Best 10th lvl Melee "Tank"

[Ungruush]

ok, ive basically given up...

my DM is simply railroading me into the ground, so now i'm calling for assistance...

I need to make the biggest baddest tank i can using only core races (including races of destiny/stone) and any feats and classes in 3.5...

but here's the biggie...

i need to minimize the magic items to nothing more than mundane...and pretty cheap...

this is now a formal call for help


any ideas would be much appreciated


[edit]
and for the records, i'm just trying to make a max'd, more or less invulnerable melee character...

the dm has kicked back every character ive made so far on the basis that i rely too heavily on magic items. i mean, if they items are there, and i have the money and the resources to purchase them, why can't i?

sheer craziness...

 

[krupintupple]

perhaps bringing more to the table would work out better for you - give us a build that you've already put work into and allow us to build upon it.

i'd suggest a goliath fighter 2 / barbarian 2, with the racial feature for barbarian that allows a further +2 on strength and con, and using a huge greatsword (since goliath count as large, I believe) for seriously hurtful damage.

however, my books aren't on me and i could be all wrong.

 

[MithrasRahl]

Is this starting at level 1? 4? 10? What?

Do you care at all what race, style, etc?

Do you want high hit points or high AC?

 

[Herobizkit]

If you're trying to be a really annoying player, what you need is a DEX-based warrior; you'll want to be able to do all sorts of special manoeuvres while being nigh-impossible to hit.

You'll probably want to go Fighter x/Monk 2 for this, and might as well go Dwarf - you lose out on one feat, but you gain +4 to resist bull rushes and tripping and +2 Con doesn't hurt.

For your first bonus feat, I'd take EWP: Spiked Chain. Now you've got a reach weapon that you can use in melee AND trip with. With two Monk levels, you'll want to take Improved Grapple and Combat Reflexes. When you get your bonus Fighter feat, take Combat Expertise to get all kinds of attacks of opportunity, then move into Improved Disarm and Improved Grapple. Now you can trip people from 10' away, or get in close, grapple, and punch people for good damage.

 

[dontpunkme]

I agree with Mithrasrahl. Give us a start level and tell us what kind of build do you want? Also some idea of what you expect to be fighting would be nice. Party composition can make a big difference in your choice, any light you can shed there can provide us with a better idea of what will mesh best.

Generally speaking, if you're going to be fighting humanoids, magical beasts, or giants (basically creatures without DR that ARE vulnerable to crits) focus on lots of attacks try a Human Scout/Ranger/Dervish. Obscenely high number of attacks coupled with bonus attacks and what should make for an insane AC. For things that have high DR, go Goliath barbarian/frenzied berserker. Tons of damage per hit to overcome DR. Plus, the sheer number of hit points you're sporting will cover the low AC. A sword (or axe) and board, heavy armor sporting dwarf can be quite nasty. You can pimp an archer build and crank out damage reliably. And if you tend to fight dragons, demons, devils, a paladin can excel as the tank.

 

[blargney the second]

Crusader. Low magic items means low stats, and it's both the tankiest and most stat-independent base class.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

If you have more than 5 levels to play with...

(To explain, the OA and CW Samurai, the Paladin, and the Crusader can all qualify for the Kensai by level 5- other classes take a bit more time.)

Goliath or Half-Giant Samurai (use the OA version) or Ftr or Paladin or (my personal fave) PsyWar/Kensai with a Greatspear. Use a Dex build. With a Half-Giant, PsyWar is their favored class.

Feats needed: XWP Greatspear, Combat Expertise (PrCl prereq), Combat Reflexes (boosts # of AoOs).

Optional feats: Power Attack feat tree (make those AoOs hurt), Deft Opportunist (+4 to hit with your AoOs), Heavy Weapon (Magic of Faerun, magically tempered Platinum or Gold boosts base damage similarly to size increase).

Greatspear for such a Goliath or Half-Giant PC would start at 3d6 x3 P, RI 10', Reach 10' (due to Powerful Build).

If he's a PsyWar, he can take Expansion to boost his size, and thus his base weapon damage (to 4d6) & Reach, and unlike Enlarge Person, can boost the PC an additional size increment (base 5d6, more if its Heavy).

Why Kensai? Depending upon level:

1) An inherent class-based increase to your PC's weapon of choice. If, for instance, your PC was 9th level (with 3 levels of Kensai) and bought a +3 equivalent weapon, the 3 levels of Kensai effectively add another +3 in enhancements and/or enchantments- that's +6 equivalent, buddy! If you wanted, for instance, that could be a +3 Greatspear with Frost, Fire and Shock. (Doing the math with all of the options listed above, that's a weapon that does something like 6d6 x3P +1d6 Frost +1d6 Fire + 1d6 Shock.)

2) The class' +8 to strength for short periods of time is stackable with increases from Psionics (the above mentioned Expansion) or arcane or divine spells, potions & scrolls (like Bull's Strength or Righteous Might).

 

[shilsen]

Crusader. Low magic items means low stats, and it's both the tankiest and most stat-independent base class.

Seconded. You'll be able to dish out a lot of damage, absorb amazing amounts and remain standing, heal yourself and your allies, ignore DR, smite enemies - what's not to like?

 

[Ungruush]

ok, in my frustration, i left out some key facts...

its at 10th lvl, and its a quirky home-brew

i would be much obliged of you could link the srd to the crusader and other prestige classes because i'm low on text and refrence materials

and as far as gear and equipment goes, i go 30k to spend, but seeing how in this world, magic items are illegal to buy or create anymore, its more or less a constant attempt to try to find something that isnt totally worthless

as far as stats go...

its a point buy, but instead of using the DMG, i have been given 82 points to distribute at face value through my stats.


and as far as what im looking for...

i'd really like to have an insane AC, and be able to inflict mediocre damage per attack, but just get a crap-load of them

again, thanks much for the time...

 

[Doug McCrae]

Best level 10 character that doesn't rely on magic items - druid.

Druid with Vow of Poverty (from Book of Exalted Deeds) and the spell Venomfire (from Serpent Kingdoms) if you want to make your DM cry.