Inhuman AoO-er (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

References

• Player's Handbook
• Player's Handbook II
• Tome of Battle
• Complete Warrior
• Complete Adventurer
• Lords of Madness

Game Rule Components

Race and Templates

• Human

Classes

• Fighter 6/Crusader 14

Feats

• Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Spiked Chain
• Weapon Finesse
• Aberration Blood
• Combat Reflexes
• Inhuman Reach
• Combat Expertise
• Improved Trip
• Dodge
• Karmic Strike
• Robilar's Gambit
• Defensive Sweep
• Deft Opportunist

Spells, Powers, Items

• Manual of Quickness in Action +5
• Gloves of Dexterity +6
• Strongarm Bracers

Progression

ECL	Class/HD/LA	Feats	Special
1st	Fighter	Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain), Weapon FinesseB, Aberration BloodB
2nd	Fighter	Combat ReflexesB
3rd	Fighter	Inhuman Reach
4th	Fighter	Combat ExpertiseB
5th	Fighter
6th	Fighter	Improved TripB, Dodge
7th	Crusader		Maneuvers, Furious Counterstrike, Steely Resolve 5
8th	Crusader		Thicket of Blades stance, Defensive Rebuke maneuver, Indomitable Soul
9th	Crusader	Karmic Strike	Zealous Surge
10th	Crusader		Steely Resolve 10
11th	Crusader
12th	Crusader	Robilar's Gambit	Smite 1/day
13th	Crusader
14th	Crusader		Steely Resolve 15
15th	Crusader	Defensive Sweep
16th	Crusader	Die HardB
17th	Crusader
18th	Crusader	Deft Opportunist	Steely Resolve 20
19th	Crusader		Mettle
20th	Crusader

Highlights

The combination of a Spiked Chain and the Inhuman Reach feat gives this character a reach of 20 feet, with the ability to attack any square within his reach. This character is focused on severely disrupting enemy combatants by causing almost EVERYTHING they do to provoke an attack of opportunity.

Here's a list of everything that provokes an attack of opportunity within this monster's 20' 15' reach(You have a reach of 5' normally, you get a reach of 10' with the inhumane reach feat, the spiked chain only adds +5' to doubles your reach (as per the reach section on pages 149 and 150 of the Player's Handbook). For more get a pair of Strongarm bracers for for 6,000 from the Magic Item Compendium.):

• Moving, even 5' steps or the withdraw action (Thicket of Blades stance)
• Not moving (Defensive Sweep)
• Attacking me (Robilar's Gambit)
• Attacking me and hitting (Karmic Strike)
• Attacking anyone but me (Defensive Rebuke maneuver)

Thanks to Improved Trip, I can trip and follow up with another attack on any AoO. Getting up from prone because they were tripped provokes ANOTHER attack of opportunity, which allows me to send them right back down again!

While using both Karmic Strike and Robilar's Gambit at the same time leaves me quite vulnerable, the fact that I'm a Crusader tends to compensate for that fact. Many Devoted Spirit maneuvers allow for large quantities of healing, such as Strike of Righteous Vitality, and the Furious Counterstrike ability of the Crusader means that taking damage gives bonuses to my own attack and damage.

The main downside of all this is that having arms 6' long tends to disturb people. That's aberrant feats for you.

When assigning starting ability scores, make sure you put at least a 16 in Dexterity, and use all your level-based ability boosts on Dex. This, when combined with a +5 tome and a +6 item, raises your Dexterity to 32, which gives you 11 attacks of opportunity a round- 10 more than normal.

You still need Strength for damage and tripping people.

1

Munchkin-Size Me

Using the Stand Still feat from the Expanded Psionics Handbook instead of Deft Opportunist would allow you to stop people from moving at all, in addition to repeatedly tripping them.

To really munchkin-size this build you need some way to increase your size for extra reach, more damage and easier tripping.

Adding a level of Artificer lets you boost up UMD to use and even make scrolls, such as Enlarge, and you can improve your chain with nice infusions, such as (Personal Weapon enhancement (bane)).

Or you could take Goliath from Races of Stone to increase size of your weapon and reach.

Also, you could take the Backstab feat (from dragon magazine, DR340 p86) which allows an attack of opportunity every time an enemy you flank attacks someone other than you.

Don't forget about improved combat reflexes (Epic level handbook)

Get the local wizard to cast Enlarge Person on you for extra reach

Two levels of the Cobra Style Monk ACF will net you Dodge and Mobility as free feats- plus better saves, unarmed damage, etc.

(edited to inform users that one cannot provoke standing up while prone. Why because the target is STILL PRONE until he stands up,)

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