relatively minor items that are much bigger in the hands of certain characters

[Mort]

Most of the group couldn't make it to our last session so the DM put 2 of us through a 1 shot. We decided it would be the perfect time to test the Bo9S a little. I had a warblade 8/crusader 1/bloodclaw master 1 and my friend had a swordsage 10.

We both had rings of jumping (improved, so +10 on the jump check) and both of us had a good dose of tigerclaw manuevers. When your manuevers are based on a jump check and you get +10 to that check things get interesting.
After the swordsage jumped 40 feet and managed to execute a full attack (sudden leap and leaping dragon stance) only needing to roll a 5 to do so we knew the rings were more than worth it.

Any other items that are normally of "limited" value but take on a whole new meaning with certain builds or classes?

 

[pawsplay]

Ring of minor spell storing. Load with three true strikes and hand it over to the Power Attacker of the party.

 

[Jack Simth]

Wands of Acid Splash (a cantrip) for the Use Magic Device rogue. Great for surprise rounds. 1d3 base+xd6 sneak attack touch attacks - valued at a mere 7.5 gp/charge.
Flasks of Acid and Alchemist's Fire (lots) for the Two-Weapon Fighting Rogue with Quickdraw (hmm... how many touch attack sneak attacks is that per round at 20th when the Rogue wins initiative - at range?)
High caster level Wands of Chill Touch for the Use Magic Device two-weapon fighting Rogue (15 gp/hit; you want a high caster level so you don't have to stop and "recharge" every round) - again, touch attack sneak attack (but not at range, this time).

Did I mention Rogues enough? Sneaky critters, rogues.

 

[hong]

Most of the group couldn't make it to our last session so the DM put 2 of us through a 1 shot. We decided it would be the perfect time to test the Bo9S a little. I had a warblade 8/crusader 1/bloodclaw master 1 and my friend had a swordsage 10.

We both had rings of jumping (improved, so +10 on the jump check) and both of us had a good dose of tigerclaw manuevers. When your manuevers are based on a jump check and you get +10 to that check things get interesting.
After the swordsage jumped 40 feet and managed to execute a full attack (sudden leap and leaping dragon stance) only needing to roll a 5 to do so we knew the rings were more than worth it.

Any other items that are normally of "limited" value but take on a whole new meaning with certain builds or classes?

That's nothing. Wait till you get to swooping dragon attack.

 

[Mort]

That's nothing. Wait till you get to swooping dragon attack.

yeah, that +10 will make an already obscene save DC practically impossible - and considering failing the fort save makes the target stunned for 1 round that's really, really potent (min DC at 13th level, assuming you make the jump check on a 2, is 30 with max ranks and no STR modifier). Safe to say the designer may not have considered a ring of jumping when writing the manuever.

[edit: to increase the DC as no swordsage or warblade who focuses on tigerclaw is going to have less than 5 ranks in tumble and a synergy would apply]

 

[Rystil Arden]

yeah, that +10 will make an already obscene save DC practically impossible - and considering failing the fort save makes the target stunned for 1 round that's really, really potent (min DC at 13th level, assuming you make the jump check on a 2, is 30 with max ranks and no STR modifier). Safe to say the designer may not have considered a ring of jumping when writing the manuever.

[edit: to increase the DC as no swordsage or warblade who focuses on tigerclaw is going to have less than 5 ranks in tumble and a synergy would apply]

Safe to say the designer may not have been thinking at all when writing that manoeuvre. Hey kids, what's the only stunning attack in the game that gets a +9 DC when you buy Boots of Striding and Springing? Or +12 from Haste? You guessed it!

 

[TheGogmagog]

Boots of striding and springing, grant a +5 jump bonus (which might not stack), increases your speed by 10, which is nice. On top of that the +10 speed grants +4 to your jump check that will stack. Also, I believe there is a tumble synergy to jump.

Jump seems to be a skill that builds up pretty fast, the same with trip. IMHO bonuses for speed and size should have been limited to +2, not +4 or +5.

I'm not familiar with the classes or abilities you are using, but having a save DC based on a skill check sounds just plain wrong. An opposed skill check is bad enough, with synergies and skill boosting items, it's easy to get a reliable skill even if the opponents have ranks in the opposed skill.

 

[Piratecat]

The epic lvl (21st) monk in my game can routinely hit jump DCs of DC 110. Giving him tiger claw maneuvers would scare me.

 

[evilbob]

The epic lvl (21st) monk in my game can routinely hit jump DCs of DC 110. Giving him tiger claw maneuvers would scare me.

Ok, I have to ask... How?

I figure 24 ranks, maybe 10 from ability, plus some random synergy bonuses, maybe skill focus, maybe a couple items, even adding a +30 jump spell - that's still maaaybe 80-90. I wanna know! (Also, I have to say that it's hilarious to me that a "check" could have a DC over 100. At that point, why don't you just throw your dice roll away? I mean, it's not like the d20 actually matters - you either have +100 to a skill or you don't. Who cares about an average +10 more! It's like a level 19 rogue sneak attacking with a dagger - just take the 1d4 roll and throw it away - now get out those d6s!)

 

[hong]

The only Tiger Claw maneuvers that seem questionable with super Jump are the two already mentioned: sudden leap and swooping dragon attack. Sudden leap because you can get out of range of an opponent, and swooping dragon attack for the silly save DC.

The first one isn't too bad with a monk, since they're likely to be running in and out of combat all the time anyway. Nor do they have the firepower to fully exploit the move+full attack tactic, unlike say a barb.

Chalk the second one down to Mearls still being in Iron Heroes low-magic-item mode when he wrote it. I'd nerf it so that it only staggers or something, instead of stun.