Powergamers: What should I play?

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

I've been invited to sit in for a few sessions in a D&D game I don't normally attend. I know most of the players, and they tend to be a bit more "war-gamey" than my group, so power is more important than it might otherwise be. The DM has even told me as much, since he also plays in the game I run. He thinks that I'm a better powergamer than his players are and wants me to "show them how it's done." (If I'm actually a successful powergamer, it's because I have ENWorld to turn to.)

The group has four players right now, each playing one PC at 9th level. They have the archetypal dungeon-crawling party because they do a lot of hack and slash. Right now, the party includes
wizard/mage of the arcane order
cleric/radiant servant of pelor
rogue
ex-barbarian/fighter/paladin

The DM for this new group has told me that I can play one 9th level character or two 7th level characters. He knows that I have a lot of experience playing two PCs, but I don't think he has a preference either way.

I want advice:
from a powergamer's perspective, which is more powerful, and what classes should I play to demonstrate just how powerful things can get? Sources include all WotC or Malhavoc products.

 

[dutorn]

I think the druid is a class that people seem to overlook when choosing a character to play, for what reasons I am not sure. I think you should make a tough druid build to show the group the power of this shapechanging class

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

We've been having alot of success with a Barbarian 1/ Cleric X with Destruction and Strength as his domains. With Extra Rage and Extra Smite he has quite a bit of staying power, and I honestly haven't seen a single PC dish out this kind of damage on such a regular basis. His damage consistently improves with level. We're at sixth level and he often cleaves entirely through equal-CR creatures two at a swing. Added bonus of being almost entirely core, except for Extra X feats from Complete Warrior. (We really hold ourselves to Core here, so most things we do we try to keep to Core but for 1-2 things.)

He doesn't even give up that much in the way of spellcasting ... and a barbarian who can buff, heal, cast Silence, etc is a really really terrifying thing to behold. He can dart up to the front all huge and hairy, then when things cool or he's critically wounded he can move back, drop out of rage, and heal himself back up.

If you want amazing effectiveness without huge damage ... I've been having alot of fun playing a regular run-of-the-mill Wizard ... I seldom do any damage, but instead rely heavily on spells like Glitterdust, Pyrotechnics, Ray of Enfeeblement (wand), Enlarge Person (wand), etc. I've been able to entirely neutralize about 3/4 of the combats we've had via battlefield control magics. I leave most of the damage-dealing to "Smashdor" above. Don't underestimate the Power-Gamer potential of dealing little to no damage.

By extention, one of my favorite classes in any WotC book is the Marshal. Properly multiclassed, and thinking ahead to the campaign, it's horribly over-powered. Generally speaking, though, you can grab one level for a Minor Aura ... choose the one that grants bonus damage based on flanking. Up your Cha as much as possible, and then multi into Cleric and go for Augmented summoning ... Sanctuary, Summon Monster X, and place things into flanking all over the board. My wife's PC had people consistently dealing +5 damage all over the board, and that adds up quick, without dealing a single point of damage herself.

--fje

 

[DSC-EricPrice]

That the DM suggested two PCs indicates in my mind that he thinks the group is not working well together as a TEAM. Perhaps he thinks you can create two synnergistic PCs of a lower level yet still show the group how to be effective from a power gaming perspective. Personally, Id go for the higher level PC and try to make something that will be effective in combination with another PC, like the wizard or the rogue. If it IS a power gaming session having lower level characters COULD be a real disadvantage. All depends on how the DM is running the game.

The ex barbarian fighter paladin is clearly a tank here, so Id avoid that choice. Id proably consider an archer, or a specialist conjurer who created summons to help the party fight more effectively.

 

[domino]

A cleric + rogue could be nasty. Cleric buffs, and as a frontline melee can get you that precious precious flanking for sneak attacking.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

2 7th level characters are more powerful than 1 9th level character (more actions). Your DM must be crazy.

But RP wise it's not fun IMO to roleplay 2 chars, so I'd go with 1 ninth.

 

[fafhrd]

Are you going for cheese? In the past, I've been impressed when witnessing the ex-monk1/druid8 vow-of-poverty-con-dumpstated-perpetual-ape-form.

 

[The Human Target]

9th level druid.

 

[Nightfall]

If you could I'd go this:

Ranger5/Dervish4 and continue until 10th level with dervish. Then go Tempest. You'll be a vertible slaughter Machine.

 

[Arrellion]

Psion. Kineticist if you want to blast your foes.

or

Psi Warrior. Buff them with a few powers then let them wade in.

Arrel