Post by desocupado on Mar 14, 2012 1:03:01 GMT
It's advisable to use a demix2 character, or you'll have to sacrifice Listen skill and OC/DC to get the required 25 wisdom to qualify for planar turning
Overview:
This build is a modification of Palasmiturnerdin . But focusing on maximizing the use of class features instead of splashing cleric to save up Legendary feats.
Building a blackguard is somewhat confusing as it isn't an specialist, offensive-wise it lacks Extra attacks, defensive-wise it has no damage immunity bonuses or concealment. So instead of trying to remedy these flaws with little benefit from BG CC, this build attempts to use most (if not all) all Blackguard features striving for high utility instead of regular tank performance.
Requirements:
Hound Archon subrace - i.e. Don't mind looking like a dog ()
Demix2 (or sacrificing listen, OC/DC, Persuade skill bonuses)
Detailed overview
Pros:
Stun with turn undead - affecting foes of good as well, with full TL due rechargeable regular smite good
Greater Smite targeting anyone with full 100 AB and all recharge feats
Can summon a high tier undead and a high tier planar ally once per rest
Decent physical damage bonus (sneak attack +9d6 and divine power for 25+ and Str for 22+)
Buff weapons with cold/divine
CL 60 (Paladin levels add to Blackguard for spell casting purposes)
Can debuff SR very well with CL 60 bestow curse and persuade
Can spare skill points on either Taunt or Persuade (I'd recommend Persuade)
Critical immunity for 30/60 rounds per death ward casting
Restore as a quick action with Lesser Restoration (the only decent level 2 spell)
Feat level fear immunity with Aura of Glory.
Listen skill for concealment piercing
It is the most stylish fallen Paladin ever - a Hound Archon corrupted by the forces of darkness.
Cons:
Abysmal dex (base 8) // this is really sad
Need elusive gear to achieve all capabilities - (Persuade skill, Pandect of summoning and Strength tank AC gear)
Average damage dealer - But improves the party with divine buff and SR debuff
Mediocre AB (passable)
No parry means it is fully reliant on Death Ward (and vulnerable to breach/dispell/mord)
Limited targets for Turn undead (Outsiders and Elemental are the most important to stun anyway - you can grab sun/plant domain later)
Character creation:
Base: Half-Elf
Subrace: Hound Archon
Str 15 +4/subrace +4/bg +10/smite +9/level
Dex 8
Con 10 +2/subrace
Wis 14 +2/subrace
Int 14
Cha 15 +4/subrace +6/level +4/bg +1/feat = 30 (up to 36 with double demi + paragon)
Stat distribution progression during level up
Cha+6 (1-24)
Str+4 (28-40)
Wis+5 (42-50)
Str+5 (52-60)
Class progression
Paladin 10 Blackguard 30
Skills: Enough points for 5 skills
Hide 5 (10 points) - blackguard requirement, get as soon as possible
Disciple 63
Tumble 60
Concentration 30
Craft Armor 20+leftovers
Listen 63 (Craft Weapon if x0)
Persuade 63 (maximize CA if x0)
Paragon skill
CA 50 (add a buffer to CA and CW if x0)
Persuade +10 buffer (add a buffer to CA and CW if x0)
Feats:
Hound Archon bonus features:
Spell Resistance: 10+Character Level
Feat: Extra Smiting
Feat: Great Smite 1
Feat: Power Attack
Pre-epic
1: Blooded
3: Cleave (Toughness if x0)
6: G-Cleave (Extra turning if x0)
9: Weapon Focus (morning-star is recommended)
12: GWF (Blind Fight if x0)
15: Improved critical
18: Divine Might
Epic = 7+6/bonus
21: Great Charisma 1
23(bonus): G-Smite 2
24: G-Smite 3
26(bonus): G-Smite 4
27: G-Smite 5
29(bonus): G-Smite 6
30: G-Smite 7
32(bonus): G-Smite 8
33: G-Smite 9
35(bonus): EWF
36: Armor Skin
38(bonus):Epic Prowess
39: G-Smite 10
Legendary = 7
You should read Necromancy spell tome to improve the summon
42: Legendary Skill Affinity: Tumble
45: Legendary Weapon Focus
48: Overwhelming Critical (Great Wisdom I if x0)
51: Devastating Critical (Great Wisdom II if x0)
54: Legendary Skill Affinity: Listen (Great Wisdom III if x0)
57: ESF: Listen (Great Wisdom IV if x0)
60: Legendary Skill Focus: Persuade (Planar Turning if x0)
Paragon= 6
Increase Craft Weapon to improve the AB
63: Planar Turning (skip this if x0)
66: Domain Evil
69: Domain Elemental
72: PWF
75/78: Open Sun/Plant domain or Environmental Adaptivity I - II or Paragon Balance / Vitality
AB, AC and saves calculations (at 60 with +14 gear, but no artifacts and no demi iterations)
AB
45/bab +7/feats +22/strength +20/magic bonus = 94
+1/+2 Gear+14/+16
+1/+2 Demigodx1/x2
+1 Paragon Strength bonus
+5 Paragon BAB
+2 PWF
+2 CW
AC
10 - base
17 - natural AC
26 - armor ac (a +18 armor with base 8 armor class)
17 - deflection
20 - dodge+haste
12 - tumble
2 - armor skin
3 - dex effective modifier
17 - pentavite shield
Total = 124
Guirding adds +4
Strongheart adds +3
Asmodeus deflection artifact can add 3
Blackguard armor add +2
Abissal Vestige / Randomization can add +1
Craft Armor 80 add +2
Gear guidelines:
Getting enough skill bonus for persuade to be effective is tricky you must depend either on some specific equipment or augmenters. Also you need mord (and perhaps breach immunity) to keep your Death Ward spell.
Persuade skill bonus: The best set items for this skill are:
Truth is, Persuade rank = 63 Tags (+5) LSF (+20) Cha (+15/+22) Song (+15/+21)
Armors:
Pandect: Summon pandect - it increases the planar ally to the top tier level with maximum power.
Usable Artifact: It's a toss between Con arty (powerful poison immunity) Strength (help with ab and stun immunity and the fancy instant kill active power). Even Speed arty is usable for fun and GS/Blind.
Recommended Strategies:
Summons:
Before getting a Pandect of Summoning, the undead ally is you strongest minion. Ask people to buff him with defensive spells like Bar skin and Undeath Eternal Foe (irony), this will enhance it's survivability by a lot. Keep in mind that even without the pandect, the planar ally still does some damage.
Turning:
With turn undead you can easily spawn mobs and stun them so the players can apply their instant kill spells/abilities unhindered by enemies attacks.
It's also useful to turn some foes then run, reducing the mob size..
Just remember that each Turning attempt spends a smite good usage, and it takes a minute to recharge one use (relevant mostly for stronger mobs).
Smiting:
Since turning undead spends a smite good use, you need use smite evil, to be able to recharge smite good again. This isn't as troublesome as it sounds, as smite evil adds 110 physical damage to one attack (and perhaps the CHA modifier to attack roll as well).
Make sure to set Greater Smite damage with the "!damXX" - Divine Cold Magic or Negative - to be increase is effectiveness against mobs without a reliable instant kill.
Spell resistance debuffing:
If you choose to use persuade, don't forget to use !opt tauntpersuade - to apply persuade effects when taunting.
Hotkey "!action tau opponent" - this allows you to debuff your current target, without clicking.
Right clicking on a target, and choosing Taunt on radial menu is also effective.
Remember Bestow curse drops SR by 12 points without a save and stacks with persuade. This is very helpful against high SR targets if no druid or arcane caster can readily debuff them.
Acknowledge for Contributions:
Thanks guys, for the hints and suggestions:
Vichya
therajah
Tenebrous Fall (Paladin 10/ Blackguard 30)
Overview:
This build is a modification of Palasmiturnerdin . But focusing on maximizing the use of class features instead of splashing cleric to save up Legendary feats.
Building a blackguard is somewhat confusing as it isn't an specialist, offensive-wise it lacks Extra attacks, defensive-wise it has no damage immunity bonuses or concealment. So instead of trying to remedy these flaws with little benefit from BG CC, this build attempts to use most (if not all) all Blackguard features striving for high utility instead of regular tank performance.
- Tanking 4/10 - Okay AC/Immunity potential with BG heavy armor + Shield, Godly Saves. Critical immunity. Lesser Restoration as a quick action. Paladin Fear/Disease immunity. Bad dexterity score.
- Dps 6/10 - High physical damage modifier (Cha mod x 1.5 + Str mod x 1.0 and Sneak attack for +9d6) but only 5 attacks with one hand. Mediocre AB (94-106) . Listen skill. Evil Greater Smite. Rechargeable Smite evil. Reasonable critical hits (OC/DC).
- Misc. Utility 7.0/10: Turn undead (no DC) can stun powerful/numerous foes. SR debuff (Bestow Curse and Persuade) helps casters to take out stronger foes. Use Poison can provide breach/stat damage on hit. 2 decent summons (Planar and Undead). Divine inspiration (Level 50 Song at very high level). Cold and Divine buffs at full CL.
Requirements:
Hound Archon subrace - i.e. Don't mind looking like a dog ()
Demix2 (or sacrificing listen, OC/DC, Persuade skill bonuses)
Detailed overview
Pros:
Stun with turn undead - affecting foes of good as well, with full TL due rechargeable regular smite good
Greater Smite targeting anyone with full 100 AB and all recharge feats
Can summon a high tier undead and a high tier planar ally once per rest
Decent physical damage bonus (sneak attack +9d6 and divine power for 25+ and Str for 22+)
Buff weapons with cold/divine
CL 60 (Paladin levels add to Blackguard for spell casting purposes)
Can debuff SR very well with CL 60 bestow curse and persuade
Can spare skill points on either Taunt or Persuade (I'd recommend Persuade)
Critical immunity for 30/60 rounds per death ward casting
Restore as a quick action with Lesser Restoration (the only decent level 2 spell)
Feat level fear immunity with Aura of Glory.
Listen skill for concealment piercing
It is the most stylish fallen Paladin ever - a Hound Archon corrupted by the forces of darkness.
Cons:
Abysmal dex (base 8) // this is really sad
Need elusive gear to achieve all capabilities - (Persuade skill, Pandect of summoning and Strength tank AC gear)
Average damage dealer - But improves the party with divine buff and SR debuff
Mediocre AB (passable)
No parry means it is fully reliant on Death Ward (and vulnerable to breach/dispell/mord)
Limited targets for Turn undead (Outsiders and Elemental are the most important to stun anyway - you can grab sun/plant domain later)
Character creation:
Base: Half-Elf
Subrace: Hound Archon
Str 15 +4/subrace +4/bg +10/smite +9/level
Dex 8
Con 10 +2/subrace
Wis 14 +2/subrace
Int 14
Cha 15 +4/subrace +6/level +4/bg +1/feat = 30 (up to 36 with double demi + paragon)
Stat distribution progression during level up
Cha+6 (1-24)
Str+4 (28-40)
Wis+5 (42-50)
Str+5 (52-60)
Class progression
Paladin 10 Blackguard 30
Skills: Enough points for 5 skills
Hide 5 (10 points) - blackguard requirement, get as soon as possible
Disciple 63
Tumble 60
Concentration 30
Craft Armor 20+leftovers
Listen 63 (Craft Weapon if x0)
Persuade 63 (maximize CA if x0)
Paragon skill
CA 50 (add a buffer to CA and CW if x0)
Persuade +10 buffer (add a buffer to CA and CW if x0)
Feats:
Hound Archon bonus features:
Spell Resistance: 10+Character Level
Feat: Extra Smiting
Feat: Great Smite 1
Feat: Power Attack
Pre-epic
1: Blooded
3: Cleave (Toughness if x0)
6: G-Cleave (Extra turning if x0)
9: Weapon Focus (morning-star is recommended)
12: GWF (Blind Fight if x0)
15: Improved critical
18: Divine Might
Epic = 7+6/bonus
21: Great Charisma 1
23(bonus): G-Smite 2
24: G-Smite 3
26(bonus): G-Smite 4
27: G-Smite 5
29(bonus): G-Smite 6
30: G-Smite 7
32(bonus): G-Smite 8
33: G-Smite 9
35(bonus): EWF
36: Armor Skin
38(bonus):Epic Prowess
39: G-Smite 10
Legendary = 7
You should read Necromancy spell tome to improve the summon
42: Legendary Skill Affinity: Tumble
45: Legendary Weapon Focus
48: Overwhelming Critical (Great Wisdom I if x0)
51: Devastating Critical (Great Wisdom II if x0)
54: Legendary Skill Affinity: Listen (Great Wisdom III if x0)
57: ESF: Listen (Great Wisdom IV if x0)
60: Legendary Skill Focus: Persuade (Planar Turning if x0)
Paragon= 6
Increase Craft Weapon to improve the AB
63: Planar Turning (skip this if x0)
66: Domain Evil
69: Domain Elemental
72: PWF
75/78: Open Sun/Plant domain or Environmental Adaptivity I - II or Paragon Balance / Vitality
AB, AC and saves calculations (at 60 with +14 gear, but no artifacts and no demi iterations)
AB
45/bab +7/feats +22/strength +20/magic bonus = 94
+1/+2 Gear+14/+16
+1/+2 Demigodx1/x2
+1 Paragon Strength bonus
+5 Paragon BAB
+2 PWF
+2 CW
AC
10 - base
17 - natural AC
26 - armor ac (a +18 armor with base 8 armor class)
17 - deflection
20 - dodge+haste
12 - tumble
2 - armor skin
3 - dex effective modifier
17 - pentavite shield
Total = 124
Guirding adds +4
Strongheart adds +3
Asmodeus deflection artifact can add 3
Blackguard armor add +2
Abissal Vestige / Randomization can add +1
Craft Armor 80 add +2
Gear guidelines:
Getting enough skill bonus for persuade to be effective is tricky you must depend either on some specific equipment or augmenters. Also you need mord (and perhaps breach immunity) to keep your Death Ward spell.
Persuade skill bonus: The best set items for this skill are:
- Obi of the Geisha, from Cania
- Visage of Elemental Chaos Helm Vestige
- Visor of Cursed Chaos provides 2 benefits ESF: Persuade and Persuade +10 and area bestow curse (handy for -12 SR due CL60)
- Augmenters with skill bonus can solve the skill rank issue if none of above gear is present
Truth is, Persuade rank = 63 Tags (+5) LSF (+20) Cha (+15/+22) Song (+15/+21)
Armors:
- A good Plate of Uxan Uldorath provides reasonable elemental resistances and and provides an extra attack with divine power.
- Dreams of the Neverborn is better with it's higher AC potential.
Pandect: Summon pandect - it increases the planar ally to the top tier level with maximum power.
Usable Artifact: It's a toss between Con arty (powerful poison immunity) Strength (help with ab and stun immunity and the fancy instant kill active power). Even Speed arty is usable for fun and GS/Blind.
Recommended Strategies:
Summons:
Before getting a Pandect of Summoning, the undead ally is you strongest minion. Ask people to buff him with defensive spells like Bar skin and Undeath Eternal Foe (irony), this will enhance it's survivability by a lot. Keep in mind that even without the pandect, the planar ally still does some damage.
Turning:
With turn undead you can easily spawn mobs and stun them so the players can apply their instant kill spells/abilities unhindered by enemies attacks.
It's also useful to turn some foes then run, reducing the mob size..
Just remember that each Turning attempt spends a smite good usage, and it takes a minute to recharge one use (relevant mostly for stronger mobs).
Smiting:
Since turning undead spends a smite good use, you need use smite evil, to be able to recharge smite good again. This isn't as troublesome as it sounds, as smite evil adds 110 physical damage to one attack (and perhaps the CHA modifier to attack roll as well).
Make sure to set Greater Smite damage with the "!damXX" - Divine Cold Magic or Negative - to be increase is effectiveness against mobs without a reliable instant kill.
Spell resistance debuffing:
If you choose to use persuade, don't forget to use !opt tauntpersuade - to apply persuade effects when taunting.
Hotkey "!action tau opponent" - this allows you to debuff your current target, without clicking.
Right clicking on a target, and choosing Taunt on radial menu is also effective.
Remember Bestow curse drops SR by 12 points without a save and stacks with persuade. This is very helpful against high SR targets if no druid or arcane caster can readily debuff them.
Acknowledge for Contributions:
Thanks guys, for the hints and suggestions:
Vichya
therajah