Stealth tanking?

[Ithamar]

Wildshaper Ranger 5 / Master of Many Forms 7 - You'll have decent skills from Ranger, versatility and endurance from MoMF.  Sneak up on a foe as a will-o-wisp, then swift action to wild shape into a war troll.  Combine with Warshaper as desired for extra durability, or Fist of the Forest for more AC.

[phaedrusxy]

Sickest and most powerful stealth tank build:

Cleric1 / Crusader 4 / Ruby Knight Vindicator X

Sweet spellcasting, insane battlefield control with thicket of blades stances at level 6 (earlier than you get it with full crusader), unkillable due to crusader maneuvers and cleric healing.
RKV progresses spellcasting and crusader maneuvers, gives your armored stealth (no armor check penalty in full plate).

Isn't it really hard (maybe impossible?) to meet the skill prereqs for this without dipping into something else?

[Rebel7284]

Sickest and most powerful stealth tank build:

Cleric1 / Crusader 4 / Ruby Knight Vindicator X

Sweet spellcasting, insane battlefield control with thicket of blades stances at level 6 (earlier than you get it with full crusader), unkillable due to crusader maneuvers and cleric healing.
RKV progresses spellcasting and crusader maneuvers, gives your armored stealth (no armor check penalty in full plate).

Oh boy.

EDIT:
or go Paladin4/Crusader1/RKV.
or go Cleric4/Cru1/RKV
or Cleric1/Cru4/PrestigePally1/RKV if you want Rhino's Charge for free, alternatively just get the Wrath domain with your cleric, it's the level 1 domain spell.

On this note:
Paladin 4/Crusader 1/RKV 2/Divine Crusader 1/RKV 5/PrCs that add domains X
or
Cleric 1/Crusader 4/RKV 3/Divine Crusader 1/Prestige Paladin 1/RKV 4/

[JohnnyMayHymn]

Wildshaper Ranger 5 / Master of Many Forms 7 - You'll have decent skills from Ranger, versatility and endurance from MoMF.  Sneak up on a foe as a will-o-wisp, then swift action to wild shape into a war troll.  Combine with Warshaper as desired for extra durability, or Fist of the Forest for more AC.

+1
if you want to get cheesy add Divine Minion and Ghost

If a ghost has wildshape is the new form ethereal or solid like normal b/c you lose your true physical features?

[Ithamar]

When wild shaped you retain your type and subtype.  Since ghosts have the incorporeal subtype, stands to reason they will still be insubstantial.  Cryo-hydra wild shape for tons of attacks and a boatload of fast healing.  Float out of the ground silently and attack 12 times, then float back into the ground thanks to Flyby Attack. 

[linklord231]

Sickest and most powerful stealth tank build:

Cleric1 / Crusader 4 / Ruby Knight Vindicator X

Sweet spellcasting, insane battlefield control with thicket of blades stances at level 6 (earlier than you get it with full crusader), unkillable due to crusader maneuvers and cleric healing.
RKV progresses spellcasting and crusader maneuvers, gives your armored stealth (no armor check penalty in full plate).

Isn't it really hard (maybe impossible?) to meet the skill prereqs for this without dipping into something else?

Cloistered Cleric, trickery domain?

[gamer]

Ok, a bit more complicated

Rogue1/Fighter1(SA variant)/CloisteredCleric1/DreadNecro1/Crusader1/UrPriest 2/RKV10/Crusader+3
Be human and take able learner at 1th level.

You now have 3 turning pools for DMM persist :-)
Besides you have stealth and SA, and a lot of divine spells to persist

[Torvon]

Sickest and most powerful stealth tank build:

Cleric1 / Crusader 4 / Ruby Knight Vindicator X

Sweet spellcasting, insane battlefield control with thicket of blades stances at level 6 (earlier than you get it with full crusader), unkillable due to crusader maneuvers and cleric healing.
RKV progresses spellcasting and crusader maneuvers, gives your armored stealth (no armor check penalty in full plate).

Isn't it really hard (maybe impossible?) to meet the skill prereqs for this without dipping into something else?

Picking up Cloistered Cleric helps. It wasn't easy, but I put leap attack into the build (8 jump needed) and had enough skill points to put a skill point in each knowledge skill.
But yes, you don't abound in skill points, and cross-classing 4 ranks in hide isn't particularly nice. Intimidate 4 isn't hard for a crusader, though.

T

[phaedrusxy]

Sickest and most powerful stealth tank build:

Cleric1 / Crusader 4 / Ruby Knight Vindicator X

Sweet spellcasting, insane battlefield control with thicket of blades stances at level 6 (earlier than you get it with full crusader), unkillable due to crusader maneuvers and cleric healing.
RKV progresses spellcasting and crusader maneuvers, gives your armored stealth (no armor check penalty in full plate).

Isn't it really hard (maybe impossible?) to meet the skill prereqs for this without dipping into something else?

Picking up Cloistered Cleric helps. It wasn't easy, but I put leap attack into the build (8 jump needed) and had enough skill points to put a skill point in each knowledge skill.
But yes, you don't abound in skill points, and cross-classing 4 ranks in hide isn't particularly nice. Intimidate 4 isn't hard for a crusader, though.

T

It's been a while, and I didn't go look at the prereqs. I just remembered back quite some time ago when I was actually trying to build a character like this, that the skill points were very difficult and I eventually gave up and went with a different build entirely.

Cloistered Cleric, trickery domain?

Does Wee Jas offer the Trickery domain?

[Jackinthegreen]

Does Wee Jas offer the Trickery domain?

According to this, no.  The RKV does have adaptation rules thankfully, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem to work with another deity.

[Rejakor]

Uh.. all these builds are great.. but why are they in this thread?  Guy is asking for a build that can divert attention without ever being seen, and strongly indicated he was mostly after a melee build, and so far all that's been mentioned along those lines is invisible lockdown crusader or invisible lockdown gish.


There's a crapton of feats, weapon abilities, and maneuvers that slow an opponent, whether by reducing move speed, tripping, locking them in stone, or something similar.

There is the Dark template from ToM, or the Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis Greater, also ToM although maybe reprinted in MiC, for huge mcbiglarge hide and move silently bonuses and EX HiPS.

There are various ways to attack from hidden, or re-hide after attacking.

I did something similar to this with a basic rogue/swordsage and smokesticks, even without much in the way of reach or optimization, I managed to keep most of the hardcore melee enemies out of the fight until the artillery got off their asses and shot them, simply with clever positioning, the trip feat, and a one-handed 10' reach weapon, without putting myself in the way of their (incredibly deadly) melee attacks.  With a bit of optimization, this idea could be seriously used.