Right, the first thing you need to understand is I used a vicious exploit to be able to afford the magical part of this at that level (specifically, I used the LE Candle of Invocation
wish loop to generate as much gold as I wanted from my starting wealth allowance). The second is that this was way too much power for a game of that level, or any situation in which simple hit point damage is a legitimate solution, and if I had it to do over again I'd omit Splitting to prevent runaway situations.
My primary weapon was a great crossbow (exotic, full-round action to reload, provokes attacks of opportunity, 2d8 P damage, crit 18-20/x2, 120-foot range increment). This is from
Races of Stone.
It had attached gnome crossbow sights (attached to a ranged weapon, you can treat targets as if they were two increments closer. DM judgement call ruled that this extended max range to 12 increments rather than 10, in addition to reducing range penalties on attack rolls). This is from
Arms & Equipment Guide.
The magical effects on the great crossbow were +1 (self-explanatory), Keen (double critical threat range, crit is now 15-20/x2) -
Dungeon Master's GuideSplitting (each bolt fired becomes 2 identical bolts, both must go to the same target, but each has its own attack roll and critical threat chance, only works if wielder has Precise Shot feat) -
Champions of Ruinand Aptitude (any wielder who has feats that apply to the use of a particular type of weapon can apply those feats to the Aptitude weapon. If the wielder has any feats specifically keyed to the Aptitude weapon's type, he gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls). -
Tome of Battle: Book of 9 SwordsWith each bolt fired becoming 2 with their own critical chances, and a critical threat happening on 6 numbers out of 20 possible (or, to look at it another way,
not happening on 14 out of 20 numbers possible), there is a .7*.7= .49, or 49%, chance that no bolt will threaten critical during any attack. The chances of at least one critical threat on an attack are actually slightly better than a coin flip, as long as my attack bonus is high enough to actually hit the target (it is).
Relevant feats (remember, Aptitude weapon property crosses out their specific weapon type and writes in "great crossbow") to get the exploding critical hits effect:
- Hand Crossbow Focus - As Weapon Focus for hand crossbow, additionally, you can reload a hand crossbow as a free action. - Drow of the Underdark.
- Lightning Mace - When wielding a light mace in each hand, any time you roll a critical threat, you gain a free additional attack at the same attack bonus. - Complete Warrior
- Roundabout Kick - When you confirm a critical hit with an unarmed strike, you gain a free additional unarmed attack at the same attack bonus. This attack goes to the same target that just suffered the critical hit. - Complete Warrior
What this means is that any time I roll a critical hit I get another attack on the victim and another attack on somebody else as well -- four more bolts, four more chances to roll a critical hit.
Then of course there were a shit-ton of prerequisite feats, fulfilled by things like freebie exotic weapon proficiencies from Targeteer variant fighter, Improved Unarmed Strike from unarmed variant swordsage, etc.
Other magic items that weren't strictly necessary, but helped a lot, were the Quiver of Lies (
Book of Vile Darkness - when the wearer holds a projectile weapon and speaks a lie as a free action, a piece of ammunition of the appropriate type appears in his hand), and the Flesh Ring of Scorn (
Book of Vile Darkness - when pierced into the flesh of an evil outsider, this ring allows the outsider to automatically score a critical hit against a nonoutsider whenever a critical threat is indicated). I had "Magic Items for Dummies", a masterwork Use Magic Device tool with a custom magical bonus to UMD checks, following the guidelines in
Dungeon Master's Guide... mostly to help me succeed on the skill checks to fake the wrong race and wrong alignment for the Flesh Ring of Scorn.
The ever-increasing attack and damage was due to Blood In The Water, a Tiger Claw stance from
Tome of Battle: Book of 9 Swords. While in this stance, every time you land a critical hit, you gain a +1 bonus on attacks and damage. This bonus is cumulative with multiple critical hits, and lasts until you go 10 full rounds without landing a critical hit.
Make sense, GWG?