Which class/race combo is the best survivor?

[boldlygo]

Remember, I'm not talking about who is good at dishing out damage. What combination is just dang near impossible to kill?

Is it a dwarf paladin? A teleporting eladrin? Other?

 

[Orcus Porkus]

1) A dwarf. Superior racial abilities and various feats that increase hit points, surge values, number of surges. Also: 2nd wind as minor action.

2) Class: Fighter (battlerager), because of armor proficiency and high HP, and abundant temp HP. Also access to

3) Dreadnought PP. 10 more HP, and the ability to shake off crippling conditions. This is often undervalued by optimizers who look for theoretical damage per round only. A crippling condition like dazed can kill you as easily as having extremely low armor class.

4) MC to cleric to get more healing.

The classic build is "The Tank". He will still stand when everyone else is dead. Almost always. Someone posted it on gleemax.

Another avenue is any polearm build (usually fighter) with polearm gamble, polearm momentum, and Heavy Blade Opportunity or Swift Spear (Dragon 378). It will make you get attacked much less often than your allies.

 

[pascalnz]

dwarf warden multi'd into fighter. more easily shrug of save ends, more hit points, bonus to ac on use of second wind as well.

you also gain acces to dreadnaught, but it's not as important because of the save a tthe start of the round. so you could pick a number of others, even iron vanguard for free hitpoints on killing etc .

 

[Orcus Porkus]

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 14
Dwarf, Fighter, Dreadnought
Build: Battlerager Fighter
Fighter Talents: Battlerager Vigor

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 20, Con 22, Dex 12, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 9.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 16, Dex 11, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 8.


AC: 32 Fort: 29 Reflex: 24 Will: 24
HP: 135 Surges: 19 Surge Value: 39

TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +12

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +4, Arcana +7, Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Dungeoneering +12, Endurance +14, Heal +10, History +7, Insight +10, Intimidate +6, Nature +10, Perception +10, Stealth +4, Streetwise +6, Thievery +4, Athletics +8

FEATS
Level 1: Armor Proficiency (Plate)
Level 2: Toughness
Level 4: Dwarven Weapon Training
Level 6: Dodge Giants
Level 8: Durable
Level 10: Initiate of the Faith
Level 11: Dwarven Durability
Level 12: Dwarf Stoneblood
Level 14: Paragon Defenses

POWERS

ITEMS
Dwarven Gith Plate Armor +3, Cloak of the Walking Wounded +3, Heavy Shield, Defensive Craghammer +3, Helm of Opportunity (heroic tier), Belt of Blood (heroic tier), Antipathy Gloves (heroic tier), Iron Armbands of Power (heroic tier), Boots of the Fencing Master (heroic tier), Potion of Clarity (level 5), Potion of Vigor (heroic tier), Potion of Spirit (level 5), Potion of Regeneration (heroic tier)
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

 

[Diirk]

Revenant (Human), probably warden.

With the ability of revenants to stay concious while below 0 hitpoints, the bonus to saves you can get from human etc, you can create a character that only ever dies if he gets to negative bloodied hitpoints... and he'll be getting over 20 on his death saves probably about half the time for a free heal.

 

[Orcus Porkus]

Revenant (Human), probably warden.

With the ability of revenants to stay concious while below 0 hitpoints, the bonus to saves you can get from human etc, you can create a character that only ever dies if he gets to negative bloodied hitpoints... and he'll be getting over 20 on his death saves probably about half the time for a free heal.

yeah, and you pile up on anything that makes sure those death saves become 20 or higher.
I've tried my hand on such a build. The problem with it is you are so focused on optimizing the death saving situation that the character looses any actual game appeal. It's kind of begging to (not) die. And sooner or later the frustrated DM will just coup de grace the hell out of you so you go below negative bloodied. Bye Bye!

 

[pascalnz]

you can only be coup de graced while unconscious, so the revenant , which apparantly doesn't go unconcious won't have that issue.

 

[Dr_Sage]

Well,

I have been playing a dwarf fighter battlerager, but with a 1 hand/shield flavor and roleplay.

Its a lot of fun and I had chosen so far the options that had to do with my theme: body of iron, heart of diamond and pure soul (yes, he is lawfull good).

I can't say if it is the "best" but I would guess it is among the most interesting tanks around. I love to play "Rocky Balboa Style".
Do you fellows remmember Ivan Draco quote? "This man is a piece of iron, he does not fall."

If you are looking for min-max, I would suggest taking a look at the new paladin powers/builds from Divine Power, specially if you are a Dragonborn (in my oppinion dragonborns are technicaly sturdier than dwarfs, looong explanation).

 

[babinro]

Elf Archer Ranger - They can simply move farther than nearly all the enemies and can out range almost everything especially with a greatbow. In close combat they just zip in and out of superior cover making them all but impossible to target for most things. By far the toughest to hurt/kill without specifically designing areas or encounters to weaken them.

 

[Orcus Porkus]

Elf Archer Ranger - They can simply move farther than nearly all the enemies and can out range almost everything especially with a greatbow. In close combat they just zip in and out of superior cover making them all but impossible to target for most things. By far the toughest to hurt/kill without specifically designing areas or encounters to weaken them.

Yes but once the monsters decide to gang up on you you're toast.

The bottom line is, you need to be either immortal with that death saving cheese + a good number of surge, or you have tons of AC, HP, self-healing, temp HP sources, more surges than others.