Author Topic: The Mole Handbook (snakeman830)  (Read 9750 times)

Offline jywu98

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The Mole Handbook (snakeman830)
« on: February 19, 2013, 06:50:33 AM »
The Mole Handbook

First, I suppose I should explain what I mean by "Mole".

In this case, Mole is someone who uses a burrow speed with Spring Attack. (Yes, I did have a build help request dealing with this recently, but I've had some major flashes of insight since then.) This is also an excellent tactic for any incorporeal characters (such as Ghosts and Unbodied) and can be used equally well by them. There are many variations of this theme that will be covered in this thread.

In this thread, all parts of Mole builds will be discussed. Please contribute anything you have to help.

Table of Contents

Post 1: Introduction

Post 2: Advantages

Post 3: Challenges

Posts 4-9: Meeting each challenge
     
     1. Burrow Speed
     2. Spring Attack
     3. Locating enemies
     4. Flying enemies
     5. Earth Elementals and similar enemies
     6. Non-burrowing environments

Post 10: Builds

Post 11 on: Discussion, Suggestions, and Opinions
« Last Edit: February 19, 2013, 07:24:08 AM by jywu98 »

Offline jywu98

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Re: The Mole Handbook (snakeman830)
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2013, 06:51:38 AM »
Advantages

Mole has several advantages over other characters.

In caves, for example, Mole has an incredible mobility advantage1 over his conventionally moving foes. Being able to move unhindered through floors, walls, and even ceilings can be a huge advantage.

In combat, Mole shines even more. Becuase he is only above the ground while attacking, he is extremely hard to target, let alone hit, with attacks of any sort. While underground, any attack that requires line of sight or line of effect to work cannot target him. There are a few attacks that don't require either, but those are incredibly rare. As an extension of this, enemies must ready actions against Mole to attack him, leaving them incapable of returning attacks from other party members (with exception of AoO's). This makes Mole an excellent team player.


1This depends upon the compisition of the cave and Mole's burrowing abilities

Offline jywu98

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Re: The Mole Handbook (snakeman830)
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2013, 06:53:40 AM »
Challenges

All mole builds must meet several challenges in order to be successful.

1. Getting a Burrow Speed: Naturally, this part of Mole cannot be ignored. This is what makes Mole Mole. For the most part, this comes down to race selection. There are other ways to get a burrow speed, however, that will also be discussed.

2. Getting Spring-Attack: While this is a relatively simple challenge to complete, that doesn't make it any less vital. My own experience on these boards has shown me that people are often not willing to use their valuable feat slots on Dodge and Mobility (and thus, Spring Attack). In addition, Mole needs to have Spring Attack ASAP to be successful at what he does. Other move-attack-move methods (such as Shot on the Run) are also acceptable.

3. Locating Enemies: Mole spends most of his combat time underground where seeing enemies is more than a little difficult. If an enemy moves, he has to know it. Attacking itself is not a problem since he is above the ground when he does that, but knowing where he needs to pop up is another story. Some build will ignore this chllenge, specifically the ranged ones.

4. Flying Enemies: This is an obvious problem for someone who spends so much of their time underground. Not only are they normally out of melee range, but they also are harder to detect while Mole is underground.

5. Earth Elementals and Similar Enemies: No matter how powerful you are, Earth Elementals still rule the ground. They have capabilities I have not yet figured out how to incorporate into a PC by 3.5 rules, and can be quite dangerous to a burrower.

6. Non-burrowing environments: Places where Mole can't disappear into the ground are Mole's Achillies Heel. He can't retreat to safety when on a boat or the Plane of Water and so is no more amazing than any other character. Thus, Mole needs to still be useful in these places.

Offline jywu98

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Re: The Mole Handbook (snakeman830)
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2013, 07:02:41 AM »
Meeting Challenges
Gaining and Increasing Burrow Speed

Races
  • Hengoyaki -badger (OA) (burrow speed 10 ft in animal form and possibly hybrid form)
  • Unbodied (XPH) (incorporeal subtype)
  • (name coming later) (Sand) (Burrow speed in sand, ash, and other loose soils)

Templates
  • Mineral Warrior (burrow speed equal to 1/2 land speed)
  • Lycanthrope (MM) (many options)
  • Tauric (MM2, SS) (many options)
  • Shadow template (MoP, LoM) (all movement modes *1.5)
  • Dark template (ToM) (all movement modes +10 feet)
  • Ghost (MM) (incorporeal subtype)
  • Umbral (LM, SS) (incorporeal subtype, cannot be applied to humanoids)
  • Wraith (SS) (incorporeal subtype)

Cheesetastic Templates
  • Paragon creature (ELH) (all movement modes *3)
  • Pseudonatural (ELH version) (all movement modes *2)

Classes
  • Monk (PHB) (+10 feet enhancement bonus to all movement modes/three levels while not wearing armor)
  • Scout (CAdv) (+10 feet enhancement bonus to all movement modes every few levels while wearing light or no armor, adds skirmish damage)
  • Earth Dreamer (RoS) (grants a burrow speed, don't know how much or when)
  • Elemental Savant (CArc) (turns you into an elemental with the earth subtype, I don't remember anything about actually gaining a burrow speed from it though)
  • Dragonfire Adept (Dragon Magic)
Quote from: thestoneyone
 
Lesser invocation of Humanoid shape allows you to morph into a creature that grants a burrow speed. (Not to mention a fly speed or climb if necessary)
  • Mole (Dragon 310, p 71) (20 foot burrow speed, burrow through rock at 1/2 speed, see through thin layer of dirt/stone. In other words, perfect for Moles.)
  • Ashworm Dragoon (Sand) (Gains an Ashworm mount and can breathe while underground)

Items
  • Burrowing Claws (LoM) (Illithid Graft, grants burrow speed)

Spells (and similar)
  • Footsteps of the Divine (CC) (some dieties grant burrow speeds)
  • Haste (PHB) (+30ft enhancement bonus to all forms of movement.)
  • Lamia Belt soulmeld (Waist Chakra Bind, +10ft to all speeds, grants Spring Attack)

Mounts
  • Stone Flyer (Und) (Earth Glide for itself and rider) 12500gp total training

Feats
  • Speed of Thought (XPH) (+10ft insight bonus to all speeds)
« Last Edit: February 19, 2013, 07:10:01 AM by jywu98 »

Offline jywu98

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Re: The Mole Handbook (snakeman830)
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2013, 07:07:57 AM »
Meeting Challenges
Spring Attack

In reality, this challenge has plenty of flexibility as Spring Attack itself is not absolutely necessary, but some variant of it is.
  • Obviously, taking Dodge, Mobility, and Spring Attack is viable.
  • Fitting Snow Spider (Frostburn) into the character somehow (wether by tauric or vermin lycantrhopy see here (thank you Janusjonues)) grants Spring Attack as a bonus feat, freeing up three feat slots (not to mention Tremorsense!)
  • Shot on the Run is a must have for those Moles that focus on ranged combat instead.
  • Ride-by Attack is a must have for your Mounted Moles and has less painful prerequisites than Spring Attack. NOTE: Not generally any use, as Ride-by Attak must be done in a straight line. However, if your foe is against a burrowable wall, this is possible.
  • Elocator7 (XPH) gives you the ability to take two 5-foot steps in one round. Thus, the elocator Mole cn sit underground, pop up, make a full attack, and retreat underground.
  • Cobra Straps (MIC) lets you take a 5-foot step after a charging unarmed attack. An underground charge to and this lets you drop down again after attacking.
  • Flyby Attack is an amazing alternative for incorporeal characters.

Offline jywu98

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Re: The Mole Handbook (snakeman830)
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2013, 07:11:18 AM »
Meeting Challenges
Locating Enemies

This is one of the more difficult challenges to deal with. Blindsense/Blindsight doesn't help at all (due to Line of Effect being blocked) and scent isn't any use either.

Tremorsense is one of the best methods to use here. Getting it permanantly can be difficult (depending on your race), but the Boots of Tremorsense (MIC) are a good, short-term solution. If combat lasts for more than 5 rounds and you have multiples in a day, these will quickly run out of use.

Keen-Eared Scout (PHB2) should also work for locating opponents walking around. This is best if you also have the Quick Reconnitor (CAdv) feat so you use a free action to locate your opponents.

Telepathy opens up some interesting pathways. The Mindlink power (XPH) or Lesser Telepatic Bond (XPH) can allow someone else in your party to telepathically tell you the locations of opponents.

Full telepathy opens up Mindsight (LoM), possibly the best method since this also allows you to locate opponents that are not on the ground.

Shadowforged had a good suggestion:
Quote from: shadowforged
Mole build using trickery devotion form complete champion (just transfer your vision etc to your illusionary double and stay underground yourself)
Earth Sense from Races of Stone is also useful (details coming soon)

Offline jywu98

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Re: The Mole Handbook (snakeman830)
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2013, 07:12:00 AM »
Meeting Challenges
Flying Enemies

While locating these baddies is still difficult (due to tremorsense being useless), sufficient reach or range can often hit them anyway.

Another method is, of course, going to them. This can be accomplished by any number of spells, magic items, class features, mounts, templates, etc., that it is not worth discussing here. Find whatever method you like and go with that.

Offline jywu98

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Re: The Mole Handbook (snakeman830)
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2013, 07:12:44 AM »
Meeting Challenges
Earth Elementals and Similar Enemies

Thankfully, Earth Elementals themselves are easy to protect against. A Ring of Earth Elemental Command is quite effective as a defense against them. But at 200,000 gold apiece, this isn't going to be helpful to lower-level Moles.

Offline jywu98

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Re: The Mole Handbook (snakeman830)
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2013, 07:13:19 AM »
Meeting Challenges
Non-burrowing Environments

As stated above, any successful Mole build will have to be useul when burrowing is not possible. This can be worked around and delt with in many ways, since the core of a Mole build is so small and versatile. In practice, this is not difficult.

(I can't believe I didn't think of this before, it was so obvious) Another method is, of course, making the non-burrowable environments (such as stone for most cases) burrowable via Soften Earth and Stone (PHB). This will take care of those pesky areas that are simply too hard for you to burrow through, but are still natural.

Offline jywu98

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Re: The Mole Handbook (snakeman830)
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2013, 07:18:11 AM »
Builds

ninjarabbit's Spring Attack hexblade
(click to show/hide)

snakeman830's quick-start mole
(click to show/hide)

jameswilliamogle'c Incarnate Palidan Mole
(click to show/hide)

snakeman830's Quick-Start Mole version 2
(click to show/hide)

Chaos_Defined's Not so Quick-Start Mole
(click to show/hide)