CoDzilla: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:CoDzilla.jpg|thumb|right]]'''CoDzilla''' is a [[3e]] [[Dungeons & Dragons]] term, a portmanteau of "[[Cleric]] or [[Druid]]" and "Godzilla", describing a very powerful Cleric or Druid build. It came about because these classes have the potential to become game-breakingly overpowered when built properly. So great is the problem that playing a straight cleric or druid is often referred to as playing D&D on easy mode. | [[Image:CoDzilla.jpg|thumb|right]]'''CoDzilla''' is a [[3e]] [[Dungeons & Dragons]] term, a portmanteau of "[[Cleric]] or [[Druid]]" and "Godzilla", describing a very powerful Cleric or Druid build. It came about because these classes have the potential to become game-breakingly overpowered when built properly. So great is the problem that playing a straight cleric or druid is often referred to as playing D&D on easy mode. | ||
In addition to wielding considerable magical power that rivals that of the other reality-twisting classes - [[Wizard]]s and [[Sorcerer]]s - the CoDzilla also receives better combat skills and abilities, such as the ability to wear heavy armor for Clerics, better base attack bonus progression and, in the case of Druids, the combination of the ''[[furry|wild shape]]'' class feature and the ''Natural Spell'' feat (which allows the druid to cast spells even while shapeshifted, when they already have considerable ability score buffs). By proper application of their powers (and a good selection of feats and domains), the CoDzilla is able to dish out massive melee damage and take punishment to a degree that greatly surpasses regular fighter or barbarian-types and equals (or maybe surpasses) ubercharger, shock trooper, hulking hurler and other builds no matter if they're used by fighters, barbarians, paladins, or rangers while still retaining additional advantages such as full casting (which as anyone with any experience with the game knows is immensely powerful, especially the kinds of full casting that don't have a limited number of known spells), throwing the game out of balance. For example, with the strength domain a cleric can boost his Strength score to absurd levels for one round (we're talking about a bonus equal to his level), combined with a +6 belt of giant strength, enlarge person (casted upon themselves of course), foresight (for that extra attack bonus), charging, using a two handed weapon (preferably a +5 keen minotaur greathammer), pounce, a +5 inherent bonus to their strength score, and expending as much of their attack score on a power attack as they can without making it impossible for them to hit anything; the damage you'd be able to do with a full attack would be enough to kill 99% of the monsters in the monster manual in a single round and put a serious hurting on anything that can survive. And this is far from the most optimized CoDzilla build. | In addition to wielding considerable magical power that rivals that of the other reality-twisting classes - [[Wizard]]s and <s>[[Sorcerer]]s</s> sorcerers are tier 2 stupid, the other big reality twisting class is the Erudite- the CoDzilla also receives better combat skills and abilities, such as the ability to wear heavy armor for Clerics, better base attack bonus progression and, in the case of Druids, the combination of the ''[[furry|wild shape]]'' class feature and the ''Natural Spell'' feat (which allows the druid to cast spells even while shapeshifted, when they already have considerable ability score buffs). By proper application of their powers (and a good selection of feats and domains), the CoDzilla is able to dish out massive melee damage and take punishment to a degree that greatly surpasses regular fighter or barbarian-types and equals (or maybe surpasses) ubercharger, shock trooper, hulking hurler and other builds no matter if they're used by fighters, barbarians, paladins, or rangers while still retaining additional advantages such as full casting (which as anyone with any experience with the game knows is immensely powerful, especially the kinds of full casting that don't have a limited number of known spells), throwing the game out of balance. For example, with the strength domain a cleric can boost his Strength score to absurd levels for one round (we're talking about a bonus equal to his level), combined with a +6 belt of giant strength, enlarge person (casted upon themselves of course), foresight (for that extra attack bonus), charging, using a two handed weapon (preferably a +5 keen minotaur greathammer), pounce, a +5 inherent bonus to their strength score, and expending as much of their attack score on a power attack as they can without making it impossible for them to hit anything; the damage you'd be able to do with a full attack would be enough to kill 99% of the monsters in the monster manual in a single round and put a serious hurting on anything that can survive. And this is far from the most optimized CoDzilla build. | ||
With gestalts, one can create the (un?)holy/axiomatic/anarchic/neutral abomination that is the CaDzilla (cleric and druid zilla), which essentially combines all the spell buffs and domains of a cleric with the wild shaped Spinosaurus form (and the Animal companion, who nicely fills the meatshield role of a melee martial character as well as spontaneous summon nature's allies spells for instant meatshields and access to both classes impressive spell lists) that high level druids are so fond of, using greater magic fang to replace magic weapons, or perhaps a mouthpick magic minotaur greathammer. The party's nonfullcaster members will only be able to look upon the destruction you can wreak with this build and weep as you completely and utterly outperform them. | With gestalts, one can create the (un?)holy/axiomatic/anarchic/neutral abomination that is the CaDzilla (cleric and druid zilla), which essentially combines all the spell buffs and domains of a cleric with the wild shaped Spinosaurus form (and the Animal companion, who nicely fills the meatshield role of a melee martial character as well as spontaneous summon nature's allies spells for instant meatshields and access to both classes impressive spell lists) that high level druids are so fond of, using greater magic fang to replace magic weapons, or perhaps a mouthpick magic minotaur greathammer. The party's nonfullcaster members will only be able to look upon the destruction you can wreak with this build and weep as you completely and utterly outperform them. |
Revision as of 10:28, 28 January 2011
CoDzilla is a 3e Dungeons & Dragons term, a portmanteau of "Cleric or Druid" and "Godzilla", describing a very powerful Cleric or Druid build. It came about because these classes have the potential to become game-breakingly overpowered when built properly. So great is the problem that playing a straight cleric or druid is often referred to as playing D&D on easy mode.
In addition to wielding considerable magical power that rivals that of the other reality-twisting classes - Wizards and Sorcerers sorcerers are tier 2 stupid, the other big reality twisting class is the Erudite- the CoDzilla also receives better combat skills and abilities, such as the ability to wear heavy armor for Clerics, better base attack bonus progression and, in the case of Druids, the combination of the wild shape class feature and the Natural Spell feat (which allows the druid to cast spells even while shapeshifted, when they already have considerable ability score buffs). By proper application of their powers (and a good selection of feats and domains), the CoDzilla is able to dish out massive melee damage and take punishment to a degree that greatly surpasses regular fighter or barbarian-types and equals (or maybe surpasses) ubercharger, shock trooper, hulking hurler and other builds no matter if they're used by fighters, barbarians, paladins, or rangers while still retaining additional advantages such as full casting (which as anyone with any experience with the game knows is immensely powerful, especially the kinds of full casting that don't have a limited number of known spells), throwing the game out of balance. For example, with the strength domain a cleric can boost his Strength score to absurd levels for one round (we're talking about a bonus equal to his level), combined with a +6 belt of giant strength, enlarge person (casted upon themselves of course), foresight (for that extra attack bonus), charging, using a two handed weapon (preferably a +5 keen minotaur greathammer), pounce, a +5 inherent bonus to their strength score, and expending as much of their attack score on a power attack as they can without making it impossible for them to hit anything; the damage you'd be able to do with a full attack would be enough to kill 99% of the monsters in the monster manual in a single round and put a serious hurting on anything that can survive. And this is far from the most optimized CoDzilla build.
With gestalts, one can create the (un?)holy/axiomatic/anarchic/neutral abomination that is the CaDzilla (cleric and druid zilla), which essentially combines all the spell buffs and domains of a cleric with the wild shaped Spinosaurus form (and the Animal companion, who nicely fills the meatshield role of a melee martial character as well as spontaneous summon nature's allies spells for instant meatshields and access to both classes impressive spell lists) that high level druids are so fond of, using greater magic fang to replace magic weapons, or perhaps a mouthpick magic minotaur greathammer. The party's nonfullcaster members will only be able to look upon the destruction you can wreak with this build and weep as you completely and utterly outperform them.
4e has largely fixed such issues by leveling the playing field for all classes, primarily by greatly reducing the abilities of spellcasters to put them in line with nonspellcasters. Minmaxing touhoufags have nevertheless proven that 4e still has its share of broken builds, but they are generally not nearly as all-encompassingly powerful as the CoDzilla.
No one plays 4e silly.