D&D 3E/3.5 Designing 8th-level character [3.5]

[Jon_Dahl]

In my game one of the players (9th-level) won a gladiatorial tournament and is now allowed to face the champion.

Now I have a big problem: To design the Champion in an unbiased way. Meaning that I don't design him/her to simply thwart PC's abilities but in the same time I need to optimize him/her heavily. If I try to optimize him I notice that I thwart PC's abilities but if I don't optimize him I notice that he's a crappy champion which hurts verisimilitude.

So... can you help me design an 8th-level NPC that fills these requirements:
1. Core only
2. Highly experienced gladiator who has faced every core race and class-combination with every imaginable feat (and some non-core also) and won every fight. Opponents have been max. Challenge Rating 7.
3. Poison, necromancy and evil summoned creatures are not allowed
4. Non-evil theme
5. Maximum 5 magical items can be brought to the arena
6. Highly specialized in 1 vs. 1 -combats.
7. Making yourself invulnerable or ethereal round to round is generally not allowed
8. Fumbles and criticals are both very deadly and highly house-ruled in my games, so re-rolls etc. are powerful.
9. All gladiators have to be in normal form, visible and default size before battle starts. After the "FIGHT"-signal, polymorph/enlarge etc. are allowed.
10. No allies are allowed before battle starts

Campaign world is Greyhawk and tournament happens in Istivin.

 

[Iku Rex]

Are the gladiators allowed to cast buff spells before the battle?
Is the necromancy-ban on any use of necromancy spells, or just on offensive ones?

Is alter self/polymorph banned in your campaign?

 

[xigbar]

Play a Wizard as a race of the outsider type for interesting forms. Here's a list of them; Whoops! Browser Settings Incompatible

 

[Aran Thule]

No idea if your using splat books, but just from core something that would fit the bill would be a follower of Kord.
Simple build that would be effective in the arena against single foes and groups
Human Fighter 1 / Cleric 7 (domains Str and Luck)
Feats:
Spiked Chain
Combat expertise
Improved Trip
Combat Reflexes

Possible items
Spell storing spiked chain
cloak of displacement or blur
teleport or blinking device
animated shield

 

[Empirate]

A Chain tripper is nice but powerless against flyers. At 8th level, wealth is still rather limited, so a bunch of constant items is out.

I'd go for a Sorcerer or Wizard, using Resilient Sphere to give a few free rounds to buff up (alter self, mirror image, fly, see invisibility, whatever), then hamstring the opponent with BC (web if the arena permits its use, glitterdust, solid fog, grease - depending on opponent, but all these could/should be available) and dispel magic, then plinking away with that Wand of Magic Missile.
Equipment includes said wand and a Ring of Counterspells (Dispel Magic).

Sure, you use up resources in every fight with this setup, but it makes it very, very hard to touch you, and it makes it very, very hard to resist what you're throwing around, making you useful against most monsters or NPCs out there in a Core only environment.

 

[Aran Thule]

Forget to ask in my last post but what type of arena is it?
Massive open air roman style sandbox or enclosed thunderdome?

Also what type of fight is it, death match or playing to the fans?

if its a thunder dome match then a Cloak of Arachnida with the enlarged spiked chain would reach most areas

 

[shadyizok]

Lvl 8 druid.
I'm gonna assume you can't bring your companion, if you can: more power to you!
First round wild shape in something that flies and start summoning your (non-evil!) critters to harrass the enemy. Buffet him with lighting or fire if he's a fighter-type, change into something narly if he a wizardy type.
Basicly the druid has the option of being a warrior or a caster, depending on the opponent or situation, and summon nature's ally X are good spells.

 

[MadWand]

A druid would probably work, but it's also important to consider the motivation of such a gladiator. Few druids I know would want to stick around in a gladiator pit; such activities do nothing to advance the cause of nature.

Normally I'd advocate something like a Warblade, which makes a perfect gladiator. Seeing this is core-only, though, I'll suggest some sort of gish character. A fighter 2/Sorcerer/Eldritch Knight would make a competent gladiator, able to overcome foes in a variety of ways. This build would also be greatly helped by 1 level of Spellsword.

The nice thing about a gish is that it can adapt to it's opponent's weaknesses. It can cast fly if the opponent is land-bound and has no good ranged attack (as many monsters and gladiators are) and blast away with magic missiles and scorching ray. If the arena has any kind of terrain, it can pin down enemies with Web, followed by magic missile. Against squishier enemies, it can engage in melee or even use a bow. The key is picking your spells and attacks to engage the weakness of your enemy. Wizards are better at adapting than sorcerers, but I have a hard time seeing how a wizard would gain anything by participating in an arena. A sorcerer has no such constraints and could be in it simply for the glory. If the gish thinks his next fight might be hard, he might pay for a friend to buff him, or buy appropriate scrolls or potions for the fight. Wise use of expendables is key in such battles, if they are permitted.

 

[Starbuck_II]

In my game one of the players (9th-level) won a gladiatorial tournament and is now allowed to face the champion.

Now I have a big problem: To design the Champion in an unbiased way. Meaning that I don't design him/her to simply thwart PC's abilities but in the same time I need to optimize him/her heavily. If I try to optimize him I notice that I thwart PC's abilities but if I don't optimize him I notice that he's a crappy champion which hurts verisimilitude.

So... can you help me design an 8th-level NPC that fills these requirements:
1. Core only
2. Highly experienced gladiator who has faced every core race and class-combination with every imaginable feat (and some non-core also) and won every fight. Opponents have been max. Challenge Rating 7.
3. Poison, necromancy and evil summoned creatures are not allowed
4. Non-evil theme
5. Maximum 5 magical items can be brought to the arena
6. Highly specialized in 1 vs. 1 -combats.
7. Making yourself invulnerable or ethereal round to round is generally not allowed
8. Fumbles and criticals are both very deadly and highly house-ruled in my games, so re-rolls etc. are powerful.
9. All gladiators have to be in normal form, visible and default size before battle starts. After the "FIGHT"-signal, polymorph/enlarge etc. are allowed.
10. No allies are allowed before battle starts

Campaign world is Greyhawk and tournament happens in Istivin.

What PB are we using? Is wealth NPC Gear so 9400 or PC Gear 27000?

Why isn't invulneable allowed? What do you mean?
Are buffs allowed before fight begins?
Core only, 5 magic items (includes potions?), 8th, non-evil
1st idea:
Bard 8, he uses Facinate (high Init to win/go first) then Suggest for 8 rd that enemy thinks it would be a good idea to surrenders. You get 8 will saves, if he fails any he surrenders.
Okay, not an epic fighter, but he always wins. Works on everything with a mind.

2nd idea:
Sorceror 4/Pally 2/Dragon disciple 2:
Wear no armor (mage armor), +1 Falchion, +2 Str item, Scroll Fly x2, Wand of Expenditious Retreat
Focus on Str, Con, and Cha. Mostly buff spells (Mage armor, Shield)/debuffs (glitterdust, grease).
There 5 items.

3rd idea:
Cleric 8 of Kord: cast Divine power/Righteous Might.
Str, Con, Wis (need at least 14 Wis)
Bag of Tricks (tan), Armor of Rage (cheap full plate), masterwork Morningstar (or whatever you choose) use 2 handed.
One turn one you throw from bag (quick draw it if now in hands). Get a Tiger hopefully to help hold them at bay while you cast buffs/debuffs, etc.

 

[cjosephs1s]

I'm not sure what class would be best for this, but slap the Half Celestial Template from Monster Manual 1 on your guy and for the +1 CR he gets all kinds of bonuses. I'm gonna assume that is a core book. Granted you only get 6 levels of a class but i'd give up one level of anything to get more stats, more armor, more spells, immunities, best skill points, and can probably fly (75% chance of wings).