Orc with Level Drain (3.5e Optimized Character Build)
Introduction
While looking through Complete Arcane, I stumbled upon the Green Star Adept class. It brings a nice Strength bonus, damage reduction and immunity to a lot of nasty spells. So I toyed around a little and ended up with this Orc Wizard/Barbarian/Green Star Adept.
References
Monster Manual - Orc as Player Character; Complete Warrior - Extend, Extra Rage (feats); Complete Arcane - Green Star Adept Class, Repair Damage Spells; Unearthed Arcane - Orc Paragon Levels;
Game Rule Components
Items
Manual of Gainful Exercise +4 Belt of Giant Strength + 6 Life-Drinker (specific Weapon, if you're lucky your DM will let you buy a +5 variant for only 48,000 gp extra.) Boots of Speed (an extra attack is always welcome, especially with this build's low BAB.)
Progression
Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments): Now I rolled pretty decent, most important is a high Strength score and an int of 16 (or higher). Con doesn't really matter when you reach level 15, you'll lose this ability completely. I got these results: Str: 18, Con: 12, Dex: 17, Int: 16, Wis: 15, Cha: 13. Race (Templates):Orc, Monster Manual (p. 204)
Starting Racial Traits: Str. + 4, Int. -2, Wis. -2, Cha. -2
| ECL | Class/HD/LA | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Feats | Class Features |
Special | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | ||||||
| 1st | Barbarian | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Combat Casting | Fast movement, illiteracy, rage 1/day | |
| 2nd | Orc Paragon | +2 | +4 | +0 | +0 | Improved darkvision (+30 ft.), no lightsensitivity | ||
| 3rd | Orc Paragon | +3 | +5 | +0 | +0 | Extend Rage | Elf Slayer | |
| 4th | Orc Paragon | +4 | +5 | +1 | +1 | Str + 2 | Str + 1 | |
| 5th | Barbarian | +5 | +6 | +1 | +1 | Uncanny Dodge | ||
| 6th | Wizard | +5 | +6 | +1 | +3 | Extra Rage | Summon Familiar, Scribe Scroll | |
| 7th | Green Star Adept | +5 | +6 | +1 | +5 | Damage reduction, improved caster level, starmetal dependency, starmetal rigor 1 | ||
| 8th | Green Star Adept | +6/+1 | +6 | +1 | +6 | Natural attack, unnatural metabolism +2, +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class | Str +1 | |
| 9th | Green Star Adept | +7/+2 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Extend Rage | Fortification (25%) | |
| 10th | Green Star Adept | +8/+3 | +6 | +2 | +7 | Otherworldly vision, starmetal rigor 2, +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class | ||
| 11th | Green Star Adept | +8/+3 | +6 | +2 | +7 | Unnatural metabolism +4 | ||
| 12th | Green Star Adept | +9/+4 | +7 | +3 | +8 | Weapon Focus (GreatAxe) | Fortification (50%), +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class | Str + 1 |
| 13th | Green Star Adept | +10/+5 | +7 | +3 | +8 | Null metabolism, starmetal rigor 4 | ||
| 14th | Green Star Adept | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +3 | +9 | Unnatural metabolism +6, +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class | ||
| 15th | Green Star Adept | +11/+6/+1 | +8 | +4 | +9 | Improved Critical | Fortification (75%) | |
| 16th | Green Star Adept | +12/+7/+2 | +9 | +4 | +10 | Emerald perfection, rapid repair, starmetal rigor 6, +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class | Str + 1 | |
Other Components
Weapon Focus and Improved Critical feats may be exchanged for something else you like.
Highlights
In the end, you'll end up with a racial and class bonus of +12 to Strength, assuming you started with and 18, you should now have 44. So you can hit hard, but, next to that, because you are a construct, you are immune to the necromancery effect of the Life-Drinker, allowing you to drain 2 levels from your enemies per hit, without losing any levels yourself. So when performing a full-round-action (while in a rage and using boots of speed and assuming the DM allowed you to get the bonus of Life-Drinker to +5) you perform 4 attacks at resp. +37/+32/+27/+37 each dealing D12+33 damage and draining 2 levels of your opponent.
Because you lose your constitution score, you'll have only about 80+20=100 hp. The DR 10/Adamant should cover for that, but when you get in trouble, a Repair Serious Damage will get you going in no time. But remember you can't cast defensively when raging (you can't use the concentration skill when raging).
Munchkin-Size Me
Don't use this stupid build. just make a soul eater. Book of Vile Darkness, yo . Throw in some monk levels for more attacks, a flurry with 2 lvls of drain each? yes please. plus a bunch of nifty side-effects
Side Notes
Remember this class can cast up to level 3 spells with caster level 11, so wearing armor may backfire because of the arcane failure. OF course, if you're rich enough you can get some nice protective magic items.
Limitations
A Green Star Adept must be able to consume green star metal in order to get his class abilities. Also, your saves will be pretty low against the things that do affect you. Take battle sorcerer instead of wizard, your BAB goes up the same as a cleric, you can wear light armor without spell failure + abjurant champion ftw
DM Counters
Illiteracy at first level, Scribe scroll as a wizard? No GM worth his salt will allow this. Spells which deal damage (such as disintegrate or fireball) work very well.