This is probably Version 4.0 of the Ultimate Maximum Doom Lord, and the most powerful one to date. The name does not represent any role-playing aspect of the character, but rather seemed an appropriate way of representing the class mix.

This character combines Devastating Critical with Whirlwind Attack to wipe out his foes. He can also possesses strong base damage for crit-immune foes through his high strength. Furthermore, this character has a wealth of defensive capabilities from his intense training as a Pale Master. With all-around combat capabilities, the Haunted Hymnsinger of Torm provides a unique take on the Dev-Crit builds floating around the boards.

I should note that you have a choice of weapons: either the longsword or the rapier. Either should work well, though if you play on a server or in a campaign with a lot of crit-immune foes, longsword is the better choice.

I also leave the choice between Hellball and Greater Ruin to you.

Haunted Hymnsinger of Torm
Elf TN Pale Master 16/Champion of Torm 15/Bard 9

STR: 16 -> 26
DEX: 14
CON: 10
INT: 14
WIS: 8
CHR: 14 -> 16

1 Bard: Curse Song
2 Bard
3 Bard: Dodge
4 Bard: Strength +1
5 Bard
6 Bard: Mobility
7 Bard
8 Bard: Strength +1
9 Pale Master: Weapon Focus: (Longsword or Rapier)
10 Pale Master
11 Champion of Torm
12 Champion of Torm: Power Attack, Cleave*, Strength +1
13 Champion of Torm
14 Champion of Torm: Improved Critical: (Longsword or Rapier)*
15 Champion of Torm: Toughness
16 Champion of Torm: Great Cleave* Strength +1
17 Champion of Torm
18 Champion of Torm: Spring Attack, Expertise*
19 Champion of Torm
20 Champion of Torm: Whirlwind Attack* Strength +1
21 Champion of Torm: Great Strength I
22 Champion of Torm
23 Champion of Torm:
24 Pale Master: Great Strength II, Strength +1
25 Pale Master
26 Pale Master
27 Pale Master: Overwhelming Critical: (Longsword or Rapier)
28 Champion of Torm: Devastating Critical: (Longsword or Rapier)**, Strength +1
29 Pale Master
30 Pale Master: Epic Weapon Focus: (Longsword or Rapier)
31 Pale Master
32 Pale Master: Strength +1
33 Pale Master: Epic Toughness I
34 Pale Master
35 Pale Master
36 Pale Master: Epic Toughness II, Epic Energy Resistance: Fire***, Charisma +1
37 Bard
38 Pale Master
39 Pale Master: Epic Spell: Greater Ruin (or Hellball)
40 Pale Master: Epic Spell: Epic Warding***, Charisma +1

*Denotes Champion of Torm bonus feats
**Denotes Champion of Torm Epic bonus feats
***Denotes Pale Master Epic bonus feats

Skills:
Concentration 25
Disable Trap 1
Discipline 40
Open Lock 1
Perform 13
Persuade 11
Spellcraft 40
Tumble 40
Use Magic Device 23

As with most of my builds, you're going to be hoarding skill points only to spend them at more opportune times.

Attack Bonus at Level 40 with a mundane Rapier (unbuffed)
+17 (Pre-Epic BAB)
+10 (Epic BAB)
+8 (Strength Bonus)
+2 (Epic Weapon Focus: Longsword or Rapier)
+1 (Weapon Focus: Longsword or Rapier)
---
AB: +38/+33/+28/+23

Armor Class at Level 40 with mundane robes (unbuffed)
+10 (Base)
+10 (Level 16 Pale Master; Bone Skin x5)
+8 (40 ranks Tumble)
+2 (Dexterity Bonus)
+1 (Dodge feat)
---
AC: 31

Saves at Level 40 (unbuffed)
Fortitude: 29
Reflex: 32
Will: 28

Add eight points if the save is against a spell.

Maximum HP at Level 40:
428 HP (16d6 + 48 points for Deathless Vigor + 15d10 + 9d6 + 40 for Toughness + 20 for Epic Toughness I + 20 for Epic Toughness II)

Recommended Spells:
Level 0: all spells
Level 1: Balagarn's Iron Horn, Identify, Mage Armor, Protection from Alignment
Level 2: Bull's Strength, Clarity, Ghostly Visage, Invisibility
Level 3: Cure Serious Wounds, Dispel Magic, Find Traps

Basically, you should go sword/shield with light armor to maximize your AC and minimize your arcane failure rate. Just quickslot your shield separately from your sword. Take off your shield for pre-combat buffs, then re-equip it before you charge into the fray. Curse Song your opponents and Bard Song your friends as necessary. You can get your AB really high by combining Divine Wrath and Bull's Strength, and further increase your AC by casting Mage Armor and Protection from Alignment.

You can probably figure out all your other strategies and tactics from here.

As always, questions, comments, and (constructive) criticisms are appreciated.
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Edited By MauvaisGuillame on 09/28/04 05:05

Nice build. What about taking epic mage armor at level 39 though? That would help out your defense even more. Also as a dev crit build maybe using rapier or scimitar would work better to land more criticals. Another option is great sword and no shield for even more base damage output. I'm sure you can easily have a lot of AC without a shield on this build.
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Come visit the Epic Builders Guild for all the character info you could ever want or need:
Click Here I think that the best weapon for this character would be a scimitar. If your character bases on str and not dex, it's always a better weapon then a rapier - you cannot cast Keen Edge on a rapier. You have to take another feat to use a Scimitar, as you don't pick up Weapon Proficiency (Martial) until you grab a level of Champion of Torm. To get a level of CoT, you have to have weapon focus in a melee weapon, but the only choices I would have before the CoT level would be simple weapons or elven weapons (longsword or rapier). I chose either longsword or rapier so that I could use a reasonably powerful weapon without having to 'waste' any feats taking Weapon Focus to fulfill prerequisites for Champion of Torm.

You're certainly welcome to take Epic Mage Armor instead of one of the offensive epic spells as well. I just like having them as a backup should someting unexpected hinder my combat skills.
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Edited By MauvaisGuillame on 09/28/04 17:06

Dude, I think I just fell in love again!!!!

I never thought of PM /COT ! In a rp sense it seems so wrong.. but in a real sense it feels SOOOOOOOOO right.

Thank you for breaking me of the nasty habit of havin to have immune to criticals before lv 20! I now realize the error of my limited ways!

Peace According to my calculation, total skill points this character gets = 80 (Int Modifier * 40) + 4 * 9 (Bard) + 2*31 (PM, COT) = 80 +36 + 62 = 178.
The distribution you have shown exceeds this amount.
Am I missing something?

-Junkie615 You forgot to multiply the skill points at level 1 by four.
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(sig space for rent) You have mentioned that this guy is an elf. I thought that *4 at first level was only for humans. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

-Junkie615 Nope, it's for everyone. Only humans get the additional +4, but everyone gets the x4.
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(sig space for rent) You are right. Humans get +1 SP every level, which means that's +4 at lvl 1. I'm gonna try a dex-based version of your build on the PW I play; Dev Crit is nerfed too, so I'll be taking other feats instead.