Help Me Create 2 PCs to survive "game of death"

[elijah snow]

In my local con, we have something called "Game of Death" where everyone creates a pair of PCs and battles it out arena-style with everyone else. This means I need to create two 9th level characters to work together (you run them both at the same time) to stay alive and defeat all others.

I'm curious- what pair of PCs would you create?

Character Creation Guidelines
Each player will bring two characters made with 3.5 rules:

* Level 9 (36,000 XP)
* 32 points per the costs on page 169 of the 3.5 DMG to purchase attributes
* Max HP
* No bizarre class combinations (monk/ barbarian)
* No magic items
* Any standard 3.5 PHB class/ race combinations
* Standard PHB equipment

 

[Ferrix]

In my local con, we have something called "Game of Death" where everyone creates a pair of PCs and battles it out arena-style with everyone else. This means I need to create two 9th level characters to work together (you run them both at the same time) to stay alive and defeat all others.

I'm curious- what pair of PCs would you create?

Character Creation Guidelines
Each player will bring two characters made with 3.5 rules:

* Level 9 (36,000 XP)
* 32 points per the costs on page 169 of the 3.5 DMG to purchase attributes
* Max HP
* No bizarre class combinations (monk/ barbarian)
* No magic items
* Any standard 3.5 PHB class/ race combinations
* Standard PHB equipment

The no magic items is going to hit a lot of classes hard, particularly non-magic using ones.

Let's see, a sorcerer for one (a psion could work even better if they allow the SRD). The other I'd make probably a cleric who can melee. For more specific ideas I'd have to take some time to play with it all.

 

[Stalker0]

NO MAGIC ITEMS!!! That's really unfair to non casters.

I would go with two sorcs. Cast fly and then protection from arrows. So all fighters, barbs, monks, bards, paladins are all toast.

Now gear the rest of your casters towards killing other casters (improved counterspell is a great feat for a sorc). If you encounter a wizard, druid, or cleric, just keep counterspelling them. They will run out of high level spell slots before you will

 

[elijah snow]

Wow, I hadn't considered a sorcerer. I thought a wizard specialist combined with a "guardian" (ie. fighter, barbarian) might be a good combo.

 

[domino]

Charm the fighters into giving you all their weapons and armor. Put the other caster types to sleep, etc...

 

[Jack of Shadows]

A pair of Druids are going to be very strong here. Combine Wildshape with Animal Companions and your opponent is going to be outmanuevered constantly.

Jack

 

[John Morrow]

I'm curious- what pair of PCs would you create?

You should consider a Druid as at least half the team because at those levels, they are a good substitute for a Wizard and a Cleric because they can both heal and bring the dead back to life as well as doing large amounts of area effect damage at range. They also have decent hit points so they can go into Melee if they have to. If this isn't an ongoing game, a Druid's Reincarnate should be a good cheap substitute for Raise Dead if you can buy yourself the extra 9 minutes to cast it and it's 1/5th the cost for components (which you'll need to buy). And with the Track feat, they can also substitute for a Ranger if you put skill points into Survival. Then there is also the whole Wild Shape thing which can come into play not only in carrying off a fallen companion but also in Melee. Make the Druid an Elf with good Dex and give them a longbow for ranged attacks and perhaps a rapier and Weapon Finesse for melee combat in normal form. If they need Strength, that's what the Wild Shape is for.

As for the other half of the team, how about a Spiked Chain Fighter (with Whirlwind Attack, Combat Reflexes, Improved Trip, and Improved Disarm), perhaps with a first level of Rogue for the skill points? Toss in some caltrops as terrain complicators and give the fighter a composite Longbow for ranged attacks. The idea is for the fighter to keep your opponents off of your Druid and the Spiked Chain covers a lot of area for Attacks of Opportunity. Another option include a Barbarian, a Monk (with a Heavy Crossbow and the Rapid Reload feat) or a Ranger with either bow or two-weapon fighting specializations. But if you want to go with the spiked chain (and the ability to disarm and trip your opponents can ruin another fighter's whole day), then go with Fighter so you can get all of the feats that will make that character a monster in combat.

 

[John Morrow]

A pair of Druids are going to be very strong here. Combine Wildshape with Animal Companions and your opponent is going to be outmanuevered constantly.

Yes, a pair of druids is also an option. See my previous post for why Druids are so useful.

 

[elijah snow]

Cool ideas. My two favorites right now are sor/sor and druid/fighter.

 

[Ferrix]

Without magic gear fighters are a waste of space really at that level, a cleric with even a couple rounds of prep time could do better.

A sorcerer and a druid would make an exceptionally strong combination, the druid can function in melee quite well if not better than the cleric in many ways (wild shape, animal companion & excellent buffing spells) and also control the battlefield quite well with some of their terrain spells (entangle, spike stones, whatnot). The sorcerer is then free to blast and manipulate from the air, they can do excellent battlefield control and even give the druid a hand with summons or whatnot.