This build was inspired by Kevan_Best's Bane Of Life / Cleric 15/Blackguard 16/Assassin 9

I have used this build for over a year now and I thought I'd put it up for some of your expert suggestions on how to improve it.

Having good saves, with Improved Evasion and Imp. Invis is pretty good but I was thinking of maybe switching the first two feats, Power Atk and Cleave to Expertise and Improve Expertise to up its defense?

Any suggestions appreciated.

Playable from level 1 - 40 PvM

Cleric 16 / BG 13 / Rogue 11

Human Any Evil

Start / End
STR 14
DEX 8
CON 14
INT 14
WIS 14
CHA 14 /21

Concentration = C, Discipline = D, Heal = H, Hide = HD, Spell Craft = SC, Tumble = T,
Use Magic Device = UMD, CA = Craft Armor, CW = Craft Weapon

Leveling Guide

Domains: I chose Magic, Trickery

1 Cleric - C4, H4, SC4 - Pwr Atk, Cleave
2 Cleric - C1, H1, SC1
3 Cleric - C1, H1, SC1 - Combat Casting
4 Cleric - C1, H1, SC1, WIS 1 (15)
5 Cleric - C1, H1, SC1
6 Cleric - C1, H1, SC1 - Divine Might
7 Cleric - C1, H1, SC1
8 Cleric - C1, H1, SC1, WIS 1 (16)
9 Cleric - C1, H1, SC1 - Divine Shield
10 Cleric - C1, H1, HD5, SC1
11 BG - C1, D14, H1, CHA 1 (15)
12 BG - C1, D1, H1 - Weapon Focus
13 BG - C1, D1, H1
14 BG - C1, D1, H1
15 BG - C1, D1, H1 - Improved Critical
16 BG - C1, D1, H1, CHA 1 (16)
17 BG - C1, D1, H1
18 BG - C1, D1, H1 - Knockdown
19 BG - C1, D1, H1
20 BG - C1, D1, H1, CHA 1 (17)
21 Rogue - H1, T24, UMD9 - Armor Skin
22 Rogue - H1, T1, UMD9
23 Rogue - H1, T1, UMD2
24 Cleric - C4, H1, SC7, WIS 1 (17) - Improved Combat Casting
25 Cleric - C1, H1, SC3
26 Cleric - C1, H1, SC2
27 Cleric - C1, H1 - Great CHA 1 (18)
28 Cleric - C1, H1, WIS 1 (18)
29 BG - C1, D9, H1
30 Rogue - H1, T4, UMD7 - Epic Prowess
31 Rogue - H1, T4, UMD6
32 Rogue - H1, T1, UMD2, CHA 1 (19)
33 Rogue - H1, T1, UMD1 - Epic Weapon Focus
34 Rogue - H1, T1, UMD1
35 Rogue - H1, T1, UMD1
36 Rogue - H1, T1, UMD1, CHA 1 (20) - Improved Evasion, Improved Knockdown
37 Cleric - C8, H1, SC15
38 Rogue - H1, T1, UMD1
39 BG - C1, D10, H1 - Toughness
40 BG - C1, H1, D1,CA11, CW11, CHA 1 (21) - Epic Toughness 1


AB with Mundane Long Sword: 33/28/23/18
AC = 30 with Full Plate and Tower Shield

Fort 31 (39)
Reflex 24 (32) (vs Spells)
Will 29 (37)

Skills:
Concentration = 43
Discipline = 43
Heal = 43
Tumble = 40
UMD = 40
Craft Armor = 11
Craft Weapon = 11

Edited By griphook on 09/30/05 18:31

Looks a nice build but you can't drop PA and Cleave they're required for BG, and PA is required for Divine Might and Shield
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Teaching men a lesson in combat etiquette. Looks like you're pretty tight on feats. As pointed out, you need PA and Cleave, so you don't have much flexibility.

The first thing I wanted to mention (okay, second thing) is that I'd like to see Knockdown earlied and Improved Knockdown way earlier in the build. Perhaps take IKD pre-epic in place of Improved Crit. I'd say it's far more valuable than Armor Skin so if you didn't want to take it pre-epic, you should move it up (after Epic Wpn Focus, Epic Prowess perhaps).

And what about taking 4 levels of Rogue pre-epic? That would permit you to regularly update your Tumble to boost your AC (eg Rogue at 1, 7, 12, 17). You could go Rogue 4/Cleric 8/BG 8 at 20

Last point...Why is your wisdom so low if you're taking so many levels of Cleric? You can't cast spells above foruth class, right?

It's an interesting build, so I'm curious to hear your thoughts.

Kaliban.

Edit - I see your Wisdom is brought up to 18 in the build, but your 'final stats' doesn't reflect that.
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This space for rent

Edited By Kaliban99 on 09/02/05 03:08

Things that might be worth considering
If you use mostly buff spells you could drop Combat Casting and ICC
not much point in ending CHA on an odd number so you could either drop GRT CHA I or see if you can fit GRT CHA II in
personally I'd drop Epic Toughness I and either move Epic Prowess or Armour Skin there or take Improved Sneak Attack
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Teaching men a lesson in combat etiquette. I thought this build was interesting and worked up a version of my own:

Race: Human

Attributes:

Starting
--------
Strength 15
Dexterity 8
Constitution 14
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 14
Charisma 14

Ending
------
Strength 20
Dexterity 8
Constitution 14
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 18
Charisma 20

Levels:

Guide
-----

1. Rogue1 - Power Attack/Cleave
2. Cleric1
3. Cleric2 - Weapon Focus
4. Cleric3
5. Cleric4
6. Cleric5 - Divine Might
7. Cleric6
8. Cleric7
9. Cleric8 - Divine Shield
10. Rogue2
11. Rogue3
12. Rogue4 - Knockdown
13. Blackguard1
14. Blackguard2
15. Blackguard3 - Improved Critical
16. Blackguard4
17. Blackguard5
18. Blackguard6 - Improved Knockdown
19. Blackguard7
20. Blackguard8
21. Rogue5 - Epic Weapon Focus
22. Rogue6
23. Rogue7
24. Rogue8 - Epic Prowess
25. Rogue9
26. Rogue10 * Improved Evasion
27. Rogue11 - Great Charisma I
28. Rogue12
29. Cleric9
30. Cleric10 - Great Charisma II
31. Cleric11
32. Cleric12
33. Cleric13 - Great Charisma III
34. Cleric14
35. Rogue13 * Crippling Strike
36. Cleric15 - Great Charisma IV
37. Rogue14
38. Rogue15
39. Rogue16 - Great Charisma V * Slippery Mind or Defensive Roll
40. Blackguard9

Distribution
------------
Cleric 15/Rogue 16/Blackguard 9

Saved you the trouble (or stole the fun kekeke ).

Edited By FinneousPJ on 09/02/05 13:52

Finneous,

If you're going to take 4 levels of Rogue pre-epic, you should sprinkle them throughout the development, so you can maximize Tumble and other skills periodically. It makes little sense to cluster all your classes unless you're in an Instant-40 environment.

You have Cleric 1-9, then Rogue 10-12, then BG 13-20. I'd advise Rogue at level 1, 7, 12, 17, with Cleric and BG mixed in to maintain spell casting (Cleric) ability while maintaing your melee abilities (BG).

Kaliban
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This space for rent
Quote: Posted 09/02/05 14:29:06 (GMT) -- Kaliban99

Finneous,

If you're going to take 4 levels of Rogue pre-epic, you should sprinkle them throughout the development, so you can maximize Tumble and other skills periodically. It makes little sense to cluster all your classes unless you're in an Instant-40 environment.

You have Cleric 1-9, then Rogue 10-12, then BG 13-20. I'd advise Rogue at level 1, 7, 12, 17, with Cleric and BG mixed in to maintain spell casting (Cleric) ability while maintaing your melee abilities (BG).

Kaliban

Heh, I don't play builds, I just make them. Hence I don't think about such things I guess that's better, . Personally I only care what a build looks like at level 40, when it's finished. Thanks for pointing it out, though
Quote: Posted 09/02/05 14:36:16 (GMT) -- FinneousPJ

Quote: Posted 09/02/05 14:29:06 (GMT) -- Kaliban99

Finneous,

If you're going to take 4 levels of Rogue pre-epic, you should sprinkle them throughout the development, so you can maximize Tumble and other skills periodically. It makes little sense to cluster all your classes unless you're in an Instant-40 environment.

You have Cleric 1-9, then Rogue 10-12, then BG 13-20. I'd advise Rogue at level 1, 7, 12, 17, with Cleric and BG mixed in to maintain spell casting (Cleric) ability while maintaing your melee abilities (BG).

Kaliban

Heh, I don't play builds, I just make them. Hence I don't think about such things I guess that's better, . Personally I only care what a build looks like at level 40, when it's finished. Thanks for pointing it out, though

This is why griphook requires the builder to post "playable 1-40". It's harder -- and more fun -- to build them to play rather than to own at 40. imho, of course. Thanks Ithacan....

Or ..if its not Playable 1 - 40..at least say in your build post
Straight level 40 build (lvl 40 builds are fine)
That way the reader will know, not to try and build it on a "PW"
griphook Thanks for the replies.

Kaliban

- Agree with the Imp. Knockdown will have to rework that in somewhere earlier. Maybe take divine shield later?

- As for the Rogue pre-epic, the reason I did not put rogue in pre-epic is mainly for the heals. Wanted some heals for soloing or acting as healer in a group.

Amazon Queen

- Thank you for mentioning about the Great CHA 1 feat. You're right that it should be something else.

- With the Epic Toughness 1 though, this is the best option as I got. It's either this or Epic Reputation therefore I chose Epic Toughness 1.

- With the Combat Casting and its improved version. I took those mainly for casting heals when mobbed. On the PW that I play, many monsters have sneak attacks which is bad enough already. If they get attacks of opportunity as well when I'm low on hp and trying to heal then it could get really ugly. But I definately agree on substituting other feats in for those two otherwise.

Great Tips. Thanks for posting.