GameBanshee Forums

Purpose:

After designing the Hidden Dragon:

http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/never ... 98187.html

I decided to try for something a bit less "bipolar".

The basic idea is the same: Very high attack number, Knockdown and Disarm capable, Stealth attack driven, and again all-the-while maintaining acceptable OC & MOTB use while still being a "power build". (See the Hidden Dragon for more detail.)

Whats different with this build (instead of the Hidden Dragon), is that the character's overall "play" can not only perform somewhat similar to a high (18+) level Hidden Dragon for most levels, but also be more more effective as a basic melee fighter. It is NOT bi-polar in the sense that you play a standard fighter for 17 levels and a Stealth-driven assassin for the higher remaining levels. For THIS build you have Hide in Plain Site (HiPS) as early as you can get it (level 8) to start into Stealth-type maneuvers if you wish. Again, its ALSO better at overall melee attacks as well fairly early in-game while still providing access to a functional Knockdown.

There are of course several things that had to be "given-up" when compared to a Hidden Dragon: No decent Will Save, No Immunity to Paralysis, No Immunity to Fire, slightly Fewer Hit-points, No "unlimited access" to True Strike, No Familiar, Less damage for a higher attack value.

What this character gains is considerably *more* damage at a slightly lower attack number, a 1 point higher attack number (..at a lower damage potential), the ability to "mow-down" large numbers of opponents quickly without engaging in Stealth maneuvers, the ability to cast most scrolls and use most magic items.

Between this build and the Hidden Dragon its really a matter of preference. However this build does offer more *utility*, particularly in the sense that it builds seamlessly over time (and almost "feels" like a single class as opposed to a hodge-podge of classes).

..any way, here it is:

The HITMAN:

Race: Earth Gensai.

Starting Attributes:

Strength = 20
Dexterity = 13
Constitution = 15
Intelligence = 14
Wisdom = 6
Charisma = 6

1st Level: Fighter. Wild Child Background. Listen 2, Tumble 2, Use Magic Device (UMD) 2, (4 point carryover). Feat(s): Dodge, Able Learner.

2nd Level: Fighter. Diplomacy 2, Hide 2, Move Silently (MS), (2 point carryover). Feat: Mobility.

3rd Level: Fighter. Hide 1, MS 1, Tumble 1, (3 point carryover). Feat: Knockdown.

4th Level: Ranger. Attribute: Strength 1. Hide 4, Listen 3, MS 4. Favored Enemy: Undead.

5th Level: Fighter. Diplomacy 1, Hide 1, MS 1, Tumble 1. Feat: Power Attack.

6th Level: Fighter. Hide 1, MS 1, UMD 2. Feat: Cleave.

7th Level: Fighter. Diplomacy 1, Hide 1, MS 1, Tumble 1. Feat: Spring Attack.

8th Level Shadow Dancer (SD). Attribute: Strength 1. Diplomacy 6, Hide 1, MS 1. Feat (SD): Hide in Plain Sight (HiPS).

9th Level: Fighter. Diplomacy 2, Hide 1, MS 1. Feat: Great Cleave.

10th Level: Frenzied Berserker (FB). Diplomacy 1, Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1. Feat(s) (FB): Toughness, Frenzy 1.

11th Level: FB. Diplomacy 1, Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1. Feat (FB): Supreme Cleave.

12th Level: FB. Attribute Strength 1. Diplomacy 1, Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1. Feat: Blind Fight. Feat (FB): Frenzy 2.

13th Level: FB. Hide 1, Listen 2, MS 1. Feat (FB): Deathless Frenzy.

14th Level: FB. Hide 1, Listen 2, MS 1. Feat(s) (FB): Frenzy 3, Empower Power Attack.

15th Level: Fighter. Hide 1, Listen 2, MS 1. Feat(s): Weapon Focus Scythe, Greater Weapon Focus Scythe.

16th Level: Fighter. Attribute: Strength 1. Hide 1, Listen 2, MS 1.

17th Level: Fighter. Hide 1, Listen 2, MS 1. Feat: Improved Power Attack.

18th Level: Fighter. Hide 1, Listen 2, MS 1. Feat: Improved Knockdown.

19th Level: Fighter. Hide 1, Listen 2, MS 1. Feat: Power Critical Scythe.

20th Level: Fighter. Attribute: Strength 1. Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1, UMD 1.

21st Level: Fighter. Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1, UMD 1. Feat: Epic Focus Scythe. Feat (epic character): Great Strength +1.

22nd Level: Fighter. Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1, UMD 1.

23rd Level: Fighter. Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1, UMD 1. Feat: Epic Prowess. Feat (epic character): Great Strength +2.

24th Level: Fighter. Attribute: Strength 1. Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1, UMD 1.

25th Level: Fighter. Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1, UMD 1. Feat: Disarm. Feat (epic character): Great Strength +3.

26th Level: Fighter. Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1, UMD 1.

27th Level: Fighter. Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1, UMD 1. Feat: Improved Disarm. Feat (epic character): Great Strength +4.

28th Level: Fighter. Attribute: Strength 1. Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1, UMD 1.

29th Level: Fighter. Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1, UMD 1. Feat(s) (epic character): Improved Initiative, Great Strength +5.

30th Level: Ranger. Hide 1, Listen 1, MS 1, UMD 2, with 3 points to spend wherever you want. Choose either combat style.. makes no difference.

Final Attributes:

Strength = 32
Dexterity = 13
Constitution = 15
Intelligence = 14
Wisdom = 6
Charisma = 6

Final Notes:

Unlike the Hidden Dragon, the final BAB is quite a bit higher at 29 - this gives the HITMAN a 1 point net attack advantage over the Hidden Dragon despite having a full 8 points less of Strength.

With a 32 in Strength this build has + 11 base damage with every attack at its full attack number. Put on Power Attack or Improved Power Attack and the attack number drops down to -3 and -6 respectively. Conversly a Hidden Dragon has +15 base damage with every attack at its full attack number.

The real difference is when you can sacrifice extraordinarily high attack numbers for greater damage.

With a Scythe and Improved Power Attack on - the base bonus damage jumps to a net +31 (including the +11 from your Strength bonus). Note that its more than *DOUBLE* what the Hidden Dragon is capable of (..but its at a net -5 to attack).

Even at character level 17 (when you select Improved Power Attack), you have a Strength of 24 (damage bonus of +7) that nets +27 in BASE DAMAGE PER ATTACK.

Whats more, against easier to hit characters with not only Cleave, but Great Cleave AND Supreme Cleave, you'll likely kill *everything* around you in one attack round (..assuming some additional damage modifiers from other typical sources).

(Note that Improved Power Attack was chosen AFTER having a fairly high BAB , Strength attack modifier, and 2 focuses for Scythe.)

Because the HITMAN is such a "tour de force" with melee - MOST of the time this character will have armor ON (..as opposed to the basic premise of the Hidden Dragon build at high levels). The few occasions where you would take off the armor is against Magic Casters - there your Stealth ability really "kicks-in" and voids their ability to target/see you.

Feats:

Most of the feats are critical to the build and are placed where they should be (i.e. in relation to character level). Knockdown was added early to give you that one additional "extra" enhancement to your character (..and again, a *functional* one). Improved Knockdown was not deemed nearly as necessary as Blind Fight, therefor it was added later. With the exception of Spring Attack, all the other early selectable feats were required. Spring Attack was deemed necessary for any Stealth-based build, and because the Shadow Dancer class was available as early as it was - Spring Attack was chosen just before the class became available for selection. (Note that Cleave was more functional to the character at earlier levels so it came before Spring Attack, and of course you had to select Power Attack before you could select Cleave.)

Blind Fight is inserted at a point in the build where in-game (the OC), it starts becoming increasingly important.

Feats like Disarm and Improved Disarm are merely "perks" to the character in the context of the OC/MOTB (..at least until the final few fights in MOTB), but are absolutely necessary for a "power build". For this reason both Disarms were chosen late in the build process. Furthermore the feat Improved Initiative substantially enhances the Disarms, so it was chosen after them.

All of the "attack number" enhancing feats (along with the Strength feats) were critical to the premise of the character, and were implemented when appropriate.

Power Critical Scythe *seems* to be the one "extra" feat in the build, but in truth it is fairly important to the build. Improved Critical Scythe was NOT chosen instead because a Scythe with *Keen* accomplishes the same thing WITHOUT the cost of a feat.

Skills:

For the most part the same skills for the same reasons as the Hidden Dragon build. Note however the inclusion of Use Magic Device. This was chosen specifically to provide an alternative to the near infinite True Strike capability of the Hidden Dragon, and without it the character can't buff him/her self to improve the attack number.

Anyway, if your interested in the build then give it try - I don't think you'll be disappointed.