Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXII

[Private-Prinny]

Welcome, contestants, judges, and guests to Iron Chef XXII. 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 GMT on Sunday, July 17th, 2011 to create their builds and PM them to the Chairman, Private-Prinny. Builds will then be posted simultaneously, to avoid copying. Judges will have until 11:59PM GMT on Sunday, July 31st, 2011 to judge the builds and submit their scores. If no judges have scored by that point, only the scores of the first judge to submit will be counted.

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.

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 as many contestants and judges as feel like playing!

This week's special ingredient is:
Complete Warrior's Dervish!
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

Contestants
term1nally s1ck
Amphetryon
Urpriest
kestrel404
yugi24862
The Gilded Duke
Z3ro
DeAnno
BillyBobJoe

The Builds
The Bloodstained Hurricane (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11437829&postcount=102)
Avander Shellivathan (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11437842&postcount=103)
Weylin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11437846&postcount=104)
Sanavakri, the Dancing Kalashtar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11437853&postcount=105)
The Death of Xen'drik (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11437857&postcount=106)
Devlin Bladehands (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11437870&postcount=107)
Elrond Aldarion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11437887&postcount=108)
Salvatore Serafines (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11437894&postcount=109)
Kaycha (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11437904&postcount=110)

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)
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)
Iron Chef XXI: Ghostwalker (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198921)

[Zaq]

Huh. Dervish. Very interesting. I'm going to have to think about this, since I love the concept. Kind of well-trodden ground, though . . . most interesting. Just watching for now, but if inspiration strikes, entering is not out of the question.

[Zonugal]

Ooh Dervish...

[Private-Prinny]

As for the rule changes, only 2 are of any significance, and they are both in a desperate attempt to speed up the competition.

The first is the elimination of judging disputes. The entire dispute process was a relic left from my run as chair in an attempt to stop the events of Iron Chef VII from happening again, and all it has done since is slow things down. As a contestant, it is your job to convey what you want your build to do, and all of the pieces that do it. Even if you have to create a separate section in plain English saying what does what, it should not fall upon the judges to fit together the fragments you pulled from several different sourcebooks.

The second is a limit on the time taken for the judging period. I myself am guilty of taking quite a bit to judge, but if the contestants are kept to a tight schedule, the judges should have some sort of hard limit on what we should put up with. This shouldn't alienate anyone who wants to judge, but if you have a sudden crash and lose that precious Word document (which happens with alarming regularity here :smalltongue:) simply own up to it and sit this round out. The entire process shouldn't come to a grinding halt because of a single person, whether or not it is actually their fault.

I hope you can all put up with me, but I really want this whole process to run more smoothly than it has for the last few competitions.

[mootoall]

I think I want to compete! Here's hoping I have some beginners' luck ...

[Lord Ruby34]

I wouldn't mind judging this, I have to much to do to compete but I can probably spend a few hours judging the builds.

[Amphetryon]

Competing. Big shock. :smalltongue:

[term1nally s1ck]

May well compete. Intrigued by this.

[BillyBobJoe]

I would like to compete, for my first time in one of these.

[mootoall]

Question: Is qualifying for prereqs through items disallowed, or simply docked for Style?

[Zaq]

Well, I've already come up with and scrapped two ideas. This might be fun. MAN this class takes a lot of feats, though . . .


Question: Is qualifying for prereqs through items disallowed, or simply docked for Style?

Let's just say that it's frowned upon. Probably legal, but you're almost sure to lose at least as many points as you gain.

I can't speak for all (or probably any) of the judges, of course, but historically, judges tend to not be too happy with people assuming they can get any magic item they want. Add in the squidginess of qualifying with items and . . . you can try it, but I can't see it ending well.

[Lonely Tylenol]

Forgive my ignorance, but is Dragon Compendium allowed (as it is a published book), or is it excluded under the "Dragon Magazine is disallowed" clause?

[Hand_of_Vecna]

My mind is a-glow with whirling transient nodes of thought, careening through a cosmic vapor of invention.

Oh, and ya Dragon Compedium is considered an official WotC book despite being reprinted from DM.

[yugi24862]

Oh damnit, mystic ranger is'nt in the Dragon Compendium. There goes that idea.

[kardar233]

I have an idea, but it relies on Dragon material.

Does anyone have a link that will tell me what is in Dragon Compendium so I know what is kosher?

[Amphetryon]

Forgive my ignorance, but is Dragon Compendium allowed (as it is a published book), or is it excluded under the "Dragon Magazine is disallowed" clause?

Dragon Compendium is explicitly allowed, and has been used before. Be warned that some judges have historically deducted for its use based on "obscurity".

[Wings of Peace]

In a bid to reintegrate myself into the community after a long (work induced) absence I am throwing my hat into the ring.

[mootoall]

Hmm, well, should we list under "Feats" what feats they might get from an item? I no longer need it for qualification purposes, but it's still nice to have.

[Cog]

Does anyone have a link that will tell me what is in Dragon Compendium so I know what is kosher?
Some things were edited as they were folded into the Compendium (for example, the requirements on Bloodlines were eased), so if you don't have access to the book you probably shouldn't rely on the material in it.

[Z3ro]

Dervish has always been one of my favorite classes, but the builds I usually use tend to be too generic for this kind of contest. I'll judge this time around (it's time to give something back to the community).

[Urpriest]

Hmm, well, should we list under "Feats" what feats they might get from an item? I no longer need it for qualification purposes, but it's still nice to have.

I'd advise putting it in the item wishlist, or an adaptation section.

[gbprime]

Question: Is qualifying for prereqs through items disallowed, or simply docked for Style?

Personally, that would be a HUGE hit to Elegance. Seriously, someone disarms or dispels you and you lose your CLASS? Ouch.

[gbprime]

Once again, I'll probably judge. I love entering, but we never have enough judges...

[Lord Ruby34]

Question: Is qualifying for prereqs through items disallowed, or simply docked for Style?

I'd agree with gbprime, if you do so make sure that you can make up for it in power.

[arguskos]

You know what, I think I will return for a single competition. I haven't judged since IC VIII, but I feel like coming back for a single round of judgment.

Prinny, put me down as a judge, please. I know Amphetryon should be pleased. :smallwink:

[DefKab]

Not really too good of an optimizer. If you don't mind a newbie, I'll help Judge.

[Z3ro]

Wow, we really ballooned with the judges there. Wondering now if I should enter a build instead; I suppose it depends on how many total people want to enter.

[dextercorvia]

I've always wanted to make this class work. I'll give competing a go.

[Cieyrin]

I've always wanted to make this class work. I'll give competing a go.

Wait, it doesn't work? Since when? :smallconfused:

Anyways, I approve of the new rules in hopes that the competition gets back on its feet, as the side competition is reeling from the same problems which will hopefully be instituted if a third incarnation shows. Also watching for now, as I can't think of something really innovative for entry (though this shouldn't be any surprise to anyone :smalltongue:).

[dextercorvia]

Wait, it doesn't work? Since when? :smallconfused:


I don't mean that it is particularly bad, just that I always had the feeling we could squeeze a little more out of it.

[Urpriest]

I have a fun idea that hopefully is obscure enough that other people won't go for it. We'll see if I end up competing, but it's looking more likely.

[ILM]

I love the class but have like zero idea of how to make a unique build so instead I'll also throw my hat in for judging this time around. Gbprime, if you want, I can take your spot (since you said you wanted to enter).

[mootoall]

Huh, I don't know if my idea is original, actually ... That should probably have been a consideration in making it ... All I know is that it makes TWF worth it, especially with all the attacks from Dervish.

[Zaq]

OK, we're up to four scrapped ideas now. There's a lot of little hindrances on this class. I'm still looking, though.

[term1nally s1ck]

How likely is using multiple base classes to be penalised? I'm leaning towards 2-3 base classes, since they all synergise absurdly well with Dervish, but since that is apparently 'not elegant' in some past reviews, despite the focus of the build being entirely on the PrC, I don't know if it's worth doing.

[Lord Ruby34]

How likely is using multiple base classes to be penalised? I'm leaning towards 2-3 base classes, since they all synergise absurdly well with Dervish, but since that is apparently 'not elegant' in some past reviews, despite the focus of the build being entirely on the PrC, I don't know if it's worth doing.

I wouldn't penalize someone for that if they could explain why the character has those different skill sets. I would penalize for it if they couldn't or couldn't be bothered.

[term1nally s1ck]

Then since the main focus of all 3 is in this case the same, I'll be more than capable of easily explaining it. In fact, becoming a Dervish is harder to explain than the multiclassing, and that's not even close to hard to explain.

[kardar233]

Mmmm. The feat I was looking for does not seem to be in the Compendium, which is a shame. I'll see if I have any other ideas, but it's looking grim.

[Fearan]

When suddenly, Iron Chef. Count me in as a contestant

[BillyBobJoe]

Is 3.0 content allowed, if it hasn't been updated?

[Cieyrin]

Is 3.0 content allowed, if it hasn't been updated?

Unupdated 3.0 material is grandfathered into 3.5, so yeah. Last contest was a 3.0 PrC, so we definitely have precedent for such.

[term1nally s1ck]

I MADE MY THING WORK!!!

Now I just need to pick a second PrC, race, skills, fill in my feats, and do the story and explanations.

Oh, and it's pretty badass. I'm liking it quite a bit. :smallbiggrin:

[Z3ro]

I love the class but have like zero idea of how to make a unique build so instead I'll also throw my hat in for judging this time around. Gbprime, if you want, I can take your spot (since you said you wanted to enter).

I don't know about Gbprime, but right now it looks like 6 contestants and 5 judges. You can take my spot and I'll submit a build, making it 7 to 5, a little more balanced.

[Devmaar]

I think I've got an idea, put me down as a contestant

[Dumbledore lives]

Depending on how much time I have over the next week, I will probably enter.

[ILM]

I don't know about Gbprime, but right now it looks like 6 contestants and 5 judges. You can take my spot and I'll submit a build, making it 7 to 5, a little more balanced.
Works for me :smallsmile:.

Be advised though, I'm new to this judging thing.

[Urpriest]

Build submitted. Should be a fun one.

[dextercorvia]

Build submitted. Should be a fun one.

Already?! Haven't you ever heard of procrastination?

[Amphetryon]

Already?! Haven't you ever heard of procrastination?

I never got around to telling him about it.

[dextercorvia]

I never got around to telling him about it.

That's the spirit.

[BillyBobJoe]

Are you allowed to submit multiple builds?

[Amphetryon]

Are you allowed to submit multiple builds?

Certainly. OMGPonies has done so a couple of times, and I did for the last competition.

[OMG PONIES]

Certainly. OMGPonies has done so a couple of times, and I did for the last competition.

Speak of the devil! I'm competing, naturally.

[kestrel404]

I'm going to have to compete this time - I've got a build I'm just itching to flesh out.

[arguskos]

Certainly. OMGPonies has done so a couple of times, and I did for the last competition.
Wait a second, you are permitted multiple entries now? That seems unfair to those who lack the time and/or energy to do so. Personally, I find that distasteful. Why was it permitted?

[BillyBobJoe]

:smallamused:I think i made this build work. I hope I can get honorable mention, if nothing else, for doing the impossible.

[Gametime]

Wait a second, you are permitted multiple entries now? That seems unfair to those who lack the time and/or energy to do so. Personally, I find that distasteful. Why was it permitted?

You know, I was going to respond that double entering hasn't traditionally done that well (compared to spending more time on a single entry), but then I looked back at the archives and it actually has been pretty successful.

I may've missed some, but as far as I can see there have been double entrants five times: XI (OMG PONIES), XII (Rancor1), XV (OMG PONIES), XVI (Amechra), and XIX (TG Oskar). Of those, OMG PONIES won with an entry each time two were submitted; the other contestants' best finishes in their double entry contests were third, ninth, and second, respectively. Whether that speaks to the relative advantages of entering twice or to the fact that someone with the time to enter twice probably also had the time to work hard on at least one entry, I'm not sure.

The contest is already skewed towards contestants with more time and energy, though. Banning double entries won't end that; we'd have to impose some kind of mandatory time limit on building, which seems both infeasible and draconian.

[BobVosh]

This is my favorite melee PrC. I'm in, although have no clue how I'll possibly make something unique with a class this well explored. To my closet!

Also multiple entries have been allowed mainly due to someone finding a build isn't going to work well or the fluff is awesome so they want to show it off and not basically forfeit the competition. Not always, but who cares it is fun just to see what people come up with.

Also welcome back to the chair PP!

[OMG PONIES]

More on the question of multiple entries (spoilered for length):

Wait a second, you are permitted multiple entries now? That seems unfair to those who lack the time and/or energy to do so. Personally, I find that distasteful. Why was it permitted?

There have been multiple entries (as Gametime pointed out) since Round XI. I agree that it is unfair to those without the time and/or energy to do so, but as Gametime also mentioned, this contest is already slanted toward those with free time and energy. After all, nobody has ever won without the free time or energy to submit at least one build :smalltongue:.

Can I ask why you find it distasteful, though? The word seems a bit strong. I can see how it would be distasteful if winners were selected at random, pulled from a virtual hat, as more submissions would equal more chances at winning. However, we have a competition scored by talented and creative individuals; ten bad entries are not going to stand a chance against someone who has submitted one truly good entry. Therefore, it seems that multiple entries in this competition are not a question of taste, but simply of time management. Do you want to dash out 2 entries, or pour all of your time into one? It's a gamble, but it doesn't seem like bad taste.


You know, I was going to respond that double entering hasn't traditionally done that well (compared to spending more time on a single entry), but then I looked back at the archives and it actually has been pretty successful.

I may've missed some, but as far as I can see there have been double entrants five times: XI (OMG PONIES), XII (Rancor1), XV (OMG PONIES), XVI (Amechra), and XIX (TG Oskar). Of those, OMG PONIES won with an entry each time two were submitted; the other contestants' best finishes in their double entry contests were third, ninth, and second, respectively. Whether that speaks to the relative advantages of entering twice or to the fact that someone with the time to enter twice probably also had the time to work hard on at least one entry, I'm not sure.

The contest is already skewed towards contestants with more time and energy, though. Banning double entries won't end that; we'd have to impose some kind of mandatory time limit on building, which seems both infeasible and draconian.

There are a few double entries that were missed. Of course, I only found them because of my nigh-compulsive record keeping:

Round XI (Amphetryon took silver and 5th place)
Round XXI* (OMG PONIES seems to be looking at Gold and a tie for Silver, while Amphetryon is slated for 6th and 7th place).


*of course, this round is only unofficially over, due to some unfortunate circumstances and a stall in judging.

As pointed out, multiple entries usually bode well for their creators, but not always. Because of this, it doesn't seem like there's any correlation between multiple entries and unfair victories. However, as this is a gentleman (and gentlewoman's) competition, I will refrain from multiple entries in this and future rounds if asked.

I must admit, I'm struggling to do something truly original with this secret ingredient so far, and the deadline draws near. :smalleek:

[Amphetryon]

Could we get an official ruling on the Fast Movement feature, please? My reading says that a Dervish gets a total of +15' Fast Movement, but I can see an argument where +30' Fast Movement is granted in total. As far as I can see, the errata is silent on this particular issue.

[WinWin]

enhancement bonus and stacking rules should be enforced.

The highest enhancement bonus to movement would apply.

[OMG PONIES]

Real life strikes again! I think I may find myself unable to compete in this round. I know we already have plenty, but I volunteer to judge if anyone drops out.

[arguskos]

Real life strikes again! I think I may find myself unable to compete in this round. I know we already have plenty, but I volunteer to judge if anyone drops out.
Then take over for me, since RL is hammering me too. :smalleek:

And I was looking forward to judging again. Perhaps next round, then? Sorry peeps. :smallsigh:

[Akal Saris]

I'll try and compete in this one, though I didn't see it until just now. Not sure quite how I'll work this one though.

[DeAnno]

I will very likely make an entry. My current working plan is disappointingly vanilla by my standards but I am trying to piece something a little more creative together (Its not working so far, so I think I'll probably end up vanilla)

[mootoall]

Setting specific books are alright, right?

[ILM]

Yes but I believe you may lose points in Elegance if you're using something that's closely tied to a specific region, pantheon or organization.

Edit: actually let me list my judging criteria here:
Originality:
- use of unexpected classes or feats giving the build a unique angle on the SI
- originality compared to other submissions
- good backstory
- the build has a new trick up its sleeve; doesn't really make the basis of the build but is a nice aside
- similar to the above, the build has a clever entry method
- character-appropriate mechanical quirks (may handicap you on the Power side though)

Power:
- power within its preferred area of expertise: how far did you optimize whatever you did optimize?
- versatility: outside of the above, how does it fare? (includes skills, survivability vs strong individual foes or multiple weaker ones, etc.)
- power is judged vs. my own internal scale built on gut-feeling and spending too much time hanging out on the old WotC CO boards, BG, and here. The scores will, however, be adjusted vs. the average power of the contest's submissions
- level-by-level progression: at which level do you get which abilities? Do they make sense versus expected threat levels at that CR? (e.g. if you only get the ability to deal with flying enemies at ECL19, you're probably going to lose points even though at ECL20 you're fine) Did you weave the class levels together in a way that draws the most out of them? (e.g. Warblade 6/SI 10/ Warblade+4 probably makes more sense than Warblade10/SI 10)
- power is judged on the build's own merits; magic items can factor in a little if they're reasonably obtainable ones, but don't expect me to add points for a borderline-epic custom magic item.

Elegance:
- number of classes used: the lower the more elegant
- number of setting/ region/ pantheon/ organization specific feats or classes. Mixing different settings is even worse.
- legality: I will be merciless with this. It's an optimization contest, meaning a primarily mechanical thought exercise. I'm perfectly willing to hand out a zero in Elegance if, say, you screw up one of the prerequisites and make the entire build illegal. Proofread.
- dependance on magic items - this differs from what I spoke of in the Power section above in that these are magic items without which your build (or your shtick, whatever it may be) does not function. This includes feat-granting items (or locations) used as prerequisites, for instance
- extreme cheese: I'm going for PO here, and DCFS and similar tricks aren't likely to happen in my games. Similarly, I don't care what your backstory says, you were not conveniently undeadified, spellstitched and corpsecrafted by a guy who just happened to have all the right feats.

Use of the Secret Ingredient:
- reaching the last level of the class
- synergy with the rest of the build: how does the build showcase the SI's abilities?
- do you actually use all the abilities?
- in short, does your build look like it could be a prime example of a <insert SI name here> or does it just look like you tacked it on as an afterthought?
- warning: in addition to losing points in Elegance, I will also take points off UoSI if you screw up the prerequisites of the SI.

[Cieyrin]

Setting specific books are alright, right?

They're legal, though some judges take points off in Elegance for mixing setting material. If you choose a setting and stick with it, you should have no issue.

[Piggy Knowles]

I'll probably submit a build. I've got two working rough copies, one that's finished but is a bit vanilla, and one that is pretty fun but still needs a little bit of tweaking. I guess which I submit will depend on how refined I get the latter one by the time the contest closes!

[mootoall]

Alright, I'm only using one setting specific thing. It should work well, I hope ...

[gbprime]

They're legal, though some judges take points off in Elegance for mixing setting material. If you choose a setting and stick with it, you should have no issue.

Yeah, that's my preference as a judge. One setting is fine, multiple is a hit to elegance.

Although... I did get away with mixing Faerun and Eberron stuff in Iron Chef 17 (Ardent Dilletante, since that PrC is in part about experienced planar travel) and still pulled out a 1st Place win. I ended up getting more points in Power and Use of SI than I lost in Elegance for that trick.

That's the key. You can do anything, just realize that some choices are tradeoffs... less elegance for more power. If you think you'll come out ahead on points, do it. If not, avoid it.

[Amphetryon]

I'm perfectly willing to hand out a zero in Elegance if, say, you screw up one of the prerequisites and make the entire build illegal.It's your criteria, but I'd like to point out that the minimum score has been established in previous IC contests as one, not zero. Prinny could change that, if so inclined.

[ILM]

It's your criteria, but I'd like to point out that the minimum score has been established in previous IC contests as one, not zero. Prinny could change that, if so inclined.
Oh. Okay, I'm perfectly willing to hand out a one if the build is illegal.

Doesn't sound nearly as threatening though. :smallannoyed:

[Private-Prinny]

It's your criteria, but I'd like to point out that the minimum score has been established in previous IC contests as one, not zero. Prinny could change that, if so inclined.

I will change that, now that you mention it. Having a minimum score of 1 makes me question why it would be a 5-point scale in the first place when a scale of 1-5 can be done by 0-4 just as easily.

[The Gilded Duke]

I think I'm going to compete, the pieces are finally coming together.

[OMG PONIES]

Mmm, I think I may have a decent build after all. We'll see if it comes together and, either way, we'll see if anyone else had the same thought.

[Z3ro]

I will change that, now that you mention it. Having a minimum score of 1 makes me question why it would be a 5-point scale in the first place when a scale of 1-5 can be done by 0-4 just as easily.

Just want to point out that 1-5 is a five point scale, as would 0-4 be. 0-5, however, is a 6 point scale. Not saying you shouldn't change it, just that the range would get bigger.

[term1nally s1ck]

"on a scale from 1 to 10, what do you think about X".

It's pretty standard to start at one unless you're a programmer.

[Amphetryon]

Build submitted, with plenty of time for me to look back at it and "d'oh" in an edit to Prinny. :smalltongue:

[OMG PONIES]

You people and your early submissions--making an old man feel bad that he doesn't even have a skeleton of a build yet. There's still time, so we'll see.

[The Gilded Duke]

Just submitted my build. Eager to see the other ones.

[OMG PONIES]

If I can get anything in, it's gonna be tight...judging looks like a reality for me.

[BobVosh]

I just forgot. So I'm out lol. Stupid starcraft doesn't like me having other hobbies.

[Zaq]

Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna make it. It's due on Sunday, right? Makes me sad, since I had a halfway decent idea that I just needed to flesh out, but so it goes. I'll be looking for my main trick. Don't disappoint me!

[dextercorvia]

My main trick was just too feat intensive. I tried to water it down, and succeeded in making a wet noodle. Unless some miracle occurs, I'm out.

[BillyBobJoe]

How many people are even submitting builds?:smallconfused:

I'm done, I just need to work out the background.

[dextercorvia]

How many people are even submitting builds?:smallconfused:

I'm done, I just need to work out the background.

My guess is 8.

[term1nally s1ck]

Submitted.

It's pretty interesting, so we'll see how it pans out.

[DeAnno]

Submitted.

Dervish proved to be rather a... double edged sword :smallwink:

[OMG PONIES]

Any chance of an extension to the deadline? Even a day or two? I've got my basic framework, but I won't be able to polish and submit it by tomorrow night.

[mootoall]

My computer pooped out while I was in the 6th hour of finalizing the build. Meaning the Word file got completely trashed. So I guess I'm out. I'll also be looking for my trick!

[dextercorvia]

glitch repair

[Private-Prinny]

Any chance of an extension to the deadline? Even a day or two? I've got my basic framework, but I won't be able to polish and submit it by tomorrow night.

Sorry, man. If I'm going to streamline this, I need everyone, including the contestants and myself, to be on the ball. The deadlines are final. Besides, you've been winning too much, anyway. :smalltongue:

[Z3ro]

Build submitted; even if I don't place well, I gotta say I'm really happy with this one.

[BillyBobJoe]

Build submitted, finally.

[kestrel404]

Build submitted. Looks like there's going to be a lot of competition this time.

[BobVosh]

Sorry, man. If I'm going to streamline this, I need everyone, including the contestants and myself, to be on the ball. The deadlines are final. Besides, you've been winning too much, anyway. :smalltongue:

Judgechairman discrimination!

Also ya lets not break the new rules literally the first time after being setup.

[Devmaar]

I'm not going to get this story together in time :smallsigh:.

I might post the build later though, I was pretty happy with it.

[yugi24862]

Just send it in anyway, someone in the last one didnt have a backstory and it was fine. Nowhere in the rules does it say you need one.

[ILM]

Just send it in anyway, someone in the last one didnt have a backstory and it was fine.
And he's even a judge this time! :smallwink:

[Private-Prinny]

And now it's time for the Big Reveal! Please refrain from posting until I give the word.

[Private-Prinny]

There's a reason no one likes fire ants...


The Bloodstained Hurricane, Thri-Kreen Ranger 2/Scout 4/Dervish 10

Point Buy 32
Starting Stats -> Ending Stats
18 Str -> 22 Str
16 Dex -> 16 Dex
14 Con -> 14 Con
13 Int -> 13 Int
14 Wis -> 14 Wis
04 Cha -> 04 Cha

Background

The jungle was alive with the calls of animals and the fall of rain as Beta Squadron tramped through the night, chasing the shadows back with their dimly burning torches. Though their levels were low, the patrol was heartened by their wide range Antimagic field, allowing them to even the playing field against any high level adventurers that might try ambushing the force. Sergeant Tordek wiped some rainwater from his brow and took a glance around at his men.

Corporal Soveliss led the way with Tordek through the Jungle expertly, and his old friend Lidda covered the back. Krusk had the Antimagic emitter strapped to his back, well equipped to carry the weight with his Orcish genes. The rest of the troop were new recruits, untested by battle and grumbling about the lousy conditions. Suddenly, there was a crackling of branches from the side. The troop as a whole were unconcerned, thinking it must be some animal, but Tordek's experience had given him a sixth sense for optimized PCs, and he shouted a hasty warning to his men.

Alas, even as the words escaped his mouth, the horror was upon them. It moved so fast that its body was a blur, seeming to snap back and forth and sideways in unnatural fashion. For a brief moment, the metal of its spinning blades shone crazily in the torchlight, and then the thing seemed to almost crash through the body of the first recruit, gutting him brutally in an explosion of blood. The brave pulled at their weapons, and the cowardly turned to run, but it mattered nought.

In the first seconds, a half dozen of them were shredded; fighting or running the creature did not care if they fell into its deadly path. Leaping from ground to tree to ground again the demon easily evaded Soveliss' arrows and Lidda's hastily thrown daggers, jumping back deep into the thick trees as abruptly as it appeared.

Before the survivors had a chance to take a breath, it was out of the trees again, flashing around Lidda like a bloodstained hurricane as she desperately tried to keep it at bay with her daggers. But four arms were better than two, and in the space of an eyeblink and a flash of distant lightning Lidda's torso fell in twain and the beast's inexorable motion continued.

Krusk screamed his rage and charged, but in a spray of blood and gore his head was ripped off by its terrifying jaws and now Soveliss and Tordek stood against its advance alone. Finally, they got a clear look at the creature, the giant insect from distant lands recognizable as a Thri-Kreen, a bloody scimitar running with rainwater in each hand and a bright red bandanna around its head.

As it engaged the two of them it was like fighting a blender, the two skilled soldiers barely keeping pace together. Their spirited defense couldn't last, and with a resounding clap of thunder a scimitar ripped though Soveliss' defenses, killed him instantly, and sliced through into Tordek knocking him dazed to the ground.

The last thing he saw was the pair of giant, glowing, compound eyes.


The Build

Racial Traits
40 Base Speed, +3 Natural Armor, +30 Jump, +4 Hide in sandy/arid settings, Darkvision 60, Immune to Sleep, PLAs (Manifester Level 1/2 HD): Know Direction and Location 3/day, Chameleon 3/day, Metaphysical Claw 1/day, Greater Concealing Amorpha 1/day
Thri-Kreen have four functioning arms, and a Bite (1d4) as a secondary natural attack. Once per day, the bite can poison for initial 1d6 Dex, secondary paralysis at DC 10 + Con mod + 1/2 HD.
Favored Class: Ranger

The Bloodstained Hurricane
{table=head]ECL|Class|BAB|Base Fort|Base Ref|Base Will|AC Bonus|Skills|Feats|Class Features

3rd|Thri-Kreen 1|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|4 Jump, 1 Perform Dance, 4 Spot, 1 Tumble|Combat Expertise|-

4th|Thri-Kreen 2|
+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|
+0|1 Jump, 1/2 Perform Dance, 1 Spot|Deflect Arrows|Racial Traits

5th|Ranger 1|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+3|
+0|1 Spot, 6 Survival|Dodge, Track|Favored Enemy, Wild Empathy

6th|Ranger 2|
+4|
+3|
+6|
+3|
+0|5 Search, 1 Spot, 1 Survival|Multiweapon Fighting**|+1 Str

7th|Scout 1|
+4|
+3|
+8|
+3|
+0|1 Disable Device, 1 Search, 7 Tumble|-|Skirmish +1d6, Trapfinding

8th|Scout 2|
+5|
+3|
+9|
+3|
+0|4 Disable Device 3 Search, 1 Spot, 1 Tumble|Weapon Focus: Scimitar|Uncanny Dodge, Battle Fortitude +1

9th|Scout 3 (Dungeon Specialist)|
+6|
+4|
+9|
+4|
+0|6 Disable Device, 1 Search, 1 Spot, 1 Tumble|-|Climb Speed (half land), Attack with Light Weapons while Climbing, Skirmish +1d6/+1 AC, Trackless Step

10th|Scout 4|
+7|
+4|
+10|
+4|
+0|1 Disable Device, 1 1/2 Perform Dance, 1 Search, 2 Spot, 1 Survival, 1 Tumble|Mobility|+1 Str

11th|Dervish 1|
+8|
+4|
+12|
+6|
+1|5 Perform Dance|Swift Hunter|Dervish Dance 1/day, Movement Mastery, Slashing Blades, 2nd Favored Enemy, Skirmish +2d6/+1 AC

12th|Dervish 2|
+9|
+4|
+13|
+7|
+1|5 Perform Dance|-|Fast Movement +5 ft

13th|Dervish 3|
+10|
+5|
+13|
+7|
+1|Extreme Leap, 1 Perform Dance, 1 Spot|Spring Attack|Dervish Dance 2/day

14th|Dervish 4|
+11|
+5|
+14|
+8|
+1|Clarity of Vision, 1 Perform Dance, 2 Tumble|Improved Multiweapon Fighting|Dance of Death, +1 Str

15th|Dervish 5|
+12|
+5|
+14|
+8|
+2|1 Climb, 1 Perform Dance, 3 Tumble|-|Dervish Dance 3/day, Fast Movement +10 ft

16th|Dervish 6|
+13|
+6|
+15|
+9|
+2|3 Climb, 1 Perform Dance, 1 Tumble|-|Improved Reaction

17th|Dervish 7|
+14|
+6|
+15|
+9|
+2|Leaping Climber, 1 Perform Dance, 1 Tumble|Improved Skirmish|Elaborate Parry, Dervish Dance 4/day, Skirmish +4d6/+2 AC

18th|Dervish 8|
+15|
+6|
+16|
+10|
+2|3 Jump, 1 Perform Dance, 1 Tumble|-|Fast Movement +15 ft, +1 Str

19th|Dervish 9|
+16|
+7|
+16|
+10|
+3|3 Jump, 1 Perform Dance, 1 Tumble|-|Tireless Dance, Dervish Dance 5/day

20th|Dervish 10|
+17|
+7|
+17|
+11|
+3|3 Jump, 1 Perform Dance, 1 Tumble|Speed of Thought|A Thousand Cuts[/table]

**Multiweapon Fighting: Special: This feat replaces the Two-Weapon Fighting feat for creatures with more than two arms. Since the feat is globally replaced, and since Thru-Kreen have a favored class of Ranger, both the RAW and the RAI appear to support them getting MWF with Ranger 2.


Build Notes

No matter how you look at it, the Dervish is a PRC very good at one thing, and that thing is making full attacks. It gets to move around as it makes its full attack, and it gets a solid +5 to hit bonus to help especially with the back rounds of a full attack. It even gets movement bonuses and can take 10 on Tumble checks to help it get all of its attacks in safely. However, it also does one thing very poorly: conserve feats. Dervish is a total feat-hog, and feeding its habit means any complicated plans are probably not going to have enough feats to function.

From here, the best race in the buisiness of making simple full attacks is the Thri-Kreen. It gets off twice as many weapon attacks as anyone else, and even though multiweapon fighting takes more ECL to get off the ground with higher BAB requirements and the Thri-Kreen LA, even early on youre getting similar numbers of hits at higher bonuses.

Dervish is a class you want to get all the way through so you don't have to hoard your Dervish Dances/day, so this and the 4 ECL Thri-Kreen chassis leaves us with only 6 spare levels to get everything we need to succeed. Scout levels are a no-brainer, since Dervishes are practically made to take advantage of Skirmish. However, the inclusion of two Ranger levels with them proves to be optimal; it's a favored class, and Swift Hunter (required with this setup to get to Improved Skirmish) and Multiweapon Fighting cancel out in the feat tally, so it costs us very little of importance. In return, we lose 1 less BAB than Scout 6, and trade some mostly trivial Scout bonuses for mostly trivial Ranger bonuses (though Track is handy early).

The main obstacle late in the build is being fast enough to get all our attacks off reliably and cleanly: Thri-Kreen is great here too with its 40 foot natural speed and easy access to Speed of Thought, as well as some easy use of Jump skill tricks.


ECL 4-5

Being a Thri-Kreen, under convential rules the Hurricane is not playable until ECL 4 when she has completed her Monstrous Humanoid HD. Right out of the box, using her natural attacks to avoid Multiweapon Fighting penalties is probably preferable, giving her a respectable full attack routine of 4 claws and a bite. Against hordes of mooks using Combat Expertise to get a large AC bonus while fishing for Crits might not be an unwise course, especially considering that having 2 less HD this early on will really hurt your HP. If you run into DR/magic, remember Metaphysical Claw can at least enchant one of your natural attacks. Your first Ranger level's biggest advantage is probably that it lets you actually wear light armor.

On the utility front you can jump really unexpectedly far and do it at will, which is surprisingly useful at these sorts of levels. Your first Ranger level gives you Track and Survival skill points, and combined with your Know Direction and Location PLA should be pretty good in the wilderness. Chameleon is especially useful at these levels and should make you a pretty good sneak even with nothing in Hide, and you've got decent senses with Darkvision and respectable Spot.

Overall it's a tough start but you aren't without options and there are a number of things you can do well.

Summaries will be listed with no magical gear, but with mithral breastplate, masterwork weapons (where appropriate) and appropriate mundane circumstance tools

ECL 5:
Full Attack 4 Claws +7, 1 Bite +2
Claws & Bite: 1d4+4/2
AC: 21=10+3dex+3nat+5armor
Init: +3 | Fort: +4 | Reflex: +8 | Will: +5
Jump +47, Spot +10, Survival (Track) +10, Tumble +7
Speed 40, Darkvision 60



ECL 6-10

With Ranger 6 you gain Multiweapon Fighting (it should be noted that this is possible because multiweapon fighting *replaces* TWF for multi armed creatures), letting you switch over to handaxes if you like. (You can use short swords, but they're piercing only and be worthless at ECL 11. You probably also want a bigger weapon for your main hand.). This probably isn't actually worth the -2 penalty vs claws unless you at least have +1 Weapons, but remember that you still keep your secondary bite and it doesn't take any TWF penalties.

After that you take your 4 Scout levels (as Ranger is your favored class, you have no issues with Multiclassing penalties). On the combat side, these get you your Skirmish bonuses and Uncanny Dodge, which both may come in useful occasionally at these levels. A full attack is still your best bet for combat, but Skirmish is an acceptable consolation prize when you have to move.

On the skills side, you pick up Tumble and Trapfinding, allowing your increasingly obselete tracking skills to decay in favor of Searching for and disabling traps. You also gain a climb speed from your scout substitution level (the enhancement bonus to speed you traded for it was going to be overlapped anyway), and though it's fairly slow it allows you to fight while climbing, building up your crazy insect cred.

We're still struggling for effectiveness in combat here, but making up for it by being a decent skillmonkey. Everything is about to come together though.

ECL 10 (No magic gear):
Full Attack 4 Masterwork Handaxes +11/+11/+11/+11/+6, 1 Bite +7
Attack: Masterwork Handaxe +13, 1d6+(1d6)+5 x3
Masterwork Handaxes: 1d6+5/2 x3
Bite: 1d4+2
Skirmish: +2d6/+1 AC
AC: 21=10+3dex+3nat+5armor
Init: +4 | Fort: +7 | Reflex: +13 | Will: +6
Climb +14*, Disable Device +14, Jump +47, Search +14, Spot +14, Survival (Track) +13, Tumble +17
Speed 40, Climb 20, Darkvision 60 (Starred Skills can Take 10)



ECL 11-15

With ECL 11 the Hurricane picks up the Dervish Dance and explodes into combat relevancy, now performing her six step full attacks with ease while simultaneously getting her skirmish dice. Combining this with her new ability to use four scimitars and our steadily increasing bonuses with slashing weapons, she can do quite a bit of damage to the enemy on almost every round. At ECL 14 she picks up Improved Multiweapon fighting and her full attack progression increases to ten, which can output over a hundred damage if she executes them all.

On the skills front our skillmonkey side degrades, but we get perform dance up to max and keep up with tumble. We also pursue a couple skill tricks related to movement and perception to help us make our full attacks more easily and generally to be a scary bug.

The Hurricane portayed in the backstory chose Humanoid (Human) +4 and Humanoid (Elf) +2 as her favored enemies, but this is largely personal choice and campaign dependent. :P

ECL 15 (No magic gear):
Full Attack 4 Masterwork Scimitars +20/+20/+20/+20/+15/+15/+15/+15/+10, 1 Bite +15
Attack: Masterwork Scimitar +22, 1d6+(2d6)+8 18-20x2 (Spring Attack)
Masterwork Scimitars: 1d6+(2d6)+8/5
Bite: 1d4+(2d6)+5
Skirmish: +2d6/+1 AC
AC: 23=10+3dex+2der+3nat+5armor
Init: +4 | Fort: +8 | Reflex: +17 | Will: +10
Climb +15*, Disable Device +14, Jump +51*, Perform Dance +15*, Search +14, Spot +15, Survival (Track) +13, Tumble +22*
Speed 50, Climb 25, Darkvision 60 (Starred Skills can Take 10)


ECL 16-20

It's said that the slightest of breezes can eventually build into a Hurricane, and this is entirely the case here. The Bloodstained Hurricane quickly becomes more powerful with every level now, gaining rapidly scaling attack bonuses along with doubling her skirmish at ECL 17 and adding a wonderful Nova capstone at ECL 20.

In this range she will actually struggle to pull off all of her attacks over the course of a Dervish Dance by virtue of having almost as many attacks as 5 foot increments in her speed, not to mention possibly missing skirmish on a couple of attacks at the beginning. Some of her skill tricks are more or less helpful with this depending on DM interpretation (though seriously, if anything should be allowed to attack and tumble in mid-jump it's probably this thing.) In any case, if she can get her hands on some sort of powerful speed item or buff that will be pretty helpful in getting all her attacks off, especially when she has to climb around or something. Her speed problems are reduced at level 20 when Speed of Thought finally makes its appearance, bringing her unmagical speed to 65 with its conveniently stacking insight bonus. Properly executed, a thousand cuts has the potential to deal over 500 damage.

We come into some open but heavily restricted skill points towards the end here, and I've decided to invest them in Jump, just because you never know when you're going to have to Jump across a 15 square chasm in an antimagic field. Her vertical leap of over 15 feet should let her make some good use of her skill tricks, and is just generally an appropriate thing for this character to have.

ECL 20 (No magic gear):
Full Attack 4 Masterwork Scimitars +28/+28/+28/+28/+23/+23/+23/+23/+18/+13, 1 Bite +23
Attack: Masterwork Scimitar +30, 1d6+(4d6)+11 18-20x2 (Spring Attack)
Masterwork Scimitars: 1d6+(4d6)+11/8
Bite: 1d4+(4d6)+8
Skirmish: +4d6/+2 AC
AC: 24=10+3dex+3der+3nat+5armor
Init: +6 | Fort: +10 | Reflex: +20 | Will: +13
Climb +19*, Disable Device +14, Jump +65*, Perform Dance +20*, Search +14, Spot +15, Survival +13, Tumble +27*
Speed 65, Climb 30, Darkvision 60 (Starred Skills can Take 10)


Useful Equipment

None of the following is at all necessary for the build to function, but merely a quick sampling of some things you should be aware of.

Offensively, you can't deal your precision damage to Undeads or Constructs and will often have difficulties with DR due to your many small attacks. For this reason, assembling collections of Greater Truedeath and Demolition Crystals (10,000 and 6,000 respectively, MiC) to overcome these problems is important, though you should priotize depending on campaign because it can be an expensive habit to maintain.

You have a great deal more freedom with Weapon Enhancements themselves, though you should try to get some actual raw enhancement bonus in some way for hitting and static damage (either through buffs or a truly enchanted weapon). Brilliant Energy as always is very tempting but it is quite expensive and exacerbates your problems with Undeads and Constructs. On the other claw, Keen synergizes well with Scimitars and is fairly cheap. You may also wish to be aware of Parrying, Warning, Dispelling, Vampiric, (all MiC). Defending (gimping one out of four weapons to defend) and Speed (though eventually you have too many attacks to use anyway) from the DMG may also be of interest at certain points in your career. The various energy damage enchantments are enticing but large theoretical numbers can become quite small when faced with even token energy resistance.

On the Defensive side, you have fair AC and saves to work with and the relevant stat items along with a resistance bonus to saves and an enhancement bonus to AC will do a world of good. As for specific armors, Speed (+6,000, Swift Haste 3/day, MiC) is probably something you want tacked on for movement if nothing else, and Freedom (+5, FoM, MiC) is expensive but very useful (because when you can't move, you can't really full attack). You will definitely want a Ring of Evasion if you can get one to exploit your good reflex save.

A continous Collar of Umbral Metamorphisis (22,000 ToM), is an especially useful item for you as it provides untyped extra speed. Of course, the HIPS and stealth bonuses are great too. Obviously a Belt of Battle is a wonderful item for you just like most other people, giving you an extra full attack once per day (if used on the same round as your Dervish Dance, this is an especially fearsome Nova). In general with the rest of your gear try to go after effects which can give you extra move to get your attacks off with, and otherwise make generally good decisions.


Adaption

The build presented uses the EPH Thri-Kreen with no LA buyoff, which would net you 2 HD if you got it. Similarly, if you can convince your DM to allow the MM2/SS non-Psionic Thri-Kreen you only suffer an LA of +1. If you manage to earn yourself two HD, it might be worthwhile going Scout 8 instead of Scout 4/Ranger 2 (though you may want to delay the last couple Scout levels). You could also add in some ToB or Incarnum onto the end of the build that way (though you provoke multiclassing penalties), taking advantage especially of ToB's late entry perks.

Featwise, you should remember that nonpsionic Thrikreen are unable to take Speed of Thought. Also on the speed front, if you anticipate being able to exploit various large boosts to speed from magic, you might consider improving your dex to 19 for Greater Multiweapon Fighting (though you probably can make this dex improvement with magic as well). If your DM allows traits, you very much want Quick for the untyped speed boost.


Sources

PHB, EPH (Thri-Kreen, Speed of Thought), CA (Scout), CW (Dervish), CS (Swift Hunter, Improved Skirmish, Skill Tricks), MM/SRD (Multiweapon Fighting feats), PHB2 (Dungeon Spec Scout)

[Private-Prinny]

Dancing around with a nocked arrow in your bow. Somehow, it works.
Avander Shellivathan
Archer Dervish and Exemplar of Chaos

General Information:
Avander Shellivathan, CN Male Duskling, Medium Fey

32 Point Buy-
Str: 8
Dex: 16
Con: 18 (16 base + 2 racial)
Int: 13 (15 base +2 racial)
Wis: 12
Cha: 8

Stats at Level 20-
Str: 8
Dex: 20
Con: 18
Int: 14
Wis: 12
Cha: 8

Build:
Avander Shellivathan
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Incarnate 1|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Concentration +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +4, Knowledge (Religion) +4|Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Yuan-Ti Serpent Bow)| Aura of Chaos, Detect Law

2nd|Incarnate 2|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Knowledge (Religion) +4| |Chakra Bind (Crown)

3rd|Fighter 1|
+2|
+5|
+0|
+3|Tumble +4, Jump +1|Weapon Focus (Yuan-Ti Serpent Bow), Combat Expertise|Hit-and-Run Tactics

4th|Fighter 2|
+3|
+6|
+0|
+3|Tumble +1, Perform (Dance) +1/2, Jump +1|Expeditious Dodge|

5th|Ranger 1|
+4|
+8|
+2|
+3|Tumble +1, Perform (Dance) +1/2, Hide +1, Move Silently +1, Spot +1, Listen +1, Jump +1| Track|Favored Enemy (Monstrous Humanoid), Wild Empathy

6th|Ranger 2|
+5|
+9|
+3|
+3|Perform (Dance) +2, Spot +1, Listen +1, Jump +1|Rapid Shot, Mobility |

7th|Fighter 3|
+6/+1|
+9|
+4|
+4|Tumble +1, Spot +1/2, Jump +1| |

8th|Fighter 4|
+7/+2|
+10|
+4|
+4|Tumble +1, Spot +1/2, Jump +1| Weapon Focus (Yuan-Ti Serpent Bow)|

9th|Dervish 1|
+8/+3|
+10|
+6|
+6|Perform (Dance) +1, Listen +1, Balance +1, Tumble +1, Jump +1|Point-Blank Shot |Dervish Dance 1/day, Movement Mastery, Slashing Blades, AC Bonus

10th|Dervish 2|
+9/+4|
+10|
+7|
+7|Perform (Dance) +1, Listen +1, Balance +1, Tumble +1, Jump +1| |Fast Movement

11th|Dervish 3|
+10/+5|
+11|
+7|
+7|Perform (Dance) +1, Listen +1, Balance +1, Tumble +1, Jump +1|Spring Attack |Dervish Dance 2/day

12th|Dervish 4|
+11/+6/+1|
+11|
+8|
+8|Perform (Dance) +1, Listen +1, Balance +1, Tumble +1, Jump +1|Precise Shot|Dance of Death

13th|Dervish 5|
+12/+7/+2|
+11|
+8|
+8|Perform (Dance) +1, Listen +1, Balance +1, Tumble +1, Jump +1| | Dervish Dance 3/day

14th|Dervish 6|
+13/+8/+3|
+12|
+9|
+9|Perform (Dance) +1, Listen +1, Balance +1, Tumble +1, Jump +1| | Improved Reaction

15th|Dervish 7|
+14/+9/+4|
+12|
+9|
+9|Perform (Dance) +1, Listen +1, Balance +1, Tumble +1, Jump +1|Woodland Archer|Elaborate Parry, Dervish Dance 4/day

16th|Dervish 8|
+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+10|
+10|Perform (Dance) +1, Listen +1, Balance +1, Tumble +1, Jump +1| |

17th|Dervish 9|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+13|
+10|
+10|Perform (Dance) +1, Listen +1, Balance +1, Tumble +1, Jump +1| |Tireless Dance, Dervish Dance 5/day

18th|Dervish 10|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+13|
+11|
+11|Perform (Dance) +1, Listen +1, Balance +1, Tumble +1, Jump +1|Improved Critical (Yuan-Ti Serpent Bow) |A Thousand Cuts

19th|Incarnate 3|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+13|
+12|
+11|Spot +1/2, Tumble +1/2, Knowledge (Arcana) +1| |Expanded Soulmeld Capacity +1, Incarnum Radiance 1/day

20th|Incarnate 4|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+14|
+12|
+12|Spot +1/2, Tumble +1/2, Knowledge (Arcana)| |Chakra Bind (Hands & Feet)[/table]

{table]Essentia|5
Chakra Binds|1
Soulmelds|4[/table]

Build Explanation:
This was an attempt to do something I believed could not work. An Archer Dervish. Avander uses the Yuan-Ti Serpent Bow, a bow the basically has a short sword attached to it, therefore, it counts as a "slashing melee weapon" for the purpose of qualifying for dervish. For being able to use Dervish Dance at range, which requires a "slashing weapon" (not a melee slashing weapon, by the way), I use Serpentstongue ammunition, which is both piercing and slashing. This build is very feat intensive, but very fun. Note: I did not build this character to be uber powerful, I just found the idea interesting. (i.e. I'm not expecting high marks in Power)

Wanted Equipment:
+3 Splitting Speed Seeking Yuan-Ti Serpent Bow
Gloves of Dexterity +6
+1 Mithral Shirt
Greater Bracers of Archery
Amulet of Health +4
Vest of Resistance +3
Ring of Invisibility
Ring of Freedom of Movement
Phoenix Cloak
Dwarvencraft Yuan-Ti Serpent Bow (Backup)
100 Serpentstongue Arrows

Level Showcase:
Level 9: This is Avander's first level of Dervish. He has decent enough AC, decent hit points, good attack bonus, and decent damage. He won't be the primary damage dealer of the party, but more of a secondary everything, but hey, that's Incarnates for you.

Level 15: Avander now has the feats to spare to start focusing on archery to its fullest, so he picked up Precise Shot and Woodland Archer. He is a nice scout, and holds a good place in a balanced party.

Sources:
Complete Warrior: Dervish
Magic of Incarnum: Duskling and Incarnate
Secrets of Xen'drik: Yuan-Ti Serpent Bow
Races of the Wild: Expeditious Dodge and Woodland Archer

[Private-Prinny]

Note to self: Do not anger gypsies.
The woeful tale of Weylin
Their tale is remembered in dance, as is the custom of all great tales of the clan, in memory of him. It is the tale of two men and one woman, a tale of jealousy, treachery, betrayal and murder. It is a tale of a woman left to grieve her lover's loss, but not left alone. That woman had a daughter, and that daughter founded a clan, and that clan was known far and wide for their mastery of dance. Almost none knew of their mastery of the blade, another skill that they took up in honor of that lost ancestor.

Generations passed, and both greatness and tragedy came to the clan. Tragedy was the order of the day when Weylin was conceived, for the a of orcs had overrun the camp of the gypsie daughters. The battle lasted for hours, and the chief of the orcs had begun celebrating his victory early - with the daughter of the matriarch. Eventually, the clan won the day, but not without much loss of life and honor.

As if to mock the entire clan, a son was born nine months later, the first male child in an unbroken chain from the founding daughter of the clan, the first son of the man known as Paimon in untold years. He had inhereted his father's look and strength, but still he was treated as a member of the clan. Though kept on the outskirts, hidden in the shadows, he was taught the ancient secrets and the great mysteries, the sacred dances and the forbidden seal.

Still tragedy followed the clan, as soon after a king of an elven nation called the surviving gypsies to dance for him, promising great wealth in return. The gypsies danced, all save the Matriarch of the clan, who was too old and looked after the young child Weylin. The dancers were breathtaking in their beauty, and the king demanded that they join his harem. The clan refused, and demanded the payment promised. The king in turn transformed into a green dragon - his true form - and slew every dancer, claiming that if he could not have such beauty, no one would.

The Matriarch fled and escaped with the child, for the dragon cared little for the old woman or the ugly child. She was the last living member of the clan, and her hatred for the creature that had slaughtered her daughters and nieces knew no bounds. She raised Weylin to the ways of the dance, she taught him the darkest secrets of the clan, and the ways of the sword, and having him swear vengeance upon his clan's destroyer.

Gypsies have a very strong sense of revenge - they will not merely kill you when seeking revenge. They will seek to do as much harm to you as was done to them, and then perhaps a bit more. Weylin grew up learning to be a true gypsie - he knew that in time he would not just be asked to kill the green dragon that had nearly destroyed the clan - he would kill that dragon's parents and children, and aunts, uncles, cousins... Perhaps it would be simpler just to kill every green dragon in the world. Such was his oaths of revenge and desire to see justice done to the evil dragons of the world that Bahamut himself blessed Weylin with the gift of flight.

And so, armed with skill in dance, the gypsie's flaming blade style and the secrets that would one day allow him to contact the otherworldly spirit of his ancestor Paimon, Weylin set forth on his great quest for vengeance.


Weylin, Dragonlord of the Dance
Race: Dragonborn (Wings) Half-Orc
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Attributes: Str 18(16), Dex 13(15), Con 14(12), Int 10(12), Wis 14(14), Cha 6(8)
{table=head]Level|Class|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features
01|Swordsage|+0|+0|+2|+2|Hide 4, MS 4, Jump 4, Perform (Dance) 2, Tumble 4, Balance 4|Desert Wind Dodge|Quick to Act +1, discipline focus (Weapon Focus)
02|Binder|+0|+2|+2|+4|Intimidate 2||Soul Binding
03|Binder|+1|+3|+2|+5|Intimidate 4|Combat Reflexes|Pact Augmentation (1 ability), suppress sign
04|Swordsage|+2|+3|+3|+6|Perform (Dance) 3, Hide 6, MS 6||AC Bonus, +1 Dex
05|Swordsage|+3|+4|+3|+6|Hide 8, MS 8, Balance 5, Tumble 5||
06|Binder|+4|+4|+4|+6|Sense Motive 2|Mobility|
07|Binder|+5|+5|+4|+7|Sense Motive 4|Improved Binding|Bonus Feat
08|Dervish|+6|+5|+6|+9|Tumble 6, Perform (Dance) 6||Dervish dance 1/day, movement mastery, slashing blades, +1 Str
09|Dervish|+7|+5|+7|+10|Perform (Dance) 10|Power Attack|Fast movement +5 ft.
10|Dervish|+8|+6|+7|+10|Perform (Dance) 13, Tumble 7||Spring Attack, dervish dance 2/day
11|Dervish|+9|+6|+8|+11|Perform (Dance) 14, Tumble 10||Dance of death
12|Dervish|+10|+6|+8|+11|Perform (Dance) 15, Tumble 13|Adaptive Style|Fast movement +10 ft., dervish dance 3/day
13|Dervish|+11|+7|+9|+12|Perform (Dance) 16, Tumble 16||Improved reaction
14|Dervish|+12|+7|+9|+12|Perform (Dance) 17, Tumble 17, Intimidate 5||Elaborate parry, dervish dance 4/day, +1 Str
15|Dervish|+13|+7|+10|+13|Perform (Dance) 18, Tumble 18, Sense Motive 5|Robilar's Gambit|Fast movement +15 ft.
16|Dervish|+14|+8|+10|+13|Perform(Dance) 19, Tumble 19, Jump 6||Tireless dance, dervish dance 5/day
17|Dervish|+15|+8|+11|+14|Perform(Dance) 20, Jump 9||A thousand cuts, +1 Str
18|Swordsage|+16|+8|+15|+15|Hide 11, MS 11|Martial Stance|Discipline Focus (Insightful Strike)
19|Shadowdancer|+16|+8|+17|+15|Perform (Dance) 22, Hide 13, MS 13||Hide in plain sight
20|Shadowdancer|+17|+8|+18|+15|Hide 16, MS 16||Evasion, darkvision, uncanny dodge, +1 Str[/table]

Maneuvers:
1: Blistering Flourish, Burning Blade, Wind Stride, Sudden Leap, Counter Charge, Shadow Blade Technique, Flame's Blessing
4: Flashing Sun, Step of the Wind
5: Mountain Hammer
18: Blistering Flourish, Ring of Fire, Desert Tempest, Fiery Assault

The Secret Ingredient:
The Requirements - Some might considder Dodge and Mobility to be wasted feats, but in this build they're opportunities. Dodge is often considdered a horrible feat, and as such the build does away with the standard dodge and take the desert wind version. Desert Wind dodge is very nice for us because it will pretty much always apply while we're dancing, and since our weapon of choice is the falchion, it also means +1 damage. So we've already started on the path to mobility-fighter. Which brings up the mobility feat - at low levels mobility may be a less than ideal feat choice, but by the time we pick up Robilar's Gambit, it will be a key piece in our primary fighting style. Combat Reflexes is a better than average feat by itself, and is the basis of our early-level fighting style. The weapon focus requirement is easily met by our first level of swordsage - even if we didn't take desert wind as chosen discipline, most of the others include a slashing weapon. Our skill requirements are also both doing (at least) triple duty - Perform(dance) ranks are required for entry into shadowdancer (along with dodge, mobility and combat reflexes, it made entry into that PrC an absolute cinch) while also determining the length of our dervish dance, while tumble is not only used in combat but also giving us fire resistence through Flame's Blessing.
Enhanced AC - While +3 over 10 levels may not seem like a lot, this armor bonus exactly makes up for the difference in AC between a mithril breastplate and full plate. The fact that we're getting wisdom to AC on top of that, a much higher dex bonus to AC, and extra AC from other sources like DW Dodge and Mobility, means that our AC is easily beating out any equal-level opponents. This is really important to us, because as a mobility fighter, one of our jobs is to soak up AoOs. See level 15 tactics below.
Dervish dance - The Dervish's dance is as important to them as rage to a barbarian, but in point of fact it's far more versatile. You get the same +2 attack and damage by 3rd level (up to +5 at 9th level) while also getting pounce (or a near equivalent), and no reduction in AC.
Movement Mastery - If I'd been designing the class, this would have been an 'ignore difficult terrain' class ability. As it stands, however, you simply get expertise in a few pre-selected skills. However, between our early martial stances, we have both a reason to keep Tumble high and a means of ignoring difficult terrain, meaning we not only make the most out of this feat, but also have 'movement' mastered far beyond what other dervishes manage.
Slashing Blades - This one actually goes counter to the purpose of the build - which is to power attack for lots during a dervish dance. Fortunately, our favored weapon is the Falchion, so it also doesn't really hinder the build.
Fast movement - An increasing enhancement bonus to speed? Awesome. Not only does this enhance our dervish dance, but it also allows us to get more attacks during a dance of death. And once we finally get Ring of Fire, the +30' movement over two moves will increase the possible area we can engulf in flames by quite a bit.
Spring Attack - This at least allows us to maintain our status as 'mobility fighter' while not dervish dancing or using Paimon's dance of death.
Dance of death - Not to be confused with the even more useful ability granted by Paimon, this allows us to cleave while DD is active. While we cannot apply these extra cleave attacks during an actual dance of death, at least we now have
Improved reaction - It's an untyped initiative bonus. It stacks with the Swordsage init bonus. What's not to like? Once we get this, it makes sense to permanently settle our Pact Augmentation as a +2 init bonus as well, giving us a total of 5+dex bonus to initiative, plus any bonuses from gear and spells.
Elaborate parry - This is just another form of AC buff, for a -4 penalty to attacks. By this level, we've got so many bonuses to hit that we can just count it as an effective +6 to AC (+4 from elaborate parry and +2 from fighting defensively). See the equipment section for a full breakdown of AC bonuses.
Tireless dance - While a fight probably isn't going to last more than the 11 rounds you get to dance by this point, it's still nice not to tire yourself out anymore.
A thousand cuts - Now this is a nice capstone. This is the ability you use when cutting a swath through the 1000 Orc army. And doubling up your damage against a boss on the first round of combat is never a bad thing.

Tactics:
Levels 1-6: At lower levels, you're a bit of an odd duck. As a Binder/Swordsage, you're going to be a bit of an odd duck. On the swordsage side, you've got a fair selection of strikes, boosts, stances and counters that should do well in most situations, while on the binder side you've got your choice of first level vestiges and your choice of pact augmentation (probably DR 1/- or +2 init, though resist 5 to an element you're probably going to run into is a good choice if you've got fore-warning) which makes you very versatile. By 6th level, you've also picked up the ability to fly for short periods and 2nd level vestiges. Until you've built up some decent HP, your primary combat style is going to involve a reach weapon (probably a guisarme) and spiked armor, using your combat reflexes and swordsage strikes to give you significant battlefield control.
Levels 7-14: By 7th level, you're a dervish in everything but name. Dropping all other tactics, once you take Improved bind vestige as your 4th level binder feat, you can bind Paimon, and that's what you're built to do. The +4 dex gets you +2 AC, +2 init, and +2 AoOs. The +4 bonus to tumble will be useful while the +4 bonus to perform (dance) may actually be relevant on more than one occasion. The two gems, though, are the Dance of Death and Whirlwind attack. The Dance of death is obvious - even before getting into the Dervish prestige class, you're getting an ability that rivals the Dervish dance. But since you can only use it every 5 rounds, you're not going to be getting this trick off more than two times in most combats, and it's fairly useless against single targets. So instead you'll be using your dervish dance, combined with swordsage maneuvers and normal attacks most of the time. However, one thing that really shines after you get into dervish is Whirlwind attack - since your dervish dance allows you to make a full attack action during the course of your movement, you can now use whirlwind attack as though it were a standard action maneuver - move to the target square, whirlwind attack, and then move away. You can only make that one attack, but it's still so far superior to any other use of the feat that it actually becomes a viable tactic once more. As for dealing with attacks of opportunity from all this traipsing around the battlefield? Your AC by this point should be quite high (see equipment section below).
Level 15-17: Level 15 is when you pick up Robilar's Gambit, and once again your fighting style changes. No longer do you disregard attacks of opportunity - now you seek them out. Mobility makes up for the difference in AC that you're giving up to use Robilar's Gambit, but now every time an opponent takes a swipe at you during your turn, you get an extra attack! Nothing in the rules prevents you from taking an attack of opportunity DURING YOUR OWN TURN - indeed, it's explicitly allowed:
An attack of opportunity "interrupts" the normal flow of actions in the round. If an attack of opportunity is provoked, immediately resolve the attack of opportunity, then continue with the next character’s turn (or complete the current turn, if the attack of opportunity was provoked in the midst of a character’s turn). This is the trick that kicks two-weapon fighting in the teeth, because every single extra attack you get this way is at your highest attack bonus. You only get a number equal to your dex modifier, but at this level that should be at least +7 (1 base +2 from 14 dex +2 from paimon +2 or more from magic). This means that even without dervish dance active, you can move 45', use spring attack to make a single standard attack (or standard action strike), and still make more than twice as many attacks as you'd normally be able to simply by provoking 6 AoOs - all at full power attack with your 2 handed weapon! Oh, and since Whirlwind Attack only precludes attacks granted by spells, feats and abilities (Robilar's Gambit does not grant attacks, it causes attackers to provoke AoOs), you can now make your full complement of 7+ attacks in a round and stop in the middle to do a whirlwind attack! THIS is what being a mobility fighter really means! By level 17, you've attained the Dervish capstone, meaning that by this point you're raining death upon the masses, or choping single targets down like a woodsman takes down inconvenient trees. Seriously, you don't need to be a dual-wielder or a flurrying monk to get a massive number of attacks - two handed power attacking for 16 (+32 damage!) 15+ times a round, with a keen falchion - that really ought to be enough for anyone.
Level 18+: You are a creature or fear and destruction. You drive your foes before you, destroying them as they are far too terrified to attack you. Even if they do try, you've now got Improved uncanny dodge (from Paimon by way of Shadowdancer) and evasion. Your stealth has shot up to respectable levels, and thanks to hide in plain sight, you're better than invisible (since everything can see invisibility by this level). Most importantly, you've got a couple of new moves. Desert tempest is much like Paimon's Dance of death, except that there is no restriction preventing you from using Robilar's Gambit against enemies as you move past them (thus allowing you to make 2 attacks against most enemies). Ring of fire, meanwhile, allows you to make a double move, taking and making AoOs the entire way, before blasting anyone you've circled around fully with 12d6 fire damage! Oh, and now every attack you make (including things like that ring of fire) deals an extra d6 of fire damage, thanks to the fiery assault stance!

Equipment:
Early equipment should include a masterwork falchion, a reach weapon and spiked light armor. Swapping between the falchion and the reach weapon allows for some combat versatility.
Soon after, investments into cheap, stacking AC boosters (including +2 dex and +2 wis items) and a Keen upgrade to the falchion should be the priority at lower levels. Boots of speed are the first significant purchase.
At higher levels, upgrading the Falchion further (+3 keen flaming burst brilliant energy falchion being the final goal), getting +6 stat items for Str and Wis, +4 for Dex and Con, +5 cloak or resistence, +5 ring of protection, +5 Mithril Breastplate of Nimbleness (increased max dex bonus), +5 amulet of natural armor, Eternal Wand of Shield (+4 shield bonus to AC),
Expected AC by 15th level: 10 +6 (dex) +5 (armor) +3 (enhancement) +2 (deflection) +2 (natural armor) +4 (wisdom) +2 (class) +1 (DW Dodge) +4 (shield, from spell) +6 (defensive fighting) -4 (robilar's gambit) +4* (mobility) = 45 (41 during opponent's turn)
Expected AC by 20th level: 10 +6 (dex) +5 (armor) +5 (enhancement) +5 (defleciton) +5 (natural armor) +4 (wisdom) +3 (class) +1 (DW Dodge) +4 (shield, from spell) -4 (robilar's gambit) +6 (fighting defensively) +4 (mobility) = 54 (50 during opponent's turn)
This can be raised by using a tome to increase wisdom and through custom magic items, or reduced if you don't want to spend half your money on AC boosting magic items.

Adaptations and Enhancements:
There's plenty of wiggle room for changes to this build. Dragonborn is by no means a necessary part of the build, Half-Orc could easily be replaced by another race (indeed, the first version of this build involved a Water Orc). And if LA buyoff is allowed, there are a number of excellent templates and/or LA races that would make this an even more interesting build - in particular, any large race, which would naturally have reach, makes this entire build significantly better.
If flaws are allowed, both Adaptive Style and Combat Reflexes should be moved up to 1st level feats. In their place, I suggest Sand Dancer (free-action 1 round blinding effect to target of next melee attack after tumbling on sand or similar material, 10+1/2 HD + wis fort save to negate) and Sand Spinner (free action whirlwind attack version of Sand Dancer) from Sandstorm.

Sources:
Tome of Battle - Swordsage, Desert Wind Dodge, Scorching Sirocco, Martial Stance, all maneuvers & stances
Tome of Magic - Binder, Improved Binding, Paimon
Complete Warrior - Dervish
PHBII - Robilar's Gambit
Dragon Magic - Dragonborn
Magic Item Compendium - the Nimbleness enhancement
SRD - Everything else

[Private-Prinny]

"Cutting-cutting, how you kill me. Uh-huh, cutting-cutting."
"You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen"

Sanavakri, the Dancing Kalashtar
Kalashtar Warblade 1/Psychic Warrior 2/Warblade +3/Dervish 10/Warblade +4

The Story
"Far-day night under Dal Quor's glow
Looking out for the place to go
Where they oppress your people, dominate and worry
You come to hunt the Quori
Anybody could be possessed
But you are young and you'll pass the test
With a bit of psionics, everything is fine
You're in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance..."

Sanavakri had trained long for this day. Long hours in the dojo, perfecting her mind and body. Long hours learning the ancient art of sheshan talarash dasyannah, the secret dances of her people.

Now she stood cornered, a monstrous Quori looming over her. The creature's form roiled, anticipating the fear to come.

"Any last requests?"

"Just one," replied Sanavakri. "A beat."

Then she began to hum. And then to dance. And then, with a fluidity that would shame the finest of Sharn's concert halls, to kill.

The Build
"You are the dancing queen, deadly sweet, with an iron sheen
Dancing queen, feel the rush of the falchion's gleam
You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen"

Sanavakri

Starting Ability Scores: Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 8, Levelup points go to Str

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

1st|Warblade 1|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Balance 4, Concentration 4, Jump 4, Knowledge(history) 4, Tumble 4, Perform(dance) 2|Power Attack|Maneuvers, Battle Clarity, Weapon Aptitude

2nd|Psychic Warrior 1|
+1|
+4|
+0|
+0|Autohypnosis +2, Concentration +1, Jump +1|Dodge|Manifesting

3rd|Psychic Warrior 2|
+2|
+5|
+0|
+0|Autohypnosis +2, Concentration +1, Jump +1|Mobility|

4th|Warblade 2|
+3|
+6|
+0|
+0|Balance +1, Jump +1, Tumble +2, Peform(dance) +1||Uncanny Dodge

5th|Warblade 3|
+4|
+6|
+1|
+1|Concentration +2, Jump +1, Knowledge(history) +1, Tumble +2||Battle Ardor

6th|Warblade 4|
+5|
+7|
+1|
+1|Concentration +1, Jump +1, Knowledge(history) +3, Tumble +1|Combat Expertise, Weapon Focus(Falchion)|

7th|Dervish 1|
+6|
+7|
+3|
+3|Jump +1, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +4||AC Bonus, Dervish Dance 1/day, Movement Mastery, Slashing Blades

8th|Dervish 2|
+7|
+7|
+4|
+4|Jump +1, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +4||Fast Movement +5ft

9th|Dervish 3|
+8|
+8|
+4|
+4|Jump +1, Listen +3, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +1|Path of Shadows, Spring Attack(B)|Dervish Dance 2/day

10th|Dervish 4|
+9|
+8|
+5|
+5|Jump +1, Listen +3, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +1||Dance of Death

11th|Dervish 5|
+10|
+8|
+5|
+5|Jump +1, Listen +3, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +1||Fast Movement +10ft, Dervish Dance 3/day

12th|Dervish 6|
+11|
+9|
+6|
+6|Jump +1, Listen +3, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +1|Dancing With Shadows|Improved Reaction

13th|Dervish 7|
+12|
+9|
+6|
+6|Jump +1, Listen +3, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +1||Elaborate Parry, Dervish Dance 4/day

14th|Dervish 8|
+13|
+9|
+7|
+7|Balance +1, Jump +1, Listen +2, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +1||Fast Movement +15ft

15th|Dervish 9|
+14|
+10|
+7|
+7|Autohypnosis +1, Jump +1, Listen +1, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +1|Improved Combat Expertise|Tireless Dance, Dervish Dance 5/day

16th|Dervish 10|
+15|
+10|
+8|
+8|Autohypnosis +1, Jump +1, Listen +1, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +1||A Thousand Cuts

17th|Warblade 5|
+16|
+10|
+8|
+8|Jump +1, Listen +1, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +1|IronHeart Aura(B)|

18th|Warblade 6|
+17|
+11|
+9|
+9|Jump +1, Listen +1, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +1|Stormguard Warrior|Improved Uncanny Dodge

19th|Warblade 7|
+18|
+11|
+9|
+9|Jump +1, Listen +1, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +1||Battle Cunning

20th|Warblade 8|
+19|
+12|
+9|
+9|Jump +1, Listen +1, Tumble +1, Perform(dance) +1||[/table]

Psionics
{table=head]Level|Power Points|New Powers Known

2nd|2|Adrenaline Boost
3rd|4|Defensive Precognition
[/table]
*Power Points are listed without bonus power points from high Wis. After this table, Power Points increase by one every level.

Maneuvers
{table=head]Level|Maneuvers Readied|New Maneuvers Known|Stances Known

1st|3|Moment of Perfect Mind, Steely Strike, Steel Wind|Punishing Stance
4th|3|Claw at the Moon|
5th|3|Sudden Leap|
6th|4|Trade Steely Strike for Iron Heart Surge|Blood in the Water
17th|4|Dancing Mongoose|
18th|4|Trade Steel Wind for Manticore Parry|
19th|4|Swooping Dragon Strike|
20th|4|Trade Moment of Perfect Mind for Finishing Move|
[/table]

Build Explanation and Tactics
"You've got expertise with that blade you swing
Huddle up and then do your thing
Looking for an opening, a chance to strike
You're in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance..."

Sanavakri is, first and foremost, a dancer. While she doesn't have Perform(dance) as a class skill for the first six levels of her life, she has enough skill points to spare the cross-class ranks to qualify while still getting a useful set of skills, including Tumble and Autohypnosis.

Sanavakri's fluidity as a dancer manifests early on in her career, as she picks up both Power Attack and Combat Expertise, letting her sacrifice attack bonus for either damage with her two-handed Falchion, or AC. Her early feats for the most part give minor but useful bonuses. Psychic Warrior levels give her two handy buffs, while her Kalashtar race and passable Wisdom give her the power points to use them. Her maneuvers give her some damage, some mobility, and some protection from negative effects, while Punishing Stance and Blood in the Water are both good offensive options, with the latter likely to trigger during a long combat, given her preferred weapon.

She enters Dervish only a level later than minimum with almost full BAB. As a Dervish dancing becomes an even more vital part of her life, and she starts preferentially putting ranks in Perform(dance) instead of Concentration, a choice which will pay off in a few levels. The Dervish's AC bonus is handy, as is its Fast Movement, and while Slashing Blades goes unused, Movement Mastery proves very useful. Not only does it allow her to take 10 on Tumble, a key skill in combat, but also Jump, used for some of her Tiger Claw maneuvers, and Perform(dance), which in a few levels she will have unique incentive to use in combat.

Despite having fewer attacks than a TWFer, Sanavakri still enjoys the superior pounce-like benefits of Dervish Dance, and the accuracy bonuses help her Power Attack or use Combat Expertise with less risk. With limited times per day, it's not good to rely on Dervish Dance for mobility, but in Sanavakri's case she has a backup when outside of Dervish Dance in the form of standard action strikes.

Spring Attack serves as a mini-dance for occasions when such becomes necessary, but the real gem of ninth level is Path of Shadows, which finally gives Sanavakri a use for the Perform(dance) part of Movement Mastery. Ancient Kalashtar traditions let her use Perform(dance) instead of Concentration to manifest in combat, and the ability to take 10 makes it quite unlikely that she will fail, letting her use Defensive Precognition freely when threatened.

Dance of Death is nice for groups of weak creatures, providing more utility than Steel Wind, which we trade out when next given a chance. Like any initiative boost, Improved Reaction is always handy.

The sweet spot of the build is at 13th level, when Sanavakri has Dancing with Shadows and Elaborate Parry. Dancing with Shadows is a Kalashtar-only tactical feat from Races of Eberron that improves defensive figting and Combat Expertise. It has three abilities, two of which are relevant here, the first being Graceful Lunge: if Sanavakri fights defensively or uses Combat Expertise, the next round she may apply whatever dodge bonus she had as a bonus to her first attack roll in the next round. With Elaborate Parry she gets +6 to AC from fighting defensively, improved to +7 from Tumble, so that alone is a +7 bonus on her attack in the next round. With Combat Expertise this goes up to +12, which is equal to her BAB, letting her Power Attack for full comparatively risk-free, or to land a particularly difficult strike. The other signficant benefit of Dancing with Shadows, Lingering Defense, allows her to fight defensively or use Combat Expertise for two rounds, then in the third gain the same dodge bonus without taking attack penalties. If a fight is going to go for a long time this can be a very useful choice, as along with the AC bonus from being a Dervish this will result in an AC that remains somewhat meaningful at higher levels. Under some interpretations one can also fight defensively/use combat expertise while benefiting from this ability, racking up double the dodge bonus (potentially leading to double the to-hit in the next round with Graceful Lunge). Please check your DM for lactose intolerance before using this last though.

Improved Combat Expertise extends the lifetime of this tactic while allowing even higher bonuses. In the meantime, Dervish Dance can be used almost every encounter, meaning +5 or so to hit is here to stay, making defensive tactics less painful.

A Thousand Cuts is of course well regarded, but this build has an extra use for it. As the build caps off with Warblade levels, Stormguard Warrior appears. Of its benefits, Fight the Horde is nice when coupled with Sanavakri's mobility in Dervish Dance, but Combat Rhythm is the real prize.

Sanavakri, you see, is a dancer. For her, combat is music, a powerful beat that drives her back and forth, this way and that. She flows with combat, like so: in one round, with Dervish Dance and/or A Thousand Cuts, she dances merrily out of her opponents' way, making dozens of jabs that fail to deal any damage, safe behind a +26 dodge bonus to AC. In the next round she turns, and with a Graceful Lunging Power Attack augmented by Combat Rhythm, the latter powered up by the previous round's double full attack worth of "love taps", she obliterates her foe. Sounds fun?

The last few levels of Warblade cap things off with a few maneuvers to use in this final all-out attack, including Swooping Dragon Strike and Finishing Move, while Dancing Mongoose ultimately might add two attacks to her Thousand Cuts, with the proper interpretation.

Equipment Wish List and Variants
Aside from the traditional ability score boosters (Sanavakri gets some use out of every ability score except Charisma, though she only really needs Str and Dex), Sanavakri would enjoy a Keen weapon, possibly with other on-crit properties. Anklets of Translocation are useful to any melee build, while Maneuver-granting items would be handy, in particular to give stances that the build was unable to pick up like Absolute Steel and Leaping Dragon Stance. A Torc of Power Preservation could help with augmenting the build's powers. Once you get a bonus to Dex from an item, consider getting a friend with Psychic Reformation to let you switch one of your powers for Expansion, since melee generally enjoys being Large when it doesn't entail losing Dodge and hence the Secret Ingredient.

If you are particularly worried about multiclass penalties, switching a few levels of Warblade for Psychic Warrior shouldn't mess up the build too much.

If Flaws and Traits are available, Cautious will increase your bonus when fighting defensively by an additional +1, increasing your Graceful Lunge accordingly. Similarly, using Oriental Adventures' rules for Tumble will next you an additional point of dodge bonus for level 12+. A level of Cleric opens up War Devotion, which lets you take less of a penalty and get more of a bonus from fighting defensively, and doesn't even take a swift action.

With Flaws a more radical variant of the build opens up. If you take Bard instead of Psychic Warrior and Arcane Duelist instead of several levels of Warblade, you can gain the ability to trade damage for attack bonus, adding a further source of fluidity to an already fluid build. The Bard level will also let you benefit from Inspire Courage, which helps in rounds when you want to exploit the many attacks of Dervish Dance for something other than Stormguard Warrior.

"You are the dancing queen, deadly sweet, with an iron sheen
Dancing queen, feel the rush of the falchion's gleam
You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen"

Sources
Eberron Campaign Setting: Kalashtar
Races of Eberron: Path of Shadows, Dancing with Shadows
Expanded Psionics Handbook: Psychic Warrior
Complete Psionic: Adrenaline Boost
Complete Warrior: Dervish, Improved Combat Expertise
Tome of Battle: Warblade, Ironheart Aura, Stormguard Warrior, some item suggestions
Magic Item Compendium: Other item suggestions
Unearthed Arcana/Complete Champion/Oriental Adventures/Web Article: Some variant suggestions

[Private-Prinny]

He's a Thri-Kreen and he's okay. He kills all night and dances all day.
The Death of Xen'drik

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/407620/tentacle.jpg

Exalt the Gods of Flesh
Change is their Domain
Life is their play thing

The swarm spreads!
The Dragon Prophets will fall
And the Gate will be opened.

Their blood will boil in their bodies.
Stormreach will be the first to burn.

Praise the Venomfire, Praise the Whip!
These are the implements of gods!
We will eat our enemies!

Down with the Gate Keepers!
Down with Rush'ame!
Down with the Sul'lat!
Down with the Umbargen!
None can stand against the Daelkyr Lords.
Or their loyal Dervishes

-Death of Xen'Drik
Cultist of the Dragon Below
Sermon on the Coming Consumption of Stormreach


Death is a member of a Thri-Keen cult of the Dragon Below and the Daelkyr Lords. His cult lives in one of the many deserts of Xen'Drik and fights against other Thri-Keen tribes, Drow, and Giants. In time it hopes to spread the influence of the Daelkyr across the continent, freeing the Daelkyr Lord that the Umbargen battle, and destroying the city of Stormreach, and any Gatekeepers anywhere.

He first trained as a ranger focused on hunting the Orcish druids that are the traditional enemies of the Dragon Below cults. After a while he realized that there were more enemies then just druids, and began training as first a fighter, then as a traditional Thri-Keen Dervish. After completing his first Dervish Dance, his cult affixed him with four tentacle whips that he might spread the unholy Venomfire.

After mastering the combat of space and maneuver as a Dervish, he mastered the combat of time as a Warblade. He works well in a party of like minded evil adventurers as a primary damage dealer.

Anatomy of the Death


Lawful Evil Thri-Keen Ranger 3/Fighter 1/Dervish 10/Warblade 3

The Death of Xen'Drik
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Level Adjustment 1|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+0|||

2nd|Monstrous Humanoid 1|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|2 Tumb, 2 Perf, Jump 1|Combat Expertise|

3rd|Monstrous Humanoid 2|
+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|2.5 Tumb, 2 Perf, Jump 5||

4th|Ranger 1|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+3|Perf 3, Tumb 3, Surv 5|Dodge|FE Orcs, Track, Wild Empathy

5th|Ranger 2|
+4|
+3|
+6|
+3|Surv 7, K Nature 3, K Geo 3|Multi-Weapon Fighting|

6th|Ranger 3|
+5|
+3|
+6|
+4|Surv 8, K Nature 6, K Geo 6|Endurance|

7th|Fighter 1|
+6|
+5|
+6|
+4|K. Planes 1, Jump 6|W Focus Claw, Mobility|

8th|Dervish 1|
+7|
+5|
+8|
+6|Tumb 8||Dervish 1/Day, Movement Mas, AC+1

9th|Dervish 2|
+8|
+5|
+9|
+7|Tumb 11, Bal 2||Fast Movement +5

10th|Dervish 3|
+9|
+6|
+9|
+7|Tumb 12, Bal 5|Improved Multi-Weapon|Dervish 2/Day, Spring Attack

11th|Dervish 4|
+10|
+6|
+10|
+8|Tumb 13, Bal 8||Dance of Death

12th|Dervish 5|
+11|
+6|
+10|
+8|Tumb 14, Bal 9||Dervish 3/day FM+10, AC +2

13th|Dervish 6|
+12|
+7|
+11|
+9|Tumb 15, Bal 10|Speed of Thought|Imp. Reaction

14th|Dervish 7|
+13|
+7|
+11|
+9|Tumb 16, Bal 13||Elaborate Parry, Dervish 4/Day

15th|Dervish 8l|
+14|
+7|
+12|
+10|Tumb 17, Bal 16|Greater Multi-Weapon|Fast Movement +15

16th|Dervish 9|
+15|
+8|
+12|
+10|Tumb 18, Bal 18, Swim 1||Dervish 5/day, Tireless Dance, AC +3

17th|Dervish 10|
+16|
+8|
+13|
+11|Tumb 19, Bal 19, K Arc 1, Swim 2||Thousand Cuts

18th|Warblade 1|
+17|
+10|
+13|
+11|Tumb 20, Bal 20, K Local 1, K History 1, Jump 7||BC: Ref, Weapon Apt

19th|Warblade 2|
+18|
+11|
+13|
+11|Tumb 21, Bal 21, Mart Lore 3|Multi-Attack|Uncanny Dodge

20th|Warblade 3|
+19|
+11|
+14|
+12|Tumb 22, Bal 22, Mart lore 6||Battle Ardor (Crit)[/table]



Maneuvers and Items:

Maneuvers:
Leading the Attack
Wolf Fang Strike
White Raven Tactics
Sudden Leap
Dancing Mongoose

Leaping Dragon Stance



Tentacle Whip x4 Eberron Campaign Setting 300 (price in Magic of Eberron)
Poison Fangs Graft - Serpent Kingdoms 155
Wand of Venomfire or String of Prayer Beads and Orange Ioun Stone
Venomfire - Serpant Kingdoms page 158

Novice Crown of the White Raven (White Raven Tactics) - Tome of Battle 149
Master Tiger Claw Bracers (Girallon Windmill Flesh Rip) Tome of Battle 149

Wand of Lion's Charge - Spell Compendium 33
Belt of Battle - Magic Item Compendium 73o
Boots of Speed



The Dervish - ECL 17

At this level the Death has gained all 10 levels of the Dervish Class. His main attack method is attacking with all four whips + bite attack + 4 claw attacks as part of a Dervish Dance. He has Greater Multi-Weapon Fighting so he makes 13 total tentacle whip attacks. Boots of Speed give him one additional attack with a tentacle whip. With a thousand cuts that becomes:

26 Tentacle Whip Attacks, 1 Bonus Tentacle Whip Attack, 2 Bite attacks, 8 Claw Attacks.

Each morning he uses a divine wand of Venomfire to do +5d6 acid damage with any attack with natural poison. The Tentacle Whip and the Bite both qualify.

After performing the dervish dance, the Death can spend a swift action to activate their belt of battle to make a normal full attack in the same round.

Dervish Full Attack: 27 d6 Slashing from Tentacle Whips, 135 d6 acid from tentacle whips, 2d4 Slashing, Bludgeoning, Piercing from Bite, 10d6 acid from bite, 8d4 slashing from claws

Normal full attack: 14d6 Slashing from Tentacle Whips, 70 d6 acid from Tentacle Whips, 1d4 Slashing, Bludgeoning, Piercing from Bite, 5d6 acid from bite, 4d4 slashing from claws.

172 d6 +12d4 While Dancing + 89d6 +5d4 from the secondary full attack.
261 d6 +17d4
913.5 +42.5 = 956 Average Damage

This is before misses, but also before cleaves and great cleaves.

He is also able to contribute when not dancing by pouncing opponents through use of a wand of Lion's Charge cast as a swift action. He has a speed of 40 +10 insight +30 enhancement when hasted, and a jump check of 67 before strength and a high tumble and balance score. He has very little difficulty moving around the battlefield, and there are a variety of items to give him a flight speed as well.

More on Tentacle Whips and Venomfire:

As Venomfire is on the ranger spell list, Death can use spell trigger items of Venomfire without having to make a Use Magic Device check. This is also how he uses his wand of Lion's Charge. Spell Trigger items are usable even though he has not yet gained ranger spellcasting.

Venomfire gives the bonus damage only on attacks with natural poison. The Tentacle Whip Symbionts naturally have poison. Their natural attacks are used whenever they are used as a whip (base attack bonus and strength etc are replaced). The tentacle whips also can be used without whip proficiency, and they attach onto forearm as opposed to being held in the hand. Natural weapons and unarmed strike can be used while wielding a tentacle whip, but not manufactured weapons. Tentacle Whips can attack any target within range.





The Endbringer ECL 20


After taking three levels of Warblade, the Death has an initator level of 11. Sudden Leap and Leaping Dragon Stance improve his mobility even further then before, bumping his jump check up to 77 before strength, and letting him make jumps as swift actions. Defensive abilities such as uncanny dodge are also useful.

The majority of the power goes to his Dervish Dance setup.
He starts out with a non - thousand cuts dervish dance making:
14 Tentacle Whips, 1 bite attack, 4 claw attacks

He then spends a swift action to activate White Raven Tactics from his crown to take a second turn after his turn ends to full attack again with:
14 Tentacle Whips, bite attack, 4 claw attacks

He then spends another swift action to activate White Raven Tactics from Warblade to full attack with a thousand cuts this time making :
26 Tentacle Whip Attacks, 1 Bonus Tentacle Whip Attack, 2 Bite attacks, 8 Claw Attacks.

And he spends his swift action to activate Girallon Windmill Flesh Rip from his gloves. Doing up to an additional 20d6 damage from the horrible rending.

Turn 1:89 d6 + 5d4
Turn 2:89 d6 +5d4
Turn 3:192 d6 +12d4
Average Damage:1350

This does not include misses, crits, or bonus attacks from cleave, great cleave, strength, or slashing bonuses.



Why Dervish?

While many builds allow you to do an enormous amount of damage to a single target, the Dervish's dance ability allows you to spread that damage out among a great many targets. The free cleaves allow the damage to be taken even further.

Movement mastery works wonderfully with Thri-Keen and the Leaping Dragon Stance. Improved reaction helps the Death go first. The only two things the Death doesn't really use from the class are Slashing Blades and Improved Defense.



Greater Cheese

Ways to take it even farther:

Works really well with a dragonfire inspiration bard, to do bonus fire damage on top of acid damage. If in a party with a cleric or druid (most parties have one), the Death can have them cast Venomfire instead, and will give them the Prayer Beads and Ioun Stone. This increases Venomfire damage from 5d6 to 25d6 bonus acid damage. The bite attack can be further enhanced with greater mighty wallop if the party has a wizard or sorcerer.

There are also enough free graft slots to add four Serpant Arms, giving the Death 5 more heads to be walloped, and four more sources of natural poison.

Between a cleric casting Venomfire and four additional poisonous attacks the damage goes up astronomically.

[Private-Prinny]

Edward Scissorhands, eat your heart out.
Devlin Bladehands.
Changeling.
14/16/14/16/8/8

Devlin Bladehands.
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Cobra Strike Monk1|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+2|Balance 4, Climb 4, Hide 4, Spot 4, Move Silently 4, Tumble 4, Perform(Dance) 4| Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, Versatile Unarmed Strike|Flurry of Blows, Unarmed Strike

2nd|Monk2|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+3|Balance 5, Climb 5, Hide 5, Spot 5, Move Silently 5, Tumble 5, Perform(Dance) 5|Mobility|Evasion

3rd|Swashbuckler1|
+2|
+5|
+3|
+3|Balance 6, Climb 6, Hide 5, Spot 6, Move Silently 5, Tumble 6, Perform(Dance) 6|Weapon Finesse, Carmendine Monk|-

4th|Swashbucker2|
+3|
+6|
+3|
+3|Balance 7, Climb 7, Hide 5, Spot 7, Move Silently 5, Tumble 7, Perform(Dance) 7||Grace+1

5th|Swashbucker3|
+4|
+6|
+4|
+4|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 8, Move Silently 5, Tumble 8, Perform(Dance) 8||Insighful Strike

6th|Warshaper1|
+4|
+8|
+4|
+4|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 8.5, Move Silently 5, Tumble 9, Perform(Dance) 9|Combat Expertise|Morphic Immunities, Morphic Weapons.

7th|Warshaper2|
+5|
+9|
+4|
+4|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 9, Move Silently 5, Tumble 10, Perform(Dance) 10||Morphic Body

8th|Swordsage1|
+5|
+9|
+6|
+6|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 11, Move Silently 5, Tumble 11, Perform(Dance) 11 Martial Lore 3||Quick to Act +1, Discipline Focus (Shadow Hand)

9th|Dervish1|
+6|
+9|
+8|
+8|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 12, Move Silently 5, Tumble 12, Perform(Dance) 12, Martial Lore 4, Listen 2|Shadow Blade|Dervish Dance 1/day, Slashing Blades, Movement Mastery, AC Bonus +1

10th|Dervish2|
+7|
+9|
+9|
+9|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 13, Move Silently 5, Tumble 13, Perform(Dance) 13, Martial Lore 5, Listen 4||Fast Movement +5'

11th|Dervish 3|
+8|
+10|
+9|
+9|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 14, Move Silently 5, Tumble 14, Perform(Dance) 14, Martial Lore 6, Listen 6|Spring Attack|Dervish Dance 2/day

12th|Dervish 4|
+9|
+10|
+10|
+10|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 15, Move Silently 5, Tumble 15, Perform(Dance) 15, Martial Lore 7, Listen 8|Two Weapon Fighting|Dance of Death

13th|Dervish 5|
+10|
+10|
+10|
+10|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 16, Move Silently 5, Tumble 16, Perform(Dance) 16, Martial Lore 8, Listen 10|-|AC Bonus +2, Dervish Dance 3/day, Fast Movement +10'.

14th|Dervish 6|
+11|
+11|
+11|
+11|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 17, Move Silently 5, Tumble 17, Perform(Dance) 17, Martial Lore 9, Listen 12|-|Improved Reaction

15th|Dervish 7|
+12|
+11|
+11|
+11|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 18, Move Silently 5, Tumble 18, Perform(Dance) 18, Martial Lore 10, Listen 14|Spare Feat! (See later)|Elaborate Parry, Dervish Dance 4/day

16th|Dervish 8|
+13|
+11|
+12|
+12|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 19, Move Silently 5, Tumble 19, Perform(Dance) 19, Martial Lore 11, Listen 16|-|Fast Movement 15'

17th|Dervish 9|
+14|
+12|
+12|
+12|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 20, Move Silently 5, Tumble 20, Perform(Dance) 20, Martial Lore 12, Listen 18|-|Tireless Dance, Dervish Dance 5/day, AC Bonus +3

18th|Dervish 10|
+15|
+12|
+12|
+12|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 21, Move Silently 5, Tumble 21, Perform(Dance) 21, Martial Lore 13, Listen 20|Spare Feat! (See later)|A Thousand Cuts

19th|Warshaper 3|
+16|
+12|
+13|
+13|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 22, Move Silently 5, Tumble 22, Perform(Dance) 22, Martial Lore 13, Listen 20|-|Morphic Reach

20th|Warshaper 4|
+17|
+13|
+13|
+13|Balance 8, Climb 8, Hide 5, Spot 23, Move Silently 5, Tumble 23, Perform(Dance) 23, Martial Lore 13, Listen 20|-|Morphic Healing[/table]

At the start of his life, Devlin Bladehands was born a changeling. His father was a changeling, but his mother was a human, so to maintain their happy life together, the two had to pretend to be normal humans, or they found distrust quickly set in.

Indeed, the father had been so successful in his life as a 'human', he had become the town mayor, with the trust and respect of his people. This posed a problem for him, when his son developed changeling traits, and didn't quite have total control of them yet...if the town found out about it, they'd soon realise their mayor was a changeling, and rumours would start, just as they alwas had before. They eventually chose his career and life over keeping their son and moving on, and sent him to a distant monastery.

Devlin was always regarded as slightly strange by the other boys in the village at the monastery. He would flicker his facial features through a wide variety to creep people out, and had no compunction with altering himself in unusual ways.

At an early age, he started to learn a few of the monk's martial arts, along with several boys in the village. The other boys would complain that his hands were harder than everyone else's, and upon testing on one of the teachers, they were astounded to find that he could use his changeling nature to 'harden' parts of his body that should have been soft. One of the monks was an expert on chanelling his Ki to harden his hands, so that he could strike in unusual ways, making himself harder to defend against. He took on Devlin as an apprentice, but the boys never let it go. They mocked him forever, following him and shouting 'Bladehands, Bladehands!!!' Devlin learned to amuse himself mostly alone, and found an old clearing he could sit in and listen to the world. Few people knew, though more than he thought, but every once in a while, he would dance by himself, through that clearing.

Whew, sorry about that. At level 1, Devlin is a straight up Monk, He has a slightly unusual fighting style, but that's due to his one-dimensional teachings from a single teacher. He also picks up the Versatile Unarmed Strike feat, using his changeling powers to be able to strike and do a variety of damages, including Slashing.

As a Monk, his unarmed strikes are treated explicitly as both manufactured and natural weapons for the purposes of spells and effects that affect one or the other. This is important to note, because there's a few effects later that affect slashing weapons, and this line makes it clear that they do affect his attacks.

As Devlin grew into his strengths and abilities, his master soon found that his very defensive style, relying on his intelligence and speed to keep himself from being hit, and not hitting particularly hard, made no sense with hands as hard as Devlin's. In a risk, he sent the boy to the swordsmen, and told them to teach him to use his hands as well as they could use a sword.

Devlin picked up these abilities very fast, learning to use his exceptional intelligence properly to defend against many attacks, and learning to use his speed and intelligence to strike his opponent in a way they simply cannot defend against.

At L5, Devlin is now a Monk/Swashbuckler. He has managed to bring his exceptional Int and Dex into play by getting Weapon Finesse and Swash 3, and mastering his original teacher's defensive style with the Carmedine Monk feat.

When using Flurry of blows, you explicitly get full Str to damage. Devlin is now making multiple attacks that get Str and Int to damage, and has Dex on the to-hit roll. His AC is pretty good, getting both Dex and Int to AC.

Devlin was enthralled by this almost miraculous effect he found his bladehands to be having on the men who fought him. The changeling abilities seemed to throw off more of his opponents than anyone expected. He focused his efforts for nearly a full year into mastering his powers, and slowly, his body warped and changed. He grew in strength, and he learned to increase the size of his hands, to inflict even more pain on the fools who thought they could beat him so easily just because he had no obvious weapons. They learned quickly, but not quickly enough for anyone's tastes.

His original teacher, appalled by the savagery of his once-favorite student, called in a favor from an old friend. One of the Masters of Nine came for a 'visit', and 'happened to drop by' Devlin's favorite place to train. Devlin, seeing yet another swordsman, laughed, and challenged him to a fight. Devlin was hopelessly outmatched, and his aggressive assault proved useless. The master crushed him, but was taken aback by how well Devlin had gained control over his body. He offered to take him to an academy for the Way of the nine swords.

Devlin accepted, and for once, actually buckled down to studying as much as he could, learning what he needed to about the Way. He only learned the basics, though, when he ran into one of the other students training alone in a practice room. He watched the man flowing through, back and forth, and dancing around an imaginary opponent with ease. In awe, Devlin begged the man to teach him how to fight and dance so easily. And so started his training as a Dervish.
Devlin started his way through Warshaper, getting a boost to his unarmed strikes (treated as a natural weapon for the purposes of spells and effects), and to Str and Con. He then picks up a level in Swordsage, both getting him the Weapon Focus needed to qualify for Dervish, and some very good stances and maneuvers, including the basically permanent concealment from Cloak of shadow.
He then goes into the secret ingredient, learning to dance and full attack, allowing him to use his flurry of blows while still moving.

In the end, Devlin finished his training under the Dervish, mastered all the skills he had, and finally bested the Master of Nine that had brought him there, taking advantage of the Thousand Cuts ability to tear through his defences. He left contented, and went vaguely feral, roaming the world, and mastering his changeling abilties, still searching for a new challenge.

Item Wish List:
+Physical stat items are great, and +Int is great. Dex and Int are prioritised, but Str and Con are both good.

You obviously want the basics, you have no special vision modes, you have no flight, you have no range.

Of specific interest are the Bracers of Armor (since you can wear none), and a Necklace of Natural attacks. Other forms of defence, like the cloak of resistance, or similar, will always be a good thing.

You can pick up some of the ToB items for some great maneuvers later on, which is always good.

Maneuvers and Stances.
You take Swordsage at level 8, making you IL 4. You qualify for 2nd level maneuvers and stances.

Maneuvers chosen:
Burning Blade
Fire Riposte
Cloak of Deception
Rabid Wolf Strike
Wolf Fang Strike
Shadow Jaunt.

Stances:
Blood in the Water
Child of Shadow


Feat Wish List:
There's a whole pile of great options here.
ITWF, Elusive target, Flay foe (CoR), Acrobatic Strike (PHB II), Deadly Grace, Keen Intellect, yadda yadda yadda. If you can get flaws, that's GREAT. If not, then I'd probably go elusive target, cos it's really really good at making you not die. Alternatively grab another Maneuver using a feat, or get Gloom Razor.

[Private-Prinny]

This guy is more than enough reason not to rob Santa's Workshop.


Elrond Aldaríon
LG Snow Elf
Str 16 Dex 16 Con 14 Int 14 Wis 8 Cha 6
All Bonus points in Strength

Build

Elrond Aldaríon
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Ranger 1|
+1|
+4|
+5|
-1|Hide 4,Move Silently 4, Spot 4, Knowledge (History) 2, Survival 4, Tumble 2|Bladebearer of the Valenar| Giant favored enemy, Track, wild empathy

2nd|Ranger 2|
+2|
+5|
+6|
-1|Hide 1,Move Silently 1, Spot 1, Knowledge (History) .5, Survival 1, Tumble .5|TWF (Ranger bonus)| Combat style-TWF

3rd| Ranger 3|
+3|
+5|
+6|
+0|Hide 1,Move Silently 1, Spot 1, Knowledge (History) .5, Survival 1, Tumble .5|Weapon Focus (Valenar double Scimitar) | Endurance

4th| Spell-Less Ranger 4|
+4|
+6|
+7|
+0|Hide 1,Move Silently 1, Spot 1, Knowledge (History) .5, Survival 1, Tumble .5|Conbat Expertise (Ranger Bonus)| Animal Companion

5th| Harmonious Knight Paladin |
+5|
+8|
+4|
+1|Perform (Dance) 4||Aura of good, inspire courage +1, smite evil 1/day

6th|Revenant Blade|
+6/+1|
+8|
+7|
+2|Hide 2,Move Silently 1, Spot 1, Knowledge (History) 1, Survival 1, |Dodge|Ancestral Guidance (1), Hero of Valaes Tairn

7th| Revenant Blade |
+7/+2|
+2|
+7|
+3|Hide 1,Move Silently 2, Spot 1, Knowledge (History) 1, Survival 1 || Shadow Of the Past

8th| Revenant Blade |
+8/+3|
+9|
+8|
+3|Hide 1,Move Silently 1, Spot 2, Knowledge (History) 1, Survival 1|| Ancestral Guidance (2)

9th| Revenant Blade |
+9/+4|
+9|
+8|
+4|Hide 1,Move Silently 1, Spot 1, Knowledge (History) 2, Survival 1, |Mobilty| Giant Slayer

10th| Revenant Blade |
+10/+5|
+9|
+8|
+4|Hide 1,Move Silently 1, Spot 1, Knowledge (History) 1, Survival 2,|| Ancestral Guidance (3)

11th| Dervish |
+11/+6/+1|
+9|
+10|
+6|Perform (Dance) 6||Dervish Dance 1/Day, Movemant Mastery, Slashing Blades, AC bonus +1

12th| Dervish |
+12/+7/+2|
+9|
+11|
+7|Tumble 6| Improved TWF | Fast Movement +5 ft

13th| Dervish |
+13/+8/+3|
+10|
+11|
+7|Tumble 6|Spring Attack (Dervish bonus)| Dervish Dance 2/Day

14th| Dervish |
+14/+9/+4|
+10|
+12|
+8|Perform (Dance) 6||Dance of Death

15th| Dervish |
+15/+10/+5|
+10|
+12|
+8|Tumble 3, Perform (Dance) 3|Greater TWF| Dervish Dance 3/Day, Fast Movement +10 ft, AC Bonus +2

16th| Dervish |
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+11|
+13|
+9|Tumble 3, Perform (Dance) 2, Spot .5|| Improved Reaction

17th| Dervish |
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+11|
+13|
+9|Tumble 1, Perform 1, Spot 2|| Elaborate Parry, Dervish Dance 4/Day

18th| Dervish |
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+14|
+10|Tumble 1, Perform 1, Spot 2|Travel Devotion| Fast Movement +15 ft

19th| Dervish |
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+12|
+14|
+10|Tumble 1, Perform 1, Spot 2|| Dervish Dance 5/Day, AC bonus +3

20th| Dervish |
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+15|
+11|Tumble 1, Perform 1, Spot 2||A Thousand Cuts [/table]

Tactics

1-5
At first level, you dont have enough money to but a double scimatar, so pick up a bow and start shooting. From there onward, use a double Scimitar and try ans skirmish with opponents, using your tumble to avoid AAOs. Your animal companion can be used as a scout, it’s too weak to do anything else. You can also use inspire courage to boost allies, but it’s not very effective without items.
6-10
Your Revenant Blade levels give you bonus feats, but apart from that it’s the same as 2-5. I recommend Improved Critical, Great Cleave and Power attack.
11-15
You gain the ability to dervish dance and power attack with your double scimitar, boosting your damage massively. You also pick you ITWG and GTWF, although you should have had ITWF from gloves of the balanced hand for awhile.
16-20
Like All meelers, your power starts to wane as spellcasters strengthen. You do pick up Traval devotion here, giving you even more mobility and staying power throughout the day.

Items
While you benefit like all characters from magical weapons, sources of flight, and other such things, a few magic items stand out as must-haves for you. These are Zaelshin Tu, which gives you another Revenant Blade feat for 1800 gold, and Gloves of the balanced hand, which give you ITWF until you take it at level 12.

Sources

Bladebearer of the Valenar, Zaelshin Tu, double scimitars and the Revenant Blade Prc all come from players guide to Eberron
Spell-less Ranger and travel devotion is from Complete Champion
Harmonious Knight Paladin is from Champions of valor web enchanment.
Gloves of the balanced hand are from MIC

[Private-Prinny]

"Draw your blade!"
"I did. Eight times."


Salvatore Serafines
Human, Chaotic Good
32 Point Buy
Str 10 Dex 16 Con 14 Int 14 Wis 10 Cha 14
All stat points to Dex
Starting languages: Common, Draconic, Elven

Fluff
From the time he could walk, Salvatore Serafines was part of the Circus Supremo. The circus had been run by Salvatore’s extended family for 20 generations and was one of the most popular attractions in the entire kingdom. People would come from miles around for the chance to watch the amazing feats performed therein.

Instead of toys and pets, Salavatore learned to walk tightropes and juggle knives. Instead of learning a craft like weaving or smithing, Salvatore learned to swallow fire and dance. His family even used magic to enhance their show; not much and not frequently, but enough to entertain the crowd.

When Salvatore was ten, his country was conquered by an emperor marching from the east. The city offered resistance at first but was quickly crushed and put under control of the emperor. The circus was allowed to stay open, as the emperor was entertained by the performances and his troops enjoyed seeing the shows.

Salvatore’s family, from the safety of their circus tents, formed a resistance. Instead of just teaching how to swallow swords, they taught how to use them to kill a man. Knives thrown at an apple on a man’s head could be aimed just a bit lower if desired. Magic that entertains can also kill. Weapons were hidden in the folds of cloaks and in plain sight.

These lessons were taught to Salvatore as well, and he was soon putting them to devastating effect in the city. By the time he was twenty, he was a well known figure in the cities underworld, and a champion of the oppressed. It was then that the emperor died, and his son took over.

The emperor’s son did not share his father’s preference for the circus or dole out the same mercies. Many in the circus were killed or forced into slavery, and Salvatore was forced into hiding. His training allowed him to become a shadow in the night, and to move and fight with such grace that none could keep pace with him.

Shortly after the emperor’s son took over, Salvatore Serafines led the resistance in a city-wide revolt. Though few in number, their esoteric training and exotic weapons gave them an edge over the disciplined guards in combat. When the dust settled, the emperor’s son was dead at Salvatore’s hand and the city liberated.

With the death of his family and the destruction of the circus, Salvatore could not bear to stay in the city. He left on his own, to wander to other cities, and to help liberate other people, in the hopes that they might be spared the same fate as him.


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

1st|Factotum|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|Iaijutsu Focus 4 Tumble 4 Perform(dance) 4 Perform (Act) 4 Use Magic Device 4 Hide 4 Move Silently 4 Bluff 4 Disguise 4|Able Learner, Dodge (becomes shadow blade at level 3)|Inspiration, cunning insight, cunning knowledge, trapfinding

2nd|Fighter|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|Iaijutsu Focus 1 Perform(dance) 1 Perform (act) 1 Disguise 1 Bluff 1 |Weapon Finsse|Bonus Feat, Hit-and-Run Tactics (ACF)

3th|SwordSage|
+1|
+2|
+4|
+2|Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 1 Perform(dance) 1 Perform (act) 1 Disguise 1 Use Magic Device 1 Hide 1 Move Silently 1 Bluff 1|Desert Wind Dodge|Quick to Act +1, Discipline Focus (weapon focus shadow hand)

4th|Fighter|
+2|
+4|
+4|
+2|Iaijutsu Focus 1 Perform(dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Bluff 1 Speak Language (Infernal)|Mobility|Bonus Feat

5rd|Factotum|
+3|
+4|
+5|
+2|Iaijutsu Focus 1 Perform (dance) 1 Perform (act) 2 Use Magic Device 2 Bluff 1 Disguise 2 ||Arcane Dilettante (1 spell)

6th|Master of Masks|
+3|
+4|
+7|
+4|Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 2 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Balance 2|Combat Expertise|Persona Masks (gladiator, faceless)

7th|Factotum|
+4|
+5|
+7|
+5| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 2 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Balance 2 Hide 1 Move Silently 1||Brains over Brawn, Cunning Defense

8th|Swordsage|
+5|
+5|
+8|
+6| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 2 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Jump 1 Balance 1 Hide 1 Move Silently 1||AC Bonus

9th|Dervish|
+6|
+5|
+10|
+8| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 1 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Bluff 1 Skill Trick (acrobatic backstab)|Gloom Razor|Dervish Dance 1/day, Movement Mastery, Slashing Blades, AC+1

10th|Dervish|
+7|
+5|
+11|
+9| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 1 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Bluff 1 Skill Trick (back on your feet)||Fast Movement +5 feet

11th|Dervish|
+8|
+6|
+11|
+9| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 1 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Bluff 1 Jump 1 Intimidate 1||Spring Attack, Dervish Dance 2/day

12th|Dervish|
+9|
+6|
+12|
+10| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 1 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Bluff 1 Jump 1 Intimidate 1|Two Weapon Fighting|Dance of Death

13th|Dervish|
+10|
+6|
+12|
+10| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 1 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Bluff 1 Jump 1 Intimidate 1||Fast Movement +10 feet, Dervish Dance 3/day, +2 AC

14th|Dervish|
+11|
+7|
+13|
+11| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 1 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Bluff 1 Jump 1 Intimidate 1||Improved Reaction

15th|Dervish|
+12|
+7|
+13|
+11| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 1 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Bluff 1 Jump 1 Intimidate 1|Improved Two Weapon Fighting|Elaborate Parry, Dervish Dance 4/day

16th|Dervish|
+13|
+7|
+14|
+12| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 1 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Bluff 1 Jump 1 Intimidate 1||Fast Movement +15 feet

17th|Dervish|
+14|
+8|
+14|
+12| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 1 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Bluff 1 Jump 1 Intimidate 1||Tireless Dance, Dervish Dance 5/day

18th|Dervish|
+15|
+8|
+15|
+13| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 1 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Bluff 1 Jump 1 Intimidate 1|Greater Two Weapon Fighting|A Thousand Cuts

19th|Swordsage|
+16|
+9|
+15|
+13| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 1 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Bluff 1 Jump 1 Intimidate 1 Hide 1 Move Silently 1||

20th|Swordsage|
+17|
+9|
+16|
+14| Iaijutsu Focus 1 Tumble 1 Perform (dance) 1 Use Magic Device 1 Bluff 1 Jump 1 Intimidate 1 Hide 1 Move Silently 1|| Discipline Focus(Insightful Strike, shadow hand)[/table]

{table=head]Level|Inspiration Points
1|2
5|3
7|3
[/table]

{table=head]Level|Maneuvers|Stance

3|Burning Blade, Wind Stride, Clinging Shadow Strike, Sapphire Nightmare Blade, Sudden Leap, Wolf Fang Strike|Child of Shadow
8|Cloak of Deception|Assassin’s Stance
19|Dancing Mongoose|
20|Shadow Stride, Flashing Sun(replacing buring blade)|
[/table]

General notes
This character is built to take full advantage of dervish as a mobile fighter. All abilities aim to take advantage of a character moving around the battlefield during combat, dealing damage as they go. Obviously this ramps up once you get dervish dance at level 8, but aspects of it take shape from level 1.

The inclusion of Iaijutsu focus on this build is primarily done in an attempt to address one of the dervish’s major weaknesses; DR. The problem of any build that focuses on many smaller attacks is the presence of DR negating most or all of the damage. Iaijutsu focus lets you have at least one attack each round that packs a serious punch (more, if you can keep your foe flatfooted). Even if the rest of your attacks fail to get through, the first Iaijutsu attack should be hurting you foes.

Besides being a mobile combatant, this character also serves the role of skill monkey, mostly through scouting, party face, and Use Magic Device. The array of scrolls and spells available limit what exactly can be done, but the extra utility provided by the skills does not impact the combat effectiveness of the build, making them a great add on.


Iaijutsu Focus
Many people are familiar with Iaijutsu Focus, but I figured I’d provide a brief explanation for any judges who are not. Iaijutsu Focus is a skill from Oriental Adventures which lets you make a skill check any time you draw a weapon and attack a flatfooted foe to deal additional damage (between 1d6 to 9d6, depending on the check). It was from 3.0, but grandfathered into 3.5. Since the Factotum gets all skills as class skills, Iaijutsu Focus is included on their skill list. When combined with gnomish quickrazors (an item that allows you to draw and sheath as a free action), a character can potentially get large amounts of Iaijutsu Focus damage per round.

Getting an opponent flatfooted is easier said then done, but this build includes a number of ways to achieve that. The most obvious is to win initiative; each of the classes pumps initiative, increasing the likely hood to go first. After that, dervish dance+gloom razor ensures the first attack each round will be against a flatfooted opponent. Acrobatic backstab and sapphire nightmare blade let you flatfoot an opponent once per encounter. You can use grease as a spell-like ability once a day, and wands of grease are at the top of your to-get list.

Gear
This build doesn’t require much in the way of specific gear. Stat boosting is an obvious good choice, though this build falls into a weird category. Only dex is truly important, as it pumps initiative, attack bonus, damage (twice on flatfooted opponents) and armor class. But every other ability helps as wells; any increase to str ups damage, con helps survive hits, wis adds to armor class and saves, and cha helps to power UMD and IF.

Besides stat boosting, after master of masks the weapon you pick really depends on what is available. Aptitude quickrazors are your first choice (aptitude in general will really help this build). If you can get one, an aptitude spinning sword (basically a one-handed spike chain from Secrets of Sarlona) is an amazing weapon to use during a dervish dance, as it has reach and is a slashing weapon. Otherwise, use a short sword during a dervish dance (with quickrazors when applicable) and a spiked chain (shadow hand weapon) when not dancing.

In addition, anything that helps movement, such as anklets of translocation, are beneficial as well. A wand of grease and bags of marbles help keep opponents flatfooted for Iaijutsu Focus.

The one specific item that really helps this build is gloves of the balanced hand. The build doesn’t have enough feats early to spare on TWF, which really gives the build a damage boost, especially with the quickrazor in the initial round of combat. They are certainly not required, but are nice to have if you can get them.

Levels:
1-5Starting out, this build (like most) is at its weakest. At first level you mainly throw daggers, potentially combined with Iaijutsu focus (Iaijustsu Focus only specifies a melee weapon, not a melee attack, meaning you can throw a dagger with it). Level 2 lets you get into melee combat with weapon finesse and level 3 gives you access to swordsage goodness including Shadow blade to add dex to damage. When combined with hit-and-run fighter ACF, you add dex to damage twice over on flat-footed opponents. Factotum gives you a boost to initiative with brains over brawn, as well as one first level spell per day, usually grease to catch you opponents flatfooted.

6-10At level 6 Master of Masks gives you access to a bunch of weapons, most notably gnomish quickrazors, which let you really amp up the Iaijutsu focus damage; their hidden nature allows you to use another weapon, then whip them out and attack an opponent with Iaijutsu Focus anytime they’re flatfooted. If you can convince the DM that they are a type of dagger (think assassin’s creed) and let them count as shadow hand weapons, you probably won’t need another weapon. Otherwise attack with a spiked chain except when your opponent is flatfooted. At this point, you should have a good initiative (bonuses from swordsage, hit-and-run fighter, brains over brawn and later dervish) to help you go first. This leads to running around the battlefield once you get dervish dance, Iaijutsuing up and down with the quickrazors. The build really hits a sweet spot once you get gloom razor at level 9, making the first attack each round of a dervish dance against a flatfooted opponent, meaning even more Iaijutsu focus damage (plus assassin’s stance for sneak attack on many foes). Enemies should have a hard time keeping up with you. A wand of grease or bags of marbles can keep an opponent flatfooted as well, allowing massive potential damage.

11-15Leveling up in dervish just adds more to an already good build. Your speed, initiative, number of dances per day and damage during the dance all increase, making you a more efficient killing machine. Dervish gets 4 skills per level, which combined with able learner and Factotum mean you keep having all skills as class skills, making you a good skill monkey as well as fighter. Your role at this point in the party is a roving, death-dealing whirlwind, and part-time skill monkey.

16-20This build ends (as other dervish builds do) with the awesome thousand cuts ability. Thrown down on the first round when opponents are hopefully flatfooted for Iaijutsu focus+assassin’s stance should lead to many dead enemies. Swordsage levels finish the build, letting you access a few hirer level maneuvers, mainly adding extra attacks.

Alternative Options
Instead of focusing on shadow hand effects (shadow blade and gloom razor) you could pump two weapon fighting. While this may lead to more attacks, the loss of easy flatfooted opponents for Iaijutsu focus makes this path less than optimal.


Sources
3.5 SRD
Complete Scoundrel
Complete Warrior
Drow of the Underdark (fighter hit-and-run ACF)
Dungeonscape (factotum)
Magic Item Compendium
Oriental Adventures (Idijutsu Focus)
Races of Destiny (Able Learner)
Races of stone (Gnomish Quickrazors)
Tome of Battle

[Private-Prinny]

She can dance if she wants to, she can leave your corpse behind.


Kaycha, who dances as the spirits move her
CG Azurin (MoI 7) Binder 7/Dervish 10/Paragnostic Initiate 3
STR 14 DEX 15 CON 14 INT 14 WIS 8 CHA 14
Bonus Languages: Giant, Undercommon
*
Kaycha's story
Kaycha heard the rumors all her life. She was “different”, touched by a distant fey ancestor’s hand somehow; the fact that her human parents gave birth to her, an azurin, was seen as proof of this. Eager, even desperate, to learn about her real and perceived differences to those around her, she began to study things arcane, natural, and spiritual. Additionally, she became almost reflexively polite, the better to coax answers from people put off by her unusual nature.

The time she wasn’t studying, she spent in motion. Perhaps that ancestor’s touch instilled her feet with rhythm and motion, perhaps it was a more mundane explanation, but she danced and flitted about almost incessantly. While studying, her feet would tap and fidget, and her sleep was fitful at best, with tangled sheets or somnambulistic wanderings around her house. The whispers about her - and naturally there were plenty - said that whatever touched her soul was searching all the time for escape.

When those immediately near to her could no longer satiate her curiosity, she turned to the ancient ones: the vestiges. She learned to bind them to her soul in an attempt to glean additional information about herself, her world, and her place therein. Initially, she was drawn to Naberius, both for his cleverness and his ability to help disguise her true nature from bigotry’s far gaze. As she became more learned in the ways of pact magic, she turned to Malphas, who allowed her to view things either remotely or from the safety of a shroud of invisibility. Eventually, she reached out to Paimon, and in this vestige, she found a kindred spirit the likes of which she had not known before.

In time, her relentless pursuit of knowledge led her to join the Paragnostic Assembly. As an initiate of the Assembly, she used her knowledge to aid wielders of more widely practiced magics in battle, while her predilections toward movement and dance allowed her to pick and choose from those who received her ‘special attentions’ in combat. Seemingly bound inextricably to Paimon, she visited the pain of the blade upon any foe she danced past and chose to target.

Ultimately, her blend of movement and combat and intellectual curiosity brought her to the ways of the dervish. The frenetic movements encouraged by the dervish’s methodology were a seamless fit with her own preferences and her preferred vestige, Paimon. She became a dangerous foe both as she flitted past an adversary, and again when she paused in her dance long enough to visit particular attentions upon a more magically-oriented enemy.
*
Boost STR every 4th level. Skills in bold are cross-class for the level taken.
Kaycha
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Binder (ToM 9) 1|
+0|
+4|
+2|
+1|Diplomacy 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 2, Knowledge (Religion) 4, Perform (Dance) 2, Tumble 2|Combat Expertise, Midnight Dodge (MoI 39)|Soul Binding (1 Vestige): 1st level, prefer Naberius (ToM 9 & 41)

2nd|Binder 2|
+1|
+5|
+2|
+2|Diplomacy 5, Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Knowledge (Nature) 2.5), Knowledge (Religion) 5, Perform (Dance) 2.5, Tumble 2.5|-|Pact Augmentation (+2 Initiative), Suppress Sign (ToM 9)

3rd|Binder 3|
+2|
+5|
+3|
+2|Diplomacy 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 6, Knowledge (Nature) 3, Knowledge (Religion) 6, Perform (Dance) 3, Tumble 3|Mobility|Bind Vestige: 2nd level, prefer Malphas (ToM 39)

4th|Binder 4|
+3|
+6|
+3|
+3|Diplomacy 7, Knowledge (Arcana) 7, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Religion) 7, Perform (Dance) 3.5, Tumble 3.5|Martial Weapon Proficiency (Scimitar)|Bonus Feat (MWP)

5th|Binder 5|
+3|
+6|
+3|
+3|Diplomacy 8, Knowledge (Arcana) 8, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Religion) 8, Perform (Dance) 4, Tumble 4|-|Bind Vestige, 3rd Level: ALWAYS Paimon (ToM 43); Pact Augmentation (+2 Initiative)

6th|Binder 6|
+4|
+7|
+4|
+4|Balance 1, Diplomacy 9, Knowledge (Arcana) 9, Knowledge (Religion) 9, Perform (Dance) 4.5|Weapon Focus (Scimitar)|Soul Guardian (Immune to Fear)(ToM 9)

7th|Paragnostic Initiate (CCh 97) 1|
+5|
+9|
+6|
+4|Balance 2, Diplomacy 10, Knowledge (Arcana) 10, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Knowledge (Religion) 10, Perform (Dance) 5, Tumble 5|-|Assist Casting (Penetration); Tactical Combat (Spell Disruptor) (CCh 98)

8th|Dervish (CWar 25)|
+6|
+9|
+8|
+6|Balance 5, Perform (Dance) 6, Swim 1, Tumble 6|-|AC Bonus +1, Dervish Dance 1/day, Movement Mastery, Slashing Blades (CWar 26)

9th|Dervish 2|
+7|
+9|
+9|
+7|Knowledge (Arcana) 11, Knowledge (Nature) 6, Perform (Dance) 7, Tumble 8|Knowledge Devotion: Knowledge (Nature) (CCh 60)|+5’ fast movement (CWar 26)

10th|Dervish 3|
+8|
+10|
+9|
+7|Knowledge (Nature) 7, Knowledge (Religion) 11, Perform (Dance) 8, Tumble 9|Spring Attack|Spring Attack, Dervish Dance 2/Day (CWar 26)

11th|Dervish 4|
+9|
+10|
+10|
+8|Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Knowledge (Nature) 8, Perform (Dance) 9, Tumble 10|-|Dance of Death (CWar 26)

12th|Dervish 5|
+10|
+10|
+10|
+8|Knowledge (Nature) 9, Knowledge (Religion) 12, Perform (Dance) 10, Tumble 11|Open Least Chakra: Hands (Rageclaws) (MoI 39 & 83)|AC Bonus +1, +5’ movement, Dervish Dance 3/Day (CWar 26)

13th|Dervish 6|
+11|
+11|
+11|
+9|Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 10, Perform (Dance) 11, Tumble 12|-|Improved Reaction (CWar 26)

14th|Dervish 7|
+12|
+11|
+11|
+9|Knowledge (Nature) 11, Knowledge (Religion)13, Perform (Dance) 12, Tumble 13|-|Elaborate Dance, Dervish Dance 4/Day (CWar 26)

15th|Dervish 8|
+13|
+11|
+12|
+10|Knowledge (Arcana) 14, Knowledge (Nature) 12, Perform (Dance) 13, Tumble 14|Open Least Chakra: Feet (Airstep Sandals) (MoI 39 & 55)|+5’ Fast Movement

16th|Dervish 9|
+14|
+12|
+12|
+10|Knowledge (Nature) 13, Knowledge (Religion) 14, Perform (Dance) 14, Tumble 15|-|AC Bonus +1, Tireless Dance, Dervish Dance 5/Day (CWar 27)

17th|Dervish 10|
+15|
+12|
+11|
+11|Knowledge (Arcana) 15, Knowledge (Nature) 14, Perform (Dance) 15, Tumble 16|-|A Thousand Cuts (CWar 27)

18th|Paragnostic Initiate 2|
+16|
+13|
+12|
+11| Diplomacy 11, Knowledge (Arcana) 16, Knowledge (Nature) 15, Knowledge (Religion) 16, Perform (Dance) 16, Tumble 17|Sapphire Sprint (MoI 40)|Assist Casting (Target), Tactical Combat (Discern Weakness: Humanoids) (CCh 98)

19th|Paragnostic Initiate 3|
+17|
+13|
+12|
+12|Diplomacy 11, Knowledge (Arcana) 17, Knowledge (Nature) 16, Knowledge (Religion) 17, Perform (Dance) 17, Tumble 18|-|Assist Casting (Distraction), Tactical Combat (Discern Weakness: Dragons)

20th|Binder 7|
+18|
+13|
+12|
+12|Diplomacy 13, Knowledge (Arcana) 18, Knowledge (Nature) 17, Perform (Dance) 18|-|Bind Vestige, 4th level: Prefer Andras (ToM 22-3)[/table]

Highlights
Minuet: 1st level
As a binder, Kaycha brings versatility to the table. Binding Naberius at 1st level lets her fill a role both as a second-line combatant and skill-monkey, while her chosen skills add to her value as both negotiator and sage. Note that Naberius is preferred but is not locked in as the only choice, so if a situation arises where another option is better, Kaycha needs only choose that better option for the day it’s needed. Combat Expertise aids her low-level survivability a good bit, given only proficiency in light armor. There’s no version of the Dodge feat that can truly be called “good”, but Midnight Dodge is arguably the best version available, and it does have value as a low-level survival tool. Both Combat Expertise and (Midnight) Dodge are prerequisites for her ultimate choice of Dervish, so starting on them as early as possible is the best choice for quick entrance. For the “Naberius’s Skills” ability, she chooses Use Magic Device and its counterpart, Use Psionic Device, both of which are immensely valuable.

Waltz: 6th level
Thanks to Binder’s 4th level bonus feat and the extra feat her Azurin heritage grants, Kaycha meets all the prerequisites for Dervish at this point, save BAB. Having snagged two iterations of the pact augmentation’s Initiative boost, she’s also working with the benefits of Improved Initiative, without having spent the feat. Along the way, Malphas expanded on her role as skill-monkey and scout while providing two potential sources of bonus damage in Sudden Strike and Poison Use. Paimon, though, is a nearly perfect fit for someone interested in Dervish. Only truly unusual circumstances should merit any other choice while Paimon is the highest level vestige at Kaycha’s disposal. With fear immunity, Kaycha shores up a relative weakness in her saving throws, as fear-inducers are a significant portion of Will saves at this point.

Tango: 12th level
Because of BAB requirements, Kaycha has to wait until 8th level before entering Dervish; because Paragnostic Initiate’s benefits at 1st level outweigh those of Binder 7 for Kaycha’s purposes, she takes her first level of that PrC as the final stepping-stone to get into Dervish. Paragnostic Initiate’s ability to assist adjacent spellcasters or prevent flanked spellcasters from casting defensively pairs wonderfully with Dervish Dance, allowing Kaycha to maneuver around the battlefield to best assist her allies and hinder foes without sacrificing the full-attack action. Paimon’s Dance of Death - while sharing the name of Dervish’s 4th level ability - largely replicates the bonus feat Spring Attack, but the +4 DEX, +4 to Tumble and Perform (Dance), Uncanny Dodge, and Whirlwind Attack more than make up for any overlap. Additionally, binding Paimon offers a greater array of available weapons, and a limited form of Weapon Finesse. Slashing Blades is a somewhat mixed blessing, as it precludes ever gaining real benefit from Power Attack, influencing Kaycha away from that tactic. With Movement Mastery, Kaycha’s two most important movement skills become “always on” and all but impossible to fail. In taking Knowledge Devotion, Kaycha gains permanent access to Knowledge (Nature) as a class skill, and adds a consistent, reliable boost to her attack and damage routine that synergizes perfectly with her Paragnostic Initiate abilities and - if she wishes to call on him again - Naberius. Fast Movement adds to the number of targets she can influence both with her scimitar’s edge and her Paragnostic Initiate’s abilities at the end of her movement. As noted, Spring Attack is a bonus feat, and a decent, if not spectacular, one given her fighting style. (Aside: anyone pointing out a valid and non-trivial instance of “even if she does not meet the prerequisites” as indicated in the bonus feat’s text gets a cookie). With Dervish’s Dance of Death, Kaycha improves her ability to hurt multiple foes even further. Kaycha’s chosen method of combat is inherently dangerous, exposing her to multiple foes who can potentially swipe at her; in binding Rageclaws, she simultaneously boosts her survivability and her damage output once she’s badly hurt. There’s even a small bonus to Climb and Swim built in.

Twist: 15th level
With four Dervish Dances available per day, Kaycha should be able to utilize it in each encounter she expects to face in a typical adventuring day. Along the way, she’s picked up another 5’ of movement and another +2 bonus to her Initiative, for a whopping +8 when Paimon’s DEX bonus is included. That means she’ll get +10 to her Initiative roll, before any magic is considered; in other words, she’s most likely going first barring Dire Tortoise shenanigans. By binding the Airstep Sandals, Kaycha gains 20’ tactical flight for out-of-combat use, freeing the party’s casters to focus more on disabling the enemy in combat than enabling her outside of it. She also gains a small boost to a couple of good skills for scouting ahead, if she needs to accompany a party member (or doesn’t wish to go back to binding Malphas for the day). Her limited incarnum access means she’ll have to think carefully about how she allocates it, of course. Elaborate Parry, like Combat Reflexes and Rageclaws, gives her survivability a good boost in a challenging fight.

Cabbage Patch: 20th level
Kaycha finished up Dervish in a straight shot, starting as soon as she was eligible from her Binder base. With 50’ base movement thanks to Dervish and a minimally-invested Sapphire Sprint, she cuts a wide swath in battle, freely choosing where to end her movement for maximum benefit. As written, she can impose a Reflex penalty on a majority of enemies targeted by an ally’s AoE spells, while finishing her movement to either aid and protect that ally’s casting, or to hinder the casting of a dangerous foe. She can use her Dervish Dance more often than she should see encounters, so Kaycha can feel free to use it in every encounter. The fact that she’s not fatigued at the end of her dancing re-enforces this choice’s validity. Kaycha also finishes her obligations as a Paragnostic Initiate, finishing that class by improving her ability to fight high-level staples: Dragons and Humanoids. Even without a full-BAB base class chassis, Kaycha will be adding more than 20 to any attack roll against these foes, before her STR bonus or any situational or magical modifiers are considered, making her into her party’s valid - if unconventional - main combatant. Having finished her prestige classes, Kaycha adds another level of Binder to finish her pre-epic career, typically choosing Andras when not remaining true to Paimon. The mount, extra weapon proficiencies, and Ride bonus are all good if not great at this point, but the ability to add a Smite attack further improves her combat efficiency, and the bonus to critical hits is similarly welcome given her primary weapon choice - the scimitar - has such a wide critical threat range. The chance to make her enemies randomly attack one another is also a strong draw, made more attractive by the larger potential number of targets she can choose from because of her 50’ movement. Note, also, that her combination of classes means she has decent and even saves across the board. She has continued to invest in Diplomacy, her threefold Knowledge interests, Perform (Dance), and Tumble, while obtaining synergy bonuses from sufficient ranks in Balance, so she’s very good at her given role. Because she can choose to bind vestiges besides those highlighted here in a pinch, her role can expand further if the party needs it.

Lambada: Options not strictly allowed by this contest
If she takes Shaky and Murky-Eyed, Kaycha can jam Mobility into her 1st level, along with Cobalt Expertise from MoI. That would let her shift Rageclaws and Airstep Sandals to earlier in her progression, and snag Bonus Essentia so she isn’t quite so strapped for Essentia.

If she gets to choose equipment, a Mithral breastplate is pretty clearly the winner for armor, with Fortification and Blurring as top choices for enhancements. Any item that boosts all of her saves would obviously be welcome, and she’d happily add Keen and Collision to her scimitar to increase its damage output both on a critical hit and against everything.
*
Sources
1. SRD: System Reference Document
2. ToM: Tome of Magic
3. CCh: Complete Champion
4. CWar: Complete Warrior
5. MoI: Magic of Incarnum

[Private-Prinny]

And that's the last of them. The judging period begins... NOW!

[WinWin]

Hmm. Should have submitted my skulk shadowdancer/chameleon (featuring dervish).

prepared to fill in a judging slot for when someone drops out.

[term1nally s1ck]

*is vaguely surprised to see only one unarmed entry*

Still, some very impressive examples of the more standard dervish builds, and nice to see Binder being used more.

[Zaq]

Huh, no one used my trick. I was imagining a goliath Dungeoncrasher with Knockback. Why? Because unlike most people with Knockback, a Dervish can chase someone as they keep pushing them around. I couldn't come up with any good zones or hazards to push them into, though, and then I got too busy to finish. I had a few other tricks in mind as well, many of which got incorporated into one of these builds or another, but the pursuing bull-rusher was the big thing.

Still, should be fun to see the judging. Bit of doubling up in a few places, it seems . . . but I guess that's to be expected.

[OMG PONIES]

Glad to see some thri-kreen love! My main concept was a thri-kreen monk 2/totemist 3/Soul Eater 1/Dervish 10. I wasn't sure if Girallon Arms added 4 claws to the thri-kreen's initial 4, but if so I would have had 8 claws + 1 bite + 1 unarmed (via Snap Kick) for 10 attacks. Toss in Soul Eater and A Thousand Cuts, and I think you can drain 20 levels in one round. However, didn't know if it worked that way.

My other idea was to qualify for Dervish entirely via bonus feats, with a Frostblood Half-Orc swordsage 2/fighter 2/ranger 3/dervish 10/bloodclaw master 3. This would have freed up my actual feats for Lightning Maces and the TWF feat tree, allowing me plenty of chances at free attacks while wielding keen aptitude kukris. However, it was totally unoriginal (especially since I lifted the Frostblood Ranger trick to swap out Endurance from Mordekai in the most recent appetizer edition).

Oh well, enough rambling...i'll post criteria and start judging tomorrow morning.

[Cog]

Huh, no one used my trick. I was imagining a goliath Dungeoncrasher with Knockback.
Hah. I had the same idea, and thought it was too likely to come up as well.

[BobVosh]

Huh, no one used my trick. I was imagining a goliath Dungeoncrasher with Knockback.

That would have rocked.

My first though was TK like two of these people, but I probably was going with insectile or whatever that template from SS is. Never looked into it more as I got busy.

[The Gilded Duke]

I was trying to figure out some way to make it work with a roof jumper winged kobold of some kind, but I couldn't figure out a way to regain altitude, perhaps footsteps of the deity and jump?

[Piggy Knowles]

My entry fell apart due to trying to shove too many things into it...

I wanted some way of taking advantage of the main advantage that Dervish Dance has over Pounce (namely, that you can move after the attacks in addition to before), and create something with Burrow or Earth Glide, so that it could pop from the ground, full attack, and pop back in. I also got it in my head that I really wanted to combine a level or two of the Soul Eater PrC with this concept, and use either the psionic power Graft Weapon or the spell Flame Whips, so I could count both as wielding a slashing weapon and as using a natural attack.

I had the skeleton of a build (Cobra Strike Monk 2/PsyWar 2/Ardent 4/Soul Eater 2/Dervish 10) down, but the feat requirements were too much, and I couldn't quite get it to come together. Next time, I'll have to focus a bit more!

[Amphetryon]

My first idea was a VoP Totemist/Dervish/Sword of Righteousness, for the various natural weapons. I couldn't find a way to yam all those feats in without flaws, though.

[dextercorvia]

I was trying for an UAS + Natural weapons Kobold using Versatile Unarmed Strike, and Weapon Focus Unarmed strike, so I could use my Dervish prereq's for Shou Disciple 3, and Flurry with UAS+Claw/Claw/Bite during the dance. I found that I could either get all of my feats in, or get a source of bonus damage.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I was trying for an UAS + Natural weapons Kobold using Versatile Unarmed Strike, and Weapon Focus Unarmed strike, so I could use my Dervish prereq's for Shou Disciple 3, and Flurry with UAS+Claw/Claw/Bite during the dance. I found that I could either get all of my feats in, or get a source of bonus damage.

If you don't mind can you post or PM the build skeleton? sounds interesting, and I am sure you could get a few SA dice with a few levels of Sneak Attack Fighter (perhaps using thug to keep up a few skill points)

[yugi24862]

I wanted to use mystic ranger and SotAO to make a dervish with 5th level spells, but since dragon magazine is banned I could'nt do it :(. Build would of been Mystic Ranger 10/Dervish 10, or 12 and 8 to get GTWF.

[dextercorvia]

If you don't mind can you post or PM the build skeleton? sounds interesting, and I am sure you could get a few SA dice with a few levels of Sneak Attack Fighter (perhaps using thug to keep up a few skill points)

It never got fully formed, but was going to go something like this.

RotD WE Kobold

Swashbuckler1/Monk2/Fighter2/ShouDisciple3/Dervish10

Passive Way monk for Combat Expertise without Int, Arcane Stunt on Swashbuckler - Swift action Expeditious Retreat.

Feats

1: Multiattack
Sw1: Weapon Finesse
M1: Improved Unarmed Strike
PWM1: Combat Expertise
3: Dodge (or a variant dodge)
PWM2: Improved Trip
F1: Weapon Focus: UAS
F2: Free
6: Versatile Unarmed Strike
SD2: Mobility

I really wanted a level of Swordsage, so I could pick up Shadow Blade. I considered replacing Monk with Psychic Warrior or more Swashbuckler.

[Private-Prinny]

I did receive 2 more builds, one from Essence_of_War and one from Akal_Saris, but they were sent after the deadline, so I will share them when I post the final placing. It's a shame, too, since Akal was only 45 minutes late.

[OMG PONIES]

Wow, you're really sticking to the deadlines for this round, eh? More power to you. I am sad that the two remaining builds won't be revealed until the end, but I guess that's just more motivation for getting my judging in. Speaking of that...

My Criteria

...are changing this time around. Rather than trying to stick to flat descriptions of each scoring level (1-5), I'm going to try a more instinctive style of judging; each build will start with a 3 in all categories. I'll make observations that could affect a score in three separate ways: a critique will be -0.5, a note will be 0, and a compliment will be +0.5. As such, my criteria will be a series of questions more than a set of bullet points.

Originality: Is the build sufficiently different from all other entries this round*? Does it rely on charop staples or does it present new and innovative tricks? Is the backstory unique and well-presented?

Power: How does the build function compared to a similar chassis without the Secret Ingredient? Does the build rely on magic items? Is the build versatile? Does the build have stamina?

Elegance: Is the build legal? Is the build overly complex? Does the build rely on variants like LA buyoff? Is the build free of dips**? Does the build feel like one streamlined character that steadily progresses in power? As per contest rules, flaws will face a deduction of 1 point each, rather than the standard -0.5 for critiques.

Use of the Secret Ingredient: Does the build qualify for and finish the Secret Ingredient? Does the build showcase the class features acquired? Does the build enter the Secret Ingredient as soon as possible? A build that takes no levels of the Secret Ingredient will still be judged, but will receive a 0 in this category.

*If not, all similar builds will be deducted.
**I define a dip as 2 or fewer levels in a base class.

[Ditto]

Your criterion for UotSI make me want to submit a classy wizard/IotSV, who can pull down 5s in Originality, Power, and Elegance, and still be competitive with a 0 in UotSI. :smallbiggrin:

[dextercorvia]

Your criterion for UotSI make me want to submit a classy wizard/IotSV, who can pull down 5s in Originality, Power, and Elegance, and still be competitive with a 0 in UotSI. :smallbiggrin:

I doubt that you would get a 5 in Originality for a classic build. :smallamused:

[Ditto]

Hey, you haven't heard the story yet! He's had to fight and scrap for every point of Int bonus. He studied hard. His... his.. parents were killed when he was a boy? And he's a vigilante?

Totally original.

[Cog]

My Criteria
...Isn't the point of posting criteria so that people can know what they're in for before they submit a build?

[Zaq]

...Isn't the point of posting criteria so that people can know what they're in for before they submit a build?

In a perfect world, maybe, but at least now we have a theoretical starting point to compare his rulings to.

I can see an argument for not posting criteria ahead of time so as to not encourage people to build specifically toward them, but that's a debate for another day.

[OMG PONIES]

...Isn't the point of posting criteria so that people can know what they're in for before they submit a build?

I would have posted my criteria beforehand, and traditionally do when I'm judging. However, I only decided to judge once it was clear that I didn't have time to compete. As such, I didn't have time to create and post my new criteria before the deadline, either. I intend to post my criteria in advance for future judging, but this time I posted it after so that the competitors would at least know my change in approach.


Your criterion for UotSI make me want to submit a classy wizard/IotSV, who can pull down 5s in Originality, Power, and Elegance, and still be competitive with a 0 in UotSI. :smallbiggrin:

As mentioned, that probably wouldn't grab a 5 in Originality from me, since IotSV isn't anything new. You'd get middling scores in Power, since you're equally as strong as a build without the Secret Ingredient (naturally). When it comes to Elegance, that would depend on your feat selection, etc. So it's not entirely pointless [to me] for you to submit a build with no levels in the Secret Ingredient--heck, look at Mordekai from the second Appetizer competition: no levels in the SI, but solid charop work--but it's not going to snag very high marks from me. :smallamused:

[kestrel404]

look at Mordekai from the second Appetizer competition: no levels in the SI, but solid charop work--but it's not going to snag very high marks from me. :smallamused:

I had a half-build for that competition that also had no levels of monk (while showcasing all the monk abilities). I decided against it on the grounds that it violated the spirit of the competition.

[Ditto]

A-ha, but Spirit of the Competition is not a ranked value! True char-op gamesmanship is playing to the math involved.

[OMG PONIES]

Just a friendly judging update--I have two builds done, and I'll be working on the others with an expected delivery of next Wednesday.

[ILM]

I've gone through about 6 but haven't done any proper writeups yet. Should be done by the end of the weekend.

[Amphetryon]

*Drags the thread off the bottom of page 5* Any updates?

[Private-Prinny]

I would hope at least 1 judge is close to done. The judging ends in 1 week.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I would be willing to be an ad-lib judge, if other judges are unable to submit their results by the deadline...

[WinWin]

I reiterate my offer to judge if someone drops out. My criteria is pretty simple:

originality: Did you pull your build from the Dervish Handbook? Can I google something similar? How obvious are the choices made?

elegance: How easy is this build to incorperate into an actual game? How many sourcebooks will I need to reference in order for this character to function? Any obvious raw issues?

power: How good is this character at it's chosen role? I don't care if you're running a one trick pony DMF, so long as it's a good trick.

use of secret ingredient: Self evident, but I'll spell it out anyway. Do you use all the features of the class? Do you do so in a clever way? A clever use of 5 levels of the class will score better than 10 levels that are barely utilised or referenced.

I'll punch out some numbers this afternoon, then mail them to the chairman. He can hold them until they need to be posted, if they are required at all. Should take a couple of hours.

[ILM]

I've finished going through the entries. I just need to make sure the scores are balanced across entries and to write up my notes into proper comments with, like, sentences and stuff. Watch this space!

edit: just to be clear, do we score from 1 to 5 or 0 to 4? Or 0 to 5?

[Urpriest]

I've finished going through the entries. I just need to make sure the scores are balanced across entries and to write up my notes into proper comments with, like, sentences and stuff. Watch this space!

edit: just to be clear, do we score from 1 to 5 or 0 to 4? Or 0 to 5?

1 to 5. 0 seems to be reserved for things that totally miss the point, like taking no levels of the SI.

[WinWin]

I used 1-5. Sent scores to the chairman so as not to influence other judging that may occur, also so as not to muddy the water should my opinion not be required.

If another method of scoring was supposed to be used I will modify scores accodingly.

[kestrel404]

I used 1-5. Sent scores to the chairman so as not to influence other judging that may occur, also so as not to muddy the water should my opinion not be required.

If another method of scoring was supposed to be used I will modify scores accodingly.

Really, I'm all for more judgings. I don't see why we need to limit ourselves to only having some number of judges. I'd be happy to see what everyone thinks of the various builds.

As for muddying the water - I never read another judge's scores or opinions before I've finished my own judgings. Other judges may choose to do things differently, but I like to make up my own mind about such things. If someone doesn't want their scores influenced by another's opinions, they won't be.

[OMG PONIES]

3 builds down. I didn't have any time over the weekend, but I should have more time over the next few mornings. I may still be done by Wednesday, but Friday is looking more realistic at this point.

[SlaadLord]

Hmmm...did nobody look at all those ranks of Perform (Dance) and think Snowflake Wardance?

[Cieyrin]

Hmmm...did nobody look at all those ranks of Perform (Dance) and think Snowflake Wardance?

What surprised me was the lack of Expeditious Dodge. On the other hand, maybe people thought Snowflake Wardance was too obvious...

The other thing I was expected was a Diopsid build. I love me some Thri-Kreen representation but a build by the Other Bug would have been sweet, especially since they ignore the Dex requirement on TWF chain.

[term1nally s1ck]

Hard to afford enough Cha, Dex, Int, and Con.

[kestrel404]

Hmmm...did nobody look at all those ranks of Perform (Dance) and think Snowflake Wardance?

'Twas expected. Though I was really expecting to see a Bard/Battldancer entry that really piled on the Cha bonuses.

[Urpriest]

What surprised me was the lack of Expeditious Dodge. On the other hand, maybe people thought Snowflake Wardance was too obvious...

The other thing I was expected was a Diopsid build. I love me some Thri-Kreen representation but a build by the Other Bug would have been sweet, especially since they ignore the Dex requirement on TWF chain.

My original idea was a Diopsid with Pyrokineticist for a mini-Revenant Blade+Wraithstrike effect. Unfortunately while the Pyrokineticist's whip counts as a whip for feats, it deals fire, not slashing, damage.

[OMG PONIES]

What surprised me was the lack of Expeditious Dodge. On the other hand, maybe people thought Snowflake Wardance was too obvious...

Expeditious Dodge did make an appearance. And yes, I think everyone looked at Snowflake Wardance and thought "It's a trap!" The DEX and INT investments were already there on Dervish...adding CHA would have been a bit much.

[Amphetryon]

Fixing the "end of page" glitch.

[ILM]

Aight, here we go! Some really cool builds from everyone, even if the rules of the competition meant I had to score a few quite poorly. Congratulations to all!

Feel free to reach out by PM if you feel I've been glaringly unfair.


The Bloodstained Hurricane
How fitting that the first entry should be essentially the iconic whirling Dervish!

Originality: 2. The downside of being the iconic Dervish is that pretty much everything is expected. Thri-Keen? Yeah. Ranger? Duh. Scout? I thought we’d see more of that but it turns out you’re the only one who used it. And with Scout and Ranger levels, Swift Hunter is pretty much a no-brainer. In addition, your focus on two-weapon fighting, getting tons of attacks and extra damage is nothing new for a Dervish. You do some well-written fluff but it didn’t get you the maximum bonus since it’s pretty much ‘RWAAARG SLICE THROUGH EVERYTHING’.
Power: 4. There’s a reason the iconic Dervish is iconic. Many attacks, damage boosts, that’s a recipe for serious hurt and not many things can stand up to you once you start the blender. On the other hand, you could have entered Dervish a little before, bringing your tricks online earlier, and you have precious few options besides buzz-sawing everything that looks at you sideways and darting all over the battlefield. No significant skills (aside from Tumble, Perform and Jump, obviously), no ways to fly, see invisibility, overcome DR or deal with magic, a weak Fort save and a difficult start at low ECL all contribute to making you a one-trick pony. But at least, you’re a one-trick pony that kicks real hard.
Elegance: 5. 3 classes, no setting-specific stuff, obvious synergies, no multiclass penalties. Clean and streamlined.
UoSI: 4.75. High mobility, tons of attacks, and tricks to get extra damage to attacks; the only thing you’re not really getting anything out of is Elaborate Parry.

Total: 15.75


Avander Shellivathan

Originality: 4. A ranged Dervish – that’s definitely something new. While Fighter and Ranger are fully-expected building blocks, you do use Ranger in a non-traditional fashion (as opposed to TWF for free, I mean). Incarnate is also something I didn’t see coming, though admittedly I’m not the Incarnum expert you’re looking for. Shame you didn’t write a little backstory.
Power: 1.5. Unfortunately there’s also a reason people don’t do ranged Dervishes: it doesn’t work. It’s right there in the text for Dervish Dance: “While in this dervish dance, she can take a full-attack action (for melee attacks only) and still move up to her speed.”. Using the Yuan-ti bow and slashing damage arrows was smart and allows you to still get the bonus attack and damage from the dance, but you’re still forgoing the main benefit of going Dervish – and you can’t use the capstone at all. Alternatively, you could use your bow in melee to get the Dance’s benefits, but then your feat selection becomes irrelevant.
Elegance: 2. The bow is a nice trick but aside from the fact it doesn't really work, it's FR specific (as is, technically, the fighter variant). In addition, you have a Ranger dip with multiclass penalties. There are also significant dark areas in your build: you take the hit and run Fighter variant but provide no way to reliably getting the opponent flat-footed; you have four levels of Incarnum user but give absolutely no details on what soulmelds you’ll get, where you’ll bind them, or how much essentia you expect to use.
UoSI: 1.5. I’m afraid I can’t give many points to a build that takes 10 levels of Dervish but can’t take proper advantage of the Dance, its main feature. You’re also not getting anything from Slashing Blades nor anything special from Spring Attack or Elaborate Parry.

Total: 9


Weylin
Weylin, Weylin, Weylin. I really feel sorry for this build because I very much liked where it was going. Unfortunately I just can’t give it the points I want to.

Originality: 4.5. You have a nice backstory that makes sense, and a few unexpected things. Binder is not something I saw coming, even with Paimon (see below) and neither did I expect Shadowdancer – mostly because it kind of sucks. Half-Orc was also not high on the list of races I envisioned, nor was Dragonborn. More importantly, you’re fielding a power-attacking Dervish, which while not entirely unheard of is still less common than the 2WF one, and focusing on provoking AoOs through Robilar’s Gambit, which is definitely new.
Power: 4. First, the bad. I don’t think Paimon’s abilities make much sense once you’re getting into Dervish. Dance of Death is redundant, and 4 levels aren’t worth 4 Dex and a few skill bonuses. More importantly, I don’t think Whirlwind attack works like you think it can, in conjunction with a Dance. When you declare it you get one attack against each opponent in reach, but you still have the requirement of moving 5’ between each attack from the Dance. I honestly don’t think they were meant to work together, and strictly by RAW I don’t see how they can. Nonetheless, even if they do, Whirlwind attack does specify you lose any additional attacks or bonuses provided by abilities and feats, which include the +5 attack/damage from the Dance, and the extra attacks provided by Combat Reflexes (“You may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity equal to your Dexterity bonus” – AoOs are still attacks).
In addition, you have some MAD (Str, Dex for AoOs and feat requirements, Con for HP, 15 base Int before Half-Orc modifiers for Combat Expertise, Wis for AC) and end up with a weak-ish Fort save. While you are getting wings, you have a very basic mobility (45 ft.) and like most the other builds (if not all), no ways to pierce invisibility, something you’ll run into often during the course of 20 levels.
On the other hand, Robilar’s and Dance is both valid and very powerful, especially power-attacking along the way. Still, it would have been even better with Deft Opportunist and Side Step, and some way to get a miss chance and reach (my first thought being the spiked chain). High-level manoeuvres are also a solid plus, if only in versatility.
Elegance: 1. Unfortunately, you messed up on the Dervish prerequisites and are missing Combat Expertise, making your entire build illegal. Not only that but you don’t have the Int to take the feat even if you had a slot to spare. In addition, not that it counts, you have one dip and I believe you have one too many manoeuvres at level 18.
UoSI: 1. You can’t take the class so I can’t give you points for using it.

Total: 10.5


Sanavakri

Originality: 3.75. Pretty much par for the course. I didn’t expect Kalashtar entries though I should have seen them coming what with PsyWar being kind of the obvious psionic choice. You’re also another two-handed power-attacking fighter. Your perfunctory fluff doesn’t lose you any points but isn’t really giving you an edge either. However, your focus on defensive fighting is very refreshing.
Power: 3.5. You’re really getting a lot out of Expertise and fighting on the defensive, and are the only one to actually optimize the Elaborate Parry. I’m not really impressed with one of your PsyWarrior powers, Defensive Precognition, nor with your higher-level manoeuvres. Finishing move’s maximum 14d6 extra damage is rather lacklustre, and Swooping Dragon is unlikely to work on anything bigger than Large. Path of Shadows is a bit of a waste since you need Concentration anyway to get any mileage out of Moment of Perfect Mind; it would have shined if you’d managed to get a significant amount of manifester levels in there, though. The saves are nothing to write home about but only losing one point of BAB over 20 levels is. Like the others, your options to deal with flight, invisibility, and magic in general are, um, pretty much inexistent. I do like the combo you described (Dervish Dance + Combat Rhythm into Graceful Lunge and Power Attack) but in terms of damage output, it too is unimpressive. Even with A Thousand Cuts, Combat Rhythm only gets you an extra 50 damage, which isn’t likely to obliterate anything at level 20, and has measly returns considering you pretty much nova’ed to use this. The AC bump is a cool trick, but bear in mind AC’s relevance tends to decrease as levels increase.
Still, you have all the standard tricks of a Dervish and extra versatility from manoeuvres, so I can’t very well dock points for that.
Elegance: 4. Not much to say. A PsyWar dip with multiclass penalties and some Eberron-specific stuff. I can live with that.
UoSI: 4.75. Good job here! You obviously made an effort to squeeze out all you could from Elaborate Parry, Dance, Movement Mastery, and Dancing Mongoose is a nice touch to give yourself more attacks. The only thing you’re missing out on is Slashing Blades.

Total: 16


Death of Xen'drik

Originality: 3. Everything in there was kind of expected though Ranger 3 is an odd breaking point. Your one differentiating point is usage of the whip, which you don’t really use to the fullest (no attempts to optimize tripping, and you don’t seem to have a solution besides mobility to avoid drawing AoOs whenever you swing).
Power: 1. Your numbers are really impressive, but you appear to have forgotten one thing: each tentacle whip symbiont deals 1 point of Dex damage per day. You have 4 whips, which means you’ll be catatonic within a week or so, and as far as I can tell you have nothing in your build to deal with the damage. I can’t give any points in power to a build that essentially commits suicide by construction.
In addition, there are at least 2 wasted feat slots: Greater Multiweapon which you don’t qualify for (requires BAB +15), and Speed of Thought which you don’t qualify for either (the +1 LA Thri-Keen is not psionic). Furthermore, your build as presented relies on getting 4 tentacle grafts and a wand of Venomfire. While the wand, at least, may not be the most outlandish item to procure, I did say that builds would be judged on their own merits rather than on magic items they depend on to work. Without tentacle whips or Venomfire, the damage output of your build is much less impressive. Finally, even if you have a metric ton of attacks (19 attacks, without A Thousand Cuts), you don’t have the speed to use them all since you need to move 5 feet between each – unless you’re forgoing the mobility advantage of the Dervish Dance.
Elegance: 1. As explained above, there are two feats you don’t qualify to take. In addition, you provided no sources at all and no stats either, so that we have no way to know if you qualify for the rest of the stuff you took. In addition, I don’t see where you got the Whip proficiency, though I’m going to assume the symbiont gives it to you (“a host can use the whip as a weapon,” PGtE p.300) – it would have been useful to mention it nonetheless. You used material from both Eberron and FR, have one dip and multiclass penalties, and you plan to use WRT on yourself via an item, which I find more than a bit cheesy.
UoSI: 3. You took all the levels and optimized both number of attacks (but you don’t have enough speed to use them all) and extra damage through Venomfire (but not really aside from that). You’re not getting anything out of Slashing Blades or Elaborate Parry.

Total: 8


Devlin Bladehands

Originality: 4.25. Well, Changeling/Warshaper is definitely different, as is the focus on unarmed fighting. The fluff is well written, though I have to raise an eyebrow at a character that got to level 20 just by training. Feh! My characters didn’t reach level 14 before saving the world twice!
Power: 3.5. You’ve got slight MAD that’s offset somewhat by the bonuses from Warshaper. Int to damage is cool (why didn't anyone else do that?) and Dex on top is gravy, not to mention all that gets multiplied on a crit too. You do have a bit of trouble in beginning with +5 BAB at level 8 but you get over it soon enough. 6 attacks per round is okay but that -4 penalty hurts quite a bit; in the end, your raw damage potential isn't as impressive as other builds, and you're still suffering from the lack of flight/sight/etc (though at least you’re aware of it).
Elegance: 3.75. I gotta start with this: the build is beautiful. There’s amazing synergies between everything, all the stuff you used makes perfect sense. Really beautiful work and from that point of view this is my favourite build out of all contestants. However, you’ve got two dips, multiclass penalties and some FR material and provided no sources (seriously guys, sources? Not rocket science), so it really wouldn’t be fair for me to give you the 5 I wanted to.
I rather wish you’d filled those two spare feats. I understand that the mere fact you have a choice says something about the build’s versatility, but I think I would have preferred a complete character. No points docked for this though.
UoSI: 4. You’ve got, much like other builds here, fairly decent optimization of most but not all class features and took all 10 levels. You haven’t tried to push your speed much higher than the 30 ft from your race and 15 ft from Dervish, don’t use the Slashing Blades nor Elaborate Parry.

Total: 15.5


Elrond Aldarion

Originality: 2.75. I rather saw Revenant Blade coming, though Paladin is a surprise. On the other hand, it’s only a 1-level dip. In addition, your combat style and character focus are nothing new, and you have no backstory or fluff.
Power: 3. You don’t have so much room for PA in spite of your impressive BAB, contrary for example to Weylin who found a way to get his full attack bonus on a lot of attacks. You’re not likely to hit anything if you PA on your iterative attacks. In addition, you have little extra damage aside from that 1.5x Str to each end of the double scimitar, which won’t get you very far without serious Strength optimization. Finally, you enter Dervish at the last possible moment due to being very feat-starved.
Elegance: 2. Eberron and FR material, dips, multiclass penalties, and a variant from a Web Enhancement (that’s getting fairly obscure) aren’t making you many friends. In addition, I believe you’ve got a mistake in your stats and went with a 28 pb instead of 32. Finally, I’d like to point out that Valenar is described as a land of desert and plains in PGtE p.140, and you can actually see on the map of Valenar (ECS, p.211) that there are no mountains in Valenar. As a result, I think a Valenar Snow Elf is something you’re highly unlikely to see even in an Eberron setting. Definitely a stretch.
UoSI: 4. Pretty much the same comments as above.

Total: 11.75


Salvatore Serafines

Originality: 4. Iaijutsu was an unexpected source of extra damage but Fighter and Swordsage are in pretty much all the other builds. However, Factotum and Master of Masks are new (though MoM won’t count much considering it’s a one-level dip). The fluff was entertaining.
Power: 3.5. Your secondary focus on skill helps you out of combat and that’s definitely a plus.
Iaijutsu Focus is an interesting way to get extra damage but I feel you could have taken it further. Gloom Razor is fairly restrictive and only gets you 9d6 extra damage per round, which isn’t bad but not impressive either. Your initiative modifier (+10, by my count) may be high enough to give you a solid chance of getting a full round of flat-footedness, but you don’t have that many options to get a surprise round. Grease is a nice touch, but it’s going to take you a standard action to cast and only lasts 3 rounds (plus, if the target makes its save, it just moves out). It would have been interesting to get Celerity in there, as well as Nerveskitter and/or Primal Instinct. In short, you have potential for extremely impressive spike damage, but if you fail to get initiative your options narrow down tremendously. You’re also suffering from the usual lack of flight and ways to pierce invisibility.
Elegance: 2.75. This is a pretty diptastic build, and you’ve got OA material (Iaijutsu Focus). On a personal level, I dislike Iaijutsu Focus due to it being 3.0 setting-specific material (though by RAW, it’s grandfathered into 3.5). I also dislike the Gnome Quickrazors because for one, I think the weapon looks retarded, and for two because it’s pretty cheesy. In fact, if you lose your quickrazors, you pretty much lose any way of making more than two Iaijutsu attacks in a fight.
UoSI: 4. Once again, I’m going to make the exact same comment as above.

Total: 14.25


Kaycha

Originality: 4.75. This one definitely stands out. Yours is the only build not focused (only) on destroying everything but on trying to play with the team. Your race, classes and even feats are all unique, except that unfortunately for you someone else went Binder. You even have a good backstory!
Power: 2.5. Sadly, while original, Paragnostic Initiate is a weak, weak class that barely synergizes at all with Dervish. In addition – and while technically reasonable – you actually have to burn a feat slot on Martial Weapon Proficiency, which is something I haven’t seen in a while. You also have a ton of cross-class skills. Then again you do have some interesting, if ultimately minor, group battle tactics especially versus caster; unfortunately all this running around to get in place might leave you with little opportunity to use all your attacks in spite of your mobility (unless all the enemies are set up just right) and you have no particular damage optimization to speak of. I really think something like Robilar’s Gambit or Karmic Strike along with Combat Reflexes would have made you much more able to deal damage while getting in position.
I remain unconvinced by the added value of binding Paimon on a Dervish considering you invested 7 levels in Binder. The other vestiges could come in handy, but don’t really synergize with Dervish either.
Elegance: 4.5. Well, you’ve only got 3 classes in there, no dips and no setting-specific stuff that I could see. The only thing I have is a certain lack of synergies between the different avenues you pursued: you could just replace the Binder 7/PI 3 with pretty much anything else without changing your feats or anything.
UoSI: 3. Well, you took all 10 levels and decently optimized your mobiity and initative, though you left aside the Elaborate Parry aspect and didn’t particularly seek to get more attacks or bonus damage (aside from your Favoured Enemies, which really kick in too late to matter). From the way you describe your build, Kaycha sounds like a supporter first and a Dervish second. In that regard, it does seem you’d have better options to support your concept – either by picking another PrC, or by shifting your focus a bit such as using AoOs, reach, or higher damage per attack.

Total: 14.75

[Cieyrin]

It should be pointed out that, in Salvatore's case, Drow of the Underdark isn't setting specific. You're thinking of Underdark, which is FR. DotU talks about FR and Greyhawk but is not attached to a specific world, really.

[ILM]

Ah, quite right. I suspect WotC was just out to confuse me with that title.

[OMG PONIES]

I'm about halfway done judging, so I'll have to push back my delivery date. I still plan on having scores in by the judging deadline.

[kestrel404]

More judging is good. Go Ponies!

[gbprime]

Likewise, I'll have judging in by deadline. Rough week at work...

[OMG PONIES]

EDIT: And now my judging is done!

The Bloodstained Hurricane: 13.5
ORIGINALITY: 2
Splashes of Ranger! They're everywhere! Sheesh, I thought we'd see some of it, but 4 different entries using ranger? (-0.5)
Thri-Kreen is a perfect race for a Dervish. So perfect, in fact, that another competitor had the exact same race idea. (-0.5)
POWER: 4
You get the all-important 4 base attacks; on top of those Multiweapon Fighting ups that to 7 and Improved Multiweapon Fighting brings it up to 10. With the Thri-Kreen's bite attack, that's 11 attacks on a full attack, before the doubling of A Thousand Cuts. (+0.5)
The Secret Ingredient is used not only for mobility, but also for the bonuses to attack and damage that it provides. Without Dervish, you'd be hitting less, and dealing less damage when you did hit. As such, this build is stronger than a similar build without the Secret Ingredient (+0.5)
ELEGANCE: 3
While Swift Hunter on its own was only adding +1d6 and a second favored enemy, good job using it to qualify for Improved Skirmish. A Dervish is all about movement, so there shouldn't be many rounds where you're NOT moving more than 20 feet. A pretty nice combo to snag Improved Skirmish without more levels in Scout (+0.5)
Extreme Leap and Leaping Climber were nice touches; unfortunately you don't qualify for Leaping Climber, as you've only put 4 ranks into Climb instead of 5 (-0.5)
While Belt of Battle seems to be mentioned in every round of our competition, good job trying to find synergy with A Thousand Cuts, but the class feature unfortunately specifies once per day while performing a full attack action--it does not last for the entire round. (+0)
I appreciate that the nonspionic thri-kreen was mentioned in your Adaptation section, along with the Quick trait. (+0.5)
Ranger dip (-0.5).
UOSI: 4.5
Speed of Thought is nice in that it's an insight bonus (and so stacks with Dervish fast movement). In addition, Dungeon Specialist was smart--you get rid of what would have been redundant fast movement in exchange for a climb speed, granting you some alternate mobility. Together with your skill tricks, these choices make great use of the Dervish's Fast Movement. (+0.5)
Compliment points for a different facet of Dungeon Specialist: the fact that you can still attack with light weapons while climbing couples beautifully with Slashing Blades. (+0.5)
Good point about needing speed to make all of your attacks in a Dervish Dance…I didn't even consider that. That level of diligence is worth some points here. (+0.5)
All 10 levels of the Secret Ingredient were taken (+0.5)
Dervish is not entered until 11th level (-0.5)

Avander Shellivathan: 10
ORIGINALITY: 3.5
Splashes of Ranger! They're everywhere! Sheesh, I thought we'd see some of it, but 4 different entries using ranger? (-0.5)
Yes, fighters get full BAB and bonus feats. No, they are not a particularly interesting or original way of doing so. Three entries used this class, mostly to meet entry requirements (-0.5)
Conceptually, this is brilliant. While everyone's looking for a two-weapon fighting dervish or a natural weapon-using dervish, I don't think anyone expected to see an archer build here (+0.5, but see Use of Secret Ingredient).
I didn't expect to see any incarnates here, that's for sure (+0.5).
Along the same note, I didn't think we'd see any Dusklings, either (+0.5).
POWER: 3
Woodland Archer is one of my favorite feats for archer builds, and I think it's surprisingly underrated. (+0.5)
While Incarnate was original, you don't list what it lends to the build. Regardless, an Incarnate/Ranger/Fighter Archer without Dervish would be stronger. (-0.5)
You wind up with the all-important 4 iterative attacks. With Rapid Shot, you're up to 5. This is respectable, but on a Secret Ingredient built for multiple attacks, leaves a little to be desired. (+0)
ELEGANCE: 1 (minimum)
Ranger dip (-0.5)
You don't qualify for Exotic Weapon Proficiency at level 1, as it requires a BAB of +1. (-0.5)
Because you don't qualify for EWP, you fail to qualify for Weapon Focus as well. (-0.5)
Unfortunately, the snowball continues, and you don't qualify for Improved Critical on your weapon of choice. (-0.5)
Furthermore, you list Weapon Focus twice. I don't believe you need to take it twice with double weapons, but I could be wrong. (0)
For an archer, you gain Precise Shot rather late in the game. If Woodland Archer had come before it, it would have been forgivable. As it is, you'll be missing anyone in melee for more than half of your career. While part of this is because of the feats required for Dervish, it is also because of the feat required just to use the yuan-ti serpent bow. While an original trick, it is a bit cumbersome. (-0.5)
You're getting slapped with some multiclass penalties (-0.5).
UOSI: 2.5
Because you don't qualify for Weapon Focus as presented, you don't actually qualify for the Secret Ingredient. (-0.5)
Duskling bonuses to land speed are enhancement bonuses, and as such do not stack with those of the Dervish. (-0.5)
All 10 levels of the Secret Ingredient were taken. (+0.5)
While I admire your conceptual gusto, you cannot use ranged attacks as part of your Dervish Dance. Please see the following:
While in this dervish dance, she can take a full attack action (for melee attacks only) and still move up to her speed. Also, you can only Dervish Dance with a double weapon if both ends of the WEAPON are slashing, no matter the ammunition. No dice for the Serpent Bow, though I can see a case being made that it's only "treated as a double weapon for the purpose of determining the cost of a masterwork version and enhancements" as per Secrets of Xen'drik page 137. Regardless, even if you CAN Dervish Dance with the bow in hand, it would only be for melee attacks made with the bow. Because of this, you won't be able to apply Rapid Shot, and thus can only make 4 attacks as part of a Dervish Dance (before any Cleaves). (-0.5)
With Fast Movement and Dervish Dance, you'll be moving 40 feet in a round more often than not. Because of this, Expeditious Dodge was a good choice over the standard version or other versions. (+0.5)

Weylin: 10.5
ORIGINALITY: 2.5
When the Secret Ingredient was unveiled, I thought to myself, "Dervish Dance would partner well with some swordsage levels." Apparently, three other people thought the same thing. (-0.5)
The Binder: the class that nobody expects but always seems to come up anyway…twice, this time (-0.5)
A dragonborn half-orc? I definitely didn't expect to see any of THOSE in our Dervish competition (+0.5).
POWER: 3
Good synergy between fast movement and Ring of Fire! Along with your AoO focus, you have the possibility to wrack up a lot of hurt on your enemies. (+0.5)
You have the ability to wrack up a great number of attacks of opportunity. However, the main problem with AoO fishing is that your enemies can always decide NOT to attack you. Sure, you could be entitled to lots of AoOs, but once you do your Gambit Dance once, the DM is going to wise up and forego those attacks of opportunity. (+0)
While your AC is high as presented, it relies largely on items. (-0.5)
ELEGANCE: 2.5
I would have liked to see the swordsage levels spaced a little bit more to optimize your initiator level (-0.5)
UOSI: 2.5
You don't qualify for the Secret Ingredient, which requires Combat Expertise, rather than Combat Reflexes. (-0.5)
Wind Stride is an enhancement bonus to speed and, as such, does not stack with Dervish. (-0.5)
Desert Tempest seems redundant with Dervish Dance, as does Paimon's Dance of Death. Rather than having multiple options for different scenarios, it seems that Weylin has the same option in multiple forms. (-0.5)
Desert Wind Dodge works nicely with the Secret Ingredient, rather than the regular version. (+0.5)
Flame's Blessing is one of my favorite stances. Good job realizing that this Secret Ingredient would benefit from it. (+0.5)
Good combination of Improved Reaction with other initiative boosters like Quick to Act and Pact Augmentation (+0.5)
I like where you were going with the creative use of Dervish Dance alongside Whirlwind Attack. Unfortunately, this is usually going to be a subpar option, since:
When you use the Whirlwind Attack feat, you also forfeit any bonus or extra attacks granted by other feats, spells, or abilities (such as the Cleave feat or the haste spell). Goodbye, [Dervish] Dance of Death and A Thousand Cuts. Furthermore, you give up your regular attacks to make one attack against each enemy within reach at a certain point. While it's good for the situations in which you just cannot move and you're surrounded by mooks, it's not the excellent tactic you present it as. (+0)
You can't use Hide in Plain Sight along with your Dervish Dance; the two are actually at odds. (-0.5)

Sanavakri: 14
ORIGINALITY: 3
Ah, the Warblade…the swordsage's burlier older brother with a little bit of a moustache. While it was nice to see for a change, two entries made use of it (-0.5)
Nice touch with the Kalashtar; while you most likely picked it up for the Path of Shadows/Dancing with Shadows feat chain, it was still a breath of fresh air. (+0.5)
POWER: 3.5
While you boost your to-hit and AC nicely, your number of attacks is fairly low (-0.5).
However, Dancing With Shadows ensures that your fews attacks will all be hitting, which is more important in the long run (+0.5)
Combat Expertise is the name of the game for Sanavakri, and Dervish is one of the best classes in the game for using it. Without Dervish, you'd be worse off (+0.5).
ELEGANCE: 2.5
You get a bonus feat at level 3, which you've failed to list (-0.5).
You're getting slapped with some multiclassing penalties. While it's great that you mention them, they're still there. Simply mentioning that you can swap them doesn't take that away, since you're losing out on initiator levels, BAB, and possibly having to rearrange your feat choices (-0.5).
Beyond that, your adaptation notes provide a good variety of options for tailoring the build to play at any table (+0.5).
UOSI: 5
Great way to get the most bang for your buck with Movement Mastery--taking 10 on Jump for maneuvers and Perform (Dance) for manifesting defensively is great (+0.5).
Dancing with Shadows makes great use of your Combat Expertise, as well as Elaborate Parry. Nice find (+0.5)!
A Thousand Cuts is a great way to reap the benefits of Stormguard Warrior (+0.5).
All 10 levels were taken (+0.5).

The Death of Xen'drik: 10.5
ORIGINALITY: 2
Splashes of Ranger! They're everywhere! Sheesh, I thought we'd see some of it, but 4 different entries using ranger? (-0.5)
Yes, fighters get full BAB and bonus feats. No, they are not a particularly interesting or original way of doing so. Three entries used this class, mostly to meet entry requirements (-0.5)
Ah, the Warblade…the swordsage's burlier older brother with a little bit of a moustache. While it was nice to see for a change, two entries made use of it (-0.5)
Thri-Kreen is a perfect race for a Dervish. So perfect, in fact, that another competitor had the exact same race idea. (-0.5)
I like how you began your backstory--the sermon felt like an ancient prophecy (+0.5)
Symbionts and grafts were a mechanically interesting way to get a staggering number of attacks (+0.5)
POWER: 4
Tentacle whips cost 8,000 gp each. While you still have natural attacks before you can afford them, your primary tactic relies on 32,000 gp of intelligent items. Furthermore, your bonus damage is dependent on a wand of a 4th-level spell at CL 5 (-0.5).
With A Thousand Cuts, you have 37 attacks in a round. Even without it, you have 19 attacks in a round (+0.5).
Nineteen! You deserve even more points for this ridiculous number of attacks (+0.5).
Venomfire is a great (if expensive) buff for the Death (+0.5)
ELEGANCE: 1 (minimum)
Fighter dip (-0.5)
While you're getting hit with multiclass penalties, it's only once you reach level 20, so it's not really anything to worry about (+0).
No inclusion of attributes means that I can't tell whether or not you qualify for any of the feats you've selected. In future rounds, please be sure to include this (-0.5).
While it was a good idea to use the non-psionic Thri-Kreen, you cannot become psionically focused. Therefore, you cannot use Speed of Thought. Even though you still qualify for the feat, since you can't use it I believe this merits a deduction (-0.5).
Greater Multiweapon Fighting requires a BAB of +15 (-0.5).
Some people don't believe that Sage articles pull any weight, but I do; you might want to read this (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ask/20070731a). According to the Sage, you can't use White Raven Tactics on yourself. However, since I know it's hotly debated, I won't be deducting (+0).
You can't "gain knowledge of" White Raven Tactics from the Crown when it's already one of your maneuvers known; alternatively, you can't learn WRT from Warblade levels if you already know it via the Crown. As such, you can still only activate WRT once before you need to recover it. Your number of attacks is still ridiculous, but not to the extent you've presented (-0.5).
While Magic of Eberron indicates that you can only have one type of graft at a time, you have two (daelkyr and yuan-ti). However, since Magic of Eberron indicates that the rules listed there only apply to grafts in that book, I'm not sure if it's a problem or not (+0).
Each whip does 1 point of DEX damage every night. If you only had 1 symbiont, you'd be healing this damage back every night, so it would be a moot point. However, since you have 4 whips, you're losing a total of 3 DEX per night with no noted way of how you plan to heal the damage. You'd be paralyzed within a few days' time. (-0.5)
Each whip has Ego 5. While it's low, that means you'll need to make 4 Will saves every time you act against the tentacles. Everyone throws a 1 sometimes, and then you're dominated until the DM says otherwise. Also, I'm not sure whether the Ego of a tentacle whip would make it hostile to the presence of other tentacle whips (-0.5).
UOSI: 3.5
Nice job making a Dervish with 15-ft reach; it's a great way to keep your foes exactly where you want them (+0.5).
All 10 levels of Dervish taken (+0.5).
While you take all 10 levels, you only REALLY seem to be in the class for A Thousand Cuts. You provide a blurb about how Movement Mastery and Dervish Dance help the build, but that's just in passing (-0.5)

Devlin Bladehands: 11
ORIGINALITY: 3.5
When the Secret Ingredient was unveiled, I thought to myself, "Dervish Dance would partner well with some swordsage levels." Apparently, three other people thought the same thing. (-0.5)
While changelings are one of my favorite races, I didn't think we'd see one here. It is the easiest way I know to snag entry requirements for Warshaper. Nicely done (+0.5)!
A rather clever trick, using Versatile Unarmed Strike to make your unarmed strikes into slashing weapons (+0.5).
POWER: 3.5
I was trying to kick around a build that used both Shadow Blade and Insightful Strike for DEX and INT to damage, since the Secret Ingredient requires a splash of both. Nice job making it work, and keeping a decent STR in there as well! (+0.5)
Dervish solves the perennial monk problem of "flurry of blows or move?" quite nicely (+0.5)
I'm sorry that we didn't see more sources of multiple attacks explicitly spelled out in your build. While Warshaper's Morphic Weapons could work quite nicely, you don't even mention it. Furthermore, Flurry of Blows and Two-Weapon Fighting are both great ways to start, but we needed something a little more (perhaps GWTF and ITWF for your last two feats?) (-0.5).
ELEGANCE: 1
While I'm glad you gave a list of possible feats at levels 15 and 18, I wish you had selected some in order to present a complete build (-0.5).
Monk dip (-0.5)
Swordsage dip (-0.5)
You're getting hit with some multiclassing penalties due to your level in swordsage (-0.5)
UOSI: 3
All 10 levels taken (+0.5)
Aside from mentioning flurry of blows + moving, you don't really showcase any of the class features of the Secret Ingredient (-0.5)

Elrond Aldarion: 11
ORIGINALITY: 3.5
Splashes of Ranger! They're everywhere! Sheesh, I thought we'd see some of it, but 4 different entries using ranger? (-0.5)
I've not heard of snow elves before, so this one took me a bit by surprise (+0.5).
I had never even HEARD of the Revenant Blade before, so I have to give you points for making me hit the books again (+0.5)
POWER: 3.5
You lack the bonus damage of other TWF builds, with only the Secret Ingredient itself and Legendary Force contributing extra damage with your attacks (-0.5).
You have the all-important 4 base attacks, but taking the full TWF feat tree brings that up to 7. A decent number of attacks for any TWF build (+0.5)
You're the only build to preserve full BAB through all 20 levels, and that's worth something (+0.5)
ELEGANCE: 1
I don't think you used a 32 point buy, if your stats are after racial modifiers. Instead, it looks like you've only used 28 point buy. Since it's less, I don't believe a deduction is warranted (+0).
I'm glad to see a Ranger build here who took the class to 4 and used Champion of the Wild to snag Combat Expertise (+0.5)
Travel Devotion seems out of place in the build as an odd capstone feat (-0.5).
Paladin dip (-0.5)
You're getting hit with some multiclass penalties (-0.5)
You don't qualify for ITWF, due to the DEX requirement (-0.5)
Additionally, you don't qualify for GTWF, due to the DEX requirement (-0.5)
UOSI: 3
Dervish is not entered until 11th level (-0.5)
All 10 levels of the Secret Ingredient were taken (+0.5)

Salvatore Serafines: 11.5
ORIGINALITY: 2
I don't think I've seen a freedom-fighting circus performer backstory before. Bonus points for a new angle! (+0.5)
Yes, fighters get full BAB and bonus feats. No, they are not a particularly interesting or original way of doing so. Three entries used this class, mostly to meet entry requirements (-0.5)
When the Secret Ingredient was unveiled, I thought to myself, "Dervish Dance would partner well with some swordsage levels." Apparently, three other people thought the same thing. (-0.5)
Ah, humans. Is there anything they can't do? I'm surprised that you're the only human in this round, but not enough so to give you a bonus (+0).
It's great to see Iajitsu Focus in the build. However, seeing it alongside Gnomish Quickrazors (with proficiency grabbed via Master of Masks) always leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. Here I hoped we were actually going to see some quickdrawing scimitars, or something equally flashy. Instead, we got something that's essentially lifted straight from the Factotum's Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2720.0). For shame (-0.5).
POWER: 4
Hit and Run Tactics, along with Inspiration and Shadow Blade, give a possibility of 2*DEX+INT to damage somewhat frequently (+0.5).
You have multiple ways to keep foes flatfooted, which is the name of the game for you. This contributes to three sources of bonus damage (Hit and Run Tactics, Iajitsu focus, and sneak attack via Assassin's Stance) (+0.5)
ELEGANCE: 1.5
Feat retraining doesn't work the way you'd like it to. Please see the following:
If the new feat has prerequisites, not only must your character meet them in his current state, but you must also be able to show that he met them at the time you chose the previous feat. (-0.5)
You don't qualify for Gloom Razor, as you only have 7 ranks in Hide by my count before taking it (-0.5)
Fighter dip (-0.5)
UOSI: 4
I'm not sure how to take the following:
While dancing, a Dervish cannot use skills or abilities that involve concentration or require her to remain still, such as Move Silently, Hide, or Search. While Gloom Razor's use of Hide may not require you to remain still, Hide is explicitly called out as one skill you cannot use (+0).
Gloom Razor is actually a darn good feat for this build: Child of Shadow + swift action Hide = invisibility, reliably flatfooting multiple opponents with Moving Shadows and a Dervish Dance, not to mention free action Tumbles at a DC of 20 (laughably easy with Movement Mastery). Nicely done! (+0.5)
Short swords are piercing weapons and, as such, cannot be used during a Dervish Dance (-0.5)
Good combination of Improved Reaction with other initiative boosters like Brains over Brawn (+0.5)
All 10 levels were taken (+0.5)

Kaycha: 15
ORIGINALITY: 3.5
The Binder: the class that nobody expects but always seems to come up anyway…twice, this time (-0.5)
Yet another surprising Incarnum-based race! (+0.5)
Beautifully-written backstory (+0.5)
POWER: 3
You snag the important soulmelds for mobility and survivability (+0.5)
You lack a source of extra attacks and bonus damage aside from the Secret Ingredient and a few small bonuses from Knowledge Devotion (-0.5).
ELEGANCE: 3.5
By my count, you're spending far more skill points than you have. You should be getting 4 per binder level (16 at first level), and at first level you've spent 24 (-0.5)
There's a reason people use binder all the time; it's got elegant little tricks laced throughout. Snagging Martial weapon Proficiency in the scimitar was nicely done, and allowed you to continue taking levels in binder without wasting a feat or choosing another weapon (+0.5)
The build is simple and straightforward, along with being the most streamlined in this competition (+0.5)
UOSI: 5
Sapphire Sprint's insight bonus is not just a great way to gain speed, but the extra AC works nicely for a Dervish (+0.5)
Ah, yes, THERE'S Midnight Dodge! A great choice over its regular cousin (+0.5).
While the Paragnostic Initiate's abilities don't seem related to the Dervish at first blush, they provide great bonuses like shutting down enemy spellcasters while still attacking others via Dervish Dance (+0.5)
Your Tango section shows that careful attention was paid to every class feature (+0.5)
Good combination of Improved Reaction with other initiative boosters like Pact Augmentation (+0.5)

Tallies After Two Judges
{table=head]ENTRY|PLACE|TOTAL|AVERAGE
Sanavakri|GOLD|30|3.75
Kaycha|SILVER|29.75|3.72
The Bloodstained Hurricane|BRONZE|29.25|3.66
Devlin Bladehands|Fourth|26.5|3.31
Salvatore Serafines|Fifth|25.75|3.22
Elrond Aldarion|Sixth|22.75|2.84
Weylin|Seventh|21|2.63
Avander Shellivathan|Eighth|19|2.38
The Death of Xen'drik|Ninth|18.5|2.31[/table]

[Cieyrin]

Weylin's math doesn't add up, Originality has a total modifier of -.5 and should be 2.5, so his total should be 10.5, not 11.

[BobVosh]

Wow, close between top 3.

Also binders are becoming really popular in these competitions aren't they?

[Amphetryon]

Wow, close between top 3.

Also binders are becoming really popular in these competitions aren't they?

If I were to guess why, I'd say it was something like this: Binders aren't strong enough on their own that folks would question the choice to PrC, especially into the (generally) suboptimal options showcased as the Secret Ingredient in the contests. On the other hand, they're versatile enough to fill almost any role, so they can easily slide into a lot of PrCs with some planning, and they provide tangible - if small - benefits consistently. Lastly, they appear obscure enough that folks might not expect to see them, though, given how many of these contests we've had, I don't think any base class actually meets that metric anymore.

[Akal Saris]

Hrm...what base classes have been really rare?

I've only seen Truenamer in 1-3 entries. Not sure if scout has ever made an appearance. I don't think I've seen any Healers, or any shugenja. Never seen a death master entry, maybe only 1-2 sha'irs or jesters.

I'm tempted to say that sorcerer has been the least common core class, though I have no evidence to back that up.

[Amphetryon]

Hrm...what base classes have been really rare?

I've only seen Truenamer in 1-3 entries. Not sure if scout has ever made an appearance. I don't think I've seen any Healers, or any shugenja. Never seen a death master entry, maybe only 1-2 sha'irs or jesters.

I'm tempted to say that sorcerer has been the least common core class, though I have no evidence to back that up.

I promise Shugenja made an appearance; I used it in the first IC I entered here at GitP with Munchy.

[OMG PONIES]

Hrm...what base classes have been really rare?

I've only seen Truenamer in 1-3 entries. Not sure if scout has ever made an appearance. I don't think I've seen any Healers, or any shugenja. Never seen a death master entry, maybe only 1-2 sha'irs or jesters.

I'm tempted to say that sorcerer has been the least common core class, though I have no evidence to back that up.

Scout just appeared in THIS round. I'll have to check my sheet to see the most and least frequent base classes--analysis may take a day or so.

[Urpriest]

Scout just appeared in THIS round. I'll have to check my sheet to see the most and least frequent base classes--analysis may take a day or so.

Scout's definitely been around before. One of the Drunken Masters was a Scout.

I feel like there haven't been any Samurai. I can't recall any Spirit Shamans, but maybe there have been some. And no OA Shamans, but I could see that being looked down on some.

[Zaq]

I can't recall any Warmages off the top of my head, but I'm not going to declare that there definitely haven't been any.

[Amphetryon]

I can't recall any Warmages off the top of my head, but I'm not going to declare that there definitely haven't been any.

That would be me again. D. Merwin Elbert, Pyrokineticist and Warmage.

[Cieyrin]

Definitely no Sohei, either, and there's been a lack of Ninja as well.

[Zaq]

Let's see. Soulborns aren't very common, and I can't think of any offhand. We see quite a few Spellthieves, the occasional Hexblade, more than a couple Swashbucklers . . . not many Lurks (Psychic Rogue is more common), but a few. I can't think of any Wilders, but I'd be surprised if there weren't any at all. I don't recall any Erudites, but they might just count as Psions, of which there are quite enough, I think.

Have there been any Artificers? They're T1, so I would imagine that we've had at least a few people using them to try to buff their Power scores, but between how poorly they multiclass (seriously, when is Artificer/Secret Ingredient better than just Artificer?), how easy it is to break them, and how reliant they are on downtime and proper crafting opportunity, I'd be surprised if there were more than a couple.

[Cieyrin]

Have there been any Artificers? They're T1, so I would imagine that we've had at least a few people using them to try to buff their Power scores, but between how poorly they multiclass (seriously, when is Artificer/Secret Ingredient better than just Artificer?), how easy it is to break them, and how reliant they are on downtime and proper crafting opportunity, I'd be surprised if there were more than a couple.

Tribble had an artificer for one of the contests, the fey forgemaster with the battlefist and mechanical dragon, and I think there was another one in the Master of Masks contest, the entry that customized all her masks as magic items with 1/day spell-likes.

EDIT: There we go, Sally (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172233&page=7) from IC: Vigilante and Seera (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8798058&postcount=130) D'Cannith (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8798064&postcount=131) from IC: Master of Masks.

[Amphetryon]

Definitely no Sohei, either, and there's been a lack of Ninja as well.

Keiji Mutoh (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8798072&postcount=132) was a Ninja. That's what I get for entering so many of these things.

[BobVosh]

I feel like there haven't been any Samurai.

OA, CW, or Both?

[Urpriest]

OA, CW, or Both?

Both as far as I can tell.

[Cieyrin]

Keiji Mutoh (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8798072&postcount=132) was a Ninja. That's what I get for entering so many of these things.

There's your veteran's challenge, not only should you use whatever obscure Secret Ingredient the current contest requires, use a base class no one has previously used or used the least! :smalltongue:

[ILM]

Isn't there something wrong with Devlin's elegance? If you're starting at 3 and then docking half-points four times, you should be ending up at 1.5 rather than 1.

[term1nally s1ck]

0.5 * 4 = 2.

Umm....

[BobVosh]

Last day for judges btw. Hope we get at least one more done.

[OMG PONIES]

Weylin's math doesn't add up, Originality has a total modifier of -.5 and should be 2.5, so his total should be 10.5, not 11.

This has been fixed...sorry, Weylin.


Scout's definitely been around before. One of the Drunken Masters was a Scout.

Heh, oh yeah, that was mine: Chieftain Nini (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9823813&postcount=131). Too many entries blurs the memory, I guess.

[ILM]

0.5 * 4 = 2.

Umm....
*a few hours later, now wide awake*

<_<

>_>

Let's forget about this entire thing, shall we?

[gbprime]

And sliding in under the judge deadline is... me!

Bloodstained Hurricane - 15.5 -


Originality - 2.75 - A 2 level dip into ranger costs a bit (-0.25), but there's otherwise nothing unexpected here. The race is a natural choice for a lots-of-attacks build.

Power - 4.5 - That... is one metric butt-ton of attacks, and it doesn't really have a problem against damage reduction once skirmish bonuses come online. (+1.5)

Eloquence - 3.5 - Kudos for not relying on a LA buyoff (+0.25) or assuming that a non-psi version of the race was available(+0.25). Speed of Thought comes so late that it's basically an afterthought, so I'm not giving a bonus for that.

Use of Special Ingredient - 4.75 - Both required skills of the PrC are maximized by level 20, so standard bonus there (+0.5). Multiweapon fighting is just brutal synergy (+0.5), as is use of skirmish (+0.25). And when Thousand Cuts finally comes online you're doubling... 11 attacks. Eek. (+0.5)


Avander - 10.25 -


Originality - 3.25 - A ranged Dervish, interesting (+0.5). It dips Ranger though (-0.25).

Power - 2.0 - While a valiant attempt at versatility, the archer abilities just don't stack with the Dervish ones. In essence you have created a Dervish which does not improve it's abilities and instead can also shoot things. (-1)

Eloquence - 2.5 - Your skill points are all goofed up, and I can't see where you got Tumble as a class skill under fighter (-0.5).

Use of Special Ingredient - 2.5 - You've spent a lot of effort on being an archer too, but Dervish Dance and Thousand cuts both specify melee attacks only. So while you're not changing up weapons to switch between the two, you're also not really using the archery component either. (-0.5) While you spent skill points on your required class skills, neither is maximized, so no bonus or penalties there.


Weylin - 14.25 -


Originality - 3.5 - Enough Binder levels for Paimon is a nice touch, and an odd way to approach Dervish (+0.5).

Power - 3.75 - Paimon plus Dervish is a capable combo (+0.25), and chaining Robiliar's Gambit to the Dervish dance potentially adds quite a few attacks at your full BAB (+0.5).

Eloquence - 3.5 - Four levels each of two base classes is tidy (+0.25), and you avoid a cross class penalty without jumping through odd hoops (+0.25). Shadowdancer seems to be added as a "hey, why not, I'm already qualified", and it doesn't synergize well with the other classes. (Knight of the Sacred Seal would actually have fit better given your backstory and classes.)

Use of Special Ingredient - 3.5 - Love is given to the prerequisite skills, but neither is maximized, so no bonus or penalty. I'd give higher marks here if the Swordsage maneuvers added to the Dervish Dance, but instead they seem to be alternatives to it, which you did not need. Robilar's Gambit is a nice add, as previously noted (+0.25), and Paimon fits here too (+0.25), so I split the bonuses between here and Eloquence.


Sanavakri - 15.5 -


Originality - 3.75 - I thought Kalashtar was here merely for the Psychic Warrior levels, but I was proven wrong later in the build (+0.5). It's still a 2 level dip, though (-0.25).

Power - 4.0 - I wasn't impressed until I read up on Dancing With Shadows. Every OTHER round, you're royally walloping your foes, and biding your time between with massive AC bonuses and martial maneuvers. This works better than I thought it would (+1).

Eloquence - 3.75 - A simple build is elegance in it's own right, with just 2 classes aside from the PrC (+0.25). you've also got excellent feat synergy going on (adding Stormguard Warrior to the Dancing with Shadows feat, for example) (+0.5)

Use of Special Ingredient - 4.0 - You keep the prerequisite skills maxxed out (+0.5), and your choice of feats accentuates the Dervish style, meaning the class is integral to your fighting style rather than just a bonus (+0.5).


Death of Xen'drik - 12.0 -


Originality - 2.5 - Thri-Kreen we've seen before in Dervish, so nothing unique about that. Ditto with Ranger and Warblade. The dip into fighter hurts, though (-0.5).

Power - 3.75 - You've got quite a few attacks (+0.5), but nothing besides a wand trick to pump them up. Mind you it's a nice trick (+0.25) but easily short circuited.

Eloquence - 2.25 - You're relying on a single magic item trick to make your attacks very effective (-0.5) rather than by using feats or class abilities. The fighter level is clearly for the feat and no other reason, and even warblade comes online as an afterthought. (I'd have respected 3 more levels of fighter more.) (-0.25)

Use of Special Ingredient - 3.5 - Tumble skill is maximized (+0.25) but Perform (Dance) is taken at the minimum and then never raised again (-0.25). Multiweapon is a wonderful bump for dervish dance and thousand cuts, though. (+0.5)


Devlin Bladehands - 12.25 -


Originality - 3.25 - Verstile unarmed as a way to get an unarmed Dervish? Surprising (+1). Pity you dipped swordsage (-0.5) and Monk (-0.25) to do it.

Power - 3.75 - Warshaper and Swashbuckler are nice boosts to power (+0.5), as is Shadow Blade (+0.25).

Eloquence - 2.75 - I'm docking you for the two unused feats (-0.5), as the point of Iron Chef is for you to tell us how YOU would build it. I docked you in Originality already for the two class dips, as they just make the build feel cluttered. But I'm giving some of that BACK for Warshaper levels, which fit SO nicely with an unarmed changeling (+0.5). And Carmendine Monk is a natural for blending monk with either swashbuckler or wizard (+0.25), BUT... with that feat you're using both Eberron and Forgotten Realms (-0.5).

Use of Special Ingredient - 2.5 - The prereq skills are maximized (+0.5), but I don't see much of a reason for being a Dervish. You qualified for it, you got extra attacks from it, but that's about it. None of your feats accentuate your Dervish abilities (-1). Perhaps if you had used those unused feats on this, the result would be different.


Elrond - 13.75 -


Originality - 3.0 - It's been too long since I've seen Revenant Blade used as an ingredient, more people should build with it (+0.5). And it took me a while to figure out where Snow Elves were from, so that's a bonus, but I would have preferred a better source list instead! (+0.25) But you took a 1 level dip into Paladin, so that's a negative (-0.5). And as long as we're in the "Originality" category, I'm gonna make my frowny face here, since you're taking famous names from Tolkien mythology and tacking them together. (-0.25).

Power - 4.5 - A 28 point buy build? Okay, not docking you for it, but I think you forgot that Snow Elf gives you 2 points of Dex. Anyway, Ancestral Guidance 3 (or 4) times per day is a nice boost to power, and once you get Legendary Force online at 10th level (Which I note you forgot to list), you're a true killing machine with Power Attack. (+1) Dervish Dance synergizes very well with this (+0.25). And keeping Hide and Move Silently maxed for the Revanant Blade bonuses to those is an added touch (+0.25).

Eloquence - 2.0 - Let's come back to that 1 level dip in Paladin. WHY? What did it give you? 4 ranks in Perform? Did you know you could have stayed in Ranger, gotten twice as many skill points, and bought the same 4 ranks as a cross class skill as well as picking up another Favored Enemy bonus? The resulting Inspire Courage ability is basically worthless and you do nothing to improve it. (-0.5) And I'm going to ding you for it again as you just mixed Eberron and Forgotten Realms in the same build with that one Paladin level. (-0.25) PLUS you seem to have forgotten about your INT bonus when purchasing skills for all your Ranger and Revenant Blade levels! (-0.25)

Use of Special Ingredient - 4.25 - Though you went a little overboard and purchased more ranks than you were allowed, the Dervish required skills are indeed both maxed out (+0.5). And you have the power as noted above to boost Dervish Dance to frightening levels. (+0.5) Travel Devotion is a nice additive, but it comes so late and has no turn attempts to allow you to use it more often, I can't give it a large bonus (+0.25).

This is easily one of the more lethal builds, and had you avoided that Paladin level and cleaned it up, you could easily have cleared 16 points. The Paladin dip was un-necessary, unsupported, and it truly cost you. Pity.


Salvatore - 15.5 -


Originality - 3.5 - Well Factotum is a surprise (+0.25) and Master of Masks even more so (+0.5). The fighter dip is the only downside (-0.25)

Power - 4.25 - Iaijutsu Focus and several tricks to make sure you can use it a lot (+1). Add in bonus damage from one or more maneuvers and feats (+0.25), and you have a really pointy combatant.

Eloquence - 3.5 - This too has a single trick to make it's extra damage work, but it's powered by feats and has several ways of working (+0.5). I'd score it higher in eloquence if it had used less classes.

Use of Special Ingredient - 4.25 - Iaijutsu plus Thousand Cuts... awesome (+0.5). Both class prereq skills maximized, check (+0.5). Other feats and skills generally add (+0.25).


Kaycha - 13.75 -


Originality - 3.5 - Again, Binder is somewhat a rare choice (+0.5). Azurin is interesting, but incarnum binds aren't really a rarity around here. =)

Power - 3.5 - What I'm not seeing is how Binder or Paragnostic adds to the effect of being a Dervish. You pick up either Whirlwind attack or some sneak attack dice here and there (+0.25) and some attention is given to knowledge devotion (+0.25), but you tack on no real power.

Eloquence - 3.5 - One class, 1 PrC, 1 maxxed special ingredient PrC. Nice (+0.5). Binder doesn't quite provide versatility to improve the score any further, though.

Use of Special Ingredient - 3.25 - Prerequisite skills get good attention, but are not maxxed out, so no bonus or penalty. I see some mild synergy with movement powers (+0.25), but not a lot else that makes Dervish perform at above base level.

[Private-Prinny]

You missed Kaycha. If she's not done in the next hour, I can't count those scores.

[gbprime]

You missed Kaycha. If she's not done in the next hour, I can't count those scores.

Oops. :smalleek: Copy didn't scroll down far enough. Corrected.

[Private-Prinny]

Possibly the final tally?

Tallies After Three Judges
{table=head]ENTRY|PLACE|TOTAL|AVERAGE
Sanavakri|GOLD|45.5|3.79
The Bloodstained Hurricane|SILVER|44.75|3.73
Kaycha|BRONZE|43.5|3.63
Salvatore Serafines|Fourth|41.25|3.44
Devlin Bladehands|Fifth|38.75|3.23
Elrond Aldarion|Sixth|36.5|3.04
Weylin|Seventh|35.25|2.94
The Death of Xen'drik|Eighth|30.5|2.54
Avander Shellivathan|Ninth|29.25|2.44[/table]

[Private-Prinny]

And the final standings are in.

In 1st place, Urpriest's Sanavakri!
In 2nd place, DeAnno's Bloodstained Hurricane!
In 3rd place, Amphetryon's Kaycha!
In 4th place, Z3ro's Salvatore Serafines!
In 5th place, term1nally s1ck's Devlin Bladehands!
In 6th place, yugi24862's Elrond Aldarion!
In 7th place, kestrel404's Weylin!
In 8th place, The Gilded Duke's Death of Xen'drik!
In 9th place, BillyBobJoe's Avander Shellivathan!

Congratulations to our 3 winners! I haven't been in touch with Jumilk, so I'll see if I can commission some trophies in the Arts & Crafts subforum. As for the honorable mention, no one has voted one way or the other, so I'll award it to Devlin Bladehands.

I'll post the two builds that didn't quite make it on time in a little bit.

[The Gilded Duke]

Ouch. Completely missed the 1/day thing on the Tentacle Whip's Poison. Would have to completely redo the build to make it work. The Snake Arm grafts could have worked with a full BAB character and Improved Rapid Strike.

Went through so many variations on the build... at one point was considering turning into a Gibbering Mouther with Aberration Wild Shape and a Wild Shape Ranger, but couldn't figure out anyway to get the six mouths to do any significant damage.

[Private-Prinny]

These two didn't quite slip by the deadline, but I'll post them as a special treat. Essence_of_War brings us Solarius.


Basics:

Solarius
32 Pt Buy
Wood Elf from region of Valenar
Str 16(18) Dex 15(17) Con 14(12) Int 14(12) Wis 10 Cha 8
Str 30 Dex 28 Con 22 Int 12 Wis 10 Cha 8
+3 tome/+6 item/+3 level pts for str
+3 tome/+6 item/+2 level pt for dex
+4 tome/+6 item for con


Background:

Solarius is a Valeran wood elf from the world of Eberron. He was raised on the many tales of the famous wars with the giants of Xen'drik and was trained in the traditions of this line. Early in life, he was found to be strong as well as extraordinarily dextrous, even for an elf. He became a bladebearer, and then won himself a spot among the elite Revenant Blades. He continued developing some of his surveillance and espionage skills as an asset to the Revenant Blades.

The Revenant Blades encouraged the practice of various artistic skills to aid warriors in the expression of their ancestral lines. Solarius took up the art of interpretive dance, and found that the lessons of dance crossed over to battle extraordinarily well.

Among his peers, Solarius is known to fight like a force of nature. At the outset of battle, his pupils dilate, and he becomes wreathing, tornado of blades. His arcing strikes, swift footwork, and elegant bladeplay belie the incredible strength behind his blows.


Build:
NAME OF ENTRY
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Ranger 1|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|Listen 4, Spot 2, Survival 4, Knowledge(history) 2, Jump 4, MS 4, Hide 4, Climb 4|Bladebearer of the Valeran, Track(Rn)|Favored Enemy - Giant), Wild Empathy

2nd|Ranger 2|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+0|Listen 1, Spot 1, Survival 1, Jump 1, MS 1, Hide 1, Climb 1|Two-Weapon Fighting|Combat Style - TWF

3rd|Fighter 1|
+3|
+5|
+3|
+0|Perform(dance) 1, Jump 1|Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Valeran Double Scimitar)|-

4th|Fighter 2|
+4|
+6|
+3|
+0|Perform(dance)1, Jump 1|Martial Study - Moment of Perfect Mind (DM)|-

5th|Warblade 1|
+5|
+8|
+3|
+0|Tumble 5|-|Battle Clarity (reflex), Maneuvers, Weapon Aptitude

6th|Revenant Blade 1|
+6|
+8|
+3|
+2|Survival 1, Perform(dance) 1, Concentrate 2|Improved Two-Weapon Fighting|Ancestral Guidance (1), Ranger Class Features, Hero of the Valles Tairn

7th|Revenant Blade 2|
+7|
+8|
+3|
+3|Concentrate 2, Listen 1, Spot 1, Survival 1|-|Shadow of the Past

8th|Revenant Blade 3|
+8|
+9|
+4|
+3|Concentrate 2, Listen 1, Spot 1, Survival 1|-|Ancestral Guidance (2)

9th|Revenant Blade 4|
+9|
+9|
+4|
+4|Concentrate 2, Listen 1, Spot 1, Survival 1|Mobility (see below)|Giant Slayer

10th|Revenant Blade 5|
+10|
+9|
+4|
+4|Concentrate 2, Listen 1, Spot 1, Survival 1| - |Ancestral Guidance (3), Legendary Force

11th|Dervish 1|
+11|
+9|
+6|
+6|Concentrate 2, Perform(dance) 1, Tumble 1, Jump 1|-|Dervish Dance 1/day, movement mastery, slashing blades, AC Bonus +1

12th|Dervish 2|
+12|
+9|
+7|
+7|Concentrate 2, Perform(dance) 1, Tumble 1, Listen 1|Two-Weapon Rend|Fast Movement +5ft

13th|Dervish 3|
+13|
+10|
+7|
+7|Concentrate 2, Perform(dance) 1, Tumble 1, Jump 1|Spring Attack (Dervish 3)|Dervish Dance 2/day

14th|Dervish 4|
+14|
+10|
+8|
+8|Concentrate 1, Perform(dance) 2, Tumble 1, Listen 1|-|Dance of Death

15th|Dervish 5|
+15|
+10|
+8|
+8|Listen 1, Jump 1, Perform(dance) 1, Concentrate 1, Tumble 1|Greater Two-Weapon Fighting|Fast Movement +10ft, Dervish Dance 3/day, AC Bonus +2

16th|Dervish 6|
+16|
+11|
+9|
+9|Listen 1, Jump 1, Perform(dance) 1, Concentrate 1, Tumble 1|-|Improved Reaction

17th|Dervish 7|
+17|
+11|
+9|
+9|Listen 1, Jump 1, Perform(dance) 1, Concentrate 1, Tumble 1|-|Elaborate Parry, Dervish Dance 4/day

18th|Dervish 8|
+18|
+11|
+10|
+10|Listen 1, Jump 1, Perform(dance) 1, Concentrate 1, Tumble 1|Elusive Target|Fast Movement +15ft

19th|Dervish 9|
+19|
+12|
+10|
+10|Listen 1, Jump 1, Perform(dance) 1, Concentrate 1, Tumble 1|-|Tireless Dance, Dervish Dance 5/day, AC Bonus +3

20th|Dervish 10|
+20|
+12|
+11|
+11|Listen 1, Jump 1, Perform(dance) 1, Concentrate 1, Tumble 1|-|A thousand cuts[/table]

Martial Maneuvers:
1st - Moment of Perfect Mind (available at 4th+); Sudden Leap (5th+); Wolf Fang Strike (5th+)
2nd - Emerald Razor (5th+)

Stance: Blood in the Water (5th+)

All readied.


General Notes:

The biggest problem for TWFs is how to get enough damage to compete with the THF. Some methods are to gain lots of attacks through the various feat chains, enhance mobility to maximize number of full attacks, and finding alternative sources of extra damage e.g. sneak attack, skirmish.

The Revenant Blade PrC dodges the need to jump through damage source hoops by treating both ends of its double scimitar as a THF weapon, and then the Warblade Dip and Dervish prestige class bring excellent mobility in the form of Sudden Leap, and the dervish dance; ensuring that the character will be full attacking almost every round. We gain all the usual benefits of power attacking, but now we get the additional perks of extra attacks, and mobility.

I could have used a 1-level BBN dip to get pounce instead of the Warblade dip. I feel like the former is a bit...overused...and I really like the flexbility that the Warblade maneuvers give him. Sudden Leap and Wolf Fang Strike gives him a pseudo-pounce, Sudden Leap + Emerald Razor give him a pseudo Shock Trooper. You get a lot of the feel of a charger build, you're probably still doing great damage, but you're probably not creating metagame damage concerns.

Finally, I'm taking advantage of the Revenant Blade's Ancestral Guardian class ability to pick up qualification feats for the Dervish class. I discuss this more below in the level 10 stuff.


Circa Level 5

At low levels, Solarius can serve as a scout/infiltrator. Since the best patch-up spells are on the ranger list, he can act as the out of combat healer, and since he has TWF, and a high strength from the get-go he can strike effectively in melee.

Level 5 is especially nice because he now has access to Wolf Fang Strike to get off move + 2 attacks, Sudden Leap to get around the battlefield, and Emerald Razor exploits the fact that the double scimitar can be used as a THF weapon to do some power attacking!


Circa Level 10:

Here's where things get interesting.

The Revenant Blade PrC provides essentially 3 bonus feats over the course of 5 levels. I noted that Solarius' Mobility feat at 9th level is contingent, this is because Solarius gains the benefit of Dodge from his Ancestral Guardian class feature each day. Similarly with Combat Expertise. This method allows him to meet all of the requirements to be a Dervish. He must be careful though. If he is unable to commune with his Ancestral Guardians for at least an hour each day, he can lose all of the benefits of the Dervish class until he is able to do so again.

At 10th level, he now has two THF weapons, 5 attacks on a full attack, or the option to Emerald Razor for a huge power attack.


Circa 12th Level (Sweet Spot):

I chose this as the sweet spot because all of his basic abilities are online, and he isn't high enough level to get overshadowed by the increasing magical abilities of his enemies.

1) We have the THF (10th) online.
2) Dervish 1 (11th) gives us the dervish dance.
3) 2Wpn Rend comes online at 12th level as a source of extra damage.

We have mobility as discussed earlier, the damage capacity of power attacking with our THF weapons, plus the ability to move while full attacking!


Higher Levels:

We don't really gain any new abilities until "A Thousand Cuts" comes line at 20th level. However, we do develop our previous abilities and are able to dervish dance in even more encounters each day. We keep our full BAB, and at 18th level, are able to negate power attacks with our Elusive Target feat. This could easily be swapped with Greater 2Wpn Fighting. The marginal benefit of one more attack at -10 is not that great compared with the ability to negate power attacks.


Equipment Suggestions:

High dex allows Solarius to take full advantage of light armors. Celestial Armor looks like an ideal pick at mid-high levels as it allows him the ability to fly also.

We run into the usual WBL issues with having multiple weapons. Depending on the contents of the party, this could partially negated by a friendly caster who can gives you 2 GMWs each day. If not, obviously the highest raw enhancement bonus you can get is best, and I'm partial to the Collision property from the XPH/SRD for extra damage.

Because he has a relatively llow con bonus, going for con enhancement items, especially early on, is highly recommended.

[Urpriest]

Wewt, about time I won one of these! Looking forward to a trophy if they happen.

I was actually really surprised how well the build clicked into place. Most of its tricks came online within a short span of levels (for example, Ironheart Aura is only a level before Stormguard Warrior). Thanks goes to the absent Shinken's Guide to Defensive Fighting, which pointed out the wonders of Dancing with Shadows. I'm also really surprised at that missing feat, seeing as the build involved a lot of feat planning to get everything in, I thought I would notice a free slot. I also feel like I was the only build that had a reason to take 10 on Perform(dance), albeit a weak reason. :smallbiggrin:

[Private-Prinny]

Akal Saris submitted Taern the Rover.


Taern the Rover
CN Wild Elf Ranger 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2

The Tale:
I

In lost ages long past, when mankind was still a scattered band of hill-tribes and plains-riders, elves and giants battled amongst the grand cities of Xen'drik. The elves were not the creatures of beauty and nobility that they are today. Yet a wild grace they had, and courage, and a fierce love of war. They lived moment to moment, caring not for the past, save that their ancestors would greet them when at last they reached Corellon's halls. Nor were the giants the hulking brutes that they are today. They were majestic, awesome in their primordial might, lords of a thousand cities.

All that was once mighty and glorious is now dust, and we are now but gnomes standing atop the shoulders of those that were once giants. The giants sank into depravity and ruin, and from their once-mighty empires came dozens of races and peoples, who spread across the land, grew mighty, fell into a thousand shattered pieces, and grew in might once more.

Among this shattered land came a man of ancient blood and youthful lusts, who saw the shattered world for the jest it held, and loved it all the more dear. Hither came Taern, the Valenar, raven-haired, amber-eyed, a sea-reaver, a ranger, a rover, with blade in hand and a thousand tales in tow. This tale begins in Xen'drik, land of a thousand mourning ends.

It was well past midnight, and Taern stood alone in the Great Hall of Kol Korran, God of Trade and Wealth, Son of Olladra and Olatar, Twin Brother to the Keeper. The names meant nothing to Taern, who cared no more for the Sovereign Host than he did for the Dark Six. The gods of civilized races are nothing to a Reaver of Valenar, who worships no god, save his own ancestors. There would be no one to judge him upon his death, when cold hands grasped him and took him to misty lands of darkness and cold. Yet his ancestors had given him life, and the strength to face it, and what man could ask for more?

The Great Hall was home to a thousand wonders of commerce and trade, from distant lands. Here was a Chalice forged in Thrace, and there, a beautiful mosaic created by the trembling hands of a dozen Aundairian war-captives. Taern ignored these wonders of civilization, for what use did a man of steel and blood have for glittering prizes? The prize he sought was set deep within the Hall. Yet as he stalked panther-like through the Hall, he heard a sound as familiar to him as the call of birds and beasts. Steel rang on steel somewhere within the Hall, accompanied by the colorful oaths and roars of battle. A fierce grin sprang unbidden Taern's his face, and he ran forward, bit by curiosity and love of adventure.

II

The fight went hard for Valeros di Carenzi, and for the thousandth time he swore to himself never to hire rogues and scoundrels of an evil disposition. He locked blades once more with Piravno the Air-Reaver, snarling with the fury of a man who had spent his life knowing that he was privileged to a life of luxury and power, only to discover that a wild rogue dared to betray him first, and all for a prize that Valeros was long-weary of, yet guarded still with the pride of a hoard-drunk dragon.

Sweat mixed with blood and ran down Valeros's face in rivulets. His men had fallen like scattered rose petals around him, blood blossoming from a dozen cuts in each of them. Piravno and his lads stalked closer to the nobleman, laughing like hyenas, grinning like devils. Valeros desperately fumbled at his side for a vial of the juice of the Black Lotus, the obtaining of which was a tale in itself, but he knew himself to be at his end.

As Valeros locked glares with Death, a shriek at the back of the mob rose up, a wild scream that seemed to hang in the air forever. Shrieks and curses soon followed as the cuttroats turned in panic to face their new assailant. Taern the Rover stood before them, an air-reaver on the floor at his feet, bleeding his guts out onto an Aundairian mosaic. Taern's amber eyes burned with battle-lust, his body swaying rhythmically like a cobra's dance. Torchlight glistened from Taern's bronzed body, moving with the grace of a hunting cat, and a marvelous sword leapt into his hands. The sword was unlike any other in Stormreach, a solid five feet of curved steel that formed an S-pattern, like two scimitars fused into a single, terrible weapon. Taern held in a shifting grip, and every man among the rovers could sense the terrible muscles that could propel that steel forward in a single instant. The air-dogs began to waver in indecision.

“At him, lads! It's ten against one!” snarled Piravno, and in so doing, lost his crew, his air-ship, his love, and his life. Taern broke out of his dance suddenly, striking forward like a serpent. He glided forward, the sword catching the ship's mate and another reaver in the gut, then glancing forward to turn aside a pair of long-knives, and arcing under the knife-wielder's feet. The man went down on the ground, and instantly the strange weapon rose and fell, slicing the man's head like a guillotine. The blade flashed thrice more in the torchlight, and three more reavers fell, along along with them the torch-light. Shouts and then screams echoed throughout the hall, the stranger's dark-vision finding two more reavers easily in the darkness, his pupils gleaming yellow in the darkness like a wolves' eyes.

Piravno the Air-Reaver scooped up the fallen torch in one hand, his saber in the other, and came at the stranger with murder in his eyes. A leader of scoundrels and cutthroats, in his battle-cunning he led with the saber, yet at the last moment he instead threw the brand straight at the stranger's face, where it exploded in a shower of sparks. The stranger fought on desperately, despite his blindness, springing forward to stab the last of Piravno's rogues in the gut and then dancing back. Piravno saw it then – an opening in the whirling circle of blades, one that the blinded warrior clearly hadn't realized! He glided forward, his blade aimed straight and true for the stranger's neck. His blade stopped, a moment from piercing the stranger's jugular, and he looked down to see the stranger's blade, buried into his chest up to the hilt. How did he know? Piravno died then, an incredulous question on his lips.

With the battle over, Valeros di Carenzi stepped forward incredulously. The bronze-skinned warrior ignored him, cleaning the blood from his scimitar-blade. “Ho! What manner of man are you?” Valeros asked, with the voice of a man who is used to prompt answers. The stranger glanced over at him without interest.

“Kah! A noble-man? I thought for certain those rogues were fighting over a lady,” he said with scorn, his voice tinged with a strange accent that Valeros did not recognize. Valeros stiffened at the response and instinctively looked towards the shadows of the Great Hall. The stranger followed his gaze, and marked a dainty form, sitting calmly and watching him with keen interest. Her eyes were light blue, and her skin as fair as alabaster, paler even than the silken cloth that accented her womanly figure. The stranger's eyes darkened as he gazed upon her, and the woman looked at him in fascination, as one might contemplate a hunting-cat as it stalked towards you. She noted his long black hair, and the surprisingly noble face. His eyes were slanted like an elf, though the amber fire that burned in those eyes was unlike any elf the girl had ever seen. She realized that he was watching her every bit as closely as she was watching him, and looked away with sudden embarrassment.

“The pirate's woman,” Valeros said dismissively, and he began to glower as the stranger paid her more attention than him. "Your name, sirrah,” Valeros said, with impatient disdain. The blade-bearer had been stupid than he looked, to address him – a scion of House Di Carenzi! - so casually. That was good, then – with both his own men and Piravno's crew dead, Valeros had need of a new servant tonight.

“Taern, of Valenar,” the blade-bearer said. The word meant nothing to Valeros, except that he dimly associated it with the far south-west, an arid land of hills and plains, without city or town for hundreds of miles. If he spoke truth, then surely the tall stranger was far from home indeed.

“Well, then. I have need of a strong man tonight. You will be well-paid,” he said dismissively, tossing a pouch of coins to the man's feet, where they landed with a soft clink. Taern picked the pouch up and gave it a wary shake, the smile on his face growing wider.

“It is a deal,” he said, his voice surprisingly deep and strangely accented. “What work do we do tonight?”

III

Okay, I need to actually work on the build some more now! I'll finish Taern's tale after the contest if there is any interest...

CN Wild Elf Ranger 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2
Stats 32 PB
Str: 18
Dex: 16
Con: 14
Int: 12
Wis: 8
Cha: 8
Stat boosts: L4: Int (to qualify for Combat Expertise), L8-20: Str

At 20th with a +4 inherent tome for Strength and +6 Belt of Magnificence:
Str: 32
Dex: 22
Con: 20
Int: 19
Wis: 14
Cha: 14

TAERN THE ROVER
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Ranger 1|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|7: Hide 4R, M. Silently 4R, Perform (Dance) 2R (cc), Ride 4R, Concentration 4R, Tumble 2R (cc), Survival 4R|Bladebearer of the Valenar (PGtE Pg. 142), Track[Ranger Bonus]|Wild Empathy, Favored Enemy (Humanoid: Human)

2nd|Ranger 2|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+0| Hide 5R, M. Silently 5R, Perform (Dance) 2R (cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 5R, Tumble 2R (cc), Survival 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 4R, Balance 2R (cc) |Two-Weapon Fighting [Ranger 2]|Bonus feat (TWF)

3rd|Rgr 2/Warblade 1|
+3|
+5|
+3|
+0| Hide 5R, M. Silently 5R, Perform (Dance) 2R (cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 6R, Tumble 5R (2cc and 3C), Survival 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 4R, Balance 2R (cc), Knowledge (History) 2R| Weapon Focus (Valenar Double scimitar)|Battle Clarity (Reflex +1), weapon aptitude. Stances: Blood in the Water. Maneuvers: Wolf Fang Strike, Sudden Leap, Moment of Perfect Mind

4th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 1|
+4|
+7|
+3|
+0| Hide 5R, M. Silently 5R, Perform (Dance) 3R (cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 6R, Tumble 5R (2cc and 3C), Survival 5R, Jump 2R, Knowledge (Nature) 4R, Balance 2R (cc), Knowledge (History) 2R |Combat Expertise [Ftr 1]|Feat

5th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2|
+5|
+8|
+3|
+0| Hide 5R, M. Silently 5R, Perform (Dance) 3R (cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 5R (2cc and 3C), Survival 5R, Jump 4R, Knowledge (Nature) 4R, Balance 2R (cc), Knowledge (History) 2R |Dodge [Ftr 2]|Feat

6th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 1|
+6|
+8|
+3|
+2| Hide 5R, M. Silently 5R, Perform (Dance) 3R (cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 5R (2cc and 3C), Survival 9R, Jump 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 2R (cc), Knowledge (History) 2R |Karmic Strike, Weapon Specialization (Double Scimitar) [RB 1], Improved Critical (Double Scimitar) [RB 1 – Zaelshin Tu]|Ancestral Guidance 1 (Bonus feats), Hero of the Valaes Tairn (+5 diplomacy with Valenar elves)

7th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 2|
+7|
+8|
+3|
+3| Hide 5R, M. Silently 5R, Perform (Dance) 3R (cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 5R (2cc and 3C), Survival 9R, Jump 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 2R (cc), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 6R | |Shadow of the Past (Add level to Hide/M. Silently)

8th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 3|
+8|
+9|
+4|
+3| Hide 8R, M. Silently 8R, Perform (Dance) 3R (cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 5R (2cc and 3C), Survival 9R, Jump 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 2R (cc), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 6R |Improved Trip [RB 3] |Ancestral Guidance 2

9th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 4|
+9|
+9|
+4|
+4| Hide 9R, M. Silently 8R, Perform (Dance) 3R (cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 5R (2cc and 3C), Survival 12R, Jump 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 2R (cc), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 8R |Mobility |FE: Giants +4

10th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 5|
+10|
+9|
+4|
+4| Hide 12R, M. Silently 11R, Perform (Dance) 3R (cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 5R (2cc and 3C), Survival 12R, Jump 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 2R (cc), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 8R |Power Attack [RB 5] |Ancestral Guidance 3, Legendary Force (Treat both ends of the double scimitar as two-handed weapons)

11th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 5/Dervish 1|
+11|
+9|
+6|
+6| Hide 12R, M. Silently 11R, Perform (Dance) 9R (3cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 5R (2cc and 3C), Survival 12R, Jump 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 2R (cc), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 8R | |Dervish Dance 1/day, movement mastery, slashing blades, +1 AC

12th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 5/Dervish 2|
+12|
+9|
+7|
+7| Hide 12R, M. Silently 11R, Perform (Dance) 15R (3cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 5R (2cc and 3C), Survival 12R, Jump 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 2R (cc), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 8R | Elusive Target|Fast Movement +5ft

13th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 5/Dervish 3|
+13|
+10|
+7|
+7| Hide 12R, M. Silently 11R, Perform (Dance) 16R (3cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 5R (2cc and 3C), Survival 12R, Jump 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 5R (2cc, 3C), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 8R, Skill Trick: Nimble Charge | |Spring Attack, Dance 2/day

14th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 5/Dervish 4|
+14|
+10|
+8|
+8| Hide 12R, M. Silently 11R, Perform (Dance) 16R (3cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 8R (2cc and 6C), Survival 12R, Jump 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 6R (2cc, 4C), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 8R, Skill Tricks: Nimble Charge, Nimble Stand | |Dance of Death (Cleave)

15th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 5/Dervish 5|
+15|
+10|
+8|
+8| Hide 12R, M. Silently 11R, Perform (Dance) 18R (3cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 8R (2cc and 6C), Survival 12R, Jump 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 6R (2cc, 4C), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 8R, Skill Tricks: Nimble Charge, Nimble Stand, Twisted Charge, Shrouded Dance |Combat Reflexes |Dance 3/day, Fast Movement +10ft, +2 AC

16th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 5/Dervish 6|
+16|
+11|
+9|
+9| Hide 12R, M. Silently 11R, Perform (Dance) 18R (3cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 12R (2cc and 10C), Survival 12R, Jump 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 6R (2cc, 4C), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 8R, Skill Tricks: Nimble Charge, Nimble Stand, Twisted Charge, Shrouded Dance, Back on Your Feet | |Improved Reaction (+2 init)

17th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 5/Dervish 7|
+17|
+11|
+9|
+9| Hide 12R, M. Silently 11R, Perform (Dance) 20R (3cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 12R (2cc and 10C), Survival 12R, Jump 5R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 10R (2cc, 8C), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 8R, Skill Tricks: Nimble Charge, Nimble Stand, Twisted Charge, Shrouded Dance, Back on Your Feet | |Elaborate Parry (+4 on defensive/full defense), Dance 4/day

18th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 5/Dervish 8|
+18|
+11|
+10|
+10| Hide 12R, M. Silently 11R, Perform (Dance) 20R (3cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 12R (2cc and 10C), Survival 12R, Jump 10R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 11R (2cc, 8C), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 8R, Skill Tricks: Nimble Charge, Nimble Stand, Twisted Charge, Shrouded Dance, Back on Your Feet |Evasive Reflexes (ToB) |Fast Movement +15ft

19th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 5/Dervish 9|
+19|
+12|
+10|
+10| Hide 12R, M. Silently 11R, Perform (Dance) 22R (3cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 14R (2cc and 12C), Survival 12R, Jump 12R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 11R (2cc, 9C), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 8R, Skill Tricks: Nimble Charge, Nimble Stand, Twisted Charge, Shrouded Dance, Back on Your Feet | |Tireless Dance, Dance 5/day, +3 AC

20th| Rgr 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 2/Revenant Blade 5/Dervish 10|
+20|
+12|
+11|
+11| Hide 12R, M. Silently 11R, Perform (Dance) 22R (3cc), Ride 5R, Concentration 7R (1R cc), Tumble 14R (2cc and 12C), Survival 12R, Jump 18R, Knowledge (Nature) 5R, Balance 11R (2cc, 9C), Knowledge (History) 2R, Spot 8R, Skill Tricks: Nimble Charge, Nimble Stand, Twisted Charge, Shrouded Dance, Back on Your Feet | |A Thousand Cuts[/table]

What's going on here: I’ve been reading a lot of Robert Howard’s short stories, and so when I saw the dervish prestige class, I immediately wanted to make a character that could have sprang from the pages of Conan the Barbarian (hence the pulp fiction-esque intro story!). Often it takes me some time to decide on what class to compliment the main ingredient, but this was one of those rare cases where I knew immediately that Revenant Blade was the class I was looking for. It comes from a slightly obscure source, but it fits perfectly with the dervish, and worked well with my concept for a quintessential dervish-style fighter: extremely mobile, hard-hitting, and hard to hit.

In a fight, Taern moves to opponents with Karmic Strike active, relying on elusive target, mobility, and the dervish's elaborate parry to dodge attacks of opportunity. On each attack of opportunity taken against him, Taern can either gain +5ft of movement from Evasive Reflexes (and use that movement to avoid the AOO if he wishes), or attack back with one end of his double scimitar, using power attack as if it were a two-handed weapon, and he also gains a trip attack from elusive target, which combined with Improved Trip translates into a second attack against a prone target if successful. As he moves, his dervish dance gives +5 to attack and damage, great cleave, and the ability to make up to 7 attacks each round (assuming Haste and Gloves of the Balanced Hand, a mere 20K in items by level 20). At the end of his attack, Taern can then use the Sudden Leap maneuver to move away from opponents if necessary.

What's Revenant Blade give you, anyways? It gives 4 fighter feats from a small list in 5 levels, including the only way I know of to gain Improved Critical as early as level 6. Favored Enemy +4 vs. Giants. +5 to Hide/Move Silently. The capstone is where REAL the synergy with dervish comes from: the revenant blade may treat each end of a double scimitar as a two-handed weapon when favorable, allowing the revenant blade to use 1 ½ Strength to damage and 2:1 power attack, and gain +4 to trip attempts in conjunction with elusive target.

Why delay Dervish? The core ability from dervish is its dance, however the ability to move and full attack doesn’t mean very much until you have several attacks per round. By delaying entry, the build uses revenant blade to build up a core of strong feats and high BAB before advancing dervish dance.

How does he work: Taern is a melee tank, skirmisher, and damage-dealing character. His secondary abilities include tracker (survival and track) and scout (decent ranks in spot, hide, and move silently). He's viable at all levels, and really comes into his own at ECL 6, 12, and 18.

At low levels he has wolf fang strike and sudden leap, allowing him to move and attack with both weapons twice per combat, and moment of clarity, which allows him to use a concentration check in place of a will save. At level 6 he gains Karmic Strike, Weapon Spec (Double Scimitar), and Improved Critical (Double Scimitar), a trio of good feats that ensure that his damage output will likely exceed his opponents’ damage. Assuming a +1 weapon and +2 strength gloves, his full attacks will be for +10/+10/+5 for 1d8+8 and 1d8+5, 15-20/x2. With warblade’s Blood in the Water stance, every critical hit gives Taern a cumulative +1/+1 Attack/Damage, so the more attacks he makes, the stronger his attacks become.

At ECL 12, Taern has mobility, which grants +4 AC against AOO’s (negating the -4 penalty from Karmic Strike), and also Elusive Target, which negates the bonus damage from power attack used against him, forces flanking opponents to “accidentally” strike their ally 1/round whenever Taern is flanked, and granting a free trip attack whenever a foe misses you from an AOO from movement (with +4 from Improved Trip, and another +4 from treating scimitars as a two-handed weapons. Combined with Karmic Strike and the free attack from Improved Trip, that means two attacks of opportunity granted to Taern for every AOO taken on his movement. In addition, he now treats both ends of the scimitar as a two-handed weapon and has power attack (gained at 10th level, the same level that he gains legendary force), allowing him to deal excellent damage on each attack. With dervish attack, he can make 4 attacks per round, with 1 AOO from Karmic Strike and as many trip attacks as AOO attempts that he provokes.

Once Taern reaches ECL 15 and has a +6 Dex item, he can make 7 AOO’s a round with Combat Reflexes, allowing him to fully take advantage of elusive target and karmic strike, and become a whirlwind of non-stop attacks of opportunity and mobile blades. If he is in a dervish dance when one of his AOO’s or standard attacks kills an opponent, he can then cleave into another opponent with Dance of Death. He has Dervish 3/day for 9 rounds each use, enough for a standard adventuring day. He also picks up several skill tricks: Nimble Charge (charge over difficult terrain), Nimble Stand (No AOO’s from standing), Twisted Charge (1 direction change per charge), and Shrouded Dance (move action for concealment for 1 round). Each is usable 1/encounter, and gives Taern more stylish combat options each fight.

At ECL 18, Taern gets his last feat, Evasive Reflexes, which allows him to move 5ft in place of taking an attack of opportunity. This allows him to cover more ground with dervish dance and to move out of range of full attacks, and fits very well with the mobile fighting style of dervish. The +4 to AC from Dervish’s Elaborate Parry means that with Dodge, Mobility, Dervish’s +3 AC, fighting defensively, and Combat Expertise, Taern gets +20 to AC at the cost of -7 to attacks. Spring Attack also gives Taern another mobile attack option when Dervish Dance isn’t feasible.

Optional cheese:
If allowed, the Drow Ftr 1 substitution would trade Fighter's useless heavy armor proficiency for dexterity to damage against flat-footed foes. Champions of Valor's Darksong Knight level 2 fighter substitution level would also give Perform (Dance) as a class skill, and would allow the character to use Perform (Dance) to feint in place of bluff. I declined to take it since it would introduce Forgotten Realms material into the build.

Flaws: If flaws are allowed, the build is basically sped up a great deal, and would allow the build to take a few more offensive feats at the end, like Improved TWF and Greater TWF, or Double-Hit, or Whirlwind Attack.

[gbprime]

Nice job all around. Dervish is hard to do wrong, so the trick to judging was to find what people had done RIGHT and highlight it.

I was surprised to see that no one thought to bust the action economy with it by hooking up Three Mountains or Boomerang Daze or somesuch to all those attacks against multiple opponents. But the number of consistantly strong extra-damage methods was impressive.

[Amphetryon]

Hey look, another 3rd place snag for me. . . .

[Private-Prinny]

And with amazing speed, we have back our illustrious trophysmith Strategos!

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u163/The_Great_Strategos/DervishTrophyGold.png

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u163/The_Great_Strategos/DervihTrophySilver.png

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u163/The_Great_Strategos/DervishTrophyBronze.png

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u163/The_Great_Strategos/DervishTrophyCrystal.png

[Zaq]

So, Prinny (and anyone else), how do you feel the efforts at streamlining went?

Also, any plans for the next round?

[term1nally s1ck]

Personally, I'm feeling like it should be clear that dipping is harshly punished in the elegance category.

I asked, and in almost a week I get one response saying it's fine if the classes make sense.

With that in mind, I go for the leanest, most obvious progression *possible*, heading through Unarmed training into 'sword' training into the sublime way.

I proceed to get -0.5 from most every judge for every class that doesn't have 3+ levels.

I know now for next time, but it's hardly fair on new contestants that the criteria for judging are so heavily leaning towards one side of an oft-debated topic with no warning.

[Cieyrin]

Lots of Revenant Blades this round, though there weren't any Tempests, which seems like a natural follow up, which may be to avoid originality hits.

Also, I'd love to see where Akal's fluff ends. Cliffhanger backstory! :smallyuk:

Next Contest: Scion of Tem-Et-Nu! :smallwink:

[term1nally s1ck]

Tempest is an obvious followup...but it really isn't good. Barely boosts your power by anything.

[BillyBobJoe]

Maybe some sort of caster class next time? War Weaver?

[Private-Prinny]

So, Prinny (and anyone else), how do you feel the efforts at streamlining went?

Also, any plans for the next round?

I think the timeframe speaks for itself. This competition had 7 days for building, and 14 days for judging (21 days). Let's compare that to the last four rounds:

Ghostwalker: 14 days to build, 40 days to judge (54 days).
Incandescent Champion: 14 days to build, 19 days to judge (33 days).
Dread Pirate: 9 days to build, 19 days to judge (28 days).
Unseelie Dark Hunter: 7 days to build, 29 days to judge (36 days).

The Ghostwalker competition is unfair to criticize due to extenuating circumstances, but even beyond that, we've finished a full week ahead of the next fastest. The other two were beaten by an even larger margin. I'm sure Ponies has an even more complete timetable sitting somewhere in that spreadsheet of his, so he should be able to give us a bit more info.

As for the next round, I will put the next competition up on Wednesday. Feel free to flood me with PrC suggestions in the meantime.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Maybe some sort of caster class next time? War Weaver?

The problem with War Weaver would be doing something that would get Originality points as well as Use of Secret Ingredient without simultaneously bottoming out your Elegance score...

[The Gilded Duke]

Would there be much interest in a Pathfinder Iron Chef? Perhaps as another side contest?

[Dusk Eclipse]

Maybe, I have seen a lot of threads specifying pathfinder so probably there would be enough interest

[BobVosh]

Personally, I'm feeling like it should be clear that dipping is harshly punished in the elegance category.

I asked, and in almost a week I get one response saying it's fine if the classes make sense.

With that in mind, I go for the leanest, most obvious progression *possible*, heading through Unarmed training into 'sword' training into the sublime way.

I proceed to get -0.5 from most every judge for every class that doesn't have 3+ levels.

I know now for next time, but it's hardly fair on new contestants that the criteria for judging are so heavily leaning towards one side of an oft-debated topic with no warning.

It is a judge by judge basis. Most count off on it, but not required. Some gave points for a really slick way into the PrC.

[term1nally s1ck]

Reading back through a couple of competitions, it seems to be constant that judges mark you down for 1-2 level dips.

[yugi24862]

Heh. Both of the 2 builds that didn't make it were Revenant Blade blade builds using the exact build given in the Revenant Blade handbook. If I had time to tidy the build up and remember to use 32 points instead of 28, i might have got 5th. Still, did quite well for a rushed entry.

[ILM]

Personally, I'm feeling like it should be clear that dipping is harshly punished in the elegance category.

I asked, and in almost a week I get one response saying it's fine if the classes make sense.

With that in mind, I go for the leanest, most obvious progression *possible*, heading through Unarmed training into 'sword' training into the sublime way.

I proceed to get -0.5 from most every judge for every class that doesn't have 3+ levels.

I know now for next time, but it's hardly fair on new contestants that the criteria for judging are so heavily leaning towards one side of an oft-debated topic with no warning.
I actually kind of agree. This being my first time judging I sort of went with what seemed standard and docked points for dips and cross-setting material. In my games, I really don't actually give a crap about all that, since I tend to leave the fluff aside when it comes to character generation. I think my next time judging will likely reflect that approach a bit more.

Anyway, nice builds all around and congratulations to all contestants! I realize some of my scores were a bit rough compared to the other judges and I hope I didn't offend. If I did, I apologize and please speak up so next time I'll know to tone it down a bit.

[OMG PONIES]

I think the streamlining made everything move faster, but I think we may want to extend the creation timeline to 14 days.


Nice job all around. Dervish is hard to do wrong, so the trick to judging was to find what people had done RIGHT and highlight it.

I was surprised to see that no one thought to bust the action economy with it by hooking up Three Mountains or Boomerang Daze or somesuch to all those attacks against multiple opponents. But the number of consistantly strong extra-damage methods was impressive.

I was trying with one of my builds using the old Lightning Maces w/ Keen Aptitude Kukris trick, but there were just too many feats that needed to go around that it wouldn't have been very elegant to smash them all in.


Personally, I'm feeling like it should be clear that dipping is harshly punished in the elegance category.

I asked, and in almost a week I get one response saying it's fine if the classes make sense.

With that in mind, I go for the leanest, most obvious progression *possible*, heading through Unarmed training into 'sword' training into the sublime way.

I proceed to get -0.5 from most every judge for every class that doesn't have 3+ levels.

I know now for next time, but it's hardly fair on new contestants that the criteria for judging are so heavily leaning towards one side of an oft-debated topic with no warning.

Honestly, the criteria for judging change every round depending on the judges. Recently, yes, we've been a bit skewed against dips. I think that's because a lot of competitors have found that multiple dips are the "easy way" to snag things (feats, front-loaded abilities, etc). While Devlin's dips made total sense, I fear that he's an innocent victim of a system that has grown weary of Lion Spiritual Totem Barbarians, 1 level of Rogue with Craven, and other dips that are only done for power. I hope that you'll try competing again.

[term1nally s1ck]

Oh, I fully intend to. I just find it intriguing that in a competition designed to maximise your use of the PrC, people care so much about using your chosen base class more, rather than getting those abilities that work best with the PrC from where they can.

In my mind, a build that goes through even 5-10 other classes, grabbing abilities that are all in perfect synergy with the 10 levels of the PrC is the best way to make a character based about that PrC. If I want to do well in the competition, I'll have to change my approach, but hey.

[gbprime]

My take is that a 1 level dip is a half point hit, while a 2 level dip is a quarter point hit, and I rarely penalize for a Prestige class dip since there's effort involved to get into it. So the trick, if you're going to dip a class, is to get more out of it in Power and Use than you lose in another category. Everything is a tradeoff.

[term1nally s1ck]

See, that's exactly what I don't understand. Why is a 'dip' an automatically bad thing.

In my build, for instance, I could have gotten another 2-3 levels of swordsage and monk, had I forgone Warshaper.

I didn't, simply because they don't synergise with dervish at all, and the entire challenge is to optimise a Dervish build. I made that decision *before* going warshaper.

All the abilities you get from swordsage that synergise with Dervish are gained at L1. All the abilities you get from monk that synergise with dervish are gained by L2, unless you go *deep* into it and get the extra attack on flurry. Which is hardly worth that many levels.

Why is using the parts of a class that match the secret ingredient 'inelegant'. If you're cooking, you don't use a large amount of everything. You use large amounts of the main ingredient/ingredients, and small amounts of other stuff, because too much other stuff would overpower the taste of the main ingredient. A small amount of salt or spice adds to the flavor of the dish. Using too much ruins it.

By all means, penalise dips of over-dipped classes, such as lion-totem, rogue with craven, etc. But please, do so in Originality, not elegance. Penalise dipping classes which could have been taken further *and would have added to the build* by doing so, but I'd say that should be done in Use of SI. Grabbing precisely the abilities you need to showcase the secret ingredient is a *more* elegant way to build that character, not less.

[ILM]

Oh, I fully intend to. I just find it intriguing that in a competition designed to maximise your use of the PrC, people care so much about using your chosen base class more, rather than getting those abilities that work best with the PrC from where they can.

In my mind, a build that goes through even 5-10 other classes, grabbing abilities that are all in perfect synergy with the 10 levels of the PrC is the best way to make a character based about that PrC. If I want to do well in the competition, I'll have to change my approach, but hey.
Not necessarily. Normally, taking 10 different base classes would (as things are today) kill you in the Elegance department (there's definitely something to be said about getting all the right things in all the right places, there's also an undeniable beauty about a build that achieves a whole lot with just one class and PrC). However, if done correctly you'd make up for it in Power at least, if not UoSI and Originality.

The problem I had with your build, as I can't speak for the others, is that you weren't all that impressive power-wise. I actually had a spreadsheet which mapped out the number of attacks, bonuses and damage of contestants and simulated damage outputs vs. various ACs (it's the Excel nerd in me). In the end, even with Dex and Int to damage, yours just wasn't all that impressive compared to some of the meatgrinders that had been entered in the competition. It's beautiful the way things mesh together - it just doesn't curbstomp the others.

FYI, the dips only accouted for -0.5 in my score (actually, -0.25 and another -0.25 due to XP penalties which I find stupid but happen to be in the rules nonetheless). The rest was setting-specific material (-0.25), and lack of sources (-0.5). I usually started at 3 and added/removed as I saw fit, but just that once I started at 5 and took points off because I liked the whole thing so much. I do realize now that I didn't mention sources in my criteria and I acknowledge that mistake. I thought is was actually in the contest rules/guidelines, but it turns out I'm wrong on this so I'll add them in in the future.

[OMG PONIES]

ILM, any way I can get my hands on a copy of that Excel file?

[term1nally s1ck]

Oh, I was aware of the damage issue, I wasn't really expecting to win with that build. Needed to find another source of damage from somewhere, and I couldn't seem to figure one out. In a real game, it scales so much with items that it would at the very least keep up, but it's not as efficient as I usually like to build chars.

I'm not disagreeing with the placing, I honestly think most of the other builds were better at what they do than mine. I just dislike this automatic assumption that dips are evil and deserve penalties, regardless of the class, the SI, etc.

I'd like to point out that elegance has several definitions, but the ones that seem to apply the most here are:

Combining simplicity, power, and a certain ineffable grace of design,
cleverly simple; ingenious:
"choice, fine, tasteful,"

"A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."

I trimmed out useless levels and feats, in order to make it *more* elegant. I removed the additional monk and swordsage levels. They did not help the build, so they were cut out. I do not understand, and have never seen an explanation as to why using a class for it's first level ability and nothing else is so terribly cheesy. It's unoriginal in some classes, and if done badly so it doesn't fit the character, can be inelegant....but a fighting type dipping into swordsage to pick up the basics of the sublime way to give him an edge? A char who starts monk 2 and then transitions out quickly, feeling that he can better develop his skills in other ways?

The multiclassing XP was a mistake on my part, and I completely understand the hit for that. I do not understand why a char who multiclasses to focus on the PrC deserves a 1 point hit for 2 dips, which is *absurdly* common. 0.5 per dip is almost standard, and it's quite frankly ridiculous for something that nobody has ever justified ever.

[cd4]

And sliding in under the judge deadline is... me!

Sanavakri - 15.5 -

Originality - 3.75 - I thought Kalashtar was here merely for the Psychic Warrior levels, but I was proven wrong later in the build (+0.5). It's still a 2 level dip, though (-0.25).



Although it doesn't affect the final standings there is a mistake here in the maths: 3 + 0.5 - 0.25 = 3.25 not 3.75 as posted

[DeAnno]

This was the first of these I've competed in, and it was definitely a fun experience. My one serious regret is the typo I had regarding the 5 Climb ranks: if you check my build you'll see that the level with Leaping Climber only has 4 Skill Points instead of 5: I think I must have forgotten to put it in one of my skill revisions (I was fiddling with my Int score and some of the skill tricks and ordering).

Congrats to Urpriest and his Sanavakri, I wouldn't have dreamed of trying to go defensive with a Dervish and you pulled it off well. Maybe I'll be able to edge you out in Iron Chef XXIII :smallwink:

Thanks to all the judges for your hard work and effort, I feel like it was great that we had three judges to get a good sampling of viewpoints for the competition. Big thanks for the quick trophies too!

I was really impressed with all the other builds (which were way more original than my iconic Dervish job). At first I'd been trying to make a build with Wild Shape (!) work, getting something with Improved Trip to make it a trip beast on top of everything else (since it already needed Combat Expertise anyway). It was really difficult to get lots of attacks though, mostly because the Rapidstrike line (which was mentioned in another thread recently) is total junk.

At one point I was going to have a Rapidstriking Dragonwrought Kobold Draconic Wildshape into a Fang Dragon with Ranger levels and that showed signs of almost working, but the hilarious killing blow was that it only had 10 Dex and couldn't even qualify for Dodge! I tried to fit it in with bonus feats from Monk or something but I was already way short on class levels (I needed like Ranger 8 or something for the HD of the Dragon) and the whole thing fell apart.

So after that I remembered a gestalt campaign I DMed once where this Thri-Kreen caused a whole ton of trouble by jumping 70 feet into a moving speedboat once (for seriously), and the whole thing just fell into place.

Though all the Iron Chef ingredients thus far have been PRCs one thing I'm really interested in is Wilders and how they're commonly regarded as the Psion's retarded inbred cousin: it'd be cool to have to optimize them. Though builds might end up similar in levels maybe feat choices and powers would end up goofy. There might only be so many things they do well though so on the other hand it might be a complete failure. I'll try to think up some actual PRCs to suggest before XXIII.

Thri-Kreens forever!

EDIT: I wouldn't mind seeing the excel file either, sounds seriously interesting

[OMG PONIES]

Has the next round been posted, or are we still too soon into Wednesday for that?

P.S. we have yet another subsidiary contest (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209333), for the interested. I'm still working on my analysis of which templates, races, base classes, and prestige classes have seen the most use in previous rounds. Naturally, I went a bit overboard.

[DeAnno]

P.S. we have yet another subsidiary contest (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209333), for the interested. I'm still working on my analysis of which templates, races, base classes, and prestige classes have seen the most use in previous rounds. Naturally, I went a bit overboard.

I wonder if there's any way to account for selection bias due to certain types of secret ingredient being more common than others. I haven't studied the history, but are full casting or near full casting PrCs rare as secret ingredients? That would tend to depress the proportion of full casting classes. Also I would guess that "deep" base classes like Druid (with lots of features late in the class) might see less action than otherwise, as would 10 level PrCs with good stuff at the end (aside from the PrCs actually in the challenge of course).

It should be interesting to see something like that even so though, but ironically it might make choosing less common things on it a dangerous build decision, since others might do the same and make your build less original.

[Akal Saris]

Let's see. Soulborns aren't very common, and I can't think of any offhand. We see quite a few Spellthieves, the occasional Hexblade, more than a couple Swashbucklers . . . not many Lurks (Psychic Rogue is more common), but a few. I can't think of any Wilders, but I'd be surprised if there weren't any at all. I don't recall any Erudites, but they might just count as Psions, of which there are quite enough, I think.

Have there been any Artificers? They're T1, so I would imagine that we've had at least a few people using them to try to buff their Power scores, but between how poorly they multiclass (seriously, when is Artificer/Secret Ingredient better than just Artificer?), how easy it is to break them, and how reliant they are on downtime and proper crafting opportunity, I'd be surprised if there were more than a couple.

I know I used a Soulborn entry in Iron Chef II back in the BG competitions where this started. In order for a timely entry, the secret ingredient required a class with full BAB and Spellcraft and Concentration as a class skill, which basically limited entry to paladins, soulborns, and maybe hexblades.


Heh. Both of the 2 builds that didn't make it were Revenant Blade blade builds using the exact build given in the Revenant Blade handbook. If I had time to tidy the build up and remember to use 32 points instead of 28, i might have got 5th. Still, did quite well for a rushed entry.

No surprise there - Revenant Blade is only worthwhile if you go all 5 levels, and it's almost suicide not to take 10 levels of the secret ingredient when the last levels are so strong. BAB +5 minimum to qualify for either one, with a huge load of required bonus feats, required ranger skills, required race, and perfect synergy with warblade 1, and Bam! 2+2+1+5+10=20.

[BobVosh]

I actually had a spreadsheet which mapped out the number of attacks, bonuses and damage of contestants and simulated damage outputs vs. various ACs (it's the Excel nerd in me).

I am so very, very glad I'm not the only one who does this when judging.


ILM, any way I can get my hands on a copy of that Excel file?

You scare me sometimes. I find how much information you seem to have squirreled away on the competition somewhat intimidating :P

I'm very glad this IC competition was done, dervish is one of my favorite classes and now I have a lot more cool concepts that would work with it. Never would have thought of some of these.

I'm hoping for a good gish type PrC next. Always fun to see those.

[OMG PONIES]

You scare me sometimes. I find how much information you seem to have squirreled away on the competition somewhat intimidating :P

What, everyone else hasn't read over the past competitions and created a spreadsheet to track entry names, builds, chefs, and scores with hyperlinks to all submissions and judges' posts? Wait, NOBODY else has done that? :smalleek: I think I have a problem.

My sheet is freely available to the ICO public, if anyone wants a copy. I'm sure somebody out there with more Excel chops than me can make the sheet prettier and cleaner.

After much hemming and hawing, I've finally been able to analyze the templates, races, base classes, and prestige classes used in all 22 rounds of competition. And the most-used base class in Iron Chef Optimization is...

The Ranger! It's been used a whopping total of 31 times. The other base classes that have been used so far are as follows:

Bard (26)
Fighter (23)
Rogue (18)
Monk (17)
Warblade (17)
Swordsage (16)
Barbarian (15)
Paladin (15)
Swashbuckler (13)
Binder (10)
Cleric (9)
Crusader (9)
Totemist (9)
Warlock (9)
Duskblade (7)
Marshal (7)
Wizard (7)
Factotum (6)
Hexblade (6)
Psychic Warrior (6)
Ardent (5)
Beguiler (4)
Druid (3)
Incarnate (3)
Knight (3)
Scout (3)
Sorcerer (3)
Soulknife (3)
Spellthief (3)
Wilder (3)
Archivist (2)
Artificer (2)
Dread Necromancer (2)
Lurk (2)
Ninja (2)
Psychic Rogue (2)
Divine Mind (1)
Dragonfire Adept (1)
Favored Soul (1)
Psion (1)
Shadowcaster (1)
Sha'ir (1)
Shugenja (1)
Warmage (1)
Wu Jen (1)


There are a few base classes that haven't been used, of course. It's also worth noting that I lumped the racial paragon classes in with prestige classes, though we've had a handful. If anyone has any desire to see how many of a particular template, prestige class, or race have been used, let me know.

[Akal Saris]

Go ranger! Woohoo!

Also, special mention goes to the monk in 5th place, tied with warblade!

[BobVosh]

Not surprised the ranger is top with its skill points, full BAB, and TWF dip. Also we had a competition that practically begged for it, the wild hunt one. Unseelie Dark Hunter that was it.

[gbprime]

Go ranger! Woohoo!

Also, special mention goes to the monk in 5th place, tied with warblade!

Monk is only that high because of the Drunken Master competition. :smallwink:

So what base classes have never been used? I have a mission now. :smallamused:

[gbprime]

Not surprised the ranger is top with its skill points, full BAB, and TWF dip. Also we had a competition that practically begged for it, the wild hunt one. Unseelie Dark Hunter that was it.

And the 1st and 2nd place builds in that one DIDN'T use Ranger. (1st was Ninja/Totemist, 2nd was Warlock/Wilderness Rogue) Originality... 1/4 of your score. :smallbiggrin:

[dextercorvia]

Monk is only that high because of the Drunken Master competition. :smallwink:

So what base classes have never been used? I have a mission now. :smallamused:

I'm missing Dragon Shaman, Samurai, Spirit Shaman, Healer, Truenamer, and some of the Dragon Compendium classes.

I also don't see Soulborn, but Akal said that he used that.

[OMG PONIES]

I also don't see Soulborn, but Akal said that he used that.

Akal used Soulborn in one of the rounds when the competition was over on BG--I'm only tracking information on the rounds here at GitP. But that DOES give me something to do if I'm ever bored...

[dextercorvia]

Akal used Soulborn in one of the rounds when the competition was over on BG--I'm only tracking information on the rounds here at GitP. But that DOES give me something to do if I'm ever bored...

You know you are itching to now. You have that hollow feeling, knowing that your spreadsheet isn't quite complete.

[BobVosh]

You know you are itching to now. You have that hollow feeling, knowing that your spreadsheet isn't quite complete.

You shouldn't encourage people's obsessions. *clicks back to the RPG section*

[Cieyrin]

Am I the only one thinking we need a new racial PrC in here? I'm thinking the halflings are under-represented, so I vote Whisperknife for the new ingredient. :smallwink:

After Scion of Tem-Et-Nu, of course. :P

[Zaq]

The only reason that we could get away with Blade Bravo, in my opinion, is because Stoneblessed makes it easy to be a pseudognome, thereby only kinda limiting racial choices. Hard-limiting them is going to grate on a lot of people, I think.

Not to say it can't be done, of course. Just that we probably need a really good reason to do so.

[Cieyrin]

The only reason that we could get away with Blade Bravo, in my opinion, is because Stoneblessed makes it easy to be a pseudognome, thereby only kinda limiting racial choices. Hard-limiting them is going to grate on a lot of people, I think.

Not to say it can't be done, of course. Just that we probably need a really good reason to do so.

I suppose Stonelord had the same advantage but seriously, Halflings!

[Zaq]

I suppose Stonelord had the same advantage but seriously, Halflings!

"Special rule: You can burn three levels on the new 'Shortblessed' class to be considered a halfling."

[Cieyrin]

"Special rule: You can burn three levels on the new 'Shortblessed' class to be considered a halfling."

It was just a suggestion for the ingredient and Whisperknife seems an interesting challenge to make unique. Alternatively, Luckstealer has interesting mechanics as well.

Also, Changelings, as always, could get in. :smallwink: