Zeus Magebane, Hurler of Lightning Bolts

[Baconomicon]

Zeus Magebane, Hurler of Lightning Bolts

Hurling electric polearms is kinda like hurling lightning bolts right?  Anyway, the goal of this build is to avoid many of the pitfalls of charging, since you won't actually need to be near your target, and terrain will largely irrelevant.  We'll also do our best to foil those spooky magic users via the witch hunter prc from Tome of Magic.  This build is also not magic item dependent, and doesn't get any abilities that would not work in an AMF until becoming a witch slayer.  Nevertheless I did list a few notable non-ability score booster magic items of interest. 

Open to suggestions absolutely anywhere.  I plan to post multiple variants of this build.  

I do have questions, though:

Is everything I've posted legal? In particular I'd love if the 6 combat steps I posted towards the end of the final section got a good going over.  

The very nebulous situation, though, occurs when charging.  If I drop my foe in the first attack, can I finish the charge by attacking other foes with my full attack?  On that note, how the heck do cleave and great cleave work on a charge?  Throw two with one blow in the mix and things get more confusing.  Let's say I'm charging and with my first hit, I use two with one blow, and drop both foes this way.  If for some reason there are 2 foes within my reach (cleave requires they be in your reach), do I get an extra attack at each, since I dropped 2 foes?  One way or the other, my first attack in a full attack on a charge is resolved after the cleave attacks do or do not happen.  Can I direct the rest of my full attack to target other foes in range?  Note the distinction between range (how far I can do ranged attacks), and reach (5' as a medium creature).  

What other feats/abilities should I consider?  Where do I go at level 16 and beyond?  I don't usually build past 15 since the games I personally play in rarely go that far, and it feels like there's nowhere to go that would add much meaningful power, compared to what casters are getting at levels 17-20

Race and classes:

Dragonborn (RotD) wood elf.  Add templates at your leisure, just be wary of what features will be lost upon becoming dragonborn.  If you're willing to waive the painful required 3 exalted feats for the saint template, I would actually highly recommend it for this build, because of its many nifty abilities.  Of note are the +4 to cha, and the +2 increase to the DC of abilities.  Since this build gets an excellent cha based supernatural ability at level 15, this template effectively increases its DC by 4.

Ranger2*/Barbarian1**/Fighter1/warblade1(ToB)/Bloodstorm blade4(ToB)/fighter+1***/Witch slayer5(ToM)

*elf substitution at first level, 8 skill points per level, balance as class skill (important, since bloodstorm blade requires 8 balance ranks), drop to d6 HD (RotW).  Favored enemy: arcanists (CM) would be my first choice.  Other ranger variants worth considering include dropping wild empathy for speak to plants/animal 3/day (CC), and gaining trapfinding instead of track (DS).  The CS web enhancement that gets you the tumble skill might also be desirable.  You get plenty of skill ranks in your first 2 levels, so put them to work in skills that will become cross-class at level 3 when you take barbarian at level 3.  

**whirling frenzy+pounce (CC) variants.  

***I won't be using the dungeoncrasher (DS) variant, but if you want more damage, go for it

This build assumes that charging and diving are the same thing.  So whenever a feat applies to a charge, it can also be applied to a dive, provided all movement requirements are satisfied.  

Suggested equipment:

+1 valorous shocking spear/longspear/javelin/halberd/whatever: valorous causes double damage on charge (UE), shock feature from DMG, pretty much for flavor.  It's important that you use a piercing weapon, because dragonborn (and raptorans) do double damage when on dive attacks with piercing weapons, and you of course want a 2 hander.  See more on weapon choice in the combat section.  

Boots of speed: haste for 10 consecutive or non-consecutive rounds each day, free action to activate.

Crystal mask of mindarmor: +4 insight bonus to will saves, since you have no classes with good will saves until witch hunter.  100% stackable with cloaks of resistance.  

Otyugh hole (CScoundrel, 151): not really equipment, but it gets you iron will for a modest fee, boosting your weakest save is nice.  

Court of Thieves (CScoundrel, 143): same sort of thing as Otyugh hole, gets you any luck feat.  I like to grab lucky start with this, to reroll initiative checks

Sphere of Awakening (MIC): remove magical and/or mundane fatigue and exhaustion from everyone in 60' radius 1/day.  Great for getting rid of fatigue from rage.

Veil of allure (MIC): increase DC of charisma based supernatural abilities, among other things, by 2.

Suggested point buy combos and stat progressions:

This build is slightly MAD depending on how you're going to play it.  Remember that point blank shot requires dex of 13 and is a pre req for this build's cornerstone, the bloodstorm blade.  Bloodstorm blade also requires you to have 8 ranks in balance, and it becomes cross class at level 3, meaning you need at least 2 skill points at levels 3, 4, and 5 in order to be able to buy 1 balance rank each level.  With the fighter level you get a base of 2 skill points, and if you have an int mod of -1, that means you get only 1 skill point.  If you're starting at level 10 or higher this won't matter, otherwise be wary.  If you go for the witch hunter portion of the build, you'll also need want charisma.  

I'll be posting stats both from point buy, and what they'll be at level 12 with everything factored in.  All builds will assume you buy a +4 strength item and are raging (remember, whirling frenzy rages don't boost con).  Level 4, 8, and 12 ability bumps are also factored in.  Racial stats from wood elf and dragonborn net to +2 str and -2 int.  

str/dex/con/int/wis/cha

24 point buy, raw stats, no racial adjustments or anything
14/13/16/11/8/8
At level 12 (must take fighter at level 4 and use ability boost on int, see above)
26/13/16/10/8/8

28 point buy
16/13/16/11/8/8
At level 12 (must take fighter at level 4 and use ability boost on int, see above)
28/13/16/10/8/8

32 point buy
16/13/16/12/8/11
At level 12 (use level 16 stat bump on cha)
28/14/16/10/8/11

36 point buy
17/14/16/12/8/11
At level 12 (use level 16 stat bump on cha)
30/14/16/10/8/11

Feats and notable abilities:

Flaw: Point blank shot (pre req for bloodstorm blade)
Flaw: power attack
1: Improved initiative (you always want to go before enemy casters when possible)
1 (ranger): track (or trapfinding, or chaos shuffle)
2 (ranger): rapid shot (important for bloodstorm blade ability)
3: Extra rage (CWar)
4 (fighter1):  imp. bull rush
6: Shock trooper (CWar)
6 (bloodstorm blade 1): throw anything (chaos shuffle if you don't plan on entering master thrower or using a weapon that can't normally be thrown)
7 (bloodstorm blade 2): thunderous throw, treat ranged attacks as melee attacks, all weapons you wield gain returning property
8 (bloodstorm blade 3): blind-fight (pre req for pierce magical concealment)
9 (bloodstorm blade 4): lightning ricochet, returning weapons dart back to you in the same round, allowing you to make a full attack with a single ranged weapon.  At level 9 you'll be able to make 5 attacks with a spear at range, at level 11 this will go up to 6 attacks per round.
9: mage slayer (CArc, pre req for pierce magical concealment)
10 (fighter2): Martial stance (leaping dragon, so if you ever can't fly, you still have great jumping ability to deal with terrain issues)
12: Pierce magical concealment (CArc, foils blink, blur, mirror image, etc.)
12 (witch slayer): mettle (basically evasion for fort and will saves, grab a ring of evasion too.  A second level in master thrower would also get you evasion)
15: ability focus: temporary disjunction
15 (witch slayer): temporary disjunction (swift action, single enemy within 30' needs to make DC 20+cha mod will save or lose magic, as if in a AMF for 1 round, ability can be used every 5 rounds)

List o' unused feats & stuff:
Extend supernatural ability (double duration of supernatural ability, would be great for disjunction)
Sudden ability focus (1/day +2 bonus to any supernatural ability of your choice, explicitly stacks with normal ability focus)
Headlong rush (big bonus to charges, orc/half-orc only feat though, RoF)
Battle jump (charge-like option, very powerful, UA)
Power lunge (modest damage bonus, S&F)
Leap attack (throttle up power attack damage, CAdv)
Imp. precise shot (requires 19 dex, allows you to ignore miss chance from anything less than total concealment or total cover)
Cleave, due to your short reach.
Luck feats from Complete Scoundrel.  I love them, but they're always tough to fit in.  
Master thrower prc (CWar) was sadly left on the cutting room floor.  The two for one blow ability is good, but I couldn't justify the feat pre reqs (throw anything, precise shot, and weapon focus)
Vow of non-violence (BoED) would seem to raise the DC by +4 of disjunction. Not explicitly, but after reading the entry I'd say it definitely works.

Possible maneuver choices:

Note that hitting warblade at level 5 is key so that you can get second level maneuvers

Iron Heart (1 maneuver and 1 stance required from IH for bloodstorm blade)
Punishing stance: 1d6 damage, -2 AC
Wall of blades: foe must beat your attack roll instead of AC*

Diamond Mind
Moment of perfect mind: concentration check instead of will save*

Tiger Claw
Claw at the moon?  You need any maneuver from TC to qualify for leaping dragon, and all the good ones have pre reqs =(
Leaping dragon stance (from martial study feat): always treated as though you have a running start to a jump, +10' to vertical jumps.
  
*Very limited use, since bloodstorm blade's thunderous throw and witch hunter's temporary disjunction will eat your swift actions, and you'll also be unable to use concentration due to rage.  Your fort saves won't need any help at all thanks to excessive multi classing, at least.  

Damage calculator and how you work in combat:

X=weapon damage (dice + enhancement bonus)
Y=strength mod
Z=BAB

Let's assume we're at level 11, using all our BAB, and wielding a weapon whose dice+enhancement hit for 7 on average.  Strength mod will be arbitrarily put at 10.  Remember also that BAB 11 gets you 3 attacks, whirling frenzy gets you another, rapid shot gets you another, and boots of speed get you another still.  Unless your DM hits you in the face before you can finish all the attacks.  This assumes damage from punishing stance and shock isn't multiplied.  Tack a pair of d6s to each damage result if you're using both those.  

Charging power attack only
X+Y*1.5+Z*2 = 44
+Valorous weapon
(X+Y*1.5+Z*2)2 = 88
+piercing weapon on dive (or battle jump)
(X+Y*1.5+Z*2)3 = 132
+Headlong rush (mostly for TO, won't use it probably)
(X+Y*1.5+Z*2)4 = 176
+Power lunge feat or uncanny blow exotic weapon master ability (also TO)
(X+Y*2+Z*2)4 = 196
+leap attack (easier to use this with a battle jump than a dive)
(X+Y*2+Z*4)4 = 218

Critical hits would change the overall multiplier (the one outside parentheses) by adding +1 to it if it were an x2 weapon, +2 if it were and x3 weapon, etc.  Also, remember this is per hit, and you get 6 attacks per round.  So there's potential for hundreds of damage.

Your overall to-hit bonus, retaining the above assumptions:
BAB+str+weapon enhancement+haste+charge-rapid shot-whirling frenzy
11+10+1+1+2-2-2=21.  Meaning you'll get 6 attacks at +21/+21/+21/+21/+16/+11, though a couple other variables of note: you'll gain an additional +1 to hit and damage on attacks within 30' thanks to point blank shot.  Assuming you're using a spear (20' range increment), if an enemy is more than 20' away you also take a -1 penalty, more than 40' away a -2 penalty, etc.  

Weapon choices:
Spear: 20' range increment, non-reach
Javelin: 30' range increment, non-reach, -4 to melee attack rolls
Longspear: 10' range increment, reach

So how does this all work in combat? Let's work through step by step.
1.  Get angry and airborne.  Note that you should be activating your boots of haste as a free action, getting you a 60' speed, thus allowing you to ascend 30' in a round.  To execute a dive, you need to descend at least 10,' so if you opponent is more than 20' tall, this means you won't be able to do a first round dive.  Don't worry though, you can still do a regular charge while in the air, and those still do plenty of damage.  
2.  Use a swift action to activate thunderous throw.  Swift actions are going to be very precious for you.  
3.  You pounce while you rage, so all this groovy moving around you're doing? You get to make a full attack after you've charged/dived into whatever position you think is the most advantageous to hurl your lightning spears at enemies.  
4.  Aim for anything that can cast spells first, fly second, or do ranged attacks third.  
5.  If there's a particularly menacing spellcaster of some sort, you can use your swift action to activate your disjunction ability on them.  If it succeeds, then charge them the old fashioned way, without throwing anything.  This is where the javelin becomes bad, the longspear becomes good, and the spear becomes a happy medium.  Well, happy for everyone except your new pin cushion.  
6.  If your first 5 attacks in step 5 didn't kill the target, use your 6th attack to bull rush them (you can do it freely as part of a charge).  If you took dungeoncrasher somewhere this is an opportunity for more damage.  If you didn't, then you've hopefully at least put them in a position where they'll provoke an attack of opportunity on their next action.  Remember also that your mageslayer feat makes someone autofail their concentration check when casting defensively.

Acronyms/sources

[Archao]

Unless you can provide insight to a ruling that states any winged creature with flight gets a +10 racial bonus to jump (please do, I've been looking for one) your options would be Dragonborn (Races of the Dragon, p5) or Raptoran (Races of the Wild, p68).

The rest is unknown to me, but I like idea you've got going.

[Silent Wayfarer]

Been brainstorming a build like this myself; I used a Goliath to open up Knockback, then went Fighter 6 for super dungeon crashing and Master Thrower for Two With One Blow and since I qualified for it, Exotic Weapon Master for Uncanny Blow, using a Harpoon.

Class levels were Lion Totem Barb 1 with Whirling Frenzy, Fighter 6, Warblade 1, Bloodstorm Blade 10, Exotic Weapon Master 1 and Master Thrower 1.

For L9 maneuvers, Fighter 2 / Warblade 3 / BSB 4 / Warblade +11 should let you access Time Stands Still and the Mongoose maneuvers. This route is not recommended because the Mongoose maneuvers and the BSB's ability to treat ranged attacks as melée attacks use the same swift action.

[Leviathan]

Unless you can provide insight to a ruling that states any winged creature with flight gets a +10 racial bonus to jump (please do, I've been looking for one) your options would be Dragonborn (Races of the Dragon, p5) or Raptoran (Races of the Wild, p68).

I've never found a blanket ruling on this, but it seems that every race that gets Wings but "you don't get flight right away" like Raptoran, Dragonborn, Dragon Wings Feat etc all state you get the +10 to jump checks. I guess it's thought of as "Once you have wings jumping is irrelevant"

[Baconomicon]

Exotic weapon master and master thrower both intrigue me for the very reasons listed, but I'm having a hard time working in the pre reqs.  I'd need to get exotic weapon proficiency, precise shot, and weapon focus somehow.  Otherwise I would dive in headfirst at levels 10 and 11.  I could do it if I tacked on 3 levels of fighter (missing out on dungeon crasher) and used my level 12 feat for that, then enter at 13 and 14, but it feels like there must be a better way.  

edit: come to think of it, I'd probably opt for power lunge instead of EWM, since I could just place power lunge in the feat slot I'd otherwise use for exotic weapon proficiency.  

[Silent Wayfarer]

MT and EWM are more optional, because you A) need feats you might not really want and B) don't really improve your core performance, which is PA/LAing with valorous weapons to do metric fucktons of damage at range. You could take Cleave and Great Cleave, which basically delivers the effect of Two With One Blow at no attack penalty, then fill out the levels with more fighter or something.

With 30 Str, EWM's uncanny blow adds 5 damage. You decide if it's worth the two feats needed. Similarly, Two With One Blow lets you hit two ADJACENT targets with one attack for -4.

[Baconomicon]

After adding the damage maths to the OP, I think I'm set on that front.  My focuses at this point should probably being able to simply hit more things, both as far as quantity and quality.  Quality meaning being able to ignore miss chances, illusions, and more mundane methods of avoiding attacks, and quantity being able to hit more things in one round.  Master thrower and cleave and great cleave achieve quantity, but I'm short on things that achieve quality. 

Bloodlines are the only option I see for adding more feat space in a compact fashion, but it doesn't seem worth buying off the levels (it looks to work just like buying off LA).  A major storm giant bloodline would get me power attack at 2nd level, and cleave at 8th, though.  That's very tempting since it would grant me one more feat at first level. 

Though would a bloodline persist through becoming a dragonborn?

[Silent Wayfarer]

Have you considered Precise and Improved Precise Shot? Those negate everything short of total cover and concealment...

[Baconomicon]

Yeah, the bloodline would let me fit precise shot in early, then imp. precise shot at level 12.  Having to get to levels 3, 6, and 12 twice though...

However, come to think, if I did go that route, I'd be able to swap out martial stance and begrudgingly take weapon focus as a bloodstorm blade3, to qualify as a master thrower at level 10.  Then I'd need a way to get leaping dragon somewhere though, that really is a huge benefit (amounts to +40 on vertical jump checks, and treats you as having a running start automatically).  I could ditch leap attack and take martial stance at level 9.  That would give me that added flexibility of not needing to land my jumps in a square where I threaten my enemy. 

[Silent Wayfarer]

Well, technically since you treat ranged attacks as melee attacks with BSB 2's ability and you threaten any square you can make a melee attack into...

[Vicerious]

If you can fit the feats in, taking Blind Fight and Mage Slayer qualifies you for Pierce Magical Concealment. I'm AFB at the moment, though, so I'm not sure how that stacks up against Imp Precise Shot.

Another consideration regarding race: raptorans have an explicit ruling in their wings entry stating they do double damage on a dive attack with a piercing weapon. Typically, only piercing natural attacks enjoy this bonus.

[Baconomicon]

Well, technically since you treat ranged attacks as melee attacks with BSB 2's ability and you threaten any square you can make a melee attack into...

Sadly, I'm pretty sure it uses a more stringent definition of "threaten."  Otherwise archers would threaten the entire battlefield.  

If you can fit the feats in, taking Blind Fight and Mage Slayer qualifies you for Pierce Magical Concealment. I'm AFB at the moment, though, so I'm not sure how that stacks up against Imp Precise Shot.

Another consideration regarding race: raptorans have an explicit ruling in their wings entry stating they do double damage on a dive attack with a piercing weapon. Typically, only piercing natural attacks enjoy this bonus.

I thought about PMC since it specifically foils mirror image, but then I figured that since I'll be getting so many attacks, it wouldn't be necessary.  A single hit eliminates a mirror image, and between cleave and two with one blow, I think I could handle wiping out all images in one turn.  Otherwise it allows me to ignore miss chance from magical effects.  Imp. precise shot allows you to ignore miss chance from anything less than total cover or total concealment.  

Dive attacks are very tempting if I'm dropping leap attack.  Dragonborn are also explicitly able to use piercing weapons in dive attacks.  And then there's no incentive for me to take battle jump.  Battle jump is the only remaining thing that wouldn't work on a dive (if you're willing to assume the word charge and dive are interchangeable in all other feat/ability descriptions), and replacing battle jumping with diving would result in the same damage output.  It also means I wouldn't have as much incentive to boost my jumping skills.  Jumping would let me get into the air faster since I only ascend at half speed via flying, but I don't think it would be worth taking martial stance for leaping dragon at that point.  On the plus side, diving would force me to use piercing weapons, and spears have a 20' range increment.

edit: overhaul on last paragraph in this post

[Redeemer of Ogar]

Well, technically since you treat ranged attacks as melee attacks with BSB 2's ability and you threaten any square you can make a melee attack into...

I'm fairly certain you only treat the BSB attacks as melee attacks until the end of your action, as it requires a swift action to activate for your turn.

[Silent Wayfarer]

Well, technically since you treat ranged attacks as melee attacks with BSB 2's ability and you threaten any square you can make a melee attack into...

Archers don't make melee attacks, though.

I'm fairly certain you only treat the BSB attacks as melee attacks until the end of your action, as it requires a swift action to activate for your turn.

Not sure how long it lasts, I'll have to look it up.

EDIT: It only lasts until the end of your turn, which presumably means until the end of your action. Damn nation!

[Endarire]

Hood needs sharing.

Blodostorm Blade2 (Thunderous Throw) explicitly states that it can treat attacks with thrown weapons as melee attacks.  This requires a swift action and only works during your turn.

[Baconomicon]

Huge update.  In particular feedback is wanted on combat strategy (end of last section).

edit: in particular ways to improve the witch hunter's capstone ability would be awesome, whether by raising its DC or lowering the enemy's save.
edit2: ditched the bloodline, at the cost of master thrower, sadly.  Though it did net the build improved initiative and leaping dragon stance, which are nice. 

[fallen-angle]

I see no Iron Heart Surge in this build. It feels like IHS would be a much better choice over Wall of Blades, what with having better uses for Swift Actions.

[altpersona]

reflavor 'hanks bow' to be a bracer, ring or rod of 'lighting' throwing.

[Phoenix00]

It is a 3.0 book but the Arms and Equipment Guide had the Halberd of Vaulting.  This +2 Halberd weapon gave you a +30 bonus to jump checks.  Furthermore on a running charge where you jump at least 5 feet into the air your charge attack will do double damage.

Now jumping up vs jumping down would normally mean you can't combine a Dive Attack with the Halberd of Vaulting.  Complete Scoundrel comes to the rescue, the skill trick Twisted Charge allows you to change your movement up to 90 degrees (it is a skill trick so it is once a encounter without certain prestige classes).

So you do a running charge where you jump up, during the flight into the air you activate Twisted Charge, you twist into the air at the last movement (perhaps pushing off against the ceiling to enhance your monemteum) only to come crashing down cleaving your enemy into two.

Base Damage
Double Damage due to a Dive Attack
Double Damage due to Valerous Weapon enhancement
Double Damage due to Halberd of Vaulting

adds up to
100%+100%+100%+100=4 Times the normal weapon damage.

[Silent Wayfarer]

Then throw in Leap Attack to double your PA damage.