D&D 3E/3.5 Top 20 most broken character builds 3.5

[cjosephs1s]

I'd say for a good DM nope. I can give examples of an "imbalanced" party member and not even give him a class. I can "imbalance" a party with an average stat score of 11 if everyone else has an average of 15 or vice versa and I haven't even picked a class yet. I'm either going to hinder them or look way out of balance all from the luck of the dice. A good DM will recognize this and find ways to work with these characters. I've even been in campaings where characters were severly imbalanced and still had good roles in the party.

 

[Dandu]

To be honest, I do not find your position useful for addressing mechanical questions. If I am designing a game and want all classes to be equally useful to the party, it would be somewhat irresponsible of me to say "I'm sure the DM will figure out what encounters to throw at the party to make all characters feel valuable, so I'm just going to give one class the ability to tear apart reality and another the ability to converse with to marine life."

Likewise, when someone asks "What classes are likely to cause problems for a game" I do not think the response should be "No classes will cause problems for a good DM", but rather "Don't let people take levels in Cancer Mage".

 

[cjosephs1s]

Like I originally said...I'm going to be the outcast on this position but let me demonstrate my point more effectively using the most basic of rules for which almost everyone plays by: Stat generation.

Lets say using the rules from the PHB (roll 4d6 drop the low which I'm gonna guess a vast majority of players and DMs use)and inside the allowable everything the DM has I roll crappy stats..top score of 6. Statistically this can and does happen. Another player gets lucky and rolls the other side of the curve and gets his low score is a 16 with mostly 17s and 18s.

I've followed the rules and so has the other player yet my character is going to be about worthless or his character is going to be waaay overpowered. Either way something is broken in the party. So do we now say that the way we generate stats is broken because of a statistical probability? I'd hope not. They do not outlaw this rule. The DM handles this "broken" situation to balance it.

I can also make the argument that any class can disrupt the balance of the game given the right stats, gear, feats, and skills. So "which classes are likely to cause problems for a game"? Any class the player is intimately familiar with and wants to munchin for a certain reason. This is exactly why I said things are situational, not absolute.

I'm not familiar with the Cancer Mage but I pose this question..is the class by itself so overpowered that it can kill any other PC class with little difficulty? Or does it require taking the right feats, gear, and skills before it becomes "overpowered"? Is there nothing that can stop this class aside from wish and miracle spells or a direct intervention from the dieties themselves? How does he fare against the PrC Occult Slayer whose purpose it is to destroy those with magic..or a Spellthief or a golem with immunity to magic?

I guess my main point is lots of things can tip the scale of power one way or another to the point where it looks like it should be banned from the game. In reality, there's always a counter to this balance in the DM coming up with a situational solution that still lets everyone have fun.

But if you really want a list, just let me know and I'll come up with one...lol

 

[Dandu]

I'm not familiar with the Cancer Mage but I pose this question..is the class by itself so overpowered that it can kill any other PC class with little difficulty? Or does it require taking the right feats, gear, and skills before it becomes "overpowered"? Is there nothing that can stop this class aside from wish and miracle spells or a direct intervention from the dieties themselves? How does he fare against the PrC Occult Slayer whose purpose it is to destroy those with magic..or a Spellthief or a golem with immunity to magic?

It gives you infinite strength.

Doesn't stop a god from smiting you, but if you're in a party with a Cancer Mage, and you're a monk, the fact that your party member had to have a deity descended from high on heaven to deal with him while you have trouble with mundane opponents is likely to make you feel inadequate.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

In comparing player to player, things can be broken. A player can end up feeling like his/her character is useless next to someone powerful. This should be talked about during character creation, and everyone should know what they're getting into.

In comparing Player to DM, keep in mind the DM can throw a templated, templated, templated, HD boosted, classed creature at the players. Players can't break the DM's game, unless the DM isn't able to keep up.

 

[spiderfate]

the Greenbuam summoner feat from the realms is quite unbalance i think.

It's a feat from Lost Empires of Faerun that automatically applies the
greenbound creature template to all animals you summon using summon
nature's ally.

The template grants the plant type (immunities!), +6 natural AC, DR
10/magic and slashing, fast healing 3, +4 to grapple, tremorsense, +6
Str, +2 Dex, +4 Con...

 

[emoplato]

Yeah, it isn't magical it is purely physical without many levels needed to achieve it. All it takes is a one level dip giving you a in game daily permanent strength increase and the hulking hurler is only 3. Alone it probably wouldn't shine as much in most settings, but if your party arcane caster can store the 20 ton rock of doom with a spell it basically allows you to lash out against everyone on the field only having to beat an AC 10. Then the enemies have to worry about making a reflex save of 10+ranged attack modifier, brutal throw replaces dexterity with strength.
I do agree with you it really takes a good DM to determine whether something is broken or not but there is also other people to consider. You don't want to adjust difficulty of all encounters based upon this one person. Sure if he is being dick just to kill everything and not help the party off with his head if you can, it just that with something like this there is still a lot of gold to spend possibly. I say frame what to use and not to use at the beginning. Have players bring in material they would like to use to get an idea, but not demand what they are going to do then decide on it. Then like you said cater adventures and encounters so different people can shine.

 

[spiderfate]

Keep en coming, not just builds any broken rule will do,

 

[marcielle]

i just found one. the candle of evocation. you could summon an efrreeti get three wishes and on the third wish get another candle of evocation. Unlimited wishes.

You don't even have to pay for that first candle. If you start as a LG lvl 1 Paladin, Pazuzu gives it to you for freeeee.

 

[DrNames]

3.5 Dnd Most powerful creation EVER lvl 1 (5) No items

Ladies and gents, I have a fully built COMPLETELY off the wall creation. You want something broken? You want to destroy everything at level 1??? Read this!

Name: Tybor Sept
Size: Small
Race: Pixie(+4 level adjust)
Class: Monk lvl 1
Total Level: 5


Str:10 + 0
Dex:26 + 8
Con:12 + 1
Int:21 + 5
Wis:22 + 6
Cha:18 + 4

AC:29 (You can take soft cover from any creature 2 sizes larger than you if you are in the same space as them (AKA your Trained Creature) for a total of 33)
AC Calculations: 10 base + 8 dex mod + 6 wis (monk) + 1 (small size) + 1 (Natural Armor Bonus)
+ 1 (dodge) + 1 (Monk Bonus)+ 1 (Aeiral Superiority feat)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BA+2
BA Calculations: Monk level +1 size bonus +1

Total attack bonus (Unarmed attack): + 10
Minimum damage per attack action: 9 (crit 11)
Maximum damage per combat round: 32 (critx2 64)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Other Atributes of Merit:

Damage Reduction: 10/cold iron 15+classlevels(Spell resistence)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Greater Invisability: "A Pixie remains invisable even when it attacks. This ability is CONSTANT,
But the pixie can suppress or resume it as a free action."

Invisable Info:Visually undetectable. An invisible creature gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls against
sighted opponents, and ignores its opponents' Dexterity bonuses to AC (if any). (Invisibility has no
effect against blinded or otherwise nonsighted creatures.) An invisible creature's location cannot be
pinpointed by visual means, including darkvision. It has total concealment; even if an attacker correctly
guesses the invisible creature's location, the attacker has a 50% miss chance in combat
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Spell-like Abilities: 1/day-
Lesser Confusion (DC 14)
Dancing Lights
Detect Chaos
Detect Good
Detect Evil
Detect Law
Detect Thoughts (DC 15)
Dispel Magic
Entangle (DC 14)
Permanent image (DC 19)
Polymorph (self only)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Special Arrows: 0 damage + Effects bellow

Memory LossPerminent! DC 15 (Cha) retains skills/ languages/class abilities)
"Forgets everything else until he or she recieves a heal spell or memory restoration WITH
limited wish, wish, or miracle.

Sleep: "Any opponent struck by this arrow, regardless of Hit Dice must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save
or be affected as though by a sleep spell.

Low Light Vision
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Skills:
(Small Size Adjustments)
Hide: +4
Grapple: -4
(Racial Adjustments)
Listen: +2
Search: +2
Spot: +2
(Class Skills(4+ int modifier)x4)
Total points to expended: 36
Balance: +4
Climb: +0
Concentration: +0
Craft: +2
Diplomacy: +5
Escape Artist: +5
Hide: +5
Jump: +0
Knowledges: +0
Listen: +0
Move Silently: +6
Perform: +0
Profession: +7
Sense Motive: +2
Spot: +2
Swim: +3
Tumble: +0
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Profession: Mimic Trainer and Breader
Craft: Carpenter! Master of Woodwork, and Furnature Expert.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Feats:
Dodge: +1 dodge Bonus to AC against some attacks of opportunity

Aerial Superiority:"You can use your flying ability to gain an advantage against landbound foes or
airborne foes that you can outmaneuver.
Benefit: While flying, you gain a +1 dodge bonus to armor class against opponents who cannot fly or
have a lower maneuverability than you."

Improved Grapple: You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when you make a touch attack to start a
grapple.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Class Abilities:

Unarmed Strike: 1d6+Dex Mod
Flurry of Blows: You may perform an additional unarmed strike each turn (-2)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Animal Companion: Agustace (Otherwise known as "Big Mama" or "Old Ben")
Race: Mimic
Size: Large (Up to 10 feet tall)(4000 pounds)(Can be as small as 5x5x6 box)
16,10,17,16,16,17 Reroll lowest=18 (stats are read like pixies, any number over 10 is the mimics racial bonus
Since all mimics have the same core stats in dnd 3.5)

Totals:
Str:25 + 7
Dex:18 + 4
Con:24 + 7
Int:18 + 4
Wis:20 + 5
Char:16 + 3

LanguagesNaturally speaks Common)(Int Modifier adds 4 more: Dwarven, Goblin, Elven, Sylvan)

AC:18
AC Calculations: (-1 (size) + 4 (Dex) + 5 (Natural Armor))

HP:103
HP Calculations: (7d8+21+7 per level (Con)) (16+14+9+11+11+9+12(+21))

Abilities of Merit:
Adhesive: A Succesful slam automatically grapples, If attacked a creature must make a reflex save (DC 16)
or the weapon is stuck on the mimic.
Crush: If an enemy is grappled the mimic can crush them dealing 1d8+(str mod)
Darkvision
Immunity to Acid
Mimic Shape

Skills:
Climb: +9
Disguise: +8
Listen: +8
Spot: +8

Feats:
Alertness- +2 bonus to all listen and Spot checks
Lightning Reflexes- +2 on all reflex saving throws
Weapon Focus (Slam)- +1 on all attack rolls with this attack.

BA:+5 to attack +9 to grapple
Total attacking bonuses: +13 to attack (with slam) +16 to grapple
Slam: 1d8+(str mod)

Books used: 3.5 Players handbook, 3.5 Monster manual (Pixie)(Mimic), 3.5 Wild races.