Challenges farmer lvl15 Build ideas with lousy gear.

[janave]

As title says im very interested in a build that can aim for a high ingredient/run both solo and in teams.

I have x2 GS triple earth kopeshes i would like to fit in somehow. But if it really borkes the build, i dont mind dropping them. Other pieces are mostly BTA passed. I can make a black scale armor, not sure if worth making a Hide tho.

So far my approach is:

Helf 34PT -- 12FVS/2MNK/1RNG -- Dilettante: Barb till lvl7 <swap> Sorc for scrolling

Stats: [+2tomes]

• STR: 15
• DEX: 15
• CON: 14
• INT: 8
• WIS: 15
• CHA: 12

Feats:

• 1 Tuffness
• 2 TWF
• 3 Precision
• 6 Maximize
• 9 ITWF
• 12 Imp Crit: Slashing
• 15 GTWF

Skills: Jump, Concentration

Spells: Mostly Buff, and throwing Blade Barriers.

Advice is very welcome, im still in the process of figuring out the challenges. I have run the Labor Shortage and the Lava Caves crystal cove like ones, and utterly failed a few times on Rushmores Mansion.

[Deathdefy]

Feel free to disregard the following, as it's pretty opinionated.


To be the best challenge character you can be, or even just a very good challenge character, you need Dimension Door:

-In Lava Caves, it takes you back to the top meaning you can scout much better, as well as deal with incomings. It also acts as another teleporter for kobolds to use.
-In Kobold Island, it takes you back to the airship you spawn on, meaning you can rush to defend a small extractor quickly, in addition to being great for travel generally.
-In Extraplanar Palace, it takes you to the front of the portal, meaning you can deal with Incomings (since I know I'm bound to completely forget all of a) The Marilith, b) The Rakshasa, and c) The Hag). It also acts as another teleporter for kobolds to use.
-In Mansion it's significantly less useful.

My point being, it's ludicrously good in challenges. There are 5 ways to get Ddoor.

1) Scrolls - random drop only, on AH occasionally.
2) Be a level 10 Bard
3) Be a level 7 Wizard
4) Be a level 8 Sorc
5) Get 2 Human dragonmarks of passage.

Options 1 is unreliable. Options 2-4 seem like a radical departure from the character you want.

Option 5 is pimp.

I'd go human (pre-req for the mark), pick up Dragonmark I as your bonus feat at first (which is a very useful expeditious retreat clicky in itself). Swap Precision out for Dragonmark II.

Voila.

Incidentally, there are many spoilers on the forums about routes and tactics for the challenges, but I'd recommend doing it yourself at least the first time since they genuinely are very fun if you can get past the now-negligible xp.

[janave]

@Deathdefy

Absolutely great insights that i can relate to, im glad i asked .

Yes, it seems the Human Dragonmark is the cheapest way i can get Dim Doors, too bad DD scrolls are not available at the vendor. Since its a farmer character i want to go cheap all the way and invest as very little as possible.

Thanks

[Kinerd]

While as Deathdefy said it is a radical departure from your proposed build, I think 15 Wizard is just too well-suited to ignore.

Lava Caves - speed (personal and kobold), self-healing, and AoE killing are of paramount importance. 15 Wizard is very strong at all of these.
Extraplanar Palace - same as Lava Caves.
Rushmore - CC becomes even more extremely useful: why fight trash when you can drop an SLA Web and move on to the next door/breakables/boss?
Kobold Island - obviously you would never, ever, ever, run these, because they are a blight, a punishment, a curse (no save).

As a 15 Wizard you also have extremely strong single-target DPS that does not require you to be within range of a marilith's khopeshes, a rogue's whatever it is he uses, or a giant's... well, to be honest the giants are pretty pathetic at doing damage. I do recommend you go AM instead of PM: wraith mode is good, but lich mode is where PM really takes off. Especially as I mentioned for Rushmore, but even in general as a level 15 only, I feel AM is just stronger and better suited to your desires.

eta: and last point, wizards are extremely forgiving of subpar gear. You lose at most 2 DC... who cares? Your bread and butter will be Ice Storm and your power DoTs anyway, no DCs on those. I'm not suggesting you should throw out a Greater Necro or Conj focus item, but it won't kill you not to have them. All you really want is a mostly-relevant Thaumaturgy staff.