Yair
Community Supporter
So, I've got a player that came up with a level 16 character which he says can decimate just about anything, acting as a party all by himself and taking down opponents of any level. I don't have lots of experience with 4e, so I thought I'd ask around here if this character is really that powerful, and just how good it is.
The idea of the character is that it uses sleep and then slowly cuts the big opponents down, or ongoing damage to take care of minions. It seems like he can hit pretty much everything and that nothing can get past the high penalties he piles up for saving throws. He also is very mobile, keeping out of the opponents' reach.
Without further ado - the character.
The one character party
(Or: How to break the rules right in the middle level, where they ought to have been balanced
The character is a level 16 evil wild elf maiden ridding a nightmare (Fits with the evil plan of breaking down the 4e rules, no?)
The main books used are Players Handbook 1 and Adventurer’s Vault 1
Beside those, only 3 additional external rules where imported:
1.‘Wild elf luck’ feat, from Forgotten Realms Player Guide page 137 (+1d4 to the reroll when using elven accuracy)
2.‘Implement expertise’ feat, from players handbook 2, page 185. Benefite: Choose a type of implement. You gain a +1 bonuse to attack rolls with any implement power you use through that type of implement. The bonus increases to +2 at 15th level and +3 at 25th level.
3.Dragon Magazine Annual, page 146: Persistent Poison feat (paragon feat): Your targets take -2 penalty to saving throws made to end your poison effects.
Race: Elf Class: Wizard Paragon path: Wizard of the Spiral Tower Level 16
(8+1) Str 9 (-1)
(11+1) Con 12 (+1)
(12+6) Dex 18 (+4)
(11+1) Int 12 (+1)
(18+6) Wis 24 (+7)
(12+1) Cha 13 (+1)
AC 23 (28 versus ranged attacks from more then 5 squares away)
Fort 20 (25 versus ranged attacks from more then 5 squares away)
Ref 23 (28 versus ranged attacks from more then 5 squares away)
Will 28 (33 versus ranged attacks from more then 5 squares away)
Feats: Ritual Caster (plus some 9 bonus rituals I haven’t bothered to choose), Long sword proficiency (to fit the paragon path), Second implement (both Wand and Orb needed), Elven precision, Improved Initiative, Seize the Moment, Spell Focus, Implement Expertise, Danger Sense, Wood Elf Luck, Persistent poison.
Level 17 Item: Phrenic Crown (Vault 144) “When you use a power against Will defense, the target (or targets) take -2 penalty to saving throws against any ongoing effect of that power”
Level 16 Item: Nightmare mount (Vault page 11). Our elf maiden used Lightning Serpent on it, flew above while he tried to teleport away in vain, and urged him to submit. After some 20 rounds the nightmare surrendered, and our elf maiden have been feeding him with toasted human flesh ever since.
Level 15 Item: Saddle of the Nightmare (Vault 124).
Other items:
Orb of ultimate imposition +3 (Vault 96, 17000 gp)
Cunning long sword +2 (The paragon path ability enables the wizard to use it as a wand and receive its nice ‘-2 saves’ property). (3400 gp)
3 veteran’s armor robes +1 (3*520=1560 gp)
Cloak of Distortion +1 (840 gp)
Scabbard of Sacred Might (5000 gp) (again benefiting from the paragon path ability)
Initiative +16/+16 (roll twice, use better result)
Hp 82 7 surges, 20 hp each.
At will powers (rarely used)
1.Thunderburst.
2.Cloud of daggers. Inflicts 7 damage automatically (no hit needed).
Encounter powers:
1.Level 13 Frosburn. Used to kill groups of minions at distance. Burst 2 within 20, creates difficult terrain and automatically causes 5 hp of cold and fire damage to creatures that start their turn within.
2.Level 11: The One Sword – Never used.
3.Level 7: Winters Wrath. Similar to frost burn, but range 10 and just 1 hp damage. Still kills minions automatically.
4.Level 3: Fire Shroud. Used Versus non Elite and non Solo enemies. Ongoing 5 fire or radiant damage which the enemy cannot successfully save against. The reason: -7 from Orb of Imposition , -2 from spell focus , -2 from cunning long sword used as implement. After 5 minuets (50 rounds) of torture, some 250 damage is inflicted from the ongoing effect alone, enough to kill a non elite / non solo target.
Utilities:
1.Level 12: Shape the dream. Once per day, when enemy hits with will attack – cancel the hit.
2.Level 10: Resistance.
3.Level 6: Invisibility.
4.Level 2: Shield.
Daily powers:
1.Level 5: Sleep
2.Level 9: Lightning Serpent
3.Level 15: Sleep
Anti minion tactic:
1.Keep distance.
2.Use powers that doesn’t depend on a successful attack roll (cloud of daggers, frostburn, winter’s warth)
Anti “Regular” tactic:
1.One hand holds the +2 Cunning longsword (functions as a wand) while the other holds an Orb. Use Fire Shroud (with Wand on Accuracy + elven accuracy to ensure at least 1 enemy is hit), and Orb of Imposition to fix the effect so as the target cannot save against it. The target gets -2 to saves from the Cunning property, another -2 from Spell Focus feat, and another -7 from the Wisdom modifier.
Anti Elite tactic:
1.Finish all minions / and minor enemies first, using previous tactics during several iterations.
2.Try to win initiative (+16, rolled twice). If init is lost, might consider escaping and returning sometime later, but only if not in a hurry plus escape is easy, etc’. (The reason is only the +2 to attack gained from Seizes the moment combat advantage).
3.Cast Sleep from the Cunning Sword (which functions like a wand). Use both Wand of accuracy and Elven accuracy to get a supper accurate attack. The bonus is: +8(level) +2(enhancement) +1(Int) +4(Dex) +2(Wand implement mastery) +2for combat advantage if the initiative was won (due to Seize the moment feat). Total bonus is +17 (+19 with init). If missed, use elven accuracy to roll again, and add another +2 (elven accuracy feat) and another 1d4 (wild elf luck feat) to a bonus of +21.5 (+23.5 with init).
4.After hitting with the standard action, use Orb of Imposition (free action). The target will have an extra -2 penalty to his saves due to the Phrenic Crown. Total penalty reaches -13 , so he will fall unconscious and will not wake up for 5 minuets. Of course it will take only a minute or two to kill it if no help will rescue the target, and no help should be there since minions + regulars were killed already.
5.In case there are 2 or more Elite enemies together, Lightning Serpent is used instead of Sleep. The effect of the Phrenic Crown is replaced with the effect of Persistent Poison feat, so the enemy still cannot make the save (-13 penalty). This time, after hitting, we run away and let the enemy slowly die. I didn’t find any restriction of 5 minutes duration, but in case such a house rule is used, then the ongoing damage will only be 250 hp (plus a dozen for the initial hit, plus perhaps another 7 or so from some cloud of daggers during the retreat : ). This means that in most cases, two iterations will be required for the first of the Elite pair (the last Elite target will be killed with Sleep). Additionally, the Orb of ultimate imposition + 3 (which is usually kept for a Solo) could be used, in conjunction with the simple Fire Shroud spell.
Anti Solo tactic:
Very similar to the Anti Elite, with just 1 exception:
1.Use the daily power of Orb of ultimate imposition +3. the extra 3 points of penalty will
Get-Away tactic:
1.Use the nightmare enduring run (speed 12 move action), Hooves of Hell (wonderful standard action of speed 10 to hinder pursuit) and the ultimate nightmare saddle (Vault page 124) teleport (move action, teleport 10).
2.Once escaped, take a short rest, use healing surges, if Elite / Solo was killed switch to Veterans armor and spend action point to regain the daily power, then switch back to the Stone Skin robes (or just stay with the Veterans armor if the DM doesn’t permit all this switching : )
3.After some 5-10 minutes, go back to the crime scene to collect the treasure from the corpse. If any enemy is still there, replay this seven steps again.
Resource management:
Except Orb of ultimate imposition +3 and the 3 veteran’s armor robes +1 , all items are property or encounter based.
The veteran’s armors are used to transform action points into daily spells (Sleep). The Orb is kept for a solo, but can also be used on an Elite creature with the simple Fire Shroud power.
At start, we have 1 action point plus 3 daily spells. After the second encounter another action point is gained, and another after the forth. Thus, for a day with 5 encounters, we have 6 daily spells. Assuming we will miss 1 of them (that’s more or less the odds), we have 5 daily spells hits. This can be enough for 1 Solo encounter + 4 regular encounters led by one elite in each, or 1 Solo + 1 encounter with two Elits (and some regulars) + 1 Elite (and some regulars) + some more regulars.
Nightmare mount stats:
AC 27, Fort 26, Ref 25, Will 24.
HP 138. two healing surges, 34 hp each.
Init – same as rider (+16 roll twice, use better)
Speed 10, teleport 10 (move action)
Hooves of hell – recharge 5-6. Move 10 and leave a wall of fire behind. Great get-away power.
The idea of the character is that it uses sleep and then slowly cuts the big opponents down, or ongoing damage to take care of minions. It seems like he can hit pretty much everything and that nothing can get past the high penalties he piles up for saving throws. He also is very mobile, keeping out of the opponents' reach.
Without further ado - the character.
The one character party
(Or: How to break the rules right in the middle level, where they ought to have been balanced
The character is a level 16 evil wild elf maiden ridding a nightmare (Fits with the evil plan of breaking down the 4e rules, no?)
The main books used are Players Handbook 1 and Adventurer’s Vault 1
Beside those, only 3 additional external rules where imported:
1.‘Wild elf luck’ feat, from Forgotten Realms Player Guide page 137 (+1d4 to the reroll when using elven accuracy)
2.‘Implement expertise’ feat, from players handbook 2, page 185. Benefite: Choose a type of implement. You gain a +1 bonuse to attack rolls with any implement power you use through that type of implement. The bonus increases to +2 at 15th level and +3 at 25th level.
3.Dragon Magazine Annual, page 146: Persistent Poison feat (paragon feat): Your targets take -2 penalty to saving throws made to end your poison effects.
Race: Elf Class: Wizard Paragon path: Wizard of the Spiral Tower Level 16
(8+1) Str 9 (-1)
(11+1) Con 12 (+1)
(12+6) Dex 18 (+4)
(11+1) Int 12 (+1)
(18+6) Wis 24 (+7)
(12+1) Cha 13 (+1)
AC 23 (28 versus ranged attacks from more then 5 squares away)
Fort 20 (25 versus ranged attacks from more then 5 squares away)
Ref 23 (28 versus ranged attacks from more then 5 squares away)
Will 28 (33 versus ranged attacks from more then 5 squares away)
Feats: Ritual Caster (plus some 9 bonus rituals I haven’t bothered to choose), Long sword proficiency (to fit the paragon path), Second implement (both Wand and Orb needed), Elven precision, Improved Initiative, Seize the Moment, Spell Focus, Implement Expertise, Danger Sense, Wood Elf Luck, Persistent poison.
Level 17 Item: Phrenic Crown (Vault 144) “When you use a power against Will defense, the target (or targets) take -2 penalty to saving throws against any ongoing effect of that power”
Level 16 Item: Nightmare mount (Vault page 11). Our elf maiden used Lightning Serpent on it, flew above while he tried to teleport away in vain, and urged him to submit. After some 20 rounds the nightmare surrendered, and our elf maiden have been feeding him with toasted human flesh ever since.
Level 15 Item: Saddle of the Nightmare (Vault 124).
Other items:
Orb of ultimate imposition +3 (Vault 96, 17000 gp)
Cunning long sword +2 (The paragon path ability enables the wizard to use it as a wand and receive its nice ‘-2 saves’ property). (3400 gp)
3 veteran’s armor robes +1 (3*520=1560 gp)
Cloak of Distortion +1 (840 gp)
Scabbard of Sacred Might (5000 gp) (again benefiting from the paragon path ability)
Initiative +16/+16 (roll twice, use better result)
Hp 82 7 surges, 20 hp each.
At will powers (rarely used)
1.Thunderburst.
2.Cloud of daggers. Inflicts 7 damage automatically (no hit needed).
Encounter powers:
1.Level 13 Frosburn. Used to kill groups of minions at distance. Burst 2 within 20, creates difficult terrain and automatically causes 5 hp of cold and fire damage to creatures that start their turn within.
2.Level 11: The One Sword – Never used.
3.Level 7: Winters Wrath. Similar to frost burn, but range 10 and just 1 hp damage. Still kills minions automatically.
4.Level 3: Fire Shroud. Used Versus non Elite and non Solo enemies. Ongoing 5 fire or radiant damage which the enemy cannot successfully save against. The reason: -7 from Orb of Imposition , -2 from spell focus , -2 from cunning long sword used as implement. After 5 minuets (50 rounds) of torture, some 250 damage is inflicted from the ongoing effect alone, enough to kill a non elite / non solo target.
Utilities:
1.Level 12: Shape the dream. Once per day, when enemy hits with will attack – cancel the hit.
2.Level 10: Resistance.
3.Level 6: Invisibility.
4.Level 2: Shield.
Daily powers:
1.Level 5: Sleep
2.Level 9: Lightning Serpent
3.Level 15: Sleep
Anti minion tactic:
1.Keep distance.
2.Use powers that doesn’t depend on a successful attack roll (cloud of daggers, frostburn, winter’s warth)
Anti “Regular” tactic:
1.One hand holds the +2 Cunning longsword (functions as a wand) while the other holds an Orb. Use Fire Shroud (with Wand on Accuracy + elven accuracy to ensure at least 1 enemy is hit), and Orb of Imposition to fix the effect so as the target cannot save against it. The target gets -2 to saves from the Cunning property, another -2 from Spell Focus feat, and another -7 from the Wisdom modifier.
Anti Elite tactic:
1.Finish all minions / and minor enemies first, using previous tactics during several iterations.
2.Try to win initiative (+16, rolled twice). If init is lost, might consider escaping and returning sometime later, but only if not in a hurry plus escape is easy, etc’. (The reason is only the +2 to attack gained from Seizes the moment combat advantage).
3.Cast Sleep from the Cunning Sword (which functions like a wand). Use both Wand of accuracy and Elven accuracy to get a supper accurate attack. The bonus is: +8(level) +2(enhancement) +1(Int) +4(Dex) +2(Wand implement mastery) +2for combat advantage if the initiative was won (due to Seize the moment feat). Total bonus is +17 (+19 with init). If missed, use elven accuracy to roll again, and add another +2 (elven accuracy feat) and another 1d4 (wild elf luck feat) to a bonus of +21.5 (+23.5 with init).
4.After hitting with the standard action, use Orb of Imposition (free action). The target will have an extra -2 penalty to his saves due to the Phrenic Crown. Total penalty reaches -13 , so he will fall unconscious and will not wake up for 5 minuets. Of course it will take only a minute or two to kill it if no help will rescue the target, and no help should be there since minions + regulars were killed already.
5.In case there are 2 or more Elite enemies together, Lightning Serpent is used instead of Sleep. The effect of the Phrenic Crown is replaced with the effect of Persistent Poison feat, so the enemy still cannot make the save (-13 penalty). This time, after hitting, we run away and let the enemy slowly die. I didn’t find any restriction of 5 minutes duration, but in case such a house rule is used, then the ongoing damage will only be 250 hp (plus a dozen for the initial hit, plus perhaps another 7 or so from some cloud of daggers during the retreat : ). This means that in most cases, two iterations will be required for the first of the Elite pair (the last Elite target will be killed with Sleep). Additionally, the Orb of ultimate imposition + 3 (which is usually kept for a Solo) could be used, in conjunction with the simple Fire Shroud spell.
Anti Solo tactic:
Very similar to the Anti Elite, with just 1 exception:
1.Use the daily power of Orb of ultimate imposition +3. the extra 3 points of penalty will
Get-Away tactic:
1.Use the nightmare enduring run (speed 12 move action), Hooves of Hell (wonderful standard action of speed 10 to hinder pursuit) and the ultimate nightmare saddle (Vault page 124) teleport (move action, teleport 10).
2.Once escaped, take a short rest, use healing surges, if Elite / Solo was killed switch to Veterans armor and spend action point to regain the daily power, then switch back to the Stone Skin robes (or just stay with the Veterans armor if the DM doesn’t permit all this switching : )
3.After some 5-10 minutes, go back to the crime scene to collect the treasure from the corpse. If any enemy is still there, replay this seven steps again.
Resource management:
Except Orb of ultimate imposition +3 and the 3 veteran’s armor robes +1 , all items are property or encounter based.
The veteran’s armors are used to transform action points into daily spells (Sleep). The Orb is kept for a solo, but can also be used on an Elite creature with the simple Fire Shroud power.
At start, we have 1 action point plus 3 daily spells. After the second encounter another action point is gained, and another after the forth. Thus, for a day with 5 encounters, we have 6 daily spells. Assuming we will miss 1 of them (that’s more or less the odds), we have 5 daily spells hits. This can be enough for 1 Solo encounter + 4 regular encounters led by one elite in each, or 1 Solo + 1 encounter with two Elits (and some regulars) + 1 Elite (and some regulars) + some more regulars.
Nightmare mount stats:
AC 27, Fort 26, Ref 25, Will 24.
HP 138. two healing surges, 34 hp each.
Init – same as rider (+16 roll twice, use better)
Speed 10, teleport 10 (move action)
Hooves of hell – recharge 5-6. Move 10 and leave a wall of fire behind. Great get-away power.
