I think i killed all the fun!! - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

I think i killed all the fun!!

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
tonk
Jan 18, 2009 7:54:09 The party I am in is using The Shackled City Adventure Path Hardcover book. Let me describe my character is killing machine. I am a half orc level 4 Barbarian/ level 2 fighter.

feats: exotic weapon proficiency
combat reflexes
power attack
monkey grip -> from Complete Warrior
cleave
great cleave

weapon: large size keen +1 magic spiked chain

I can clean out an entire room of monsters in a few turns, most of the time one turn without the other 3 pcs even getting a turn. I have not done anything out side of the rules to make him this way, but hes sucking all of the fun out of it for the others. Tonight we went through atleast 3 encounters where 2 pcs didn't even get to take a action. What I want to know is should I change this or just live with it because hes a legal character?

To answer some questions:
Stats:
str: 20 -> 22 with gauntlets of ogre power
dex: 17
con: 15
int: 11
wis: 14
cha: 12

Base attack +6 + 6 from str and +1 from the weapon being a master work -2 for monkey grip = +11 for attacks rolls so its not to hard to hit something.

6 feats come from first level and 3 level and sixth level, fighter gets 1 at first level and 1 and second level.
My reach of 15 ft range comes from using the monkey grip feat which lets me use a large size weapon with only a -2 to attack rolls. So a large size spiked chain has 15 ft reach.
Other members are a ninja, a binder from the Tome of magic, and our dm also plays a favored soul.
And I have run into the damn oozes they cleaned me out of all items but my gauntlets and my armor and i ended up with -9 con for the rest of the encounter.
#2
aljovin
Jan 18, 2009 8:11:53 Just make the encounters harder on him! Send tougher monsters? Also, make sure that whatever treasure you're putting doesn't include magic items for that character, let the other have the items, so that they can be as involved in the combat as the killing machine.
#3
CCS
Jan 18, 2009 12:19:55 Amazing! A +1, keen, over-sized spiked chain. And all the feats to stack with it....

Please tell me that your barbarian found this weapon & then chose to train with it, including becoming slightly more civilized during play as opposed to having been specd out prior/during character creation......

Sure, you did nothing wrong. Mechanicly. But, as you've discovered, there is such a thing as over doing it.
And now that you've over done it, how do you un-do it - and still keep the basic character?

Ask your DM if you could have your 1/2 orc recive brain damage, or some other sort of memeroy altering experience. That way you'd have some in-game rational for re-doing your feats so as to allow the others to have some fun. Maybe some sort of mind-meld or polymorph or potion where once you recover you've got some of your own stuff mixed with some bitz of sombody else. Don't mention the rebuild to the other players, just you & the DM work it out.
#4
wizarddog
Jan 18, 2009 13:27:24 You are doing what you are suppose to do-take down enemies with Hp.

However you are gonna be screwed when spell casters, archers, oozes, and constructs start showing up. That's when you need the other players--providing your DM does his job. Trust me, in a few levels you are in for some serious hurt. ;)
#5
white_whale
Jan 18, 2009 14:41:45 I'm pretty sure that using a large weapon does not give you additional reach, thus your reach is still only 10ft. This is probably the main offender.

Also, I guess the reason you're able to kill everything in one attack is because there are a lot of low level mooks which you can kill in one blow (and cleaving through them all). Your DM should perhaps reduce the number of mooks, as they actually are just a benefit to you. Instead he should improve the monsters that are left (so that your cleave becomes less relevant).

If you still turn out to be outperforming everyone else, I'd say you should retire your character. I guess the other players are not having fun if you completely dominate battle.
#6
kuonji
Jan 18, 2009 16:34:03 You're playing in an incredibly lethal adventure path. While you might be dominating everything in your path now, you can't be sure that the same will happen later.

Some questions to consider: Is your character over powered or are the other characters under powered? What is everyone else playing and did they put much thought in character builds? Can the other players work to get more out of their characters rather then you reducing the ability of your character?

To me it seems like you are doing what barbarian/fighter with this build should be doing: mowing down enemies. I wouldn't feel too bad about being able to kill things quickly and keep the party out of danger. If I was another player in this group, I'd be content to let you do your thing and conserve resources (spells, gold, items, etc) for fights that are tougher or for pushing past more encounters in a day. If you do decide to reduce the effectiveness of your character to make the other players feel better, thats fine, just be careful you don't regret the decision later when your more optimized build might make the difference between victory and TPK, especially when the SoDs and SoSs start flying.
#7
etarnon
Jan 18, 2009 22:49:56 Yeah, as a DM, I see no problems with this other than it was min / maxed, but well within the rules.

But he's a one trick pony, and yeah seems like your DM hasn't tumbled to the idea of not having your guy fight mostly minions.

As a player, hey you are rocking, and the others don't get a turn, that's the DM's fault not yours.

However, BEWARE. You might be seen as hogging all the glory, and if you don't ease up a bit, when you are in a position to get ganked, you will get no help from the other PCs, perhaps.

Ride it while you can, but i'd back off a bit, be generous and let some of the other players get some game in.

Be a team player, cause it will come down to "My guy is bleeding out and needs a heal..." and the party walks off...

Perhaps.

Good luck.
#8
Arcane_Guyver
Jan 19, 2009 2:11:28 Question 1: How do you have six feats at 6th level without being a human?
Question 2: Do you guys treat Large weapons as having 15 ft. reach (it should only have 10 ft.)?
Question 3: How on earth did you get ahold of a +2 weapon at 6th level?
Question 4: What are your abiliy scores?

I'm curious what tactics the DM is using, because a spiked chain isn't exactly the best weapon in the game. Plus, considering you're taking a -2 penalty just to use the weapon, combined with Power Attack, it's a wonder you're hitting all that often, let alone finishing whole fights.
#9
Draco_Whitewind
Jan 19, 2009 2:15:13 Don't worry. Soon, enemies will be able to pass tumble checks and concentration checks . and then you'll never see attacks of opportunity again, really :-p (I made a character exactly like this. One trick pony is not good because eventually the shock of such a powerful character at such low levels eventually finds out that he's not the only one who figured this out.)
#10
dirk_radhammer_dup
Jan 19, 2009 10:25:31 Don't worry...in a few short levels you'll just be carrying the Wizards stuff.
#11
chaosturtle
Jan 19, 2009 15:36:38 Obviously you're going to be superior in straight up fights against the more...simple of monsters which can do little more then engage in melee combat, and these generally make up the majority of the lower level encounters, but unless you have an incredibly uncreative dm you'll find yourself at a disadvantage, just off the top of my head I can think of at least 5 or 6 ways to challenge your character...of course this could be because I've not only dmed for a similar build before, but have been the similar build before :D

If the other players are okay with it...I wouldn't worry too much, but if you think they're bored you could just happen to accidentally position yourself where the enemy is just out of your reach for attacks of op and the like, but really don't worry about it...there are so many more broken things you could have done, you just happen to be at a point right now where you have a big advantage.
#12
Vatras
Jan 20, 2009 5:40:15 I can't really see how you can finish a fight by yourself in a single round, since nobody else gets a shot...

I have DMed for powergamers and they were never able to beat an encounter in a single round, not even in epic levels. Something can't be quite right here - are those encounters with a single monster?
#13
deviknyte
Jan 20, 2009 7:43:40 What I do when I'm too much of a beast for the rest of my characters is I just tone it down. Make bad movement choices, forget AoO, not power attack, never finish a boss, "roll" a lot of ones, etc. I just make sure that if the rest of them die I'm not gonna. If I'm totally power gamed to survived and I'm not worried about dying I only do just enough in combat.
#14
Delazar78
Jan 20, 2009 8:00:02 enjoy it while you can...

Show
...the Pyroclastic Dragon shall have no mercy on you!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 tonk Jan 18, 2009 7:54:09	The party I am in is using The Shackled City Adventure Path Hardcover book. Let me describe my character is killing machine. I am a half orc level 4 Barbarian/ level 2 fighter. feats: exotic weapon proficiency combat reflexes power attack monkey grip -> from Complete Warrior cleave great cleave weapon: large size keen +1 magic spiked chain I can clean out an entire room of monsters in a few turns, most of the time one turn without the other 3 pcs even getting a turn. I have not done anything out side of the rules to make him this way, but hes sucking all of the fun out of it for the others. Tonight we went through atleast 3 encounters where 2 pcs didn't even get to take a action. What I want to know is should I change this or just live with it because hes a legal character? To answer some questions: Stats: str: 20 -> 22 with gauntlets of ogre power dex: 17 con: 15 int: 11 wis: 14 cha: 12 Base attack +6 + 6 from str and +1 from the weapon being a master work -2 for monkey grip = +11 for attacks rolls so its not to hard to hit something. 6 feats come from first level and 3 level and sixth level, fighter gets 1 at first level and 1 and second level. My reach of 15 ft range comes from using the monkey grip feat which lets me use a large size weapon with only a -2 to attack rolls. So a large size spiked chain has 15 ft reach. Other members are a ninja, a binder from the Tome of magic, and our dm also plays a favored soul. And I have run into the damn oozes they cleaned me out of all items but my gauntlets and my armor and i ended up with -9 con for the rest of the encounter.
#2 aljovin Jan 18, 2009 8:11:53	Just make the encounters harder on him! Send tougher monsters? Also, make sure that whatever treasure you're putting doesn't include magic items for that character, let the other have the items, so that they can be as involved in the combat as the killing machine.
#3 CCS Jan 18, 2009 12:19:55	Amazing! A +1, keen, over-sized spiked chain. And all the feats to stack with it.... Please tell me that your barbarian found this weapon & then chose to train with it, including becoming slightly more civilized during play as opposed to having been specd out prior/during character creation...... Sure, you did nothing wrong. Mechanicly. But, as you've discovered, there is such a thing as over doing it. And now that you've over done it, how do you un-do it - and still keep the basic character? Ask your DM if you could have your 1/2 orc recive brain damage, or some other sort of memeroy altering experience. That way you'd have some in-game rational for re-doing your feats so as to allow the others to have some fun. Maybe some sort of mind-meld or polymorph or potion where once you recover you've got some of your own stuff mixed with some bitz of sombody else. Don't mention the rebuild to the other players, just you & the DM work it out.
#4 wizarddog Jan 18, 2009 13:27:24	You are doing what you are suppose to do-take down enemies with Hp. However you are gonna be screwed when spell casters, archers, oozes, and constructs start showing up. That's when you need the other players--providing your DM does his job. Trust me, in a few levels you are in for some serious hurt. ;)
#5 white_whale Jan 18, 2009 14:41:45	I'm pretty sure that using a large weapon does not give you additional reach, thus your reach is still only 10ft. This is probably the main offender. Also, I guess the reason you're able to kill everything in one attack is because there are a lot of low level mooks which you can kill in one blow (and cleaving through them all). Your DM should perhaps reduce the number of mooks, as they actually are just a benefit to you. Instead he should improve the monsters that are left (so that your cleave becomes less relevant). If you still turn out to be outperforming everyone else, I'd say you should retire your character. I guess the other players are not having fun if you completely dominate battle.
#6 kuonji Jan 18, 2009 16:34:03	You're playing in an incredibly lethal adventure path. While you might be dominating everything in your path now, you can't be sure that the same will happen later. Some questions to consider: Is your character over powered or are the other characters under powered? What is everyone else playing and did they put much thought in character builds? Can the other players work to get more out of their characters rather then you reducing the ability of your character? To me it seems like you are doing what barbarian/fighter with this build should be doing: mowing down enemies. I wouldn't feel too bad about being able to kill things quickly and keep the party out of danger. If I was another player in this group, I'd be content to let you do your thing and conserve resources (spells, gold, items, etc) for fights that are tougher or for pushing past more encounters in a day. If you do decide to reduce the effectiveness of your character to make the other players feel better, thats fine, just be careful you don't regret the decision later when your more optimized build might make the difference between victory and TPK, especially when the SoDs and SoSs start flying.
#7 etarnon Jan 18, 2009 22:49:56	Yeah, as a DM, I see no problems with this other than it was min / maxed, but well within the rules. But he's a one trick pony, and yeah seems like your DM hasn't tumbled to the idea of not having your guy fight mostly minions. As a player, hey you are rocking, and the others don't get a turn, that's the DM's fault not yours. However, BEWARE. You might be seen as hogging all the glory, and if you don't ease up a bit, when you are in a position to get ganked, you will get no help from the other PCs, perhaps. Ride it while you can, but i'd back off a bit, be generous and let some of the other players get some game in. Be a team player, cause it will come down to "My guy is bleeding out and needs a heal..." and the party walks off... Perhaps. Good luck.
#8 Arcane_Guyver Jan 19, 2009 2:11:28	Question 1: How do you have six feats at 6th level without being a human? Question 2: Do you guys treat Large weapons as having 15 ft. reach (it should only have 10 ft.)? Question 3: How on earth did you get ahold of a +2 weapon at 6th level? Question 4: What are your abiliy scores? I'm curious what tactics the DM is using, because a spiked chain isn't exactly the best weapon in the game. Plus, considering you're taking a -2 penalty just to use the weapon, combined with Power Attack, it's a wonder you're hitting all that often, let alone finishing whole fights.
#9 Draco_Whitewind Jan 19, 2009 2:15:13	Don't worry. Soon, enemies will be able to pass tumble checks and concentration checks . and then you'll never see attacks of opportunity again, really :-p (I made a character exactly like this. One trick pony is not good because eventually the shock of such a powerful character at such low levels eventually finds out that he's not the only one who figured this out.)
#10 dirk_radhammer_dup Jan 19, 2009 10:25:31	Don't worry...in a few short levels you'll just be carrying the Wizards stuff.
#11 chaosturtle Jan 19, 2009 15:36:38	Obviously you're going to be superior in straight up fights against the more...simple of monsters which can do little more then engage in melee combat, and these generally make up the majority of the lower level encounters, but unless you have an incredibly uncreative dm you'll find yourself at a disadvantage, just off the top of my head I can think of at least 5 or 6 ways to challenge your character...of course this could be because I've not only dmed for a similar build before, but have been the similar build before :D If the other players are okay with it...I wouldn't worry too much, but if you think they're bored you could just happen to accidentally position yourself where the enemy is just out of your reach for attacks of op and the like, but really don't worry about it...there are so many more broken things you could have done, you just happen to be at a point right now where you have a big advantage.
#12 Vatras Jan 20, 2009 5:40:15	I can't really see how you can finish a fight by yourself in a single round, since nobody else gets a shot... I have DMed for powergamers and they were never able to beat an encounter in a single round, not even in epic levels. Something can't be quite right here - are those encounters with a single monster?
#13 deviknyte Jan 20, 2009 7:43:40	What I do when I'm too much of a beast for the rest of my characters is I just tone it down. Make bad movement choices, forget AoO, not power attack, never finish a boss, "roll" a lot of ones, etc. I just make sure that if the rest of them die I'm not gonna. If I'm totally power gamed to survived and I'm not worried about dying I only do just enough in combat.
#14 Delazar78 Jan 20, 2009 8:00:02	enjoy it while you can... Show ...the Pyroclastic Dragon shall have no mercy on you!