Sultans of Smack

[Jeremy]

Charlatan Smackdown
Originally Posted by Roland

Roleplaying Smackdown. Or Bluff is your friend. Or Dms are my Bitc*es.

Or Liar Smackdown. But I prefer "Charlatan Smackdown".

It's a simple smackdown, with few magic objects and without Prc......
Well, when I build a character, I try to make him without too many magic objects.
Not burst, flaming, vorpal, speed and so on...
Your character must be strong without any Dm's aid. This is the way to the real smack!

For this smack you need Psionics Handbook, Song and Silence, FRCS and DMG.

Human Psion (Telepath) 16th level

Skills: 19 to Bluff or to Diplomacy.
Cha 18 (+4) (Hey! It's a smackdown!)
Levels +4 so +2 to Cha
+5 Inherent so +2 to Cha (25500 gp)
Psycristal: Liar +2 to Bluff (or Friendly +2 to Diplomacy)

1st level: Spell Focus +2 to Bluff + Greater Spell Focus Bluff +4 (if you want a diplomat, choose Diplomacy, +4)
3rd level: Street Smarts +2 to Bluff and Gather Information (or if you want a diplomat, choose Smooth talk, +2) (FRCS)
6th level: Silver Palm +2 to bluff and +2 to Appraise (FRCS)
9th level: Psychoanalist: +2 to Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate checks
12th level: Charlatan +2 to Bluff and Disguise Checks (Trustworthy for Diplomacy) (S&Silence)
15th level: Persuasive +2 to Bluff and Intimidate checks. (S&Silence)
(For a diplomat player, 5 ranks in bluff give a +2 synergy to Diplomacy checks)

Cloak of Charisma +6 Enanchment bonus 36000 gp.
Potion of Glibness +30 to Bluff checks (500 gp) (Ok, maybe it's broken, but it's a core item!) An' it's cheap.
Shield: Command, +4 competence bonus to charisma. (4465 gp, I think)
Breastplate of Command, +2 circumstance bonus on charisma checks and skills (21600 gp)

Conceal Thoughts +20 (PsionH) (16 h) unammed bonus

(Optional +3 to Cha for age)

Total gp: 88065 gp.
-----------

Skill Check:

1d20
+19 Bluff skill
+4 Cha 18
+2 Levels
+2 Inherent
+2 Psycristal
+4 Greater Spell Focus
+2 Street Smarts
+2 Silver Palm
+2 Psychoanalist
+2 Charlatan
+2 Persuasive
+3 Cloak of Cha.
+30 Potion of GLibness
+2 Buckler of Command
+2 Breastplate of Command
+20 Conceal Thoughts
+2 optional for age (yes, It's +3 to Cha, but +5 inherent to Cha for the Tome...))
---

<editor’s note: I’m pretty sure “Greater Spell Focus” was an error and comes out of there, unless it somehow can be ruled to affect the Conceal Thoughts power.>

Total: 1d20+100 (0r 102 optional aged character). With only a standard action.

No preparing rounds.

So with 2 on a roll, you have a 102 (104) Bluff ("or" only 50, I think, to Diplomacy Checks).

ps: Take for example Phlogiston, the uber Half-fire elemental/half-great wyrm red dragon drd20, cr47, his sense motive is 42+30 (impossible check, I think)=72+1d20 (A note: Sense motive isn't a class skill for a dragon! Bwahahaha)

"Yeah, yeah I'm a lammasu polymorphed in an halfling by an evil mage.. etc etc.. pfui.
How many times must I repeat this phrase, sigh? What? Sure, I'm trustworthy!"

Well, are we trying to influence an Npc? Okkaaayyy

1d20
+4 Charisma Modifier
+2 levels
+2 Inherent
+2 Psychoanalist
+3 Cloak of Cha
+2 Buckler, Shield
+2 Breastplate of Command
optional +3 age
---

Total=1d20+22 to Charisma Checks.

<editor’s note: 19 ranks of diplomacy will add directly to that roll>

A friendly Npc becomes Helpful.
An indifferent Npc become helpful with 8 on a roll.
An unfriendly Npc becomes helpful with 18 on a roll (ughhh) or friendly with 3.
Am hostile Npc becomes indifferent with 3, friendly with 13.

 

[Jeremy]

That’s just EVIL!
Originally Posted by DM_Matt

<editor’s preface: I love bad guy DM smacks, this one has a lot of errors so I will try to sum up, due to the way that maho-tsukai is written, not only does this character have access to just about every spell list, he is effectively a 7 level caster in 3 different classes with all the scroll and wand benefits found therein. Not to mention what a high base attack getting itinerate attacks at the monk unarmed rate will do with 8 arms and a tail on an iaijutsu master… That said, I’m going to snip some of the errors that weren’t edited.>

Ok, here is the OA Soul-Selling Smack. This character has beomce a Maho, taking both associated prestige classes, and pleased evil sufficiently that he has become an Akutenshi. The highlights of the smack are the Maho-Bjuin Crimson Road ability (which lets a character advance in iterative attacks as a monk advances in iterative unarmed attacks), the Maho-Tsukai's ability to convert previous spellcaster levels into Maho-tsukai levels and combine their spell lists, the Akutenshi ability for Maho-bujin levels to grant +1 spellcaster level for Maho-Tsukais, the Frenzied berserker's Improved Power Attack (-2 for +3), the Iajutsu Master's ability to add his cha bonus to each IJ die, and the way in which the berserkers's Deathless Frenzy works well with undead immunities. Enjoy.

Str: 18+5=23
Dex: 18+6 = 24
Con: -
Int: 18
Wis: 18
Cha: 18+6= 24

Taint: 13

Race: Human with the Akutenshi template (ECL+2)
Level: 20

Classes: Maho-Bujin3/Maho-Tsuki 4(maho-tsukai 1,converted Clr1, converted sorc1, converted druid 1) +3 virtual levels for spellcasting purposes from template)/Iajutsu Master5/Barb1/Fighter1/Frenzied Berserker5/Contemplative1 (Mysticism Domain)

Akutenshi traits: Fast Healing 3, Undead, Damage Reduction 30/+3, 8 Arms, Tail, Maho, darkvision 120 or fly at 160 (poor)

EQ
-----
Cloak Cha +6 36k
Gloves Dex +6 36k
Periapt Wis +6 36k
Katana +1 Spellblade (Disintegrate) Corrosive Flaming Frost Acidic Burst Focus (+8) 99.28k
7 Katana's +1 Corrosive Flaming Frost 112k
Wand of Tenser's Transformation 90k
Wand of Righteous Might (Use Act) 37.5k
Necklace of Divine Favor (+6)(Use Act) 36k
Wand of Brilliant Aura 25c 60k
Wand of Righteous Wrath o/t Faithful 25c 52.5k
Wand of Greater Aspect of the Deity 25c 60k
Wand of GMW (50c) 16.875k
3 Lesser Rods of Empower 48.6k
Lesser Rod of Chain Spell 27.5k
----------------------------------------------

Skills:

Iaijutsu Focus: 23 ranks+14 insight+2 Skill Focus+7 Cha = +46

Feats:

Free: Multidexterity, Multiweapon Fighting, Remain Conscious,Weapon Finesse(Katana), Supreme Cleave, Improved Power Attack

Bonus: Skill Focus (Iaijutsu Focus), Weapon Focus (Katana), Power Attack

Level: Exotic Weapon Prof (Katana), Cleave, Improved Initiative, Quick Draw, Intimidating Rage, Destructive Rage, Improved Critical (Katana)

Initiative: +15

Relevant Spells to cast on self: Improved Invisibility, Haste, Divine Power (while only holding main katana so the others don’t grow), use wands for tenser’s trans, righteous might, greater aspect of the deity, smite first attack, 3x empower Bulls Str... gmw main katana, chain it to the rest with the rod... keen main katana... chain to the rest with the rod.

Str: 23+13(enh)+4(enlargement)+4(GAD)= 44 (+17)
Cha:24+2 GAD

BaB: 51/31/31/28/25 offhands 25/25/25/25/25/25/25, Tail 19 (all armor is ignored on all attacks [brilliant energy weapons] and improved invisibility will often strip Dex and Dodge bonuses as well)

DMG:

1 Attack at 2d6+1d6+1d6+1d6+1d6+9d6+72(IJF...average roll10) +10BA +45PA +6Luck +17Str +5rnh +2rrotf+20 smite)

4 Attacks at 2d6+1d6+1d6+1d6+1d6+9d6+72 (IJF...average roll 10)+10BA +45PA+ 6Luck+ 17Str+ 5rnh +2rrotf.

7 attacks at 1d10+1d6+1d6+1d6+9d6+72(IJF...average roll 10) +10BA +45PA+ 6Luck +9Str +5enh +2rrotf...

1 tail attack at 1d6+9+6+1
-------------------------------------

If all attacks hit ..assume normal odds of crits, so say, 3.5 with main attack, 2.5 with secondarys, none with tail or the smite.....

SO....270d6+9d10+3885 on the first round.

Thats a range of 4164 to 5595...so median damage should be 4883 points. And this assumes that he did not get surprise.

<editor’s note: final tally needs to be recalculated due to losing 7 attacks (BAB maybe uncapped, but itinerate attacks are not unfortunately >

I am sure that there must be some slight miscalculations here, since I have tweaked it so much. After his attacks, he can activate rage and frenzy at the beginning of the next round, granting him +14 strength. At that point, Deathless Rage kicks in. It prevents him from dying until his rage is up. Instadeath is an exception, but he is undead (no death magic, cant charm him) and his spellblade renders him immune to disintegrate, so he is practically invincible for a period of time. He can also keep a staff with harm around to max out his hp during his hasted action. This (and the inflict spells that he can cast) prevents opponents from running away and waiting for his frenzy to end and him to die. Pretty much the only way this thing dies is if he is taken out just as his frenzy ends, or if he loses his sword AND gets disintegrated, or loses his healing stuff. For an enemy that can pelt him from afar, he can just get out with a scroll of TP w/o E.

 

[Jeremy]

+200 Save Smackdown
Originally Posted by Al

Noting a previous save smackdown where the averages were +40 or better, I thought I'd go a couple of steps further: I'd try to get an average of +60. I managed that, but there was still just a little bit more that could be squeezed out, so I went for the big one: total saves of +200.

Here it is:

Human Psi(Tel)1/Clr8/Contemplative9/Pal1/Sor1 *reincarnated* to a Halfling (this is crucial, see later).

Clerical Domains are irrelevant, but Contemplative prestige domains have to be Mysticism and Divination (e.g. Pelor should do the trick).

Base:
From Paladin: +2/+0/+0
From Sorceror: +2/+0/+2 (includes Rat familiar)
From Psion: +0/+0/+2
From Cleric: +6/+2/+6
From Contemplative: +3/+3/+6
Totals (so far): +13/+5/+16

Forsaker might seem strange, but just become an ex-forsaker. You only want to be one for the vital +1 boost to Dex.

Not too bad so far.

Reflex is looking a bit poorly, so cast Divine Agility to grant yourself the Reflex save of a 20th level rogue: +13/+12/+16

Now, we cast Greater Aspect of the Deity, and then apply the ability mods:

Dex: 18base +5wish +6Gloves +2halfling racial +2halfcelestial racial = 33 (+11)
Con: 18base +5wish +6Headband of Perfect Excellence (S&F) +4halfcelestial racial = 33 (+11)
Wis: 18base +5wish +6Headband of Perfect Excellence +4halfcelestial racial +3age = 36 (+13)

Note that due to Timeless Body (Contemplative 9th level ability) there is no penalty to physical statistics from aging.

Add them on: +24/+23/+29

Now we begin the real smackdown:

Cha: 18base +5wish +5advancement +6Cloak +4halfcelestial racial +3age = 41 (+15)
Using Mysticism and the Paladin bonus, this gives +16 to saves (not +30, see DotF pg.80)

We now have: +40/+39/+45

Beginning to shape up, but we're still a long way off.

So we turn our attention to feats: (8 total, 7+1 human (hence could not start halfling))

Iron Will +0/+0/+2
Lightning Reflexes +0/+2/+0
Great Fortitude +2/+0/+0
Strong Soul +1/+0/+1
Divine Cleansing +2/+0/+0 (when active) (sacred bonus)
Snake-Blooded +0/+1/+0
Bullheaded +0/+0/+1
Improved Psicrystal +2/+0/+2 (taking Resolve, includes bonus for Hero psicrystal)

NB NO Luck of Heroes as luck bonus will not stack with spells.

The tally stands at +47/+42/+51

Magical Items are next:

Vest of Resistance +5/+5/+5 (resistance)
Armour of Command +2/+2/+2 (gives +4 to Cha, so +2 to all saves)
2 Arms of Nyr +0/+2/+0 (+4 Dex: hey, they are unnamed bonuses, who says you can't have two?)
Potion of Heroism +2/+2/+2 (competence bonus)
Headband of Perfect Excellence (already covered)
Gloves of Dexterity +6 (already covered)
Cloak of Charisma +6 (already covered)

That's it. Anything else will be superseded by spells:

That takes us to +56/+53/+60

Finally, here comes the spell run-down.

Recitation +3/+3/+3 (luck)
Righteous Wrath +2/+2/+2 (morale)
Foresight +0/+2/+0 (insight) (from Divination prestige domain)
Tenser's Transformation +3/+0/+0 (competence, normally +5 but only +3 over Potion of Heroism)
Rage +2/+0/+0 (+4 Con)
Curse of the Brute +1/+0/+0 (since you have odd numbers in both Charisma and Constitution, this will yield a net benefit)
Emotion: Rage +1/+0/+0 (+2 Con, and believe it or not it does stack with Rage)
Greater Aspect of the Deity (already covered)

Use Miracle to emulate spells which you cannot cast (TT, Rage, Emotion). Technically, if TT'd you cannot cast spell, and same with Rage, so TT yourself and ask a friend to Rage you.

Total: +68/+60/+65

Then, stand behind 9/10 cover. This gives a +4 cover bonus to Reflex saves: it's a bit of a cheat, but smackdowns assume optimal conditions. If you're particularly worried, just assume we create Walls of Stone around ourselves.

This takes us to +68/+64/+65.

Three points off!

That's why you got reincarnated as a halfling.

Add the racial bonuses and you get the grand total of +69/+65/+66. Add them together and you get +200.

Phew!

And believe it or not, this actually makes quite an effective character even if not going for saves: he can use arcane, psionic and divine items, cast 9th level divine spells and has full armour and martial weapon proficiencies, as well as have a few 1st arcane and psionic abilities as a little boost. Neither are there multiclass penalties (you started as a human, remember?). Finally, it is 'self-contained': there is no reliance on scrolls: 36 Wis gives you 3 9th level spells (Miracles) and 1 domain spell (Greater Aspect of the Deity).

All of this assumes you can't Empower a spell more than once: otherwise Triple Empowered Eagle's Splendour is the way to go (and 3xEmpowered Cat's Grace/Endurance/Owl's Wisdom).

Now what were the DCs for Azathoth's spells again? 60ish? Not a problem
__________________
'Any technology sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic' -Arthur C. Clarke

'Any technology not indistinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced' -Terry Pratchett

<author’s updates: You *can* Empower many times...now that is interesting.

Well, in that case make the following changes:

Quadruple Empowered (Triple Empowered, once from Rod of Greater Empowerment) Cat's Grace/Endurance/Owl's Wisdom and Eagle's Splendor.

Max enhancement bonus = 5 x 3 = +15

This takes stats up to
Dex 42 (+5 better than before)
Con 42 (+4 better than before)
Wis 45 (+5 better)
Cha 50 (+5 better)

So saves are now +78/+75/+76, total +229.>

 

[Jeremy]

Please remember that no smack is perfect on it's first try and if you'll do a search for the original thread of the smack, you'll probably find that your concerns have been posted and addressed in the thread. Unfortunately for my own sanity's sake and for the preservation of the brevity of this archive, I cannot post every question and correction for every post.

Conversely, if an author wants to use the board's private message thing to send me additions or corrections to one of their posts, it is your post and I will do my best to alter it as you like as soon as possible.

Thank you, and let the smacks continue!

General guidelines for new smacks:

-Creative
-Entertaining
-16 level PC’s/Good Guys or lower (CR20 Monsters/Bad Guys or lower)
200+ points of damage in a single round to one opponent or more (cumulative damage does not apply, i.e. no 60 damage fireball that hits 4 people), preferably if not the first round, then the first round then enemy can react to you
-Legal according to published rules, sourcebooks, and expansions

Submissions now open, smack away.

 

[Veldrane]

Evil Wizard, kneel to The Lady

Spellcasting Cleric DC Smackdown

Should've been titled: "Evil Wizard, kiss my a**", but The Lady deserves more respect

Tired of all the 20th level Red Wizard / Shadow Adept that have impressive DC? Ok, let's see a 16th level Good Guy that can smash 'em down... ...and it's very easy to build...

Material used: Phb, FRCS, DotF

Character: Human, Cleric (Mystra) 7 / Divine Disciple 5 (Mystra) / Contemplative (Mystra) 1 / Hierophant 3

Domains:
Cleric: Spells, Magic
Divine Disciple: Madness*
Contemplative: what you want

*according to the Deities conversion table on FRCS, Mystra has the Madness domain

Hierophant abilities: 3* +2 Spell Power

Feats: (in any order but Spellcasting Prodigy at 1st Level)
Spellcasting Prodigy
Spell Focus: Necromancy
Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy
Heighten Spells
Spell Penetration
Greater Spell Penetration

Items:
Tome of Understanding +5
Rod of Greater Empowerment

Preparation:
Actually just casting the Owl's Wisdom at the beginning of the day and preparing a Spell Enhancer as sixth-level domain spell via Anyspell (Spells Domain). Oh, also Heighten the Destruction spell from lvl 7 to 8.

Wisdom Score

18 Base
+2 Spellcasting Prodigy
+4 Level Ups
+5 Inherent
+6 Insanity Score*
+15 Owl Wisdom**
=

50 Wisdom, for a Bonus of +20 (and a huge amount of bonus spells )

* Assuming the DM only allows the PrC that gives the Madness Prestige Domain to stack with Cleric levels
** Quad-Empowered Owl's Wisdom, three times with metamagic feat (becoming an 8th lvl spell), and once via Rod of Greater Empowerment

Save DC:

10 Base
+20 Wisdom Modifier
+6 Hierophant Abilities
+4 Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy
+2 Spell Enhancer (casted as a free action)
=

DC: 42 + Spell Level meaning the Destruction will have DC 50

Overcoming Spell Resistance Check

16 Level
+6 Hierophant Abilities
+4 Greater Spell Penetration
=

+26, not bad, since you're just 16th level

Actually the Spell Enhancer can be used via magical item -you have the Magic Domain- as a partial action granted by Boots of Speed (if your DM doesn't allow free action spells to retain their quickness if cast via magical items)

The DC can be improved going to lvl 20 (other 2 Spell Power +2 or just one and the Divine Reach to convert all the Slay Living spells in Ranged Touches), you get another +1 to Wisdom through level ups, and you can finish the Hierophant PrC and get two more levels as a Cleric to increase by 1 more your Insanity Score, but it's quite effective also as it is at 16th level

Enjoy, and Hail to The Lady of Mysteries

Edit: typo

 

[Jeremy]

Very astute Veldrane. As DotF is based on "default" Greyhawk setting, the only deities listed with the Madness domain are the Greyhawk trio Boccob, Erythnul, and Vecna.

But in the FR, those three translate to (FRCS pg. 9) Azuth, Mystra, Savras, Velsharoon, Cyric, Garagos, Malar, and Shar. Very nice. Well done.

Meanwhile, into my head pops this little idea...

How about a 16th level schism'd psion who throws out a quickened mass concussion as a free action, a twinned mass concussion with his standard action, and another twinned mass concussion with his extra partial mental action (---then uses his move action to hide of course )?

That'd be 35d4 damage over a 40 ft diameter sphere at a range of over 1000 feet. And with the highest DC possible: No Save.

35d4 is what? 87 points of damage average? Blast. Too weak. Hmmmm.. Too bad you can't maximize those, it's not like you haven't got the power points for it. That'd be 140 damage, no save for the bargain price of 63 of around 203 of your power points. Of course, a 20th level psion could do it if he had a torc of psionic might...

Oh well, I guess the only psion smacks are going to be half echo's of arcane ones or possibly.... Hmmmm... Level 16 18 CHA human telepath takes greater psionic focus in telepathy, manifests a 3x fortified animal affinity for a maximum of 8 points of charisma, has a cloak of charisma +6, a medium shield of command (+4 competence bonus to CHA), +4 from level ups, +4 from a tome of leadership and influence, and is wearing a psionatrix of telepathy has a DC 30-50 Will Save for his True Domination power... Oh well, I guess he can go Dominate one of the other smackdown characters to do 200+ points of damage.

Or maybe a Egoist/Savant/Nomad who really needs something taken care of can bump their DC by 20-40 with psychofeedback and give someone a DC 90 disintegrate or some such. That might be promising, but only as a last ditch effort, and if it's last ditch, you probably wouldn't have the 89 power points you need to do it, even if you had 200+ to start the day with... Well, maybe...

Bah. Wimpy psions.

 

[Veldrane]

Try with the Overpower Feat instead of multiple Fortify... ... power x2 instead of power x1.75 at the same cost (+6 PP)...

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/psi/psi20011026a

 

[DM_Matt]

Where does it say that iterative attacks are capped?

Even so, though, the "That's Just EVIL!" smackdown loses 5 attacks, not 7. Two attacks are granted by Haste and Rightious Wrath of the Faithful in addition to the five iteratives.

 

[Veldrane]

A couple of tweaks about Spikey's Smackdown (the Frenzied Berserker):

• Insert two levels of Tribal Protector before the Frenzied Berserker, thus making it Barbarian 1 / Fighter 4 / Tribal Protector 2 / Frenzied Berserker 10. This allows to use the Wild Fighting Ability (one more attack at the highest BAB, but all attacks at -2)
• Use the Falchion and go for the Improved Critical / Keen weapon (with 6 attacks / round, you criticize on 12-20, it hurts a lot)

Hope it helps...

 

[Jeremy]

Of all places, it first appeared in the Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. But the Sage has since confirmed it, and no creature with 20+ BAB since, monk or otherwise, has had more than 4 attacks from BAB. Admittedly, his are great only decreasing 3 rather than 5 from base..

Ah, sorry. I guess I misinterpreted, I sliced off the sliding down attacks past the static numbers after 4.

If you'll let me know how the text should read, I'll edit it into the text. Send it to me in an e-mail though. jairevans@hotmail.com

I always forget those net feats, thanks Veldrane.