Can you tell me if this character is too powerful?

[Majoru Oakheart]

Thanks guys, I missed the dastana, I have encountered arguements about them before, and I agree. I'll tell him he can't get the ability from Exotic Weapon master and no dastana, and we'll see if he still wants the character. I'm kinda worried about a couple of the weapon enhancing things he wanted from A&EG and Champions of Ruin, I'm guessing they are too powerful. I'll have to read them when I get home.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I wouldn't worry too much about the single level of Exotic Weapon Master. As presented in Complete Warrior, the class is only three levels to begin with and is more of a grab bag of special abilities than a class per se. The only objection I really have to it is A. the exotic flurry ability is too powerful and improves the spiked chain too much and B. the other options should be fighter feats accessible with martial and simple weapons as well as with exotic weapons. (Except maybe Uncanny Blows which probably shouldn't be around at all). There's no reason that you should be able to get +2 to trip with a spiked chain for one level but that there should be no similar option with a guisarme.

And, on the whole, I think I'd be inclined to allow the no-AoO for ranged weapons ability to work on the whip despite its lack of support in the rules. It's not going to break anything any more than it would with a greatbow and was a feature of the 3.0 lasher class (the 3.0 master of chains, lasher, and master samurai appear to have been partly folded into the exotic weapon master in 3.5 and the 3.0 Exotic [improvised] weapon master has (thank God) disappeared entirely).

 

[Corsair]

The instant I looked at that, I said "whoa, whoa, whoa!" Two prestige classes (one of which is for just one level), and a non-core base class, all at once?

/edit for length/

Aside from the one-level PrC....

I take it you haven't actually looked at Exotic Weapon Master have you? Many of its abilities are extremely minor, its only a 3 level class, and many exotic weapons wouldn't even be able to use more than a couple of the abilities.

Secondly, and this is not for you specifically but your post reminded me: I hate people who immediately assume that just because it isn't one base class and one Prestige Class maximum, it must be some kind of munchkin. The reason for the easy multiclassing rules is to specifically enable a player to create the character they want out of the building blocks provided. If that means he's going to be playing a Ranger2/Scout4/Fighter2/Sorcerer2/Order of the Bow Initiate 4/Arcane Archer 6... so what?

 

[Gidien]

Actually it is the dastana that screams munchkin to me, a rediculous and overpowered piece of "armor" if ever there was one... I'm not even sure it was supported in 3.5, seeing as it was from Oriental Adventures. I hope they got rid of this thing in whatever 3.5 supplement they released for OA.

 

[Shin Okada]

Actually it is the dastana that screams munchkin to me, a rediculous and overpowered piece of "armor" if ever there was one... I'm not even sure it was supported in 3.5, seeing as it was from Oriental Adventures. I hope they got rid of this thing in whatever 3.5 supplement they released for OA.

It is in OA and Arms and Equipment Guide. And AFAIK not supported by 3.5e rules.

And personally, I will not let PCs use it.

Or, just treat it as a modification for an armor which add +1 to AC and -1 to check modifier AFTER all the other factors are calculated. That means, Mithral Chain Shirt with Dastana still has -1 skill check modifier. And there is no such thing as masterwork of independently enchanted magic Dastana. Maybe that is not enough as it still makes a better armor than Breastplate.

 

[Arc]

It is in OA and Arms and Equipment Guide. And AFAIK not supported by 3.5e rules.

OA got a 3.5 update in Dragon 311 (I think, it's the Pirates Ninjas Dinosaurs issue). Dastana were not mentioned. So they're legal by 3.5 rules.

Still bloody broken, but lots of things are.

If the character drops the dastana and gets the EWP thing straightened out, it doesn't seem overpowered at all. Seems like a cool concept to me, and just because it's cool and different does NOT mean it's broken. I get the feeling that many immediately judge characters who don't use a greatsword or go for straight caster levels a bit hastily. When looking for innovation, it's very difficult to just match a well optimized fighter or wizard, let alone surpass one.

 

[Shin Okada]

OA got a 3.5 update in Dragon 311 (I think, it's the Pirates Ninjas Dinosaurs issue). Dastana were not mentioned. So they're legal by 3.5 rules.

Then at least, a DM can claim that there is no update in WotC site or WotC published book and thus no.

 

[the Jester]

I took one look at the dastana in OA and banned it.

Other than that, seems okay to me. I'm kind of a balance nazi and I'd let this guy in- if I allowed the swashbuckler (which I dislike as it's just a variant fighter/duellist and I hate unnecessary redundancy imc) or xeph (I'm very stingy with variant races, they're hard to fit into the campaign world).

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

If anything, it seems a bit weak. But I'm used to things having 5 or 10 points of fire resistance. It does look cool, though.

I don't even really consider the dastana that big a deal. It's effectively a buckler that doesn't give a -1 to hit with weapons used with it. At worst, he throws money down it, since another will probably never show up in your game.

Brad

 

[Shallown]

I don't Have A&EG So can some one put a summary of a Dastana up for me.

Seems like this is a One trick pony which may work but if bad guys know they are going up against him he is easily shut down.

Even then one targeted dispel on his vest to supress it and his will saves stink. They aren't all that great with the vest.

Later