Goliath Drunken Master

[Thesel]

I'm kind of new to this character creation for higher levels but I need to make a backup character for a game I am in and we have gotten to level 15, usually my DM helps me but lately he has been busy so I am trying to find help here. I was looking to do maybe some kind of unarmed Goliath melee character. I thought the drunken master looked interesting and I was wondering if anyone could help me create this, or give me advice on a better unarmed melee character and help me create a level 15 character of it, preferably not a Monk, the game's only rules really are max HP, 32 point system for stats, cannot use Librs Morte or Book of Vile Darkness, I appreciate any help

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Human's better than Goliath for unarmed. Powerful Build does not apply to unarmed strikes, only weapons you can hold. And Huamn is at least elligible for Enlarge Person for size large unarmed damage. Goliath requires the much more expensive and rare Expansion power, because it's Monstrous Humanoid. So you're basically paying +1 LA just for +4 str, which enlarge person is already cutting into.

 

[Dandu]

Drunken Master can't have magic weapons if you plan on improvising. You won't have many special abilities or be able to hit incoporeals.

Stat boosts from drinking are very short term and get in the way of hitting things in combat.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Hmm...I know Vow of Poverty is usually a crappy deal, but for Drunken Master....maybe...

EDIT: If you can have beer as part of your daily rations. Or multiclass a tiny bit into a casting class and get the DM to agree to a cantrip called "Create beer" that is identical to create water, except...

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

As mentioned before, Goliath (or the similar Half-Giant) isn't a really good choice for an unarmed combatant since Powerful Build doesn't apply to unarmed strikes...and you're unlikely to find oversized stuff with which to improvise weapons in a standard environment. You're much better off finding some kind of creature with an unusually high Dex or Str bonus. Duregar may be a fun choice...

If you do elect to stick with an unarmed combat based PC, one way to get around DR and intangible critters and so forth is to take levels in Kensai, choosing "Unarmed Strikes" as your weapon of choice.

If you look at the Shaman from OA, its quite similar to the Monk, but has full casting ability, plus the ability to wear some armor. The 3.5 update for the class (Dragon #317) also grants the class scaling US damage like a Monk (though no other modifiers to it like the Monk gets). Being able to Purify Food & Water as a cantrip may make for a steady supply of booze from grateful merchants and peasants...

You may be able to find other info helpful to you in the Monk Database in my sig.

 

[Dandu]

Hmm...I know Vow of Poverty is usually a crappy deal, but for Drunken Master....maybe...

Still a bad idea.

 

[pawsplay]

If you wanted to make an unarmed Goliath character, I think grappling would be a good option.

 

[Thesel]

yea I mean i really want to do something fun with the Goliath, and i don't know a ton about what would be best with him. But could you expand on the grappling one? I am mainly looking for something more melee but not a giant weapon, I usually go for Rangers and Spellcasters so I thought the Goliath would be a fun thing to try something melee with, but what are some of the best melee Goliath builds?

 

[Dandu]

You should try a Goliath Dungeoncrasher Fighter with Knockback.

Books needed: Dungeonscape, Races of Stone.

What you do: Hit people, then bullrush them which deals more damage.

If you dip in Barbarian for one level, you can trade fast movement for Pounce (Complete Champion, Spirit Lion Totem ACF). If you take another, you can trade trapsense for Improved Trip (Unearthed Arcana, Wolf Totem ACF, available on the SRD).

Then you take Knockdown (available on the SRD) so you get a free trip attempt after dealing more than 10 damage to someone... which then triggers a free attack from Improved Trip if you succeed.

As a fighter, you'll also have enough feats for the Power Attack/Leap Attack/Shock Trooper combo, which allows you to deal lots of damage.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

While its true that the Goliath would have an advantage in grappling, the sole problem I have with grappling is this: generally speaking, you neutralize only one opponent per combat.

Now, this is a valid and effective tactic, and on the right target- Mr. Wizard, for instance- this could turn the tide of battle.

But the flipside is that most of the time, you're spending the entire combat with one foe while your allies take down everyone else.