D&D 4E 4e Contest - Prove Nate Wrong Finalists - You help decide winners!

[Najo]

First off, we would like to encourage posters to discuss the characters listed below. This allows the community to really dissect the finalists entries. Like the Power Attack finalists, we want to involve ENworld's communities in the selecting of the winners. We feel this is more fun. So here is how we are going to do it:

1. We have narrowed all of our entries down to the best we've recieved.
2. Those entries are listed here as entry A, B, C, and D. No names are attached to these entries.
3. Vote for the entry whose character abuses the 3.5 power attack feat the best. The member whose entry is listed can vote for their own entry.
4. No flaming, "pick me" or don't pick him" posts or other derrogatory statements. Feel free to discuss what you like or don't like with these characters, but remember these are real people's entries in to our contest. Please be respectful.

Any contestant who violates these rules is going to disqualified. So please have good sportsmanship and respect your other finalists.

Once the poll is over, the results will help us determine the placement of these finalists. Ulimately, this means we have veto power in case anything fishy happens. Likely, we are going to let the results of the poll stand unless something obviously indicates we shouldn't.

I would also like to take this moment to thank everyone who entered. It was difficult narrowing down these top 4. We recieved alot of good and creative submissions but ultimately not all of them can win. These four were chosen on their effective and original apporach to using the Power Attack feat. It does not matter if the use is in the spirit of the rules or not.

Still, all these finalists did a good job and for those not listed below we wish you better luck next time we do something like this

On with the top 4 entries for Prove Nate Wrong (Order here is in order we recieved them, and not any standing):

 

[Najo]

ENTRY A

Fighter 20 (no race specified)
STR 32 (+11), DEX 12(+1), CON 14(+2), INT 10(+0), WIS 12(+1), CHA 10(+0)
Init: +1
Fort: +20 (+2 Stat+12 base+5 Resistance +1 Competence);
Refl: +13 (+1 Stat+6 base+5 Resistance +1 Competence) - +14 While Hasted
Will +12 (+0 Stat+6 base+5 Resistance+1 Competence)

AC: 33 (10+1 DEX+5 Natural Armor+5 Sacred+10 Armor+1 Insight+1 Feats), *34 When hasted.
Speed: 30’; Fly (1/day, 5 min): 60’; Teleport line-of-sight (1/day) 60’; Swim 15’; *When hasted add 30’ to Speed, Fly, and Swim

BAB/Grapple: +20/+31
Attack: +39 (+20 BAB+1 Competence+11 STR+2 Feats+5 Magic) 2d4+25,15-20x2
*+1 When Hasted
Full Attack: +39/+39/+29/+24 2d4+25,15-20x2
Hasted Full Attack: +40/+40/+40/+30/+25 2d4+25,15-20x2

Skills: Jump +33 (+23 Rank+11 STR-2 AC penalty +1 Competence);
Swim +35 (+23 Rank+11 STR +1 Competence)

Feats: (1st) Law Devotion, (F1) Power Attack, (F2) Weapon Focus: Falchion, (3rd) Cleave, (F4) Weapon Specialization: Falchion, (6th) Great Cleave, (F6) Improved Sunder, (F8) Greater Weapon Focus: Falchion, (9th) Improved Critical: Falchion, (F10) Melee Weapon Mastery: Slashing, (12th) Combat Brute, (F12) Counter Attack, (F14) Greater Weapon Specialization: Falchion, (15th) Power Critical, (F16) Overpowering Attack, (18th) Leap Attack, (F18) Weapon Supremacy: Falchion, (F20) Law Devotion

Special: Under the Effect of Freedom of Movement; Breath Underwater; Zero Armor Check Penalty in Water; See Invisible 2/day for 5 min; all melee attack treated as good aligned; 1/day (CL 9th) - Cure Critical Wounds, Dispel Evil (DC17), Resist Energy (Acid or Cold); Immune to Rust; 1/day (CL 7th) - Rusting Grasp; +4 bonus on all checks made to resist being disarmed; Wield chosen weapon against foe who grapples you without penalty or first making a grapple check, make take standard or full attack as normal; When making a full attack, you can apply a +5 bonus to any single attack after your first strike; once per round before making an attack roll, you can instead choose to tread your d20 result as a 10; you gain +1 AC while wielding weapon; 2/day gain a +7 bonus to AC or attack rolls for 1 min.

Key Items: Manuel of Gainful Exercise +5, +5 Brilliant Falchion, +1 Undead & Construct Bane Ghost Touch Adamantine Falchion, +6 Belt of Giant Strength, Amulet of Natural Armor +5, Ring of Protection +5, Ring of Freedom of Movement, Cloak of Resistance +5, +5 Celestial Armor, Boots of Speed, Gauntlet of Rust, Greater Crystal of Aquatic Action, Armbands of Might, Bolt Shirt, Dragon Mask, Angel Helm, Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone, Pale Green Prism Ioun Stone (DMG and MIC) Gold Left: 78125gp

Note*: +1 on all Ability Checks from Pale Green Ioun Stone
Complete Warrior: Combat Brute
Complete Champion: Law Devotion
Complete Adventure: Leap Attack
Players Handbook II: Overpowering Attack, Melee Weapon Mastery, Weapon Supremacy, and Counter Attack

Notes For Contest: The Brilliant weapon should handle most of his targets AC and make it target able for the +27, Extremely high touch AC’s might lower the damage slightly. High Critical Range on the Falchion should pay off more in the long run, especially with “power critical” lending a +4 bonus on the confirmation. I left the race blank on purpose to show that this can be adapted for pretty much any of them. Power attack breaks when you find ways to up your attack bonus.

Attack Chain:
Azeem starts by activating his haste and his “Law Devotion” feat, then using “Leap Attack” to charge his target and sinking full attack into his power attack.

Attack: +29 (+2 charge +0 BAB+1 competence+11 STR+9 Feats+5 Magic+1 haste) 2d4+105,15-20x2

In the following round he full attacks and takes advantage of “momentum swing” from Combat Brute.

Attack: +27/+27/+27/+22/+17 (+0 BAB+1 competence+11 STR+9 Feats+5 Magic+1 haste) 2d4+85,15-20x2

Or Using “momentum swing” and Overpowering Attack to gain double damage from one strike.

Attack: +27 (+0 BAB+1 competence+11 STR+9 Feats+5 Magic+1 haste) 4d4+170,15-20x2

After this he takes in his surrounding and Either Overpowering attacks

Attack: +27 (+0 BAB+1 competence+11 STR+9 Feats+5 Magic+1 haste) 4d4+130,15-20x2

Full Attacks

Attack: +27/+27/+27/+22/+17 (+0 BAB+1 competence+11 STR+9 Feats+5 Magic+1 haste) 2d4+65,15-20x2

Or uses Counter Attack (More than three actively attacking targets in melee, you take a single attack, but any time before the start of your next turn, you can use and immediate action to make a melee attack (at highest bonus) against an enemy that attacks you in melee.

Attack: +27 (+0 BAB+1 competence+11 STR+9 Feats+5 Magic+1 haste) 2d4+65,15-20x2 (but hopefully 3 more attacks from Counter Attack)


Attack Base 32 str Magic Full Power Fighter Feat TOTAL Low High
normal 2d4 16 5 40 4 65 67 73
Charge 2d4 16 5 80 4 105 107 113
Crit Charge 4d4 32 10 160 8 210 214 230
Overpowver Followup 4d4 32 10 120 8 170 174 190
Crit OP Followup 6d4 48 15 180 12 255 264 279
normal crit 4d4 32 10 80 8 130 134 150
Over Power 4d4 32 10 80 8 130 134 150
Over Power Crit 6d4 48 15 120 12 195 201 225


AC To hit Percent Confirm Critical
32 27 75% 95%
33 27 70% 90%
34 27 65% 85%
35 27 60% 80%
36 27 55% 75%
37 27 50% 70%
38 27 45% 65%
39 27 40% 60%
40 27 35% 55%
41 27 30% 50%
42 27 25% 45%
43 27 20% 40%

 

[Najo]

ENTRY B

Start the day by casting permanent WraithStrike, Casting enlarge person, shield, improved mage armor, keen weapon, magic weapon, bless weapon sheath, drink Divine Favor potion and using arcane strike (9th level spell) and the battle belt to take one full round extra action (a full attack).
Start by making a full attack with PA 20 leaving 21/16/11/5 to hit with touch attacks, cleave and greater cleave should allow you to clear a 20 ft space (a 10 ft space for you and 5 ft on either side). You have a large reach weapon and you are large.
A quickened widened (via metamagic rod using spell glove and circlet of rapid casting) whirling blade lets you attack 120 ft -5ft or 115 feet in one direction and then a widened whirling blade lets you attack 115 ft in the other direction.
If any survive to attack you, you have 8 attacks of opportunities before they can reach you.
250 ft of targets, 2 targets per 5 ft equals 100 targets yielding 14,824 points of damage in one round. Certainly a good start to a legendary battle that would make his ancestors proud!

A more likely scenario might be ½ dozen dragons and their riders which you hit twice, but you get the idea. I also didn’t think you could twin the spell (doesn’t make sense because you are throwing the weapon). Remember, you could do this same thing with a straight 20th level human wizard.

I left plenty of gp for other magic items, you could downgrade the con and dex increases to save another 100,000 gp. The Bracers of Temporal Acceleration can get you out of dodge or healed up as need be. The ring of 9 lives means you can choose not to fail a failed saving throw (vs death, etc)!

Details are listed below for those who want to go through the math.

Fighter1/Wizard19
Initial Stats 14/14/14/10/14/10 (+2 Dex and -2 Con) = 14/16/12/14/10/10

5 Stat increases: 3 to Int, 2 to Str = 16/16/12/17/10/10
Tomes raise states str, int, dex and con by 4 = 20/20/16/21/10/10
The Transformation spell will raise the three physical stats by 4 = 24/24/20/21/10/10
Enlarge person raises strength to 26.
HP = 128 (168 with transformation)
AC = 37 10+5 (ROP)+5(amulet of NA)+7(dex)+4(shield spell)+6(improved Mage Armor)
1st Fighter Feat Exotic Weapon Talenta Sharrash (pg 120 Eberron Campaign Setting) D10 !9-20/x4
2nd-20th Wizard:
Character Feats(7 total): Silent Spell, Persistent Spell (Complete Arcane pg 81) Arcane Strike (Complete Warrior pg. 96), combat reflexes, PowerAttack, Cleave, Great Cleave
Bonus Feats: Extend Spell, Quicken Spell, Widen Spell,

Transformation 6th level 1rd/lv 20 BAB. You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, a +4 natural armor bonus to AC, etc

For 9 rounds, +9 to hit, +9d4 damage from Arcane Strike (free action)
Divine favor (+6) to hit and damage (from potion)
Str bonus is 8 and two-handed str bonus is therefore +12 damage

Use of spells make it +5Holy (2d6) Flaming (d6) Thundering (+3d8 on crit) with an bane (+1d6) augment crytal
+42 to hit, (2d8 +18 x4 if crit +3d8) + 4d6+9d4

Power attack for 20: +22 to hit, (2d8+58 x4 20% of attacks crit +3d8) +4d6 +9d4
Average = 9+ 58+14+22.5= 103.5 (75%), miss (5%) 67x4+36.5+13.5= 319 (20%) = 141.4 pts per target

23 squares (sudden widen) + 23 (widen) squares+ 4 squares melee = 50 squares = 100 targets
Total damage 14,140 + 6 attacks of opportunities for an additional 849 pts of damage. For a total of 14,989 points of damage in a single round.

Barbed Devil sorcerers + familiars
-50*3.5 due to fire damage having no effect on Barbed Devils (14989-175) = 14,824 points of damage in one round!
Enlarge Person: weapon becomes 2d8 instead of d10



100K +3 Holy Flaming Thundering Talenta Sharrash
4K Bless Weapon Sheath (or bless weapon oil)
Bane Augment Crystal (evil outsider, dragon, construct, undead)
Manual of Gainful Exercise, clear thought, etc (DMG 3.5 pg.262)
- +4 inherent bonus to Str, 110Kg
+4 Int 110,000 gp
+4 Dex 110,000 gp (these aren’t really needed, could use +2 and save gp for something else)
+4 Con 110,000 gp (could also be left off or +2)

- (Bracers of Lightning 11,000gp MIC p.206 +d6 shock if desired for an extra 350 points of damage (1/2 that in this example) but rather have bracers of Temporal acceleration to get out of dodge: Not Worn)
(Deathstrike Bracers 5,000 gp pg 93 MIC 3x per day for one round crits vs constructs, elementals and undead – not worn unless needed)
- Circlet of Rapid Casting 15,000 gp pg 86 MIC Quicken whirling blade spell 3x per day
- Casting Glove 20,000 gp Use an item as though you were holding it (metamagic rod i.e. widen)
- Bracers of Temporal acceleration 43,000 gp pg 79 2 rounds to heal, leave, etc.
- Boots of Sidestepping 6,000 gp pg 78 MIC 5’ step 3x/day
- Belt of Battle 12,000 gp pg 73 up to 1 full round action extra
- +5 Ring of Protection 50,000 gp
- Ring of 9 Lives
- +5 Amulet of Natural Armor 50,000 gp
- Divine Favor potion (or other source) lv 18 cost 900gp (say 9K for 10 of them)
- Metamagic Rod Enlarge
- +100,000+ gp of other good stuff

 

[Najo]

ENTRY C

Level 20 Chrono-Legionnaire
Nomad 5/Fighter 1/Ranger 1/Slayer 10/Anarchic Initiate 3

+5 Valorous Mage-bane Evil Outsider-Bane Cold Iron Longspear: 130310
+5 Full Plate with +3 Defending Armor Spikes: 58850
Cloak of Resistance +5: 25000
Belt of Magnificence +6: 200000
Ring of Protection +5: 50000
Shirt of Natural Armor +5: 50000
Skin of the Defender: 32000
Boots of Springing and Striding: 5500
Torc of Power Preservation: 36000
Tome of Clear Thought +4: 110000
Pale Green Ioun Stone: 30000
Dusty Rose Ioun Stone: 5000
Heward’s Fortifying Bedroll: 3000
Bag of Tricks (Grey): 900
Potion of Bless Weapon (CL2) x5: 500
Potion of Cloud Wings x3: 900
Bag of Holding Type II: 5000
15x Masterwork Colossal Siangham: 5220
Remaining Gold: 11820

Modified Ability Scores: Str 20 (+5) Dex 16 (+3) Con 20 (+5) Int 30 (+10) Wis 19 (+4) Cha 14 (+2)

HP: 179 [4 + 5.5 + 4.5 + 2.5*4 + 4.5*10 + 3.5*3 + 5*20]
AC: 42 [10 + 1 dex + 13 armor + 5 deflection + 9 natural + 3 defending + 1 insight]
Buffed AC: 67 [10 +10 int +13 armor +5 deflection +9 natural +3 defending +9 Force Screen +8 Defensive Precognition]
Init: +9 [+3 dex +2 psicrystal +4 feat]
BAB/Grapple: +16/+21 [+16 BAB +5 str]
Speed: 30ft

Saves:
Fort +20 [+9 base +5 con +5 resistance +1 competence]
Dex +16 [+7 base +3 dex +5 resistance +1 competence]
Will +24 [+14 base +4 wis +5 resistance +1 competence] +4 compulsions and mind-affecting effects

Feats: Psionic Weapon, Overchannel, Psicrystal Affinity (Nimble), Power Attack, Practiced Manifester, Track, Psionic Meditation, Deep Impact, Expanded Knowledge (Control Body), Improved Initiative, Expanded Knowledge (Schism), Expanded Knowledge (Expansion)
Abilities: Ranger Favored Enemy +2, Wild Empathy [1d20+0], Slayer Favored Enemy +8, Enemy Sense, Brain Nausea, Lucid Buffer, Cerebral Blind, Breach Power Resistance, Cerebral Immunity, Chaotic Grace, Anarchic Surge, Wild Surge +1, Psychic Enervation

PP: 335 [250 + 85]
Powers Known (ML 17, Effective ML 20):
Level 1 [DC 21]: Defensive Precognition, Expansion, Force Screen, Psionic Grease, Offensive Precognition, Offensive Prescience, Vigor
Level 2 [DC 22]: Damp Power, Dimension Swap, Ego Whip, Evade Attack
Level 3 [DC 23]: Energy Wall, Dispel Psionics, Psionic Lion’s Charge, Solicit Psicrystal, Telekinetic Thrust, Touchsight
Level 4 [DC 24]: Control Body, Dimension Door (Psionic), Psionic Freedom of Movement, Psionic Fly, Schism, Wall of Ectoplasm
Level 5 [DC 25]: Anticipatory Strike, Power Resistance, Psionic Teleport, Teleport Trigger
Level 6 [DC 26]: Inconsistent Location, Temporal Acceleration
Level 7 [DC 27]: Divert Teleport, Psionic Ethereal Jaunt, Psionic Moment of Prescience
Level 8 [DC 28]: Shadow Body, True Metabolism
Level 9 [DC 29]: Assimilate

Attacks:
+5 Valorous Magebane Evil Outsider-Bane Cold Iron Longspear:
Attack: +27/+22/+17/+12 [+16 BAB +5 str +5 enhance +1 competence] Damage: 1d8+12 [+7 str +5 enhance]
+5 Valorous Magebane Evil Outsider-Bane Cold Iron Longspear (Control Body):
Attack: +32/+27/+22/+17 [+16 BAB +10 int +5 enhance +1 competence] Damage: 1d8+15 [+10 int +5 enhance]
+3 Defending Armor Spikes:
Attack: +17/+12/+7 [+13 BAB +3 str +1 enhance] Damage: 1d6+4 [+3 str +1 enhance ]

Skills (total bonus in parenthesis):
Concentration 18 (+21), Knowledge Dungeoneering 4 (+7), Knowledge Psionics 18 (+23), Knowledge The Planes 8 (+11), Listen 18 (+22), Psicraft 18 (+23), Spot 18 (+22), Unassigned Skill Points 17

Important Abilities and Class Features

Deep Impact + Psionic Meditation: Attack your enemy’s touch AC instead of normal AC once every round.

Control Body + Solicit Psicrystal: When used on self, it provides an attack bonus of +5, a damage bonus of +3, an AC bonus of +9, and allows one set of physical actions and one set of mental actions every turn. The only downside is losing the ability to make attacks of opportunity. It’s also a Fort save-or-die power. A truly fantastic combo.

Psionic Fly: Enables diving charges for double damage (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040706a).

Valorous Weapon Enhancement: Raises damage multiplier to x3 on a diving charge or x2 on a normal charge.

Temporal Acceleration: Psionic Time Stop! Allows for quick buffing at the beginning of every encounter.

Assimilate: +4 to all abilities for 1 hour by toasting a creature summoned by the Bag of Tricks. Very powerful. Can be used offensively, but you deal more damage with your attacks. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s possible to use this in a Temporal Acceleration, and I’m not sure how it interacts with Control Body.

Telekinetic Thrust: Moves stuff around the battlefield, or throw large weapons of choice for up to 45d6 (gargantuan nunchaku or colossal crossbow bolts) or 60d6 damage (colossal siangham) if they all hit.

Anticipatory Strike: Greatly improves your spike damage. For example, in the first round you can use Temporal Acceleration to buff up and move into place, diving charge, then teleport away. One initiative later, use Anticipatory Strike, and diving charge again, which doubles your one-round damage potential. This can also save you from unexpected hazards.

Cerebral Immunity: Selective immunity to mind-affecting effects. Removes drawback of Temporal Acceleration.

Inconsistent Location: It grants superb battlefield mobility and puts you in position to charge every turn.

Schism: Grants another mental standard action.

True Metabolism: Gives you fast healing 10 for 20 minutes.

Energy Wall: The primary purpose of this spell is a cheap way of disrupting attacks and spellcasting, not dealing damage. It’ll mess with targeting, and the damage can force a Concentration check. Plus, it ignores SR and Rings of Evasion. At later levels, it can function as an AoE damage spell when combined with Temporal Acceleration.

Wall of Ectoplasm: Superb battlefield control power that can double as a reflex-based save-or-suck. Unfortunately, using it for utility like as a bridge requires Spider Climb or a phenomenal balance check.

Ego Whip: Not that great at low levels, but with 22 PP this deals an average of 15 Charisma damage and dazes on a failed save, and 7 Charisma damage on a successful save. Two is almost always going to be lethal.

Disintegrate, Psionic: As a direct damage power, it leaves a lot to be desired (pick up Celestial Conduit instead). However, the real reason to use this power is to destroy walls and force effects.

Divert Teleport: Makes Dimension Swap much more versatile, allows for greater control over Teleport Trigger, and restricts enemy mobility.

Shadow Body: Good for stealth, damage reduction, darkvision, immunities, etc.

(Celestial Conduit), (Crystal Shard), or (Energy Stun): I don’t recommend getting another direct damage power, but if you want one, these are your best choices. Celestial Conduit deals positive energy damage and it has a 1:1 PP to DC augment. Crystal Shard goes through an anti-magic field. If you’re not using the Complete Psionic nerf, Energy Stun is crazy good and you should definitely take it if your DM is OK with that.

Ranger and Slayer Favored Enemies: Your choice!

Using Power Attack

Important Statistics:
Average CR20 monster AC is 31.44 with a standard deviation of 9.04 and a max of 40.
Average CR20 monster touch AC is 8.75 with a standard deviation of 5.24 and a max of 17.

Table and Analysis:
Below is the optimal PA table, and a comparison between Power Attack and Weapon Focus. The top section is when you’re totally unbuffed, and the bottom section is when you’re buffed with only Control Body. In each section, the top box is for single hits and the bottom box for full attacks. To Hit is your opponent’s AC minus your to-hit, before PA’s attack penalty or Weapon Focus’s attack bonus benefit. EDp is the expected damage with optimal Power Attacks. EDf is the expected damage with Weapon Focus. Diff is the difference between the two. A positive Diff means Power Attack is better, and a negative Diff means Weapon Focus is better.

To Hit: -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
PA: 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 0 0
EDp: 27.6 26.0 24.4 22.9 21.4 20.0 18.6 17.2 15.9 14.7 13.5 12.4 11.3 10.3 9.3 8.3 7.4 6.6
EDf: 15.7 15.7 15.7 15.7 15.7 15.7 15.7 15.7 14.9 14.0 13.2 12.4 11.6 10.7 9.9 9.1 8.3 7.4
Diff: 12.0 10.3 8.7 7.2 5.7 4.3 2.9 1.6 1.1 0.7 0.3 0.0 -0.3 -0.5 -0.7 -0.8 -0.8 -0.8
PA FA: 6 5 4 3 3 2 2 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
EDp FA: 65.6 61.0 56.4 51.8 47.3 43.1 39.0 35.2 31.8 28.7 25.9 23.1 20.6 18.2 15.7 14.0 12.4 10.7
EDf FA: 53.6 52.0 50.3 47.9 45.4 42.9 40.4 38.0 34.7 31.4 28.1 25.6 23.1 20.6 18.2 15.7 14.0 12.4
Diff: 11.9 9.0 6.0 3.9 1.9 0.1 -1.5 -2.8 -2.9 -2.7 -2.2 -2.5 -2.5 -2.5 -2.4 -1.7 -1.7 -1.7

To Hit: -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
PA: 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 0 0 0
EDp: 30.2 28.5 26.8 25.2 23.6 22.1 20.7 19.3 17.9 16.6 15.3 14.1 12.9 11.8 10.8 9.8 8.8 7.8
EDf: 18.5 18.5 18.5 18.5 18.5 18.5 18.5 18.5 17.6 16.6 15.6 14.6 13.7 12.7 11.7 10.7 9.8 8.8
Diff: 11.7 10.0 8.3 6.7 5.1 3.6 2.1 0.7 0.3 0.0 -0.3 -0.5 -0.7 -0.9 -0.9 -1.0 -1.0 -1.0
PA FA: 5 5 4 3 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
EDp FA: 72.3 67.9 63.3 58.6 54.0 49.5 45.2 41.0 37.1 33.2 30.2 27.3 24.4 21.5 18.5 16.6 14.6 12.7
EDf FA: 63.4 61.4 59.5 56.6 53.6 50.7 47.8 44.9 41.0 37.1 33.2 30.2 27.3 24.4 21.5 18.5 16.6 14.6
Diff: 8.9 6.4 3.8 2.1 0.4 -1.3 -2.6 -3.9 -3.9 -3.9 -2.9 -2.9 -2.9 -2.9 -2.9 -2.0 -2.0 -2.0

With Control Body up (and it should be at these levels), Power Attack handily beats out Weapon Focus even on full attacks. Without Control Body, Power Attack loses out slightly against Weapon Focus. An interesting thing to note is that even when Weapon Focus is at its best versus Power Attack, the spread is only at about 4 points of expected damage. On the other hand, Power Attack can easily be better than Weapon Focus by much more than that.

I also compared Deep Impact + Power Attack versus Weapon Focus + Weapon Specialization + Greater Weapon Focus. With a Deep Impact diving charge against the CR20 monster with the highest touch AC, you can dump your entire BAB into Power Attack and still maintain a 95% chance of hitting (even without Control Body or any other buffs!). Such an unbuffed charge deals an average of 145.5 damage. Power Attack contributes 96 of that damage. That’s an expected damage of 138.2. Weapon Focus + Weapon Specialization + Greater Weapon Focus gets you an expected damage of 65.6 versus an average AC monster on a full attack with Control Body. There’s simply no comparison here.

With a 4 round Temporal Acceleration’s worth of buffs, your average damage will 1-shot a Pit Fiend (in other words, the buffing and killing combined will only take 1 round). If you also have some kind of damage power that’s tough to save against like Celestial Conduit, you can tack it on at the end and kill the Balor in 1 round a well. This is not possible without Power Attack.

I have a little demonstration to show you just what Power Attack lets you do. If you’ll turn the page…


Abusing Power Attack: Soloing A Hecatoncheires
For reference, pertinent Hecatoncheires stats:

HP: 1048
Initiative: +10
Speed: 100 ft.
AC: 72 Touch: 30
BAB: +52
Attack: Greatsword +73 melee (2d6+20/17-20); or boulder +55 ranged (2d8+20/19-20)
Full Attack: 100 greatswords +73 melee (2d6+20/17-20); or 100 boulders +55 ranged (2d8+20/19-20)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Superior Multiweapon Fighting, spell-like abilities, Summon Hecatoncheires
Special Qualities: Abomination traits, electricity immunity, regeneration 40, fast healing 50, SR 70, DR 20/good and epic and cold iron
Saves: Fort +39, Ref +30, Will +27
Abilities: Str 50, Dex 15, Con 32, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 24
Skills: Climb +75, Diplomacy +13, Hide -12, Intimidate +40, Jump +89, Knowledge (history) +33, Listen +104, Search +105, Sense Motive +49, Spot +104, Survival +54
Feats: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Critical (boulder), Improved Initiative, Multidexterity, Multiweapon Fighting, Power Attack, Improved Sunder, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Focus (boulder)
Epic Feats: Epic Toughness (×2), Epic Weapon Focus (greatsword), Epic Weapon Focus (boulder), Multiweapon Rend
Challenge Rating: 57

Superior Multiweapon Fighting (Ex)
A hecatoncheires fights with a greatsword or a boulder in each hand. The hecatoncheires does not suffer an attack or damage penalty for attacking with one hundred weapons. However, the press of limbs prevents the creature from making iterative attacks with any of its arms, nor can it make more than ten attacks against a Small or smaller creature, fifteen attacks against a Medium-size creature, or twenty attacks against a Large creature in the same action (it can make all its attacks against a Huge or larger creature in one action).

Spell-Like Abilities
At will— greater magic weapon, fly, shield. Caster level 50th; save DC 17 + spell level. The DC is Charisma-based.

Summon Hecatoncheires (Sp)
A hecatoncheires can summon one other hecatoncheires once per day, though is loath to do so because then it will be similarly obligated to answer its sibling’s summoning. A summoned hecatoncheires cannot use its summoning power while “summoned.”

Abomination Traits
Immune to polymorphing, petrification, and other form-altering attacks; not subject to energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, or death from massive damage; immune to mind-affecting effects; fire resistance 20; cold resistance 20; nondetection; true seeing at will; blindsight 500 ft.; telepathy out to 1,000 ft.

Regeneration (Ex)
Hecatoncheires take normal damage from good weapons or weapons tempered with the blood of a deity.


The Process:

This routine requires a very large open area.

Buffing Sequence:
Less than 1 hour before the fight:
- Teleport Trigger (destination: somewhere safe) triggered upon getting hit [12 PP]
- Gain Psionic Focus
- Assimilate on a small animal summoned by the Bag of Tricks [16 PP]
- Drink Potion of Cloud Wings

First Round of the Fight:
If you lose initiative and the Heca hits you, you teleport away and try again later. There’s almost no way it can kill you in 1 hit.

If you win initiative:
- Swift Action: Overchannel Temporal Acceleration for 4 rounds [22 PP]
> Round 1: Augmented Control Body [10 PP], Solicit Psicrystal on Control Body [4 PP], move towards charging distance
> Round 2: Oil of Bless Weapon (physical action), Psionic Fly (mental action) [6 PP]
> Round 3: True Metabolism [14 PP], move towards diving charge location
> Round 4: Precognition Offensive +7 [18 PP], dismiss Teleport Trigger, move into diving charge location
- Mental Standard Action: Expansion (Augmented for Huge size) [6 PP]
- Physical Full-Round Action: Deep Impact diving charge
- Mental Move Action: Psionic Dimension Door to a safe distance away (Augmented) [12 PP]

Second Round of the Fight:
The Heca can’t do anything relevant.

- Swift Action: Temporal Acceleration for 2 rounds [14 PP]
> Round 1: Overchannel Prescience Offensive +8 [21 PP], regain Psionic Focus
> Round 2: Dimension Door into diving charging location [6 PP]
- Physical Full-Round Action: Deep Impact diving charge
- Mental Standard Action: Dimension Door to safe location [6 PP]

The Loop:
The Heca still can’t do anything relevant, and now you’ve got all your buffs up. Repeat this until the Heca is dead.

- Swift Action: Temporal Acceleration for 1 round [10 PP]
> Round 1: regain Psionic Focus, Dimension Door into diving charge location [6 PP]
- Physical Full-Round Action: Deep Impact diving charge
- Mental Standard Action: Dimension Door to safe location [6 PP]

The Math

Attack: +29 [+16 BAB +12 Int +2 Charge +9 Enhancement +7 Insight +1 Competence -16 Power Attack -2 Size]
You hit the Heca’s touch AC on a 2 (1 is automiss).

Damage: 13d6+186 [3x (3d6 +12 Int +9 Enhancement +32 Power Attack +9 Insight) + 4d6 Banes]
Average Damage: 231.5 (first round: 204.5)
Average Net Damage Per Round: 181.5 [228.5 -50 Fast Healing] (first round: 154.5)
Expected Number of Rounds to Kill Heca Given 1 Miss: 7 [2+(1048-154.5)/181.5]

Expected Power Points Used: 274 [164 + 5x22]

Experience Points Gained Using Straight-Line Extrapolation: 7,549,747,200 [4800 * 1.5 * 2^floor(57-16)]
OK, straight-line extrapolation is obviously wrong here. But you’ll be gaining tons of experience points.

The Sound of Victory: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb_wbAW5yNY

The Explanation
In any 1v1 fight, your goal is simple: kill your opponent before you run out of juice or your opponent kills you. The latter part is easy: there’s no way the Hecatoncheires can kill you fast enough. While even one hit from a Greatsword with Power Attack would really hurt, you can’t get hit by it. With augmented Expansion and a reach weapon, you can hit the Heca from 30’ away. The Heca’s melee attack only reaches 15’. You’re also more maneuverable than the Heca, and with smart Dimension Door positioning, there’s no way he can reach you in melee or move away. If he’s on the ground, he can move 100’ or fly 60’ straight up as a readied action. In this case, slightly more than 90’ right above the Heca is the sweet spot. If the Heca is in the air, his speed drops to 60’. In this case, the sweet spot is anywhere from 120’ to 150’ away (and at least 10’ above) the Heca.

While the Hecantoncheires can make 100 attacks as a full round action, there’s nothing that allows him to make 100 attacks as part of a readied action. Thus, while the Heca can hit you with a boulder as a readied action every round, that 19 net average damage per round (thanks to True Metabolism) isn’t going to be nearly enough to win the damage race. With Assimilate up, you have 219 HP, enough to survive 11 rounds of boulders. After the charge, you can Dimension Door 1200’ away. In the SRD, there’s no listing for the Heca’s range increment for boulders, so I thought an increment of 200’ was reasonable based on the giants’ boulder-throwing range. Thus, as long as you’re more than 1100’ away, the Heca can’t hit you with a boulder during his turn.

Running out of Power Points is a bigger concern. Thanks to Power Attack, your offensive capabilities are good enough to kill the Hecatoncheires before that happens. You can bypass both the Regeneration (good weapon through Oil of Bless Weapon) and the DR (weapon is cold iron by default, bless weapon makes it good, and it has a +9 enhancement bonus thanks to Magebane and Evil Outsider-Bane). Since you’re only making one attack per round, Deep Impact allows you to ignore the high normal AC and instead use the much lower touch AC. Finally, with the diving charge, Valorous weapon enhancements, and Power Attacking for your BAB, you have enough damage output to hurdle the Fast Healing 50 and take out all of the Heca’s 1048 HP before you run out of juice

 

[Najo]

ENTRY D

Objective: create a 20th-level build for D&D 3.5 that consistently abuses Power Attack.
Power Attack is typically used to deal massive amounts of damage in combat. However, there are many ways to thwart melee attacks, thus ruining any well planned Power Attack and preventing it from dealing any damage. Therefore, I shall exploit Power Attack in an entirely different way, one that enemies cannot stop by preventing melee attacks. Enter: the mind reaper build.
The mind reaper build exploits Power Attack to gain large amounts of psionic power points between combats. The mind reaper uses the 3.5 Core rules, the Expanded Psionics Handbook (abbreviated EPH), and the larval flayers power from Complete Psionic. (Versions of the build can be created without referencing the Complete Psionic; see Adapting the Mind Reaper, below.)
Unless noted otherwise, all psionic powers used in this build are described in EPH Chapter 5 (specific page references are not listed since the powers can be found there in alphabetical order). The bodyfeeder, mindfeeder, and psychic weapon properties are all found on pages 165-166 of that same sourcebook. All of this build’s other magic items are from the DMG.
This build was created with a 28-point buy. Its starting scores were as follows:
Str 13, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 10, and Cha 8.
Strength was increased by a +6 enhancement bonus and a +3 inherent bonus, each from magic items included in the mind reaper’s possessions and counted against his total wealth; Dexterity was increased by matching bonuses from other such items; Constitution was increased by a +6 enhancement bonus and a +4 inherent bonus; Intelligence was increased by one per four levels of advancement, as well as by a +6 enhancement bonus, and a +3 inherent bonus.

Mind Reaper
Human psion (kineticist) 10 /illithid slayer 10 (EPH pages 20 and 146)
TN Medium humanoid
Init +6; Senses illithid sense (60 ft. radius, EPH 147), elfsight power (low-light vision, detects secrets doors as does an elf), psionic darkvision power (60 ft.); Listen +23, Spot+25
Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven, Undercommon
AC 42, touch 21 (42 vs. incorporeal), flat-footed 36 (+6 Dex, +5 ring of protection, +14 Overchanneled inertial armor power, +7 Overchanneled thicken skin power); danger sense power (additional +4 AC vs. traps, improved uncanny dodge, uncanny dodge); Miss Chance 20% (minor cloak of displacement)
hp 212 (20 HD); inertial barrier power (DR 5/–, half damage from falls); Overchanneled empathic feedback power (anyone striking the mind reaper with a melee attack takes 18 points of damage or the amount of damage dealt, whichever is less, no save)
Fort +18, Ref +16, Will +21; lucid buffer class ability (+4 saves vs. compulsions and mind-influencing effects, EPH 147); danger sense power (additional +4 saves vs. traps)
Immunity while psionically focused only: all devices, powers, and spells that influence the mind or that reveal location (see cerebral blind and cerebral immunity, EPH 147)
Resistance energy conversion power (acid 30, cold 30, electricity 30, fire 30, sonic 30)

Speed 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 40 ft. (average) with psionic overland flight power
Melee +1 mindfeeder psychic scythe +26/+21/+16 (2d4+14/x4) or
Melee maul of the titans +24/+19/+14 (1d10+12, triple damage vs. inanimate objects) or
Melee +1 bodyfeeder scythe +22/+17/+12 (2d4+10/x4)
Base Atk +15; Grp +21, psionic freedom of movement power
Attack Options Deep Impact (EPH 45), Power Attack, Psionic Weapon (EPH 50), breach power resistance (EPH 147), favored enemy illithids +8
Special Actions Psionic Meditation (regain psionic focus as a move action)
Combat Gear cognizance crystal (3-power-point capacity, EPH 167)
Psion Powers Known (406 unspent power points after manifesting active powers, ML 19th):
9th (17 power points) – affinity field (DC 29), microcosm, psionic etherealness, tornado blast (ranged touch +21, DC 29)
8th (15 power points) – bend reality, psionic greater teleport, psionic mind blank**
7th (13 power points) – divert teleport*, energy conversion*, psionic moment of prescience
6th (11 power points) – dispelling buffer*, psionic overland flight*, temporal acceleration
5th (9 power points) – adapt body*, power resistance, psionic true seeing
4th (7 power points) – empathic feedback*, energy ball (DC 24), inertial barrier*, psionic dimension door, psionic freedom of movement*, remote viewing (DC 24)
3rd (5 power points) – body adjustment, body purification, danger sense*, psionic darkvision*
2nd (3 power points) – elfsight*, energy missile (DC 22), larval flayers (Complete Psionic 91), sustenance
1st (1 power point) – defensive precognition, inertial armor*, offensive precognition, offensive prescience, thicken skin*, vigor
*kept continuously active (see Tactics, below); included in stat block where appropriate
**kept continuously active on all allies (see Tactics, below)

Abilities Str 22, Dex 22, Con 24, Int 30, Wis 10, Cha 8
SQ blast feedback (EPH 147), brain nausea (EPH 147)
Feats (feats not in the PHB are in EPH Chapter 3) Deep Impact, Delay Power, Expanded Knowledge (remote viewing) B, Expanded Knowledge (thicken skin) B, Extend Power, Overchannel, Power Attack, Psionic Meditation B, Psionic Weapon, Talented, Track
Skills Autohypnosis +23, Concentration +30, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +33, Listen +23, Psicraft +33, Sense Motive +23, Spot +25, Survival +23
Possessions combat gear plus minor cloak of displacement, +5 ring of protection, +5 vest of resistance, +6 amulet of health, +6 belt of giant strength, +6 gloves of dexterity, +6 headband of intellect, +4 manual of bodily health (expended), +3 manual of gainful exercise (expended), +3 manual of quickness of action (expended), +3 tome of clear thought (expended), Heward’s handy haversack, plus mundane goods worth 28,559 gp.

When the mind reaper’s defensive prescience, offensive precognition, and offensive prescience powers are active, the mind reaper’s stats change as follows for two minutes:
AC 50, touch 29 (50 vs. incorporeal), flat-footed 36 (+8 insight when not flat-footed)
Melee +1 mindfeeder psychic scythe +34/+29/+24 (2d4+23/x4) or
Melee maul of the titans +32/+27/+22 (1d10+21, triple damage vs. inanimate objects) or
Melee +1 bodyfeeder scythe +30/+25/+20 (2d4+19/x4)

When using psionic moment of prescience and the Deep Impact feat in conjunction with a single attack, the mind reaper’s stats change as follows for that attack, not counting modifiers for charging or Power Attack, if any:
Melee +1 mindfeeder psychic scythe +48 melee touch attack (damage unchanged) or
Melee maul of the titans +44 melee touch attack (damage unchanged) or
Melee +1 bodyfeeder scythe +42 melee touch attack (damage unchanged)


Tactics
The mind reaper fills the role of a sorcerer in a party. His ideal adventuring companions would be a cleric, a fighter, and a rogue. If possible, he stands behind these companions, providing them with artillery support and battlefield control. He avoids melee whenever possible.
Primary Use of Power Attack (“Reaping”): A mind reaper rarely, if ever, uses Power Attack in combat. In fact, a mind reaper rarely, if ever, makes melee attack in combat. As the party’s sorcerer, he should avoid melee combat whenever possible.
He instead exploits Power Attack in non-combat situations by “reaping” summoned creatures to gain psionic power points. This between-encounter process goes as follows:
First, the mind reaper manifests the larval flayers power (Complete Psionic 91) to summon 1d3 larval flayers. As no enemies are present, the larval flayers do nothing, awaiting the arrival of opponents.
Second, the mind reaper makes non-lethal attacks to render one or more larval flayers unconscious. A larval flayer has AC 18 and 11 hit points, so the mind reaper’s full attack should easily render a larval flayer unconscious in a single round.
Third, the mind reaper activates Power Attack for his full base attack bonus and performs a coup de grace on the unconscious larval flayer with his +1 mindfeeder psychic scythe. Because a coup de grace automatically hits, the penalties of Power Attack do not apply. The coup de grace is an automatic critical hit that deals 8d4+172 damage (2d4+14 damage for an ordinary +1 mindfeeder psychic scythe attack +30 damage for Power Attack, all multiplied 4).
Because the scythe has the mindfeeder property (EPH 165), it grants an amount of temporary power points equal to the damage dealt on any critical hit. The mind reaper’s coup de grace thus grants him 8d4+172 temporary power points (120 of those the result of Power Attack).
At the beginning of the day, the mind reaper uses these temporary power points to manifest powers with durations measured in hours, extending them using the Extend Power feat if necessary and using the Overchannel feat to increase their effective level.
As needed throughout the day, the mind reaper repeats the above process to gain additional temporary power points to reactivated dispelled or expired powers. Essentially, “reaping” provides him with a large number of free, renewable, active powers.
The mind reaper also repeats the “reaping” process whenever he has advance warning that combat is about to begin (when fighting in an arena, when using scry-buff-teleport tactics, when entering a lair known to be inhabited by a monster, etc.). This affords the mind reaper 8d4+172 free power points to use during the anticipated encounter.
(During unexpected combats, the mind reaper simply uses his normal daily allotment of power points, being no more or less effective than any psion not using the “reaping” process.)
Note that using this tactic to gain massive amounts of power points before an anticipated fight relies heavily upon Power Attack; temporary power points granted by a mindfeeder weapon do not stack, so without Power Attack, “reaping” can only provide the mind reaper with 8d4+52 temporary power points at any one time. Thus, the mind reaper uses Power Attack to gain a conditional bonus of 120 power points, renewable at will with three rounds notice.
Secondary Uses of Power Attack: In addition to the above tactics for gaining psionic power points, the mind reaper can also use Power Attack outside of combat in other ways.
Using the “reaping” process described above, but substituting a bodyfeeder weapon for a mindfeeder weapon, the mind reaper gains temporary hit points in the same manner as he gains temporary power points. (Because his +1 bodyfeeder scythe does not have the psychic property to increase its effective enhancement bonus, he gains ‘only’ 8d4+156 temporary hit points for each use of this tactic.)
In addition, the mind reaper can use Power Attack in conjunction with his maul of the titans to smash through objects, doors, and walls. When making a full attack with a maul of the titans and using a 15-point Power Attack, the mind reaper only misses on a natural ‘1’ and deals 3d10+126 damage per attack. That’s an average of just less than 396 points of damage per round.
Though the mind feeder is not optimized for this use of the maul of the titans, he can still use it to hammer a 10-ft. corridor through solid stone at a rate of roughly 20 feet per minute. The mind reaper frequently uses this tactic to breach the walls of illithid fortresses in the hunt for his favored enemy.
Tactics During Combat: All of the above uses of Power Attack take place out of combat. In combat, the mind reaper instead relies upon psionic powers to defeat his foes.
When unable to prepare in advance, a mind reaper tries to conserve his 406 daily power points by manifesting only as many powers as necessary, making only limited use of temporal acceleration to manifest multiple powers per round. He typically avoids spending more than 20-30 power points per round.
When able to reap 8d4+172 temporary power points in the moments before a fight, the mind reaper instead lets loose with his deadliest powers at full maximum effect for as long as he has temporary power points remaining. Typically, he spends upwards of 100+ power points per round manifesting a 19-point temporal acceleration and any four other psionic powers at maximum effect. He uses the Delay Power feat to delay any offensive powers until his temporal acceleration expires, allowing them to affect targets as normal.
Because the mind reaper can replenish temporary power points as needed outside of combat, he can spend the first two rounds of each fight for which he has prepared in advance using this last tactic at little or no power point cost to himself. Needless to say, this is his preferred combat tactic.
A typical combo of powers to unleash in one round using temporary power points might include any of the following:
Psionic greater teleport (15 power points) to enter a creature’s lair, followed by a 19-point temporal acceleration and three 17-point tornado blasts (delayed 3 rounds, 2 rounds, and 1 round at a cost of 2 power points each) for up to 75d6 wind damage, no spell resistance;
19-point temporal acceleration, followed by three 17-point tornado blasts (delayed 3 rounds, 2 rounds, and 1 round at a cost of 2 power points each) and one non-delayed 19-point tornado blast for up to 102d6 wind damage, no spell resistance;
19-point temporal acceleration, Overchanneled 21-point body adjustment, Overchanneled 21-point body adjustment, Overchanneled 22-point vigor, 19-point tornado blast to have the mind reaper heal 16d12 points of damage, gain 110 temporary hit points, and still deal 19d6 or more points of wind damage, no save;
19-point temporal acceleration, Overchanneled 22-point defensive precognition, Overchanneled 22-point offensive precognition, Overchanneled 22-point offensive prescience, followed by a move action and a full attack action (mildly useful against creatures invulnerable to the mind reaper’s normal psionic attacks, but otherwise avoided.)
All of the above combos require only one round to activate in full. The mind reaper uses temporary power points reaped using Power Attack prior to the start of the fight when possible, preventing these combos from depleting his daily power point allotment.
Also note that the mind reaper has both remote viewing and greater psionic teleport, allowing his party to use scry-buff-teleport tactics, as needed. In addition, he has divert teleport always active, preventing others from using scry-buff-teleport tactics against him.

Adapting the Mind Reaper
In campaigns that use only the 3.5 Core rules and the Expanded Psionics Handbook, the mind reaper must be created without the use of the larval flayers power from Complete Psionic. This can be accomplished by spending skill points to maximize Use Magic Device and equipping the mind reaper with wands of summon monster (caster level 3rd or higher); by having the mind reaper carry several small animals for use as sacrifices; or by having the mind reaper work with allies who are able to cast low-level summon spells.

 

[Najo]

Feel free to comment on the characters please

 

[Kirnon_Bhale]

I would say that the Mind Reaper is by far the most abusive of Power Attack because the basic premise of power attack is to launch huge amounts of damage but this is using it WAY out of the box and clearly not for its intended use. This is not just simply adding in as much damage as you can this is abusing the very notion of damage, nevermind just power attack.

 

[Najo]

I would like to hear each voter's take on the 4 character builds above. Also let me know what your second and third choices would be.

 

[Najo]

Let's keep these up so the contestants get good exposure to voting.

Please give input on the different character's and their use of Power Attack.

I am also curious to the community's veiew of the 3.5 power attack and whether anyone feels it is broken.

 

[Sadrik]

BloodStorm Thrower (or BS Thrower for short)

The BS Thrower is a cute little guy that can throw up to 16 daggers a round that are all touch attacks and fully power attacked.

Halfling
Warblade 1/Swordsage 4/Bloodstorm Blade 10/Master Thrower 5

STR13/DEX22/CON14/INT8/WIS14/CHA8 (Starting Stats w/ Halfling mod and +5 stat boost to dex)
STR19/DEX28/CON20/INT14/WIS20/CHA14 (w/ belt)
STR19/DEX32/CON20/INT14/WIS20/CHA14 (w/ book)

FORT +21 (2+1+7+1+5+5)
REF +29 (0+4+3+4+5+11+2)
WILL +18 (0+4+3+1+5+5)
HP 12 + 4d8 + 10d12 + 5d8 + 100 = ~227
AC 42 (10+11dex+5wis+8 bracers+4 ring+4amulet)
BAB +19
Initiative +12
Skill Points 77 at least 8 in balance

Feats
1 Point Blank Shot (+1 to hit and damage within 30’)
3 Rapid Shot (-2 to hit but +1 attack)
6 Power Attack (-1 to hit for +1 damage)
9 Two-Weapon Fighting (Gain an additional off hand attack at -2 to all)
12 Improved Two-Weapon Fighting (Gain an additional off hand attack at -5)
15 Iron Heart Aura (+2 to your allies near you)
18 Shadow Blade (Use Dex for shadow hand weapons including damage)
BSB3 Precise Shot (ignore -4 to fire into melee)
BSB6 Weapon Specialization (+2 damage)
BSB9 Stormguard Warrior (don’t take AoO gain +4 hit and damage, swap 1 or more attacks to do a touch attack each that hits allows +5 damage next turn, and some other lame ability)

Class Features
Battle Clarity (INT to Reflexes)
Weapon Aptitude (Use fighter only feats and alter weapon based feats to different weapons)
Quick to Act (+1 Initiative)
Discipline Focus: Shadow Hand (Weapon focus: Dagger, Short Sword, Sai, Siangham, Unarmed Strike, Spiked Chain, Wisdom bonus to damage with discipline strikes)
AC Bonus (Wisdom to AC while in light armor)
Returning Attack (not used: gets over written w/lightning ricochet)
Throw Anything (Throw any melee weapon w/ 10’ range increment)
Martial Throw (Use Iron Heart Strikes with a thrown weapon)
Thunderous Throw (Treat thrown weapons as Melee attacks (can use strength and power attack))
Lightning Ricochet (Thrown Weapons Return as a Free action (so full Attack))
Bloodwind Ricochet (Full round of attacks that can bounce each attack around obstacles)
Eye of the Storm (While in an Iron Heart stance alter it as a swift action to give you +4 dodge bonus +2 competence to Reflexes, and make a free melee attack against someone that makes an AoO against you)
Blood Rain (While in an Iron Heart stance alter it as a swift action to cause an opponent hit 3 points of bleeding damage at the start of your round every round until they make a DC 15 heal check)
Blade Storm (Attack everyone within 100’ once with your highest BAB)
Quick Draw (Draw weapons as a free action)
Evasion (as normal)
Snatch Arrows (Grab one ranged weapon per turn out of the air; throw it back as a free action)
Critical Throw (Improved Critical with all weapons you have Weapon focus)
Weak Spot (Thrown weapons are touch attacks no strength to damage)
Palm Throw (little thrown weapons throw two with one attack roll instead of one)
Deadeye Shot (Critical Multiplier increases by 1 (Dagger does x3 crit))

Stances
Iron Heart- Punishing Stance (+1d6 damage but -2 AC)
Shadow Hand- Child of Shadows (Gain Concealment as long as you move 10’+)
Shadow Hand- Assassin’s Stance (+2d6 sneak Attack)

Maneuvers (ready 8 total)
*Iron Heart- Steel Wind (gain +1 attack)
*Iron Heart- Steely Strike (+4 on one attack opponent gets +4 to attack you)
*Stone Dragon- Stone Bones (if you hit: DR 5/Adamantine for 1 round)
*Shadow Hand- Cloak of Deception (greater invisible for 1 round)
*Shadow Hand- Shadow Jaunt (50’ teleport in shadows)
*Setting Sun- Counter Charge (Opposed dex or str check to redirect a charge 10’ away from you)
*Shadow Hand- Clinging Shadow Strike (Gain 20% concealment for 1 round)
*Shadow Hand- Shadow Blade Technique (Roll two attacks use the lower to deal cold damage)
Shadow Hand- Drain Vitality (Deal 2 con damage)
Shadow Hand- Strength Draining Strike (Deal 4 str damage)
Shadow Hand- Burning Blade
Shadow Hand- Blistering Flourish

Equipment
4 +5 distance daggers (crit 17-20 x3)72K x4 = 288K (need 4; 2 for each hand)
+4 Amulet of Natural Armor 32K
+4 Ring of Protection 32K
+5 Vest of Resistance 25K
+8 Bracers of Armor 64K
10 Divine Favor potion (CL 18) cost 900gp/each 9K [+6 to attack and damage]
+6 Belt of Magnificence 200K
+4 Dexterity Book 110K

Set up
Its simple: take a Divine Favor Potion

The 100’ radius attack
If the BS Thrower can use his BladeStorm (BS) class feature to hit everyone within a 100’ radius with a +26 touch attack (Each range category will lower this by 2) that deals ~99 damage to each person (I don’t know how many squares are in a 100 foot radius and how many people can be in that radius, but it is a lot) Your saying what??? Yeah me too.

Attacks
The BS Thrower does all touch attacks all the time
bab 19, dex 11, magic 5, pbs 1, wf 1, size 1, Halfling 1, divine favor 6, rapid shot -2, 2-weapon fighting -2
+41/+41/+41/+36/+36/+31/+26
Steel wind adds another +41 attack 1/encounter
+22/+22/+22/+17/+17/+12/+7 w/power attack -19
From other post (didn’t verify) (Average CR20 monster touch AC is 8.75 with a standard deviation of 5.24 and a max of 17.) This guy should be hitting on all 7 or 8 attacks.

Damage
1d3 + 19 pa + 5 magic + 11 dex + 2 specialization +1 pbs + 6 divine favor +1d6 punishing stance
w/ palm throw each hit is two hits for damage so
2d3+2d6+88 ~99
So if he hits with all of his touch attacks and steel wind the BS thrower deal 792 on average

Another neat strategy
Use greater invisibility and make attacks with the Stormguard Warrior feat hit the 7 times and wow you just tacked on + 490 damage next round (+35 more if you use steel wind that round too). Who is counting… that is just 1,317 measly damage in one round.

Why does this work?
Key abilities:
Power Attack, Thunderous Throw, Dead Eye Shot, Palm Throw, Lightning Ricochet, Shadow Blade, and just a lot of really neat synergy.