Sultans of Smack

[Veldrane]

what do you guys think?
Are the Smackdowns munchkin, unplayable rules-exercises, or are they optimized, rare playable-PC's?
(i smell a new smackdown thread-poll-bait?)

The best Smackdowns IMHO are the ones who draw power from class (or PrC) abilities combos, more than from a specific situation, so... ...they're (not so) rare-playable PC, or at least they should be that (and that's what the best smackdowns are, actually)...

 

[DM with a vengence]

"Are there that many of those in the multiverse?" Smackdown

For this smackdown we need a 16th level Wizard or Sorcerer with the following items, stats and feats.

Scroll of Timestop (CL 17)
11x Scrolls of Gate (CL 20)
Bandoleer of Scrolls
Spellcasting attribute of 19
Improved Initiative

Combat begins.
1st round: Haste on self, grab the Scroll of Timestop
Partial Action: Cast Time stop, you have a 90% chance to cast it so we'll assume you do. If you don't, get out of there fast and try again tomorrow.

Timestop: Assuming average rolls, the Timestop lasts for 3 rounds, and because you're hasted, you can cast 6 Gates.
With each Gate, summon a Half-Fiend Great Wyrm Red Dragon (HFGWRD), since the Gates are Cl 20, you can command them.

2nd Round: Order the HFGWRDs to delay until after your initiative cast Gate and Gate in another HFGWRD.
Partial Action: Cast Mass Haste on the HFGWRDs.

Since we tried to summon 7 HFGWRDs, but only 75% of our attempts worked, we now have 5 hasted HFGWRDs under our control.

The HFGWRD all do the following attack sequence on your target.

Breath: 24d10, Reflex DC 40
Quickened Destruction (from Half-Fiend, with Quicken Spell-like Ability feat.): Die or 10d6, Fortitude DC 30
Meteor Storm: 24d6, no save
Quickened Horrid Wilting (from Half-Fiend, with Quicken Spell-like Ability feat.): 25d8, Fortitude DC 31.

Assuming the target saves on the Destructions, but misses everything else, damage is 120d10+125d8+170d6 660+562.5+595).

Total Damage: 1817.5

 

[CRGreathouse]

Re: "Are there that many of those in the multiverse?" Smackdown

Assuming average rolls, the Timestop lasts for 3 rounds, and because you're hasted, you can cast 6 Gates.

Most people agree that []ihaste[/i] doesn't stack with time stop.

 

[DM with a vengence]

Make that the same smackdown with 3 dragons then.

72d10+75d8+102d6 (392+337.5+357)

Revised Damage: 1068.5

 

[RigaMortus]

Shuriken Smackdown
Originally posted by reapersaurus

I’d like to thank my sensei, Carpe DM, for the inspiration for this smackdown.
In addition, Caliban, for his excellent, ongoing rules support.

Damage:
Shuriken: 1 point, can throw 3 in a attack (at same target).
+1 from Point-Blank Shot
Weapon Spec (+2)
Divine Favor spell (+4 luck) 1 minute duration
Divine Wrath (Divine Champion level 5 ability, +3 attack, damage, and saves for CHA bonus rounds)
Divine Might (+ CHA bonus: 18 base CHA + 5 levelups + 5 average from Empowered Eagle’s Splendor, + 4 from Charm domain ability (1 min), +4 from Command armor = 36 = +13 bonus)
Emotion spell (+2 morale)
+1 from Ranger favored enemy (might as well)
Bracers of Throwing (+1 competence)

= 28 damage per shuriken.

I might be wrong about this, but I thought the latest news about adding damage to Shurikeens was that most damage is only applied to the first Shurikeen thrown. For example, I thought the damage for Point-Blank Shot and Weapon Specialization (+1 and +2 respectively) only counted on the first Shurikeen thrown, not all of them. Not sure about all the other abilities and feats listed there, but I have an idea that the same holds true for most of them. So actually that would be 28 damage for the FIRST Shurikeen thrown per attack. Again, I could be wrong, but in the event I am right here, you might want to change this so others looking at it don't get the wrong idea.

 

[Al]

+200 Save Smackdown

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

 

[reiella]

One comment on the pudding smack that just recently changed.

CR does now change with advancement by size (MM errata), and no longer provides the xp multiplier iirc. Doesn't actually change anything except the comment about raising it's HD .

 

[hong]

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.

Pah! One harm spell and he's toast, just like all the rest.

 

[orbitalfreak]

+200 Save Smackdown

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).

Actually, you can Empower multiple times.

"A spellcaster can use multiple metamagic fets on a single spell." PHB 78, under METAMAGIC FEATS: Multiple Metamagic Feats on a Spell.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Actually, you can Empower multiple times.

This is correct.

I didn't include any of the fancy things in the other "save smack" because I was replying to a post with specific, narrow requirements. I've never liked defensive smacks myself, mainly because they're so easy to defeat - harm for hit points or save, area effect or targeted spells for AC, etc.