Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground LIV

[Kuulvheysoon]

Welcome, contestants, judges, and guests to Iron Chef LIV. 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, February 25th, 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, March 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:
Dragon Magazine Compendium's Osteomancer!
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)
Iron Chef LIII: Zerth Cenobite (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=325164)

[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.

[Sian]

That'll be interesting

[dysprosium]

Didn't see this one coming . . .

Does this mean we all got "boned?"

I'm in of course one way or the other.

[Amphetryon]

Oh, my. Let's do this thing.

Competing.

EDIT: I'm asking for a general ruling on how this PrC would work with Races/Templates that don't have a skeletal structure, or have an exoskeleton, because someone has to be that guy.

[Tim Proctor]

I am in, I just made an Osteomancer build for an NPC in my regular D&D group, I'm all for it. I'll be competing. :smallsmile:

[Darrin]

EDIT: I'm asking for a general ruling on how this PrC would work with Races/Templates that don't have a skeletal structure, or have an exoskeleton, because someone has to be that guy.

If that was directed at me... well. Okay then. =)

[7th son of sons]

Put me in on this one. Never seen the class before, but just looking at it gives me some cool ideas.

[Sian]

was about to ask that as well

got another question

Improved Natural Strike ... is Bone spurs enough specification or should it be spiked hands / armor spikes?

Allready got an interesting core idea :smalltongue:

[Amphetryon]

If that was directed at me... well. Okay then. =)

Not specifically, though I certainly did recall the gelatinous cube entry as I was hitting 'submit reply.'

[Jurai]

Count me in. If I can get a meal.

[relytdan]

oh um I have to think

[WhamBamSam]

was about to ask that as well

got another question

Improved Natural Strike ... is Bone spurs enough specification or should it be spiked hands / armor spikes?

Allready got an interesting core idea :smalltongue:The class explicitly says both that they are treated as spiked gauntlets/armor spikes and that they are natural weapons.

I'm guessing they work sort of like a monk's unarmed strikes, in a sort of limbo between natural and manufactured where they count as natural weapons for the purposes of effects, but they can make iterative attacks or whatever. You can't treat them as manufactured for the purposes of spells though.

[The Viscount]

This is an interesting one. Tentative entry; I should be able to wrangle something interesting.

Since we're seeking clarifications, does seize the core have a duration, or is it permanent like a lich's touch?

[Deadline]

Oh my.

I think I will be competing, if time permits.

[Piggy Knowles]

This is an interesting one. Tentative entry; I should be able to wrangle something interesting.

Since we're seeking clarifications, does seize the core have a duration, or is it permanent like a lich's touch?

Just came on to ask this very question.

I'm in to compete, I think.

[Sian]

actually ... got a closer clarification on Bone Spurs

how does it's Armor spikes handle wearing armor allready?

[Vaz]

Well that was unexpected.

No real ideas yet, but I'm going to get my books out after work tonight see if I can rustle something up.

[relytdan]

Clarification please: in the PRC it says


Spells: Ability to cast at least three transmutation spells, one of which must be 1st level or higher.

in previous competition shadow sun ninja a ruling was given for maneuvers


How many maneuvers do I need to qualify? While it implies that you need three (One Shadow Hand/Setting Sun maneuver of 2nd level, one Setting Sun of any level and one Shadow Hand of any level), I'm ruling that 2nd level definitely qualifies as any level. So you need (at least) 1 Setting Sun/Shadow Hand maneuver of 2nd level, and one maneuver of the other discipline of any level to qualify.

as this is close to that I thought a ruleing could be made on it.

[Deadline]

Clarification please: in the PRC it says

The Shadow Sun Ninja entry could be read multiple ways, but this seems pretty straitforward. You need to be able to cast three transmutation spells. One of those three has to be at least 1st level (so you can't qualify with just 3 transmutation cantrips).

The chairman can rule as he sees fit, of course.

[Amechra]

For a final clarification, are the bone spurs considered to be one weapon for the purposes of this competition?

[PraxisVetli]

I'm considering entering for first time, but I'm confused on some things. Are Competitors obligaed to use the entire class (all 10 levels)?

[Deadline]

I'm considering entering for first time, but I'm confused on some things. Are Competitors obligaed to use the entire class (all 10 levels)?

No, but the judges may penalize you for not using all 10 levels.

[Amechra]

And why wouldn't you want to be able to liquify someone's bones? :smalltongue:

[OMG PONIES]

The self-absorbed side of me thinks this was chosen just to rile me up, given the mud I was slinging at DMC in our last round. Care to share reasons for selection, or should we wait until after the Reveal?


Oh my.

Some might mistake Takei tags as tacky, but takei t with a grain of salt.

[PraxisVetli]

No, but the judges may penalize you for not using all 10 levels.
Alrighty

And why wouldn't you want to be able to liquify someone's bones? :smalltongue:
True that! Was just curious, is all. Never Paid much mind to IronChef, never had a Secret Ingredient that appealed to me.
But Osteomancer is just Cool.

[Kuulvheysoon]

The class explicitly says both that they are treated as spiked gauntlets/armor spikes and that they are natural weapons.

I'm guessing they work sort of like a monk's unarmed strikes, in a sort of limbo between natural and manufactured where they count as natural weapons for the purposes of effects, but they can make iterative attacks or whatever. You can't treat them as manufactured for the purposes of spells though.
This would be how I view them/it.


This is an interesting one. Tentative entry; I should be able to wrangle something interesting.

Since we're seeking clarifications, does seize the core have a duration, or is it permanent like a lich's touch?
It would indeed appear to be permanent.

The Shadow Sun Ninja entry could be read multiple ways, but this seems pretty straitforward. You need to be able to cast three transmutation spells. One of those three has to be at least 1st level (so you can't qualify with just 3 transmutation cantrips).

The chairman can rule as he sees fit, of course.I'm in complete agreement here.


For a final clarification, are the bone spurs considered to be one weapon for the purposes of this competition?
What do you mean by 'one weapon'? If you mean 'one weapon' for the purposes of magic fang, INA and the like, RAW indicates that it is.

The self-absorbed side of me thinks this was chosen just to rile me up, given the mud I was slinging at DMC in our last round. Care to share reasons for selection, or should we wait until after the Reveal?Well, as some people guessed, there was a half-caster coming up. I'll admit that your rail against DMC did contribute (by making me take a closer look at it, I mean), but ultimately, I chose this because it makes a good ingredient. It was between Osteomancer and [REDACTED], but I figured that the other was too close to another ingredient, so it got put on the back burner.

Some might mistake Takei tags as tacky, but takei t with a grain of salt.Classy.:smallcool:

[WhamBamSam]

What do you mean by 'one weapon'? If you mean 'one weapon' for the purposes of magic fang, INA and the like, RAW indicates that it is.What about something like (purposefully referencing something that pretty much can't be used here to avoid speculation) the Black Blood Cultist 8 ability that deals damage as if by all your natural weapons? Do you just deal 'bone spur' damage once, or do you deal damage with both the spiked gauntlet and the armor spike bits?

[Treme]

haha not a PrC i've come across before, crazy ingredient! expressing interest if time permits...

[PraxisVetli]

Spheres to the wall or not at all, right?
Count me as Officially entering my first Iron Chef!

[dantiesilva]

I think I may be tossing my hat into this bowl.

[Sian]

Bone Spur ... counts as 2 Spiked Gauntlets and a set of Spiked Armor on attack?

[KrimsonNekros]

Got my idea! Now to build and fluff it out.

[Kesnit]

I'm in...



... to judge. :smallbiggrin:

Criteria to be posted later.

[SoraWolf7]

I think I might throw my hat into the ring for the first time as well. Osteomancer has always intrigued me, and I've wanted to use one and make a build for one.

[Amphetryon]

That took. . . surprisingly less time than I expected to put together a viable concept (for certain very broad definitions of 'viable').

[Sian]

Bone Spur ... counts as 2 Spiked Gauntlets and a set of Spiked Armor on attack?

and in length, can you theoreticly wield a twohanded weapon (lets call it a greatclub) and attack with that, and use Bone Spur (1d4+½str, 1d4+½str, 1d6+½str) as natual attacks, or would them working as spiked gauntlets stop you from doing that?

[WhamBamSam]

and in length, can you theoreticly wield a twohanded weapon (lets call it a greatclub) and attack with that, and use Bone Spur (1d4+½str, 1d4+½str, 1d6+½str) as natual attacks, or would them working as spiked gauntlets stop you from doing that?Working as spiked gauntlets stops that, I'd think. It probably also prevents the use of any other natural weapon that uses the same hand, such as a claw attack.

I also suspect that working as spiked gauntlets/armor spikes means you have to get into Two-Weapon Fighting/Multi-Weapon Fighting rules if you want to use more than one of them on the same full attack.

[Irk]

I MAY enter.

[Deadline]

It looks like the Chairman already commented on how the Bone Spur ability is used in this post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16982046&postcount=27), by agreeing with WhamBamSam.

[Haldir]

I have a decent idea and would like to contribute, but the limit on Item Familiars might nix it hard.

[Tim Proctor]

I have a question, um how are we supposed to take all the levels of this and all the levels of slime lord and be a gnome? Like how?

[Heliomance]

Hrm. Fluff wise, a very interesting class. A little bit of Monk syndrome, though, in that it has a bunch of cool features that don't particularly synergise. I might give this one a shot - I have one slight idea already.

[Amphetryon]

I have a question, um how are we supposed to take all the levels of this and all the levels of slime lord and be a gnome? Like how?

All of the above are gnot gnecessary.

[sabelo2000]

Is there a range for Osteophage? It doesn't specify a touch attack, but also does not list a maximum range at which an opponent may be targeted.

In a related question...
Is there a standard RAW limit on line-of-sight/line-of-effect distance?

[Thurbane]

I've been looking for work since being retrenched, and it looks like (fingers crossed) I might be starting a new job in the next couple of weeks, so I want to use the spare time until then to get an entry in here.

[OMG PONIES]

I have a question, um how are we supposed to take all the levels of this and all the levels of slime lord and be a gnome? Like how?

Gestalt. :smallamused:

[Irk]

What is the action to command someone under wield the core?

[Tim Proctor]

Gestalt. :smallamused:
That's it I'm gonna make a Gestalt Otheomancer/Slime Lord and take like 10 flaws so I can stack leadership.... think it'll get a RtJ?

[WhamBamSam]

I think this one may have beaten me. My one vaguely interesting idea is a total mess and doesn't really have a good reason to stay in the SI.

I'm overdue to judge, so I'll do that instead. Criteria!

Originality
Start from a baseline score of 3.

Up to 1 point of bonus or penalty based on whether the classes/race/ect you used were things I expected, and whether anyone else thought to use them. I won't deduct points for using Human. Known cheese may see a deduction here.

Up to 1 point of bonus or penalty to a build doing something interesting or something we've all seen it before respectively. You can fill a common niche without incurring my wrath, but I'd like to see a new spin on it. Cool factor in your crunch may see a bonus here.

Up to a 0.25 point bonus if I find your fluff to be particularly excellent.

Power
Start from a baseline score of 3.

Up to 0.75 point of bonus or penalty for versatility. Can you contribute in a wide variety of situations, or will you spend a lot of time twiddling your thumbs?

Up to 1.25 points of bonus or penalty for how well you do the things that you do. For example, if you're a front line fighter, how good are you at hurting things?

Elegance
Start from a baseline score of 3.

Each failure to qualify for non-secret ingredient thing results in a 0.5 point deduction. Qualifying for all such things gets you a bonus of 0.5.

Up to 1 point of penalty for questionable rules interpretations and for any cheese stinky enough to make it onto my personal ban list (note that I'm pretty cheese tolerant, in general). Avoidance of such things gets you a bonus of 0.5.

Up to 1 point of bonus or penalty based on the overall flow of the build. A clean, flowing progression will score more points, whereas something that feels awkward may be penalized. As with cheese, I'm not going to try to be especially punitive toward dipping, unless you're really asking for it. If you incur multiclass penalties, change alignment mid-build for crunch reasons, or the like, you can expect to be dinged here.

Up to 0.5 points of bonus or penalty if the build just screams classy or is especially distasteful in a way not quantified by the above.

UoSI
Start from a baseline score of 1.

I will award bonus points for every class ability or prerequisite that I see used in some way. The more integral the use is to the build, the larger the bonus. Generally, a +0.25 indicates that something was used in a minor but not inconsequential way, a +0.5 indicates that something was used to significant effect, and a +0.75 indicates going above and beyond. Some things, like the Toughness prereq for this particular SI, will cap at +0.25. These bonuses will never add up to more than +3.75.

If the build really captures the feel of the SI, I'll award an additional 0.25 point bonus.

A build which fails to qualify for the SI or uses no levels of the SI receives a 0 in this category.

Mostly the same from Thrall of Orcus and ZS judging, but with the Elegance rubric modified to have a wider range and cover a few things that it didn't before, but should have.

[PraxisVetli]

I'm not entirely sure on Proceedure. If I have a question, and RAW is sketchy, but I worry that its to ..revealing? of a question to post, what do I do?

[WhamBamSam]

I'm not entirely sure on Proceedure. If I have a question, and RAW is sketchy, but I worry that its to ..revealing? of a question to post, what do I do?If you can phrase the question in a way that won't give away the game (though obviously it's best to err on the side of caution) then you can post it here. If not, you can try the Simple Q&A thread or PM the chairman.

[Gotterdammerung]

Up to 0.75 point of bonus or penalty for versatility. Do you have a variety of options or are you a one trick pony that can easily be shut down?

What if you ARE a one trick pony BUT, you CAN'T easily be shut down? Would having a reliable one trick make me versatile? Is there such a thing as a versatile one trick pony? I've confused myself.

Rephrase: What if you have a mostly unbeatable trick on your one trick pony?

Second Question: What if your like a 7 trick pony but one of your tricks costs extra *wink*

[Sian]

Back to the drawing board ... the Idea i had died on the fact that [REDACTED] explicitly says it doesn't qualify with its spells

[Vaz]

Please, lets not start going through with stating which ingredients you haven't been able to use. Speculation is annoying.

[Sian]

repeating a question i threw up last round (while waiting round) ... not excepting a yes but interesting to know

is Stuff made by The Giant (and previously uploaded to the page and later on the forum here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258550)) acceptable?

[SPoilaaja]

So what is the final conclusion? The spiked gauntlets and spiked armor function like manufactured weapons when full attacking?

[Vaz]

They are nayural weapons that ACT like spiked Gauntlets and Armour Spikes. Leads me to think that they are Natural Weapons that work as per a Gauntlet (can hold another weapon, deal damage as one etc) and Spikes (again, etc)

[Darrin]

So what is the final conclusion? The spiked gauntlets and spiked armor function like manufactured weapons when full attacking?

It sound like it's up to your discretion. If you need them to act like manufactured weapons for iteratives, say so. If you need them to act like secondary natural weapons, likewise. It'll be up to the judges to determine if you've come up with something worthy of praise or ridicule (the Tufnel-St. Hubbins Axiom).

If you found something that is so ambiguous that you think it would be helpful to clarify for all contestants/judges, then PM the chairman and ask for a ruling.

[OMG PONIES]

So what is the final conclusion? The spiked gauntlets and spiked armor function like manufactured weapons when full attacking?


It sound like it's up to your discretion. If you need them to act like manufactured weapons for iteratives, say so. If you need them to act like secondary natural weapons, likewise. It'll be up to the judges to determine if you've come up with something worthy of praise or ridicule (the Tufnel-St. Hubbins Axiom).

If you found something that is so ambiguous that you think it would be helpful to clarify for all contestants/judges, then PM the chairman and ask for a ruling.

The Chairman has already weighed in with a ruling:


The class explicitly says both that they are treated as spiked gauntlets/armor spikes and that they are natural weapons.

I'm guessing they work sort of like a monk's unarmed strikes, in a sort of limbo between natural and manufactured where they count as natural weapons for the purposes of effects, but they can make iterative attacks or whatever. You can't treat them as manufactured for the purposes of spells though.


This would be how I view them/it.

[DemonRoach]

The Chairman has already weighed in with a ruling:

Should really be put in the opening posts if possible, lest it be asked again and again and again and ag- you get the idea.

[WhamBamSam]

What if you ARE a one trick pony BUT, you CAN'T easily be shut down? Would having a reliable one trick make me versatile? Is there such a thing as a versatile one trick pony? I've confused myself.

Rephrase: What if you have a mostly unbeatable trick on your one trick pony?

Second Question: What if your like a 7 trick pony but one of your tricks costs extra *wink*A better way of phrasing that might be "can you contribute in a wide variety of situations, or will you spend a lot of time twiddling your thumbs?" I'll go back and change that.


The Chairman has already weighed in with a ruling:While I'm obviously not the chairman, and the final word is down to him, I'd go on to say that if you wanted to use both the spiked gauntlet and armor spike bits, or make spiked gauntlet bone spur attacks with both hands, you would get into the TWFing rules rather than treating one of the spurs as a secondary natural weapon.

[Sian]

While I'm obviously not the chairman, and the final word is down to him, I'd go on to say that if you wanted to use both the spiked gauntlet and armor spike bits, or make spiked gauntlet bone spur attacks with both hands, you would get into the TWFing rules rather than treating one of the spurs as a secondary natural weapon.

And thats whats the whole line of questioning is about i guess... is it Natural Attacks which are done with Multiattacks or done with TWF'ing or?

[Tim Proctor]

And thats whats the whole line of questioning is about i guess... is it Natural Attacks which are done with Multiattacks or done with TWF'ing or?
Yes.

I feel like this question keeps getting asked and its been answered, but people keep asking it cause they don't like the answer.

[Sian]

it keeps getting asked because we obviously understand the answer differently ... at least i'm fairly certain I don't understand it the same way as WhamBamSam

As its obviously a Natural Weapon (it fits the 'sock' shown in Monster Manual which tells that 'Natural Weapons are weapons that are physically part of a creature'), and while they might mechanicly work (from a damage stand point) as spike gauntlet *2 + spiked armor, its all the other things that are in question, among others if it gains stuff by Improved Natural Attack (Bone Spur) ...

From where i'm sitting it would make most sense to look at Skarn Armspikes and go from there, since they're fluffwise and mechanicly as well as the same thing

[Deadline]

it keeps getting asked because we obviously understand the answer differently ... at least i'm fairly certain I don't understand it the same way as WhamBamSam

It's almost exactly like a Monk's Unarmed Strike. Except that instead of one weapon (unarmed strike is one weapon), you have three (2 spiked gauntlets and armor spikes).

So:

Bonespurs count as natural weapons for all purposes except using them. They can be enchanted as natural weapons, improved by things that improve natural weapons, qualify you for things that require a natural weapon, etc.
Bonespurs can only be used as manufactured weapons. That means you get iterative attacks with them, can two-weapon fight with them, etc. You cannot make primary or secondary natural attacks with them.
Bonespurs cannot be enhanced as a manufactured weapon.

[Sian]

that setup i can somewhat see the point with but still have some issues

from how i understand the off-hand weapon rules they won't be able to use all 3 at the same time, since they're unable to take either Multiattack (as its then as per your second bullet point won't work) and unable to take Multiweapon fighting since they still would have less than '3 or more hands'

Its that issue i find confounding ...

[Tim Proctor]

Correct, they can't use all three at the same time... under armor spikes it states:


You can also make a regular melee attack (or off-hand attack) with the spikes, and they count as a light weapon in this case. (You can’t also make an attack with armor spikes if you have already made an attack with another off-hand weapon, and vice versa.)

Doesn't matter what feat they're using that can't make an attack with the armor spikes or the off-hand weapons if they are doing the other.

They will however qualify for the Multiattack feat, since they do have "[t]hree or more natural attacks". Just like with qualifying for the SI you need to have three separate spells, you don't have to be able to cast them all at once.

It doesn't change the amount of attacks they get, just that penalty placed on that second attack.

[WhamBamSam]

And thats whats the whole line of questioning is about i guess... is it Natural Attacks which are done with Multiattacks or done with TWF'ing or?Here's my reading. This is how I'll be treating the spurs for the purposes of judging unless Kuul specifically makes a ruling to the contrary.

Your bone spurs are natural weapons for the purposes of things like Improved Natural Attack, the Magic Fang line, etc. Furthermore, you could choose Improved Natural Attack (Bone Spurs) or cast Magic Fang on your bone spurs and have the bonuses apply to all spiked gauntlet and armor spike bone spur attacks.

If you have an ability - like the one at Black Blood Cultist 8 - which specifically attacks/deals damage as if by all your natural weapons, you get spiked gauntlet attacks with each arm and an armor spike attack through your bone spurs. However, in situations outside of such corner cases, you use the TWF rules when attacking with the gauntlets on both hands or when using both a gauntlet and armor spikes in the same full attack or what have you. By RAW, if you want to use more than one gauntlet and your armor spikes, you need to find a way of getting a third hand to qualify for Multi-weapon fighting.

Deadline is basically on point. This is just a more long-winded version in more detail.

And now that I've made all these judging posts, I come up with an idea that works. Hmm... To compete or not compete...

[Piggy Knowles]

I actually have a build stub together already, though I have yet to put something together this early and not change it considerably or jettison it altogether by the time submissions are due...

[Tim Proctor]

I actually have a build stub together already, though I have yet to put something together this early and not change it considerably or jettison it altogether by the time submissions are due...
That's why you submit more than one. :)

[PraxisVetli]

When exactly are submissions due?

[Deadline]

When exactly are submissions due?

From the OP:


Cooking Time: Contestants will have until 11:59PM GMT on Tuesday, February 26th, 2014 to create their builds and PM them to the Chairman, Kuulvheysoon.

[Hangwind]

Competing!


Also, I have a build already!:smallcool:

[PraxisVetli]

From the OP:

Yeah, I somehow managed to totally miss that. My bad!

[Kuulvheysoon]

It's almost exactly like a Monk's Unarmed Strike. Except that instead of one weapon (unarmed strike is one weapon), you have three (2 spiked gauntlets and armor spikes).

So:

Bonespurs count as natural weapons for all purposes except using them. They can be enchanted as natural weapons, improved by things that improve natural weapons, qualify you for things that require a natural weapon, etc.
Bonespurs can only be used as manufactured weapons. That means you get iterative attacks with them, can two-weapon fight with them, etc. You cannot make primary or secondary natural attacks with them.
Bonespurs cannot be enhanced as a manufactured weapon.



Here's my reading. This is how I'll be treating the spurs for the purposes of judging unless Kuul specifically makes a ruling to the contrary.

Your bone spurs are natural weapons for the purposes of things like Improved Natural Attack, the Magic Fang line, etc. Furthermore, you could choose Improved Natural Attack (Bone Spurs) or cast Magic Fang on your bone spurs and have the bonuses apply to all spiked gauntlet and armor spike bone spur attacks.

If you have an ability - like the one at Black Blood Cultist 8 - which specifically attacks/deals damage as if by all your natural weapons, you get spiked gauntlet attacks with each arm and an armor spike attack through your bone spurs. However, in situations outside of such corner cases, you use the TWF rules when attacking with the gauntlets on both hands or when using both a gauntlet and armor spikes in the same full attack or what have you. By RAW, if you want to use more than one gauntlet and your armor spikes, you need to find a way of getting a third hand to qualify for Multi-weapon fighting.

Deadline is basically on point. This is just a more long-winded version in more detail.

And now that I've made all these judging posts, I come up with an idea that works. Hmm... To compete or not compete...

Thanks for coming through for me, guys. This is pretty much exactly as I read it. I'll amend the FAQs a bit later today.

[Heliomance]

...wow. I've just read through the grapple rules in detail. I did not realise how actually bad they are by default - I must have only played with houserules to make it better.

[sabelo2000]

...wow. I've just read through the grapple rules in detail. I did not realise how actually bad they are by default - I must have only played with houserules to make it better.

Yeah, grapple rules and drowning rules are among the worst in the books. And they slow everything down horribly whenever somebody tries to do either!

[Heliomance]

I don't mean bad as in non-functional rules, I mean bad as in frankly, why would you ever bother to do it? There's almost no way to functionally damage someone you're grappling. You can make a grapple check to do Unarmed Strike damage - which unless you're a Monk is rubbish - or you can attack with a single light or natural weapon at -4. And the person you're grappling gets to keep their Dex mod against you. It's rubbish.

[Tim Proctor]

I don't mean bad as in non-functional rules, I mean bad as in frankly, why would you ever bother to do it?
Because its a horror setting, your team is literally freaking out and nothing is better at destroying the mood that your DM has been setting for the last couple hours than grappling...

[Deadline]

I don't mean bad as in non-functional rules, I mean bad as in frankly, why would you ever bother to do it?

If you've got an unbeatable grapple mod and multiple attacks per round, it's pretty much an auto-win button (grapple, then pin, damage, repeat, etc.).

Edit - Or, as usual, Wizards do it better (look up the grapplemancer).

[Heliomance]

Strikes me it's more likely to go grapple - pin - flail ineffectually.

[Deadline]

Strikes me it's more likely to go grapple - pin - flail ineffectually.

If your foe can't beat your grapple check, you've got all the time in the world to slowly strangle them to death...

But yes, without some extra source of damage (see aforementioned Grapplemancer, or a friendly rogue), it takes a long time to kill someone via grappling.

[Gotterdammerung]

Such theory craft.. Many build talking.... Wow

[TrueJordan]

I'm not in for this, but I must say this is one of the crazier PRCs I've seen. Nicely done? Good luck, all.

[Hangwind]

Hey, how many builds am I allowed?

[Tim Proctor]

Hey, how many builds am I allowed?

I believe the limit is 3.

[Vaz]

2 was the maximum imposed a while back.

[justiceforall]

Random question - where do send requests for the next Iron Chef class?

[WhamBamSam]

You don't, really. There's always some clamoring for certain ingredients around the end of a given round, but in the end it's down to the chairman's whim.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Random question - where do send requests for the next Iron Chef class?


You don't, really. There's always some clamoring for certain ingredients around the end of a given round, but in the end it's down to the chairman's whim.

*Cue Evil Laughter*

[Kaje]

This is a really interesting one. Think I'll compete.

[WhamBamSam]

*Cue Evil Laughter*Y'know I just realized that what with this being both a natural weapons class and a half-casting class, I can kiss my hopes of getting Rage Mage or Slime Lord any time soon goodbye.:smallfrown:



Anyhow, with all the interest this ingredient seems to be stirring up, how cheesy my own idea is, and my Spring Break falling in the judging period, I think I will stick to my judging commitment after all. I'll post the stub and general idea after the reveal.

[Kaje]

Is it still frowned upon to mix settings?

[Sian]

It tends to get a hit scorewise ...

[WhamBamSam]

Unless the things you're mixing are really specific to the setting, judges usually don't seem to care that much. So using a Faerun regional feat and dragonmark stuff then you're in for an elegance hit, but you can probably use a Faerun book and an Eberron book without running afoul of most judges.

[Macabaret]

After all the talk in here, I've gotta ask a question about Bone Spurs.
(Hehehe...)
From what I'm seeing, it's an at-will ability that uses a free action to cause the spikey protrusions to appear. But I don't see anything indicating how long they actually last. Should I be assuming that they are permanent until "shut off" and that it is also a free action to end the effect?

[Gemini476]

What's the official Iron Chef stance for what happens when you lose the prerequisites of a PrC? I can think of multiple ways to lose some of the prerequisites for the SI (including one way using just the SI and the entering class!), so I'd like to make sure before I try anything weird.

Are we going with the standard rules (a.k.a. "nothing happens"), or are we assuming that the CW/CA rules go for all classes?

[relytdan]

After all the talk in here, I've gotta ask a question about Bone Spurs.
(Hehehe...)
From what I'm seeing, it's an at-will ability that uses a free action to cause the spikey protrusions to appear. But I don't see anything indicating how long they actually last. Should I be assuming that they are permanent until "shut off" and that it is also a free action to end the effect?

it was ruled to be permenant


What's the official Iron Chef stance for what happens when you lose the prerequisites of a PrC? I can think of multiple ways to lose some of the prerequisites for the SI (including one way using just the SI and the entering class!), so I'd like to make sure before I try anything weird.

Are we going with the standard rules (a.k.a. "nothing happens"), or are we assuming that the CW/CA rules go for all classes?

with the exception of 2 books I believe that once you are in a PRC having qualified for it that you no longer need to qualify for it.

[WhamBamSam]

After all the talk in here, I've gotta ask a question about Bone Spurs.
(Hehehe...)
From what I'm seeing, it's an at-will ability that uses a free action to cause the spikey protrusions to appear. But I don't see anything indicating how long they actually last. Should I be assuming that they are permanent until "shut off" and that it is also a free action to end the effect?RAW I'm not sure you actually can shut them off, but that seems like a reasonable way to rule it, and how I'd have it work if I were DMing with an Osteomancer at the table.


What's the official Iron Chef stance for what happens when you lose the prerequisites of a PrC? I can think of multiple ways to lose some of the prerequisites for the SI (including one way using just the SI and the entering class!), so I'd like to make sure before I try anything weird.

Are we going with the standard rules (a.k.a. "nothing happens"), or are we assuming that the CW/CA rules go for all classes?Some judges might ping you a little on elegance for losing PrC qualification, regardless of where the PrC comes from. There's no official stance of IC, and it's down to the judge in question.


it was ruled to be permenantThat was Sieze the Core, not the Bone Spurs.


with the exception of 2 books I believe that once you are in a PRC having qualified for it that you no longer need to qualify for it.That's probably RAW, but some judges still may look askance at such things.

[Tim Proctor]

Well I don't know about everyone else but I got both my builds in. It seems being unemployed gives you lots of time for IC competitions.

[Eldonauran]

Well I don't know about everyone else but I got both my builds in. It seems being unemployed gives you lots of time for IC competitions.

Wow, you got a lot of time to wait till the reveal...

As for myself, I'm going to compete again. Had to get a copy of the source book before I could decide. I ... have an 'interesting' idea.

[OMG PONIES]

RAW I'm not sure you actually can shut them off, but that seems like a reasonable way to rule it, and how I'd have it work if I were DMing with an Osteomancer at the table.

Everlasting Bone Spurs just struck me as a horrific mental image. "My bones...they won't stop growing!"


Well I don't know about everyone else but I got both my builds in. It seems being unemployed gives you lots of time for IC competitions.

Plus it's great resumé fodder. Right? :smallannoyed: Right??? :smallfrown: RIGHT?! :smalleek:

[Sian]

only need to touch up my fluff for my first character, and i'm fairly certain what my second character is going to be

[Tim Proctor]

Plus it's great resumé fodder. Right? :smallannoyed: Right??? :smallfrown: RIGHT?! :smalleek:
Yeah, down at the bottom where organizations and extraciricular stuff goes I put GitP IC Competitor, and put that it utilizes a lot of research, logic, and excel spreadhseets.

[Kazyan]

Got my idea, and for once, some pretty strong fluff. This will be fun to write up.

[The Viscount]

Everlasting Bone Spurs just struck me as a horrific mental image. "My bones...they won't stop growing!"

Hey, it's not all that bad.http://www.fightersgeneration.com/np7/char/marrow-white.jpg

Or alternativelyhttp://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/3/38952/1644293-kimimaro_blood_limit_by_kimimaro77.jpg

[Gemini476]

Some judges might ping you a little on elegance for losing PrC qualification, regardless of where the PrC comes from. There's no official stance of IC, and it's down to the judge in question.
Alright. I think that I'd do fine if I actually used the specific combination I thought of, though, because the reason for disqualification is really dumb.
Not quite Dragon Disciple dumb, but dumb nonetheless.

...That said, I probably won't go for it anyway because it's generally non-optimal. I'll reveal the dysfunction after the builds are revealed, and maybe comment on it if anyone actually used the class I thought of. Just because it's not that obvious.

[Hangwind]

Alright, how would a monk's unarmed strike interact with the spurs/spikes? Since we are saying they work the same way can you get the full sequence with all of them?

[Gemini476]

Alright, how would a monk's unarmed strike interact with the spurs/spikes? Since we are saying they work the same way can you get the full sequence with all of them?

If they work the same way then to use both you either need to TWF or just share the iterative attacks between them.

Just like anyone else using Unarmed Strikes and Armor Spikes/Spiked Gauntlets.

[SoraWolf7]

Since this is my first Iron Chef challenge, I'd like to ask the amount of money our character is assumed to have in total for the build. I can't say I know an easy way to find this, save from asking.

I have my build idea ironed out, I just need to outfit it a little.

[relytdan]

Since this is my first Iron Chef challenge, I'd like to ask the amount of money our character is assumed to have in total for the build. I can't say I know an easy way to find this, save from asking.

I have my build idea ironed out, I just need to outfit it a little.

um as per a level 20 character build the total is 760,000

But it should be noted that several judges tend to deduct for reliance on items in a few cases even listing an item could result in a deduction...
generally speaking you can put a notation that XX items could be used to improve the character in some sort of optional gear listing.

[Eldonauran]

um as per a level 20 character build the total is 760,000

But it should be noted that several judges tend to deduct for reliance on items in a few cases even listing an item could result in a deduction...
generally speaking you can put a notation that XX items could be used to improve the character in some sort of optional gear listing.

To expand on this, reliance on an item tends to be something like using a belt of X or headband of X to meet requirements the character could not meet otherwise. I think (and I stress the word 'think') that you should never assume your character has access to that particular item.

[Tim Proctor]

Since this is my first Iron Chef challenge, I'd like to ask the amount of money our character is assumed to have in total for the build. I can't say I know an easy way to find this, save from asking.

I have my build idea ironed out, I just need to outfit it a little.
None, it's a trap.

Even when you spell out that your character does something with a basic weapons at level 20, if you have any item listed they will deduct points. If you put a suggested WBL gear list I've never seen bonus points and I'vee seen judges get confused with suggested/required. I'd suggest not listing items whatsover as you gain nother from it.

Oh BTW don't trust the judges they can barely read, don't understand rules, and are controlled by the Illuminati.

[WhamBamSam]

Since this is my first Iron Chef challenge, I'd like to ask the amount of money our character is assumed to have in total for the build. I can't say I know an easy way to find this, save from asking.

I have my build idea ironed out, I just need to outfit it a little.I generally just add in a rough general guideline of what to shop for. You don't need to include items at all, and should try to avoid assuming too specific a gear list.

This thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15415117#post15415117), which is also linked in the FAQ might be helpful, and you can also read over some placing entries from past competitions to get a good general idea of how things are done.

[Kesnit]

Just speaking for myself...


But it should be noted that several judges tend to deduct for reliance on items in a few cases even listing an item could result in a deduction...
generally speaking you can put a notation that XX items could be used to improve the character in some sort of optional gear listing.

I don't deduct for listing items. On the other hand, I almost never look at what items a chef listed.


To expand on this, reliance on an item tends to be something like using a belt of X or headband of X to meet requirements the character could not meet otherwise.

^This. The first thing I do is check the build's unmodified stats. That's what I use to determine pre-reqs.


I think (and I stress the word 'think') that you should never assume your character has access to that particular item.

^This, too. Most DM's will be nice enough to allow access to items that boost stats, but that is not guaranteed. Nor is it guaranteed that you will get a full +6 item.


Oh BTW don't trust the judges they can barely read, don't understand rules, and are controlled by the Illuminati.

SHHH!!!! You aren't supposed to tell that!

Besides, you know very well we aren't controlled by the Illuminati. We're controlled by the Gray Ones.

[OMG PONIES]

Even when you spell out that your character does something with a basic weapons at level 20, if you have any item listed they will deduct points.

This may be an overstatement of the situation. If you give me items that assist your schtick, I consider them as part of your build. If your entry boasts repeatedly about its +65 Spellcraft check but I notice a ring of +30 Spellcraft, I'd say you're putting a lot of stock in that one item and would deduct accordingly.


If you put a suggested WBL gear list I've never seen bonus points and [I've] seen judges get confused with suggested/required. I'd suggest not listing items [whatsoever] as you gain [nothing] from it.

Here's the problem with getting bonus points for items--most of the gear we're showcasing here has been used before. Belts of Battle, stat boosters, and so on are standard fare and (at least for me) standard fare doesn't gain one extra credit. If you show me a new item or create an amazing use for an existing one, you may see some points from me. Granted, my current rubric would grant those bonus points under Originality whereas item reliance is deducted in Power, so one may not see the points where they'd usually expect them. As with everything, your mileage may vary.


Oh BTW don't trust the judges they can barely read, don't understand rules, and are controlled by the Illuminati.

Sounds about right.


SHHH!!!! You aren't supposed to tell that!

Besides, you know very well we aren't controlled by the Illuminati. We're controlled by the Gray Ones.

Speak for yourself; I just do whatever Blue Ivy Carter tells me to.

[Vaz]

Like Ponies says, from a judges point of view, a build which boasts the ability to make Epic Spellcraft Checks, but has an item making up half the leg work, then that's a penalty; on the other hand, a build which is reliant on an item (say a class requires Craft Magic Arms and Armour, and you've got the Forge of Thautam as your choice of items, and no other access to the feat), then you can expect an Elegance penalty pretty safely.

[Amphetryon]

Like Ponies says, from a judges point of view, a build which boasts the ability to make Epic Spellcraft Checks, but has an item making up half the leg work, then that's a penalty; on the other hand, a build which is reliant on an item (say a class requires Craft Magic Arms and Armour, and you've got the Forge of Thautam as your choice of items, and no other access to the feat), then you can expect an Elegance penalty pretty safely.

. . . which might be worth it, if the rest of your concept is spiffy enough.

[Hangwind]

I... I have three awesome ideas! Can I enter them all? PLEASE?:smallfrown:

[Heliomance]

I know what I want to do, I have my build order sketched out in my head, I just need to get around to actually doing it.

And grabbing a screenshot of the thing it's inspired by.

[sabelo2000]

I... I have three awesome ideas! Can I enter them all? PLEASE?:smallfrown:

Previously we've operated under a gentleman's agreement that submitting more than 2 builds would be discourteous. I think in a recent round Kuulv actually ruled that 2 (or 3? Somebody check me on this?) was the legal limit.

That said, bear in mind that spreading your efforts across 3 builds will almost certainly dilute your quality. Anytime I've found myself with 3 (or 4) awesome ideas, I found out later that at least 2 of them (a) didn't qualify because of a prereq I skipped or a rule I misread, (b) was a copy of an existing build on this or other forums, and/or (c) was just absolute garbage that only seemed cool when I was drunk.

[Tim Proctor]

Previously we've operated under a gentleman's agreement that submitting more than 2 builds would be discourteous. I think in a recent round Kuulv actually ruled that 2 (or 3? Somebody check me on this?) was the legal limit.

That said, bear in mind that spreading your efforts across 3 builds will almost certainly dilute your quality. Anytime I've found myself with 3 (or 4) awesome ideas, I found out later that at least 2 of them (a) didn't qualify because of a prereq I skipped or a rule I misread, (b) was a copy of an existing build on this or other forums, and/or (c) was just absolute garbage that only seemed cool when I was drunk.

The limit is 2, and I don't see why C) is a bad thing.

[sabelo2000]

The limit is 2, and I don't see why C) is a bad thing.

Only because I can't be sure the judges will be likewise drunk when they score my entry... :smallwink:

[Tim Proctor]

Only because I can't be sure the judges will be likewise drunk when they score my entry... :smallwink:

Screw the scores, if you are drinking and think it's cool then you already won. I'm actually fairly sure most judges will agree with that.

[Eldonauran]

Screw the scores, if you are drinking and think it's cool then you already won. I'm actually fairly sure most judges will agree with that.

I know at least one other competitor that agrees with you.

Me

[PraxisVetli]

Only because I can't be sure the judges will be likewise drunk when they score my entry... :smallwink:


Screw the scores, if you are drinking and think it's cool then you already won. I'm actually fairly sure most judges will agree with that.


I know at least one other competitor that agrees with you.

Me

Make that two!

[dysprosium]

[throws table]Ugh![/throws table]

I have to rework my initial idea.

Or I should at least go to another one.

[PraxisVetli]

So we PM the Chairman our Builds, right?
Sorry, still new...

[Kesnit]

So we PM the Chairman our Builds, right?
Sorry, still new...

Yes.

Or you could post it openly so all the judges know who made what, and we can all laugh at the newbie. :smallwink:

[PraxisVetli]

Hey now.
Don't laugh at me.

[The Viscount]

Yes, but you shouldn't reveal such telling details, lest we be able to determine which build is yours. I suggest you edit that out.

[Tim Proctor]

My build is the one that is cool when you're drunk.

[PraxisVetli]

Ah, you are right!
I'll get on that!

[OMG PONIES]

Bad news bears, Iron Chefs:

The TABLE code is changing (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=332237). This is being done as part of upgrades to the site that will make the Table a more dynamic, useful function. However, it also means that all existing tables (including those in past rounds) will be broken. Just wanted to give everyone a heads up, as we will need to update our OP to include the new table formats once the changes go live.

[Amphetryon]

Bad news bears, Iron Chefs:

The TABLE code is changing (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=332237). This is being done as part of upgrades to the site that will make the Table a more dynamic, useful function. However, it also means that all existing tables (including those in past rounds) will be broken. Just wanted to give everyone a heads up, as we will need to update our OP to include the new table formats once the changes go live.
:smalleek:
I didn't notice an ETA on the code changes in that post; was I just failing a Spot check?

[Kuulvheysoon]

Bad news bears, Iron Chefs:

The TABLE code is changing (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=332237). This is being done as part of upgrades to the site that will make the Table a more dynamic, useful function. However, it also means that all existing tables (including those in past rounds) will be broken. Just wanted to give everyone a heads up, as we will need to update our OP to include the new table formats once the changes go live.

Just saw that as I logged on. Frankly, the biggest worry for me is that old tables won't automatically change over.:smallannoyed:

[OMG PONIES]

Just saw that as I logged on. Frankly, the biggest worry for me is that old tables won't automatically change over.:smallannoyed:

Oh, they absolutely won't. The mods are kind enough to change the brackets in the old threads so the code is preserved, but it won't present itself as a table.

[The Viscount]

So what does this mean for the hall of heroes?

[Deadline]

So what does this mean for the hall of heroes?

Blergarbbllelfrlurlgy.

It probably means I'll be helping PONIES reformat a good chunk of it. :smalltongue:

[OMG PONIES]

So what does this mean for the hall of heroes?

Madness! :smallfurious:


Blergarbbllelfrlurlgy.

It probably means I'll be helping PONIES reformat a good chunk of it. :smalltongue:

Either that or we'll scrap it and just operate off of the trusted Google Doc (which I need to update for recent rounds).

[SoraWolf7]

Urgh, and I was just getting the hang of the old system.

[Sian]

If i'm understanding how the new tables are implemented correctly the default table should look something like this

Code:

{table]LevelClassBase Attack BonusFort SaveReflex SaveWill SaveSkillsFeatsClass Features
1stNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
2ndNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
3rdNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
4thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
5thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
6thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
7thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
8thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
9thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
10thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
11thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
12thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
13thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
14thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
15thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
16thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
17thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
18thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
19thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
20thNew Class Level+x+x+x+xSkillsNew FeatsNew Class Features
[/table]

[Irk]

I could be an idiot, but isn't february 26th a wednesday?

[Tim Proctor]

I could be an idiot, but isn't february 26th a wednesday?

Yes, yes it is. Does that Irk you?

[Irk]

Well, it's listed as tuesday in the OP, so it's somewhat Irksome. 11:59 would make it the 25th, right?

[Sian]

Yes, yes it is. Does that Irk you?

negative scoring to Tim's next character for bad punning :smallcool:

[SoraWolf7]

I'm ignoring the date problem by submitting my build already! Hooray!

[Kuulvheysoon]

I could be an idiot, but isn't february 26th a wednesday?


Yes, yes it is. Does that Irk you?
Yeah, my bad. I must have been half-asleep when I wrote that. IT's upposed to be the 25th.

negative scoring to Tim's next character for bad punning :smallcool:
Agreed. That was terrible.:smallsigh:

[Eldonauran]

Got my build in. I feel really good about it. Can't wait to see what everyone else cooked up.

[KrimsonNekros]

Need to finish mine up. Mostly just filling in the table and writing up the fluff at this point.

[Heliomance]

DAMMIT MOTIVATION, GET BACK HERE.

I still haven't moved past concept and level outline. I'm pretty sure I'll score high on originality, if I get the damn thing done. Just have to actually do it >_>

[Sian]

Finished my first build, and might get around getting the final touches on my second build in time before the deadline

[Piggy Knowles]

DAMMIT MOTIVATION, GET BACK HERE.

I still haven't moved past concept and level outline. I'm pretty sure I'll score high on originality, if I get the damn thing done. Just have to actually do it >_>

Blargh, I'm in the same boat. I'm having so much trouble actually writing up my entry, even though I think it's kind of neat.

[Amphetryon]

Blargh, I'm in the same boat. I'm having so much trouble actually writing up my entry, even though I think it's kind of neat.

This seems to be going around, this round. *grumble*

[Hangwind]

Huh, I already have my first build in and am working on a second one.

[dysprosium]

DAMMIT MOTIVATION, GET BACK HERE.

I still haven't moved past concept and level outline. I'm pretty sure I'll score high on originality, if I get the damn thing done. Just have to actually do it >_>


Blargh, I'm in the same boat. I'm having so much trouble actually writing up my entry, even though I think it's kind of neat.


This seems to be going around, this round. *grumble*

I'm with all of you on this one. :smallsigh:

I think we need a bigger boat.

[Irk]

I'm with all of you on this one. :smallsigh:

I think we need a bigger boat.

Ugh, me too.

[Vaz]

I've got my build, but I'm not really satisfied all that much with it so much I might not enter it. We'll see...

[OMG PONIES]

DAMMIT MOTIVATION, GET BACK HERE.

I still haven't moved past concept and level outline. I'm pretty sure I'll score high on originality, if I get the damn thing done. Just have to actually do it >_>


Blargh, I'm in the same boat. I'm having so much trouble actually writing up my entry, even though I think it's kind of neat.


This seems to be going around, this round. *grumble*


I'm with all of you on this one. :smallsigh:

I think we need a bigger boat.


Ugh, me too.

Well, if we get a folding boat and command it to unfold twice, it can fit 15 of us. It's core, too.

[Heliomance]

Uh... am I missing something obvious? I cannot see anywhere in the class what size hit die it has.

[Sian]

top right corner of the box with the prerequisties for entering the class ... d8

Out of interest Kuul ... how many builds have been submitted as of yet?

[Piggy Knowles]

OK, I've gotten as far as a build table and an ability write-up. I still haven't even named the character, much less worked up its fluff beyond a few brief notes. I don't know why I'm having such difficulty getting motivated to finish this entry... the build stub is exactly the same as the one I put together within an hour of finding out the secret ingredient!

[dantiesilva]

Got most of my build done now, simply working on the fluff aspect now. As I believe i have originality and UoSI in the bag. Mostly power and elegance that worries me.

[relytdan]

RE: post by admins

Upcoming TABLE Code Changes
Attention all homebrewers, and everyone else who makes use of the TABLE functions, there will soon be huge changes to the TABLE code, and all existing tables will be broken.

what plan is in the works for change over of the table code that we are using here for this and will the changes to code mean that we all need to resubmit if the code changes happen before the reveal time?

[Amphetryon]

Considering how quickly my concept came together, the amount of time it took me to finish this thing was almost shameful. Build submitted, finally.

[dysprosium]

Well I finally got my entry in also.

Good luck everyone!

[Irk]

Well, personally I'm unhappy to announce this, but I am unable to compete, my build just did not come together. I have scored low in the previous two competitions, but I thought I actually had a really great idea for this one, too bad it wasn't functional. Man, I thought I had this one down, too. Anyway, I'd like to wish good luck to everyone. I'll be excited to share my idea after the reveal, to which I really look forwards. This was one of my favorite SI's in a while, too (though I have only really expressed interest in the last 5 or 6). Anyway, good luck to all, once again! I hope everyone else in that boat makes it!

EDIT: I am actually SUPER excited to see the results, all of my favorite competitors are submitting builds!

[Heliomance]

...I don't suppose the UA Skill Knowledge feat is kosher, is it? I desperately need to get Heal as a class skill, otherwise I won't be able to fit all the levels of the SI in.

Why is Healer not an option for Apprentice? That makes no sense at all!

[Sian]

you could also just take it and take a hit if the judges deem it not allowed

that said, with it not being a class skill its 'merely' 8 skill points in it ... wouldn't you be able to grab that in time otherwise?

[Heliomance]

With it as a class skill, it's possible to enter Osteomancer at level 5, rather than the normal 6.

[OMG PONIES]

Since I won't be cooking, I may be judging. Might as well practice by nitpicking the OP:


Welcome, contestants, judges, and guests to Iron Chef LIII.

May want to change that :smallbiggrin:.

[Sian]

going to bin my second build ... not enough time to get the fluff working ... and suffers to much from extreme MADness

[Kuulvheysoon]

Since I won't be cooking, I may be judging. Might as well practice by nitpicking the OP:

May want to change that :smallbiggrin:.

Nope - we're time travellers.

*Grumble grumble yeah, I'm changing it now. Slave driver.*

[KrimsonNekros]

So are still good to use the old table format for this comp?

[Piggy Knowles]

Almost done with my entry. Hopefully work doesn't keep me late and I have time to put the finishing touches on it before the deadline.

[Kuulvheysoon]

So are still good to use the old table format for this comp?

The information thread regarding the table changes hasn't told me that it's changed over yet, so the tables are staying as-is for the time being. I fully expect, however, that we'll have to do something for the next competition.

[Deadline]

Almost done with my entry. Hopefully work doesn't keep me late and I have time to put the finishing touches on it before the deadline.

Don't worry, you'll almost certainly get yours in before mine. I had two ideas I was working up, but I've only got time to finish one. Hopefully I can get that rolling quickly.

[Tim Proctor]

People better get their builds in, they're about to sound last call and then you can't. Oh I'm sorry I thought this was the bar thread. I am really excited about the reveal, want to see if everyone else picked up on what I did and thus me screwing myself.

[Macabaret]

All right...submission sent (such that it is).

By the way:

[Perform: sing]
Happy birthday to me,
Happy birthday to me,
Happy birrrrrrthdaaayyy to meee-eeeee,
Happy birthday to me!
[/Perform: sing]

[Deadline]

I think everything is in order here. Time to await the reveal!

And Happy Birthday Macabaret!

[Eldonauran]

Reveal always catches me off guard since I'm in GMT -8 time zone.

:smalleek: - So excited!

Happy Birthday Macabaret :smallbiggrin:

[Amphetryon]

Reveal always catches me off guard since I'm in GMT -8 time zone.

:smalleek: - So excited!

Happy Birthday Macabaret :smallbiggrin:

Round about 20 minutes from this post, give or take.

[Piggy Knowles]

Sent, with less than six minutes to spare. Hope I didn't miss anything - didn't get the chance to proofread as thoroughly as I'd normally have liked!

[Tim Proctor]

Where's the reveal, the Chairman be slipping...

[Kuulvheysoon]

Where's the reveal, the Chairman be slipping...

Three minutes is slipping, eh?

On that note, please refrain from posting until I give the OK.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Shame on you, Altair.
Rin (Chaotic Neutral) The Dark1 Changling2 Rogue 3 / Beguiler 2 / Swordsage 1 / Unseen Seer3 3 / Osteomancer 10



Ability|Score
Strength|10
Dexterity|16
Constitution|14
Intelligence|14
Wisdom|8
Charisma|15

All ability score increases in Charisma

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

---|Level Adjustment|
-|
-|
-|
-|-|-|-

1st|Changling Rogue4 1|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|Bluff 4, Concentration 1, Diplomacy 4, Disguise 4, Gather Infomation 4, Heal 2, Hide 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 2, Knowledge (Nature) 2, Search 4, Sense Motive 4, Sleight of Hand 4, Spellcraft 2, Spot 4, Use Magic Device 3|Able Learner5|Sneak Attack +1d6, Social Intuition

2nd|Rogue 2|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+0|Bluff 5, Diplomacy 5, Disguise 5, Hide 5, Search 5, Sense Motive 5, Slight of Hand 5, Spot 5; Second Impression6|-|Evasion

3rd|Beguiler 1|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+2|Bluff 6, Heal 3, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 3, Search 6; Conceal Spellcasting7|Weapon Finesse|Armored Mage (Light), Trapfinding

4th|Beguiler 2|
+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|Hide 7, Search 7, Spot 7, Use Magic Device 6|-|Cloaked Casting (+1 DC), Surprise Casting

5th|Changeling Rogue4 3|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+4|Bluff 8, Disguise 8, Hide 8, Search 8, Spellcraft 4 Spot 8; Assume Quirk8|-|Sneak Attack +2d6, Minor Lore

6th|Unseen Seer 1|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+6|Diplomacy 9, Disguise 9, Heal 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Sleight of Hand 6|Toughness|Sneak Attack +3d6,

7th|Unseen Seer 2|
+4|
+1|
+3|
+6|Diplomacy 10, Disguise 10, Sleight of hand 8, Use Magic Device 8; Social Recovery9|-|Advanced Learning (Grave Strike10), Silent Spell

8th|Osteomancer 1|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Gather Infomation 8|-|Boneless, Immune to Disease

9th|Swordsage 1|
+4|
+3|
+5|
+8|Sense Motive 12, Sleight of Hand 9|Darkstalker11|Quick To Act +1, Disipline Focus (Weapon Focus : Shadow Hand)

10th|Osteomancer 2|
+5|
+4|
+5|
+9|Diplomacy 12, Disguise 12|-|Skeletal Shift

11th|Osteomancer 3|
+6/+1|
+4|
+6|
+9|Use Magic Device 12|-|Bone Spurs, Unnerve

12th|Unseen Seer 3|
+7/+2|
+5|
+7|
+9|Sense Motive 15, Sleight of Hand 14|Martial Stance (Assassin's Stance)|Divination Spell Power +1

13th|Osteomancer 4|
+8/+3|
+6|
+7|
+10|Diplomacy 14, Disguise 14|-|Enlarge/Reduce, Iron Bones

14th|Osteomancer 5|
+8/+3|
+6|
+7|
+10|Gather Infomation 12|-|Seize The Core, Silver Bones

15th|Osteomancer 6|
+9/+4|
+7|
+8|
+11|Diplomacy 16, Sleight of Hand 16|Sudden Recovery|Aligned Bones

16th|Osteomancer 7|
+10/+5|
+7|
+8|
+11|Spot 12|-|Adamantine Bones

17th|Osteomancer 8|
+11/+6/+1|
+8|
+8|
+12|Use Magic Device 16|-|Sap Life

18th|Osteomancer 9|
+11/+6/+1|
+8|
+9|
+12|Diplomacy 17, Disguise 15, Sense Motive 17|Improved Natural Attack (Bone Spurs)|Wield The Core

19th|Osteomancer 10|
+12/+7/+2|
+9|
+9|
+13|Diplomacy 18, Sense Motive 18, Sleight of Hand 17, Use Magic Device 17|-|Osteophage[/table]


Beguiler
Spells Per Day
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th
3rd|5|3|-|-|-|-
4th|6|4|-|-|-|-
6th|6|5|-|-|-|-
7th|6|6|3|-|-|-
10th|6|6|4|-|-|-
12th|6|6|5|3|-|-
13th|6|6|6|4|-|-
15th|6|6|6|5|3|-
17th|6|6|6|6|4|-
19th|6|6|6|6|5|3
[/table]

Not accounting for bonus spells from Intelligence


{table=head]level|Maneuvers Known|Maneuvers Readied|Stances Known|Maneuvers Learned
9th|6|4|1|Baffling Defense*, Cloak of Deception*, Distracting Ember*, Mighty Throw, Mountain Hammer, Shadow Jaunt*; Step of the Wind
12th|6|4|2|Assassin's Stance*
[/table]
* Default used in Combat.


1: Dark - Tome of Magic p158
2: Changeling - Eberron Campaign Setting p12
3: Unseen Seer - Complete Mage p81
4: Changeling Rogue Substitution Levels - Races of Eberron p122
5: Able Learner - Races of Destiny p150 -- note that under 'Adaption' of Chameleon prestige class on p116 (of same book), that Changeling qulifies for Able Learner, if using Eberron Campaign Setting
6: Second Impression - Complete Scoundrel p88
7: Conceal Spellcasting - Complete Scoundrel p85
8: Assume Quirk - Complete Scoundrel p85
9: Social Recovery - Complete Scoundrel p89
10: Grave Strike - Spell Compendium p107
11: Darkstalker - Lords of Madness p179



Ria looked around the city she recently had gotten too with her mission in mind. While in a state of war countries were more than willing to pay her for clandestine missions, mainly in terms of information gathering and assassinating military leaders, just about the only things she wouldn't do was killing of children and innocents, and to be honest with herself she preferred not killing people at all if they weren't the direct target of an assassination.

Current mission was fairly regular by her standards; Get into the opponent city and gain access to their army configuation plans and steal them. with a secondary target of killing the general and sowing disorder and confusion.

Getting into the city was stupidly easy she thought, a few spells to starve off interest and not wearing any weapons got you a long way.

She dodged into a alleyway and morphed into one of her preferred figures, a nondescript down-on-his-luck half-elf and found her way to the seedier parts of town where she talked her way into learning where the General were living and went there.

When she came to the house, she shadow jaunted onto the roof and squeezed into a small open window after casting spider climb and dissolving her bones and managed to stay hidden while she climbed onto one of the rafters to sit on to restore her skeleton.

Under her, there were a larger discussion between the general and his primary subordinate. After a time listening on to the discussion she decided to get to work, she managed to gain control of the subordinates skeleton and used him as another puppeteer to attack the general.

The Subordinate managed to kill the General, while Rin Shadow Jaunted down behind him and with her bone spurs she stabbed him several times killing him as well, and stole their plans, and stripped the subordinate and dressed herself in his gear, morphing into his form and hid him in a closet, leaving in his form.

As easy as stealing candy from a baby


At this point Rin is allready a capable city dweller. She is able to chat many into what she wants, and knows what goes around. Her high hide and disguise (which due to being Changeling she can do as a full round action) together with her spells and high speed, means that she should be able to get out of any situation gone foul with limited problems, by way of getting away and hiding in some alley changing how she looks.


Now the build starts to roll, +2d6 Sneak Attack and the ability to use a swift action to get it on undeads (whenever those are actually met for a city dweller as her) due to Grave Strike, with Silent Spell its even easier (beyond Conceal Spellcasting) to cast in social situations without getting noticed and Boneless arguebly makes it easier to get into places other people don't want her to. Also getting 2nd level spells which includes viable stuff such as knock, invisibility, and spider climb.

The true star of this couple of levels through is the Swordsage level, giving several worthwhile abilities, including the Darkstalker feat gained at the same level. Cloak of Deception and Distracting Ember can both be used to get a full around of sneak attacks in on opponents if it comes to combat, while Shadow Jaunt helps getting in or out of situations. Step of the Wind is a surprisingly effective Stance, given that crowds count as difficult terrain, so hightailing out of combat into the crowds losing the opponents there (together with the 40ft from the Dark template) is very viable.


Now we're truely starting the tasty parts of the SI and the sweet spot of the build. Getting Skeletal Shift for even more Disguise Check (at ECL 11 where i get it, i can take 10, due to being Changeling Rogue, Disguise at a stupid high 35+Charisma Modifier) together with bone Spurs with Iron/Silver Bones for always having weapons at hand (and they're Finesseable) so Rin aren't dependent on carrying around a regular weapon on assassination attempts, which could be detected, and Assassin's Stance for even more Sneak Attack (now at +5d6 if in that stance ... not too shabby). Seize the Core is a good ability (if prehaps a bit low DC, even with charisma focus) for paralyzing targets for a quick Coup de Grâce


More of the same as the previous breakdown, Aligned / Adamantine Bones for better passing DR. While Sap Life is viable to drain beefy enemies its unlikely to be used since its not fitting the character, but both Wield the core and Osteophage is good save or suck (or in the case of OSteophage, die or take high damage). Other than Sudden recovery and stronger Bone Spurs (as per Improved Natural Attack) the build have topped at this point and is arguebly getting weaker from this point, although more by not getting anything great.

Sure Rin would have to get a +2 Int item to get 5'th level spells, but given that this first is relevant at ECL 20 then ...

[Kuulvheysoon]

Aren't Oozes supposed to be boneless?


Marrow, Spine of Juiblex
Glimmerskin Halfling Duskblade 3/Cloistered Cleric 2/Thrall of Juiblex 4/Osteomancer 7/Bone Knight 4

Str 6 Dex 8 Con 10 Int 18 Wis 15 Cha 14
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features
1st|Duskblade 1|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +4, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +4, Knowledge (Nature) +4, Knowledge (Religion) +4, Escape Artist +2|Thrall to Demon|Arcane Attunement, Armored Mage (Light), Glimmerskin Halfling traits
2nd|Duskblade 2|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Craft (Armorsmithing) +1, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +5, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +5, Knowledge (Nature) +5, Knowledge (Religion) +5, Escape Artist +2.5|Combat Casting|-
3rd|Duskblade 3|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Craft (Armorsmithing) +2, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +6, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +6, Knowledge (Nature) +6, Knowledge (Religion) +6, Escape Artist +3|Willing Deformity|Arcane Channeling
4th|Cloistered Cleric 1|
+3|
+5|
+1|
+5|Craft (Armorsmithing) +3, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +7, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Knowledge (Religion) +7, Escape Artist +3.5|Evil Devotion, Knowledge Devotion (Knowledge (Arcana))|Rebuke Undead, Domains (Evil, Ooze, Knowledge), Wis +1
5th|Cloistered Cleric 2|
+4|
+6|
+1|
+6|Craft (Armorsmithing) +4, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +8, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Escape Artist +4|-|-
6th|Osteomancer 1|
+4|
+8|
+1|
+8|Craft (Armorsmithing) +5, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +9, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +9, Knowledge (Nature) +9, Knowledge (Religion) +9, Escape Artist +5|Toughness|Boneless, Immunity to Disease
7th|Thrall of Juiblex 1|
+5|
+9|
+3|
+9|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +10, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +9.5, Knowledge (Nature) +9.5, Knowledge (Religion) +10, Escape Artist +5|-|Sickening Slime
8th|Thrall of Juiblex 2|
+6/+1|
+9|
+4|
+9|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +11, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +10, Knowledge (Nature) +10, Knowledge (Religion) +11, Escape Artist +5, Ride +0.5|-|Corrosive Touch, Wis +1
9th|Thrall of Juiblex 3|
7/+2|
+10|
+4|
+10|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +12, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +1.5, Knowledge (Nature) +10.5, Knowledge (Religion) +12, Escape Artist +5, Ride +1|Deformity (Madness)|Summon Ooze
10th|Thrall of Juiblex 4|
+8/+3|
+12|
+5|
+12|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +13, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +11, Knowledge (Nature) +11, Knowledge (Religion) +13, Escape Artist +5, Ride +1.5|-|Contagion, Alter Self
11th|Osteomancer 2|
+9/+4|
+13|
+5|
+13|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +14, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +12, Knowledge (Nature) +12, Knowledge (Religion) +14, Escape Artist +5, Ride +2|-|Skeletal Shift
12th|Osteomancer 3|
+10/+5|
+13|
+6|
+13|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +15, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +13, Knowledge (Nature) +13, Knowledge (Religion) +15, Escape Artist +5, Ride +2.5|Abominable Form|Bone Spurs, Unnerve, Wis +1
13th|Osteomancer 4|
+11/+6/+1|
+14|
+6|
+14|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +16, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +14, Knowledge (Nature) +14, Knowledge (Religion) +16, Escape Artist +5, Ride +3|-|Enlarge/Reduce, Iron Bones
14th|Osteomancer 5|
+11/+6/+1|
+14|
+6|
+14|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +17, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +15, Knowledge (Nature) +15, Knowledge (Religion) +17, Escape Artist +5, Ride +3.5|-|Seize the Core, Silver Bones
15th|Osteomancer 6|
+12/+7/+2|
+15|
+7|
+15|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +17, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +16, Knowledge (Nature) +16, Knowledge (Religion) +18, Escape Artist +5, Ride +4|Deformity (Teeth)|Aligned Bones
16th|Osteomancer 7|
+13/+8/+3|
+15|
+7|
+15|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +18, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +17, Knowledge (Nature) +17, Knowledge (Religion) +19, Escape Artist +5, Ride +5|-|Adamantine Bones, Wis +1
17th|Bone Knight 1|
+13/+8/+3|
+17|
+7|
+15|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +19, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +17.5, Knowledge (Nature) +17.5, Knowledge (Religion) +20, Escape Artist +5, Intimidate +1|-|Bonecraft Armor, Paladin Conversion, Rebuke Undead
18th|Bone Knight 2|
+14/+9/+4|
+18|
+7|
+15|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +20, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +18, Knowledge (Nature) +18, Knowledge (Religion) +21, Escape Artist +5, Intimidate +2|Deformity (Tongue)|Bone March, Summon Skeletal Steed
19th|Bone Knight 3|
+15/+10/+5|
+19|
+8|
+16|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +21, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +18.5, Knowledge (Nature) +18.5, Knowledge (Religion) +22, Escape Artist +5, Intimidate +3|-|Master of the White Banner
20th|Bone Knight 4|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+19|
+8|
+16|Craft (Armorsmithing) +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +22, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +19, Knowledge (Nature) +19, Knowledge (Religion) +23, Escape Artist +5, Intimidate +4|-|Improved Bonecraft Armor, Wis +1[/table]

Duskblade Spells
Spells per day (adjusted for ability scores)
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th
1st|3|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
2nd|4|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
3rd|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
4th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
5th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
6th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
7th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
8th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
9th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
10th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
11th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
12th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
13th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
14th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
15th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
16th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
17th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
18th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
19th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
20th|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]

Spells Known
0th - acid splash, ray of frost
1st - expeditious retreat, swift, jump, magic weapon, shocking grasp

Cleric Spells Per Day (adjusted for ability scores)
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th
1st|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
2nd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
3rd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
4th|3|2+1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
5th|4|3+1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
6th|4|3+1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
7th|4|3+1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
8th|4|3+1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
9th|4|3+1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
10th|4|3+1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
11th|4|3+1|2+1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
12th|4|3+1|2+1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
13th|5|4+1|3+1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
14th|5|4+1|3+1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
15th|5|4+1|3+1|2+1|-|-|-|-|-|-
16th|5|4+1|3+1|2+1|-|-|-|-|-|-
17th|5|4+1|3+1|2+1|-|-|-|-|-|-
18th|5|4+1|4+1|3+1|-|-|-|-|-|-
19th|6|4+1|4+1|3+1|2+1|-|-|-|-|-
20th|7|5+1|4+1|4+1|3+1|-|-|-|-|-[/table]

Abilities abbreviated to conserve space and to prevent copyright violation.

Small: As a small creature, Marrow gains a +1 size bonus to attack rolls and AC and a +4 size bonus to Hide checks.
Skill Affinity (Climb): Marrow has a +2 racial bonus to Climb checks.
Skill Affinity (Listen): Marrow has a +2 racial bonus to Listen checks.
Skill Affinity (Jump): Marrow has a +2 racial bonus to Jump checks.
Skill Affinity (Heal): Heal is always a class skill for Marrow.
Lucky: Marrow enjoys a +1 racial bonus to all saves.
Fearless: Marrow has a +2 morale bonus to saves against [Fear].
Good Aim: Marrow receives a +1 racial bonus to thrown attack rolls.
Touch of Luck: Once per day, Marrow can grant himself or an ally a +2 bonus on saves for 1 round as an immediate action.
Dragonblooded: Marrow has the (Dragonblood) subtype.

Thrall to Demon: Once per day, Marrow may call upon Juiblex for a +1 luck bonus to any roll.
Combat Casting: (Bonus) Marrow enjoys a +4 bonus on Concentration checks made to cast defensively.
Willing Deformity: Marrow receives a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks
Evil Devotion: (Bonus) Once per day (or by spending a rebuke attempt), Marrow and his allies within 30' gain DR 1+1/5 character levels/good, and attacks are evil-aligned. This effect lasts for 1 minute.
Knowledge Devotion: (Bonus) Marrow may make Knowledge checks for attack/damage bonuses.
Toughness: +3 HP
Deformity (Madness): Marrow is immune to mind-affecting effects but suffers a -4 profane penalty to Wisdom. Once per minute, as an immediate action, Marrow may add half his level (rounded down) to his Will save.
Abominable Form: Creatures with fewer HD than Marrow must make a Will save (DC 15 + 2/deformity feats) or be shaken for 1 round. He also gains an additional +2 bonus to Intimidate checks.
Deformity (Teeth): Marrow possesses a bite attack that deals 1d4 damage plus his Strength modifier. He also gains a +1 bonus to Intimidate checks.
Deformity (Tongue): Marrow possesses blindsense effective out to 30'.

Arcane Attunement: Marrow can use the spell-like powers dancing lights, detect magic, flare, ghost sound, and read magic a combined total of times per day equal to 3 + his Int modifier. These spell-like powers do not count against his total of spells known or spells per day.
Armored Mage (Light): Marrow can cast arcane spells in light armor with no chance of spell failure.
Arcane Channeling: Marrow can deliver touch-range spells through a melee attack with a standard action. Casting in this fashion does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Rebuke Undead: Marrow may rebuke undead 3 plus his Charisma modifier times per day.
Domains (Evil, Ooze, Knowledge): Marrow has traded the domain powers for Evil and Knowledge for the respective Devotion feats. He generally prepares spells from the Ooze domain in his domain slots.
Sickening Slime: Marrow secretes a smelly slime that coats his body in a thin layer. Anyone within 5 feet must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + Marrow's Thrall of Juiblex class level + Constitution bonus) or take a – 1 circumstance penalty on attack rolls and skill checks due to the outrageous odor of the slime layer.
Corrosive Touch: Three times per day, Marrow can secrete an acidic ooze and wield it as an unarmed strike, inflicting damage on a successful hit equal to his standard unarmed strike damage plus 2d6. He does not provoke attacks of opportunity for attacking in this way.
Summon Ooze: Marrow can summon a patch of green sime, a gray ooze, an ochre jelly, or a gelatinous cube as the summon monster spell with his thrall level as the caster level.
Contagion: Once per day, Marrow may cast contagion as a spell-like ability at caster level 10.
Alter Self: Marrow may use alter self as a spell-like ability at will.
Boneless: Marow may dissolve or reform his bones as a full-round action at will. He becomes able to travel at a speed of 10', and may flow through openings as small as 6".
Immunity to Disease: Marrow is immune to diseases both mundane and supernatural.
Skeletal Shift: Marrow may appear as a different person by rearranging his bone structure at-will. He gains a +3 bonus on Disguise checks.
Bone Spurs: Marrow's bones protrude from his body, acting as armor spikes and spiked gauntlets. They are his preferred weapons.
Unnerve: Opponents who attempt to strike Marrow must make a Will save (DC 10 + his osteomancer level + his Charisma modifier) or take a -2 penalty on attacks against him for 24 hours.
Enlarge/Reduce: Once per day each, Marrow may cast enlarge person and reduce person on himself as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to 1/2 his osteomancer level.
Seize the Core: Once per day, Marrow may attempt to paralyze corporeal opponents with skeletons within 30'.
Adamantine Bones: Marrow's bone weapons count as silver, cold iron, adamantine, evil weapons for overcoming damage reduction.
Bonecraft Armor: Marrow is constantly considered to be wearing a suit of masterwork full plate armor with masterwork armor spikes manufactured from his own bones. Since it is made of bone, it is unaffected by spells and effects that specifically target metal. It also provides a +4 bonus to Intimidate checks and DR 2/bludgeoning.
Bone March: Marrow may assume control of animated undead from a willing controller within 30' as a standard action.
Summon Skeletal Steed: Though he never uses it, Marrow may call upon a skeletal heavy warhorse to ride.
Master of the White Banner: Any undead under Marrow's control gain bonus turn resistance equal to his Charisma modifier.
Improved Bonecraft Armor: Marrow's armor provides an additional point of DR/bludgeoning, and also renders him immune to stunning and nonlethal damage.
5th level: At fifth level, Marrow has not been chosen as a proxy of Juiblex: he is still a simple priest. His limited spell power is mostly focused towards channelable spells (particularly inflicts at this point), and his main source of damage comes from Knowledge Devotion.

7th level (sweet spot): Marrow has been chosen to be a proxy of Juiblex, who has granted him the unique and interesting power to morph into an oozey, boneless goo. An unfortunate (or fortunate, depending upon who you ask) side effect of this is the stench of burning bone that emanates from him, a rather disconcerting and off-putting scent. Marrow revels in it and uses it as a tactical advantage.

10th level: At 10th level, Marrow has furthered his training as the Spine of Juiblex. He now can use a corrosive touch--which he likes to couple with his arcane channeling ability--and can also inflict contagion with a touch as well. Having fully given himself to Juiblex, his mind has lost all hold of itself, and he has become insane, granting him immunity to mind-affecting effects. Lastly, his amorphous and oozy status allows him to shift his appearance from race to race and creature to creature at will: he makes frequent and varied use of his alter self ability to provide himself with nearly any ability he requires.

15th level: At 15th level, Marrow has learned how to give himself sharp, bony teeth and spurs. He enjoys using these attacks in preference over other weaponry despite their relative lack of power, as he finds their unsettling nature attractive. Having access to third-level cleric spells, he makes use of a broader variety of debuff effects using his arcane channeling ability. While he is durable and a good debuffer, he is unfortunately reliant upon his allies to actually kill opponents.

20th level: At 20th level, Marrow now has the ability to amass an army of undead under his control. In addition, he has learned how to shape his bone spurs into a strong armor. Marrow is also now in the unique position where he is capable of dual-wielding two sets armor spikes.

[Kuulvheysoon]

He'll leave you in Holy pieces

The Golden Smilodon
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6xoH967aC00/TQOVUDlXy6I/AAAAAAAAbtc/K8dA2FL1Wug/s1600/cat092.jpg
"For your deeds and accomplishments, we favor you. Continue the fight against evil whenever it rears its ugly head."

Basics
NG male longtooth shifter Druid 10/Osteomancer 10
32 point buy
Level 1 (with racials): Str 10, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 14
Level 4 (level increase): Str 10, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 14
Level 7 (exalted increase): Str 10, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 16
Level 8 (level increase): Str 10, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 16
Level 11 (exalted increase): Str 10, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 18
Level 12 (level increase): Str 10, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 19
Level 15 (exalted increase): Str 10, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 21
Level 16 (level increase): Str 10, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 22
Level 19 (exalted increase): Str 10, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 22, Cha 24
Level 20 (level increase): Str 10, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 23, Cha 24

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

1st|Druid 1|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Heal 4, Knowledge (arcana) 2, Knowledge (nature) 4, Listen 1, Spot 1, Survival 2 |Alertness (B), Sacred Vow (E)|ability bonus, beast spirit acf, extend shifting, nature sense, feral empathy
2nd|Druid 2|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Knowledge (nature) +1, Listen +1, Spot +1, Survival +1| |woodland stride

3rd|Druid 3|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|Knowledge (arcana) +1, Listen +1, Spot +1|Vow of Poverty (E)|endure elements, exalted AC bonus +5, trackless step, will of the spirit

4th|Druid 4|
+3|
+4|
+3|
+2|Knowledge (nature) +1, Listen +1, Spot +1, Survival +1|Touch of Golden Ice (E)|exalted strike +1 (magic), reckless nature acf

5th|Druid 5|
+3|
+4|
+3|
+2|Knowledge (arcana) +1, Listen +1, Spot +1| |sustenance, wild shape 1/day

6th|Druid 6|
+4|
+5|
+4|
+3|Diplomacy 1, Heal +1, Knowledge (nature) +1, Listen +1, Spot +1|Nymph’s Kiss (B, E), Toughness|exalted AC bonus +6, deflection +1, transfer spirit, wild shape 2/day

7th|Druid 7|
+5|
+5|
+4|
+3|Diplomacy +1, Heal +1, Knowledge (nature) +1, Listen +1, Spot +1| |resistance, wild shape 3/day

8th|Druid 8|
+6|
+6|
+4|
+4|Diplomacy +1, Heal +1, Knowledge (nature) +1, Listen +1, Spot +1|Intuitive Attack (B, E)|mind shielding, natural armor +1, wild shape (large)

9th|Osteomancer 1|
+6|
+8|
+4|
+6|Disguise 2, Heal +1|Longtooth Elite (S)|boneless, exalted AC bonus +7, immunity to disease

10th|Osteomancer 2|
+7|
+9|
+4|
+7|Disguise +2, Heal +1|Exalted Wild Shape (B, E)|exalted strike +2 (good), DR 5/magic, skeletal shift

11th|Osteomancer 3|
+8|
+9|
+5|
+7|Disguise +2, Heal +1| |bone spurs, unnerve

12th|Osteomancer 4|
+9|
+10|
+5|
+8|Disguise +1, Heal +1, Knowledge (nature) +1|Natural Spell, Sanctify Natural Attack (B, E)|deflection +2, enlarge/reduce, exalted AC bonus +8, greater sustenance, iron bones

13th|Osteomancer 5|
+9|
+10|
+5|
+8|Disguise +1, Heal +1, Knowledge (nature) +1| |resistance +2, resistance (fire) 5, seize the core, silver bones

14th|Osteomancer 6|
+10|
+11|
+6|
+9|Disguise +1, Heal +1, Knowledge (nature) +1|Exalted Spell Resistance (B, E)|aligned bones, exalted strike +3, freedom of movement

15th|Osteomancer 7|
+10|
+11|
+6|
+9|Disguise +1, Heal +1, Knowledge (nature) +1|Improved Natural Attack (bite) (S)|adamantine bones, exalted AC bonus +9, DR 5/evil

16th|Osteomancer 8|
+11|
+12|
+6|
+10|Disguise +1, Heal +1, Knowledge (nature) +1|Favored of the Companions (B, E)|natural armor +2, sap life

17th|Osteomancer 9|
+11|
+12|
+7|
+10|Disguise +1, Heal +1, Knowledge (nature) +1| |exalted strike +4, resistance +3, regeneration, wield the core

18th|Osteomancer 10|
+12|
+13|
+7|
+11|Disguise +1, Heal +1, Knowledge (nature) +1|Gift of Faith (B, E), Shifter Multiattack (S)|exalted AC bonus +10, deflection +3, osteophage, true seeing

19th|Druid 9|
+12|
+13|
+8|
+11|Diplomacy +1, Handle Animal 1, Heal +1, Knowledge (nature) +1, Listen +1, Spot +1| |DR 10/evil, prepare spell (3rd or lower)venom immunity

20th|Druid 10|
+13|
+14|
+8|
+12|Diplomacy +1, Handle Animal +1, Heal +1, Knowledge (nature) +1, Listen +1, Spot +1|Animal Friend (B, E)|exalted strike +5, resistance (fire) 15, wild shape 4/day[/table]
* Table includes reckless nature alternate class feature
** B=Bonus, E=Exalted, S=Shifter
*** Italics indicate Vow of Poverty features; Underline indicates beast spirit alternate class feature

Base Skill Ranks at Level 20: Diplomacy 6, Disguise 13, Handle Animal 2, Heal 19, Knowledge (arcana) 4, Knowledge (nature) 18, Listen 10, Spot 10, Survival 4

Spells per day
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th
1st|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
2nd|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
3rd|4|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
4th|5|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
5th|5|3|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-
6th|5|3|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
7th|6|4|3|2|1|-|-|-|-|-
8th|6|4|3|3|2|-|-|-|-|-
9th|6|4|3|3|2|-|-|-|-|-
10th|6|4|4|3|2|1|-|-|-|-
11th|6|4|4|3|2|1|-|-|-|-
12th|6|4|4|3|3|2|-|-|-
13th|6|4|4|3|3|2|-|-|-
14th|6|5|4|4|3|2|1|-|-|-
15th|6|5|4|4|3|2|1|-|-|-
16th|6|5|4|4|3|3|2|-|-|-
17th|6|5|4|4|3|3|2|-|-|-
18th|6|5|5|4|4|3|2|1|-|-
19th|6|5|5|4|4|3|3|2|-|-
20th|6|5|5|5|4|4|3|2|1|-[/table]
A note on spells: As the PHB and SRD both state, the Druid may prepare and cast any spell on the Druid spell list provided that he can cast spells of that level. A requirement for the SI is the ability to cast at least three transmutation spells, one of which must be 1st level or higher. Naming spells that the Golden Smilodon can cast will be subject to taste and as a Tier 1 caster these can change daily. The Golden Smilodon enters the SI at Level 9 which means he can cast up to 4th level Druid spells. According to dndtools (http://dndtools.eu/spells/?name=&range=&spell_resistance=&area=&duration=&saving_throw=&casting_time=&school__slug=transmutation&sub_school__slug=&descriptors__slug=&verbal_component=1&somatic_component=1&material_component=1&arcane_focus_component=1&divine_focus_component=1&xp_component=1&rulebook__slug=&description=&class_levels__slug=druid&spellclasslevel__level=0&spellclasslevel__level=1&spellclasslevel__level=2&spellclasslevel__level=3&spellclasslevel__level=4&domain_levels__slug=&_filter=Filter), there are 244 (non repeated) Transmutation spells on the Druid spell list for spell levels 0-4. I believe that this number alone qualifies the Golden Smilodon for the SI.

Class Features Showcase
Boneless: The SI does not progress wild shape but this ability can take the place of wild shape (tiny). Tiny wild shapes can be used for escaping in rather tight places. It can also be used to infiltrate enemy strongholds through similarly tight places. Being boneless allows the Golden Smilodon to squeeze through spaces as small as six inches which is considered diminutive in scale. In comparison, a single classed Druid would have to be epic level and take a feat to emulate this feature on his own.
Skeletal Shift: I have always imagined that a Druid could always be a great infiltrator using his wild shape to become an inconspicuous animal. By using this ability, the Golden Smilodon can take this a step further. Disguise is a class skill for Osteomancer and is based on Charisma and skeletal shift gives an additional bonus. Well the Golden Smilodon can now use his wild shape to actually disguise himself as a specific animal. Does the BBEG have a pet cat that he likes to pet? Do the castle guards train special falcons? Does the enemy general ride a white horse? The Golden Smilodon can use wild shape and skeletal shift to become the animal needed.
Bone Spurs: This is part of the reason why we came here in the first place. It has been said that a shifter and/or Druid is always considered armed with his natural weapons. This ability from the SI insures that the Golden Smilodon always has at least two natural weapons on him at all times. While shifted, the Golden Smilodon can use the spiked gauntlets in conjunction with his bite attack. While in wild shape, the Golden Smilodon can grow the armor spikes to cover his body to add an attack type with a pouncing form. As his favored wild shape is that of a celestial smilodon, he would be able to add the armor spike attack with the full attack pounce.
Unnerve: All classes and all builds benefit from this ability. The Golden Smilodon maximizes his potential here by having a high Charisma score. Whether he decides to fight on the front lines shifted or wild shaped, the Golden Smilodon would be a target of enemies and this ability has the potential to make them miss.
Cold iron/silver/aligned/adamantine Bones: One of the drawbacks of the Vow of Poverty is the lack of overcoming different kinds of damage reduction since such a character cannot have the “golf bag” of different metal weapons. This group of class features overcomes this limitation by making sure that the Golden Smilodon always has an appropriate weapon to overcome creatures’ damage reductions.
Enlarge/reduce: These two spells do not appear on the Druid’s spell list so we can consider these bonus spells for the Golden Smilodon. The benefits of enlarge person are known well documented in the Playground. Reduce person could increase our boneless potential to even escaping or infiltrating through fine sized holes.
Seize the core: With the Chairman’s ruling that this effect is permanent, this ability gets even deadlier. Again this is an ability that benefits all builds and all characters. As with unnerve, the Golden Smilodon maximizes his potential with the high Charisma score. It is an amazing save or lose ability. Become an amazing dragon slayer since this ability says that it specifically bypasses their immunity to paralysis.
Sap life: A touch attack that deals Strength damage? Another SI ability that bases its saving throw on Charisma? When the Golden Smilodon gains this ability, he can use it six times per day and up to seven times per day at Level 20. Remember how he can infiltrate the enemies’ positions by disguising himself as a specific animal? Imagine now the falcon landing on his master’s arm and then losing the Strength to even carry him in the first place. The faithful hound bounds upon his master and weakens him with his playfulness. Of course, it is also useful in combat situations as well.
Wield the core: Here is another ability that is useful for all builds. However, the Golden Smilodon can use this ability while wild shaped as an inconspicuous animal in the enemy camp. Imagine a horse just standing there watching as guards inexplicably start attacking their commanding officer or keeping the battlefield mage from buffing his troops by keeping his mouth shut and keeping his arms at his sides. An even better example is a swooping hawk flying low, taking control of someone and then flying incredibly high all while keeping control as range is not an issue as long as there is line of sight. Possibilities are endless.
Osteophage: The SI’s capstone ability allows the Golden Smilodon to kill or damage a foe. Compare this effect to the Cleric spell destruction, which is also not on the Druid list. Another example of basically having a bonus spell to cast. Again his high Charisma score keeps this ability’s difficulty high enough to keep it competitive against CR appropriate foes.

The Ascension of the Golden Smilodon
Humble Beginnings (Levels 1-5)
The longtooth shifter who would become the Golden Smilodon was born to a clan of shifters living in the forested area near the capital of the Empire. He was always happiest while learning skills of the Druidic ancestors. He had hoped to one day join his elders in the Circle of Leadership. But he knew that he had to be worthy of being called to the Circle. So he made a Sacred Vow to give up all wealth and only survive as the Land provides, much like his smilodon ancestors once did.
We start off as a battlefield controller mostly due to lack of real melee strengths. Spellcasting is strong having a high Wisdom score and he can contribute also as a lookout given his Listen and Spot scores in the early part of the build. With the ranks in Heal, he can act as a triage unit as needed too. The Golden Smilodon utilizes the beast spirit druid alternate class feature that sacrifices his animal companion for different benefits as he levels up. Standard Druid equipment until the Vow of Poverty is taken at Level 3. The first exalted feat chosen is Touch of Golden Ice as it is in these early levels when the feat is most effective. The Golden Smilodon also takes the reckless nature Druid alternate class feature that helps out his poor Reflex saves at the cost of his Will saves. This will be made up when he enters the SI as it has both Fortitude and Will as good saving throws. At Level 5 he gains his first taste of wild shape electing not to take the final shifter Druid alternate class feature.
A Sad Homecoming (Levels 6-10)
His oneness with the land attracted the attention of all of the animals and the nature spirits (fey) of the forest. With their help he learns to overcome the limitations that wealth puts on most humanoids. Both the animals and the fey live at peace and in balance with the land and so to can the Golden Smilodon. Having learned how to assume the shape of the ancestors, he hoped to be called to the Circle of Leadership at last but it was not to be. While he was away learning his clan was annihilated by the Empire. Upon learning this terrible fate of their friend, the nature spirits began to teach him the ways of manipulating his skeletal structure to help in his new quest to find out what happened to his people. It was at this time he took the name Golden Smilodon.
Dear Lord Toughness is a terribad feat. See if you can get your DM to allow Improved Toughness to be interchangeable with the Toughness feat. Improved Toughness is not the best feat ever, but it at least scales with character level. The Golden Smilodon continues with his Druidic training until he enters the SI at Level 9. Though not the earliest that the SI could have been entered, the Golden Smilodon enters with being able to cast 4th level spells and being able to wild shape into large animals. Along with the benefits of the SI class features, the Golden Smilodon gains the Exalted Wild Shape feat which allows him to wild shape into celestial animals, including a celestial smilodon and thereby able take on his namesake. He also takes the shifter feat Longtooth Elite which gives him a wounding bite attack while shifted. Intuitive Attack makes up for a less than average attack bonus by being able to use his much higher Wisdom score for attacking.
Resetting the Balance (Levels 11-15)
Knowing how to make this terrible wrong right, the Golden Smilodon infiltrates the Empire itself posing as various animals to gather information and learn what he could. After learning of which General launched the attack, the Golden Smilodon assumed the identity of the General’s horse through skeletal shift and was able to learn of his future plans to launch attacks on other helpless peoples. The Golden Smilodon vowed to protect these people in a way to atone for not being able to protect his own people.
Smack dab in the middle of the SI now gaining abilities to protrude spikes and give opponents pause for attacking him. He also learns how to cast his spells while wild shaped (I know it is late for a “standard Druid.”) It is during this time the Golden Smilodon gains a perpetual freedom of movement effect on him at all times along with being able to overcome even adamantine damage reduction. At Level 15 the Golden Smilodon takes the Improved Natural Attack feat which is useful for both his shifted form as well as any wild shape form that has a bite attack (which is nearly all animals).
Righting the Wrongs (Levels 16-20)
The Golden Smilodon settled himself among the people that we the Empire’s next victims. He prepared for the time the army would strike. With mastering the powers over skeletal structures, he was able to sow dissent through the enemy camp. Infiltrating the camp again the Golden Smilodon made enemy unit commanders attack their own soldiers by taking over their own skeletons. He was able to fly high above the camp to make this happen too, far away from those who might be able to stop him before his work was done. When the skirmish amongst themselves was completed, the Golden Smilodon shifted again to his namesake form and was able to dissolve the General’s skeleton away. Upon seeing this the army began to rout but the Golden Smilodon made examples of some of the other commanders by keeping them in place frozen in time unable to move their skeletons.

When it was over, the most important and powerful guardinal Talisid appeared in the sky as a vision to the Golden Smilodon and said unto him, “For your deeds and accomplishments, we favor you. Continue the fight against evil whenever it rears its ugly head.”
The Golden Smilodon completes his pre epic career with more Druid levels which nets him 8th level spells, which is not bad considering a half casting SI. By now he has overcome all of the drawbacks of the Vow of Poverty feat with varying success. The Golden Smilodon can infiltrate and escape from different strongholds either through wild shape or his boneless quality. He has essentially two main battle forms—his fully shifted form complete with bony spiked gauntlet and oversized fangs and his wild shaped celestial smilodon namesake form complete with bony armor spikes protruding from them. He can overcome all kinds of material and alignment damage reduction in either form and can cast spells with all of the bonus abilities of that the SI provides. The SI fits the concept of a tribal Druid perfectly.

Source List
Book of Exalted Deeds: all of the exalted feats
Dragon Compendium: Osteomancer prestige class
Eberron Campaign Setting: shifter race
Races of Eberron: shifter druid alternate class features, shifter feats

[Kuulvheysoon]

A Deal with the Red WizardsDevil
Esh Pennin Arsh, LN Blooded One (UnE 61) Skarn (MoI 15) Totemist (MoI 29) 7/Scaled Horror (SS 83) 3/Osteomancer (DMC 83) 10

The consistent raids on Skarn lands in the Taer region by the Volodni have started to force the Skarn to question their belief in their near-perfection of form. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and the Skarn struck a bargain with the Red Wizards. The Skarn agreed to a selective breeding program, designed to create an elite force of ambush predators that the Thayan casters called ‘Blooded Ones,’ able to wait within the swamps and marshlands and spring out on the unsuspecting raiders to inflict terrible punishment. For some of those created by this process, though, something went horribly wrong. Their very skeletal structure seemed to rebel against the taint of the Red Wizard’s magic, causing what the Skarn saw as deformities, useful as they may be.

Esh Pennin Arsh was one of these unlucky ones. . . .

Base Stats: STR 12 DEX 12 CON 10 INT 16 WIS 14 CHA 14
Skarn adjusted Stats: STR 14 DEX 10 CON 10 INT 16 WIS 14 CHA 14
Skarn + Template adjusted Stats: STR 16 DEX 10 CON 14 INT 14 WIS 14 CHA 14
Boost STR with levels.

The character, as presented, assumes the SRD option to buy off LA (link (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingLevelAdjustments.htm)) is in play, and takes advantage of it at levels 6 and 10. If buying off LA is not viable, the last two levels of Osteomancer must be skipped.


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

1st|Totemist 1|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|Heal 2.0 Hide 2.0, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 2.0 Swim 4|Azure Toughness (MoI 35), Combat Reflexes|Illiteracy, Wild Empathy, 1 Essentia (2 total), 2 Soulmelds: Girallon Arms (MoI 68), Worg Pelt (MoI 93)

2nd|Totemist 2|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+0|Heal 2.5, Hide 2.5, Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Move Silently 2.5, Swim 5|-|Totem Chakra Bind (Girallon Arms) +1 capacity, +1 Essentia (3 total), +1 Soulmeld: Pegasus Cloak (MoI 81) (3 total Soulmelds)

3rd|Totemist 3|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+1|Heal 3.0, Hide 3.0, Jump 0.5, Knowledge (Arcana) 6, Knowledge (Nature) 6, Move Silently 3.0|Cobalt Charge (MoI 35)|Totem's Protection, 4 total Essentia

4th|Totemist 4|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+1|Heal 3.5, Hide 3.5, Jump 1.0, Knowledge (Arcana) 7, Knowledge (Nature) 7, Move Silently 3.5|-|+1 Soulmeld: Wormtail Belt (MoI 94), +1 Essentia (5 total) (4 total Soulmelds)

5th|Totemist 5|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+1|Heal 4.0, Hide 4.0, Jump 1.5, Knowledge (Arcana) 8, Knowledge (Nature) 8, Move Silently 4.0|-|Chakra Bind: Worg Pelt (Feet)

6th|Totemist 6|
+4|
+5|
+5|
+2|Heal 4.5, Hide 4.5, Jump 2.0, Knowledge (Arcana) 9, Knowledge (Nature) 9, Move Silently 4.5|Battle Jump (UnE 42)|Totem Chakra Bind (+1 Meldshaper Level), + 1 Essentia (6 total), +1 Chakra Bind (2 total)

7th|Totemist 7|
+5|
+5|
+5|
+2|Heal 5.0, Hide 5.0, Knowledge (Arcana) 10, Knowledge (Nature) 10, Move Silently 5.0, Swim 6|-|+1 Soulmeld (Shedu Crown), +1 Essentia (7 total) (5 total Soulmelds)

8th|Scaled Horror 1|
+5|
+7|
+5|
+2|Heal 5.5, Hide 6, Jump 4, Move Silently 6, Swim 7|-|Improved Grab, Keen Scent, Ranger Spells

9th|Scaled Horror 2|
+6|
+8|
+5|
+2|Heal 6.0, Hide 7, Jump 6, Move Silently 7, Swim 8|Multigrab (SS 37)|Freedom of Movement

10th|Scaled Horror 3|
+7|
+8|
+6|
+3|Concentration 2, Hide 8, Jump 8, Move Silently 8|-|-

11th|Osteomancer 1|
+7|
+10|
+6|
+5|Concentration 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 11, Knowledge (Nature) 11|-|Boneless, immunity to disease

12th|Osteomancer 2|
+8|
+11|
+6|
+6|Concentration 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Knowledge (Nature) 12|Improved Natural Attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsterFeats.htm#improvedNaturalAttack)|Skeletal shift, +1 level of existing class

13th|Osteomancer 3|
+9|
+11|
+7|
+6|Concentration 8, Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 13|-|Bone Spurs, Unnerve

14th|Osteomancer 4|
+10|
+12|
+7|
+7|Concentration 10, Knowledge (Arcana) 14, Knowledge (Nature) 14|-|Enlarge/Reduce, Iron Bones, +1 level of existing class

15th|Osteomancer 5|
+10|
+12|
+7|
+7|Concentration 12, Knowledge (Arcana) 15, Knowledge (Nature) 15|Multiattack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsterFeats.htm#multiattack)|Seize the Core, Silver Bones

16th|Osteomancer 6|
+11|
+13|
+8|
+8|Concentration 14, Knowledge (Arcana) 16, Knowledge (Nature) 16|-|Aligned Bones, +1 level of existing class

17th|Osteomancer 7|
+12|
+13|
+8|
+8|Concentration 16, Knowledge (Arcana) 17, Knowledge (Nature) 17|-|Adamantine Bones

18th|Osteomancer 8|
+13|
+14|
+8|
+9|Concentration 18, Knowledge (Arcana) 18, Knowledge (Nature) 18|Improved Multiattack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#improvedMultiattack)|Sap Life, +1 level of existing class

19th|Osteomancer 9|
+13|
+14|
+9|
+9|Concentration 20, Knowledge (Arcana) 19, Knowledge (Nature) 19|-|Wield the Core

20th|Osteomancer 10|
+14|
+15|
+9|
+10|Concentration 22, Knowledge (Arcana) 20, Knowledge (Nature) 20|-|Osteophage[/table]


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|-|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|-|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|-|1|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|-|1|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|-|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|-|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|-|1|1|0|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|-|1|1|0|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th|-|1|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

17th|-|1|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

18th|-|2|1|1|0|-|-|-|-|-

19th|-|2|1|1|0|-|-|-|-|-

20th|-|2|1|1|1|-|-|-|-|-[/table]

Spell List by Level and Order Chosen
1st Level Spells: Magic Fang, Longstrider, Resist Energy
2nd Level Spells: Spike Growth, Owl’s Wisdom
3rd Level Spells: Greater Magic Fang, Remove Disease
4th Level Spells: Freedom of Movement, Summon Nature’s Ally IV

Relisting of Totemist Soulmelds Selected by Level
1st: Girallon Arms, Worg Pelt
2nd: Pegasus Cloak, Bind Girallon Arms to Totem Chakra*
4th: Wormtail Belt
5th: Bind Worg Pelt to Feet Chakra OR Girallon Arms to Totem Chakra
6th: Bind Worg Pelt to Feet Chakra AND Girallon Arms to Totem Chakra
7th: Shedu Crown

*Bindings listed are standard but can change as needed.


SRD: System Resource Document
UnE: Unapproachable East
MoI: Magic of Incarnum
SS: Savage Species
DMC: Dragon Magazine Compendium

The bonuses provided by the Blooded One template make Pennin stronger and sturdier than he would otherwise be, with Combat Reflexes providing him the ability to act in a Surprise round, even if his DEX doesn’t give maximum benefit to this bonus Feat. Azure Toughness further increases his survivability and the usefulness of his Soulmelds (and scales better than Toughness), while simultaneously fulfilling a prerequisite for Osteomancer down the line. With Girallon Arms and Worg Pelt in conjunction with his native abilities as a Skarn, Pennin becomes an able scout and grappler - a role emphasized by his Skill choices, that allow him an understanding of what he sees, in addition to the ability to get to a good position.

Binding the Girallon Arms to his Totem Chakra at 2nd Level turns Pennin into a virtual shredder in melee, while the acquisition of the Pegasus Cloak Soulmeld improves his jumping ability and removes any danger from falling. Cobalt Charge further improves the damage his initial assault does at 3rd Level, while further boosting his total Essentia. Totem’s Protection is campaign-specific by its very nature, but a free +4 against a category of enemies is hardly a bad freebie. At 4th Level, the Wormtail Belt enhances his native Natural Armor bonus to aid his defenses, while his diversified Skill list continues to improve his abilities as a scout and ambush predator. Pennin technically gains the ability to bind the Worg Pelt to his Feet Chakra at 5th level, but is unlikely to use this option regularly, as the benefit of the Girallon Arms is generally superior for his role. That said, the additional option makes him a more diversified threat.

Now Pennin no longer has to choose which Chakra he wishes to use, as 6th Level lets him bind his Girallon Arms to his Totem Chakra at the same time he’s binding his Worg Pelt to his Feet Chakra to boost his speed. He also takes advantage of his region of origin to take the Battle Jump Feat, which dovetails nicely with his general combat strategy and Skill set; note that nothing in the writeup of Battle Jump precludes it working with Feather Fall. The extra point of Essentia at this level once again ensures that his Essentia is keeping pace at this point with his Character Level. At 7th Level, Pennin’s selection of the Shedu Crown Soulmeld helps reduce the risks of his relatively low Will save, while opening up the option of a Trample attack, should he wish to arrange his Chakra that way. He also gains the necessary 5 or more ranks in the various Skills required to head into Scaled Horror, which he does at 8th Level - his earliest chance. Entering Scaled Horror gives Pennin access to Improved Grab, Keen Scent (in water), and - most importantly - the Ranger Spell list. While it varies a bit by playstyle, 8th Level is around the point where Characters without access to Spells start to noticeably lag behind those who have access, so the timing here is good for keeping Pennin relevant. His first choices are Magic Fang and Longstrider, two Transmutation Spells that emphasize his general role. At 9th Level, when he snags Longstrider, he also picks up Multigrab to improve his grappling, and a very handy underwater Freedom of Movement ability. With the Transmutation Spell Spike Growth as his Spell selection at 10th Level, Pennin develops the ability to control the battlefield as a whole, rather than limiting himself to those opponents in melee range. That third Transmutation Spell was also the last condition - along with his continued investment in the appropriate Skills - to qualify for Osteomancer next level, in time to allow him to finish the Class.

Upon entering Osteomancer at 11th Level, Pennin gains a boost to his flagging Will Save, as well as immunity to disease which is no doubt useful when hiding out in fetid swamp waters. He also gets the stylish Boneless ability, enabling him to be a more mobile scout by reducing the number of places forbidden to him; he can even function in the Rogue’s stead by bypassing a locked door and opening it from the other side. Because magic is starting to far outstrip the mundane as a scouting tool, Pennin is content to focus his Skills on Concentration and Knowledge from here on out. 12th Level gets him Skeletal Shift, providing him an opportunity to disguise himself, as well as another spellcasting Level to snag Owl’s Wisdom. With his Feat, he takes Improved Natural Attack to up the damage with his Girallon Arms Soulmeld. Pennin’s combat style changes at 13th Level, as his Bone Spurs can be used in a grapple once he’s established a pin with his Girallon Arms and supporting Feats. Further, his new Unnerve ability creates a DC 15 (before magic) Will Save to most attack rolls, especially melee attacks, made against Pennin. 14th Level gets him an Enlarge Person/Reduce Person ability to aid in combat or scouting, as needed, as well as a 3rd level Spell, Greater Magic Fang. It also gives him Iron Bones, an additional weapon in overcoming DR. Silver Bones, gained at 15th Level, provides yet another method of overcoming DR, though the real prize here is Seize the Core. This ability is functionally a Save-or-Die with a base DC of 15, again easily augmented. Finally, he gets Multiattack at this level, reducing the attack penalty with the Girallon Arms’ secondary attacks and thereby increasing his odds of establishing a pin.

With the Aligned Bones ability Pennin gains at 16th Level, his Bone Spurs are now functioning as Lawful, Silver, Cold Iron Weapons for the purposes of overcoming DR, while his Girralon Arms’ claws are regularly under the benefit of Greater Magic Fang. He also picks up another spell, Remove Disease, to emphasize his ability to be a team player. 17th Level adds Adamantine to the list of what his Bone Spurs qualify as, making them virtually un-sunderable and increasingly more likely to overcome DR. With the Sap Life ability to inflict STR damage to an opponent, and the addition of the Freedom of Movement spell to his repertoire (not redundant due to the limitations on the Scaled Horror’s version of it), coupled with the Improved Multiattack Feat gained here, 18th Level is the sweet spot for Pennin’s build. Wield the Core, gained at 19th Level, gives Pennin a free puppet on a string, enabling him to act as more than just a melee combatant by having someone else fight in his stead. At 20th Level, Osteophage moves Pennin from just having a virtual Save-or-Die (Seize the Core), to having an actual Save-or-Die that still deals significant damage on a successful save. With Summon Nature’s Ally IV, Pennin also gains some ability to fill in as a healer in a pinch, as the Unicorn option comes with CLW, CMW, and Neutralize Poison readily available.

Esh Pennin Arsh relies primarily on STR and CHA throughout his career, so anything that can boost those Ability Scores is highly prized. His typical attack style does not consider ranged attacks at all, so he should consider a bow as a backup option. With no ranged attacks to speak of and a built-in good Natural Armor rating, Pennin would take Shaky and Vulnerable if given the option of Flaws, in order to pick up Healing Soul and Cerulean Will from Magic of Incarnum.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Arabian Niiiiiiiiights and Arabian Daaaaaaaaaays
The Fluff
Prolouge
Journal Entry One

My name is Batal Salman and this is my journal. My father suggested I keep this, mostly so mother would have something of me if I died in the army. A morbid thought, no? Ah well, he is the one who has been an officer so I will trust him. I feel unsuited toward this sort of life, but as a second son I must be willing to either go into the army or I must live off the charity of my brother.

Admittedly, I had thought the second option preferable, but my brother told me I would have to live without any of my parties. How cruel!

Ah, at least I can be an officer! With my magic and nobility I should do well here. Father always moans on how the newest generation of officers are treated so very softly no? I certainly hope there is truth to his complaints!

Still, I seem to have a talent for the djinn magic so even should I see some minor skirmish, I should be quite safe. Ah, time to put down the pen for training begins tomorrow!

Level 1-5
Journal Entry Four-Hundred Twelve

Oh, my reader (whoever you may be), sometimes I feel as though I have been far from home for an eternity! I have reread the first pages of this journal and feel that I barely know the person who wrote those foolish words!

Far from the life of ease and parading I had been expecting, my father managed to use his influence to get me assigned to one of the garrisons guarding the spice road. As I have flipped through the pages of this journal, I realized that our unit, small and new to the garrison though it might be, has had some form of combat at least once every two weeks since I got here!

Madness I say! This fort has some of the strongest fighters in the nation, but the riches and exotic goods that the caravans carry make this place a target for many different things. I have even heard tell of a dragon threatening our caravans!

Not that we are defenseless! No, we have some of the most powerful warriors around, including some from other species. I should know, given my dalliance with a Fey! Ah, interspecies cooperation can be a wonderful thing!

Still, I find myself concerned by the rumors of adventurism from the south. The League has seemed restless lately and our pass is one of the few routes into the country. I fear that, should something happen, our fort would be the first and most obvious line of defense.

I have begun studying a new form of magic, combining the holy and arcane of the djinn to crate a far more powerful form of magic.

I can only hope that such will be unnecessary.
Level 6-10
Journal Entry Seven-Hundred Twenty-Six

Writing hurts…

Unit was ambushed. We are all alive, but were injured far more than necessary by those Leaguers.

My fault. Just too weak physically to do anything. Will have to find something to counter that.

I hate this war, but it will only get worse.

Unfortunately.
Level 11-15
Journal Entry Eight-Hundred Fifty-Two

My powers as a bone-twister have grown by leaps and bounds during this siege. I may be lagging some because of my need to modify myself but this siege is definitely teaching me much about my abilities.

It is teaching all of us. That or killing us. We have barely half the men we had when we started the siege. We keep hoping for reinforcements, but none have come so far.

And the Leaguers are getting more and more vicious. Monsters of all shapes and sizes back up their forces now. Their soldiers are now the very best they can find. Still our fortress holds. Even if they break through they will remember this battle with terror.

Perhaps they will remember me as well. After all, they now call me Baigujing, or “The White Bone Demon”. I find that pleasing, that they have something to remember me by.

Still, we pray for the promised relief. Come quickly.
Level 16-20
Journal Entry Final

We… we won. After all of this, all of the death and pain, we finally won. The League forces are pulling out now, retreating back to their own lands.

Now if only more of ours had survived. I can count how many of us there are left on two hands and still have fingers left over.

Still, even that would not be enough to dampen my celebration except for the bit of news we got. The enemy commander had one final secret to tell us before we killed him: our army has been camped in the pass behind us for the last two weeks. It seems that it was decided that dead heroes and a defeated enemy would be more advantageous than simply helping us when we needed it.

After all, heroes would have a lot of political power. It seemed that someone decided to simply… allow the problem to take care of itself. Now it seems that we shall have to have a talk with our own forces. That left us here to die.

Yes, it seems that some of the lords have forgotten duty and honor, especially their leader, Lord Salman. My father.

The Stats
These are starting stats only. I would boost Charisma every time I could and use any mental stat books
I found. I just didn't want to risk getting a hit because of that.
Str 12, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 18

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

1st|Sha’ir|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Diplomacy +4 Spellcraft +4 Concentration +4 Knowledge (Arcana) +4 Knowledge (Religion) +4|Able Learner, Apprentice(Sha’ir)|Simple Weapons Proficiency, Spells, Summon Gen Familiar

2nd|Sha’ir|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Knowledge (Arcana) +1 Knowledge (Religion) +1| Nothing | Nothing

3rd|Sha’ir|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Knowledge (Arcana) +1 Knowledge (Religion) +1|Nymphs Kiss|Recognize Genie Works

4th|Sha’ir|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Heal +2| Nothing |Nothing

5th|Sha’ir|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Heal +2| Nothing |Elemental Protection

6th| Mystic Theurge |
+2|
+1|
+1|
+6| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Knowledge(Nature) +2|Toughness| Nothing

7th| Mystic Theurge |
+3|
+1|
+1|
+7| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Knowledge(Nature) +2| Nothing | Nothing

8th| Mystic Theurge |
+3|
+2|
+2|
+7| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Intimidate +2| Nothing | Nothing

9th| Mystic Theurge |
+4|
+2|
+2|
+8| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Intimidate +2|Craft Wondrous Item| Nothing

10th| Mystic Theurge |
+4|
+2|
+2|
+8| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Intimidate +2| Nothing | Nothing

11th|Osteomancer|
+4|
+4|
+2|
+10| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Intimidate +2| Nothing |Boneless, Immunity to Disease

12th|Osteomancer|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+11| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Intimidate +2|Improved Initiative|Skeletal Shift

13th|Osteomancer|
+6/1|
+5|
+3|
+11| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Intimidate +2| Nothing |Bone Spurs, Unnerve

14th|Osteomancer|
+7/2|
+6|
+3|
+12| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Intimidate +2| Nothing |Enlarge/Reduce, Iron Bones

15th|Osteomancer|
+7/2|
+6|
+3|
+12| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Intimidate +2|Eschew Materials|Sieze the Core, Silver Bones

16th| Osteomancer |
+8/3|
+7|
+4|
+13| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Intimidate +2| Nothing |Aligned Bones

17th| Osteomancer |
+9/4|
+7|
+4|
+13 | Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Intimidate +2|Nothing|Adamantine Bones

18th| Osteomancer |
+10/5|
+8|
+4|
+14 | Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Intimidate +1 Use Magical Device +1|Storm Bolt |Sap Life

19th| Osteomancer |
+10/5|
+9|
+5|
+14 | Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Intimidate +1 Use Magical Device +1| Nothing |Wield the Core

20th| Osteomancer |
+11/6/1|
+9|
+5|
+15| Diplomacy +1 Spellcraft +1 Concentration +1 Intimidate +1 Use Magical Device +1| Nothing |Osteophage[/table]

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

1st|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|5|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|5|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|5|4|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|5|4|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|5|5|4|3|1|-|-|-|-|-

7th|5|5|5|4|3|1|-|-|-|-

8th|5|5|5|5|4|3|1|-|-|-

9th|5|5|5|5|5|4|3|1|-|-

10th|5|5|5|5|5|5|4|3|1|-

11th|5|5|5|5|5|5|4|3|1|-

12th|5|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|-

13th|5|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|3|-

14th|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|4|3|1

15th|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|4|3|1

16th|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|3

17th|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|4|4|3

18th|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|4|4

19th|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|4|4

20th|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|5|5[/table]


The Levels
Level 5

Alright, at this level you are simply a caster. However, with a little planning you can get more out of each spell than a wizard. After all, he has to choose his spells at the beginning of the day, while you choose yours as you need them. You are going to want to make your known spells your combat spells for the most part, since those are the ones you need RIGHT NOW when you need them. Your utility spells you can wait for. I’m not sure how the apprentice benefits work for a Sha’ir, but you most likely have an extra spell known. Also, remember that getting an NPC to demonstrate spells for you is actually fairly cheap. You have a mentor. He is specifically supposed to help you. Do this!

Your skills aren’t all that useful beyond prereqs for spells or classes. You should have your mentor give you Knowledge(Religion) as a class skill though. On the other hand, you do have an excellent Charisma score. While not your primary role, your high diplomacy and Charisma make you a natural for the party face and/or leader.

Level 10

Not much has changed as far as spell selection goes, but you are now a solid five caster levels ahead of everybody else. Yeah, if you can’t exploit that, playing a caster may not be the choice for you. The only major difference is that some of the cooler scrying spells are active now, allowing you to scry on other casters for new spells.

The other major things that have changed are your feats. While your first few were all about prereqs and diplomacy, now you have the cool one. Craft Wondrous Item allows you to extend your WBL or combat power a long way.

Intimidate is pretty awesome too, especially if you combine it creatively with your Diplomacy. This could be called “forceful negotiation”. After all, it’s not aggressive until someone brings out the Merciful Longsword.

Level 15
Ahh, Now you are hitting the meat of the progression. ECL 17 and a host of awesome and CHA synergized abilities make you the ultimate in battlefield control. You will want to play your spells just like you have been, but now you can back them up with actual class abilities!

Boneless is an awesome escape utility, especially if you give yourself a Fly speed before using it. The image of a flying sack of flesh is pretty cool too.

Immunity to Disease is great, especially with your low Fort save. Seriously, any flat immunity is awesome and this one is just amazing for you, especially if you have a disease-heavy campaign.

Skeletal shift is nice, but I wouldn’t dump a lot of points into Disguise so any attempt is going to be fairly weak. Still, it uses your CHA so it is a nice little bonus.

Bone Spurs are where things begin to get fun. While your BAB leaves much to be desired, you are a battlefield controller. Hopefully, by the time you engage an enemy they are more or less helpless. Of course, your Unnerve ability will help with that, turning you into an auto-debuffer in combat. Still, you are a touch vulnerable, so I would suggest either having a decent summoning spell handy or investing in making summoning items with Craft Wondrous Item.

Of course, this is in turn aided by the fact your bones are now considered cold iron for getting past damage reduction and more importantly, your free uses of enlarge or reduce person. Fun Times!

The true fun is with your last two abilities. Silver gets you past almost all of the common damage reducers, but the great part is Sieze the Core. Since it is an endless(unlisted) paralysis, anything you hit with it is finished for the fight. Just leave the ones you catch alone and finish them off after the fight is over. Kind of hilarious that you can get anything with a skeleton with this ability, even things that would normally be immune to paralysis.

At Fifteenth Level your Osteomancer is a machine of debuffing, battlefield control, and just outright killing.

Level 20

Oh, be still my beating heart! Level twenty is where you shine for both power and fun. Your Bone weapons now count as Aligned (good for my build), Silver, Cold Iron, and Adamantine! You can now punch through walls! As a caster! Sap Life gives you a way of using touch attacks to drain strength and Osteophage is a great method of hurting or killing something after you have run out of spells. Add in Wield the Core for more fun! Oh, and that is on top of your ECL 20! Stormbolt just gives you a backup just in case and can be swapped for whatever feat you prefer. Really, this is an awesomely fun character to play!

[Kuulvheysoon]

Burgandy flashlight pentapox
Hastae Human Duskblade 3/Wilder 7/Osteomancer 10

Hastae's mind was warped, the Chaos from the untold pasts that never were destroying her mind and body, manifesting in ways which were uncontrolled, horrific spines breaking through her skin. With but a thought she could propel them out from her body at extreme velocity, unneringly seeking out her targets. No cell could hold her; she was able to force her body to move with a speed enforced by her mind.

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

1st|Duskblade 1|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Disguise 4, Heal (2 cc), K. Arcana (2), K. Nature (2)|City Slicker, Toughness|Arcane Attunement, Armoured Mage (Light)

2nd|Duskblade 2|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Disguise 4, Heal (2.5 cc), K. Arcana (3), K. Nature (3)|Combat Casting (Bonus)|

3rd|Duskblade 3|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Disguise 4, Heal (3 cc), K. Arcana (4), K. Nature (4)|Improved Unarmed Strike|Arcane Channeling

4th|Wilder 1|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+5|Disguise 5, Heal (3.5 cc), Intimidate (2), K. Arcana (4), K. Nature (4)||Wild Surge, Psychic Enervation, Magic Mantle

5th|Wilder 2|
+4|
+3|
+1|
+6|Disguise 5, Heal (4 cc), Intimidate (4), K. Arcana (5 cc), K. Nature (4)||

6th|Osteomancer 1|
+4|
+5|
+1|
+8|Disguise 6, Heal (4), Intimidate (5), K. Arcana (6), K. Nature (4)|Psionic Fist|Boneless, Immunity to Disease

7th|Osteomancer 2|
+5|
+6|
+1|
+9|Disguise 7, Heal (4), Intimidate (6), K. Arcana (7), K. Nature (4)||Skeletal Shift

8th|Osteomancer 3|
+6/+1|
+6|
+2|
+9|Disguise 8, Heal (4), Intimidate (7), K. Arcana (8), K. Nature (4)||Bone Spurs, Unnerve

9th|Osteomancer 4|
+7/+2|
+7|
+2|
+10|Disguise 9, Heal (4), Intimidate (8), K. Arcana (9), K. Nature (4)|Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)|Enlarge/Reduce, Iron Bones

10th|Osteomancer 5|
+7/+2|
+7|
+2|
+10|Disguise 10, Heal (4), Intimidate (9), K. Arcana (10), K. Nature (4)||Seize the Core, Silver Bones

11th|Osteomancer 6|
+8/+3|
+8|
+3|
+11|Disguise 11, Heal (4), Intimidate (10), K. Arcana (11), K. Nature (4)||Aligned Bones

12th|Osteomancer 7|
+9/+4|
+8|
+3|
+11|Disguise 12, Heal (4), Intimidate (11), K. Arcana (12), K. Nature (4)|Stunning Fist|Adamantine Bones

13th|Osteomancer 8|
+10/+5|
+9|
+3|
+12|Disguise 13, Heal (4), Intimidate (12), K. Arcana (13), K. Nature (4)||Sap Life

14th|Osteomancer 9|
+10/+5|
+9|
+4|
+12|Disguise 14, Heal (4), Intimidate (13), K. Arcana (14), K. Nature (4)||Wield the Core

15th|Osteomancer 10|
+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+4|
+13|Disguise 15, Heal (4), Intimidate (14), K. Arcana (15), K. Nature (4)|Ring the Golden Bell|Osteophage

16th|Wilder 3|
+12/+7/+2|
+11|
+5|
+13|Disguise 18, Heal (4), Intimidate (15), K. Arcana (15.5 cc), K. Nature (4)||Wild Surge +2

17th|Wilder 4|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+5|
+14|Disguise 20, Heal (4), Intimidate (17), K. Arcana (16 cc), K. Nature (4)||Surging Euphoria +1

18th|Wilder 5|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+5|
+14|Disguise 21, Heal (4), Intimidate (19), K. Arcana (16.5 cc), K. Nature (4)|Unavoidable Strike, Expanded Knowledge (Bonus)|

19th|Wilder 6|
+14/+9/+4|
+12|
+6|
+15|Disguise 22, Heal (4), Intimidate (21), K. Arcana (17 cc), K. Nature (4)||

20th|Wilder 7|
+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+15|Disguise 23, Heal (4), Intimidate (23), K. Arcana (17 ), K. Nature (4), Use Psionic Device 1||Wild Surge +3[/table]

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

1st|3/-|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|Touch of Fatigue, Disrupt Undead, Swift Expeditious Retreat, Magic Weapon/-
2nd|4/-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|Jump/-
3rd|5/-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|Blade of Blood/-
4th|5/-|4/1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-/Metaphysical Weapon
5th|5/-|4/2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-/Synchronicity
6th|5/-|4/2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
7th|5/-|4/2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
8th|5/-|4/2|-/1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
9th|5/-|4/2|-/1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-/Bestow Power
10th|5/-|4/2|-/1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
11th|5/-|4/2|-/1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
12th|5/-|4/2|-/1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
13th|5/-|4/2|-/1|-/1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-/Dispel Psionics
14th|5/-|4/2|-/1|-/1|-|-|-|-|-|-
15th|5/-|4/2|-/1|-/1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
16th|5/-|4/2|-/1|-/1|-/1|-|-|-|-|-|-/Touchsight
17th|5/-|4/2|-/1|-/1|-/1|-|-|-|-|-
18th|5/-|4/2|-/1|-/1|-/2|-/1|-|-|-|-|-/Schism (EK), Power Resistance
19th|5/-|4/2|-/1|-/1|-/2|-/1|-|-|-|-
20th|5/-|4/2|-/1|-/1|-/2|-/1|-/1|-|-|-|-/Analyze Dweomer, Psionic[/table]

Ability Scores
Str; 13
Dex; 13
Con; 12
Int; 12
Wis; 12
Cha; 16

+1 to Wisdom (before Stunning Fist), and the rest to Charisma.

Build Notes;
ECL 1-5
Starts off as a basic Duskblade. Blade of Blood and Magic Weapon applied to my Unarmed Strikes are my basic attack routine; Channeling Touch of Fatigue being my primary method of helping out in combat. When Wilder comes on, due to the (poorly worded) Magic Mantle I get to apply Wild Surge to my magic, which helps slightly offset the low Caster Level. For utility, even though I cannot fly, Jump and Swift Expeditious Retreat allow me to help out in early challenges such as cliff-hopping etc. In combat, I become helpful; provided my PP lets me last; Synchronicity comes online, meaning more actions to hit stuff a lot with. I am a primary melee member of the party at this stage; Toughness helping out at one of the more relevant levels, combining a class that can still work in heavier armour (I don't HAVE to cast spells), and one which has no ASF anyway. Add on a shield and I'm capable of swinging away in melee.

ECL 6-10
Into Osteomancer, only 1 level behind earliest entry. The slowed progression hurts my manifesting, but it's not the focus of the build (incidentally, the Magic Mantle is what is progressing the Psionics). My Disguise checks are a healthy +17 by this stage (ECL10); as I don't intend to be appearing as any one particular target, it's more to hide my identifying features (not too sure if these count as "minor details for the +5 however). My melee progresses; with access to Reach from Enlarge, and Iron Bones giving me the ability to ignore Fey damage reduction (noticeable as Fey by a Take 10 on my Knowledge Nature check), on top of Blade of Blood, Metaphysical Weapon (probably keep a Guisarme or something similar handy just in case) and Psionic Fist. Immunity to Disease comes in at a level early enough to make sense. The Alignment of the build is irrelevant; I have nothing that's particularly evil, good, or anything; smearing my weapons with the saliva of a ghoul would help cause some damage in melee; as well as being another option for causing harm to others in the game. Although I don't have anything which makes Intimidating in combat less painful, I can make use of the Psionic action economy breakage (along with Enlarge person's size difference) to help cow enemies; Unnerve doesn't "stack" outside of the numerical bonuses for Fear causing, but a hefty -4 to attacks on top of the already reasonably high defences as a Wilder base will help me tank away, and hopefully look like a big obvious threat to keep squishy casters alive. Seize the Core has a lovely little DC of 18 at ECL 10; the AoE can help tie down casters; those without Still/Silent Psionics is in serious trouble. Even when boneless, and capable of slipping through the cracks in the door or cage etc, I can manifest as these have no Verbal, Somatic, Material or Focus components; the blanket ban on attacking means that even weaponlike spells/powers cannot be used; however with Synchronicity I bypass that destraction. Bestow Power gives me a battery, which will later on give me the ability to regenerate my own PP (3pp to 'fest, +3 Augment, gains 4 pp; at ECL20, the augment is free).

ECL11-15
Aligned Bones makes me capable of attacking outsiders which are going to start becoming more prevalent from here on; adamantine bones, not many conventional cages can hold me, even solid walls would be carved through with enough time (or at least bring me to the attention of the guards who would then open the door which I could Synchronicity out). Dispel Psionics has the ability to affect Magic regardless of the DM's attitude to transparency. Against the BBEG, a Sap Life is a Fort Save effect; it's not the most dangerous, due to the low damage (5 Strength damage on average isn't going to leave a caster helpless; but it's there). However, Wield the Core (against DC24) is a nice bit of minion-mancy, hopefully turning the left over BSF/goons after Seize the Core into a lovely little beat stick; Osteophage is a nice little save or die against Casters; Fort Saves on a Wizard for example is likely going to be around +6 going by stats; which is only a 35% chance to survive the non-death effect SoD; and if that fails, well, it's still likely massively damaged its HP. And that's not even counting with items (add +5 to the DC).

The aim of the build is to lauch spikes at the target similar to... well, Spike from X-men. Ring the Golden Bell allows me to attack using my strike from range to replicate this, which provides a nice benefit in addition to the powers from the class and psionics.

ECL16-20
The key part about a Mantled Wilder is that the extremely limited selection of choices (your already low number of Powers Known) is narrowed not only further by a Half progression class, but by the limitation that a Mantled Wilder has to choose the Mantle's powers at its earliest opportunity; this means that most of the powers are from the Mantle. Obviously, the time when Powers start to get really interesting are 4th and 6th level, especially for a Wilder who doesn't get access to the Discipline powers. The theme of the class is manipulating his body structure to achieve super human feats; so Schism helps move my body in a manner that's extremely fast, so that I can both Manifest (Wild Surge offsets the lower 'Fest level) for Synchronicity usage. Analyze Dweomer is sadly a bit of a waste of a power, but it at least opens up the option of 6th level power stones; however, it's not really relevant to the main aim of the build).

The aim of the build was to launch spikes at the target; with Unavoidable Strike and the action economy breakage, I can do this as a Touch Attack with Channeled ; a Wis boosting item gives me more uses/day with it. I can channel spells through it as well, and that it's a Touch Attack can quickly make that attack hit.

Items
Due to the nature of Duskblades and Wilders, they have a very limited spell selection; Runestaves and Power Stones are pretty much must haves (but not required to make the build work). Items which enhance Charisma obviously work well with the build; as does one for Wisdom (additional uses of Ring the Golden Bell), while anything which enhances physical ability scores would be a bonus. Outside of that there isn't much needed to make the build tick. A Monks Belt would do well for increasing my unarmed damage, as would a Fanged Ring, however. A Skin of Proteus when available would work wonders to increase my size (outside of Enlarge Person), and Strengt

The Power Stones I'd be most interested in getting would be one of Psychic Reformation and Crystallize; Crystallize fits perfectly (thematically; basically turning the enemies body into a solid statue), and PsyRef provides me with the chooseable goodies of 4th level powers from Expanded Knowledge.

Adaptations
In Eberron, if Flaws are allowed, taking Mark of the Dauntless (and whatever Dragonmark prerequisite to get it; Sentinel is probably the most thematically appropriate) would get me immunity to Daze. Alternatively, other flaws would be used to allow access to Expanded Knowledge later on; for example netting Metamophosis at ECL 18.

Considering the nature of the build, it is honestly more worthwhile asking the DM for a homebrew Psionic progression; especially in higher power games. In such a case, it is worthwhile asking if K. Arcana can be swapped to K. Psionics; it would make more sense. If the Ardent's Substitute Power mantle can be used to apply to a Mantled Wilder, then I get a bit more flexibility; the obvious one being switching Metaphysical Weapon with Metaphysical Claw. None oare required for the build, however. On the optimization front, literally any spell (from the Spell to Power Erudite system) can be theoretically added onto the Magic mantle (limit of 10). With the exception of Celerity and Haste, there isn't all that much however, so short of thematic usage, it's okay.

Sources
Duskblade; PHB2
Wilder, Psionic Fist, Unavoidable Strike; XPH
Osteomancer, Ring the Golden Bell; Dragon Mag
City Slicker; Races of Destiny

[Kuulvheysoon]

Make it rain
Spike
Chaotic Good Raptoran Totemist 2/Cleric 1/Totemist +4/Osteomancer 3/Stormtalon 1/Osteomancer +7/Stormtalon +2


It was the middle of the day and I could see stars. Its what happens, I've come to learn, when you drop from the side of a cliff and slam into the floor of the ravine below. My head throbbed. I could feel a bump forming on my head. My wrist sent jolts of pain through my arm every time I moved it. I looked up at my father as he came nearer.

"Can we go home now?" I pleaded, lifting my injured arm for him to see. "I think it's broken."

My father took my arm in hand with the gentle touch of a talented Healer. He gave a quick tug, a sudden twist -- there was a popping sound -- and my arm was, well, not 'good as new', but considerably better than it had been. "They're just bones, son. Easy enough to set right."

It's not something every father does, but my dad walked back up to the clifftop with me. Walking up from the ravine was considered by most to be rather, well, pedestrian. We'd talk along the way -- he'd give pointers and tips based on my latest attempt, and he'd always listen to questions I had. It was time well spent. Once we got back to the clifftop, I'd be ready to try again, bolstered by his words of confidence.

I stepped up to the edge and looked down. The bump on my head sent throbs of warning, begging me not to do this again. But my father's voice soothed away the ache and the fear. "Now remember, don't try to fly. At your age, just worry about gliding. Find the currents, catch the wind, and just glide."

I unfurled my wings and held them in the ready position as I leaned forward, my weight finally tipping me over the edge of the cliff. Immediately, I began to fall, plummeting back toward the ravine floor. I stretched my wings, trying to hold them out. I arched my back, I crooked my shoulders, and, suddenly, I felt my wings catch air. Instead of hurdling straight downward, I was zooming at an angle down-by-down-right.

And a cliff face was fast approaching.

More out of sheer panic than anything else, I jerked inelegantly to the right. A stone arch came into view and I dove (don't ask me how), dipping under just in time. I spiraled left, out of control, tumbling gracelessly through the air, managing to avoid one hazard or another, barely, sometimes scrapping an elbow or a knee against one rocky protusion or another, begging any god who might hear to end the horror of it all. I twisted and spun, spiralling through the air, zooming along at the whim of the winds, and soon, to my great horror, a rock wall came into view. The wall drew nearer and nearer, filling the whole of my vison, and I wished, fervently, that I knew how to stop. Or, at least, slow down. I flailed, wings wide, a scream of terror bursting from my lungs!

By sheer dumb luck, I missed the wall. Instead, I barrelled head-first into a crevasse in the cliff face, the jagged walls punching and bashing me as I fell through, the walls closing in tighter and tighter, until, finally, I came to a stop, wedged, painfully, into a tunnel far too small to have crawled into -- and much too tight to crawl back out of.

I was dazed, disoriented. I have no idea how long I was there. My father's voice drew me back to the moment. "Spike?!? Spike! Are you ok?"

I wasn't quite sure how to answer that. I mumbled something, I think, about having knocked out a tooth. "Just bones," he said. "We'll get you out of there and fixed up. Not to worry. Now, tell me what you can see."

Further on, the tunnel opened up into a cave and beyond that, sunlight. Another opening on the other side of the ridge. And now, I noticed, someone else was there. Outisde, on the ledge, a man lay crumbled and beaten. He was a duskling, bloodied and battered. I called back to my father that he was there, that he needed help. It would take awhile fro my dad to fly up, over the ridge, and then come back down the other side. As I waited, I kept watch on the duskling, wishing I could wriggle free enough to go check on him, help him.

As I watched, another figure came into my view, a darkened shape that moved to hover over the duskling. This...thing...bent down and, as I watched, sucked the life from the duskling, drew his soul from his lips and devoured it. I'd heard stories of Soul-suckers before, of course, creepy demons that were usually too afraid of their own shadows to venture into the light. I yelled to try to scare it away. It flinched, then turned its eyes on me. The wicked grin curling its lips disappeared and it looked up suddenly, then bolted. My father came into view moments later.

Even he could do nothing for the poor duskling on the ledge.

"Someday," my father said, "someone stand against the evil in this land. Someone will bring some peace from all the demons and devils, dragons and liches. Someday...." He stepped into the cave. "But for now, let's get you home, son."



{table=head]Stat|Start|4th|7th|8th|11th|12th|15th|16th|19th|20 th
Str|10|10|10|10|10|10|10|10|10|10
Con|14|14|14|14|14|14|16|16|18|18
Dex|10|10|10|10|10|10|10|10|12|12
Int|12|12|12|12|12|12|12|12|12|12
Wis|15|16|18|18|20|20|22|22|24|24
Cha|16|16|16|17|19|20|22|23|25|26[/table]


4th: +1 Wis
7th: +2 Wis
8th: +1 Cha
11th: +2 Wis; +2 Cha
12th: +1 Cha
15th: +2 Wis; +2 Cha; +2 Con
16th: +1 Cha
19th: +2 Wis; +2 Cha; +2 Con; +2 Dex
20th: +1 Cha



Spike
xth: Feat granted a x level
BEF: Bonus Exalted Feat (from Vow of Poverty)
EDFF: Exchanged Domain for Feat
BAF: Bonus Aerial Feat (from Stormtalon)
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Totemist 1|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|K:Arcana 4(4); K:Nature 4(4), K:ThePlanes 4(4), Listen 4(4); Spot 4(4)|1st: Sacred Vow|Wild Empathy; Illiteracy

2nd|Totemist 2|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+0|K:Arcana 1(5); K:Nature 1(5), K:ThePlanes 1(5), Listen 1(5); Spot 1(5)|--|Totem Chakra Bind (+1 capacity)

3rd|Totemist 3|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+1|K:Arcana 1(6); K:Nature 1(6), K:ThePlanes 1(6), Listen 1(6); Spot 1(6)|3rd: Vow of Poverty|Totem's Protection

4th|Totemist 4|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+1|K:Arcana 1(7); K:Nature 1(7); K:ThePlanes 1(7); Listen 1(7); Spellcraft 1(1); Spot 1(7)|BEF: Nymph's Kiss|--

5th|Cleric 1|
+3|
+6|
+4|
+3|Heal 4(4); K:Arcana (7); K:Nature (7); K:ThePlanes (7); Listen (7); Spellcraft (1); Spot (7)|EDFF: Travel Devotion|Turn Undead; Hunger Domain

6th|Totemist 5|
+3|
+6|
+4|
+3|Heal (4); K:Arcana 1(8); K:Nature 1(8); K:ThePlanes 1(8); Listen 1(8); Spellcraft (1); Spot 2(9)|6th: Azure Toughness; BEF: Touch of Golden Ice|Chakra Binds (Crown, Feet, Hands)

7th|Totemist 6|
+4|
+7|
+5|
+4|Heal (4); K:Arcana 1(9); K:Nature 2(10); K:ThePlanes 2(10); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot 1(10)|--|Totem Chakra Bind (+1 meldshaper level)

8th|Osteomancer 1|
+4|
+9|
+5|
+6|Heal (4); K:Arcana 1(10); K:Dungeoneering 1(1); K:Local 1(1); K:Nature (10); K:Religion 1(1); K:ThePlanes (10); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot (10)|BEF: Intuitive Attack|Boneless; Immunity to Disease

9th|Osteomancer 2|
+5|
+10|
+5|
+7|Heal (4); K:Arcana (10); K:Dungeoneering (1); K:Local (1); K:Nature 2(12); K:Religion 1(2); K:ThePlanes 1(11); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot (10)|9th: Diving Charge|Skeletal Shift

10th|Osteomancer 3|
+6/1|
+10|
+6|
+7|Heal (4); K:Arcana (10); K:Dungeoneering (1); K:Local (1); K:Nature 1(13); K:Religion 1(3); K:ThePlanes 2(13); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot (10)|BEF: Sanctify Natural Attack|Bone Spurs; Unnerve

11th|Stormtalon 1|
+7/2|
+12|
+6|
+7|Heal (4); K:Arcana (10); K:Dungeoneering (1); K:Local (1); K:Nature (13); K:Religion (3); K:ThePlanes (13); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot 4(14)|--|Foot Talons

12th|Osteomancer 4|
+8/3|
+13|
+6|
+8|Heal (4); K:Arcana (10); K:Dungeoneering (1); K:Local (1); K:Nature 2(15); K:Religion 1(4); K:ThePlanes 1(14); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot (14)|12th: Multiattack; BEF: Nimbus of Light|Enlarge/Reduce; Iron Bones

13th|Osteomancer 5|
+8/3|
+13|
+6|
+8|Heal (4); K:Arcana (10); K:Dungeoneering (1); K:Local (1); K:Nature 1(16); K:Religion 1(5); K:ThePlanes 2(16); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot (14)|--|Seize the Core; Silver Bones

14th|Osteomancer 6|
+9/4|
+14|
+7|
+9|Heal (4); K:Arcana (10); K:Dungeoneering (1); K:Local (1); K:Nature 1(17); K:Religion 2(7); K:ThePlanes 1(17); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot (14)|BEF: Holy Radiance|Aligned Bones

15th|Osteomancer 7|
+10/5|
+14|
+7|
+9|Heal (4); K:Arcana (10); K:Dungeoneering (1); K:Local (1); K:Nature 1(18); K:Religion (7); K:ThePlanes 1(18); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot (14); Skill Trick: Collector of Stories|15th: Knowledge Devotion|Adamantine Bones

16th|Osteomancer 8|
+11/6/1|
+15|
+7|
+10|Heal (4); K:Arcana (10); K:Dungeoneering (1); K:Local (1); K:Nature 1(19); K:Religion 2(9); K:ThePlanes 1(19); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot (14); Skill Trick: Collector of Stories|BEF: Animal Friend|Sap Life

17th|Osteomancer 9|
+11/6/1|
+15|
+8|
+10|Heal (4); K:Arcana 1(11); K:Dungeoneering (1); K:Local (1); K:Nature 1(20); K:Religion 2(11); K:ThePlanes (19); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot (14); Skill Trick: Collector of Stories|--|Wield the Core

18th|Osteomancer 10|
+12/7/2|
+16|
+8|
+11|Heal (4); K:Arcana 1(12); K:Dungeoneering (1); K:Local (1); K:Nature (20); K:Religion 2(13); K:ThePlanes 1(20); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot (14); Skill Trick: Collector of Stories|18th: Air Heritage; BEF: Vow of Abstinence|Osteophage

19th|Stormtalon 2|
+13/8/3|
+17|
+8|
+11|Heal (4); K:Arcana (12); K:Dungeoneering (1); K:Local (1); K:Nature (20); K:Religion (13); K:ThePlanes (20); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot 4(18); Skill Trick: Collector of Stories|BAF: Improved Flight|--

20th|Stormtalon 3|
+14/9/4|
+17|
+9|
+12|Heal (4); K:Arcana (12); K:Dungeoneering (1); K:Local (1); K:Nature (20); K:Religion (13); K:ThePlanes (20); Listen (8); Spellcraft (1); Spot 4(22); Skill Trick: Collector of Stories|BEF: Gift of Faith|Fast Flight (+10')[/table]



Spells per day/Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|Soulmelds|Essen tia|Chakra Binds

1st|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|2|1|-

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

3rd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|3|2|1

4th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|4|3|1

5th|3|2+1|-|-|-|-|-|4|3|1

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

7th|3|2+1|-|-|-|-|-|4|5|2

8th|3|2+1|-|-|-|-|-|4|5|2

9th|4|3+1|-|-|-|-|-|4|5|2

10th|4|3+1|-|-|-|-|-|4|5|2

11th|4|4+1|-|-|-|-|-|4|5|2

12th|4|4+1|2+1|-|-|-|-|4|5|2

13th|4|4+1|2+1|-|-|-|-|4|5|2

14th|5|5+1|3+1|-|-|-|-|4|5|2

15th|5|5+1|4+1|-|-|-|-|4|5|2

16th|5|5+1|4+1|2+1|-|-|-|4|5|2

17th|5|5+1|4+1|2+1|-|-|-|4|5|2

18th|5|5+1|5+1|3+1|-|-|-|4|5|2

19th|5|5+1|5+1|4+1|-|-|-|4|5|2

20th|5|5+1|5+1|4+1|-|-|-|4|5|2[/table]



Good Listen and Spot ranks coupled with a good wisdom score and a racial bonus on Spot. Add in the ability to fly (for a limited amount of time each day) and Spike makes a good scout. High ranks in three important Knowledge skills offers a source of information.
Totemist meldshaping adds versitlity for what a day may hold in store. With a totem chakra bind, Spike probably has claws, though the ability to shoot spikes at range is a good choice for a flier. The Hunger domain grants Spike a bite attack as a natural weapon. And Cleric spells allow Spike to cast "Blood Wind" (Spell Compendium p.33), quite the handy spell for a flier with natural attacks. (Natural attacks that count as magical weapons and strike with a +1 enhancement bonus due to his Vow of Poverty.)
Travel Devotion never hurt anyone (more movement is good to have!) and with Spike's high Charisma, he'll have plenty of uses per day.




Spike has grown natural weapons galore. His bite (from the Hunger domain), horn (from Unicorn Horn bound to the totem chakra), and bone spurs (from Osteomancer) are all natural weapons that quality for use with Sphinx Claws (bound to his hands chakra) and Dread Carapace soulmelds. Intuitive Attack (plus a high Wis) helps to hit; Dread Carapace, Sanctify Natural Attack (against evil foes), and Touch of Golden Ice (also against evil foes) add to damage. Also, at 10th level, flight becomes the norm, so those charge attacks become dive attacks, dealing double damage with all piercing weapons (and, you'll notice, all of Spikes natural attacks deal piercing damage!) The Diving Charge feat adds more damage to the attacks and a touch of maneuverability to the end of the charge. Travel Devotion gets Spike back into the air for another attack. (Consult with your DM about how dive attacks, Sphinx Claws, and the Blood Wind spell may interact.)





An addition of foot talons (another piercing natural attack)! Knowledge Devotion adds to attack and damage (which gets multiplied at the end of a dive attack.) All the attacks count as magical and good. Bone spurs add cold iron, silver, chaotic, and adamatine as well. Using Enlarge Person (Osteomancer level 4) bumps up the damage on all of those attacks.




More of the same, really. Flight gets better, faster. Knowledge improves. Scouting abilities get better and better with an always on True Seeing (from VoP).





Magic of Incarnum: Totemist
SRD/PHB: Cleric
Races of the Wild: Stormtalon


Book of Exalted Deeds: Sacred Vow; Vow of Poverty; All BEFs
Complete Champion: Travel Devotion; Knowledge Devotion
Magic of Incarnum: Azure Toughness
Races of the Wild: Diving Charge; Improved Flight
SRD/MMV: Multiattack
Planar Handbook: Air Heritage

[Kuulvheysoon]

The new Number One Threat to America

http://m1.behance.net/rendition/modules/92709933/disp/343423cdfa23a999825636e78c13b335.jpg
The Ossa Ursus
CG Human Wildshape Ranger 5/Osteomancer 10/Master of Many Forms 5

Foreword


A Treatise on the Ossa Ursus, a Heretofore Unknown Relative of the Dire Bear

In the summer of the 4th year of Otrox, I was approached by a colleague of mine at Stormwind University. He had been part of a lively discussion centered around reports from the north that a new species of animal had been discovered. Apparently there was a great deal of speculation, and the source of the reports was unreliable at best. Still, a core of truth ran through the accounts, and my colleague was intrigued. He immediately sought to put together an expedition and, given my expertise, he asked me to join him.

What we found was impressive, to say the least. The local villagers all had a story about the creature. These ranged from the worst sort of tripe, to some very interesting accounts. There were certain similarities among the accounts: nearly everyone who claimed to have seen the beast swore that it spoke to them, and most accounts described a creature that resembled the more common Dire Bear. My collegue and I gathered up all accounts of the whereabouts of the creature's lair, and set off one morning amid a light snow flurry. I remember our initial encounter with the beast very clearly. One moment we were pleasantly gliding along in our sled, the wind whistling through the armor plates of the pack golems. And the next, an enormous bear-like creature suddenly burst from the snow amidst our group. The beast roared mightily, and then its face ... changed. Protrusions of bone erupted from every part of its body, and its skull seemed to warp in unnatural ways. The majority of our entourage broke and ran back to the village. I myself blacked out.

When I awoke, I found myself in a dimly lit cave. As I peered around in the gloom, I could just make out the form of the creature. At first I was terrified, but eventually my intillectual curiosity won out. It simply sat there quietly, watching me. As I began to mutter to myself and write down my observations in a journal, it leaned in closely, as if to observer me in turn. When it spoke, I nearly jumped out of my skin...

It has been many years since that initial encounter, and despite more than one expedition, I have yet to encounter the beast again.

Contained herein you will find my notes and observations from my initial encounter with the creature known as Ossa Ursus.


Phineas T. Umbrage, Naturalist


Characteristics of the Ossa Ursus
The Ossa Ursus
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Wildshape Ranger 1|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|Heal 4, Hide 2, Knowledge(Nature) 4, Knowledge(Arcana) (2), Listen 4, Move Silently 3, Spot 4, Survival 4|Improved Initiative(B), Alertness, Track(B)|1st Favored Enemy (Undead), Track, Wild Empathy

2nd|Wildshape Ranger 2|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+0|Heal 5, Hide 3, Knowledge(Nature) 5, Listen 5, Move Silently 4, Spot 5, Survival 5| |

3rd|Wildshape Ranger 3|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+1|Heal 6, Knowledge(Nature) 6, Knowledge(Arcana) (3), Listen 6, Move Silently 5, Spot 6, Survival 6|Improved Toughness, Endurance(B)|Endurance

4th|Wildshape Ranger 4|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+1|Heal 7, Hide 5, Knowledge(Nature) 7, Listen 7, Spot 7, Survival 7| |Distracting Attack

5th|Wildshape Ranger 5|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+1|Heal 8, Knowledge(Nature) 8, Knowledge(Arcana) (4), Listen 8, Spot 8, Survival 8| |2nd Favored Enemy (Constructs), Wildshape 1/day

6th|Master of Many Forms 1|
+5|
+6|
+6|
+1|Knowledge(Nature) 9, Listen 9, Spot 9, Survival 9, Collector of Stories|Extra Wildshape|Shifter's Speech, Improved Wildshape(Humanoid)

7th|Master of Many Forms 2|
+6|
+7|
+7|
+1|Knowledge(Nature) 10, Listen 10, Spot 10, Survival 10, Healing Hands| |Improved Wildshape(Giant; Large)

8th|Osteomancer 1|
+6|
+9|
+7|
+3|Heal 9, Knowledge(Arcana) 5, Use Magic Device 2| |Boneless, Immunity to Disease

9th|Osteomancer 2|
+7|
+10|
+7|
+4|Heal 10, Knowledge(Arcana) 6, Use Magic Device 4|Skewer Foe|Skeletal Shift, +1 Level of existing spellcasting class

10th|Osteomancer 3|
+8|
+10|
+8|
+4|Heal 11, Knowledge(Arcana) 7, Use Magic Device 6| |Bone Spurs, Unnerve

11th|Osteomancer 4|
+9|
+11|
+8|
+5|Heal 12, Knowledge(Arcana) 8, Use Magic Device 8| |Enlarge/Reduce, Iron Bones, +1 level of existing spellcasting class

12th|Osteomancer 5|
+9|
+11|
+8|
+5|Heal 13, Knowledge(Arcana) 9, Use Magic Device 10|Frozen Wildshape|Sieze the Core, Silver Bones

13th|Osteomancer 6|
+10|
+12|
+9|
+6|Knowledge(Arcana) 10, Knowledge(Religion) 2, Use Magic Device 11| |Aligned Bones, +1 level of existing spellcasting class

14th|Osteomancer 7|
+11|
+12|
+9|
+6|Knowledge(Religion) 5, Use Magic Device 12| |Adamantine Bones

15th|Osteomancer 8|
+12|
+13|
+9|
+7|Knowledge(Religion) 6, Use Magic Device 15|Multiattack|Sap Life, +1 level of existing spellcasting class

16th|Osteomancer 9|
+12|
+13|
+10|
+7|Knowledge(Religion) 7, Use Magic Device 18| |Wield the Core

17th|Osteomancer 10|
+13|
+14|
+10|
+8|Knowledge(Religion) 9, Use Magic Device 20| |Osteophage, +1 level of existing spellcasting class

18th|Master of Many Forms 3|
+14|
+14|
+10|
+9|Knowledge(Religion) (9.5), Listen 11, Spot 11, Survival 11|Improved Natural Attack (Bone Spurs)|Fast Wildshape, Improved Wildshape(Monstrous Humanoid)

19th|Master of Many Forms 4|
+15|
+15|
+11|
+9|Knowledge(Religion) (10), Listen 12, Spot 12, Survival 12| |Improved Wildshape(Fey; Tiny)

20th|Master of Many Forms 5|
+15|
+15|
+11|
+9|Handle Animal 1, Listen 13, Spot 13, Survival 13| |Improved Wildshape(Vermin)[/table]


Vital Statistics

Stats and Increases

Starting Ability Scores:
Str - 10
Dex - 10
Con - 16
Int - 12
Wis - 12
Cha - 16

Final Ability Scores:
Str - 10
Dex - 10
Con - 16
Int - 12
Wis - 12
Cha - 21 (+5 level bumps)


Spells per day (includes bonus spells)

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

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

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

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

4th|-|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|-|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|-|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|-|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|-|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|-|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|-|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|-|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|-|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|-|2|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|-|2|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|-|2|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th|-|2|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

17th|-|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

18th|-|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

19th|-|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

20th|-|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]



Daily habits of the Ossa Ursus

Level 5
At this level, Ossa Ursus is pretty simple to play: Wildshape into a medium sized bear and go to town. While it is only usable once per day (and lasts 5 hours), this provides tremendous versatility for different movement modes, combat shapes, creature abilities, etc. So it can be used effectively as a way to boost scouting or combat. In addition to Wildshape, Ossa Ursus has the Distracting Attack ACF, making him more party friendly in that he counts as flanking any enemy he hits, so the party rogue doesn't have to get into the thick of things to get off those valuable sneak attacks. Ossa Ursus also has access to 1st level Ranger spells to add to his repertoire.

Level 12 "Sweet Spot"
Halfway through Osteomancer, almost all of Ossa Ursus' tricks are online. Wildshape has become your go-to tool for versatility and power, and it is nicely enhanced by two of Osteomancer's abilities, Bone Spurs and Enlarge/Reduce. Bone Spurs provide you with a "weapon" that you can use regardless of form (since they are used like spiked gauntlets and armor spikes), and you can still use your natural weapons (from your Wildshape form) as secondary natural weapon attacks. You are still a valid target for Enlarge/Reduce Person, thanks to the errata'd polymorphing/wildshape rules which state that you are still affected by spells that would target your original type (no matter what shape you've chosen). This means that you can turn into any small to large Animal, Humanoid, Magical Beast(cold subtype only), or Giant and then increase or decrease your size category by one. Extra Wildshape gives you enough shapes to last 15 hours a day, which should cover all of your adventuring needs.

The SI gives a host of other useful abilities for Ossa Ursus. Boneless gives him another form that allows him to slip through even the smallest cracks, Unnerve gives him a flavorful and useful fear effect (turn into giant bear, scare the crap out of foes), and Sieze the Core gives him a fantastic battlefield control ability (which works on one of his favored enemies!). Iron and Silver Bones are some great buffs for Ossa, but the one thing that Osteomancer lacks is any mention of the Bone Spurs having an enhancement bonus. Simple DR/Magic will really put a damper on things, but Ossa has that covered with his ranger spells (specifically, Magic Fang). Skeletal Shift combines with Wildshape (Humanoid) to give Ossa a whopping +13 bonus to Disguise checks (who needs ranks?), which is usable untrained. His excellent Charisma provides him a nice boost here as well. Immunity to Disease gets less love here, but it is still worth mentioning that none of Ossa's Wildshape forms can get it, so it is particularly useful in that regard.

Ossa Ursus continues to be an solid scout and tracker. He's got a good Heal skill (enough to automatically hit the First Aid DC of 15 to trigger the Healing Hands skill trick), and is quite knowledgeable about tons of different types of monsters (Collector of Stories helps here).

Skewer Foe gets a special mention here, as bite, claw, talon, sting, gore, rend (which are claw attacks), and Bone Spurs are all piercing weapons, which means they all trigger Skewer Foe (provided you are in a Wildshape form that has at least 15 Strength). By using Bone Spurs as Armor Spikes, you can get all of your iterative attacks with Bone Spurs, and then all of your natural weapon attacks (as secondary natural weapons) from whatever Wildshape combat form you've chosen.

Lastly, the SI has Use Magic Device on its class list. Given the sheer versatility that this skill grants, it would be a crime not to pump up those ranks, which Ossa does. He finishes out the SI with 20 ranks, enough to hit almost every UMD DC automatically (he needs a 5 or better to hit the DC 30 to emulate an alignment).

Level 20
The last several levels serve mostly to round out or improve Ossa's existing abilities. Aligned Bones and Adamantine Bones finish off the other types of DR mitigation. Sap Life is a potent debuff (and should be usable with a natural weapon attack), and Wield the Core and Osteophage can both be used on the Undead, one of Ossa's favored enemies. Multiattack and Improved Natural Attack (Bone Spurs) bumps Ossa's damage further, and the SI's spellcasting advancement leaves Ossa with access to 2nd level Ranger spells. The build tops off with a few more Master of Many Forms levels to add Monstrous Humanoid, Fey, and Vermin types as well as Tiny size. Sadly, the build falls just shy of hitting the magical +16 BAB, but missing out on that last attack isn't that painful when you've got 3+ natural attacks in addition to your 3 iterative attacks.


Sources

Player's Handbook (Ranger)
Unearthed Arcana (Wildshape Ranger)
Player's Handbook 2 (Distracting Attack ACF)
Complete Adventurer (Master of Many Forms)
Complete Scoundrel (Skill tricks)
Complete Divine (Extra Wildshape)
Complete Warrior (Improved Toughness)
Frostburn (Frozen Wildshape)
Monster Manual (Improved Natural Attack, Multiattack)
Champions of Ruin (Skewer Foe)

[Kuulvheysoon]

Well, he certainly puts Sabretooth to shame.


http://x.annihil.us/u/prod/marvel/i/mg/b/50/4bb5d4e05aa30/background.jpg
Nikolai Leng
Azurin, CE Bear Totem Barbarian 1/Hexblade 4/Black Blood Cultist 5/Osteomancer 10


"Who - who are you?" Marvin's every muscle was frozen, eyes wide with terror. He tried to move, tried to do anything. Nothing worked. His very bones were frozen in place.

Nikolai smiled, looking at his claws, at the bony protrusions from his arms. They were stained red - not his blood, thank Pelor, but the blood of his guards. "Why, I'm you," Nikolai said. His voice was surprisingly soft. "I'm Marvin Thistledown, owner of this fine menagerie."

Marvin tried to shake his head, but couldn't. "What do you want from me?"

"Blood and bone," Nikolai said. "Blood and bone. Your creatures here are rare, ones I can't find anywhere else. I'd like a look inside them."

Again that grin, those teeth. Marvin shuddered. "No," he gasped. "I won't let you. I'm dead anyways. You think I don't know that? I won't let you in."

Nikolai shrugged, and Marvin felt his bones jerk within him. His muscles seized violently against the strange motion, but his own bones moved inexorably. Like a puppet, he began to get up, to walk. "You'll do whatever I ask of you, Marvin," Nikolai said. "The things I could make you do... You'll tell me. You'll tell me what I need to know to get in there."

"But you can't!" Marvin was almost sobbing now. "Only I can get in. That's how it works. I can't bring you - even if you try to make me."

"Oh, that's alright," Nikolai said, and the bones in his face began to shift, to flow under his skin. Suddenly it was as though Marvin was looking in a mirror, a strange and bloody reflection of himself. "Like I said, I'm you. Now let's talk about just what I need here..."



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

1st|Bear Totem Barbarian 1|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Intimidate 4 ranks, survival 4 ranks, heal 2 ranks, knowledge (nature) 2 ranks, knowledge (arcana) 2 ranks, bluff 2 ranks|ToughnessB, Improved Unarmed Strike, Track|Illiteracy, rage 1/day

2nd|Hexblade 1|
+2|
+2|
+0|
+2|Intimidate 5 ranks, knowledge (arcana) 3 ranks, survival 5 ranks||Hexblade’s curse 1/day

3rd|Hexblade 2|
+3|
+2|
+0|
+3|Intimidate 6 ranks, knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks, survival 6 ranks|Shape Soulmeld (Dread Carapace)|Arcane resistance

4th|Hexblade 3|
+4|
+3|
+1|
+3|Intimidate 7 ranks, survival 7 ranks, bluff 3 ranks||Mettle

5th|Hexblade 4|
+5|
+3|
+1|
+4|Intimidate 8 ranks, survival 8 ranks, bluff 4 ranks||Dark companion

6th|Black Blood Cultist 1|
+6/+1|
+5|
+3|
+4|Intimidate 9 ranks, survival 9 ranks, knowledge (nature) 4 ranks, bluff 5 ranks|Earth Bloodline|Feral rage (claws), damage reduction 1/silver

7th|Black Blood Cultist 2|
+7/+2|
+6|
+4|
+4|Intimidate 10 ranks, survival 10 ranks, heal 4 ranks|Improved GrappleB|Improved Grapple

8th|Osteomancer 1|
+7/+2|
+8|
+4|
+6|Intimidate 11 ranks, survival 11 ranks, knowledge (nature) 5 ranks||Boneless, immunity to disease

9th|Osteomancer 2|
+8/+3|
+9|
+4|
+7|Intimidate 12 ranks, survival 11.5 ranks, Never Outnumbered skill trick|Extra Rage|Skeletal shift

10th|Osteomancer 3|
+9/+4|
+9|
+5|
+7|Intimidate 13 ranks, survival 13 ranks||Bone spurs, unnerve

11th|Osteomancer 4|
+10/+5|
+10|
+5|
+8|Intimidate 14 ranks, survival 14 ranks, knowledge (nature) 6 ranks||Enlarge/reduce, iron bones

12th|Osteomancer 5|
+10/+5|
+10|
+5|
+8|Intimidate 15 ranks, survival 15 ranks, knowledge (nature) 7 ranks|Imperious Command|Seize the core, silver bones

13th|Black Blood Cultist 3|
+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+5|
+9|Intimidate 16 ranks, survival 16 ranks, knowledge (nature) 11 ranks||Feral rage (bite)

14th|Black Blood Cultist 4|
+12/+7/+2|
+11|
+6|
+9|Intimidate 17 ranks, survival 17 ranks, knowledge (nature) 15 ranks||Scent, DR 3/silver

15th|Black Blood Cultist 5|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+9|Intimidate 18 ranks, survival 18 ranks, knowledge (nature) 18 ranks, knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks|Intimidating Rage|Stranglehold

16th|Osteomancer 6|
+14/+9/+4|
+12|
+7|
+10|Intimidate 19 ranks, survival 19 ranks, knowledge (nature) 19 ranks||Aligned bones

17th|Osteomancer 7|
+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+7|
+10|Intimidate 20 ranks, survival 20 ranks, knowledge (nature) 20 ranks||Adamantine bones

18th|Osteomancer 8|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+13|
+7|
+11|Intimidate 21 ranks, survival 21 ranks, knowledge (nature) 21 ranks|Bonus Essentia|Sap life

19th|Osteomancer 9|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+14|
+8|
+12|Intimidate 22 ranks, survival 22 ranks, knowledge (nature) 22 ranks||Wield the core

20th|Osteomancer 10|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+14|
+8|
+12|Intimidate 23 ranks, survival 23 ranks, knowledge (nature) 23 ranks||Osteophage[/table]

Build Stub (in case the table formatting changes):

1. Bear Totem Barbarian1- Improved Unarmed Strike, Toughness, Track
2. Hexblade1-
3. Hexblade2- Shape Soulmeld (Dread Carapace)
4. Hexblade3-
5. Hexblade4-
6. Black Blood Cultist1- Earth Bloodline
7. Black Blood Cultist2- Improved Grapple
8. Osteomancer1-
9. Osteomancer2- Extra Rage
10. Osteomancer3-
11. Osteomancer4-
12. Osteomancer5- Imperious Command
13. Black Blood Cultist3-
14. Black Blood Cultist4-
15. Black Blood Cultist5- Intimidating Rage
16. Osteomancer6-
17. Osteomancer7-
18. Osteomancer8- Bonus Essentia
19. Osteomancer9-
20. Osteomancer10-

Skills:
Intimidate 23 ranks, knowledge (nature) 23 ranks, survival 23 ranks, knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, heal 4 ranks, bluff 5 ranks, Never Outnumbered skill trick


Spellcasting:
Spells per day/Spells Known
{table=head]Level|1st|2nd|3rd|4th

1st|-|-|-|-

2nd|-|-|-|-

3rd|-|-|-|-

4th|-|-|-|-

5th|0/2|-|-|-

6th|0/3|-|-|-

7th|0/3|-|-|-

8th|0/3|-|-|-

9th|0/3|-|-|

10th|0/3|-|-|-

11th|1/4|-|-|-

12th|1/4|-|-|-

13th|1/4|-|-|-

14th|1/4|-|-|-

15th|1/4|-|-|-

16th|1/4|-|-|-

17th|1/4|-|-|-

18th|1/5|0/3|-|-

19th|1/5|0/3|-|-

20th|1/5|0/3|-|-[/table]

SPELLS:
4- Expeditious Retreat, Treacherous Weapon
6- Enlarge Person
11- Disguise Self
18- Charm Person, Alter Self, Glitterdust, Shatter


Stats:

STARTING STATS: Str 16/Dex 8/Con 12/Int 14/Wis 10/Cha 16
Boost Charisma at every available level.


Suggested Items:

As Nikolai Leng primarily fights with natural weapons, and can augment his abilities with innate spellcasting, items are not a tremendous concern for him. Simply equip him as you would any melee character with a secondary focus on Charisma.

In particular, I would recommend keeping his Strength and Charisma as high as possible. Wands are a reasonable option as well; wands will open up access to spells such as Alter Self several levels before Nikolai gains access to them on his own, and will extend his uses per day. Also, anything that boosts Intimidate checks and grapple checks are obvious boons - although it is worth noting that without a single item, not even a belt of giant's strength, Nikolai Leng has a better grapple check than a tyrannosaurus. You don't need much to go from there to truly extraordinary heights - fearsome armor and gloves of the titan grip will pretty much do it.

Finally, an amulet of mighty fists will consistently add damage to Nikolai's many natural weapons, including his fists, claws, bite and armor spikes.



Level-by-Level Analysis:
LEVELS 1-5: You start out as an atypical barbarian, wielding a reach weapon and an unarmed strike for close attacks. You should have excellent hit points and some nice out of combat utility right off the bat thanks to tracking and intimidation. The differences become particularly pronounced once you start taking levels in Hexblade. In addition to providing you with a Charisma-based curse and more intimidate synergy, you get some nice defensive boosts out of arcane resistance and mettle. You’ve given up your familiar for Dark Companion, which helps soften up enemies for your various attacks.

Taking Dread Carapace over Power Attack seems like an odd choice, since its bonus is capped by essentia rather than base attack bonus, but its usefulness will bear out over the next several levels. Unlike Power Attack, Dread Carapace will add damage to your light weapons, and provides 2-to-1 bonuses on bite attacks. Starting next level, you’ll be ditching your weapon in favor of natural attacks, and so Dread Carapace will be the superior option.

LEVELS 6-10: Here you pick up several new attacks. Right off the bat, you get natural attacks when you rage, you pick up Improved Grapple as a bonus feat, and your Earth Bloodline adds on Enlarge Person as a spell known. Enlarged and raging, you’ll be looking at grapple checks of +21 by level 7, putting you just two points shy of a dire bear - without items. Since raging is now an important part of your repertoire, you’re also nabbing Extra Rage at level 9. Enlarge Person helps your intimidate checks as well, so you’ll continue keeping that up.

Your grappling prowess secured, you begin taking levels in Osteomancer. Boneless comes in handy as you relentlessly pursue your foes, allowing you to simply push through most barriers. Skeletal shift gives you a solid untyped bonus to disguise checks, to grow even greater when you pick up Disguise Self as a spell known - with your Charisma focus and without investing a single rank or using a single item, you’ll be looking at a +18 bonus to disguise checks. Most importantly, you pick up bone spurs and unnerve. As your bone spurs count as natural weapons, they benefit from the damage boost of Dread Carapace despite being light weapons. The armor spikes in particular are valuable, as you can use those to deal automatic damage on a successful grapple check. Unnerve provides an easy mass debuff, made better by your Dark Companion and your ability to demoralize enemies.

LEVELS 11-15: Right at level 11, you grab an additional use of Enlarge Person, and you grab Disguise Self to stack with skeletal shift. Since you’re focusing on intimidate, you would be remiss to not pick up Imperious Command, which you get at level 12. You also grab Intimidating Rage at level 15, which allows you to intimidate an enemy as a free action when you enter your rage.

In addition to Imperious Command, level 12 also sees you grabbing seize the core. This is a fantastic mass debuff, letting you paralyze five enemies right off the bat. You’ll be doing a lot with this, but right now enjoy sapping down their Fort save with demoralization and Dark Companion before unleashing a mass paralyzation attempt that can take down a whole swath of enemies.

Once you get seize the core, you’ll take another sojourn into Black Blood Cultist for some additional abilities that have some nice synergy. You get a bite attack to add to your attack routine (and Dread Carapace provides 2-to-1 damage bonuses on bites), some minor DR, scent (which works well with Track), and finally the big one - stranglehold. This lets you make a coup de gras as a move action by snapping with your bite. So now, you can intimidate as a free action with Intimidating Rage, using Never Outnumbered to affect all enemies within 10’ instead of just one. Success means they are cowering for one round and shaken for the next. Then as a standard action, seize the core to paralyze five enemies at once (they get a -4 to their save between cowering and Dark Companion), then as a move action coup de gras the nearest enemy with stranglehold.

LEVELS 16-20: The good continues to get better for you as you finish out Osteomancer. In addition to improved ways to bypass DR with your weapons, you get access to some fantastic new debuffing options. Sap strength deals a sizable penalty to strength, which you can use against high-strength enemies before grappling with them. Wield the core benefits from your extensive save debuffing, and combines with Charm Person to give you even more out of combat utility. You pick up Bonus Essentia, which brings your Dread Carapace damage up to +8 on your bite attack and +4 to all of your other attacks. Finally, you get the wonderful capstone where you can liquify the bones of your foes (or deal significant damage to them on a successful save - although again, your Charisma focus and debuffing makes succeeding on a save difficult). Between that, seize the core and wield the core, you should have a powerful offensive option beyond just grappling at just about every combat.

Your spells improve, too. In addition to the previously referenced Charm Person, you also get Alter Self for a long term buff and more disguise shenanigans and Glitterdust, as an additional debuff and a near-unbeatable defense against invisible foes. Your earth bloodline also gives you Shatter, another insanely versatile spell.


Abilities In and Out of Combat:
COMBAT: You have a variety of options in combat, including grappling, debuffing, fear lockdown and powerful save-or-dies, which should make you a welcome member of any party.

With an itemless grapple check of +31, which improves to a whopping +44 with Strength-boosting items and a fairly cheap set of gloves (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/universalItems.htm#glovesofTitansGrip), you’ll be grappling just about everything you see - to put those numbers into perspective, that puts you on par with a titan, and well above almost everything else in the Monster Manual. You can also sap the strength of enemies before you grapple them to make things even easier. Once grappled, you’ll be automatically damaging with your armor spike bone spurs (as armor spikes automatically damage enemies on a successful grapple), and according to the Rules of the Game (”http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050308a”), you can also attack with all your natural weapons:


Attack Your Opponent: You can make an attack with an unarmed strike, natural weapon, or light weaponagainst another character you are grappling. You take a -4 penalty on such attacks.
You can't attack with two weapons while grappling, even if both are light weapons. If you have multiple natural weapons, however, you can use all of them while grappling.

(Emphasis mine.)

You also have +17 BAB and several natural attacks to use as secondary weapons, meaning you can attack with your unarmed strike or bone spur four times, and then hit the enemy with your claws and bite as secondary strikes. That’s seven attacks per round before items are taken into account, and every attack you have gets a boost from Dread Carapace. Thanks to your Hexblade spells and Osteomancer abilities, you’ll be large-sized for most of this as well, so you’ll have reach to boot.

You can also demoralize with the best of them - you’re looking at a +34 bonus before items, or a +45 with level-appropriate gear. Intimidating Rage and Never Outnumbered means you can do this as a free action against all enemies within 10’ every time you enter a rage. You can also debuff your enemies with unnerve, sap strength and your Dark Companion, and once per day you can add a curse to the mix as well.

Speaking of debuffing, with most foes taking -4 to their saves and your focus on Charisma, you’ll have several powerful save-or-loses/save-or-dies, including seize the core, which perma-paralyzes up to 10 enemies with a save DC of 25 before items or 31 with level-appropriate gear. Then you can follow that up with stranglehold to coup de gras those paralyzed enemies as a move action.

UTILITY: On the social side, you do quite well - your excellent Charisma and Intimidate focus help you out here, and you also are no slouch at disguises, between Alter Self, Disguise Self and skeletal shift (for a +18 bonus without a single item, or a +26 bonus with Charisma boosters and a masterwork disguise kit). You also get Charm Person and wield the core to take a more… direct approach to influencing NPCs.

Beyond the social encounters, you have scent, which not only helps you sniff out invisible foes to target with Glitterdust but also allows you to follow tracks. Boneless, Alter Self, Expeditious Retreat and Shatter aid with mobility and infiltration, and Shatter also has numerous uses and abuses beyond just breaking locks or doors.


Sources:

Dragon Compendium (Osteomancer, Earth Bloodline)
Complete Warrior (Hexblade, Intimidating Rage, Extra Rage)
Magic of Incarnum (Azurin, Shape Soulmeld, Dread Carapace, Bonus Essentia)
Complete Scoundrel (Never Outnumbered)
Drow of the Underdark (Imperious Command)
Champions of Ruin (Black Blood Cultist)
Player's Handbook 2 (Hexblade dark companion ACF)
SRD (Bear Totem Barbarian, Improved Unarmed Strike, Track, Toughness, Improved Grapple)

[Kuulvheysoon]

Well, it looks like her puberty was a little bit more scarring than usual...
Alithyra
LE Catfolk Female
5 Duskblade/4 Ghost Faced Killer/ 10 Osteomancer
MAIN STATS

Before Racial or Ability Points
STR 16
DEX 13
CON 14
INT 13
WIS 8
CHA 16
After Racial and Ability Points
STR 18
DEX 18
CON 14
INT 13
WIS 8
CHA 18
HP: Average 116, Max 190, Min 62
AC: 15, touch 14, flatfooted 11
(without armour)

BACKSTORY
Alithyra was born to a clan of Druidic Catfolk. Then clan specialized and prided themselves on their Wildshape abilities, using their new forms to hunt larger and larger prey. As Alithyra grew older, she was taught the way, as were all kits. She understood the Spellcasting of their lives with little trouble, though her spells were often different from the others.The true issues occurred when on her first attempt to wildshape, Alithyra instead grew long, barbed spines from her wrist and shoulders. Unable to retract them, she horrified the Elders with her appearance. Holding a council, they decided that she was a bad omen, sent from Malar to punish them for unknown deeds. She was spared, but exiled. Mortified that even her family and childhood friends would shun her, and desperate to prove herself still part of the Tribe, she still lurks in the shadowy corners of her Tribe’s wood, hunting any who would do them harm. She has honed herself into a horrifying predator, striking from nothing and disappearing with her prey.
Unbeknownst to her, her frequent kills of unknowing caravans have sparked tales of a monster in the woods, scaring off all who would enter. The lack of trade has begun to cripple the Catfolk Tribe, who is now hiring anyone who fancies themselves brave enough to fight the monster they created..


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

1st|Duskblade 1|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2| Climb 1, Heal 4(cc), Jump 2, Knowledge (Arcana) 2, Knowledge (Nature) 2, Swim 3|Toughness|Arcane Attunement, Armoured Mage (Light)

2nd|Duskblade 2|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3| Climb 2, Heal 5(cc), Jump 3, Knowledge (Arcana) 2, Knowledge (Nature) 2, Swim 3||Combat Casting

3rd|Duskblade 3|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3| Climb 3, Heal 6(cc), Jump 3, Knowledge (Arcana) 3, Knowledge (Nature) 2, Swim 3|Two Weapon Fighting|Arcane Channeling

4th|Duskblade 4|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4| Climb 3, Heal 6(cc), Jump 3, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Swim 3| |Armoured Mage (Medium)

5th|Duskblade 5|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4| Climb 4, Heal 8(cc), Jump 3, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Swim 3| |Quick Cast 1/Day

6th|Osteomancer 1|
+5|
+6|
+1|
+6| Climb 4, Heal 8, Intimidate 3, Jump 3, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Swim 3|Catfolk Pounce|Boneless, Immunity to Disease

7th|Osteomancer 2|
+6|
+7|
+1|
+7| Climb 4, Heal 8, Intimidate 3, Jump 3, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silent 3, Swim 3| |Skeletal Shift

8th|Osteomancer 3|
+7|
+7|
+2|
+7| Climb 4, Heal 8, Hide 3, Intimidate 3, Jump 3, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silent 3, Swim 3| |Bone Spurs, Unnerve

9th|Osteomancer 4|
+8|
+8|
+2|
+8| Climb 4, Heal 8, Hide 6, Intimidate 3, Jump 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silent 3, Swim 3|Power Attack|Enlarge/Reduce Person, Iron Bones

10th|Osteomancer 5|
+8|
+8|
+2|
+8| Climb 4, Heal 8, Hide 9, Intimidate 6, Jump 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silent 3, Swim 3| |Seize the Core, Silver Bones

11th|Osteomancer 6|
+9|
+9|
+3|
+9| Climb 4, Heal 8, Hide 12, Intimidate 6, Jump 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silent 3, Swim 3| |Aligned Bones (Lawful)

12th|Osteomancer 7|
+10|
+9|
+3|
+9| Climb 4, Heal 8, Hide 12, Intimidate 6, Jump 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silent 6, Swim 3|Improved Inititative|Adamantine Bones

13th|Osteomancer 8|
+11|
+10|
+3|
+10| Climb 4, Heal 8, Hide 12, Intimidate 6, Jump 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silent 9, Swim 3| |Sap Life

14th|Ghost Faced Killer 1|
+12|
+12|
+3|
+10| Climb 4, Heal 8, Hide 12, Intimidate 6, Jump 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silent 12, Swim 3| |Ghost Step 1/Day

15th|Ghost Faced Killer 2|
+13|
+13|
+3|
+10| Climb 9, Heal 8, Hide 12, Intimidate 6, Jump 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silent 12, Swim 3|Arcane Strike|Sudden Strike +1d6

16th|Osteomancer 9|
+13|
+13|
+4|
+10| Climb 9, Heal 8, Hide 12, Intimidate 9, Jump 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silent 12, Swim 3| |Wield the Core

17th|Osteomancer 10|
+14|
+14|
+3|
+11| Climb 9, Heal 8, Hide 12, Intimidate 12, Jump 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silent 12, Swim 3| |Osteophage

18th|Ghost Faced Killer 3|
+15|
+14|
+4|
+12| Climb 9, Heal 8, Hide 12, Intimidate 12, Jump 9, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silent 12, Swim 3|Improved Two Weapon Fighting|Frightful Attack 1/Day

19th|Ghost Faced Killer 4|
+16|
+15|
+4|
+12| Climb 9, Heal 8, Hide 12, Intimidate 17, Jump 9, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silent 12, Swim 3| |Ghost Step 2/Day
[/table]
SPELLCASTING
Spells per day
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

2st|3|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3nd|4|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4rd|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|6|6|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|6|6|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|6|6|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|6|7|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|6|7|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|6|7|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|6|7|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|6|8|6|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|6|8|6|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|6|8|6|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|6|8|6|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th|6|8|6|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

17th|6|8|6|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

18th|6|9|8|3|-|-|-|-|-|-

19th|6|9|8|3|-|-|-|-|-|-

20th|6|9|8|3|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]


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

2st|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3nd|4|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4rd|4|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|4|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|4|6|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|4|6|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|4|7|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|4|7|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|4|8|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|4|8|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|4|9|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|4|9|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|4|10|5|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|4|10|5|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th|4|10|5|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

17th|4|10|5|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

18th|4|11|6|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

19th|4|11|6|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

20th|4|11|6|2|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]

SPELLS
0. Acid Splash, Disrupt Undead, Ray of Frost, Touch of Fatigue
1. Bigby’s Tripping Hand, Cause Fear, Color Spray, Jump, Magic Weapon, Obscuring Mist, Ray of Enfeeblement, Shocking Grasp, Stand, Swift Expeditious Retreat
2. Animalistic Power, Darkvision, See Invisibility, Spider Climb, Swift Fly, Swift Invisibility
3. Crown of Might, Vampiric Touch

LEVELS
1. Just starting out, Alithyra has started to learn from her Tribe the way of the Hunt. She is taught the way of Malar, and uses her spells to her advantage. With her Arcane Attunement, she sends the prey running to the others with Ghost Sound and Flare. She uses her catfolk speed to race down prey, her Toughness enabling her to fight animals usually too difficult for even more experienced hunters.
5. Her casting becoming more and more of a necessity, Alithyra has shown to be fast both in and out of Combat, between her speed and Two Weapon Fighting, often backed by her Bigby’s Tripping Hand and Jump. Her ability to deliver her spells through melee is now online, and proves effective, as her clan can now hunt even the mightiest of bears. Her Shocking Grasp and Touch of Fatigue make them hardly a fight.
10. Hunting on her own, Alithyra has to use her newly developed Osteomancer abilities, namely her Enlarge Person to be able to take on bigger and bigger challenges. She’s recently discovered her power to paralyze creatures via her uncanny control of the bones, but it’s still too weak to use on anything bigger than standard prey.
15. She is unstoppable. Nothing enters her realm without her approval. Between her new ability to become invisible, thanks to Ghost Step, and Arcane Strike coupled with [Arcane Channeling[/I], nothing can withstand her assault. She is in and out in a flash, Wielding the powers of her magic through her Bone Spurs as if it were child’s play.
20. There is silence, then there is death. She appears out of nowhere, pouncing upon her prey and channeling Vampiric Touch. When teamed up with her Stunning Strike and Arcane Strike, there is little that survives. Those that do, are mortified by her Unnerve and Frightful Strike abilities. While they stagger, is shock, she whisks herself and her prey away with Swift Invisiblity.

Sources
CLASSES

Duskblade (PHII pg 19)
Ghost Faced Killer (CA pg 51)
Osteomancer (Drag Comp pg 82)
FEATS

Toughness (PH pg 101)
Two Weapon Fighting (PH pg 102)
Power Attack (PH pg 98)
Improved Two Weapon Fighting (PH pg 96)
Arcane Strike (CW pg 96)
Catfolk Pounce (ROtW pg 148)
SpellsAll Spells retrieved from the Player's Handbooks I & II
** All stats and Numerical Values are assumed without items or WBL:


Since this is my first Iron Chef challenge, I'd like to ask the amount of money our character is assumed to have in total for the build. I can't say I know an easy way to find this, save from asking.

I have my build idea ironed out, I just need to outfit it a little.


um as per a level 20 character build the total is 760,000

But it should be noted that several judges tend to deduct for reliance on items in a few cases even listing an item could result in a deduction...
generally speaking you can put a notation that XX items could be used to improve the character in some sort of optional gear listing.


None, it's a trap.

Even when you spell out that your character does something with a basic weapons at level 20, if you have any item listed they will deduct points. If you put a suggested WBL gear list I've never seen bonus points and I'vee seen judges get confused with suggested/required. I'd suggest not listing items whatsover as you gain nothing from it.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Dance, my puppets, DANCE!
Mavis Parvana, the Skeleton Dancer
Chaotic Neutral Human Battle Dancer 3/Bard 2/Osteomancer 10/Cloaked Dancer 5

Stats:
32 Point-Buy: STR 10, DEX 14, CON 12, INT 14, WIS 12, CHA 16
Final Point Buy: STR 10, DEX 17, CON 12, INT 14, WIS 12, CHA 18
Ability Points: DEX at level 4, CHA at levels 8 and 12, DEX at 16 and 20.


There is a legend of a dancer who moves with such grace, it seems her entire body is under her control, or the control of someone else, like a puppet dancing for their puppeteer. Some say the dance is a myth, while others look for the dance. But only a select few are chosen to master the Dance of the Bones...

The Build:
Mavis Parvana, the Skeleton Dancer{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features
1st|Battle Dancer 1|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+0| Balance 4, Jump 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 4, Sleight of Hand 4, Tumble 4|Weapon Finesse, Able Learner |AC Bonus (Charisma), Improved Unarmed Strike (1d6)
2nd|Battle Dancer 2|
+2|
+0|
+3|
+0|Balance 4, Heal 4, Jump 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 2, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 4, Sleight of Hand 4, Tumble 4 | - |Dance of Reckless Bravery
3rd|Battle Dancer 3|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+1|Balance 4, Heal 4, Jump 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 4, Sleight of Hand 4, Tumble 4 |Toughness|-
4th|Bard 1|
+3|
+1|
+5|
+3|Balance 4, Heal 4, Hide 5 Jump 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 6, Sleight of Hand 5, Tumble 4 |-|Bardic music, bardic knowledge, countersong, fascinate, inspire courage +1 , spells
5th|Bard 2|
+4|
+1|
+6|
+4| Balance 4, Concentration 2, Heal 4, Hide 5 Jump 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 8, Sleight of Hand 5, Spellcraft 4, Tumble 6| - | -
6th|Osteomancer 1|
+4|
+3|
+6|
+6|Balance 4, Concentration 3, Heal 4, Hide 5 Jump 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 9, Sleight of Hand 5, Spellcraft 5, Tumble 7|Two-Weapon Fighting|Boneless, Immunity to Disease
7th|Osteomancer 2|
+5|
+4|
+6|
+7|[center] Balance 4, Concentration 4, Heal 4, Hide 5 Jump 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 10, Sleight of Hand 5, Spellcraft 6, Tumble 8 | - |Skeletal Shift
8th|Osteomancer 3|
+6|
+4|
+7|
+7|Balance 4, Concentration 5, Heal 4, Hide 5 Jump 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 11, Sleight of Hand 5, Spellcraft 7, Tumble 9| - |Bone Spurs, Unnerve
9th|Osteomancer 4|
+7|
+5|
+7|
+8| Balance 4, Concentration 6, Heal 4, Hide 5 Jump 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 12, Sleight of Hand 5, Spellcraft 8, Tumble 10 |Weapon Focus (Spiked Gauntlet) |Enlarge/Reduce, Iron Bones
10th|Osteomancer 5|
+7|
+5|
+7|
+8|Balance 4, Concentration 7, Heal 4, Hide 5, Jump 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 13, Sleight of Hand 5, Spellcraft 9, Tumble 11 | - |Seize the Core, Silver Bones
11th|Osteomancer 6|
+8|
+6|
+8|
+9|Balance 4, Concentration 8, Heal 4, Hide 5, Jump 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 14, Sleight of Hand 5, Spellcraft 10, Tumble 12 | - |Aligned Bones
12th|Osteomancer 7|
+9|
+6|
+8|
+9| Balance 4, Concentration 9, Heal 4, Hide 5, Jump 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 15, Sleight of Hand 6, Spellcraft 10, Tumble 13|Acrobatic Strike|Adamantine Bones
13th|Cloaked Dancer 1|
+9|
+6|
+10|
+9|Balance 4, Concentration 9, Heal 4, Hide 5, Jump 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 15, Sleight of Hand 12, Spellcraft 10, Tumble 13|Mosquito’s Bite|Enchanting Dance (Beguiling Dance)
14th|Cloaked Dancer 2|
+10|
+6|
+11|
+9|Balance 6, Concentration 10, Heal 4, Hide 5, Jump 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Dance) 15, Sleight of Hand 12, Spellcraft 10, Tumble 16 |Nimble Stand|Surprise Strike (+1d6)
15th|Cloaked Dancer 3|
+11|
+7|
+11|
+10|Balance 8, Concentration 10, Heal 4, Hide 5, Jump 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 6, Perform (Dance) 17, Sleight of Hand 12, Spellcraft 10, Tumble 16 |Einhander|Enchanting Dance (Wearying Dance)
16th|Cloaked Dancer 4|
+12|
+7|
+12|
+10|Balance 10, Concentration 10, Heal 6, Hide 6, Jump 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 8, Perform (Dance) 18, Sleight of Hand 12, Spellcraft 10, Tumble 16| - |Surprise Strike (+2d6)
17th|Cloaked Dancer 5|
+12|
+7|
+12|
+10|Balance 10, Concentration 10, Heal 8, Hide 8, Jump 8, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 8, Perform (Dance) 19, Sleight of Hand 12, Spellcraft 10, Tumble 16 | - |Enchanting Dance (Frightful Dance)
18th|Osteomancer 8|
+13|
+8|
+12|
+11| Balance 10, Concentration 11, Heal 8, Hide 8, Jump 8, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 8, Perform (Dance) 20, Sleight of Hand 13, Spellcraft 10, Tumble 17|Snap Kick|Sap Life
19th|Osteomancer 9|
+13|
+9|
+13|
+11|Balance 10, Concentration 12, Heal 8, Hide 8, Jump 8, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 8, Perform (Dance) 21, Sleight of Hand 14, Spellcraft 10, Tumble 18 | - |Wield the Core
20th|Osteomancer 10|
+14|
+10|
+13|
+12|Balance 10, Concentration 13, Heal 8, Hide 8, Jump 8, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Move Silently 8, Perform (Dance) 22, Sleight of Hand 14, Spellcraft 10, Tumble 20| - |Osteophage[/table]
Spell Selection:
Bard Spells per day/Spells Known{table=head]Level|0lvl| 1st| 2nd| 3rd| 4th| 5th| 6th| 7th| 8th|9th
1st|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
2nd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
3rd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
4th|3/5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
5th|3/5|1/2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
6th|3/5|1/2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
7th|3/6|2/3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
8th|3/6|2/3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
9th|3/6|2/3|1/2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
10th|3/6|2/3|1/2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
11th|3/6|3/4|1/3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
12th|3/6|3/4|1/3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
13th|3/6|3/4|1/3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
14th|3/6|3/4|2/3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
15th|3/6|3/4|2/3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
16th|3/6|3/4|3/4|1/2|-|-|-|-|-|-
17th|3/6|3/4|3/4|1/2|-|-|-|-|-|-
18th|3/6|3/4|3/4|2/3|-|-|-|-|-|-
19th|3/6|3/4|3/4|2/3|-|-|-|-|-|-
20th|3/6|3/4|3/4|2/3|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]



Story and Build Breakdown:
Levels 1-5: And so the Dance Begins...

Mavis Parvana was acclaimed as the best dancer in her village, and she reveled in the praise. Her world changed when she traveled to the nation-wide Dance Festival, where she saw her. She had heard the legends, but never believed she'd see the Skeleton Dancer in person. She was enthralled as she saw the beautiful woman dance on stage, almost compelled to run up and join her. She was almost hypnotized by the time the dance ended, and quickly ran after the dancer when she left the stage.

"Please, teach me the ways of the Dance of the Bones!" she begged, prostrating herself before the Dancer.

"Child, why would you have me teach a child like you?" the Dancer replied.

"Your dance was beautiful!" Mavis replied. "The most beautiful I've ever seen, even among the crowds much more talented than me!"

The Dancer paused, and walked towards Mavis. "Child, the path towards the Dance of the Bones is one fraught with bloods, tears, and broken bones. Do you wish to follow this path?"

"If it means I can learn such a beautiful dance, then yes, I will," Mavis replied.

The Dancer smiled. "Come child, I shall instruct you, but you must follow me to the letter," she replied with a smile.

"Of course!" Mavis replied.

"And now the Dance begins, my child."

Here Mavis plays like a typical Battle Dancer, trying to dance around the field and punch/kick/hip check people while using that AC bonus to stay alive. Adding in Bard gives her some spellcasting ability to help her and any teammates she might have, as well as putting that Charisma Score to good use.


Levels 6-12: Learning the Dance of the Bones

"Teacher, where do we start?" Mavis asked as she and the Dancer walked along the marketplace.

"We start with your knowledge of the bones themselves, my child," the Dancer replied. "For to understand the Dance, you must first understand yourself, and all that is your body." Mavis spent many a night learning about the skeletons of humans, elves, and all creatures. "You must learn to control your body even if you have no bones to speak of." Mavis is instructed in how to move while her skeleton is liquefied. "Your bones must be broken down, so they can grow stronger." Mavis is shown fighting monsters while in the company of an adventuring party, her Bone Spurs piercing the flesh of monsters. "And you must learn to control the bones not with your muscles, but with your mind." Mavis is shown learning to paralyze a creature's skeleton, as well as enlarging and reducing her own.
"When you do, the Dance may go on, my child."

These are the levels where Mavis slowly begins to add to her repertoire. Early on, if you really need to use the boneless ability to escape or something, summon a Celestial Monkey before you liquefy your skeleton to carry your boneless body so you don’t have to worry about that move speed. Otherwise, your tactics are pretty much the same, using your Charisma to make yourself hard to hit through the AC bonus and in conjunction with Unnerve. With the addition of Two-Weapon Fighting and Spiked Gauntlet focus, it becomes a little easier to hit with either your Bone Spurs or your unarmed strikes, so you have a variable melee attack to deal with monsters. This isn’t really a far-ranged design, but I never intended it to be. You’re a dancing monk.


Levels 13-17: Mastering the Dance, A.K.A. the Sweet Spot

"My child, you have mastered all I have taught you," the Dancer said to Mavis, both now older and wiser. "You are ready."

"You mean..." Mavis retorted, her face aglow with joy and anticipation.

"Yes, the Dance of the Bones accepts your spirit, your mind, and your body, my child." The Dancer rose, her own bones now weaker from their prime. "Follow my steps, and then take the Dance, and make it your own." Mavis and the Dancer are seen dancing in tandem, Mavis perfectly mimicking her Teacher. "The Dance is built on many years of students and teachers working forward. No one person has made this Dance perfect, and yet it touches the souls and hearts of any who see it."

"Each student adds to the dance then?" Mavis asked, her pace unwavering.

"And so each generation makes the Dance their own, passing it from Teacher to Student, as my teacher did, as her teacher did, and as will you one day, my child."

This is where you truly start to shine. With the Beguiling Dance, Mosquito’s Strike, and Einhander, you can dance around people and stab them with your Bone Spurs and they won’t even notice. If CSI gets involved, they’ll have a hard time pinning you thanks to your free-action retract, along with that Sleight of Hand bonus. If they do try to attack you, your Charisma and Unnerve along with the Fearful Dance and Wearying Dance make you even harder to hit, again, your Charisma being the focus here.


Levels 18-20: And so the Dance goes on...

Mavis watched over her Teacher, now on her deathbed of old age.
"Mavis..." the Dancer replied. "I have conferred to you all the secrets of the Dance, and of the Bones themselves."

Mavis nodded in silent respect. "You now know how to make others dance with you, enticed by your dance or not, and you can make them dance their last. I have nothing more to teach you. I pass onto you my title, the Skeleton Dancer, master of the Dance of the Bones."

Mavis nodded, feeling tears well up inside her.

"From dust our bones are made, and to dust, we all return," the Teacher said, her breaths slowing. "While paper fades, memories wane... and bones break down..."

"In our hearts, from Teacher to Student, and Student to Teacher, the Dance is eternal," Mavis replied, her teacher's eyes shutting closed for the final time. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she sat up to cover her teacher. After a short prayer, she turned and left. "And so the Dance goes on..."

These levels are the icing on the cake for Mavis. Snap Kick lets you use Unarmed Strike in conjunction with your Bone Spurs, allowing her to deal more damage in dance. Wield the Core lets you make a decent distraction by making other people dance along with you, controlling their skeletons and leading them in the dance, using your Charisma based-AC to stay alive while your enemies dancing into battle. Osteophage is your kill button, only to be used as a last resort if your dance fails to entice them. Again, since these abilities run off your Charisma, you should be fine.


Suggestions:
Flavor your Dance of the Bones with Charisma boosting items such as the Tome, Cloak of Charisma, and other things, and don’t forget your Slippers of Battledancing to take advantage of your high Tumble score and such. Gauntlets of Heartfelt Blows add a little spice to this dish, using your Charisma to add some kick. Season with other items you deem necessary.

Sources:
Players Handbook – Bard, Human
Dragon Compendium – Battle Dancer, Osteomancer
Complete Scoundrel – Cloaked Dancer, Mosquito’s Bite, Nimble Stand
Players Handbook II – Einhander
Races of Destiny – Able Learner
Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords – Snap Kick

[Kuulvheysoon]

It'sIt was the Eye of the Tiger
'Leo'
--Patchfur Wildcub Fluidform Boneweaver Manyshapes
Chaotic Neutral
Tibbit
--Formerly, Anthropomorphic Leopard
Druid 4 / Osteomancer 10 / Shaper of Form 2 / Warshaper 4
--Formerly, Racial Hitdice 2 / Level Adjustment 2 / Druid 4 / Osteomancer 2 / Shaper of Form 1


Theme Art:




http://imageshack.com/a/img32/8935/bdgx.jpg

Trapped in a shape not my own,
Limbs twisted into form unknown.
Each day I search for an escape,
Magics to break, unmake this shape.





http://imageshack.com/a/img713/3128/h61q.jpg

In a shape of my own making,
Freedom no longer worth taking.
In two bodies I now exist,
One or the other, I do not resist.

One for hunting, fighting and play.
The other; to laugh, love and parley.
Who I was, I am and will remain,
In this new form, different perspectives, I will gain.




Disclaimer:

This entry makes use of a rule interpretation. The Shaper of Form's modify self ability: Renaissance. This allows the character to, among other things, change their race with three restrictions; you can not change type (subtype is neither mentioned, nor is it the same as type), your abilities scores do not change and you can not choose to become a race with a level adjustment.

The rule interpretation: An anthropomorphic animal's race includes its Racial Hitdice and Level Adjustment. Changing race to something without a level adjustment removes the Racial Hitdice and Level Adjustment. The only thing the character retains of the original race is the ability scores. Skill points are recalculated for the new 1st level, Druid.

How this affects this entry: The character has had to reallocate skill points. Considering the character retains all other Hitdice, BAB and skills despite losing the ability to progress in the prestige classes, once skill points are reallocated, the character regains the ability to progress in both. The BAB retained from the two levels in Osteomancer fulfills the requirement for itself.

I expect an elegance penalty but do not believe this should prevent me from qualifying for the secret ingredient. This is cheesy. Is it a flavor to your liking?

Druid Variants Used: Druidic Avenger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druidVariantDruidicAve nger) and Druid - swift and deadly hunter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druid)


Ability Scores:

32 point buy. (Racial: +6 Str, +8 Dex, +4 Con, Int = 11, +4 Wis)
{table=head]Stat|1st|4th|8th|12th|16th|20th|Final
Str|20|-|21|22|23|24|24

Dex|22|-|-|-|-|-|22

Con|18|-|-|-|-|-|18

Int|11|12|-|-|-|-|12

Wis|16|-|-|-|-|-|16

Cha|16|-|-|-|-|-|16[/table]


The Recipe:

Before Renaissance

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

1st|Level Adjustment 1|
--|
--|
--|
--|----------|----------|----------

2nd|Level Adjustment 2|
--|
--|
--|
--|----------|----------|----------

3rd|Racial HD 1|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|Craft (Bone Working) +4, Listen +2, Spot +2|Toughness|Improved Grab (bite), Pounce, Scent, Darkvision 60ft, Low-Light Vision, Bite (1d6), 2 Claws (1d3)

4th|Racial HD 2|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+0|Craft (Bone Working) +1 (5), Jump +1 (1)|----------|Same as above

5th|Druid 1|
+1|
+5|
+3|
+2|Knowledge (Nature) +4 (4)|Spell focus (transmutation)|AC Bonus, Fast Movement +10ft, Rage 1/day, Wild Empathy (-4), Favored Enemy, Track, Nature Sense

6th|Druid 2|
+2|
+6|
+3|
+3|Knowledge (Arcana) +2 cc (2), Heal +1|---------|Woodland Stride

7th|Druid 3|
+3|
+6|
+4|
+3|Knowledge (Arcana) +2 cc (4), Heal +1 (2)|---------|Trackless Step, Fast Movement +20ft

8th|Druid 4|
+4|
+7|
+4|
+4|Heal +2 (4), Craft (alchemy) +3 (3)|Great Fortitude|Resist Nature's Lure

9th|Osteomancer 1|
+4|
+9|
+4|
+6|Craft (Alchemy) +2 (5), Knowledge (arcana) +1 (5)|---------|Boneless, Immunity to Disease

10th|Osteomancer 2|
+5|
+10|
+4|
+7|Craft (Bone working) +3 (8)|---------|Skeletal Shift, +1 spellcasting

11th|Shaper of Form 1|
+5|
+12|
+4|
+9|Craft (Bone Working) +3 (11)|Weapon Finesse|Like Begets Like, Modify Self (Renaissance), +1 spellcasting
[/table]


After Renaissance

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

1st|Druid 1|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Knowledge (arcana) +2 cc (2), Knowledge (nature) +4 (4), Heal +4 (4), Craft (alchemy) +4 (4),|Toughness|AC Bonus, Fast Movement +10ft, Rage 1/day, Wild Empathy (-4), Favored Enemy, Track, Nature Sense

2nd|Druid 2|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Craft (bone working) +4 (4)|---------|Woodland Stride

3rd|Druid 3|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|Knowledge (arcana) +1 cc (3), Craft (bone working) +2 (6)|Spell Focus (transmutation)|Trackless Step, Fast Movement +20ft

4th|Druid 4|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Craft (bone working) +1 (7), Craft (alchemy) +1 (5), Disguise +1 cc (1), Knowledge (nature) +1 (5)|----------|Resist Nature's Lure

5th|Osteomancer 1|
+3|
+6|
+1|
+6|Knowledge (arcana) +2 (5), Craft (bone working) +1 (8)|---------|Boneless, Immunity to Disease

6th|Osteomancer 2|
+4|
+7|
+1|
+7|Use Magic Device +2 (2), Spellcraft +1 (1)|Great Fortitude|Skeletal Shift, +1 spellcasting

7th|Shaper of Form 1|
+4|
+9|
+1|
+9|Concentration +3 (3)|---------|Like Begets Like, Modify Self (Renaissance), +1 spellcasting

8th|Warshaper 1|
+4|
+11|
+1|
+9|Concentration +3 (6)|----------|Morphic Immunities, Morphic weapons

9th|Warshaper 2|
+5|
+12|
+1|
+9|Concentration +3 (9)|Weapon Finesse|Morphic Body

10th|Warshaper 3|
+6|
+12|
+2|
+10|Concentration +3 (12)|----------|Morphic Reach

11th|Warshaper 4|
+7|
+13|
+2|
+10|Concentration +2 (14), Disguise +1 (1)|----------|Morphic Healing

12th|Osteomancer 3|
+8|
+13|
+3|
+10|Use Magic Device +3 (5)|Multiattack|Bonespurs, Unnerve

13th|Osteomancer 4|
+9|
+14|
+3|
+11|Use Magic Device +3 (8)|----------|Enlarge/Reduce, Iron Bones, +1 spellcasting

14th|Osteomancer 5|
+9|
+14|
+3|
+11|Use Magic Device +3 (11)|---------|Seize the Core, Silver Bones

15th|Osteomancer 6|
+10|
+15|
+4|
+12|Use Magic Device +3 (14)|Improved Multiattack|Aligned Bones, +1 spellcasting

16th|Osteomancer 7|
+11|
+15|
+4|
+12|Use Magic Device +3 (17)|---------|Adamantine Bones

17th|Osteomancer 8|
+12|
+16|
+4|
+13|Use Magic Device +3 (20)|---------|Sap Life, +1 spellcasting

18th|Osteomancer 9|
+12|
+16|
+5|
+13|Spellcraft +2 (3), Use Magic Device +1 (21)|Surrogate Spellcasting|Wield the Core

19th|Osteomancer 10|
+13|
+17|
+5|
+14|Spellcraft +2 (5), Use Magic Device +1 (22)|---------|Osteophage, +1 spellcasting

20th|Shaper of Form 2|
+14|
+18|
+5|
+15|Spellcraft +2 (7), Use Magic Device +1 (23)|---------|Fortify Item, polymorph 1/day
[/table]


Bolded items are requirements met for prestige class. Tables reflects base saves only.


Spellcasting:

Druid Spells per day

Before Renaissance
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

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

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

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After Renaissance
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

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20th|6|4|4|3|3|2|-|-|-|-[/table]


When the Past is Shed, Renaissance: ECL 1

I have decided to record my tale before I renounce everything that I am and finally throw off the shackles of my creator. Perhaps it will serve as a warning to those that seek to raise others of my kind to awareness. It does not always end well and we can end resenting those that tore us from our blissful and ignorant existence. For others, my tale may be a blueprint and map to freedom. Let us start at ... well, a beginning...

I have no real 'memories' of my time before the awakening. Animals have only base intelligence, enough to coordinate their bodies, follow their instincts and, at the best of time, learn certain tricks taught to them by more intelligent beings, though only if reinforced constantly enough to become a sort of ... muscle memory. That was my existence. The thrill of the hunt, the taste of blood, ripping of flesh, sharp hunger pains that drove me to kill and the blissful medium of contentment after a full meal.

My story starts in servitude to what I now call a Druid. I would not call it slavery. I had the ability to ignore the summons, if not the knowledge that I could. It was like another instinct, calling me towards it as if another need, such a mating or the hunt. Whatever ritual called me, it awoke me to a level of understanding I previously lacked. I wanted, rather than needed, to protect the source of the call. It was a female. Some ugly, mutated and balding monkey of some sort. Halflings, I think they are called. Even then, I knew the thing was too immature, child-like, to survive very long without protection. ... I am, and was even then, fiercely protective of weak things that don't seem to be food. I still don't understand why this is but it is a part of me, something deep in what is referred to as a soul.

At the side of this halfling, I never did learn her name, I was taken to places far from my territory, faced creatures I would have avoided even if hunger was tearing at my innards, and I grew powerful. Not only that, I tasted real intelligence. Just as I was growing accustomed to this intelligence, it was taken from me. With the death of my Druid, all the power and intelligence, all the cunning and skill ... It was torn from me like the air from the lungs of a deer when its throat is ripped out.

I mourned her loss briefly, I had little capacity for true sorrow, and eventually made my way back to my old territory. My recall of this time is severely limited. Having possessed intelligence left me with a longing for what I had lost and this allowed some sort memories to develop. The next clear thing I remember was another calling. I was not the same as before. Something about it was sinister and caused the hairs on my body to stiffen and raise. I could not resist the call. Something in me remembered the power, the skill and the promise of intelligence. I answered... and regret it to this very day.

This Druid was ... wrong. He stank of death. He smelled of sour fear, terror left so long that it spoiled the blood. That blood, he reeked of the blood of others riddled with that fear smell. His form was twisted and his race ... I can never remember what he was. All I remember of the encounter was the barred teeth, twisted, maddening and ... Evil. I was overcome with blackness and I was not the only one. When I awoke, my form was twisted, humanoid, and so were the other creatures around me. Dozens of others, like myself, had been transformed into monstrosities. I immediately fled and never looked back.

I 'survived' for a time, growing accustomed to my new body and marveling at the level of understanding open to me. I knew that I would have to seek out others. I could not bare all of the questions my mind brought forward without answers. I had dim memories of my Druid and followed once more, the path we had previously travelled. Somewhere, on that path, there were others like her and they would take me in. They would teach me. And they did. They channelled my animalistic nature towards combat and revealed the mysteries of nature to me. I immediately rejected the idea of taking an animal companion, the pain of the loss of my former Druid still fresh in me, and never grew accustomed to the use of armor. Instead, I channelled everything that I was ... animal ... into my walk with nature. I focused on seeking out and destroying that which was unnatural. Aberrations, and to a lesser extent, undead were my focus.

During all of this, I never grew truly comfortable in my now humanoid form. It was unnatural and I began to seek ways to undo what that twisted Druid did to me, though I also sought to retain my intelligence. I knew that other Druids often took the form of animals and, even though that appealed to me on a base level, I would always be tied to this unnatural form. I sought out those that practiced other forms of shapechanging magic, arcane or divine or something else, I had a burning desire to shed my humanoid form. It started with an almost complete focus on the transmutation magics, especially the ones that gave the ability to shift forms. If I could find the secret behind it, I could isolate it and make it permanent.

At first, the secret lead me towards the study of bone manipulation. I was torn about following that path because it seemed too much like what that foul Druid did to me and the other Druids that taught me looked upon it with disfavor. In the end, I took the decision upon myself and walked down that path. If this was the magic that crafted this body of mine, it was also the magic that could reverse that change. I learned to liquify my own bones and even how to reshape them to make myself appear slightly different. My frustration grew when I could not make the change proceed further. I vented my rage in my prayers, beseeching nature to show me what I missed.

... That is when the sleep came over me. Some spirits had heard me and had taken notice. I remember dreaming. I do not remember the dreams. I know that I was tested and was not found wanting. I was ... given an understanding of how things are put together. I ... cannot describe it. I do not possess that level of wisdom to articulate that kind of knowledge to someone of equal intelligence of my own. Whatever gave me the knowledge, it was infinitely wise to be able to teach me this wonder. I learned that I would never be able to return to my previous form, what was done to me could not be undone without immense power but I could leave my current form behind and exist in two bodies, one similar to a halfling and the other, a feline form. I would be smaller than I was, but it would be nearly identical in every other way.

So this brings us to the end of my tale. It is a long one and will be longer yet, should this succeed. I do not know if I will be the same person after the change. I will have new instincts. All I know is that my knowledge and my strength will survive the change. Now that I have put it to parchment, so will my story...

ECL 4: We being our adventure with 2 Racial HD and only have somewhat decent HP due to a good CON score afforded to us by our generous ability scores. Due to this, the character will not be much of a presence in melee combat though they can service as a flanking assistant. At this level, we are basically a glorified animal companion.

ECL 5: With our first level of Druid, we can shift more into a support role. With our ability to activate druid wands and other items, we cement ourselves with a definite role. Our choice of druid variants reflect our animalistic nature, forgoing armor, wildshaping and animal companion for more combat oriented features.

ECL 6 - 8: Typical lower level druid progression. We focus on buff spells and battlefield control spells, anything that doesn't really depend on a DC or caster level. We are not a frontline combatant and should enter melee only in a necessity, or when we have sizable buffs working in our favor.

ECL 9 - 10: With the addition of the Osteomancer, our character gains a degree of control over his form that plants the idea for a future change. The ability to squeeze through tight places will add to his usefulness though the character is not built around stealth. We also gain access to 3rd level druid spells.

ECL 11: This level brings us to the point where the character throws off his previous form (and hampering LA + RHD). Being a monstrous humanoid and unable to change his type, one of the only options available his the Tibbit race from the same source book as the Osteomancer. This race gives the character a humanoid form that he can use to interact with others, yet fulfills the wish to return to a feline nature that is an irreplacable part of himself. We also gain the shapechanger subtype. With that and the ability to shift forms, this opens up the Warshaper prestige class and it serves as a much need buff for melee combat.



Twist the Bones and Bend the Back: ECL 10

I look back and my mind wonders at my overpowering need to escape a form that was so powerful and elegant. I certainly remember the desire though the reasoning behind it seems flawed and wasteful. Regardless, I do not believe it was a mistake. I wouldn't be present in my current form if not for the series of events that lead up to this point, and the world would certainly be a more boring place without my presence to liven it up.

I have been traveling with a halfling for some time now, cleverly disguised as her familiar. Our little ruse has fooled most of her companions, though the Druid sees too much. I am quite pampered and fed well, being required only for a certain impression and to serve as a bodyguard when the occasion presents itself. This leaves me all the time I truly require to further my studies of osteomancy. The group leaves a wake of bodies behind it and no one, save the Druid, notices me slipping away to experiment.

Oddly enough, the things I have discovered have little direct impact on my control over my skeleton. As the skeleton is the "core" of my power, I have learned how to twist and shape my entire body during the shifting process from my humanoid form, to my feline form. I have discovered a method of twisting the bones on the simplest level, giving them superior hardness and flexibility. My feline form has every organ encased in a protective cocoon of bone and each nerve cluster shielded by cartilage. My joints stretch and snap back with the greatest ease, extending my reach beyond that which is natural. I am no harmless kitten in my feline form.

ECL 7: With the loss of +2 LA and the two racial HD, our ECL drops to 7 and our abilities are now useful for their level. We are only one level behind an actual druid on spellcasting. We are a small character now, tiny in housecat form, and our ability to squeeze through places is all that much better.

ECL 8 - 10: The inclusion of warshaper turns our housecat form into a very useful form, despite the -8 Str from shifting. We pick up Weapon Finesse to use with our attacks. We can grow new natural attacks, such as rake attacks, or make our existing ones better. Morphic reach gives us the ability to attack without moving into another's space (and provoking AoO). Morphic Body offsets the Str penalty to only effectively -4, which a well timed Bull's Strength will eliminate and a Rage will bring higher. During these levels, it is a good idea to have a Necklace of Natural Attacks, to assist with damage output.


Deja Vu and the Return of Power: ECL 15

I recall the drastic reduction of my power after the completion of my transformation. No true change is ever easy, or free. I finally feel that I have returned that point after all this time, though things are different as well. It feels that I have lived these moments twice and have achieved more this second time through. My understanding of my core and my tissues is approaching complete. Through subtle manipulation of my marrow, I have been able to render myself immune to disease. Through an entire different method, I have learned how to excite my metabolism and increase my natural healing a thousand fold.

I have begun to sense the bone structures of those around me and it is a bit unnerving. With enough focus, I believe I could learn to control them as I now control my own. Sometimes I wonder if my bones are in a constant state of flux, neither solid nor liquid, as readily as it responds to my will. With but a thought, spurs of bones erupt from my flesh, coating me in a mane of sharp spikes and even forming rudimentary gauntlets on my forelimbs. Ether form of mine has this ability, though I find most use in feline form. The bonespurs are even as hard as most steel, eliminating my need for a mundane weapon in either form.

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

I have made the connection I needed! The bones of others are now my playthings, living, dead and undead alike! At least, I can halt the movement of others with but a thought. Actual manipulation and fine motor control are beyond me at this point. My mental 'touch' is still ham-fisted and tends to cause the bones to fracture and splint if I push too hard. I can even expand or contract my size as I wish, it is a simple thing really. I merely 'borrow' energy from the universe around. Everything is energy, anyway, just like the tune of a song. Mere frequency separates one type from another.

Blast! The Druid is staring at me again. I am certain he knows my secret and doesn't particularly approve of my Osteomancy, though he keeps his silence on the matter on account of how useful I am. Yes, I'm sure of it. Either way, I tolerate him merely because I can learn from him. I watch him when he prepares his spells and, in doing so, I have been able to progress my understanding of the Druidic magic. It does take second place to my Osteomancy, after all.

ECL 11: Our final level of Warshaper gives us fast healing, allowing us to spend any other resources on party members or use our spells solo for buffs.

ECL 12: Now we are progressing Osteomancer full out. With our ability to participate in combat cemented, we focus on the abilities that further shape and mold our form. Bonespurs, being a natural weapon, benefit from the Necklace of Natural Attacks and provide incentive for things not to try and grapple/swallow our character. We gain Multiattack so that an attack with Bonespurs becomes our primary attack, followed by 2 claws and a bite (or more if we grew rake attacks). We have chosen to focus on Use Magical Device to offset our delayed spellcasting, in a few levels it will pay off. This will give us a wider role to take when outside of housecat form.

ECL 13: The ability to shrink and enlarge ourselves makes us more dangerous. Grow to small size in cat form? We have 10ft reach. Shrink to Diminutive size and we still possess 5ft of reach. No one expects a 6 inch little kitten to rip your face off from 5ft away. We also gain a sizeable bonus to our Hide modifier, making up for our lack of ranks in the skill. Overcoming damage reduction is becoming a problem and Iron bones goes a long way to make up for this. 4th level Druid spells assist as well.

ECL 14: Seize the Core is a really good way to set up multiple creatures for Coup de grace attacks, either by yourself or your harder hitting party members. Silver bones assists with further bypassing damage reduction.

ECL 15: Speaking of bypassing damage reduction, we gain the chaotic alignment on our bonespurs. We also gain Improved Multiattack, so we no longer take penalties for attacking with multiple natural weapons. An itty-bitty, tiny, special blender-of-death kitty we are turning into. Also, our Use Magical Device skill has 14 ranks. With our charisma mod (+3 or higher), we have a good chance to activate just about any item we need to.



Fluid Forms, Shifting Power: ECL 16 - 20 Sweet Spot

Things have taken a unexpected turn. I have revealed myself to the Druid. Yes, intentionally. He did not catch me napping and bribe me with catnip. That would be beneath me. Regardless of how it happened, I found an unexpected ally and sympathizer. Not that I needed one, of course.

The Druid has begin to teach me about his wild shaping ability, something that I had been on the cusp of mastering long ago, had I not firmly rejected it due to my prior convictions. Sadly, I would not be able to fully aquire the ability as my Druidic path was one that did not fully embrace it. On a positive note, my natural shape shifting ability, combined with my Osteomancy and understanding of the Morphic traits inherent in it, I could master the magic that allowed other changes.

Regarding my Osteomancy, I am nearing mastery. I am able to increase the density of my bones to such a point that I can cut into adamantine. I can reduce the density of other's bones to the point they become brittle and weak. I can play puppeteer with the skeletons of others, and short of suicidal manipulation, force them to dance to my will. Mostly, I use this ability to keep my sorcerer from harm without revealing myself. Should things go really bad, I can melt the bones of another by sheer willpower, outright killing them or massively damaging their skeletal structure.

I have also discovered a way to cast spells while in my feline form. It was a simple matter of altering a few bone structures and forming a larynx of sufficient complexity to direct the energies around us into spells. It is not a proper replacement for my humanoid form and took quite a lot of practice to perfect, though it does increase the difficulty for other to decrypt which spells I chose to use.

---------

I have finally learned how to shift my form into something other than own own! Currently, I can only perform this feat once before I have to rest. The Druid was correct. My understanding of how muscles, tendons and the body is out together has allowed me to extend my Morphic talents to the other forms. My feline form is a force to be reckoned with though the new heights of power I can attain with this ability is limitless.

This is just the beginning of the greatest adventure.

ECL 16: With the Adamantine Bones, we have very few damage reductions that can't be bypassed by our bonespurs.

ECL 17: We gain access to 5th level druid spells. Getting to some of the really good buffs now. Sap Life allows us to drain an opponents strength to almost nothing. We gain at least 3 uses per day thanks to our CHA score (more with item enhancements).

ECL 18: Ah, Weild the Core. The image of a cat controlling the actions of others through pure telekinetic manipulations of their skeletal structure, as though puppets, just tickles me pink. We had the choice of taking ability focus to make this harder to resist but I eventually settled on Surrogate Spellcasting so that we can can overcome the restriction of the housecat form and cast spells while we are a housecat. This doesn't allow us activate spell completion items.

ECL 19: Oestophage, the capstone. Better late than never and a decent way to deal 10d6 damage in a pinch. Some things will fall to the DC 18 save (higher with cha items) but most won't.

ECL 20: We chose to take another level of Shaper of Form to increase saves, BAB and mostly to get the ability to polymorph 1/day. At the very least, it will give us a different form from the housecat. We gave a caster level of 10 at this point, so there are some decent things we can turn into. Useful in an emergency when the character is caught in the 1 hour downtime between ability to switch to housecat form.

Last notes: Properly equipped, the character can reach an armor class of 50 and an attack bonus of +35 for every attack made while in feline form, thanks to improved Multiattack. That's at least 6 attacks per round. With the right buffs, this can only go higher. I feel this completely offsets he need for high BAB. Damage dealing can (as in 'might') be a problem if certain equipment is not available. The Osteomancer's class abilities go a long way to ensuring this is a minimal risk.



Sources:

Player's Handbook
-Toughness
-Great Fortitude
-Spell Focus
-Weapon Finesse

Monster Manual
-Multiattack

Savage Species
-Anthropomorphic Creatures
-Improved Multiattack (also see Draconomicon)
-Surrogate Spellcasting

Dragon Compendium
-Tibbit
-Osteomancer
-Shaper of Form

d20srd.org
-Druid variants

[Kuulvheysoon]

No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die.
Auric Goldbones, CG Duskblade 4/Osteomancer 10/Legacy Champion 6
Abilities
{table=head]Strength | Dexterity | Constitution | Intelligence | Wisdom | Charisma | Reason
10 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 17 | 32-point buy

8 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 17 | Racial

7 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 18 | Middle Aged

8 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 4th level

8 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 19 | 8th level

8 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 20 | 12th level

8 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 21 | 16th level

8 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 20th level[/table]

Build
{table=head]Level | Class | BAB | Fortitude | Reflex | Will | Skills | Feats | Class Abilities | Special
1st | Duskblade PHBIII pg 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Heal 4 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks , Knowledge (history) 4 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 4 ranks | Toughness | Arcane attunement, armored mage (light) | Glimmerskin Halfling DM pg 9. I wanted to highlight the skills that Osteomancer requires and they are maxed at every level throughout the build.

2nd | Duskblade | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | Heal 5 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks , Knowledge (history) 5 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks | | Combat Casting |

3rd | Duskblade | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | Heal 6 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks , Knowledge (history) 6 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 6 ranks | Improved Initiative | Arcane channeling |

4th | Duskblade | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | Heal 7 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 7 ranks , Knowledge (history) 7 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 7 ranks | | Armored mage (medium) |

5th | Osteomancer DC pg 82 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 6 | Heal 8 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks , Knowledge (history) 8 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 8 ranks | | Boneless, immunity to disease | This is as early as you can enter into Osteomancer. I'm going to take a wild guess that the 6" for Boneless is for a medium sized creature and a small creature so the 1.5" allows him to goop into all sorts of places.

6th | Osteomancer | 5 | 7 | 1 | 7 | Heal 9 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 9 ranks , Knowledge (history) 9 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 9 ranks | Avenging Strike ToB pg 28 | Skeletal shift |

7th | Osteomancer | 6 | 7 | 2 | 7 | Heal 10 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 10 ranks , Knowledge (history) 10 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 10 ranks | | Bone spurs, unnerve |

8th | Osteomancer | 7 | 8 | 2 | 8 | Heal 11 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 11 ranks , Knowledge (history) 11 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 11 ranks | | Enlarge/reduce, iron bones | The ability to move to Tiny is now a huge benefit and he can probably goop into places 2/3" since his organs are smaller.

9th | Osteomancer | 7 | 8 | 2 | 8 | Heal 12 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 12 ranks , Knowledge (history) 12 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 12 ranks | Death Blow | Seize the core, silver bones | Now you get to do some cool stuff, you paralyze 4 people who can't make a Fort save of 19 and get to Coup de' Grace them as a standard action… just get a x4 crit weapon.

10th | Osteomancer | 8 | 9 | 3 | 9 | Heal 13 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 13 ranks , Knowledge (history) 13 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 13 ranks | | Aligned bones |

11th | Osteomancer | 9 | 9 | 3 | 9 | Heal 14 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 14 ranks , Knowledge (history) 14 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 14 ranks | | Adamantine bones |

12th | Osteomancer | 10 | 10 | 3 | 10 | Heal 15 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 15 ranks , Knowledge (history) 15 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 15 ranks | Least Legacy WoL pg 14 | Sap life | Plan on making your own legacy, and it doesn't really matter what power you get cause you get to change it.

13th | Osteomancer | 10 | 10 | 4 | 10 | Heal 16 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 16 ranks , Knowledge (history) 16 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 16 ranks | | Wield the core | MOAR Coup de' Graces, yeah boy!

14th | Osteomancer | 11 | 11 | 4 | 11 | Heal 17 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 17 ranks , Knowledge (history) 17 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 17 ranks | | Osteophage |

15th | Legacy Champion WoL pg 19 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 13 | Heal 18 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 18 ranks , Knowledge (history) 18 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 18 ranks . Healing Hands (skill trick) | Ability Focus SS pg 30 | Reduced ritual cost (lesser), bond of lore | Ability Focus (Wield the core), these levels of Legacy Champion just build on the DC from your Wield the Core, Seize the Core, and Osteophage abilities.

16th | Legacy Champion | 12 | 11 | 4 | 14 | Concentration 2 ranks, Heal 19 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 19 ranks , Knowledge (history) 19 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 19 ranks . Healing Hands (skill trick) | | +1 level of Osteomancer class features, Replace legacy ability (least) | Grab whatever ability is best used for the campaign.

17th | Legacy Champion | 13 | 12 | 5 | 14 | Concentration 4 ranks, Heal 20 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 20 ranks , Knowledge (history) 20 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 20 ranks . Healing Hands (skill trick) | | +1 level of Osteomancer class features, Extra legacy ability use (least) |

18th | Legacy Champion | 14 | 12 | 5 | 15 | Concentration 6 ranks, Heal 21 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 21 ranks , Knowledge (history) 21 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 21 ranks . Healing Hands (skill trick) | Improved Toughness CW pg 101 | +1 level of Osteomancer class features, Lesser Legacy | It doesn't really matter what ability your DM gives you cause you get to change it.

19th | Legacy Champion | 14 | 12 | 5 | 15 | Concentration 8 ranks, Heal 22 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 22 ranks , Knowledge (history) 22 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 22 ranks . Healing Hands (skill trick) | | +1 level of Osteomancer class features, Replace legacy ability (lesser) | Grab whatever ability is best used for the campaign.

20th | Legacy Champion | 15 | 13 | 6 | 13 | Concentration 10 ranks, Heal 23 ranks , Knowledge (arcana) 23 ranks , Knowledge (history) 23 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 23 ranks . Healing Hands (skill trick) | | +1 level of Osteomancer class features, Extra legacy ability use (lesser) | In the end your DC saves are 31 for most abilities, 33 for Wield the Core, and 21 for Osteophage. [/table]

Spells/Manuevers
{table=head]Level | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
1st | 2 | | | Expeditious Retreat, Swift (http://dndtools.eu/spells/complete-adventurer--54/expeditious-retreat-swift--421/), Kelgore's Fire Bolt (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-ii--80/kelgores-fire-bolt--2948/)

2nd | 3 | | | Magic Weapon (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-v35--6/magic-weapon--2838/)

3rd | 4 | | | Jump (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-v35--6/jump--2827/)

4th | 5 | | | Cause Fear (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-v35--6/cause-fear--2716/)

5th | 5 | | |

6th | 5 | 2 | | Bear's Endurance (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-v35--6/bears-endurance--2783/)

7th | 5 | 2 | |

8th | 6 | 3 | | Fly, Swift (http://dndtools.eu/spells/complete-adventurer--54/fly-swift--422/)

9th | 6 | 3 | |

10th | 6 | 5 | | Dimension Hop (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-ii--80/dimension-hop--2921/)

11th | 6 | 5 | |

12th | 7 | 6 | | See Invisibility (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-v35--6/see-invisibility--2514/)

13th | 7 | 6 | |

14th | 7 | 6 | 2 | Crown of Might (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-ii--80/crown-of-might--3007/)

15th | 7 | 6 | 2 |

16th | 7 | 6 | 2 |

17th | 7 | 6 | 2 |

18th | 8 | 7 | 3 | Energy Aegis (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-ii--80/energy-aegis--2910/)

19th | 8 | 7 | 3 |

20th | 8 | 7 | 5 | Protection from Energy (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-v35--6/protection-from-energy--2347/) [/table]

Background
"Your greed for gold will be your undoing, for I know gold and know that it cannot satisfy your thirst." Auric yelled as he launched a fire bolt at the approaching army. The army was a group of imperialist humans, elves, and orcs that conquer other countries to exploit their natural resources. They had invaded Glimmerpoint home of the Glimmerskins thinking that their golden skins was evidence of gold in their food and therefore an abundance of the resource. They wouldn't find gold, only proud halflings that wouldn't bend their knees to wouldbe kings.

"I believe in merciful killings, while people deserve to die none deserve to suffer. That is why I fight the way that I do." Auric said to one of his fellow freedom fighters. The united kingdoms had conquererd Glimmerpoint over a year ago, and he had been an active member in the restoration of soverignty. He vowed to never bend his knee to someone who wasn't democratically elected to lead, and he was teaching others not to, even the enemy. However, when he taught the enemy not to bend their knee they didn't bend anything and he would kill them.

"I am master of bones and we are the masters of our own legacy" Auric yelled to rally the troops who were prepared to throw back the invaders. The night before the Glimmerpoint freedom fighters repelled the elite forces of the united kingdoms, a group known as the Stealthy Assassin Squad (SAS) who had attempted to assassinate the the leaders of the freedom fighters. However, Goldbones was tipped off by one of the covert operatives his had working for the united kingdoms, ***** Galore who also informed him that their most dangerous and skilled assassin would come to kill him a legendary figure called Bond... James Bond.

"Gold is thicker than bones Mr. Bond…" Auric smirked as Mr. Bond stood frozen by golden bones as a large crate full of gold bricks was hoisted over his head in an elaborate death trap. "You see for us Glimmerskin halflings the gifts from the gold dragons is far more than just greed, gold to us is a token of our appreciation for the protection and benefits the metallic dragons give us..." Auric rambled on about the merits of the Glimmerpoint people. He had staged an elaborate trap for Mr. Bond with a tank full of sharks with magic missle wands attached to their heads, flowers that when squeezed would release a gas that would render someone unconcious, etc. but in the end it was his ability to Seize the Core that had won the day.

[Kuulvheysoon]

What he wouldn't give to be Spyke...
Fred

Hellbred Fighter 8/ Wu-jen 2/ Osteomancer 10

Background

Background
Fred just your normal every day type, with a strong dislike for evil things, Fred spent most of his youndger days training learning what it is to be a soldier
while dabbling some in the mystical arts, then cam to him the knowledge of how to transmute bone into various forms and he saw great application of this knowlege with what he knew from his combat experiance.


Race Info

Hellbred
racial traits:
• Humanoid (Hellbred): Hellbred are humanoid creatures, despite their monstrous appearance.
• Infernal Mien (Ex): Hellbred have a sinister presence. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks.
• Evil Exception (Ex): Regardless of alignment or class restrictions, a hellbred can cast spells with the evil descriptor and never gains negative levels while wielding evil magic items, such as unholy weapons or demon armor. This ability does not shield a hellbred from losing access to class features if he violates a class’s code of conduct. For example, using a +1 unholy longsword to slay orcs would not violate a hellbred paladin’s code of conduct, though using the weapon to kill another paladin would.
• Hellbound (Su): A devil has a claim on a hellbred’s soul. As a result, a hellbred can be restored to life only by a resurrection spell or greater magic.
• Devil’s Favor: A hellbred gains Devil’s Favor as a bonus feat for which it does not need to meet the prerequisite.
• Infernal Aspect: Upon completing the Scourging, a hellbred chooses one of the following aspects to manifest.

Body (Ex): A hellbred who chooses body as his infernal aspect gains a +4 bonus on saves against poison. In addition, he gains a +2 bonus to Constitution and takes a –2 penalty to Intelligence. The process of the Scourging strengthens his body but weakens his mind.
At 4 HD, he gains a bonus devil-touched feat.
At 14 HD, he gains another bonus devil-touched feat.

• Automatic Languages: Infernal, Common, Draconic




Abilities
Abilities
race
Str 00 Dex 00 Con 02 Int -2 Wis 00 Cha 00

32 point buy
Str 14 Dex 12 Con 14 Int 16 Wis 12 Cha 10

Ability scores
Str 14 Dex 12 Con 16 Int 14 Wis 12 Cha 10

L4 +1 to dex
L8 +1 to str
L12 +1 to str
L16 +1 to str
L20 +1 to str

level 20 Ability scores
Str 18 Dex 13 Con 16 Int 14 Wis 12 Cha 10



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

1st|
Fighter|1|2|0|0|Heal 2cc|Devil’s Favor, Toughness, Blind-Fight|bonus feat

2nd|
Wu-Jen|1|2|0|2|Knowledge (arcana) 2, Knowledge (nature) 2|Disrupting Spell|Watchful spirit, bonus metamagic feat

3rd|
Fighter|2|3|0|2|Heal 3cc|Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain), Power Attack|bonus feat

4th|
Wu-Jen|3|3|0|3|Knowledge (arcana) 4, Knowledge (nature) 4|Devil’s Stamina|-

5th|
Fighter|4|3|1|4|Heal 4cc|-|-

6th|
Osteomancer|4|5|1|6|Spellcraft 2, Use Magic Device 2|Weapon Focus (spiked chain)|Boneless, immunity to disease

7th|
Fighter|5|6|1|6|Intimidate 4|Weapon Focus (spiked armor)|bonus feat

8th|
Fighter|6|6|1|6|Intimidate 8|-|-

9th|
Fighter|7|7|2|7|Intimidate 12|Weapon Specialization (spiked chain), Weapon Focus (spiked shield)|bonus feat

10th|
Fighter|8|7|2|7|Intimidate 13, Craft Weaponsmithing 3|-|-

11th|
Fighter|9|8|2|7|Intimidate 14, Craft Weaponsmithing 6|Blood Spiked charger|bonus feat

12th|
Osteomancer|10|9|2|8|Spellcraft 4, Use Magic Device 4|Brutal Strike|Skeletal shift +1 level of existing class

13th|
Osteomancer|11|9|3|8|Spellcraft 6, Use Magic Device 6|-|Bone spurs, unnerve

14th|
Osteomancer|12|10|3|9|Spellcraft 8, Use Magic Device 8|Devil’s Flesh|Enlarge/reduce, iron bones +1 level of existing class

15th|
Osteomancer|12|10|3|9|Spellcraft 10, Use Magic Device 10|Touch of Golden Ice|Seize the core, silver bones

16th|
Osteomancer|13|11|4|10|Concentration 4|-|Aligned bones +1 level of existing class

17th|
Osteomancer|14|11|4|10|Concentration 8|-|Adamantine bones

18th|
Osteomancer|15|12|4|11|Concentration 10, Heal 6|Armor Specialization|Sap life +1 level of existing class

19th|
Osteomancer|15|12|5|11|Heal 10|-|Wield the core

20th|
Osteomancer|16|13|5|12|Intimidate 15, Craft Weaponsmithing 9|-|Osteophage +1 level of existing class
[/table]



Character Breakdown

1 not much happening with a basic fighter
5 by this level Fred has what he needs to start the SI, with good weapon skill
10 fred is all but finished with his combat training, having decent skills with various weapons
15 fred has some decent skill over bone control, with his combat skills this can be lethal
20 fred is all about bones and how to break them, make them stronger, total control over how they work or exsist

Use of the Secret Ingredient
Overall the build makes great use of the SI abilities and incorperates them well into the combat prowness of the build.



Spells per Day

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

1st|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12th|4|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

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

14th|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

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

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

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

18th|4|3|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

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

20th|4|4|3|2|1|-|-|-|-|-
[/table]



Spells

Spells

0 Daze
0 Detect Magic
0 Mage Hand: 5-pound telekinesis
0 Mending

1 Accuracy
1 Magic Weapon
1 Comprehend Languages
1 True Strike

2 Invisibility
2 Ice Knife
2 Alter Self

3 Fire Wings
3 Tongues

4 Polymorph




Sources

Sources
Book of Exaulted Deeds
PHB
PHB 2
Complete Arcane
Dragon magazine compendium
fiendish codex 2
SRD

[Kuulvheysoon]

Call him Weapon M
Nagol, the Badger

Ranger 4/Osteomancer 10/Swordsage 1/Bloodclaw Master 5

Background
Born to a wealthy family of aristocrats in the Silver Marches of Faerun, Nagol was like most boys whose fathers were powerful business men, he wanted to rule the world. However, that all changed one day when the grounds keeper and his son burst into the house drunk and demanded that Nagol's mother pleasure them. Nagol's father wasn't happy with it and attempted to slay the intruders however they overpowered Nagol's father and took his mother as a slave. Nagol decided that very day that he wouldn't be physically weak and politically powerful like his father and would be physically powerful and not give a 'dung'. Thus he was called the badger, because he didn't give a 'dung'.

Picked up by the church of Mystra and wiped of all his memories as he was trained to be an elite fighting weapon, the Shooting Star Rangers (aka Department H) carried out many missions agianst opposing churches and organizations. Nagol's powers as an Osteomancer grew and his ability to have an adamantine skeleton and claws was super cool, that and he called people bub.

Breaking free of the grasp of the church of Mystra (or at least he thought) he went solo and joined an adventuring group he met at a tavern, they called themselves a school of gifted children but they were all in their twenties and thirties and it seemed weird to Nagol but he didn't give a 'dung'! They adventured and battled all sorts of strange things, but the grup of the church kept pulling at Nagol as they would always trick him into doing missions for them. At this point he wished that he invested points in Charisma so he could get real friends and stop driving away the people that he cared about.

Oh but there were a couple things that Nagol was good at, sneaking into places (cause he's trained as a ninja) and shredding people with his adamantine claws in a blind fury. He does wish that he could have went wildshape ranger so he could get Wolverine's Rage as a feat, but it just wasn't in the cards. Storyline aside (cause it isn't listed as material that judges are supposed to judge on the main page) this is a wolverine er... badger build. The admantine skeleton and adamantine claws just screamed this so I had to build it. Thanks for reading, competing, and judging.

Abilities
{table=head]Strength | Dexterity | Constitution | Intelligence | Wisdom | Charisma | Reason
16 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 32-point buy
17 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 4th level
18 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 8th level
19 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 12th level
20 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 16th level
21 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 20th level[/table]

Build
{table=head]Level | Class | BAB | Fortitude | Reflex | Will | Skills | Feats | Class Abilities
1st | Ranger | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | Heal 4, Hide 4, Jump 4, Knowledge (nature) 4, Move Silently 4, Survival 4 | Toughness, Power Attack | 1st favored enemy, Track, wild empathy
2nd | Ranger | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | Heal 4, Hide 5, Jump 5, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 1, Survival 5 | | Combat style: two-weapon combat
3rd | Shooting Star Ranger | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | Heal 4, Hide 6, Jump 6, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 1, Survival 5 | Improved Bull Rush | Weavespeak
4th | Shooting Star Ranger | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | Heal 4, Hide 7, Jump 7, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 7, Spot 1, Survival 7 | | Bonus spells, improved spellcasting. 2 level 1 spells per day which offers well over the 3 transmutation spells needed for the SI.
5th | Osteomancer | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | Heal 4, Hide 7, Jump 8, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 8, Spot 1, Survival 7 | | Boneless, immunity to disease
6th | Osteomancer | 5 | 7 | 4 | 7 | Heal 4, Hide 8, Jump 9, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 8, Spot 1, Survival 7 | Shock Trooper | Skeletal shift
7th | Osteomancer | 6 | 7 | 5 | 7 | Heal 4, Hide 8, Jump 10, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 9, Spot 1, Survival 7 | | Bone spurs (snikt!), unnerve
8th | Osteomancer | 7 | 8 | 5 | 8 | Heal 4, Hide 9, Jump 11, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 9, Spot 1, Survival 7 | | Enlarge/reduce, iron bones. 3 level 1 spells per day.
9th | Osteomancer | 7 | 8 | 5 | 8 | Heal 4, Hide 9, Jump 12, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 10, Spot 1, Survival 7 | Battle Jump | Seize the core, silver bones
10th | Osteomancer | 8 | 9 | 6 | 9 | Heal 4, Hide 10, Jump 13, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 10, Spot 1, Survival 7 | | Aligned bones
11th | Osteomancer | 9 | 9 | 6 | 9 | Heal 4, Hide 10, Jump 14, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 11, Spot 1, Survival 7 | | Adamantine bones (super snikt!)
12th | Osteomancer | 10 | 10 | 6 | 10 | Heal 4, Hide 11, Jump 15, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 11, Spot 1, Survival 7 | Combat Brute | Sap life
13th | Osteomancer | 10 | 10 | 7 | 10 | Heal 4, Hide 11, Jump 16, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 12, Spot 1, Survival 7 | | Wield the core
14th | Osteomancer | 11 | 11 | 7 | 11 | Heal 4, Hide 12, Jump 17, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 12, Spot 1, Survival 7 | | Osteophage
15th | Swordsage | 11 | 11 | 9 | 13 | Heal 4, Hide 13, Jump 18, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 13, Spot 1, Survival 7. Extreme Leap (skill trick) | Rapidstrike | Quick to act +1, discipline focus (Weapon Focus: claws)
16th | Bloodclaw Master | 11 | 13 | 11 | 13 | Heal 4, Hide 13, Jump 19, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 14, Spot 1, Survival 7. Extreme Leap (skill trick) | | Shifting 1/day, claws of the beast
17th | Bloodclaw Master | 12 | 14 | 12 | 13 | Heal 4, Hide 14, Jump 20, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 14, Spot 1, Survival 7. Extreme Leap (skill trick) | | Superior two-weapon fighting, tiger claw synergy (stance)
18th | Bloodclaw Master | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | Heal 4, Hide 14, Jump 21, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 15, Spot 1, Survival 7. Extreme Leap (skill trick) | Shadow Blade | Pouncing strike, low-light vision, shifting 2/day
19th | Bloodclaw Master | 14 | 16 | 13 | 14 | Heal 4, Hide 15, Jump 22, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 15, Spot 1, Survival 7. Extreme Leap (skill trick) | | Tiger claw synergy (strike)
20th | Bloodclaw Master | 14 | 16 | 13 | 14 | Heal 4, Hide 15, Jump 23, Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (nature) 5, Move Silently 16, Spot 1, Survival 7. Extreme Leap (skill trick) | | Rending claws, scent, shifting 3/day [/table]

Manuevers
{table=head]Level | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th
15 | Sudden Leap | Rabid Wolf Strike, Shadow Jaunt, Cloak of Deception | Soaring Raptor Strike, Assassin's Stance | Death From Above | | |
16 | | | | | Pouncing Charge | |
17 | | | | | | |
18 | | | | | Step of the Dancing Moth | Rabid Bear Strike |
19 | | | | | | |
20 | | | | | | | Shadow Blink [/table]

Sources
Champions of Valor: Shooting Star Ranger (50)
Complete Scoundrel: Extreme Leap (86)
Complete Warrior: Shock Trooper (112), Combat Brute (110)
Draconomicon: Rapidstrike (73)
Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords: Bloodclaw Master (96), Shadow Blade (32), Swordsage (16), Shadow Blade (32)
Unapproachable East: Battle Jump (42)

[Kuulvheysoon]

The sibilant serpent
Sashsa Silvertongue
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Yuan-ti pureblood RHD 1|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|Knowledge (arcane) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Heal 2|Toughness|Bonus feat (Alertness), Bonus feat (Blindfight), +1 Natural Armor, Animal Trance 1/day (DC16), Cause fear 1/day(DC15), Charm person 1/day (DC15), Darkness 1/day, Entangle 1/day (DC15), Alternate form, Detect poison, SR 14+ Class level

2nd|Yuan-ti pureblood RHD 2|
+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|Knowledge (arcane) 5, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Heal 2.5|New Feats|New Class Abilities

3rd|Yuan-ti pureblood RHD 3|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+3|Knowledge (arcane) 6, Knowledge (Nature) 6, Heal 3|Improved Natural Armor ( Now +2)|New Class Abilities

4th|Yuan-ti pureblood RHD 4|
+4|
+1|
+4|
+4|Knowledge (arcane) 7, Knowledge (Nature) 7, Heal 3.5|New Feats|+1 wisdom

5th|Level adjustment 1|
+4|
+1|
+4|
+4|Knowledge (arcane) 7, Knowledge (Nature) 7, Heal 3.5|New Feats|New Class Abilities

6th|Level adjustment 2|
+4|
+1|
+4|
+4|Knowledge (arcane) 7, Knowledge (Nature) 7, Heal 3.5|New Feats|New Class Abilities

7th|Druid 1|
+4|
+3|
+4|
+6|Knowledge (arcane) 8, Knowledge (Nature) 8, Heal 4, Handle Animal 1, Survival 1|New Feats|Animal companion (Medium viper named Eska), Nature sense, Wild Empathy

8th|Druid 2|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+7|Knowledge (arcane) 9, Knowledge (Nature) 9, Heal 5, Handle Animal 2, Survival 2|Practiced spellcaster (druid)|Woodland stride

9th|Druid 3|
+6|
+4|
+5|
+7|Knowledge (arcane) 10, Knowledge (Nature) 10, Heal 6, Handle Animal 3, Survival 3|New Feats|Trackless step

10th|Druid 4|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+8|Knowledge (arcane) 11, Knowledge (Nature) 11, Heal 7, Handle Animal 4, Survival 4|New Feats|Resist nature’s lure, +1 charisma

11th|Osteomancer 1|
+7|
+7|
+5|
+10|Knowledge (arcane) 12, Knowledge (Nature) 12, Heal 8, Handle Animal 4, Survival 4|Natural bond (eska)|Boneless, Immunity to disease

12th|Osteomancer 2|
+8|
+8|
+5|
+11|Knowledge (arcane) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 13, Heal 9, Handle Animal 4, Survival 4|New Feats|Skeletal shift

13th|Osteomancer 3|
+9|
+8|
+6|
+11|Knowledge (arcane) 14, Knowledge (Nature) 14, Heal 10, Handle Animal 4, Survival 4|New Feats|Bone Spurs, Unnerve

14th|Osteomancer 4|
+10|
+9|
+6|
+12|Knowledge (arcane) 15, Knowledge (Nature) 15, Heal 11, Handle Animal 4, Survival 4|Improved natural attack (Bone spurs)|Enlarge/Reduce, Iron bones, +1 Charisma

15th|Osteomancer 5|
+10|
+9|
+6|
+12|Knowledge (arcane) 16, Knowledge (Nature) 16, Heal 12, Handle Animal 4, Survival 4|New Feats|Seize the core, silver bones

16th|Osteomancer 6|
+11|
+10|
+7|
+13|Knowledge (arcane) 17, Knowledge (Nature) 17, Heal 13, Handle Animal 4, Survival 4|New Feats|Aligned bones

17th|Osteomancer 7|
+12|
+10|
+7|
+13|Knowledge (arcane) 18, Knowledge (Nature) 18, Heal 14, Handle Animal 4, Survival 4|Improved natural attack (bone spurs)|Adamantine bones

18th|Osteomancer 8|
+13|
+11|
+7|
+14|Knowledge (arcane) 19, Knowledge (Nature) 19, Heal 15, Handle Animal 4, Survival 4|New Feats|Sap life, +1 Strength

19th|Osteomancer 9|
+13|
+12|
+8|
+14|Knowledge (arcane) 20, Knowledge (Nature) 20, Heal 16, Handle Animal 4, Survival 4|New Feats|Wield the core

20th|Osteomancer 10|
+14|
+12|
+8|
+15|Knowledge (arcane) 21, Knowledge (Nature) 21, Heal 17, Handle Animal 4, Survival 4|Improved natural attack (bone spurs)|Osteophage [/table]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7th|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|4|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|4|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|5|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|5|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|5|4|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|5|4|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

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

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

16th|6|5|3|2|1|-|-|-|-|-

17th|6|5|3|2|1|-|-|-|-|-

18th|6|5|3|3|2|-|-|-|-|-

19th|6|5|3|3|2|-|-|-|-|-

20th|6|5|4|3|2|1|-|-|-|-[/table]

Base ability stats before racial modifiers
Strength 10
Dexterity 14
Constitution 14
Intelligence 10
Wisdom 14
Charisma 16

Yuan-ti Pureblood Ability modifiers included to base stats (Yuan-ti Purebred can be found on page 263 of the MM)

Strength 10
Dexterity 16
Constitution 14
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 14
Charisma 18

Level 4 adjustment
Strength 10
Dexterity 16
Constitution 14
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 15
Charisma 18

Level 8 adjustment
Strength 10
Dexterity 16
Constitution 14
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 15
Charisma 19

Level 12 adjustment
Strength 10
Dexterity 16
Constitution 14
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 15
Charisma 20

Level 16 adjustment
Strength 11
Dexterity 16
Constitution 14
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 15
Charisma 20


Nature Sense : A druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.

Wild Empathy : A druid can use body language, vocalizations, and demeanor to improve the attitude of an animal (such as a bear or a monitor lizard). This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person (see Chapter 4: Skills). The druid rolls 1d20 and adds her druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly. To use wild empathy, the druid and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time. A druid can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 (such as a basilisk or a girallon), but she takes a –4 penalty on the check.

Woodland Stride : Starting at 2nd level, a druid may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.

Trackless Step : Starting at 3rd level, a druid leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired.

Resist Nature’s Lure : Starting at 4th level, a druid gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey (such as dryads, pixies, and sprites).

Animal companion : Eska (Large viper)


Boneless : At will, as a full-round action, an osteomancer may dissolve or restore his own skeleton. He becomes able to travel at a speed of 10 feet through muscular control taught to all novice osteomancers (he may not run). The osteomancer may now fit in minute spaces and crawl under barriers, with one important caveat: the osteomancer must at all times take care to protect his organs, making sure they are not squashed or crushed. For simplicity's sake, assume the osteomancer cannot travel through any space smaller than 6 inches in diameter. While in this form, the osteomancer is considered prone. He cannot use a shield, and loses his Dexterity tonus to Armor Class. He can't attack or cast spells with verbal,somatic, material, or focus components while boneless. (This does not rule out the use of certain spells that the osteomancer might have prepared using the feats Silent Spell, Still Spell, and Eschew Materials.)

Immunity to Disease : Due to their phenomenal understanding of bone and the role it plays in the immune system, osteomancers are immune to disease, including supernatural and magical diseases.

Skeletal Shift : As a standard action, 2nd-level osteomancers can shift the bone structure of their limbs and face (including teeth) to appear as a different person, at will. This ability grants a +3 bonus on Disguise checks.

Bone Spurs : The 3rd-level osteomancer may, as a free action, cause portions of his skeleton to break his skin and protrude, causing him no damage or disability whatsoever. The protruding bones act as armor spikes and spiked gauntlets. The osteomancer is automatically proficient in the weapons forged directly from his own skeleton, but not the normal weapons of the same type. Note that while normal bone is far more fragile than any forged weapon, the osteomancer's supernatural skill causes his exposed bones to have the strength of steel. He may use this ability at will. As natural weapons, the osteomancer's bone spurs cannot be sundered.

Unnerve : As an extension of the above ability, an osteomancer may sculpt his protruding bone into terrifying shapes, such as sinister leering faces. Creatures within 30 feet of the osteomancer attempting to strike or otherwise directly attack the osteomancer, even with a targeted spell, must attempt a Will save (DC 10 + osteomancer level + Charisma modifier). If the save succeeds, the opponent is unaffected and immune to that particular osteomancer's unnerve effect for 24 hours. If the save fails, the opponent suffers a -2 penalty on every attack roll against the osteomancer for the next 24 hours. A creature only has to make one save against a particular osteomancer per 24 hour period. This is a mind-affecting, fear effect. (DC25)

Enlarge/Reduce : Beginning at 4th level, once per day, the osteomancer may cast enlarge person or reduce person on himself as cast by a sorcerer of the osteomancer's class level. He gains one daily use of each spell.

Iron Bones : A 4th-level osteomancer's bone spurs act as cold iron weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Seize the Core : Once per day, the 5th-level osteomancer can take temporary control of the skeletons of his opponents, paralyzing them. He can affect up to one creature per osteomancer level within 60 feet, no two of which can be more than 30 feet apart. Each subject is allowed a Fortitude save (DC 10 + osteomancer level + Charisma modifier). Creatures without skeletons (such as oozes) are not affected. Subjects affected by this ability are held immobile as though paralyzed. As this ability targets the bone structure of a being, rather than its mind, corporeal undead are subject to its effect. A winged creature affected by this ability cannot flap its wings and falls. A swimmer cannot swim and might drown. Creatures immune to paralysis are not immune to this effect. (DC25)

Silver Bones : A 5th-level osteomancer's bone spurs act as both silver and cold iron weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Aligned Bones : At 6th level, an osteomancer's bone spurs take on any nonneutral alignment the character has (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. For example, a lawful neutral osteomancer's bone spurs act as lawful weapons. A wholly neutral osteomancer must choose for his bone spurs to be chaotic, evil, good, or lawful for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Once chosen, this alignment component cannot be changed.

Adamantine Bones : A 7th-level osteomancer's bone spurs act as adamantine, cold iron, and silver weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Sap Life : As a touch attack, an 8th-level osteomancer can cause a malaise to settle into the core of an opponent's bones. This effect deals 2d4 points of Strength damage unless the opponent makes a Fortitude save (DC 10 + osteomancer level + Charisma modifier). The osteomancer can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 plus his Charisma modifier (minimum 1). This ability can only affect living creatures with a skeleton. (DC25)

Wield the Core : At 9th level, the osteomancer can telepathically control the physical actions of any creature with a skeleton. The target creature must be within 30 feet, and is allowed a Fortitude save (DC 10 + osteomancer level + Charisma modifier) to negate the effect. On a failed save, the osteomancer can control the movements of the subject by forcing its bones to move however the osteomancer wills. The effect only allows the osteomancer to controle the movement of the creature's bone structure, and not its mind. Thus, the osteomancer cannot make the controlled creature speak, but he can cause the creature's jaws to clench shut, which would prevent a character from casting a spell with a verbal component or using an item that has a command word. This effect lasts for 1 minute per osteomancer level. Obviously self-destructive commands, such as forcing the creature to walk off a cliff or jump into lava, end the effect. Once control is established, the range at which it can be exercised is unlimited, as long as the osteomancer has line of effect to the subject. Because the osteomancer must remain in line of effect (and therefore potentially keeping himself in harm's way), commanding a creature to face an obviously superior foe does not end the effect. As this power targets the bone structure of a being, rather than its mind, corporeal undead are subject to its effect. The osteomancer can use this power three times per day. (DC25)

Osteophage : This 10th-level ability is the most lethal power at the osteomancer's command. Once per day, an osteomancer can cause the skeleton of a target to liquefy in a matter of seconds, causing the target to collapse in on itself This collapse causes instant death on a failed Fortitude save (DC 15 + Charisma modifier); a successful save prevents skeletal collapse but still deals 10d6points of damage. (DC20)

Alignment : CN
Hit Dice : 18d8+39
Bone Spur (spiked gauntlet) Damage : 2d6

[Kuulvheysoon]

...And that should be everything. Thanks for your patience, guys.

[Sian]

15 builds ... from a very quick scan through including 3 using wildshape and 2 with VoP ...

[Eldonauran]

15 builds ... from a very quick scan through including 3 using wildshape and 2 with VoP ...

I might have missed it but I only saw two with wildshape. One Druid that used it and one Ranger.

:smallbiggrin: I am going to enjoy reading these builds tonight. They all look so interesting.

[Hangwind]

Dang, I didn't realize what timezone the reveal was in! I have most of a Duskblade/Chameleon/Osteomancer build ready too!

[Thurbane]

Another comp where I missed the deadline...my own fault, of course. :smallsigh:

My build wasn't exactly imaginative: Barbarian 2/Hexblade 4 (dark companion)/Suel Arcanamach 4/Osteomancer 10.

[KrimsonNekros]

Unfortunately it looks like real life caught up to me and I couldn't get my build in this round :(

[Deadline]

I'm looking forward to reading the builds later. I can already spot a couple of builds that I fiddled with but couldn't get rolling, so I'm really interested to see how their chefs made them work.

Good luck to the Chefs, and Bon Appetite to the Judges!


Edit:


Another comp where I missed the deadline...my own fault, of course. :smallsigh:

Aww shucks, I miss you too. :smallwink:

[SoraWolf7]

I admit, I had fun with my build, and there's a lot of cool ideas and delicious cotton candy fluff here. Whether the build I submitted wins or loses, this was a learning experience for me.

[Heliomance]

Oh crap. I thought the deadline was tomorrow. Oh well.

My idea was a Duskblade 2/Bear totem Barbarian 2/Osteomancer 10/Rage Mage 1/Bear Warrior 5, based on this beastie:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14839476/Screenshot%202014-02-26%2001.28.40.png

Sadly, I never got beyond the skeleton. Ho hum.

[Piggy Knowles]

Well, my entry wasn't as detailed as I'd normally have liked, but I'm still glad I got it in. I liked it a lot, even if I was having a ton of trouble getting the motivation to actually write it up. Just have a lot going on, I guess.

Looks like a lot of really interesting builds. I expected some of the directions taken, but others took me by complete surprise. Well done, all! Can't wait to sit down and read the rest of them.

[Tim Proctor]

A lot of good builds, surprised Duskblade was used so much.

Guess the judges are slipping, where are the scores?

[SoraWolf7]

A lot of good builds, surprised Duskblade was used so much.

Guess the judges are slipping, where are the scores?

Don't the Judges have until the 11th of March?

[Eldonauran]

Don't the Judges have until the 11th of March?

:smallbiggrin:

Yes, they do. Tim was being humorous.

[Tim Proctor]

:smallbiggrin:

Yes, they do. Tim was being humorous.

Well I was trying, it seems since the walrus joke a couple competitions my sense of humor was lost.

[Amphetryon]

Well I was trying, it seems since the walrus joke a couple competitions my sense of humor was lost.

I blame the eggman. Koo-koo-catchoo.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Apologies, folks, but we have one more entry; there were some... shenanigans. Posting it now.

[Eldonauran]

Apologies, folks, but we have one more entry; there were some... shenanigans. Posting it now.

Well, its a very good thing you had the reserve post, then. :smallsmile:

Yuan-ti Pureblood? Gutsy...

[OMG PONIES]

For convenience's sake:
Rin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074759&postcount=187): Dark Changeling Rogue 3/Beguiler 2/Swordsage 1/Unseen Seer 3/Osteomancer 10
Marrow (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074784&postcount=188): Glimmerskin Halfling Duskblade 3/Cloistered Cleric 2/Thrall of Jubilex 4/Osteomancer 7/Bone Knight 4
The Golden Smilodon (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074792&postcount=189): Longtooth Shifter Druid 10/Osteomancer 10
Es Pennin Arsh (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074798&postcount=190): Blooded One Skarn Totemist 7/Scaled Horror 3/Osteomancer 10
Batal Salman (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074812&postcount=191): Human(?) Sha'ir 5/Mystic Theurge 5/Osteomancer 10
Hastae (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074818&postcount=192): Human Duskblade 3/Wilder 7/Osteomancer
Spike (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074827&postcount=193): Raptoran Totemist 6/Cleric 1/Osteomancer 10/Stormtalon 3
Ossa Ursus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074840&postcount=194): Human Ranger 5/Osteomancer 10/Master of Many Forms 5
Nikolai Leng (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074858&postcount=195): Azurin Barbarian 1/Hexblade 4/Black Blood Cultist 5/Osteomancer 10
Alithyra (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074884&postcount=196): Catfolk Duskblade 5/Ghost Faced Killer 4/Osteomancer 10
Mavis Parvana (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074893&postcount=197): Human Battle Dancer 3/Bard 2/Osteomancer 10/Cloaked Dancer 5
Leo (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074930&postcount=198): Tibbit Druid 4/Osteomancer 10/Shaper of Form 2/Warshaper 4
Auric Goldbones (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074955&postcount=199): Glimmerskin Halfling Duskblade 4/Osteomancer 10/Legacy Champion 6
Fred (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074963&postcount=200): Hellbred Fighter 8/Wu Jen 2/Osteomancer 10
Nagol (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074974&postcount=201): Ranger 4/Osteomancer 10/Swordsage 1/Bloodclaw Master 5
Sashsa Silvertongue (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074983&postcount=202): Yuan-ti Pureblood Druid 4/Osteomancer 10

[Tim Proctor]

In before troll, okay not really. Here is the infamous table.

{table=header]Character|Stuff|Scores
Rin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074759&postcount=187)|The Dark Changling Rogue 3 / Beguiler 2 / Swordsage 1 / Unseen Seer 3 / Osteomancer 10|
Marrow, Spine of Juiblex (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074784&postcount=188)|Glimmerskin Halfling Duskblade 3/Cloistered Cleric 2/Thrall of Juiblex 4/Osteomancer 7/Bone Knight 4|
The Golden Smilodon (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074792&postcount=189)|longtooth shifter Druid 10/Osteomancer 10|
Es Pennin Arsh (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074798&postcount=190)|Blooded One Skarn Totemist 7/Scaled Horror 3/Osteomancer 10|
Batal Salman (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074812&postcount=191)|Human? Sha'ir 5/ Mystic Theurge 5/ Osteomancer 10|
Hastae (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074818&postcount=192)|Human Duskblade 3/Wilder 7/Osteomancer 10|
Spike (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074827&postcount=193)|Raptoran Totemist 6/Cleric 1/Osteomancer 10/Stormtalon 3|
Ossa Ursus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074840&postcount=194)|Human Wildshape Ranger 5/Osteomancer 10/Master of Many Forms 5|
Nikolai Leng (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074858&postcount=195)|Azurin, Bear Totem Barbarian 1/Hexblade 4/Black Blood Cultist 5/Osteomancer 10|
Alityra (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074884&postcount=196)|Catfolk 5 Duskblade/4 Ghost Faced Killer/ 10 Osteomancer|
Mavis Parvana, the Skeleton Dancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074893&postcount=197)|Human Battle Dancer 3/Bard 2/Osteomancer 10/Cloaked Dancer 5|
Leo (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074930&postcount=198)|Druid 4 / Osteomancer 10 / Shaper of Form 2 / Warshaper 4|
Auric Goldbones (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074955&postcount=199)|Glimmerskin Halfling Duskblade 4/Osteomancer 10/Legacy Champion 6|
Fred (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074963&postcount=200)|Hellbred Fighter 8/ Wu-jen 2/ Osteomancer 10|
Nagol, the Badger (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074974&postcount=201)|Human Ranger 4/Osteomancer 10/Swordsage 1/Bloodclaw Master 5|
Sashsa Silvertongue (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17074983&postcount=202)|Yuan-ti pureblood Druid 4/ Osteomancer 10|
[/table]

Was there really a Sabertooth and Wolverine build this round?

EDIT: Damn you and your ninja skills!

[Kuulvheysoon]

Well, its a very good thing you had the reserve post, then. :smallsmile:

Yuan-ti Pureblood? Gutsy...

Why do you think that I always leave a reserve post?:smallwink:

PONIES, Tim, thanks for laying out the entries for us.

[KrimsonNekros]

Well for anyone who's interested my entry was going to be a Wererat Monk 2, Battle Sorcerer 5/ Ostemancer 10

[Piggy Knowles]

This was an exceptionally odd ingredient for me, because for once I didn't really have any other ideas beyond variations on the one I submitted. Usually I have a ton of different build ideas, even on contests where I don't end up submitting anything...

[Deadline]

I had my eye on an early entry cancer mage/SI/nosomatic chirurgeon, but just never had time to really work on it. There are some neat ideas here though.

[dantiesilva]

Great builds everyone, a bit surprised so many builds had the same casting class. Looking foward to the verdict for this round.

[Fax Celestis]

Sadly, I never got beyond the skeleton. Ho hum.

http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/ba_dum_tss_pirates_band_of_misfits.gif

[The Viscount]

I unfortunately didn't have the time to really make a build this round, which is fortunate because the only rough idea I had forming was maybe something with skarn monk and scaled horror, which was already built. Good luck to the chefs. Some truly fascinating builds this time around.

[Sian]

My secondary idea was based around a Druid (with Avenging Hunter ACF trading armor prof and wild shape for stuff such as track, FE, Wis to AC, etcetera) with a splash of Lion Totem Barbarian, and then Mystic Wanderer to fill it out, getting Dex, Wisdom and Chaisma to AC and depending on a (self-made) Belt of Magnifisence for buffing his stats

[WhamBamSam]

My idea was an Azurin Cloistered Cleric 1/Chaos Incarnate 2/Battle Dancer 1/Ardent 2/Osteomancer 10/Soul Manifester 4. The idea was to progress Ardent manifesting via Magic Mantle (at least mostly, you don't get an increase in PP beyond what a high ML gets you when you progress manifesting classes that way) with Practiced Manifester and Practiced Spellcaster catching my ML (and hence power level progression, I love Ardents) up most of the way. Azure Toughness to qualify for Osteomancer (I'm honestly surprised we didn't see more of that).

The basic idea was to use Blood Wind to make ranged attacks with all the bone spurs, my unarmed strike, and whatever natural attacks I could nab through Metamorphasis. Knowledge Devotion/Incarnate Avatar/Sighting Gloves boost the attacks. Since (Su) abilities have no verbal/somatic/material components, and at least one of the SI's abilities specifies that it's telekinetic, I assumed they counted as purely mental for the purposes of Schism, so I was going to try working in some Linked Power shenanigans as well, and Psycarnum Infusion+Azure Talent to recharge my low PP.

I also toyed with a few other variations on Blood Wind throwers, a pretty straightforward TWF Ranger, and poked around for ways of accessing MWF to try getting more Bone Spur attacks.

I'll probably start in on the judging Friday or Saturday. I should be able to make good time after that.

[Gemini476]

Alright then. Back during one of the first pages of this thread, I mentioned that a certain class combination interacted very strangely with the CW/CA rules for losing the qualifications for prestige classes. Luckily none of the builds here ran into it, but I figured that I'd comment on it anyway.

The Osteomancer requires you to be able to cast three Transmutation spells. The Shadowcaster actually qualifies for this, if you choose your Mysteries carefully, but there's a twist: when you reach seven levels of casting in Shadowcaster, your Apprentice Mysteries become spell-like abilities rather than arcane spells.

I think you can see what the issue is.


Oh, and as an aside: did you know that it's actually possible to fit in Osteomancer 10/Black Blood Cultist 8 in a build if you employ some gorgonzola? A Dragonwrought Kobold with one flaw can take the Dragonblood Cleric 9 substitution level at level one and get all necessary skills as class skills via the Knowledge domain, and thus can be a Dragonblood Cleric 9/Osteomancer 10/Black Blood Cultist 8 at ECL 19. (You can Rage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/rage.htm)via the Wrath domain.)

[Sian]

I'd like to see the arguement for being able to take 9'th level of cleric (the rules of substitution levels clearly state that they can only substitude level x of the class) as level 1 ... Its not gorgonzola, its much stronger

[Divayth Fyr]

I'd like to see the arguement for being able to take 9'th level of cleric (the rules of substitution levels clearly state that they can only substitude level x of the class) as level 1 ... Its not gorgonzola, its much stronger
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=294468

[Sian]

And if it got to me as Jugde i'd bin it without a second of wondering ... IMO the rules together clearly states that

1. True Dragons qualify for anything dragonblooded qualifies for (i don't buy the RAW that they can take it without qualifying for any other prerequstites)

2. Substitution levels can ONLY be taken to substitude regular levels at same level

3. Substituion levels are basicly ACFs that holds a prerequstite beyond 'because i can'

[OMG PONIES]

A Dragonwrought Kobold with one flaw can take the Dragonblood Cleric 9 substitution level at level one and get all necessary skills as class skills via the Knowledge domain


I'd like to see the arguement for being able to take 9'th level of cleric (the rules of substitution levels clearly state that they can only substitude level x of the class) as level 1 ... Its not gorgonzola, its much stronger


http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=294468

No. This is based on a willful misreading of RAW.

We begin here.

Dragons automatically qualify for any classes, prestige classes, racial substitution levels, feats, powers, or spells that require the dragonblood subtype.
However, that merely provides a specific exception to the following:

To qualify to take a racial substitution level, you must be of the proper race. For instance, to select a kobold rogue racial substitution level, you must be a kobold.
People combine that with the below rules text in misinterpreting Racial Substitution Levels as standalone options:

A character need not take all the substitution levels provided for a class. For example, a spellscale bard might decide to take only the racial substitution level for 1st level, ignoring the other substitution levels
However, this does not change the text describing how Racial Substitution levels function:

A substitution level is a level of a given class that you take instead of the level described for the standard class. Selecting a substitution level is not the same as multiclassing—you remain within the class for which the substitution level is taken. The class features of the substitution level simply replace those of the standard class’s level.
So a dragon (or dragonwrought kobold, if you subscribe to that particular interpretation) can automatically qualify for Dragonblood Cleric sublevels. This does not mean he can choose the 9th sublevel at ECL1 any more than his ability to qualify for PrCs means he can choose the capstone level of any of them at ECL1. Instead, it means she can enter the "Dragonblood Cleric" class--a 20-level base class that has the same class features as a cleric except at levels 1, 5, and 9. Granted, she can choose to forego these separate class features at any level and instead receive the regular ones, but the rule in no way entitles her to skipping levels.

[Darrin]

My build wasn't exactly imaginative: Barbarian 2/Hexblade 4 (dark companion)/Suel Arcanamach 4/Osteomancer 10.

I also started with Hexblade 4, but had to rework it into Duskblade 2/Fighter 4 to get more feats.

I wasn't able to get a build submitted, but this IC did give me two interesting ideas already: I found a way to get Rapidstrike/Improved Rapidstrike to work with armor spikes (a problem I was completely stuck on a couple weeks ago), and I found another template trick that I can maybe use for another competition.

My build was a Synad Duskblade 2/Fighter 4/Barb 1/Osteomancer 10/Abjurant Champion 3. The focus of the build was to combine bone spurs with Improved Rapidstrike, TWF, and Blood-Spiked Charger. Unfortunately, Pouncebarian was *all* it could do, and I was having trouble getting extra movement options in there. Still... might be worth finishing up, just to see how many bone spur/armor spike attacks I can pull off.

[Sian]

one of the basic build ideas i ended up not trying to get to work was to pick a prestige class with seperate spellcasting and use Osteomancer to boost that spellcasting

[Deadline]

The more I look at my dish, the happier I am with it. It could have had a better presentation (a casualty of rushing at the last moment), but the core elements are all there, and it works well. Hopefully the judges agree.

I've already got my short list of favorites from the dishes here. Some of these dishes are quite tasty!

Also, I'm proud of everyone for resisting the urge to ur-priest. :smallbiggrin:

[Fax Celestis]

The more I look at my dish, the happier I am with it. It could have had a better presentation (a casualty of rushing at the last moment), but the core elements are all there, and it works well. Hopefully the judges agree.

I'm in the same boat. I literally threw my entire build together, concept to completion, day before yesterday.

[Sian]

Also, I'm proud of everyone for resisting the urge to ur-priest. :smallbiggrin:

Seriously considered it, but as I couldn't get it to fit a decently fluffed character, but merely a build (so to speak) i chose to abandon it

[Piggy Knowles]

I also started with Hexblade 4, but had to rework it into Duskblade 2/Fighter 4 to get more feats.

The only problem with Hexblade 4 as an entry is that you've only got two transmutation spells at that point. You'd need Hexblade 6 or some other way of getting more transmutation spells in order to qualify properly.

I briefly considered doing a ranged build using totemist and an iffy wording on armor spikes, but decided it would get hit with too many penalties to be worthwhile and abandoned it without even putting together a build outline.

[dysprosium]

My original build idea was half orc Barbarian/Sorcerer/Rage Mage but I didn't like how it was starting up so I threw the table over and put together the entry that I did. You know, the one with Osteomancer!

[Tim Proctor]

The only problem with Hexblade 4 as an entry is that you've only got two transmutation spells at that point. You'd need Hexblade 6 or some other way of getting more transmutation spells in order to qualify properly.

I briefly considered doing a ranged build using totemist and an iffy wording on armor spikes, but decided it would get hit with too many penalties to be worthwhile and abandoned it without even putting together a build outline.
Yeah, I was looking at that and thought that we'd see Arcane Disciple paired with it to boost the available spells. Hexblade, Duskblade, and Ranger were the 3 earliest entry avenues that I saw. With 'heal' being a harder to gain class skill I thought rangers would be in abundance... guess I was wrong (as usual).

[WhamBamSam]

1. True Dragons qualify for anything dragonblooded qualifies for (i don't buy the RAW that they can take it without qualifying for any other prerequstites)Fixed that for you. Auto-qualification cheese doesn't depend on Dragonwrought Kobolds being True Dragons, just dragons, which requires no rules adjudication whatsoever. The only things that are True Dragon dependent are Sovereign Archetypes, Dragon Psychoses, and Dragon Pacts.

It's almost certainly RAI that they don't get to ignore other prereqs, but that's not what the text says. It says they automatically qualify for things requiring the dragonblood subtype. Automatically means automatically, and so RAW is pretty clear on the general premise of auto-qualification, though the specific cheese of RSLs taken out of order is sketchier.


No. This is based on a willful misreading of RAW.

snip[/SPOILER]This is a much more convincing argument, essentially that the only time you can even check whether or not you qualify for a RSL is when taking the corresponding level in the relevant class. Thanks for that. I always hated the whole "RSLs out of order" thing as I otherwise really, really like dragon auto-qualification, both from a fluff and crunch perspective. Specifically, I like taking Singer of Concordance 2 for full spellcasting progression and a Bonus Domain from Io's list or corresponding Devotion feat.

Anyway, I don't want to derail the thread too far on this tangent, so I should probably leave it at that.


The more I look at my dish, the happier I am with it. It could have had a better presentation (a casualty of rushing at the last moment), but the core elements are all there, and it works well. Hopefully the judges agree.

I've already got my short list of favorites from the dishes here. Some of these dishes are quite tasty!

Also, I'm proud of everyone for resisting the urge to ur-priest. :smallbiggrin:I considered Ur-Priest, but a close reading of the spellcasting progression showed that you needed to be a member of the spellcasting class in question before entering Osteomancer, and I'd wanted to take the first level of Osteomancer at 5 to shore up one of the saves for qualification and maximize the casting progression before entering Ur-Priest, so I scrapped the idea.

[Fax Celestis]

With 'heal' being a harder to gain class skill I thought rangers would be in abundance... guess I was wrong (as usual).

Not really? Aereni Focus can do it for a feat, as can Draconic Heritage (Gold). Versatile from Oriental Adventures adds any two. And then there's glimmerskin halflings, who always get to treat it as a class skill, and the omnipresent Human Paragon (which, sadly, we can't use as it's UA).

[Tim Proctor]

Not really? Aereni Focus can do it for a feat, as can Draconic Heritage (Gold). Versatile from Oriental Adventures adds any two. And then there's glimmerskin halflings, who always get to treat it as a class skill, and the omnipresent Human Paragon (which, sadly, we can't use as it's UA).
You can use UA, people use Paragons quite frequently. You can't use the variant systems or bloodlines is all.

[Sian]

Paragon's are usually among the allowed parts of UA (together with the ACF's and more rarely the races)

[Fax Celestis]

I stand corrected! In any case, gaining a class skill is pretty straightforward (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=6832.0). I'd read beyond the initial post, too.

[7th son of sons]

I had an idea, but this one crept up way to fast. I was rocking out a Bear Totem Barbarian 3/Half-Orc Paragon 3/Champion of Gwynharwyf 4/Osteomancer 10, because whats spoopier than a Raging Half-Orc with his bones popping out all over in the name of good? Alas, I wasn't sure on the fluff or on feats. Ah Well, perhaps next time.

[Eldonauran]

I've read through all the builds and color me impressed. Though, there is one that makes me go :smallconfused:.

Anyway, here's a list of the duplicate classes used (aside from the SI, naturally).

4 Duskblades
3 Druids
2 Rangers
2 Clerics
2 Swordsages
2 Totemist

I'm surprised there is such diversity in rest of the builds.