Help Build An Uber-Tank!

I'll soon graduate college, but, before I do, I thought I'd run a one-shot with some friends at 20th level, since none of us had seen genuinely high-level play and it seems like a fun thing to experiment with. One of the players is new to D&D (but not roleplaying games in general), and we thought it would best to play a fairly uncomplicated tank-like character.

It looks as though the party will already be fairly good at delivering damage, but it doesn't look like we'll have anyone really well-equipped to take it. So, given, say, a 600k budget and access to the material in the 3.5e core books and the Complete Warrior, what sort of build seems preferable?

A Troll (6HD LA +5 ECL 11) character who has Armor with Greater Acid Resistance (+66,000 gp) and Greater Fire Resistance (+66,000 gp) would be pretty good a soaking up damage. The player would still have 9 class levels to work with. I would go with Barbarian or Cleric for base class. You might add in a Prestige Class if one catchs the player's eye.

The troll sounds good, but I'd add one level of cleric and a bunch of wands just for versatility. Go with the Travel or Luck domains, or maybe Magic if you wants to be able to use ANY wand.

Also, go for the chain whip if you take fighter. Don't forget combat reflexes and an ok Dex.

-Tatsu

"Uncomplicated tank-like character."

Level 20 Barbarian.

Human Barbarian

The Cimmerian
Barbarian Level 20
Alignment: Chaotic Good

Feats
Cleave
Combat Reflexes
Great Cleave
Improved Bull Rush
Improved Critical Long Sword
Improved Initiative
Power Attack
Shock Trooper (Complete Warrior)

32 point buy
str 14 +3 levels + 5 inherent = 22
dex 14 + 1 level + 5 inherent= 20
con 14 +1 level + 5 inherent =20
int 12 +2 inherent = 14
wis 13 +5 inherent =18
chr 13 + 5 inherent = 18

hit points: 294/378 while in rage
armor class: 10 +5 dex + 5 armor = 20 -2 while in rage
initiative: +9
Fort: +12 (barbarian) + 5 (con) = +17/+21 rage
Will: +6 (barbarian) + 4 (wis) = +10/+14 rage/+18 vs. enchantments
Reflex: +6 (barbarian) + 5 (dex) = +11/+17 vs. traps

To Hit(includes rage): Full Attack: +31/+26/+21/+16
Damage: 1d8 +15, crit 17-20/x2

To Hit (Rage, Full Power Attack): Full Attack:+11/+6/+1/-4
Damage: 1d8 +55, crit 17-20/x2

To Hit Charge (Rage, Shock Trooper, Full Power Attack): +33
AC: 20 -2 rage -2 charge -20 shock trooper = -4
Damage: 1d8 + 55, crit 17-20/x2


Mighty Rage 6/day: +8 to Str and Con, -2 to AC, +4 on will saves, +4 more vs. enchantments
Rage lasts 12 rounds

Damage Reduction: 5/-

skill ranks (does not include modifiers)
Climb 12
Craft (blacksmithing) 2
Craft (trap making) 1
Disable Device 1
Handle Animal 5
Intimidate 23
Jump 11
Listen 23
Open Lock 1
Ride 23
Survival 10
Profession (seaman) 5
Sleight of Hand 1
Swim 11
Tumble 5
Literacy
Knowledge dungeoneering 1
Knowledge geography: 1
Knowledge local Aquilonia 1
knowledge nature 1
knowledge nobility & royalty 1
languages: common, cimmerian

magic items
Tome of Strength +5: 137,500gp
Manual of Bodily Health +5: 137,500 gp
Manual of Quickness in Action +5: 137,500 gp
Manual of Leadership and Influence +5: 137,500 gp
Manual of Wisdom +5: 137,500 gp
Manual of Intelligence +2: 55,000 gp
Adamantine Long Sword: 3000 gp
Mithral Breastplate: 4,200 gp

Spent 750,700 gp in magic items
Remaining 9300 gold pieces in coins and clothing

A couple options

the troll works well, drop some feats into Roll With It (from savage species, only req is Con 20 and toughness) which gives you DR 2/-, and stacks on itself.

A feral dwarf could work well also, Fast Healing 5, natural armor +6, focus on high AC and con increasing items, also the Roll With It feat is good. I made a level 2 feral dwarf fighter with a 32 pnt buy who had DR 4/-, an AC of 27 (half-plate, tower shield, and natural armor), with fast healing 2 and 20 or so hps, took two flaws (shaky and the one that gives a -4 to spot and listen) to get two extra feats which I sunk into Roll With It, and the slow trait (1/2 speed, +1 hp/lvl).

You could get a Con of: 18 (starting) + 2 (dwarf) + 2 (feral template) + 5 (leveling increases) + 5 (one of those tomes) + 6 (enhancement) + 2 (3rd level of dwarf paragon) = 40, it can probably get higher. That's +15hp/lvl, so +300hp at level 20, plus an average of 20d10 = 115 or so, totals you out over 400hp. You could get more with some feats.

You could get DR 14/-, taking Roll With It 7 times (2 from flaws you picked). That's a chunk off of almost any damage you take. A level 20 rogue's SA bonus damage is on average 35 points, so it'd cut that to a bit over half. You could get higher throwing in some Barbarian levels with the Boar totem (UA) and end up with DR somewhere near the 20's which can't be bypassed by anything except energy damage.

You might also want to check out the Survivor PrC from Savage Species, it's all good saves, I think a d12 hd, only 5 levels and by level 5 it gives DR 5/-, crunch that with those 7 Roll With It's, and that's DR 19/-. A basic longsword on a crit wouldn't even have a chance of damaging you.

Constitution is very important in most tank builds, cause even when your AC is really high you still take damage at high levels pretty often. You also want good saves and some sort of elemental resistances. Items could be cloaks of resistance, types of armor with elemental resistance (or a ring of universal elemental resistance, it's in one of the books), AC boosting items, Con boosting items.

For traditional stuff: Take an Aasimar paladin (for style), add 2 fighter levels, go sword&boarder with Divine Shield... and boost Charisma as high as you can. Half-dragon template doesn't really hurt. Hmm. Perhaps half-ogre instead? The Con-boost helps against the lost hitpoints... but I really would get some paladin stuff for the saves. Hmm. Perhaps Dragon Disciple stacked on a sor1/bbn7/Blackguard?

Ferrix said:

from savage species

Click to expand...

I believe that the player is limited to only "3.5e core books and the Complete Warrior".

Nobody's mentioned a high-charisma dwarven defender build (via Paladin for save buffage and fighter for feats) with a Devoted Defender cohort (again, built via. Paladin+Fighter or Monk for good saves).

Use Tower Shield, use save-buff feats, etc.

Have a 30 con. by level 20 or so, maybe a 24 charisma. Strength suffers somewhat but this guy is built to last. He'll keep ticking till there's nothing left to lick.

Tanks a lot

Based off of Endur's character, "Uncomplicated tank-like character", I would offer the following keeping more in line with the premise of a tanks that can take a ton of damage, and I don't have the Complete Warrior yet, so this is all from the source books.

Level 10 fighter, level 10 dwarven defender

Basic Dwarf, change at your decresstion

Alignment: Any lawful

Feats
dodge
Combat Reflexes
power attack
improved Critical Long sword (or whatever turns your crank for a one handed weapon)
Improved Initiative
Spring attack
Mobility
combat expertise
whirlwind
weapon focus (pick a weapon)
weapon specialization
improved combat expertise

32 point buy
str 16 +6 enhancment bonus = 22
dex 12 + 2 level = 14
con 20 +3 level + 5 inherent +6 enhancment bonus =34
int 8 + 5 inhernet = 13
wis 8
chr 6

hit points: 10d10 (fighter) + 10d12 (dwarven defender) + 3 (toughness) + 240 (con) = 265-463 hit points + 40 hit points when in defensive stance

armor class: 10 +1 dex + 9 armor +5 shield + 5 dodge (4 if they are not your dodge target) up to +10 for combat expert + 5 for amulet of natural armor = 39-50 + 4 for dodge in defensive stance up to a 54

initiative: +8
Fort: +7 (fighter) +7 (dwarven defender) + 12 (con) = 26
Will: +3 (fighter) +7 (dwarven defender) -1 (wis) = 9
Reflex: +3 (fighter) + 3 (dwarven Defender) + 2 (dex) = 8


Immune to crit hits and sneak attacks (armor)

Damage Reduction: 9/- 6(dwarven defender) 3 (armor)

skill ranks (does not include modifiers or what and when you use your tome to raise you int)
Intimidate 23

languages: common, dwarf
magic items
Manual of Bodily Health +5: 137,500 gp
Manual of Intelligence +5: 137,000 gp
Adamantine Long Sword: 3000 gp
Ring of Regeneration 90,00gp
Amulet of health +6 36,000
gauntlets of STR +6 36,000gp
Full plate +1 armor of the deep, heavy forification made of admantine 100,000gp
Tower shield +1 with improved fire, cold and electric resistance 126,000gp
Amulet of natural armor +5 50,000gp

This gets you within the 600-650k range and gets you a tons of fun stuff. the shield will ward off 20 points of fire, electric and cold, the most common adamge types, and the armor adds 3 to your damage reduction while allowing you to breath underwater, for the evil DM's, and the heavy forification makes you immune to crits and sneak attacks.

Your defense, not including fighting defensively if you wish, can raise your ac up to 54 and your hit points will be in sane and because of the ring of regen, you won't mind taking a few hits for the team.

The feats give you the best of defense while allowing you the smack down with feats like whirlwind, improved crit, and weapon specialization.

His saves are fairly good, if you want better, change in an item for a ring, but I can tell you right now, a demi lich would even have a hard time sucking your soul.

Hope this helps, enjoy.

Damn, I miscalculated, you get one more feat. Also, if you want more speed, nothing sucks worse than a dwarf in full plate, buy a pair of boots of speed, or springing and striding.