Building 'Jinx' of SMRPG

[Kumori]

I've recently become inspired to play as a D&D character based on Jinx from super mario RPG. I've discussed it with my DM and have been given permission to homebrew a class for him, but I'd rather not get into that if it's unnecessary. Thus, I come to the playground. How would you make Jinx? The size thing is a non-issue. I'll be able to be minuscule with little enough effort outside of whatever build I go with.

So far, the best solution I've come up with is Arcane Swordsage, although choice of spells has me at a loss. Thanks for the input!

[OracleofWuffing]

Been a while since I played that game to the point of fighting Jinx...

The way I remember him working, is that all for all of his advanced attacks, he goes through his entire elaborate attack animations, and then actually hits you at the very end for damage. Traditionally, I think the way that translates to 3.5 is to get Feint as a swift action, then stack up Sneak Attack. I know Beguiler + Improved Feint can pull that off, but that kind of requires some refluffing on behalf of Jinx being more of a martial artist than a spellcaster and you get dead levels for sneak attack.

Looks like there's an Insightful Feint spell on the Assassin and Wizard lists that will let you feint as a swift action if you already have Improved Feint, so if you really can pull off Arcane Swordsage, I guess that at least matches the flavor (It's divination, though, so it goes against the suggested schools). Be forewarned that Arcane Swordsages are kind of crazy in theoretical power terms, in part due to an effective infinite spells per day mechanic.

[Zaq]

Whoa. I'm on my annual playthrough of SMRPG (yes, I play it every year. Don't judge me), and I just fought Jinx a day or two ago. I was thinking pretty much the exact same thing, too.

Anyway, muckdwellers and jermlaines are both LA 0 Tiny races, so that's a start. You could also go for your basic Melee Killer Gnome (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872846/I_May_Be_Tiny,_But_Youre_Dead:_the_other,_melee_Ki ller_Gnome,_for_your_pleasure.), which would be pretty fun, perhaps with a dash of unarmed Swordsage thrown in.

Aside from Bombs Away, he doesn't have much that's really magical in the sense of casting spells, so I don't think arcane Swordsage is the best idea. Melee Killer Gnome is the best I'm coming up with, actually.

[etrpgb]

References for anyone that do not remember him: Jinx (http://www.mariowiki.com/Jinx).

An unarmed swordsage sounds reasonable to me. Otherwise monk beguiller enlighten fist?


Edit, here is Jinx* with only ``normal'' rules.
*a possible interpretation of...

1 Monk (Carmedine Monk)
2 Monk or Beguiller
3 Beguiller
4 Beguiller
5 Beguiller
6 Enlighted Fist
7 Enlighted Fist
8 Enlighted Fist
9 Enlighted Fist (Ascetic Mage)
10 Virtuoso
11 Sublime Chord
12 Enlighted Fist
13 Master of The East Wind
14 Master of The East Wind
15 Master of The East Wind
16 Master of The East Wind
17 Master of The East Wind
18 Master of The East Wind
19 Master of The East Wind
20 Master of The East Wind

[DeAnno]

I think Warblade might be more appropriate than some of the Swordsage suggestions. Jinx has a very direct mechanical style in SMRPG: strong physical attacks with a high attack stat and high multipliers. Iron Heart, Tiger Claw, Diamond Mind, and Stone Dragon maneuvers that add lots of bonus damage to a single strike fit this mold well. Diamond Nightmare Blade in particular is very well suited to Jinx, since it's basically "Bombs Away" (both have a 4x damage multiplier). The Tiger Claw 9 Save or Die maneuver is his "Silver Bullet", and Time Stands Still is thematically very similar to "Jinxed" with all the attacks.

So in conclusion, I'd suggest a straight or nearly straight classed Warblade (perhaps dipping Monk 2 or Unarmed Swordsage 2), since many of his signature moves can be replicated by high level Warblade maneuvers.

[Zaq]

I think Warblade might be more appropriate than some of the Swordsage suggestions. Jinx has a very direct mechanical style in SMRPG: strong physical attacks with a high attack stat and high multipliers. Iron Heart, Tiger Claw, Diamond Mind, and Stone Dragon maneuvers that add lots of bonus damage to a single strike fit this mold well. Diamond Nightmare Blade in particular is very well suited to Jinx, since it's basically "Bombs Away" (both have a 4x damage multiplier). The Tiger Claw 9 Save or Die maneuver is his "Silver Bullet", and Time Stands Still is thematically very similar to "Jinxed" with all the attacks.

So in conclusion, I'd suggest a straight or nearly straight classed Warblade (perhaps dipping Monk 2 or Unarmed Swordsage 2), since many of his signature moves can be replicated by high level Warblade maneuvers.

None of the maneuvers you listed are Warblade-specific, and a Swordsage would have all of them. The advantage of a Swordsage would be that you could, if you chose, fight unarmed. That said, I definitely see the value in using the Warblade recovery technique and keeping your BAB up.

[Kumori]

Thanks for all the input everyone. I'm inclined to agree about arcane swordsage not fitting, but I liked it for bombs away and the ability to teleport short distances as Jinx does before the first fight. I don't feel that sneak attack is the direction I want to take, though that melee killer gnome link showed me some stuff I hadn't seen before.

I think I'm gonna try homebrewing something up. Again, thanks all.

[etrpgb]

Then why not the magical monk?

[Drascin]

None of the maneuvers you listed are Warblade-specific, and a Swordsage would have all of them. The advantage of a Swordsage would be that you could, if you chose, fight unarmed. That said, I definitely see the value in using the Warblade recovery technique and keeping your BAB up.

Actually, he mentioned Iron Heart. That IS pretty Warblade-specific :smalltongue:.

[Zaq]

Actually, he mentioned Iron Heart. That IS pretty Warblade-specific :smalltongue:.

None of the maneuvers he mentioned are Iron Heart. You'll notice I said "maneuver," not "school."

[Kumori]

Then why not the magical monk?

Where might one find this?

[Ryu_Bonkosi]

The Sun School (Flash of Sunset) feat from Complete Warrior could emulate Quicksilver if you could find a reliable way to Dimension Door (Horizon Walker 6?).

[Zaq]

The Sun School (Flash of Sunset) feat from Complete Warrior could emulate Quicksilver if you could find a reliable way to Dimension Door (Horizon Walker 6?).

Shape Soulmeld: Blink Shirt for at-will "as the spell" as a standard action. 2 levels of Totemist to get it as a move action for no feat cost. You have to deal with the whole "can't act after Dim Dooring" thing, though . . . Sun School will get you one attack and Snap Kick will get you another, but if you're not already in position to deliver your standard action strike, that kinda hurts and usually isn't a great trade.

[etrpgb]

Where might one find this?

The build I posted gives you Beguiller 6, Sublime Chord 10, Monk 15. Check my first post. You are a Charisma based monk with level 9 spells.

[Kumori]

The build I posted gives you Beguiller 6, Sublime Chord 10, Monk 15. Check my first post. You are a Charisma based monk with level 9 spells.

I see what you did there. I thought from your second post that you meant a variant monk class or something. I'll have to take a look into beguiler and sublime chord (never played as either...).