Author Topic: Concept: Ability Drainer (Read 11586 times)

Kethrian · « **Reply #20 on:** May 01, 2012, 11:38:25 PM »

Quote from: bishop on May 01, 2012, 11:27:25 PM

I was actually looking at going with Life drinker on my cleric focused in this. I found the armor you referred to but where are the poison rings at so I can check them out. Thanks

Dragon Compendium, p. 111 for the stat block, and 115 for the special rules.

SorO_Lost · « **Reply #21 on:** May 02, 2012, 01:11:34 AM »

Ring of the Viper^FR:SK costs 8k and adds +1 to damage and Poison (1d6/1d6 con, dc 11) to all Unarmed Attacks.

bishop · « **Reply #22 on:** May 02, 2012, 07:58:13 AM »

ty both for the quick reply, trying to decide between twf or going with the lifedrinker, will have to look at the math

Endarire · « **Reply #23 on:** May 03, 2012, 05:20:27 AM »

Lifedrinker is probably better. DC11 is pretty low by the time you can dual wield (or even single wield) Poison Rings.

Kethrian · « **Reply #24 on:** May 03, 2012, 05:29:32 AM »

The poison rings were to go with the Energy Drain armour that does Enervate with all touch attacks.

Endarire · « **Reply #25 on:** May 03, 2012, 05:40:57 AM »

If you're a Warforged, how does TWF work with Battlefists using Poison Rings?

I can totally see an irate Warforged Artificer going this route. (Energy draining, that is.)

Kethrian · « **Reply #26 on:** May 03, 2012, 05:59:07 AM »

You can't use the rings with battlefists, rather instead of them. Poison rings always use touch attacks when you attack with them, and the Energy Drain enhancement on armour adds Enervation to all your touch attacks. While you will do less HP damage, you will hit more often and add 1d4 negative levels with every successful hit.

You could also try and add the Life Drinker's property to the rings for even more level draining per hit...

Endarire · « **Reply #27 on:** May 04, 2012, 04:07:31 AM »

Where in Serpent Kingdoms is the poison ring? The closest I find is the Ring of the Viper on page 153.

Nytemare3701 · « **Reply #28 on:** May 04, 2012, 07:53:21 AM »

Poison ring is in dragon magazine.

InnaBinder · « **Reply #29 on:** May 04, 2012, 11:20:12 AM »

Drow Judicator's War Strike ability, which does 2d6 CON damage and is gained at 1st level, is potentially useful here.

Endarire · « **Reply #30 on:** May 05, 2012, 04:47:13 AM »

What issue and page of "Dragon" is the Poison Ring? How much does it cost and what are its creation requirements?

kitep · « **Reply #31 on:** May 05, 2012, 11:01:13 AM »

Quote from: Endarire on May 05, 2012, 04:47:13 AM

What issue and page of "Dragon" is the Poison Ring? How much does it cost and what are its creation requirements?

It's in the Dragon Compendium (which says it gets it from #316)

Light Simple Weapon, 45 gp, dmg(small)=1, dmg(med)=1, crit = 20, piercing
Holds 1 dose of poison (injury only)
Doesn't mention creation requirements, but it's not magical, so I would guess the appropiate Craft skill is all you need.

imoenofcandlekeep · « **Reply #32 on:** May 08, 2012, 02:59:06 AM »

Remember, as per Rules of the Game, ability damage/drain can be used to sneak attack (sneak attack damage is negative energy typed)

Technically, this means that Ray of Stupidity tossed out by an unseen seer does a pile of negative energy damage on top of hiting for Int damage. weird but useful.

Tr011 · « **Reply #33 on:** May 08, 2012, 08:09:33 AM »

Quote from: imoenofcandlekeep on May 08, 2012, 02:59:06 AM

Remember, as per Rules of the Game, ability damage/drain can be used to sneak attack (sneak attack damage is negative energy typed)

Technically, this means that Ray of Stupidity tossed out by an unseen seer does a pile of negative energy damage on top of hiting for Int damage. weird but useful.

This is only useful if at any point the enemy's HP reach 0 or less. That being said, I played once the following build:
LE Human Rogue 1/Fighter Variant Diviner 4/Unseen Seer 2/Metaphysical Spellshaper 3/Unseen Seer
Feats were Able Learner, Practised Spellcaster, Improved Ini, Still Spell, Silent Spell, Shape Soulmeld [Stronheard Vestement] and Invisible Spell. I enjoyed that character really much from level 8 to 11 IIRC. But it's not highly optimized and I don't think you're allowed to use BoEF.

imoenofcandlekeep · « **Reply #34 on:** May 08, 2012, 05:30:42 PM »

Quote from: Tr011 on May 08, 2012, 08:09:33 AM

Quote from: imoenofcandlekeep on May 08, 2012, 02:59:06 AM
Remember, as per Rules of the Game, ability damage/drain can be used to sneak attack (sneak attack damage is negative energy typed)

Technically, this means that Ray of Stupidity tossed out by an unseen seer does a pile of negative energy damage on top of hiting for Int damage. weird but useful.
This is only useful if at any point the enemy's HP reach 0 or less.

Not so. You can totally ready an action to nail the enemy wizard as he is casting.

better yet, have your familiar do it.

SorO_Lost · « **Reply #35 on:** May 08, 2012, 11:42:59 PM »

Bashing damage may sound like fun and we do train you guys to focus on playing God style, but damage stacks with what your mundanes are doing and has it's uses. In this case, pretty much standard Shivering Touch debuff and rape plus lots of damage, totally viable.

Endarire · « **Reply #36 on:** May 09, 2012, 05:34:03 PM »

Here is the link to the Drow Judicator PrC from Underdark. It's on Wizard's site, meaning it's totally legal!

In an ability draining build, a 1 level dip seems best. I prefer a LA0 Drow Savage Progression Ghost who dips Cloistered Cleric1. Crusader and Ruby Knight Vindicator may also be spiffy due to the Combat Reflexes requirement.

Tshern · « **Reply #37 on:** May 09, 2012, 06:53:42 PM »

Taking a crappy feat, substandard race and a level of a prestige class to get a once a day ability you actually need to hit with to do anything? Yeah, no.

Endarire · « **Reply #38 on:** May 11, 2012, 01:35:37 AM »

My favorite ability drainer build that's likely to be allowed from low levels (if your GM allows Evulz characters) is thus:

Build
NE or CE Warforged Cloistered Cleric1/WhirlPounce Barbarian1/Psion (Shaper)1/Warblade3/Soul Eater1/Bloodstorm Blade4/X9.
1: {Murky-Eyed}, {Shaky}, -=TRAIT=-, -=TRAIT=-
1: [Devotion: Knowledge, Domains: Elf, Travel], [Turn Undead]
2: [Pounce], [Whirling Frenzy 1/day]
3: [Psicrystal Affinity: Nimble Psicrystal]
4: [Weapon Aptitude]
5: [Uncanny Dodge]
6: [Battle Ardor]
7: [Energy Drain 1]
8: [Returning Attacks], [Throw Anything], [Weapon Aptitude]
9: [Martial Throw], [Thundrous Throw]
10: [Fighter Bonus Feat]
11: [Lightning Ricochet]

Roles
You start your career as an archer (or a front liner, if you feel frisky). You eventually learn to harness your inner rage and make things go splat. You feel a momentary touch of enlightenment as you learn to create Black Lotus Extract by the gallon (via psionic minor creation) and cover yourself and your items in it. Then you focus on being a melee dude for awhile (complete with poison!), and can even nab Iron Heart Surge or White Raven Tactics (via trade-ins) before headin' off to bestow negative levels upon people, and even being able to throw those melee weapons and treat 'em as melee attacks.

More Warblade helps for maneuvers. Dipping Crusader1 or 2 gets you Thicket of Blades (depending on DM interpretation). Paladin of Slaughter2 would go well if you had the CHA synergy, and you probably don't. Taking Soul Eater to 7 means you bestow 1 more negative level per hit, but death ward is probably very common by that point.

Your feats help determine your role. Soul Eater requries Weapon Focus (body part), and you conveniently have a slam attack. Practiced Manifester helps make your poison last longer. Precise Shot aids with ranged combat. Etc.

Build 2
LE, NE, or CE Warforged Psion (Shaper)6/Ghostbreaker3 (Hyperconscious 136)/Soul Eater1/Ghostbreaker+2/Shaper+X.

Roles
You're a Psion, pure and simple. You have metamorphosis from power research or Expanded Knowledge. You have Psicrystal Affinity because having a crystalline minion with a radar-like sense, the ability to take Mindsight and Lifesense, and who provides you with the Alertness feat (for Soul Eater) is just plain wonderful. Soul Eater is there so you can turn into a creature with many attacks (hello, Pyrohydra/Cryohydra!) and inflict negative levels. Add Metamorphic Transfer, Practiced Manifester, and other abilities to taste.

If you're CE, take Anarchic Initiate levels instead of Shaper+X! You get more HP, more skills, and notable class features. Remember, Psychic Enervation only applies to Wild Surge, not Overchannel or Chaotic Surge! You, of course, will need Overchannel, but that's pretty spiffy and you'd probably get it anyway.

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Author Topic: Concept: Ability Drainer (Read 11586 times)