What's Pun-Pun?

[Slife]

It's an example of character "optimization" gone wrong, typically brought up on the WotC forums. I'm sure someone here knows the details better, but it starts by giving a kobold a template that makes him a divine emissary.

Edit: Here is the original thread.

Divine minion isn't needed. It's a trick to get the character level the lowest, but isn't an essential part of what pun-pun is.

Pun-Pun is, essentially, abusing the horribly broken manipulate form ability to abuse every other rules loophole. Anything that any character can do, pun-pun can do better, faster, more precisely, and with half the sodium. Pun-Pun is the end of any "my character is better than yours" competition. In short - Pun-pun is the natural twenty of optimization, and renders the numbers game completely pointless.

The current lowest level build relies on Pazuzu from the Fiend Codex, and can be done at first level by any non-chaotic-evil character of a race without an intelligence penalty.

 

[Driddle]

Pun-Pun is the Chuck Norris of D&D, but without the moustache.

I'm surprised Chuck Norris hasn't roundhouse-kicked you off the Internet for invoking his name on a D&D message board.

 

[Asmor]

I'm surprised Chuck Norris hasn't roundhouse-kicked you off the Internet for invoking his name on a D&D message board.

He would but he fears reprisal from Vin Diesel.

 

[Nyeshet]

I'm still wondering why they named this quasi-omnific being after a warm water penguin.

On the other hand, ENWorld's board for the Immortal's Handbook has calculated Pun-Pun's CR to be 24,282. The Hulking Hurler, by comparison, has a CR of merely 883.

Should I be more worried that they bothered to calculate it, or that they actually had the means to do so?

 

[Nifft]

I'm still wondering why they named this quasi-omnific being after a warm water penguin.

Are you confusing Pun-Pun with Pen-Pen?

Know your flightless waterfowl!

Cheers, -- N

 

[Slife]

I'm still wondering why they named this quasi-omnific being after a warm water penguin.

On the other hand, ENWorld's board for the Immortal's Handbook has calculated Pun-Pun's CR to be 24,282. The Hulking Hurler, by comparison, has a CR of merely 883.

Should I be more worried that they bothered to calculate it, or that they actually had the means to do so?

I'm entirely sure that that number is inaccurate.

As soon as you introduce any rules expansion, Pun-Pun has access to all abilities therein.

 

[Asmor]

That's working under the assumption that any ability is always worth a bump up in CR.

There's only so much Pun-Pun can do. Say being able to kill unlimited creatures instantly in one standard action is worth CR X. Is Being able to kill unlimited creatures instantly in one move action, or even one free action, really worth a bump up to CR X+Y (where Y > 0)?

Of course, it's all kind of moot... The whole point of a CR is to determine what level group a creature would be an appropriate challenge for... Pun-pun, with his unlimited power, is really only an apt opponent for, frankly, himself, and even that's debatable.

Therefore, I say that Pun-Pun is CR Pun-Pun.

 

[Nifft]

Remember, though, that many a 6th level PC can take Leadership and ask for a 4th level Kobold...

Cheers, -- N

PS: Yes, Leadership is the Best. Feat. Evar.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Now this thread is fun!

 

[Glyfair]

Now this thread is fun!

But is it fun-fun?