Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground LIII

[Kuulvheysoon]

Welcome, contestants, judges, and guests to Iron Chef LIII. 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 a write-up of 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, as well as presenting a fully-fleshed out 20-level build in the table below. 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. Web-exclusive 3.0 or 3.5 materials by WotC are expressly allowed, but take care to verify that an updated version did not appear in print elsewhere, as this may cause an Elegance deduction at the judges' discretion. 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. Please refrain from using Taint unless it's necessary for the Secret Ingredient.

Cooking Time: Contestants will have until 11:59PM GMT on Tuesday, January 28th, 2014 to create their builds and PM them to the Chairman, Kuulvheysoon. Builds will then be posted simultaneously, to avoid copying. Judges will have until 11:59PM GMT on Tuesday, February 11th, 2014 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. Please note the following change: a legal source's relative obscurity should not be considered as penalizing Elegance, excepting the aforementioned issues with Unearthed Arcana. Using too many sources may be an Elegance deduction at the judges' discretion, but a book's relative obscurity may not. In that same vein, drawing solely from the Core 3 (and the d20 SRD) should not be punished for lacking Originality.
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 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 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. If your entry includes a prestige class or ACF that grants Leadership or a Leadership-like ability as a bonus feat, the feat should be ignored and is not eligible to be traded away for another feat or ACF through any means.

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 Psionic's Zerth Cenobite!
We will award 1st through 3rd places, as well as a shout-out 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!

Contestants

Judges

The Builds

Past Competitions

Iron Chef I: Entropomancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142470)
Iron Chef II: Psibond Agent (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146583)
Iron Chef III: Cancer Mage (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148584)
Iron Chef IV: Stonelord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150595)
Iron Chef V: War Chanter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152543)
Iron Chef VI: Master of Masks (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156876)
Iron Chef VII: Green Star Adept (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158633)
Iron Chef VIII: Pyrokineticist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160266)
Iron Chef IX: Animal Lord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162702)
Iron Chef X: Mythic Exemplar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164381)
Iron Chef XI: Blade Bravo (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166539)
Iron Chef XII: War Mind (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9426386)
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)
Iron Chef XXII: Dervish (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206576)
Iron Chef XXIII: Divine Crusader (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210071)
Iron Chef XXIV: Tactical Soldier (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214198)
Iron Chef XXV: Scion of Tem-Et-Nu (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217441)
Iron Chef XXVI: Shadowdancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220956)
Iron Chef XXVII: Mindbender (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=224008)
Iron Chef XXVIII: Cryokineticist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227304)
Iron Chef XXIX: Consecrated Harrier (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=229688)
Iron Chef XXX: Initiate of Pistis Sophia (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233346)
Iron Chef XXXI: Shadow Sentinel (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=236908)
Iron Chef XXXII: Temple Raider of Olidammara (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=239786)
Iron Chef XXXIII: Drow Judicator (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243052)
Iron Chef XXXIV: Dragon Disciple (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246072)
Iron Chef XXXV: Death Delver (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249542)
Iron Chef XXXVI: Acolyte of the Skin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252923)
Iron Chef XXXVII: Justiciar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13865473)
Iron Chef XXXVIII: Hand of the Winged Master (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=255215)
Iron Chef XXXIX: Renegade Mastermaker (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260333)
Iron Chef XL: Nightsong Infiltrator (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263173)
Iron Chef XLI: Geomancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266709)
Iron Chef XLII: Shadowblade (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=270196)
Iron Chef XLIII: Bladesinger (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=274122)
Iron Chef XLIV: Urban Soul (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=279116)
Iron Chef XLV: Talon of Tiamat (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15216595)
Iron Chef XLVI: Cipher Adept (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=287314)
Iron Chef XLVII: Cold Iron Warrior (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=291294)
Iron Chef XLVIII: Shadow Sun Ninja (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=297327)
Iron Chef XLIX: Thrall to Orcus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=302487)
Iron Chef L: Corrupt Avenger (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=307823)
Iron Chef LI: Black Flame Zealot (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=312773)
Iron Chef LII: Anointed Knight (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=317934)

[Kuulvheysoon]

FAQ:
What's this even about? I'm glad you asked, actually... (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15415117&postcount=1)

Is Dragon Compendium Allowed? Yes (as well as its Errata), but individual issues of Dragon Magazine are not.

What about 3.0 materials? 3.0 materials, whether online or in printed form, are allowed unless they've been officially updated to a 3.5 edition.

Are Dragonlance, Ravenloft, Planescape, Dark Sun, or Kingdoms of Kalamar allowable sources? The Dragonlance Campaign Setting is allowed, but the subsequent books for Dragonlance are considered 3rd party, and are therefore not eligible, despite the "WotC approved" status of those books. The same holds for Oriental Adventures (1st party) and the subsequent Rokugan books (3rd party). Materials from Ravenloft, Planescape, Dark Sun, and Kingdoms of Kalamar are considered 3rd party for purposes of this contest, and are therefore not allowed.

What about online sources in general? If the online source is a) published by WotC, and b) not replaced by an updated version at a later time, it is eligible. Use it, link it.

Where's the line drawn with "acceptable/unacceptable" for Unearthed Arcana? This will likely vary a bit from Chairman to Chairman. Item Familiars and Gestalt have always been verboten, since before IC migrated to GitP; don't expect that to change. Flaws have similarly always been noted as warranting a deduction; while I am Chairman, I'm extending that to Traits, though they warrant 1/2 the penalty in Elegance that a Flaw would because they're roughly 1/2 as useful. Alternate spell systems, alternate skill systems and alternate crafting rules all create an uneven playing field, and as such, will be disallowed for as long as I am Chairman. Bloodlines and the Retraining options presented in the PHB2 are ripe for abuse, and will be strongly discouraged as long as I am Chairman. Note that judges are allowed to look askance at any use of Unearthed Arcana not specifically mentioned above, at their discretion, and otherwise penalize Elegance according to their preference.

What, exactly, does the ban on Leadership mean? As folks have started to try to work around the edges of this one, I'm forced to spell it out more plainly. No Leadership, Draconic Cohort, or Feats that grant a similar ability are allowed EXCEPT Wild Cohort while Kuulvheysoon is chairman. Any PrC you choose with Leadership or a Leadership-analog has that ability entirely ignored for this contest, as it may neither be used nor traded away via any means whatsoever.

What's the minimum score in a category? Assuming an entry is legal, the minimum score in any category is 1. If a judge is convinced that an entry is mechanically illegal by the RAW, the judge may give the build a score of 0 in Elegance, and proceed to judge the entry as if the offending material was not included. Failing to meet a special requirements for a prestige class does not merit a 0, but may qualify for a penalty, at the judge's discretion. Because this contest focuses on Player Characters, an entry that is not technically allowed for a PC, but is viable as an NPC, counts as a legal entry, but may receive a minimum score at the judges' discretion.

How many powers do I know by 10th level of the SI? Follow the "Powers Known" from the table. Although the text does say one per level, it later contradicts itself in the text and agrees with the table.

What if we continue advancing the manifesting beyond 10th level? Then your ML increases, much as you can continue to advance a casting PrC beyond 10 levels. This increases the duration of hour/level powers, increases the cap that you can spend on powers and gives you bonus PP (for the purposes of this round, assume that Practiced Manifester works the same way).

What kind of action does Temporal Distillation/Precognition take? For the purposes of this round, assume that they are both Free Actions to activate.

Does the Tashalatora (Zerth Cenobite) feat count the SI twice? Oh no, it's going to be way too overpowered. Seriously, monks aren't that awesome in the first place. Feel free to double-dip the SI for this round.

[relytdan]

ok first question out of the gate -
Manifesting: Power point reserve of at least 2. can we get a clarification on this

EDIT *and Special: Still mind class feature.

[Kuulvheysoon]

ok first question out of the gate -
Manifesting: Power point reserve of at least 2. can we get a clarification on this

EDIT *and Special: Still mind class feature.

They're exactly what they sound like; the first means that you need a PP pool of at least 2 (granted by class, race, etc...), while the second requires the Still Mind class feature.

[dantiesilva]

Well good luck to all Psionics I know is my weak point.

[Amphetryon]

Yee haw. Competing.

[Vknight]

Throw me in as a judge unless I get the time towards making it a build

[Sian]

not entirely sure why you get the reasoning for table trumping text on the powers known ... page?

Do the Power learning stack with PsyWarrior (given that stuff is taken from there) ?

[Kuulvheysoon]

not entirely sure why you get the reasoning for table trumping text on the powers known ... page?

Do the Power learning stack with PsyWarrior (given that stuff is taken from there) ?

It says that you get one power per level on page 43 under the Powers Known tab, but then directly contradicts itself on page 45 under Advancement, and the sample character also follows the table. I'm betting that it's a copy/paste error from the PsyWar description (and so, I'm treating it as such).

As for the second, the PP would stack, but the powers learned do not. a PsyWar 3/Monk 3/Zerth Cenobite 3 would know 1st level powers from both his PsyWar and ZerCen levels.

[Treme]

I dont know enough about psionics to compete this time round i dont think, will read the class and see if it jumps out at me though.. the name is cool enough to make me want to try!

all the best

[Amphetryon]

We've dealt with this issue in past competitions, but it may be worth throwing it into this round's FAQ, as well:

Please clarify for all contestants what would happen with a theoretical build who advanced its Manifesting Level, having completed the SI without a different Psionic Class upon which to build. In other words, please clarify increasing the Manifester Level of Zerth Cenobite above 10th, before Epic levels.

[Sian]

trying to find a good reason why i shouldn't resubmit Moroie with slight changes :smallwink:

[Heliomance]

Am I missing something, or is that... really not a good PrC at all? For the amount I've heard it bandied around in CO threads, I was expecting it to be good. But it gets incredibly limited manifesting, and a handful of shiny abilities that are all 1/day. Talk about the 15 minute adventuring day.

Also, I'm really not seeing the point in removing yourself from battle as a standard action. If it was an immediate action, it would have some value in dodging blows. But as it is, it's just a way to deprive your team of a member for Wis mod rounds.

I'm not actually sure I can do anything with this. It doesn't help that I don't know Psionics terribly well at all, but I can't see any way to make 1/day abilities relevant.

One question - what happens if you mix this with Tashalatora?

[WhamBamSam]

If it just had 3/day or at will abilities instead of 1/day and didn't require Still Mind this would be quite a good class. Well, let's see what can be done with it as is. I'm in.

EDIT: Also, Kuul, you said you selected this class because people were clamoring for something without an alignment prereq. I have to ask, are you trolling us?:smalltongue:

[Amphetryon]

If it just had 3/day or at will abilities instead of 1/day and didn't require Still Mind this would be quite a good class. Well, let's see what can be done with it as is. I'm in.

EDIT: Also, Kuul, you said you selected this class because people were clamoring for something without an alignment prereq. I have to ask, are you trolling us?:smalltongue:

It doesn't have an Alignment prereq, really.

[Kuulvheysoon]

EDIT: Also, Kuul, you said you selected this class because people were clamoring for something without an alignment prereq. I have to ask, are you trolling us?:smalltongue:
Nope - do you see an alignment prerequisite in there?:smallwink:

[Deadline]

I've got a hilarious idea for this one, I'm totally cooking.

[Piggy Knowles]

I'm overdue for a judging. This is a neat PrC, but I think I'll try to judge this round instead of competing.

[Gwachitallemall]

Can we stop the speculation on alignment please? Thank you.

[Deadline]

Please clarify for all contestants what would happen with a theoretical build who advanced its Manifesting Level, having completed the SI without a different Psionic Class upon which to build. In other words, please clarify increasing the Manifester Level of Zerth Cenobite above 10th, before Epic levels.

I'm going to second this question. Mr. Chairman, can we get clarification on this?

[Kesnit]

Far out in the countryside, there is a cave. The cave is warm, and faintly lit by glowing moss on the walls.

A passerby would believe that the cave is quiet, but if they enter, they will hear the faint sound of running water. If they progress further into the cave, the sound will resolve into a bubbling brook.

If the visitor continues into the furthest room of the cave, they will see a man of average appearance sitting on a rock. His knees are bent up, and his arms are wrapped around his legs. A DC 15 Spot check will show the man is rocking back and forth slightly. A DC 20 Listen check will show the man is mumbling. If the visitor pauses to listen to the words, they will discover the man is saying "23. There were 23 entries. 23 times 6 checks on level plus Charisma mod. 23 weapons. Adding up so many values. 23 times. Did it ever end?"

If the visitor waits long enough, though, they will see the man stop rocking. "It ended. I got through. It is over."

Slowly, the man stands up. "I can do this. I really can. It can't get any worse." The man walks towards the entrance of the cave.

I really like psionics. And I love Monks. So I am in to judge. I'll post my criteria when I can get to the computer that has them.

[Viros]

I'll compete. I've got a pretty good idea brewing, although I'll third the request for clarification that the two above me mentioned.

[Kesnit]

As promised, my criteria...

Originality
I tend to look at each entry based on their own merit, rather than compare each to another. If two entries use the same class, but go about them differently, they won't lose Originality points from me. However, if the entries are similar, they will. Multiple builds that all use the same "trick" will be marked down.

Power
I stole this from a previous judge, but it sums up my point of view. "Power comes down to, quite simply, how the build would fare in a mid-power campaign." I am not an min-maxer, and I do not play with min-maxers. I'm used to thinking of PCs as they are seen in many of the D&D books - where characters of different types of classes work together to get the job done.

As a heads-up, an extremely powerful PC will be marked down if, in my view, it would not work well as a member of a mixed party. (Mixed party defined as "not all PCs are pure casters.") That is not to say any Tier 1 PC will lose points, as they can be built in a way to help (rather than replace) the rest of the party.

A small deduction will be taken if I determine that a build would work better as an NPC than a PC.

Elegance
I REALLY dislike dipping, which I define as taking 1-2 levels of a base class. This is one of my two hard-and-fast rules. It does not matter WHY you only took 1-2 levels of a base class. If you do, you will lose points. I am a little more open to taking 1-2 levels of a PrC, especially in a competition like this where it is expected 10 levels of the SI will be taken. However, excessive "dipping" of PrCs will also lose Elegance points.

On the flip side, I like a good story. A lot of "strange" class changes and combos can be "overlooked" if the contestant can provide a logical reason for them. Also, I am aware English is not everyone's first language, and if a contestant feels they were marked down because they could not adequately explain their concept, I am willing to reevaluate my analysis of their Elegance. (Note I did not say I will automatically increase their score, but if informed, I will give it a second look.)

To me, Elegance is how well everything fits together, and how each individual "ingredient" adds to the overall dish.

Use of Secret Ingredient
The point of this competition is the Special Ingredient, so obviously it should be the focus. Competitors will lose points if they use less than 9 levels of the SI. (I'd prefer to see all 10, but sometimes, things just cannot be helped.) This is my other hard-and-fast rule. You will lose points if you do not take at least 9 levels of the SI.

Beyond that, how well the entire build fits in with the SI. If I feel the SI is tacked on only because it is the SI, I will mark down.

[Irk]

I'll try to compete again, maybe I'll be able to do better.

EDIT: what is the action to use temporal distillation?

[OMG PONIES]

You know I've got rules questions:

To clarify, Still Mind must be obtained as a class feature. This means that feats/items/races/silly songs that grant Still Mind "as the class feature" are not kosher since they are not, themselves, class features, correct?
This seems to be a no-go, but given the text "You can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than your manifester level," can a Zerth Cenboite manifest powers she doesn't know, presuming she meets the ML requirement? Do they even need to come from the psychic warrior list? After all, it says you can manifest any power... :smallamused:
What kind of action is required to activate Temporal Distillation? From the SRD:
Using a supernatural ability is a standard action unless noted otherwise But this seems kind of silly. The first level ability to activate as a standard action to gain a move action can be done by any character using core rules. At 5th level it's a wash: "I use my standard action to activate Temporal Distillation, which allows me to...use a different standard action." At 10th level, it finally gains legs, but still...
What kind of action is required to activate Precognition? From the SRD:
A psi-like ability has a manifesting time of 1 standard action unless noted otherwise in the ability description So I make an attack I don't like, but I can't modify it w/ Precognition because I've used my standard action :smallmad:? I know, I'll activate Temporal Distillation :smallbiggrin:! Oh wait, I've already used my standard action :smallfurious:. Again, it seems silly. Please tell me there's something I'm missing...

[Sian]

Currently sitting and wondering why I stencilled in Iron Will as one of my feats in my pre-build

[Kuulvheysoon]

We've dealt with this issue in past competitions, but it may be worth throwing it into this round's FAQ, as well:

Please clarify for all contestants what would happen with a theoretical build who advanced its Manifesting Level, having completed the SI without a different Psionic Class upon which to build. In other words, please clarify increasing the Manifester Level of Zerth Cenobite above 10th, before Epic levels.According to what I've been able to find, all it would do is increase your ML (and the amount of PP that you could spend on a power). Much like having an Assassin CL of 12, for example.


One question - what happens if you mix this with Tashalatora?It stacks exactly as you'd think it does.


To clarify, Still Mind must be obtained as a class feature. This means that feats/items/races/silly songs that grant Still Mind "as the class feature" are not kosher since they are not, themselves, class features, correct?It specifies the class feature, unfortunately.

This seems to be a no-go, but given the text "You can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than your manifester level," can a Zerth Cenboite manifest powers she doesn't know, presuming she meets the ML requirement? Do they even need to come from the psychic warrior list? After all, it says you can manifest any power...:smallamused:Given that Divine Minds, Lurks, Psions, Psionic Fists, Psychic Warriors, Warminds and Wilders all share that same language, I think that you can guess what my answer is for that.:smallamused:

What kind of action is required to activate Temporal Distillation?
What kind of action is required to activate Precognition?Funny enough, by RAW they would both be Standard Actions (Temporal Distillation definitely so as a (Su), Precognition likely so as a (Ps)).

[Sian]

It stacks exactly as you'd think it does.

That helped absolutely nothing ... i can think of two way it does ... what i think is RAW (a teoretical Monk3/Zerth10 effectively being monk 23 for damage, AC and 13 for Speed and Flurry of Blows ... or what i believe is RAI which is =monk 13 for damage, AC, speed and Flurry

[Kuulvheysoon]

That helped absolutely nothing ... i can think of two way it does ... what i think is RAW (a teoretical Monk3/Zerth10 effectively being monk 23 for damage, AC and 13 for Speed and Flurry of Blows ... or what i believe is RAI which is =monk 13 for damage, AC, speed and Flurry

A thousand apologies, I forgot that the Zerth Cenobite stacked monk UAS. Tossing it in the Q&A now (as I'd be inclined to guess the 23rd level monk, but that doesn't seem right).

[OMG PONIES]

Funny enough, by RAW they would both be Standard Actions (Temporal Distillation definitely so as a (Su), Precognition likely so as a (Ps)).

Ugh. So are we following RAW for that one? If so, are my action economy confusions outlined above left to each chef to deal with individually?

[Kuulvheysoon]

Ugh. So are we following RAW for that one? If so, are my action economy confusions outlined above left to each chef to deal with individually?

No, I'm thinking that in the interests of our collective insanity, I'm going to rule them as Free Actions for this round.

Tossing in the FAQs now.

[OMG PONIES]

According to what I've been able to find, all it would do is increase your ML (and the amount of PP that you could spend on a power). Much like having an Assassin CL of 12, for example.

So this would also factor into the equation for figuring out bonus power points from a high ability score, correct? From the Expanded Psionics Handbook:


Your key ability score grants you additional power points equal to your key ability modifier x your manifester level x 1/2.

No, I'm thinking that in the interests of our collective insanity, I'm going to rule them as Free Actions for this round.

Tossing in the FAQs now.


http://www.quickmeme.com/img/cc/ccdb9c1bdc8c745ae389fd40950de56c0da8fd353a66724250 f3e5b8e6ac9207.jpg

[Hangwind]

I want in!:smallsmile:

[dysprosium]

I'm thinking it may be something from Frostburn, because Canada in January.


I'm afraid that you're wrong, my friend. I was going to, but then I decided that [REDACTED] wasn't quite different enough from this one. That, and you guys requested an Ingredient with no Alignment Requirement.

What a minute. What? Did we miss out on Winterhaunt?!?!?!?!??

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Now seriously:

As per usual I will be participating one way or the other--preferably as a contestant though.

We'll see how real life stacks up against me this time . . .

[Heliomance]

I want in!:smallsmile:

I swear you already declared interest, Poni-

Oh, this is going to be so confusing.

[Gwachitallemall]

I noticed.. the other one is at 666 posts.. that's scary.

Otherwise, uhm. Yes, confusing ponies avatar. I have an idea! Hopefully my table will not play brick break on itself.

[dysprosium]

I noticed.. the other one is at 666 posts.. that's scary.

Sorry, just posted #667.

[Gwachitallemall]

Sorry, just posted #667.

Delete it!

[KrimsonNekros]

I'm in again as a contestant.

[WhamBamSam]

A thousand apologies, I forgot that the Zerth Cenobite stacked monk UAS. Tossing it in the Q&A now (as I'd be inclined to guess the 23rd level monk, but that doesn't seem right).Are you still mulling this one over? There doesn't appear to be a ruling on Tashalatora in the FAQ yet.


I've got a hilarious idea for this one, I'm totally cooking.I have the strangest feeling that we're going to do the same thing, but I'm just going to take that as a sure sign that my build idea is really good, Originality points be damned.

[Gwachitallemall]

You know, the fact that my idea came to me in like 5 seconds, means it's the same thing everyone else is building..

[dysprosium]

Delete it!

I can't!

It's my congratulatory post!

[Gwachitallemall]

I can't!

It's my congratulatory post!

Fine.. I saw that.
I should delete mine!

[Irk]

Well, this is going much better for me than last time, (no stupid mind switching shenanigans/dips/feat errors/item dependency/everythingelsethatcouldpossibly gowrong), as I've already got my whole build worked out.

[yougi]

Well, skipped the last one because I was left without even a single idea, and now Psionics, my one (of many) weakness! Kuulv, why do you hate me so!?

Yeah, I'll probably compete and throw a terrible, terrible build in.

[Amphetryon]

Well, skipped the last one because I was left without even a single idea, and now Psionics, my one (of many) weakness! Kuulv, why do you hate me so!?

Yeah, I'll probably compete and throw a terrible, terrible build in.

Obviously, it's because you're both Canadian and he therefore knows you personally.

[Heliomance]

EDIT: Also, Kuul, you said you selected this class because people were clamoring for something without an alignment prereq. I have to ask, are you trolling us?:smalltongue:

It really doesn't have an alignment prereq. You can be a Zerth Cenobite and be as chaotic as you like, even without changing alignment.

You'd be a terrible build, but you could do it.

[Jurai]

IN! Now, what to use, what to use...

[Kuulvheysoon]

Obviously, it's because you're both Canadian and he therefore knows you personally.

Yeah, I mean there's only a few dozen of us in the country.

[Hangwind]

I swear you already declared interest, Poni-

Oh, this is going to be so confusing.

Considering our Avatars, confusion is a feature not a bug.

[Amphetryon]

Yeah, I mean there's only a few dozen of us in the country.

*insert 'Joe from Canada ad' reference*

[7th son of sons]

Sign me up too judge. I might not like Playing Psionics, but I do enjoy seeing them in action!

[Vaz]

Struggling to come up with ideas for the build. Might judge. I just don't think that 1/day or 2/day abilities are altogether too special. Gonna have another look.

[OMG PONIES]

Considering our Avatars, confusion is a feature not a bug.

We are legion.

[KrimsonNekros]

It really doesn't have an alignment prereq. You can be a Zerth Cenobite and be as chaotic as you like, even without changing alignment.

You'd be a terrible build, but you could do it.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

[WhamBamSam]

It really doesn't have an alignment prereq. You can be a Zerth Cenobite and be as chaotic as you like, even without changing alignment.

You'd be a terrible build, but you could do it.I'm aware there are a few different ways to qualify pre-epic. I may have missed something (there are a few books I haven't dug through in my search, but I did get to most of them), but I've only found four ways of qualifying for the PrC pre-epic. Two of them allow you to be non-lawful, only one of those two allows you to finish Zerth Cenobite pre-epic, and as you implied, it does not have any immediately obvious synergy with the PrC.

My build idea (which, in the interest of avoiding speculation may or may not be lawful) is really starting to come together nicely, but damn is it annoying how few uses/day you have on the class abilities and how few powers known you get.

Unfortunately, I really need to wrench my attention away from thinking about it and do some real life work.

[123456789blaaa]

Why'd you pick this SI Kuulv?

Every GITP post must contain at least 10 characters

[Heliomance]

I'm aware there are a few different ways to qualify pre-epic. I may have missed something (there are a few books I haven't dug through in my search, but I did get to most of them), but I've only found four ways of qualifying for the PrC pre-epic. Two of them allow you to be non-lawful, only one of those two allows you to finish Zerth Cenobite pre-epic, and as you implied, it does not have any immediately obvious synergy with the PrC.

My build idea (which, in the interest of avoiding speculation may or may not be lawful) is really starting to come together nicely, but damn is it annoying how few uses/day you have on the class abilities and how few powers known you get.

Unfortunately, I really need to wrench my attention away from thinking about it and do some real life work.

Really? I've only found two, one of which is the obvious Monk entry, and one of which has no synergy whatsoever.

[WhamBamSam]

Really? I've only found two, one of which is the obvious Monk entry, and one of which has no synergy whatsoever.The other two are incredibly stupid. One of them (which requires you to be lawful) might let you finish Zerth Cenobite pre-Epic with enough cheese, the other absolutely will not and probably doesn't actually work now that I think about it.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Every GITP post must contain at least 10 charactersI picked this one for a couple of reasons:
Psionics has been requested for a long time.
Let's face it - obvious Monk entries almost always make good ingredients
No alignment prerequisite
I've wanted to do this one for a while, but it was too soon after Shadow sun Ninja
Most importantly, nobody seemed to expect it.



Really? I've only found two, one of which is the obvious Monk entry, and one of which has no synergy whatsoever.

Hey, I'm not Amphetryon:smalltongue: - have you checked Initiate of Pistis Sophia? (regarding... difficult prerequisites)

[yougi]

Obviously, it's because you're both Canadian and he therefore knows you personally.


Yeah, I mean there's only a few dozen of us in the country.

Our quantity doesn't mean we know each other, given that there are still thousands of kilometers of frozen wastelands in between each of us.

Man, I think I just misused blue.


The other two are incredibly stupid. One of them (which requires you to be lawful) might let you finish Zerth Cenobite pre-Epic with enough cheese, the other absolutely will not and probably doesn't actually work now that I think about it.

Two possible responses:

a) yes, a way that doesn't work could definitely be defined as "incredibly stupid" :smallwink:

b) only in the case would the option that doesn't include monk be the stupid one

Choose the one you like best. :)

[Kuulvheysoon]

Our quantity doesn't mean we know each other, given that there are still thousands of kilometers of frozen wastelands in between each of us.

Man, I think I just misused blue.

Given the weather this year, I think that you very well may have.:smallwink:

[WhamBamSam]

Hey, I'm not Amphetryon:smalltongue: - have you checked Initiate of Pistis Sophia? (regarding... difficult prerequisites)True, it's not IoPS-grade awful by any stretch of the imagination.

Zerth Cenobite is a fun, flavorful class, that I resent for not having enough uses/day on it's abilities, not having enough powers known, and pressuring me to take the third Monk level which I generally like to pretend doesn't exist.

[Heliomance]

The other two are incredibly stupid. One of them (which requires you to be lawful) might let you finish Zerth Cenobite pre-Epic with enough cheese, the other absolutely will not and probably doesn't actually work now that I think about it.

I've found the Lawful only one, still can't find the other.

...I kinda want to try putting in an entry for that one, but the only possible way you could fit in all 10 levels of the SI would be to dip 6 different classes in your first 6 levels, and then only maybe. That would get such a ludicrous hit to Elegance it would so not be worth it.

[WhamBamSam]

I've found the Lawful only one, still can't find the other.

...I kinda want to try putting in an entry for that one, but the only possible way you could fit in all 10 levels of the SI would be to dip 6 different classes in your first 6 levels, and then only maybe. That would get such a ludicrous hit to Elegance it would so not be worth it.Yep, you've found the lawful one.

Since I don't think it actually works and no one was going to use it anyway, I think I can just spill the beans on the other one. I was thinking that Factotum 19 copying Still Mind via Cunning Brilliance would let you take a level of Zerth Cenobite at 20th, but on reflection, you don't actually get the class feature, just the benefit of it, so it's probably not enough to qualify.

[Irk]

Yep, you've found the lawful one.


I found that too. I do kind of want to try, as you could just try and play it as it was meant to be instead of dipping, but that may not work out.

[OMG PONIES]

I've found one surefire way in aside from the obvious, and I'm tinkering with a few others.

[Deadline]

I've found one surefire way in aside from the obvious, and I'm tinkering with a few others.

I've found several*, but I don't want to ruin the reveal with rampant speculation.

*For certain definitions of "several".

[Irk]

EDIT: I'm just going to say I found 4 methods of entry, 3 plausible.

EDIT2: How is variant chaining viewed in Iron Chef?

[sabelo2000]

Grrarghble! I need one more character level to get everything I want packed in. *sigh* scrap that build, back to the books...

[KrimsonNekros]

I've got two builds basically laid out. Just need to start building and figure out what (redacted) and (redacted) I'm going to be using.

[Amphetryon]

All set except for the levels after I've qualified for, and used, as much of the PrC as I intend to.

Decisions, decisions. . . .

[Vaz]

Sack it, I'm in for judging.

[OMG PONIES]

Okay, I've been curious about this question for a while: why is the Dragon Compendium allowed for this competition? It was published by Paizo, not Wizards of the Coast.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Okay, I've been curious about this question for a while: why is the Dragon Compendium allowed for this competition? It was published by Paizo, not Wizards of the Coast.

Well, it's got the Official Logo on the front, and if you look on one of the first pages, it's got all of the officially licensed information (WotC stamp, etc...).

[OMG PONIES]

Well, it's got the Official Logo on the front, and if you look on one of the first pages, it's got all of the officially licensed information (WotC stamp, etc...).

It's a wolf in sheep's clothing. It's officially licensed, sure, but third-party published. I feel like other disallowed supplements fall under the same category as well. Aren't most Dragonlance splats officially licensed?

EDIT: Just scoped out my copy of Bestiary of Krynn (random selection). Officially licensed information on the copyright page, but no logo on the cover. Is the cover seal what makes something count as ICOfficial?

[Piggy Knowles]

The first Dragonlance book is third party but officially licensed, just like Dragon Compendium. The subsequent Dragonlance books bear the d20 logo, but aren't actually officially licensed, IIRC.

[OMG PONIES]

The first Dragonlance book is third party but officially licensed, just like Dragon Compendium. The subsequent Dragonlance books bear the d20 logo, but aren't actually officially licensed, IIRC.

See above--I just peeped the copyright page and they're WotC officially licensed product. At least, Bestiary of Krynn is.

[Piggy Knowles]

Hmm... I remember some sort of semi-official status that DLCS and Dragon Compendium share, but that other third party books lack. I'll have to look at my books when I get home.

[OMG PONIES]

Hmm... I remember some sort of semi-official status that DLCS and Dragon Compendium share, but that other third party books lack. I'll have to look at my books when I get home.

DLCS is a little different in that it's first-party published by WotC. Possible similarity b/w Dragon Mag Comp and Dragonlance splats is that they have the "official licensed product" stamp whilst other third party sources may not. My question is really why Dragon Mag Comp is allowed but not all Dragonlance splats. What makes one (Paizo Published, WotC licensed) more official than another (Sovereign press published, WotC licensed)?

Basically just stirring the pot in our down time so I don't hear more about how others plan on entering the SI...

[Amphetryon]

DLCS is a little different in that it's first-party published by WotC. Possible similarity b/w Dragon Mag Comp and Dragonlance splats is that they have the "official licensed product" stamp whilst other third party sources may not. My question is really why Dragon Mag Comp is allowed but not all Dragonlance splats. What makes one (Paizo Published, WotC licensed) more official than another (Sovereign press published, WotC licensed)?

Basically just stirring the pot in our down time so I don't hear more about how others plan on entering the SI...

It has something to do with how they're specifically marked at publication that makes the Dragon Magazine Compendium and the DLCS "1st party" but the other DL setting books "2nd party." There's a fairly old breakdown of the difference posted in one of the early rounds, if memory serves; I may be misremembering, but I seem to recall Heliomance explaining it at one point.

[Heliomance]

It has something to do with how they're specifically marked at publication that makes the Dragon Magazine Compendium and the DLCS "1st party" but the other DL setting books "2nd party." There's a fairly old breakdown of the difference posted in one of the early rounds, if memory serves; I may be misremembering, but I seem to recall Heliomance explaining it at one point.

I seriously doubt it, as I don't know much about it myself :P

DC and DLCS are commonly claimed to share some sort of pretty much official status. I just take people at their word.

[Amphetryon]

I seriously doubt it, as I don't know much about it myself :P

DC and DLCS are commonly claimed to share some sort of pretty much official status. I just take people at their word.

Fair enough; they say the mind is the second thing to go as you get older. I don't remember what the first thing is.

[Irk]

First submission in, starting on my second :smallcool:

[Deadline]

First submission in, starting on my second :smallcool:

Egads! I haven't even started on mine! I'm not even sure I'll cook! :smalltongue:

[Kuulvheysoon]

Yeah, I've just taken the legality of the DrC and DLCS as a given without much thought to it.

As a bonus, the FAQs post has been updated with some non-RAW answers (Again, these rulings of mine hold only for this round).

[Irk]

Yeah, I've just taken the legality of the DrC and DLCS as a given without much thought to it.

As a bonus, the FAQs post has been updated with some non-RAW answers (Again, these rulings of mine hold only for this round).

What if EVERYONE Vizzini's themselves with the new FAQ rulings?

[Kuulvheysoon]

What if EVERYONE Vizzini's themselves with the new FAQ rulings?

Don't matter to me; I'm immune to the effects of iocane powder.:smallcool:

[KrimsonNekros]

Don't matter to me; I'm immune to the effects of iocane powder.:smallcool:

:smalleek: Oh Crap! Everyone quick Vow of Purity/Decadence and boost the crap or of your Fort saves! And for the love of good don't take any wine from masked pirates!

[WhamBamSam]

Egads! I haven't even started on mine! I'm not even sure I'll cook! :smalltongue:I have a build stub and feat progression worked out, but I'll be lucky if I manage to get started on the actual write up before this weekend.

I feel like this is one of the best ideas I've had for an IC entry. That's an almost sure sign that it's going to go over with a resounding meh from our esteemed judges, but I refuse to let that dissuade me.

[sabelo2000]

I've found the Lawful only one, still can't find the other.

...I kinda want to try putting in an entry for that one, but the only possible way you could fit in all 10 levels of the SI would be to dip 6 different classes in your first 6 levels, and then only maybe. That would get such a ludicrous hit to Elegance it would so not be worth it.

I dunno, does 1 level each in 6 classes really qualify as an Elegance "dip"? You have no base to be dipping from.

[MilesTiden]

I have some wonderful and totally serious build ideas already, so I definitely want to compete in this. Those prerequisites though...

[OMG PONIES]

I dunno, does 1 level each in 6 classes really qualify as an Elegance "dip"? You have no base to be dipping from.

Sure; it's the D&D equivalent of a salsa bar. Don't give me a bunch of dips and call it an entree :smallamused:.


Yeah, I've just taken the legality of the DrC and DLCS as a given without much thought to it.

Can this be revisited in the next round? I'm not trying to argue one way or the other, but it seems for consistency's sake either DrC should be disallowed or all "officially licensed" third-party splats should be allowed. Of course, if there's a distinction I'm still missing I'm interested to hear it.

[Amphetryon]

Found this old quote from GitP member Zherog on a search:


As part of the license between WotC and Paizo, WotC reviewed everything that printed in the magazine prior to it going to the printing presses. I know I had one article heavily altered by the editorial staff because WotC insisted on changes, and I know of at least one instance where WotC completely nixed an article.

That makes it a bit more odd than your typical third party arrangement - even other licensees, to the best of my knowledge.

Official WotC-review is considerably more than most any other book that I've ever seen get accused of being '3rd party' receive. If there's a counter example, or evidence the above quote is in error, please indicate so.

[Gemini476]

Sure; it's the D&D equivalent of a salsa bar. Don't give me a bunch of dips and call it an entree :smallamused:.



Can this be revisited in the next round? I'm not trying to argue one way or the other, but it seems for consistency's sake either DrC should be disallowed or all "officially licensed" third-party splats should be allowed. Of course, if there's a distinction I'm still missing I'm interested to hear it.

Which splats are "officially licensed", by the way? Would that include Dragon Magazine, the various settings WotC turned over to fans (Athas.org, etc.), the non-DLC Dragonlance books, or something like, say, the Ravenloft books?
There's a whole lot of stuff out there, but I honestly have no idea what is more official than anything else. I'm fairly certain that Dragon Magazine is pretty high up on the Pyramid of Officialness, though.

[OMG PONIES]

Official WotC-review is considerably more than most any other book that I've ever seen get accused of being '3rd party' receive. If there's a counter example, or evidence the above quote is in error, please indicate so.

If Dragon Magazine was given that in-depth level of review, why is it disallowed while the Compendium is not?

[dysprosium]

If Dragon Magazine was given that in-depth level of review, why is it disallowed while the Compendium is not?

There is quite a bit of material from Dragon Magazines that actually made it into later sourcebooks.

Is there something specific you were looking to use Ponies? Or is this more of general style question?

[OMG PONIES]

There is quite a bit of material from Dragon Magazines that actually made it into later sourcebooks.

Is there something specific you were looking to use Ponies? Or is this more of general style question?

All about general style.

[Amphetryon]

If Dragon Magazine was given that in-depth level of review, why is it disallowed while the Compendium is not?

Most likely because the Compendium is a relatively readily available, collected source, whereas individual issues of Dragon Magazine are neither as readily nor as widely available at this juncture. It is not a particularly difficult expectation that a given judge or interested contestant has access to the Compendium, but the expectation that a given judge or interested contestant has access to a specific issue of a magazine seems, from here, somewhat less reasonable.

Asked without rancor: is there a particular beef you have with Dragon Compendium, or are you merely "stirring the pot" (your phrase) for conversation's sake?

[Piggy Knowles]

I can't speak for Ponies, but I actually have a problem with a lot of Dragon Compendium's content. Some of it is interesting, and I'd hate to lose gems like the savant, Kung Fu Genius or Serenity. On the other hand, if that meant never having to see another dvati or tibbit or sha'ir (EDIT: or the unseelie fey, possibly the worst offender of them all), it might all be worth it...

(I'm also terrible and curmudgeonly, and also disliked 90% of the Dragon Magazine content I saw back in the dark ages when I actually read the magazines, so you can probably safely ignore me.)

[Darrin]

If Dragon Magazine was given that in-depth level of review, why is it disallowed while the Compendium is not?

Even with "WotC Review", there's a lot of stuff in the magazine that was very "WTF" or "What were they thinking?". As far as the Compendium goes... it looks like it was at least reviewed/edited twice (once for the magazine, once for the Compendium), and for the most part, there's nothing glaringly borked in it, with the exception of the Unseelie Fey template.

[Vaz]

I'd love to have access to some of the Dragon Magazine material. Not that there's much I can really think of working in this round off the top of my head, but y'know.

[Piggy Knowles]

Most likely because the Compendium is a relatively readily available, collected source, whereas individual issues of Dragon Magazine are neither as readily nor as widely available at this juncture.

This bit is pretty relevant for me. I have the Compendium, but I don't own a single magazine at this time. I can get my hands on a few from my old gaming group, but I would find it very difficult to judge a build that relied on Dragon Magazine content if it was allowed.

[OMG PONIES]

Most likely because the Compendium is a relatively readily available, collected source, whereas individual issues of Dragon Magazine are neither as readily nor as widely available at this juncture. It is not a particularly difficult expectation that a given judge or interested contestant has access to the Compendium, but the expectation that a given judge or interested contestant has access to a specific issue of a magazine seems, from here, somewhat less reasonable.

Asked without rancor: is there a particular beef you have with Dragon Compendium, or are you merely "stirring the pot" (your phrase) for conversation's sake?

Half stirring the pot, half trying to make sure the stance of this friendly competition is consistent. I agree that judges won't have access to every issue of Dragon Mag, but they may not have access to official splats like Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde. Should we be allowing or disallowing based on obscurity?

I guess my thought is, all things considered, I think we should consider Xing Dragon Mag Comp off the list of allowed sources because it's in the same "not published but licensed" boat as Dragonlance splats or issues of Dragon Mag. I'd be sad to see it go, but I think it's a more easily managed perspective than allowing other sources on the same grounds. Thoughts?

[Gemini476]

Most likely because the Compendium is a relatively readily available, collected source, whereas individual issues of Dragon Magazine are neither as readily nor as widely available at this juncture. It is not a particularly difficult expectation that a given judge or interested contestant has access to the Compendium, but the expectation that a given judge or interested contestant has access to a specific issue of a magazine seems, from here, somewhat less reasonable.

Just for reference, Dragon 274-363ish and Dungeon 82-154ish were the ones relevant to 3.X. A quick search shows that you can buy digital copies from Paizo for $4.95 a piece.
That's a grand total of $440-ish for Dragon, and $456-ish for Dungeon. That adds up to what we in the business call "Too much to spend on RPG magazines".("The Business" is being a student.)

Dragon Compendium, however, goes for $60 on Amazon. That's still a horrendous amount of money, but it's a tenth of the price. It's also a bit of a "best of", in a way. Even if some of the "best of" material is from back during the 2E days of Dragon, like the Dvati or the Sha'ir.

This is assuming that you actually pay for your digital copies, of course. And why wouldn't you?

[Amphetryon]

Just for reference, Dragon 274-363ish and Dungeon 82-154ish were the ones relevant to 3.X. A quick search shows that you can buy digital copies from Paizo for $4.95 a piece.
That's a grand total of $440-ish for Dragon, and $456-ish for Dungeon. That adds up to what we in the business call "Too much to spend on RPG magazines".("The Business" is being a student.)

Dragon Compendium, however, goes for $60 on Amazon. That's still a horrendous amount of money, but it's a tenth of the price. It's also a bit of a "best of", in a way. Even if some of the "best of" material is from back during the 2E days of Dragon, like the Dvati or the Sha'ir.

This is assuming that you actually pay for your digital copies, of course. And why wouldn't you?
It's also assuming current prices, and universal availability. Many of us got the Compendium for less than the current price, for example, and individual issues of Dragon are likely to sell out unevenly, relative to the hardbound Compendium.

Edit To Add: if "consistency" is the concern, Dragon Compendium has been on the 'officially' allowed list pretty consistently; it was allowed but sometimes cited as 'obscure' before my turn as Chairman, if memory serves. Individual Dragon Magazine issues have been disallowed since this contest started on another forum, which seems pretty consistent.

[Gemini476]

It's also assuming current prices, and universal availability. Many of us got the Compendium for less than the current price, for example, and individual issues of Dragon are likely to sell out unevenly, relative to the hardbound Compendium.

Edit To Add: if "consistency" is the concern, Dragon Compendium has been on the 'officially' allowed list pretty consistently; it was allowed but sometimes cited as 'obscure' before my turn as Chairman, if memory serves. Individual Dragon Magazine issues have been disallowed since this contest started on another forum, which seems pretty consistent.

Yeah, I was mostly just expanding on your point. Or rather, expanding on the question of "why can't we expect someone to have access to every Dragon magazine, but can expect someone to have access to Dragon Compendium?"
The answer being "One of those is vastly more expensive than the other."

Personally I think that we should keep DC on the list of allowed sources, but I haven't really contributed to this contest ever so my vote doesn't really count.

[OMG PONIES]

That's a grand total of $440-ish for Dragon, and $456-ish for Dungeon...Dragon Compendium, however, goes for $60 on Amazon. That's still a horrendous amount of money, but it's a tenth of the price.

It's actually about 33% off of a tenth of the price...:smallredface:...I'll see myself out.


Edit To Add: if "consistency" is the concern, Dragon Compendium has been on the 'officially' allowed list pretty consistently; it was allowed but sometimes cited as 'obscure' before my turn as Chairman, if memory serves. Individual Dragon Magazine issues have been disallowed since this contest started on another forum, which seems pretty consistent.

My question was less about consistency with prior rounds and more about internal consistency within the criteria. Put simply: should we disallow material that is third-party published but officially licensed?


Yeah, I was mostly just expanding on your point. Or rather, expanding on the question of "why can't we expect someone to have access to every Dragon magazine, but can expect someone to have access to Dragon Compendium?"
The answer being "One of those is vastly more expensive than the other."

My question was "Why do we expect someone to have access to Dragon Compendium, though it was not a first-party publication?" Again, just stirring the pot. I'm curious to see if folks think we should keep allowing it. With no strong inclinations one way or the other, I'm inclined to suggest we blacklist it as third-party (despite its licensing and review). Thoughts?

[Amphetryon]

It's actually about 33% off of a tenth of the price...:smallredface:...I'll see myself out.



My question was less about consistency with prior rounds and more about internal consistency within the criteria. Put simply: should we disallow material that is third-party published but officially licensed?



My question was "Why do we expect someone to have access to Dragon Compendium, though it was not a first-party publication?" Again, just stirring the pot. I'm curious to see if folks think we should keep allowing it. With no strong inclinations one way or the other, I'm inclined to suggest we blacklist it as third-party (despite its licensing and review). Thoughts?
As you may have guessed, I'm not in favor of blacklisting it going forward. I have access, I've used materials from it, and I don't see a compelling reason to limit access to what has previously been an allowed source.

[Vaz]

The same could be said of things like unupdated 3.0 content; Savage Species, or the 3.0 [complete] equivalents, yet the former at least turns up. I think manual of the planes, was 3.0, as was fiend folio, but they recoeved a 3.5 official update from wizards (but left out most of the useful information).

While i do not advocate it, there are ways and means of accessing the missing Dragon Material with very little work for free. I do not want to durther discuss that approach however, either its legalities or moral correctness either.

And while people may churn out endless Kung Fu Genius, Dvati, etc, it is rare that a Diopsid, or Diabolus is used.

However at the same time if there was a choice I'd rather open up Ravenloft, Dark Sun, Kingdom of Kalamar and/or Rokugan '2nd party' more than DragMag.

[Gemini476]

However at the same time if there was a choice I'd rather open up Ravenloft, Dark Sun, Kingdom of Kalamar and/or Rokugan '2nd party' more than DragMag.
You know how Kingdoms of Kalamar has a prestige class that gets ninth level spells in nine levels? And can (effectively) be taken at level one? Yeaaaah.

Not that actual first-party books are much better (looking at you, abberant PrCs and Ur-Priest), but still. KoK also has that feat that just goes "Lolnope" to spell resistance, doesn't it?

[Sian]

First dish cooked, only lacking fluffly favouring ... given that my mind is not turned in on fluff atm (need to be in a special mood for that), i'll just start with my second dish :)

[Vaz]

Yup. However there are major roleplaying implications to it IIRC, similar to how a Dungeon Lord or Dryad etc would be tied to a particular location.

And despite that, we don't see UrPriests etc every round. Sure they pop up relatively often, but it is not as though they are used in every dish; and they are core.

[Rizban]

You know how Kingdoms of Kalamar has a prestige class that gets ninth level spells in nine levels? And can (effectively) be taken at level one? Yeaaaah.

Not that actual first-party books are much better (looking at you, abberant PrCs and Ur-Priest), but still. KoK also has that feat that just goes "Lolnope" to spell resistance, doesn't it?Darklight Wizard. Interesting class. The thing that sucks about it is the incredibly limited spell list of only about 15 spells, the majority of which completely suck.

[OMG PONIES]

Darklight Wizard. Interesting class. The thing that sucks about it is the incredibly limited spell list of only about 15 spells, the majority of which completely suck.

There are plenty of ways to expand a spell list :smallamused:.

[Rizban]

There are plenty of ways to expand a spell list :smallamused:.And using them in this case would start hitting cheese levels that would start detracting from elegance scores.

By the way, I'll be judging for this contest.

I'm sad that missed the Renegade Mastermaker contest. I would have loved to have entered Hagan Erbauer for that one, the iconic character from Aldhaven.

[Vaz]

And UoSI. And possibly originality for using Fast Advancement with half progression type classes.

[Rizban]

And UoSI. And possibly originality for using Fast Advancement with half progression type classes.It depends on how badly it eclipses the SI as to whether or not it it hits UoSI. Originality only takes a hit in my books if it's something that multiple people do or was taken out of a handbook or is the base standard for entering the class according to the example characters. For me, originality is based more in the fluff aspects and a good story/justification for the build than in the build itself.

[Gemini476]

And using them in this case would start hitting cheese levels that would start detracting from elegance scores.

By the way, I'll be judging for this contest.

I'm sad that missed the Renegade Mastermaker contest. I would have loved to have entered Hagan Erbauer for that one, the iconic character from Aldhaven.
Arcane Disciple is cheese? What about Sandshaper, or any of the billion Prestige Classes that give domains?

I figure that the real cheese here is not the one that expands the spell list, bit the one that allows casting ninth level spells at level nine.
Of course, if I remember correctly it's actually that you enter it at level ten and need to level all the way back up using the Darklight Wizard?
Then it's just 9th level spells at an XP-equivalent of what, 13th level? That's fast.

Then again, if we allow things simply based on how official they are then allowing Kingdoms of Kalamar means allowing quite a bit.

[Vaz]

It depends on how badly it eclipses the SI as to whether or not it it hits UoSI. Originality only takes a hit in my books if it's something that multiple people do or was taken out of a handbook or is the base standard for entering the class according to the example characters. For me, originality is based more in the fluff aspects and a good story/justification for the build than in the build itself.

While not relevant for this build, half casting advancement PrC's combined with Fast Advancement (a la Ur Priest) in my eyes is so often used that it is worth a point off.

If you needed to 'hack' your way in to the class then there is likely an elegance penalty, but originality may be on the boards.

In regards to the spell list increasing abilities, on Darklight Wizard, Arcane Disciple suggests a higher calling than the book it is based around, a Sandshaper also has questionable fluff to apply to it. Others, like Ordained Champion, Seeker of the Misty Isle etc do not work for it for similar reasons. Contemplative requires Divine casting...

All of these arguably detract from most PrC's.

[Rizban]

As he said about the options mentioned.

As to leveling, Darklight Wizard is gained by utilizing an artifiact. When read, the Darklight Codex resets your character to 1st level with one level in Daklight Wizard. You lose all XP and most other things. The only thing I remember off hand about keeping is skill ranks. You gain additional skill points as you level up and can invest them as normal. Your retained ranks are currently above your max though, so you can't advance any skills you already have until you have a sufficiently high level.

But, really, this is all superfluous to the thread. As I mentioned, it's an interesting class, but other than the fast casting, it doesn't really offer much. Trying to adventure as a 1st-level character with a high level party isn't really going to work out very well. Either you're going to die, or the enemies will be too high level for you to gain Xp, or both.

[Amphetryon]

While not relevant for this build, half casting advancement PrC's combined with Fast Advancement (a la Ur Priest) in my eyes is so often used that it is worth a point off.

If you needed to 'hack' your way in to the class then there is likely an elegance penalty, but originality may be on the boards.

In regards to the spell list increasing abilities, on Darklight Wizard, Arcane Disciple suggests a higher calling than the book it is based around, a Sandshaper also has questionable fluff to apply to it. Others, like Ordained Champion, Seeker of the Misty Isle etc do not work for it for similar reasons. Contemplative requires Divine casting...

All of these arguably detract from most PrC's.With comments such as these, I feel it worthwhile to ask: do you think it's possible for a build to get a perfect score? I'm having trouble seeing how one would do so, if all of the above caveats hold true and extend reasonably to other PrCs.

[Hangwind]

This threads name should be changed to ONE MORE LEVEL! I have scrapped at least four builds for a lack of one extra level!

[Rizban]

I came p with an amazing build just thinking it over for a few minutes. I'm wondering if anyone else will come up with a similar one...

[Heliomance]

If it's that good and you thought of it that fast, everyone's probably doing it. I shouldn't bother, if I were you.
:P

[Rizban]

I doubt it. Still, as I mentioned previously, I plan to judge this one, not enter it. :smallwink:

edit: If no one else submits something similar, I'll post a rough outline of my build after the winner is announced.

[sabelo2000]

This threads name should be changed to ONE MORE LEVEL! I have scrapped at least four builds for a lack of one extra level!

I feel this pain.

[Deadline]

edit: If no one else submits something similar, I'll post a rough outline of my build after the winner is announced.

I think the usual tradition is to post un-submitted build ideas after the initial reveal of dishes. So you don't have to wait until the winner is announced. :smallbiggrin:

[Vaz]

It's hard to say. I'm going to say "yes", it is possible to still get 5's across the board.

I don't think you need to have an ability to cast or recreate 9th level spells to get 5 in power.

I like to think I have a decent awareness of some of the CharOp standards. if we were judging 5's in power by Wizard 20, or Pun Pun, there'd be no way anything would really be able to reaching 2 or even 3 points for power with the inclusion of the SI, which often downright hamper a build.

As an example, from my own experience, I used a Druid 10/Urban Soul 10. I didn't have 9th level spells, an Animal Companion, or Wild Shape worth a damn. In theory, I was hampering myself, but because it was Urban Themed Druid (without being the actual Urban Druid), it was a okay for Originality, and for power, as I could not only leave the city thanks to my ability to use the Acorn of Far Travel and also teleport.

However, I tried to lever in a Mirror Mephit, so that I could create a spy network; by using arguable wording via Southern Magician I was able to get an "Arcane Caster level", which qualified me for Obtain Familiar and then Improved Familiar. That cost me elegance, and small originality as Mirror Mephit's componentless Simulacrum is relatively well known in CharOp.

If a build was half-divine casting advancement, then I'd expect to see Ur-Priest. I'd expect to see Ur-Priest 2, and then possibly DMM Shenanigans. An Arcane half-caster, possibly see an Apostle of Peace, or Dragonwrought Kobold Shenanigans to get higher than HD equivalent casting. Or Chameleon. For Psionics, Ardent, obviously.

However, a half-casting class which progressed (say) Shadowlord, or Trapsmith. Or Lurk. Or Assassin, that's a little unexpected, especially if the class features of the class is providing more than just a select spell-list.

I feel it's hard to quantify, I'm rambling a bit now, but I've not judged yet outside of Zinc Saucier; there was one in there which nearly got full marks, which I felt just worked; it was out there enough, covered enough of the bases, and what not.

Arguably, UoSI is the easiest to fulfil for myself, but also the hardest. I don't want to hamper peoples builds by saying automatic points off for not using all the levels, (within reason, a 1 level dip isn't worth your time entering), but provided you use those levels wisely is what matters. A Build which sacrifices the classes capstone might be looked down on, unless it's to nab an equally useful capstone ability. The same for having a late entry. Early(ish) entry, might well be rewarded, but provided the build doesn't feel like it's tacked on (as in, for example, you're a Ur-Priest casting with DMM, and oh-look here are some special abilities gained by the SI). This was something I struggled to do with in my builds during the last round; the weapon was the optimizing bit, but I struggled to come up with something to help influence the weapon, short of being a debuffer, Binding things like Focalor etc, which I thought was a given anyway.

In short, what I'm trying to say is that I find the idea of class features of the SI more pleasant, than its spellcasting progression. The one idea I had for this class I've already actually done for Shadow Sun Ninja, and the other one I came up with was near enough a copy paste of the one already floating about the net.

In short, do you have class features which mesh well, with the SI? Do they enhance it, or reduce its penalties? Do they fit thematically? These get you points for UoSI. Do you have particular spells that don't require work arounds to get onto your list, which improve your ability?

Elegance we've done. Power; do your abilities function throughout? Do you fulfil any two of Combat potential, Scouting, Utility/Downtime support (i.e Party Face)? Are your DC's reasonably satisfactory/higher than competitors? Originality; do you surprise me? Am I interested. This one is a bit harder.

TL;DR, I'm a bit all over the place. While I understand you want your builds to be judged fairly and getting decent scores, it should be more about making them rather than making sure they conform to what random newbie judge has as his ideas. I'm not yet confident enough to put up a complete matrix, but I'll do my utmost to keep it fair, but also to answer any complaints/disputes, of which I'm sure there'll be many a couple.

In actually trying to think of ideas for a build I've come up with one. I'll write it up, and release after the reveal unless there's one which does it better, but I'll still judge.

[Amphetryon]

My question, and I suppose my point, is: how can a given build expect full marks if another build clearly has more Power by virtue of (for example) Ur-Priest DMM shenanigans that, by the metrics you've expressed, would cost Elegance points? If a build that's obviously less powerful - even assuming a different baseline - is getting the same marks in Power as the hypothetical TO build, I'm not sure what the rubric is. The metrics expressed, as I understand them, indicate that every choice made is at the expense of one of the given categories.

Mirror Mephit, from your own example, hits squarely in the "known cheese" range for many folks, so would automatically lose Originality and/or Elegance, while making the Power rankings either ignore that entry or be something other than ranked against each other.

I'm not intending to be argumentative, merely to understand.

[Vaz]

Ah, I see.

An Ur-Priest DMM'er might well warrant a 5 from its 9th level spells, but compared to other Ur-Priest DMM'ers, how powerful is it? Considering Ur Priest is the base of possible dual 9th builds, however, it could come across a little weaker, resulting in a comparative penalty.

On the other hand, a Paladin base might find more power, because compared to other Paladins using similar feats, the SI has equal power. It's hard to quantify a) because it's 2am, and b) I'm not particularly good at articulating what I want to say.

Essentially if I can get more out of progressing the base classes without taking the SI, then there's a reduction in your comparable power. This is separate from UoSI, or Elegance. I'm not really into the whole "if you get bonus points here, i'll take from them elsewhere" train of thought, I'm personally hoping for, and looking to reward people for using combinations that led to things like Spoons McGee and Old Lob. WereSpider? Fighter? Black Dog? In CharOp? Awesome stuff. Half-Casting PrC+Ur Priest with DMM? Not so much.

This is not a double dip penalty in my eyes either; its penalising for a lack of originality, and a blatant power grab; apart from that "Power" is not comparative to the typical level of Char Op such classes are found in. I.e a Druid 10/non progression 10 would result in power loss. I hope that clears things up, I hope I've no confused things even more. :smalltongue: If I have, just post some more questions which I'll try to answer more clearly after sleep!

[Rizban]

My personal rubric is as follows. Note that I break each section down into subsections. I also give Bonus Points in each section. I do not ever go above 5 points in a section with Bonus Points, but they can be used to make up for points lost in other parts of that section.

Originality:
Is the entry's build presented in a known handbook or the standard entry presented in the book or an otherwise extremely obvious entry method? (2 pts)
Does the entry do something new and interested with the class features or only use them as is immediately obvious? (1.5 pts)
Is the fluff supporting the entry fresh and interesting? Was it an enjoyable read? (1.5 pts)
Bonus Points: Was there something that truly surprised me and that was completely unexpected? Was it interesting enough that I wanted to read it again or include it in a game?


Power:
How does the build rate on the Tier System? My expected rating is high Tier 3. Anything lower loses points. Anything above that gets more points, but if it goes too high, it loses points due to the potential for breaking campaigns. (2 pts)
What is the nature of the entry's power? Is it a single character battleship? A social master? A party buffer? The more areas it covers and covers well, the more points it earns. (1.5 pts)
Does the entry work with a more or less generic party or is it solo? If it specializes in one area, can it still meaningfully contribute/survive in the other situation? Is this something that would enhance overall play around a table or make the other players or the DM irritated? (1.5 pts)
Bonus Points: Is there something almost game breaking powerful but made of pure awesome that a DM would not normally allow but will just because of cool factor?


Elegance:
Is the entry properly formatted and easy to read? Are things properly broken down, explained, and easy to understand on the first read through? (2 pts)
Is the build clean, orderly, and properly following the rules? Are there any questionable rules interpretations or any outright rules violations? (2 pts)
Is there excessive dipping or other weasely ways of qualifying for things? Depending on how it's done, this can either add points or ensure you get full points. (1 pt)
Bonus Points: Does the entry/build have cool factor? Is it something I'd want to show someone else as an example?


Use of Secret Ingredient:

Does the entry use all levels of the SI? (-1 pt for each missed level)
Is the SI a major part of the build or just tacked on as a supplemental? (2 pts)
Are the abilities of the SI used creatively in more than one way or just as static additions to the build? (1 pt)
Bonus Points: Is this a potentially iconic build that should be added to a handbook for the SI? If levels were dropped, can it be justified by the levels taken instead meshing super well with the SI?

[Gwachitallemall]

Use of Secret Ingredient:

Does the entry use all levels of the SI? (-1 pt for each missed level)
Is the SI a major part of the build or just tacked on as a supplemental? (2 pts)
Are the abilities of the SI used creatively in more than one way or just as static additions to the build? (1 pt)
Bonus Points: Is this a potentially iconic build that should be added to a handbook for the SI? If levels were dropped, can it be justified by the levels taken instead meshing super well with the SI?


That's only 3 points.. and -1 point for each level could give someone a 1.. easily. ouch.

[Darkcouch]

I meant to ask after the judging was finished in the last contest, but it's 5 pages back and I don't want to necro the thread.

Can a non caster take Craft(alchemy)?

None of the judges seemed to call out any of the pure melee builds.

[Irk]

I meant to ask after the judging was finished in the last contest, but it's 5 pages back and I don't want to necro the thread.

Can a non caster take Craft(alchemy)?

None of the judges seemed to call out any of the pure melee builds.

Yes, but you there are certain items that can only be crafted if you have caster levels, whereas others require the aid of a divine caster. There are, however, numerous examples that are not subject to this requirement.

There may have been some builds that used acid, which does require spell casting, but in mine, which scored last, as it sucked, I specified alchemical materials that did not require the crafter to be a caster, those being positoxins (which require the presence of a divine caster) and drugs.

[Rizban]

That's only 3 points.. and -1 point for each level could give someone a 1.. easily. ouch.

That subcategory is calculated basically as starting at 5 and losing points rather than at 0 and gaining.

[Sian]

okay shifting gears ... while my first build is somewhat regular, my second dish is going to be left-field oddball that'll either score very high ... or dreadfully low :smallamused:

[Vaz]

Donations to my foundation for those lacking in imagination for Zerth Cenobite ideas are greatly appreciated.

Impartiality is of course always observed, and will not ever increase your scores.

[Sian]

Did we ever argee on a max ammount of dishes per cook doing LII or?

[Gwachitallemall]

Did we ever argee on a max ammount of dishes per cook doing LII or?

Saw a post by chairman that said 2.

[OMG PONIES]

okay shifting gears ... while my first build is somewhat regular, my second dish is going to be left-field oddball that'll either score very high ... or dreadfully low :smallamused:

Yesssss, exccccellent... :smallamused:

[Sian]

Saw a post by chairman that said 2.

yeah but given that it isn't part of the first set of posts, does it count yet? or is it still a discussion for future ICs

[Vaz]

It was finalised. 2 max after last round.

[Irk]

Well, with finals coming up I won't be able to submit my second build, so i'll post details after the reveal. good luck everyone!

[WhamBamSam]

All done except for the skill points and the fluff writing. I'm excited about my build this time around. I really think I've got something good here.

[Irk]

Well, I lied, I actually had to edit my thing several times, my apologies to the chairman. The latest iteration should just be called "FINALIZED BUILD IRK..." with all caps. I'd appreciate if you could confirm reception, Kuul.

[Rizban]

Well, I lied, I actually had to edit my thing several times, my apologies to the chairman. The latest iteration should just be called "FINALIZED BUILD IRK..." with all caps. I'd appreciate if you could confirm reception, Kuul.Just so you know, you can attach a read receipt to PMs so you know if they've been opened. :smallwink:

[Sian]

All done except for the skill points and the fluff writing. I'm excited about my build this time around. I really think I've got something good here.

Don't i know it ... Writing the fluffy parts is by far the hardest bit for me :smallwink:

[Heliomance]

TIL that Tashalatora is a cast iron PITA to code into HeroForge. Pretty sure I've managed it though.

[The Viscount]

On the subject of Dragon Compendium, I for one would argue for its continued inclusion. While it does contain things like dvaati that many do not like, it has a number of useful things contained that can be put to good use, and I'm not just saying this because I nabbed bronze with a Savant-based build. The things that don't work or are overpowered have a clear precedent of being struck down in judging, so I don't see a problem with keeping dragon compendium around.

[Rizban]

On the subject of Dragon Compendium, I for one would argue for its continued inclusion. While it does contain things like dvaati that many do not like, it has a number of useful things contained that can be put to good use, and I'm not just saying this because I nabbed bronze with a Savant-based build. The things that don't work or are overpowered have a clear precedent of being struck down in judging, so I don't see a problem with keeping dragon compendium around.

I agree with this.

[Heliomance]

Personally, I'm very fond of Dvati. I don't really see what people's problem with it is.

[WhamBamSam]

Personally, I'm very fond of Dvati. I don't really see what people's problem with it is.Yeah, I've got no issues with Dvati, or human handling Tibbits, or Sha'ir. I do find Unseelie Fey rather distasteful, but I love Dragonwrought Kobolds way too much to cast stones in that particular direction from anywhere except perhaps the judge's chair.

I'd be especially sad to see Dragon Compendium go as the initial impetus for what has been my only placing IC entry thus far was a Serenity combo.

Anyhow, my build for this round is finished and away to the chairman. All that's left now is to wait excitedly for the reveal. Woo.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Well, I lied, I actually had to edit my thing several times, my apologies to the chairman. The latest iteration should just be called "FINALIZED BUILD IRK..." with all caps. I'd appreciate if you could confirm reception, Kuul.

Consider it confirmed.

[Eldonauran]

Well ... I was going to bow out of the competition this round, since I had zero ideas. Psionics isn't a strong suit of mine ...

But ... :smallamused:

I think I found something I can work with.

[Irk]

Oh! we still have a full week! my second idea may still materialize...

[KrimsonNekros]

Oh Heliomance, I do believe I have met your challenge. My build is pretty much assembled sans fluff, and should be a pretty good one.

[Hangwind]

Sorry, gotta bow out.

[Sian]

Bloody #¤!%£ ... Computer crashed and ate all but my drafts for both my builds ...

[Treme]

Really looking forward to reading the entries for this one.

I had initially said I wouldnt enter but then a few days later stumbled across a random possible entry into the ingredient. A few more days after that I was still totally unable to stick the thing together within 20 levels so gave up all over again :D

[Heliomance]

I've had precisely one (vague) idea, which I've Vizzini'd myself out of. I may try my hand at judging, possibly.

[Eldonauran]

Oh Heliomance, I do believe I have met your challenge. My build is pretty much assembled sans fluff, and should be a pretty good one.

I pretty much got my build together, at least all the levels feats and daily ability charts filled out. Just need to write the fluff and ... List of sources. Kind of surprise the build fell together as smoothly as it did.

[WhamBamSam]

Huh. I've stumbled onto a second idea. Not sure if I'll actually have time to hammer out the kinks and write it up though. If I don't, and no one else does anything similar, I'll post a build stub after the reveal.

[Gwachitallemall]

I'm going to have pull out. Real life just got to me on this one. I may judge if I feel up to it. Will post my criteria after the reveal if that happens.

[Sian]

due to my crash earlier i might just get one character through the pipeline in time

[Sian]

idle thought while fiddling around with Fluff ... is there any intention of revisiting some of the older SI's at some point?

[Eldonauran]

All right! Got my submission in. Turned out pretty good, IMO.

[Rizban]

idle thought while fiddling around with Fluff ... is there any intention of revisiting some of the older SI's at some point?That would be an interesting idea... Revisit them with all the builds from the first run through posted and require that the newly submitted builds be different from those. It would certainly makes things a bit more difficult.

[KrimsonNekros]

Build submitted. Would appreciate confirmation'

[Deadline]

I'm not going to get a build in, work is bearing down on me. I may try to judge if things clear up this week. :smallfrown:

[Kuulvheysoon]

Build submitted. Would appreciate confirmation'

Confirmed. And I'm (very) surprised to see only 4 builds in my inbox so far!

[Vaz]

It might be because of its raft of 1/day or 2/day abilities. I know I found it hard to try and find synergy with one, along with begging the question of why choose that class over [Redacted].

Still up for judging this one, however; I'll post down the idea I had at first if noone else does.

[dysprosium]

Confirmed. And I'm (very) surprised to see only 4 builds in my inbox so far!

But there is still time for mine right?

Gotta get mine in . . .

[Kuulvheysoon]

But there is still time for mine right?

Gotta get mine in . . .

I'm expecting a deluge of last minute entries (as usual).

[Eldonauran]

Confirmed. And I'm (very) surprised to see only 4 builds in my inbox so far!

That got me paranoid for a moment until I saw you had opened my entry. :smallconfused:

[Sian]

currently at last read through ... managed to spot that I didn't get all the prerequests for [redacted] so i had to shuffle a bit around in my feats, and drop one...

[WhamBamSam]

Confirmed. And I'm (very) surprised to see only 4 builds in my inbox so far!


That got me paranoid for a moment until I saw you had opened my entry. :smallconfused:Same. I was just about to ask for a confirmation.

It'll just be the one entry for me. The second one isn't quite gelling to my satisfaction, and I'm not sufficiently motivated to do another write up anyway.

[Heliomance]

It might be because of its raft of 1/day or 2/day abilities. I know I found it hard to try and find synergy with one, along with begging the question of why choose that class over [Redacted].

Still up for judging this one, however; I'll post down the idea I had at first if noone else does.

Aye, that was my problem. It has plenty of nice, flavourful stuff, but the fact that all the abilities are 1/day means you can't base a build around them.

[Rizban]

Well, with so few entries, I may just say forget judging and throw my build into the ring.

[KrimsonNekros]

I'm expecting a deluge of last minute entries (as usual).


Hopefully we don't have a repeat of last time where a couple of us couldn't get them in on time because of that.

[Vaz]

Wait, what? I don't remember that, am I losing the plot?

[Viros]

Wish I had had the opportunity to post this earlier, but I've been so occupied lately that I haven't even been able to log on the forums.

Withdrawing interest, so don't postpone anything on my account.

[dysprosium]

Hooray!

I got my entry in.

Now I can sit back and relax and watch the reveal go by . . .

[Kuulvheysoon]

Hopefully we don't have a repeat of last time where a couple of us couldn't get them in on time because of that.

No worries, my inbox is nearly empty this time.

[Kesnit]

Confirmed. And I'm (very) surprised to see only 4 builds in my inbox so far!

Is it bad that this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUZEtVbJT5c) was my first thought when I read that?


I'm expecting a deluge of last minute entries (as usual).

NOOOO!!!!!!

[Sian]

just cought an idle thought while waiting around for the characters to get posted (haven't got the time to cook my second idea from the notes i have, specially since i've yet to get head or tail of the fluff which is what would take the longest time).

Is there any custum for if its allowed (or rather acceptable) to post if you (as cook) find something in another build thats wrong? say missing prerequests or wrong BAB/Saves/Whatever?

[OMG PONIES]

just cought an idle thought while waiting around for the characters to get posted (haven't got the time to cook my second idea from the notes i have, specially since i've yet to get head or tail of the fluff which is what would take the longest time).

Is there any custum for if its allowed (or rather acceptable) to post if you (as cook) find something in another build thats wrong? say missing prerequests or wrong BAB/Saves/Whatever?

Since it can seem snippy, I believe the Chairman asked in past rounds that such commentary be left to the judges. I may be wrong, though.

[Vaz]

This is for fun, not for points. Sure, it's nice to win, but it's not exactly something that I'd want to see at a table I play at, other people poking fun at my build because there was an error somewhere.

After all, I judge as if i was going to run a game, as in "would I allow it?". This leaves open certain things that you might find dotted around in adaptation sections; as I might find them applicable; although please state if you do. If I've missed something, then it's usually down to it being minor as I'll have double checked the major tricks; which is where Elegance, or simplicity comes in. The more involved the trick and the harder it is to follow, the more inelegant it becomes.

For the most part, the rules will be double checked so that I can see that they work as intended.

Plus, there's the other fact of the equation; if you're so keen on judging, why do you not judge instead of enter? As a judge I cannot enter, so why should an entrant feel it's their right to backseat judge, and interfere with the scoring in that way?

Sure, mistakes happen, but at the end of the day, when all the results are in, you just need to dry your eyes and realise it's just a game that provides a welcome distraction for a few hours once a month. Your enjoyment should be in learning new tricks, or reading what others have put down. I've learned so much more from other entries than I have from just myself, with lots of lovely little tricks.

[Sian]

well sorry Vaz that i obviously pissed you up and down the back ... was merely asking ...

thanks for the answer Ponies

[Kuulvheysoon]

Since it can seem snippy, I believe the Chairman asked in past rounds that such commentary be left to the judges. I may be wrong, though.

Indeed I did ask that a few rounds ago (not that people really listened, but oh well).:smallannoyed:

[OMG PONIES]

Indeed I did ask that a few rounds ago (not that people really listened, but oh well).:smallannoyed:

Wait, we're supposed to listen to the Chairman? This changes everything!

[Tim Proctor]

Wait, we're supposed to listen to the Chairman? This changes everything!

The Chairman says to listen to him, and since no one listens to him does it matter?
THIS BUILD SHOULD HAVE BEEN M'F'ING GNOMES!

[Irk]

I'm super excited for the reveal! I had a last minute issue, but I managed to fix it. Also, though I was unable to submit it, I really want to post my idea for the second entry I was never able to finish.

[Amphetryon]

In under the wire on this one, I believe.

[relytdan]

I think I may judge this round

My judging criteria:

Useage of any materials banned or disallowed, will result in a 0 for segments where it applies , no exceptions.

Originality

Start from a baseline score of 3.
1: Up to .5 point of bonus or penalty based on whether the race or templates used were things I expected, and whether anyone else thought to use them. race-related Cheese may see a deduction here. (e.g. Divine Minion)"
2: Up to .5 point of bonus or penalty based on whether the classes or Prc used were things I expected, and whether anyone else thought to use them. class-related cheese may see a deduction here. (e.g. Planar Shepherd)
3: Up to .5 point of bonus or penalty to a build doing something interesting or something we've all seen it before respectively.
4: Up to .5 point of bonus or penalty for presentation. (eg. Does the entry present a concise and easy-to-read write up of character background and class abilities)


Power

Start from a baseline score of 3.
1: Up to .5 point of bonus or penalty for versatility. (eg. Do you have a variety of options or are you a one trick pony that can easily be shut down?)
2: Up to .5 points of bonus or penalty for How good I see your build with-in the role presented by the SI
3: Up to .5 points of bonus or penalty for for self-sufficiency. (Expect a bonus if the build can handle challenges alone, or a penalty if the build requires assistance from other party members)
4: Up to .5 point of bonus or penalty on dependancy of items used (Expect a bonus if there is not items listed or a penalty for things listed unless listed under optional gear ect.)


Elegance

Start from a baseline score of 3.
1: Up to .5 point of bonus or penalty for any 1-3 level class dips, Multiclass Penalties, change alignment, ect.
2: Up to .5 point of bonus for avoiding questionable rules interpretations/cross-setting material and a penalty for them.
3: Up to .5 point of bonus or penalty for if the build qualify's or not for non-SI Class's & or PRC's
4: Up to .5 point of bonus or penalty for if the build qualify's or not for non-SI feats and things


Use of the Secret Ingredient

Start from a baseline score of 3.
1: Up to .5 point of bonus or penalty for does the entry complete the Secret Ingredient
2: Up to .5 point of bonus for is the secret ingredient taken at the earliest level it can be taken, OR penalty for if taken later within the build
3: Up to .5 point of bonus for how much the build really captures the feel of the SI or penalty if the build feels that it does not captures the feel of the SI
4: Up to .5 point of bonus or penalty for if the build make use of all the SI abilities and entry requirements
(failure to qualify for the secret ingredient - lack of skills, feats, bab & any other requirements will result in a 0 in this segment)

[Eldonauran]

:smalleek:

The anticipation ...

It kills me!

:smallbiggrin:

[Kuulvheysoon]

Alright, I extended the time limit a bit to let in a last few entries, but the time has now expired!

Please refrain from posting until such time as I'm done. Thank you.

[Kuulvheysoon]

He's got soul, bro
Tri’ijin of Zerth’Ad’Vyn, CN Dragonborn Skarn Monk 3/ Incarnate 5/ Zerth Cenobite 10/ Soul Manifester 2

See the build note below about the alignment change. Monk ACFs are Skarn monk and invisible fist. I am using the Passive Way monk variant from UA (see in sources). The dragonborn template is used to qualify for the Elder spirit soulmeld and provide certain skill bonuses

What is perfection of body but a pale substitution for the ultimate enlightenment of the mental Paragon?
-Book of Vyn, Scripture I

Dissatisfaction of the supreme variety graces those that have sought the sublime form of Mishtai; the Skarn being those at the greatest fault for such a foolish desire. The Mishtai did not strive solely for the shallow satisfaction derived from absolute physical insight, but instead attempted to discover the perfect tranquility bestowed by the balanced Psyche. When the great race split into two, the Skarn pursued the corporal secrets they withheld. However, this effort was in vain; perfection of form was merely the surface of Mishtai study. Never were they able to discover psychological quintessence of the mind, and the great debates over the subject was the catalyst dividing the great race, and their secret disappeared with them.

However, one stronghold of Mishtai knowledge remained, untouched by the passage of time. This was Zerth’Ad’Lun, found in the impossible swirl of chaos birthed by the endless Limbo. Near the end of their existence, the Mishtai began to discard means of traditional perfection, eliminating statutes, laws, and other limitations, all in order to distill the pure consciousness of their race, free from the tainting influence of law. Thus, they found the Githzerai, and exchanged with them the secrets of physical aptitude for the knowledge of the mind. Many of the Mishtai were in upheaval, and found the Githzerai to be a poor influence on their progress towards perfection. However, the truly wise of the Mishtai were inclined to remain with the Githzerai and learn from their wisdom, and thus the great Mishtai rift was created. The Githzerai swore to never divulge the secrets of Mishtai unless a suitable heritor should reveal themselves. For thousands of years, the temple lay untouched by any such being.

On the eve of the third century since the collapse of the Mishtai, Zerth’Ad’Lun received a weary Skarn who had traversed the great expanse of Limbo. This was Tri’ijin, the traveling sage, and one of the few Skarn who still believed the Mishtai existed. Tri’ijin had sought rebirth to purge himself of the vanity of the Skarn, and in the shedding of his previous form he found solace, emerging as a creature of the purest cobalt colouration. Upon hearing about his quest, the Githzerai set out to test this stranger who had stumbled into their midst.

They soon discovered that Tri’ijin had sought perfection of form, only to become dissatisfied with traditional Skarn ideologies. Having heard an ancient legend of the great Mishtai temple, he set out to find it, traveling across the planes. When he found Limbo, he was immediately immersed in the chaotic spirit that drifted about him, probing his very person, divining every subtlety of his character. It was here that Tri’ijin new the temple had to be, it was here that his mind could be subjected to the perfect equilibrium.

Having heard his story, the Githzerai were initially polarised. Many believed that it was a sign that Tri’ijin had arrived at such a time, (according to the material plane timeline), yet others believed it was simply a ruse by the overproud Skarn. Despite the misgivings of some of the Githzerai, Tri’ijin was trained in secret by those who had faith. When it was discovered by the other memebers of the temple, instead of flying into a rage, they recalled the disaster experienced byt h Mishtai, and simply submitted to the chaotic fate that Limbo imposed upon them. After remaining in Zert’Ad’Lun for many years. Tri’ijin traveled to the material plane and founded Zerth’Ad’Vyn, a temple that would serve as a gate to Zerth’Ad’Lun, and in order to spread his own teachings, which were compiled in the Book of Vyn, named after one of the great Mishtai progenitors.

Tri’ijin still travels across the planes, embracing those who would submit themselves to the chaotic perfection of Zerthin, and combatting the Skarn zealots that pursue him for betraying their race.
STR:15, DEX:14, CON:13, INT:12, WIS:15, CHA 13
Racial adjustments: STR: 17, DEX: 12, CON: 15, INT: 12, WIS: 15, CHA 13
STR:18, DEX:10, CON:16, INT:12, WIS:15, CHA 12
STR:18, DEX:10, CON:16, INT:12, WIS:16, CHA 13
STR: 18, DEX:10,CON:16, INT:12, WIS:16, CHA:14
STR: 19, DEX:10,CON:16, INT:12, WIS:16, CHA:14
STR: 20, DEX:10,CON:16, INT:12, WIS:16, CHA:14
Tri’ijin of Zerth’Ad’Vyn
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st| INVISIBLE FIST PASSIVE WAY SKARN Monk (Lawful Neutral)|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+2|Intimidate 4, Concentration 4, Knowledge (Psi) 4CC, Jump 4, Listen 2, Spot 2|Hidden Talent: Synchronicity, Combat Expertise, Improved Unarmed Strike|Spine Strike, Flurry of Blows, Unarmed Strike

2nd| INVISIBLE FIST PASSIVE WAY SKARN Monk|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+3|Concentration 1, Listen 2, Spot 2|Improved Trip|Invisible Fist

3rd| INVISIBLE FIST PASSIVE WAY SKARN Monk|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+3|Concentration 1, Jump 2, Intimidate 2|Shape Soulmeld: Sphinx Claws|Still Mind

4th|Incarnate 1 (Switches to Chaotic Neutral)|
+2|
+5|
+3|
+5|Concentration 1, Jump 1, Sense Motive 1, Bluff 1|-|Aura, Detect Opposition

5th|Incarnate 2|
+3|
+6|
+3|
+6|Concentration 1, Sense Motive 2|-|Chakra Bind (crown)

6th|Incarnate 3|
+3|
+6|
+4|
+6|Concentration 1, Bluff 2|Improved Bull rush|Expanded Soulmeld Capacity +1, Incarnum Radiance 1/day

7th|Incarnate 4|
+4|
+7|
+4|
+7|Concentration 1, Hide 2|-|Chakra Binds (feet, hands)

8th|Zerth Cenobite 1|
+4|
+7|
+6|
+9|Hide 5|-|Monk Abilities, Temporal Distillation (move action)

9th|Zerth Cenobite 2|
+5|
+7|
+7|
+10|Move Silently 5|Shock trooper|Backslip 1/day

10th|Zerth Cenobite 3|
+6|
+8|
+7|
+10|Knowledge (Psi) 3, Hide 2|-|Timeless Step

11th|Zerth Cenobite 4|
+7|
+8|
+8|
+11|Knowledge (Psi) 3, Sense Motive 1, Bluff 1|-|Precognition 1/day

12th|Zerth Cenobite 5|
+7|
+8|
+8|
+11|Intimidate 5|Power Attack|Temporal Distillation (standard Action)

13th|Zerth Cenobite 6|
+8|
+9|
+9|
+12|Balance 3, Jump 2|-|Backslip 2/day

14th|Zerth Cenobite 7|
+9|
+9|
+9|
+12|Move Silently 3, Hide 2|-|Precognition 2/day

15th|Zerth Cenobite 8|
+10|
+9|
+10|
+13|Spot 2, Listen 3|Scorpion’s Grasp|Temporal Strike

16th|Zerth Cenobite 9|
+10|
+10|
+10|
+13|Jump 2, Intimidate 3|-|Precognitive Surge

17th|Zerth Cenobite 10|
+11|
+10|
+11|
+14|Sense Motive 2, Bluff 3|-|Temporal Distillation (full-round action), Timeless Body

18th|Incarnate 5|
+12|
+11|
+12|
+15|Sense Motive 1, Bluff 1, Jump 1|Azure Talent|Rapid Meldshaping 1/day

19th|Soul Manifester 1|
+12|
+11|
+12|
+17|Intimidate 3|-|Psionic Investment 1

20th|Soul Manifester 2|
+13|
+11|
+12|
+18|Intimidate 3|-[/table]

Tri’ijin (Tri) starts off the game with a +2 racial bonus to intimidate and a +2 unnamed bonus to Bluff, from passive way. In addition to the four ranks Tri has invested at first level, this nets him a moderately high intimidate of +6, which only grows from there. The mind aspect of dragonborn gives him bonuses to perceptive skills, as well as darkvision. Invisible fist allows Tri to compensate for his lower BaB by making opponents flat footed. Tri’s also got Elder Spirit, which provides some substantial bonuses to UMD as well as Knowledge (arcana) and (history. Furthermore, Tri can bind it to your crown chakra to give himself another +6 to intimidate, bringing it up to +14 by fifth level. Tri’s Hidden Talent allows him to qualify for Zerth Cenobite and gives him synchronicity 2/day for an extra standard action. Fellmist Robe provides a pretty good miss chance that helps make up for the anti-armor tendency of the monk.
At this point, Some of Tri’s combat combos start to come into play. Improved Bull Rush + Improved Trip + Shock Trooper lets you really hinder opponents, and expansion lets him do it with a bonus. Furthermore, you can now bind sphinx claws to your hands chakra, which gives you pounce with your spines, which increases your damage output. It’s around here that move silently and Hide have come online, so you can also serve as an effective scout, using invisible fist to dish out pounces or trip attacks at the last moment. Tri’ll probably be using backslip on his fortitude and reflex saves, which aren’t nearly as high as his tremendous will save. Incarnates incarnum radiance only improves his charge attacks, as does the monk’s movement bonus. Temporal distillation + synchronicity give you plenty of extra actions, either to make another trip attack or just back out of combat, or even hide. Tri also gets silvertongue mask to boost Tri’s social skills, and spellward shirt can provide some spell resistance against lower level casters. Also, darkvision expansion from Dragonborn.
Now we’re talking. At these levels, Tri gets Scorpion’s Grasp and Power attack, which gives him access to some great combos. First off, shock trooper + Power attack is great with sphinx’s claws for lots of damage. In addition, He can bull rush an opponent into the same square as someone else, trip them both, hit them both with a power attack. Following that, Tri can activate his new Temporal distillation or synchronicity to make ANOTHER trip attack, followed by a power attack, and then a grapple from scorpion’s grasp. Sphinx claws also can grant a bonus to trip AND grapple if necessary. Tri’s also got Hustle, which provides even more move actions, making him an effective skirmisher. Furthermore, he gets Animal affinity, a very versatile buff, as well as chameleon to really boost his scouting abilities. He also gets Temporal strike, a real highlight of the class. Essentially, tri’ll punch someone into the future, buff up with chameleon and animal affinity, then just smash ‘em when they re-emerge from the time stream. Also, you now have blindsense and REALLY long range darkvision, just as a bonus, which improves Tri’s scouting Prowess
This is just finishing up, but it does grant some cool new abilities. First off, Incarnate + Soul manifester grants two chakra binds and rapid meldshaping for lots of versatility. Tri usually has Sphinx claws bound to his hands chakra for pounce and Elder Spirit bound to his crown chakra for intimidate bonuses.Fellmist Robe provides excellent defense,a s does spellward shirt, and silvertongue mask champions social situations. Zerth Cenobite nets him psionic freedom of movement, a powerful buff. Zerth Cenobite also gets Next tier temporal distillation, precognitive surge, and timeless body. Tri will usually start by shock troop-tripping two opponents, using precognitive surge if necessary, and sending one them away with temporal strike, after which he’ll activate synchronicity for timeless body. Next round he can then use temporal distillation to activate another shock trooper + improved trip + improve grapple + power attack + scorpion’s grasp combo on a two opponents, (grappling the second with the attack from improved trip). Next round, he’ll likely use synchronicity to put up animal affinity and start dishing out invisible fist-power-pounce attacks or just keep on trip-grappling everyone. Out of combat, Tri has a +22 intimidate before essentia investment, which’ll bring it up to +3o, as well as substantial bonuses to bluff and sense motive, partially thanks to silvertongue mask. His will save is great, the other two at about the standard for good. At twentieth level, tri receives a sixth soulmeld, probably impulse boots to get a bonus to reflex saves, uncanny dodge, and evasion when necessary, which he’ll switch in instead of spellward shirt or silvertongue mask. He finishes off with 9 essentia (+1 from azure talent) and improved essentia capacity +1, which can grant a 50% miss chance, +5 on grapple and trip, +10 on intimidate,+20 SR, +14 UMD and knowledge (arcana) and (history). Tri also has access to 29 PP, which he’ll use sparingly, due to his buff powers. Precognitive surge is notable, as it can be used to help out with the lower saves as well as Tri’s AC.
the feat slots that are used on scorpion's grasp and improved trip are actually pretty malleable. Here are some other options
Battle jump + Up the walls for improved tripping
Sapphire fist + Pain touch + stunning fist monk bonus feat. Pretty good to layer on debuffs.
Psionic fist + Unavoidable strike. Coupled with invisible fist, this makes it so you only have to hit on a 10, which is pretty nice with pounce.
Psionic meditation + psycarnum infusion. I didn’t include this, but you could do an infinite power point loop with azure talent. It’d also allow filling multiple soulmelds beyond essentia available, which could be pretty cool, and activating it multiple times/turn would not be tough with all the extra actions.
Maybe chaos monk from dragon would be more thematically appropriate.
Passive Way would grant access to Improved grapple and power attack sooner and provide a bonus to intimidate
Hidden Talent Psionic Minor Creation + Master of poisons. This would empower all of your pounce attacks a fair bit with things like greensickness, but it’d only be good at lower levels.
Though it seems I only took monk for three levels to meet the SI’s prerequisites, that is not the case. The reason is mostly fluff; the SI embodies chaos, so a chaos incarnate only made snese. Thus, further progression in monk cannot occur due to a (not-necessary) fluff-based alignment change. Also, it’s not really exploiting alignment change at all, as you are expected to enter a chaos-oriented PrC with a lawful base class. Despite this, I do admit that the chaos incarnum radiance works best wiht my build,which is really just dandy.
Anyway, main point: not a necessary alignment change, just worth it or the fluff.

First off, the obvious is Monk belt. I’d also suggest a greater cloak of soulbound resistance, which would REALLY boost your saves. Incarnum focreally boost Tri’s chance of hitting. A CON item of just +1 would allow him to shape all Also, thanks to his UMD from Elder Spirit, Tri can use various magic items. Maybe a Torc of Power preservation. Skill boosting items would be good, as would an amulet of natural attacks with something like collision, or maybe doomwarding for extra attacks and versatility. Honestly, Tri’ijin is pretty self-reliant

{table=POWERS]Level acquired|Power and level
8|Expansion (level 1)
10|Hustle (level 2)
11|Chameleon (level 1)
14|Animal Affinity (level 3)
17|Psionic Freedom of Movement (level 4)[/table]
{table=SOULMELDS]Level acquired|Soulmeld
4|Elder Spirit
4|Fellmist Robe
5|Spellward Shirt
7|Silvertongue Mask
20|Impulse Boots[/table]


Unearthed Arcana: Passive Way
SRD: Skills, Monk, Improved Grapple
Expanded Psionics Handbook: Powers, Knowledge (Psi), Hidden Talent
Complete Psionics: SI
Sandstorm: Scorpion’s grasp
Magic of Incarnum: Shape Soulmeld, Incarnate, Skarn, Skarn monk ACF, Fellmist Robe, Silvertongue Mask, Sphinx’s Claws, Impulse boots, spellward shirt, Azure Talent
Dragon Magic: Elder Spirit
Complete Warrior: Shock Trooper
Mind’s Eye: Soul Manifester
Exemplars of Evil: Invisible Fist ACF

[Kuulvheysoon]

You know, I'm pretty sure Terry Pratchett could make a pretty good Time Monks joke here...


Nick Snarespan
LN Human Psychic Rogue 2/Monk 3/Trapsmith 5/Zerth Cenobite 10

The Flow of Time

Ability Scores
32 point buy: 10 Str, 15 Dex, 12 Con, 16 Int, 14 Wis, 10 Cha
Increase Dex at 4th and Wis every time thereafter.
Level Progression{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Psychic Rogue 1|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|Use Psionic Device 4, Hide 4, Move Silently 4, Craft (Trapmaking) 4, Tumble 4, Open Lock 4, Autohypnosis 4, Concentration 4, Search 4, Disable Device 4|Able Learner, Weapon Finesse (Human)|Sneak Attack 1d6, Trapfinding

2nd|Psychic Rogue 2|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+0| Use Psionic Device 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Craft (Trapmaking) 5, Tumble 4, Open Lock 5, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 5, Search 5, Disable Device 5, Balance 1|-|Evasion

3rd|Monk 1|
+1|
+2|
+5|
+2| Use Psionic Device 6, Hide 6, Move Silently 6, Craft (Trapmaking) 6, Tumble 4, Open Lock 5, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 6, Search 6, Disable Device 6, Balance 2|Darkstalker, Improved Unarmed Strike (Monk), Stunning Fist (Monk)|Bonus Feat, Flurry of Blows, Unarmed Strike

4th|Monk 2|
+2|
+3|
+6|
+3| Use Psionic Device 7, Hide 7, Move Silently 7, Craft (Trapmaking) 7, Tumble 4, Open Lock 5, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 7, Search 7, Disable Device 7, Balance 3|Monastic Training (Zerth Cenobite)|Bonus Feat, Invisible Fist ACF

5th|Monk 3|
+3|
+3|
+6|
+3| Use Psionic Device 8, Hide 8, Move Silently 8, Craft (Trapmaking) 8, Tumble 4, Open Lock 5, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 8, Search 8, Disable Device 8, Balance 4|-|Still Mind

6th|Trapsmith 1|
+3|
+3|
+8|
+3| Use Psionic Device 9, Hide 9, Move Silently 9, Craft (Trapmaking) 9, Tumble 6, Open Lock 5, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 9, Search 8, Disable Device 9, Balance 5, Psicraft 1|Martial Study (Shadow Jaunt)|Booby Traps (Simple), Master Disarmer, Trap Sense +1

7th|Trapsmith 2|
+4|
+3|
+8|
+3| Use Psionic Device 10, Hide 10, Move Silently 10, Craft (Trapmaking) 10, Tumble 7, Open Lock 6, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 9, Search 8, Disable Device 9, Balance 5, Psicraft 5|-|Arrow Proof, Quick Fingers

8th|Trapsmith 3|
+5|
+4|
+8|
+4| Use Psionic Device 11, Hide 11, Move Silently 11, Craft (Trapmaking) 11, Tumble 9, Open Lock 10, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 9, Search 8, Disable Device 9, Balance 5, Psicraft 5|-|Booby Traps (Advanced)

9th|Zerth Cenobite 1|
+5|
+4|
+10|
+6| Use Psionic Device 12, Hide 12, Move Silently 12, Craft (Trapmaking) 12, Tumble 10, Open Lock 10, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 10, Search 9, Disable Device 10, Balance 5, Psicraft 5|Sun School|Monk Abilities, Temporal Distillation (Move Action)

10th|Zerth Cenobite 2|
+6|
+4|
+11|
+7| Use Psionic Device 13, Hide 13, Move Silently 13, Craft (Trapmaking) 13, Tumble 11, Open Lock 11, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 11, Search 9, Disable Device 11, Balance 5, Psicraft 5|-|Backslip 1/day

11th|Zerth Cenobite 3|
+7|
+5|
+11|
+7| Use Psionic Device 14, Hide 14, Move Silently 14, Craft (Trapmaking) 14, Tumble 12, Open Lock 12, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 11, Search 10, Disable Device 11, Balance 5, Psicraft 5, Sleight of Hand 1|-|Timeless Step

12th|Zerth Cenobite 4|
+8|
+5|
+12|
+8| Use Psionic Device 15, Hide 15, Move Silently 15, Craft (Trapmaking) 15, Tumble 12, Open Lock 13, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 11, Search 10, Disable Device 12, Balance 5, Psicraft 5, Sleight of Hand 1, Twisted Charge|Tashalatora (Zerth Cenobite)|Precognition 1/day

13th|Zerth Cenobite 5|
+8|
+5|
+12|
+8| Use Psionic Device 16, Hide 16, Move Silently 16, Craft (Trapmaking) 16, Tumble 13, Open Lock 13, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 11, Search 12, Disable Device 13, Balance 5, Psicraft 5, Sleight of Hand 1, Twisted Charge|-|Temporal Distillation (Standard Action)

14th|Zerth Cenobite 6|
+9|
+6|
+13|
+9| Use Psionic Device 17, Hide 17, Move Silently 17, Craft (Trapmaking) 17, Tumble 14, Open Lock 14, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 12, Search 12, Disable Device 14, Balance 5, Psicraft 5, Sleight of Hand 1, Twisted Charge |-|Backslip 2/day

15th|Zerth Cenobite 7|
+10|
+6|
+13|
+9| Use Psionic Device 18, Hide 18, Move Silently 18, Craft (Trapmaking) 18, Tumble 14, Open Lock 14, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 12, Search 12, Disable Device 14, Balance 5, Psicraft 5, Sleight of Hand 1, Twisted Charge |Martial Stance (Assassin’s Stance)|Precognition 2/day

16th|Zerth Cenobite 8|
+11|
+6|
+14|
+10| Use Psionic Device 19, Hide 19, Move Silently 19, Craft (Trapmaking) 19, Tumble 15, Open Lock 15, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 12, Search 13, Disable Device 15, Balance 5, Psicraft 5, Sleight of Hand 1, Twisted Charge |-|Temporal Strike

17th|Zerth Cenobite 9|
+11|
+7|
+14|
+10| Use Psionic Device 20, Hide 20, Move Silently 20, Craft (Trapmaking) 20, Tumble 15, Open Lock 16, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 12, Search 15, Disable Device 16, Balance 5, Psicraft 5, Sleight of Hand 1, Twisted Charge |-|Precognitive Surge

18th|Zerth Cenobite 10|
+12|
+7|
+15|
+11| Use Psionic Device 21, Hide 21, Move Silently 21, Craft (Trapmaking) 21, Tumble 16, Open Lock 17, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 12, Search 16, Disable Device 17, Balance 5, Psicraft 5, Sleight of Hand 1, Twisted Charge |Shadow Blade|Temporal Distillation (Full Round Action), Timeless Body

19th|Trapsmith 4|
+13|
+7|
+16|
+11| Use Psionic Device 22, Hide 22, Move Silently 22, Craft (Trapmaking) 22, Tumble 17, Open Lock 18, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 12, Search 17, Disable Device 18, Balance 5, Psicraft 5, Sleight of Hand 1, Twisted Charge, Nimble Charge |-|Dance Through Danger, Spell Proof

20th|Trapsmith 5|
+13|
+7|
+16|
+11| Use Psionic Device 23, Hide 23, Move Silently 23, Craft (Trapmaking) 23, Tumble 18, Open Lock 20, Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 12, Search 18, Disable Device 20, Balance 5, Psicraft 5, Sleight of Hand 1, Twisted Charge, Nimble Charge |-|Avoid Disaster, Trap Sense +3[/table]

Psionic Powers
{table=head]Level|PP|New Powers Known
1|0|Entangling Ectoplasm
2|1|Compression
9|2|Claws of the Beast
10|4|Chameleon
11|4|-
12|6|Psionic Lion’s Charge
13|8|-
14|12|-
15|16|Dimension Slide
16|20|-
17|24|Hustle
18|28|-[/table]*Does not take into account bonus PP for high Int or Wis scores. Note that as Nick has an Int score of at least 16 at 8th level, he has a PP reserve of at least 4, more than enough to qualify for the SI.

Trapsmith Spells

Spells/Day
{table=head]Level|1st|2nd|3rd

6|1|-|-

7|2|-|-

8|2|1|-

19|3|2|-

20|3|2|1[/table]*Does not take into account bonus spells from a high Int score.
Spells Known
{table=head]Level|New Spells Known

6|Haste, Knock

7|Clairvoyance/Clairaudience

8|Dimension Door, Lesser Globe of Invulnerability

19|Protection From Energy, Stone Shape

20|Wall of Stone [/table]

Momentary Glimpses
The Pivotal Second Nick Snarespan, sprinted down the city street avoiding bumping into various passersby narrowly, if at all. He was terribly late for a very important assignment for the Thieves’ Guild, and expected to be in considerable trouble for it. The Guild didn’t set much store by the laws of the land, but punctuality was one rule on which they insisted. There were never enough hours in the day, he thought bitterly as he ran, only to be interrupted from his reverie as he almost ran head on into a man’s torso which had suddenly bent down in front of him. His curiosity overcoming his hurry, Nick turned back to see who the man had been bowing to. A robed man with a shaved head and a look of calm upon his face strolled leisurely along the path. Nick swore under his breath. The man was the new abbot of the city monastery. A bow had been expected of him, and in his rush he had committed a grave offense. Going back to apologize would make him even later than he already was, but there was nothing else for it. He doubled back, stopping in front of the abbot and bowing low.
“Apologies, your holiness. I was in a hurry and did not see you. I meant no disrespect.”

The abbot looked down at him serenely and said, “I sense that this is not an uncommon occurrence for you, my son, and that time habitually makes a fool of you.”

The rogue fidgeted uncomfortably, thinking that he really didn’t have the luxury of waiting through a monastic lecture. “Time makes fools of us all, does it not?” he asked weakly.

The monk chuckled to himself and smiled at him. “You should come with me, to the monastery,” he said simply. “You could learn to still your racing mind, and to not be swept about at the mercy of the streams of time.”

Nick opened his mouth to say that he really had to be somewhere else at the moment, but something stopped him. He nodded, and followed the abbot down the path.

Levels 1-5:For the first couple of levels you’re a pretty standard sneak/trap monkey. In exchange for having fewer skill points than its non-Psionic counterpart, Psychic Rogue grants a few useful powers. Being able to entangle things is invaluable at these levels, and Compression can help you hide and get you a little Dex bonus which will help you hit things, thanks to Weapon Finesse. The class also grants Evasion, so we’ll choose to take the Invisible Fist ACF instead at the second Monk level. Sneak around, pick locks, disarm traps, make sneak attacks with Stunning Fist or a light crossbow, Entangle enemies occasionally. Things are pretty simple for the time being. Meanwhile, Able Learner ensures that we can keep taking the skills we want and will be able to maintain the skillmonkey role (and the wonderful UPD) throughout the build’s progression.

Time Marches OnNick spent a long while at the monastery. Longer than most did, in fact. He’d had his reservations, but he found himself enjoying the time set aside for meditating. Still, in those moments not specifically devoted to learning mental or martial discipline, he would often revert back to his old tendencies, fiddling with traps, locks, and psychic instruments. The abbot did not seem surprised when he found his student at such pursuits, but he warned Nick that he was still at the mercy of the flow of time. He began to instruct him in the basic forms and meditations of a new subschool of his martial art, called zerthin, and insisted on the rogue progressing far enough in his meditative practice to make his mind still when the situation called for it. He said that after Nick returned to the outside world, the time would come when he would find need for the techniques.

The Thieves’ Guild were rather cross with Nick when he returned from his sabbatical at the monastery, but they saw that his time there had not been entirely wasted. Seeing that he had an aptitude for working with traps, they directed him toward special training for that purpose. Having opportunities to step away from the hustle and bustle to tinker with traps suited Nick, and for a time he enjoyed himself, and his thoughts seldom drifted back to the monastery, save for when he brought his training to bear while on the job.

Eventually, though, the mists of time began to close in around him once more, and bitter thoughts that there were never enough hours in a given day seeped into his mind once more. And so, he returned to the zerthin meditations and forms that the abbot had taught him. Then, one day, he felt something awaken in his mind. It was some kind of psionic power. That much he knew. But it was unlike the sharp, calculating mental powers that he had previously possessed. This power was calmer. It flowed through his mind when he made it still, and showed him glimpses of the flow of time around him, and with some effort, found he could snag a few extra seconds of it here or there as it drifted by. He understood at last what the abbot had been showing him, and soon thereafter, Nick Snarespan said his final goodbyes to his guildmates, and returned to the monastery, though he resolved to keep up on his tinkering and thieves’ tricks as best he could.

Levels 6-10: At 6th level Nick enters Trapsmith, a nifty little PrC with a good spell list and the ability to set traps relatively quickly (full round actions). Craft (Trapmaking) will be maxed throughout Nick’s career, both for the Booby Traps and for standard trap making. If you can, get your hands on some poisons and alchemical things to incorporate in. I wanted to put ranks into those crafting skills as well, but just couldn’t swing it. Picking up Dimension Door through the Trapsmith list and Shadow Jaunt by way of Martial Study gives him a few different means of short range teleportation to trigger Sun School, which he picks up at level 9. And as it turns out, Sun School actually does other things besides serving as a mini-Shadow Pounce. If you hit with the first two attacks in a flurry of blows, you can drive your enemy back 5 ft. So if you can somehow arrange for your target to have a trap or three directly behind them, hilarity will ensue. Nick also enters Zerth Cenobite at level 9, picking up an extra move action and a single reroll per day, along with a few first level powers by level 10. Nothing terribly exciting yet, but an extra move to stretch one of your Invisible Fist turns, to set up a trap and then run away, or to serve as a pseudo-pounce might come in handy, and among other things, Backslip is a good way to help make the triggering of Sun School’s pushback effect more reliable in case a poor roll comes up to bite you at the wrong time, and during any days of downtime when you’re just fiddling with your crafting, it helps you avoid poisoning yourself when applying poison to arrows for the crossbows that you use in some of your booby traps.

Time to Kill“He’s around here somewhere! Fan out and scour the area until you find him!”

Nick scowled as he peered out from his hiding spot. The hallway was crawling with thugs and he knew the room at the far end, where his objective lay, to be warded against teleportation. He had hidden himself well, but they would certainly find him with a thorough search. There was nothing else for it, he decided, but no matter. He could spare a few seconds.

As they closed in on his hiding spot, Nick stepped out of time. He stepped back into it, what seemed only a moment later to find that most of the guards were no longer nearby, but noticed one still poking around in the boxes directly to his right. When he saw Nick reappear next to him, the guard opened his mouth to shout for his companions, but out of reflex, Nick lashed out with a strike which stunned the man and stifled his outcry. With several more blows to points he knew to be vulnerable, the roguish monk brought his adversary down. He looked out at the hallway and saw, with relief, that the guards had moved on to search the rest of the area, save for the one he had just taken out, and a sentry at the door. Focusing his Ki, Nick disappeared from view and with a surge of mental exertion, surged forward, striking down the final guard.

He unlocked the door and slipped inside, barring it behind him, and quickly laying a few booby traps to delay the guards’ entry into the room. That should buy him some time, he thought as he set about locating his objective.

Levels 11-15: Now we’re starting to get into the meat of the SI. We pick up some important powers in Psionic Lion’s Charge and Dimension Slip. The former can be used in conjunction with the Twisted Charge skill trick to make for some nice mobility in Nick’s pounces, which can set up the aforementioned Sun School pushback into traps you’ve made. It also can help you hit things more reliably thanks to the attack bonus from charging, which can potentially be made larger through augmentation. Dimension Slide is for the time being, just another teleportation option, but will eventually be very useful indeed once Nick’s ML is high enough to augment it. Then there’s the actual class abilities. Temporal Distillation is up to a standard action, which will certainly come in handy the one time per day that you can use it, especially as you don’t have any faster means of teleportation yet. You’ve also got a use of Precognition, which you’ll use for basically the same things you’d use Backslip for, with the exception of poison smearing, since it can’t prevent a natural 1. Then there’s Timeless Step. Now for its intended purpose Timeless Step is pretty useless, since the only time you’d want to use it is if you were going to die without it, in which case you likely would be expecting not to make it to your next standard action. But with a sneaky character like Nick, it could actually save your bacon. It’s hard to think of a more effective place to hide than several rounds into the future. Also, there’s a chance that an enemy still sniffing around your hiding place when you return to it might trigger Sun School, which says “you must move adjacent to a foe instantaneously,” as Timeless step says you “reappear in the same orientation and condition as before. For you, no time has passed at all,” which means, from your point of view, you did just arrive in the space adjacent to a foe instantaneously. I wouldn’t count on it, but it’s worth asking your DM. These levels also get you some much needed oomph in your unarmed attacks thanks to double dipping the Monk Abilities progression with Tashalatora (which Nick would have wanted anyway to make his Flurry attacks more reliable), and an extra 2d6 worth of Sneak Attack through Assassin’s Stance.

Time On My Side Nick surged forth from the shadows, his fists, feet, and knees pummeled the vulnerable points in his unsuspecting target’s flesh. With the man staggering back before the onslaught, Nick delivered a final, mighty blow, focusing his mind so that his foe was ripped from time itself. Smiling with satisfaction, Nick set about laying various simple booby traps around the location from which his enemy had disappeared, chuckling to himself in much the same way the abbot had on that fateful meeting those many years ago.

When Nick’s already bruised and beaten adversary reentered the time stream, he found wires all about him, and in his confusion and alarm at their having seemingly appeared there out of thin air set most of him off. He was riddled with poisonous arrows, doused with acid, and finally swept from his feet by a tripwire the zerthin master had laid. Snarling, he tried to get to his feet, but doing so left him open to another knee to the gut. He crumpled to the floor, gasping for breath.

“You’ve been behind several from the monastery,” Nick said calmly. “I’d like to know where the artifacts have been going.”

The man merely sneered and spat in the monk’s direction. In response, Nick delivered another kick to the man’s jaw.

“Have it your way,” Nick sighed, taking out a trap part and beginning to tinker with it absentmindedly as his foe moaned in pain. “This can go on for as long as you’d like.” He smiled serenely. “I have plenty of time on my hands.”

Levels 16-20: Nick finishes off the SI. Temporal Distillation is now up to a full round action, giving you a pretty big shot in the arm 1/day, which, as before, stretches the invisible turns you get from Invisible Fist along with all the other stuff you can do with it. As Nick’s ML is now high enough for the augmentation, he can manifest Dimension Slide as a move action, and with the Hustle power picked up in place of anything higher level as his last power known, he can generate a move action from a swift, meaning effective swift action teleports. Of course, at least until you’ve expended the one use for the day, you’ve got Temporal Strike clamoring for your swift action as well. Temporal Strike is, in many ways, the impetus behind this whole skillmonkey/Trapsmith business. Taking someone out of the fight for a few rounds is nice and all, but if they don’t have friends for you to deal with in the meantime, you’re just sitting there twiddling your thumbs, or at best taking advantage of a few extra buff rounds if you need them. But Trapsmith offers us another option. After punching your foe into next week, or at least a few rounds down the line, you can start laying down traps for him to trigger when he gets back. If your DM rules that a square with traps in it is occupied, and puts him down somewhere else, just lay the traps behind his square, and knock him into them with Sun School when he gets back, but everything I’ve seen searching through the SRD has suggested that “occupied” is a defined game term referring to squares with creatures or things like walls in them, so I think having them come back to a square with trap wires and the like in it should be fine. Precognitive Surge and Timeless Body are nice little nova abilities as well, and Nick might get a little extra oomph out of them in downtime crafting. Precognitive Surge can allow him to make crazy high craft checks, and Timeless Body + Temporal Distillation can get you two turns’ worth of poison application without fear/wasted dorjes of restorative powers. Precognitive Surge can also trivialize UPD checks (a CL 17 Power Stone has a DC of 37, 20 ranks at 17th level+2 from the Psicraft synergy bonus+12 from Precognitive Surge means you make it on a 3 without any Cha boosting, and by 18th level you make it on a 1) for when you really need to be two tiers higher for a standard action or so. The last two levels finish off Trapsmith. The benefits of this are mostly minor trap related things, but there is some good stuff there as well. For starters, you finish off the spell progression, getting the Wall of Stone and Stone Shape spells which give you more fun things to do while an enemy has been removed from the battlefield by Temporal Strike. Trapsmith 4 also has a class feature called Dance Through Danger, which grants the ability to run through traps without triggering them if you make the search check by 5 or more. You can now cover the floor of your home base (or any other place where you would prefer that no one other than you ever go ever) with traps which you make the check for by exactly 5 when taking 20 with the bonuses from Precognitive Surge and Precognition, then memorize everything with those Autohypnosis ranks you took as a prerequisite for Tashalatora, to create a surface which is death to anyone else that steps on it, but which you can run around on with impunity. It probably counts as difficult terrain for the purposes of charging, but the Nimble Charge skill trick fixes that. Another Time, Another Place
AdaptationsI seriously considered having Nick go Necropolitan and making him middle aged. This would have allowed him to dump Con, and made him outright immune to the poisons he works with instead of bothering with rerolls and things to keep safe, as well as shoring up a few other weaknesses. It also would have been flavorful for a character who feels like he’s always short on time to have the years of his youth behind him, and for such a person to jump at the chance to stop the aging process and get the 8 hours a day they normally spend sleeping back. I could also have made a joke about how shaving one’s head when joining the monastery isn’t so bad when already balding.

Ultimately I decided against it because of the frailty it would result in at low levels prior to undergoing the Ritual of Crucimigration, because I thought it might be nice UoSI to let the Zerth Cenobite abilities handle some of the things it would have granted immunity to, and because I thought a it might take an elegance hit. Still, it’s certainly an option to consider.

There are also a few dips that could be made in place of the last two Trapsmith levels, Swordsage 1 for maneuvers, Factotum 1 for a bit more Int synergy, or Hit and Run Sneak Attack Fighter 1 for an extra Sneak attack dice and Dex synergy, Ardent 1 for the Magic Mantle so you can UPD wands and scrolls, or the ever useful Cloistered Cleric 1 are all good, albeit inelegant, alternate options.
Uses of WBLNick isn’t hugely dependent on items, but as is often the case with Rogue types, UMD/UPD users, and Psionic characters, he can get a lot of mileage out of his adventuring budget. How much of this you would actually use in game depends on your DM and your cheese tolerance, but here’s a handy list of a bunch of things that you might spend your treasure on.

First off, you’ll want all the standard materials and tools for your trapmaking and skillmonkeying, as well as various poisons and alchemical items to incorporate into your traps, and a Bag of Holding to carry everything around in. A few good quality light crossbows and some magical ammunition for the arrow traps wouldn’t go amiss either.

With the SI’s progression of Monk abilities and Tashalatora, you don’t need the extra boost from a Monk’s belt, which is a good thing, since, being a skill focused Monk, Nick is quite MAD and might want a Belt of Magnificence. Dex, Wis, and Int are your most important stats, but all the others are useful as well, unless you do go Necropolitan and remove your need for Con. Having it also be a Belt of Battle would come in handy too, as even a few extra move actions/day would come in handy, either to make use of the combos Nick can pull off with Temporal Distillation more often, or to combine into a turn where Temporal Distillation is already being used for a bigger nova.

A Necklace of Natural Attacks is always good for a Monk, and adding on the Knockback enhancement would make the pushing people into traps shtick more potent.

Psionic ammunition is always good as a cost effective way of expanding your PP pool.

It might be worth paying a friendly Psion or UPDing a Dorje/Power Stone of Psychic Reformation to replace Martial Study (Shadow Jaunt) with Martial Study (Shadow Stride) at some point. You could also just buy a Shadow Hand item of Shadow Stride.

Dorjes and Powers Stones for UPD. Since StP Erudites are a thing, you might be able to get access to spells. How much psionic/magic stuff you can get your hands on this way depends on your DM and setting, but it obviously has the potential to be great.

You might also be able to get powers and spells that have been made into powers of up to 4th level downloaded directly to your brain via Psychic Chirurgery. Again, it’s DM and setting dependent, but could do a lot for you.

If you go the Necropolitan route, you might need a Skin of Proteus to take advantage of beneficial Mind-Affecting effects like Psychic Reformation or Psychic Chirurgery.

The Annuls of Time
Sources List
Complete Scoundrel: Twisted Charge and Nimble Charge skill tricks
Dungeonscape: Trapsmith
Eberron Campaign Setting: Monastic Training
Exemplars of Evil: Invisible Fist ACF
Lords of Madness: Darkstalker
Races of Destiny: Able Learner
Secrets of Sarlona: Tashalatora
This Web Enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723b): Psychic Rogue
Tome of Battle: Martial Study, Martial Stance, and Shadow Blade
Everything else should either be in the SRD or Complete Psionic.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Badass Bookkeeper? Check.
Teoldrin Timeweaver
Lawful Neutral
Azurin
Incarnate 4 / Archivist 4 / Zerth Cenobite 10 / Swordsage 2

Theme Art:



http://www.geekosystem.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/dnd-sorcerer.jpg
I walk the rivers of time
Seeking that which is mine.
Knowledge lost, dark and dim,
Endless expansions of thought, I swim.

My power is borrowed from those unborn,
Temporarily granted, not wholly torn.
When my search is finally complete,
Chaos will be unbound, Order supreme.



Ability Scores:

32 point buy
{table=head]Stat|1st|4th|8th|12th|16th|20th|Final
Str|12|-|-|-|-|-|12

Dex|16|17|18|19|20|21|21

Con|14|-|-|-|-|-|14

Int|14|-|-|-|-|-|14

Wis|14|-|-|-|-|-|14

Cha|8|-|-|-|-|-|8[/table]


The Recipe:

NAME OF ENTRY
{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) +3, Knowledge (religion) +3, Knowledge (the Planes) +3, Spellcraft +3|Hidden Power, Psycarnum Infusion|Aura (alignment), Detect Opposition

2nd|Incarnate 2|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Knowledge (arcana) +2 (5), Spellcraft +2 (5)|---------|Chakra Bind (Crown)

3rd|Archivist 1|
+1|
+5|
+0|
+5|Knowledge (dungeoneering)+5 (5), Knowledge (religion) +1 (4)|Weapon Finesse|Dark Knowledge (tactics) 3/day

4th|Archivist 2|
+2|
+6|
+0|
+6|Concentration +3 (7), Knowledge (religion) +1 (5), Spellcraft +2 (7)|---------|Lore mastery (the Planes)

5th|Incarnate 3|
+2|
+6|
+1|
+6|Knowledge (the Planes) +4 (7)|---------|Expanded Soulmeld Capacity +1, Incarnum Radiance 1/day

6th|Archivist 3|
+2|
+6|
+2|
+6|Concentration +2 (9), Knowledge (dungeoneering) +2 (7)Knowledge (the Planes) +2 (9)|Bonus Essentia|Dark Knowledge 4/day

7th|Incarnate 4|
+3|
+7|
+2|
+7|Concentration +1 (10), Knowledge (the Planes) +1 (10), Spellcraft +2 (9)|---------|Chakra Bind (Feet, Hands)

8th|Archivist 4|
+4|
+8|
+2|
+8|Concentration +1 (11), Knowledge (dungeoneering) +4 (11), Knowledge (the Planes) +1 (11)|---------|Still Mind

9th|Zerth Cenobite 1|
+4|
+8|
+4|
+10|Auto-Hypnosis +6 (6)|Shape Soulmeld: Mauling Gauntlets|Monk Abilities, Temporal Distillation (move action)

10th|Zerth Cenobite 2|
+5|
+8|
+5|
+11|Auto-Hypnosis +6 (12)|---------|Backslip 1/day

11th|Zerth Cenobite 3|
+6|
+9|
+5|
+11|Hide +3 (3), Move Silently +3 (3)|---------|Timeless Step

12th|Zerth Cenobite 4|
+7|
+9|
+6|
+12|Hide +3 (6), Move Silently +3 (6)|Azure Talent|Precognition 1/day

13th|Swordsage 1 (unarmed)|
+7|
+9|
+8|
+14|Concentration +2 (13), Hide +3 (9), Move Silently +3 (9)|---------|Quick to Act +1, Discipline Focus (Weapon focus)

14th|Zerth Cenobite 5|
+7|
+9|
+8|
+15|Hide +3 (12), Move Silently +3 (12)|---------|Temporal Distillation (standard Action)

15th|Zerth Cenobite 6|
+8|
+10|
+9|
+16|Psicraft +6 (6)|Shadow Blade|Backslip 2/day

16th|Swordsage 2 (unarmed)|
+9|
+10|
+10|
+17|Concentration +2 (15), Hide +3 (15), Move Silently +3 (15)|---------|AC Bonus

17th|Zerth Cenobite 7|
+10|
+10|
+10|
+17|Hide +3 (18), Move Silently +3 (18)|---------|Precognition 2/day

18th|Zerth Cenobite 8|
+11|
+10|
+11|
+18|Hide +3 (21), Move Silently +3 (21)|Gloom Razor|Temporal Strike

19th|Zerth Cenobite 9|
+11|
+11|
+11|
+18|Concentration +4 (19), Hide +1 (22), Move Silently +1 (22)|---------|Precognitive Surge

20th|Zerth Cenobite 10|
+12|
+11|
+12|
+19|Concentration +4 (23), Hide +1 (23), Move Silently +1 (23)|---------|Temporal Distillation (full-round action), Timeless Body[/table]

*Bolded items are requirements met for feats or for Zeno Cenobite


Daily Abilities:

Meldshaping

{table=head]Level|Melds|Essn|Binds

1st|2|2|0

2nd|3|3|1

3rd|3|3|1

4th|3|3|1

5th|3|4|1

6th|3|6|1

7th|4|7|1

8th|4|7|1

9th|4|7|1

10th|4|7|1

11th|4|7|1

12th|4|8|1

13th|4|8|1

14th|4|8|1

15th|4|8|1

16th|4|8|1

17th|4|8|1

18th|4|8|1

19th|4|8|1

20th|4|8|1*[/table]

*Once Open Chakra comes online, we can bind as many Soulmelds as PP and Con Score allows.


Archivist Spells per day

{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd

1st|-|-|-|-

2nd|-|-|-|-

3rd|3|2|-|-

4th|4|3|-|-

5th|4|3|-|-

6th|4|3|2|-

7th|4|3|2|-

8th|4|4|3|-

9th|4|4|3|-

||||

20th|4|4|3|-[/table]


Zerth Cenobite / Psionics

{table=head]Level|PP Total|Pwrs Knwn|Max Level

1st|2|1|-

|||

8th|2|1|-

9th|3|2|1st

10th|4|3|1st

11th|5|3|1st

12th|7|4|2nd

13th|7|4|2nd

14th|9|4|2nd

15th|13|4|2nd

16th|15|4|2nd

17th|17|5|3rd

18th|21|5|3rd

19th|25|5|3rd

20th|29|6|4th[/table]


Powers Known

{table=head]Level|Power|Power's Effect

|Hidden Talent||

1st|Prescience, Offensive|+2 insight to damage, +1 for every additional 3 PP.

|Zerth Cenobite||

1st|Compression|Shrink 1 size, +2 Dex, -2 Str, +1 attack and +1 AC. More PP, greater effects.

1st|Precognition, Defensive|+1 insight to AC and Saves, +1 for every additional 3 PP.

2nd|Hustle|Gain an extra move action this turn

3rd|Dimension Slide|Teleport within close range as standard action, move action with more PP..

4th|Open Chakra, Psionic|Open chakra, high tier with more PP. Bind as if gained as class ability/feat.
[/table]


Swordsage Manuever Progression

{table=head]Level|Known|Ready|Stances|Init Level

1st|-|-|-|0.5

2nd|-|-|-|1

3rd|-|-|-|1.5

4th|-|-|-|2

5th|-|-|-|2.5

6th|-|-|-|3

7th|-|-|-|3.5

8th|-|-|-|4

9th|-|-|-|4.5

10th|-|-|-|5

11th|-|-|-|5.5

12th|-|-|-|6

13th|6|4|1|7

14th|6|4|1|7.5

15th|6|4|1|8

16th|7|4|2|9

17th|7|4|2|9.5

18th|7|4|2|10

19th|7|4|2|10.5

20th|7|4|2|11[/table]

Swordsage Manuevers Known
{table=head]Level|Manuever|Type|Maneuver's Effect

|Setting Sun||

1st|Counter Charge|Counter|Make opposed strength or dex check, ruin charge attack

3rd|Feigned Opening|Counter|Provoke attack and then counter attack

4th|Strike of the Broken Shield|Strike|Deals +4d6 damage, Ref Save or target becomes flat footed

|Shadow Hand||

2nd|Cloak of Deception|Boost|Turn invisibile until end of turn

3rd|Assassin's Stance|Stance|Gain sneak attack +2d6

4th|Obscuring Shadow Veil|Strike|Deals +5d6 damage and foe has 50% miss chance on attacks for 1 round

5th|Step of the Dancing Moth|Stance|Ignore terrain, walk over liquid.

|Stone Dragon||

3rd|Bonecrusher|Strike|Attack deals +4d6 damage, fort save or critical confirms have +10 to roll

5th|Elder Mountain Hammer|Strike|Deals +6d6 damage and ignores hardness and damage reduction[/table]



When All Seems To Be Chaos: ECL 1 - 5 (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=774807)

I have often pondered the nature of the universe and the laws that govern it. I am not the first, nor will I be the last. Greater minds than my own have tried to piece together the hints we find and have gone mad in the attempt. Mortal minds, after all, have not the capacity to isolate every piece of matter contained in reality and weigh the causality behind every interaction it has within space and time, past and future. Perhaps this realization of my own limitations have spared me from the common end of those who push themselves too far. I know that there are laws behind every action and reaction in the universe. I have no need to fully understand them. In fact, I do not believe it is possible to do so. A divine mind of incredible complexity created the universe as we know it, shaped it out of the very fabric of the Far Realm and gave it rules. Between the unknowable workings of that mind and the volitale nature of the Far Realm, anything created from it is bound to resist complete understanding.

This very paradox is why I started adventuring. I seemed to have a innate intuition (I wouldn't call it an understanding) of the order all around me. Everything fit a pattern. Cause and effect, action and reaction. Causality was open before me and shaped the way I saw things and how I learned. Most people assumed my incarnum taint was the reason I was so odd. It was truly the opposite. Because of my insight, I saw the energies that coated the fabric of our reality, the fuel used to give birth to magic of all sorts, and learned that it all had the same source. The raw incarnum that people were so familiar with was merely the most condensed form of this energy. The preconceptions of the people and their 'indoctrination' kept all but the most perceptive and open-minded from making that connection.

I have begun to ramble again. I get so tied up trying to explain they way I see things and the way it works that I cease to remain on one train of thought. Interconnections and patterns, all tied together in such a knot that it is almost impossible to unravel. Everything rests upon everything else and vice-versa, until it is only itself that supports itself. These thoughts kept my mind busy for much of my childhood. I was wrapped up in such contemplation that many thought I was touched in the head and slow to learn. I was neither, simply absorbing everything like a sponge, imposing my own understanding of the 'rules' and how I would react to them. When I did begin to speak, people were unnerved by my bluntness, exasperated by my frustration with their answers to my questions and they ended up convincing my parents to send me away to a larger city, where my questions could be answered and, at the very least, I could stop asking them.

I found myself drawn to the monastery, where quiet contemplation was encouraged and I had access to vasts amounts of information in the local archives. It was here that I learned how to harness the power of the Incarnum. That was not the end of my studies. The monks of this order had a way to unlock secrets of their mind and rely on their own stores of energy to enhance their bodies. I was never one to ignore new knowledge and I have always relished a challenge. It was then that I unlocked the potential of my own mind though I lacked the force of personality needed to truly manifest that power in the world. I needed more training and magic. Despite the inability on my part, I was able to tie the two abilities together to bolster the soul energies with my own, temporarily infusing my Incarum beyond its normal ability.

By the time I had reached the age of maturity, I had made quite a name for myself amoung the clergy. Word had spread of my rare abilities and I was approached by the local church to 'solve' a few local problems plaguing the nearby areas. I would never have gone on such an adventure had I been left to my own devices. I was quite content to stay in the monasery and learn. I look back and see the interference as a mixed blessing.

--------------------------

It is terribly difficult to salvage usuable equipment and items from your fallen enemies when you use acid, almost exclusively, to take them down. Scrolls and other parchments, things I price more highly than others, are the first to go when not properly protected. Perhaps I should explain myself. After a few months of adventuring, I found myself drawn towards what is commonly referred to as 'divine magic'. These clergy claim to have spells granted to them by their deity, though I know it is merely a subtle manipulation of the soul energies in the world. Somehow, these clergy are being given access to the energy by other forces and the power is channelled into them. The very idea of a higher power granting a bit of its own power to its worshippers amused me and I wanted to see it first hand.

I was not disappointed. While never experiencing the desire to worship one of these deities, I was able to develop the ability to cast divine magic, though similar to the way wizards do. Through specific rituals and preparation. Scrolls were my link to this power and I delved through many a dungeon in search of lost tomes and knowledge. It was through these adventures that I stumbled upon hints and rumors of greater workings of the universe. Things to do with time and the movement through. Everything I had known at that point about time came into question. I had assumed that everything was bound to time. My entire belief on causality rested on the fact that time was immutable and all things were subject to it. One could not just leap frog through it.

This obsession became the driving force behind my adventuring for a very long time.

Level 1: As an incarnate, we can assume a number of roles (we can backup heal and even go skill monkey route, given prep time). We will serve as a support character for the first few levels, adjusting soulmelds as needed. Dissolving spittle will be our primary source of ranged damage with Incarnate Avatar boosting our Melee to hit when necessary. The two feats we have don't really add anything to our abilities though will later.

Level 2: With the addition of the Crown chakra bind, we have a few added options. Crystal helm will give us deflection AC and the force descriptor to our attacks (useful against incorporeal enemies). Enigma helm gives us immunity to charm. Diadem of Purelight gives us a light source and a way to negate almost all concealment.

Level 3: Archivist. One of the few ways to gain Still mind as a class feature, outside of monk levels. This gives use access to divine spells (and magic wands) as well as a handy tactics ability. The ability to learn arcane magic is also a boon. Weapon finesse allows us a steady melee presence though our HP indicates we should still limit our time there.

Level 4: Lore mastery gives us a minor boosts to two skills. We've been boosting knowledge skills to use with tactics. A high Spellcraft allows easier copying of arcane scrolls.

Level 5: Expanded Soulmeld capacity really helps with everything. Better ranged attack, higher melee attack, etc. Our Psycarnum infusion is now useful as it grants a good deal more essentia for the cost of our psionic focus.



Training to Become One of Them: ECL 6 - 10 (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=774977)

It took a very long time for me to satisfy my obsession with time manipulation. I began to realize that if it was possible, leapfrogging through time was either something only the very powerful could do, and thus within their right, or was not possible through mortal means. That knowledge was enough to settle me on a new path. I wanted that power to move in time. I knew that to do so, I would need to master myself. In a place were time was mutable or non-existant, only one's will could keep one intact. As perceptive as I was about the world, I had little confidence in my upper limit of my abilities. I needed to test them, hone them and find their limits so that I could push past them.

I grew skilled with magic, enough to enhance my natural ability and gained the ability to weave the soul energies around me into my very flesh, binding the soulmelds to my chakra points. I even reached the point were I could still my racing mind and find peace in the midst of chaos. I am not strong man, having had to learn to use my natural agility to affect any real ability in melee combat. I've had to rely more than I would like on my supernatural abilities though I have now come to accept their use as necessary. They are mine, after all. I have chosen to focus more of my attention into them in the hopes that my body will pick up on the enhanced skills as it grows used to them.

I have discovered a sect of psionic warrior monks that believe time itself is chaotic, leading all things to breaking down and through mastery of oneself and one's body as it travels through time, one can gain power and insight into the very flow of time itself. While the belief in chaos repulses me, I have a polar opposite view of the matter myself, I find their abilities intriguing. Almost everyone of them are devote monks that have dabbled in psionic abilities. I believe I may be one of the few non-monks to grace their doorstep that has the potential to learn their ways. Just in case, I needed to make myself appear more ... monk-like.

---------------------

Time ... is messy. It was not long into my training when I began to see the frayed strings all around me. Freely floating, waiting for just the right tug and you could warp the very fabric of space/time around you to do all manner of strange things. It is no wonder that training is meant for only the most focused of the monks. The self-control necessary to not pull and see what happens tests my limits constantly. It would be so simple to tug and send an enemy spiralling into a timeless space that leeches the life from him in unmeasurable moments. I can not do it. I could be pulled into the abyss as well.

The training was grueling, especially for me, as I lacked the true measure of control needed. I persevered, however, and completed it. I even developed a new soulmeld to enhance my unarmed damage. I have become skilled at alternating between my short sword and my free hand. It also serves me well if I need to cast a spell in combat. No longer needing armor to protect myself is a freedom that I never experienced and I relish it.

I am still growing ... acustomed to the flashes of insight that plague me. Learning to guard one's mind from outside sources is easier when you are not having it spoon-fed snap shots of information from the future. Learning to control this after the fact will take up a good portion of my concentration. I do find I have some limited control over my immediate past. Every once in a while, I get the impression of a future self warning me about a particular bad thing about to happen and giving just enough insight to prepare me against it.

I have finally unlocked the full potential of my psionic powers. It shouldn't have suprised me that the powers I use with psionics are almost exactly the same as with my spellcasting and not too disimilar from my meldshaping abilities. All roads lead to the same place, is the common saying.

Level 6: We aquire 2nd level spells and can use them for buffing purposes. Mostly defensive oriented combat spells, those that lack saving throws. Mirror image, Invisibility, etc. Cat's Grace and other stat boosting spells can be helpful as we don't rely on stat enhancing items until a bit later. We take bonus essentia. More essentia is always better.

Level 7: Our last level of Incarnate. We gain hands and feet chakra binds. This will be important very soon. For the moment, we can shape and bind Lightning Gauntlets to get extra damage to our first attack each round.

Level 8: This is the level we meet all requirements for Zeno Cenobite. BAB = 4, Concentration > 9, Power reserve = 2 and we have just acquired Still mind as a class feature. Our character is not very monk-like at this point but this will change drastically next level.

Level 9: First, the feat shape soulmeld gives us the Mauling Gauntlets. Gaining +2 to strength based checks (not skill checks) and an additional to +2 per essentia invested is no laughing matter. When bound, we get the benefit of improved unarmed strike and get that bonus to strength as a morale bonus to unarmed damaged. Secondly, with the Zeno Cenobite's monk abilities, we get the improved damage of a monk, the AC bonus (I assumed not the Wis bonus) and unarmed movement speed. Thirdly, this is the level we will try our hardest to get an item to boost our effective monk level (Monk's belt made into a Robe), so that we can completely forgo armor

Level 10: Rerolling with backslip is nothing to laugh at. The psionic powers we have free up spells lots that we would have used before. Are poor reflex save is climbing rapidly and the BAB is doing better. Acquiring a belt of magnificence +2 is high on the agenda. Having higher stats in everything will be useful to us. Con 15+ let's us shape the max 5 Soulmelds we have.


A Respite in Sigil and Power Enhancement: ECL 11 - 15 (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=775034)

With my initiation completed, I was free to travel on my own and further heighten my powers through trial and combat. No better place to test you limits then when life and death are moments away. Never quite so receptive to those flashes of insight when you could be dead the next moment. I decided to look into the history of the Zeno Cenobites, more so than what they taught in initiation. I journeyed to Sigil, a hub on the great wheel of planes where anything and everything can be found. Along the way, I met a few people, went on a few missions and made a few enemies. Standard adventuring fare, actually.

When I arrived in Sigil, I was not prepared for the splendor before me. I must have spent years crawling about libraries and ancient repositories of knowledge, paying for the priviledge with favors, gold and promises of future adventures. This was by no means the only way I spent my time. I was also in search for new abilities to learn, to further enhance my newly awakened proficiency in combat. There were many fighting styles to choose from, though possessing a mix of Incarnum, divine (and arcane) spellcasting, psionics and temporal insights, these all served to limit the types I grew interested in. I wanted something new and I found it, even a sub-disciple that would compliment my current fighting style.

Desert Sun. Shadow Hand. Stone Dragon. These are the names of the fighting styles to which I was drawn. I was a quick study and picked up advanced manuevers with ease. I admit, I was only dabbling in the disciplines and never truly took them seriously. It was something to bide my time in the downtime between adventures. It was time well spent. The knowledge led me to learn how to use my agility to added momentum to each of my blows, trickery and confusion enhancing my abilities.

I have also discoverd a way to temporary boost my source of psionic energies with the incarnum, granting me additional resources to fuel my abilities. It is strange, being able to use psionics to infuse incarnum and incarnum to infuse psionics. It only gives more evidence that all 'magics' share a source. All one needs is knowledge of the link to bridge the gap.

Level 11: We are beginning to focus on stealth from this point forward. Our Soulmeld choices could be made to reflect it. Timeless Step is useful for getting out of trouble.

Level 12: Precognition is useful for boosting a roll as needed. Depending on how one rules on Azure Talent and Psycarnum Infusion interact, you could have a one time extra boost of PP or a repeatable 'free' source of PP upon expending your psionic focus. For simplicity sake, we are assuming its a one time bonus. We do get an extra essentia for our trouble. Should your DM rule otherwise, we have a sustainable ability to buff ourselves. We also gain Hustle, able to take another move action at the cost of PP.

Level 13: Why Swordsage? Why not? It has a monk-like feel to it and gets Wis to AC as a class ability, rather than relying on an item for it. Also gives a large boost of skill points. We are choosing to take the unarmed variant to get better unarmed damage progression. Maneuvers will also assist with our combat abilities. Better initiative and a free weapon focus with our unarmed strike is welcome.

Level 14: We gain the ability to take an extra standard action in a turn, once per day. Good for an emergency spell, power or maneuver.

Level 15: The highlight of this level is Shadow Blade. Adding Dex to damage is sorely needed. We don't have multiple dice to Melee damage, so we will have to resort to a high base damage. Enlarging isn't really an option as it will reduce our ability to hit. In comparison, reducing our size will hardly affect our damage and increase our ability to hit.



When Time Becomes Fluid, Eternity Awaits: ECL 16 - 20 Sweet Spot (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=775067)

Before I left Sigil, I completed what training I was going to in the combat manuevers. It was fruitful as I learned how to use my natural insight to guard myself better during battle. It even served to harden my hands so that I no longer had to rely Incarnum to let me strike with my fists. It now serves as an enhancement and a damed good one.

I felt drawn to someplace though I knew not why. It was like an itch that I could not scratch though perhaps it was more like a buzzing in my skull that pulled me forward. I had grown so in tune with the flow of time around me by now that I could sense a disturbance quite easily. Something about this disturbance was familiar, as if I knew what the source behind it was. It took me all the way back to my place of birth, something about the time/space fabric about the area felt weak. Weaker than I had ever felt before. Something seemed to be trying to come through and the closer I got to the source of the energy, the stronger it became and the stronger the pull was. The temptation to hasten myself and leap across the space was almost irresistible. Had I been any more weak willed, I would have used all my power to make my way their instantly. As it was, I forced myself to pause. Something was ... wrong.

The energies I had been feeling were familiar because they were my own. Stronger, older and more powerful but my own imprint was stamped on the energies, completely unmistakable. No one used the same combination of powers that I did and never in the same way. The only thing that made sense was a future version of myself was trying to break his way into the past. Cold dread creeped up my spine as I tried to calculate the amount of power that would be needed to rip one's self from the grasp of time and punch their way back into an earlier time. The possibilities of two versions of one person coexisting at the same time, identical in every way, as nothing new. People have experimented with clones and copies successfully. No, I was worried about what would happen when two identical souls existed at the same time.

Whatever it was, whatever horribly warped verision of myself that was trying to enter my timeline would have to be stopped. I would ...

---------------------

Pain. Darkness. Silence.

I ...

I ... am.

I am?

Am I, truly?

In this empty void... Do I still exist? By what measure can I count time? What does time mean here?

No. I am here. Somehow. What happened? I am not helpless in this void! Order will be RESTORED!

---------------------

It was blinding, the very first mote of light I was able to summon before my eyes. So dim, yet so bright that my eyes watered in the void heavy with nothingness. There was no air to breath and yet, it was not needed because no time passed here. It was a relief to see my body intact though panic began to set in almost instantly. I had no way of getting back!

No. Calm down. There is always a way. Time is not infinite. That is evident since you are now outside of it. Whatever took your place in your timeline needs to be stopped. Find the places where time is weak and reenter the timeline. If you can get in, you can get back out to search again.

I called my power to me, at once surprised at the speed in which it obeyed and yet, knowing it could not be any faster or slower in this place. Here, time was what I made it. I would not tire while I was here. I would not weaken. No time at all would pass between when I left the real timeline and when I re-entered it for the last time. I will search for what is mine. And I will take it back... Order will be restored...

Note: I consider the remaining levels to be the sweet spot.

Level 16: Swordsage 2, we get our Wis to AC in class form. Better, higher level maneuvers and a new stance.

Level 17: We get another use of Precognition and our 3rd level power, Dimension Slide. Quick way to teleport out of danger.

Level 18: Temporal Strike can be useful to spare allies a turn to recoup or retreat. Gloom razor gives use a per round ability to go invisible, sneak attack an enemy or reposition ourselves safely.

Level 19: Precognitive Surge is an amazing ability limited only by its one use per day. Much like a reroll, you won't be disappointed that you saved it when it is needed.

Level 20: Gaining the ability to take an additional full round action in a turn is amazing, even if it is only once per day. For this character, that's a free refresh on one sorely needed manuever. Timeless body is ... pretty good. I wish it had more uses in a day. Becoming invulnerable for a turn is really cool. Other than that, the highlight of this level is Open Chakra, Psionic. We get to bind any Soulmeld we shape, provided we have the PP to open the chakra. How azure talent and Psycarnum infusion interact here is important as it could mean 5 binds per day. Otherwise its an additional 2.



Sources:

Classes:
Archivist - Heroes Of Horrow
Incarnate - Magic of Incarnum
Swordsage - Tome of Battle
Zeno Cenobite - Complete Psionic

Feats:
Hidden Talent - ( Expanded Psionics Handbook, p. 67) (http://dndtools.eu/feats/expanded-psionics-handbook--65/hidden-talent--1387/)
Psycarnum Infusion - ( Magic of Incarnum, p. 40) (http://dndtools.eu/feats/magic-of-incarnum--74/psycarnum-infusion--2294/)
Weapon Finesse - ( Player's Handbook v.3.5, p. 102) (http://dndtools.eu/feats/players-handbook-v35--6/weapon-finesse--3103/)
Bonus Essentia - ( Magic of Incarnum, p. 35) (http://dndtools.eu/feats/magic-of-incarnum--74/bonus-essentia--251/)
Shape Soulmeld - ( Magic of Incarnum, p. 40) (http://dndtools.eu/feats/magic-of-incarnum--74/shape-soulmeld--3192/)
Azure Talent - ( Magic of Incarnum, p. 34) (http://dndtools.eu/feats/magic-of-incarnum--74/azure-talent--167/)
Shadow Blade - ( Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords, p. 32) (http://dndtools.eu/feats/tome-of-battle-the-book-of-nine-swords--88/shadow-blade--2556/)
Gloom Razor - ( Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords, p. 32) (http://dndtools.eu/feats/tome-of-battle-the-book-of-nine-swords--88/gloom-razor--1232/)

[Kuulvheysoon]

He plays for both teams.... if you know what I mean.
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha 11
Increases: Int at 4, 8, 12, 16, Cha at 20
Final: Str 8, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 22, Wis 13, Cha 12
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Alignment: CG
Build: Archivist 4/ Wizard 3/ Mystic Theruge 5/ Zerth Cenobite 8
References:
Archivist: Heroes of Horror p. 82
Mystic Theruge: DMG p. 192
Wizard Variant(Fighter): UA p. 59
Nymph's Kiss: BoED p. 44
Knowledge Devotion: Complete Champion p. 60
Somatic Weaponry: Complete Mage, p. 47
Eilserv School: Drow of the Underdark, p. 56
Wandstrike: Complete Arcane, p. 84
Skill Tricks: Complete Scoundrel p. 85
Call Item: Wizard's Website (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20030829a)

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

1st|Archivist|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Concentration 4, Listen 2, Knowledge (arcana) 3, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, Knowledge (nature) 4, Knowledge (religion) 4, Knowledge (the planes) 4, Spot 2, Spellcraft 2, Survival 2|Hidden Talent, Nymph's Kiss, Scribe Scroll|Dark knowledge (tactics) 3/day, Divine Spellcasting

2nd|Wizard Variant (Fighter)|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+4|Concentration 5, Listen 2, Knowledge (arcana) 5, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 5, Knowledge (nature) 5, Knowledge (religion) 5, Knowledge (the planes) 5, Spot 2, Spellcraft 3, Survival 2|Two Weapon Fighting|Arcane Spellcasting, Summon Familiar

3rd|Archivist|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+5|Concentration 6, Listen 2, Knowledge (arcana) 6, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 6, Knowledge (nature) 6, Knowledge (religion) 6, Knowledge (the planes) 6, Spot 2, Spellcraft 5, Survival 3|Weapon Focus (Quarterstaff)|Lore mastery

4th|Wizard|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+6|Concentration 7, Listen 2, Knowledge (arcana) 7, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 7, Knowledge (nature) 7, Knowledge (religion) 7, Knowledge (the planes) 7, Spot 2, Spellcraft 7, Survival 3||

5th|Archivist|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+6|Concentration 8, Gather Information 4, Listen 2, Knowledge (arcana) 8, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 7, Knowledge (nature) 8, Knowledge (religion) 8, Knowledge (the planes) 8, Spot 2, Spellcraft 8, Survival 3||Dark knowledge 4/day

6th|Wizard|
+2|
+4|
+2|
+6|Concentration 9, Gather Information 5, Listen 2, Knowledge (arcana) 9, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 8, Knowledge (nature) 9, Knowledge (religion) 9, Knowledge (the planes) 9, Spot 2, Spellcraft 9, Survival 3|Knowledge Devotion |

7th|Archivist|
+3|
+5|
+2|
+7|Concentration 10, Gather Information 5, Listen 2, Knowledge (arcana) 10, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 10, Knowledge (nature) 10, Knowledge (religion) 10, Knowledge (the planes) 10, Spot 2, Spellcraft 10, Survival 4||Still Mind

8th|Mystic Theruge|
+3|
+5|
+2|
+9|Concentration 11, Decipher Script 4, Gather Information 5, Listen 2, Knowledge (arcana) 11, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 10, Knowledge (nature) 10, Knowledge (religion) 11, Knowledge (the planes) 10, Spot 2, Spellcraft 12, Survival 4||+1 Casting Level Divine/Arcane

9th|Mystic Theruge|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+10|Concentration 12, Decipher Script 6, Gather Information 5, Listen 2, Knowledge (arcana) 12, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 10, Knowledge (nature) 11, Knowledge (religion) 12, Knowledge (the planes) 10, Spot 2, Spellcraft 13|Combat Casting|+1 Casting Level Divine/Arcane

10th|Zerth Cenobite|
+4|
+5|
+4|
+12|Concentration 13, Decipher Script 6, Gather Information 5, Listen 2, Jump 1, Knowledge (arcana) 12, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 10, Knowledge (nature) 11, Knowledge(Psionics) 5, Knowledge (religion) 13, Knowledge (the planes) 10, Spot 5, Spellcraft 13||Monk abilities, temporal distillation(move action), Psionics

11th|Zerth Cenobite|
+5|
+5|
+5|
+13|Concentration 14, Decipher Script 6, Gather Information 5, Listen 5, Jump 2, Knowledge (arcana) 12, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 10, Knowledge (nature) 11, Knowledge(Psionics) 10, Knowledge (religion) 14, Knowledge (the planes) 10, Spot 5, Spellcraft 13||Backslip 1/day

12th|Mystic Theruge|
+5|
+6|
+5|
+13|Concentration 15, Decipher Script 6, Gather Information 5, Listen 5, Jump 4, Knowledge (arcana) 15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 10, Knowledge (nature) 11, Knowledge(Psionics) 10, Knowledge (religion) 15, Knowledge (the planes) 10, Spot 5, Spellcraft 15|Somatic Weaponry|+1 Casting Level Divine/Arcane

13th|Zerth Cenobite|
+6|
+7|
+5|
+13|Concentration 16, Decipher Script 6, Gather Information 5, Listen 15, Jump 3, Knowledge (arcana) 15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 10, Knowledge (nature) 11, Knowledge(Psionics) 10, Knowledge (religion) 15, Knowledge (the planes) 10, Spot 13, Spellcraft 15||Timeless step

14th|Zerth Cenobite|
+7|
+7|
+6|
+14|Concentration 17, Decipher Script 6, Gather Information 5, Listen 15, Jump 5, Knowledge (arcana) 15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 10, Knowledge (nature) 11, Knowledge(Psionics) 11, Knowledge (religion) 15, Knowledge (the planes) 11, Spot 15, Spellcraft 15, Use Magic Device 2||Precognition 1/day


15th|Mystic Theruge|
+8|
+7|
+6|
+15|Concentration 18, Decipher Script 9, Gather Information 5, Listen 15, Jump 5, Knowledge (arcana) 15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 10, Knowledge (nature) 11, Knowledge(Psionics) 11, Knowledge (religion) 15, Knowledge (the planes) 12, Spot 15, Spellcraft 16, Use Magic Device 3|Eilserv School|+1 Casting Level Divine/Arcane

16th|Zerth Cenobite|
+9|
+7|
+6|
+15|Concentration 19, Decipher Script 9, Gather Information 5, Listen 15, Jump 5, Knowledge (arcana) 15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 10, Knowledge (nature) 11, Knowledge(Psionics) 14, Knowledge (religion) 15, Knowledge (the planes) 14, Spot 15, Spellcraft 17, Use Magic Device 4|Collector of Stories (Skill Trick)|Temporal distillation (standard action)

17th|Zerth Cenobite|
+10|
+8|
+7|
+16|Concentration 20, Decipher Script 9, Gather Information 5, Listen 15, Jump 5, Knowledge (arcana) 15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 10, Knowledge (nature) 14, Knowledge(Psionics) 14, Knowledge (religion) 15, Knowledge (the planes) 14, Spot 16, Spellcraft 17, Use Magic Device 4|Swift Concentration (Skill Trick)|Backslip 2/day

18th|Mystic Theruge|
+10|
+8|
+7|
+16|Concentration 20, Decipher Script 10, Gather Information 5, Listen 15, Jump 5, Knowledge (arcana) 15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 13, Knowledge (nature) 14, Knowledge(Psionics) 14, Knowledge (religion) 15, Knowledge (the planes) 14, Spot 16, Spellcraft 17, Use Magic Device 4|Wandstrike, Spot the Weak Point (Skill Trick)|+1 Casting Level Divine/Arcane

19th|Zerth Cenobite|
+11|
+8|
+7|
+16|Concentration 20, Decipher Script 10, Gather Information 5, Hide 10, Listen 15, Jump, 5, Knowledge (arcana) 15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 13, Knowledge (nature) 14, Knowledge(Psionics) 14, Knowledge (religion) 15, Knowledge (the planes) 14, Spot 16, Spellcraft 17, Tumble 2, Use Magic Device 4||Precognition 2/day


20th|Zerth Cenobite|
+12|
+8|
+8|
+17|Concentration 20, Decipher Script 10, Gather Information 5, Hide 10, Listen 15, Jump 5, Knowledge (arcana) 15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 13, Knowledge (nature) 14, Knowledge(Psionics) 14, Knowledge (religion) 15, Knowledge (the planes) 14, Spot 16, Spellcraft 17, Tumble 12, Use Magic Device 4|Back on Your Feet (Skill Trick)|Temporal strike[/table]


Divine Spells Per Day/Arcane Spells Per Day
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|3/-|2/-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|3/3|2/1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|4/3|3/1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|4/4|3/2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|4/4|3/2|2/-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|4/4|3/2|2/1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|4/4|4/2|3/1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|4/4|4/3|3/2|2/-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|4/4|4/3|4/2|3/1|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|4/4|4/3|4/2|3/1|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|4/4|4/3|4/2|3/1|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|4/4|5/3|4/3|3/2|2/-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|4/4|5/3|4/3|3/2|2/-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|4/4|5/3|4/3|3/2|2/-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|4/4|5/4|4/3|4/2|3/1|-|-|-|-|-

16th|4/4|5/4|4/3|4/2|3/1|-|-|-|-|-

17th|4/4|5/4|4/3|4/2|3/1|-|-|-|-|-

18th|4/4|5/4|5/3|4/3|3/2|2/-|-|-|-|-

19th|4/4|5/4|5/3|4/3|3/2|2/-|-|-|-|-

20th|4/4|5/4|5/3|4/3|3/2|2/-|-|-|-|-[/table]


Psionic PP and Powers Know
{table=head]Level|PP|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st-9th|2|Call Item|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|3|Call Item, Inertial Armor|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|4|Call Item, Inertial Armor, Precognition(Defensive)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|4|Call Item, Inertial Armor, Precognition(Defensive)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|5|Call Item, Inertial Armor, Precognition(Defensive)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|7|Call Item, Inertial Armor, Precognition(Defensive)|Hustle|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|7|Call Item, Inertial Armor, Precognition(Defensive)|Hustle|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th|9|Call Item, Inertial Armor, Precognition(Defensive)|Hustle|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

17th|13|Call Item, Inertial Armor, Precognition(Defensive)|Hustle|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

18th|13|Call Item, Inertial Armor, Precognition(Defensive)|Hustle|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

19th|17|Call Item, Inertial Armor, Precognition(Defensive)|Hustle|Empathic Transfer, Hostile|-|-|-|-|-|-

20th|21|Call Item, Inertial Armor, Precognition(Defensive)|Hustle|Empathic Transfer (Hostile)|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]


So what all do we have here. Generally speaking we have a jack of all trades. We're capable of providing plenty of support through our spells, and a few abilities. The tricks from the Cenobite class help give us flexibility for what we can do in a round. If we're pushed into an offensive role, we can makeup for our lack of superior spells with wands and staffs, and by utilizing the Eilservs School feats, and Wandstrike, we're no slouch in melee, though it's not our optimal position. All in all we have a good solid character that can fill in most cracks in a team. For future advancement, we'd likely focus on finishing out Mystic Theruge and Archivist since they provide the most benefit to us. Perhaps looking at another dip into Psychic Warrior if we want to get some better melee options, but that would definitely be the weakest of our choices.

I don't know who my birth parents are. I only know who raised me, and it is her that I call my mother. She found me in the woods, a lone human child. It was so long ago now I don't remember any other face looking after me except for hers. She never did explain to me why a nymph took in a stray child like that, but she did, and now I live today. I doubt I would've have seen my way to adulthood if not for her nurturing.

I always had an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and I could usually be found with my nose in a book. Initially a confusion to my mother who didn't know where I was finding them until I pulled one out of thing air in front of her. It would still be quite some time before I learned how I was able to manifest such things.

Still it was how I learned many things early on. The various planes, of existence, the creatures of the world, the powers of magic, both divine and arcane. My thirst for knowledge was insatiable. I soon began wandering, seeking ever more. Every trip was an adventure, and at the end I'd always come home to tell mother the new things I'd learned. A new spell, an ancient relic uncovered and returned to it's followers, all were tales she let me stumble through with a smile.

Every trip I came home, until I returned, and found her sacred grove defiled. Something unhallowed had been here, and from the looks of it taken her away. My heart was wrenched. I had to find her. Not to tell her of my latest exploits, but to ensure her safety. The fiend that took my mother and defiled this sacred place would be sorely punished for it's vile act.

As I left I looked back at the place I'd once called home, it might be some time before I came back here, if ever at all.

I began traveling far and wide, where as before I'd merely joined whatever band of adventurers happened by, I was driven with a purpose and found myself traveling into distant lands. One such group held a man who would teach me much.

He called himself a Cenobite, and he helped me open my mind. He taught me other ways to use my mind, and I continued to explore on my own. We respected each other, but in the end after he showed me the way there was little I could learn from him. Where his path was fraught with rigid structure, I was too used to learning on my own to change methods now.

Time passed and I found myself here in Erelhei-Cinlu. For five years I've lived in the city and continued to glean the knowledge I seek. It was a devil that took my mother, and I think I know which one now. All I await is the moment I can step into the depths of Baator, and save my mother, I am coming.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Time is an illusion, and so are my pants.
Nola Bramblethorn the Blessed, Sainted Female LG Strongheart Halfling Monk4/Swordsage3/Shadow Sun Ninja1/Zenth Cenobite10


"Even the smallest pebble can topple the cart"


Nola stood on the roof of the local inn, with human-sized rooms, looking over Lluirwood and smelled the northern wind comming down from Toadsquat Mountains. Smoke, probably from a Fire. An Orge raiding party was obviously on the way through the forest such as the Ghostwise Halflings entering the village last night had said, lucky that her feet had bought her here just in time.

She was always just in time she noted laughingly to herself, while running down the outer walls of the tavern, idlely noting the childrens awed looks. Always just getting somewhere in time was the reason why she started exploring the meaning of time, since such things happened much more often than they should, even accounting for divine intervention.

If it wasn't because none of the priests nor druids she had asked, had been able to find any 'bad luck' curse radiating on her, she would have seriously considered such a fact plausible. Whenever her wanderlust brought her somewhere they either had a problem, or a problem was just about to knock in the door. She shrugged to herself, laying the cause at the gods whom where obviously guiding her through her wanderlust to where they excepted her being needed.

'Oh well' Nola thought to herself while listening to the concerns of the villagers. 'A good nights sleep, a prayer and I should be able to draft some of the local Marchwardens to turn those Ogres back'


{table=head]Ability|Score
Strength|12
Dexterity|18
Constitution|14
Intelligence|8
Wisdom|16
Charisma|8[/table]

All ability scores goes into Wisdom


{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Flurry of Blows|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features|Unarmed Damage|Unarmed AC|Unarmed Speed Bonus

1st|Monk (Hin Disiple) 1|
+0|
-2/-2|
+2|
+2|
+2|Concentration 4, Hide 4, Jump 4, Tumble 4|Wild Talent, Nymph's Kiss|Underfoot Combat|
1d4|
+0+Wis|
+0ft

2nd|Monk (Hin Disiple) 2|
+1|
-1/-1|
+3|
+3|
+3|Concentration 5, Hide 5, Jump 5, Tumble 5|-|Improved Trip, Invisible Fist|
1d4|
+0+Wis|
+0ft

3rd|Monk (Hin Disiple) 3|
+2|
+0/+0|
+3|
+3|
+3|Concentration 6, Hide 6, Jump 6, Tumble 6|Intuitive Strike|Still Mind|
1d4|
+0+Wis|
+10ft

4th|Monk (Hin Disiple) 4|
+3|
+1/+1|
+4|
+4|
+4|Concentration 7, Hide 7, Jump 7, Tumble 7|-|Holy Strike, Wall Walker|
1d6|
+0+Wis|
+10ft

5th|Swordsage (Unarmed) 1|
+3|
+1/+1|
+4|
+6|
+6|Concentration 8, Hide 8, Jump 8, Tumble 8, Move Silently 2|-|Quick To Act +1, Discipline Focus (Weapon Focus : Setting Sun)|
1d6|
+0+Wis|
+10ft

6th|Shadow Sun Ninja 1|
+3|
+2/+2|
+6|
+8|
+8|Concentration 9, Jump 9, Tumble 9, Move Silently 3|Touch of Golden Ice|Monk Abilities, Touch of the Shadow Sun|
1d6|
+1+Wis|
+10ft

7th|Swordsage (Unarmed) 2|
+4|
+3/+3|
+6|
+9|
+9|Jump 10, Tumble 10, Move Silently 7|-|-|
1d6|
+1+Wis|
+10ft

8th|Swordsage (Unarmed) 3|
+5|
+4/+4|
+7|
+9|
+9|Balance 5, Jump 11||-|
1d8|
+1+Wis|
+10ft

9th|Zerth Cenobite 1|
+5|
+4/+4|
+7|
+11|
+11|Jump 12, Move Silently 8, Listen 1, Spot 1|Confound the Big Folk|Monk Abilities, Temportal Distillation (Move Action)|
1d8|
+1+Wis|
+20ft

10th|Zenth Cenobite 2|
+6/+1|
+5/+5/+0|
+7|
+12|
+12|Climb 1, Jump 13, Listen 2, Spot 2|-|Backslip 1/day|
1d8|
+1+Wis|
+20ft

---|Saint|
+6/+1|
+5/+5/+0|
+7|
+12|
+12|-|-|(See Note1)|
1d8|
+1+Wis+Wis|
+20ft

---|Saint|
+6/+1|
+5/+5/+0|
+7|
+12|
+12|-|-||
1d8|
+1+Wis+Wis|
+20ft

11th|Zenth Cenobite 3|
+7/+2|
+6/+6/+1|
+8|
+12|
+12|Climb 2, Jump 14, Listen 3, Spot 3|-|Timeless Step|
1d8|
+1+Wis+Wis|
+20ft

12th|Zenth Cenobite 4|
+8/+3|
+7/+7/+2|
+8|
+13|
+13|Climb 3, Jump 15, Spot 4, Psicraft 1|Sudden Recovery|Precognition 1/day|
1d10|
+1+Wis+Wis|
+30ft

13th|Zenth Cenobite 5|
+8/+3|
+7/+7/+2|
+8|
+13|
+13|Climb 4, Jump 16, Listen 4, Psicraft 2|-|Temporal Distillation (Standard Action)|
1d10|
+2+Wis+Wis|
+30ft

14th|Zenth Cenobite 6|
+9/+4|
+8/+8/+3|
+9|
+14|
+14|Climb 5, Jump 17, Listen 5, Psicraft 3|-|Backslip 2/day|
1d10|
+2+Wis+Wis|
+30ft

15th|Zenth Cenobite 7|
+10/+5|
+9/+9/+4|
+9|
+14|
+14|Climb 6, Jump 18, Spot 5, Psicraft 4|Snap Kick|Precognition 2/day|
1d10|
+2+Wis+Wis|
+40ft

16th|Zenth Cenobite 8|
+11/+6/+1|
+10/+10/+5/+0|
+9|
+15|
+15|Climb 7, Jump 19, Listen 6, Spot 6|-|Temporal Strike|
2d6|
+2+Wis+Wis|
+40ft

17th|Zenth Cenobite 9|
+11/+6/+1|
+10/+10/+5/+0|
+10|
+15|
+15|Climb 8, Jump 20, Listen 7, Spot 7|-|Precognitive Surge|
2d6|
+2+Wis+Wis|
+40ft

18th|Zenth Cenobite 10|
+12/+7/+2|
+11/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+16|
+16|Climb 9, Jump 21, Listen 8, Spot 8|Practiced Manifester|Temporal Distillation (Full-Round Action), Timeless Body|
2d6|
+3+Wis+Wis|
+50ft[/table]

Saint:
Type: Change to Outsider
Armor Class: Add Wisdom as Insight Bonus
Special Attacks:
Holy Power; All Special Attacks, Supernatural Abilities, Spells, Spelllikes and Extraordinary Abilities gain +2 on DC
Holy Touch; Melee Attacks Deal +1d6 Holy Damage against Evil Creatures, +1d8 against Evil Undead/Outsiders, any Evil creature attacking Saint with Natural Attacks take holy damage as if hit
At-will SLA; Resistence, Virtue, Guidance, Bless

Special Qualities:
Damage Reduction;
{table=head]Hit Dice|Damage Reduction
1-3|-
4-7|5/Magic
8-11|5/Evil
12+|10/Evil[/table]
Fast Healing; ½Hit Dice
Immunities; Acid, Cold, Electicity and Pertification
Low-Light Vision
Darkvision (60ft)
Protective Aura; Free action, radius 20ft, Double-Strength Magic circle against Evil, and Lesser Globe of Invulnerability, CL=HD
Fire Resist 10
+4 Fortitude against Poisons
Permenent Tounges (as per Spell)
+2Con, +4 Wis, +4 Cha

{table=head]Ability|Source
Hin Diciple|Champions of Valor Web Enhancement
Nymph's Kiss|Book of Exalted Deeds p44
Underfoot Combat|Races of the Wild p152
Invisible Fist|Exemplars of Evil p21
Intuitive Strike|Book of Exalted Deeds p44
Holy Strike|Complete Champion p48
Wall Walker|Dungeonscape p11
Shadow Sun Ninja|Tome of Blades p126
Touch of Golden Ice|Book of Exalted Deeds p47
Saint|Book of Exalted Deeds p184
Confound the Big Folk|Races of the Wild p153
Sudden Recovery|Tome of Blades p33
Snap Kick|Tome of Blades p32
Practiced Manifester|Complete Psionic p57
[/table]




{table=head]Level|Initiator Level|Maneuvers Known|Maneuvers Readied|Stances Known|Maneuvers Learned|Stances Learned
5th|3rd|6|4|1|Distracting Ember, Claw at the Moon, Sudden Leap, Cloak of Deception, Shadow Jaunt, Counter Charge|Island of Blades|
6th|4th|7|4|1|Mountain Hammer||
7th|5th|8|4|2|Soaring Raptor Strike|Giant Killing Style|
8th|6th|9|5|2|Feigned Opening||[/table]

{table=head]Level|PowerPoints/day|Powers Known|Maxinum Power Level Known|Psionic Learned
9th|1|1|1st|Compression
10th|2|2|1st|Inertial Armor
11th|3|2|1st|
12th|5|3|2nd|Hustle
13th|7|3|2nd|
14th|11|3|2nd|
15th|15|4|3rd|Evade Burst
16th|19|4|3rd|
17th|23|4|3rd|
18th|27|5|4th|Steadfast Preception
[/table]




At this point Nola is starting to branch out from regular Monk, adding some Swordsage abilities. Invisible Fist (Monk ACF) and Cloak of Deception, together with Underfoot combat (to get into position) paired up with Island of Blades should give a good amount of Flat Footed enemies. Out of Combat Nola is a decent Tumbler and have an easy time to get around places, with the help from Wall Walker ACF and Shadow Jaunt maneuver



Now Nola have two distinct modes, but no matter what she's using her Temporal Distillation (Move Action) to slip in under the opponent (and due to Underfoot Combat its without provoking an AoO).

If in combat many-on-few, she's probably in Island of Blades stance, focusing on using the Unsteaty Footing tactial option from Confound the Big Folk, to trip the opponent much easier due to size not giving the opponent a bonus (with Compression to be able to do it on Medium as well) making the opponents prone and flatfooted for the others to kill.

If on the other hand alone against an opponent she is in Giant Killing Style stance using the Knee Striker tactic from Confound the Big Folk to get a better chance of hitting the opponent due to them being flatfooted.

Backslip is going to be used to reroll critical dices



This is the sweet spot where the build floats together (well ... ECL 14 is but who's counting).

Tactially its much the same as before, but now she have Hustle to supplement the Temporal Distillation (Move Action) as need be, and due to high Wisdom, quite a few power points, 24 to be exact to fire it off.

Timeless step would, at least to certain degree, be useable for ambush, if good scouting is done beforehand, while Precognition is able to make critially important rolls better, While the Temporal Distillation (Standard Action) can be used for Maneuvers as need be. Also, with Sudden Recovery the Maneuver economy is (somewhat) easier to handle.

Lastly (but maybe most importently) the Saint Template is aquired, giving several different defensive abilities (DR, Fast Healing, AC, Immunities and at-will magic circle against evil & Lesser globe of invulnerability), and a couple of decent offensive things as well (Holy Touch and at will Bless)

At this Point Nola would have an AC of 29+ (Wis*2, Dex, Small, Monk AC bonus) with a couple of options to easily raise it another couple of points, still not accounting for any items or other modifiers, So She'll be hard to hit as well.



Steadily getting stronger and stronger, another Backslip Reroll and another Precognition bonus. Temporal Strike leaves it possible (and depending on opponent even likely, with an Will DC on 27) to knock an opponent out of the action for some time while focusing on his friends, or recovering your maneuvers, or let your Fast Healing work for you or ... yeah, quite a few uses for that time which are all reasonably good.

Precognitive Strike makes sure that i get the most out of the first trip attempt (If memory serves, Trip counts as an ability check with a number of different modifiers on top), for making it even easier to bash her opponent, while Temporal Distillation (full action) makes it even easier to deal out some pain while the opponent is exposed. Timeless Body should (depending on how its read, i'm not quite sure which one is the correct) be good for soaking when you can see that something ugly is comming your way, but as a capstone ability I'd feel that Precognitive strike and TD (Full Action) is better.


If LA buy-off is allowed at the table, grab another 2 Swordsage Levels at the tail end, target being Assassin's Stance for whenever Sneak Attacking is viable




{table=head]Item|Source
Necklace of Natural Attacks|Savage Species p58
Fanged Ring|Dragon Magic p101
[/table]


Do Nymph's Kiss give quadrupled skill points on first level? ... to the best of my knowledge it haven't been ruled officially (and if it has, Errata is silent on such ruling)

[Kuulvheysoon]

"How deep is the river if you cannot see the bottom?" "Deeper than the coffee in my cup, I'll tell you that."

Douglas Yangtze


the old pond--

a frog jumps in

sound of water.

—Matsuo Basho translated by Robert Hass

Basics
NG male human Archivist 5/Swordsage 3/Shou Disciple 2/Zerth Cenobite 10
32 point buy
Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 10
ability increases: Int at 4, Dex at 8 and 12, Wis at 16 and 20
Build
{table=head]Level|Class|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Skills|Feats|Class Features|Unarmed

1st|Archivist 1|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Concentration 4, Knowledge (arcana) 4, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, Knowledge (nature) 4, Knowledge (planes) 4, Knowledge (psionics) 2, Knowledge (religion) 4, Spellcraft 2|Dodge, Hidden Talent, Scribe Scroll (B)|dark knowledge (tactics) 3/day|
n/a

2nd|Archivist 2|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Concentration +1, Knowledge (arcana) +1, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +1, Knowledge (planes) +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Spellcraft +1| |lore mastery|
n/a

3rd|Archivist 3|
+1|
+3|
+1|
+3|Concentration +1, Knowledge (arcana) +1, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +1, Knowledge (planes) +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Spellcraft +1|Knowledge Devotion|dark knowledge (4/day)|
n/a

4th|Archivist 4|
+2|
+4|
+1|
+4|Concentration +1, Decipher Script 1, Knowledge (arcana) +1, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +1, Knowledge (planes) +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Spellcraft +1| |still mind|
n/a

5th|Archivist 5|
+2|
+4|
+1|
+4|Concentration +1, Decipher Script +1, Knowledge (arcana) +1, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +1, Knowledge (planes) +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Spellcraft +1| |dark knowledge (puissance)|
n/a

6th|Swordsage 1|
+2|
+4|
+3|
+6|Balance 2, Concentration +1, Jump 4, Martial Lore 1, Tumble 2|Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus (B)|discipline focus (shadow hand), quick to act +1|
1d3

7th|Swordsage 2|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+7|Balance +2, Concentration +1, Jump +4, Martial Lore +1, Tumble +2| |AC bonus|
1d3

8th|Shou Disciple 1|
+4|
+6|
+6|
+7|Jump +1, Listen 2, Spot 2, Tumble +1| |unarmed strike|
1d6

9th|Shou Disciple 2|
+5|
+7|
+7|
+7|Jump +1, Listen +2, Spot +2, Tumble +1|Shadow Hand, Improved Initiative (B)| |
1d8

10th|Zerth Cenobite 1|
+5|
+7|
+9|
+9|Autohypnosis 2, Concentration +1, Jump +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Sense Motive +1, Tumble +1| |monk abilities, temporal distillation (move action)|
1d8

11th|Zerth Cenobite 2|
+6|
+7|
+10|
+10|Autohypnosis +1, Concentration +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Listen +1, Sense Motive +1, Spot +1, Tumble +1| |backslip 1/day|
1d8

12th|Zerth Cenobite 3|
+7|
+8|
+10|
+10|Autohypnosis +1, Concentration +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Listen +1, Sense Motive +1, Spot +1, Tumble +1|Superior Unarmed Strike|timeless step|
1d10

13th|Zerth Cenobite 4|
+8|
+8|
+11|
+11|Autohypnosis +1, Concentration +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Listen +1, Sense Motive +1, Spot +1, Tumble +1| |precognition 1/day|
1d10

14th|Zerth Cenobite 5|
+8|
+8|
+11|
+11|Autohypnosis +1, Concentration +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Listen +1, Sense Motive +1, Spot +1, Tumble +1| |temporal distillation (standard action) |
1d10

15th|Zerth Cenobite 6|
+9|
+9|
+12|
+12|Autohypnosis +1, Concentration +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Listen +1, Sense Motive +1, Spot +1, Tumble +1|Extend Supernatural Ability|backslip 2/day|
2d6

16th|Zerth Cenobite 7|
+10|
+9|
+12|
+12|Autohypnosis +1, Concentration +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Listen +1, Sense Motive +1, Spot +1, Tumble +1| |precognition 2/day|
2d6

17th|Zerth Cenobite 8|
+11|
+9|
+13|
+13|Autohypnosis +1, Concentration +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Listen +1, Sense Motive +1, Spot +1, Tumble +1| |temporal strike|
2d6

18th|Zerth Cenobite 9|
+11|
+9|
+13|
+13|Autohypnosis +1, Concentration +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Listen +1, Sense Motive +1, Spot +1, Tumble +1|Snap Kick|precognitive surge|
2d6

19th|Swordsage 3|
+12|
+10|
+13|
+13|Balance +1, Concentration +1, Jump +1, Knowledge (history) 1, Knowledge (local) 1, Knowledge (nature) +1, Listen +1, Martial Lore +1, Sense Motive +1, Tumble +1| | |
2d6

20th|Zerth Cenobite 10|
+13|
+10|
+14|
+14|Autohypnosis +1, Concentration +1, Knowledge (psionics) +1, Knowledge (religion) +1, Listen +1, Sense Motive +1, Spot +1, Tumble +1| |temporal distillation (full action), timeless body|
2d8 [/table]

Skill Totals at Level 20
Autohypnosis 11, Balance 5, Concentration 21, Decipher Script 2, Jump 12, Knowledge (arcana) 8, Knowledge (dungeoneering) 8, Knowledge (history) 1, Knowledge (local) 1, Knowledge (nature) 5, Knowledge (planes) 8, Knowledge (psionics) 15, Knowledge (religion) 18, Listen 14, Martial Lore 3, Sense Motive 11, Spellcraft 6, Spot 13, Tumble 17

Spell, Powers, and Maneuvers
Archivist Spells per day
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd
1st|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
2nd|4|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
3rd|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
4th|4|4|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
5th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
6th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
7th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
8th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
9th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
10th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
11th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
12th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
13th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
14th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
15th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
16th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
17th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
18th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
19th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
20th|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|- [/table]

Prayerbook
0: all
1: bless, cure light wounds, divine favor, grave strike, inhibit, lesser vigor, resurgence
2: close wounds, cure moderate wounds, shatter, wave of grief
3: dispel magic, ring of blades

Psionic Powers Known
1: expansion, offensive prescience (+synchronicity Hidden Talent)
2: hustle
3: empathic feedback
4: psionic dimension door

Maneuvers Known
6 (IL 3.5): baffling defense (SS), child of shadow (SH stance), counter charge (SS), drain vitality (SH), mountain hammer (SD), rabid wolf strike (TC), shadow jaunt (SH)
7 (IL 4.5): assassin’s stance (SH stance), strength draining strike (SH)
19 (IL 11): shadow noose (SH)
Class Feature Showcase
Monk abilities: Even though our hero does not actually have any Monk levels, he still benefits from this feature. We can also combine this with our levels from Shou Disciple too. Unarmed damage is further increased thanks to Superior Unarmed Strike. Snap Kick helps make up for not actually getting our final BAB to +16. Thanks to Shou Disciple we can still reap the benefits of all monk abilities in our armor that we have been able to wear since Level 1.
Temporal distillation: Of all of the abilities that this class offers, this is the only one that is listed as a supernatural ability. One of the complaints about the SI is the lack of abilities that are usable more than a few times per day. Temporal distillation is one of those abilities but because it is a supernatural ability, we can do something about it. Extend Supernatural Ability from the Tome of Magic allows our hero to get some extra benefit from this ability. So instead of being able to gain an extra action for one round, he is now able to be able to use it for two rounds that one time per day. Once the first step of the ability is gained at Level 10, it can be used as an emergency escape. Two standard actions per turn for two turns can shatter the action economy enough to turn the tide of any battle—not to mention what can be done with two full round actions per turn for two turns.
Backslip: This is basically the domain power of the Luck domain. Getting another chance to succeed is something that any character can use. And if it is a saving throw and it is still failed, there is always resurgence.
Timeless step: Being able to manipulate the time stream is something that a lot of characters look to accomplish sometime in their careers. Best use for this ability—avalanche survival. When the hero emerges from moving forward in the timestream, he has to appear in an unoccupied space. Since the rubble of the avalanche has now taken over the space he was in when he left the timestream, he has to be moved to an unoccupied space.
Precognition: Another one of the per day abilities, this one grants us a flat +2 insight bonus for any major roll that has been failed by two or less. This at least saves the backslip ability for an actual reroll if the difference between succeeding and failing is a paltry two.
Temporal Strike: Here is a nifty ability that can make an enemy leave the battlefield for ten rounds. Imagine a situation where the party is being hampered by multiple tough foes. Now one of them can be propelled forward in time so he can be dealt with after the first one(s) has been dispatched.
Precognitive Surge: Quite similar to the precognition ability but this time the insight bonus is equal to the number of Zerth Cenobite levels that our hero has. Superior to the fore mentioned ability but the bonus has to be added prior to the die roll. Alternatively this insight bonus can be added to the Armor Class as an immediate action to avoid being hit. Unfortunately this is another per day ability so its choice has to be made carefully.
Timeless Body: Being immune to all kinds of harm and still be able to do things? This is quite a good capstone ability for both this SI and the build itself. Who would not love automatically being able to save oneself from falling in a pit of lava or being able to walk the ultimate gauntlet and not suffering any ill effects? Let’s combine this with the extended temporal distillation and now our hero can be a juggernaut that he needs to be to save the day.
The Story of Douglas Yangtze
Early Days
Growing up in Thesk, Douglas Yangtze started his life as a thinking man. He spent his days pouring over vast tomes of knowledge. He learned how to exploit the weaknesses of the creatures that inhabited the area. He even somehow knew how to take advantage of fortuitous situations with his mind. But just knowing how to do something was not exactly the same thing as experiencing what was done. Douglas knew that in order to fully apply the knowledge learned, he would have to make his body as strong as his mind.
In looking for ingredients for the SI, I discovered that the only two base classes that had still mind as a class feature was the Monk (obviously) and the Archivist. I decided to go on the road less traveled. Starting off as a standard Archivist, Douglas gives allies bonuses thanks to dark knowledge tactics and puissance and adds to this the benefits of Knowledge Devotion. Of course these tactics from the earliest levels can be added to the capabilities of later levels. The choice of synchronicity as Douglas’ Hidden Talent seemed appropriate given the temporal nature of the SI abilities.
Jumping into the Pond
Douglas spent time learning some of the disciplines of the Sublime Way. The Shadow Hand discipline seemed to suit Douglas the most. Though his body was not exactly improved physically, Douglas learned how to make is strikes count. He read other scrolls about those Monks of Shou, a part of Kara-Tur. He combined what he learned from the Sublime Way with the teachings of the Shou Disciples. This mix of styles started to flow together well for Douglas. He was still able to make use of his earlier teachings of course but now he was more than just an outside helper. He could now join the fray itself as well. But something was missing to make his personal style of martial arts complete. Going back to his scrolls that he used to study often he discovered a word: zerthin.
Here might possibly be the most disjoined part of the build. The transition goes from major buffer and debuffer to a skirmisher style melee build. So here are the good things that come out of here: Swordsage has proficiency in light armor, the exact kind that the Archivist wears. Our hero also gains an AC bonus based upon Wisdom (like a Monk). Entering Swordsage after Archivist allows us to gain more powerful maneuvers available. Shadow Hand gives our hero more damage output capability while in a Shadow Hand stance such as the ever popular assassin’s stance. After a couple levels of Swordsage, our hero enters the Shou Disciple prestige class. The best thing that our hero gets out of this is the ability to keep wearing the light armor and use Monk like abilities. Finally our hero can enter the SI.
More Lessons to be Learned
Douglas found this passage about this uncommon martial art: “Zerthin teaches that though the passage of time allows events to become chaotic and uncontrolled, a disciplined mind filled with a reservoir of psionic power can view the time stream as just one more dimension of space. This privileged point of view allows a zerth cenobite to see a moment or two into the past and future, thereby gaining insight as to where to place her next blow and how to best dodge the next blow of her foe. Practitioners of zerthin claim to be able to peer into the future, enhancing their martial expertise to unmatched heights.”
Since Douglas already had a rudimentary understanding of these privileged points of view, he knew that this was the discipline that would be best to compliment his own martial studies.
Smack dab into the SI now and gaining the abilities that the SI has to offer. Most of the psionics are online here. Expansion needs no explanation. Offensive prescience gives some more oomph with damage output. Of note here are the feats Superior Unarmed Strike, which increases our unarmed damage thanks to how the SI works. More importantly is the feat Extend Supernatural Ability. When this feat is taken, our hero has just become able to use an extra standard action. Now this is extended to two standard actions.
What is the Sound of Water?
It was a question posed by his zerthin teacher. Some of the others said “splash” or “gurgle” but Douglas knew otherwise. The sound of water was a metaphor for the passage of time. He was able to utilize the highest forms of the zerthin discipline because he knew the answer. Douglas could combine all of his trainings together and found his own personal martial arts style. And it all came from the beginning where he studied during his youth.
The SI is finished along with a stop to revisit Swordsage to pick up another high level Shadow Hand maneuver. Picking up Snap Kick allows us to make up for not being able to achieve the magic BAB +16 by allowing Douglas to make an extra attack. And since Snap Kick specifies an unarmed strike, it means that the SI is even more vested into the build itself.
Source List
Complete Champion: Knowledge Devotion
Complete Psionic: Zerth Cenobite prestige class, synchronicity power
Expanded Psionics Handbook: Hidden Talent feat
Heroes of Horror: Archivist base class
Spell Compendium: spells not found in the SRD
Tome of Battle: Swordsage base class, Shadow Hand, Snap Kick and Superior Unarmed Strike feats
Tome of Magic: Extend Supernatural Ability feat
Unapproachable East: Shou Disciple prestige class

[Kuulvheysoon]

The tesseract of DOOM!
If you need an image, I may have some suggestions:

http://rustyandco.com/wallpapers/lonecube_800x600.jpg

http://rustyandco.com/wallpapers/cube_of_rock_800x600.jpg

http://www.tabletitans.com/comic/mines-of-madness-page-16


Orthagonel Velodrake
Half-Dragon Sentry Gelatinous Cube (4 RHD, LA +3 *coughcough*)/Monk 3/Zerth Cenobite 10
Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Ability Scores



Starting Abilities: Str 10, Dex 1, Con 26, Int --, Wis 1, Cha 1
Sentry Ooze: Str 10, Dex 7, Con 26, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 11
Half-Dragon: Str 18, Dex 7, Con 28, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 13
11th (8HD, Wis +1): Str 18, Dex 7, Con 28, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 13
15th (12HD, Wis +1): Str 18, Dex 7, Con 28, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 13
19th (16HD, Wis +1): Str 18, Dex 7, Con 28, Int 4, Wis 14, Cha 13



Backstory

== Fortress of the Square Circle, Prime Material ==

Roddram Stichenbutt: "Your evil reign of... uh, evil, is finished, Fazul Phazorfist! SMITE EVIL!" Roddram's sword comes down in a glowing golden arc, sparkling with divine fervor. Fazul immediately shifts to Stance of the Three Dragons and snaps his staff down to deflect the blow, but it's too late. Roddram's sword glides past Fazul's staff and sinks into his midsection. The glowing runes on Fazul's robes flicker, then go out. Roddram's sword slides out, leaving a rapidly widening red stain in its wake . Fazul slumps to the floor, stunned by the mortal blow, and his staff slips out of his fingers.

Roddram quickly kicks the staff towards the wizard, and brings his sword down to Fazul's neck. "Pewpew! Break his staff!"

Pewpew Vasflam picked up the staff with just his fingertips, as if expecting it to turn into an exploding snake. "Yes, well... Roddram, perhaps I should remind you of the full implications of what 'retributive strike' might entai--"

Figleaf Shrubhugger shouted, "STOP! Don't break anything! I told you, there's something... UNNATURAL about the stones this fortress is made from!"

Fergus MacDrunklage flexed his fingers around the grip on his dwarven waraxe and leveled a bloodshot stare at the nearest wall, as if daring it to provoke him. "S'truth, Rammycakes. Yar dun toldja, how thar same dimple always abou' knee-high? An' every corr'dor an' room is all ten-foot PRECISE, like, mor'n usual ten-foot precise? A'most like... every ten-foot block wuz cast in th'same mold r'sumthin."

Roddram said, "Not now, you two! We don't have time for your ravings about 'Secret Gridlayers Guild' conspiracies ." He focused his attention backon Fazul. "You! How could you...? Half-Dragon Shriekers? Half-Troll Pixies? Acidborn Dire Penguins? The Half-Fey Gibbering Mouther? Your madness ends here!"

Fazul spat up a gobbet of blood. "End... too late... I am too late, as in the late Fazul? But you, paladin, are too late as well... Orthagonel! Avenge me, my dearest pupil!"

Figleaf said, "Stop, Roddram! The stones, the fortress... it's all ten-foot cubes! Don't you see? The half-breeds, all of the oozes and aberrations, he's been breeding, maybe cloning... every ten-foot cube is a cube! Petrified... I mean gelatinous, but petrified! If you kill him, the wards might break!"

Roddram froze, realization sinking very slowly through his dump stat. "But that means... the floors, the walls..."

Fergus snorted. "All o'em gelatinous cubes turn'd a'stone, Rammycakes. Yer standin' on 'em, surrounded by 'em. 'Afore yer cuts Mr. Sparklefists thar in halfsies, mayhap yer axe 'im if'n we can takes this outside afirst?"

A bloody chuckle bubbled out of Fazul. "Too late, you badly-accented ethnic stereotype. My latest creation... your doom has arrived!"

Pewpew shouts, "Heads up! I mean, above you! What the...?"

Above the party, nearly-silent leathery wings fold up, and 15,000 pounds of protoplasm come crashing down with a burbling SCHLLLLLOOOORRRRPPT, followed by muffled screams and the faint sizzle of melting flesh. Figleaf, Fergus, and Rammrod are immediately enveloped, but Pewpew is knocked aside. He stumbles to keep his feet, bringing up the staff to perhaps defend himself, but a pair of gaping jaws forms on one side of the cube, which spread wide and then unleash a spray of acid at the wizard. Pewpew tries to spin away but trips on a stone step. As he falls, one end of the staff catches on the altar as his weight comes down on it. There's a sharp crack as the staff snaps, and then an explosion of bright magical energy rips through the fortress. The stones of the fortress glow brightly, gradually turning translucent, and then collapse in on each other.

* * *

== Zerth'Ad'Lun, Limbo ==

Two monks enter the Inner Sanctum. One is tall and thin, the other short and thick.

The short one speaks first. "Master Nilzed... the... thing! It won't leave! It... it says it's a pupa!"

The tall one clucks and rolls his eyes. "Pupil. It says it was a pupil. I think it wants to study here."

Master Nilzed looks up from his tea. "It can speak?"

The short monk nods. "Yes! It forms this... some sort of membrane? But... how can it? I mean, okay, I thought the giant penguin was a bit of a stretch, but she at least had legs, flippers. This... it's a cube!"

The tall monk said, "Not just any student, Master Nilzed. This thing says it was a student of Fazul Phazorfist."

The short monk shakes his head. "No! Absolutely not! I mean, even if this thing was a student of Fazul, he was exiled! And he stole the Sacred Scrolls of Zerthimon! There's no way we could accept such a student!"

Master Nilzed sets down his teacup and rises to his feet. He turns to the short monk. "Master Klod, the world around us is but an illusion, and our bodies the imaginary vessel by which we navigate through it. What is written above the main entrance to this monastery?"

Master Klod's face turns sour, but he says, "All who seek peace may enter here."

Master Nilzed turns to the tall monk. "Master Stilt, show me to this student."

* * *

Master Nilzed calls out, "You may enter, Master Klod."

Master Klod stomps in, red-faced but tight-lipped. "You wished to see me, Master Nilzed?"

"The new student, Orthagonel. How are his lessons progressing?"

Master Klod thinks for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "It... he is... an unusual student. He has two claws but no arms, teeth but no head, or at least... he can form them if need be. The katas, the stances... he knows them all. The scribework... he can copy short pieces on metal plates, but loses interest quickly before he starts scribbling random phrases. But some of them aren't random! He quoted the Second Scroll of Zerthimon for 17 pages! And he wrote 11 couplets from the Lost Epistles that were missing from our records! The Sacred Scrolls! He must know--"

"Stop, Master Klod. Do not question Orthagonel about the missing scrolls. It will distract him from his studies. When the time is right, I will talk with him about the missing scrolls, and we may finally learn what happened to them. I understand Orthagonel passed his test to attain the Fifth Circle?

Master Klod frowns. "Well... technically, yes. I mean... it turns out that Spray of Acid is a very effective counter to Snapping Turtle Climbs The Mountain Technique."

Master Nilzed nods. "For which we are indebted to the psychorecuperative studies of Master Philo. Master Stilt is still healing?"

"Yes, almost all the skin on his face has grown back," says Master Klod.

"Very good, Master Klod. We are but tiny stitches in the vast tapestry of time. In time, we may catch a glimpse of a fragment of tapestry, and perhaps understand our place in it. Continue the lessons with Orthagonel. There is much we may learn from this... unusual student."

* * *

Master Klod runs into the room. "Master Nilzed! You're safe!"

Master Nilzed sips from his tea. "And why would I not be?"

"The githyanki assassins! They broke into the inner sanctum!"

Master Nilzed nods. "And...?"

Master Klod blinks. "Well... uh... Orthagonel. He... killed them. Seven of them. They're all dead."

Master Nilzed sets down his teacup. "The Great Wheel of Time turns, as it always does. My time grows short. Please, Master Klod, bring Orthagonel to me."

Master Klod leaves with a quick bow, and returns several minutes later with Orthagonel schlurping along behind him.

"Tea?" asks Master Nilzed.

"No, master", says Master Klod.

A bubble of air twists through Orthagonel's protoplasm, and then spurts out through a newly-formed tube. "Have troublesh widsh lettershlrp. Shtill learningshlrp."

Master Nilzed shakes his head slowly. "Ten thousand years, and still it surprises me, how quickly time slips by. The githyanki have discovered me again. Master Klod, please make sure their silver swords are returned via astral skiff. They get so touchy about losing those things. Master Stilt, is he...?"

"Gone!" says Master Klod. "When the assassins attacked, he ran out of the monastery!"

Master Nilzed sighed. "A githyanki spy. It is as you suspected, Orthagonel."

Master Klod blinks, looking back and forth between Orthagonel and Master Nilzed. "Suspected...?"

Orthagonel says, "Tashted shtrangeshlrp. Not from Limboshlrp."

"Well, no matter," says Master Nilzed. "Orthagonel, you remember everything Master Fazul taught you?"

"Yesh, Mashtershlrp."

"What... I don't... Fazul? What's going on?" asked Master Klod.

"Twenty years ago, Master Fazul was studying the Sacred Scrolls of Zerthimon, and discovered my secret. He threatened to expose me, but the time was not right. I had to banish him and hide the scrolls so no one else could rediscover what he did. Master Fazul continued his... unorthodox research on his own, but the corruptive influence of the Far Realms had already damaged his mind. Without my guidance and oversight, his experiments became more unbalanced and depraved. But somewhere in all that madness, he managed to create Orthagonel, and found him to be receptive to the teachings of Zerthimon. He trained Orthagonel in the arts of Zerth, and had him memorize everything he could remember from the Sacred Scrolls of Zerthimon."

"The scrolls! But where...?" asked Master Klod.

"I hid them under the outhouse next to the kitchen. You may dig them up and study them until I come again. Or, perhaps I shall rewrite them, and maybe I can prevent the misfortune that happened to Master Fazul. This bend in the River of Time... I have been through it so often, but maybe there is a tributary I missed."

"Rewrite... river... tributary... what?" sputtered Master Klod.

Orthagonel slides forward. "Mashter Zershimon... ish it timeshlrp?"

Master Klod looks at the Master of the monastery of Zerth'Ad'Lun. "Zerthimon? But... how?"

"Every thoushand yearsh... the Path of Gish reopenshlrp. Mashter Zershimon musht return. Fight battle cannot winshlrp."

Master Klod blinks, understanding gradually dawning. "Every thousand years, the Path of Gith opens... you mean, a time portal, back to the battle that cannot be won? You mean, the battle with Gith, ten thousand years ago? You... you are Zerthimon, the greatest leader of the Githzerai, and you... you must leave us? "

Zerthimon nods to Master Klod. "Yes, every thousand years, I must go back and fight the greatest warrior our race has ever known, the Great Liberator Gith. Perhaps... this time, perhaps she will see reason, and instead of following 10,000 years of slavery with 10,000 years of war against our own brothers and sisters, she will see the wisdom of 10,000 years of peace, and bring an end to a war we cannot win without destroying ourselves. If not... then the cycle will repeat, and I will return, and wait until the Path reopens again."

Orthagonel starts quivering (more than usual), and a blue glow spreads throughout his protoplasm. The blue glow grows brighter, and Orthagonel levitates into the air. Flashes of magical energy arc down to the floor.

"Zerthimon! Wait... don't go!" says Master Klod.

Zerthimon shakes his head. "If I fail... then I will come back some day, perhaps with a new name or a new face. If you must plead with me, then pray that I do not return."

Orthagonel begins chanting out of multiple membranes. Psalms and couplets from the Sacred Scrolls of Zerthimon spread throughout the room as the blue glow continues to grow brighter. Master Klod doesn't dare look away, but the blue light is now too bright to stare at directly.

Zerthimon raises his arms and steps toward Orthagonel, his body bathed in twisting vortexes of magical energy. "Behold, Master Klod, the greatest revelation of my teachings... the Timecube (http://www.timecube.com/)!"

There is a blinding flash of light, and then Orthagonel slowly drifts back down beside Master Klod. "Hungry. Time to eat nowshlrp?"

Master Klod regards the empty space where Zerthimon was standing a moment ago. He turns slowly to regard the gelatinous cube, and says, "Sacramental wine. Go to the kitchen and tell Brother Maynard to bring all of the sacramental wine to my quarters. Every last drop of it."

Note to Judges:

I am fully aware that claiming a Sentry Half-Dragon Gelatinous Cube only has a Level Adjustment of +3 is bending the rules well beyond what would normally be considered "bending". I realize that my scores will suffer, and I have no objection to being penalized for this if you are so inclined. Even so, I wanted to see if I could get a gelatinous cube into this Secret Ingredient, and other than my flagrant disregard of assigning any reasonable level adjustment to the Sentry Ooze and Pseudonatural templates, I hope you'll find the result at least entertaining.


Depraved Template Wankery

Orthagonel is the result of an intensive breeding program designed to boost the intelligence of oozes. These sentry oozes were then interbred with green dragons or magically combined with "green dragon essences" to create gelatinous cubes with mental attributes somewhat more appropriate for PCs (Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 13). The Sentry and Half-Dragon templates are inherited. I have broken the Half-Dragon template into three class levels (similar to Savage Progression template class levels (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030912a)) to make the class level table slightly easier to fill out, although feats and ability score increases are still a bit screwy. If it's relevant, Orthagonel's creator (Fazul) had multiclassed and psionically reformationed himself into erudite/psion/wizard/etc. to the point where "A Wizard Did It" (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AWizardDidIt) can be properly invoked.

Orthagonel's initial skill points are determined via the Half-Dragon template: "A half-dragon gains skill points as a dragon and has skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier) x (HD + 3)." For Orthagonel, this is (6 - 3) x (4 + 3) = 21 skill points. Orthagonel's racial class skills are determined from the Sentry Ooze template: "Climb, Hide, Listen, Move Silently". Orthagonel gains two feats for having 4 HD: Apprentice (Martial Artist, for Concentration as a class skill) and Hidden Talent (dimension hop).


The Build

{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features
1st|Gelatinous Cube 1|
+1|
+10|
+0|
+2|--|Apprentice: Martial Artist (Concentration)|Acid, Engulf, Paralysis, Blindsight 60', Imm. to Electricity, Ooze Traits, Transparent
2nd|Gelatinous Cube 2|
+2|
+11|
+1|
+3|--||
3rd|Gelatinous Cube 3|
+3|
+11|
+1|
+3|--|Hidden Talent: dimension hop|PP 2
4th|Gelatinous Cube 4|
+4|
+12|
+2|
+4|--||
5th|Half-Dragon 1|
+4|
+12|
+2|
+4|--||Wings (Fly 30', average), NA +4, Claw/Claw/Bite, Breath Weapon 1/day (30' cone of acid), Darkvision/Low-light 60', Imm. to Sleep/Paralysis/Acid
6th|Half-Dragon 2|
+4|
+13|
+2|
+4|--||
7th|Half-Dragon 3|
+4|
+13|
+2|
+4|Balance 3 (cc), Concentration 7, Hide 2, Jump 3 (cc)||
8th|Cobra Strike Monk 1|
+4|
+15|
+4|
+6|Concentration 8|Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike|Flurry of Blows, AC Bonus
9th|Cobra Strike Monk 2|
+5|
+16|
+5|
+7|Balance 7, Concentration 9, Jump 4|Open-Minded, Mobility|Evasion
10th|Cobra Strike Monk 3|
+6|
+16|
+5|
+7|Jump 5||Still Mind, +10' Unarmored Speed Bonus
11th|Zerth Cenobite 1|
+6|
+16|
+7|
+10|Jump 6||PP 3, Monk Abilities, Temporal Distillation (move)
12th|Zerth Cenobite 2|
+7|
+16|
+8|
+11|Jump 7|Roofwalker|PP 5, Backslip 1/day
13th|Zerth Cenobite 3|
+8|
+17|
+8|
+11|Hide 3||PP 6, Timeless Step, +20' Speed
14th|Zerth Cenobite 4|
+9|
+17|
+9|
+12|Hide 4||PP 9, Precognition 1/day
15th|Zerth Cenobite 5|
+9|
+17|
+9|
+12|Hide 5|Roof-Jumper|PP 11, Temporal Distillation (standard)
16th|Zerth Cenobite 6|
+10|
+18|
+10|
+13|Hide 6||PP 16, Backslip 2/day, +30' Speed
17th|Zerth Cenobite 7|
+11|
+18|
+10|
+13|Hide 7||PP 20, Precognition 2/day
18th|Zerth Cenobite 8|
+12|
+18|
+11|
+14|Hide 8|Ability Focus: Paralysis|PP 25, Temporal Strike
19th|Zerth Cenobite 9|
+12|
+19|
+11|
+15|Hide 9||PP 33, Precognitive Surge, +40' Speed
20th|Zerth Cenobite 10|
+13|
+19|
+12|
+16|Hide 10||PP 48, Temporal Distillation (full or move+standard), Timeless Body[/table]


Oozy-Brain-Bubbly-Stuff (Psionic Powers)

Hidden Talent (1st): dimension hop
Zerth Cenobite 1 (1st): catfall
Zerth Cenobite 2 (1st): expansion
Zerth Cenobite 4 (2nd): psionic lion's charge
Zerth Cenobite 7 (3rd): dimension slide
Zerth Cenobite 10 (4th): freedom of movement


Orthagonel's Abilities

Monk Abilities: I used the Cobra Strike variant (Unearthed Arcana) because with a Dex 7, there was no other way to qualify for Roofwalker. I opted to keep Evasion rather than trade it out for the Invisible Fist ACF because with such a low Ref save, I figured Orthagonel would need Evasion a lot more. I kept Flurry of Blows because even though I don't see Orthagonel using it much, a full-round Decisive Strike (PHBII) interfered with action-economy stuff, and AoO's aren't exactly "in his wheelhouse".

Zerth Cenobite continues to progress several of his monk abilities, most notably his unarmored speed bonus (only 15' to start with). With a Dex of 7, he needs all the AC bonuses he can get, so the Wisdom bonus and +1/+2 AC bonus are at least better than a boot to the head. Unarmed strike damage isn't so much of a concern (Orthagonel relies more on his natural attacks), but having Improved Unarmed Strike allows him to attack with that as his primary attack plus claw, claw, bite, and slam as secondary attacks. Although only Orthagonel's slam attack gets +1d6 acid damage, all of Orthagonel's melee attacks (unarmed strikes and all natural attacks) incur a DC 20 Fort save vs. paralyzed for 3d6 rounds.

Temporal Distillation: Intitially, Orthagonel uses this ability for sudden speed bursts, allowing him to move twice before engulfing a target or get in position to drop on someone from above. At 10th level, Orthagonel can use the additional move + standard action to use engulf twice in a round. At 15th level, he can use Temporal Distillation to make more Gumdrop Flops (details below).

Backslip: Orthagonel uses this primarily for saving throws (particularly Ref saves), unless the save DC hopeless.

Timeless Step: After enveloping an opponent (or nearby livestock if he gets bored), he may fly straight up and then use Timeless Step to "disappear" for 1 round, causing any enveloped creatures to drop to the ground, taking falling damage. On the next round, Orthagonel reappears directly above any paralyzed opponents who were unable to move away, freefalling down on top of them for falling object damage, and then re-enveloping them with a standard action. He may also use this as a defensive ability, such as in a narrow corridor or in the middle of battle with a lot of melee opponents, who may think he's "teleporting" away. If any creature moves into the squares he occupied, he may be displaced out towards the edge of the battle, where he's less likely to get surrounded.

Precognition: Used mostly for attack rolls and saving throws where a +2 bonus means turning failure into success. This is one of the few abilities in D&D where you can determine the success/failure first, and then decide if you want to use the bonus.

Temporal Strike: The ability to punch your target through the time continuum... sorry, I just have to *SQUEEEE!* about how awesome this is, although it's not actually all that useful. Ideally, Orthagonel would use this ability on medium-level threats that are slightly more dangerous than mooks but not so strong they can shrug off the not-so-high-ish DC Will save. In more practical terms, sending one of your opponents 1-10 rounds into the future is probably pointless. The DC 15 Wisdom same means it's unlikely to last all 10 rounds, you don't know exactly when they'll pop back into the time stream, and it's somewhat counter-intuitive to shunt your opponent off to a place where you can't murdersmash them into a bloody pulp. But... just to be able to screw with people? Interrupt a BBEG monologue, prank a serving wench, get a "100% discount" from a merchant , or bypass a city guard watching a gate? Assuming we don't quibble about "foe" being a requirement, we could use it on our allies. Cleric too far away, ally is about to die? Party thief burgled something he shouldn't have, needs to disappear for a few rounds? Wizard out of spells, wants to let the meatbags clean up without risking his neck? Send 'em 10 rounds into the future. If this ability also works on objects... even better, as this gives Orthagonel another way to deal with pesky doors (locked or otherwise), walls, portcullis, etc. that may prevent large cube-shaped creatures from moving around. In fact, I like to imagine Orthagonel using this ability on random objects just because it's cool to punch things into the future!

Precognitive Surge: I was hoping this would be another "after you roll" ability, but no such luck. Still... very handy to immediately throw a +12 /+13 insight bonus on an attack, skill check, save, or AC. Given that Orthagonel relies on crushing/paralyzing/dissolving things rather than attacks/damage, this ability would mostly be used defensively to shore up his weak saves and AC.

Timeless Body: Orthagonel can use this ability for long falls where catfall or the Landing armor property would be inadvisable, rendering himself immune to falling damage.


Sweet Spot: Zerth Cenobite 5 (ECL 15)

Orthagonel is a large creature with a 50' fly speed, six attacks (unarmed strike/unarmed strike/claw/claw/bite/slam), and save vs. paralyzed for 3d6 rounds on every melee attack (DC 25 Fort save). But that's not why we're here. We're here because 15,000 pounds of protoplasm weighs a lot more than 4500 lbs of stupid (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1224546). ECL 15 is where all the pieces of Orthagonel's signature move come together:

"Gumdrop Flop"
1) Orthagonel activates psionic lion's charge as a swift action.
2) He then moves at least 20' directly over his opponent and deliberately falls. He can do this several different ways: fly then deliberately stall, dimension hop (if he still has a swift action), DC 80ish Jump check (not possible with this current build, but not hard to optimize via items/powers/spells), Novice/Scholar Shadow Hands magic item for Shadow Jaunt/Stride (ToB, claws can wear gloves), dorjes for various teleport/dimension door stuff, etc.
3) Roof-Jumper's "Death From Above" option turns Orthagonel's fall into a charge attack. Psionic lion's charge allows him to full attack during the same round.
4) Just before Orthagonel enters his opponent's square, he gets six attacks (unarmed strike/unarmed strike/claw/claw/bite/slam). Every attack that hits the target has to make a DC 25 Fort save vs. paralyzed for 3d6 rounds (this may be important for the next few steps). All of these attacks also get at least +1d6 damage from Roof-Jumper (+1d6 per every 10' fallen after the first 10'), and the slam attack gets +1d6 acid damage.
5) Any opponents directly underneath Orthagonel take 20d6 falling object damage. In Core rules, there is no save for avoiding this, although the Aerial Bombardment rules from Heroes of Battle may be used avoid this with a DC 15 Ref save. However, I'd argue that a paralyzed opponent would not be allowed to make this save. Another oddity... the Core rules only cap falling object damage by height, not weight, so a 15,000 lb. gelatinous cube would actually do 75d6 damage. If you're using the Rules Compendium, then falling object damage is capped at 20d6 regardless of height/weight.
6) Orthagonel uses catfall (or Bracers of Armor with the Landing property from XPH/MIC) to negate his falling damage and to land on his "feet". Unlike slow fall or feather fall, this power does nothing to slow down or reduce the momentum of the fall, it just absorbs the damage.
7) Resolve any stacking issues for the squares that Orthagonel landed in. Orthagonel can't quite engulf yet (that takes a standard action), but it's not clear if Orthagonel moving into another creature's square would be considered a grapple, bull rush, or overrun. It’s probably best to handle it as an overrun and make a Str check vs. opponent's Str/Dex, loser gets knocked prone (although I'd like to see what a gelatinous cube looks like when prone). However, again, I'd argue a paralyzed opponent doesn't get a chance to avoid or make a check, and is automatically knocked prone.
8) If Orthagonel still has a standard action left, he can now Engulf. Or if he has a move left, he could fly up again and repeat steps 1-7.
9) If Orthagonel still has Temporal Distillation available, he may repeat steps 1-7 a third time.

RAW issues: Aside from the Falling Object shenanigans, there may be other rules headaches. Not everyone agrees that Roof-Jumper can be used to turn any action that results into a fall into a full-round charge. For the purposes of this build, I'm assuming that it can. This gives Orthagonel two possible Gumdrop Flops a round (two move actions). Some DMs may also have issues with allowing any fall to count as a "deliberate leap down", or may not allow any flying creature to leap/jump without having some solid surface to leap down from.


Sources

Cityscape: Roofwalker, Roof-Jumper
DMGII: Apprentice feat
Dungeonscape: Sentry Ooze template
Expanded Psionics Handbook/SRD: Hidden Talent, Open-Minded
Unearthed Arcana/SRD: Cobra Strike Monk

[Kuulvheysoon]

*hiss* I have you now *hiss*
Parmelk, LN Male Kalashtar Soulblade 3/Monk 3/Zerth Cenobite 10/Quori Nightmare 4

‘Parmelk, are you sure about this? The road you have chosen. . . you’re trying to follow the paths of the Jilashtora, the Ojilashta, and the Tashalatora, all at the same time!’

Parmelk only nodded at his mother in response to her voiced concern.

“Firstly, Mother, I won’t be a true Tashalatora; the teachings of the Zerth are like the mainstream teachings of the physical adepts called “Psychic Warriors” by the natives of Eberron, but not the same. Our brethren in the Tashalatora might not like my claiming that name. Secondly, you always told me I should do what I think is best, no matter what. There’s the easy way, the hard way, and the right way. This one’s my way, and for me, it’s right, be it easy or hard.

“I’ve always known how to shape the blade -” he conjured his mind blade into his hand for emphasis - “And Father and Auntie have taught me their techniques for fighting bare-handed ever since I could carry two water pails across the kitchen without spilling. For me, this is the clear next step.”

His mother nodded, and wiped her eye, distractedly.

‘Best be on your way, before the Lightning Rail leaves the station without you. I’m proud of you.’

Starting Stats: STR 15 DEX 14 CON 14 INT 10 WIS 15 CHA 10. Use levels for WIS increase and buy STR boosts.

Attacks and Saves in the table below include Ability modifiers without equipment. Skills below are listed by ranks only.

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

1st|Soulknife 1|
+2|
+2|
+4|
+4|Autohypnosis 4, Concentration 4, Intimidate 2.0, Jump 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 2|Soulblade Warrior (RoE 112)|Mind Blade, Weapon Focus (Mind Blade), Align Mind Blade (RoE 125), 1 Power Point

2nd|Soulknife 2|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+5|Autohypnosis 5, Concentration 5, Intimidate 2.5, Knowledge (Psionics) 3|-|Throw Mind Blade, 2 Power Points

3rd|Monk 1|
+3|
+4|
+7|
+7|Autohypnosis 5.5, Concentration 6, Intimidate 3.0, Jump 3|Monastic Training (ECS 57), Stunning Fist|Improved Unarmed Strike, Bonus Feat (Stunning Fist), Flurry of Blows, 3 Power Points

4th|Monk 2|
+4|
+5|
+8|
+9|Autohypnosis 6.0, Concentration 7, Intimidate 3.5, Jump 4|Combat Reflexes|Bonus Feat (Combat Reflexes), Evasion, 4 Power Points

5th|Monk 3|
+5|
+5|
+8|
+9|Concentration 8, Intimidate 4.0, Jump 6|-|Still Mind, 5 Power Points

6th|Soulknife 3|
+6|
+6|
+8|
+9|Autohypnosis 7, Concentration 9, Jump 7, Knowledge (Psionics) 4|Flowing Blade (Website)|Psychic Strike +1d8, 6 Power Points

7th|Zerth Cenobite 1 (CPsi 43)|
+6|
+6|
+10|
+11|Autohypnosis 8, Concentration 10, Intimidate 5.0|-|Monk Abilities, Temporal Distillation (Move Action), One PsyWar Power, 8 Power Points

8th|Zerth Cenobite 2|
+7|
+6|
+11|
+12|Autohypnosis 9, Concentration 11, Jump 8, Knowledge (Psionics) 5|-|Backslip 1/day, Add One PsyWar Power, 13 Power Points

9th|Zerth Cenobite 3|
+8|
+7|
+11|
+12|Autohypnosis 10, Concentration 12, Intimidate 6.0|Stunning Master (SoS 119)|Timeless Step, 16 Power Points

10th|Zerth Cenobite 4|
+9|
+7|
+12|
+13|Autohypnosis 11, Concentration 13, Jump 9, Knowledge (Psionics) 6|-|Precognition 1/day, Add One PsyWar Power, 21 Power Points

11th|Zerth Cenobite 5|
+9|
+7|
+12|
+13|Autohypnosis 12, Concentration 14, Intimidate 7.0|-|Temporal Distillation (Standard Action), 25 Power Points

12th|Zerth Cenobite 6|
+10|
+8|
+13|
+15|Autohypnosis 13, Concentration 15, Jump 10, Knowledge (Psionics) 7|Kalashtar Thoughtshifter (RoE 118)|Backslip 2/day, 35

13th|Zerth Cenobite 7|
+11|
+8|
+13|
+15|Autohypnosis 14, Concentration 16, Intimidate 8.0|-|Precognition 2/day, Add One PsyWar Power, 42 Power Points

14th|Zerth Cenobite 8|
+12|
+8|
+14|
+16|Autohypnosis 15, Concentration 17, Jump 11, Knowledge (Psionics) 8|-|Temporal Strike, 49 Power Points

15th|Zerth Cenobite 9|
+12|
+9|
+14|
+16|Autohypnosis 16, Concentration 18, Intimidate 9.0|Quori Dread (SoS 118)|Precognitive Surge 1/day, 56 Power Points

16th|Zerth Cenobite 10|
+13|
+9|
+15|
+17|Autohypnosis 17, Concentration 19, Jump 12, Knowledge (Psionics) 9|-|Temporal Distillation (Full-Round Action), Timeless Body 1/day, Add One PsyWar Power, 63 Power Points

17th|Quori Nightmare 1 (RoE 148)|
+13|
+9|
+15|
+19|Autohypnosis 18, Concentration 20, Intimidate 10, Knowledge (Psionics) 10|-|Disturbing Touch, 64 Power Points

18th|Quori Nightmare 2|
+14|
+9|
+15|
+20|Autohypnosis 19, Concentration 21, Intimidate 11, Knowledge (Psionics) 11|Psychic Warfare (SoS 118)|Nightmare Shroud, +1 Effective Manifester Level, 86 Power Points

19th|Quori Nightmare 3|
+15|
+10|
+16|
+20|Autohypnosis 20, Concentration 22, Intimidate 12, Knowledge (Psionics) 12|-|Nightmare Touch, +1 Effective Manifester Level, 110 Power Points

20th|Quori Nightmare 4|
+16|
+10|
+16|
+22|Autohypnosis 21, Concentration 23, Intimidate 13, Knowledge (Psionics) 13|-|Terror, +1 Effective Manifester Level, 147 Power Points[/table]


Powers Known
{table=head]Level|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

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

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

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

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

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

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

7th|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|2|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|2|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|2|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th|2|1|1|1|-|-|-|-|-

17th|2|1|1|1|-|-|-|-|-

18th|2|1|1|1|-|-|-|-|-

19th|2|1|1|1|-|-|-|-|-

20th|2|1|1|1|-|-|-|-|-[/table]


SRD
Eberron Campaign Setting - background only
RoE - Races of Eberron
WotC Article - Dragonshards: Blades of the Quori
CPsi - Complete Psionics
SoS - Secrets of Sarlona

Kalashtar and Soulknife have an obvious synergy in both mechanics and fluff; the substitution level Parmelk takes here is evidence of that, and gives him an immediate edge in overcoming DR, as well as an added bonus in the future. Soulblade Warrior makes Parmelk’s mind blade more useful in ambush situations, with added punch if using the setting-specific Action Point rules; it has the additional benefit of making it easier for Parmelk to multiclass without his abilities lagging behind. He has decent saves across the board, and a Skill set that gives him some utility in and out of combat. Against ranged opponents, he relies on thrown daggers and his allies.

At 2nd level, Parmelk’s mind blade replaces his daggers as his default ranged weapon. Upon hitting 3rd level, he jumps into the Monk Class to further minimize his dependency on exterior items, taking Monastic Training to again make multiclassing a non-issue. Stunning Fist gives him another effective tool for combat. While he would prefer the Decisive Strike ACF, a strict reading of the RAW makes that choice invalid for his intended 6th level Feat. By entering Monk at 3rd level for a 3-level dip, Parmelk avoids any possible multiclassing penalties from even the strictest DM while adhering to the general Monk Class design feature that precludes dipping back into the Class once exited. At 4th, Combat Reflexes and Evasion pair nicely to illustrate his increasing awareness of the world around him during combat. Still Mind, gained at 5th level, is arguably the most important feature Parmelk takes from his sojourn into the Monk Class, as it enables him to enter Zerth Cenobite.

Parmelk’s selection of the Flowing Blade Feat at 6th level continues his trend of emphasizing the synergy he’s building between his Classes into a unified whole (while he could have taken it at 4th Character Level, Combat Reflexes is somewhat stronger, and was a better choice earlier in the progression). By jumping back into Soulknife, he evens out his Base Classes and gains some needed additional strength to his mind blade with the Psychic Strike, though it has the notable limitation of being Mind-Affecting; this limitation gives him all the more reason to have invested in Monk levels for a damage boost. 7th level is the earliest Parmelk could qualify for the Zerth Cenobite PrC, so that’s when he starts in it. The first level of it gets him a boost in his Power Points that becomes more significant the further he progresses, as well as access to the Expansion power to increase both the strength and utility of his attack routine and Combat Reflexes. Temporal Distillation allows him to either Charge + Full Attack in a particularly dangerous combat for the day, or to Full Attack an adjacent foe and then retreat to a more advantageous. Lastly, the continued progression of his Monk abilities pertaining to Unarmed Strike, AC, and movement speed are vital tools to keeping Parmelk’s levels of competence consistent throughout. At 8th level, he picks up Synesthete for both scouting and defensive purposes. The Backslip ability gives him a potentially vital second chance at any ability that required a roll. Timeless Step, gained at Character Level 9, allows Parmelk to appear to effectively vanish from a scene, allowing guards to walk past him or pursuers to give up or go the wrong way. His Feat choice at this level allows him to use his Mind Blade (or another Monk weapon) to deliver his potentially debilitating Stunning Strike, again emphasizing the synergy he’s building between the constructs we call Classes. On reaching 10th level, Precognition gives Parmelk another solid chance to improve his luck on a bad die roll, while at the same time he gains access to 2nd level Powers. With this access, he chooses Psionic Lion’s Charge; even without the hilarious RAW issue with PSL, he has the Power Points to consistently utilize this ability from here on out.

Temporal Distillation improves further at 11th level for Parmelk, giving him an extra Standard Action a day, which he can turn into another powerful attack against a dangerous opponent. 12th level removes Backslip from the realm of the ‘once a day’ abilities for Parmelk, as well as giving him the versatile and powerful Tactical Feat ‘Kalashtar Thoughtshifter.’ Lastly, note the significant jump in daily Power Points he gets at this level, due to using his level increases for WIS. At level 13, Zerth Cenobite’s Precognition ability is available an additional time per day, again removing that ability from the realm of the ‘once a day’ gems that might be held too long in reserve. Parmelk also gets access to a 3rd level Power, selecting Vampiric Blade to allow his attacks to serve a dual purpose, and reduce any dependency he had on his teammates. 14th level gets Parmelk the powerful and stylish Temporal Strike, which Parmelk can use to give his teammates time to heal, buff up, or even move away from the area; he can combine it with his other Zerth Cenobite abilities to manipulate his odds, if necessary, or with his Psychic Warrior powers for more oomph, or both. At 15th level, Parmelk gets access to Precognitive Surge, the ultimate expression of the Zerth Cenobite’s ability to manipulate the dice. He also takes the Psionic Feat Quori Dread, allowing him to switch from slightly menacing to downright scary to a vulnerable foe. This drastically improves the utility of his Intimidate ranks, helps him qualify for Quori Nightmare - once he’s done with Zerth Cenobite - and gives him another option to choose from with his extra actions besides ‘attack, attack, attack.’

4th level Psychic Warrior powers become available to Parmelk as part of the capstone of Zerth Cenobite, gained at 16th level, and he selects Psionic Freedom of Movement, both for thematic and utilitarian reasons. Temporal Distillation improves to a Full Round Action - the better to combine with Charge - and Timeless Body allows him to simply ignore any full round’s worth of badness that he sees fit. Dragon getting off a full attack routine in his face? That’s nice; he ignores it, and then counter-punches. This is reasonably called the ‘sweet spot’ of the build. Having completed Zerth Cenobite, Parmelk moves on to another Prestige Class that speaks to his heritage: Quori Nightmare. The first level ability here gives him Disturbing Touch, a Touch attack-based offensive option that allows him to stack demoralization effects on a vulnerable enemy right away. At 18th level, Nightmare Shroud gives him another Intimidate bonus, a defensive boost, and - as needed - a Miss Chance, along with an increase in the Power Points needed to make the best use of it. He also nabs the Psychic Warfare Feat for a different option in handling foes. Nightmare Touch, gained at 19th level, further improves the damage done with Disturbing Touch. Finally, at 20th level, Parmelk gets the Terror ability, giving him virtual access to Phantasmal Killer once or twice a day, as needed. Now, it’s true that most of these abilities are Mind-Effecting and based off his thoroughly average CHA score (assuming no magic items to boost it), but he has Zerth Cenobite as his main option, with Quori Nightmare as a useful tool, like Psychic Strike, to deal with the weak-willed underlings cluttering the way to the actual challenges.


Parmelk is almost completely self-reliant in many respects, needing no weapons, armor, or help in healing HP damage for much of his career. As noted in the intro, he covets items to increase his STR. As is typical of melee types that aren’t true Gishes, he’s going to need magical assistance with Flight and dimensional travel, for which he relies on his party. He would love to be able to use the Flaws Shaky and Vulnerable in order to get Speed of Thought and Psionic Charge, but they’re not show-stoppers to miss.


I’ll admit I avoided flavoring him this way deliberately, but let’s review: A weapon if pure force, manifested by mental energy; fights unarmored; belongs to an ancient, mystical order; manipulates matter through the power of his mind; has the ability (through Quori Nightmare) to manipulate the weak-willed into cowing to his desires. Does this, perchance, sound like an archetype first made popular way back in the 1970s, starting with a movie where James Earl Jones did voice-over work? THAT’S why a person would choose Zerth Cenobite, and why it is followed up with Quori Nightmare.

[Kuulvheysoon]

[reserved, just in case]

[Kuulvheysoon]

...And that's it, folks! Small crop this round.

[Deadline]

I'm absolutely shocked I didn't see a warforged who is looking for various members of the Connor family. I was going to submit a terminator themed dish, but time is a cruel mistress.

[Kesnit]

Only 8? *sigh of relief* After Anointed Knight, I was worried about another round of endless entries. :smallsmile:

[Kuulvheysoon]

I'm absolutely shocked I didn't see a warforged who is looking for various members of the Connor family. I was going to submit a terminator themed dish, but time is a cruel mistress.

I know! That was my first thought when I was looking at this class.

[Irk]

These are all pretty interesting. My other idea was an archivist archer who would use metamagic reduction (psycarnum infusion and midnight metamagic) to cast chain spell arrow enhancing spells. The psionics bit would've focused on astral constructs, and I even had a way of activating FREE ACTION powers. However, I thought it involved too many dips, and I just couldn't get it together.

[WhamBamSam]

Part of my second idea was used (sorta) in another build, and the thought process behind it might reveal which dish was my first idea, so I'll wait to post it until the end of the competition.

Even with only 8 entries, the endless parade of Monks and Archivists makes me wish someone had cheesed their way into Hidecarved Dragon, even if it'd have been utterly pointless.

[Sian]

the Secondary build i was considering, was some way to enter it via Illithid Savant although succedding the prereqs was somewhat cheesy (being Race: Mind Flayer) as my two ways were Half-Illithid and Human, with Illithid Grapple(*4(!)) and Illithid Exaction, although the latter had to much of a feat tax (7!) to be viable ... but generally hoping for a bit of leeway since i was able to do what made Illithid's able to run the class

[Treme]

Even with only 8 entries, the endless parade of Monks and Archivists makes me wish someone had cheesed their way into Hidecarved Dragon, even if it'd have been utterly pointless.

Hidecarved was where I was snooping. I figured if I can find a valid entry point outside of the obvious i'd enter but it was never really on from the start!

[Thurbane]

Hmm, small field.

I must admit, I'm not the biggest psionics fan, but the judges will no doubt be more equipped to read the entries than I.

Good job to all who got an entry in.

[yougi]

Wow, really Vizzini'd myself out of this one. I thought that since I nly saw one way of getting Still Mind (as I did not find a way to make Archivist work in the build), I'd be original in how I'd get the 2 PP's and go with a Psionic race, either Githzerai or Duergar. Then thought everyone would do it. And no one did. Oh well!

[Vaz]

Well, Kalashtar are a naturally psionic race, and they're used. Beginning my first read throughs now.

Just going to put out my initial build was;

Synad Monk 5/Zerth Cenobite 10/Tattooed Monk 5

Uses Crane Tattoo first of all to become Unaging, to help pump wisdom (by ECL20). Then it takes Mountain tattoo, which further increases Wisdom.

Chameleon Tattoo for Alter Self, Metamorphic Transfer to gain a Choker's Quickness for an additional Standard/Move action, and Travel Devotion for the additional Swift Action move. These combined let me use Travel Devotion to move in close, use my first Move action to trigger Mountain Tattoo increasing the DC by +2, then the second Standard Action from being a Choker to actually hit the guy with an Unarmed attack. Temporal Distillation is a Free Action in accordance with Kuulv's ruling, which grants me an additional Standard Action, with which I can trigger unequivocally the Synad's multitasking to gain an additional Swift which triggers the Temporal Strike.

I can also do this at range if I desire so as well; Ring the Golden Bell from Dragon Compendium would give me a range increment of ~70ft.

All the wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff comes to a total of
Travel Devotion - Swift Action Move
Choker - Additional Standard Action
Temporal Distillation - Additional Full Round Action
Synad Multitask - Additional Mental Swift Action

With Ability Focus, this would take the DC up to 30 combined with items. Combining the Synad's Oracle with Precognition for +4 to ensure that the attack hits home, along with Backslip for the reroll.

Monk Bonus - IUS, Imp Grapple
1; Endurance
3; Travel Devotion
6; Shape Soulmeld (Totem Avatar)
9; Improved Natural Attack
12; Metamorphic Transfer
15; Ability Focus
18; Open Shoulder Chakra

Powers include Psionic Lion's Charge, so with Totem Avatar to Shoulders and INA, I'd get a Full Attack with 6d8+Str Damage on each. It's still only 3 iteratives, but it's decent enough if you hit.

Of course, Wis+4 to AC = 27+

Was really surprised noone else went with that noone else really went that route, I thought that Tattooed Monk would have been a given. Ah well, onwards with judging.

[dysprosium]

I'm surprised by the number of Archivists--almost an even split for Archivist and Monk using the still mind class feature.

Since I had trouble getting my first one in on time I never seriously considered a second build.

And only 8 builds! That's the lowest I've seen since I started participating in these.

[Amphetryon]

I'm surprised by the number of Archivists--almost an even split for Archivist and Monk using the still mind class feature.

Since I had trouble getting my first one in on time I never seriously considered a second build.

And only 8 builds! That's the lowest I've seen since I started participating in these.

I know! With that small number of builds, you'd think I had taken the Chairman's title back, or something. :smalltongue:

[WhamBamSam]

Hidecarved was where I was snooping. I figured if I can find a valid entry point outside of the obvious i'd enter but it was never really on from the start!Entering Hidecarved Dragon early enough is a tricky proposition. The 6 good Will save classes thing isn't so bad, but the Natural Armor is kind of tricky. Loredrake Sorcerer 1/Singer of Concordance (auto-qualification) 1 gets you to 2nd level spells for Alter Self, which gets you some of the way, but there's still further to go, and that's already a pretty big elegance hit.


Well, Kalashtar are a naturally psionic race, and they're used. Beginning my first read throughs now.

Just going to put out my initial build was;

ElanSynad

*snip of various other cool stuff*I did consider a Synad briefly for an extra Swift action to activate Temporal Strike with, but gave that up pretty quickly because of reasons. Synad probably would have been the best choice for my second build as well, had I bothered to hammer out the details.

All the other stuff looks neat too, and I certainly can't claim to have thought of any of it for this ingredient. I'm gonna have to read over Tatooed Monk for future reference.

[Sian]

on the ammount of builds i guess its somewhat due to

a) Its not a SI that is open for a wide range of versions (you almost HAVE to have Monk 3 or Archivist 4)

b) Anointed Knight could fit nearly anything (well ... anything that used weapons as primary option) and had a double-length cooking time

[OMG PONIES]

I may have missed something (there are a few books I haven't dug through in my search, but I did get to most of them), but I've only found four ways of qualifying for the PrC pre-epic.

"An idea is like a virus. Resilient. Highly contagious. And even the smallest seed of an idea can grow. It can grow to define or destroy you." 'Twas WhamBamSam who first put that diabolical idea into my head...what if there was a way to qualify for Zerth Cenobite aside from monk, archivist, or hidecarved dragon?

Minutes became hours which stretched to days. Sleepless nights merged one into the next, elongating into weeks. And still, the idea was out of reach. What did I miss? I asked myself. It must be so clear... Alas, the deadline came and went, and I found myself without the elusive fourth way. Pray tell, what was it?

In unrelated news, I desperately wanted to make an Archivist/Zerth Cenobite/Sanctified Mind work, but then realized that it advances either manifesting or divine casting, rather than both. Pity, that.

[Heliomance]

I know someone mentioned a few pages ago that they found 4 entry methods, and it's really hurting my nerdego that I can't figure out the 4th. Along with everyone else, I thought of:
Monk (boring)
Archivist (less boring, but hamstrings Archivist advancement)
Hidecarved Dragon (least boring, but it basically became an exercise in boosting natural armor and reeked of inelegance)
But I couldn't find a fourth class that granted Still Mind. What was I missing?

It was answered in thread - Factotum 19, imitating Still Mind.

[OMG PONIES]

It was answered in thread - Factotum 19, imitating Still Mind.

Ah, here I thought that there was something else. All that squinting and bookdiving for naught. Also, sorry for editing my prior post.

[WhamBamSam]

It was answered in thread - Factotum 19, imitating Still Mind.Which, as I said when I posted it, doesn't actually work.

It looks like Sian also considered Illithid Savant as a way of getting Still Mind.

[Sian]

the best i could get that to, through would be something in the lines of

Half-Illithid *something* Psion7/Illithid Savant 3/Zenth Cenobite 5 ... might have been fun as an attempt, but not really worthwhile ... the LA+5 and needing Knowledge Arcana 10, killed the idea really

[relytdan]

interesting bunch this lot.

[Eldonauran]

I'm sort of glad there less dishes this time around. Quicker scoring. :smallbiggrin:

[OMG PONIES]

I'm sort of glad there less dishes this time around. Quicker scoring. :smallbiggrin:

Or more time to nitpick every little thing! This round's rubric to include: capitalization, punctuation, tense agreement, and the use of dangling modifiers.

I'm just kidding....or AM I?!

[Kazyan]

I had a very inelegant idea and ended up not submitting:

Earth Mephling Soulbound Weapon Psychic Warrior 2/Monk 3/Drunken Master 4/Zerth Cenobite 10

Use Soulbound Weapon to have a magical rope (improvised weapons are still weapons), Drunken Master so that you can attack with the full 50' of reach, Earth Mephling for a burrow speed. ZC would take Call Weaponry as a power, allowing augmentation of the rope to be a +1 Skillful rope, which grants proficiency. Manifest Call Weaponry with Burrowing Power to allow attacking through the ground you're burrowing through.

Use ZC's reroll prevent the rope from breaking on a natural 1. Monk abilities for super-fast burrowing and increased rope damage (it's keyed off your unarmed strike). Psicrystal Affinity for a Mindsighted crystal that can pinpoint targets for you while underground. Timeless Step to suddenly disappear from underground, which causes the ground above you to cave in, possibly making your enemies prone and allowing you to reappear directly above them. Precognition or Precognitive Surge combine with Power Attack on the two-handed rope for lots of damage.

In the end, I decided that the Earth Mephling/Burrowing Call Weapon trick would work best on a more conventional Tash build with a Drunken Master 4 splash, assuming the DM is lenient enough to allow Call Weapon with improvised weapons.

[Eldonauran]

Or more time to nitpick every little thing! This round's rubric to include: capitalization, punctuation, tense agreement, and the use of dangling modifiers.

I'm just kidding....or AM I?!

Bring it on. :smallamused:

[Amphetryon]

I had a very inelegant idea and ended up not submitting:

Earth Mephling Soulbound Weapon Psychic Warrior 2/Monk 3/Drunken Master 4/Zerth Cenobite 10

Use Soulbound Weapon to have a magical rope (improvised weapons are still weapons), Drunken Master so that you can attack with the full 50' of reach, Earth Mephling for a burrow speed. ZC would take Call Weaponry as a power, allowing augmentation of the rope to be a +1 Skillful rope, which grants proficiency. Manifest Call Weaponry with Burrowing Power to allow attacking through the ground you're burrowing through.

Use ZC's reroll prevent the rope from breaking on a natural 1. Monk abilities for super-fast burrowing and increased rope damage (it's keyed off your unarmed strike). Psicrystal Affinity for a Mindsighted crystal that can pinpoint targets for you while underground. Timeless Step to suddenly disappear from underground, which causes the ground above you to cave in, possibly making your enemies prone and allowing you to reappear directly above them. Precognition or Precognitive Surge combine with Power Attack on the two-handed rope for lots of damage.

In the end, I decided that the Earth Mephling/Burrowing Call Weapon trick would work best on a more conventional Tash build with a Drunken Master 4 splash, assuming the DM is lenient enough to allow Call Weapon with improvised weapons.
Call Weaponry is clearly overpowered if combined with improvised weapons. No sane DM would allow that.

[Irk]

Ah, here I thought that there was something else. All that squinting and bookdiving for naught. Also, sorry for editing my prior post.

Actually, I believe it was me who said I had four, the fourth being Illithid savant, not factotum. Someone else posted that recently, so I guess they had a similar idea.

[Rizban]

Even with only 8 entries, the endless parade of Monks and Archivists makes me wish someone had cheesed their way into Hidecarved Dragon, even if it'd have been utterly pointless.The base for my theoretical build that I did not submit due to choosing to judge was going for Hidecarved Dragon. I was having trouble getting the last few levels of the SI pre-epic though.

[Gwachitallemall]

I had a psiforged in mind that I couldn't post because I just became too busy, it was archivist 8/zerth cenobite 10/psychic theurge 2. It worked well, but just didn't have time to finish it.

Got kind of torn when I came up with a similar idea to the kalashtar entry.

[Sian]

The base for my theoretical build that I did not submit due to choosing to judge was going for Hidecarved Dragon. I was having trouble getting the last few levels of the SI pre-epic though.

How would you grab enough Natural Armor? ... off hand the best I'm able to get it to is +11 (without items or feats) at ECL 6 (LA+1, RHD 2) ... although depending on your reading its questionable use of templates

[Vaz]

Level Drained Tauric Cave Ankylosaur with LA buy off gets you 13 Class levels for +17 off the bat, IIRC. Throw on Half Dragon Savage Progression (2 levels only) gives you 15 levels to play with.

You need 6 good Will Save classes, so 9 levels left to get that in. 4 Levels of Hidecarved Dragon leaves 5 for the SI.

That is without obvious Dragonblood qualification shenanigans; it is hardly worth it IMHO.

[Rizban]

Level Drained Tauric Cave Ankylosaur with LA buy off gets you 13 Class levels for +17 off the bat, IIRC. Throw on Half Dragon Savage Progression (2 levels only) gives you 15 levels to play with.

You need 6 good Will Save classes, so 9 levels left to get that in. 4 Levels of Hidecarved Dragon leaves 5 for the SI.

That is without obvious Dragonblood qualification shenanigans; it is hardly worth it IMHO.This is close to what I was thinking. My other idea, and what id have probably gone for, used either the Crucian or the Baaz Draconian as a base.

[WhamBamSam]

Yeah, it's a problem. Best I've been able to do without level drain cheese or any auto-qualification cheesier than Singer of Concordance is LN Loredrake Dragonborn Dragonwrought Earth Kobold Sorcerer 1/Singer of Concordance 1/Binder 1/Wu Jen 1/Anima Mage 1/Acolyte of the Skin 1 with feats Dragonwrought, Improved Binding, Extend Spell (Wu Jen), and Improved Natural Armor, which can temporarily get itself to 10+(Con mod/2) by Alter Self-ing into a Bozak Draconian (DCS), and binding Dalver-Nar. So that's 13 while under Bear's Endurance, or 14 if I can get a +1 inherent to Con from somewhere. In other words, not good enough.

[Tim Proctor]

Alright here are my scores, please let me know if there are any issues.

Tri’ijin 15.05
Originality
Class 0, -0.25 Incarnate, +0.25 Soul Manifester.
Race/Template +.25 Skarn
Feats 0, -0.3 Hidden Talent,-0.15 ea. Shape Soulmeld, Azure Talent. +0.15 ea. Improved Bull rush, Shock trooper, Power Attack, Scorpion’s Grasp
Skills +.15 Intimidate
Total 3.4

Power
Offense +0.75, +1 High damage maximum is over 300, -0.25 0 Initiative bonus.
Defense +0.5, Decent saves, AC bonus, etc.
Versatility +0.5, +0.25 ea. Crowd Control, Intimidate,
Total 4.75

Elegance
Failure to Qualify -1, -0.25 ea. Shock Trooper requires power attack, you have them incorrectly displayed. Improved Bull Rush also requires Power Attack, since this IMO is a table error a half penalty was taken. -0.5, Scorpion's Grasp requires Improved Grapple which you don't have and it requires 13 dex which you don't have so you can't just get take it either. Furthermore, Scorpions Grasp requires Improved Unarmed Strike which you don't technically have. Spine Strike replaces it and counts for 'Monk class features' however its debatable for feats, and you don't have the feat to take it at level 1.
Levels +1.25, -.25 Soul Manifester Dip, +0.5 Incarnate 5 levels, +1 Zerth Cenobite 10 levels.
Other -0.45, -0.25 shift 2 alignment spots from Lawful to Chaotic in one level, I'd require a level seperation for each. -0.1 Improved Unarmed Strike and Unarmed Strike listed on the sheet, assuming this is a table error.
Total 2.9

UotSI
Concentration -0.25 you take the minimum amount to qualify and don't really expound on it.
Psionics +0.5, the psionic abilities are reinforced with Hidden Talent, Azure Talent and Soul Manifester.
High Will Save + 0.25, you have a high will save but its due to the classes and not really anything that is reinforced.
Monkliness -0.25, you take the minimum number of monk levels and don't reinforce it with any other classes or feats.
Time Manipulation -0.25, you get the class features but don't add anything to it.
All 10 levels +1, you take all 10 levels of the SI.
Total 4

Nick Snarespan 17.53
Originality
Class +0.5, Psychic Rogue and Trapsmith
Race/Template -0.375 Human
Feats +0.6, -0.3 Shadow Blade, +0.15 ea. Able Learner, Darkstalker, Martial Study, Sun School, Tashalatora, Martial Stance
Skills +0.3, -.15 ea. Hide, Move Silently, +0.15 ea. Craft (Trapmaking), Disable Device, Open Lock, Use Psionic Device
Total 4.03

Power
Offense +1, +1 High damage maximum is over 300, 0 Init mod +3
Defense -0.25, -.5 Low fortitude save, +.25 AC bonuses,
Versatility +0.75, +0.25 ea. Traps, Stealth, UPD
Total 4.5

Elegance
Failure to Qualify 0, qualified for all items.
Levels +1.25, -.25 Psychic Rogue Dip, +0.5 Trapsmith 5 levels, +1 Zerth Cenobite 10 levels.
Other 0, no issues found
Total 4.25

UotSI
Concentration -0.25 you basically take the minimum amount to qualify and don't really expound on it.
Psionics -0.25 you have the minimum amount to qualify and don't really expound on it.
High Will Save -0.25 your will save is decent but is not good.
Monkliness +0.5, you take the minimum number of monk levels, however Sun School, Monastic Training, and Tashalatora reinforce it.
Time Manipulation 0, you get the class features and the only real reinforcement of it is the tactical maneuver 'Inexorable Progress of Dawn', which sounds time related.
All 10 levels +1, you take all 10 levels of the SI.
Total 4.75

Teoldrin Timeweaver 14.92
Originality
Class -0.625, -0.25 Incarnate and '-0.375 Swordsage
Race/Template +.25 Azurin
Feats -0.45, -0.3 Hidden Talent, Shadow Blade -0.15 ea. Shape Soulmeld, Azure Talent. +0.15 ea. Weapon Finesse, Bonus Essentia, Gloom Razor.
Skills -0.3, -0.15 ea. Hide and Move Silently
Total 2.17

Power
Offense +0.75, +0.5 High damage output,+0.25 Initiative mod +6
Defense +0.5, Decent saves, AC bonus, ability to wear Armor, etc.
Versatility +0.5, +0.25 ea. Stealth, Spells,
Total 4.75

Elegance
Failure to Qualify 0, qualified for all items.
Levels +0.75, -.25 Swordsage dip, +1 Zerth Cenobite 10 levels.
Other 0, no issues found
Total 3.75

UotSI
Concentration +0.25 you take 20+ ranks in it, however its not reinforced by any feats.
Psionics +0.5, the psionic abilities are reinforced with Hidden Talent, Azure Talent, Psycarnum Infusion, etc.
High Will Save + 0.25, you have a high will save but its due to the classes and not really anything that is reinforced.
Monkliness -0.5, you don't have any monk levels
Time Manipulation -0.25, you get the class features but don't add anything to it.
All 10 levels +1, you take all 10 levels of the SI.
Total 4.25

Wutheh 13.98
Originality
Class +.5 Wizard and Mystic Theurge
Race/Template -0.375 Human
Feats +0.3, -0.3 Hidden Talent -0.15 Knowledge Devotion. +0.15 ea. Weapon Focus, Combat Casting, Somatic Weaponry, Eilserv School, Wandstrike
Skills 0, no skills over 20
Total 3.43

Power
Offense +0.25, +0.25 damage is okay, 0 Init mod +2. Please let me know if I'm not understanding something here, cause I'd like to change this.
Defense 0, weak defense low HP, no armor, no compounding AC bonuses, etc.
Versatility +0.5, +0.25 ea. Spells, Knowledge
Total 3.75

Elegance
Failure to Qualify -0.5, Two-Weapon Fighting requires a dex of 15 only have 14 which would also impact your qualification of Eilservs School.
Levels +1.3, +0.5 Mystic Theruge 5, +0.8 Zerth Cenobite 8
Other 0, no issues found
Total 4.05

UotSI
Concentration +0.5 20 ranks, reinforced with Combat Casting, and Swift Concentration
Psionics -0.25 you have the minimum amount to qualify and don't really expound on it.
High Will Save + 0.25, you have a high will save but its due to the classes and not really anything that is reinforced.
Monkliness -0.5, you don't have any monk levels
Time Manipulation -0.25, you get the class features but don't add anything to it. I would have liked to see what spells you picked as those could have helped this area a lot.
All 10 levels 0, Only 8 levels of SI
Total 2.75

Nola Bramblethorn 17.03
Originality
Class -0.125, -0.375 Swordsage +0.25 Shadow Sun Ninja
Race/Template +.5, +0.25 ea. Strongheart Halfling and Sainted
Feats +.75, -0.15 Snap Kick. +0.15 ea. Wild Talent, Intuitive Attack, Touch of Golden Ice, Confound the Big Folk, Sudden Recovery, Practiced Manifester.
Skills +.15 Jump
Total 4.28

Power
Offense +0.75, +0.5 High damage output,+0.25 Initiative mod +5
Defense +0.75, Decent saves, AC bonus, Small, Saint DR Immunity, etc.
Versatility +0.25 Really good against larger evil outsiders.
Total 4.75

Elegance
Failure to Qualify 0, qualified for all items.
Levels +0.5, -0.5 Shadow Sun Ninja dip, +1 Zenth Cenobite10
Other -0.25, Nymph's Kiss does not add 4 to the 1st level, it states a single extra point.
Total 4.25

UotSI
Concentration -0.25 you take the minimum amount to qualify and don't really expound on it.
Psionics +0.25 you have the minimum amount to qualify and use Wild Talent and Practiced Manifester.
High Will Save + 0.25, you have a high will save but its due to the classes and not really anything that is reinforced.
Monkliness -0.25, you take the minimum number of monk levels and don't reinforce it with any other classes or feats.
Time Manipulation -0.25, you get the class features but don't add anything to it.
All 10 levels +1, you take all 10 levels of the SI.
Total 3.75

BTW I appreciate the New Orleans Saints reference, it was clever.

Douglas Yangtze 16.5
Originality
Class -0.125, -0.375 Swordsage +0.25 Shou Disciple
Race/Template -0.375 Human
Feats 0, -0.3 Shadow Blade (listed as Shadow Hand, I can't find this feat so I assume its Shadow Blade) -0.15 ea. Knowledge Devotion, Snap Kick. +0.15 ea. Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, Superior Unarmed Strike, Extend Supernatural Ability.
Skills 0, no skills over 20
Total 2.5

Power
Offense +1.25, +1 High damage maximum is over 300, +0.25 Initiative bonus of 7.
Defense +0.5, Decent saves, AC bonus, etc.
Versatility +0.25 Spells
Total 5

Elegance
Failure to Qualify 0, qualified for all items.
Levels +1.25, -0.25 Shou Disciple dip, +0.5 Archivist 5, +1 Zerth Cenobite 10
Other -0.25, questionable rules interpretations
Total 4

UotSI
Concentration +0.25 you take 20+ ranks in it, however its not reinforced by any feats.
Psionics +0.25, the psionic abilities are reinforced with Hidden Talent and Extend Supernatural Ability
High Will Save -0.25 your will save is decent but is not good.
Monkliness +0.5, Lots of unarmed damage and stuff, Shou Disciple, etc.
Time Manipulation +0.25, you get the class features and reinforce it with Extend Supernatural Ability
All 10 levels +1, you take all 10 levels of the SI.
Total 5

Orthagonel Velodrake 14.2
Originality
Class +.5, +0.25 Half-Dragon and +0.25 Gelatinous Cube
Race/Template +.5, +0.25 Half-Dragon and +0.25 Gelatinous Cube
Feats +0.45, -0.3 Hidden Talent. +0.15 ea. Apprentice, Open-Minded, Roofwalker, Roof-Jumper, Ability Focus
Skills 0, no skills over 20
Total 4.7

Power
Offense +0.5, +1 High damage maximum is over 300, -0.5 -3 Initiative bonus.
Defense +0.5, Decent saves, Ooze Immunities, Large etc.
Versatility 0, a one trick ooze.
Total 4

Elegance
Failure to Qualify -0.5, Hidden Talent and Apprentice require to be taken at 1st level only. Rather than say Hidden Talent is the illegal one and you then FtQ for the SI (which is what would happen), I'm just gonna ping you.
Levels +1 Zerth Cenobite 10
Other -1, I don't even know where to start… probably with the Ooze thing… and we'll stop there too. I'm not sure it's playable.
Total 2.5

UotSI
Concentration -0.25 you take the minimum amount to qualify and don't really expound on it.
Psionics 0, the psionic ability is reinforced with Hidden Talent.
High Will Save -0.25 your will save is decent but is not good.
Monkliness -0.25, you take the minimum number of monk levels and don't reinforce it with any other classes or feats.
Time Manipulation -0.25, you get the class features but don't add anything to it.
All 10 levels +1, you take all 10 levels of the SI.
Total 3

Parmelk 17.2
Originality
Class +0.5, +0.25 Soulblade 3 and +0.25 Quori Nightmare
Race/Template +0.25 Kalashtar
Feats +1.05, +0.15 ea. Soulblade Warrior, Monastic Training, Flowing Blade, Stunning Master, Kalashtar Thoughtshifter, Quori Dread, Psychic Warfare.
Skills +.15 Autohypnosis
Total 4.95

Power
Offense +1, +1 High damage maximum is over 300, 0 Init mod +2
Defense -0.25, -.5 Low fortitude save, +.25 AC bonuses,
Versatility +0.25 Crowd Control
Total 4

Elegance
Failure to Qualify 0, no issues found
Levels +1 Zerth Cenobite 10
Other 0, no issues found
Total 4

UotSI
Concentration +0.25 you take 20+ ranks in it, however its not reinforced by any feats.
Psionics +0.5, the psionic abilities are reinforced with Soulblade Warrior, Kalashtar Thoughtshifter and Quori Dread.
High Will Save + 0.25, you have a high will save but its due to the classes and not really anything that is reinforced.
Monkliness +0.5, you take the minimum number of monk levels and don't reinforce it with any other classes or feats.
Time Manipulation -0.25, you get the class features but don't add anything to it.
All 10 levels +1, you take all 10 levels of the SI.
Total 4.25

[Sian]

Looking at your Scores Tim, theres something that I think looks like you messed something up while writing Orthagonel's score ... you give +,25 HalfDragon +,25 Ooze both in the Class and the Race/Template boxes

[relytdan]

Here are the scores for our chefs


Tri’ijin
11 Score total

3 Originality
+.5 - race things I expected - well I have to say I did not expect a dragonborn skarn
-.5 - classes or Prc I expected - of the 2 routes that I found into the SI, -.5 Monk was the one that I felt was most obvious and so I am deducting for that, as incarnate was used by others, no one else used soul manifester
- 0 build doing something interesting - I did not find enough here to warrent a bonus
- 0 presentation - I felt your background was a bit long winded and took a while to see where it was headed

3.25 Power
+.25 versatility - the build has a few options to it
- 0 role presented by the SI - i feel that it can do things along the lines that I see for the SI but not enough to warrent a bonus
- 0 self-sufficiency - score adjusted & is something I am looking for in character optimization
+.5 dependancy of items - the build does not use items

1.25 Elegance
-.5 class dips, change alignment - your build sees deductions for the class dips and for the alignment change
-.5 questionable rules interpretations - alignment shift & Scorpion’s grasp - requires improved grapple where Passive way overides the normal monk improved grapple option.
-.25 qualify's or not for non-SI Class's & or PRC's - monk requires Lawful alignment
-.5 qualify's or not for non-SI feats and things - it appears that you do not qualify for some of these and there appears to be to many feats listed at level 1; Hidden Talent, Synchronicity, Combat Expertise, Improved Unarmed Strike (4 feats listed at 1st level - 1 for character creation, 1 for the Skarn Monk Racial Substitution Levels , where are the other 2 coming from?); spine strike benefit replaces a standard monk’s unarmed strike, which is required for improved unarmed strike, Shock Trooper & Improved Bull Rush requires power attack, Scorpion's Grasp requires Improved Grapple requires 13 dex, Scorpions Grasp requires Improved Unarmed Strike,

3.5 Use of the Secret Ingredient
+.5 does the entry complete the Secret Ingredient- yes you take all 10 levels
- 0 taken at the earliest level - level 8 SI is entered but not as early as it could have been(Skills: Concentration 9 ranks- lvl 6,Base Attack Bonus: +4-lvl 4) =level 7 as the first level the SI can be taken
- 0 captures the feel of the SI - I did not get enough to connect the character to the SI
- 0 make use of all the SI abilities - I do not feel that all of the abilities are used enough to warrent a bonus


Nick
13.5 Score total

2.75 Originality
-.25 - race things I expected - yes human was expected and taken by a few chefs
- 0 - classes or Prc I expected - of the 2 routes that I found into the SI, -.5 Monk was the one that I felt was most obvious and so I am deducting for that, no one else used psychic rogue or trapsmith +.5
- 0 build doing something interesting - I did not find enough here to warrent a bonus
- 0 presentation - I felt your background was lacking, while you have a long story included in your level writeups

3.5 Power
+.25 versatility - the build has a few options to it
- 0 role presented by the SI - i feel that it can do things along the lines that I see for the SI but not enough to warrent a bonus
-.25 self-sufficiency - I feel that the character while it would do okay in a melee and has a few other tricks to help it out, I feel that it still would need some additional help from others
+.5 dependancy of items - the build does not use items

4 Elegance
-.5 class dips - your build sees deductions for the class dips
+.5 questionable rules interpretations - I did not see anything here
+.5 qualify's or not for non-SI Class's & or PRC's - I did not see anything here
+.5 qualify's or not for non-SI feats and things - Adjusted Score

3.25 Use of the Secret Ingredient
+.5 does the entry complete the Secret Ingredient- yes you take all 10 levels
-.25 taken at the earliest level - level 9 SI is entered but not as early as it could have been(Skills: Concentration 9 ranks- lvl 6,Base Attack Bonus: +4-lvl 4) =level 7 as the first level the SI can be taken
- 0 captures the feel of the SI - I did not get enough to connect the character to the SI
- 0 make use of all the SI abilities - I do not feel that all of the abilities are used enough to warrent a bonus


Teoldrin
14.25 Score total

3.25 Originality
+.25 - race things I expected - yes Azurin was expected but no other chef used it
- 0 - classes or Prc I expected - of the 2 routes that I found into the SI, +.5 Archivist was the least expected, swordsage and incarnate were both useed by others -.5
- 0 build doing something interesting - I did not find enough here to warrent a bonus
- 0 presentation - I felt your background was lacking, while you have a long story included in your level writeups

3.5 Power
+.25 versatility - the build has a few options to it
- 0 role presented by the SI - i feel that it can do things along the lines that I see for the SI but not enough to warrent a bonus
-.25 self-sufficiency - I feel that the character while it would do okay in a melee and has a few other tricks to help it out, I feel that it still would need some additional help from others
+.5 dependancy of items - the build does not use items

4.25 Elegance
-.25 class dips - your build sees deductions for the class dip
+.5 questionable rules interpretations - I did not see anything here
+.5 qualify's or not for non-SI Class's & or PRC's - I did not see anything here
+.5 qualify's or not for non-SI feats and things - Score Adjusted

3.25 Use of the Secret Ingredient
+.5 does the entry complete the Secret Ingredient- yes you take all 10 levels
-.25 taken at the earliest level - level 9 SI is entered but not as early as it could have been(Skills: Concentration 9 ranks- lvl 6,Base Attack Bonus: +4-lvl 4) =level 7 as the first level the SI can be taken
- 0 captures the feel of the SI - I did not get enough to connect the character to the SI
- 0 make use of all the SI abilities - I do not feel that all of the abilities are used enough to warrent a bonus


Wutheh
11 Score total

2.75 Originality
-.25 - race things I expected - yes human was expected and taken by a few chefs
- 0 - classes or Prc I expected - of the 2 routes that I found into the SI, +.5 Archivist was the least expected, no one else thought to use wizard or thurge
- 0 build doing something interesting - I did not find enough here to warrent a bonus
- 0 presentation - I felt your background was lacking, while you have some information in your level writeup you do not have all the level writeups and what you have is a bit long

3.5 Power
+.25 versatility - the build has a few options to it
- 0 role presented by the SI - i feel that it can do things along the lines that I see for the SI but not enough to warrent a bonus
-.25 self-sufficiency - I feel that the character while it would do okay in a melee and has a few other tricks to help it out, I feel that it still would need some additional help from others
+.5 dependancy of items - the build does not use items

3 Elegance
-.25 class dips - your build sees deductions for the class dip
+.25 questionable rules interpretations - while I will question a few things, I will not give a deduction nor full bonus for it
+.5 qualify's or not for non-SI Class's & or PRC's - I did not see anything here
-.5 qualify's or not for non-SI feats and things - Two-Weapon Fighting requires a dex of 15, Eilservs School Prerequisite Weapon Focus (PH) ( (quarterstaff)) , Two-Weapon Fighting (PH) , Spellcraft 2 ranks, Base attack bonus +6

1.75 Use of the Secret Ingredient
-.5 does the entry complete the Secret Ingredient- No you are the only one to not take all 10 levels and you took only 8 levels
-.5 taken at the earliest level - level 10 SI is entered but not as early as it could have been(Skills: Concentration 9 ranks- lvl 6,Base Attack Bonus: +4-lvl 4) =level 7 as the first level the SI can be taken
- 0 captures the feel of the SI - I did not get enough to connect the character to the SI
-.25 make use of all the SI abilities - you did not take the last 2 levels of the SI


Nola
13.25 Score total

3.25 Originality
+.5 - race things I expected - no Strongheart Halfling was not expected
-.5 - classes or Prc I expected - of the 2 routes that I found into the SI, -.5 Monk was the one that I felt was most obvious and so I am deducting for that, a few other chefs used swordsage and you were the only one to use sun ninja
- 0 build doing something interesting - I did not find enough here to warrent a bonus
+.25 presentation - I felt your background and level writeup was good enough to get the idea of the character

3.5 Power
+.25 versatility - the build has a few options to it
- 0 role presented by the SI - i feel that it can do things along the lines that I see for the SI but not enough to warrent a bonus
-.25 self-sufficiency - I feel that the character while it would do okay in a melee and has a few other tricks to help it out, I feel that it still would need some additional help from others
+.5 dependancy of items - the build does not use items

3 Elegance
-.5 class dips - your build sees deductions for the class dips
- 0 questionable rules interpretations - “Saint” is an acquired template, In order to qualify for sainthood • Must at all times behave in a way the DM considers to be
exemplary of the exalted path described in this book, • Must make an extraordinary sacrifice (not necessarily his or her life) for the good of another - while it appears that you qualify for the template I am unable to give you the bonus for the above listed
+.5 qualify's or not for non-SI Class's & or PRC's - I did not see anything here
-.5 qualify's or not for non-SI feats and things - Nymph's Kiss does not add 4 to the 1st level, it states a single extra point

3.25 Use of the Secret Ingredient
+.5 does the entry complete the Secret Ingredient- yes you take all 10 levels
-.25 taken at the earliest level - level 9 SI is entered but not as early as it could have been(Skills: Concentration 9 ranks- lvl 6,Base Attack Bonus: +4-lvl 4) =level 7 as the first level the SI can be taken
- 0 captures the feel of the SI - I did not get enough to connect the character to the SI
- 0 make use of all the SI abilities - I do not feel that all of the abilities are used enough to warrent a bonus
*NOTE: Nymph's Kiss -
Benefit: Fey creatures regard you as though you were fey. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus on all Charisma-related checks, and a +1 bonus on all saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities.Starting with the level when you take this feat, you gain 1 extra skill point per level.**


Douglas
13.25 Score total

3.25 Originality
-.25 - race things I expected - yes human was expected and taken by a few chefs
+.5 - classes or Prc I expected - of the 2 routes that I found into the SI, +.5 Archivist was the least expected, swordsage was used by others but shou disciple was not
- 0 build doing something interesting - I did not find enough here to warrent a bonus
- 0 presentation - I felt your background was lacking and level writeup was okay, but not enough to get the idea of the character

3.25 Power
+.25 versatility - the build has a few options to it
-.25 role presented by the SI - I feel that it can do things along the lines that I see for the SI, but you are loseing some from not qualifing for the shou disciple
-.25 self-sufficiency - I feel that the character while it would do okay in a melee and has a few other tricks to help it out, I feel that it still would need some additional help from others
+.5 dependancy of items - the build does not use items

3.5 Elegance
-.5 class dips - your build sees deductions for the class dips
+.25 questionable rules interpretations - score adjusted Shou Disciple
+.25 qualify's or not for non-SI Class's & or PRC's - Shou Disciple
+.5 qualify's or not for non-SI feats and things - score adjusted

3.25 Use of the Secret Ingredient
+.5 does the entry complete the Secret Ingredient- yes you take all 10 levels
-.5 taken at the earliest level - level 10 SI is entered but not as early as it could have been(Skills: Concentration 9 ranks- lvl 6,Base Attack Bonus: +4-lvl 4) =level 7 as the first level the SI can be taken
- 0 captures the feel of the SI - I did not get enough to connect the character to the SI
- 0 make use of all the SI abilities - I do not feel that all of the abilities are used enough to warrent a bonus


Parmelk
14.75 Score total

3.25 Originality
+.25 - race things I expected - yes Kalashtar was expected but not used by other chefs
- 0 - classes or Prc I expected - of the 2 routes that I found into the SI, -.5 Monk was the one that I felt was most obvious and so I am deducting for that, no one else used Soulknife/blade or quori
- 0 build doing something interesting - I did not find enough here to warrent a bonus
- 0 presentation - I felt your background was a bit long winded and took a while to see where it was headed

3.5 Power
+.25 versatility - the build has a few options to it
- 0 role presented by the SI - I feel that it can do things along the lines that I see for the SI but not enough to warrent a bonus
-.25 self-sufficiency - I feel that the character while it would do okay in a melee and has a few other tricks to help it out, I feel that it still would need some additional help from others
+.5 dependancy of items - the build does not use items

4 Elegance
-.5 class dips - your build sees deductions for the class dips
+.5 questionable rules interpretations - I did not see anything here
+.5 qualify's or not for non-SI Class's & or PRC's - I did not see anything here
+.5 qualify's or not for non-SI feats and things - adjusted score

4 Use of the Secret Ingredient
+.5 does the entry complete the Secret Ingredient- yes you take all 10 levels
+.5 taken at the earliest level - level 7
- 0 captures the feel of the SI - I did not get enough to connect the character to the SI
- 0 make use of all the SI abilities - I do not feel that all of the abilities are used enough to warrent a bonus


Orthagonel
6.5 Score total

1.5 Originality
-.5 - race things I expected - GELATINOUS CUBE*,Sentry*,Half-dragon, While this is not expected as this is an unplayable character I am giving it full deductions
-.5 - classes or Prc I expected - of the 2 routes that I found into the SI, -.5 Monk was the one that I felt was most obvious and so I am deducting for that
-.5 build doing something interesting - I do not see this doing anything interesting
- 0 presentation - background and level writups were not what I would be looking for, also as a DM this as a PC would never see my table and highly unlikely to see play as an NPC

1.5 Power
-.5 versatility - the build has nothing going for it
-.5 role presented by the SI - I feel that it can do very limited things
-.5 self-sufficiency - I feel that the character would need help all day long
+.5 dependancy of items - the build does not use items

1.5 Elegance
-.5 class dips - your build sees deductions for the class dip, ect.
-.5 questionable rules interpretations - GELATINOUS CUBE*, Sentry* are very questionable
- 0 qualify's or not for non-SI Class's & or PRC's - while you are a monk I am unable to give full bonus for only 3 levels of it, but I will not give a deduction either
-.5 qualify's or not for non-SI feats and things -a few feats/skills are taken at levels that are RHD or Level Adjustment where they are not able to be taken; Hidden Talent and Apprentice require to be taken at 1st level only

2 Use of the Secret Ingredient
+.5 does the entry complete the Secret Ingredient- yes you take all 10 levels
-.5 taken at the earliest level - level 11 SI is entered but not as early as it could have been(Skills: Concentration 9 ranks- lvl 6,Base Attack Bonus: +4-lvl 4) =level 7 as the first level the SI can be taken
-.5 captures the feel of the SI - this does not come close to the feel of the SI in my book
-.5 make use of all the SI abilities - I do not feel that all of the abilities are used
*Note: No level adjustment listed or the notation level adjustment:- this useually means not able to be used for PC and highly discouraged for npc < basicly it would make the entire build unable to be judged, but I did judge it >

[dysprosium]

How great is it to go to sleep and wake up the next morning to not one but two judges scores!

Thank you both for judging.

[Tim Proctor]

How great is it to go to sleep and wake up the next morning to not one but two judges scores!

Thank you both for judging.

That's like a mini-hibernation period. I posted my scorings 17 hours ago, if you went to sleep before and just found out that means you slept for a long time. :smallwink:

Also if people are supposed to do incharacter disputes how would the Ooze get their point accross (I don't think it can talk)?

[Sian]

relytdan ... any chance that you could hide the stuff in Spoilers for easier readability?

having a very head time keeping them apart when scrolling up and down a bit

[Sian]

decided to count up to score

{table=head]Character|JudgeA|JudgeB|Total
Parmelk|17.20|14.75|31.95
Nick Snarespan|17.53|12.75|30.28
Nola Bramblethorn|17.03|13.25|30.28
Teoldrin Timeweaver|14.92|13.25|28.17
Douglas Yangtze|15.75|11.25|27
Tri'ijin|15.05|11|26.05
Wutheh|13.98|11|24.98
Orthagonel Velodrake|14.20|6|20.20
[/table]

[Tim Proctor]

Looking at your Scores Tim, theres something that I think looks like you messed something up while writing Orthagonel's score ... you give +,25 HalfDragon +,25 Ooze both in the Class and the Race/Template boxes

Sorry I didn't see this earlier, the post is so small compared to the one directly below it.

I'm basically treating them as a racial classes (similar to Savage Species) and therefore counting them twice. Whether I did it this way or just gave a .5 bonus for being super original came out to the same score, and this way was easier for my scoring template. It is super original.

[Sian]

fair enough ... just looked strange, and something likely being a copying mistake doing processing

[Kuulvheysoon]

And as always, with scores we have disputes!

Failure to Qualify-0.5 Flowing Blade requires Weapon Focus (mind blade).

Weapon Focus (mind blade) comes free with Soulblade 1, and is listed on the table.


Monkliness-0.25, you take the minimum number of monk levels and don't reinforce it with any other classes or feats.

Monastic Training, Flowing Blade, and Stunning Master are all Feats taken - and qualified for - that improve 'Monkliness' in damage and/or versatility of Unarmed Strikes and Flurry of Blows. Zerth Cenobite also increases 'Monkliness' by default. The Expansion Power also improves damage done by Unarmed Strikes by standard Weapon Size rules.

Tim,

I think we have a math error in the Originalty Score. I came up with a score of 3.875 after subtracting the deductions.

Can you please verify?

Thanks for judging!


Originality
Class 0, -0.25 Incarnate, +0.25 Soul Manifester.
-0.15 ea. Shape Soulmeld, Azure Talent
Actually, azure talent is a prerequisite for soul manifester, so it seems odd to add points for manifester and subtract points for one of its prerequisites.


Elegance
Failure to Qualify -1, -0.25 ea. Shock Trooper requires power attack, you have them incorrectly displayed. Improved Bull Rush also requires Power Attack, since this IMO is a table error a half penalty was taken. -0.5
It was in fact an error, and I appreciate that you took that into account.


Scorpion's Grasp requires Improved Grapple which you don't have and it requires 13 dex which you don't have so you can't just get take it either.
Actually, this is interesting. If you take the right combat style from UA, it is possible to make it work, I think. It it messed up because I started out eith the 'overwhelming attack variant', which allowed me to qualify for SOME things. Anyway, sorry to ramble.


Furthermore, Scorpions Grasp requires Improved Unarmed Strike which you don't technically have. Spine Strike replaces it and counts for 'Monk class features' however its debatable for feats
Fair enough.

and you don't have the feat to take it at level 1.
Not sure what this means.


Other -0.45, -0.25 shift 2 alignment spots from Lawful to Chaotic in one level, I'd require a level separation for each.
I think ample justification is provided, but you're the judge.


-0.1 Knowledge Psionics had 4 ranks taken at 1st level as a cross class when max ranks at that level are 2, and the CC costs put you over the amount of skill points you have at that level, guessing this is an error and its supposed to read 2 so I took a slight deduction.
No, I literally invested 4 ranks, yet it only amounts to a +2. I denote the ranks, not the bonus, the CC merely points out that the ranks are being placed in a cross class skill.



Monkliness -0.25, you take the minimum number of monk levels and don't reinforce it with any other classes or feats.
Scorpion's grasp is actually pretty monk like.

Well, I certainly did not expect to make so many mistakes.

As always, thanks for judging!
As mentioned under 'Questionable Ruling' there is no clear answer if Nymph's Kiss gives extra skill points on first level ... tried looking several places, and it was pretty much a coin toss if people said yes or no, and no where was there even a semiofficial response

Not quite sure why you said 'no Monkiness' ... I'm 'as' level 18 unarmed damage, 'as' level 5 with Flurry of Blows, as level 15 with Unarmed AC bonus, and as level 15 with Speed Bonus ...while at the same time being an very athletic character.

Theres a New Orleans Saints reference? not American so i have absolutely no clue who they are other than the fact that they're some obscure (from my POV) sports team that's playing ... I have no clue what they're playing actually

0 presentation - I felt your background was a bit long winded and took a while to see where it was headed If a single conversation between mother and son, taking less than 200 words, is long winded, then every build is getting a deduction on these grounds. Note that those builds that aren't penalized for being long winded are penalized for being 'lacking,' indicating a very difficult middle ground to meet.


- 0 taken at the earliest level - level 8 SI is entered but not as early as it could have been(Skills: Concentration 9 ranks- lvl 6,Base Attack Bonus: +4-lvl 4) =level 7 as the first level the SI can be takenSI is entered at 7th level, as clearly indicated on the table.


-.5 qualify's or not for non-SI feats and things - Flowing Blade requires Weapon Focus (mind blade). As mentioned to Tim Proctor, Weapon Focus (mind blade) is gained as a free bonus Feat at 1st level for Soul Knife, is not traded away, and is clearly indicated in the table.

-.25 self-sufficiency - I feel that the character while it would do okay in a melee and has a few other tricks to help it out, I feel that it still would need some additional help from others

Care to elaborate on this? ... if alone, then Nola can easily go in under the opponent, and then use 'knee striker' for making the opponent flatfooted instead of tripping, while between the massive AC, high saves and the fast healing would have enough staying power to keep at it till the opponent is out.


-.5 qualify's or not for non-SI feats and things - Nymph's Kiss does not add 4 to the 1st level, it states a single extra point

As mentioned under the header 'questionable ruling' there haven't been any note of if it should get quadruped if taking it at first level or not, and in lack of that, from what i can see there's a fairly equal split between those feeling that it should be (just as all other ways of +skill points, short of flat bonuses such as 'Open Minded') and those that shouldn't.
Furthermore, it feels like you're punishing this quite harsh against the others as for Nick you only take -.25, while others with the same penalty as this is having multiple infractions ... specially since this is a question of rule understanding of a feat, and not if its qualified for ... and even then the +3skill points aren't exactly critical in the build at any point, so it could easily be detracted by shuffling a bit around and removing some things in the tail end


-.25 taken at the earliest level - level 9 SI is entered but not as early as it could have been(Skills: Concentration 9 ranks- lvl 6,Base Attack Bonus: +4-lvl 4) =level 7 as the first level the SI can be taken

argubly wrong ... first level i could take it would be level 8, given that i first get BAB +4 at level 7 ... The primary reason why i didn't do this was that i felt that the table would be to cluttered with say one level of ZC and then back to a level of Swordsage, or letting the build peter out with a whimpy Swordsage level at ECL20

-.25 qualify's or not for non-SI feats and things - it appears that you do not qualify - Sun School taken at 9th, Martial Study/Stance is not listed as how this are taken as such I am giving a deduction for them.I'm not sure what the source of the confusion is here. Nick qualifies for all feats taken.

At level 6, his initiator level is 6/2=3, which means I meat the requirements for any 2nd level maneuver with no other prereqs, such as Shadow Jaunt. I use my regular 6th level feat to take it. Martial Study's only requirement is meeting the prereqs for the maneuver, so I definitely qualify.

Sun Schools prerequisites are Flurry of Blows and BAB +4. I get Flurry from Monk, and have a BAB of +5 at level 9, so I meet the prereqs.

Martial Stance requires 1 martial maneuver and that I meet the prereqs for the stance in question. Shadow Jaunt, gained through martial study gives me a martial maneuver, and in particular a Shadow Hand maneuver, so I meet the requirements for Assassin's Stance of Initiator Level 5 (mine is 15/2=7.5 at the time I take it) and one Shadow Hand maneuver. It's a perfectly valid choice for my 15th level feat.



Also, both Tim and relytdan seem not to have thought hiding outside the time stream, using various 1/day abilities to aid in downtime crafting as well as nova powers in actual combat adventuring, or punching people forward in time to a point where there will be various deadly traps lying at their feet were as cool as I did. That's a shame, but my scores in cool factor/use of class abilities sub-categories were about the same as everyone else got, so this is more of an observation than an actual dispute.

[OMG PONIES]

Good googly moogly, that's a crapton of disputes. :smalleek: