Hulking Warlord (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

Introduction

A big huge mass of muscle that uses improvised weapons to full value

References

Core Miniatures Handbook Complete Warrior Fiend Folio Dragon #313 MM2 Draconomicon

Game Rule Components

Takes advantage of the improvised weapon damage calculations from complete warrior.

Items

Whatever you would like to boost your strength.

Progression

Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments): You can use whatever starting stats you choose but the best way to do this is point buy with an elite number. This gives you 32 points to use, put as many of them into strength as possible (get to 20) this leaves you with 6 points. Use these to ensure you have atleast 3 intelligence by the end of the build. This can be done by adding up all the negatives to INT and supplementing points as needed. This leaves us with STR 20 DEX 8 CON 8 INT 11 WIS 8 CHA 8 Use you're remaining 3 points either boosting INT the rest of the way to prevent to stupid a character, or to boost another stat before templates.

Race (Templates): You want to start as Human, this gives you a bonus feat at 1st level, You're also going to take Either Half-Minotaur or Half-Ogre depending on which you DM will allow. This increases STR by +12 putting you at 32 (approx.) This also gives you a +6 to CON, -2 to DEX, and -2 INT. Later on we will be taking 2 acquired templates as well, Half-Golem Brass (if you can pass the will save), and Wendigo (provided you pass the will save for half golem) These will boost our STR another +16 (48 total so far) along with another +6 to DEX, +8 to CON, -6 to INT, +2 to WIS, and -2 to CHA.

Starting Ability Scores: STR 32 (20+12) DEX 6 (8-2) CON 14 (8+6) INT 12 (14-2) WIS 8 CHA 8

ECL	Class/HD/LA	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Feats	Class Features	Special
			Fort	Ref	Will
1st	Warblade 1	+1	+2	+0	+0	Power Attack, Cleave, Iron Will	Battle clarity (Reflex saves), weapon aptitude	Warblade Manuevers, Maintain atleast 1 Iron Heart stnace and Manuever at all times.
2nd	Warblade 2	+2	+3	+0	+0	-	Uncanny dodge	Warblade Manuevers, Maintain atleast 1 Iron Heart stnace and Manuever at all times.
3rd	Warblade 3	+3	+3	+1	+1	Weapon Focus (choose a throwing weapon)	Battle ardor (critical confirmation)	Warblade Manuevers, Maintain atleast 1 Iron Heart stnace and Manuever at all times.
4th	Warblade 4	+4	+4	+1	+1	-	-	Warblade Manuevers, Maintain atleast 1 Iron Heart stnace and Manuever at all times.
5th	Warblade 5	+5	+4	+1	+1	-	Great Cleave	Warblade Manuevers, Maintain atleast 1 Iron Heart stnace and Manuever at all times.
6th	Warblade 5, War Hulk 1	+5	+6	+1	+1	Point Blank Shot	No time to think, Ability boost (Str +2)	-
7th	Warblade 5, War Hulk 2	+5	+7	+1	+1	-	Great swing, Ability boost (Str +2)	-
8th	Warblade 5, War Hulk 2, Dragonslayer 1	+6/+1	+9	+1	+3	-	Aura of courage, damage bonus	-
9th	Warblade 5, War Hulk 3, Dragonslayer 1	+6/+1	+9	+2	+4	Improved Initiative	Mighty rock throwing, Ability boost (Str +2)	-
10th	Warblade 5, War Hulk 4, Dragonslayer 1	+6/+1	+10	+2	+4	-	Mighty swing, Ability boost (Str +2)	Best time for Half-Golem
11th	Warblade 5, War Hulk 4, Dragonslayer 1, Hulking Hurler 1	+7/+2	+10	+4	+4	-	Catch weapon, Really throw anything	-
12th	Warblade 5, War Hulk 5, Dragonslayer 1, Hulking Hurler 1	+7/+2	+10	+4	+4	Rapid Shot	Ability boost (Str +2)	-
13th	Warblade 5, War Hulk 5, Bloodstorm Blade 1, Dragonslayer 1, Hulking Hurler 1	+8/+3	+12	+4	+4	-	Returning attacks, Throw anything, Weapon aptitude	-
14th	Warblade 5, War Hulk 5, Bloodstorm Blade 2, Dragonslayer 1, Hulking Hurler 1	+9/+4	+13	+4	+4	-	Martial throw, Thunderous throw	-
15th	War Hulk 6, Warblade 5, Bloodstorm Blade 2, Dragonslayer 1, Hulking Hurler 1	+9/+4	+14	+5	+5	Choice of Feat	Sweeping boulder, Ability boost (Str +2)	Best time for Wendigo
16th	War Hulk 7, Warblade 5, Bloodstorm Blade 2, Dragonslayer 1, Hulking Hurler 1	+9/+4	+14	+5	+5	-	Ability boost (Str +2)	-
17th	War Hulk 8, Warblade 5, Bloodstorm Blade 2, Dragonslayer 1, Hulking Hurler 1	+9/+4	+15	+5	+5	-	Massive sweeping boulder, Toughness, Ability boost (Str +2)	-
18th	War Hulk 9, Warblade 5, Bloodstorm Blade 2, Dragonslayer 1, Hulking Hurler 1	+9/+4	+15	+6	+6	Choice of Feat	Ability boost (Str +2),Toughness	-
19th	War Hulk 10, Warblade 5, Bloodstorm Blade 2, Dragonslayer 1, Hulking Hurler 1	+9/+4	+16	+6	+6	-	Massive swing, Toughness, Ability boost (Str +2)	-
20th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Other Components

When you reach 64 STR, your light load is 119296 so you want a ball of metal that weighs as close to our light load as possible. (Before this point just use the heaviest object you can find) An 82in (6ft 10in) diameter sphere of lead coated with a 1/2in layer of brass weighs about 118,246.0 lbs. Now, figure that there is a hole somewhere with a fitting inside to grip this thing, that probably knocks off 40~ lbs so we will use 118,200 for out calculations. This comes out to do 594d6 per swing/throw. However this is an improvised weapon so we take a minor hit on our attack roll, but the trade off is worth it. (You can also wait till later and build a bigger ball)

Highlights

You strike with your ball of metal, either throwing it and bringing it back using returning throw, or simply using it in melee. Simple, hit things.

Munchkin-Size Me

Ok so now we are a gigantic killing machine, lets make ourselves pretty much invincible. Soulfire Enhancement from the book of exalted deeds (p. 112) - This armor's wearer is immune to all death spells, magical death effects, and energy drain, and any negative energy effects (such as from chill touch or inflict spells). We already have Regen 5, and heal from the only damage that can truly hurt us. Now we can basically only be killed still by letting things beat on us enough till we pass out and they trap us somehow (difficult with this huge strength but still possible) Using a belt of constant "Bite of the Werebear" can get you a +16 to your str and some natural weapons to boot. A ring of constant enlarge person can double your carry capacity increasing your maximum weapon weight. If you wait till these changes to make the ball then you can increase it to 3,817,472 (max i have been able to achieve easily) now to get the most out of this i would consult your DM, but you may be stuck with just a big heavy ball of lead up to the max diameter of your characters height.

Side Notes

<- overview of additional info about this build ->

Limitations

This build is slightly easy to counter if you DM is good enough, a force cage basically makes you useless or being knocked unconscious over and over (difficult but possible) High enough level creatures or NPCs can also incapacitate you, and you are particularly weak to will saves so dominate spells can be your undoing.

DM Counters

^^^

Miscellaneous

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