User:Cedges/Disciple of Criticals (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

Introduction
Uses an increased critical threat range to do tremendous amounts of damage in 3.5.

Spells, Powers, Soulmelds, Stances, etc...
Distracting Ember, Blood in the Water

Items
Needed weapons:
 * Two Light Maces, graduate to
 * +1 Aptitude 18-20 one-handed and possibly off-hand as soon as affordable. Graduate to
 * +1 Aptitude Keen 18-20 one-handed weapon as soon as it is affordable, and possibly a similar off-hand weapon. By Disciple of Dispater 8, graduate to
 * +1 Aptitude Cold-Iron 18-20 one-handed weapon

Also pick up a whip-dagger or two (19-20 crit, threatens 5-15', 1d6 slashing damage, does damage to armored foes, otherwise a whip, including for feats) at some point:
 * +1 Aptitude Cold-Iron Whip Dagger

Progression
Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments): 15+ str, 15+ dex, 13+ int

Race (Templates): Human. Stongheart Halfling would require 17 str, which is more expensive to point buy.

Other Components
<- anything not covered by the previous sections ->

Highlights
<- How and why this build works, also a place to show off just what the build can do ->

Tactics
If there aren't two opponents next to each other, summon a distracting ember next to one, and sweep both enemies or an enemy and an ember with an attack. Do non-lethal damage so you don't kill your ember. You slaughter creatures occupying two squares.

Further Optimization

 * Increase attack bonus or number of attacks in a full round attack to get started more easily.
 * Become large to threaten more squares
 * Find a way to move as a free or immediate action without moving or add attacks that prevent opponents from moving.
 * Convince your DM to let Disciple of Dispater's expanded threat range and 3.5 Improved Critical stack even though they don't, get a 12-20 critical, and diverge against non-critical immune foes without needing a sweep or an ember, and diverge against crit-immune foes even using a whip and ember.

Limitations
DM Counters:


 * Movement. Sweeping Strike can't be used if the war mind has moved more than 10' since the end of his last turn. This can be overcome a little bit by a 5' step, a 15' reach, and perhaps picking up another 5' of free movement somewhere, like Stalking Shadow. Movement+critical immunity is very bad for the war mind.
 * One square wide halls with no space to summon ember. This is overcome eventually using a whip-dagger, but not if the foe is immune to criticals.
 * Arenas or pits of exactly two adjacent five-foot squares.
 * Immunity to non-lethal damage. This is overcome eventually
 * Immunity to critical hits. This is eventually overcome using an ember, but not if there is no space to put one. Blood in the Water never gets a bonus from the Ember, so immune foes actually completely prevent bonus acquisition.
 * Anything that counters melee

Variants

 * Take warblade later to get slightly better maneuver options and 2 fewer hitpoints.
 * Drop 8 levels of Disciple of Dispater for 7 of Psychic Weapon Master. Requires a tremendous number of feats, has a smaller threat range of 8 instead of 9, and only has an expanded threat range on a single weapon, so no whip daggers.