as capable of a combatant as before and most noteably: Not insta-dead, so I don't think it's uncalled for to half the cost of the arrow of slaying, to say 1,100gp / arrow. So alittle more expensive than I had originally thought but not terribly so...
Tleilaxu_Ghola
02-23-06, 08:54 PM Another "interesting" build you might try is the telekenetic tank that is in my signature. It's a twentieth level gish build that features 23 CL for telekenesis, telekenetic full attack (ala Master of the Unseen Hand), 14 wizard Caster levels, 17 base attack, fairly high AC (if you equip him well) and almost an equally high touch AC. (he applies his heavy armor and shield + enhancement bonuses to both his touch and normal AC.)

Mix this guy with a few lower level frenzied berzerker buddies and you have a pretty deadly encounter. The Frenzied Berzerkers won't die (unless your party uses death effects frequently) and the telekenetic tank will manage the battle control from the safe distance of around 1000' feat. (if the playing field is that far open). Keep in mind that maintaining his telekenesis is only a swift action for him, so it does not provoke AoOs and allows him to full attack in the same round as he can issue a telekenetic full attack.

Best spells to use with this guy:
*Acid Fog
*Telekenesis
*Slow
*Area Effect damaging spell of your choice.

Telekenesis will keep those who are really strong inside the acid fog (bull rush them with a +34 on the check). Those inside the fog can only move 5' per move action. Slow reduces their ref saves. The area effect will hurt them.

Basically, this one guy alone can out maneuver a whole team of "optimized" battle controllers.
WrathoftheDm
02-23-06, 10:51 PM ^^ I'll definitely keep that in mind for future trouble, probably in the Epic campaign. But for now:

Can anyone help me optimize the kobold? I need to make him a little bit more of a ranged damage dealer. He fits well into the story and I want to focus on his favored enemy, it's sort of his defining character quirk. So any more ideas on making my wee kobold into a fierce little sniper ranger?
scrollreader
02-24-06, 05:01 AM FoeHunter is still 3.5 Legal.
Reis
02-24-06, 05:15 AM consider kobold rogue4/Assassin10/Horizon Walker 6 for PC annoyance

take quicken spell like ability for the horizon walker's dimension door with shifting planar terrain mastery

now dimension door into a hidden spot from long range, take a 5 foot step and death attack that PC and quickened dimensior door away, rinse, repeat...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
WrathoftheDm 02-23-06, 03:09 PM	Hey guys, I need some help. I'm a pretty generous DM. My players are all pretty powerful for their level do to some interesting but not game breaking builds (I like to limit them as little as possible). So anything I give them needs to be able to make up for that. The party is mainly superdeadly/trip-happy within a 30' area so I need a distance based villian. I'm just looking to make a challenging and ... "interesting" recurring villian for them. No need for "RAWR!! OMG this will destr0y the w3rld!" but they have lots of hitpoints and I'm not worried about hurting them. Here's my idea so far: I'm making a gnome obsessed Kobold Ranger. He's not especially bright but he makes up with that by being tenacious. He figures he KNOWS how to kill gnomes so if he turns any one he needs to kill into a gnome first: A) He'll do it right B) He gets to kill a gnome Kibber Male Kobold +1 Greater Gnomebane Distance Composite Longbow (+3 Enhancement & +4d6 damage vs Gnomes) 1 Arrow of Hold Monster = 225 gp DC: Will 17 1 Arrow of Polymorph Any Object (Gnome) = 600 gp DC: Fort 22 1) Kobold Ranger Substitution* Point Blank Shot 2) Ranger * Rapid Shot 3) Ranger * Endurance, WF (Composite Longbow) 4) Ranger 5) Ranger 6) Ranger * Many Shot, Precise Shot 7) Dragon Devotee 8) Dragon Devotee* Improved Rapid Shot 9) Dragon Devotee Improved Favored Enemy 10) Dragon Devotee* Ranged Disarm 11) Dragon Devotee 12) Ranger Improved Diversion 13) Ranger 14) Ranger 15) Ranger 16) Ranger Improved Precise Shot 17) Ranger 18) Ranger 19) Ranger 20) Ranger Favored Enemy (Gnomes): +12 (+15 damage) Favored Enemy (Animals): +2 (+5 damage) Favored Enemy (Aberrations): +2 (+5 damage) Favored Enemy (Construct): +2 (+5 damage) I need: A) Help improving the build. I'd like to get his favored enemy way up, but switching to Dragon Devotee from RotD, means that I get free sorc levels to use for that wonders of wonders: True Strike. Not to mention helpful ability boosts and free feats. B) Help improving his equipment to make absolutely SURE he turns his enemies into gnomes. The saves on PAObj are pretty paltry if I can get them up it would be nice. Thanks in advance!
EonOmega 02-23-06, 03:14 PM	Vampires are always good. Just take off a bit of the level adj. Or make a wizard vampire lord. Have them try kill him, just to be slapped into oblivion. Get him some gear to do it off crystalkeep, they have good stuff to do it. Is there arrows of polymorphing or something? Perhaps you could make his arrows specifically do that.
WrathoftheDm 02-23-06, 03:20 PM	I've already been beating them to death with a 30th level Wizard/Monk/Enlightened fist Vampire in my other campaign for about 3 years now. I think they might hurt me if I ever use vampires again. ^^
Khan the Destroyer 02-23-06, 03:28 PM	Perhaps putting a poison that deals constitution damage on the arrow. If they fail against the con poison, their fortitude save will go down as well, increasing the chance that they fail against the PAO effect. What are the Hold Person arrows for in particular? If the creature fails and is held, he can just CDG it.
WrathoftheDm 02-23-06, 03:42 PM	I just copied and pasted from the place I kept the character build. So they don't need to be there. But the reason he has them is because he's discovered through trial and error that some folks just plain can't be turned into gnomes. They are much too hardy for that. But those folks tend to have weak minds. So Hold Monster is to hold them in place while he deals with their friends. (Fighters have incredible fort saves, but horrendous low will saves...this is especially true in my party. ^^) But good call on the poison. It was there in the early builds but I plumb forgot about it!
Malakai_Demonos 02-23-06, 06:35 PM	Cool idea. However, where are you geting the arrows that have spell effects from. Are they spell storing, b/c you are not suppose to put those on ammunition I hear. Cool idea though, but how are you doing. It isn't an ancient DM secret is it.
WrathoftheDm 02-23-06, 07:29 PM	Actually, I don't find anything in the SRD that says you can't enchant arrows with spell storing. It seems to me to encourage the idea since it specifically sites "+1 arrows" when discribing how an enhancement bonus on a bow works with an enhancement bonus on an arrow. However, no. I am not giving them magical weapon properties. Specifically, I am using the rules to make a single use activated item. Much akin to the necklace of fireball beads. Namely, the effect takes place when the arrow is fired at an opponent. The magic item creation table allows us to make a single use, use activated arrow by the forumula: 50gp x spell level x caster level 50gp x 8 spell levels x 15 caster levels = 6,000 an arrow (You'll notice I miscalculated the cost up there. Misplaced a decimal. So let's rework this...) I don't like this number. This is not as powerful of an effect as an arrow of slaying which is only 2,200gp as the opponent is still nearly as capable of a combatant as before and most noteably: Not insta-dead, so I don't think it's uncalled for to half the cost of the arrow of slaying, to say 1,100gp / arrow. So alittle more expensive than I had originally thought but not terribly so...
Tleilaxu_Ghola 02-23-06, 08:54 PM	Another "interesting" build you might try is the telekenetic tank that is in my signature. It's a twentieth level gish build that features 23 CL for telekenesis, telekenetic full attack (ala Master of the Unseen Hand), 14 wizard Caster levels, 17 base attack, fairly high AC (if you equip him well) and almost an equally high touch AC. (he applies his heavy armor and shield + enhancement bonuses to both his touch and normal AC.) Mix this guy with a few lower level frenzied berzerker buddies and you have a pretty deadly encounter. The Frenzied Berzerkers won't die (unless your party uses death effects frequently) and the telekenetic tank will manage the battle control from the safe distance of around 1000' feat. (if the playing field is that far open). Keep in mind that maintaining his telekenesis is only a swift action for him, so it does not provoke AoOs and allows him to full attack in the same round as he can issue a telekenetic full attack. Best spells to use with this guy: Acid Fog Telekenesis Slow Area Effect damaging spell of your choice. Telekenesis will keep those who are really strong inside the acid fog (bull rush them with a +34 on the check). Those inside the fog can only move 5' per move action. Slow reduces their ref saves. The area effect will hurt them. Basically, this one guy alone can out maneuver a whole team of "optimized" battle controllers.
WrathoftheDm 02-23-06, 10:51 PM	^^ I'll definitely keep that in mind for future trouble, probably in the Epic campaign. But for now: Can anyone help me optimize the kobold? I need to make him a little bit more of a ranged damage dealer. He fits well into the story and I want to focus on his favored enemy, it's sort of his defining character quirk. So any more ideas on making my wee kobold into a fierce little sniper ranger?
scrollreader 02-24-06, 05:01 AM	FoeHunter is still 3.5 Legal.
Reis 02-24-06, 05:15 AM	consider kobold rogue4/Assassin10/Horizon Walker 6 for PC annoyance take quicken spell like ability for the horizon walker's dimension door with shifting planar terrain mastery now dimension door into a hidden spot from long range, take a 5 foot step and death attack that PC and quickened dimensior door away, rinse, repeat...