so far this is what I have come up with
Cleric 4(Trickery&Death)
Rogue 1
Black Flame Zealot 10
Assassin 5
This would be minimum DC 25
If anyone could do better (and im sure you can) please help
I was also considering going assassin first (Just honestly because Death attack is based on Int not Wis.)
There are some properly statted out builds out there along these lines.... just do a search and something should come up.
Be warned though - having a super-high death attack DC does tend to mean focusing your entire character on it. You will quite likely be very average at tasks not requiring death attacks, or vs enemies immune to them.
Strongheart Halfling with Major Fey Bloodline
Bloodline3/Rogue1/Archivist3/Assassin9/BlackDog2/UncannyTrickster1/BlackFlameZealot1
Rogue 1 Craven, Darkstalker
Archivist 1
Bloodline 1 Least Dragonmark (hospitality)
Archivist 2
Archivist 3
Bloodline 2 Weapon Finese
Assassin 1
Black.Flame.Zealot 1
Black Dog 1 Ability Focus - Death Attack
Black Dog 2
Uncanny Trickster 1
Bloodline 3 Two-Weapon Fighting
Assassin 2-9 Practiced Spellcaster - Assassin, +1 open feat
Only important items would be Assassin's Dagger, and Bracers of Murder.
Use uncanny trickster to add to your assassin class abilities.
DC for death attack at level 20 should be something like this;
+15 assassin, +4 black flame zealot, +5 black dog, +2 ability focus, +1 dagger, +2 bracers.
DC 38 plus your intelligence bonus (conservatively say DC 48?).
This build lets you keep up a decent sneak attack damage as well, plus with Gloves of the Balanced Hand you can get in plenty of attacks on a full attack.
Hope that helps a bit...
and yeah, bloodlines are the way to go here.
something like rogue 3/swordsage 2/zealot 1/blackdog 1/assassin 10/bloodline 3, not nessecarily in that order, will have a DC of int+4+4+13=int+21. retrain all your feats to ability focus and you will have +41(AFB, ability focus does gain +2 DC, doesn't it?) with human and two flaws.
totally ugly build, inept of anything but DA. but fun all the same.
edit: ninjaed.
something like rouge 5/assasin 8/blackdog 1/uncanny trickster 1/legacy champion 1/zealot 1/bloodline 3
int +11 assasin +4 blackdog +4 zealot +4 trickster +4 champion +20 Ability focus(with human and 2 flaws) +3 bracers and dagger= int + 50. just about useless elsewhere.
Rogue3/Swashbuckler3/Assassin8/TeflemmarShadlowlord6. You get: BAB +15, +6d6 Sneak Attack, a death attack with a high save DC, Hide in Plain Sight, Int to damage, Int based spells from two PrCs, free Weapon Finesse, and all the cool TeflS abilities.
To maximize your Death Attack DC, be a grey elf (or sun elf) and put an 18 into your Int. Put all your leveling points into Int, and get a +5 Tome and a +6 Headband of Intellect. Also, take Ability Focus: Death Attack. In all, the Fort Save to survive your death attack comes out to:
Starting Int 20 +5 Tome +6 Item +5 leveling = 36 Int (+13 bonus). Could get more from aging \
Death attack DC = 10+8+6+13+2 = 39
Not many wizards are going to have good odds of making a DC 39 Fort save. And even if they do, you should be able to get a full attack of all sneak attacks during the surprize round (via Shadow Pounce) and a second full attack of sneak attacks if you win initiative. And of course, all of these attacks will get your Int modifier added to their damage, thanks to Swashbuckler.
For feats: Dodge (free if you use Ninja1 instead of rogue3), Mobility, Spring Attack, Blindfight, , Ability Focus: Death Attack, TWF, ITWF
Teflemmar Shadowlord is in the Unapproachable East book. Swashbuckler is in the Complete Warrior, and the Ninja I briefly mentioned is the Rokugan Ninja from the Rokugan Campaign Setting (the Ninja is available online for free).
Edit: PS. What problem CANT be solved with death attack? ;)
Edit: PS. What problem CANT be solved with death attack? ;)
wizard
Quote:
Originally Posted by Meatzombie
Edit: PS. What problem CANT be solved with death attack?
wizard
Uncanny dodge
Concealment
Undead
Ooze
Plants
Constructs
A 3rd lvl Mage who cast blur
Heavy Fortification
Ghost
Anything 3 size catagories larger then you....
Just off the top of my head.
there's some rogue variant that allows you to sneak attack immune people at half SA damage. that variant knocks about 80-90% of your list into the water.
I believe it is in Dungeonscape(penetrating strike?)
Also, bracers of murder (Drow of the Underdark) gives +2 to your Death Attack DC. Assassin's dagger (DMG) gives +1. Sudden Ability Focus (Tome of Magic) gives you a +2 to the DC 1/day, stacks with regular Ability Focus.
That's all that I can think of.
there's some rogue variant that allows you to sneak attack immune people at half SA damage. that variant knocks about 80-90% of your list into the water.
Would that allow a Death Attack though? If so you are correct that would be an great alternative... if not then my earlier list is still a big issue for any Death Attack build.
Would that allow a Death Attack though? If so you are correct that would be an great alternative... if not then my earlier list is still a big issue for any Death Attack build.
Death Attack is a carrier effect applied to Sneak Attack, like the various ambush feats. Any effect that allows SA damage through applies to DA as well.