What do you do when you're too powerful?

[Craer]

The character I'm playing right now (heavily inspired by Stone Bear from Piratecat's Game) just made Shaman 3/Monk 4/Sacred Fist 8. As I was leveling him up, I realized that I was just simply too powerful. After items, etc., I had six attacks at something like +24/+24/+21/+18/+15/+12, with an unarmed attack damage of 2d8+2d6+28. Obscene. Considering my feats, I found myself eschewing Flying Kick in favor of Craft Talisman. I'm just amazed at how out of hand the character has grown. I'm taking Craft Talisman because it fits my character concept of a wandering shaman better than just being able to deal more damage.

This post is starting to ramble, so here's the point: What should I do? The group level ranges from 15 to 28, and I've had to min/max just to be able to keep up. Have you ever had a character get too powerful for your liking?

 

[Crothian]

Ya, I either get to the DM and ask to tone him down. Or retiure him and start a new character. That is assuming you really feel that something has to be done.

 

[Trainz]

Well, first of all, a group with levels within 15 and 28 is something of an exception. Usually, PC's tend to be within 3 levels of each other. So right off the bat, I'd say you are playing in a very peculiar group.

That said, if one in the group is level 28, how can you consider yourself too powerful ? Surely even if you are indeed above par for your level, you must still be less efficient then the 28'er. With that in mind, maybe you don't really have a problem WITHIN THAT PARTICULAR GAMING GROUP. I'd say just enjoy the ride and don't worry too much about numbers.

Keep in mind that if you eventually play with a totally different group, be prepared to play a more "conventional" game. Sometimes it's hard to readjust after playing with big digits.

 

[DaveMage]

This post is starting to ramble, so here's the point: What should I do? The group level ranges from 15 to 28, and I've had to min/max just to be able to keep up. Have you ever had a character get too powerful for your liking?

Get a copy of deities & demigods.

If your party could kill any of the gods in there in 1 round, then (IMO) the game has become silly, and it's time to find a DM who can reign things in a bit.

A second thing to do would be to add up the value of the magic items you have and see if they match up in the DMG with what a character of your level should have. If it's more than 150-200% of the value listed, see above.

 

[Talmun]

Well, as I see it, there is no such thing as too powerful, technically, at least. Leveling and gaining 'power' in 3.X D&D is just running to stay in place. As you get more HPs, so do the monsters; as your attack goes up, so does the monsters' AC; as your saves rise, so do the DCs you must save against; and so on. Admittedly, it's more work for the DM at higher levels to challenge an 'uber' party or character, but it can be done.

But there is the fun factor. A reasonably large segment of players and DMs don't like the 'superhero' feel of high-level play, or may not like the extra work involved. If it's not fun for you and your Dm or players...then you're too powerful.

I hope all that made sense...

 

[The_Gneech]

How the heck did you end up with numbers like that? Even fighters don't get their 4th attack until 16th level!

-TG

 

[Chasmodai]

Even fighters don't get their 4th attack until 16th level!

Flurry of blows my friend. By the way, how did you manage your 2d8 unarmed damage? Does your DM allow the monk and sacred fist unarmed damages to stack?

-Chasmodai

 

[Craer]

The_Gneech: Unarmed BAB progression. My total BAB is +13, so I get +13/+8/+3, but with Unarmed BAB progression, I get +13/+10/+7/+4/+1. With a flurry, that's a BAB of +11/+11/+8/+5/+2/-1. 16 STR, No Shadow Blows (which adds my WIS 26 modifier, +8, to my attack and damage), and a +2 item I wear (The Gloves of Braz - unarmed strike gets +2 enhancement, gloves add +2d6 electric damage, +1d8 vs. spirits) leave me with a total +13 to hit. Add it all up and you get +24/+24/+21/+18/+15/+12. And yes, not only do his monk levels stack with his Sacred Fist levels in terms of unarmed damage, but he's also wearing a Monk's Belt.

3 STR + 8 WIS (No Shadow Blows) + 2 Magical + 15 (Sacred Flame - the dm lets me omit the 1d6 in favor of having the Sacred Fist + Wisdom Mod [Max 15] damage stack.) = 28. Thus, 2d8 + 28 + 2d6. With 6 attacks, assuming all hit, that's an average of 246 damage.



edit: Wis modifier of +8, not +26

 

[Dyntheos]

I wanna see the level 28 guy..

 

[hong]

The_Gneech: Unarmed BAB progression. My total BAB is +13, so I get +13/+8/+3, but with Unarmed BAB progression, I get +13/+10/+7/+4/+1. With a flurry, that's a BAB of +11/+11/+8/+5/+2/-1. 16 STR, No Shadow Blows (which adds my WIS modifier of 26 to my attack and damage), and a +2 item I wear (The Gloves of Braz - unarmed strike gets +2 enhancement, gloves add +2d6 electric damage, +1d8 vs. spirits) leave me with a total +13 to hit. Add it all up and you get +24/+24/+21/+18/+15/+12. And yes, not only do his monk levels stack with his Sacred Fist levels in terms of unarmed damage, but he's also wearing a Monk's Belt.

3 STR + 8 WIS (No Shadow Blows) + 2 Magical + 15 (Sacred Flame - the dm lets me omit the 1d6 in favor of having the Sacred Fist + Wisdom Mod [Max 15] damage stack.) = 28. Thus, 2d8 + 28 + 2d6. With 6 attacks, assuming all hit, that's an average of 246 damage.

Your problem is your DM, not your character.