Submit 10th level cohort builds here please

[strongbow]

I want to see the characters that you always wanted to play, but knew a home DM would never allow.

I would like to collect some 10th level (non-riding based) smackdown/cool build characters. Allowed sources are 3.5 PH, DMG, Complete Warrior, Complete Divine. Allowed alignment is any non-evil. Use 22 pt buy (yeah I know that's low but them's the breaks for me too.) Use PH races, with the addition of Wood Elf and Gray Elf being available. No templates, although all PrCs from the above sources are fair game.
Don't worry about a 200 pts threshold, but build a solid character. Good luck!
Elder Basilisk has forced the issue I'm building an LG cohort here. That means no core feats until 3rd level, and some classes are banned like Kensai, Hulking Hurler, Purple Dragon Knight, Whirling Dervish, and a few others.


Here are my contributions to cohort building that I have been considering.

Master Thrower throwing 16 shuriken a round as touch attacks, each shuriken can trip, and stacking flame arrow damage on each one.

Melee Druid 8/Bar 1/Warshaper 2 Hits for 1d10 +29 on three attacks at +24/+24/+19 w/ Boots of Speed.

With heavy buffing from his cleric (leader, master?) the Druid is a combat machine. Yes, this requires heavy buffing to be optimal, but since spikes gives a +2 Enhancment you could get by w/o GMW (see below) Here is the Melee Druid, Step by Step:

1) Take off all your equipment.
2) Wildshape to Dire Ape
3) Cast Reduce Animal on yourself, lasts 1 hour/lvl
4) Put equipment back on. You are now Medium Size with base 20 Str, 17 Dex.
5) Add Gauntlets +2, Warshaper +4, and Rage +4.
6) Have the cleric cast Greater Magic Weapon (GMW) on your Greatclub, and either you or cleric cast spikes on weapon. I'm the cleric in this scenario with a Bead of Karma that I paid through the nose to keep, so I get +4 GMW.

Damage while raging: 1d10 (Greatclub base) + 15 (Str) + 4 (GMW) + 10 (Spikes if cleric casts on you) or +8 (if you cast spikes on yourself=

1d10+29

To hit bonus:
8 BAB
10 Str
4 GMW
1 Heroes Feast (I cast Extended Heroe's Feast so it lasts all day)
1 Haste (From aforementioned Boots of Speed)
=+24/+24/+19

AC (Again this requires heavy buffing, no way around this)
10 base
3 Dex
5 Buckler (One of his feats is Improved Buckler Defense, so he'll retain the AC while swinging his club. Buckler has +4 Magic Vestment) Editing Note: There is a debate in this thread as to whether Improved Buckler Defense lets you fight with a two handed weapon and retain your AC bonus. The feat has been explained to me as working this way, but I need someone with a copy of Complete Warrior to clarify.
9 (Breastplate w/ Magic Vestment)
4 Natural Armor from Dire Ape form.
=31 You could get more from a Ring of Protection (or Barkskin), but since he needs to buy a Belt of (can't remember name) from AE&G that gives +2 Constitution Enhancment & Great Fortitude Feat for 10,000 he is strapped for cash.

Btw in case you are curious, his feats are Improved Buckler Defense at 3, Natural Spell at 6, and Extra Rage at 9. I don't remember offhand what his two level 1 feats were, but I think I threw in Improved Init for +7 Init mod. Raging 3/day prevents this from being a 1/day pony.

 

[sledged]

Character 10th level or ECL 10th level?

 

[strongbow]

Edited original statement instead.

 

[Darklone]

Ftr6/Dervish4 or Bbn2/Ftr4/Derv4 (mainly for more movement since rage and dervish dance can't be combined). Either the TWF route with two scimitars or especially for the barbarian get a twohanded falchion or greatsword (Enough problems with not enough feats). Power Attack is a must have and the dervish bonus to hit will allow you to convert most of your BAB into more damage.

Even better and more evil built: Drd9/Monk1. Wildshape into a Giant Octopus, cast Animal Growth (Natural Spell!) and enjoy 8 attacks with a reach of 40ft, Improved Grab and Constrict for extra damage. Your huge Wisdom will give you an AC in the 30s without too much extra equipment or spells except of Barkskin. Get Combat Reflexes and never leave the house without Greater Magic Fang

 

[Korak]

Even better and more evil built: Drd9/Monk1. Wildshape into a Giant Octopus, cast Animal Growth (Natural Spell!) and enjoy 8 attacks with a reach of 40ft, Improved Grab and Constrict for extra damage. Your huge Wisdom will give you an AC in the 30s without too much extra equipment or spells except of Barkskin. Get Combat Reflexes and never leave the house without Greater Magic Fang

Sorry Dark... I tank for his group, and I already pitched the octopus druid to him, though mine was more sneak attack based, since he'd be flanking with me.. Strongbow doesn't seem to like the idea of an octopus walking around, even though it has a listed land speed .

 

[Shazman]

With a 22 point buy you're probably not going to want to be a human, since you'll desperately need ability modifiers to get anything worth playing. I've never heard of a DM using such a low point buy. I'd probably go with a wood elf ranger 2/rogue 4/ fighter 4. Ability scores to start with should be str 12, dex 17, con 10, int 12, wis 10, cha 8. Bump up dex and con at 4th and 8th levels. Get TWF combat style from ranger. Feats should be weapon finesse, weapon focus and specialization with short swords, iron will, improved initiative, improved critical, and two-weapon defense. Pick undead as a favored enemy because you can't crit or sneak attack them. get some strength, dex, and con boosting magic items, some good armor, and at least one short sword of subtlety.

 

[strongbow]

10 Con? 10 Con! 10 Con. Lol. The point buy isn't that bad man! Thanks for the ideas though <cough bump>

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Hmm, are you creating a Living Greyhawk cohort by any chance?

So, my recommendations:

1. Rog 8/Rgr 2
Str. 12, Dex 17 (15+2 lvl), Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8
Weapon Finesse, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Iron Will, Track (b), Rapid Shot or TWF(b)

With a decent weapon and a few buffs, this character will hit pretty reliably and will get good damage in with sneak attack. If he gets the drop on his enemies, he can rapid shot for double sneak attack damage. He's got enough skills to max search, disable device, open lock, hide, move silently, spot, and listen and still have a good survival score and tumble scores. In a party, he'd be a special forces kind of character. If there's a trail that needs following or a door that needs opening, he's the go to guy.

2. It could be done with Fighter instead. (Rog 8/Ftr 2) In that case, use either a rapier and light shield or two short swords (or handaxes or throwing axes) and a buckler and take these feats:
Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier or shortsword/handaxe/throwing axe), Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Dodge, Improved Shield Bash (or improved Buckler Defense), Improved Critical (Rapier or shortsword/handaxe--quickdraw is better if you want to use throwing axes since they have poor crit qualities and are useful for throwing).

This character is definitely a melee rogue. He'll tumble in strike for 5d6+1 (plus enhancement) and either tumble out again or unload with a full attack for 20d6+2 (plus enhancement--the twin shortsword/handaxe/throwing axe guy) or 18d6+2 plus 2d4 (plus enhancement--the rapier and shield guy).

3. Dwarf Fighter 10
Str 18 (16+2 lvl), Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 10, cha 6
Feats: Weapon Focus: Waraxe, Greater Weapon Focus: Waraxe, Weapon Specialization: Waraxe, Improved Crit: Waraxe, Power Attack, Cleave, Iron Will, Blindfight, Close Quarters Fighting

Either wield a dwarven waraxe with a heavy shield (tower shield if you want to go really defensive) or a greatsword. Wear the heaviest armor you can find. Hit stuff and hurt it.

3.5
Bbn 2/Ftr 2/Clr 3 (Kord)/Pious Templar 3 (Kord)
Str 18 (16+2lvl), Dex 10, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 8
Feats: Weapon Focus: Greatsword, Power Attack, Extra Rage, True Believer, Improved Critical: Greatsword, Weapon Specialization: Greatsword (b), Close Quarters Fighting, Iron Will. The character also has Mettle, Smite 1/day, Uncanny Dodge, and

Similar but more of a mutt. Slightly lower attack bonus (lost one BAB and greater weapon focus), a few spells, better fort and will saves, worse will save. This character could take another level of Pious Templar and then take Holy Liberator levels to become immune to charms and compulsions or he could swap Iron Will for Improved Initiative and go Occult Slayer.

4. Wizard 10 (necromancer)
Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 17 (15+2lvl), Wis 10, Cha 8
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus: Evocation, Empower Spell, Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Craft Wondrous Item.

Spells: Ray of Enfeeblement, Command Undead, False Life, Scorching Ray, Ray of Exhaustion, Enervation, Solid Fog, Wall of Force, Magic Jar, Waves of Fatigue

You'll be mostly looking at using ranged touch attacks, Wall spells, and other no save spells but if you need to break out the fireballs and Otilukes' Resilient Spheres, you'll be halfway decent at it if you take Spell Focus: evocation.

 

[Diirk]

With a 22 point buy you're probably not going to want to be a human, since you'll desperately need ability modifiers to get anything worth playing. I've never heard of a DM using such a low point buy. I'd probably go with a wood elf ranger 2/rogue 4/ fighter 4. Ability scores to start with should be str 12, dex 17, con 10, int 12, wis 10, cha 8. Bump up dex and con at 4th and 8th levels. Get TWF combat style from ranger. Feats should be weapon finesse, weapon focus and specialization with short swords, iron will, improved initiative, improved critical, and two-weapon defense. Pick undead as a favored enemy because you can't crit or sneak attack them. get some strength, dex, and con boosting magic items, some good armor, and at least one short sword of subtlety.

Swords of subtlety are a complete waste of time... they're only +1 swords, altho they count as +4 when you make a sneak attack. The downside to this is they're more expensive than a +3 sword. So for an extra 4000 gold you get +1/+1 to hit/damage in a limited set of circumstances, and get -2/-2 the rest of the time... and its this latter that is actually the more useful as rogues tend to already perform more than adequately against foes they can sneak attack, its only the ones they can't they need more help with.

Summary: Sword of subtlety is overpriced and weakens your characters already weakest area. Bad idea.

 

[strongbow]

Yes, you got me Elder Basilisk. I'm creating an LG cohort. A lot of people around here hate LG so I didn't want to state that explicitly.