I am going to be Judging (not GM'ing) an 11 person PvP combat free-for-all. They will not know what type of terrain I may throw at them, or what type of characters the other players will bring. There will be traps, and may even be random encounters (monsters).
Most of my players are what I would term casual players and probably won't scour every source for the ultimate weapon, so I created this to give them ideas. I don't want to do it myself since I know what the enviornment will be, I don't want to give anything away.
So if you were Level 20 had 1,000,000gp and had to survive a fight against 10 other level 20's what would you buy? Feel free to break it down by class or general class (Arcane Caster, Melee type etc)
Assume the standard:
Belt of Physical Perfection +6
Headband of Mental Superiority +6
Cloak of Resistance +5
Ring of Prot. +5
Amulet of Natural Armor +5
If you would replace one of these, say that too.
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Scrolls of anti-magic field. Yeah, I'm that guy.
Yeah....antimagic field is a pretty great option to level the playing field between martials and casters. I'm not sure how well it will work out in the long run, but it's option considering all the terrible things casters can do at level 20.
Zen archer with UMD so he can read those scrolls then wallop fools with adamantium arrows. Kite the slow fighter with tanglefoot bags. Run towards the wizard and trip him. Laugh at the paladin who can't smite you and can't LoH either.
I should have mentioned there is no crafting, all items have to found in a book (except the enchantment rules and weapons, armor and the like) and all classes/archetypes have to be PFS legal.
Some means of flying (preferably a permanent means - but really long enough for the entire battle - e.g a single potion of fly won't do).
Some means of seeing through illusions (specifically invisibility).
Very high saving throws with most important to least being
Will/Fort/Reflex. Most SoS spells are Will (and at 20th level this means things like dominate person = game over for you as you charge recklessly into combat with everyone else at the casters whim). Most SoD spells are Fort.
Along with high saves a cap of the free thinker to allow double saves on many SoS will spells.
Yeah....antimagic field is a pretty great option to level the playing field between martials and casters. I'm not sure how well it will work out in the long run, but it's option considering all the terrible things casters can do at level 20.
I should point out that Antimagic Field is essentially useless against a level 20 caster unless you goal is to make you self an easy target. First of all, unless you have a non-magic means of flight you might as well give up on anti-magic field (flying with a mount is not the answer either unless your mount is unusually sturdy). Second, a smart level 20 caster will have cast Aroden's Spellbane set to Antimagic field, Mage's Disjunction and Aroden's Spellbane, so even if you do get close your antimagic field will be worthless other then to nerf yourself.
To the OP: Caster should not use Cloak of Resistance and should instead opt to pick up an otherworldy kimono. Store one of your minions (Animate dead/Simulacrum/Planar Ally/Binding, etc.) for a surprise ally and +6 resistance bonus along with making SR checks complete cakewalks (rather than just regular ho-hum walks).
I am going to be Judging (not GM'ing) an 11 person PvP combat free-for-all. They will not know what type of terrain I may throw at them, or what type of characters the other players will bring. There will be traps, and may even be random encounters (monsters).
I'm slightly grumpy that I won't be able to attend, (Grumble, grumble, work schedule, grumble) but I've got a few ideas that I was considering using before I realized I couldn't make it.
Scroll of Time Stop - 1d4 rounds of unthreatened buffing will never be more useful.
Scroll of Dimensional Anchor - Nothing good can come from having enemies teleporting randomly.
Scroll of Dispel Magic, Greater - Nothing could be sweeter can be done than disabling someone's magic items and watching them flounder.
Scroll of Form of the Dragon III - I'm not sure this really needs explaining.
Potion of Monstrous Extremities - 3rd level spell that gives you two secondary natural attacks? Yes, please. Even with the reduced chance to hit, free attacks are free attacks.
Oil of Align Weapon/Oil of Versatile Weapon - DR is evil, it must be punished.
Xorn Robe - If you aren't using your body slot wondrous item, you can use this to hide underground and buy some time for buffing, or use it to hunt and surprise other characters trying to hide and buff.
Truesight Goggles - Expensive, yes. But the ability to ignore blur, displacement, invisibility, and illusions will get you past the best defenses available at level 20.
Spring-Loaded Wrist Sheath - 5 gold a piece, and a swift action to draw one item weighing less than a pound. There are an absurd number of uses for this.
Amber Spindle Ioun Stone - a stackable +1 resistance bonus to saves is great if you need your shoulder slot for something else.
+1 Phase Locking/ghost touch Snag Net - At a +3 equivalent, there's nothing better for shutting down fleeing casters.
Feather Token, Whip - except maybe this.
Wings of Flying - Permanent flight. Watch out for those dispels.
Helm of the Mammoth Lord - endure elements against one attack and a primary natural attack. If you don't need something else in your head slot, this is a great one for melee.
Skyrocket Fireworks - If they don't have evasion, they are now either blind or deaf, with no save on the status.
Metamagic rod of quicken - two spells in one round is always going to be better than one.
Poisoner's gloves + Potions of Skinsend - coup de grace cheesiness. Please, please ban this.
Poisoner's gloves + other potions - Only one round to buff? No worries, just stab yourself in the chest with both hands to give yourself the benefits of two separate potions, throw in the Sipping Jacket to potentially use three in a round. I'm fond of enlarge/reduce person, heroism, and moment of greatness.
+5 Adamantine Haramaki - DR10/adamantine, +6 AC, and no penalty to casting. only really useful if you need the wrist slot for something other than bracers of armor.
Ring of Inner Fortitude, any - Ability damage reduction sounds delightful
Manuals/tomes - expensive, but +5 to a given stat is delightful.
Scroll of heal - relatively cheap, and a huge HP recovery.
Scroll of Summon Monster IX - More meat shields are always useful.
Pale Green Prism Ioun Stone - Cracked is a competence bonus to attack rolls or saving throws, flawed is a morale bonus. Stackable bonuses are always great.
Golembane Scarab/Swarmbane clasp - Even if nobody summons these, they'll still be worth the gold spent on them, just for the assurance. And you should need them anyways, because if you have an extra round to set up, an origami swarm or scroll of mad monkeys is a great way to keep someone occupied for a round.
Spell tattoo (inner sea magic)- If you're worried about water damage to your scrolls, and you absolutely should be worried once you realize that create water might disable some of your contingency plans, you can get them scribed as a tattoo for 4 times the normal price. The biggest benefit, in my opinion, is that you just need to touch the tattoo to cast it, so you no longer have to spend a move action drawing the scroll.
Dull Grey Ioun Stone with Heightened Continual Flame cast on it - Deeper darkness is unlikely, but countering it is invaluable.
Scroll of reach breath of life - A pretty cheap way to convince people that an alliance of convenience is a great idea.
Granted, I've never actually played a level 20 in pathfinder, so this should all be taken with a grain of salt.
Yeah....antimagic field is a pretty great option to level the playing field between martials and casters. I'm not sure how well it will work out in the long run, but it's option considering all the terrible things casters can do at level 20.I should point out that Antimagic Field is essentially useless against a level 20 caster unless you goal is to make you self an easy target. First of all, unless you have a non-magic means of flight you might as well give up on anti-magic field (flying with a mount is not the answer either unless your mount is unusually sturdy). Second, a smart level 20 caster will have cast Aroden's Spellbane set to Antimagic field, Mage's Disjunction and Aroden's Spellbane, so even if you do get close your antimagic field will be worthless other then to nerf yourself.
I should point out that if playing by PFS rules, I don't think Aroden's Spellbane is a valid spell to select. And without being able to see the way it is writen, it might be able to protect the caster from losing his magic, but should still protect the anit-magic field wearing fighter from long range magic. Still, I admit it presents as many pitfalls as possibilities. Magic is useful for a great many things and barring yourself from it can have lots of unintended consequences. It might work, but it might not.
I have a permaent illusion of an orchastra playing the star trek fight song.
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The items to get are quite dependent on the class in all honesty and what it wants to do. Me i would go with a fighter that specializes in ranged combat. I would also be caring a large amount of explosives that i would set up to close off all but one path to me. Then using that path i would simply wait for them to run buy or be foolish enough to advance towards me. Also i would set up explosives along that path to detonate with flaming arrows to impede there movement, advancement, escape, and deal extra damage. I would also set um anti-magic fields using UMD along the end of the path to try and minimize the usefulness of heavy magic item/user dependent classes.
I should point out that if playing by PFS rules, I don't think Aroden's Spellbane is a valid spell to select. And without being able to see the way it is writen, it might be able to protect the caster from losing his magic, but should still protect the anit-magic field wearing fighter from long range magic. Still, I admit it presents as many pitfalls as possibilities. Magic is useful for a great many things and barring yourself from it can have lots of unintended consequences. It might work, but it might not.Yeah....antimagic field is a pretty great option to level the playing field between martials and casters. I'm not sure how well it will work out in the long run, but it's option considering all the terrible things casters can do at level 20.I should point out that Antimagic Field is essentially useless against a level 20 caster unless you goal is to make you self an easy target. First of all, unless you have a non-magic means of flight you might as well give up on anti-magic field (flying with a mount is not the answer either unless your mount is unusually sturdy). Second, a smart level 20 caster will have cast Aroden's Spellbane set to Antimagic field, Mage's Disjunction and Aroden's Spellbane, so even if you do get close your antimagic field will be worthless other then to nerf yourself.
Yes, but if the he wanted to run a PFS rules things he really should have said so. Plus PFS has a lot of rules that only really make sense in a living campaign setting.
Yes, but if the he wanted to run a PFS rules things he really should have said so. Plus PFS has a lot of rules that only really make sense in a living campaign setting.
I should have mentioned there is no crafting, all items have to found in a book (except the enchantment rules and weapons, armor and the like) and all classes/archetypes have to be PFS legal.
Admittedly he didn't say all PFS rules, nor was it in his original post but this is what made me think it was for PFS.
How do you add the ghost touch property to an immovable rod? Those require GM permission, as they are custom items.
Regarding everyone using true seeing, don't you have a problem with mind blank negating that?? What wizard isn't going to have that, or what person who wants to become invisible isn't going to use a scroll of mind blank?
The best items are the ones that allow for maximum versatility and economy of action, as well as the ability to bring more combatants/things to the battlefield that act as shields.
Dust of sneezing and choking x10. Something to summon people to coup de gras, Game over, you win.
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The items to get are quite dependent on the class in all honesty and what it wants to do. Me i would go with a fighter that specializes in ranged combat. I would also be caring a large amount of explosives that i would set up to close off all but one path to me. Then using that path i would simply wait for them to run buy or be foolish enough to advance towards me. Also i would set up explosives along that path to detonate with flaming arrows to impede there movement, advancement, escape, and deal extra damage. I would also set um anti-magic fields using UMD along the end of the path to try and minimize the usefulness of heavy magic item/user dependent classes.Flight and greater invisibility and ranged attacks would circumvent these defenses.
Also you would be taken out while you were setting these up. In fact some might even shoot the explosive while your putting it into place.
I will admit that can and possibly will happen but it depends on the terrain. If the terrain is closed off halls were flight can not be used and the area is big enough to hold such a free for all to the magnitude that he stated then the tactic is valid. It is very dependent on how the DM sets up the field for battle. The fact that he stated that he was thinking of using traps and monsters in some ares makes me assume that it is a closed off area and possibly has multiple levels.
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bag of holding full of shadows for the undead master cleric archetype. open the bag and laugh maniacally as everyone's strength is slowly sapped away. Yes, many of the shadows are going to die. But do you know how many beings that have no weight, height, or substance can fit in an extradimensional space?
ANSWER: Unlimited.
Admittedly, this probably wouldn't be allowed, but it's fun to think about.