Help optimizing a character - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 irdak Nov 09, 2008 9:37:09	Long story short: In an epic level (lvl 21) campaign, I was recently allowed to bring in a character. It is a sword master based in character like himura kenshin or seijuuro hiko, from rurouni kenshin. The first 20 levels are of a created class, whose main characteristics are: - Wis counts for AC and initiative bonus - Can jump without running - +3 bonus to AC - Spring attack and Great Cleave as bonus feats The character uses a katana, wielding it with both hands. The 21st level is Exotic Weapon Master, with the uncanny blow ability. My question is: What feats can I take (I mean the bonus feats delivered at lvls 1, 3, 6 and so forth) to maximize the hitting/ damaging capabilities of my character? The rules are 3.5. Also, what would you think could be a good class for the next few levels? I was thinking of two fighter levels for the feats... Thanks for your help
#2 kairosuy Nov 09, 2008 10:41:37	battle jump, doubles the damage when jumping, unaprochable east power lunge, triplicates the damage from power atack when jumping (using a two handed weapon)
#3 kairosuy Nov 09, 2008 10:49:26	also combat bruto for more power atack synergy bull rush and sock trooper are not bad options
#4 Senevri Nov 09, 2008 13:01:19	...What did you think the "Iron Heart" discipline was for?
#5 NiteCyper Nov 09, 2008 13:20:18	That custom class can be done without custom classes and better. e.g. Swordsage 2 for WIS to AC or CAd Ninja or Monk (and many other ways according to 'X stat to Y bonus' thread), Ninja 4 has Great Leap (Su) At 4th level and higher, a ninja always makes Jump checks as if she were running and had the Run feat, enabling her to make long jumps without a running start and granting a +4 bonus on the jump (see the skill description, page 77 of the Player's Handbook). This ability can be used only if she is wearing no armor and is carrying no more than a light load.
#6 Senevri Nov 09, 2008 13:27:02	...Well, you could ignore suffocation with IHS, RAW, I think... But, no.
#7 irdak Nov 09, 2008 13:43:21	Thanks to all of you for the help. I am especially intrigued by the bonuses nitecyper commented. Unfortunately, some of the content of your messages are incomprehensible for me, since I do not know the meaning of some abreviations (IHS, RAW, CAd, etc.). To give more interest to this topic: What you think would be the best combination for a lvl 21 character to fight without armor, great movement capacity (with predilection for leaping attacks), who uses a katana single handedly? Any resemblance with a famous character with an X in his face is purely coincidental :D
#8 NiteCyper Nov 09, 2008 14:14:54	Congratulations, you've come to the right place. We have many leaping pouncer builds here. For one, there's Little Red Raiding Hood. I know it's confusing, but knowledge comes with time. We don't have an apprenticeship program here. You've to browse around for what you're looking for and find bonuses here and there that fit the character you want. A thread asking for help can get you a list of suggestions as well.
#9 irdak Nov 09, 2008 15:37:18	Looking into it. Unfortunately, I´m strictly constricted to 3.5, so I can´t use all of them, but combat brute, leap attack and shock trooper should do quite some damage
#10 Maat_Mons Nov 09, 2008 19:34:39	If you take Bounding Assault and Rapid Blitz (Player’s Handbook II), you can attack 3 times as part of a spring attack. You may also wish to look into speed increases and the skirmish ability from Scout and Highland Stalker in Complete Adventurer. You only need to hold your katana in two hands when you attack with it. You can hold it in one hand when not attacking with it if you choose. This means you can take Deflect Arrows and have a hand free to stop one ranged attack per round. At 21st level, you can take Infinite Deflections and it will be impossible to hit you with a normal ranged attack. Note that you must also take Improved Unarmed Strike and Combat Reflexes to qualify. So here’s how that all fits together: You use Spring Attack to move before and after you hit. You try to make yourself crazy fast so enemies can’t get to you to attack during their turns. You only lose your last iterative attack in exchange for the movement. You gain bonuses to damage and AC when you move before attacking from Scout and Highland Stalker. Finally, enemies can’t even use a bow to get around your tactics.
#11 irdak Nov 09, 2008 20:22:39	Can a person charge while making a spring attack?
#12 Maat_Mons Nov 09, 2008 21:49:21	Unfortunately, no, charge is a full-round action and spring attack is a modification of the attack action. Sudden Leap, a maneuver from Tome of Battle would let you make a charge and then jump away afterwards, but only every-other round.
#13 irdak Nov 10, 2008 11:56:38	... No one interested in imagining a samurai-like optimized character?
#14 Senevri Nov 11, 2008 9:08:13	You've already received quite a bit of info, although the original post _was_ significantly ignored. Is ToB available or not, that is the question. Epic weapon-user, should probably always go for Devastating Critical ASAP, if the DM hasn't axed that. if you can hit a sufficient amount of times per round, it's, well, devastating.
#15 irdak Nov 11, 2008 10:22:20	Yes, I have Tome of Battle, and already am trying to find a way of squeezing the numbers ´till they bleed. I was thinking on a combination of Robilar´s Gambit (enemies gain +4 att. and dmg.), improved combat expertise (as combat expertise, but limited by BAB), stormguard warrior (+4 to att. and dmg. for each AOO you didn´t make) and then "Time Stands Still" (2 full attack actions in a round). So, you plant yourself before an enemy, activate robilar´s gambit and improved combat expertise to the max. Enemy will try to hit you, probably to no avail (maybe take a defender weapon just to be sure), you don´t make any AOO. Then your turn comes and blam! Eight attacks at probably +16 to hit and damage. Throw in power attack, uncanny blow (from Complete Warrior) and you should have a pretty respectable attack/ damage combination. What do you think?
#16 irdak Nov 18, 2008 19:06:38	Well, here´s my character build, could someone please help me maximize it? 1 Swordsage Bonus Feat: Dodge Discipline Focus (Weapon Focus) Diamond Mind 2 Fighter (mobility) 3 Fighter (Improved Initiative) Bonus feat: Combat Reflexes 4 Fighter 5 Swordsage AC Bonus 6 Swordsage Blind-Fight 7 Swordsage Discipline Focus (insightful strike) Diamond Mind 8 Swordsage Quick to act +2 9 Fighter (Elusive Target) Bonus: Adaptative Style 10 Swordsage 11 Swordsage Sense Magic 12 Swordsage Discipline Focus (Defensive Stance) Stone dragon Bonus Feat: Improved Initiative 13 Swordsage Evasion 14 Swordsage Quick to act +3 15 Swordsage Bonus Feat: Deft Opportunist 16 Swordsage Discipline focues (insightful strike) Tiger Claw 17 Master of Nine 18 Master of Nine Dual Stance Bonus Feat: Robilar´s Gambit 19 Master of Nine Perfect form 20 Master of Nine Counter Stance 21 Master of Nine Mastery of Nine Bonus Feat: Improved Combat Expertise Character also has a +5 diamond mind, Iron Heart, Shadow Hand, Stone Dragon, Desert Wind discipline weapon. The idea is to adopt Robilar´s Gambit (using the AC that´s in the high 40s) along with the stance that makes you immune to criticals and prey on the weak (like great cleave, except it works each time an enemy in 10 feet drops to -1): When the enemy attacks, he would start to diminish his attack bonus, while I´d have many full attack bonus against him, or even more if there are enemies dying nearby (all at +4 because of deft opportunist). When it is my turn, activate inferno blade and time stand still (wich would mean 4 different maneuvers active at the same time, for an additional +8 to the attack bonus) and unleash hell upon him. What do you think?

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

irdak

Nov 09, 2008 9:37:09

Long story short: In an epic level (lvl 21) campaign, I was recently allowed to bring in a character. It is a sword master based in character like himura kenshin or seijuuro hiko, from rurouni kenshin. The first 20 levels are of a created class, whose main characteristics are:

- Wis counts for AC and initiative bonus
- Can jump without running
- +3 bonus to AC
- Spring attack and Great Cleave as bonus feats

The character uses a katana, wielding it with both hands. The 21st level is Exotic Weapon Master, with the uncanny blow ability.

My question is: What feats can I take (I mean the bonus feats delivered at lvls 1, 3, 6 and so forth) to maximize the hitting/ damaging capabilities of my character? The rules are 3.5. Also, what would you think could be a good class for the next few levels? I was thinking of two fighter levels for the feats...

Thanks for your help

kairosuy

Nov 09, 2008 10:41:37

battle jump, doubles the damage when jumping, unaprochable east

power lunge, triplicates the damage from power atack when jumping (using a two handed weapon)

kairosuy

Nov 09, 2008 10:49:26

also combat bruto for more power atack synergy

bull rush and sock trooper are not bad options

Senevri

Nov 09, 2008 13:01:19

...What did you think the "Iron Heart" discipline was for?

NiteCyper

Nov 09, 2008 13:20:18

That custom class can be done without custom classes and better.

e.g. Swordsage 2 for WIS to AC or CAd Ninja or Monk (and many other ways according to 'X stat to Y bonus' thread), Ninja 4 has

Great Leap (Su)

At 4th level and higher, a ninja always makes Jump checks as if she were running and had the Run feat, enabling her to make long jumps without a running start and granting a +4 bonus on the jump (see the skill description, page 77 of the Player's Handbook). This ability can be used only if she is wearing no armor and is carrying no more than a light load.

Senevri

Nov 09, 2008 13:27:02

...Well, you could ignore suffocation with IHS, RAW, I think... But, no.

irdak

Nov 09, 2008 13:43:21

Thanks to all of you for the help.

I am especially intrigued by the bonuses nitecyper commented.

Unfortunately, some of the content of your messages are incomprehensible for me, since I do not know the meaning of some abreviations (IHS, RAW, CAd, etc.).

To give more interest to this topic: What you think would be the best combination for a lvl 21 character to fight without armor, great movement capacity (with predilection for leaping attacks), who uses a katana single handedly? Any resemblance with a famous character with an X in his face is purely coincidental :D

NiteCyper

Nov 09, 2008 14:14:54

Congratulations, you've come to the right place. We have many leaping pouncer builds here. For one, there's Little Red Raiding Hood. I know it's confusing, but knowledge comes with time. We don't have an apprenticeship program here.

You've to browse around for what you're looking for and find bonuses here and there that fit the character you want. A thread asking for help can get you a list of suggestions as well.

irdak

Nov 09, 2008 15:37:18

Looking into it. Unfortunately, I´m strictly constricted to 3.5, so I can´t use all of them, but combat brute, leap attack and shock trooper should do quite some damage

#10

Maat_Mons

Nov 09, 2008 19:34:39

If you take Bounding Assault and Rapid Blitz (Player’s Handbook II), you can attack 3 times as part of a spring attack. You may also wish to look into speed increases and the skirmish ability from Scout and Highland Stalker in Complete Adventurer.

You only need to hold your katana in two hands when you attack with it. You can hold it in one hand when not attacking with it if you choose. This means you can take Deflect Arrows and have a hand free to stop one ranged attack per round. At 21st level, you can take Infinite Deflections and it will be impossible to hit you with a normal ranged attack. Note that you must also take Improved Unarmed Strike and Combat Reflexes to qualify.

So here’s how that all fits together: You use Spring Attack to move before and after you hit. You try to make yourself crazy fast so enemies can’t get to you to attack during their turns. You only lose your last iterative attack in exchange for the movement. You gain bonuses to damage and AC when you move before attacking from Scout and Highland Stalker. Finally, enemies can’t even use a bow to get around your tactics.

#11

irdak

Nov 09, 2008 20:22:39

Can a person charge while making a spring attack?

#12

Maat_Mons

Nov 09, 2008 21:49:21

Unfortunately, no, charge is a full-round action and spring attack is a modification of the attack action. Sudden Leap, a maneuver from Tome of Battle would let you make a charge and then jump away afterwards, but only every-other round.

#13

irdak

Nov 10, 2008 11:56:38

...

No one interested in imagining a samurai-like optimized character?

#14

Senevri

Nov 11, 2008 9:08:13

You've already received quite a bit of info, although the original post _was_ significantly ignored.

Is ToB available or not, that is the question.
Epic weapon-user, should probably always go for Devastating Critical ASAP, if the DM hasn't axed that. if you can hit a sufficient amount of times per round, it's, well, devastating.

#15

irdak

Nov 11, 2008 10:22:20

Yes, I have Tome of Battle, and already am trying to find a way of squeezing the numbers ´till they bleed.

I was thinking on a combination of Robilar´s Gambit (enemies gain +4 att. and dmg.), improved combat expertise (as combat expertise, but limited by BAB), stormguard warrior (+4 to att. and dmg. for each AOO you didn´t make) and then "Time Stands Still" (2 full attack actions in a round).

So, you plant yourself before an enemy, activate robilar´s gambit and improved combat expertise to the max. Enemy will try to hit you, probably to no avail (maybe take a defender weapon just to be sure), you don´t make any AOO. Then your turn comes and blam! Eight attacks at probably +16 to hit and damage. Throw in power attack, uncanny blow (from Complete Warrior) and you should have a pretty respectable attack/ damage combination.

What do you think?

#16

irdak

Nov 18, 2008 19:06:38

Well, here´s my character build, could someone please help me maximize it?

1 Swordsage Bonus Feat: Dodge Discipline Focus (Weapon Focus) Diamond Mind
2 Fighter (mobility)
3 Fighter (Improved Initiative) Bonus feat: Combat Reflexes
4 Fighter
5 Swordsage AC Bonus
6 Swordsage Blind-Fight
7 Swordsage Discipline Focus (insightful strike) Diamond Mind
8 Swordsage Quick to act +2
9 Fighter (Elusive Target) Bonus: Adaptative Style
10 Swordsage
11 Swordsage Sense Magic
12 Swordsage Discipline Focus (Defensive Stance) Stone dragon Bonus Feat: Improved Initiative
13 Swordsage Evasion
14 Swordsage Quick to act +3
15 Swordsage Bonus Feat: Deft Opportunist
16 Swordsage Discipline focues (insightful strike) Tiger Claw
17 Master of Nine
18 Master of Nine Dual Stance Bonus Feat: Robilar´s Gambit
19 Master of Nine Perfect form
20 Master of Nine Counter Stance
21 Master of Nine Mastery of Nine Bonus Feat: Improved Combat Expertise

Character also has a +5 diamond mind, Iron Heart, Shadow Hand, Stone Dragon, Desert Wind discipline weapon.

The idea is to adopt Robilar´s Gambit (using the AC that´s in the high 40s) along with the stance that makes you immune to criticals and prey on the weak (like great cleave, except it works each time an enemy in 10 feet drops to -1): When the enemy attacks, he would start to diminish his attack bonus, while I´d have many full attack bonus against him, or even more if there are enemies dying nearby (all at +4 because of deft opportunist). When it is my turn, activate inferno blade and time stand still (wich would mean 4 different maneuvers active at the same time, for an additional +8 to the attack bonus) and unleash hell upon him.

What do you think?