There Can Be Only One (55/365)
Oh me oh my....
This was a challenge laid down by Sigma and Mesu as well as their idea. I just took and it ran with it.
It goes pretty much like this: Taking no more than one level in each class make an effective, usable melee oriented character. Said character must have the best BAB throughout his entire career. Because of the fact each class has only one level ("there can be only one") this was named the Highlander build.
Well....after much hemming and hawing and searching, I pulled it off.
There's a total of 14 base classes with the best BAB that've been made. Of those you can take no more than 12 of them together (technically less but I don't pay attention to Hexblade's requirements).
Here's the thing; dipping into some of these classes is not only useless, it's out and out dumb. Hexblade is a great example of that. Soulborn is another. Taking a single level is like shooting yourself in the foot but on purpose.
As I built the character I came to realize that the desired end result was the driving force. And by that I mean that my vision of the character, what I wanted him to turn out to be and be able to do are the most important things to have in mind, even more so than normal. In this case I went for a more or less gish concept as I always seem to do. What can I say, I like the multi-talented ones. Realistically this Highlander concept could've run into being anything at all that I wanted; I just went with something that caught my eye.
What was that something? Elven PrCs is the simple explanation.
Level
1 Duskblade Combat Casting, Dodge, Precocious Apprentice
2 Fighter Weapon Focus -- Longsword
3 Barbarian Combat Expertise
4 BattledancerImproved Unarmed Strike
5 Spellsword
6 Bladesinger Mounted Combat
7 Abjurant Champion
8 Rage Mage
9 Champion of Corellon Iron Will, Mobility
10 Dervish
11 Dragonslayer
12 Wild Defender (Ranger) Power Attack
13 Marshal Skill Focus -- Diplomacy
14 Incarnum Blade
15 Crusader Great Fortitude
16 Warblade
17 Fist of the Forest
18 Jade Phoenix Mage True Believer
19 Pious Templar
20 Eternal Blade
First off, this is a Half Elf using two character flaws. What the flaws are is immaterial. This built CAN work without the two flaws though it changes towards the end of things. The flaws just make it easier.
I'm going to go through the feats first and then explain the highlights of what I'm getting from my horrendous build.
At first level I get three feats: Combat Casting, Dodge, and Precocious Apprentice. The first two are requirements for PrCs and the last one well....Precocious Apprentice is basically a broken feat when applied to Duskblades. It gives you a second level spell at first level assuming you have the needed Int/Cha score and the skill ranks. Using that spell is somewhat more troubling thanks to the caster level check but I digress. With that feat Duskblades are able to very easily qualify for many different Prestige Classes very quickly -- something I'll have to remember for later on.
Second level I take Fighter 1 and get a bonus feat -- sort of. I'm actually using the half elf racial sub level to get weapon focus with both rapier and longsword instead of a bonus feat. I have a d8 for HD instead of the usual d10 but I get better skills and skillpoints for it. This gives me another part of the required feats I need for alot of my other classes.
3rd level I get Barbarian 1 and I get Combat Expertise. It's a pre-req which is the only reason I have it.
4th level and I get Battledancer 1 which lets me pick up Improved Unarmed Strike for free. Fun fact: Battledancer has the best BAB. Not as many class abilities as the monk but it's fun nonetheless.
6th level and I'm well into the PrCs; getting my level of Bladesinger. Realistically this could've come a level earlier but it doesn't much matter, really. I get Mounted Combat which is required for a PrC later on.
At 9th level I take the one level in Champion of Corellon Latherian; it gives me a bonus feat -- I grab Mobility and Iron Will.
12th level is Ranger 1 and the Power Attack feat. Between it and Combat Expertise I'll have some combat options, at least.
My level in Marshal at 13th gives me Skill Focus (Diplomacy) as a bonus feat. Yay, I guess.
15th level is around when I'm getting into my initiator levels and I grab the Great Fortitude feat. It's required.
18th level and I get my last feat -- True Believer. Also required.
So what do I get with all this?
Well....let's go over the highlights.
I can cast arcane spells as a 5th level Duskblade; I get first level Ranger and first level Paladin spells. The former from my level in Wild Defender (a ranger variant) and the latter from my level in Pious Templar. The character has an Aura of Courage from the lone level in Dragonslayer and I have Mettle from Pious Templar.
There's Movement Mastery (take 10 on Tumble, Jump and Perform -- Dance checks) and I can Dervish Dance 1/day. Speaking of I have fast movement twice for a base speed of 50 feet. I can rage 1/day for +4 Str/Con (unless I go for a rage variant, maybe) and I can use Spell Rage 1/day as well though that's not nearly as impressive.
From Jade Phoenix Mage I have Arcane Wrath which adds +4 to hit and +Xd10 to damage (X being spell level) and I have a total initiator level of something around 12, I think. If I did the math right. 5 manuevers known from Crusader and 3 from Warblade, 2 stances total, and 2 more maneuvers known from the combo of JPM and Eternal Blade. I've got access to almost every discipline in some form.
I can use Feral Trance 1/day thanks to Fist of the Forest (+4 Dex) and I do 1d8 damage with my unarmed strikes.
Between Battledancer, Bladesinger, and Fist of the Forest I've got Dex+Cha+Con+Int to my AC whenever I'm not wearing armor. Go me huh?
From Incarnum Blade I get the Blademeld for the Crown, Feet, or Hands chakra -- I'd probably go for the Feet Chakra; it gives the best benefits. +2 initiative and can make AoOs while flatfooted.
In all honesty, as much as I've done to sell you this character? He's a fighter with some tricks. There's more abilities than what I've mentioned (Lay on Hands, Smite Evil, etc were omitted) but on the whole, despite all the abilities he's got, none of it's going to really stand up at high levels. You've got a fighter with alot of tricks. I would lay money of any dual class (and I do mean Dual -- only two) or even single class character wiping the floor with this guy assuming equal levels and whatnot.
Voting Time:
Multiterrain Shocktrooper, Balthas Kasra, Kurth, Alarian Thrakos, Spellsmiter, Dragonmage, Melee-ist Fighter, "Standard Fighter", Master of Chains, Mounted Archer, Arisias, Whirlwind, Vykes, Cerberus Ranger, Kobold Pick Fighter, Magekiller, Ebin, William Corshek, Grappler, Stormlord Cleric, Storm Mage, Lucky Adventurer, Toguro Character, Slashing Killer, Meta-Mage, Hunter of Man, Force Mage, Bardic Dervish, Halberdier, Assassin Homage, Dragoon, Draco-Blade, Missile Mage, Aiel Homage, Graeme, Archer Mage, Vartyr Kellisk, Trapper, Blessed Hunter, Dwarven Thane, Lady Irae, Naruma, Toran Zane
Gestalt Builds:
Seige Engineer, Ubertrooper, Leon Thrakos, Ravenclaw Bard, Tri-Weapon Fighter, Warblade/Lurk Concept Char, Alikin, Bloodclaw Master, Wordspeaker, Dread Pirate Roberts, Disarmer, Joshua Numenor, Direfrost Mage, Incarnate Dragon, Fortress Sorcerer, Voice of the Forgotten, Voice of Gruumsh, Kalix of Black Iron, Shadow Hunter, Elias the Stormwalker, Njal the Warbringer, Randal Bernard, Marsarlis #113, Eddie the Pierce Sniper, Graul the Ice Fisted, Tero Dach, Armored Tank, Earthbender Sorcerer, Mindreader, Dusk Commando, Eldritch Fistfighter, Lucian Thrakos, Merek Stonebreaker, Flash, Captain America, Arhmis Diei, Liam Ironarm, Runecaster Dwarf, Horizon, Desmond Arlin, Undead Psy-Warrior, Paladin of Revelry, Lord of Moil, Master of Fears, Jokhan Thrakos, Arch Druid of Cair Moloch, Duskblade Vindicator, Anarok Tor, Fangborn Martial Artist, Original Gideon, Edward Mallory, Nature Mage, Ulric Vantir, Gideon of Incarnum, Knob, Tarman Vorse, Highlander Build
This was a challenge laid down by Sigma and Mesu as well as their idea. I just took and it ran with it.
It goes pretty much like this: Taking no more than one level in each class make an effective, usable melee oriented character. Said character must have the best BAB throughout his entire career. Because of the fact each class has only one level ("there can be only one") this was named the Highlander build.
Well....after much hemming and hawing and searching, I pulled it off.
There's a total of 14 base classes with the best BAB that've been made. Of those you can take no more than 12 of them together (technically less but I don't pay attention to Hexblade's requirements).
Here's the thing; dipping into some of these classes is not only useless, it's out and out dumb. Hexblade is a great example of that. Soulborn is another. Taking a single level is like shooting yourself in the foot but on purpose.
As I built the character I came to realize that the desired end result was the driving force. And by that I mean that my vision of the character, what I wanted him to turn out to be and be able to do are the most important things to have in mind, even more so than normal. In this case I went for a more or less gish concept as I always seem to do. What can I say, I like the multi-talented ones. Realistically this Highlander concept could've run into being anything at all that I wanted; I just went with something that caught my eye.
What was that something? Elven PrCs is the simple explanation.
Level
1 Duskblade Combat Casting, Dodge, Precocious Apprentice
2 Fighter Weapon Focus -- Longsword
3 Barbarian Combat Expertise
4 BattledancerImproved Unarmed Strike
5 Spellsword
6 Bladesinger Mounted Combat
7 Abjurant Champion
8 Rage Mage
9 Champion of Corellon Iron Will, Mobility
10 Dervish
11 Dragonslayer
12 Wild Defender (Ranger) Power Attack
13 Marshal Skill Focus -- Diplomacy
14 Incarnum Blade
15 Crusader Great Fortitude
16 Warblade
17 Fist of the Forest
18 Jade Phoenix Mage True Believer
19 Pious Templar
20 Eternal Blade
First off, this is a Half Elf using two character flaws. What the flaws are is immaterial. This built CAN work without the two flaws though it changes towards the end of things. The flaws just make it easier.
I'm going to go through the feats first and then explain the highlights of what I'm getting from my horrendous build.
At first level I get three feats: Combat Casting, Dodge, and Precocious Apprentice. The first two are requirements for PrCs and the last one well....Precocious Apprentice is basically a broken feat when applied to Duskblades. It gives you a second level spell at first level assuming you have the needed Int/Cha score and the skill ranks. Using that spell is somewhat more troubling thanks to the caster level check but I digress. With that feat Duskblades are able to very easily qualify for many different Prestige Classes very quickly -- something I'll have to remember for later on.
Second level I take Fighter 1 and get a bonus feat -- sort of. I'm actually using the half elf racial sub level to get weapon focus with both rapier and longsword instead of a bonus feat. I have a d8 for HD instead of the usual d10 but I get better skills and skillpoints for it. This gives me another part of the required feats I need for alot of my other classes.
3rd level I get Barbarian 1 and I get Combat Expertise. It's a pre-req which is the only reason I have it.
4th level and I get Battledancer 1 which lets me pick up Improved Unarmed Strike for free. Fun fact: Battledancer has the best BAB. Not as many class abilities as the monk but it's fun nonetheless.
6th level and I'm well into the PrCs; getting my level of Bladesinger. Realistically this could've come a level earlier but it doesn't much matter, really. I get Mounted Combat which is required for a PrC later on.
At 9th level I take the one level in Champion of Corellon Latherian; it gives me a bonus feat -- I grab Mobility and Iron Will.
12th level is Ranger 1 and the Power Attack feat. Between it and Combat Expertise I'll have some combat options, at least.
My level in Marshal at 13th gives me Skill Focus (Diplomacy) as a bonus feat. Yay, I guess.
15th level is around when I'm getting into my initiator levels and I grab the Great Fortitude feat. It's required.
18th level and I get my last feat -- True Believer. Also required.
So what do I get with all this?
Well....let's go over the highlights.
I can cast arcane spells as a 5th level Duskblade; I get first level Ranger and first level Paladin spells. The former from my level in Wild Defender (a ranger variant) and the latter from my level in Pious Templar. The character has an Aura of Courage from the lone level in Dragonslayer and I have Mettle from Pious Templar.
There's Movement Mastery (take 10 on Tumble, Jump and Perform -- Dance checks) and I can Dervish Dance 1/day. Speaking of I have fast movement twice for a base speed of 50 feet. I can rage 1/day for +4 Str/Con (unless I go for a rage variant, maybe) and I can use Spell Rage 1/day as well though that's not nearly as impressive.
From Jade Phoenix Mage I have Arcane Wrath which adds +4 to hit and +Xd10 to damage (X being spell level) and I have a total initiator level of something around 12, I think. If I did the math right. 5 manuevers known from Crusader and 3 from Warblade, 2 stances total, and 2 more maneuvers known from the combo of JPM and Eternal Blade. I've got access to almost every discipline in some form.
I can use Feral Trance 1/day thanks to Fist of the Forest (+4 Dex) and I do 1d8 damage with my unarmed strikes.
Between Battledancer, Bladesinger, and Fist of the Forest I've got Dex+Cha+Con+Int to my AC whenever I'm not wearing armor. Go me huh?
From Incarnum Blade I get the Blademeld for the Crown, Feet, or Hands chakra -- I'd probably go for the Feet Chakra; it gives the best benefits. +2 initiative and can make AoOs while flatfooted.
In all honesty, as much as I've done to sell you this character? He's a fighter with some tricks. There's more abilities than what I've mentioned (Lay on Hands, Smite Evil, etc were omitted) but on the whole, despite all the abilities he's got, none of it's going to really stand up at high levels. You've got a fighter with alot of tricks. I would lay money of any dual class (and I do mean Dual -- only two) or even single class character wiping the floor with this guy assuming equal levels and whatnot.
Voting Time:
Multiterrain Shocktrooper, Balthas Kasra, Kurth, Alarian Thrakos, Spellsmiter, Dragonmage, Melee-ist Fighter, "Standard Fighter", Master of Chains, Mounted Archer, Arisias, Whirlwind, Vykes, Cerberus Ranger, Kobold Pick Fighter, Magekiller, Ebin, William Corshek, Grappler, Stormlord Cleric, Storm Mage, Lucky Adventurer, Toguro Character, Slashing Killer, Meta-Mage, Hunter of Man, Force Mage, Bardic Dervish, Halberdier, Assassin Homage, Dragoon, Draco-Blade, Missile Mage, Aiel Homage, Graeme, Archer Mage, Vartyr Kellisk, Trapper, Blessed Hunter, Dwarven Thane, Lady Irae, Naruma, Toran Zane
Gestalt Builds:
Seige Engineer, Ubertrooper, Leon Thrakos, Ravenclaw Bard, Tri-Weapon Fighter, Warblade/Lurk Concept Char, Alikin, Bloodclaw Master, Wordspeaker, Dread Pirate Roberts, Disarmer, Joshua Numenor, Direfrost Mage, Incarnate Dragon, Fortress Sorcerer, Voice of the Forgotten, Voice of Gruumsh, Kalix of Black Iron, Shadow Hunter, Elias the Stormwalker, Njal the Warbringer, Randal Bernard, Marsarlis #113, Eddie the Pierce Sniper, Graul the Ice Fisted, Tero Dach, Armored Tank, Earthbender Sorcerer, Mindreader, Dusk Commando, Eldritch Fistfighter, Lucian Thrakos, Merek Stonebreaker, Flash, Captain America, Arhmis Diei, Liam Ironarm, Runecaster Dwarf, Horizon, Desmond Arlin, Undead Psy-Warrior, Paladin of Revelry, Lord of Moil, Master of Fears, Jokhan Thrakos, Arch Druid of Cair Moloch, Duskblade Vindicator, Anarok Tor, Fangborn Martial Artist, Original Gideon, Edward Mallory, Nature Mage, Ulric Vantir, Gideon of Incarnum, Knob, Tarman Vorse, Highlander Build