Eh...I'd expect them to have a magical item that casts greater age resistance. And otherwise is built normally.
Even combat maneuvers and defensive stuff don't really work well since taking massive penalties to strength/dex/con are going to cause problems to every single type of martial build.
Zen Archer
Sensei monk.
Elf with the Breadth of Experience feat?
I'm thinking "caster friends". XD
Be the boss - battle herald perhaps or order of the dragon cavalier.
I suspect the way this would actually work out is that the geezer may not be as spry as a young guy (physical penalties), but he'd be far more experienced (higher level) than most other people.
Past that, assuming you don't go the route of monk or druid or Age Resistance, you either simply eat the penalties (-3 to everything physical stings, but you can survive it), or perhaps look for ways to get your mental stats do the heavy lifting. A Guided weapon enchantment might be useful, for instance, as well as seeking out non-stat-based sources of attack bonus and damage (say, having appropriate Bane weapons, etc).
I'm thinking that a Weapon Finesse build with a DEX belt of +6 or so would make up for old age pretty well. An Urban Barbarian/Bloodrager seems like it would be a good class for that, and a Bloodrager has access to all of the buff spells that would render the old age penalty moot.
But if you really want to embrace the "brains over brawn" approach, a slayer might be a good fit. 10th level studied strike bonuses would offset most of the penalties in combat, with sneak attack doing the bulk of the damage.
First of all is this for a PC or an NPC?
If it is an NPC I would simply give him a higher point buy to allow for raw talent and then impose the normal age penalties. A character who survived to 10th level probably did so because of both raw talent (Stats) and experience (level). A human with a 25pt buy and age restrictions can still easily end up with a 16 STR, 11 DEX, 14 CON, and 12 in all the other stats. If he dumped 2 mental stats he could end up with 16 STR, 12 DEX, 14 CON, one mental stats at 14 and the other two mental stats at 10. Yes he will not be as powerful as a younger character but is still viable.
If it is for a PC is this for a newly created character or an existing character? If it is a new character I do not allow PC to use age adjustment for starting characters so the old PC not take any penalties, but will not get any bonuses. If it I is for an existing PC than you could use a wish or similar magic to restore prevent the penalties. The Sun orchid elixir would work perfectly for this.
I'm thinking that a Weapon Finesse build with a DEX belt of +6 or so would make up for old age pretty well. An Urban Barbarian/Bloodrager seems like it would be a good class for that, and a Bloodrager has access to all of the buff spells that would render the old age penalty moot.
But if you really want to embrace the "brains over brawn" approach, a slayer might be a good fit. 10th level studied strike bonuses would offset most of the penalties in combat, with sneak attack doing the bulk of the damage.
why not just do belt of str +6? no need for Wep Fin then
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Nacreous Gray Sphere Ioun stone. 10,000gp lets you ignore all penalties from aging. Did this with a straight fighter.
why not just do belt of str +6? no need for Wep Fin thenI'm thinking that a Weapon Finesse build with a DEX belt of +6 or so would make up for old age pretty well. An Urban Barbarian/Bloodrager seems like it would be a good class for that, and a Bloodrager has access to all of the buff spells that would render the old age penalty moot.
But if you really want to embrace the "brains over brawn" approach, a slayer might be a good fit. 10th level studied strike bonuses would offset most of the penalties in combat, with sneak attack doing the bulk of the damage.
I was thinking dex for the ac, but str is fine if you don't care about taking hits/get heavy armor
A bard/lore oracle of Desna.
For those rare occasions when she actually has to fight instead of talking her way out, she can always rely on her trusty starknife and the techniques bestowed on her by her goddess.
They don't get old by continually throwing themselves in harms way, they use their brains a lot. Cunning replaces brawn.
When you meet these people in real life you notice what a pack of crusty old and builds first, then realise they are very sly and know every trick in the book.
Wax on, wax off, Daniel-San.
In this game, getting old is really a choice. (Assuming you can manage the not dying part of it.). If you are effective enough to manage not dying, there are many ways to avoid aging, which, since you you are not an idiot, you will avail yourself of. Why would you allow yourself to remain in a situation where all your physical stats are reduced significantly? Why would you have even let yourself get to that point?
Note this assumes the premise cited, that the individual has grown old in a dangerous, and presumably profitable, situation. If the individual is somehow prevented from profiting from his situation, or getting free of it, then he eventually dies.
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Luck and shrewd judgment.
That's how real soldiers get to that age.
For an NPC, use a CR 2 higher and then apply age penalties. As a foe this old man will be slightly less deadly than a young barbarian but will be more resilient and have more feats and class abilities. So make a build that plays up that they are using extensive feat chains.
For a PC this is in intentional handicap, which can make a fun themed game. But no real advice there.
Back in the days of 3.5, I made a 3-Level PrC that allowed the PrC to swap out Wis for Dex, Cha for Con, and Int for Str. You needed a +5 BAB, 5 ranks in any Knowledge skill, and you had to have been at least middle aged to qualify.
I think it was Full BAB, Good Will saves, and 4+ or 6+ Int skills per level.
Implanted Nacreous Grey Sphere Ioun Stone before middle age. Use Slayer or Weapon Adept Unchained Monk.