Ability Tank (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

Introduction

This build allows you to add your ability score modifiers to your AC, melee damage, and saves; while greatly boosting your ability scores as you level.

References

Players Handbook, Complete Warrior, Complete Champion, Book of Exalted Deeds and http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Main_Page

Game Rule Components

Items

No magic items are used in this build. The Forsake Magic class feature of the Forsaker Prestige Class and the Vow of Poverty both prohibit this build from using magic items.

Progression

Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments): 25 point buy system; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 12

Race: Human

Starting Racial Traits: Medium size, base land speed 30 feet, 1 extra feat at 1st level, 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level, any favored class.

Level	Class	Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha	AC	Base Attack Bonus	Attack	Saving Throws			Required Feats	Class Features	Vow of Poverty
											Fort	Ref	Will
1st	Monk 1	13	12	12	12	12	12	16 (+1 Dex, +1 Wis, +4 exalted)	+0	+1	+3	+3	+3	Vow of Poverty	AC Bonus, Bonus feat, flurry of blows, unarmed strike	AC bonus +4
2nd	Monk 1/Paladin 1	13	12	12	12	12	12	16 (+1 Dex, +1 Wis, +4 exalted)	+1	+2	+6	+4	+4		Aura of good, detect evil, smite evil 1/day	Bonus exalted feat
3rd	Monk 1/Paladin 2	13	12	12	12	12	12	17 (+1 Dex, +1 Wis, +5 exalted)	+2	+3	+7	+4	+4		Divine grace, lay on hands	AC bonus +5, endure elements
4th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 1	14	12	12	12	12	12	17 (+1 Dex, +1 Wis, +5 exalted)	+3	+5	+9	+4	+4		Weapon Finesse	Exalted strike +1 (magic), bonus exalted feat
5th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 2	14	12	12	12	12	12	17 (+1 Dex, +1 Wis, +5 exalted)	+4	+6	+10	+5	+4		Grace	Sustenance
6th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3	14	12	12	12	12	12	19 (+1 Dex, +1 Wis, +6 exalted, +1 deflection)	+5	+7	+10	+5	+4		Insightful Strike	AC bonus +6, deflection +1, bonus exalted feat
7th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1	14	12	14	12	12	12	21 (+1 Dex, +1 Wis, +2 Con, +6 exalted, +1 deflection)	+6	+8	+14	+8	+5	Great Fortitude, Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack	AC Bonus, Feral trance 1/day, Fast movement, primal living	Resistance +1, ability score enhancement +2
8th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1/Battle Dancer 1	14	12	14	13	12	12	23 (+1 Dex, +1 Wis, +2 Con, +1 Cha, +1 natural armor, +6 exalted, +1 deflection)	+7	+9	+14	+10	+5		AC bonus, unarmed strike	Natural armor +1, mind shielding, bonus exalted feat
9th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1/Battle Dancer 1/Forsaker 1	15	12	14	13	12	12	24 (+1 Dex, +1 Wis, +2 Con, +1 Cha, +1 natural armor, +7 exalted, +1 deflection)	+8	+10	+16	+12	+7		Ability bonus+1, fast healing 1, forsake magic, SR 10+CL, magic destruction points, damage reduction 1/-, fast movement +5	AC bonus +7
10th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1/Battle Dancer 1/Forsaker 2	16	12	14	13	12	12	24 (+1 Dex, +1 Wis, +2 Con, +1 Cha, +1 natural armor, +7 exalted, +1 deflection)	+9	+13	+17	+13	+8		Ability bonus +1, Recuperating Coma, Bonus Feat	Exalted strike +2 (good), damage reduction 5/magic, bonus exalted feat
11th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1/Battle Dancer 1/Forsaker 3	16	12	16	14	12	14	28 (+1 Dex, +1 Wis, +3 Con, +2 Cha, +3 natural armor, +7 exalted, +1 deflection)	+10	+14	+19	+14	+9		Ability bonus +1, tough defense, DR 2/-, fast move +10, puncture DR	Ability score enhancement +4/+2
12th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1/Battle Dancer 1/Forsaker 4	16	12	16	16	12	14	30 (+1 Dex, +1 Wis, +3 Con, +2 Cha, +3 natural armor, +8 exalted, +2 deflection)	+11	+15	+20	+15	+10		Ability bonus +1, energy resistance 5	AC bonus +8, deflection +2, greater sustenance, bonus exalted feat
13th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1/Battle Dancer 1/Forsaker 5	16	13	16	16	12	14	30 (+1 Dex, +1 Wis, +3 Con, +2 Cha, +3 natural armor, +8 exalted, +2 deflection)	+12	+16	+23	+16	+11		Ability bonus +1, fast healing 2, DR 3/-	Resistance +2, energy resistance 5
14th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1/Battle Dancer 1/Forsaker 6	16	14	16	16	12	14	31 (+2 Dex, +1 Wis, +3 Con, +2 Cha, +3 natural armor, +8 exalted, +2 deflection)	+13	+18	+24	+18	+12		Ability bonus +1, fast movement +15, slippery mind	Exalted strike +3, freedom of movement, bonus exalted feat
15th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1/Battle Dancer 1/Forsaker 7	16	15	18	16	14	16	39 (+2 Dex, +2 Wis, +4 Con, +3 Cha, +8 natural armor, +8 exalted, +2 deflection)	+14	+19	+24	+19	+14		Ability bonus +1, DR 4/-, tough defence x2	AC bonus +9, ability score enhancement +6/+4/+2, damage reduction 5/evil
16th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1/Battle Dancer 1/Forsaker 8	17	16	18	16	14	16	41 (+3 Dex, +2 Wis, +4 Con, +3 Cha, +8 natural armor, +9 exalted, +2 deflection)	+15	+20	+25	+21	+15		Ability bonus +1, evasion	Natural armor +2, bonus exalted feat
17th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1/Battle Dancer 1/Forsaker 9	18	16	18	16	14	16	41 (+3 Dex, +2 Wis, +4 Con, +3 Cha, +8 natural armor, +9 exalted, +2 deflection)	+16	+22	+26	+22	+16		Ability bonus +1, fast healing 3, DR 5/-, fast movement +20	Exalted strike +4, resistance +3, regeneration
18th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1/Battle Dancer 1/Forsaker 10	18	16	18	16	15	16	43 (+3 Dex, +2 Wis, +4 Con, +1 Cha, +8 natural armor, +10 exalted, +3 deflection)	+17	+23	+27	+23	+17		Ability bonus +1, energy resistance 10	AC bonus +10, deflection +3, true seeing, bonus exalted feat
19th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1/Battle Dancer 1/Forsaker 10/Duelist 1	18	18	20	16	17	18	50 (+4 Dex, +3 Wis, +5 Con, +1 Int, +4 Cha, +10 natural armor, +10 exalted, +3 deflection)	+18	+24	+29	+27	+18	Dodge, Mobility	Canny defense	Ability score enhancement +8/+6/+4/+2, damage reduction 10/evil
20th	Monk 1/Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 3/Fist of the Forest 1/Battle Dancer 1/Forsaker 10/Duelist 2	18	18	20	16	18	18	52 (+4 Dex, +4 Wis, +5 Con, +2 Int, +4 Cha, +10 natural armor, +10 exalted, +3 deflection)	+19	+26	29	+28	+19		Improved reaction +2	Exalted strike +5, energy resistance 15, bonus exalted feat

Other Components

The Initiate of Honor, Acolyte of Honor and Master of Honor exalted feats work very well for this build and its role as a tank.

Highlights

This build generates a high AC and saves, with good hp and plenty of defensive special qualities.

Munchkin-Size Me

At 9th-level and 10th-level, prestige class into Duelist, and at 11th-level prestige class into Fist of the Forest instead of Forsaker for those three levels. At 11th-level pay a spellcaster for his or her spellcasting services to perform either a Ritual of Unlearning or Ritual of Vitality on you to become a winged centaur of legend (centaur/winged template/monster of legend template). After the transformation you'll have +18 Strength, +14 Dexterity, +14 Constitution, +6 Wisdom, Charisma +4; base land speed 50 feet, fly speed 70 ft.; +8 natural armor bonus, and some useful special abilities. Then begin the build again. If you do this, you don't need to prestige class into Duelist at all. Once you are transformed and are a 1st-level Monk/2nd-level Paladin/3rd-level Swashbuckler/2nd-level Fist of the Forest/10th-level Forsaker; Continue to level into Forsaker or start prestige classing into Warhulk.

Limitations

This build incorporates some 3.0 material. You'll need the GM's approval for this build.

DM Counters

Only allow 3.5 material or rule that in addition to a Forsaker being forbidden from using spellcasting, spell-like abilities, or magic items; a Forsaker is forbidden from using supernatural abilities.

---

Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Optimized Character Builds