Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXI

[true_shinken]

Welcome, contestants, judges, and guests to Iron Chef XXI. Here in Optimization Colosseum, contestants will endeavor to create an optimized and flavorful character using a specified D&D3.5 prestige class as a "Secret Ingredient".

Contestants: You will need to present your build at at least one of the following points: 5th level, 10th level, 15th, 20th, and a "sweet spot" that you feel is the high point of the build. Feel free to present as many of these as you like, and please give a rundown of the build's abilities and playability at all of the levels you didn't show. The rules are as follows:

Menu: For most challenges, the "special ingredient" will be drawn from Core plus Completes. There will, from time to time, be special challenges that showcase secret ingredients from other books--for example, the XPH.


32 point-buy is the presumed creation method, but we have generally allowed other levels of point-buy.
If you do use a different point-buy, please make your case for its necessity in your entry. Keep in mind that for using exceptionally large or small point-buys may warrant deductions in elegance and/or power.

Kitchen: Competitors will be free to use any official 3.5 rulebook in constructing their builds. Dragon magazine is disallowed, and Unearthed Arcana is allowed; but see Elegance below. Alternate rule systems from UA such as gestalt are not allowed, as they create a different playing field. Also, item familiars are forbidden because I hate 'em.

Cooking Time: Contestants will have until 11:59pm CUT on Thursday, May 26th 2011 to create their builds and PM them to the Chairman, true_shinken (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=50679). Builds will then be posted simultaneously, to avoid copying.

Judging: Judging will be based on the following criteria, with each build rated from 1 (very poor) to 5 (exemplary) in each area: Originality, Power, Elegance, Use of Secret Ingredient.


Power level is up to you. Cheese is acceptable, but should be kept to a sane level unless you're showcasing a new TO build you've discovered. In the words of one of my predecessors, a little cheddar can be nice, but avoid the mature Gruyere unless you're making a cheese fondue.


Elegance could bear a little elaboration. It basically measures how skillfully you put your build together, and whether you sacrificed flavor for power. We're cooking here - if your dish doesn't taste good, it doesn't matter how well-presented it is. Use of flaws is an automatic loss of one point per flaw in this category. Other things that will cause lost points here are excessive multiclassing, and classes that don't fit the concept - using Cloistered Cleric in a front-line melee fighter, for example, will lose you points.


I am going to have to ask the contestants to PM me about any disagreement with the judges. Under no circumstances is a contestant to defend themselves inside the thread, since it breaks anonymity.

Presentation: Builds will be posted anonymously, in order to avoid the potential of bias towards a particular competitor. For this reason, please don't put your name in the build, as I'm likely to miss it when reviewing the entries!


Due to concerns about standardizing entry format, I'd like everyone to try to use the following table for their entry.NAME OF ENTRY
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

2nd|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

3rd|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

4th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

5th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

6th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

7th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

8th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

9th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

10th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

11th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

12th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

13th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

14th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

15th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

16th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

17th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

18th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

19th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

20th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities[/table]

CodeNAME OF ENTRY
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

2nd|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

3rd|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

4th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

5th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

6th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

7th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

8th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

9th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

10th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

11th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

12th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

13th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

14th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

15th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

16th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

17th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

18th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

19th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities

20th|New Class Level|
+x|
+x|
+x|
+x|Skills|New Feats|New Class Abilities[/table]


For entries with spellcasting, use the following table for Spells per day and Spells Known. (Spells Known only if necessary, i.e. Sorcerer or Bard, but not Wizard or Warmage)
Spells per day/Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

17th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

18th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

19th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

20th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]

CodeSpells per day/Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

17th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

18th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

19th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

20th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]


For other systems (Psionics, ToB, Incarnum, etc.) keep track of PP/maneuvers/essentia separately, preferably in a nice neat list.

Speculation: Please don't post or speculate on possible builds until the "reveal," in order to avoid spoiling the surprise if a particular competitor is producing a build along those lines.

Leadership is banned; we're producing a meal, not a seven-course banquet for a hundred diners.

So! Who wants to sign up as a contestant, and who wants to sign up as a judge? Looking for about 5 judges and as many contestants as feel like playing!

This week's special ingredient is:
Sword & Fist's Ghostwalker!
We will have trophies for 1st through 3rd places, as well as a special trophy for honorable mention. The honorable mention prize is given to the most daring or unexpected build. Judges, contestants and guests alike are invited to vote for honorable mention via PM.

Allez optimiser!

Judges
Kuulvheysoon
kestrel404
gbprime

Contestants
z3ro
Amphetryon
yugi24862
ILM
Thurbane
Amechra
SartheKobold
OMGPonies

The Builds


Past Competitions

Iron Chef I: Entropomancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142470)
Iron Chef II: Psibond Agent (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146583)
Iron Chef III: Cancer Mage (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148584)
Iron Chef IV: Stonelord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150595)
Iron Chef V: War Chanter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152543)
Iron Chef VI: Master of Masks (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156876)
Iron Chef VII: Green Star Adept (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158633)
Iron Chef VIII: Pyrokineticist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160266)
Iron Chef IX: Animal Lord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162702)
Iron Chef X: Mythic Exemplar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164381)
Iron Chef XI: Blade Bravo (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166539)
Iron Chef XII: War Mind (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9426386#post9426386)
Iron Chef XIII: Vigilante (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172233)
Iron Chef XIV: Seeker of the Song (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174434)
Iron Chef XV: Drunken Master (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176049)
Iron Chef XVI: Assassin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178202)
Iron Chef XVII: Ardent Dilettante (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182492)
Iron Chef XVIII: Unseelie Dark Hunter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186097)
Iron Chef XIX: Dread Pirate (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190607)
Iron Chef XX: Incandescent Champion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10976416)

[OMG PONIES]

:smalleek: Wow. I think this source may be a bit too obscure for most possible competitors, myself included. I'll need to see if I can get my hands on a copy.

EDIT: Okay, not obscure, but still 3.0. And the book has been ordered.

[yugi24862]

Yea, this looks a bit obscure. From what I can find its a interesting class, but going to try and get a copy of Sword&Fist.

[true_shinken]

:smalleek: Wow. I think this source may be a bit too obscure for most possible competitors, myself included. I'll need to see if I can get my hands on a copy.

EDIT: Okay, not obscure, but still 3.0. And the book has been ordered.

Hm, maybe I went a bit overboard on this one. I thought most people would still have the book from their 3.0 days (it's the case with most of my friends), specially because they were cheaper.

If it does turn out to be too obscure, I might roll this as a side contest and choose another secret ingredient. It's just that this class is a perfect Secret Ingredient.

[gbprime]

I not only have a copy, but I've actually USED this before. (well, for a friend... but the campaign went to 18th level, so it got quite the field test!)

[Z3ro]

I may compete in this one, have to get home and actually look at the class. Otherwise I'll judge if needed.

[Amphetryon]

I've got a copy; I'll compete.

[yugi24862]

I'm competing aswell. Now how to build something which does'nt abuse intimidate?

[KoboldCleric]

I love sword & fist. Great choice. I'm hoping to see Lasher one day to be honest, but I think I may enter this ... thanks for hosting!

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I love sword & fist. Great choice. I'm hoping to see Lasher one day to be honest, but I think I may enter this ... thanks for hosting!

Lasher is easy. You can be anything from Indiana Jones to Whiplash (with Pyrokeneticist).

I'll have to see if I can dig out my old 3.0 sourcebooks...

[Zaq]

Huh. I can honestly say I didn't see that coming.

I do have a copy of S&F somewhere. When I get home, I'll take a look at it. No comment yet on whether I'll be entering, judging, or watching.

[ILM]

Ooooh... Gotta try this one.

[Fearan]

Errr...what? Weeell, will I have a hit to elegance for using 3,5 material?

[Z3ro]

Alright, this looks like it could be cool. Count me in as a contestant.

[true_shinken]

Errr...what? Weeell, will I have a hit to elegance for using 3,5 material?
Of course not. The contest is 3.5, after all.

A reminder - 3.0 meterial is officially legal in 3.5.
I would add a link to Wizards' official statement, but I'm lazy


I love sword & fist. Great choice. I'm hoping to see Lasher one day to be honest, but I think I may enter this ... thanks for hosting!
I'm not saying it won't happen under my watch... but don't hold your breath for that one.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Goddammit. Here's one that I really want to do, and I'm leaving tomorrow for a 2 week vacation with NO internet/book access.

Oh well. Count me in for some judging.

[Zaq]

Wow. Now that is a gorram bizarre PrC. 3.0 had some weird crap in it, huh? (Not that 3.5 is any better, of course, but hey.)

Still, (Ex) access to the Ethereal and the Plane of Shadow? Very weird indeed.

I have a hunch that I know something that's going to knock some folks down in Originality this time. Not sayin' what, though.

I do have a (terrible, terrible) idea for a build that works strictly on thematics and not at all on mechanics, but I'll just let it germinate in my head and see if anything comes of it. Highly unlikely, since I do need to put at least something mechanical in there, but . . . weird.

I do love how the entry requirements basically say "no Incarnates!"

Still no promises about judging/entering/watching.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I do love how the entry requirements basically say "no Incarnates!"

Still no promises about judging/entering/watching.

You do realize that this predates Incarnates by a few years, right?

[Thurbane]

Interesting - I have the book, but I'll have a think about whether I have time to compete or not... :smallsmile:

Couple of questions about the class: the Painful Reckoning, Resolute Aura, Anonymity, Feign Death, Superior Iron Will, Etherealness and Shadow Walk abilities don't have Ex, Sp or Su tags.

Is there any errata? If not, I'd suggest as follows:

Painful Reckoning (Ex) [As Berserker Strength ACF]
Resolute Aura (Su) [As Aura of Despair]
Anonymity (Su) [?]
Feign Death (Ex) [As per the very similar ACF of the same name in Exemplars of Evil]
Superior Iron Will (Ex) [As per the Still Mind class feature]
Etherealness (Sp)
Shadow Walk (Sp)

Just checked the official 3.5 errata for S&F:
Resolute Aura (Ex)
Feign Death (Sp)
Etherealness (Sp)
Shadow Walk (Sp)

P.S. I'm in as a competitor.

[Zaq]

You do realize that this predates Incarnates by a few years, right?

You wound me, sir.

[true_shinken]

Just checked the official 3.5 errata for S&F:
Resolute Aura (Ex)
Feign Death (Sp)
Etherealness (Sp)
Shadow Walk (Sp)

I'll get that in the OP. Thanks, dude.

[Zaq]

Just checked the official 3.5 errata for S&F:
Resolute Aura (Ex)
Feign Death (Sp)
Etherealness (Sp)
Shadow Walk (Sp)


Well, that makes this whole thing substantially less interesting. (Ex) planar travel was one of the most interesting things this class got. Shame, really.

[Amechra]

I will participate this time around...

Luck, everyone!

[ILM]

So um, what's the "Intuit Direction" skill in 3.5?

God, didn't know they actually made a PrC with the 3 worst feats in Core as prerequisites...

[OMG PONIES]

But what to do when the errata contradicts the errata? From later on in the same errata:


p. 21, Ghostwalker: Change etherealness and shadow walk to supernatural abilities (Su) (from extraordinary).

Also, another point of errata worth noting:


p. 21, Ghostwalker Insert per hour after the shadow walk “heals at the rate of 3 hit points per ghostwalker level per hour.”

EDIT: What is the Iron Chef ruling on FAQ considerations? I know that the Simple RAW thread doesn't take them into consideration, but what about us? The reason I ask:


How is the ghostwalker’s painful reckoning power supposed to work? Sword and Fist says that you get this bonus after you lose 50% or more of your hit points in an initial encounter. Does this mean that if my character is at 50% or less hit points in the middle of a fight, I get this bonus for the remainder of the fight? Would I also get the bonus if one or the other party flees and the fight happens with the same foe again at a later date? If so, do I have to wait until I drop to 50% of my hit points or less before I get the bonus? How many “initial encounters” can be stacked up? I can count numerous times that one party fled a battle only to have it happen at a later time in the campaign, and these were fairly numerous. I could see this rule getting abused if used in this fashion. What kinds of things is the bonus effective against? What other bonuses does the painful reckoning bonus stack with?

If the ghostwalker finishes an encounter and has lost 50% or more his hit points during that encounter, he forever after gets his painful reckoning bonus against the foe or foes he faced in that encounter, provided the ghostwalker is alive when the encounter finishes. The DM has to decide when the encounter is “finished,” but if one side or the other flees, that’s pretty much the end of the encounter. The bonus does not automatically apply whenever the ghostwalker’s hit points fall below 50%.
Once a ghostwalker gains a painful reckoning bonus against a particular foe, he can’t gain it again against the same opponent. (Though if the ghostwalker goes up a level, his painful reckoning bonus goes up against all foes.) He does not, however, have to wait until his hit points fall below 50%; he gets the bonus whenever he faces the foe again.
A painful reckoning bonus applies to Armor Class, attack, and damage rolls, as noted in the class description. It stacks with all other bonuses except itself. Note that the Armor Class bonus applies against touch attacks and when the ghostwalker is caught flat-footed or otherwise denied his Dexterity bonus.

[Forged Fury]

So um, what's the "Intuit Direction" skill in 3.5?I think Survival.

God, didn't know they actually made a PrC with the 3 worst feats in Core as prerequisites...Somewhere, a lonely Dwarven Defender cries in his tankard as he prepares for his shift defending a 5' passage.

[Amphetryon]

Clarification of Painful Reckoning, please. Are you a) required to lose 50% of your HP in the course of the battle or b) required to have your HP total fall below 50% of its normal maximum?

[ILM]

Clarification of Painful Reckoning, please. Are you a) required to lose 50% of your HP in the course of the battle or b) required to have your HP total fall below 50% of its normal maximum?
Sounds like you must lose more than half your maximum HP. So if you have 100 max hp, you must lose 50 regardless of where you actually start the encounter. The way I read it, it also means that if you lose 50 hp overall but actually heal, say, for 30 hp during the fight (ending the fight 20 hp below your starting total), you'd still activate Painful Reckoning.

[Thurbane]

Also, Knowledge (Law) as a class skill. Ah, yeah...sometimes 3.0 -> 3.5 don't translate so good! :smalltongue:

[dextercorvia]

May I be the first to groan over the bonus to intimidate on a warrior chassis.

[Amphetryon]

Also, Knowledge (Law) as a class skill. Ah, yeah...sometimes 3.0 -> 3.5 don't translate so good! :smalltongue:

All your Knowledges are belong to us. :smalltongue:

[Amechra]

This might be a little frustrating...

[potatocubed]

Also, Knowledge (Law) as a class skill. Ah, yeah...sometimes 3.0 -> 3.5 don't translate so good! :smalltongue:

I think the new version is Profession (Lawyer), isn't it?

I can't remember where I read it, but I remember my last 3.5 group needing it and not having it.

[potatocubed]

Cooking Time: Contestants will have until 11:59pm CUT on Saturday, May 26th 2011 to create their builds and PM them to the Chairman, true_shinken (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=50679). Builds will then be posted simultaneously, to avoid copying.

P.S. The 26th of May is a Thursday.

[true_shinken]

P.S. The 26th of May is a Thursday.

What is this, I don't even...?
I'll correct this.

[ILM]

Since I can't get a firm ruling on this anywhere, I'd like to put this up for discussion, even though it shows my hand a little:

For the purposes of activating Painful Reckoning, what is an encounter? Seems rather undefined in RAW... My idea was to walk by an unsuspecting target under disguise, and to zap myself with a damaging spell (hey, it doesn't say anywhere that the enemy must be the one making me lose the HP), preferably Silent, Stilled, and Invisible. Then walk away, and start another encounter at a later date. Legal?

[OMG PONIES]

I'd say that rolling initiative is the start of an encounter. The end of an encounter is more dubious. Also, the FAQ I posted earlier seems to stipulate that you don't get the painful reckoning bonuses until the secound encounter against a particular foe.

[Amphetryon]

I'd say that rolling initiative is the start of an encounter. The end of an encounter is more dubious. Also, the FAQ I posted earlier seems to stipulate that you don't get the painful reckoning bonuses until the secound encounter against a particular foe.

Which makes Painful Reckoning a really difficult bonus to actually apply very often, from how I usually see encounters go.

[gbprime]

It's a great PrC for heavy roleplay campaigns. The more encounters where you don't kill the opposition, the better.

In "standard" games, the PrC is best suited to parties that blast and run, rest up, then come back to mop up the survivors.

[ILM]

I'd say that rolling initiative is the start of an encounter. The end of an encounter is more dubious.
Well apparently, an encounter ends whenever one side flees (or dies, obviously). As for beginnings, it's not quite so simple by RAW: see this discussion over at BG (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11923.0). If a skill check is an encounter, if crossing a river is an encounter, if a judgement call is an encounter, why would blasting myself in the face not be an encounter?

[Z3ro]

Well apparently, an encounter ends whenever one side flees (or dies, obviously). As for beginnings, it's not quite so simple by RAW: see this discussion over at BG (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11923.0). If a skill check is an encounter, if crossing a river is an encounter, if a judgement call is an encounter, why would blasting myself in the face not be an encounter?

I suppose it would, but it'd be an encounter with your own face. So you get a nice bonus if you want to blast yourself in the face again, I guess.

[gbprime]

The practical answer is... an encounter is defined precisely how the DM feels it is. One DM might rule that running from a foe, avoiding them for an hour in the dense woods, and then turning to fight them is two encounters, while another could rule that the avoidance is all part of the same encounter which has fights on each end.

Your mileage may vary. :smallwink:

[OMG PONIES]

The practical answer is... an encounter is defined precisely how the DM feels it is.

Which I think is going to be the most difficult part of this round of ICO. Perhaps those judging could indicate what they consider to be the start and end of an encounter?

[Zaq]

Yeah, there's a reason I'm not judging this one.

OK, maybe several reasons.

[SartheKobold]

First time competing.

[Amechra]

What unit of time does the healing for Shadow Walk take place in? Is it per use? Or is it 1/hour?

[OMG PONIES]

Per hour. There are some FAQ for this Secret Ingredient, as well as some official errata.

[true_shinken]

Yeah, someone posted the FAQ in the first page, I believe.

OK, I think we should use the FAQ as RAW for this one, otherwise things will get messy. Thoughts on this?

[OMG PONIES]

I think it's the best way to avoid rampant ambiguities.

[ILM]

I may be terribly dense here, but I'm not sure the FAQ helps with my question above. :/

[true_shinken]

I may be terribly dense here, but I'm not sure the FAQ helps with my question above. :/

Considering painful reckoning also requires hit point loss and foes, I don't really see how your question is relevant.

[Z3ro]

Just wanted to point out that the date discrepancy has not been addressed, what with the 26th of May not being Saturday. I think everyone is assuming Saturday the 28th is the correct day, but can we get an official correction on that?

[true_shinken]

Just wanted to point out that the date discrepancy has not been addressed, what with the 26th of May not being Saturday. I think everyone is assuming Saturday the 28th is the correct day, but can we get an official correction on that?

I already edited it, changing for Thursday.
If everyone wants Saturday, though, I'm not against it at all.

[OMG PONIES]

Man, I have two builds ideas that I need to work on formatting and submitting. I'll be out of the country on a cruise the day of the deadline until June 4th. :smallcool:

[Z3ro]

I already edited it, changing for Thursday.
If everyone wants Saturday, though, I'm not against it at all.

Thanks, didn't see the edit.

[OMG PONIES]

Fun fact: while Ghostwalker requires ranks in Intimidate to enter (and even grants a bonus to it as a class feature), it does not actually have Intimidate as a class skill. :smallmad:

The more you know.

[true_shinken]

Fun fact: while Ghostwalker requires ranks in Intimidate to enter (and even grants a bonus to it as a class feature), it does not actually have Intimidate as a class skill. :smallmad:

The more you know.

Well, it does give you +1 Intimidate per level, so it's basically a stealth-class-skill :smalltongue:

[OMG PONIES]

First build submitted. I've got two more [semi-]decent ideas, so let's see if I can get them formatted and submitted before the deadline.

[Jumilk]

Hello!
Did you guys miss me? :smalltongue:
This week I will finish the trophies of IC XX and start XXI.
I was so busy >.< But I hope all the trophies that I couldn't do will be done till the end of June.
I'll back to work now.

Bye~

[OMG PONIES]

Jumilk! Welcome back. Now, back to the basement trophy factory with you :smallamused:. Seriously, though, glad to see you're back.

[kestrel404]

Did you guys miss me? :smalltongue:


Yes, we missed you.

Oh, and I'm willing to judge again.

[OMG PONIES]

Phew, second build submitted. I doubt that I'll have time to compile and submit my third build, but we shall see.

Also, I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow morning until June 4th, which leaves two questions:

Can someone else do tallies for this round? Sorry.
Can we keep the scoring open until June 6th or later? I know the judges have been quick recently, and I don't want to miss any possible disputes or questions on my builds.

[true_shinken]

Have fun on your vacation, Mr Ponies!
Guys, I was going to post the reveal today, but I'm a bit busy (I'm starting a new job offshore tomorrow, and there is stuff I need to buy, people I need to see and forms I have to fill) so I won't be able to do it with the attention I'd liek to.

Meaning I'll only make the reveal tomorrow night. Meaning you still get one day to post submissions. :smallamused:

[Amphetryon]

Build submitted.


Have fun on your vacation, Mr Ponies!
Guys, I was going to post the reveal today, but I'm a bit busy (I'm starting a new job offshore tomorrow, and there is stuff I need to buy, people I need to see and forms I have to fill) so I won't be able to do it with the attention I'd liek to.

Meaning I'll only make the reveal tomorrow night. Meaning you still get one day to post submissions. :smallamused:

That means I might be able to throw together a second submission . . . hmmm . . . .

[gbprime]

Do we really only have 2 judges? Maybe I should judge instead...

[Z3ro]

Build submitted, can't wait for the reveal.

[true_shinken]

Do we really only have 2 judges? Maybe I should judge instead...

As of now, we only have two judges, yes.

[gbprime]

As of now, we only have two judges, yes.

Bugger it. Sign me up for judging, then.

[true_shinken]

Bugger it. Sign me up for judging, then.

You're the best, prime. Edited you into the judge list.

[true_shinken]

Ladies and gentlemen, the big reveal.



Chill, the Ghost of Revenge

Apologies to the judges and playgrounders: I just didn't find the time to write a little background.

Table

Alignment: Lawful Evil

{table=head]ECL|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

Race|Human|
-|
-|
-|
-|-|Endurance|-

1st|Ghost Progression Template 1|
-|
-|
-|
-|-|-|Ethereal, fly, ghostly equipment, ghost skills +2, manifestation, undeath

2nd|Ghost Progression Template 2|
-|
-|
-|
-|-|-|Cha +2, lesser ghost powers, turn resistance +2

3rd|Ghost Progression Template 3|
-|
-|
-|
-|-|-|Ghost skills +4, rejuvenation

4th|Warlock 1|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Concentration 4, Bluff 4, Intimidate 4, UMD 1, Move Silently 2, 5 points left|Able Learner (RoD p.150)|Eldritch Blast 1d6, Least Invocation: Darkness

5th| Warlock 2|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Concentration 5, Bluff 5, Intimidate 5, UMD 1, Move Silently 2, 2 points left|-|Detect Magic, Least Invocation: See the Unseen

6th|Warlock 3|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+3|Concentration 6, Bluff 6, Intimidate 6, UMD 1, Move Silently 3, 0 points left|Toughness|DR 1/cold iron, Eldritch Blast 2d6

7th|Warlock 4|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Concentration 7, Bluff 7, Intimidate 7, UMD 1, Move Silently 3, 2 points left|-|Deceive Item, Least Invocation: Beguiling Influence

8th|Warlock 5|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Concentration 8, Bluff 8, Intimidate 8, UMD 1, Move Silently 4, 0 points left|-|Eldritch Blast 3d6

9th|Master of the Unseen Hand 1|
+4|
+1|
+1|
+6|Concentration 9, Bluff 8, Intimidate 9, UMD 1, Move Silently 4, Never Outnumbered skill trick (CS p.87), 1 point left|Iron Will|Improved Caster Level, Versatile Telekinesis

10th|Master of the Unseen Hand 2|
+5|
+1|
+1|
+7|Concentration 10, Bluff 8, Intimidate 10, UMD 1, Move Silently 4, 3 points left|-|Telekinetic Wielder, Sustained Concentration

11th|Master of the Unseen Hand 3|
+6|
+2|
+2|
+7|Concentration 11, Bluff 8, Intimidate 11, UMD 1, Move Silently 4, 3 points left|-|Full Attack Telekinesis

12th|Master of the Unseen Hand 4|
+7|
+2|
+2|
+8|Concentration 12, Bluff 8, Intimidate 12, UMD 1, Move Silently 4, 3 points left| Lifesense (LM p.28)|Full Attack Telekinesis

13th|Ghostwalker 1|
+8|
+4|
+2|
+10|Concentration 13, Bluff 8, Intimidate 13, UMD 1, Move Silently 4, Spot 3, Listen 2, 0 points left|-|Painful Reckoning +1, Resolute Aura, Anonymity

14th|Ghostwalker 2|
+9|
+5|
+2|
+11|Concentration 14, Bluff 8, Intimidate 14, UMD 1, Move Silently 4, Spot 5, Listen 5, 0 points left|-|Feign Death, Painful Reckoning +2

15th|Ghostwalker 3|
+10|
+5|
+3|
+11|Concentration 15, Bluff 8, Intimidate 15, UMD 1, Move Silently 4, Spot 8, Listen 7, 0 points left| Ghostly Grasp (LM p.27)|Painful Reckoning +3, Superior Iron Will

16th|Ghostwalker 4|
+11|
+6|
+3|
+12|Concentration 16, Bluff 8, Intimidate 16, UMD 1, Move Silently 4, Spot 10, Listen 10, 0 points left|-|Painful Reckoning +4, Etherealness 1/day

17th|Ghostwalker 5|
+12|
+6|
+3|
+12|Concentration 17, Bluff 8, Intimidate 17, UMD 1, Move Silently 4, Spot 13, Listen 12, 0 points left|-|Painful Reckoning +5, Shadow Walk

18th|Ghostwalker 6|
+13|
+7|
+4|
+13|Concentration 18, Bluff 8, Intimidate 18, UMD 1, Move Silently 4, Spot 15, Listen 15, 0 points left|Imperious Command (DotU p.50)|Painful Reckoning +6

19th|Ghostwalker 7|
+14|
+7|
+4|
+13|Concentration 19, Bluff 8, Intimidate 19, UMD 1, Move Silently 4, Spot 18, Listen 17, 0 points left|-|Painful Reckoning +7, Etherealness 2/day

20th|Ghostwalker 8|
+15|
+8|
+4|
+14|Concentration 20, Bluff 8, Intimidate 20, UMD 1, Move Silently 4, Spot 20, Listen 20, 0 points left|-|Painful Reckoning +8[/table]

Abilities
Since Chill starts out as a ghost, he can pretty much dump both Strength and Constitution – though I’d advise keeping a little Strength, just in case someone engages him on the Ethereal plane. He obviously needs to max out Charisma (minimum 15 to qualify for everything), and moderate levels of Intelligence and Wisdom would help. Dexterity provides AC and skill boosts.

My choice of 32 pb array at the start:
Str: 8
Dex: 14
Con: 8 (becomes – with Ghost, gets d12 HD)
Int: 14
Wis: 12
Cha: 18 (+2 from Ghost, +4 from levels, add items as appropriate)


Discussion
General comments, progression, sweet spot
Throughout his progression, Chill relies on his Telekinesis for combat. At early levels he must simply keep out of range preferably by flying (feasible until ECL 5, when mages get Fly, then a little more complex). The Darkness invocation makes it harder for enemies to target him, while he can see any invisible target from ECL 5.

Being a ghost provides multiple benefits. Fly speed with perfect maneuverability, etherealness and incorporealness for extreme mobility, undead immunities (most notably mind-affecting effects, critical hits, ability and energy drain, and anything requiring a Fort save), d12 hd, darkvision, Charisma to AC. are among the most noteworthy. Rejuvenation is at first unreliable, but basically automatically prevents permanent death at high levels.

At ECL 12, he’s a near full-fledged ghost telekinesis-user. With Master of the Unseen Hand, he casts Telekinesis at caster level 16 and gets to full attack with a weapon and add his Charisma modifier to damage on violent thrusts. With the Lifesense feat he can actually fight from inside the walls or ground, making it extremely hard for opponents to return fire. Since he’s doing so from range with Telekinesis, enemies don’t even know where he’s even attacking from. At ECL 15, Ghostly Grasp lets him carry around weapons along with him incorporeally and drop them on the battlefield to use as corporeal weapons (as per rules on incorporealness in Libris Mortis, page 141). In fact, he could carry around a bunch of, say, greatswords in a bag of holding, fly high up, turn the bag inside out to drop them all randomly around the area; not only could they deal falling damage to anything they hit on the way (not sure how that’d work rules-wise though) but he’d have weapons ready to be used pretty much all over the place.

I won’t go into details about the optimum usage of Telekinesis because I’m not really bringing anything new to the table. Chill will use mainly the full-attack telekinesis with his higher-than-HD BAB, or violent thrusts when practical for superior damage since MotUH adds his Charisma bonus to each item hurled. For extra cheese, since the spell is limited by weight and not by size, you can throw enlarged bolts (like enlarged to Colossal+) for increased base damage. The build performs perfectly well without resorting to that kind of abuse.

Since he has a decent BAB progression (losing only two points over 17 HD), if anyone catches him on the Ethereal plane he can actually fight there. Not effectively, having low-ish Strength and zero combat options (no real tactical, damage enhancing, or battlefield control capabilities), but still better than not being able to hit a barn door in broad daylight. Still, should that happen, it’d probably be a better idea to flee and return another day.

From ECL 12 to 20, Chill progresses in two ways: he becomes a Ghostwalker, and starts working on Intimidate as a real combat skill. With Able Learner, he can continue to pump ranks in the skill while progressing Ghostwalker. With the Never Outnumbered trick, he can demoralize multiple enemies at close range. With Imperious Command, enemies he intimidates cower for a round before being shaken (a Fearsome Armor from DotU – see below – helps to make that even better). Resolute Aura only adds to his bonus. At, say, ECL 16, his bonus can be expected to be around 16 (ranks) +4 (Resolute Aura) +10 (Charisma) +6 (Beguiling Influence) +2 (synergy from Bluff), for a roll of d20+38. Not anything to write home about in terms of pure optimization, but high enough that the modified Will save enemies get – d20+HD+Wis+save bonuses vs. fear – should make it a better-than-even fight.

Unfortunately the sweet spot happens a bit late (at ECL 18 I'd say), due in part to early feat slots taken by Ghostwalker's prerequisites - see my comments on that in Options below. He's almost reached peak power from Ghostwalker, is a full telekinesis user and has all the tools he needs for moderate Intimidate/Demoralize optimization.

Use of the secret ingredient
Ghostwalker helps in some ways, but is – I hate to say – not fully used. First, the flaws: Etherealness is completely useless. I hoped that somewhere in the rules it said that an ethereal creature using the spell became corporeal, but no such luck. In fact, the text as written could actually be harmful in that “When the spell expires, you return to material existence” could even be taken to mean that regardless of your normal plane of existence, you’re forced back into the Material at the end of the spell. I’ll just leave that aside and assume Chill isn’t ever going to use it.
Similarly, Feign Death is pretty useless even though it’s an okay skill (would be better as an immediate action but oh well). When slain, ghosts don’t drop to the ground, they disappear; I’m pretty sure enemies are going to notice that. Obviously I'm not talking the class to level 10, though all I'm losing is 2 points of Painful Reckoning and one extra use of Etherealness, which I'm not using anyway. There's no capstone to the class that I'm missing out on.

Ghostwalker does add some significant strengths to the build though.
Painful Reckoning is a strange ability. You need to take damage, but be able to stop it after a while and come back later. Incorporealness and especially etherealness are great for these purposes, as few things will be able to follow you before higher levels (Ethereal Jaunt being a 7th level spell). Even if they do, you can Shadow Walk away and lose them. Note that thanks to the Darkness invocation, you’re always in a zone of shadowy illumination so activating the ability isn’t a problem. As a result, it’s fairly easy for Chill to break combat and activate Painful Reckoning. Thanks to Lifesense, it’s also fairly easy for him to follow his mark from hiding and restart the combat later. Now due to the language on Painful Reckoning, it’s actually one of very few abilities that add to attack and damage on telekinetic attacks as well, synergizing very well with his abilities.

In addition, it’s easier to conceal your name when you’ve been dead for god-knows-how long.

Conclusion
As a result of all the above, at the end of his progression (ECL 20) Chill can attack telekinetically from range, and either full attack with a simple or martial weapon of his choice at 29+Cha attack bonus (for his first attack) and deal weapon damage +8 in damage, or hurl up to 15 weapons with the same attack bonus and 15 times weapon damage +8 +Cha in damage (assuming a fairly conservative +10 Cha and a 1d6 weapon, that’s an average 322.5 points of damage). He can see invisibility and all living targets, has total mobility and can attack from places where enemies can't retaliate. Also, if destroyed he'll just return a few weeks later.


Items
- A Fearsome armor from DotU, page 97 costs a flat 5,000 gp and lets him demoralize as a move action.

- Caster level increasing items are also great for him for the obvious bonus to his attack mod.

- A Bag of Holding and 15 weapons he’s proficient with would allow him to use his Violent Thrust Telekinesis wherever he wants, with a low setup time.

Options
Flaws would help a lot to take Toughness and Iron Will out of the way, freeing space for Improved Turn resistance and Quicken Manifestation (LM, pp.27-28) with some reshuffling. Using the Otyugh hole for Iron Will frees up another feat slot.
I avoided Marshal 1/ Warlock 4 due to the inelegance of a dip (though I realize I have 3 classes and one template progression so my Elegance score is probably already shot anyway), but it would greatly enhance his talent with charisma-based skills. Marshal 1/ Warlock 2/ Paladin 2 (using a variant that matches his alignment) would improve his saves tremendously and only lose him one invocation.

Glossary and Sources for classes:
CA: Complete Arcane
CS: Complete Scoundrel
CW: Complete Warrior
LM: Libris Mortis
DotU: Drow of the Underdark

Warlock: CA p.5
Master of the Unseen Hand: CW p.60
Any class or feat with no explicit source can be found in the SRD.

[true_shinken]

Ugh. I'm working under a really crappy connection, so bear with me here, guys. It might take a while.

Realized I made a small math error on my original submission. I've corrected it here.


Violet Sun Fha
Azurin, Lawful Evil
32 Point Buy
Str 8 Dex 15 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 18 Cha 8
Ending Stats
Str 8 Dex 15 Con 15 Int 10 Wis 22 Cha 8
1 point to Con, 4 stat points to wis

The Story Thus Far
The sun was descending down towards the horizon, the day’s work nearly done. Several of the town’s children had gathered around the old story teller, asking the old man to finish the story he started the day before. “Finish the story, the one about the ghost woman!” one asked, and all the others started nodding.

“The Ghostwalker,” the old man corrected. “Where was I?” he seemed to ask to himself. “I told you about her early years; not much is known about where she came from. Some say she’s not even entirely from this world, and if you ever saw her you’d agree. She wraps herself in mysterious energy, wields it like a sword, shoots it from her hands. Some say it was the multi-verse itself that formed her”.

A loud commotion suddenly disrupted the story telling; several figures were approaching from the outskirts of the town. Adorned from head to foot with armor and weapons, almost glowing with magic; obviously adventurers. The townsfolk were excited and cautious at the same time, respectful of the power this group brought with them.

The old man looked up as the adventures passed and asked, “So what brings you to our town?” The man in front looked down at the old man and said “We killed the she-devil that’s been plaguing these parts for the last ten years! Join us for a drink in the tavern; all drinks tonight are on us!” The procession continued, the promise of free drinks drawing nearly the entire town.

The parade passed, leaving the old man and several young children, more interested in stories than drinks. He was about to resume when the children suddenly gasped. Standing in front of them, materializing out of nowhere, was a threatening looking woman wrapped in what appeared to be some sort of ghostly energy. Two ghostly arms hung down at her side.

Without pausing, she proceeded to head into the tavern. The old man and the children watched but were too frightened to move. After she entered, screams and shouts echoed throughout the building. A great battle played out, unseen by the small group.

After a few minutes the shouts died down and the woman exited. She walked past the old man, except this time she looked at him and nodded. He returned the nod and heard the gasps of several children. The kids looked to the old man, and when they looked back to the woman she was gone.

The storyteller leaned in close and said “Remember this day kids. Someday you’ll be telling this story to your children.”


The Build
{table=head]Level|Class|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Skills|Feats|Class Features|Essentia

1st|Totemist|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|Autohypnosis 2 Intimidate 2 Move Silently 2 Concentration 4|Azurin Toughness, Shape Soulmeld (sighting gloves)|Wild Empathy, Illiteracy, |
3

2nd|Totemist|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+0|Listen 2 Spot 2||Totem Chakra Bind (+1 capacity)|
4

3th|Soulknife|
+1|
+3|
+5|
+4|Autohypnosis 4|Iron Will|Mind Blade, Weapon Focus (mind blade), Hidden Talent (expansion)(AFC)|
4

4th|Soulknife|
+2|
+3|
+6|
+5|Autohypnosis 1 Move Silently 1 Spot 2||Throw Mind Blade|
4

5rd|Soulknife|
+3|
+4|
+6|
+5|Autohypnosis 1 Intimidate 1 Move Silently 1|Point Blank Shot|Bonus Feat (ACF)|
4

6th|Soulbow|
+3|
+4|
+8|
+7|Intimidate 1 Hide 2|Zen Archery, Multi-Weapon Fighting|Mind Arrow, Bonus Feat|
4

7th|Soulknife|
+4|
+4|
+9|
+8|Hide 2 Move Silently 2||+1 Mind Blade|
4

8th|Soulbow|
+5|
+4|
+10|
+9|Intimidate 1 Hide 1 Move Silently 1||Mind Arrow Enhancement (+1)|
4

9th|Soulbow|
+6|
+5|
+10|
+9|Hide 2 Move Silently 2|Endurance, Rapid Shot|+1 Mind arrow, Bonus Feat|
4

10th|Ghostwalker|
+7|
+7|
+10|
+11|Spot 2 Listen 2||Painful Reckoning +1, Resolute Auras, Anonymity |
4

11th|Ghostwalker|
+8|
+8|
+10|
+12|Spot 2 Listen 2||Painful Reckoning +2, Feign Death|
4

12th|Ghostwalker|
+9|
+8|
+11|
+14|Spot 2 Listen 2|Improved MultiWeapon Fighting|Painful Reckoning +3, Superior Iron Will|
4

13th|Ghostwalker|
+10|
+9|
+11|
+15|Spot 2 Listen 2||Painful Reckoning +4, Etherealness 1/day|
4

14th|Ghostwalker|
+11|
+9|
+11|
+15|Spot 2 Listen 2||Painful Reckoning +5, Shadow Walk|
4

15th|Ghostwalker|
+12|
+10|
+13|
+16|Spot 2 Listen 2|Open Lesser Chakra (Shoulders)|Painful Reckoning +6|
4

16th|Ghostwalker|
+13|
+10|
+13|
+16|Spot 2 Listen 2||Painful Reckoning +7, Etherealness 2/day|
4

17th|Ghostwalker|
+14|
+11|
+13|
+17|Spot 2 Listen 2||Painful Reckoning +8|
4

18th|Ghostwalker|
+15|
+11|
+14|
+17|Spot 2 Listen 2|Bonus Essentia|Painful Recokning +9|
6

19th|Ghostwalker|
+16|
+12|
+14|
+18|Spot 2 Listen 2||Painful Reckoning +10, Etherealness 3/day|
6

20th|Soulbow|
+17|
+12|
+15|
+19|Hide 2 Move Silently 2||Close Combat Shot|
7[/table]


General notes
Ghostwalker can really only be used in a couple ways, but to take advantage of painful reckoning at its fullest, you need to be able to take some hits, get out, get back in, and throw plenty of attacks back at the opponent. This build does that through the combination of Totemist and Soulbow. Totemist gives Girallon arms, which combined with multi-weapon fighting and mind arrows launch a bunch of attacks at range as well as blink shirt, which gives the build some added mobility, especially in environments like dungeons (and meshes thematically with etherealness and shadow walk).

This is primarily a ranged build. Melee combat is possible by simply shifting essentia from sighting gloves to Girallon arms (you won’t be great at it, but you won’t be helpless either). As far as items go, wisdom boosting is key; anything that boosts wisdom is a priority. After that decent armor is important, or possibly a monk’s belt. Beyond that the build doesn’t need much in the way of equipment to perform; while items would obviously help, they are not essential to the build as a whole.

Why Ghostwalker? For thematic purposes, Ghostwalker fits into the revenge seeking, pseudo-scout that the fluff asks for. Crunch-wise, the build is a many-attack style build, and what those need is some sort of bonus damage to make each attack worthwhile. There are few options to add bigger bonuses to mind arrows, and even more levels of Soulbow wouldn’t add the bonuses that painful reckoning does.

On Multi-Weapon fighting: I acknowledge that some DMs may have a problem with the combo of multi-weapon fighting and Girallon arms to fire mind arrows. My defense is that if a totemist qualifies for multi-attack, I don’t see why it wouldn’t also qualify for multi-weapon fighting. The soulmeld specifically says you can wield a weapon and a shield in you hands/claws. Mind arrow requires a free hand, and thus all four should qualify (Like TWF with free hands normally) as they don’t need to manipulate anything, merely be hands not holding anything.


Levels:
Early on
Level one is the weakest of this build, but survivable due to azurin toughness giving extra hit points, wormtail belt for extra armor, and the fact that the character is a ranged build. At level two, Manticore belt is the preferred totem bind for the extra ranged attacks, combined with sighting gloves for extra damage. Soulknife levels give a backup melee option as you head into Soulbow. At level 3 I used the hidden talent ACF and picked up expansion to up reach and damage twice a day for a few rounds. Your soulmelds stay pretty much constant, blink shirt, Maticore belt, and sighting gloves. These can, of course, be switched up as needed, which is why Incarnum are awesome. Essentia is pretty much kept at 1 per soulmeld at this point.

Level 1 standard soulmelds: Wormtail belt, blink shirt, sighting gloves
Level 2-5 standard soulmelds: Manticore belt(totem bound), blink shirt, kruthik claws, sighting gloves

Low-mid levelsAt level 6, Soulbow gives this build a serious boost in power. Using Girallon arms and multi-weapon fighting, at level 6 you get 4 attacks, with wisdom to attack and damage, and sighting gloves giving an extra boost to damage as well. Add in rapid shot and at level 9 you have six ranged attacks. With your Soulbow enhancement, you’ll probably take bane if you know what you’re encountering for the day, a theme the build follows throughout; the better you know your opponent, the better you can customize soulmelds and mind arrow enhancements to combat them. Essentia is maxed out in sighting gloves then shifted to blink shirt or other soulmelds as needed.

Level 6-9 standard soulmelds: Girallon arms(totem bound), blink shirt, kruthik claws, sighting gloves

Upper-mid levelsYou start taking levels in Ghostwalker, and as painful reckoning scales, so does your destructive potential. Your role in a party at this point is a sort of suicidal scout; you go in, take a bunch of hits, then use a combination of blink shirt, shadow walk, and etherealness to escape. You then return either by yourself or leading a party and bring the pain. As painful reckoning gives a bonus to attack and damage of each attack getting the most attacks possible is key. At level 12 with improved multi-attack (note: I used the version from Savage Species, but dropped the multi-dexterity requirement as there is no multi-dexterity in 3.5) you can perform up to 9 attacks with rapidshot. Brass mane provides a nice synergy to resolute aura, upping your intimidate score.

Level 12 is definitely the sweet spot for this build, which when using painful reckoning, is capable of dropping as much damage as most melee builds. Essentia remains much the same as before, bumping sighting gloves to the max then shifting as needed. At level 15 the feat open lesser chakra (shoulders) gives some solid options for totem binds. Pegasus cloak is probably the standard, giving all day flight, but displacer mantle giving miss chance, shadow mantle, creating darkness, and phase cloak, allowing ethereal movement, are all good choices. Phase cloak and shadow mantle fit especially with the theme of the build, but Pegasus cloak probably wins out most days on utility.

Level 10-14 standard soulmelds: Girallon arms(totem bound), blink shirt, brass mane, sighting gloves
Level 15 standard soulmelds: Girallon arms(totem bound), Pegasus cloak (shoulder bound), blink shirt, sighting gloves


High levelsUpper levels just add more goodness to what is already a high-damage build. Levels of Ghostwalker keep upping painful reckoning damage and higher character levels means more essentia points into sighting gloves for even more damage. The last level of Soulbow is not essential, but there really isn’t a better option as neither Totemist nor Soulknife add anything meaningful. The final total is 11 attacks per round with multi-weapon fighting and rapid shot; when each attack is getting +wis to damage, +10 from painful reckoning, +5 from sighting gloves, and hopefully +2d6 from bane, the damage adds up quickly. Not quite uber-charger levels, but definitely respectable.

Level 16-20 standard soulmelds: Girallon arms(totem bound), Pegasus cloak (shoulder bound), blink shirt, sighting gloves


Alternative Options
This build could be redone if the DM allows mind arrows to be fired from a bow. If that was the case, instead of multi-weapon fighting you’d take precise shot to take advantage of splitting enhancement on a bow. This results in a similar concept, but looks less cool, as you’d be using a bow and not firing lasers from your four arms.

If the character at some point manages to have her Dex raised to 19 throughout her career (likely through stat books or wishes), then at either level 15 or 18 greater multi-weapon fighting should be taken instead, giving even more attacks to the build.

Sources
3.5 SRD
Magic of Incarnum
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070214a
Sword and Fist

[true_shinken]

Spend your days full of emptiness
Spend your years full of loneliness
Wasting love, in a desperate caress
Roaming shadows of night
- Iron Maiden, Wasting Love



The Beloved
LE Vecna-Blooded Human Duskblade 5/Abjurant Champion 5/Ghostwalker 9
“I am my lover’s and my lover is mine…”

Backstory:
He loves me. I was in darkness, and He found me. My lord made his face to shine upon me, and everything was made known. I studied His word, and learned His secrets. I learned how pain can be beautiful, how it can reveal that which we’ve not previously seen. And my pain…it made Him happy, so I served Him through it. As part of my testing, I learned to take the pain of others as my own, how to draw strength from it. As I kept hurting, I kept learning.

He loves me. I had a thirst for knowledge, and he filled my cup to overflowing. I learned how to disappear not only from the minds of my foes, but from their presence. I learned, and I loved. The cycle continued, and it will continue forevermore. I do not recall how long it has been since I solved my lord Vecna’s mysteries, or how long I will continue to learn more of Him. I do not recall what I did or who I was before him. Did I have a family? Did I have children? I do not care—all that matters is my lover, lord Vecna.

He loves me, but keeps one secret forever from me. He loves me, but will not tell me who I am. I am his, and that is enough.
The Build
{table=head]
LEVEL|
CLASS|
BASE ATTACK BONUS|
FORTITUDE SAVE|
REFLEX SAVE|
WILL SAVE|
SKILLS|
FEATS|
CLASS FEATURES

1st|
Duskblade 1|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|
Concentration 4, Intimidate 2, Know (arcana) 4, Know (religion) 4, Move Silently 2, Spellcraft 4|
Toughness, Endurance|
Arcane Attunement, Armored Mage (light)

2nd|
Duskblade 2|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|
Concentration 5, Intimidate 2, Know (arcana) 5, Know (religion) 5, Move Silently 2.5, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories|
Combat Casting|
Combat Casting

3rd|
Duskblade 3|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|
Concentration 6, Intimidate 2.5, Know (arcana) 5, Know (dungeoneering) 1, Know (local) 1, Know (nature) 1, Know (religion) 5, Move Silently 3, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories|
Knowledge Devotion|
Arcane Channeling

4th|
Duskblade 4|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4|
Concentration 7, Intimidate 2.5, Know (arcana) 5, Know (dungeoneering) 1, Know (local) 2, Know (nature) 2, Know (planes) 2, Know (religion) 5, Move Silently 3.5, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories||
Armored Mage (medium)

5th|
Duskblade 5|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|
Concentration 8, Intimidate 3, Know (arcana) 5, Know (dungeoneering) 1, Know (local) 3, Know (nature) 3, Know (planes) 3, Know (religion) 5, Move Silently 4, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories||
Quick cast (1/day)

6th|
Abjurant Champion 1|
+6/+1|
+4|
+1|
+6|
Concentration 9, Intimidate 7, Know (arcana) 6, Know (dungeoneering) 1, Know (local) 3, Know (nature) 3, Know (planes) 3, Know (religion) 5, Move Silently 4, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories|
Iron Will|
Abjurant Armor, Extended Abjuration

--|
Vecna-Blooded LA|||||||
Divine Endurance, Enigma Aura 1/day, Hidden Spell 1/day, Cloak of Mystery

7th|
Ghostwalker 1|
+7/+2|
+6|
+1|
+8|
Concentration 9.5, Intimidate 7.5, Know (arcana) 6, Know (dungeoneering) 1.5, Know (local) 3.5, Know (nature) 3.5, Know (planes) 3.5, Know (religion) 6, Move Silently 5, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories||
Painful Reckoning +1, Resolute Aura, Anonymity

8th|
Ghostwalker 2|
+8/+3|
+7|
+1|
+9|
Concentration 10, Intimidate 8, Know (arcana) 6.5, Know (dungeoneering) 2, Know (local) 4, Know (nature) 4, Know (planes) 4, Know (religion) 7, Move Silently 6, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories||
Painful Reckoning +2, Feign Death

9th|
Ghostwalker 3|
+9/+4|
+7|
+2|
+9|
Concentration 10.5, Intimidate 8.5, Know (arcana) 7, Know (dungeoneering) 2.5, Know (local) 4.5, Know (nature) 4.5, Know (planes) 4.5, Know (religion) 8, Move Silently 7, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories|
Arcane Disciple: Protection|
Painful Reckoning +3, Superior Iron Will

10th|
Ghostwalker 4|
+10/+5|
+8|
+2|
+10|
Concentration 11, Intimidate 9, Know (arcana) 8, Know (dungeoneering) 3, Know (local) 5, Know (nature) 5, Know (planes) 5, Know (religion) 9, Move Silently 8, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories||
Painful Reckoning +4, Etherealness 1/day

11th|
Ghostwalker 5|
+11/+6/+1|
+8|
+2|
+10|
Concentration 11, Intimidate 10, Know (arcana) 8, Know (dungeoneering) 4, Know (local) 5.5, Know (nature) 5.5, Know (planes) 5.5, Know (religion) 10, Move Silently 9, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories||
Painful Reckoning +5, Shadow Walk

12th|
Abjurant Champion 2|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+2|
+11|
Concentration 12, Intimidate 11, Know (arcana) 9, Know (dungeoneering) 4, Know (local) 6, Know (nature) 6, Know (planes) 6, Know (religion) 11, Move Silently 9, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories|
Versatile Spellcaster|
Swift Abjuration

13th|
Abjurant Champion 3|
+13/+8/+3|
+9|
+3|
+11|
Concentration 13, Intimidate 12, Know (arcana) 10, Know (dungeoneering) 4.5, Know (local) 6.5, Know (nature) 6.5, Know (planes) 6, Know (religion) 12, Move Silently 9, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories||


14th|
Abjurant Champion 4|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+3|
+12|
Concentration 14, Intimidate 13, Know (arcana) 11, Know (dungeoneering) 5, Know (local) 7, Know (nature) 7, Know (planes) 6, Know (religion) 13, Move Silently 9, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories||
Arcane Boost

15th|
Abjurant Champion 5|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+3|
+12|
Concentration 15, Intimidate 15, Know (arcana) 14, Know (dungeoneering) 5, Know (local) 7, Know (nature) 7, Know (planes) 6, Know (religion) 15, Move Silently 9, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories|
Draconic Aura: Vigor|
Martial Arcanist

16th|
Ghostwalker 6|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+4|
+13|
Concentration 15.5, Intimidate 15.5, Know (arcana) 15, Know (dungeoneering) 5.5, Know (local) 7.5, Know (nature) 7.5, Know (planes) 6.5, Know (religion) 16, Move Silently 10, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories||
Painful Reckoning +6

17th|
Ghostwalker 7|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+4|
+13|
Concentration 16, Intimidate 16, Know (arcana) 16, Know (dungeoneering) 6, Know (local) 8, Know (nature) 8, Know (planes) 7, Know (religion) 17, Move Silently 11, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories||
Painful Reckoning +7,Etherealness 2/day

18th|
Ghostwalker 8|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+4|
+14|
Concentration 16.5, Intimidate 16.5, Know (arcana) 17, Know (dungeoneering) 6.5, Know (local) 8.5, Know (nature) 8.5, Know (planes) 7.5, Know (religion) 18, Move Silently 12, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories|
Indomitable Soul|
Painful Reckoning +8

19th|
Ghostwalker 9|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+5|
+14|
Concentration 17, Intimidate 17, Know (arcana) 18, Know (dungeoneering) 7, Know (local) 9, Know (nature) 9, Know (planes) 8, Know (religion) 19, Move Silently 13, Spellcraft 4, Collector of Stories||
Painful Reckoning +9[/table]

{TABLE=HEAD]Attribute|Points|Base|Level|Total|Mod
STR|10|16|0|16|+3
DEX|2|10|0|10|+0
CON|6|14|0|14|+2
INT|10|16|4|20|+5
WIS|4|12|0|12|+1
CHA|0|8|0|8|-1[/table]
Tactics:

Levels 1-5: You’re a straight duskblade, and you should play as such. Get up in the enemy’s face and Arcane Channel the daylights out of them. Knowledge Devotion provides a bonus to hit and damage to make up for the lack of Power Attack in the build, and Collector of Stories should be used to increase your Knowledge checks whenever possible to accentuate use of Knowledge Devotion.
Levels 6-10: This is where it starts to get good. All of your abjurations (including Shield Other, snagged at level 9) are automatically extended, and abjurant spells that add a bonus to AC (like many duskblade spells) get to add your Abjurant Champion level for a minor boost to your defenses. The Vecna-Blooded template makes you immune to divination among other goodies, and you are able to tap the potent ability of Etherealness at 10th level. This is perfect timing, as 10th level is the first time an Ethereal Reaver (from Complete Psionic) falls within Wealth by Level, allowing for the possibility of attacking creatures on the Material Plane while Ethereal.
Levels 11-14: Versatile Spellcaster adds to the mix to supplement the number of high level spells you can cast, you gain the last real class feature of Ghostwalker in Shadow Walk, and Abjurant Champion’s abilities really come into their own. Swift Abjuration lets you spam abjuration spells of 1st-2nd level like Lesser Deflect, and Arcane Boost allows you to burn spell slots for various minor benefits to ensure your survivability. Consider a rod of Chain Spell in order to Chain your one Shield Other per day for maximum damage soaking, since that means maximum Painful Reckoning.
Sweet Spot (Level 15): Draconic Vigor comes online, allowing you to heal while below half HP without taking an action to do so. Since half of your game is trying to get below half HP, this is a good thing. However, the real star this level is Abjurant Champion 5, specifically the Martial Arcanist class feature. Your CL becomes equal to your BAB; aside from 1 LA, you have full BAB. This means that your dispelling is more effective, your spells last WAY longer, and your damaging spells are way more potent (hello, Vampiric Touch). As an example, an abjuration spell like Shield Other that lasts 1 hour/level now lasts for 30 hours (CL 15 along with Extended Abjuration), meaning that you can have this spell running on more than one party member at a time, even without a rod of Chain Spell.
Levels 16-20: Higher Painful Reckoning bonuses, more Etherealness and Shadow Walk and, more importantly, a higher CL, all from levels in our Secret Ingredient! Indomitable Soul is icing on the cake, doing away with the annoyance of rolling a natural 1 on most Will saves. While Ghostwalker 10 would give you another use of Etherealness per day, as well as boosting your other class features (Shadow Walk, Painful Reckoning, and Resolute Aura), Abjurant Champion 5 adds way more to the build. However, in a campaign with LA buyoff, you can get rid of Vecna-Blooded's mere +1 LA to complete the Secret Ingredient.

The Perks of Being a Ghostwalker:

Painful Reckoning: This class feature relies on two things in order to optimize it. First of all, you must have a consistent way of getting yourself to half hitpoints over the course of an encounter. Secondly, you must have a way to ensure your survival should this occur. In The Beloved, we have both thanks to the Duskblade chassis. Blade of Blood will be our go-to swift action spell while we’re above half HP. As a swift action, we can deal a small amount of bonus damage, or take some damage ourselves as a way to increase the bonus damage we deal…no problem there! Secondly, we snag the spell Shield Other via Arcane Disciple: Protection. While we can only cast it 1/day, Martial Arcanist (see above) ensures that the casting will last for 20 hours, allowing us to soak up plenty of damage from our poor allies in order to fuel Painful Reckoning.

Once we’re below half HP, we have three main tricks that allow us to survive. Our Draconic Aura kicks in automatically, providing us with fast healing until we’re back up to half. Also, we can Arcane Channel Vampiric Touches until the cows come home thanks to Duskblade casting and Versatile Spellcaster, along with a high caster level, to deal lots of damage to our enemies while soaking up some healing. Finally, against a large number of foes with SR, Doom Scarabs can not only do some decent damage, but they provide us temporary HP. These are great because they ensure survivability while keeping us below half HP, allowing Draconic Aura: Vigor to continue working. Furthermore, we have 1 quick cast per day if we need an extra jolt of healing or temporary HP. Lastly, if our foes are proving to be too much for our defenses, we can activate our Enigma Aura 1/day to give creatures within 120 feet a 50% chance to forget that we’re there. No save, no SR, no nothing, and this ability lasts for a minute, which can be a whole encounter sometimes. It’s our “Get out of Jail [Mostly] Free” card. Of course, it applies to our allies as well, but they won’t miss us too much. While we could also activate Divine Endurance for DR 10, once that sucks up 40 points of damage we’d lose everything but our Cloak of Mystery. While Cloak of Mystery is great (see below), we don’t want to give up anything else if we don’t have to.
Resolute Aura: Our bonus to Intimidate stacks with the ranks we’ve placed in it, but Ghostwalker doesn’t actually provide Intimidate as a class skill. Because of this, we won’t be able to boost it to high enough levels to make the usual tricks like Imperious Command truly worthwhile. Instead, we’ll be using it mostly for out-of-combat applications, using it in place of Diplomacy (which, amusingly, the Ghostwalker DOES get as a class skill). While the Diplomacy table involves different levels of attitude, the Intimidate skill is straightforward—scare ‘em and they’ll be friendly for a while.
Anonymity: Whenever a class is given a built-in weakness, optimizers flock to that feature hoping to find ways around it in order to “turn off the kill switch.” The Vecna-Blooded template does just that for this class. The Cloak of Mystery (which you keep even if you lose the template) completely strikes your name—nay, your whole identity!—from the world, ensuring that you’ll never need to worry about this pesky caveat again.
Feign Death: Now, I feel dirty typing this. While Feign Death states that you can’t see or feel anything in your pseudo-dead state, it never actually places any restrictions on your actions. Of course, sane DMs everywhere will shut you down stating this this is “impossible to distinguish from actual death,” but just picture this: you fall to the ground, feigning death. The enemy mooks close in on you for what they think will be an easy kill; one even pokes you with his spear for good measure. Then, you scare the pants off of them with a 60-foot cone full of Doom Scarabs for 9d6 damage each! Hilarity ensues. I don’t think it works by RAW, but it’s an awesome image all the same.
Superior Iron Will: Duskblade has a good Will save progression. Abjurant Champion has a good Will save progression. Ghostwalker has a good Will save progression and requires Iron Will to boot. You’re going to be a Will save machine, but one thing still stands in your way—natural 1s. Disgusting. Instead, we’ve picked up Indomitable Soul to make sure we get to roll 2d20s against any mind-affecting Will save inducers. This makes natural 1s a thing of the past, and ensures that we’re always putting that sky-high modifier to good use.
Etherealness: alternate mobility and defensive goodness, all in one candy shell! While ethereal, we can move in any direction, obviating the need for flight beyond the Duskblade’s Swift Fly spell. We can go through barriers, thus making our DM cry as we waltz through his or her carefully-planned dungeon or tower. Luckily for us, abjurations affect Ethereal creatures, so most of our buff spells (and Shield Other) still carry over. The only real downside is that you can’t attack creatures on the Material Plane…unless, of course, you manage to snag an Ethereal Reaver (from Complete Psionic). This longsword is perfect for a duskblade, and specifically states that you can wield it on the Ethereal plane and attack Material creatures. Check with your DM, but it seems that you can now also Arcane Channel from the Ethereal to the Material via your Ethereal Reaver. It’s important to note that, while there is an “Ethereal Reaver” weapon property in MIC, the entry in Complete Psionic is a specific weapon and thus is not overridden by the MIC entry. In fact, you could even make an Ethereal Reaver Ethereal Reaver, as someone on one of the boards pointed out. Long story short, you can attack enemies that can’t attack you. In D&D, this means you win.
[b]Shadow Walk: As presented, this class feature lets you travel 30 mph, which is pretty darn fast in the D&D world. Interestingly enough, if you can use LA buyoff and snag the 10th level of this class, you double your speed. Even MORE interestingly, 60 mph is actually faster than the normal spell lets you travel…you speed demon, you. You heal at a decent rate while under this effect, but it’s mainly used for crossing large distances. That’s not to say, however, that it doesn’t have in-combat uses as well. Here’s my favorite part of the spell description: “Any creatures touched by you when shadow walk is cast also make the transition to the borders of the Plane of Shadow. They may opt to follow you, wander off through the plane, or stumble back into the Material Plane (50% chance for either of the latter results if they are lost or abandoned by you). Creatures unwilling to accompany you into the Plane of Shadow receive a Will saving throw, negating the effect if successful.”

By reading the above, we see the utility of having party members travel with us, of course. However, read it in the context of an encounter: You can bring an enemy with you. Of course, they get a saving throw, and stand a 50% chance that they’ll come right back to the Material. However, if they fail their save, that’s a 50% chance that they’re stuck in the Plane of Shadow, effectively taking them out of the encounter. This won’t be a go-to tactic, but against really tough enemies, may be a good Hail Mary, last-ditch attempt to save your party members. This is to be used sparingly, however, for the class feature does little to rectify the scary random shunting of 1d10X100 feet in a random horizontal direction. I want to get places fast, but I don’t want to wind up in the sea or inside a mountain. Your mileage may vary based on DM kindness (or lack thereof). Another thing worth checking with your DM is when the healing occurs—at the beginning or end of an hour of Shadow Walking. If it’s the beginning, you can pop in and out of the Shadow Plane for 1 round every hour to snag 3xlevel HP of healing. Of course, most sane DMs will probably say it only occurs when you’ve been on the plane for an hour.
Suggested Equipment:
Honestly, this build doesn’t need much. Ethereal Reaver is a great weapon to have, given the amount of time we’ll be ethereal. Of course, we could just grab a Riverine weapon, since it extends from the Material plane to the Ethereal. Grab the handle on the Ethereal Plane, and you’ve still got a blade on the Material. Again, this might cause some DM eyebrow-raises, so stick to the Ethereal Reaver for a RAW way to attack the Material Plane. Another thing that you could benefit from, as mentioned above, is a rod of Chain Spell, allowing you to cast Shield Other on the entire party to absorb more damage and activate Painful Reckoning. Of course, one well-placed AoE spell could absolutely nuke you, so handle with care. Your high saves might be decent, but a Fireball could wreck you without a way to shore up your Reflex saves (see Adaptation/Additional Cheese below). Beyond that, an INT-booster is always a good bet, as is a STR-booster. Look for decent weapon enchantments, but don’t worry too much about flat bonuses—you’ve got Greater Magic Weapon on your spell list, and it’s a 1 hour/level duration.
Adaptation/Additional Cheese:

Flaws: If flaws are allowed, two things would bolster the capabilities of this build without feeling tacked on. The first is Dragontouched (from Dragon Magic). While we would need to reallocate some points from STR into CHA, this feat would give us the dragonblood subtype. With this subtype, the Draconic Aura feat received later becomes much stronger—the fast healing 1 from the Vigor aura scales with level, eventually getting up to fast healing 4 that kicks in whenever we’re below half HP. For our second flaw, we’d need some more fancy footwork. We’d use our second flaw to take Iron Will at first level, leaving our 6th-level feat slot open for Martial Study: Action Before Thought. This helps to shore up our abysmal Reflex save (+5) by replacing it with a Concentration check (+19) once per encounter. If your DM bans Tome of Battle, Insightful Reflexes (from Complete Adventurer) will increase your Reflex saves a bit by keying them off your primary stat.
LA buyoff: With LA buyoff in play, our choice of the Vecna-Blooded template for The Beloved becomes even better. You can continue Ghostwalker all the way to level 10, if you’re intent on snagging that third use of Etherealness per day and the extra +1 to your Painful Reckoning and Resolute Aura. On the other hand, you could pick up the 6th level of duskblade for Spell Power +2 and some more spells per day, along with that 20th CL.
Sources Used:

Complete Champion: Knowledge Devotion
Complete Divine: Arcane Disciple
Complete Mage: Abjurant Champion
Complete Psionic: Ethereal Reaver
Dragon Magic: Draconic Aura
Monster Manual V: Vecna-Blooded template
Player’s Handbook: Human, Toughness, Endurance, Combat Casting, Iron Will
Player’s Handbook II: Duskblade, Indomitable Soul
Races of the Dragon: Versatile Spellcaster
Sword & Fist: Ghostwalker

[true_shinken]

http://about12minutes.com/files/phoenix_wright_hold_it.gif
Apollo Justice: Attorney at Law!

JUSTICE: Attorney at Law
LG human male
Urban Ranger 3/Unarmed Swordsage 5/Justiciar 2/Ghostwalker 10

2nd Level
"You found me." The grizzled hobgoblin eyed the man standing in his doorway; nice suit, unarmed, completely out of place here in the slums. Borduk had gone out of his way to lie low, but here this man was anyway.

"Finding people is easy," the man said. "The trick is what you do when you've found them."

"And what are you going to do?" Borduk asked. He flexed his hands, arthritis aching. Age was stealing his strength, but he could still take one unarmed man.

"Learn," the man said, and Borduk paused.

"Like I said," he went on, "the trick is what you do when you've found them. I want to learn your techniques; put them to use in the pursuit of justice."

"And why would I teach you?"

"I know your story Borduk. I know who wronged you, and how. I know you've given up all hope, living in this hovel and growing old while your old nemesis grows fat on the fruit of corruption."

Borduk ground his teeth. "And?"

"And I know how to bring them down. I know how to find them, how to unpick their whole organisation, and how to make the charges stick this time. But I won't last five minutes against his assassins without knowing how to fight like you."

Borduk's hands leapt like fire; the man crashed to the floor on the other side of the alley, his fall broken by accumulated detritus. His suit smouldered.

Borduk stood over him in the drizzling rain. "First thing you're going to learn, boy, is how to block a punch."

All the fundamentals are in place by level 2: Urban Tracking and the skill to use it, decent Intimidate, easy nonlethal damage thanks to Improved Unarmed Strike, and Profession (Lawyer) to prosecute in court. At this level JUSTICE's combat tactics are the same as all low-level meleers: get stuck in. Martial manoeuvres give him extra options and his stance makes him even harder to escape from.

He can wear light armour when necessary thanks to his level of ranger; at low levels he can get away without, but the option's there for higher levels.

5th Level
"Oh, I remember the trial of Gandax the Bloodthirster alright. Never gonna forget that one. Gandax had been on a murderin' spree up and down the city. The watch can't touch him so - get this - the lawyer hunts him down and brings him in! Alive, too! There's a big hoo-haw and we're all ready for a hanging, when this snake steps up out of nowhere to defend Gandax. Says that he's got a cursed axe that makes him crazy, so it's not his fault. Everyone in the court's all shocked like, but this prosecutor just shakes his head and starts pulling out evidence; turns out Gandax knew the axe was cursed and picked it up anyway - doesn't matter that the axe wants blood when the owner's a psycho. Then he starts saying that the snake's on the payroll of the Barton family, and that they're sponsoring Gandax's killings. It was the sort of thing you hear stories about but never thought you'd see, you know? So the snake gives some sort of signal and Gandax's axe just appears - pow! - in his hands and he gets to choppin'. We tried to stop him, of course, but we weren't no match for him - I was lucky to get out alive, and there were some that didn't. But that lawyer... damndest thing I ever seen. Nothing in his hands, no armour but his court gear, and not a minute later he's got Gandax out cold on the floor. No, that's not the sort of day you forget."

"Can't seem to remember that lawyer's name, though..."

- Garret Sol, ex-Justice of the Peace

JUSTICE's methods are much the same as at 2nd level; the free TWF from his levels of ranger acts as a sort of 'flurry lite' when he uses unarmed attacks.

10th Level
"By all the gods..." Radislav wavered somewhere between frustration and fear. "How many times must I kill you?"

The man stepped forward, shaking the twisted remains of Radislav's clockwork bodyguard from his fist. His clothes were torn and dirty, marred by the filth of combat, but still recognisable as the robes of a court prosecutor.

"You can't kill justice," the man said. His eyes gleamed. "Every time you try only makes the final punishment worse."

Radislav drew his sword but stepped back, bravado warring with fear.

"How did you find me?"

"You can't hide from justice," the man said. "No matter how secret the lair, it needs food and water."

Radislav turned to run. In a flash of darkness the man was there, blocking his path - his sword was knocked from his hand and clattered across the floor.

"Justice must be faced."

For Radislav there was violence, and pain, then blessed unconsciousness.

10th level is where all of JUSTICE's features are in place. With his first levels in ghostwalker he adopts a hit-and-run style of combat: stealth, Shadow Jaunt and feign death are his primary tools for escaping fights that he's having trouble with, allowing him to make use of painful reckoning later on. Between Urban Tracking, Track and scent he is a difficult man to get away from, ensuring that he can always find the subject of his painful reckoning. He also gets a nice synergy between Island of Blades and his nonlethal strike, giving him a little extra edge.

At 11th level - the sweet spot I choose to showcase everything - he gains crippling strike, which allows him to inflict longer-term weakness on his enemies. This synergises with painful reckoning: next time they meet, he will be stronger and his enemy will be weaker. He also gains Improved Grapple for more unarmed combat shenanigans. From here on in it's pretty much more of the same.

15th Level
"Even the dead deserve justice. Your desecration of this place ends now."

Boris the Black sneered and snapped his fingers. His shadows descended. The man flickered and vanished - true sight revealed him on the etheral plane, where his punches destroyed shadows like they were made of paper. In seconds, he was back.

Boris encased the man in a cage of force, only for him to sidestep through the plane of shadow. He flung spell after spell, only for them to be shrugged off or avoided.

"Surrender and you will not be hurt," the man said. He stepped forward, his advance inexorable. "You will-"

Finally a spell took hold; the man locked in place, motionless, held by Boris' black magic. The necromancer rolled his eyes and drew his knife. It was always so much easier when they didn't struggle.

"-be held in a secure prison to await trial." The spell faded and died not seconds after it had taken hold. Boris gaped.

The man's hand closed on Boris' wrist. He had gotten too close! The room spun about him and suddenly he was face down on the floor of his tomb-lair, knife pulled from his hand, arms tangled painfully behind him. He twisted his head around to look at his captor; there was no mercy in those eyes, only justice.

"Perhaps," Boris grunted out, "I will take my chances at trial."

A life spent raising the dead had not blunted Boris' wit, he reasoned. He should be able to sway a jury or magistrate.

"I will be prosecuting," the man said.

Boris' hopes faded.

At this point JUSTICE has gained the planar travel abilities of the ghostwalker and the wonderful Iron Heart Surge to bolster his defence against other effects. Not that his saving throws are too shabby to begin with.

20th Level
Baalzephon allowed himself a cruel smile, all teeth and satisfaction.

"The charge is trespass," he said. The defendant - a proud leonal, battered and bloodied but yet unbowed - growled from the box, drawing a hefty cuff from one of his guards. "I will prosecute. Who will speak for the defence?"

A spinagon, gleeful and ready for promotion, rustled its papers - a defence carefully pre-prepared to be useless - and stood up. Before it could speak, the courtroom doors slammed open.

"Who dares interrupt the court of hell?" Baalzephon growled.

A lone mortal strode through the doors. He walked the length of the gargatuan court, unhurried, purposeful. The lesser fiends recoiled from him, clearing his path. He stopped when he stood before Baalzephon - prosecution, judge, and would-be executioner.

"Justice has arrived," the mortal said. He locked gazes with Baalzephon. "And I will speak for the defendant."

"You--"

"I am here by the laws of your kind," the mortal said, cutting Baalzephon off. He produced a token which Baalzephon recognised, granting him the protection of the other baatezu so long as he caused no harm. "By the laws of your kind I will prove this brave leonal innocent of any crime, and by the laws of your kind I will bring you to book for treason."

Baalzephon, who as a pit fiend was naturally guilty of every kind of treason, locked gazes with the mortal who had invaded his courtroom. A tingle of something ran down his spine; it had been so long it took him some moments to identify the sensation.

Fear.

By 20th level JUSTICE is primarily dangerous outside of combat. He's still difficult to evade, his Intimidation is good enough frighten the most powerful demons or devils (or even a titan, if he's lucky) and he's almost impossible to lie to. Also, he is the greatest lawyer in the universe.

In combat he's not too bad - almost-full BAB, good saves all round, a second chance to avoid mind-influencing effects even if they bypass his Will, Iron Heart Surge for anything else - but he will almost always have to retreat from the first encounter. Then he will come back with a crazy +10 bonus from painful reckoning, which lets him dish out some significant harm with those fists of his.

Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14
Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 10

32 points. Level-up points go into Dex.

Build

{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features
1st|Urban Ranger 1|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|Gather Info 4, Hide 4, Move Silently 4, Profession (Lawyer) 4, Search 4, Sense Motive 4, Survival 2|Urban Tracking, Toughness, Investigate|Favoured Enemy (career criminals), Wild Empathy
2nd|Unarmed Swordsage 1|
+1|
+2|
+4|
+2|Intimidate 5, Sense Motive 5, Survival 2.5|Improved Unarmed Strike|Quick to Act +1, Discipline Focus (Weapon Focus: Shadow Hand)
3rd|Unarmed Swordsage 2|
+2|
+2|
+5|
+3|Hide 6, Intimidate 6, Move Silently 6, Sense Motive 6, Survival 3|Weapon Finesse (unarmed strike)|+Wis to AC
4th|Urban Ranger 2|
+3|
+3|
+6|
+3|Gather Info 5, Profession (Lawyer) 7, Search 5, Sense Motive 7, Survival 3.5|Two Weapon Fighting|--
5th|Unarmed Swordsage 3|
+4|
+4|
+6|
+3|Hide 8, Intimidate 7, Move Silently 8, Sense Motive 8, Survival 4|--|--
6th|Urban Ranger 3|
+5|
+4|
+6|
+4|Gather Info 6, Profession (Lawyer) 9, Search 7, Sense Motive 9, Survival 4.5|Endurance, Iron Will|--
7th|Unarmed Swordsage 4|
+6|
+4|
+7|
+4|Hide 10, Intimidate 8, Move Silently 10, Sense Motive 10, Survival 5|--|Discipline Focus (Insightful Strike: Stone Dragon)
8th|Ghostwalker 1|
+7|
+6|
+7|
+6|Gather Info 7, Profession (Lawyer) 11, Search 8, Sense Motive 11|--|Painful Reckoning +1, Resolute Aura, Anonymity
9th|Ghostwalker 2|
+8|
+7|
+7|
+7|Gather Info 8, Intimidate 9, Profession (Lawyer) 12, Search 9, Sense Motive 12|Track|Painful Reckoning +2, Feign Death
10th|Justiciar 1|
+9|
+7|
+7|
+9|Gather Info 9, Intimidate 10, Profession (Lawyer) 13, Search 10, Sense Motive 13|--|Bring 'em in Alive, Nonlethal Strike +1d6
11th|Justiciar 2|
+10|
+7|
+7|
+11|Gather Info 10, Intimidate 11, Profession (Lawyer) 14, Search 11, Sense Motive 14|Improved Grapple|Crippling Strike
12th|Ghostwalker 3|
+11|
+7|
+8|
+11|Gather Info 11, Intimidate 12, Profession (Lawyer) 15, Search 12, Sense Motive 15|Indomitable Soul|Painful Reckoning +3
13th|Ghostwalker 4|
+12|
+8|
+8|
+12|Gather Info 12, Intimidate 13, Profession (Lawyer) 16, Search 13, Sense Motive 16|--|Painful Reckoning +4, Etherealness 1/day
14th|Ghostwalker 5|
+13|
+8|
+8|
+12|Gather Info 13, Intimidate 14, Profession (Lawyer) 17, Search 14, Sense Motive 17|--|Painful Reckoning +5, Shadow Walk
15th|Unarmed Swordsage 5|
+13|
+8|
+8|
+12|Hide 11, Intimidate 18, Move Silently 11, Sense Motive 18|Martial Study (Iron Heart: Iron Heart Surge)|Quick to Act +2
16th|Ghostwalker 6|
+14|
+9|
+9|
+13|Gather Info 14, Intimidate 19, Profession (Lawyer) 18, Search 15, Sense Motive 19|--|Painful Reckoning +6, Etherealness 2/day
17th|Ghostwalker 7|
+15|
+9|
+9|
+13|Gather Info 15, Intimidate 20, Profession (Lawyer) 19, Search 16, Sense Motive 20|--|Painful Reckoning +7
18th|Ghostwalker 8|
+16|
+10|
+9|
+14|Gather Info 16, Intimidate 21, Profession (Lawyer) 20, Search 17, Sense Motive 21|Superior Unarmed Strike|Painful Reckoning +8
19th|Ghostwalker 9|
+17|
+10|
+10|
+14|Gather Info 17, Intimidate 22, Profession (Lawyer) 21, Search 18, Sense Motive 22|--|Painful Reckoning +9, Etherealness 3/day
20th|Ghostwalker 10|
+18|
+11|
+10|
+15|Gather Info 18, Intimidate 23, Profession (Lawyer) 22, Search 19, Sense Motive 23|--|Painful Reckoning +10[/table]

Build Notes:
His favoured enemy group seems like a bit of a reach, but if criminals are allowed to take 'The City Watch' as a favoured enemy then he should be able to take 'Career Criminals'. If that seems like too much, swap it out for a single specified organised crime group.

Unarmed Swordsage occupies a bit of a grey area as far as 'official WotC' is concerned. If it's not official enough for IC, just take Improved Unarmed Strike at 1st level instead of Investigate and reduce his unarmed damage as appropriate. Problem solved.

Manoeuvres

2nd Level: Stone Bones (Sto), Counter Charge (Set), Mighty Throw (Set), Burning Blade (Des), Blistering Flourish (Des), Shadow Blade Technique (Shd); Hunter's Sense (Tig)
3rd Level: Clinging Shadow Strike (Shd); Island of Blades (Shd)
5th Level: Shadow Jaunt (Shd)
7th Level: Baffling Defence (Set); swap Stone Bones for Mountain Hammer (Sto)
15th Level: Bonecrusher (Sto), Iron Heart Surge (Iro); Dance of the Spider (Shd)


How To Lawyer
JUSTICE's tactics remain pretty constant throughout his growth: use skills to locate a criminal, batter them with nonlethal damage, slap the manacles on, bring 'em in and prosecute. Thanks to the joys of Improved Unarmed Strike, JUSTICE can dish out lethal or nonlethal damage as he likes. He prefers nonlethal as a point of principle; he's the prosecutor, not the executioner. (Also, once he hits 10th level Justiciar gives him bonuses to nonlethal damage.) He gets more options as he levels up, but retains the same basic method.

In combat, his stance of choice will usually be Island of Blades. His manoeuvres help him dish out extra damage and perform the occasional extra trick. Outside of combat Hunter's Sense helps him track and Dance of the Spider grants him extra mobility. Shadow Jaunt also has a lot of good out-of-combat potential for bypassing obstacles, whether he's bringing the fight to a miscreant or getting away to make use of painful reckoning. Once he gets his ghostwalker abilities he should start making use of hit-and-run attacks, wearing enemies down over multiple encounters. At this point he should start mixing in more lethal damage with his attacks, as nonlethal heals too quickly.

Outside combat, JUSTICE specialises in hunting criminals and prosecuting them. Between Track and Urban Tracking it's extremely difficult to evade him - made more difficult by his ability to gain scent through Hunter's Sense. His high Intimidate skill lets him bypass minions he doesn't have to fight, coerce temporary assistance, or frighten a confession out of someone on the stand. Since no-one ever takes Profession (Lawyer) he's pretty much undefeatable in the courtroom, but even if somebody does he's still a formidable attorney.

As befits the ghostwalker class, JUSTICE is kind of a solo character; however, most parties could probably find a use for a manhunter and/or a lawyer.

Sources
UA: Urban Ranger, Urban Tracking
ToB: (Unarmed) Swordsage, Martial Study, Superior Unarmed Strike
S&F: Ghostwalker
CW: Justiciar
ECS: Investigate
PHB2: Indomitable Soul

[true_shinken]

You ask me me if I'll grow to be a wise man
Well I ask you if I'll grow old
- Jon Bon Jovi, Blaze of Glory

Harv, Chaotic Good Mongrelfolk Ranger 5/Warblade 5/Ghostwalker 10
STR: 13 DEX: 14 CON: 20: INT: 12 WIS: 13 CHA: 4
Stat increases: 4th: WIS; 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th: STR

HARV’S STORY
They just wanted to live their lives, quietly, on the outskirts of town. They didn’t want any trouble from anyone, going so far as to hide their faces in public to keep the townsfolk from an uprising over the mongrelfolk who had slipped into the old farm and thus their simple country town. They thought that would be enough.

Hate, however, was too strong, and fear, too ingrained. There were pitchforks, and torches, and a barricade across the door. Harv’s family didn’t make it, but with luck and a wet blanket over him to keep out the worst of the blaze, Harv survived. His face was a maze of scars and his voice a raspy ruin, but he staggered out of that little town with a silent vow that he’d always remember, and that someday, the townsfolk would, too.

Now, he wanders, biding his time. He dresses in billowing robes and scarves, like a desert nomad, hiding the damage to his face and with it, his identity. Soon, he’ll be ready to visit the remains of that old farmhouse again.

Skills do not list stat modifiers in the table below.
Harv
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Ranger 1|
+1|
+7|
+4|
+1|Balance 2, Concentration 4, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Survival 4, Tumble 2|Track, Combat Reflexes|Favored Enemy (Human), Wild Empathy

2nd|Warblade 1|
+2|
+9|
+5|
+1|Balance 3, Concentration 5, Intimidate 2, Tumble 3|-|Battle Clarity, Weapon Aptitude

3rd|Ranger 2|
+3|
+10|
+6|
+1|Concentration 6, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 5, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 1, Survival 6|Two-Weapon Fighting, Toughness|Combat Style (TWF bonus feat)

4th|Warblade 2|
+4|
+11|
+6|
+2|Balance 4, Concentration 7, Intimidate 4, Tumble 4|-|Uncanny Dodge

5th|Ranger 3|
+5|
+11|
+6|
+3|Concentration 8, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 6, Knowledge (Nature) 6, Listen 1, Move Silently 6, Survival 8|Endurance|Bonus Feat (Endurance)

6th|Warblade 3|
+6|
+11|
+7|
+6|Balance 5, Concentration 9, Intimidate 6, Tumble 5|Iron Will|Battle Ardor (Critical Confirmation)

7th|Ghostwalker 1|
+7|
+13|
+7|
+8|Concentration 10, Listen 2, Move Silently 7, Spot 2|-|Painful Reckoning +1, Resolute Aura, Anonymity

8th|Ghostwalker 2|
+8|
+14|
+7|
+9|Concentration 11, Listen 3, Move Silently 8, Spot 3|-|Painful Reckoning +2, Feign Death

9th|Ghostwalker 3|
+9|
+14|
+8|
+11|Concentration 12, Listen 4, Move Silently 9, Spot 4|Pain Mastery (Savage Species p37)|Painful Reckoning +3, Superior Iron Will

10th|Ghostwalker 4|
+10|
+15|
+8|
+12|Concentration 13, Listen 5, Move Silently 10, Spot 5|-|Painful Reckoning +4, Etherealness 1/day

11th|Ghostwalker 5|
+11|
+15|
+8|
+12|Concentration 14, Handle Animal 1, Survival 9|-|Painful Reckoning +5, Shadow Walk

12th|Ranger 4|
+12|
+16|
+9|
+12|Concentration 15, Handle Animal 5, Survival 10|Roll With It (Savage Species p39)|Animal Companion (Medium Viper), Spells (Entangle)

13th|Ranger 5|
+13|
+16|
+9|
+12|Concentration 16, Handle Animal 10, Survival 11|-|2nd Favored Enemy (Dragons +2; Humans +4)

14th|Ghostwalker 6|
+14|
+17|
+10|
+13|Concentration 17, Listen 6, Move Silently 11, Spot 6|-|Painful Reckoning +6

15th|Ghostwalker 7|
+15|
+17|
+10|
+14|Concentration 18, Listen 7, Move Silently 12, Spot 7|Involuntary Rage (Savage Species p36)|Painful Reckoning +7, Etherealness 2/day

16th|Ghostwalker 8|
+16|
+18|
+10|
+15|Concentration 19, Listen 8, Spot 8, Survival 12|-|Painful Reckoning +8

17th|Ghostwalker 9|
+17|
+18|
+11|
+15|Concentration 20, Handle Animal 11, Intimidate 7|-|Painful Reckoning +9

18th|Ghostwalker 10|
+18|
+19|
+11|
+16|Concentration 21, Handle Animal 12, Intimidate 8|Roll With It|Painful Reckoning +10, Etherealness 3/day

19th|Warblade 4|
+19|
+20|
+11|
+17|Balance 7, Concentration 22, Tumble 7|-|2nd Stance (Hearing the Air)

20th|Warblade 5|
+20|
+20|
+11|
+17|Balance 9, Concentration 23, Tumble 9|Stone Power (ToB p32-3)|Bonus Feat (Stone Power)[/table]

Maneuvers/Stances:
Character Level 2: Moment of Perfect Mind, Steely Strike, Leading the Attack; Punishing Stance.
Character Level 4: Rabid Wolf Strike
Character Level 6: Emerald Razor
Character Level 19: Hearing the Air
Character Level 20: Greater Insightful Strike

LEVEL HIGHLIGHTS & PLAY NOTES
1st level
Ranger is admittedly the obvious entry. It’s the easiest way to get Move Silently on a full-BAB chassis in Core, has a strong skill-base besides, and two good saves. Mongrelfolk for a race more than offsets the somewhat low d8 HD by getting Harv a 20 CON without totally trashing the majority of his stats in a 32 point buy. Choosing Mongrelfolk also provides a litany of skill and perception benefits to a Ranger (low-light vision; bonuses to Appraise, Climb, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Search, Sleight of Hand, and Spot; sleep immunity; Sound Imitation; Diffuse Blood and Emulate Race; save bonuses against poison, illusion, and enchantment) and supports the anonymous Ghostwalker archetype from a crunch and fluff perspective. Harv’s social skills and CHA mean he should never be the party face, allowing him to keep anonymity more easily. Campaigns vary, but Favored Enemy (Human) all but assures that Harv continues to benefit from his FE choice throughout his adventuring career. Combat Reflexes couples with these listed benefits and a good DEX to make for a good combat tactician, for which ranks in Balance and Tumble provide ancillary support. A simple quarterstaff and bow will serve as primary weapons for Harv, with a dagger for in-fighting. Knowledge (Dungeoneering) broadens Harv’s general knowledge base and makes him more useful against Aberrations, which - like Humans - tend to scale well with the adventuring career. The benefits of Track as a bonus feat are obvious.

5th level
Warblade complements Ranger with a bucket of HP thanks to the d12 HD, with Punishing Stance as a good, always-on, damage boost for low levels. Moment of Perfect Mind provides an emergency boost to WILL saves, which get a minor boost from the 4th level WIS increase. Punishing Stance, Steely Strike, and Leading the Attack all increase his ability to ‘draw aggro’, which is a valuable trait in your primary melee and will bolster both Ghostwalker and several feat choices. Warblade 2 gets the valuable Uncanny Dodge, as well as Rabid Wolf Strike to increase DPR. Harv uses the smaller skill point base of Warblade to focus more intently on Intimidate, so that the many skills he takes throughout his career don’t lag appreciably. The aforementioned quarterstaff works well with the benefits of the bonus feat TWF, while not marrying Harv to attacking with two weapons at times when a single weapon is more efficient. With only a d8 from Ranger and a focus on Maneuvers and stances that typically decrease Harv’s AC, Toughness is ever-so-slightly less of a turkey of a feat than usual, and is actually vital to several later feat choices. Ranger 3 gets the necessary Endurance feat without throwing good money after bad. He continues to focus on his broad base of skill choices, but adds ranks in the vital perception skills to increase versatility.

10th level
Harv gets into Ghostwalker at the earliest opportunity, having picked up a bonus to critical hit confirmations for those times when he’s rolling well, or using a high-threat weapon, or both, and Emerald Razor for those hard-to-hit opponents. Iron Will evens out his saves, while also being necessary to Ghostwalker’s entry. Because of his non-proficiency in heavy armors, and his focus on maneuvers and stances that reduce his AC further in order to boost offensive prowess, it’s a good bet that Harv will immediately and frequently gain benefit from Painful Reckoning. Harv’s low CHA matches up nicely with the requirements of Anonymity, while making his skill investiture and the Ghostwalker’s Resolute Aura especially important for using Intimidate, because he can’t default to his base nature. Provided he has teammates that won’t abandon him and a DM that doesn’t play all enemies to kill when the PCs are down, Feign Death can get him out of situations where he’s in over his head, while being obviously instrumental in setting up future Painful Reckoning benefits. Superior Iron Will helps keep the Will saves up to snuff. Pain Mastery triggers under similar conditions that activate Painful Reckoning - the reduction of base HP to 50% or less - to make Harv a more dangerous combatant in those circumstances where playing dead isn’t the best choice, and works as mentioned before with the Toughness prerequisite. The ability to become Ethereal once a day has myriad out-of-combat uses, and can be used in-combat as an alternate to Feign Death to end an encounter and activate Painful Reckoning. It’s also a reasonable alternative to flight, generally, which saves the party’s spellcasters from spending additional resources on him, though it may come on-line a bit late for some playstyles, temporarily keeping him more reliant on those party members for buffs. With Warblade maneuvers largely devoted to Diamond Mind, Harv keeps Concentration maxed, while increasing perception skills and Move Silently for scouting ahead.

15th level
Ghostwalker 5 provides the uber-stylish Shadow Walk ability, allowing Harv to scout up to miles ahead, escape combat, quickly reach a far destination, and simply heal up without spells, potions, or wands. Ghostwalker 6 is the first level of that PrC to provide no additional goodies besides Painful Reckoning and Resolute Aura, so Harv uses Ghostwalker 5 as a break point to drop back into Ranger, picking up Entangle for some battlefield control against land-bound mooks and an Animal Companion. Because Harv’s HP total and ability to work through pain are strengths, he selects a Viper companion to enable CON damage against enemies, which can heighten the advantages he has. Harv has further broadened his skill set with Handle Animal ranks by this time to support having an Animal Companion. Roll With It, like Pain Mastery, works with Toughness and Harv’s high CON to make him more resilient, without increasing the number of books Harv’s player has to reference. The damage soaked by Roll With It should not, RAW, negatively impact his Painful Reckoning ability, either. Harv’s still not especially hard to hit when not Ethereal or Shadow Walking, so Painful Reckoning should still come up against new opponents in protracted battles, but Roll With It provides that little added boost to survivability, particularly against enemies with a multitude of attacks. Dragons are a staple of high-level play, so the additional Favored Enemy here is a welcome bonus, if small. Dragons are also often used as recurring villains, so Painful Reckoning should again see play here. At this point, a campaign strictly enforcing the RAW will mean Harv has a slight XP penalty for uneven levels, but experience is a river. Ghostwalker 6 boosts saves across the board as well as Painful Reckoning and Resolute Aura, while passing for a ‘dead’ level. Ghostwalker 7 gets Harv an additional use of Etherealness, and the Involuntary Rage feat to make him truly dangerous in those situations where his Painful Reckoning has been triggered for the next encounter with a recurring villain. As with Roll With It, Involuntary Rage relies on Toughness and keeps sources to a relative minimum.

20th level
Ghostwalker 8 and 9 are arguably more ‘dead’ levels than Ghostwalker 6, but it’s difficult to justify further delays in the progression, and the better Painful Reckoning and Resolute Aura get, the better Harv gets. There are also well-documented benefits from a power perspective to delaying Warblade levels, so finishing out Ghostwalker is a win-win scenario in that regard. Harv has continually pumped a wide spread of skills, so he’s maintained some mundane out-of-combat utility and consistently improved Handle Animal for his Companion. Painful Reckoning in conjunction with his Maneuvers, Favored Enemy, and if the old adversary is truly tough, Involuntary Rage, makes him a solid DPR machine whose HP totals, across the board good saves (before any gear) and DR combine for solid secondary defenses. Harv finishes out Ghostwalker at 18, nabbing another use of Etherealness and another helping of Roll With It’s DR, since it explicitly stacks with itself. At level 19, Harv’s delay of additional Warblade levels pays off with Hearing The Air, finally easing the burden on gear or teammates in locating invisible foes and his aforementioned XP penalty in strict RAW campaigns. Finishing out with Warblade 5 allows Harv Greater Insightful Strike and a bonus feat, of which Stone Power is easily the best fit for his fighting style. Stone Power and Greater Insightful Strike couple with Painful Reckoning for potentially prodigious damage output as well as keeping Harv upright longer.

EQUIPMENT AND OPTIONS
Harv’s typical weapon choices are mentioned above; any enhancements he can get on those weapons will be a boon. He literally cannot wear heavy armor without penalty, and much of his power kicks in when he’s taken a beating, so he sticks to light armor and probably doesn’t invest in much of a DEX or CON booster. Recuperative abilities are still highly prized, and Harv would do well to get a Ring of Regeneration, as well as another DR source.

With UA, Harv would gleefully take Vulnerable and Frail to improve his odds at Painful Reckoning in exchange for 1st-level access to Martial Maneuver (Crusader’s Strike) and Martial Stance (Iron Gaurd’s Glare)

SOURCE LIST
SRD: Ranger, Skills, Spells, several Feats
Races of Destiny: Mongrelfolk Race
Sword and Fist: Ghostwalker Prestige Class
Savage Species: Roll With It Feat, Pain Mastery Feat, Involuntary Rage Feat
Tome of Battle: Warblade Class (from online preview), Maneuvers/Stances, Stone Power Feat

[true_shinken]

And the road becomes my bride
I have stripped of all but pride
So in her I do confide
And she keeps me satisfied
Gives me all I need

And with dust in throat I crave
Only knowledge will I save
To the game you stay a slave

Rover, wanderer
Nomad, vagabond
Call me what you will
- Metallica, Wherever I May Roam

slave, Chaotic Evil Skarn Bear Totem Barbarian 3/Totemist 3/Thayan Gladiator 4/Ghostwalker 10

STR 16 DEX 10 CON 16 INT 12 WIS 14 CHA 10
Boost STR with levels.

A SKARN SLAVE’S STORY:
He was born in the gladiator pits. His mother died in childbirth; if she named him, she never told anybody the name, nor did she let on who the father was. He was simply “slave”, “boy”, or both, until age six, when something about his nature caught the attention of the Red Wizard Athasal, who claimed him as his own servant. Never again was he “boy”, which he came to see as a step up, in a way.

He fought, he trained, he ate, and he slept. His weapons were his spines; his armor, a full faceplate and chain shirt. Because of his heritage, he was taught to harness the incarnum that flows through the cosmos and add claws and mystical teleports to his arsenal, but it wasn’t until he proved worthy of studying the Zulkir’s secret rituals to become a proper Thayan Gladiator that Athasal bothered to teach him letters. He fought well - savagely and well - but sometimes, not to victory.

Athasal considered his slave too valuable to put in matches to the death, which meant every opponent was catalogued in the slave’s memory as well as Athasal’s ledger, win or lose. Every tactic that worked, every weakness that was exposed or defense that was reflexively used was noted. As a result, he seldom lost twice to the same opponent. In time, he was called Ghostwalker, and feared in arenas throughout Faerun, though none but Athasal could claim to know his face....

The table’s listed numbers do not include attribute modifiers.
slave
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Barbarian 1|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Climb 2, Intimidate 4, Jump 2, Listen 4, Move Silently 2, Spot 2|Azure Toughness (Magic of Incarnum p35)|Rage 1/Day, Improved Grab, Illiteracy

2nd|Totemist (MoI p29) 1|
+1|
+4|
+2|
+0|Intimidate 5, Move Silently 3, Spot 3|-|Wild Empathy, 2 Soulmelds, +1 Essentia

3rd|Barbarian 2|
+2|
+5|
+2|
+2|Climb 3, Intimidate 6, Jump 3, Swim 1|Iron Will|Uncanny Dodge

4th|Totemist 2|
+3|
+6|
+3|
+2|Listen 5, Move Silently 4, Spot 5|-|One Soulmeld, Totem Bind (Landshark Boots), +1 Essentia

5th|Barbarian 3|
+4|
+6|
+4|
+3|Climb 4, Move Silently 5, Jump 5|-|Trap Sense +1

6th|Totemist 3|
+5|
+6|
+4|
+4|Climb 5, Jump 6, Spot 6|Weapon Focus (Spines)|Totem’s Protection

7th|Thayan Gladiator (Champions of Ruin p63) 1|
+6|
+8|
+4|
+4|Jump 8, Spot 7|Improved Natural Attack (Spines)|Bonus Feat (Improved Natural Attack), Study Opponent

8th|Thayan Gladiator 2|
+7|
+9|
+5|
+4|Jump 10, Spot 8|Improved Critical|Bonus Feat (Improved Critical), Natural Armor +1

9th|Thayan Gladiator 3|
+8|
+9|
+6|
+5|Intimidate 8, Jump 11|Endurance|Stunning Critical, Silver Strike

10th|Ghostwalker 1|
+9|
+11|
+6|
+7|Jump 12, Listen 6, Spot 9, Sense Motive 1|-|Painful Reckoning +1, Resolute Aura, Anonymity

11th|Ghostwalker 2|
+10|
+12|
+6|
+8|Jump 13, Listen 7, Spot 10, Sense Motive 2|-|Feign Death, Painful Reckoning +2

12th|Ghostwalker 3|
+11|
+12|
+7|
+10|Jump 14, Listen 8, Spot 11, Sense Motive 3|Cobalt Rage (MoI p37)|Superior Iron Will, Painful Reckoning +3

13th|Ghostwalker 4|
+12|
+13|
+7|
+11|Jump 15, Spot 12, Sense Motive 5|-|Etherealness 1/day, Painful Reckoning +4

14th|Ghostwalker 5|
+13|
+13|
+7|
+11|Jump 16, Spot 13, Sense Motive 7|-|Shadow Walk, Painful Reckoning +5

15th|Thayan Gladiator 4|
+14|
+14|
+7|
+11|Intimidate 10, Jump 17|Bonus Essentia (MoI p35)|Natural Weapon Focus

16th|Ghostwalker 6|
+15|
+15|
+8|
+12|Jump 18, Spot 14, Sense Motive 8|-|Painful Reckoning +6

17th|Ghostwalker 7|
+16|
+15|
+8|
+12|Jump 20, Spot 15|-|Etherealness 2/day, Painful Reckoning +7

18th|Ghostwalker 8|
+17|
+16|
+8|
+13|Jump 21, Listen 9, Spot 16|Cobalt Charge (MoI p35)|Painful Reckoning +8

19th|Ghostwalker 9|
+18|
+16|
+9|
+13|Jump 22, Spot 17, Sense Motive 9|-|Painful Reckoning +9

20th|Ghostwalker 10|
+19|
+17|
+9|
+14|Jump 23, Listen 10, Sense Motive 10|-|Etherealness 3/day, Painful Reckoning +10[/table]

SOULMELDS:
7 points essentia by level 18, with default investment of 2 in Landshark Boots, 1 in Blink Shirt, 1 in Rageclaws, 1 in Azure Toughness, 1 in Cobalt Rage, 1 in Cobalt Charge.

Totemist 1: Landshark Boots, Rageclaws.
Totemist 2: Blink Shirt.

FIRST LEVEL
He’s a Bear Totem Barbarian with no way to be disarmed, and more staying power than typically expected. He’s not spectacular, but he’s solid, and downright scary for his level as a grappler. His skill set and native Skarn bonuses to Climb and Intimidate aid both mobility and out of combat encounters, relative to a Barbarian’s niche, and allow him to accompany a scouting party if need be, in between gladiatorial matches for Athasal.

FIFTH LEVEL
With Rage, Landshark Boots bound to his Totem Chakra, and a Blink Shirt, he’s a pouncing, grappling machine. Rage Claws, Azure Toughness, Iron Will, Uncanny Dodge, and Trap Sense all combine to keep him fighting long after an opponent assumes he’s down for the count. Barbarian levels easily offset the d8 from Totemist, especially coupled with Rage Claws. His Saving Throws are solid across the board without buffs, and he’s at a level where he can consider paying to enhance them.

TENTH LEVEL
His entry into Ghostwalker is delayed because he wants the bonuses to his spines first off, and the feat tax is high. Totem’s Protection is the poster child for “niche ability” but is better than nothing. Thayan Gladiator at 7th level kept Barbarian and Totemist in balance, while increasing his damage output both immediately and going forward. Both of the 1st two levels of Thayan Gladiator provide bonus feats relevant to a natural-attack oriented combatant, and slave is definitely that. Study Opponent gives nice bonuses and meshes in flavor with Painful Reckoning. The single bonus point to Natural Armor isn’t actually worth a whole lot by this point, but helps a little against foes likely to die too quickly to be worth Painful Reckoning. Stunning Critical with a Rage chassis can make for some fairly tough FORT saves , even if he’s not a dedicated crit-fisher. At 9th level, he has trained long enough and hard enough to have Endurance, while picking up Stunning Critical and the ability to treat his spines as Silver to overcome DR. Having delayed long enough, he enters Ghostwalker at 10th. Here he finally gets his Painful Reckoning, Resolute Aura and good WILL save progression. While he’s “famous” as a gladiator, he’s also a slave whose owner never saw fit to name him or expose his face in the arena, so Anonymity should be impossible to compromise. As a grappler with a chain shirt as his chosen armor, he’ll regularly be in the thick of the fight, so should regularly benefit from Painful Reckoning if the opponents aren’t all dispatched immediately.

FIFTEENTH LEVEL
Given an environment where matches to the death are rare, his Feign Death ability is a good way to end an encounter for Painful Reckoning. With planning and a little luck, it’s even useful as a spying technique, since most folks believe dead men tell no tales. Painful Reckoning and Resolute Aura will continue to get better every time he increases his Ghostwalker level, obviously. Superior Iron Will helps further bolster a vital Save, while Cobalt Rage makes him that much deadlier in a fight. With Landshark Boots as his Totem Chakra, it’s in slave’s best interest to max out the Jump skill, while the perception skills and Sense Motive are the best defenses he has against a surprise shiv to the kidney. Etherealness is a better defensive option than Feign Death if his opponents seem hellbent on taking his life before he can target them for a future Painful Reckoning. Shadow Walk works for this as well, not to mention providing another great mobility option to go with the Blink Shirt, and a free method of healing up. By taking Thayan Gladiator 4, he gets to add another attack to his routine. The two points he gets from Bonus Essentia help offset his minimal levels in Incarnum classes, allowing him to at least keep all his Incarnum receptacles in a bit of Incarnum, with the option to shift the load as needed.

TWENTIETH LEVEL
Ghostwalker 6, in addition to the continual improvement of Painful Reckoning and Resolute Aura, boosts all the saves. Ghostwalker 7 gets him a second use per day of Etherealness. While not individually spectacular, Ghostwalker 8 and 9 continue to boost his primary class features, while Cobalt Charge provides a two-pronged boost to his favored attack routine. He’s continued to max out Jump in the interest of keeping his Landshark Boots useful, and pumped Listen, Spot, and Sense Motive to levels of reliable efficiency. By 20th level, he’s only one off from full BAB without losing any iterative attacks thanks to Thayan Gladiator 4, and can operate in combat as a charger/pouncer or a grappler, as need be. Out of combat, his mobility skills still let him work with the scout team, while his Intimidate score is high enough to be quite useful in tense social encounters as well as provide a welcome debuff in combat in a pinch. His best damage output is easily from those opponents against whom Painful Reckoning is a factor, but he's in no way useless against other opponents.

SOURCE LIST
1. SRD: Barbarian class; skills; Iron Will, Weapon Focus, Improved Natural Attack, Improved Critical, and Endurance feats.
2. Magic of Incarnum: Skarn race; Totemist class; Azure Toughness, Cobalt Rage, Bonus Essentia, and Cobalt Charge feats, soulmelds.
3. Champions of Ruin: Thayan Gladiator prestige class.
4. Sword and Fist: Ghostwalker prestige class.
5. Complete Champion: Bear Totem ACF.


WISH LISTS
Equipment
Any items that boost STR, natural weapons, or fast healing should be on slave’s want-it list. Additionally, he’ll be beholden to other party members for size increases to keep his natural attacks and grappling relevant at mid-to-high levels, so any way he can get a permanent item of Enlarge Person or similar is likely a boon.
Additional Source Books
Oh, hi there, Whirling Frenzy! Sure, I’d be glad to have you along, if the DM is willing. What’s that, Unearthed Arcana? You say that by taking Vulnerable and Shaky I can get Extra Rage, shift Endurance to 1st level to start Ghostwalker at 7th, and use the 9th level feat slot for Open Least Chakra (Hands) to make my Rage Claws that much more useful? Yes, please!

FINAL NOTE
As presented, slave may appear to be more of an NPC, tied to a particular location or, at least, to a particular Red Wizard. In practice, there are two built-in ways to work with this. The first, obviously, is to have him adventure with Athasal, or with a party in Athasal’s employ, and center the campaign around the various intrigues of the arena. The second - available as soon as he gets access to the Blink Shirt soulmeld at 4th level - is to have him blink out of his cell to adventure during times when he’s not expected to fight, sort of playing him like Murdock from the A-Team. :biggrin:

[true_shinken]

Endure. In enduring, grow stronger.
- Dak'kon, Planescape Torment



The Gossamer Knights
LG Changeling Knight 6/Ghostwalker 10/Crusader 4
"Victory Through Sacrifice." -credo of the Gossamer Knights

Backstory:
The patrons of the tavern are in a fervor as they discuss the things they've seen. "Strong man came in to take arrow from Gnash," a half-orc grunts, "looked like half-orc, too. Saved my life." Across the bar, an elf chimes in: "The one I saw was a beautiful elf maiden, riding under a gossamer banner. She charged in and forced the bandits to engage with her, then disappeared from sight, attacking them all the while." The dwarven bartender laughs and says, "Well, the lad I saw was as dwarven as any--bushy beard and all. Same banner, and same credo. Some toughs came at me in the back alley, but he interposed himself and took their blades." A human sitting by the fire speaks quietly, as if reliving a horrific memory. "He didn't come in time to save me from harm," he says, pointing to a scar over his left eye. "But save me from death, he did. A ruddy young man on white horse came striding through, grabbing me when I was on death's door. He galloped faster than any I'd ever seen, and all around us was as shadow. We ended up leagues away from where we started, but alive. I owe those Gossamer Knights my life." They continued like this, swapping stories of the kindly nights under a gossamer banner, into the wee hours of the morning.

While the stories differed, the theme was always the same: a knight of the same race as the victim would always appear to avert a crime in progress, taking wounds not meant for them. They carried a gossamer banner, or a shield bearing the emblem of insectile wings. All had seen a different knight, though the emblem was always the same. The patrons discussed the possibility of a new order forming, but there had been no official edict from the King to sanction such an act. Doing so would be treason--heroic, but traitorous.

As the discussion dies down, a quiet gnome girl stands from her seat and lifts her hood. "I am the Gossamer Knights," she says matter-of-factly, despite the sneers and jeers of the patrons. As she speaks, her face fades into that of each knight the patrons had mentioned in the hours before. "I believe in victory through sacrifice. I believe in protecting the innocent and punishing the wicked. I believe that my pain feeds my strength, and I believe that I was never here." As she finishes speaking, she begins to fade from view as her face settles. Her skin is gray, but her long hair and wide eyes are both purest white. The strange woman lingers long enough to flash a smile and open her cloak to reveal a chestplate bearing an insignia familiar to all gathered. "Don't worry," her voice rings as she disappears entirely, "you are always safe beneath my wings."
The Build:

{table=head]
LEVEL|
CLASS|
Base Attack Bonus|
FORT SAVE|
REF SAVE|
WILL SAVE|
SKILLS|
FEATS|
CLASS FEATURES

1st|
Knight 1|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+2|
Disguise 2; Intimidate 4; Move Silently 2; Ride 4|
Power Attack|
Fighting Challenge +1; Knight's Challenge; Knight's Code

2nd|
Knight 2|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+3|
Disguise 2.5; Intimidate 5; Move Silently 2.5; Ride 5|
Mounted Combat|
Mounted Combat; Shield Block +1

3rd|
Knight 3|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+3|
Disguise 3; Intimidate 6; Move Silently 3; Ride 6|
Endurance|
Bulwark of Defense

4th|
Knight 4|
+4|
+1|
+1|
+4|
Disguise 3.5; Intimidate 7; Move Silently 3.5; Ride 7||
Armor mastery (medium); test of mettle

5th|
Crusader 1|
+5|
+3|
+1|
+4|
Disguise 4; Intimidate 8; Martial Lore 2; Move Silently 4; Ride 8||
Furious Counterstrike; Steely Resolve 5

6th|
Knight 5|
+6/+1|
+3|
+1|
+4|
Disguise 4.5; Intimidate 9; Martial Lore 2; Move Silently 4.5; Ride 9|
Toughness; Iron Will|
Bonus feat; Vigilant Defender

7th|
Knight 6|
+7/+2|
+4|
+2|
+5|
Disguise 5; Intimidate 10; Martial Lore 2; Move Silently 5; Ride 10||
Shield Ally

8th|
Ghostwalker 1|
+8/+3|
+6|
+2|
+6|
Bluff 2; Disguise 5.5; Intimidate 10.5; Martial Lore 2; Move Silently 6; Ride 10.5||
Painful Reckoning +1; Resolute Aura; Anonymity


9th|
Ghostwalker 2|
+9/+4|
+7|
+2|
+7|
Bluff 4; Disguise 6; Intimidate 11; Martial Lore 2; Move Silently 7; Ride 11|
Goad|
Painful Reckoning +2; Feign Death


10th|
Ghostwalker 3|
+10/+5|
+7|
+3|
+7|
Bluff 6; Disguise 6.5; Intimidate 11.5; Martial Lore 2; Move Silently 8; Ride 11.5||
Painful Reckoning +3; Superior Iron Will


11th|
Ghostwalker 4|
+11/+6/+1|
+8|
+3|
+8|
Bluff 6; Disguise 7; Intimidate 12; Martial Lore 2; Move Silently 9; Ride 12; Second Impression||
Painful Reckoning +4; Etherealness 1/day


12th|
Crusader 2|
+12/+7/+2|
+9|
+3|
+8|
Bluff 6; Disguise 7.5; Intimidate 15; Martial Lore 2; Move Silently 9; Ride 14; Second Impression|
Ride-By Attack|
Indomitable Soul


13th|
Ghostwalker 5|
+13/+8/+3|
+9|
+3|
+8|
Bluff 8; Disguise 8; Intimidate 15.5; Martial Lore 2; Move Silently 10; Ride 14.5; Second Impression||
Painful Reckoning +5; Shadow Walk


14th|
Ghostwalker 6|
+14/+9/+4|
+10|
+4|
+9|
Bluff 10; Disguise 8.5; Intimidate 16; Martial Lore 2; Move Silently 11; Ride 15; Second Impression||
Painful Reckoning +6

15th|
Crusader 3|
+15/+10/+5|
+10|
+5|
+10|
Bluff 10; Disguise 9; Intimidate 18; Martial Lore 2; Move Silently 11; Ride 18; Second Impression|
Spirited Charge|
Zealous Surge


16th|
Ghostwalker 7|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+5|
+10|
Bluff 12; Disguise 9.5; Intimidate 18.5; Martial Lore 2; Move Silently 12; Ride 18.5; Second Impression||
Painful Reckoning +7; Etherealness 2/day


17th|
Ghostwalker 8|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+11|
+5|
+11|
Bluff 14; Disguise 10; Intimidate 19; Martial Lore 2; Move Silently 13; Ride 19; Second Impression||
Painful Reckoning +8


18th|
Crusader 4|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+12|
+5|
+11|
Bluff 14; Disguise 10.5; Intimidate 21; Martial Lore 3; Move Silently 13; Ride 21; Second Impression|
Martial Stance: Aura of Triumph|
Steely Resolve 10


19th|
Ghostwalker 9|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+12|
+6|
+11|
Bluff 16; Disguise 11; Intimidate 21.5; Martial Lore 3; Move Silently 14; Ride 21.5; Second Impression||
Painful Reckoning +9


20th|
Ghostwalker 10|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+13|
+6|
+12|
Bluff 19; Disguise 11; Intimidate 22; Martial Lore 3; Move Silently 15; Ride 22||
Painful Reckoning +10; Etherealness 3/day[/table]

{table=head]Attribute|Points|Base|Level|Total|Mod
STR|10|16|0|16|+3
DEX|2|10|0|10|+0
CON|6|14|0|14|+2
INT|4|12|0|12|+1
WIS|0|8|0|8|-1
CHA|10|16|4|20|+5[/table]

Maneuvers Known/Readied/Granted
{table=head]LEVEL|INITIATOR LEVEL|MAX MANEUVER LEVEL|MANEUVERS KNOWN|MANEUVERS READIED (GRANTED)|STANCES KNOWN|MANEUVERS
1|0.5|-|-|-|
2|1|-|-|-|
3|1.5|-|-|-|
4|2|-|-|-|
5|3|2|5|5 (2)|1|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare
6|3.5|2|5|5 (2)|1|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare
7|4|2|5|5 (2)|1|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare
8|4.5|2|5|5 (2)|1|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare
9|5|3|5|5 (2)|1|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare
10|5.5|3|5|5 (2)|1|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare
11|6|3|5|5 (2)|1|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare
12|7|4|5|5 (2)|2|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare, Thicket of Blades
13|7.5|4|5|5 (2)|2|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare, Thicket of Blades
14|8|4|5|5 (2)|2|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare, Thicket of Blades
15|9|5|6|5 (2)|2|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare, Thicket of Blades, Defensive Rebuke
16|9.5|5|6|5 (2)|2|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare, Thicket of Blades, Defensive Rebuke
17|10|5|6|5 (2)|2|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare, Thicket of Blades, Defensive Rebuke
18|11|6|6|5 (2)|2|Battle Leader’s Charge, Crusader’s Strike retrain for Radiant Charge, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare, Thicket of Blades, Defensive Rebuke
19|11.5|6|6|5 (2)|2|Battle Leader’s Charge, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare, Thicket of Blades, Defensive Rebuke, Radiant Charge
20|12|6|6|5 (2)|2|Battle Leader’s Charge, Charging Minotaur, Shield Block, Douse the Flames, Iron Guard’s Glare, Thicket of Blades, Defensive Rebuke, Radiant Charge[/table]
Tactics:

Levels 1-5: Straight knight, with just a sprinkling of Crusader on top. Test of mettle coupled with Iron Guard’s Glare will be your go-to ability to draw the aggro of opponents upon yourself. Your Fighting Challenge, Furious Counterstrike, and Mounted Combat bonuses to hit mean that you can load up on Power Attack bonus damage. Not only do you get decent damage from wielding a lance in two hands, but you can also multiply that damage thanks to your mounted charge. Stack on extra damage via maneuvers like Battle Leader’s Charge for more multiplication fun. Wear a buckler to make use of Shield Block (both the lame class feature and the awesome maneuver).

Levels 6-10: Shield Ally and Goad complete the agro-attraction laundry list of the Gossamer Knight. All enemies within 100 ft must save against your test of mettle. If any of them pass, you can still burn your move action to Goad them into attacking you. If they manage to pass that as well, stay adjacent to your enemies and soak up some of the damage via Shield Ally on following rounds. Soaking up this much damage reaps a twofold benefit—not only does it trigger your Furious Counterstrike ability, but also your Painful Reckoning. Anonymity is taken care of via our choice of race (see below), and we can use our racial disguise abilities in conjunction with Feign Death to essentially disappear from a fight.

Levels 11-15: Ride-by Attack and Spirited Charge ensure that our bonus damage from Power Attack, maneuvers like Battle Leader’s Charge, and Painful Reckoning really work for themselves via multiplication. Meanwhile, we snag Thicket of Blades to provide more action denial capability, and our main trick comes online: we can use Test of Mettle or Goad to lock an enemy in combat with us, then go Ethereal to deny them all but a few ways to actually hurt us. If we can snag a riverine lance, we can still even attack them while Ethereal, and we can stay mounted for charges since our equipment (including mount) goes Ethereal with us.

Levels 16-20: Martial Stance: Aura of Triumph is used to provide us a decent source of fast healing that, depending on who’s in your party, can be unrivaled. Team up with a two-weapon fighter to heal 4 HP PER HIT. When you’ve got someone dishing out plenty of attacks, they’re healing you while damaging your enemies, and that makes the action economy your friend. Alternatively, instead of charging you can use a full attack for a possible 4 attacks and 16 free HP of healing. Of course, you’ll want to be charging, especially with Radiant Charge’s inclusion in the build for more (non-stacking) bonus damage and some sick DR.

Sweet Spot: Level 18. All of your abilities are online, and the last two levels help to increase your painful reckoning and give you another use of etherealness, but the character is really complete at level 18. He can dip down below half HP by drawing the enemy’s aggro, then use that damage battery to power his own class features and heal himself in the process.

Highlights/Combos:

CAN Touch This: As already mentioned, the name of the game is drawing the attention of our enemies. Test of Mettle is used first to rope in as many mooks and other enemies as possible, followed by a move-action Goad on any big bads that make their first save. After that, maneuvers and stances ensure that our foes attack us. Iron Guard’s Glare puts them at a penalty if they attack another, Defensive Rebuke makes them attack us or face some pain, and abilities like Defensive Bulwark and Thicket of Blades make sure that they stay nice and close. If you want to enhance your capabilities in this arena, consider using a spiked chain—even with the non-proficiency penalty. It doubles your threatened area, and your to-hit bonuses from Furious Counterstrike and Painful Reckoning make up for the non-proficiency penalty. Even if enemies can bypass your abilities and attack your foes anyway, you can always soak up some of the damage if your ally is adjacent to you. Keep your friends close.
Or Can You?: Of course, once Etherealness and Shadow Walk come online, the aggro game gets a bit more one-sided…in your favor, of course. You can force enemies to attack you, but then go to another plane (which makes attacking you all but impossible). With the right gear, you can still attack them, meaning that you’ve rendered them fairly useless.
I feel your pain: At low levels, Crusader’s Strike is a great way to heal yourself while still damaging your opponents. At higher levels, you’ll need a little more oomph to pull you back above half (since part of Painful Reckoning is surviving, after all). Aura of Triumph lets you heal more per turn than fast healing could ever offer, and doesn’t take any actions away from you once you’ve adopted the stance. Even better, it can be triggered by the actions of you or an ally within 10 feet, meaning that your flanking buddy can also heal you by attacking your foes.
Just Another Brick in the Wall: Anonymity is a tough nut to crack, but a Changeling with ranks in Bluff and Disguise should crack it just fine. You can literally have a different face each time you face an enemy, and you can give them any name you want. That should prevent anyone from knowing who you truly are; in high-power campaigns, consider Racial Emulation and Persona Immersion if flaws are allowed in order to disguise your true identity against magic as well. One interesting synergy is between the Changeling’s racial ability to change shape and Feign Death—you can change shape before you die, hopefully taking on the guise of one of the nameless enemy mooks you’ve slain. While it won’t work against the shrewdest enemies, it’s a hilarious way to end an encounter without being a sitting duck to enemy attacks.
The Power of Multiplication: Power Attack. Painful Reckoning. Furious Counterstrike. Battle Leader’s Charge. Leading the Charge. STR bonus. All of these are flat damage bonuses, so you can multiply them whenever you multiply damage. Like a mounted charge with a lance (x2). With Spirited Charge (x3). You know what, make that a Valorous Lance (another x2, for a total of x5 by stacking rules). On a critical hit, we’re looking at x3 crit damage, so I believe that’s x8 damage using stacking rules. Even without a crit, our charges can deal 5d8+5(STR+Power Attack+10 Painful Reckoning+2 Furious Counterstrike+10 Battle Leader’s Charge+13 Leading the Charge). Without any variables like STR or Power Attack, that’s at least 5d8+175 damage. Once you factor in those variables, it can be even more, but we’re already invoking possible death by massive damage.

Using the Secret Ingredient:

Painful Reckoning: Test of Mettle, Goad, and Shield ally are our bread and butter for activating this ability. Of course, test of mettle and Shield Ally require a swift or immediate action (so only 1/round, and no switching stances), but Goad can be used as well (alongside either of the above or a change in stance) to ensure that WE are taking the enemy's damage, one way or another. My preferred order of events is to enter an encounter with Iron Guard's Glare active and get in the enemy's face. Right then and there, they're at a -4 to attack anyone but you. Next round, drop your test of mettle as a swift action, goad any that resist as a move action, and follow up either with another Goad or a standard action maneuver. In following rounds, you can use your swift action for Defensive Rebuke alongside a full attack on multiple enemies or save it for Shield Ally to ensure that you take damage, even from those that resisted your other powers. The good news is that taking this damage also activates your furious counterstrike.

Once you're down below half, you need a way back up. Crusader's Strike is a decent self-heal, and Shadow Walk can heal you, but you need another relevant mechanic. Depending on your party members, this could come in the form of magic or auras. However, once we reach 18th level, we can tank the whole day through by ourselves. Aura of Triumph gives us fast healing 4*(number of attacks by you or an ally within 10 feet). Even by yourself, on a full attack this can add up to fast healing 16.
Resolute Aura: A bonus to Intimidate is useful, but the class doesn't provide Intimidate as an actual class skill. Still, we've done all we can to boost it as high as possible, but not for demoralization. Instead, we're more interested in an alternative use--the duel of wills from Tome of Battle. Unlike demoralization, it doesn't take an action; you just start a duel of wills while rolling initiative. If your opponent submits, they take a minor penalty to attack you in the first round...but they also take a penalty to initiative, which can give you and your allies a crucial edge. If they choose to ignore you, you can still gain a minor bonus to attack rolls for 1 round with an easy DC15 Intimidate check. Finally, if they choose to engage you, they have to make an Intimidate check. No crazily adjusted roll like the one to oppose demoralization; just a simple Intimidate check. You get a minor bonus to attack and damage that lasts for the whole encounter, but the opponent also takes a penalty against you for the whole encounter. The morale bonus doesn't stack with your fighting challenge, but you can use the duel of wills to save your Knight challenge uses for test of mettle.
Anonymity: You literally appear as a different person every time you encounter foes, so there's not much of a chance they'll be able to get to the bottom of who you truly are. With ranks in Disguise and Bluff, along with the Second Impression skill trick and bonuses to Bluff (racial) and Disguise (Bluff synergy), you can maintain your cover identities with ease. Furthermore, you can move in on your mount, Shield Ally until you're at half HP, then gallop away until your DM rules the encounter has "ended." You can then gallop back with a different face to finish off the foes with your Painful Reckoning.
Feign Death: The main problem of Feign Death is that it allows your foes to set their own terms on when the encounter actually ends. The clement among them may leave you to die, but others may coup de grace, capture, or poison you. Even taking half damage in this state is taking damage, though. Instead, make your disguise skills work for you. Get behind a wall that blocks line of sight, activate your racial change shape ability, and then feign death as if you were one of the enemies. They're way more likely to ignore your body (or even tend to you) if they think you're one of their own, after all.
Superior Iron Will: Along with Iron Will required for entry, a decent Will save, and Indomitable Soul, you have an astronomically high Will save (even with WIS as a dump stat). However, everyone rolls a 1 every once in a while. Zealous Surge can help with that 1/day, allowing you to reroll 1 save per day. While you may want to use it for Fortitude or Reflex saves, it's also available when you choke on a Will save.
Etherealness: The only thing better than making foes attack you is making them try to attack you while you're on another plane. You can use test of mettle or Goad to lock opponents in combat with you, then move to the Ethereal Plane. There's no mention that the special abilities end when you're on another plane, so they're going to be force to try using force effects or anything else that extends onto the Ethereal Plane. If you manage to snag a weapon that extends from the Ethereal Plane to the Material plane (like a riverine lance or an Ethereal Reaver from Complete Psionic), you can still attack your foes. Furthermore, you still threaten squares with a weapon like the above, so you can still benefit from Iron Guard's Glare or Defensive Rebuke. Hit your foes, and you're forcing them to futilely try attacking you (or else they provoke an attack of opportunity).
Shadow Walk: While some DMs may argue that your mount doesn't count as equipment and can't come with you while Ethereal, you can specifically take creatures with you through Shadow Walk. Not only can you bring your mount, but your entire party. Beyond that, when you swoop in to save a random citizen from harm, you don't have to abandon them to the bad guys in order to end the encounter. Instead, you can take them with you through the Plane of Shadow, getting them out of harm's way at 60 mph.

Suggested Equipment:

Riverine Lance: can attack from Ethereal to Material...drop it on the material plane, and it extends onto the Ethereal (as its a force effect). Now, go Ethereal and pick up the handle. You've still got the other end of the weapon on the Material plane, so attack away.
Cloak of CHA
Belt of STR

Adaptation:

Flaws: If Flaws are allowed, consider taking Persona Immersion from Races of Eberron. If you save against a divination spell of 3rd level or lower (most of which require Will saves, at which you happen to be stellar), you can feed fake thoughts to the diviner. Not even magic can decipher your true identity in this case...in fact, it would even serve to further whatever identity you are using at that time. As for your second flaw, consider Evasive Reflexes from Tome of Battle. You'd need to rejigger your abilities to snag the required 13 DEX, but this feat alone would stop most non-reach charges against you. They enter your threatened area (2 squares away from you while wielding a lance), then leave it to continue towards you for an attack. They provoke an AoO, so you move 5 feet away, leaving you 10 feet away from them. If they try to close again, they're once more leaving your threatened area, provoking an AoO, so you move 5 feet away. Continue until they're out of movement. Most of the time, they'll be ending their turn 10 feet away from you, meaning that they are in your threatened area for purposes of activating Bulwark of Defense, Iron Guard's Glare, etc. If your DM finds this too cheesy, ask if you can use Racial Emulation to qualify as a Human for the Saddleback regional feat (Player's Guide to Faerun). This two-feat combo would allow you to make Ride checks in place of Reflex checks 1/round...and it also allows you to take 10 on ride checks! With this lovely combo, you can take 10 on a skill with 22 ranks at 20th level, meaning that you auto-succeed any Reflex check of DC 32 or below 1/round. Brilliant.
LA Buyoff: If using LA buyoff, consider the Mineral Warrior template from Underdark, a delightful little +1 LA. Of course, it would require your DM to allow cross-setting material, but you'd reap fantastic rewards, probably worth it if you're in a high-op or high-magic campaign. First of all, you gain a burrow speed so you can goad enemies into attacking you and then retreat into the ground. Secondly, you gain tremendous defensive capabilities, from increased natural armor to DR 8/adamantine. That's right: 8. The template is worth it for that alone. You also gain some stat boosts (but a CHA penalty, eek) and a CON-based smitelike maneuver. Since the bonus damage is keyed to racial HD, you won't get any, but you'll still get a bonus to hit.

Sources used:

Complete Adventurer: Goad
Complete Scoundrel: Second Impression skill trick
Eberron Campaign Setting: Changeling
PHB: Power Attack, Mounted Combat, Endurance, Toughness, Iron Will, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge
PHB II: Knight
Stormwrack: Riverine
Sword & Fist: Ghostwalker
ToB: Crusader, Martial Stance

[true_shinken]

And then the harder they come
The harder they fall, one and all
- Jimmy Cliff, The Harder They Come

Adamask knew he had made a mistake. His eyes had been trained on the little pack of adventurers as they sat around their fire. He had been following them for a few days now, and they had held to their routine the entire time. Break camp, eat dinner, turn in for the night. No watch.
The plan was to strike tonight. To slip into the camp, cut the filthy throats of those idiots, collect their belongings and disappear into the woods. Simple plan, simple execution, but Adamask knew he had made a mistake. He knew he had made a mistake when a starburst exploded in his field of vision and a white-hot strike lit up the back of his head. The Forrester faultered, tried to draw his blades but was pushed down by strong arms. The world around him faded into black as he struggled against his assailant, eventually consuming him totally...
The light was glaring when he regained consciousness. His body protested his awakening, the pain from the back of his head radiating all the way to his extremeties. It took him a few seconds to take his surroundings in.
"Good to see you awake, Adamask." The silver armor of an Imperial Marshal glittered in the campfire, and that stupid clump of blonde hair from beneath the helmet. Gamsey glowered down at Adamask's prone body, smug that he finally captured the infamous Forrester Bandit. "Thought I'd killed you for a while."
Adamask tried to swing at the Marshal, but he quickly realized he was bound. This was looking bad.
"Adamask del Darden, you are charged with 31 counts of murder, 26 counts of Robbery and general crimes against the people of the empire. You are sentenced to death."
The sound of steel scraping against scabbard echoed in Adamask's ears, and he knew he had made a mistake. He never felt the wound at all, he realized later, looking down at the scene. Everything had simply faded, and then he watched Gamsey sheath his blade and gather his body.
Kill him!
His mind screamed at him in a voice he had never heard, shattering his view of the scene. Such a piercing, shrill and demanding voice that spoke from the core of his soul. He knew he would have to die someday, that the end was inevitable. He knew, but he couldn't allow that moon-faced, slack-witted fulp of a Marshall be the one that did him in. It was a disgrace!
Kill him!
It was his own voice, he recognized. His very soul couldn't allow this to pass, struggling to maintain his unity. He could feel himself starting to seperate, to drift away into the aether, and along with that seperation, he felt an intense, sorrowful, tragic will to remain. When Adamask awoke, there was snow on the ground. There wasn't snow before, he knew. This didn't seem to fit. How long had he been gone?
It didn't matter.
The only thing that mattered was hunting down his killer and showing him the true and desperate horror that the afterlife could hold... He knew he had made a mistake...

Attributes
STR 8
DEX 17
CON 14
INT 10
WIS 11
CHA 15

I decided to come at the build from an unexpected direction. Activating the Secret Ingredient's Painful Reckoning ability required taking at least 50% of their hp in a single encounter, which is dangerous to say the least. To counteract this, I looked for ways to increase longevity without increasing hp, and for easy escapes should things go south. I found this in the Ghostwalk Campaign Setting from WotC.
This build, for the sake of elegance, uses the Flexible Ghost Advancement variant in the book, just to save on the ugly Raise-and-Die aspect of advancing in a ghost class.
The Corrupting Touch power from the Corrupter path synergizes well with the damage bonus he receives from Painful Reckoning, bringing a bearable 1d4 Con Damage up to 1d4+9 Con Drain per attack at the end of the build.
The Incorporeal benefits of remaining a ghost lend the build intense survivability, negating 50% of all incoming physical attacks and non-force effect spells. His attacks are extremely deadly, making him a dangerous opponent to engage. While melee-focused characters tend to have more Constitution to burn through, their Constitution is more precious to them.
Finally, should a group of foes prove more than a match for him (reduced to 30% hp), he has the option to retreat through walls or into the ground itself to escape.
Should an opponent prove able to hit him reliably (ghost-touch weapons, dangerous force-effects), he does his best to take them out quickly, or failing that to escape rapidly via Etherealness or Shadow Walk.
Should an opponent prove resistant to Constitution Damage or Drain (Undead, Construct, etc), he engages with the best two-weapon fighting appropriate weapons he has access to. These weapons are the least of his cares, though, and he is quick to abandon them if pressed.
Being incorporeal, he has access to effective stealth, allowing him to follow any opponents he doesn't finish off and strike with the benefit of Painful Reckoning when they are at their weakest.

Manifestation of Retribution
Manifestation of Retribution
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Ranger 1|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|Hide +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +4, Search +4, Spot +4|Toughness, Iron Will|Favored Enemy +1(Humanoid - Human), Track, Wild Empathy

2nd|Eidolon 1|
+2|
+2|
+2|
+2|Hide +5, Intimidate +1, Knowledge (Geography) +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +4, Search +4, Spot +4|Corrupting Touch|Ghost Feat, Free Multiclassing

3rd|Ranger 2|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+2|Hide +6, Intimidate +2, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Search +5, Spot +5|Ghostly Grasp, Two-Weapon Fighting|Combat Style

4th|Eidolon 2|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+3|Hide +7, Intimidate +3, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Search +5, Spot +5|None|None

5th|Ranger 3|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+4|Hide +8, Intimidate +4, Listen +6, Move Silently +6, Search +6, Spot +6|Endurance|Endurance

6th|Fighter 1|
+6|
+5|
+3|
+4|Hide +8, Intimidate +6, Listen +6, Move Silently +6, Search +6, Spot +6|Weapon Focus (Incorporeal Touch Attack), Agony Tough (Constitution)|Bonus Feat

7th|Ghostwalker 1|
+7|
+7|
+3|
+6|Hide +8, Intimidate +5, Listen +7, Move Silently +7, Search +6, Spot +6|None|Painful Reckoning +1, Resolute Aura, Anonymity

8th|Ghostwalker 2|
+8|
+8|
+3|
+7|Hide +8, Intimidate +6, Listen +8, Move Silently +8, Search +6, Spot +6|None|Feign Death, Painful Reckoning +2

9th|Ghostwalker 3|
+9|
+8|
+4|
+7|Hide +8, Intimidate +7, Listen +9, Move Silently +9, Search +6, Spot +6|Superior Iron Will, Shriveling Touch (Constitution)|Superior Iron Will, Painful Reckoning +3

10th|Ghostwalker 4|
+10|
+9|
+4|
+8|Hide +8, Intimidate +8, Listen +10, Move Silently +10, Search +6, Spot +6|None|Etherealness 1/day, Painful Reckoning +4

11th|Ghostwalker 5|
+11|
+9|
+4|
+8|Hide +8, Intimidate +9, Listen +11, Move Silently +11, Search +6, Spot +6|None|Shadow Walk, Painful Reckoning +5

12th|Ghostwalker 6|
+12|
+10|
+5|
+9|Hide +8, Intimidate +10, Listen +12, Move Silently +12, Search +6, Spot +6|Diehard|Painful Reckoning +6

13th|Ghostwalker 7|
+13|
+10|
+5|
+9|Hide +8, Intimidate +11, Listen +13, Move Silently +13, Search +6, Spot +6|None|Etherealness 2/day, Painful Reckoning +7

14th|Ghostwalker 8|
+14|
+11|
+5|
+10|Hide +8, Intimidate +12, Listen +14, Move Silently +14, Search +6, Spot +6|None|Painful Reckoning +8

15th|Ghostwalker 9|
+15|
+11|
+6|
+10|Hide +8, Intimidate +13, Listen +15, Move Silently +15, Search +6, Spot +6|Touch Attack Specialization|Painful Reckoning +9[/table]

Rundown
1-6: At low levels, the build plays much more brazenly than later on. At 2nd Level, he is incorporeal and thus immune to many threats of his level. He uses hit-and-run passes with his Corrupting Touch attack to wear down opponents before hiding inside physical objects. He focuses on one target at a time, whittling them down to death using whatever two-weapon-fighting appropriate weapons he scavanges. At 6th, he abandons weapons and deals exclusively in Constitution Damage. If reduced to 25 or less hp, he flees straight down into the ground and attempts to pick off targets surrepititiously.
7-8: Once he gains access to Ghostwalker, he takes more risks early in the encounter, drawing attacks from magic weapons to lose enough hp to activate Painful Reckoning. At that, he flees straight down into the ground and follows his opponents until they make camp. He then attacks, dealing as much constitution damage as possible (Benefited from Painful Reckoning), returning to hit-and-run tactics.
9: Shriveling Touch turns his Constitution Damage into Drain, making him extremely dangerous. He is no longer so quick to kill his opponents, content in the knowledge that the damage he inflicts will not heal.
10: He saves his use of Etherealness for emergency situations, usually when reduced to 30 or less hp against a foe capable of reliably damaging him. Otherwise, he darts into obstacles between draining constitution, debilitating opponents and harassing those trying to escape.
12: The 'sweet spot' of the build. While Diehard allows him to fight in negatives, he still tries to flee when threatened. If reduced to negative hp, he immediately uses Shadow Walk to flee and heal. This increases his longevity to a powerful degree, allowing him to strike at foes capable of damaging him on a regular basis.
13+: Further levels increase the damage his Shriveling Touch deals via Painful Reckoning

[true_shinken]

Finally, that was the last of them. Man, I hate bad connections (then again, who doesn't?).

Well, get ready, set, JUDGE!

[Zaq]

That last one has a rather large error in the table, making it really hard to read. I don't suppose you could fix that, Shink?

Anyway, I'm a little disappointed that no one took Obscure Personal Truename to make Anonymity really pop. Seriously, people! No one wanted to burn a feat on making it slightly harder to research and say your personal truename (not your non-personal one, of course)? Don't you worry about what'd happen if you ran into a Truenamer?! Specifically, a Truenamer with a personal interest in you and a willingness to research you specifically for, at a minimum, a number of weeks equal to half your HD in exchange for making their own abilities harder to use against you (but marginally harder to resist), yet who couldn't deal with a Truespeak and research DC 4 higher than it would be otherwise? No one considered this possibility?! It's like you've never even heard of optimization! You want to talk about glaring flaws in your builds . . . you should all be ashamed of yourselves!

Anyway, looks like a good crop this time. I eagerly await the judging!

[Thurbane]

...yet again RL got in the way of me submitting a build. Mine was going to be Monk (Undying Way) 2/Knight 5/Ghostwalker 10/Death Delver 3. Undying Monk 2 and Knight 5 took care of all the cruddy feat reqs...

Nice entries people. :smallwink:

[Amphetryon]

With the reveal done, am I the only one that looks at Ghostwalker as basically every one of Clint Eastwood's Westerns' protagonists, ever?

[Thurbane]

With the reveal done, am I the only one that looks at Ghostwalker as basically every one of Clint Eastwood's Westerns' protagonists, ever?
I can definitely see that...The Man With No Name.

[gbprime]

Okay, my patented "Seven Day Judging Guarantee" is off and running. Will have scores posted by next friday at latest. :smallwink:

My build was an attempt at Simple Yet Elegant. Dark creature template, Swordsage 9 / Ghostwalker 10. The guy specializes in disappearing to maximize the Painful Reckoning ability, alternate SS and GW for a while to keep up with the skills that Ghostwalker can't have, like Hide and Intimidate.

But enough of that, on with the builds! Good luck all.

[KoboldCleric]

Some very interesting builds. I had intended to submit either a DMM Cleric 5/Walker In Waste 10/Ghostwalker 5 persisting Anti-Magic Field or a Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 7/Abjurant Champion 5/Ghostwalker 8 using the same (and maybe VoP as well) ... until I noticed the errata changed things from (ex) to (su) :smallannoyed:

[Zaq]

At first I was toying around with a Bereft, but then I realized that it was terrible. (OK, I realized that it was terrible long ago, but there's even less synergy than there first seems to be, and there doesn't first seem to be much.) Perfect fit in fluff, godawful fit in crunch.

Then I was looking at a Barbarian using the Berserker Strength ACF from PHB2, but 1) the consensus arose that Painful Reckoning only works in subsequent encounters and 2) I realized that it's directly tied to your class level, so 10 levels of Ghostwalker would make it really hard to trigger Berserker Strength without some kind of weird tricks to get my max HP down really low (which presents a different kind of problem).

Yeah. You can see why I didn't enter this time.

[ILM]

And of course, now it's posted, I start noticing mistakes in my build... :smallmad:

Le sigh.

[Amechra]

I was going to do a Blue Dragon Shaman 6/Crusader 2/Ghostwalker 10/Crusader +2, focusing on his breath weapon and not going below 50% of his hp (Vigor Aura+Devoted Spirit Strikes), but ended up not having time.

Good builds, all.

[yugi24862]

I was going first to factotum8/fighter2/ghostwalker10 and using my extra standard actions for something, but couldn't fit the feats in. Then for a gnome bard fear stacker, but didnt like it.

[true_shinken]

That last one has a rather large error in the table, making it really hard to read. I don't suppose you could fix that, Shink?

I don't know how to fix it, actually. If you could PM me about it, I'd apreciate it.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Alright, I should have my judging completed by the end of the week. Got a few things that I still need to check out about the entries, though.

Good work all around!

[Amphetryon]

1. How goes the judging?

2. Made any decision about the next IC Challenge, shinken?

[Amechra]

Can the next one be a half caster, please?

[gbprime]

Judge update... 3 builds down, 4 to go. :smallbiggrin:

[kestrel404]

I have reviewed the entries, but haven't started a real judging. I expect to have time thursday or friday.

[dextercorvia]

I humbly request something that isn't 3.0 specific. Okay, I'm not really doing so humbly, but I will arrogantly pretend that I could ask it humbly if I wanted to.

[gbprime]

I humbly request something that isn't 3.0 specific. Okay, I'm not really doing so humbly, but I will arrogantly pretend that I could ask it humbly if I wanted to.

Honesty. I respect that. :smallamused:

[true_shinken]

Hm, we really could use a half caster, couldn't we?
And a not 3.0 one at that, check.

[Thurbane]

Hm, we really could use a half caster, couldn't we?
And a not 3.0 one at that, check.
Rage Mage was suggested last comp, and that seems to fit the bill.

Probably a bit of an obscure source, but almost every casting PrC in the Dragon Magazine Compendium is 1/2 casting progression, too.

[Amechra]

Fleet Runner of Ehlona would be a lovely PrC to try out; either that or the Flux Adept and/or Osteomancer.

[yugi24862]

Earth dreamer from RoS might be a good pick, although only 5 levels.

[Amechra]

Say, how about having TWO secret ingredients, both 5 level classes?

[dextercorvia]

I'm going to put out there that only 1 of the last 5 competitions came from Core + Complete.

[Amphetryon]

Rage Mage was suggested last comp, and that seems to fit the bill.

Mindbender has also been suggested in the past, as a half-caster that rarely sees more than a dip.

[Thurbane]

Say, how about having TWO secret ingredients, both 5 level classes?
Now that would be interesting...if it goes outside the scope of the regular thread, maybe we could have a one-off special?

[Urpriest]

There have been a lot of special competitions and hard-to-find ingredients recently...I think the competition needs to go back to its roots for a few runs to build up its base.

[Zaq]

Say, how about having TWO secret ingredients, both 5 level classes?


Now that would be interesting...if it goes outside the scope of the regular thread, maybe we could have a one-off special?

So if the E6 one was Iron Chef Optimization: Appetizer Edition, would this one be Iron Chef Optimization: Tapas Edition?

[Amechra]

Yes it would be.

Now excuse me while I post the results for IC:A.

[Kuulvheysoon]

So if the E6 one was Iron Chef Optimization: Appetizer Edition, would this one be Iron Chef Optimization: Tapas Edition?

Nah, it'd be <i>Iron Chef Optimization: Twosies Edition</i> (as in the snack consumed around 2pm in some parts of the world, and it a horrible "pun" for the dual PrCs. They would have to match fluff-wise, of course, which might make it a bit harder.

I'm done the first 2/8 contestants, for those interested (you know how you are).

[Amechra]

A link to the next Iron Chef: Appetizer Edition. You know you want to click it. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11119604#post11119604)

[Amphetryon]

Nah, it'd be <i>Iron Chef Optimization: Twosies Edition</i> (as in the snack consumed around 2pm in some parts of the world, and it a horrible "pun" for the dual PrCs. They would have to match fluff-wise, of course, which might make it a bit harder.

I'm done the first 2/8 contestants, for those interested (you know how you are).

Is there enough interest in this one-off for a contest, folks? I might have a pairing in mind.

[Amechra]

A vote for interest on my part.

[Xodion]

So many contests... A dual-class challenge sounds interesting, but it would depend on the classes, as I would want to be at least vaguely familiar with both to enter.

[true_shinken]

While I find the idea interesting, I worry that it would draw attention away form this contest, so we could have two contest with few contestants and few judges.

[KoboldCleric]

Agreed. Personally, I'd be interested in all three competitions (as either a contestant or a judge), but would need at least a weekend for each due to work and such.

[true_shinken]

Agreed. Personally, I'd be interested in all three competitions (as either a contestant or a judge), but would need at least a weekend for each due to work and such.

Yeah, that's what I mean. I would like to judge/participate in the other competitions, but I don't think I would have the time between IC and Grand Dream to do that.

But since I just got a (much better) setup for my office here, I might have more time available for the forums when the rig is not too busy. Who knows. Time wil tell.

Keep suggestions coming for the next SI. What we have decided is:

A half-caster class. A 6/10 class could do as well, I imagine.
Something from Core + Completes

[Amphetryon]

Yet another bad half-caster option for the next IC: Acolyte of the Skin.

[Amechra]

How about Bonded Summoner? Or Master Transmogrophist?

[gbprime]

Well, overtime at work and severe weather at home blew my "7 day judging guarantee" out of the water, so I guess I never get to claim THAT one again... :smalleek:

But without further ado, here are my results. I found it difficult to score anyone particularly low across multiple categories, so we have a tight field thus far. Ghostwalker just comes packed with flavor.

Chill – 14.0
Originality – 4.25 – Warlock is an unusual choice for this (+0.25), but Ghost Template Class (+0.5) and Master of the Unseen Hand (+0.5). Wild and thematic!

Power – 3.75 – Telekinesis at level 4 with caster level 12 (+0.5) and it just gets better from there. Unless you’re using it to grapple or disarm, you have to wait several rounds between bursts though, which is when your Warlock blast comes in. While you can use Painful Reckoning with Eldritch Blast, your damage tops at 3d6 and is usuable once a round only. (-0.5) Plus it’s 15th level before you can use equipment like other characters can (-0.25), and taking Ghostly Grasp earlier in (un)life would have been very handy to your career. On the other hand, you are superior at leaving a combat and therefore quite survivable (+0.5), and the ghost immunities and abilities are quite nice (+0.5).

Elegance – 2.75 – Leftover unspent skill points are a bad taste in the mouth (-0.25) and a lack of backstory is a hit as well (-0.25). Lifesense is a very thematic feat to pick up but it does not provide LOS through walls as you think it does, even says so in the feat description. (-0.25) There is however something thematically cool about a vengeance-seeking PrC and a character who is already dead. (+0.5)

Use of Secret Ingredient – 3.25 – Intimidate is maxxed out (+0.25) and extra effort is spent to use it via Imperious Command and Beguiling Influence (+0.25). Painful Reckoning is simple to activate by virtue of being a Ghost and you can even actually die and still come back on them later (+0.5). But you are 2 levels shy on capping the special ingredient (-0.25) and the Ethereal and Feign Death abilities are of no use to you whatsoever (-0.5)

Violet – 13.0
Originality – 3.25 – I could see a Totemist coming for this build for the Girallon Arms. A two level dip is a bit light, though (-0.25), but Soulbow was a surprise (+0.5). The backstory was adequate, but doesn’t really tell us anything about the character or build, only that she is a Ghostwalker.

Power – 3.5 – You’re using multiple attacks and have multiple small bonuses stacking on them (aside from the Painful Reckoning, which is assumed and I’m not giving points for that) (+0.5). The inclusion of ranged damage helps balance out the lack of versatility of the build.

Elegance – 2.5 – The basic problem here is that you’re assuming you can fire as many mind arrows as you have hands/claws. In my opinion that is not the case. Multiple attacks from mind arrows are specifically granted from base attack bonus, per the Soulbow article. (You are limited to one Free Action per round, and the Free Action is what creates the mind arrows. The number of limbs you have is irrelevant if you cannot generate enough mind arrows with one free action to fill them.) So while you’re still a buzzsaw in melee combat with all those Painful Reckoning bonuses on each extra limb, the soulbow shots are still limited to BAB plus Rapid Shot. So at 9th level, for example, your melee attacks are 2 soulknife attacks plus 4 claws, while your ranged attacks are 3 mind arrows. At 20th, you’re capping at 5 ranged attacks, not 11. Nothing to sneeze at once all that extra damage comes on line later, but not quite as many attacks as you were planning. (-0.5)

Use of Secret Ingredient – 3.25 – Not really a skills build, but you put more than the minimum into the required ones. And I like the use of Spot and Listen to enhance the “scout with vengeance” approach (+0.25). A multiple attacks build does utilize the Painful Reckoning fairly well (+0.25), but you need a method of retreat to activate it. And 10 feet of teleportation via a Blink Shirt just doesn’t cut it without an incredible hide skill to back it up. (-0.25)
The Beloved – 14.5
Originality – 3.25 – Duskblade, no surprise. Abjurant Champion, no surprise. Vecna Blooded… surprise, and quite in line with the concept (+0.25). (Look for more points on it later.) The brief backstory is neither a bonus nor a penalty, though.

Power – 3.75 – Knowledge Devotion is a nice addition, but you don’t have the skill points needed to supercharge it (you can’t count on anything bigger than a +2 until your teens, and then not on all skills), so it’s just worth a small bonus here (+0.25). Arcane Channeling nearly always comes with an automatic plus to your power score, especially with a high caster level to power Vampiric Touch (+0.5).

It would be worth more had you a way to do more than one such attack per round. (But Duskblade 13 is kind of out of the question…) At your build’s end, you’re looking at choosing between 4 (or 5 if you sponge a Haste from someplace) attacks at a bonus +12 damage or so from Painful Reckoning and Knowledge Devotion, or a single attack with that +12 and an extra 8d6 vampiric touch damage. So as your build progresses, the difference between full attack and Channeled attack actually evens out.

Elegance – 3.75 – Taking Abjurant Champion to 5th for Martial Arcanist is sweet (+0.25), but not nearly as sweet as the effect of the Vecna Blooded template… erasing your identity and eliminating one of the weaknesses of the Ghostwalker? Awesome (+0.5). And I’m a fan of the simplicity of a build with one base class and no dips (+0.25). A spell list would have been nice, though (-0.25).

Use of Secret Ingredient – 3.75 – The Protection domain spells provide an interesting method of ending a combat and taking enough damage to activate Painful Reckoning (+0.25). The Draconic Aura is a good investment for taking the punishment you need to activate your main PrC ability (+0.25), and having full BAB for the entire build is, IMO, worth another bonus (+0.25). And I’ll give the Draconic Aura a second bonus for the effect it has on utilizing Feign Death (+0.25). But there’s the cost of not taking the special ingredient to level 10 (-0.25).
Justice – 15.25
Originality – 4.5 – This is an excellent example of characterization by way of the rules. The levels and feats tell the story just as much as his back story does. It’s solid, it’s tight, and it resonates. (+1) And I just plain old like the back story and the way it does a scene at each stage of the character development (+0.5). Urban Ranger is a natural flow into Justicar, but it’s the addition of Unarmed Swordsage that caps the motif (+0.25). It pains me to deduct for the two level Justicar dip (-0.25).

Power – 3.25 – What the build is light on is pure whomping power. Outside of Painful Reckoning, you’ve got the odd bonus die here and there from maneuvers, relying on the Justicar bonus die and 2 or 3 manuvers per fight. Overall that’s worth a modest bonus (+0.25).

Elegance – 4.0 – This build has a purpose outside of combat, and it ties in very tightly with whom the character is, as Ghostwalker is a natural tie in to a manhunter (+1).

Use of Secret Ingredient – 3.5 – The PrC skills are taken well beyond what is needed to qualify for the class (+0.25) and Shadow Jaunt is a good vehicle to bring Painful Reckoning online (+0.25). Otherwise you’re making no exceptional use of the Ghostwalker abilities that others aren’t doing as well.
Harv – 12.75
Originality – 3.25 – Haven’t seen mongrelfolk in a while and it synergizes nicely with the “I have been wronged” theme of Ghostwalker (+0.25). Ranger and Warblade are solid choices, if not surprising ones.

Power – 3.25 – Involuntary Rage is quite nice, though difficult to activate, and Pain Mastery helps too while losing enough HP to activate Painful Reckoning (+0.25). I’ve been giving full BAB across all levels a bonus as well (+0.25). One extra attack via TWF and some bonus damage with Punishing Stance isn’t much of a raw power boost, though. Greater Insightful Strike would have been if it came before level 20, and while Hearing the Air is a nice stance, you’re picking it up at level 19 and not linking it to anything that doesn’t have a 50% miss chance (-0.25). Knowing what square someone is in might be fine if you have a Telepathic Bond going with someone who does AOE damage, but since you can’t overcome that 50% miss chance on your own, the feat does little good.

Elegance – 3.5 – Using the Toughness requirement to synergize four CON 20 feats from Savage Species was a nice mechanic (+0.5). But building damage reduction into a Ghostwalker is a step backwards, as the Painful Reckoning requires you to lose hit points, and DR acts to prevent that (-0.25). Stone Power is a lovely feat to keep you from dying after you’ve lost all those HP, and you would have done well to take it at 12th instead of 20th where I could have given you a larger bonus for it (+0.25). (Taking that at 12th and taking Sudden Recovery as your bonus feat at 20th so you can use Greater Insightful Strike twice in a combat would have been a higher score in Power.)

Use of Secret Ingredient – 2.75 – You took more than the basic ranks in the PrC qualifying skills, so no penalty there. What I don’t see is a Hide skill, despite your +4 racial bonus in it. I looked for that because I wanted to see what mechanic you’re using to duck out of a fight and activate Painful Reckoning later, and I don’t see anything that isn’t already part of the PrC (-0.25).
Slave – 12.25
Originality – 3.75 – No 2 level dips and a functional backstory. Haven’t seen Thayan Gladiator in a while (+0.5), and you do more than just dip into the Incarnum feats as well (+0.25), which adds to the flavor.

Power – 3.25 – BAB of 19/20 is a good place to start, but the build doesn’t have a lot of bonus damage outside of Painful Reckoning (which as I mentioned earlier, PR is not being weighed as part of Power score since everyone here gets it). And you have numerous places to put your essentia, but have only a point or so for each option. The Stunning Critical on a 19 threat is worth a little bonus (+0.25).

Elegance – 2.5 – I like the bit about using Blink Shirt to pull a Murdock and get out whenever you need (+0.5). But you’ve really pigeon-holed the build by assuming that you know most of your opponents already and that they don’t know you (-0.5) and by assuming that the evil-society gladitorial bouts are rarely to the death (-0.5), which seems counterintuitive to me.

Use of Secret Ingredient – 2.75 – You give a bit of extra attention to the required skills, but don’t max them out. But you don’t have any mechanisms for surviving fights and activating Painful Reckoning, with the exception of your backstory, so that’s a small bonus there (+0.25). Trouble is, Painful Reckoning is really the only thing out of the PrC you’re using to it’s full extent, and I can’t see that more Thayan Gladiator or Totemist wouldn’t make for a stronger build. (-0.5)
Gossamer Knights – 14.75
Originality – 4.25 – I had not thought of using a Changeling to reinforce the anonymity clause (+0.25), and I am really impressed with the concept of letting people think the character is part of an order rather than a single individual (+1). WELL done.

Power – 4.25 – BAB 20 over 20 levels… bonus (+0.25). Charging build with the necessary feats and stacking multipliers to pull it off (+0.5) and a fair selection of maneuvers to boost damage now and again (+0.25) and to guard others (+0.25), which is within concept.

Elegance – 2.75 – Contrary to what you mentioned in the tactics section, your mount does NOT go ethereal with you (-0.25), but can Shadow Walk with you. (Had you figured out a way to make the mount Ethereal too, I’d have given you a large bonus. But a mount is not “equipment”, it is a creature. So unless it’s a construct, there’s not much to argue.)

Use of Secret Ingredient – 3.5 – The two required PrC skills (Move Silently, Intimidate) receive ample attention, and Intimidate is nearly maxed out at 20th level (+0.25). I don’t see Feign Death being used very much with a “ride to the rescue” motif (-0.25), and while Etherealness cannot bring your mount with you and therefore is of little use to a mounted combat build (-0.25), the idea of Shadow Walking cavalry is awesome (+0.5). What you’re not doing is disappearing from a fight to easily activate Painful Reckoning (-0.25), because while you personally are covered by your abilities, again your MOUNT is not. (Not until you can Shadow Walk, that is.)

Manifestation – 11.75
Originality – 3.0 – I’m going to assume he’s a human ghost (+5 LA). (I dock you in Elegance for making me assume.) There are cheaper ways to do this, but this is straightforward.

Power – 3.75 – I’m assuming you took Draining Touch and then Corrupting Touch as a bonus. So you’re two weapon fighting with touch attacks doing both damage and CON drain. Nice (+0.5). And being a ghost comes with survivability perks (+0.5). I see you spending 2 additional feats turning ability drain into permanent damage, and I can’t help but think that those would be better spent (-0.25). And I can’t give the 100% BAB bonus I’ve been giving others, because with that +5 LA, you’re really looking at 15/20.

Elegance – 2.25 – The build is missing a lot of information, like sources and a description of the race and LA that are causing that massive +5 LA. So I have to dock you for that (-0.5) since it’s harder to figure out how this is put together. I will give you a bonus, however, for getting Ghostly Grasp early on in the build (+0.25), as most people put that off far too long. But you spent a feat on Diehard, which helps you at negative hit points… only as a ghost you are destroyed (to reform later) upon reaching 0 HP, so this feat seems completely useless (-0.5)

Use of Secret Ingredient – 2.75 – Extra love was given to the PrC’s required skills, but the special ingredient was only taken to level 9 (-0.25). Feign Death is useless (-0.25) and Etherealness is redundant (-0.25), though as an incorporeal critter you have a beautiful way to disengage the fight and bring Painful Reckoning online (+0.5).

[true_shinken]

For the Gossamer Knights, just a note - a clockwork steed as a mount could work.

[Zaq]

Could it? It's still a construct, which is a creature rather than an object. It may have a WIS of 10 and a CHA of 1, but it's still firmly in the "creature" side of the equation.

[The Gilded Duke]

I would be oh so very happy if we could get a Pathfinder Iron Chef Challenge going.

[true_shinken]

Could it? It's still a construct, which is a creature rather than an object. It may have a WIS of 10 and a CHA of 1, but it's still firmly in the "creature" side of the equation.
Well, gbprime mentioned construct mounts. Don't constructs count as objects, anyway?

[gbprime]

Could it? It's still a construct, which is a creature rather than an object. It may have a WIS of 10 and a CHA of 1, but it's still firmly in the "creature" side of the equation.

Well constructs are counted as objects for many things, but yes are actually creatures unto themselves. Which is why I said a construct could be argued with a DM, not that it would automatically work.

It'd be hard to get the Etherealness ability to cover the Ghostwalker's mount as well, and I was really hoping Gossamer Knights had gotten it to work. That would have been the difference between first and second place (IMHO of course) right there.

[OMG PONIES]

Minor technical difficulties. I'm communicating w/ Jumilk about Iron Chef; it shall continue. Stay tuned.

[dextercorvia]

That which must not be discussed has occurred. Let me know if I can help in any way.

[gbprime]

Ouch. Temporary, I hope?

[KoboldCleric]

I second both gbprime and dextercorvia

[OMG PONIES]

Well, right now we're just waiting for our other judges, so it's actually not the worst timing. We hope to have it resolved soon.

On that note, any updates from Kuulvheysoon or kestrel404? I know it's been about a week since their last judging updates. Gbprime, a quick question on your scores: you gave Violet a total score of 13, but the sum of the four categorical scores is only 12.5. Which is correct?

[gbprime]

Gbprime, a quick question on your scores: you gave Violet a total score of 13, but the sum of the four categorical scores is only 12.5. Which is correct?

Looks like I'm guilty of math fail there. The sum of the 4 scores is correct figure, as I explain how I arrived at each one. So 12.5 should be the correct total. Sorry Violet.

[Jumilk]

Ouch. Temporary, I hope?

Actually, it's a real banishment. He was in probation and did an infraction.
And now his IP is blocked.
Don't worry, guys. He said to continue normally this IC.
Please, PM me for disputes and all the stuff. I will be a mediator and I will pass all to him.

I saw we already have one judgement! Nice. ^^

[kestrel404]

Sorry for the silence, but I've been swamped at home and work. I've barely started my judging but I'll see how far I can get into it tonight.

[Amphetryon]

Sorry for the silence, but I've been swamped at home and work. I've barely started my judging but I'll see how far I can get into it tonight.

Thanks for the update. We can be patient. *squirmsquirm* Well, in theory we can be patient.

[OMG PONIES]

We understand that real life comes first. It's just nice to have updates like that so we know that we shouldn't stop waiting for you.

[GrandDreamer]

Ladies and gentlemen, I think we'll be able to get this show back on the road.
Stay tuned.

[kestrel404]

As a quick note, I've finished 3 builds. Should be able to do a few more tonight, perhaps finish over the weekend.

[Private-Prinny]

If the creators of the builds are willing to PM me about their identity, I can do another stint as chairman. All that's left for this round is judging disputes, and I can handle that without being bogged down by not actually having S&F.

[kestrel404]

I had some time this morning so I managed to finish up.

Chill
Originality - Human, Ghost, Warlock, Master of the Unseen Hand. I expected Human and Ghost. Warlock is an interesting choice, and if you'd played it up for its 'gunslinger' aspects I really would have liked this entry. MotUH goes hand-in-hand with ghost. And a total lack of flavor text just makes this entry kind of lacking in the originality depertment. Score: 1.5
Power - Starting out as a ghost means your LA is going to be epically painful. Etherealness is nice and all that, but a goblin with a +1 sling has a decent shot at killing you at ECL 6, and forget about facing an enemy spellcaster. You also don't get Ghostly Graps until ECL 15, which is kind of like taking a very sucky vow of poverty for most of your early levels unless you can find a sneaky way around this - and no mention of such tricks in the build means no equipment. It doesn't help that ghostwalker by itself does almost nothing for the build. It's barely thematically appropriate and as you pointed out yourself, one of the most potent abilities, etherealness, does nothing for you. There's a serious lack of synergy here. You do take imperious command, though, and etherealness by itself is quite powerful. Score: 2
Elegance - You cannot take 3 levels of a savage species racial progression and then stop. You have to take the entire progression. Edit: Apparently, you can for the online progressions. Besides which, if you'd gone on and taken the Malevolence power, you could have played up the whole 'masked avenger' angle to good effect. That said, 1 base class and 2 prestige, even with a poorly chosen template isn't terrible. Score: 4
Use of Secret Ingredient - You don't really use the secret ingredient. Until you basically hit ECL ~17, you have relatively low survivability thanks to being effectively un-raisable and being reduced below 1 HP means you have a 5*(15-HD)% chance of effectively-permanent death, so you're not actually going to want to tempt fate by losing 1/2 of your HP in every encounter. I can't really see how Ghostwalker is actually helping this build in any way beyond full BAB. You do manage to use the intimidate bonus through imperiouis command, and shadow walk. Score: 2
Total: 9.5

Violet
Originality - Totemist/Soulbow. This is entirely unexpected. I don't think I've seen anyone trying to use Girallon Arms to qualify for MWF just to get more soulbow attacks. Azurin is also very nice as a human-alternative. I'd have liked a bit more story. Score: 4.5
Power - A well executed ranged-attack build. You've got most of the tricks down, except for a few issues. First, the Hidden Talent feat is charisma based, and if you don't have a charisma of at least 11, you cannot manifest the associated power. It's also arguably ML 1, since soulknife does not provide a manifester level. Either way, that Expansion power isn't going to do you a bit of good as-is. Also, the Open Chakra feat does not let you shape or bind any extra soulmelds, it just gives you additional options on where to use your existing chakra binds - you can still shape/bind pegasus cloak or other soulmelds, but you'd be giving up your Girallon arms to do it - you've only got the 1 chakra bind, period. That said, you should definitely have put Greater multiweapon and fighting (assuming a +4 dex item out of 15th level cash is not at all unreasonable). Score: 3.5
Elegance - You've got a 2/4 split on your base classes, and neither is a favored class. And if you'd taken Soulknife as your 1st level you could have had a few additional skill points to spend later on, since you're buying both Autohypnosis and Move silent as cross-class at level 1. Other than that, I don't see anything really wrong. Score: 3
Use of Secret Ingredient - You've got a plan for the various class features and a good reason to use them. That said, you could have done just as well or better by advancing your meldshaping. Score: 3
Total: 14

The Beloved
Originality - Duskblade was definitely the expected entry, and human was the expected race. Vecna-blooded is an excellent addition though, even if it costs you an HD. Score: 2
Power - You've got 3rd level spell, CL 19 and decent HP. This is a very nice gish build. Unfortunately, your Draconic Aura trick won't work for keeping you alive, so hopefully you've got access to a DMM cleric or some other means of quality healing. You DO manage to blow through your own HP relatively well though. Score: 4
Elegance - You cannot choose the Dragon Shaman auras with the Draconic Aura feat by RAW, otherwise this would be one of the most popular feats in char-op. Additionally, you need to be dragonblooded just to take the draconic aura feat at all. Aside from this mild blunder, the build is simple, straightforward and works nicely. Score: 4
Use of Secret Ingredient - Your proposed use of feign death doesn't work. It uses the phrase "enter a cataleptic state", which may not necessarily be an in-game term, but it has a very specific medical meaning. You're paralysed. However, if you were to pick up Still Spell as a feat, I can't see any reason why that wouldn't work by RAW. At least with martial arcanist, you've got a decent reason to move out of Duskblade and go into something like Ghostwalker. It also would have been nice to complete the secret ingredient, but I can see why Abjurant Champion is more useful. Score: 3
Total: 13

Justice
Originality - Well, ranger was expected, but this is so thematic as to be truly awesome. Full points for style here. Score: 5
Power - You're rather lacking in terms of capability at higher level. While ghostwalker adds a bit to versatility, without the ability to convert that BAB into power attack, it just can't keep up in the damage department, even with superior unarmed strike. I think this build would have been a lot stronger if you'd left behind the unarmed strike portion and gone Warblade 3/Bloodstorm Blade 2 in place of swordsage. Justicar's Bring 'em back alive ability keys off of 'melee weapon', not melee attack, and therefore combos with bloodstorm blade very nicely. Score: 2
Elegance - Iron heart surge requires you to have another iron heart maneuver to take it. Other than that, the build looks legal and I can't see a GM who'd reject it. Score: 4
Use of Secret Ingredient - I can see how the build is mildly synergistic, but I just don't see how you're using Ghostwalker beyond that painful reckoning bonus and maybe shadow walk (I suppose you can track while shadow walking, which would be neat). At least the class is thematically appropriate. Score: 2
Total: 13

Harv
Originality - Ranger really is the expected entry, both for the reasons you stated and because it's one of the few ways to get endurance without actually having to waste a feat on it. Warblade is also a good choice, and I'm glad to see someone using mongrelfolk. Nothing really unexpected here except the savage-species feats. Score: 2
Power - You're really hinging your strategy on heavy-hitting enemies with both involuntary rage and DR 4/-. Pain mastery hedges your bets a little, but with your truly monstrous HP total it's stilly pretty unlikely that you're going to be hitting that 1/2 HP mark very often. Also, stone power would have made a lot more sense earlier in the build - enemies hitting that temp HP shield still count towards the damage target for painful reckoning. Score: 2
Elegance - Other than using a slew of savage species feats, which I'm not going to penalize, you did unfortunately leave your character at ranger 5/warblade 3 for several levels, which would have incurred a multiclassing penalty. You could have easily kept that from happening by continuing double-lockstep advancement of the two classes. Also, this is one case where alternate class features could have seriously improved your build's elegance - getting a handful of level 1 spells and a 1 HD animal companion at ECL 12 is a total waste. Both of those class features should have been traded for something useful. Score: 3
Use of Secret Ingredient - I can see where you're going with this, and it's just not worth it to take Ghostwalker. Yes, both the etherealness and the shadow walk is nice, and I'm glad you pointed out the out of combat uses for the intimidate bonus, but you've just got no real way of getting aggro to pull off your major combo. The combo is there, and aside from that major flaw you're pretty well built. I think you would have done better without the two DR feats, taking some form of 'take damage in place of party members' abilities instead (there are a couple of ways to do that). Score: 2
Total: 9

slave
Originality - Nothing in the expected entry list. I'd have liked to see a bit more flavor, though. If you'd gone with a Luchadore theme, ghostwalker would have been truly magnificent. Score: 3
Power - Even with all the focus your putting on spine attacks, they're going to be lagging behind a bit on damage. Other than that, it looks good and between improved critical and stunning critical plus soulmelds, you've got a decent attack routine and reasonable flexibility. Score: 3
Elegance - A well balanced build. It is unfortunate that skarn favor the incarnte class when they are so obviously meant to be totemists - especially since there was no real reason at all to take totemist 3. But I can find no flaw in the build. Score: 5
Use of Secret Ingredient - Why aren't you a totem rager? You even take Cobalt Rage as soon as you finish paying feat taxes on ghostwalker! Yes, you'd lose full BAB progression, but you'd still have 16 by level 20 and with a few more soulmelds you could have more natural attacks than you'd ever get iteratives. I can't see any benefit at all from taking ghostwalker for this build. Score: 1
Total: 12

Gossamer Knights
Originality - Ah, I was wondering if someone was going to pick up on the knight or crusader synergy. Bravo on spotting both. While I expected both, Knight is rare enought that it's still an original combination. And changeling was actually an interesting choice for race. Score: 4.5
Power - The name of the game here is synergy - the Crusader and the Knight. This build is fueld by strength and charisma, with con being useful but not terribly necessary. Seriously, the amount of damage-drawing you've got here makes the build really awesome. The only changes I'd make would be a different race (changeling just doesn't add anything here, despite it protecting your 'secret identity'). Score: 4.5
Elegance - Unfortunately, I track multiclass penalties, and you've got them starting with your first level of crusader. While I like the concept of the anonymous changeling-knight, I think that you could have done just as well by choosing a more suitable race, covering yourself head-to-toe in armor and claiming anonymous tin-can status. Other than that, the build has a great deal of synergy, no dips, and is otherwise legal as far as I can tell. Score: 4
Use of Secret Ingredient - Well, the only possible quibble I have with this build at all is that you're not fear-stacking. Otherwise, you can put every class feature to good use and you've got good reason for preferring Ghostwalker over any other prestige class. Score: 4.5
Note: If you'd been a human Rashemen with the Dreadful Wrath feat and a bit more backstory, I think I might have given this build full marks. If you'd mentioned Necropolitan and Evolved Undead under the character options section, it would have been definite full marks. Even so, very nice.
Total: 17.5

Retribution
Originality - While you're not the only one in the contest to use ghost, you're the only one to use it right - although you could have been a bit more explicit about taking the ghost template. The only reason I know it's there is that you only took 15 levels of classes and it's a +5 LA template. I'm assuming that the template is applied before level 2? Regardless, you used Ranger to get Endurance, which nearly everyone else did as well, and aside from the couple of levels of eidolon and a fighter dip (I assume for an extra feat), there's not a lot else to the build. I also have to assume that your race is human, since you've got the extra feat, although that means you forgot about your extra skill points (indeed, you've only got 20 points of skills at 1st level instead of the 28 you should have.) Score: 3.5
Power - Being capable of dealing 1d4+9 con damage on a touch attack several times per day is a very handy ability. Incorporeality by itself is also very nice. Aside from that, you've got almost nothing. If you DID take the Ghost template, you forgot to mention what powers you gained off of that template, and in truth the best thing you get off of the Ghostwalker class is shadow walk for the fast healing. Power: 2
Elegance - The build looks like it's only half completed. Nothing you have is illegal, but there's not enough there for me to give full marks. Additionally, both fighter and eidolon are basically dips. Score: 1
Use of Secret Ingredient - Etherealness is completely useless for you - seriously, if you stop manifesting you go back to the ethereal plane. Shadow walk lets you move around faster and heal, which is good because healing is somewhat difficult for you. Being able to deal con damage means that you get a lot more bang out of painful reckoning, but you've lost a lot of versatility to get that. And of course feign death is just useless for you. Score: 2
Total: 8.5

[Zaq]

Point of order, Mr. Kestrel: I did not build Chill (and indeed, I'm not even a contestant this round), but Ghost is one of them thar online savage progressions, (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040117a) which, unlike the ones in Savage Species, explicitly say (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a) that you don't have to take all of the levels of them.

I bring this up only because the exact same confusion (from, indeed, the exact same template) came up in the Dread Pirate contest.

(I normally would have PMed the chair about this, but I'm not sure that we've officially decided who that is yet, have we?)

[kestrel404]

Thank you. I've adjusted my score accordingly.

[OMG PONIES]

If the creators of the builds are willing to PM me about their identity, I can do another stint as chairman. All that's left for this round is judging disputes, and I can handle that without being bogged down by not actually having S&F.

Thanks for the offer, Prinny! At least for this round, Jumilk has mentioned that she'd like disputes sent to her; I imagine she'll be taking care of the reveal as well. I think we're also waiting for judging from Kuulvheysoon. However, if we don't get this sorted out by XXII, would you want to chair?

Tallies after Two Judges (before disputes)
{table=head]ENTRY|PLACE|TOTAL|AVERAGE*
The Gossamer Knights|GOLD|32.25|4.03
Justice|SILVER|28.25|3.53
The Beloved|BRONZE|27.5|3.44
Violet Sun Fha|Fourth|26.5|3.31
slave|Fifth|24.25|3.03
Chill|Sixth|23.5|2.94
Harv|Seventh|21.75|2.72
Manifestation of Retribution|Eighth|20.25|2.53[/table]

[Private-Prinny]

Thanks for the offer, Prinny! At least for this round, Jumilk has mentioned that she'd like disputes sent to her; I imagine she'll be taking care of the reveal as well. I think we're also waiting for judging from Kuulvheysoon. However, if we don't get this sorted out by XXII, would you want to chair?

I'll gladly give the chair to Jumilk if she wants to be chairman, but I'll take it if no one else wants to.

[Jumilk]

I'll gladly give the chair to Jumilk if she wants to be chairman, but I'll take it if no one else wants to.

I'm honored, but I don't understand enough about the game to do this. You should do this, Prinny. ^^
If you'd want it, I could keep doing the trophies. Just send me the winner's name in advance.
I just requested that you send disputes to me because I can get in touch with my fiancee and only he knows which build is from each contestant in this IC. therefore I can do the reveal. Also, a bird told me someone had Acolyte of the Skin planned as the next secret ingredient.

[Private-Prinny]

I'm honored, but I don't understand enough about the game to do this. You should do this, Prinny. ^^
If you'd want it, I could keep doing the trophies. Just send me the winner's name in advance.
I just requested that you send disputes to me because I can get in touch with my fiancee and only he knows which build is from each contestant in this IC. therefore I can do the reveal. Also, a bird told me someone had Acolyte of the Skin planned as the next secret ingredient.

Well, that someone isn't me, so I don't see how that has much bearing on things.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Sorry for the wait, guys - RL has interfered in a BIG way. I only have one or two entries left, though, and I'll finish them by Wednesday night latest.

Honest.

[gbprime]

Uh... bump?

[Private-Prinny]

Sorry for the wait, guys - RL has interfered in a BIG way. I only have one or two entries left, though, and I'll finish them by Wednesday night latest.

Honest.

Liar. :smalltongue:

[Amphetryon]

*gently prods Kuulvheysoon and the thread*

[Akal Saris]

I would be oh so very happy if we could get a Pathfinder Iron Chef Challenge going.

You and me both, sir.

By the way, I really like a lot of the builds in this challenge. :smallbiggrin:

[Amphetryon]

So. . .Kuulvheysoon. . . :smallsmile:

[Jumilk]

Do you guys want me to post the disputes what I received until now?I was waiting for all the judgements like Shin told me to do. But if you guys think doing it will advance the challenge... :smallsmile:

[OMG PONIES]

I think that would be fine, and it would buy Kuulvheysoon some time. He(?) hasn't been online since 6/13, which was last Tuesday. I imagine he's still slogging through real life.

[Jumilk]

So if someone wants to send me disputes, please do it.

[Amphetryon]

So, um, bump?

[Jumilk]

Disputes!


Kestrel404—you mention that human was an expected race under The Beloved and Chill. It is not mentioned under Justice (who received a perfect 5 in originality). For consistency’s sake, I would ask that you raise your originality scores for both Chill and The Beloved [since I’m not mean enough to ask that you deduct it from another entry instead :smallbiggrin:].

kestrel404—Can you explain why Draconic Aura will not work? I do not see why you cannot choose dragon shaman auras via the feat. The feat description refers you to page 86 of Dragon Magic, which in turn refers to dragon shamans multiple times as capable of using draconic auras. No mention is made that only certain draconic auras are available with the feat. Furthermore, the prerequisites are not as strong as you think. You need only be a 3rd-level character in order to take Draconic Aura, with no mention of the dragonblood subtype as a prerequisite. Instead, a character with the dragonblood subtype reaps larger benefits from the feat, as it then scales with level. This interesting note is something I made use of in my Adaptation/additional cheese section. In light of the above, I would ask that you reconsider your deductions surrounding the use of this feat.

Gbprime & Kestrel404—it is worth noting that, if LA buyoff is allowed, The Beloved has the option of finishing the secret ingredient. This information was included in my Adaptation/Additional Cheese section. Please consider reducing or eliminating your scoring penalties for not completing the Secret Ingredient.



Kestrel404 - Regarding disputes, I'm a bit surprised at the harsh judgement I got from kestrel, especially in the power department: I thought being able to readily deal 15*(weapon damage + Cha + 8 from Ghostwalker) as a standard action would at least account for something, especially with an attack bonus around 21+Cha (unsure about the exact number and obviously away from my notes). I would also point out that his poor opinion of Chill's survivability is somewhat mitigated by the 50% miss chance that comes from incorporealness, and the ability to flee through walls or through the ground if things turn sour.


Since the other judge is taken so long, I'd like to ask if anyone could set in to judge.Then when/if Kuulvheysoon appears, we'll got four judgements. :smallsmile:

[kestrel404]

Kestrel404—you mention that human was an expected race under The Beloved and Chill. It is not mentioned under Justice (who received a perfect 5 in originality). For consistency’s sake, I would ask that you raise your originality scores for both Chill and The Beloved [since I’m not mean enough to ask that you deduct it from another entry instead ].

Human was expected entry to the secret ingredient because of the feat-tax imposed. With 3 of the most useless feats in the game required for entry, it's very tempting to take human or feat-halfling just to lessen the pain. Ranger 3 was also very much expected for the same reason. But what set Justice apart from Beloved and Chill was the flavor of the build - I use my scoring on originality to indicate whether I like the overall story and idea behind a build in addition to how unexpected it is. Justice had flavor text that perfectly suited his build, he took a prestige class that added to the theme of 'lawyer-vigilante' and he made the entire concept WORK. I stand by my scores.



kestrel404—Can you explain why Draconic Aura will not work? I do not see why you cannot choose dragon shaman auras via the feat. The feat description refers you to page 86 of Dragon Magic, which in turn refers to dragon shamans multiple times as capable of using draconic auras. No mention is made that only certain draconic auras are available with the feat. Furthermore, the prerequisites are not as strong as you think. You need only be a 3rd-level character in order to take Draconic Aura, with no mention of the dragonblood subtype as a prerequisite. Instead, a character with the dragonblood subtype reaps larger benefits from the feat, as it then scales with level. This interesting note is something I made use of in my Adaptation/additional cheese section. In light of the above, I would ask that you reconsider your deductions surrounding the use of this feat.

Hmm, yes. You're absolutely correct that you can take the Draconic Aura feat (I was mis-remembering, it's one of the very few feats in dragon magic that you can take without either dragonblooded or sorceror levels). As for taking Vigor as a draconic aura via feat, the text is actually rather unclear. You're correct that it never says you can't, but if you read through the entire text there are several references to 'the text below', indicating that the aura to be chosen should be chosen from the list on page 87 of Dragon Magic. In all honesty, as a GM you'd probably be able to argue me around to accepting one of the Dragon Shaman auras instead, but it's definitely questionable. I'll give you +.25 in Power, Elegance and UoSI.



Gbprime & Kestrel404—it is worth noting that, if LA buyoff is allowed, The Beloved has the option of finishing the secret ingredient. This information was included in my Adaptation/Additional Cheese section. Please consider reducing or eliminating your scoring penalties for not completing the Secret Ingredient.


In truth, the deduction from not taking that last level is pretty minor, and I'm aware that LA buyoff would let you get it. For this build, however, Ghostwalker is only an average choice of prestige class - you could have done better in a number of ways. That's the main reason you only got an average UoSI score. No change.



Kestrel404 - Regarding disputes, I'm a bit surprised at the harsh judgement I got from kestrel, especially in the power department: I thought being able to readily deal 15*(weapon damage + Cha + 8 from Ghostwalker) as a standard action would at least account for something, especially with an attack bonus around 21+Cha (unsure about the exact number and obviously away from my notes). I would also point out that his poor opinion of Chill's survivability is somewhat mitigated by the 50% miss chance that comes from incorporealness, and the ability to flee through walls or through the ground if things turn sour.


When I first looked at your build, it looked like a one-trick pony with an inherent rules flaw, and far too much overlap between the ghost template and the secret ingredient. Going back over it, I can see a lot of versatility in that one-trick - mostly thanks to MotUH. Also, the whole 'I can dodge through walls' trick really only works once (afterwards, your enemies will hold their actions until you're visible, which you'll have to be to get line-of-effect on them for TK) - which means that by the time you get your painful reckoning bonus, your strongest defensive tactis has already been used - or worse, if you get a reputation for using that trick then your enemies may anticipate it before you even get to use it.

The character has a lot of potential in a hit-and-run style of fight, but doesn't play well with others, and still has to survive until ECL 8 or so just to be viable - even with d12 HD, a single solid hit can END you, since just going to 0 HP is enough to kill you, and that d20 roll for rejuvenation is just too random, with no way to bring you back until much higher level.

Overall, I think you're right about your power level - you've got a reasonable fighting style. And applying painful reckoning via TK is actually pretty clever. Power: +1, UoSI: +.5

Updated scores:
Chill: 11
The Beloved: 13.75

[gbprime]

Gbprime & Kestrel404—it is worth noting that, if LA buyoff is allowed, The Beloved has the option of finishing the secret ingredient. This information was included in my Adaptation/Additional Cheese section. Please consider reducing or eliminating your scoring penalties for not completing the Secret Ingredient.

I noticed the optional use of LA Buyoff, but I saw that it was used in the context of EITHER finishing off the Special Ingredient OR buying a 6th level of Duskblade. Had the option been listed as solely allowing the 10th level of Ghostwalker, I would have scored it full points. But since it's listed as an option that merely gives the option... the quarter point reduction stands in my opinion.

No change to score.

[Amphetryon]

Are we still waiting for our last judge, or...?

[Jumilk]

Are we still waiting for our last judge, or...?

Only two judges is not enough... Is better wait for someone who wants to judge. Maybe Prinny? I will send a PM.
And if is ok, I can post a judgment from Shin, too. I'll ask him.

[Private-Prinny]

Only two judges is not enough... Is better wait for someone who wants to judge. Maybe Prinny? I will send a PM.

Normally I would, but I don't have access to Sword and Fist.

[Amphetryon]

I'd just hate to see this thing die out due to unfortunate circumstance.

[Thurbane]

I would volunteer to be an extra judge myself, but I'm not really sure my op-skills are good enough to effectively judge a comp like this...

If we are looking for a new chairman for the next comp(s), I'm happy to volunteer - although I think Private-Prinny has already done so?

[Zaq]

I do have a copy of Sword and Fist, but I'm leery of the time investment, since I'm not sure how much I'll be able and willing to spare over the next couple weeks.

I can do it if we get desperate, but I'd rather not. I, too, am unwilling to see the contest just die, though.

[OMG PONIES]

I PMed Kuulvheysoon to see if he can still judge, since he just logged onto the site on Saturday. We'll see what he says, but keep in mind that we CAN have only two judges--in fact, the competition started that way.

[dextercorvia]

IMO, if the last judge drops out we should go with two. I'm as unbiased as possible, having basically sat this round out. I haven't read the entries and don't even know who is in the lead.

[OMG PONIES]

IMO, if the last judge drops out we should go with two. I'm as unbiased as possible, having basically sat this round out. I haven't read the entries and don't even know who is in the lead.

Sounds like a perfect third judge...:smallamused:

[dextercorvia]

Sounds like a perfect third judge...:smallamused:

I considered it, but I believe adding a judge at this point will only draw out the competition longer, and I'm ready for this one to be over.

Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be rating some appetizers?:smallamused:

[OMG PONIES]

Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be rating some appetizers?:smallamused:

Oh geez! :smallredface: I totally forgot about that. I'll have to get cracking.

[Jumilk]

Reveal will be on this Friday, not a day before or after, with a third judge or not.

[potatocubed]

Hooray for assertiveness!

[Jumilk]

A little problem to communicate with Shin. I'm waiting for him to send me the names.

[Amphetryon]

Any word, Jumilk? Or, barring that, any updates on the next one, Private-Prinny?

[potatocubed]

We could just have everyone who submitted builds identify themselves and their build in-thread. (One of them is mine.) Right now I'm just looking to put some nails in this so the next one can get rolling.

[kestrel404]

We could just have everyone who submitted builds identify themselves and their build in-thread. (One of them is mine.) Right now I'm just looking to put some nails in this so the next one can get rolling.

Honestly, that sounds like a good plan to me. I doubt TS could get to his PMs and I doubt even more that he'll remember everything off the top of his head, so why doesn't everybody who submitted a build just post which one was theirs?

Then maybe we can get a bit of closure on this one.

[ILM]

Yeah whatever, let's move on. Chill was mine. Apologies again for not taking the time to write some fluff (honestly I would have but I was late enough as it were) and thank you to both judges for their insights in the build! :smallsmile:

[Z3ro]

Well, if we're going with the self-reveal, my submission was Violet. I'd be interested to know if anyone has ever tried to combine totemist with soulbow before.

[Amphetryon]

In the interest of moving on full disclosure, I submitted Harv and Slave.

[Private-Prinny]

I'm going to start up the next round. There are a couple of rule changes, which I will sum up in a second post.

[potatocubed]

I submitted Justice. He was an attempt to see if good fluff could make up for my less-than-brilliant optimisation skills - and it seemed to work!

[Zonugal]

I'm going to start up the next round. There are a couple of rule changes, which I will sum up in a second post.

Yay! I've always thought about doing a variant of the Iron Chef competitions in which non-traditional archetypes were enforced. It would be a sixth level competition and instead of the secret ingredient being a prestige class, it would be something vague like 'cowboy, ninja, samurai, gladiator, ect..."

Would people be interested in something like that?

[The Gilded Duke]

I would Zonugal.

[OMG PONIES]

I submitted The Gossamer Knights and The Beloved.

[OMG PONIES]

Would the person who submitted Manifestation of Retribution please step forward? The spreadsheet must know!