Ghost Rider, Spirit of Vengeance (3.5e Optimized Character Build)
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Introduction
This a flavorful build, aimed at reproducing the Marvel's hero Ghost Rider.
It uses the hellbred race, from Fiendish Codex II, the warlock class, from Complete Arcane (or better my version of it), the homebrew prestige class Fell Warrior, the Hellfire Warlock prestige class, from Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells, the exoticist variant for the fighter, from Dragon Magazine #310 and the 3.0e prestige class Master of Chains, from Sword and Fist: A Guidebook to Monks and Fighters.
This build's goals are as follows:
- Play as gish caster, that uses a spiked chain as its primary weapon, adding eldritch blast damage to its blows.
- Imitate the feel of a damned soul, desperately struggling for redemption, as it cleaves against hordes of black-hearted criminals and fiendish foes.
- Replicate the use of hellish chains and motorcycle and the power of the Penance Stare, typical power of the Ghost Rider.
I decided for the warlock class for its infernal association, but tried to make this build a bit more tough, as it relies on meelee combat (or better, reach combat). I chose the hellbred race as it's thematically very adherent to the original source, and strong in its own right. Different races may be appropriate such as human, vasharan (a kind of malevolent human), tiefling, fire genasi or mortif. Anything that may resemble a fiend or a skeleton.
As far as flavor goes, roleplay-wise, this character is inhabited by a spirit, called Spirit of Vengeance, that lend it its powers and connect it with the deepest part of Hell. This is not a evil character, but neither a good one. I think neutrality suits it best. When its powers manifest, the Spirit changes its body to resemble a flaming skeleton.
References
- Player's Handbook
- Dungeon Master Guide
- Complete Arcane
- Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells
- Unearthed Arcana
- Drow of the Underdark
- Lords of Madness
- Dragon Magazine #310
- Warlock, variant (optional)
Game Rule Components
Invocations
Some invocations are from this site, the others come from WoTC official material.
If not specified, these are suggestions.
- Least
- Beguiling Influence
- Darkness
- Devil's Sight
- Entropic Warding
- Hideous Blow (this invocation is necessary for the build)
- Miasmic Cloud
- Ocular Blast (recommended, as it's the closest thing to Penance Stare)
- See the Unseen
- Summon Swarm
- Serpent's Tongue
- Soulreaving Aura
- Lesser
- Baneful Blast
- Beshadowed Blast
- Brimstone Blast (this invocation is necessary for the build)
- Curse of the Despair
- Fell Flight
- Flee the Scene
- Hungry Darkness
- Ignore the Pyre
- Relentless Dispelling
- Sudden Swarm
- The Dead Walk
- Voidsense
- Voracious Dispelling
- Walk Unseen
- Wall of Doom
- Weighty Utterance
- Greater
- Devour Magic
- Enervating Shadow
- Hindering Blast
- Noxious Blast
- Penetrating Blast
- Repelling Blast
- Tenacious Plague
- Wall of Perilous Flame
- Dark
(only available if you decide to take at least two more levels in a class that improves your invocations)
- Binding Blast
- Dark Foresight
- Retributive Healing
- Utterdark Blast
Items
You should ask your DM for a magical construct vehicle that should imitate a motorcycle, with infernal attributes, spikes and such amenities. If your DM isn't compliant check out the Other Components section below.
Progression
Race
Using "3.5e Starting Race" as property chain is not permitted during the annotation process. Hellbred[1]
Starting Racial Traits:
- Humanoid (Hellbred).
- Infernal Mien (Ex): +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks.
- Evil Exception (Ex): Regardless of alignment or class restrictions, a hellbred can cast spells with the evil descriptor and never gains negative levels while wielding evil magic items, such as unholy weapons or demon armor. This ability does not shield a hellbred from losing access to class features if he violates a class's code of conduct.
- Hellbound (Su): A hellbred can be restored to life only by a resurrection spell or greater magic.
- Devil's Favor: A hellbred gains Devil's Favor[2] as a bonus feat for which it does not need to meet the prerequisite.
Infernal Aspect: Upon completing a process called the Scourging, a hellbred chooses one of the following aspects to manifest. Once the choice is made, it cannot be changed.
- Body (Ex): A hellbred who chooses body as his infernal aspect gains a +4 bonus on saves against poison. In addition, he gains a +2 bonus to Constitution and takes a -2 penalty to Intelligence.
At 4 HD, he gains a bonus devil-touched feat[3].
At 14 HD, he gains another bonus devil-touched feat.
- Spirit (Su): A hellbred who selects the spirit aspect acquires infernal senses, gaining darkvision out to 30 feet and a +2 racial bonus on Sense Motive checks. In addition, he gains a +2 bonus to Charisma and takes a -2 penalty to Constitution.
At 6 HD, his darkvision extends to 60 feet.
At 9 HD, his darkvision extends to 120 feet.
At 12 HD, he gains the ability to see in darkness, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.
At 15 HD, he gains telepathy out to 100 feet.
Automatic Languages: Infernal.
Favored Class: Paladin. Hellbred paladins can leave that class and return to it without penalty.
Starting Attributes
The following table presents you two variants for this build: as you must have at least 13 in Intelligence you have to choose if you want to start with higher Int o Con. This choice is dictated by which kind of Infernal Aspect (see below) you prefer. Having a bonus on Con means that you must start with at least an Int of 15 (as you have a -2 to it). If you choose to have a bonus on Charisma you may leave a 13 in Int and gain a 18 in Charisma (which is useful).
If you choose the Mind Infernal Aspect you must refer to the first set (unmodified attributes: 15 Con, 13 Int, 16 Cha; modified attributes: 13 Con, 13 Int, 18 Cha).
If you choose the Body Infernal Aspect you must refer to the second set (unmodified attributes: 13 Con, 15 Int, 16 Cha; modified attributes: 15 Con, 13 Int, 16 Cha).
Choosing one or the other depends on which racial abilities you prefer. I'd recommend the Body Infernal aspect, as you gain devil-touched feats for free and you are a bit tougher, but the Mind Infernal Aspect grants you a lot of darkvision and telepathy (rather later though), in addition to a Cha bonus that may be useful for your invocations' DC and other class features, such as Improved Hideous Blow.
Attribute | Unmodified | Modified | Bonus |
---|---|---|---|
Strength | 14 | 14 | +2 |
Dexterity | 13 | 13 | +1 |
Constitution | 15/13 | 13/15 | +1/+2 |
Intelligence | 13/15 | 13 | +1 |
Wisdom | 8 | 8 | -1 |
Charisma | 16 | 18/16 | +4/+3 |
Class
Using "3.5e Final Class Progression" as property chain is not permitted during the annotation process.
This table assumes that you chose the Body Infernal Aspect, as it presents devil-touched feats.
If you prefer the Mind Infernal Aspect, remove any devil-touched feat and substitute Devil's Aura with the Mindsight[4] feat.
ECL | Class | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Feats | Class Features |
Special | Ability Score Increase | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||
1st | Fighter(exoticist variant) 1 | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Devil's Favor[5], Weapon Focus (spiked chain) | Combat Expertise, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain) | Escape Artist 2 ranks, Intimidate 4 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 1 rank, Open Lock 1 rank | |
2nd | Warlock 1 | +1 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Eldritch blast 1d6, Invocation (least) | Escape Artist 2.5 ranks, Hideous Blow, Intimidate 5 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Open Lock 1.5 ranks | ||
3rd | Warlock 2 | +2 | +2 | +0 | +3 | Improved Trip | Detect Magic | Escape Artist 3 ranks, Intimidate 6 ranks, Open Lock 2 ranks | |
4th | Warlock 3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Devil's Flesh[6] | Damage Reduction 1/cold iron, Eldritch Blast 2d6 | Escape Artist 3.5 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 3 ranks, Open Lock 2.5 ranks | +1 to Constitution |
5th | Warlock 4 | +4 | +3 | +1 | +4 | Deceive Item | Escape Artist 4 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 4 ranks, Open Lock 3 ranks | ||
6th | Fell Warrior 1 | +5 | +5 | +1 | +6 | Mortalbane[7] | Battle Caster[8], Eldritch Blast 3d6, Improved Hideous Blow (1 strike) | Escape Artist 4.5 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 5 ranks, Open Lock 3.5 ranks | |
7th | Fell Warrior 2 | +6/+1 | +6 | +1 | +7 | Improved Fiendish Resilience/Fiendish Flamewreath, Reflexive Hideous Blow | Escape Artist 5 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 6 ranks, Open Lock 4 ranks | ||
8th | Fell Warrior 3 | +7/+2 | +6 | +2 | +7 | Invocation (lesser), Improved Disarm | Brimstone Blast, Knowledge (the planes) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 1 rank | +1 to Constitution | |
9th | Fell Warrior 4 | +8/+3 | +7 | +2 | +8 | Vae School[9] | Eldritch Blast 4d6, Improved Hideous Blow (2 strikes) | Knowledge (the planes) 10 ranks, Spellcraft 2 ranks | |
10th | Fell Warrior 5 | +9/+4 | +7 | +2 | +8 | Dreadful Combatant | Knowledge (the planes) 12 ranks, Spellcraft 3 ranks | ||
11th | Fell Warrior 6 | +10/+5 | +8 | +3 | +9 | Weapon Specialization (spiked chain) | Spellcraft 6 ranks | ||
12th | Hellfire Warlock 1 | +10/+5 | +8 | +3 | +11 | Item Familiar | Eldritch Blast 5d6, Hellfire Blast +2d6 | Escape Artist 6 ranks, Use Magic Device 1 rank | +1 to Constitution |
13th | Hellfire Warlock 2 | +11/+6/+1 | +8 | +3 | +12 | Hellfire Blast +4d6, Hellfire Infusion, Invocation (greater), Resistance to fire 10 | Concentration 1 rank, Use Magic Device 3 ranks | ||
14th | Hellfire Warlock 3 | +12/+7/+2 | +9 | +4 | +12 | Devil's Stamina[10] | Eldritch blast 6d6, Hellfire Blast +6d6, Hellfire Shield | Concentration 2 ranks, Use Magic Device 5 ranks | |
15th | Fell Warrior 7 | +13/+8/+3 | +9 | +4 | +12 | Practiced Magic[11] | Eldritch blast 7d6, Improved Hideous Blow (3 strikes) | Concentration 4 ranks, Use Magic Device 6 ranks | |
16th | Master of Chains 1 | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +6 | +12 | Scare | Escape Artist 12 ranks, Intimidate 11 ranks, Open Lock 8 ranks | +1 to Charisma | |
17th | Master of Chains 2 | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +7 | +12 | Climb Fighting | Intimidate 16 ranks | ||
18th | Master of Chains 3 | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +7 | +13 | Devil's Aura[12] | Superior Weapon Focus | Intimidate 21 ranks | |
19rd | Master of Chains 4 | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +8 | +13 | Chain Bind | Intimidate 26 ranks | ||
20th | Master of Chains 5 | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +10 | +8 | +13 | Chain Armor, Double Chain | Intimidate 31 ranks | +1 to Charisma |
Other Components
- Alternative Suggested Feats
- Ability Focus (eldritch blast or another invocation)
- Any feat that lets you prevent ability damage to Constitution.
- Arcane Mastery[13]
- Fiendish Power[14]: +1 to all your invocations' DC (you need Fiendish Heritage for this feat)
- Imperious Command[15]: a foe demoralized in combat cowers in fear for 1 round and is shaken in the following round.
- Maximize Spell-Like Ability[16]
- Practiced Spellcaster[17] (this feat is similar to Practiced Magic, but less clearly aimed to spell-like abilities)
- Spell-Like Ability Focus[18] (stacks with Ability Focus)
- Steely Gaze[19]: +2 to Intimidate checks, you may intimidate as a move action.
Nightmare Rider
If you don't want to, or are prohibited from, have an hellish construct motorcycle, you should take the Leadership feat at 9th level (and delay gaining the Improved Disarm feat at 15th level, in place of Vae School).
This way, you should be able to acquire a nightmare as a cohort, around the 11th or 12th level.
Highlights
First of all, you need to have a level in fighter (exoticist variant) to gain spiked chain proficiency for free (along with competence with alla armors, shields, simple weapons and another three exotic weapons of your choice). You may instead take the proficiency as a feat, but you are feat-starved and fighter 1 is a good level for you in general.
Using "3.5e Summary" as property chain is not permitted during the annotation process.
Munchkin-Size Me
<- Take it to the next level ->
Side Notes
<- overview of additional info about this build ->
Limitations
<- conditions of when this build works ->
DM Counters
<- If needed, tricks for the DM (provided they allow this build) to keep the abuse to a minimum. ->
Miscellaneous
<- Any other side notes that don't fit in the above sections. ->
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Optimized Character Builds
- ↑ Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells
- ↑ Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells
- ↑ Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells
- ↑ Lords of Madness
- ↑ Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells
- ↑ Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells
- ↑ Book of Vile Darkness
- ↑ Complete Arcane
- ↑ Drow of the Underdark
- ↑ Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells
- ↑ Dungeon Magazine #116
- ↑ Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells
- ↑ Complete Arcane
- ↑ Complete Mage
- ↑ Drwo of the Underdark
- ↑ Complete Arcane
- ↑ Complete Arcane
- ↑ Races of Faerun
- ↑ Dragon Annual 2001