Level 1 free-for-all, who is likely to win?

[snakeman830]

Imagine we had a gladiator arena where in 1 day's time there would be a free-for all fight to the death.  The combatants include one member of every base class in 3.0/3.5 (all human, for fairness sake).  Combat continues until there is only one, or until mutual agreement by all combatants for a rest period (which may happen if everyone left is spellcasters or the like)

Barring Pun-pun or selling a spellbook to zerg rush with animals, who is most likely to win?  My current bet is on either a Crudsader or Dragonfire Adept.

[Garryl]

I'd give good odds to the Druid (animal companion, spells), anyone who took the Wild Cohort feat, Fell Drain Sonic Snapping Wizards and Sorcerers (more so in a series of 1v1 matches than a free-for-all where they may be seen as the biggest threat and ganged up upon), Clerics (armor + domain bonuses + spells), Warmages (Warmage's Edge is actually pretty strong at level 1), and the DFA (Entangling Exhalation, I guess, although the average luck with that always seems to be pretty poor in practice for no apparent reason). Since it's a big FFA, there's a lot of both luck (especially at level 1) and metagaming involved (who to team up with/against). The strongest challenger won't necessarily win.

[veekie]

A stealth based archer might have the best odds I think, by simply not fighting, until the last wounded guys are left before picking them off.

[snakeman830]

Because it's at level 1, I actually am betting against most spellcasters.  They don't have many spells available then and they have over 20 opponents that are likely scattered around.  They simply don't have the volume to take on even a third of their opponents.

Luck, of course, will play a huge role, since level 1 is the realm of Random Death Syndrome.  That's why I asked who was most likely to win rather than who would.

[phaedrusxy]

A stealth based archer might have the best odds I think, by simply not fighting, until the last wounded guys are left before picking them off.

I was thinking a mounted archer myself. Whether either of these are viable would depend a lot on the "arena". A mounted archer could avoid melee entirely, except perhaps against a mounted charger, and outrange anyone who isn't also an archer. Of course, I use the term "archer" loosely here. A druid with MWP might be the best, as they'd have a durable mount that they could handle as a free action, and share spells with (including Vigor, etc).

[Garryl]

Unless you make enough of a target of yourself right at the beginning, you only need enough firepower to take on roughly the square root of your opponents (so, about 5), since, on average, a good chunk of everyone else will be spending their time killing another chunk of everyone else.

[RobbyPants]

A stealth based archer might have the best odds I think, by simply not fighting, until the last wounded guys are left before picking them off.

I was thinking a mounted archer myself. Whether either of these are viable would depend a lot on the "arena". A mounted archer could avoid melee entirely, except perhaps against a mounted charger, and outrange anyone who isn't also an archer. Of course, I use the term "archer" loosely here. A druid with MWP might be the best, as they'd have a durable mount that they could handle as a free action, and share spells with (including Vigor, etc).

I agree. It largely depends on what the arena looks like. Being able to avoid everyone while still hurting them is really valuable.

Other than that, Druid is my first pick, mostly due to the Animal Companion along with spells. In an area with plants, Entangle could be really handy.

If the arena is small enough to force melee frequently, I could see a Stone Power Crusader with a reach weapon faring well.

Oddly enough, if one guy comes off looking too powerful early on, he may get ganged up on, too.

[veekie]

Wasn't there a druid concealment spell?

[RobbyPants]

Wasn't there a druid concealment spell?

What do you mean? Obscuring Mist?

[littha]

If you could find some way of making it last long enough a Cleric with Sanctuary would probably win. Wait till nearly everyone else is dead then finish off the survivors

Not sure if you could manage a DMM cleric at level 1 even with flaws though.

[altpersona]

If you could find some way of making it last long enough a Cleric with Sanctuary would probably win. Wait till nearly everyone else is dead then finish off the survivors

Not sure if you could manage a DMM cleric at level 1 even with flaws though.

im w/ littha.

the guy who is ignored the entire fight till the end has good odds.

[veekie]

Wasn't there a druid concealment spell?

What do you mean? Obscuring Mist?

Just looked it up, Spell Compendium, Camouflage, 10 minutes duration of +10 to Hide, more than enough to foil any ability to spot you if you have any concealment to use at all.

[Garryl]

Yeah, you can DMM. It takes Extend, Persist, DMM, and possibly one or more Extra Turnings (depending on your Cha score; 18+ means none needed for the first spell). You can get up to two of them (Extend and Extra Turning) from domains (Planning, Undeath). Human means you have 2 feats at level 1, so you don't even need flaws.

[Halinn]

My money is on a strongheart halfling druid built with mounted archery capabilities. Depending on the arena size, possibly with flaws for far shot.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Assuming that LA+0 is the only valid race
... the best picks for that have been figured.
EDIT --- oops, noticed the Human only.
So no Warforged or Psiforged trickery then?

Erudite w/ Elemental Envoy, Powerstone feat,
uses all gold to buy more powers, uses the
powerstone recharge trick over and over.
EE is the meatshield while buff/cure routine.

Might not survive to the first recharge.
Will survive just fine after that, until the
really specific damage builds pop in.
Gets to the Sweet 16, and maybe the Elite 8.

Deserves to not win due to ridiculous recharge trick.

[phaedrusxy]

My money is on a strongheart halfling druid built with mounted archery capabilities. Depending on the arena size, possibly with flaws for far shot.

The first post says ALL HUMAN. It shouldn't matter much, as you'll have the same # of feats, and... you're a druid.

[caelic]

I really think we'd need to know more about the circumstances and rules of battle.  Otherwise, my money's on "The guy who spends all his starting wealth to hire War Trolls for the duration of the fight."

[Garryl]

To be fair, the Paladin has a distinct advantage. He can call in a favor from Pazuzu one more time than everybody else.

[Halinn]

I really think we'd need to know more about the circumstances and rules of battle.  Otherwise, my money's on "The guy who spends all his starting wealth to hire War Trolls for the duration of the fight."

Probably one of the NPC classes, then. They get more wealth at level 1 (since spellbook selling was banned per post 1. Perhaps an archivist selling a prayerbook would have more gold). Commoner preferred, for the added option of drowning the arena in chickens as a a bunch of free actions (after withholding 5 gp from the war troll budget for a spell component pouch)

[awaken_D_M_golem]

To be fair, the Paladin has a distinct advantage. He can call in a favor from Pazuzu one more time than everybody else.

  ... but (?!) you can't Take 10 or 20 during combat, and then
you gotta survive up to 10 rounds of combat with your opponent.

Even Pazuzu can appreciate an all-you-can-eat buffet of Chicken with War Troll sauce.