This is a Dev Crit Heavy Xbow build I call "Bahl Ista" in refference to Bahl the god and "ballista" the siege weapon. It uses the Divine Power trick to obtain 2 extra attacks at max BAB of a fighter. Thus giving this build 5 attacks per round at max BAB (plus AB buffs) each. I've added the calculations below. Each hit is a Dev Crit potential.
Cleric(17), Sorcerer(13), Red Dragon Disciple(10), Human
# of attacks 1 xbow 1 Rapid Reload 1 haste (item/potion) 2 Divine Power
AB calculation @ level 20 (using xbow)
10 BAB - regular 3 AB - 16 Wisdom using Zen Archery 6 AB - Potential increase due to 28 wisdom (+12 stat buff) 1 AB - WF Xbow
(+20 cap entries below) 10 BAB - Devine Power 1 AB - Devine Favor 1 AB - Aid 1 AB - Bless 1 AB - Prayer
(potentials) 5 AB - Figure at least a +5 AB xbow 20 ab - True Strike (if needed) ======== 20 base +20 caps
1 AB - Point Blank Shot
^^assuming you have +12 Wisdom buff Otherwise remove 6 AB
@ level 40
20 BAB - regular 5 AB - 20 Wisdom using Zen Archery 6 AB - Potential increase due to 28 wisdom (+12 stat buff) 1 AB - WF Xbow 2 AB - EWF Xbow 1 AB - Epic Prowess
(+20 cap entries below) 10 BAB - Devine Power 5 AB - Devine Favor 1 AB - Aid 1 AB - Bless 1 AB - Prayer 5 AB - Figure at least a +5 AB xbow or self buff GMW (potentials) 20 ab - True Strike (if needed) ========
35 base + 20 (cap)
===================
@20 you have 40/40/40/40/40 (41 if within 15 feet, Point Blank Shot is on one of your items "Bracers of Archery") @40 you have 55/55/55/55/55 (56 if within 15 feet)
Xbow Crit Range would be 17-20 *2 5 Enhancement bonus (GMW) 5 Might (potential) 1 (min bolt damage) 5 (Divine Favor) === 16*2 or 25*2 (max roll on bolt)
1d6 Overwhelming crit @24 Dev Crit DC = 29 (+6 more if you have your full +12 Str buff) @40 Dev Crit DC = 40 (+6 more if you have your full +12 Str buff)
=============== Things that go along with this build:
Pros: Improved Invisibility spell (helps alot because of low ac and concentration) StoneSkin spell Fullplate caster Strength Domain buff to increase your Dev Crit DC. Pixie familiar to handle some locks/traps/etc.
CONS:
LOW HPs!!! Dispellable Divine Power Low Fort Save Low AC Low Concentration (don't cast in melle please)
Huh, a non-shifter? that's unexpected.
GMW doesn't work on ranged weapons as far as I know, not that you would need GMW to cap AB anyway, but enhancement on ranged weapons only affects AB, not damage, you need magical bolts for added damage.
I'm a bit confused here, if you're already taking Sorcerer levels you get Improved Invisibility from arcane spells, since it's a level 4 arcane spell, so why take Trickery Domain? I think I'd take Plant instead for Barkskin. Also, why 18 CHA? you write there that you can only cast up to level 5 arcane spells, yet you waste a lot of initial stats on CHA.
Ah yes, GMW is useless for this Xbow. I keep bypassing the fine print on some of these spells. Even these days I learn something new.
Cha 15 was taken because I wanted to have functional Sorcerer spells while leveling up. RDD added two more Cha later and I rounded it off to 18 (for the bonus spells) after that. All Pre-Epic stat boosts were to Str. So if I had less Cha, then I would not be able to cast lvl 5 spells when I got them. 13 Sorcerer levels actually give access to lvl 6 spells. So any level 5 spell will be cast in the 6th level slot because of Still Spell. I guess if I take another Sorcerer level LATE in life it would grant me the ability to select some 6th level spells. But since I'm walking around in plate mail, I won't be casting those in/near battle anyways.
That's a good point about the Trickery domain. It was taken just for Improved Invis. I guess I'd take the Destruction Domain since this build will have a harder time vs those immune to crits. Damaging Constructs seems better than "trying" to turn Outsiders or Elementals. Barkskin can often be found on potions in PWs. And a handy acid fog never hurt either.
Another tweak to this build would be to take Sorcerer(14) at character level 33. This would allow you to re-select Sorcerer spells and open up level 7 sorcerer spells to you. By dropping 1 cleric level you would loose lvl 9 cleric spells (which you would have obtained @lvl 40).
Taking Sor at 33 allows your progression in Cleric to open up Cleric level 5 spells @32.
I think this might make the build a tad better since you now have selectable Sor spells for slot 6 and 7.
I like this build, deadly and cheesy Divine Favor gives you, not +1, but a +5 bonus to AB (until capped) 17 caster levels will give you a much better barkskin than normal potions give (if you pick that domain).
I would try to squeeze in extend spell somewhere for longer duration and more slots for divine power, since you depend so much on that spell. But most of your feats are essential or quite useful already so I haven't really decided where to cut.
I'm a bit worried about your AB calculation though: 55/55/55/55/55, have you tested this?
Some tests I did recently with the melee build Dark Moon Agent,indicate that adding more extra attacks (divine power, flurry, haste) reduces AB with 5 for each extra attack. The results are outlined and discussed in the topic. _________________ The curve is more powerful than the sword -- BG courtesan
Extend Spell is a very good addition to have.
This build has Divine Power in slots 3 and 4 already. Adding them to slots 5 would be good, but it would cut into some much needed feat slots in epic.
You can't take Extend Spell pre-epic IMHO. That would push Dev Crit out to far. You want that ASAP. Still Spell is important in order to cast your Sor spells while in Fullplate, so don't get rid of that. If you remove any other feat after that, you're knocking your AB down by 1 point. *shrug*
The prob with calculating the 55/55/55/55/55 is that the character sheet lies. It will tell you that you have 2 base attacks per round when you have your xbow equiped. That is of course not true. You'd have to check your combat logs, but from what I've seen so far, it looks good.
Devine Power with a Melle weapon word a little differently. If you made your BAB equal to 10 at level 20, you'd still have 2 base attacks per round. That means that the calculation would be this:
with melee: 55/50/55/55/55 55/50(base) /55/55(divine power) /55(haste)
with xbow: 55/55/55/55/55 55(base) /55/55(divine power) /55(Rapid Reload) /55(haste)
These numbers are false since you would be using your STR rather than your Wisdom, but it gets the point across.
I do not know which attack occurs on which attack sequence (being that there are 3 attack sequences I think, maybe 4).
Eh, no, I've been playing recently with my Lethal kama build, which is a BAB 15 Cleric/Monk, and I can assure you extra APR stuff like Divine Power, Haste and Flurry (Flurry is ought to work the same as Rapid Shot in this case)are not independent between themselves, test the hits on your feedback, while the first added APR is at full AB, the next extra APR are not independent from themselves, my test for my build got me this: +55/+52/+49/+46/+43/+55/+50/+45 where +55/+52/+49/+46/+43 is the normal buffed spread, +55 for Divine Power / +50 for Haste / +45 for Flurry (or in any other order). You won't get straight 55/55/55/55/55
Edited By Thaxll'ssyllia on 04/11/07 01:26
You are right. I've built this guy up to lvl 40 in a trainer mod and the attack sequence is as follows:
55/50/45/55/50
The spell and feat descriptions for this approach are grosly misleading.
Rapid Reload does NOT add an attack at Max BAB. Divine Power does not add attacks at Max BAB.
It would seem that Divine power adds 1 or 2 (based on your actual bab) attacks to your regular attack progression 55/50/45.
Haste adds the other 55. Rapid Reload seems pick up where your Haste BAB left you.
I have to do more testing on this.
I'm not sure as to how the breakdown of which attack is contained within which flurry.
But I can tell you that the attack sequence I saw look like: 2-1-2
Bang(55) Bang(50) in rapid succession, a pause.. a Bang(45), a pause, then Bang(55) Bang(50).
During my upcoming tests I'm going to remove haste and see what happens. I now expect 55/50/45/55
I'll not do the divine power and see how that affects things too. I expect 55/55/50
Kinda frustrating that the documentation is misleading.
Quote: Posted 04/11/07 18:39 (GMT) -- Bromium You are right. I've built this guy up to lvl 40 in a trainer mod and the attack sequence is as follows:
55/50/45/55/50
You are supposed to do that before posting, you know....
Quote: Posted 04/11/07 18:39 (GMT) -- Bromium The spell and feat descriptions for this approach are grosly misleading.
Rapid Reload does NOT add an attack at Max BAB. Divine Power does not add attacks at Max BAB.
It would seem that Divine power adds 1 or 2 (based on your actual bab) attacks to your regular attack progression 55/50/45.
Haste adds the other 55.
Rapid reload, Divine power and Haste all add an extra attack at full AB, but only if you have only one obviously. That means that the popular DP at 25 BAB adds an attack and full -5 when hasted, and not at full BAB. Interesting. _________________ We are sons of Odin, and the fire that we burn inside is the legacy of warrior-kings who reign above in the sky I will lead the charge, my sword into the wind Sons of Odin fights to die and live again
Quote: Posted 04/11/07 19:38 (GMT) -- Grimnir77 Rapid reload, Divine power and Haste all add an extra attack at full AB, but only if you have only one obviously. That means that the popular DP at 25 BAB adds an attack and full -5 when hasted, and not at full BAB. Interesting.
An xbow only gives 1 attack per round.
I don't think that if I had only 1 true attack per round (BAB 5), that I would get MAX on each added attack. That was the assumption I originally made. From what I saw, I just don't believe that anymore.
Sadly, I can't test it while I'm at the office.
You can't make a build with pre-epic BAB 5, it's just impossible, Divine Power only increases your BAB to your level, it won't work the same in low levels... I once attempted to use Divine Power exploit to its full here with a dual-kama Sorcerer 20 / Monk 2 / Cleric 18 built for the minimum BAB of 9, the hasted / divine power / flurry got me this spread: +34/+31/+28/+36/+36/+36/+36/+34/+29, Divine Power didn't added the extra Monk progression 3 attacks but instead added normal 2 attacks for the BAB values, however, back when I tested it I did get +36/+36/+36/+36 for Divine Power + Haste + Flurry extra APR, I would guess the new version is what changed that...
You are right. I've built this guy up to lvl 40 in a trainer mod and the attack sequence is as follows: