Gondsman

[GruumshOneEye]

A 15 level Techsmith can have a buffed golem with 44+AC which easily crits for 60HP. As a constant companion. Literally, it can solo any content (at least of appropriative CR) with ease, just thundering stuff around.

Golem itself is much stronger than average player PC of it's level, while it is just a summon. Summoner still exists around, usualy being a full leveled caster, making every challenge look like a joke. So, here I would ask a question if someone considers it overpowered as well.

[dedude]

That was my gondsman you met. I’m looking into ways to make it scale more smoothly, instead of starting out at that AC level. But don’t worry, it is not face rolling anything at my CR.

[GruumshOneEye]

Actually you are second Techsmith of "++" level range I met in goblin cave. First was a cleric, and we did it together, so I saw him in action. It does faceroll everything on it's level, being compared to other classes. That thing has AC of a fully geared and buffed DD with a Tower Shield and ICE, but wears a Greataxe and a Construct.

Find me a player character, who has 44+ AC being a two-hander. You wont find much even on level 30, with exception for few. And it is just a summon. Any summons on 15lvl can crit for 60? Most of player characters can't.

[dedude]

I already agreed the AC is an issue, rest is not. Those goblins are way below my CR so of course the gondsman can handle them. And lots of players can Crit for 60+ with a greater ogre axe, just need a lucky roll.

[Sun Wukong]

Find me a player character, who has 44+ AC being a two-hander. You wont find much even on level 30, with exception for few. And it is just a summon. Any summons on 15lvl can crit for 60? Most of player characters can't.

This used to be a character I head many years ago: Barbarian 6/Battlerager 5/Fighter 2. (Level 13)

10 (BASE)
+9 (Full Plate)
+3 (Bracers of Armor)
+3 (Natural Armor Amulet)
+3 (Dodge Boots)
+3 (Deflection Ring)
+1 (Tumble)
+2 (Battlerager AC)
+2 (Dodge AC from Whirlwind Frenzy)
= 36

Add +3 Tower Shield for +7 AC. (-2 Today due to Whirlwind Frenzy nerf.) I had the Monkey Grip feat too in case I found some awesome two-handed weapon and had no replacement to be used with the shield..

Now lets earn few more levels to have the build of Barbarian 11/Battlerager 5/Fighter 2. (Level 18)


10 (BASE)
+9 (Full Plate)
+3 (Bracers of Armor)
+4 (Natural Armor from Ice Troll Berserker during rage)
+3 (Dodge Boots)
+3 (Deflection Ring)
+2 (Tumble)
+2 (Battlerager AC)
+3 (Dodge AC from Whirlwind Frenzy)
= 39

Add +3 Tower Shield for +7 AC. (-2 Today due to Whirlwind Frenzy nerf.) I had the Monkey Grip feat too in case I found some awesome two-handed weapon and had no replacement to be used with the shield.

So... Today, you can have 44 AC and relatively easily too. The equipment can be acquired from the in game consignment store.


Oh and that character did win PvP against Epic Weapon Master. (The player used Improved Power Attack, so his AB fell just below my AC and I kept being very, very lucky with my rolls.) Improved Knockdown helped too you know.

[GruumshOneEye]

Creating a tumbling-full-plate-towershield-ac barbarian, picking just everything to max-out your armor class - has nothing to do with my understanding of a roleplay (you are free to have any other opinion) and does not make you a construct who uses two-handed weapon.
And this is a summon, not a PC.

[Sun Wukong]

tumbling-full-plate-towershield-ac barbarian

In otherwords, a DWARVEN BATTLERAGER!

A summon is like a party member or an animal companion that you need to buff up. For example, a Druid 20, gets an animal companion with base 30~ AC. You can add Tortoise Shell and Cat's Grace for +11 AC, which brings you to 41~ AC. You could also add Flame Weapon for +1d8 fire damage, Nature's Avatar for +10 AB and Damage and the Haste effect, oh, and Awaken grants pretty much permanent +4 STR, CON, and additional +2 AB. Then you got the Greater Magic fang for +5 AB and Damage, and the Jagged Tooth for increased critical hit chance.

The Gondsman doesn't seem to stand out that much compared to a Druid at least. Oh, and Rangers can do something similar with their animal companion buffs, they just create slightly less capable animal companions.

[Cenerae]

Buffed greater planar summons can also tear through everything. Not with 44+ AC, but most of them sit at 38 or 39 (with one less damaging summon reaching 41 and the more frail languishing at 34), and ABs of anywhere from +30 to +35 (with one able to get over 40, with a lvl 20 cast of GMW). Granted this does take thaumaturge into account, but it's no less an investment than it takes to get a Gondsman. Maybe they don't crit for 60's, but they're certainly capable of pounding things like xvarts or anything in Kro's into paste.

After a point they will stop getting stronger though. I assume the same goes for the Gondsman.

Then again, I've seen thaumaturge gondsman players before.