Villainous Competition VI: Clever Girl...

[AvatarVecna]

It's that time again! Get ready to Optimize My BBEG!

Previous Competitions
Round One: Leader of Armies (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?395046-Villainous-Competition-Or-Optimize-my-BBEG!)
Round Two: Nature's Revenger (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?400517-Villainous-Competition-Round-2-Or-Give-me-something-evil!&p=18868986)
Round Three: Double Agent (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?406015-Villainous-Competition-3-Or-No-Holds-Barred!)
Round Four: Grave Keeper (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?413480-Villainous-Competition-IV-or-The-Truth-is-in-the-(Blood)-Pudding)
Round Five: Crime Lord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?420704-Villainous-Competition-V-A-Contest-You-Can%92t-Refuse)

We're a little different than most of the optimization threads. We run on CR instead of ECL.

Contestants: You will need to present a write-up of your build with at least one of the following points: 5 CR, 10 CR 15CR, 20 CR, and a "sweet spot" that you feel is the high point of the build, as well as presenting a fully-fleshed out 20 CR 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:

Secret Laboratory: 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 or Generic Classes are not allowed, as they create a different playing field. Item Familiars and Taint are also banned from the competition. We don’t want to make this too easy, do we?

Plotting Time: Contestants will have until 23:59 GMT Tuesday August 11th to create their builds and PM them to the Supreme Chancellor (yours truly, AvatarVecna). Builds will then be posted simultaneously, to avoid copying. Judges will have until Tuesday August 25th 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 on a scale from 1 (very poor) to 5 (exemplary) in each area: Originality, Build Elegance, Competence and Power, Memorable Villainy.

Keep these questions in mind when judging each category:
Originality - Is it unexpected?
Build Elegance - Is it mechanically pretty?
Competence and Power - Can it do what the concept asks of it? Is this a powerfully-built character?
Memorable Villainy - Is this a villain with style? Will it be the BBEG the players talk about for years to come?

Build Elegance: Fully monstrous builds are allowed, but may be penalized at the judges’ discretion. All class levels are to be added on as associated class levels. Amount of sources can be penalized, but obscurity of sources should not be penalized. Count the three Core books as one source. Unearthed Arcana can be penalized for elegance if the specific feature seems unnecessary or makes the playing field unfair (In this case, you can give a 0 if it makes the field unfair.)
Special note on Unearthed Arcana: You can refer to the Code of Omerta (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/honor.htm#omerta) listed in the SRD when describing the character, but be aware that there will be no mechanical benefits for using the Honor system described there.
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. As the Iron Chef competition states, a little cheddar can be nice, but avoid the mature Gruyere unless you're making a cheese fondue.


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!

Using the table below, the easiest way to use it is to go to the top left of the private message, and click the little a/A icon. It allows you to see what you're writing.
Due to concerns about standardizing entry format, I'd like everyone to try to use the following table for their entry.


Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


20th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


Code immediately below (spoiler).

Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


20th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


You can use the below table for Spells.

Spells per Day/Spells Known
Spells per Day/Spells Known


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
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Code Immediately Below,
Spells per Day/Spells Known
Spells per Day/Spells Known


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
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-





Speculation: Pick your preferred prey and start learning its habits before it has a chance to realize you're watching. 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. Trust me, you'll need the safety of numbers to survive...

Get a good grip on your guns, and establish lookouts for when you sleep, because this time 'round, you're going up against...


The Ultimate Predator
You're not a person in any sense of the word. You're not a hunter, killing for sport, or the thrill of the hunt; you're a predator, unthinking, unfeeling, apathetic to the screams of your prey as they exhaust themselves trying to escape from you. You stalk your prey from afar, learning their habits, their strengths...and their weaknesses. You remain unseen and unheard, with only the vaguest hint of your presence being intentionally revealed, so as to cause your prey to panic. Once you choose your prey and begin hunting them, they're already dead, they just don't know it.

Limitations:
Cannot be a Construct, Humanoid, Monstrous Humanoid, Outsider, or Undead.
Must be combat-capable and very stealthy.

We will award 1st through 3rd places, and a possible Honorable Mention.


Use Elite Array instead of Normal Array, no Penalty on using Elite Array on a creature without any class levels.

So, that’s a nice build you got there. It would be a shame if something were to happen to it. Be sure to make it look nice for the judges. Tips for submitting your entry, provided by Weaselguy:


- Use capitalization and punctuation, correctly.
- Make good use of Spoilers, for cleanliness.
- Don't forget your sources. If it's something that can be found in the contents section, then book title seems to be fine. Obscure stuff, may want to include page number too.
- DeviantArt has about 9 billion pictures that you can reference, I can almost guarantee you can find one there to fit your character.
- Make good use of tables. In addition to the Build table and the Spells table, I like doing on e for my Ability Scores, just to keep it neat.
- Do a build stub at the top of your Build Table, something like Wizard 2/Fighter 3/Abjurant Champion 5/Eldritch Knight 10
So, start your evil plotting!

To standardize Entries, please use this format when emailing it in:

PM: AvatarVecna
Subject: Villainous Competition 6, Name of your Entry

For Revisions and disputes, do the same thing. It makes it easier for me finding the entries in my mail box.

More questions? Be careful that your curiosity doesn't kill you, little kitty… but send them anyway, with Villainous Competition 6 Questions in the header.

[illyahr]

Loving the title reference. :smallsmile:

[AvatarVecna]

Loving the title reference. :smallsmile:

Thanks!:smallbiggrin:

Originally, it was going to be "Get to the chopper!", but that's more of a Predator than a predator. :smallcool:

EDIT: Plus, that line refers to what is, in my mind, the ideal example of what this particular competition is supposed to be about.

[illyahr]

Thanks!:smallbiggrin:

Originally, it was going to be "Get to the chopper!", but that's more of a Predator than a predator. :smallcool:

EDIT: Plus, that line refers to what is, in my mind, the ideal example of what this particular competition is supposed to be about.

No matter how big and scary the T-Rex was or how vicious the spitters were, the raptors were always the ones to give you chills.

[Telonius]

I have an idea - a few, actually! Just hope I don't Vizzini myself out of a build...

[AvatarVecna]

A few quick updates, since I've had numerous people asking about some things:

1) Final type is what matters for a build's legality.

2) Feats gained by RHD can be reassigned; racial feats cannot.

Possibly more to come later...

[WhamBamSam]

Ooooh neat. I've got thoughts on this. Unfortunately the first of those thoughts got nipped by one of the typing limitations. I'll do some fiddling tonight and see what I come up with.

[Venger]

Sounds like fun! I'd love to cook. that's an interesting banlist. I'm sure I'll figure something out

[3SecondCultist]

Very interesting, very interesting. I have a few ideas to try.

Oh and... we're going to need a bigger thread. :smallbiggrin:

[AvatarVecna]

Oh and... we're going to need a bigger thread. :smallbiggrin:

:smallbiggrin: Dangerously close to speculation, there, buddy.

[Venger]

:smallbiggrin: Dangerously close to speculation, there, buddy.

This scar is from where I passed out and hit my forehead on the table after initiate of pistis sophia

"Oh yeah this scar's from where I fainted and broke my nose after seeing the SI was bladesinger

This scar is from order of the bow initiate

"I don't see anything

IT BROKE MY HEEEEEEART!

[AvatarVecna]

This scar is from where I passed out and hit my forehead on the table after initiate of pistis sophia

"Oh yeah this scar's from where I fainted and broke my nose after seeing the SI was bladesinger

This scar is from order of the bow initiate

"I don't see anything

IT BROKE MY HEEEEEEART!

Times like this, I wish I could +1 your post, or give you a Like, or something. So...a hearty thumbs up to you, good sir!

[Illven]

Should the standardized entry be Villainous competition 6, not 5?

[AvatarVecna]

Should the standardized entry be Villainous competition 6, not 5?

Copy-pasta error? What copy-pasta error?

Gonna go fix it...

[Venger]

Times like this, I wish I could +1 your post, or give you a Like, or something. So...a hearty thumbs up to you, good sir!

Wow thanks. You can sig it or something if you want, since we lack that functionality. I appreciate your kind words.


Should the standardized entry be Villainous competition 6, not 5?


Copy-pasta error? What copy-pasta error?

Gonna go fix it...

We have always been at war with round 5

[falloutimperial]

I'm having as much fun choosing an environment as a villain.

[atemu1234]

Maybe I should compete in this one...

[Telonius]

We have always been at war with round 5

Exalted is Vile. Monk is Wizard. Truenamer is OP. :smallbiggrin:

[AvatarVecna]

Exalted is Vile. Monk is Wizard. Truenamer is OP. :smallbiggrin:

But who was phone???

[Venger]

Exalted is Vile. Monk is Wizard. Truenamer is OP. :smallbiggrin:


But who was phone???

ugh, my dish was gonna be named phone. I thought we weren't supposed to speculate. I'm calling the thought police on you

[Inevitability]

Interested...

[atemu1234]

Exalted is Vile. Monk is Wizard. Truenamer is OP. :smallbiggrin:

Satsuki Kiryuin, is that you?

[3SecondCultist]

I'm having as much fun choosing an environment as a villain.

Indeed, I've narrowed it down to a few. I think we're allowed more than one entry, so I'm thinking of diversifying a little bit. Still, my first entry should be particularly fun... :smallamused:

[AvatarVecna]

Yeah, multiple entries are allowed.

[Telonius]

Ever have one of those builds that comes together almost too quickly?

[3SecondCultist]

Ever have one of those builds that comes together almost too quickly?

Yeees. I feel the same way about my build. :smallwink:

[Venger]

Ever have one of those builds that comes together almost too quickly?
Constantly


Satsuki Kiryuin, is that you?
Telonius and I were referencing 1984, not kill la kill.

what's the policy on equipment? is it like new iron chef, or are we all hunting naked?

[AvatarVecna]

Constantly


Telonius and I were referencing 1984, not kill la kill.

what's the policy on equipment? is it like new iron chef, or are we all hunting naked?

If you feel it wouldn't break immersion for your build to have a particular piece of equipment, or you think the equipment advances your abilities enough to warrant mentioning, go ahead and bring it up. Just keep in mind that, in the past, some judges have frowned on the inclusion of equipment.

[3SecondCultist]

Say, I'm wondering how many of our judges can time travel? It seems as though that'll be the only way they can meet the deadline for build judgments... :smallwink:

Also, does anyone else keep changing their ideas? I've gone through about three or four, and none of them work well with the type restriction! The Monstrous Humanoid one is pretty harsh, I must say. No Feral templates...

[Sgt. Cookie]

I have an idea for this. One I'm quite proud of.

[Venger]

Also, does anyone else keep changing their ideas? I've gone through about three or four, and none of them work well with the type restriction! The Monstrous Humanoid one is pretty harsh, I must say. No Feral templates...
Well since final type is What matters just change it again to a legal type


If you feel it wouldn't break immersion for your build to have a particular piece of equipment, or you think the equipment advances your abilities enough to warrant mentioning, go ahead and bring it up. Just keep in mind that, in the past, some judges have frowned on the inclusion of equipment.
Frustrating. Fair enough. Old iron chef rules it is thanks for the heads up I'll build accordingly

[Deadline]

Interesting. Tentatively in to compete.

[3SecondCultist]

Frustrating. Fair enough. Old iron chef rules it is thanks for the heads up I'll build accordingly

I mean, given this round's theme, I feel as though equipment shouldn't be that much of a factor anyways. :smallamused:

[Venger]

I mean, given this round's theme, I feel as though equipment shouldn't be that much of a factor anyways. :smallamused:

I don't see how that follows. Am I missing something?

[Deadline]

I don't see how that follows. Am I missing something?

It's the unthinking part. You could quite easily enter something with Int 1-2 this round. They aren't know for being tool users.

Also, what is this "Old Iron Chef" vs. "New Iron Chef" thing you are talking about? I haven't noticed any difference.

[The Viscount]

Until recently in Iron Chef gear discussion was frowned upon. It was not explicitly illegal, but judges were not discouraged from penalizing. As per the recent addition you are allowed to discuss gear so long as the item is not necessary for your build to function (like using an item to raise your stat high enough to take a feat the SI requires).

[Venger]

It's the unthinking part. You could quite easily enter something with Int 1-2 this round. They aren't know for being tool users.

Also, what is this "Old Iron Chef" vs. "New Iron Chef" thing you are talking about? I haven't noticed any difference.

Ok. That makes sense. By new I was only talking about the equipment policy which recently changed to allow us to talk about equipment.

[Thealtruistorc]

Two questions:

1. My creature has racial Hit Dice and starts at CR 6. How should I provide for that in the varying CRs?
2. How RAW specific are you going to be on Warshaper Entry? If a creature has an ability that is essentially alternate form but is not called Alternate Form, will it qualify?

Thanks

[Deadline]

Ok. That makes sense. By new I was only talking about the equipment policy which recently changed to allow us to talk about equipment.

But you've always been allowed to talk about equipment, and for the most part, the only penalties I've seen were when the equipment was required for your build to function. Did I miss a round or two in recently where several judges came down hard on even talking about equipment? (I've been mostly out of touch for the last 8 months or so).

[Venger]

But you've always been allowed to talk about equipment, and for the most part, the only penalties I've seen were when the equipment was required for your build to function. Did I miss a round or two in recently where several judges came down hard on even talking about equipment? (I've been mostly out of touch for the last 8 months or so).

short answer: yes. we're now allowed to talk about equipment without being slammed, as the viscount explained. the FAQ's been updated.

[3SecondCultist]

How RAW specific are you going to be on Warshaper Entry? If a creature has an ability that is essentially alternate form but is not called Alternate Form, will it qualify?

I'm not the DM, but for what it's worth, the entry requirements for Warshaper actually state that Alternate Form isn't enough to qualify. You need something closer to the Change Shape supernatural ability, the Polymorph spell, or an ability like Wild Shape.

[Deadline]

short answer: yes. we're now allowed to talk about equipment without being slammed, as the viscount explained. the FAQ's been updated.

Would you mind PMing me some of the judge results that led to this being a defined thing? As an occasional Iron Chef judge, I want to be sure I don't screw something up.

[AvatarVecna]

Say, I'm wondering how many of our judges can time travel? It seems as though that'll be the only way they can meet the deadline for build judgments... :smallwink:

Also, does anyone else keep changing their ideas? I've gone through about three or four, and none of them work well with the type restriction! The Monstrous Humanoid one is pretty harsh, I must say. No Feral templates...

We all frequent the 3.5 subforum and participate in optimization contests; I'm pretty sure we know a way to get a free Teleport Through Time spell. Still, for the sake of the time-space continuum, I'll change the judgement deadline.


Two questions:

1. My creature has racial Hit Dice and starts at CR 6. How should I provide for that in the varying CRs?
2. How RAW specific are you going to be on Warshaper Entry? If a creature has an ability that is essentially alternate form but is not called Alternate Form, will it qualify?

Thanks

1) Unless your RHD change over time, they have no effect on CR beyond the listed CR in the creature entry; if you advanced the creature's RHD, you advance its CR according to the monster advancement rules. If your RHD is your entire CR, then you represent lower CRs as more limited amounts of RHD; if this isn't possible, then you only showcase the CRs that your RHD allow for, which may result in an Elegance penalty, depending on the judge's opinions.

2) If a creature does not possess one of the five listed methods of qualifying (or anything close enough for government work), their build will be illegal; depending on the judge in question, this may result in a minor Elegance penalty, a major Elegance penalty, a minor Power penalty, or a complete recalculation of your Power based on your not actually having that PrC. Again, this depends on the judge in question's opinion, so YMMV.

[Telonius]

Ahhh, and there's Vizzini. :roy:

[WhamBamSam]

Crap. Just noticed something which really screws with my idea. Need to do some fiddling and probably scale back some of the more ambitious aspects of it, which is a shame.

[Venger]

Crap. Just noticed something which really screws with my idea. Need to do some fiddling and probably scale back some of the more ambitious aspects of it, which is a shame.

banlist mustve got you. it's slippery.

[WhamBamSam]

banlist mustve got you. it's slippery.Actually, no. Not in this case. I failed to read some fine print in an ingredient, and that's turned out to be a problem.

Actually, the first idea I had, that I had thought fell into the ban list's gravitational pull might actually be able to slingshot around it.

[Venger]

Actually, no. Not in this case. I failed to read some fine print in an ingredient, and that's turned out to be a problem.

Actually, the first idea I had, that I had thought fell into the ban list's gravitational pull might actually be able to slingshot around it.

Gotta love that type pyramid

[AvatarVecna]

Gotta love that type pyramid

...whether you want to or not.

[Amphetryon]

Ahhh, and there's Vizzini. :roy:

The first idea I had for this contest, given the criteria and restrictions, was so blindingly obvious to me that I don't have the heart to stat it up.

[Telonius]

Well, Vizzini or not, my build is finished and sent!

[WeaselGuy]

I have an idea, and I think it's a pretty good one.

[professortoast]

Hi everybody. I'm new here, but I think I want to enter a build. I have some questions, mostly about stats but also some clarification on template stacking, that I would rather not ask publicly because I don't want to give anything away. Is there anyone I should pm to get some answers?

[Amphetryon]

Hi everybody. I'm new here, but I think I want to enter a build. I have some questions, mostly about stats but also some clarification on template stacking, that I would rather not ask publicly because I don't want to give anything away. Is there anyone I should pm to get some answers?

Welcome. PM AvatarVecna, as this round is his creation. You'll probably be well served to quote any specific rulings he makes somewhere in your writeup, if you think the ruling may be contentious.

[WhamBamSam]

Whew. Got my entry in. Might try to do a second one over the weekend.

[daremetoidareyo]

Just entered the strangest build I've ever done. Thanks to the chairperson, I forgot to write as such in the PM.

[Telonius]

Really, really looking forward to the reveal on this one.

[Venger]

Just entered the strangest build I've ever done. Thanks to the chairperson, I forgot to write as such in the PM.
aaaaaand submitted. that was a blast. thanks for posting in ic about this, avatarvecna, I hadn't heard of this contest before, it sounds like a lot of fun.


Really, really looking forward to the reveal on this one.

me too. it's shaping up to be a very diverse round.

[AvatarVecna]

Time's up everybody! I would've done this at midnight GMT on the dot, but work got real busy for a while there. Anyway, no posting until I've given the all-clear!

[AvatarVecna]

No...t'was clinical depression that killed the beast.



Surcease of Sorrow
Invisible Stalker 8/ Stalwart Sorcerer 3/ Divine Crusader 9/ Divine Agent 1.
https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/p/poe/edgar_allan/raven/plates/plate17.jpg
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;—
Darkness there and nothing more.

Surcease of Sorrow is a euphemism. It’s kinder to say than to describe its victims. No one in the city knows its cause or how to stop it, and it happens every month now. Something about our culture, they’ll say in the taverns, just makes a man let go.

The signs are well known, by now. Someone, usually overworked, will complain to their friends that they feel like they’re being followed by a raven. When they try to sleep, they hear and see the long-dead, whispering terrible things. Some spellcasters report that there are invisible symbols telling them to kill themselves.

Eventually the victim is found dead. Sometimes because their wrists have been slit, other times from nightmares. Sometimes, they seem like they’ve been scared to death. It predates on civilized society. It is nourished by that loneliness in the crowd, by the “probably nothing” of urban life. It can’t be stopped because neither magic nor medicine can find its cause.

Surcease of Sorrow is an invisible stalker. It has learned some sublime horror, connected to some terrible power— perhaps of Ilsensine, deity to mind flayers, perhaps to something more sinister. It uses illusions to torture its target and leaves then erases invisible arcane marks encouraging them to take their own life. Its magic is as difficult to detect as it is to see. Surcease of Sorrow hides under the bed, not breathing, not sleeping, but waiting. As its connection to its dark patron grows stronger, it conjures Nightmares and Phantasmal Killers to end its victims suffering. But its greatest asset is the city. It is the manifestation of “none of my business” and “it’s probably fine.” It expands into the spaces where “are you alright?” should be. Every other beast is kept out by the light and noise and law of the city. Surcease of Sorrow is of the city.

strength 16
dexterity 18
constitution 17
intelligence 18
wisdom 16
charisma 15
+5 to charisma over time through levelling up.




CR
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


7
8 HD Elemental
+6
+6
+10
+4
Knowledge (religion) +2, Listen +10, Move Silently +12, Search +6, Spot +10. Speak Language (Common)
Nonverbal Spell, Shadow Weave Magic, Spell Focus (Illusion)
Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, natural invisibility, improved tracking


8
Stalwart Sorcerer 1
+6
+6
+10
+6
Concentration +1, Diplomacy +2, Knowledge (Arcana) +1
Spell Thematics (ghostly faces), Bonus: Weapon Specialization (Unarmed Strike)
See Bonus Feat, Familiar (Raven)


9
Stalwart Sorcerer 2
+7
+6
+10
+7
Concentration +3, Diplomacy +4
-
-


10
Stalwart Sorcerer 3
+7
+7
+11
+7
Concentration +5, Diplomacy +6
-
-


11
Divine Crusader 1
+7
+9
+11
+9
Concentration +7, Diplomacy +8
Insidious Magic
Dream Domain, Aura (Lawful, Evil)


12
Divine Crusader 2
+8
+10
+11
+10
Concentration +9, Diplomacy +10
-
-


13
Divine Crusader 3
+9
+10
+12
+10
Concentration +11, Diplomacy +12
-
Electricity Resistance 5


14
Divine Crusader 4
+10
+11
+12
+11
Concentration +13, Diplomacy +14
Practiced Spellcaster
-


15
Divine Crusader 5
+10
+11
+12
+11
Knowledge (Religion) +3, Concentration +15, Diplomacy +15
Bonus (Weapon Specialization (Unarmed Strike))
See Bonus Feat


16
Divine Crusader 6
+11
+12
+13
+12
Knowledge (Religion) +4, Concentration +16, Diplomacy +17
-
Acid Resistance


17
Divine Crusader 7
+12
+12
+13
+12
Knowledge (Religion) +5, Concentration +17, Diplomacy +19
Domain Focus (Dream)
Darkvision 90 ft.


18
Divine Crusader 8
+13
+13
+13
+13
Knowledge (Religion) +6, Concentration +18, Diplomacy +21
-
-


19
Divine Crusader 9
+13
+13
+14
+13
Knowledge (Religion) +7, Concentration +19, Diplomacy +23
-
Acid/Electricity Resistance 10


20
Divine Agent
+13
+13
+14
+15
Concentration +24, Diplomacy +24
Greater Spell Focus (Illusion)
Granted Domain (Mind)



Sorcerer spells known:
0th- arcane mark, ghost sound, prestidigitation, mage hand, detect magic
1st- silent image, erase
Can cast six cantrips and five 1st-level spells.


Divine Crusader Spells per Day
Spells known are the dream domain. At 20th level, add the mind domain to spells known. Therefore, each spell level has only one spell known until Divine Agent, at which point it will have two spells known.


Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th


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


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


3rd
-
4
2
1
-
-
-
-
-
-


4th
-
4
3
2
1
-
-
-
-
-


5th
-
5
3
3
2
1
-
-
-
-


6th
-
5
4
3
3
2
0
-
-
-


7th
-
5
4
4
3
2
1
0
-
-


8th
-
5
4
4
4
2
2
1
0
-


9th
-
5
4
4
4
3
2
2
1
0



Spell Thematics makes a certain spell of each spell level a thematic spell, increasing its caster level by one. In order, the spells chosen are ghost sound, silent image, augury, deep slumber, phantasmal killer, nightmare, dream sight, greater scrying, power word stun, and weird.


CR 7
At this point, Surcease of Sorrow already shows its connection to its dark patron. Its intuitive knowledge of religion and ability to speak common allows it to hunt carefully, but with its spells it is fighting at a disadvantage. If it encounters the PCs, it will select one to focus on and whisper to them every night, attempting to turn them against the party through mundane speech.

CR 10
At this point, its victim catches frequent glimpses of a raven. Their nights are tortured by ghastly apparitions, and from the safety of a hiding place Surcease of Sorrow will attempt to get them to cast see invisibility or similar. At that point, they will see its arcane mark, a symbol of suicide. When they finally bring themselves to sleep, Surcease of Sorrow will smother them and slit their wrists. It will take their prized possessions and hide them at their friends’ homes before morning arrives.

CR 16: Sweet Spot
Now Surcease of Sorrow has no need to kill with mundane methods. Its ability to cast Nightmare and Phantasmal Killer allows it to cause greater fear. At this point, Surcease of Sorrow focuses on spellcasters if it can, relying on the stereotype of the overworked, eccentric wizard to ensure that no one takes any warning signs seriously. Its nonverbal spells cover their verbal components, its spell thematics make them difficult to identify, and its insidious magic makes them difficult to detect.

CR 20
The level in Divine Agent allows Surcease of Sorrow to cast from the mind domain, effectively doubling its spells known from Divine Crusader. This increases its utility in scrying and divination generally. The public fear it has cultivated may be such that if the PCs kill Surcease of Sorrow most will simply not believe it ever existed. Tragically still, it may claims some victims even in death.


Invisible Stalker- DMG
Stalwart Sorcerer- CM
Divine Crusader- CD
Dream Domain- CD
Mind Domain- CD
Practiced Spellcaster- CD
Shadow Weave Magic- PG
Insidious Magic- PG
Spell Thematics- PG
Divine Agent- MotP
Nonverbal Spell- PlH


Firstly, the subject matter of this villain is such that a DM should make sure that all players know what kind of campaign is being run and what kinds of themes they would have fun investigating. Second, Surcease of Sorrow is a subtle killer. The players should not encounter it for most of their search, perhaps only seeing its raven familiar in the distance. The investigation naturally comes to an end when it selects a PC and attempts to break them, so that should be delayed until dramatically appropriate. Its use of save-or-die spells also means that players should have plenty of time to investigate and prepare before a direct confrontation.
A lenient DM may rule that the deity weapon of Ilsensine could be (slam) for an invisible stalker, and change the feat selection accordingly. Such a DM may also want to increase Surcease of Sorrow’s charisma to allow it to cast more spells or give it another level in Divine Crusader, which would make it an Outsider.

[AvatarVecna]

Pennywise, eat your heart out.



Project D.U.M.B. A. S. S.
DISJUNCTION BY MULTIPLE BITE ATTACKS STEALTH SPIDER
CE 4-headed Spellgaunt Rogue 1/Battle Dancer 1/Swordsage 1

http://cdn.obsidianportal.com/assets/82444/Spellgaunt_Image.jpg
This monstrosity, but worse.

The ResearchAbility ScoresElite Array: 15 Str, 13 Dex, 8 Con, 10 Wis, 12 Int, 14 Cha
With Adjustments for Spellgaunt: 23 Str, 17 Dex, 14 Con, 10 Wis, 14 Int, 24 Cha
With Adjustments for Multiheaded: 23 Str, 17 Dex, 20 Con, 10 Wis, 14 Int, 24 Cha
There are two stat boosts, one at the 20th HD and one at the 24th. Invest both in Str, or one in Str and one in Dex, depending on whether you plan to give the final creation inherent bonuses.

Note also that investment in Cha assumes that the save DCs for the Spellgaunt’s Disjunctive Bite and Force Web are Cha based. MMII and the Update/Errata Documents do not explicitly say this is the case, though general rules strongly suggest that it is for all (Su) special attacks.
Build Table


CR
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


12
Spellgaunt (16 HD)
+16
+10
+10
+5
Hide 19, Spot 19, Jump 19, Move Silently 5cc, Balance 5, Spellcraft 2cc
1: Darkstalker, 3: Mage Slayer, 6: Martial Study (Claw at the Moon), 9: Multiattack, 12: Rapidstrike (Claws), 15: Martial Stance (Leaping Dragon Stance)
Disjunctive Bite, Enhanced Bite, Force Web, Snatch Item, Detect Magic, Quick Leap, SR 35, Skill Bonuses, +7 Natural Armor


16
Multiheaded Template (First Additional Head: +2 HD)
+18
+11
+11
+6
Hide 21, Spot 21, Jump 21, Move Silently 6cc, Balance 5, Spellcraft 2
18: Improved Rapidstrike (Bites), Multiheaded: Improved Initiative, Multiheaded: Combat Reflexes
Extra Bite, Skill Bonuses, +1 Natural Armor


17
Multiheaded Template (Second and Third Additional Heads: +4 HD)
+22
+13
+13
+7
Hide 25, Spot 25, Jump 25, Move Silently 8cc, Balance 5, Spellcraft 2
21: Improved Multiattack
Extra Bites, Skill Bonuses, +2 Natural Armor


18
Battle Dancer 1
+23
+15
+15
+9
Hide 26, Spot 24, Jump 26, Move Silently 13, Balance 5, Spellcraft 2
Battle Dancer: Improved Unarmed Strike
Unarmed Strike, AC Bonus


19
Rogue 1
+23
+15
+17
+9
Hide 27, Spot 27, Jump 27, Move Silently 18, Balance 5, Spellcraft 2
24: Craven
Sneak Attack 1d6, Trapfinding


20
Swordsage 1
+23
+15
+19
+11
Hide 28, Spot 27, Jump 28, Move Silently 24, Balance 5, Spellcraft 2
-
Maneuvers (Distracting Ember, Flashing Sun, Leaping Flame, Cloak of Deception, Sudden Leap, Dancing Mongoose), 4 Maneuvers Readied, Stance Known (Hunter’s Sense), Quick to Act +1



The TourThe Breeding Program (CR12)“Here in this facility, we’ve been conducting magical research to create the perfect predator. This was the first step in the project. We maintain a captive breeding population of Spellgaunts here, from which a combination of conventional training, selective breeding, and more direct magical modification birthed the specimens that we will exhibit later on.”

Archmage Feldwynn was clearly very pleased with his work. He had a reputation of staggering ingenuity, if not of great decision making. Looking down into the enclosure below where the arachnid monstrosities scuttled about, and scribbling some notes, Parker Brightsong, the reporter to whom Feldwynn was reciting his spiel, cleared his throat. “Let’s start with the training, since it sounds like the real triumphs of breeding and magic come later on.” he said, trying to hide his fear of the creatures.

“Certainly,” said Feldwynn happily, “Spellgaunts have a naural talent for hiding, even with their size, but they can be prone to alerting prey with the noise they make. It’s uphill work training them to move quietly. We conducted some brief experiments interbreeding them with a green dragon colleague of mine, but were unable to cause the knack for silent movement to manifest the way it sometimes does in sorcerers of similar lineage. Still, we’ve had some positive results.”

“I see,” said Brightsong, “They also seem remarkably agile. Is that also part of their stealth training?”

“No, that’s largely for another purpose,” replied the Archmage. “Spellgaunts are naturally able to take great leaps very suddenly, but face the same limitations that other creatures do when jumping without a running start. We introduced them to some martial jumping techniques to enhance the ability. The techniques were apparently inspired by wild beasts in the first place, and the spellgaunts took to them very quickly.”

“So basically,” Parker tried to summarize, “you took a bunch of terrifying giant spiders that eat magic, taught them to be sneakier, and to do kung fu?”

“Well, yes, as a starting point.”
Spellgaunts are nasty pieces of work from MMII. They’re giant magical beast spiders that eat magic items, shoot webs of force, can make a standing jump as a free action, and their bite stops a creature that fails its save from using spells, SLAs, or Su abilities for 1d2 rounds. The original DR 40/+4 was reduced to 15/magic in the 3.5 update, but their SR 35 remains intact, and will be a non-trivial hurdle even for someone casting at CL20, at least before things like Assay Spell Resistance start getting involved. In addition to spending cross-class ranks to buff up Move Silently, we also sink a few points into Spellcraft to qualify for Mage Slayer to make things even more inconvenient for spellcasters whose grill it gets into (even if his initial attack doesn’t manage to get a successful Disjunctive Bite off on them, he’ll get another chance if they can’t or won’t move out of his range before casting. We’re also optimizing the Spellgaunt’s Quick Leap ability, which allows it to make a standing jump as a free action. In the interests of everyone’s sanity, I’m taking an assumption that this ability has a 1/turn limit, though the RAW doesn’t really seem to support this conservative reading (if you insist upon throwing something that makes NI jumps per round at your PCs, see the adaptation section). Thus, we want to make our standing jump count, to which end we pick up Leaping Dragon Stance through Martial Study, which removes the penalty for jumps without running starts, and tosses an extra +10 onto the check for good measure.

Because Multiheaded is an inherited template, this isn’t so much an earlier encounter with the same monster discussed in later entries as it is a “prototype” version that the PCs might encounter when they aren’t yet ready to face the real thing.

If you want to use the fluff I presented, I would recommend feeding the Spellgaunt colony through a caster using Legion’s Magic Weapon or Legion’s Greater Magic Weapon to turn a bunch of sticks into +x clubs or somesuch, as it’s difficult to produce enough real magic items to feed them (probably, it’s not explicitly stated how much they need to eat, though MMII does seem to suggest that Spellgaunt colonies somehow exist without casters to keep them fed, but whatever). It also puts on a good show for the players if they happen to be touring the facility.

The Hunter (CR 17)The tour continued on to the next room, where Brightsong almost immediately had to suppress a shudder. The new enclosure featured spellgaunts which had clearly been tampered with magically. The monstrosities had two of their strange monstrous heads, and in some cases three or even four.

“Causing the extra heads to develop was an uphill task, I don’t mind telling you,” Feldwynn commented wryly. “We’re not certain whether the difficulty arose from the creatures’ natural resistances to magic, or simply the complexities of their bites, but we lost a great many eggs in our attempts to magically induce the mutation, or simply failed to affect the embryos within. It’s proven well worth the effort in the end though, I daresay. The danger of a spellgaunt increases in direct proportion with the number of times it can bite, and multiple bites allow the creature to attack more rapidly with said bites. The extra heads also enhance their already impressive vision and give them the necessary reactive ability to put further pressure on their prey.”

“Truly a fearsome beast,” the journalist replied, staring in fascinated horror at the creatures below. “I shudder to think what you’ve done to top this.”
Since the Spellgaunt’s primary debuff comes from biting, we want it to have as many bites as possible. To that end, we tack on the Multiheaded template. Unfortunately, special attacks concerning bites (such as the Spellgaunt’s Enhanced Bite and Disjunctive Bite) should almost certainly count as head based special attacks, even if they aren’t exactly like Breath Weapons or Gaze attacks, so the first extra head is a huge +4 CR hurdle. The heads after that come easier, as the CR increase for head based special attacks is a flat one, and the increase in CR for 3 extra heads is the same as that for 2 extra heads, so we jump up from 2 heads to 4 for a single point of CR. The Rapidstrike line doesn’t carry the same baggage that the Weapon Focus line does of needing all the feats to choose the same natural weapon, and they’d be redundant applied to the same one, so we’re going to take advantage of that little quirk of RAW and use Rapidstrike (Claws) to qualify for Improved Rapidstrike (Bites). For those of you keeping track at home, that (and Improved Multiattack) brings the full attack routine up to 4 bites at full attack bonus, 4 extra iterative style bites, 2 claws at full attack bonus, and a claw at -5. Multiheaded also adds Combat Reflexes to kick Mage Slayer up a notch, albeit only one what with the lack of reach. Note also, that you can perform free actions while performing other actions, so if it starts a turn within melee reach, it can make a few attacks to bring down an enemy or just debuff them with one of its many Disjunctive Bites, then take a Quick Leap partway through its full attack and use the rest of its attacks on someone else. instead.

Apex Predator (CR20)“This, is the pinnacle of our research up to this point. The four-headed creatures you saw in the last room represented the furthest that avenue of experimentation could go. Other researchers have published papers on creatures with multiple heads from other species suggest that three additional heads is the maximum limit a creature of that size will be able to support. We considered other forms of cross-breeding, but ultimately decided on conventional martial and stealth training. He is swift precise and brutal, a predator that will bring swift death to those unfortunate enough to be his prey.” The Archmage’s voice was swollen with pride and accomplishment.

“And do you think this was wise?” Brightsong looked with apprehension at the creature scuttling around the tank below. “I mean, what if he gets out? And what do you intend to do with such a creature?”

Feldwynn opened his mouth to answer, then turned sharply to a zit faced half-elven intern with a bow that he had just noticed drawing a bow with a glittering arrow knocked upon it. “You there! What are you doing?”

“Oh,” said the intern guiltily. “I got tired of going down to push the magic weapons in to his tank, so I’ve just been enhancing these arrows and giving ’em a dose of brilliant energy so they go right through the glass. He seems to enjoy chasing after ’em. Hey!” He turned toward the hulking monster in the enclosure, “See if you can catch this one in your mouth!”

“No!” Feldwynn shouted, but it was too late. The arrow glided through the pane of glass toward one of the spellgaunt’s heads. With a fluid motion, the creature dodged aside so the arrow deflected harmlessly off of one of the chitinous plates on its back. In a flash of fire, the spellgaunt vanished, reappearing in an instant, next to the intern, free of its cage. The archmage’s eyes went wide, and he vanished, equally suddenly into thin air, the disjunctive fangs of one of the creatue’s heads closing a hair’s breadth from where he stood.

In a smooth ballet of sudden violence the spellgaunt lashed out against the intern with a barrage of strikes, leaving him dead and bloody on the floor of the lab. Three of the heads bent down to feed on the body and the magic items it had born, while the fourth turning to leer at the journalist with eight cruel, hungry eyes. “I’ll give you a five minute head start,” it said. “The hunt is on.”
We finish off with a few class levels. They allow our spellgaunt to finally catch Move Silently (now at long last a class skill) up to where it should be at this CR, pick up craven for more damage (we end up with a character level of 25, keep in mind, so it’s even more of a damage boost than it normally is for PCs), iterative unarmed strike attacks (which do not conflict with the pseudo-iteratives from the Rapidstrike line), Cha to AC, and some snazzy maneuvers. Sudden Leap, gives it the ability to make two jumps and still full attack in one turn out of every encounter, Flashing Sun and Raging Mongoose can allow for even more bites on a full attack, Distracting Ember keeps Craven damage up against a no longer flatfooted foe, Cloak of Deception helps with stealth, and with some limitations, Leaping Flame offers a way to close with foes who try to fight at range. You can only have four readied at a time, so you need to pick and choose which ones seem most useful for a given group of prey, but that’s part of what being a hunter is all about.
Further Experimentation (Adaptations and Extra Cheese)Excerpts from Archmage Feldwynn’s Grant Proposal for Project D.U.M.B.A.S.S.

“We are actually uncertain of the rapidity at which spellgaunts can make their exceptional leaps. Further research will involve attempting to train them in what we are tentatively terming, “the bunny hop method.” Should it prove successful, this will reduce the pressure on the creatures to learn more complicated martial techniques regarding jumping, and may give us the opportunity to explore other avenues of training.”

“We also believe that with positive reinforcement training, we will be able to dissuade the spellgaunts from eating magical equipment, which could dramatically increase their capabilities. Even if they should prove too willful for this, we believe that contracting grafting experts may be well worth the expenditure in terms of potential improvement of hunting capabilities.”
If your table is a cheesy place, and you want to just use arbitrarily many free actions to keep jumping around with Quick Leap, then you don’t really need Leaping Dragon Stance (or indeed more than a +10 jump modifier to make a 5ft standing jump), unless you’re looking to make a lot of high jumps in areas where just using the spellgaunt’s climb speed to bounce up along a wall or tree isn’t viable. This would free up two feats which could be used for anything from more of the Mage Slayer line, to Supernatural Instincts to expand the range of things that can be preemptively (literally) nipped in the bud to activated (Su) abilities (Supernatural Instincts won’t impose a failure chance, but Disjunctive Bite should stop the ability from working, as it seems that it the AoO happens before the ability is completed), to getting Improved Rapidstrike on claws as well as bites, to Apprentice (Woodsman)+Track for more of a predatory vibe, and synergy with the scent ability that’s picked up on the Swordsage dip via Hunter’s Sense.

Items are, as always, handy if you can justify them. From basic ability boosters to a Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis for the Dark template’s HiPS and Move Silently bonus, to any number of other things. Of course, a spellgaunt wearing a magical collar is sort of like a person wearing a chocolate bar around their neck, so for fluff reasons, you may want to shift your attention to grafts. Feathered Wings is always a good bet, since lack of flight is currently the creature’s biggest weakness, and another Fiendish Graft, the Flexible Arm would open up Extended Reach to improve AoO shenanigans if you can spare a feat. Depending on how you parse the CR increase of Multi-headed for special attacks applying to attacks added after the fact, rather than being inborn on the base creature, the Metabolic Fire graft (along with one other Draconic Graft, likely the Draconic Crest for frightful presence), might be a good bet for four streams of sonic. The Third Eye (or Ninth or Thirty-third eye I guess in this case) Beholder Graft’s antimagic cone would also be in keeping with the theme of the build. Worth considering if you want to play up the mad science angle or just want your hunter to be a little more dangerous.


ReferencesAll sources mentioned, including those for alternative suggestions or item recommendations.

Complete Arcane: Mage Slayer (the most recent version of Mage Slayer is in MMV, but is identical, Complete Arcane contains the other feats in the Mage Slayer line mentioned in adaptations)
Champions of Ruin: Craven
Draconomicon: Improved Rapidstrike, Rapidstrike
Dragon Compendium: Battle Dancer
Dungeon Master’s Guide II: Apprentice
Fiend Folio: Fiendish Grafts, Beholder Grafts
Fiendish Codex II: Supernatural Instincts
Lords of Madness: Darkstalker
Monster Manual II (3.5 Update (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20030718a)): Spellgaunt
Races of the Dragon: Draconic Grafts
Savage Species: Multiheaded Template, Extended Reach
Tome of Battle: Maneuvers, Martial Stance, Martial Study, Swordsage
Tome of Magic: Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis

Everything else can be found in the SRD.

[AvatarVecna]

Looks like the universe needs to take out a restraining order...



The Creeper
https://yardsaleofthemind.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/gahan-wilson-flasher.jpg
NE Daelkyr Half-Blood Ranger 4/Bloodhound 1/Impure Prince 6/Bloodhound 2/Swordsage 2/Bloodhound 8

Stats
Str 15 (Increase at 8, 12, 16, 20)
Dex 12
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 13 (Increase at 4)
Cha 8
Build


Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
Ranger 1
+1
+2
+2
+0
Gather Information 4, Hide 4, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 4, Move Silently 4, Survival 4, Search 4
Darkstalker, (B) Symbiont Mastery, (B) Track
Favored Enemy (Aberrations), Track, Voice of the City, Skilled City Dweller


2nd
Ranger 2
+2
+3
+3
+0
Hide 5, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 5, Move Silently 5, Speak Language (Daelkyr) 1, Survival 5, Tumble 1
(B)Two-Weapon Fighting
Combat Style


3rd
Ranger 3
+3
+3
+3
+1
Hide 6, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 6, Move Silently 6, Survival 6, Tumble 3
Wise to Your Ways (B) Endurance
Endurance


4th
Ranger 4
+4
+4
+4
+1
Hide 7, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 7, Move Silently 7, Survival 7, Tumble 5

Urban Companion


5th
Bloodhound 1
+5
+6
+6
+1
Heal 4, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 8 (2)

Mark (1), Swift Tracker, Skilled City Dweller


6th
Impure Prince 1
+6/+1
+6
+6
+3
Hide 9, Move Silently 8, Survival 8
Extra Favored Enemy (Humanoid(Human))
Expanded Spell List, Lure Symbiont


7th
Impure Prince 2
+7/+2
+6
+6
+4
Hide 10, Move Silently 10, Survival 9

Favored Enemy Aberrations +2 (+4)


8th
Impure Prince 3
+8/+3
+7
+7
+4
Hide 11, Move Silently 11, Survival 11

Aberrant Anatomy (25%)


9th
Impure Prince 4
+9/+4
+7
+7
+5
Hide 12, Jump 1, Move Silently 12, Survival 12
Murderous Intent (Human)
Aberrant Fortitude


10th
Impure Prince 5
+10/+5
+7
+7
+5
Hide 13, Jump 2, Move Silently 13, Survival 13

Otherworldly Surge


11th
Impure Prince 6
+11/+6/+1
+8
+8
+6
Hide 14, Jump 3, Move Silently 14, Survival 14

Aberrant Anatomy (50%), Favored Enemy Aberrations +4 (+6)


12th
Bloodhound 2
+12/+7/+2
+9
+9
+6
Heal 10
Graft Flesh (Beholder)
Nonlethal Force, Ready and Waiting


13th
Swordsage 1
+12/+7/+2
+9
+11
+8
Hide 16, Move Silently 16, Tumble 7

Quick to Act +1, Discipline Focus: Tiger Claw (Weapon Focus)


14th
Swordsage 2
+13/+8/+3
+9
+12
+9
Hide 17, Move Silently 17, Tumble 11

Ac Bonus


15th
Bloodhound 3
+14/+9/+4
+9
+12
+10
Hide 18, Move Silently 18, Survival 18
Barbed Stinger
Bring ‘em Back Alive, Tenacious Pursuit (Speed + 10 feet)


16th
Bloodhound 4
+15/+10/+5
+10
+13
+10
Hide 19, Move Silently 19, Survival 19, Tumble 14

Hunter’s Dedication, Mark (2), Move Like the Wind


17th
Bloodhound 5
+16/+11/+6/+1
+10
+13
+10
Hide 20, Jump 6, Move Silently 20, Survival 20

Crippling Strike, Track the Trackless


18th
Bloodhound 6
+17/+12/+7/+2
+11
+14
+11
Hide 21, Jump 9, Move Silently 21, Survival 21
Martial Stance (Crushing Weight of the Mountain)
See Invisibility, Shielded Mind, Tenacious Pursuit (Speed +20 ft)


19th
Bloodhound 7
+18/+13/+8/+3
+11
+14
+11
Hide 22, Jump 12, Move Silently 22, Survival 22

Locate Creature, Mark (3)


20th
Bloodhound 8
+19/+14/+9/+4
+12
+15
+11
Hide 23, Jump 13, Move Silently 23, Survival 23

Freedom of Movement



Spells
Spells per Day


Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th


1st
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


2nd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


3rd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


4th
-
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


5th
-
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


6th
-
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


7th
-
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


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


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


10th
-
1
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


11th
-
1
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


12th
-
1
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


13th
-
1
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


14th
-
1
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


15th
-
1
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


16th
-
1
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


17th
-
1
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


18th
-
1
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


19th
-
1
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


20th
-
1
0*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


*Not counting bonus slot from high Wisdom
Typically prepared: 1: Primal Hunter 2: Primal Instinct

Maneuvers
1st : Wolf Fang Strike, Sudden Leap
2nd : Mountain Hammer, Cloak of Deception, Shadow Jaunt, Burning Brand
3rd : -
4th : Death from Above (at 2)
Stances: Hunter’s Sense, Leaping Dragon Stance (at 2)
Backstory
Most of what is said about the Creeper is said in hushed whispers or drunken slurs. Little is said about him at all. One might be willing to dismiss him as some legend or folk tale, but a few accounts have been verified through the rumors.

The Creeper was born an untold number of years ago in a small village populated largely by humans. According to some accounts his mother was human, though some accuse her of being not quite right to begin with. No tales do more than guess at the Creeper’s father, who is never said to be anything so plain as a human. Some discuss a being from the madness beyond our world having a hand in his creation. Most discuss him being born with some twisted twin, more warped than even he in the womb to completely inhuman nature. Whatever the case, the thing bonded with him and they became as close to one as mattered for all practical purposes.

His brother whispered dark secrets in his ear, and lent him unnatural power. He hungered for more, or at least he must have, because he went out hunting every monstrosity he could find, performing obscene rituals and even consuming portions of their bodies in the hopes of gaining another “brother.” It must have worked, because by all accounts he’s got at least two of the things living on him now, serving his will and guiding his actions. Years of hunting left him changed, in many ways more thing than man.

He spent some time dormant, or at least keeping a low profile, because there aren’t any tales covering a notable period of time. When he surfaced again, he seemed to have an increased knowledge of flesh and bone, because his jaunts to hunt down aberrations were fewer and more targeted. He seemed to know exactly what to hunt and what of it he could use. The stories become jumbled, and some say he began transitioning from monstrosities to more human concerns. Some stories say he uses them as offerings to the dark ones that inform him. Others say he uses them to replace or augment his own organs struggling to keep up with his changed body after (according to some) an inhuman number of years. Either way, he’s taken too many hearts for his own to ever stop.
CR 5
Four levels of Ranger is enough to qualify for Bloodhound, which serves to really focus predatory efforts. First let’s discuss ranger. Skilled City Dweller trades in Handle Animal and Ride for Gather Info and Tumble, useful for qualifications and general utility. The Creeper trades Wild Empathy for Voice of the City, which allows him to convey general messages across language barriers, like “Run.” Endurance is a requirement for Bloodhound, but also useful for being a persistent hunter. Two Weapon Fighting helps melee combat. Track gives an always useful means of tracking targets and marks.

Favored Enemy (Aberrations) allows the creeper to be more effective when hunting down marks to harvest their organs. Urban Companion trades the rather mediocre animal companion for a familiar, in this case a Hairy Spider. It’s innocuous enough to go largely unnoticed, and its bonuses to Hide and MS combined with using his skills means it is nigh unfindable. It has healthy bonuses to spot and listen as well, so it can serve as a reasonable scout, especially when benefitting from the boost from his spells.

Ranger is stingy with its spells, so the Creeper’s best off using a 24 hour buff like Primal Hunter (which boosts climb, swim, and most usefully jump), and then Primal Instinct (which boosts survival and initiative) once 2nd level spells come online. When both are running he gets uncanny dodge, which is useful defense. Because both are 24 hours they’re prime to cast in the morning and share with the spider familiar.

Bloodhound begins by giving the Creeper the ability to track while moving at full speed, and also the signature Mark ability. Mark adds Bloodhound level to Gather Information, Listen, Search, Spot, and Survival, and all he needs is to study the target (or description thereof) for 10 minutes. It is limited to once per week, so wise choice is better, but there’s nothing stopping him from hunting those who aren’t his mark.

Darkstalker is an almost necessary feat for sneaking, letting Hide and MS trump senses like tremorsense and scent, as well as allowing for flanking of those with all-around vision. Wise to Your Ways adds Favored Enemy bonus to saves against special attacks, useful for hunting down aberrations, who often have a variety of attacks.

Daelkyr Half-Blood gives the Creeper a free symbiont and darkvision from the aberration type. For symbionts, it’s best to begin with throwing scarab, then switch to stormstalk at 5 and Tongueworm at 15. Stormstalk’s electricity damage is ok, but the unavoidable penalty to dex is quite good.
CR 10
Five levels of Impure Prince add some desirable strength as well as defense. The free symbiont it gives is best spent on winter cyst for an unavoidable penalty to str. At 5th level (CR 10) the option is prevented to trade for a tentacle whip, which any sane person would do. The tentacle whip can be used as a weapon, but the rules are a tad murky on it. It can also be allowed to make a single attack unrelated to the Creeper’s natural routine, which means an extra attack, so is choice.
Favored Enemy aberrations stacks with previous bonus for better hunting, and aberrant anatomy for 25% (later 50%) fortification is quite useful.
Otherworldly Surge is a decent option when ones back is against a wall, and confusion is a useful status to slap on those who are vulnerable, and can potentially scatter a party.

Extra favored enemy (Human) shows the Creeper hunts man as well to harvest them. It’s mostly a flavor thing, but +2 on damage rolls and the appropriate skills is never bad, and it makes the following feat, murderous intent, all the better. It allows the creeper to debuff a humanoid, but more importantly, it allows for automatic critical hit confirmations, on any favored enemy, quite the boon.
CR 15 (Sweet Spot)
After finishing Impure prince, it’s off to two levels of swordsage, and two more levels of Bloodhound. First the Bloodhound levels, increasing the bonus from mark. The ability to deal nonlethal at any time is useful, but it is easily topped by Bring ‘em Back alive, which means at any point instead of killing an opponent the Creeper can reduce them to -1 hitpoints, at which a quick heal check stabilizes them. The Creeper doesn’t even have to know when it happens, so he can avoid pulling any punches but still avoid damaging the goods (this works on anyone, not just marks). A mark only but still very useful ability, Ready and Waiting, allows the Creeper to ready an action against a target before initiative is even rolled, allowing him to strike first.

Swordsage brings some good utility here in the form of maneuvers and stances. Wis to AC adds a bit of toughness, and free Weapon focus means fighting with two kukris (to fish for auto-confirm crits from Murderous Intent) just got better, and it helps out on the last iteratives from TWF.
Focus here is on Tiger Claw to play up the Creeper’s ferocity.
Wolf Fang Strike is necessary for the rest of Tiger Claw, but it’s not bad for a TWFer to get two hits in one. Sudden Leap is tactical movement as a swift, getting better with more ranks in jump, and tumbling away AoOs is easy enough. Cloak of Deception means Greater Invisibility for a round, great for bit of sneaking or catching someone unaware. Mountain Hammer is the brute’s lockpick, and also overcomes DR. Shadow Jaunt is full on teleport for when you need to get somewhere inaccessible. Burning Brand extends reach by 5 feet, it’s unclear whether it applies to only one weapon or all. If all, it’s all the better; converting damage to fire is situationally useful (plus the image of striking out with a tongue and tentacle of fire is kind of cool). Death from Above moves the Creeper while dealing large damage to a single target based on a flat jump DC. Hunter’s Sense gives scent, which trumps many sneaks and allows for tracking by scent, which is excellent for those who don’t leave tracks. It also makes for great menace as the Creeper tracks his marks by smell. Leaping Dragon allows for better jumping, a good boost in combat to use maneuvers.

Graft Flesh allows the Creeper to cut and paste findings from aberrations (and perhaps somewhat from humans) to his body, beholder chosen here for easiest qualification. I will avoid heavy discussion of the grafts because none are necessary, but the one that gives all around vision is pretty useful. This one’s mostly for flavor so you can tweak the Creeper to your liking with add-ons.

At this point the Creeper has access to a tentacle whip and tongueworm, which is why he takes Barbed Stinger at 15. Tongueworm gives a sting attack with a lowish DC paralytic poison, and immunity to all poisons. This by itself is useful, but with barbed stinger it becomes even better. The feat gives improved grab with the sting attack, which allows him to fire off a full attack routine, and begin grappling on the end. Tentacle whip has a sting attack when it attacks alone, but it’s not clear whether barbed stinger would work on that as well (symbionts make some things complicated), but if you say yes, then the Creeper can grapple at a distance, pulling far away foes into close quarters. Since the tentacle whip can attack on its own, the Creeper might be able to use it to attack other foes even when grappling with his tongueworm.
CR 20
Rounding out the build are 5 more levels of Bloodhound, with all sorts of goodies. Hunter’s Dedication adds Con to saves vs marks to make the Creeper all the more resilient. Move like the Wind allows him to move at full speed while sneaking at no penalty, great for setting up ambushes. Three marks at a time allows the Creeper to save time tracking down his quarry, and remember marks do not have to in any way related, he is free to choose 3 targets at his leisure. Track the Trackless trumps pass without trace, though at the cost of a lowered modifier (still better than nothing) it means nobody can escape the Creeper. See invisibility means marks cannot hide from him. Shielded Mind gives spell resistance against divinations, so scrying is likely to fail. Locate Creature is tricky since the creature has to be close enough detect, but its still useful (note it can be used on things other than marks). The 20th level capstone, freedom of movement, means that nothing can stop him. It’s limited to a few rounds a day, but it only needs to be used for a round at a time.

Crippling Strike is an amazing ability. Whenever the Creeper strikes a mark, the mark takes 2 points of strength damage. No save, no limit per round, every attack. With a typical routine of 4 main hand, 1 off hand, 1 tongueworm sting, and 1 tentacle whip sting the Creeper can inflict up to 14 Str damage on a mark, enough to render helpless (the condition) a character who isn’t Str focused, and certainly enough to take the fight out of a brute. If the Creeper can get off more than one full attack, almost any mark will be helpless.

To cap off the build is one last feat, Martial Stance to gain Crushing Weight of the Mountain. This gives the Creeper the constrict ability, which combined with improved grab makes him all the more formidable. Modus operandi can now go as such: Pick a mark, track them down in hunter’s sense, sneak up on them using shadow jaunt if necessary, get off a full attack if possible, ending with tongue sting triggering improved grab. Following rounds constrict.

The Creeper wants a full attack, because by reducing a mark’s strength, he makes grappling much easier for himself. Because shifting stances is a swift action, the Creeper can stay in Leaping Dragon for combat until he knows he’s going to be grappling. Constrict deals 2d6+1.5STr as well as the sting damage from tongueworm, which may trigger saves against paralysis, but if not it’s still a fair amount of damage and brings all the penalties of grappling on the enemy. It is unclear if grapple triggers crippling strike, but it doesn’t seem unreasonable for it to do so. Armor spikes or razors would be useful here to add on more damage to grapple checks. Remember the Creeper gets 4 checks to deal damage, each dealing full constrict (and armor spikes) damage. As mentioned, the tentacle whip may be allowed to attack others on its own (which definitely triggers Crippling Strike). If a grapple suddenly turns bad, or a foe still has too much strength left over, the Creeper can slip out using Freedom of Movement to shift attack focus or slip into the shadows to return later.
Sources
Swordsage, Martial Stance: Tome of Battle
Bloodhound: Complete Adventurer
Daelkyr Half-Blood, Symbiont Mastery, Impure Prince: Magic of Eberron
Tongueworm, Tentacle Whip: Eberron Campaign Setting
Voice of the City, Urban Companion, Skilled City Dweller: Cityscape Web Enhancement (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a)
Darkstalker: Lords of Madness
Graft Flesh: Fiend Folio
Extra Favored Enemy, Wise to Your Ways: Ghostwalk
Murderous Intent: Elder Evils
Barbed Stinger: Serpent Kingdoms
Ranger, Two-Weapon Fighting, Endurance, Track: srd

[AvatarVecna]

Demonbear...demonbear...does whatever a demonbear does...


DemonBear


This is the ultimate predator: the Demonbear will track you, watch you fall asleep and or ambush you and choke you to sleep. The Demonbear then tracks you to your nightmares where it modifies its environment to its own advantage, and there, he murders your mind/soul, thus killing your body. The Demonbear kills you permanently.

Equal parts Freddy Kruger and a The ghost in the Darkness, Demonbear is an entity made from warped and magically amalgamated spirits by an unknown villain from the plane of dream (Manual of the Planes). The Demonbear is strangely fixated on the blood relatives of the barbarian spirits that comprise the entity. This beast is stealthy in the woods, where it chokes people out, using astral tracking to pinpoint where the knocked out opponents go, the demonbear then plane shifts and then teleports to the location of the dreamer. Then the demonbear grapples and lucid dreams the opponent into the dream heart: where the dreamer can die in the real world. While the bear grapples in the dreamheart, the opponent is subject to 25 damage a turn, time during which they bear can chokehold to further knock out the opponent in order to render them dead.

http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/1/15776/1007889-demonbear_dani.jpg

The Demonbear is a LE venerable spell-warped (MM3) greenbound (LEF) axiomatic (MoP) black bear (MM1) with class levels in planar monk 2 (PlH) /planar fighter 2 (PlH) / planar ranger 1 9 (PlH) /factotum 1(Dungeonscape)/jaunter 4 (Exp to Demonweb)

Demonbear is an aberration with 3d8 racial hit dice, with the plant and magical beast subtypes.



Stats
Base
Axiomatic
Greenbound
Spellwarped
Venerable
Elite
Final


Str
27

+6
+4
-6
+2
33


Dex
13

+2
+2
-6
+2
13


Con
19

+4
+4
-6
+0
21


Int
2
+1

+4
+3
+4
14


Wis
12



+3
+4
19


Cha
6

+4

+3
-2
11




Axiomatic: smite chaos 1/day, Darkvision with a range of 60 feet, Fire, electricity, sonic, and cold resistance 5, spell resistance = 2x HD, Linked Minds (Ex): Axiomatic creatures of a particular type within 300 feet of one another are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in the group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No axiomatic creature in the group is considered flanked unless they all are. Challenge Rating: Up to 3 HD, same as the base
creature. 3 HD to 7 HD, same as the base creature +1. 8+ HD, same as the base creature +2.

Type: Creature becomes a plant type with d8 HD. Armor Class: Natural armor bonus improves by 6 over that of the base creature.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will - entangle, pass without trace, speak with plants; 1/day - wall of thorns. Caster level equals greenbound creature's character level; save DC 10 + spell level + greenbound creature's Charisma modifier.
Damage Reduction (Ex): A greenbound creature has damage reduction 10/magic and slashing. A greenbound creature's natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Fast Healing (Ex): A greenbound creature heals 3 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 or fewer hit points in combat, it is slain.
Grapple Bonus (Ex): The thorny hooks on a greenbound creature's hands and feet grant it a +4 bonus on grapple checks.
Resistance to Cold and Electricity (Ex): A greenbound creature gains resistance 10 to cold and electricity.
Tremorsense (Ex): Greenbound creatures can automatically sense the location of anything within 60 feet that is in contact with the ground. Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex +2, Con +4, Cha +4. Skills: A greenbound creature gains a +16 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks made in forested areas.

Armor Class: Natural armor bonus improves by 2.
Spell Resistance (Ex): A spellwarped creature gains spell resistance equal to 11 + its Hit Dice. If the creature already has spell resistance, use the greater of the two values.
Spell Absorption (Su): Whenever a spell fails to penetrate a spellwarped creature’s spell resistance, the creature gains one of the following benefits, chosen at the time that the spell resolves. Might: The spellwarped creature gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength for 1 minute. Agility: The spellwarped creature gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Dexterity for 1 minute. Endurance: The spellwarped creature gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Constitution for 1 minute. Life: The spellwarped creature gains temporary hit points equal to 5 × the level of the failed spell. Speed: The spellwarped creature’s base speed increases by a number of feet equal to 5 × the level of the failed spell.
Resistance: The spellwarped creature gains resistance 10 to one energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic).
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +4, Dex +2, Con +4, Int +4.
Challenge Rating: HD 3 or less, as base creature; HD 4 to 10, as base creature +1; HD 11 or more, as base creature +2.




CR
HD
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


4
3
BLACK BEAR
+2
+3
+3
+1
Survival 6, Lucid Dreaming 6, hide 3, move silently 3,
Dodge, Skill knowledge (UA) (Lucid Dreaming) (MoP)
Lots of stuff, see templates. Nat AC +8, +16 hide and move silently in forest, +4 grapple, energy resistance, tremorsense, etc.


7
4
Planar Monk
+2
+5
+5
+3
knowledge planes 6
IUS, Stunning Fist
Wis to AC, Flurry, bonus feat


8
5
Planar Cobra Strike (UA)Monk
+3
+6
+6
+4
Lucid dreaming 8, knowledge planes 8, survival 7
Mobility,
Evasion, bonus feat


9
6
Planar Fighter
+4
+8
+6
+4
knowledge planes 9, survival 8.5
Improved grapple, choke hold (OA)
bonus feat


10
7
Planar fighter
+5
+9
+6
+4
knowledge planes 10, Lucid Dreaming 10, survival 9
spring attack
bonus feat


12
8
Planar Ranger
+6
+11
+8
+4
knowledge planes 11,survival 11, hide 6, move silently 5
Track
wild empathy, track, favored enemy (name one)


13
9
Factotum
+6
+11
+10
+4
spellcraft 8
Astral Tracking (Dr Comp)
Inspiration, cunning insight, cunning knowledge, trapfinding


14
10
Jaunter
+6
+11
+12
+4
Lucid Dreaming 12, survival 13, knowledge planes 13

Travel power, benign transposition


16
11
Jaunter
+7
+12
+13
+5
Lucid dreaming 14, survival 14, knowledge planes 14, move silently 6, spot 1

Baleful transposition, fast movement


17
12
Jaunter
+8
+12
+13
+5
Lucid dreaming 15, survival 15, knowledge planes 15, hide 7, move silently 7, spot 2
Dreamtelling (HoH)
Dimension door, teleport


18
13
Jaunter
+9
+12
+14
+5
Lucid dreaming 16, survival 16, knowledge planes 16, hide 8, move silently 8, spot 3

Freedom of movement, plane shift


19
14
Factotum
+10
+12
+15
+5
Lucid dreaming 17, survival 17, knowledge planes 17, hide 10, move silently 10, spot 5

Arcane dilettante (1 spell)


20
15
Factotum
+11
+13
+15
+6
Lucid dreaming 18, survival 18, knowledge planes 18, hide 12, move silently 12, spot 7
Any
Brains over brawn, cunning defense





The Demonbear uses a bunch of rules, (including the ever-so-fun grappling), one entire underdeveloped plane (the plane of dream from the manual of the planes), some unearthed arcana (cobra strike monk, skill knowledge for perma-class-skill), and an early 1980s comic book for inspiration. This build would work a lot better on a green bound human (azurin maybe???) with a few levels in bear warrior, but that somehow seemed even cheesier.

The build revolves around the Jaunter prestige class (from Expedition to the Demonweb Pits) which grants access to planeshift and teleport, the plane of dream from Manual of the Planes, Oriental Adventure’s Chokehold feat, the Lucid dreaming skill, and ambient damage from the dreamheart. The demonbear stalks those that it believes are family members, but any real connection to family members may be illusory confusion from spending so much time traveling between the non-realities of dreams. The preferred habitat of the demonbear is temperate forests, where locals will report evil bear spirits that kill people in their sleep. For this task, for parties up to level 12-13, the demonbear is potent at this. After level 12, the demonbear loses the scaling saving throw battles against all but the epitome of unoptimized. Using the green bound template, the demonbear has a +16 on hide and move silently as well as a +4 to grapple checks. If the demonbear successfully pins an opponent who cannot break free of the grapple, the chokehold feat knocks them out. Unconsciousness opens the portal to the plane of dreams. The astral tracking feat allows the demonbear to teleport to where the opponent is as if he has seen the place before. Due to the time morphic trait of the plane of dreams, time is 10 times faster in there than on fantasy setting #616. Usually however, the demonbear tails people until they voluntarily fall asleep in order to use the astral tracking feat to follow. The demonbear plane shifts to the plane of dreams, then teleports to where the opponent is at and grapples them there, using lucid dreaming rolls to appear as any number of things that would be terrifying to the opponent, information that it gathers from using knowledge planes rolls and the dream telling feat to ascertain the biggest fears of the opponent. The demon bear grapples and attempts to drag the opponent into the dream heart using a lucid dreaming check, where sonic, fire, acid, cold and electric all assault the people who find themselves there (the dream bear has immunity/resistance to all of them) for 5 damage per energy type. The bear pins the opponent there while the damage eats them away 25 at a time. Dying in the dream heart kills the body of the victim, and makes their souls irretrievable for resurrection.

The demonbear then lucid dreams to somewhere safe, rests for 8 hours and plane shifts back to the real world to stalk its next victim.

Equipment most effective for the demonbear are wondrous items that grant the biggest bonuses to wisdom, str, or dex or int, with wisdom being the most important (skill checks, stun/choking saves, bonus to AC, dismal will save). Addditional strength helps with grappling, and additional dex allows for more use of the jaunter’s ability. Additional intelligence is useful for powering factotum based abilities. The bear probably has a masterwork custom lucid dreaming item (a dreamcatcher???). Size increasing items would definitely help this schtick.

The spell warped template helps the aberration with dealing with spells, sometimes granting the necessary grappling and speed bonuses necessary. The axiomatic template helps boost intelligence (by 1!!!) and provides some resistances.

[AvatarVecna]

Rabies are the least of your worries, although it's still making the list.



The Hunter
http://pre10.deviantart.net/6b41/th/pre/f/2012/106/2/c/hunter_by_luna133-d4weynl.png
Hunter by Detkef
"The most dangerous animal of all is the human animal".

Yes, I read the restrictions. Now, if you look in the monster manual, you will find "Elf". It is a humanoid with the elf subtype. As V says, we all have our place in the monster manual, and their place is between "Elephant" and "Erinyes", even though that's not quite what they say. But hang on a minute... there's nothing between "Howler" and "Hydra". There is no human entry in the MM. Nor is there a human entry, uhm, anywhere except the player's handbook, which doesn't tell you their type, or the elf's for that matter. Humans flat-out do not possess racial types or subtypes. They're not Constructs, Humanoids, Monstrous Humanoids, Outsiders, or Undead, because they're not anything at all. Even the five monster manuals, the player's handbook and Races of Destiny, which devotes multiple pages to humans, completely sidestep the issue (though they specify that illumians are humanoid (human). And plus, how does it make sense for a human to be humanoid any more than life to be lifelike? Clearly, they're untyped. They're just special. The only place humans are referred to as humanoid is in the sample characters... and every single one of the sample characters is incorrect. There is not a single sample character who is built correctly, so why trust their opinion on humans?The Hunter, Neutral Evil Neuter Human Druid 19/Heirophant 1The Hunter is a human druid 19/heirophant 1. Its ability scores are STR 10 DEX 11 CON 12 INT 14 WIS 15 CHA 13. It increases wisdom whenever it can.

Oh, and it spends, like, all it time wild shaped.Okay, I'm not going to bother adding stat bonuses to skills and feats. The bonuses are +1 Con-based, +2 Int-based and +1 Cha-based, with the Wis-based ones varying by level. You know this, and you know how to work it out.

The Extra Wild Shape feat appears in Complete Divine, among others. Feral Animal Companion is from Champions of the Realms. Knowledge Devotion is from Complete Champion. Did you know that heirophant, which druids are meant to be able to take, has requirements that druids can't actually meet with the options in the PHB without doing weird things? Now you do.



Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
Druid 1

+0

+2

+0

+2

Concentration 4, Diplomacy 4, Handle Animal 4 Knowledge (Nature) 4, Spellcraft 4

Feral Animal Companion, Extend Spell

Animal companion, nature sense, wild empathy



2nd
Druid 2

+1

+3

+0

+3

Concentration 5, Diplomacy 5, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature) 5, Spellcraft 5


Woodland stride



3rd
Druid 3

+2

+3

+1

+3

Concentration 5, Diplomacy 5, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 5, Spellcraft 5

Knowledge Devotion (Religion)

Trackless step



4th
Druid 4

+3

+4

+1

+4

Concentration 6, Diplomacy 5, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 7, Spellcraft 5


Resist nature’s lure



5th
Druid 5

+3

+4

+1

+4

Concentration 8, Diplomacy 5, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 8, Spellcraft 6


Wild shape (1/day)



6th
Druid 6

+4

+5

+2

+5

Concentration 9, Diplomacy 5, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 9, Spellcraft 8

Natural Spell

Wild shape (2/day)



7th
Druid 7

+5

+5

+2

+5

Concentration 10, Diplomacy 5, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 10, Spellcraft 10


Wild shape (3/day)



8th
Druid 8

+6

+6

+2

+6

Concentration 11, Diplomacy 6, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 11, Spellcraft 11


Wild shape (Large)



9th
Druid 9

+6

+6

+3

+6

Concentration 12, Diplomacy 7, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 12, Spellcraft 12

Extra Wild Shape

Venom immunity



10th
Druid 10

+7

+7

+3

+7

Concentration 13, Diplomacy 8, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 13, Spellcraft 13


Wild shape (4/day)



11th
Druid 11

+8

+7

+3

+7

Concentration 14, Diplomacy 9, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 14, Spellcraft 14


Wild shape (Tiny)



12th
Druid 12

+9

+8

+4

+8

Concentration 15, Diplomacy 10, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 15, Spellcraft 15

Extra Wild Shape

Wild shape (plant)



13th
Druid 13

+9

+8

+4

+8

Concentration 16, Diplomacy 11, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 16, Spellcraft 16


A thousand faces



14th
Druid 13/Heirophant 1

+9

+10

+4

+10

Concentration 17, Diplomacy 12, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 17, Spellcraft 17


Power of Nature



15th
Druid 14/Heirophant 1

+10

+10

+4

+10

Concentration 18, Diplomacy 13, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 18, Spellcraft 18

Extra Wild Shape

Wild shape (5/day)



16th
Druid 15/Heirophant 1

+11

+11

+5

+11

Concentration 19, Diplomacy 13, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 19, Spellcraft 19


Timeless body, wild shape (Huge)



17th
Druid 16/Heirophant 1

+12

+11

+5

+11

Concentration 20, Diplomacy 14, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 20, Spellcraft 20


Wild shape (elemental 1/day)



18th

Druid 17/Heirophant 1

+12

+12

+5

+12

Concentration 21, Diplomacy 15, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 21, Spellcraft 21

Extra Wild Shape

-



19th
Druid 18/Heirophant 1

+13

+12

+6

+12

Concentration 22, Diplomacy 16, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 22, Spellcraft 22


Wild shape (6/day, elemental 2/day)



20th
Druid 19/Heirophant 1

+14

+13

+6

+13

Concentration 23, Diplomacy 15, Handle Animal 5 Knowledge (Nature and Religion) 23, Spellcraft 23


-



It walked silently, trailing behind the creature it once called its brother. Next to it was a wolf that frothed at the mouth, waiting to bite into something. The dark cleric wandered in front of them, unnerved by the creature but not wanting to show it. "Ah. Here we are."

The temple had been barred shut centuries ago, and battered open decades ago. Nothing impeded their entry. For such an important part of the world, it seemed barren. Just like the other two before it. The cleric smiled. "I would say it's a trap, but I've already said that twice and it wasn't." His sibling rolled its eyes, bored stiff. It just wanted to hurt someone.

"Well, I need to do my clericy thing again", he smirked, joking at his sibling's lack of understanding - while both were divine casters, their methods were so radically different that neither really understood the other. The Hunter went to the door and stood there, bored. The ritual would take hours, as it always did, and it was easily bored.

Then it stopped. Wait, there - adventurers, come to stop them. And they'd only just started! The Hunter smirked. "Time to murder things." There was little emotion in its eyes.

The wolf barreled towards the adventuring party...

At level 1, the Hunter is just some person with a really, nastily powerful wolf. The fact that she's the same CR as it is, and its feat buffs her up (+2 STR and CON, Diseased bite, and if anyone other than the Hunter tries to Handle her they get a -10). So already, she's scarier than a CR 1 encounter. At CR 1. Yup. Spells like Cure Light Wounds and Entangle can be useful in any fight to help her survive. Guidance is... uh, nice as cantrips go, and if it can dare to get close enough to Cure her Minor Wounds, that extra hit point might just help. Plus, it can pick up a spear and help her fight if it needs to.The archon looked upon the assembled mortals, these so-called guardians of humanity, and hid its despair. Being as it was a tiny ball of light, this was not hard.

"This is bad news! If this dark priest performs his ritual on all twenty-one worldspheres, he will become so powerful that no-one could defeat him!"
"Why are they not, in any way, protected?"
"They are, but in ways you do not see. There is an array of divination magic on each one, recording who visits each time. Then, to defeat anyone who tries to use more than two is usually trivial, even routine. The fact that this person repelled you is concerning, but not to worry. You must try again next time.

At level 5, the hunter can use Wild Shape. This is pretty hilarious, as it can basically turn into, I dunno, a dire ape, and start beating things up. Summoning lots of nature's allies is a powerful option, but you also have third-level spells to do other things. Snare? Wind Wall? If you're protecting a lot of temples, Snare might do the trick well.The temple loomed in front of the assembled supplicants, and they walked across the rickety bridge towards it. The cleric smiled, and his congregation gathered about him. The druid sighed idly to itself, as the ceremony began.

As soon as it thought that, it noticed the adventurers rushing towards it. The wizard, flying too high to hit, but the paladin racing forth on his horse, and a monk racing almost as fast beside him as a truenamer - of all things - swooped towards the druid. It smiled, as a giant dinosaur-like sea creature burst up from under the bridge. It had no idea whether either the monk or the paladin could swim. The warhorse? Less likely.

At this point, your nature's allies are lasting a full minute each, so you can just drop a CR 7 encounter on someone and then just mooch off someplace else. Or, y'know, you could turn into a bear. I hear that helps.The fourteenth temple was on a mountain. It had insisted upon doing this one first, as it wasn't easy to get to, but its brother had, it supposed, had a point that it was better to do it now that they had the requisite magic, and anyway it would be harder to follow them. Not that they weren't being chased by a wizard who could teleport, but they couldn't have known that at the time. In any case, they had managed to reach the top, as had much of the congregation. The rest, well, they would leave them to whatever fate befell them.

"Hunter, how many of my men do you need?"
"Ten exactly." It was the most verbose the Hunter had been in ages. "Exactly" was simply so that it wouldn't have to spend words elaborating.

"Maria, Johan, Amelia, Tomas, Jane, other Tomas, Gerard, Rory, Jon, Anna. Go with the Hunter."

And so they went with the Hunter, and joined it on its great hunt.

Now, last level, you got your cool heirophant ability, which basically reads "You can give other people your druid features, including individual uses of wild shape. You have eleven uses of wild shape per day, and they last 14 hours, which is basically all day. This means that you can send an entire roomful of allies (hey, what did you think diplomacy was for?) to kill someone, only the difference is they're all the meanest 14 HD creature you can think of. That is, the meanest 14 HD tiny to large creature you can think of, but we'll get to huge soon.

So, what CR are they? Well, if they're all Elephants, they'd be CR 7 each. Each doubling is +2, so we're talking +6 for 8 of them. CR 13 encounter, plus one angry CR 15 druid? I'll take that. If you're underwater, send a squad of giant squids, which total CR 15, plus one angry CR 15 druid."Hunter, how man..."
"Nineteen."

The wizard smiled as he reached the final gate. The twenty-one guardians of the twenty-first gate concerned him not at all. As a solar angel stepped out from the gate beside her companion, and a powerful warhorse beside another, she prepared her mightiest spell of all. This would be a climactic battle, to be sure.

I'll leave you to work out what happens when I have 14 normal and 6 elemental wild shapes to give out. Creating 19 HD creatures. For 19 hours.

Though, it probably involves a boopton of dinosaurs, so there's that. Oh, and you can drop large numbers of Nature's Allies on things, too.

[AvatarVecna]

The cutest wittle murderer you'll ever see.



Snowscale
http://img01.deviantart.net/2596/i/2006/218/d/d/cute_dragons__white_by_gpalmer.jpg
Image by gpalmer

"If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?"

Snowscale is a little baby dragon - specifically, a white dragon wyrmling. Three hit dice, two points of level adjust, and only CR 2 to boot. If you can work out what Wizards were thinking when they decided that, you're a better man than I am, Gunga Din.

So, anyway, a wyrmling white dragon as a playable race should look something like this:

Wyrmling white dragon characters possess the following racial traits:

+2 Con, -4 Int, -4 Cha
Tiny size. +2 bonus on attack rolls, +2 bonus to armour class, +8 bonus on hide checks, -8 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits one quarter those of medium characters.
Space/Reach: 2.5 ft/0 ft
A wyrmling white dragon's base land speed is 60 feet. It can burrow at a speed of 30 feet, fly at a speed of 150 feet (average) and swim at a speed of 60 feet.
Dragon Qualities: A wyrmling white dragon has those qualities associated with those of its kind, such as natural weapons, a breath weapon, immunities, blind sense, and keen senses. They are also immune to cold, vulnerable to fire, and capable of walking on ice as though under the effect of the Spider Climb spell.
Racial Hit Dice: A wyrmling white dragon begins with 3 levels of dragon, which provide 3d12 hit dice, a base attack bonus of +3, and base saving throw bonuses of +3 For, +3 Ref, and +3 Will.
Racial Skills: A wyrmling white dragon's dragon levels give it 6*(6+int modifier, minimum 1). Concentration, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge, Move silently, Listen, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Swim and Use Magic Device are always considered class skills for it.
Racial Feats: A wyrmling white dragon's dragon levels give it two feats, and it gets an additional bonus feat for being a dragon.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A wyrmling white dragon is only proficient with its natural weapons. If it has some ability to assume humanoid form, it becomes proficient with all simple weapons for the duration of the effect.
+2 Natural Armour bonus.
Automatic languages: Draconic.
Bonus Languages: Not specified.*
Favoured Class: Not specified.*
Level Adjustment: +2

*These might be specified somewhere, but not in a book I own. In any case, it doesn't matter; she won't have bonus languages and is only taking one class.

Right. And this monstrosity only adds 2 to my CR. Ayup.

Okay, and, by the way, we're also a psion. Psion 18. Yeah, psychic dragon time!Jane looked at the assembled people sitting around the table. They were learning fast; they were almost ready to start the game proper. She looked at her notes and saw that the next encounter was with the dragon. Jim looked excited, and Rory a bit warier. Joe was making eyes at Alice across the table, which he at least consigned to when they were out of combat. It was time to pick up the pace.

James the Bold entered the cavern true to his name, while the druid Riordieth slunk behind him. Joseph the bard took a wink at their sorceress before following in, and Alicia ignored his advances before flying into the cavern. The dragon they faced was not called Snowscale. It was, in fact, Snowscale's father, Blizzarion, for white dragons are not known for the originality of their naming conventions. The adult dragon looked positively offended that the four should be entering the cave, and a mighty battle ensued.

"Okay, that just killed him. He collapses to the ground, narrowly missing Ror... I mean, Riordieth, and slams into the wall. Even if he were only unconscious, that fall just killed him."
"Woo!"
"Okay, so I guess you're all gonna start carting that treasure back to town?"
"Yup."
"Yeah."
"Sure."
"Yep. I've got two Floating Disks left."
"Okay, so you use those to cart the treasure back. All that's left in the room at the end is a round gemstone, too heavy for the disks to load."
"Detect magi..."
"Not magical."
"Appraise?"
"I'll tell you for free that it doesn't look valuable. It's not even shiny."
"Huh. Jim, can you carry it?"
"Nope, my armour's too heavy. I'm almost over the limit anyway. Maybe if we shift our stuff around?"
"Guys, we've got enough money to last our characters forever. Let's just shift, and then we can make new characters and get to the real game."

"My friends, we have acquired enough money to enjoy a wealthy retirement. I believe it is simpler to move. Perhaps, one day, our children will find out the mystery behind this stone."
With that, the party left the cave, leaving nothing but an extremely odd-looking, dull gemstone that just happened not to be an actual gemstone. And one day, Rebekah, Daughter of Riordieth, would find out exactly how true her father's words had been.



While I should hope that the story above speaks for itself, I will explain it as follows: The players, new to D&D, are given relatively high-level characters to show them how their abilities work. The characters are pre-gens, so the DM can give them spell cards (or give the fighter feat cards) in advance to make it easy for them. They have some kind of adventure, which culminates in fighting the adult white dragon, Blizzarion. Now, Blizzarion plays fair, not flying for most of the battle or using any stupidly powerful spells. He's not very imaginative when it comes to fighting things. Then, they retire their successful premades, make their own characters, and go forth into the world once more, not realising the mistake their parents made.

If Jonathan, Riordieth, Joseph or Alicia had taken the egg, then it would have hatched after they returned home, its contents still having borne witness even before her hatching to her father's death. If they try to smash it, it resists such attempts and the DM advises the players to just leave the damned thing alone.Snowscale's base ability scores are STR 12 DEX 13 CON 14 INT 10 WIS 15, CHA 11. Being a wyrmling white dragon immediately changes this to STR 12 DEX 13 CON 16 INT 6 WIS 15 CHA 7. The bonuses she gets for every 4 levels are all wisdom bonuses, to a total of WIS 20.

The saves given on the table are the base save bonuses. The skills are all skill ranks rather than bonuses.

Apart from bonus feats, there aren't any class features, ever. Embrace the madness.


Challenge Rating
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
To be, or not to be? That is the question.


2nd
Dragon 3

+3
+3
+3
+3
Concentration 6, Hide 6, Move Silently 6, Spot 6

Hover, Improved Initiative, Stealthy

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer


3rd

Dragon 3/Psion 1

+3

+3

+3

+5

Concentration 6, Hide 6, Move Silently 6, Spot 6, Psicraft 4

Practiced Manifester (CP)

The Slings and Arrows of outrageous fortunes,


4th
Dragon 3/Psion 2

+4

+3

+3

+6

Concentration 7, Hide 7, Move Silently 7, Spot 7, Psicraft 4

-

Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,


5th

Dragon 3/Psion 3

+4

+4

+4

+6

Concentration 8, Hide 8, Move Silently 8, Spot 8, Psicraft 4

Overchannel

And by opposing end them: to die, to sleep


6th
Dragon 3/Psion 4

+5

+4

+4

+7

Concentration 9, Hide 9, Move Silently 9, Spot 9, Psicraft 4

-

No more; and by a sleep, to say we end


7th
Dragon 3/Psion 5

+5

+4

+4

+7

Concentration 10, Hide 10, Move Silently 10, Spot 10, Psicraft 4

Psionic Meditation

The Heart-ache, and the thousand Natural shocks


8th
Dragon 3/Psion 6

+6

+5

+5

+8

Concentration 11, Hide 11, Move Silently 11, Spot 11, Psicraft 4

Twin Power

That Flesh is heir to? 'Tis a consummation


9th
Dragon 3/Psion 7

+6

+5

+5

+8

Concentration 12, Hide 12, Move Silently 12, Spot 12, Psicraft 4

-

Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep,


10th
Dragon 3/Psion 8

+7

+5

+5

+9

Concentration 13, Hide 13, Move Silently 13, Spot 13, Psicraft 4

-

To sleep, perchance to Dream; aye, there's the rub,


11th
Dragon 3/Psion 9

+7

+6

+6

+9

Concentration 14, Hide 14, Move Silently 14, Spot 14, Psicraft 4

Quicken Power

For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come,


12th
Dragon 3/Psion 10

+8

+6

+6

+10

Concentration 15, Hide 15, Move Silently 15, Spot 15, Psicraft 4

Psionic Talent

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,


13th
Dragon 3/Psion 11

+8

+6

+6

+10

Concentration 16, Hide 16, Move Silently 16, Spot 16, Psicraft 4

-

Must give us pause. There's the respect


14th
Dragon 3/Psion 12

+9

+7

+7

+11

Concentration 17, Hide 17, Move Silently 17, Spot 17, Psicraft 4

Psionic Talent

That makes Calamity of so long life:


15th
Dragon 3/Psion 13

+9

+7

+7

+11

Concentration 18, Hide 18, Move Silently 18, Spot 18, Psicraft 4

-

For who would bear the Whips and Scorns of time,


16th
Dragon 3/Psion 14

+10

+7

+7

+12

Concentration 19, Hide 19, Move Silently 19, Spot 19, Psicraft 4

-

The Oppressor's wrong, the proud man's Contumely,


17th
Dragon 3/Psion 15

+10

+8

+8

+12

Concentration 20, Hide 20, Move Silently 20, Spot 20, Psicraft 4

Psionic Talent, Psionic Talent

The pangs of despised Love, the Law’s delay,


18th
Dragon 3/Psion 16

+11

+8

+8

+13

Concentration 21, Hide 21, Move Silently 21, Spot 21, Psicraft 4

-

The insolence of Office, and the Spurns


19th
Dragon 3/Psion 17

+11

+8

+8

+13

Concentration 22, Hide 22, Move Silently 22, Spot 22, Psicraft 4

-

That patient merit of the unworthy takes,


20th
Dragon 3/Psion 18

+12

+9

+9

+14

Concentration 23, Hide 23, Move Silently 23, Spot 23, Psicraft 4

Psionic Talent

When he himself might his Quietus make.


Snowscale is a Seer, so she has access to clairsentience discipline powers. The thirty-three powers that she learns, in order, are Precognition, Control Light, Know Direction and Location, Energy Ray, Far Hand, Cloud Mind, Ego Whip, Clairvoyant Sense, Energy Stun, Time Hop, Fate Link, Energy Wall, Body Adjustment, Death Urge, Psionic Dimension Door, Psionic Divination, Psionic Freedom of Movement, Second Chance, Shatter Mind Blank, Catapsi, Psionic True Seeing, Fuse Flesh, Mass Cloud Mind, Remote View Trap, Insanity, Divert Teleport, Personal Mind Blank, Hypercognition, Recall Death, True Metabolism, Microcosm, Assimilate, Psionic Etherealness.

So, to recap, this is a dragon who can basically kill you by beating up your force of personality (Ego whip), who always knows where she is, can make you forget she ever existed, is functionally omniscient, can drive you insane, can't be affected by illusions or enchantments, can make you kill yourself, and has a cool "Shadow in the warp" style ability (Go look at the power Catapsi and the tyranid Shadow in the Warp ability from 40K and tell me they're not the same). Also, she can make your flesh fuse together in pretty horrific ways. And she can take down your mind blank.

Snowscale may look cute, but she makes a living out of being utterly terrifying. At CR 20, she can manifest at ML 21 (24 with Overchannel), meaning that she can do things such as dropping a creature with anything under 170 hitpoints into a Microcosm, as well as add stupidly high DCs to Death Urge. The fact that she can use the combo of standard: Twin Death Urge, move: Regain psionic focus, swift: quickened Death Urge to use it on the same creature three times, just to make sure it fails its save, is just an added bonus.We do not lay our scene in fair Verona. Don't be silly.

White dragons like snowy, icy climes. They also, apparently, like snowy, icy climbs, if their pseudo-spider-walk ability is to be believed. To this effect, the campaign is set in some kind of frozen northlands. The cave where Blizzarion (You did read the prologue, right?) lived and Snowscale was born is located not far from the village where the heroes who fought Blizzarion returned to their teenaged children and regaled them with tales of adventure. Within the year, these children became adventurers of their own.At CR 5, Snowscale already has the PCs marked for death. Knowing that the old PCs are too strong for her, she goes after their children. She attacks charisma-based casters with ego whips, using them to knock her foes unconscious by dealing them charisma damage - a feat which should only take 2-3 castings per person, 4 for a sorcerer or bard (who is anyway rendered near-useless by the second casting). Fly spells only just being on the table, it is at liberty to sit back and attack from a distance. To neutralise wizards quickly, she might Overchannel fire energy rays (which the wizard would not expect from such cold regions, and which anyway deal more damage than normal), which might easily deal more damage each than the wizard has hit points. Fighters get the Ego Whip treatment. Come on, it's your fault for dumping charisma.

If she needs to escape, she shoots off 600 feet away as a full action. Or burrows into the ground. Or dives into the nearest lake. Figure it out.

Of course, if she just wants to creep the PCs out, she can alter the lighting, drop things on them out of nowhere, and erase all memory of herself from whoever she likes.From CR 10, Snowscale can spam Death Urge like it's going out of fashion. Or, y'know, bigger Ego Whips. In fact, a fully-augmented Ego Whip followed by a Quickened one augmented as much as that one can be is pretty much going to knock out the average person. The Dimension Door is helpful for getting out. The energy abilities allow her to fight, and Time Hop/Fate Link are mostly for messing with people (Imagine the party fighter just disappearing for no good reason, or the wilder wincing in pain every time someone punches the favoured soul). Or to help her fight. Whatever works.

At about this level, Snowscale will go and murder the original characters' parents in horrific ways. Riordieth is found dead after having deliberately leapt from a window onto a spiked fence. James' body is scorched beyond recognition. Joseph and Alicia are found with the exact same injuries, inflicted by the former being knocked out and having his throat cut. The latter bears no sign of actually having been hit with anything, despite her injuries.

Of course, this can be adapted for there being different parent characters.Honestly, she just doesn't like fair terms.

By CR 15, Snowscale's 7th-level powers are online, specifically Insanity. That's always fun, leaving someone permanently confused. Especially if you use Mass Cloud Mind to make their allies forget why they're insane. She can also break people's mind blanks, which is big.By the time that the climactic battle is due, Snowscale is more than ready for it. Her ego whips, dealing 7d4 charisma damage, will knock out most people, and they can be twinned to deal 5d4 damage, plus another 5d4, instead, averaging 25 CHA damage. Yeah. Plus another 5d4 as a swift, if she wants.

Snowscale can drop people into microcosms, make them disappear from the time stream, fuse their flesh together, make them kill themselves (including by remembering that they were supposed to be dead)... she's also able to get out fast; she can drop a standard-action power, quicken a psychic etherealness, and dimension door out as a move action (so long as she starts focused).

I've no idea how the PCs are supposed to kill the damned thing, but they can have fun trying.There's not much to say about questionable rules, but I'd note that it's possible that the true dragons' class skills are only meant to apply to their dragon hit dice, not all their levels. It does not, however, actually say that, and I don't know the intention. If you don't like it, you can take them cross-class.

Also, I'm iffy on whether I can take an epic feat at 21st level because I can't remember how monster HD work, but if I can, I could take Epic Psionic Focus to be able to drop spells with two metapsionics on at once, or just Improved Manifestation which gets me more power points.

No, I've no idea where Shakespeare comes into it either.

[AvatarVecna]

I hope somebody brought a holy hand grenade...


The Blue Devil of Enfaire Hills

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Wolpertinger.jpg

The old man put down his ale and shook his head. “I tell you, the beast is real. You laugh, you think we’re a bunch of yokels, and you’re the big shot tracker. Well, you’re safe in the Laughing Gnome now. But if it gets you out in the countryside, alone at night - they say that’s the only time it attacks …”

The Ranger nodded, regarding him carefully. The old man’s clothes were shabby, and he stank of alcohol. The words town drunk came to his mind as though unbidden. Still, he could know something… “It’s all right. Strange as it sounds, I believe you. I’m what you might call a specialist in unusual beasts, and I must say this one has piqued my interests. So tell me, what do they say it looks like?”

“Well, nobody’s been really sure. One fella said it made a sound like a tiger, and found his cow cut open like it had slash marks all over it. Another one found a couple of feathers next to his prize pig, that looked like it got smashed against the ground a few times. And you can see that critter up there for yourself.” He pointed to the odd-looking stuffed creature mounted above the bar. It looked like a rabbit with wings and moose antlers. “Leonard reckons it’s one of its young ‘uns. But the one thing that’s got everybody worried is the claws. Charlie down by the forest edge says he saw something flying through the air, with a face like a demon, wings like a bat, and a set of the most awful claws you ever saw, flashing like blue fire.”

“And do you have a name for this creature?”

“Well, the folks that don’t believe it have been calling it a Dire Snipe, or a Fiendish Bunyip. But the rest of us are calling it the Blue Devil of Enfaire Hills.”

“And no one from town has organized a party to go find it? It’s all out-of-towners?”

“Got that right. In fact, if you ask me, some of the people in Enfaire are kind of hoping nobody ever finds the thing. Every so often a young feller like you shows up, and they find him afterwards gutted like the cows. ‘course, the beast never eats any of those magic doodads you young folks carry around with you, and the town gets to keep any of them they find. And the more of you that hear about it, the famouser we get. Good for business, you understand?”

“I see. Thank you for your help. I have a few other friends staying here who will be very interested. We’ll start our search tomorrow.”

Another round was poured. No one noticed the old man shuffling out of the bar. He stumbled back to his lonely house, and left the door cracked open just the tiniest bit. Inside, a soft snore came from the bedroom, and two bottles of whisky were empty on the floor. The old man put his hand to the ground, and concentrated. Satisfied that the house’s original occupant was stone drunk and (more importantly) alone, he carefully removed the false beard, washed off the makeup, and placed his clothes in the cabinet. A few moments later, an owl hopped out of the house. Shadows seemed to cling to it as it winged its way back to the Laughing Gnome. This hunt might prove very interesting.

Str 12->14(racial)
Dex 8->12(racial)
Con 15->19(racial)->20(level-up)
Int 14->20(racial)->21(level-up)
Wis 13->17(racial)->18(level-up)
Cha 10->14(racial)

Hitpoints: 25d8+3d6+140 (Average 263)
(Note: Warshaper’s Morphic Body applies only to Alternate Forms, not the original form. Since hitpoints are keyed to the original form, Morphic Body does not increase the hitpoint total).


The Blue Devil of Enfaire Hills
CE Phasm
Aberration15/Umbral Disciple3/Totemist5/Warshaper5


CR
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


7
Aberration 15
+11
+5
+5
+9
Bluff 18, Disguise 18, Knowedge (Nature) 18, Survival 17, Hide 16, Listen 8, Spot 8, Concentration 4, Knowedge (Arcana) 2, Craft (Taxidermy) 1
Martial Study: Cloak of Deception (Hide=always a class skill, taken at 1st level)
Darkstalker
Track
Cobalt Charge
Power Attack
Improved Bull Rush
Natural Armor +5, Alternate form, Amorphous, Resilient (+4 Reflex and Will not included in base saves), Scent, Telepathy 100 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft.


8
Umbral Disciple 1
+11
+5
+7
+11
Hide 18, Move Silently 9
-
Sept knowledge, step of the bodiless


9
Umbral Disciple 2
+12
+5
+8
+12
Hide 20, Move Silently 18
-
Sneak Attack +1d6


10
Umbral Disciple 3
+13
+6
+8
+12
Hide 21, Move Silently 21, Know(Planes)2, Balance2, Tumble1
Craven
Embrace of Shadow


11
Totemist 1
+13
+8
+10
+12
Knowledge (Nature) 20, Hide 22, Move Silently 22, Disguise 19, Survival 19
-
Wild Empathy


12
Totemist 2
+14
+9
+11
+12
Knowledge (Nature) 22, Hide 23, Move Silently 23, Disguise 20, Balance3
-
Totem Chakra Bind (+1 capacity)


13
Totemist 3
+15
+9
+11
+13
Knowledge (Nature) 24, Hide 24, Move Silently 24, Disguise 21, Survival 21
Shock Trooper
Totem’s Protection


14
Totemist 4
+16
+10
+12
+13
Knowledge (Nature) 25, Hide 25, Move Silently 25, Disguise 23, Survival 22
-
-


15
Totemist 5
+16
+10
+12
+13
Knowledge (Nature) 26, Hide 26, Move Silently 26, Disguise 25, Survival 23
-
Chakra Binds (Crown, Feet, and Hands)


16
Warshaper1
+16
+12
+12
+13
Hide 27, Move Silently 27, Disguise 26, Balance 3, Tumble 3
Martial Study: Distracting Ember (Tumble = always class skill)
Morphic Immunities, Morphic Weapons


17
Warshaper2
+17
+13
+13
+14
Hide 28, Move Silently 28, Disguise 27, Balance 5, Tumble 4
-
Morphic Body


18
Warshaper3
+18
+13
+13
+14
Hide 29, Move Silently 29, Disguise 28, Tumble 5, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 1
-
Morphic Reach


19
Warshaper4
+19
+14
+13
+14
Hide 30, Move Silently 30, Disguise 29, Tumble 6, Knowledge (Local) 1
Shape Soulmeld: Enigma Helm
Morphic Healing


20
Warshaper5
+19
+14
+13
+14
Hide 31, Move Silently 31, Disguise 31, Knowledge (Planes) 3
-
Flashmorph





Essentia Table


Level
Soulmelds
Essentia Pool
Chakra Binds


Aberration 15
0
1
0


UD1
0
2
0


UD2
0
2
0


UD3
0
3
0


Tot1
2
4
0


Tot2
3
5
1


Tot3
3
5
1


Tot4
4
6
1


Tot5
4
6
1

[tr]


CR Writeups

Basic Phasm, with feats reassigned. The Phasm already has an impressive array of options from its Alternate Form ability. Martial Study gives it access to an important method of retreat or ambush, and gives Hide as a class skill. Darkstalker allows stealth against creatures with special senses. Cobalt Charge grants it an Essentia Pool, which will become important momentarily. A high Disguise check can help foil True Seeing.

Three levels of Umbral Disciple allow the Blue Devil to step up its stealth game. The Blue Devil will always invest 2 essentia into Embrace of Shadow (to get both Concealment and Hide in Plain Sight. True Seeing explicitly does not overcome concealment, meaning it can still Hide. (Its Hide check is still opposed by a character’s Spot check). Sneak attack at second level opens up the possibility of taking Craven at 3rd – and gaining bonus sneak attack damage equal to the Devil’s hit dice. Combined with Cloak of Deception, this can help the Devil shred through several opponents within its reach.


This is the sweet spot, where most of the Devil’s important features have come online. Five levels of Totemist allow the Devil to bind the Sphinx Claws soulmeld to its Hand chakra, giving it pounce with all of its natural weapons. (The Devil is careful to choose Alternate Forms that keep access to its Hands chakra available). Various other soulmelds can also give bonuses to your stealth skills.

Shock Trooper grants a potent offensive weapon in Heedless Charge. Be sure not to forget the other tactical maneuvers if the players are near dangerous terrain or natural hazards. A high-strength Alternate Form can perform very well at Bull Rush.


At this point, the Devil’s attack routine can be as impressive as you want it to be. Warshaper’s Morphic Weapons ability is a well-known bit of rules weirdness. As written, there is no cap on the number of natural weapons you can grow. In an actual game I would usually limit this to one additional natural weapon or set of natural weapons. (I believe this was the intent of the ability). However, depending on how broadly you interpret this (and how optimized your players are), you could turn a powerful melee monster into an abomination straight out of your players’ nightmares.

Morphic Immunities allow the Devil immunity from stunning and critical hits. Morphic Body improves the Strength and Constitution of your alternate forms. Morphic Healing allows the Devil to retreat, heal rapidly, and go back to harassing the players. Flashmorph opens some new options by reducing the use of Alternate Form to a Move Action. Distracting Ember gives the Devil another chance to gain a fearsome amount of sneak damage after the first round. Finally, shaping the Enigma Helm soulmeld can help protect you from various Divinations.



The Blue Devil is a thoroughly Chaotic and thoroughly Evil character. It will do whatever it takes to achieve its goal: to stave off boredom. It lives for the thrill of the hunt, and the joy of knowing that it’s completely baffled a worthy adversary. The more frightened and confused its victims are, the better. It does not usually attack children, considering them too easy (and therefore not much fun) to kill, but would not hesitate to scare them. It regards self-preservation as an important goal, and is cowardly at heart. It is flattered by the attention the town is paying it, and has begun to entertain dreams of being the most famous legendary monster in the kingdom. This may eventually come into conflict with its desire to stay hidden, but for now it's enjoying the danger.

After using its “old man” disguise to scope out a target, the Blue Devil will usually kill some livestock (leaving a trail of blood into the wilderness) to start off the chase. It favors deliberately leaving a path as a terrestrial creature, then using Alternate Form to change into a bird (or other creature) to confuse the trail. It will often lead the victim into dangerous situations (such as bogs or the lairs of other creatures). During the day, the Blue Devil will typically circle back and follow its prey at a distance, in the shape of an animal common to the surrounding environment. It is careful to stay at least 120 feet away to avoid exposure to True Seeing or Detect Magic. If absolutely necessary, it will use a Diminutive or Fine alternate form (such as a bat, toad, or sparrow) and take cover behind an appropriately-sized object. In a dire emergency, it will use an Alternate Form with a Burrow speed and escape underground.

During the first night of pursuit, the Blue Devil uses its Embrace of Shadows ability to sneak up on the party. It will allow itself to be seen (as whatever unusual form of creature suits its fancy), then regains concealment and runs off, drawing the party farther into the wilderness. At this point, depending on the needs of the campaign, it might retreat back to the town, leaving the players a trail to follow (up to a point). Otherwise, if the players are ready to track it down immediately, the chase begins in earnest.

Over the next two nights, it will harass the party. Mounts and pack animals are attacked first. It does not steal any carried gear, preferring to force the characters into a difficult decision about what to leave behind. After the mounts are killed, it targets anyone who wanders more than a few feet away from the rest of the group. If the whole group leaves to collect firewood or get food, on their return they will find a single slash mark near the center of the camp.

After the third night, the Blue Devil begins to use sleep against the party. It will assault the party, making enough noise to raise the alarm and wake everyone, then retreat; sleep for four hours; then repeat the process, spoiling the night’s sleep for any spellcasters. If any party members become Invisible, it uses its Tremorsense to determine their location. If it loses track of any party member, it will retreat.


The Blue Devil relies on a combination of surprise and a large number of natural attacks to fight its enemies. It always invests at least two Essentia into Embrace of Shadows. Its combat Alternate Form should be tailored to the level of the party. At lower levels, a Dire Tiger might be an appropriate form. At higher levels, it might be a Pit Fiend (for its flight, large number of natural attacks, high-DC Extraordinary poison effect, and high physical scores). In the first round of combat, it will charge any character who is still flat-footed, gaining Pounce from its Sphinx Claws and a large bonus to sneak attack damage from Craven. If the PC is alone (or far enough away from the others that they couldn’t retaliate), it will also use Power Attack and Shock Trooper to ensure a kill. If the Blue Devil starts off next to a PC, it will use its Distracting Ember maneuver to gain flanking (and sneak attack) against the enemy it perceives to be its greatest threat.


While the description assumes an outdoor area with woods and hills, the Blue Devil could exist in almost any kind of environment, including underground or even as a sea monster in an aquatic or nautical campaign.

If the players retreat back to the town (or before they start pursuing the monster at all), they might start investigating some of the townsfolk’s activities. Several local personalities stand to gain from the monster stories – for instance, the Innkeeper, a person selling monster memorabilia, someone with a grudge against the farmers, anyone being employed as a guard. If the Blue Devil notices the party investigating one particular person, it might use its Alternate Form to appear to be that person, hoping to stir up trouble.

Possible Side quests:
A child has gone off to fight the monster, but has not returned. The child’s parents offer a reward.
A smuggling ring is using the monster story as an opportunity to operate without being bothered.
An intelligent creature (possibly a Tiefling, Half-Orc, or similar; or one of the party themselves) is falsely accused of being the monster.
A group of rival adventurers are searching for the monster. Their heavy-handed tactics has brought the town into conflict with a group of Druids.

Warshaper’s save progression seems to be off. Reflex and Will saves should probably be +0 at Warshaper2 instead of +1. No errata was ever issued about this, so I’ve included the published progression in the build table. At most it’s a one-point discrepancy that lasts for just one level.

Monster Manual 1: Phasm monster.
Complete Warrior: Warshaper prestige class, Shock Trooper feat.
Magic of Incarnum: Totemist class, Umbral Disciple prestige class, Shape Soulmeld feat, Cobalt Charge feat.
Tome of Battle: Martial Study feat.
Lords of Madness: Darkstalker feat.
Champions of Ruin: Craven feat.

[AvatarVecna]

Damned demons are ruining this town!



The Black Eye

http://www.mariettaoptometry.com/WebRoot/ecshared01/Shops/mariettaoptometry/5065/BE49/6CF4/C026/1A9F/AC10/0040/B45B/Black_Sclera_4bb5ff7135b6e.jpg




elite array:

str 8
dex 10
con 12 (increase at 4 and 8 here)
int 14
wis 13
cha 15 (increase at subsequent levels here)


CE Killoren warlock 5/sor 1/mindbender 1/earth dreamer 5/eldrich theurge 8





Everything went to hell after they hanged old man Flanagan.

It’d been years since the sheriff in town had investigated a murder, much less one like this.

When Flanagan’d been taken away, the crowd gathered around him chanted “why?” in between hurling rocks and bottles at him.

All he could say was he didn’t know.

The frightening thing was the sheriff believed him.

He hadn’t said a word to anyone once they put him in the jailhouse. Just tossed and turned, muttering to the wall, as though there were something in it.

The sheriff marched him out to the gallows early the next morning. As was customary, Flanagan got to speak his last words.

“I was bewitched by the devil. If he comes for you, don’t listen. No matter what he says, just don’t listen.”

The sheriff gave a nod and the executioner dropped Flanagan. Clean break. No sense in him suffering. It wouldn’t bring his daughter back.

The crowd dispersed soon enough, the excitement abated. It chilled him, the way some people got so excited for a hanging. Wasn’t natural.

The sheriff wasn’t a pious man, but he had known Flanagan long enough to know the man was no killer. There had to be something more at work here.

He’d never wished to be wrong so strongly.

It wasn’t long before strange happenings started around town. Flanagan’s daughter soon wasn’t the only one missing, though the others hadn’t turned up dead yet.

It wasn’t a large place, so it wasn’t as though there were many places for the children to hide, and there wasn’t a road leading through the town, so a stranger riding through in the night and then out again just as quickly was, to say the least, unlikely.

The sheriff kept his suspicions to himself, not wanting to panic the people, but they came to the same conclusion on their own soon enough.

Wherever they were hiding, it had to be in town.

As ugly as it was to consider, the sheriff had to start knocking on doors, asking people if he could have a look around in their wells and barns and tool sheds. He got no complaints, but couldn’t ignore the slow corrosion of the relationship between himself and the townspeople. No one met his eye when he went to the baker for bread.

When he would say good morning, he’d get a nod in return, but soon, no one spoke to him unless it was on official business.

Business was what called him to Padraig’s home the next morning. He’d been run through with a pitchfork. There’d been an argument between him and his friends over their weekly card game. One of them had accused him of being the stealer of the town’s children. He hadn’t taken it well.

By the time the sheriff got there, it was too late. He talked to the people there and arrested Padraig’s brother. He didn’t put up a fight, only saying he didn’t know what’d come over him. The sheriff had an unpleasant feeling he did.

While he was putting the irons on Seamus’s hands, he saw something in the corner of his eye. It was round and black and lying perfectly still on the mantel. It rolled, not along the slope of the wood, but against it.

The sheriff turned his head back to his work and finished locking up the prisoner. He waited to hear the object drop, but it never did. He glanced back and it was gone. Someone had probably picked it up. Either way, he had more important things to take care of.


Seamus didn’t say much once he was in his cell back at the jail.

No matter how many questions the sheriff asked him, he couldn’t tell him why he’d killed his brother. Unlike Flanagan, he had no devil to blame, just a rage that he’d said overtook him.

The sheriff kept an eye on him the whole time, already dreading the next time he would be called out for the next horror.

Something caught the light in the cell’s small window. It looked just like the thing he’d seen back at Padraig’s house.

He shouted at Seamus to catch it, and he did, holding the glassy ball in his fist. It squirmed in his grasp, legs as fine as strands of hair wriggling around his fingers.

“What in heaven’s name is that?” Seamus said, as if the sheriff would know.

“Hold onto it. It’s all we’ve got,” the sheriff said.

He moved forward to unlock the cell and get a closer look at the thing. Seamus backed up to let him in. It wasn’t his first time in the cell.

The sheriff had scarcely touched key to lock when something else appeared in the cell.

It drifted out of the wall as though it were thin air and hovered behind Seamus. Before the sheriff could speak a word of warning, it grabbed his head in its hands, green as moss, and broke his neck like a rotten twig.

Seamus slumped to the floor and the thing in his hand crawled up the creature’s leg, scampering up its body to its face, popping itself wetly into a ragged hole there.

It was an eye.

The thing before him turned its antlered head and floated through the wall out the cell.

The sheriff threw the door open and chased after it, but his hand closed on empty air. He looked out the window. It couldn’t have gotten far. But he saw nothing.

Without even the eye to show for it, he couldn’t tell the town these crimes were the work of the fair folk. They were just things from children’s stories.

He put his head in his hands and tried to remember how they ended.


No one in town slept anymore.

Or it seemed like it. Every house’s fire burned through the night. People went everywhere in twos and threes.

No one even called the sheriff on official business anymore. Not since they’d heard Seamus hanged himself in his cell. They all knew him well enough to know he’d never do such a thing. The sheriff couldn’t argue with them.

The sheriff saw the eye everywhere now. It was mocking him. When he’d be ready to close his fingers around it, it would vanish, or when he would squelch it beneath his boot, it would turn to smoke.

He hoped it hurt.

The seasons were beginning to turn, and the sheriff had to begin weatherproofing the jail, putting boards on the windows to block out the storms. He did so alone, since he knew the time when he could’ve asked his neighbors for help had long since passed.

In between the howling of the wind, he heard something that sounded like crying.

It wasn’t the first time the thing had toyed with his mind. He’d often heard things that weren’t there, seen things move on their own. Eventually he’d grown to ignore it. This was different. It had weight behind it. He pried up the board he’d just nailed down and saw Seamus’s daughter within the jail.

He called out to her to stay put and rushed inside.

She wasn’t alone. The other missing children, some too young to stand on their own, were huddled together in the freezing cell.

He stepped inside and saw the thing in the corner. Its jaws were open wide, the last child sliding out of its mouth like a gaping serpent. As soon as the girl’s feet touched the floor, the sheriff drew his gun and fired. The bullet was of iron and cut through whatever blasphemous magic the thing had around it.

The bullet entered through its empty eye hole and snapped back its head. It spilled no blood.

It staggered backwards and slid into the wall for the last time. The sheriff grasped for its wrist, trying to haul the thing out to prove to the town what was behind it all, but was too late. He hammered his fist on the stone and spat out a curse, not caring whose company he was in.

The children fled at he noise of the gunshot. Seamus’s little one took up an iron cup and pan and banged them together as she ran out into the night.

“Help! The sheriff’s got me! He’s trying to kill me!” she yelled.

The sheriff saw doors open through the town at the racket. It wouldn’t be long before someone let her in.

He’d had to lie to the town about Seamus. There was no sense instilling fear when there was nothing to be done about it. This was no different. No one had been by in months. They could believe he’d been imprisoning he children here. He found his hand reaching for his gun but stopped himself before he could raise it and take aim at the child.

He wouldn’t give in to the devil’s whispers. He knew what had to be done.

They found him there in the cell, a hole in his head. No one asked any questions and hoped this would be the end of it.

It was.



Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
Warlock 1
+0
+0
+0
+2
diplo 2 (1), intimidate 4, k:nature 4, sm 4, spellcraft 2
education
Eldritch blast 1d6, invocation (least)


2nd
Warlock 2
+1
+0
+0
+3
spellcraft 3 (5), UMD 1

Detect magic


3rd
Warlock 3
+2
+1
+1
+3
diplo 2 (3), spellcraft 1 (6), UMD 1 (2)
darkstalker
Damage reduction 1/cold iron, eldritch blast 2d6


4th
Warlock 4
+3
+1
+1
+4
k:nature 1 (5), UMD 3 (5)

Deceive item


5th
Warlock 5
+3
+1
+1
+4
diplo 2 (4), UMD 2 (7)

Eldritch blast 3d6


6th
Sorcerer 1
+3
+1
+1
+6
bluff 4
earth sense
Metamagic specialist


7th
Mindbender 1
+3
+3
+1
+8
spellcraft 4 (10)

Telepathy


8th
Earth Dreamer 1
+3
+5
+1
+10
k:arcana 2, k:planes 2

Earth friend


9th
Earth Dreamer 2
+4
+6
+1
+11
k:arcana 2 (4), k:planes 2 (4)
mindsight
Earth dream


10th
Earth Dreamer 3
+4
+6
+2
+11
k:arcana 2 (6), k:planes 2 (6)

Lesser tremorsense


11th
Earth Dreamer 4
+5
+7
+2
+12
k:arcana 2 (8), k:planes 2 (8)

Earth sight, eldritch blast 4d6


12th
Earth Dreamer 5
+5
+7
+2
+12
hide 4
martial study (shadow jaunt)
Earth glide


13th
Eldritch Theurge 1
+5
+7
+2
+14
UMD 4 (11)

DR 1/cold iron


14th
Eldritch Theurge 2
+6/+1
+7
+2
+15
UMD 4 (15)

Fiendish resilience 1, eldritch blast 5d6


15th
Eldritch Theurge 3
+7/+2
+8
+3
+15
hide 1 (5), UMD 3 (18)
invisible spell
Spellblast


16th
Eldritch Theurge 4
+8/+3
+8
+3
+16
hide 3 (8), UMD 1 (19)

DR 2/cold iron


17th
Eldritch Theurge 5
+9/+4
+8
+3
+16
hide 3 (11), UMD 1 (20)

Eldritch spellweave, eldritch blast 6d6


18th
Eldritch Theurge 6
+9/+4
+9
+6
+17
hide 3 (14), UMD 1 (21)
deceptive spell



19th
Eldritch Theurge 7
+10/+5
+9
+4
+17
hide 3 (17), UMD 1 (22)

DR 3/cold iron


20th
Eldritch Theurge 8
+11/+6/+1
+9
+4
+18
hide 3 (20), UMD 1 (23)







Spells per Day



Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th


1st
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


2nd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


3rd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


4th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


5th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


6th
5
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


7th
5
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


8th
6
4
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


9th
6
5
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


10th
6
6
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


11th
6
6
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


12th
6
6
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


13th
6
6
4
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


14th
6
6
5
3
-
-
-
-
-
-


15th
6
6
6
4
-
-
-
-
-
-


16th
6
6
6
5
3
-
-
-
-
-


17th
6
6
6
6
4
-
-
-
-
-


18th
6
6
6
6
5
3
-
-
-
-


19th
6
6
6
6
5
3
-
-
-
-


20th
6
6
6
6
6
5
3
-
-
-



Spells Known



Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th


1st
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


2nd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


3rd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


4th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


5th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


6th
4
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


7th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


8th
5
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


9th
5
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


10th
6
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


11th
6
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


12th
6
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


13th
6
4
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


14th
7
4
2
1
-
-
-
-
-
-


15th
7
5
3
2
-
-
-
-
-
-


16th
8
5
3
2
1
-
-
-
-
-


17th
8
5
4
3
2
-
-
-
-
-


18th
9
5
4
3
2
1
-
-
-
-


19th
9
5
5
4
3
2
-
-
-
-


20th
9
5
5
4
3
2
1
-
-
-


0 (9) mage hand, no light, light, open/close, prestidigitation, silent portal, mending, touch of fatigue, ghost sound
1(5) charm person, protection from evil, hoard gullet, ebon eyes, grease
2 (5) glitterdust, web, ray of stupidity, ray of dizziness, wings of cover
3 (4) blacklight, great thunderclap, unluck, shadow conjuration
4 (3) polymorph, enervation, wings of flurry
5 (2) overland flight, magic jar
6 (1) anti magic field




1: baleful utterance eb 1
2: +entropic warding
3:
4: +serpent’s tongue
5:
6:
7: (warlock 6) eb 4 +walk unseen (lessers unlocked)
8:
9:
10:
11: (warlock 7)
12: (warlock 8) +lesser crawling eye (retrain serpent’s tongue to dark one’s own luck)
13: (warlock 9)
14: (warlock 10) +lesser fell flight
15: (warlock 11) +greater devil’s whispers
16: (warlock 12)
17: (warlock 13) +greater noxious blast
18: (warlock 14)
19 (warlock 15) +greater chilling tentacles, (retrain fell flight to flee the scene)
20 (warlock 16) +dark retributive invisibility (retrain walk unseen to curse of despair)




you function as a fairly standard warlock here with a few notable twists.

darkstalker is online to make you harder to pin down. entropic warding helps protect you from ranged attacks and makes you impossible to track.

baleful utterance does pretty much everything you could ever imagine shatter at will would do. serpent’s tongue helps you sniff out enemies with scent, making you adept at stealth and counter stealth alike. these specialties will only deepen as time goes on.

killoren contributes a great deal. its fey type renders you immune to the x person line, it imparts low light vision and immunity to sleep, and lets you take on one of three aspects. ancient gives you another +2 vs enchantment (on top of your racial +2)

destroyer gives you a 1/hour smite attack (up to cha mod times/day) which lets you bonk an aberration, construct, humanoid, ooze, outsider, or undead

hunter, the one you’ll probably use the most often, gives a +2 to hide, listen, ms, and spot alongside a +2 to init, which is always useful

skulk around, eldritch blast people, and have fun using wands with warlock’s iconic deceive item ability, allowing you to take 10 on UMD. supplement your class features with utility wands as normal, though you function just fine without them.


sorcerer comes online now, and all your tricks really start taking shape.

ghost sound and mage hand help supplement your theme, creating phantom sounds and moving things around when you’re elsewhere, same with the rest of your cantrips.

charm person helps bend others to your will and gets you into mindbender. use hoard gullet to swallow up and carry around helpless victims or materials and since it’s in your tummy dimension and not actually your body, it won’t be seen as you spirit it away.

metamagic specialist lays groundwork for later, allowing you to cast metamagiced spells without messing with the casting time.

you’re now in mindbender, granting you telepathy. you can now speak without making a sound. this is also the level where you unlock walk unseen, so you disappear and are never seen or heard from again.

the duration is 24 hours, so just recast it now and again and you will be fine.

of course, when you have telepathy, you must have mindsight. you can pinpoint anything with an intelligence score in range of your telepathy. you even know what square they’re in, and their type and int score

this is the irresistible force. mindsight is extremely difficult to counter. the only way around it is to block LoE, through things like… earth glide?

well you get that too in a level or two. just wait.

you are halfway there, already in earth dreamer. it gamely advances sorcerer for the first three levels, and then warlock for the last two to help prepare you for eldritch theurge.

earth friend helps you play nicely with (earth) creatures.

earth dream helps you with recon via using divination as an SLA as long as your target is within 50 miles of a mountain, which won’t be a problem.

lesser tremorsense works as tremorsense within 10 feet, which goes very well with all your other special senses.

your role is somewhat similar, but you’re much stealthier now. skulk around, divine, and blast. things are about to get nuts.


You’re finished with earth dreamer now, and have earth sight, letting you see through dirt, stone, rocks, etc up to 30 feet in exchange for a measly standard every 3+con rounds. earth glide lets you phase through earth like water. it leaves no trace, leaves no tunnel, and can’t be detected.

Once you’re in a wall, earth sight lets you see through the other side to keep an eye on things.

your tremorsense is better in every way than serpent’s tongue, so go ahead and sub that out with dark one’s own luck, allowing you to get cha to any save for 24 hours. swap it out to shuffle which save it applies to and you’ll be all good

If for some reason you need to keep tabs on things further away than that, or retreat more than 30 feet into a wall, never fear, crawling eye has you covered.

your eye can pop out and do stuff for you when you’re in a wall or just elsewhere.

take to the skies with fell flight. combine this with walk unseen and earth glide and you’re little more than a rumor.

shadow jaunt offers up some tactical teleportation, which is always helpful. it also grants hide as a class skill from now on, helping you become even harder to find.

now that you’ve got earth glide, you are both immovable object and irresistible force. you can detect anyone and are essentially impossible to find unless you want to be.

devil’s whispers is up and running now. it lets you make suggestions (in tandem with telepathy, making no sound at all) as often as you like. the target makes another save at -5 to remember that it wasn’t their idea.

if someone makes their initial save, just keep spamming it while you linger in their bedroom, popping into the wall should it be necessary. you can have up to your cha mod people affected by it at once, which is more than enough. there’s also no latency period on it, so you can pick on the same person constantly should the need arise.

you’re in eldritch theurge now, and it progresses your invocations and spells alike, including giving UMD back to you, which is quite nice.

spellblast is online as well. it’s a very cool eldritch essence hat lets you put an arcane spell that affects an area on your eldritch blast. if you hit, then the area’s centered on any corner of the target’s space, even if the spell can normally only be centered on you.

yes this means exactly what you think it does.

for right now, there’s plenty of neat stuff you can put on it, like grease, glitterdist, web, and great thunderclap.

shadow conjuration add a great deal of versatility to your repertoire. the sky’s really the limit

invisible spell makes your spells harder to pin down. metamagic specialist pulls its weight

haunt your hunting grounds, not as a monster, but as a ghost.


you’re wrapping up eldritch theurge. eldritch spellweave is up and running now.

it lets you put one of your eldritch essences (not spellblast unfortunately) on your spells as long as it affects a target or requires a melee or ranged touch attack. the level has to be as high as the level of the eldritch essence, meaning only your 6s.

fortunately, you can use metamagic to nudge magic jar up there. and add a rider to the effect.

you have your 6th level spell unlocked now, so can now spellblast enemies with AMF.

chilling tentacles is up, providing a great deal of BFC and good damage/status. retributive invisibility supersedes walk unseen, being greater invis, so swap that out to curse of despair (you can tap people on the shoulder without breaking invisibility now, so do it as often as you can)

swap out fell flight to flee the scene since you can fly via overland flight now, and its teleportation can be a real lifesaver.

deceptive spell lets you make your spells look like they’re coming from elsewhere, making you even harder to pin down. use metamagic specialist to cast them as normal and stay hidden.


the rest of your spells are up and running, so have fun wih polymorph, enervation, wings of flurry, and the rest.


core: sorcerer
complete arcane: warlock, mindbender
complete mage: eldritch theurge
phb2: metamagic specialist
races of stone: earth dreamer, earth sense
lords of madness: darkstalker, mindsight
cityscape: deceptive spell, invisible spell
eberron campaign setting: education
tome of battle: martial study

[AvatarVecna]

And that's it, everybody! Alright, who's willing to judge this?

[Telonius]

Now that is some diverse group of entries!

[Amphetryon]

1. No Scaled Horror entry? Really? I thought that was almost a given.
2. [REDACTED] until after the reveal in order to avoid unduly influencing the judge(s).

[3SecondCultist]

I meant to finish my build on time, but alas... perhaps it was a bit too outlandish, even for this competition. :smallwink:

[Deadline]

I had three ideas, but burned way too much time trying to get my first idea to work properly (Dark Vecna Blooded Displacer Beast - it's that thing that's always at the edge of your vision that you can't quite see). The other two were riffs on the predator thing, wherein they sought prey for different things than their life: A Joystealer Psion who focused on eating your emotions, leaving you an emotionless husk, and an Occularon grappler to feast upon your eyes.

There are some solid gribblies here, looking forward to seeing what the judge(s) think.

[WhamBamSam]

The second build that I didn't have time to get around to making was one I'd initially scrapped for not meeting the typing restrictions, but which oddly enough actually does meet them.

It would have been something like Human or Forest Gnome Half-Fiend Template Class 2 Urban Companion Champion of the Wild Ranger 4/Pouncebarian 1/Mortal Hunter 8/Warrior of Darkness 2/Cloistered Cleric 1/Master Thrower 1/Warblade 1. Since Mortal Skin is based on Polymorph, it would have ended up changing type away from Outsider pretty much all the time. The idea was to stalk the party, then at the right moment cast Vile Lance twice, then quickly adding whatever +1 enhancements seem handy via Warrior of Darkness. From there, he'd make a dive attack, throwing one of the Vile Lances with Hurling Charge and pouncing with the other for boatloads of vile damage. He would then flee in some manner or other (Travel Devotion if I could manage it, though the per-day restriction without a rebuke pool hurts), and leave them to deal with the damage they couldn't heal as he continued to stalk them,dropping Flyby Desecrates/Quickened Unhallows (Quicken SLA lacks the verbiage of Quicken Spell regarding the base casting time) if the party ever try to find/create an area in which to heal the vile damage. I wanted to be throwing around Violate Mortalbane Horrid Wiltings as well, but I needed to reach 18 HD to be able to eventually quicken Unhallow, so I couldn't take the whole Half-Fiend Template. Might have used one of the variant Half-Fiends if I could find one with a damaging SLA in place of one of the ones I didn't care about.

Would probably have ended up too similar to the Blue Devil though, and I'm happy about the build I did end up submitting, so I'm not too bummed about not getting it done

[illyahr]

Looks like the universe needs to take out a restraining order...

Wait, did somebody successfully stat up Kakuzu?

http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11117/111173561/4651158-1050670819-Kakuz.png

http://narutojinchurikiepisodes.yolasite.com/resources/Kakuzu%20No%20Mask.jpg?timestamp=1271815144266

[3SecondCultist]

My own build was going to use the Sharn monster as a base creature. A (usually) lesser known aberration from Monsters of Faerun, it's a primordial force of chaos that is theorized to be older than dragon kind. No fixed shape (in fact, it can't polymorph or be polymorphed), it's a flying silvery black hairless mass of grinning mouths and claws with eyes on the end. Nine claws, three bites. Every HD added automatically increases its innate sorcerer or cleric casting. Some other stuff, but its best ability is hex portals: it can create up to three one way portals of force through which it can launch attacks or spells. Seriously, check this baby out. It has a base CR of 6, so I was thinking of tacking on the Shadow template from LoM. It would have represented the creature's birth at the edge of the border between the Material and the Plane of Shadow, blurring its chaotic essence further and imparting it with an affinity for negative energy.

Now, with a stealthy and very capable base monster, I decided I wanted to pick up at least 7 levels in Soul Eater (probably capping out the class). With the extra attack from its constant haste, that's up to 26 negative levels a turn, several of which can come from multiple directions. With Shadow Blend, you won't see him until it's too late. There's just no escaping this guy.

The build stub would have been Shadow Sharn Fighter 3 / Soul Eater 10. As for backstory, there's a bit built in there. Sharns have a largely incomprehensible society, which this specimen would have been born on the fringes of. Its sanity is questionable right from the get go. I was thinking of having the players defeat it in its early mutation, before it has taken any Soul Eater levels. Then, on the verge of death, it is offered life by an evil deity (with a grudge against one of the PCs). Infused with a new hunger for life energy, it becomes a much more deadly opponent in the encounters to come.

The problems with the build are several. First and foremost, the Sharn is a 3.0 monster... and it shows quite painfully. I looked for the 3.5 errata for Monsters of Faerun (I'm aware one exists), but I kept getting sent to the Wizards page that shut it down. So there was a fair bit of guesstimating involved. Secondly, I was having a bit of trouble reconciling the 'insane shadow chaos monster of doom' with 'Big Bad'. At worst, this thing would be the Heavy: siced on my players by another entity entirely. Terrifying? Sure. Central villain? Not so much.

[Deadline]

My own build was going to use the Sharn monster as a base creature.

The Sharn! I love that weird aberration! I used a Sharn for my Iron Chef LI - Black Flame Zealot entry: The Reclamator (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16451172&postcount=269).


With the extra attack from its constant haste, that's up to 26 negative levels a turn, several of which can come from multiple directions.

There is a point of contention about Soul Eater's ability to inflict negative levels. There is a pretty solid case to be made that because it is a (Su) ability, and (Su) abilities take a standard action to use unless otherwise noted, that would mean a Soul Eater could only use it once per round (and thus only inflict 1 negative level a round).


The problems with the build are several. First and foremost, the Sharn is a 3.0 monster... and it shows quite painfully. I looked for the 3.5 errata for Monsters of Faerun (I'm aware one exists), but I kept getting sent to the Wizards page that shut it down.

The most recent version of the Sharn can be found in Anauroch The Empire of Shade (the Sharn is on pg. 154-155).

[Venger]

There is a point of contention about Soul Eater's ability to inflict negative levels. There is a pretty solid case to be made that because it is a (Su) ability, and (Su) abilities take a standard action to use unless otherwise noted, that would mean a Soul Eater could only use it once per round (and thus only inflict 1 negative level a round).

this conversation comes up every time someone actually tries to use energy drain. if it were a standard, then you couldn't use it to inflict 1 negative level a round, you could use it to inflict 0 negative levels a round. if you burned your standard activating the ability, you have no actions left to make melee attacks. so clearly, it's a nonaction, like factotum's cunning surge ability. a lot of (su) abilities are dysfunctional in this way.

[Deadline]

this conversation comes up every time someone actually tries to use energy drain. if it were a standard, then you couldn't use it to inflict 1 negative level a round, you could use it to inflict 0 negative levels a round. if you burned your standard activating the ability, you have no actions left to make melee attacks. so clearly, it's a nonaction, like factotum's cunning surge ability. a lot of (su) abilities are dysfunctional in this way.

And of course, you know the counterpoint, the ability specifically calls out that you touch the opponent, thereby meaning the touch is part of the standard action to use the ability (much like several touch spells). And round and round the argument goes...

At any rate, I did submit a dish a while back in ... Talon of Tiamat (Lady Grey) which used the "Energy Drain on all attacks" interpretation. I just wanted to point out that the jury appears to be still out on the energy drain bit, so results would vary from judge to judge.

[3SecondCultist]

And of course, you know the counterpoint, the ability specifically calls out that you touch the opponent, thereby meaning the touch is part of the standard action to use the ability (much like several touch spells). And round and round the argument goes...

At any rate, I did submit a dish a while back in ... Talon of Tiamat (Lady Grey) which used the "Energy Drain on all attacks" interpretation. I just wanted to point out that the jury appears to be still out on the energy drain bit, so results would vary from judge to judge.

Yeah, I was already expecting a fairly large hit to Elegance already, but the more favorable interpretation of the ruling would be a significant boost in Power.

Basically, I wanted to create a nightmarish D&D homage of Brotherhood!Pride.

[AvatarVecna]

Does anybody wanna judge?

[Amphetryon]

Does anybody wanna judge?

I may. I'd need to discuss one thing with the chair first, most likely.

[Oberon Kenobi]

I thought about building a cat, ultimate predator of commoners, with all the Warlock levels.

But then I got busy and didn't. :smallcool:

(I am not qualified to judge)

[Deadline]

I've already volunteered to judge the IC Silver Key round, so my time is unfortunately spoken for.

[Jormengand]

I love how so many interested judges are stepping up. :smalltongue:

[AvatarVecna]

I love how so many interested judges are stepping up. :smalltongue:

With how many submissions we had this round, I can only assume that one or two people would've judged if they hadn't cooked. Oh well, here's hoping.

[3SecondCultist]

I would judge this round, but I don't think I'm qualified... :smallfrown:

[Jormengand]

I would judge this round, but I don't think I'm qualified... :smallfrown:

Did you submit? If you didn't, you can judge.

[3SecondCultist]

Did you submit? If you didn't, you can judge.

I meant more along the lines of not being confident enough in my own opinion to judge, not having submitted anything of my own in a contest before.

[AvatarVecna]

Everybody starts somewhere, and something's better than nothing. Besides, I'm sure everybody had fun building this round; scoring well is half the fun, but the other half is seeing all the weird ideas people have had.

[3SecondCultist]

Everybody starts somewhere, and something's better than nothing. Besides, I'm sure everybody had fun building this round; scoring well is half the fun, but the other half is seeing all the weird ideas people have had.

If you're sure, I can start taking a look tomorrow and coming up with a baseline for my own judgments. I've read through some of the past thread incarnations for an idea of what to be on the lookout for, but I'm bringing some of my own opinions to the table here.

I will start compiling notes tonight and tomorrow. Any particular time you want this done, AV? I'd say I can have it finished within 48 hours for sure, although there are quite a few entries so we'll see.

[AvatarVecna]

Glad to have you aboard! And while I'm hesitant to set a time limit on somebody their first time, I think it might be best if we finish by the 25th, as originally intended? That seems like plenty of time, at least IMO.

[3SecondCultist]

Glad to have you aboard! And while I'm hesitant to set a time limit on somebody their first time, I think it might be best if we finish by the 25th, as originally intended? That seems like plenty of time, at least IMO.

Oh yeah, that's very doable! Do you want the judgments before then?

[Inevitability]

Would you need a second judge? I've never judged before either, but I wouldn't mind doing it.

[AvatarVecna]

Anybody who wants to is free to try their hand at judging. More judges will just mean a better sample of opinions are collected.

[AvatarVecna]

4 days to go...

[3SecondCultist]

Hey guys, sorry but I'm going to have to step down as a judge. I don't have the time to formulate adequate evaluations of your builds. While they all look fascinating, I'm just not sure I would be able to do them any justice.

[Venger]

Hey guys, sorry but I'm going to have to step down as a judge. I don't have the time to formulate adequate evaluations of your builds. While they all look fascinating, I'm just not sure I would be able to do them any justice.

No problem. Thanks for giving us a heads up. Better not to rush. We can always wait for a judge.

[AvatarVecna]

If it helps, Dire_Stirge PM'd me their criteria for review recently, in case anything was really far off. It was very well-put together, and I told them as much; hopefully, they'll have scores before the 25th. Regardless, I'll extend the official ending deadline if I have to, if only to make sure that a single full round of disputes are dealt with in full.

[Telonius]

Villainous Competition: So evil we scared away the judges. :smallbiggrin:

[AvatarVecna]

And with how many entries there are, it's not like the lack of judges is due to a lack of general interest...

[falloutimperial]

The courts are empty; all the rules lawyers are here.

I think the people who normally would be judges are already in the competition.

[Inevitability]

I think I should be done judging in a few days, but perhaps extend the deadline? There are a lot of submissions.

[Inevitability]

Look upon my judgement, ye optimizers, and despair!

All categories start with a 3, with points being added or subtracted based on a number of questions. The maximum change is given after a question.

-Up to 0.5 points can be added or subtracted depending on whether the race was expected.
-Up to 0.5 points can be added or subtracted depending on whether the chosen classes were expected.
-Depending on whether anyone else came up with the same idea and tactics, 0.5 points can be added or subtracted.
-If the combination of race and class is surprising (even if the individual items were not) another 0.25 points can be added or subtracted.
-Up to 0.25 points can be added or subtracted, depending on whether the build has unique and surprising fluff.


-A build illegal in a way that is explicitly forbidden in the first post (gestalt, LA buyoff, illegal type) will receive an automatic 1 here.
-Depending on the amount of questionable interpretations, alternate rule systems, or cross-setting material, up to 0.5 points may be added or subtracted.
-Depending on whether the levels are taken in a logical order and make sense in-character, up to 0.5 points may be added or subtracted.
-Each 'dip' (defined as taking 1 or 2 levels in a class with more than 5 levels) incurs a 0.25 point penalty. Keeping a build free of dips will result in a 0.25 point bonus.
-A build that fails to qualify for any feats, prestige classes, ACF's, or other material takes a 0.25 point penalty per bit of illegal material. If you qualify for everything you take, you get a 0.5 point bonus.
-Using more than one template, or not finishing a template progression, will incur a 0.25 point penalty per extra template or unfinished progression.

-Up to a 0.75 point bonus or penalty can be awarded based on whether the build is good at what it chooses to do.
-If you need items, grafts, or other material to fulfill a prerequisite or perform a certain trick, 0.25 points per item needed will be subtracted. If you keep your build free of mandatory items, you gain a 0.5 point bonus.
-If the build has any obvious weaknesses (such as a melee build with no way to effectively fight at range), it will take up to a 0.5 point penalty. A build that lacks those obvious weaknesses will get a 0.25 point bonus.
-Depending on the build's versatility, up to 0.5 points can be added or subtracted.


-Up to 1 point can be added or subtracted based on how memorable the villain generally is. This is partly determined by his tactics and abilities, but also by personality and fluff.
-Up to 0.5 points can be added or subtracted based on how well I see this build performing as a villain (rather than a minion or random encounter). If the players say 'oh crap' the moment you finish describing a villain, chances are he'll/she'll score well here.
-Up to 0.5 points can be added or subtracted based on how easy it will be for a DM to use this villain. Things such as various adaption ideas and easily mutable fluff will help here, but the need for a very specific setting or certain other assumptions about a campaign's world will cause point loss.


You have managed to turn about all my expectations around. Instead of a physically powerful beast that roams the wilderness, you presented an urban invisible killer who frequently makes use of magic.

I can't say I expected an Invisible Stalker (or any elementals at all), so the high score here should be no surprise. (+0.5) The same goes for your classes (+0.5). It goes without saying that this is an unique combination. (+0.25)

Your fluff is simple, but gets the point across; this creature is mysterious, it is murderous, and most simply consider it 'a thing that happens'. (+0.25) Your tactics are very different from most other submissions'. The one that comes closest is the Black Eye, but even compared to that build the differences are large enough to warrant a bonus here. (+0.25)

You avoid cross-setting material, as well as any alternate rule systems, so nothing but praise there. I do, however, question the legality of letting Divine Agent's extra domain apply to Divine Crusader (both classes have text that says otherwise). (+0)

Prerequisites-wise, the build is fine. You qualify for everything you take. (+0.5)

I have to ask; why the sorcerer levels? They are barely mentioned in the fluff, no justification is given for them, and they give the build nothing but a single required feat. They just... sit there. Leaving a prestige class one level before finishing it isn't doing you good either. (+0) Oh, and let's not forget the 1-level dip you took as a result of leaving said prestige class. (-0.25)

The scary thing about this villain is his tenaciousness. Sure, his first attempt to kill someone might fail, but he can try again... and again... and again... all the while being nearly impossible to detect. Even when his spells don't work, he still can CDG people with his slams. (+0.75)

Something I am worried about, though, is the lack of flexibility. You are able to cast exactly twenty-five spells, and most are only useable in very specific situations. (-0.25) In addition, immunity to mind-affecting effects completely screws this build over. You don't have any spells capable of removing it on your limited spell lists, leaving melee combat as your only means of killing people. As a single spell can ruin your entire strategy, I was actually inclined to rate this even lower, but ultimately decided against it because most people you fight will not have any particular resistances to your spells and you still keep your slams. (+0)

Gear is obviously not an issue. (+0.5)

Given this villain works from the shadows and is nearly undetectable, it might take a long time for people to find out what they are researching is actually a creature. However, when they do, I can easily imagine the surprise. At the same time, I think his greatest asset (being impossible to detect) will also be its greatest weakness. After all, there is a fine line between being an interesting and mysterious foe cloaked in shadows and being a boring plot device no one knows anything about. (-0)

I feel like Surcease will have trouble fulfilling the villain role. The truth is, you can give a silent invisible blob of sentient air all the class levels you want, PC's will keep seeing it as a force of nature with about as much personality as the average strawberry. Sure, you can try to change this view, but how? Surcease doesn't seem like the type to do dramatic speeches to me. (-0.25)

Adaption of this villain will be difficult. The use of the Shadow Weave ties this to a single setting, and on top of that you require a deity with two specific domains and an evil alignment. Your adaption suggestions and the fact that he isn't tied to a single location do prevent a bottom score, though. (-0.25)

Horse-sized magic-eating spider? There you go, enjoy your rating. (+0.5) However, rogue was expected for this competition and you aren't the only one with a little swordsage dip. (+0.25) This class/race combination I didn't exactly see coming either. (+0.25)

As far as tactics go, you aren't the only melee build. However, what happens once you get close enough is interesting enough to warrant a positive score here. (+0.25)

Your fluff is kinda lackluster. 'Magical Experiment' can be used to justify near anything, but that doesn't mean you should do so. (-0.25)

You keep your build free of alternate rules or cross-setting material, and if something was open to abuse (quick leap) you chose to go by the conservative rulings, which is nice. (+0.5) You meet all required prerequisites. (+0.5)

Those dips though... Why? (-0.75) Fluff on why you picked those classes doesn't go any further than 'a wizard did it', and changing a creature's alignment two steps to meet some prerequisites isn't making this better either. (-0.25)

Only a single template, so no penalties there. (+0)

You get eleven attacks per round, each of them with a large damage bonus. In addition, every caster who gets within your reach will suffer. However, I doubt your ability to actually get close enough to anyone. There's the glaring weakness (which you admitted yourself) of not being able to fight effectively at range. (-0.5) Sure, your destructive potential if you catch someone in melee should not be ignored, but it becomes so easily to avoid that I really can't rate this higher. (+0) Gear is not required. (+0.5)

Versatility is another issue. You have a few maneuvers, but beyond those there is very little you can do. (-0.25)

What little we get to learn about Dumbie himself, rather than about how he even came into existence, is that he is a remorseless killer who likes to toy with his prey, which is pretty generic as far as monster personalities go. His abilities are more interesting, and I am sure players will dread him, but he just isn't that interesting. He looks weird and has unique abilities, that is all. People might remember him, but not for any reason but his appearance and the fact he ate the mage's spells. (-0.25)

The problem is that this isn't really what I see a villain doing. This thing is powerful, it eats magic, and it probably hates the people who created it, but beyond that you give us nothing. It has no way to influence a large area. It has no ways of escaping from a battle, so the first encounter with it will probably be the final. It's not a villain, let alone a memorable one. It is a freaky spider that the players will dismiss as yet another random encounter. (-0.5)

The lack of setting-specific material certainly helps when it comes to adapting this villain, and so do your suggestions for changing him. All things considered, I'm confident this could fit in most campaigns I've ever played in. (+0.25)

Daelkyr Halfblood is an easy way to get one of the allowed types, so no bonus points there. (+0) Of your classes, only Impure Prince managed to surprise me.(-0.25) Using Daelkyr Halfblood to enter Impure Prince is a pretty common trick, so in the end I see myself unable to give a high score here. (+0)

No one else did anything with symbionts or grafts (nor did I expect them to), but your tactics are similar to most builds'. Only your maneuver use truly sets this build apart. (+0)

Your fluff is generic, with only the novelty of a Halfblood hunting aberrations rather than serving them standing out, and even that part seems greatly inspired by Impure Prince's fluff. (-0.25)

While you technically use cross-setting material (Serpent Kingdoms is FR material, but you use it together with Eberron), Barbed Stinger is easy enough to refluff that I'm not going to penalize you for it. However, you seem to assume that having a tentacle whip qualifies you for Barbed Stinger, while I am of the opinion the symbiont's wording does not allow this. (+0.5)

The dip in swordsage somewhat hurts your score, (-0.25) as does leaving a class and returning to it a few levels later... twice (!). (-0.25)

I won't penaltize you double for taking barbed stinger, so don't worry there. (+0.5)

19 BAB, a handful of maneuvers, several additional attacks from symbionts and Crippling Strike make you a good melee build. However, I question your combat abilities against an enemy who is neither a mark nor a favored enemy, seeing a large part of your build is tailored towards fighting such creatures. (+0.25) Your symbionts and graft do not count as dependency on items, as you can create them yourself. (+0.5)

I must question your lack of ranged options, though. Truth is that many monsters (and that includes a large number of aberrations) can fly, and not being able to do so yourself is a large disadvantage. At least jumping and grappling can help you out at lower attitudes... (-0.25)

Your companion can serve as a scout, you are competent in various forms of combat, you pick up a few skills that are always nice to have, you have a couple of loyal bits of aberration flesh with their own tricks stuck to you, and if it comes to it can cast a handful of spells from a pretty large list. There is nothing wrong with this build as far as versatility is concerned. (+0.25)

I am pretty sure that this guy will be remembered by the players, with him being a freaky mutated pseudohuman who grafts body parts onto himself and all. We don't get to learn anything about his personality, which is a pity, and his backstory is pretty generic, so you get no points for those. (+0)

I do have trouble seeing this build as a villain. Yes, he is a predator, and yes he might decide to hunt down a PC, but he won't be a villain. He'll be a random encounter. Sure, the DM might decide to give him a larger role in an overarching plot, but when he does so it is no longer this submission he is using, but his own adaption of it. (-0.25)

While tied to Eberron, this villain can be used in several distinctive ways. I'd say his adaptability is about average. (+0)

It's a... bear. A mutated Lawful plant bear. That's worth half a point. (+0.5) The classes were somewhat less original, with Ranger, Fighter and Rogue all being somewhat expected. Jaunter was a nice surprise, though. (+0) Combining those obviously scores high on originality. (+0.25)

As far as tactics go, yours are certainly exotic. Killing people is something all builds do, but killing people in their dreams? Definitely worth a few points. (+0.5)

A few sentences of fluff aren't enough, though. This is a fascinating concept; I want to learn a lot more about it, not merely a line or two dedicated to describing its immediate goals! (-0.25)

You did... less than great here. Three dips? (-0.75) Several templates? (-0.5) The faulty assumption that unconsciousness equals a journey to the plane of dreams? Using Astral Tracking to track plane shifting? Taking feats linked to variant rules? And then there's the problem the whole plane of dream is more-or-less a variant rule... (-0.5)

Another issue is leaving a class and returning to it later, which I really don't like. Still, I'll throw you a bone here and not penalize you further. (+0)

Also, you seem to be taking more ranks in Knowledge (the planes) than allowed to. On top of all this, you say you applied your templates in the order Axiomatic>Greenbound>Spellwarped while that wouldn't be possible due to type changes. (-0.25)

No points were deducted for this (nor would that have mattered) but your build summary is incorrect. It neglected to mention the two additional levels in factotum you took after finishing jaunter. Oh, and leaving open a feat slot is just laziness. Really, try to avoid such things.

You seem to be assuming that you can grapple foes frequently and reliably. However, you are still only medium-sized, your BAB barely beats a 20th-level wizard's, and even an unoptimized fighter could still easily out-wrestle you with ease. Oh, and having only fifteen HD by CR 20 will mean that one round of full attacks should easily be able to end you. By the way, did I mention that your tactics are based on a faulty reading of the rules? (-0.5)

When a spell like Freedom of Movement or Fly keeps your foe out of your claws, I doubt you can win a direct battle, though. (-0.25)

Your versatility is decent. Your spell-likes make you hard to pin down, a high Hide and Move Silently allow for scouting, and you are very good when it comes to tracking people down. Still, you are more-or-less stuck with the same tactics all the time. (+0)

No items are needed. That's positive, at the very least. (+0.5)

We get to learn this bear is searching for the people who descend from the spirits that it is made out of, and that it kills people by attacking them in their dreams. That's about it. As is the issue with so many submissions, you give us no story, just a monster that kills people. (-0.25)

It will be hard to present this thing as a villain. Except for the rumors of 'demon bears' nothing even hints at this thing's existence, and it can't speak or transmit ideas either. Then again, Teleport should let it encounter the PC's several times before the final confrontation, so there is at least the opportunity for an antagonistic relationship to form. (+0)

This villain isn't tied to any setting, but he does require the existence of a specific plane and would function best in forested terrain. (+0)

In any other competition, humans would be the single one most predictable race. But now? Now it is one of the least predictable, by virtue of being of a banned type. I'm not really sure what to rate it, so I'll go with no change in points. (+0) I did see druid, and by extension Hierophant, coming, though, (-0.25) and the race/class combination was not what I consider original thing either. (-0.25)

There aren't really any other builds built around turning twenty people into giant beasts and wrecking havoc, nor are there any druids or humans. (+0.5)

The fluff is interesting, but nothing special. (+0)

Yeah, I'm sorry. That whole thing about 'humans are no humanoids'? Not going to accept it. We know the sample characters are wrong because they directly contradict RAW. If they do not contradict RAW (which according to you doesn't exist on the matter) they can't be wrong and are in fact the best possible source of information we have.

What we have here is a full-on druidzilla. 19th-level casting, natural spell, buffed animal companion... Yeah, this build is going to give the PC's nightmares. (+0.75) And it's more than just raw power, you also have plenty of flexibility. (+0.5) Oh, and you are item-independent, of course. (+0.25)

I can't see any big weaknesses here, or at the very least not any commonly encountered ones. Even in an AMF you will still have a giant rabid wolf defending you. (+0.5)

The story you have created around this druid and his brother is interesting, though it does have a few holes in it. (If twenty-one random places can grant ultimate power when all visited, at the very least put some guardians at each! A detection system is not a good reason to not do so.) Then again, a horde of animals isn't the most memorable thing, even when they are completely tearing apart the party. (+0)

This build will definitely be a good villain. With his destructive potential and the way you created him, he should be able to fight the PC's off several times before a final confrontation, and there's nothing PC's hate more than the villain who already beat them several times. The lack of personality might be an issue, though. (+0)

Adapting this build should be easy enough. There are no setting-specific feats (unless you count Feral Animal Companion), the campaign world in the fluff is vague enough, and while it does require the campaign to be built around it; well, that's part of being a villain. (+0.25)

When it comes to ultimate predators, dragons are to be expected. (-0,25) Psion is a surprising enough choice, though, (+0.5) and outside of gem dragons I've never seen the two combined before. (+0.25)

Your tactics are pretty standard (spam augmented powers) but your overall character isn't something I'm seeing anywhere else. Still, some builds are definitely similar. (+0)

Your fluff covers the basics, but it does leave some depth to be desired. (+0)

You seem to avoid questionable rulings. (+0.5) No dips either. (+0.25)

I would like a reason for the psion levels, though. It isn't exactly a natural class choice for a recently orphaned white dragon, and you don't mention it anywhere. (-0.25)

I question taking three feats with your three dragon HD, as well as your high number of skill points. You should only get one per level! (-0.5)

I'm sorry, no points here. You know why.

This build is a killer, I agree. If the PC's walk away alive from Snowscale, they will remember her, and if they are too strong she can always flee. However, 6 intelligence doesn't leave much for tactics, nor is Snowscale fully fleshed out. You're lucky to get a bonus here. (+0.25)

I can't help but feel this villain is not that different from the average psion henchmen. She has powerful abilities, sure, and she may want revenge, but she is still a wyrmling with very limited goals. In addition, the way she is built she'll probably just ambush the PC's, leaving little time to establish herself. (+0)

Adapting Snowscale will be easy. She isn't tied to any setting or area, and you even suggest some out-of-game ways to introduce her. Great job here! (+0.5)

A phasm? (+0.5) Totemist I kind of saw coming, but umbral disciple and warshaper? (+0.25) Combining those two is deserving of a point increase, as could be expected. (+0.25)

The Hunter kind of has the same tactics (become something powerful, go to town), as does project D.U.M.B.A.S.S (use Craven and tons of attacks) but your build is unique enough to warrant additional points here. (+0.25)

The fluff gives some much-needed depth to the Devil. It isn't very original, though. (+0)

No cross-setting material or alternate rulings here, though interpreting Morphic Body as applying only to your alternate forms is unusual at best. (+0.25)

I can't help but consider it somewhat unusual to first take an incarnum-related prestige class before taking an incarnum-using base class. Otherwise your level progression is fine. (+0.25)

No dips! I can't believe this is actually the only build (not counting Snowscale) without them. (+0.25)

You qualify for everything you take. (+0.5)

I pity the adventuring party that has to deal with you charging into their midsts. You are stealthy, strong, can easily escape combat, and have a lot of possible forms, each with their own useful abilities. Oh, and soulmelds, of course. Both when it comes to stalking your foes, then picking them of one by one (+0.75) and versatility (+0.5) do you excel.

Furthermore, you do not need items to qualify for anything (+0.5) and neither do you have obvious weaknesses. While True Seeing and the like do somewhat hamper your tactics, they by no means make you powerless. (+0.25)

This monster is very, very, interestingly made. It provides the PC's with a tangible foe while allowing the monster to remain one step ahead of them at all times. It might take some time to figure out the Pit Fiend, Dire Tiger, and Giant Eagle who attacked them were all the same creature, but when it does I expect lots of surprise and amazement. When the players finally kill it after days, maybe weeks of investigation and tracking, I am sure it will be an epic occasion. (+1)

As far as villainous goals go, however, you seem to be lacking. The monster just wants to be at the top of the food chain and eat things. That doesn't scream 'villain' to me. Then again, with it being hard to find and kill, I think it might annoy the players enough for them to forget about such things. (+0)

Your adaption ideas are great, and the monster isn't tied to any specific settings either. Good job! (+0.5)

Killoren is one of the more common ways to get one of the allowed types and is a pretty predictable choice for a 'predator' type, so no bonus points there. (-0.25) Warlocks and sorcerers? Those are something else. (+0.25) Combining the race and classes was slightly predictable, but not very much. (+0)

Your modus operandi (endless Suggestions to make people kill each other) is quite unique and somewhat creepy too. (+0.5)

The fluff certainly shows us your style, but it leaves much to be desired when it comes to essential information. Where is this being from? What are its goals, other than causing chaos and destruction? Why is it harassing a poor little village? (+0)

The built is kept free of alternate rule systems and the like. (+0.5) However, this bonus is cancelled out by the two dips you took. (-0.5) I question the order in which you take levels, especially not taking the dual-progression class as soon as possible. It just looks unnatural to me. (+0)

You qualify for all your feats. However, if I'm not mistaken you do not actually have enough ranks in Diplomacy to qualify for Mindbender by the time you enter it. (-0.25)

You get a fair bit of sorcerer casting, a handful of invocations, and all things considered you are a surprisingly potent villain. You are good at what you choose to do (making people go mad and kill each other), and you are very hard to catch (have you ever seen a PC check the wall for monsters?). (+0.5) Immunity to Mind-Affecting effects is annoying, but hardly a problem to you. (+0.25) Gear isn't needed anywhere. (+0.5)

You are quite versatile, though you do not come close to what some other builds could do. (+0.25)

The way you describe it, this is a great villain for a mystery, in which the PC's slowly uncover clues regarding their foe's identity, eventually ending with his downfall in a dramatic battle. I still think it'd have been better if you added some backstory, though. However, the danger here is that the Eye won't get the opportunity to show his story to the PC's, leaving them to wonder what exactly they killed. Even so, I am confident this build will be a good villain. (+0)

This is definitely a villain build. Subtlety, long-term plans, mystery surrounding it... That just screams villain to me. (+0.25)

As long as you are within 50 miles of a mountain, this build can be used anywhere. That is some great adaptability. (+0.25)

[AvatarVecna]

Cool! I'm gonna give it a day or so, then post what disputes I've got. Deadline is extended for however long it takes to get a full cycle of disputes processed. Sound good?

[Venger]

Cool! I'm gonna give it a day or so, then post what disputes I've got. Deadline is extended for however long it takes to get a full cycle of disputes processed. Sound good?

Sounds great. no disputes from me.

[Inevitability]

Cool! I'm gonna give it a day or so, then post what disputes I've got. Deadline is extended for however long it takes to get a full cycle of disputes processed. Sound good?

Sounds good!

[AvatarVecna]

Current intention is to post all received disputes by midnight tonight (GMT time). If you haven't already sent my your disputes (assuming you have any), please do so soon, or risk the current judgement standing unopposed.

[AvatarVecna]

Time for disputes!


Yes, I'm sorry, I forgot how psions worked and optimised the wrong stat. However, I would like to think that if someone accidentally optimised the wrong stat, you would, rather than just going "I'm not going to judge this", and doing so in the most aggressive manner possible short of actually flinging ad hominem attacks, gone "Well, okay, I can't give you a good power score because this doesn't do what you think it does, but I can give you scores in other stats based on what it's meant to do."

EVEN IF YOU WEREN'T going to do that, Snowscale who slips on an item of +INT and does some light reading in her spare time might be very magic item dependent, but she still has all the abilities I said she had up to her sevenths. If you pretend I said that she put her level-up bonus in INT, then she can get all of her abilities. A psion capped at sevenths is still scarily powerful, if not as powerful as one with ninths, especially since most of Snowscale's neat tricks actually involve low-level metapsionics.

If you don't want to be a judge, do us all a favour and say so. But I do expect at least an evaluation of what ended up as being rather a lot of work, if you are going to be one. When you play the game of villains, you judge or you don't.


The idea behind this villain is to create a mystery. I described how Surcease would fight the party at various levels for completeness, but really it is most interesting when targeting other people and feeding into the worst of human nature.

In the power category, this means that some concerns aren't as significant. Surcease is vulnerable to Mind Blank. A wizard typically could get that spell at 16th level, and Surcease gets Nightmare at 15th. It would be atypical for a villain to be head-to-head with someone with higher level or ECL.

In other cases where targets have the right immunity, it becomes a Memorable Villainy issue. Ideally the players are attempting to address an epidemic. If one or two people in the whole city are safe from its powers, it won't lose any sleep. Surcease is first memorable because of its apparent inexplicability, then because of how it holds a mirror to human behavior.

Also, while I admit that while Surcease's slam attack at low levels is thematically underwhelming, it is perhaps more effective than you are giving it credit for. Against sleeping-- and therefore helpless-- foes, Surcease's slam coup de grace is, on average, a DC 20 save vs. death right out of the gate.

To recap, I am contesting the following decisions:
-0.25 vulnerability to mind-affecting immunity
+0.5 relying on slam attacks (assuming you did not figure in the likelihood of coup de grace)
+0 undetectable plot device
-0.25 unmemorable force of nature

Thank you for agreeing to judge this competition. Your expertise is not unappreciated.



However, you seem to assume that having a tentacle whip qualifies you for Barbed Stinger, while I am of the opinion the symbiont's wording does not allow this.

As I mentioned in the writeup, The Creeper qualified for Barbed Stinger through the Tongueworm symbiont, which gives a sting attack. This is the primary means I assumed it would function in the build, and using it everything else works; the Tentacle whip was just a maybe.


However, I question your combat abilities against an enemy who is neither a mark nor a favored enemy, seeing a large part of your build is tailored towards fighting such creatures. (+0)
Yes, the build is geared toward fighting marks, but because it is a DM controlled villain, it is going to be fighting the PCs. Their fame would make it exceptionally easy to target them as a mark, all you need is a description and a few minutes.


I must question your lack of ranged options, though. Truth is that many monsters (and that includes a large number of aberrations) can fly, and not being able to do so yourself is a large disadvantage.
Ranger gives bow proficiency, and the creeper can use them competently; I didn't mention because bows are pretty standard, I guess I should have.
As for flying foes, the Creeper's jump mod at 20 is 13, meaning an average check is 23, +2 from 5 ranks in tumble, +4 from strength, average result 29. When we check the vertical jump chart, that's a result of 7 feet up. Leaping dragon stance treats jumps as running start, and increases jumps by 10 feet. So on average the Creeper jumps up 17 feet, as a swift if using sudden leap, as a move if not. Vertical reach as per the srd adds on another 8 feet clearance, meaning the Creeper can reach a flyer that is 25 in the air, which is pretty much where tactical flight is going to be. If using sudden leap he can fire off a full attack, or just latch on using tongueworm sting. If the flyer's higher than that, the tentacle whip adds another 10 feet of reach, to a total of 35 feet. This is ignoring first jumping this distance normally, then using sudden leap to double jump, which is potentially viable but likely to be met with harsh glares. It's technically legal, just kind of silly. If the dm approves then the Creeper moves 50 feet in the air, so should then use the standard to tongueworm sting for grapple.


Excuse me.

There is precisely zero valid rules text stating that a human is a humanoid, or that it has the human subtype. Sample characters do not have any rules weight, because every single one of them, I repeat, every single sample character ever released in the Dungeons and Dragons Revised Third Edition, has rules inconsistencies, rules problems, rules messes. The fact that those who are humans are listed as humanoids with the human subtype means nothing. It is simply false information: humans do not have any types or subtypes associated with them.

A sample character is not, and is not meant to be, a rules source. They are meant to be just that: a sample character (Although, they aren't really anything apart from prime examples of how not to build a character). They are, I repeat, not a source of information. No Wizards of the Coast Publication, to my knowledge, has ever referred to sample characters as a source of information. Further, the primary source on human characteristics is the human entry in the player's handbook. When determining whether or not a human has any types or subtypes, that is the place to look.

If you're just going to say "Nope, I don't like the sound of that, not going to judge it", then you might as well have spent your time doing something you enjoy more than judging.


Hm. All right then. thanks for the heads up: disputes below:

originality: I don't see how killoren is a common way to enter given the diversity of dishes. what do you mean about "combining two races?" I'm not quite sure.

Not knowing where it's from or why it's doing these horrible things was the entire point. That's why this character isn't the POV for the backstory and the reader (or the PCs, in this case) starts off knowing very little about it.

Giving the black eye a motivation or tragic backstory about why it wanted to victimize this hamlet would just be flaw-scrubbing. I didn't want to say that it terrorized the town for developing the forest or similar because that's making its behavior justified and knowable and thus not frightening or mysterious.

I'm fine with differing opinions on effective horror, but not with deliberate mystery being equated with laziness or leaving out essential information.

Elegance:
the levels are in the listed order so I can qualify for everything on time. I did in fact take theurge as soon as possible, I just needed to wait till I could put together all my skill points, advance my spells and utterances, and such.

You are mistaken. I take my fourth rank in diplomacy at the earliest legal level, which is 5, buying my fourth rank in it cross-class. This qualifies me for mindbender, so this deduction is incorrect.

competence and power:
immunity to mind-affecting robs me of exactly one invocation (devil's whispers) as you said yourself throughout judging, this character can do a lot of other stuff besides that.

even naked, and going by spells alone, only 3 are mind-affecting: charm person (prereq for mindbender) ray of stupidity, and ray of dizziness.

of my invocations, only devil's whispers is mind-affecting.

this is to say nothing of wands, which a sorcerer/warlock theurge can use with reckless abandon, but I did not go into detail with since the chair told me we were to be competing naked, so I gave it only a passing mention.

if innate class abilities aren't enough, between deceive item and the sorcerer list, mind-affecting immune enemies present no more threat to this character than they would anyone else.

while devil's whispers was my main thematic trick, it's far from all I do in combat

memorable villainy:
I disagree on the presence of a backstory making a villain better. like with the bit in originality about story, I don't expect to regain any points here, just to make it known that its absence was a deliberate choice and not out of negligence, which is the vibe I get from your writeup.

[Inevitability]

I'm very busy at the moment, so I won't be able to review the disputes until tomorrow. I'm sorry!

[Inevitability]

Better late than never, I guess.

Firstly, I want to apologize for being rude. I should have been more patient and respectful.

Secondly, I am afraid rating a build on 'what it is meant to do' isn't something I'll be doing any time soon, especially not if 'what the build is meant to do' is not made clear to me until said build has already been judged. While you have made a reasonable case, I fear people changing their builds based on what I judged in future competitions. Only allowing such a retcon in this case, however, seems unfair to those people. Similarily, saying that this build actually uses item X after I have already judged is a no-go too.

Please know that while I really, really would like to help you out here, I simply see it the submitter's duty to check his build and make sure everything is working as intended, rather than something the judge does and subsequently is retconned. Especially something as big as your primary stat.

I agree that Surcease's main schtick is creating a mystery. No objections there. However, I do consider (and I am sure you agree here) the main appeal of mysteries is solving them. The way Surcease is built, he makes it really hard to solve the mystery. Every murder mystery has clues, witnesses, many possible culprits and the slow gathering of information. However, both See Invisibility and True Seeing require close proximity, Scrying will not actually show Surcease if he's invisible, and unless people go out of their way to protect themselves he leaves no clues either.

I will not give you bonus points in Memorable Villainy. An epidemic isn't a memorable villain any more than a force of nature is. People won't stop to think about how it holds a mirror when they think nothing is there to hold it up.

You do make good points regarding Surcease's vulnerability to Mind Blanking and his slam's strength. After all, Surcease will certainly have no trouble hiding somewhere and waiting until his prey sleeps. The score for his vulnerability to MB has been adjusted upwards, as has his overall ability to do what he chooses to do.

You make some very good points here. I completely missed the tongueworm part and have corrected my remark.

I am not fully convinced by your tactics when confronted with flight (and again, retroactively adding something to your build is not encouraged) but the tactics as given do eliminate several ways of ranged combat (a dragon continuously flying by and breathing fire, for example) so I have increased the rating slightly.

You mention that this build is geared towards fighting the PC's, but I still wonder if you are able to target humanoids exclusively. How about the druid's animal companion? How about the killoren or muckdweller who has joined the party? How about the wizard's summoned critters? Still, you deserve a slight bonus here.

Very well. An anonymous source who shall remain anonymous, is not to be revealed, and also won't be named pointed out to me that in the ranger's Favored Enemy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/ranger.htm#favoredEnemy) ability human is listed as Humanoid (human). Is that proof enough?

When I think of predators, I think of nature. Killoren, who are basically humanoid manifestations of nature, are one of the few LA-less races that are allowed for this competition, and have at least a single aspect dedicated to being predator-like (Hunter) were definitely a race I expected to see at least once. No change.

I disagree that adding a backstory would make this build worse. You could just put it in a spoiler block apart from the main story so that we can first speculate on the Eye's intentions before learning them, but intentionally leaving out something I consider an essential part of a villain isn't going to buy you points. 'Deliberate mystery' is fine from the PC point of view, but not from the DM point of view.

I didn't intend to call you lazy, and I apologize if I did.

You do not take Eldritch Theurge as soon as possible. When you take your 5rd level in Earth Dreamer you have already met all requirements, and if you took those skill ranks earlier on you'd be able to qualify even sooner.

In your build table you say you put two skill points in diplomacy at first level (putting you at 1 rank), two points at 3rd level (suddenly putting you at 3 ranks?) and two points at 5th level (putting you at 4 ranks). The jump to 3 ranks at 3rd level is something I don't get.

I've reviewed your build, and Mind-Affecting effects are indeed not as big as part of the build as I thought they were. Score increased.

[Venger]

looks good to me. thanks for the update.

since he's our only judge, shall we reveal soon, chairman?

[Troacctid]

Gotta give some time for disputes first, of course.

[AvatarVecna]

If I don't receive any disputes within the next few hours, I'm calling it here. I won't have much time once my IRL game gets started, though. Since we're in the final stages here, how about I post some ideas for the next competition, and we get voting started?

1) Hyde From The Doctor

There's a monster on the loose; he's been altering his own body through means too vile to mention, and now he's on the prowl.

Contest Goal: Design an optimized and flavorful person with self-altered biology.
Limitations: No offensive AoE effects (spells, powers, etc.).Must be a result of "altered biology", whether through grafts, demonic pacts, self-buffing, or what have you.

2) Mad, Am I? I'll Show You Mad!

A genius inventor with too much time and too little sanity has decided to conquer and/or destroy the world as we know it.

Contest Goal: Design an optimized and flavorful insane inventor-type BBEG. This option will bring with it an increased WBL and a scaling XP pool for item-crafting purposes; the ability to optimize your gear should be important for this one.
Limitations: Build should focus on item creation and use, at the expense of personal power.

3) Requiescat In Pace

An assassin is loose in the urban jungle, and is killing off countless people while barely leaving a trace of his passing; can anybody stop them, before the whole city resides in the morgue?

Contest Goal: Design an optimized and flavorful assassination-focused BBEG, with both the motivation and capability of murdering off an entire city...
Limitations: ...without the use of high-level magic effects: builds are forbidden from being capable of implementing (whether personally or through items) effects more powerful than 6th level spells/powers/what have you. Having methods of going undetected, methods of disposing of bodies, and methods of preventing resurrection are useful, but not strictly required; YMMV from judge to judge on leaving such things out, though.

And...vote!

[Venger]

Sounds good to me. Of those options I vote number 3. it sounds like the most fun.

[The Viscount]

My vote's for the third option.

[Troacctid]

I'm voting 2.

[Telonius]

3 seems really close to a few other contests we've had (including this one!) and could run into Gazebo Jones territory. #2: I'd think we'd have a gaggle of Artificers. If we would restrict that component, maybe... #1: sounds interesting. I'm liking the flavor.

My vote is for 1.

[sakuuya]

My vote is for option 1.

[Amphetryon]

I've voted for Hyde before; I'm voting for Hyde again.

#1.

[Inevitability]

I have a bit of an idea for 2, so 2 it is.

[AvatarVecna]

One last dispute; after this one has been responded to by our judge, I'm calling the contest and posting usernames.


Uhm, all that says is that there is such a subtype as human, not that humans have it or that they have the humanoid type. You can certainly choose "Humanoid (Human)" as your favoured enemy and enjoy bonuses against illumians (Races of Destiny). What you can't do is claim bonuses against humans, because they're not (human)s. Or humanoids, at that.

[Inevitability]

Hunter:

Look, as I said before, the fact that technically RAW could be read as saying X doesn't mean that X is automatically elegant. I said 'questionable rule interpretations' cause penalties, and if this isn't one, I don't know what is. Unless you show me anything that actually supports your claims rather than just say 'there's no proof, so it might be either way' I won't increase your score.

[Jormengand]

I submitted this as a dispute, but you're about to find out who I am anyway, and this is faster:


Unless you show me anything that actually supports your claims rather than just say 'there's no proof, so it might be either way' I won't increase your score.

Where is your evidence that fireball doesn't cause the user to go flying 16 feet in the air? And yet I find no-one suggesting that it should, just because it doesn't say it doesn't. If you want to say that I'm illegal because I'm a humanoid, you're the one who needs to show me that I'm a humanoid. I'll wait.


I said 'questionable rule interpretations' cause penalties

Of up to 0.5 points, yes, not just "I refuse to judge this." Which I don't think to be very good practice from someone purporting to be a judge.

[AvatarVecna]

While the RAW argument is currently up in the air, it should be mentioned that this contest is not concerned purely with RAW, but with RAI as well, and it well within the rules of this contest that a judge may decide a build will get penalized for using what amounts to a typo to dodge the requirements/restrictions placed upon entries. The refusal to judge the Snowscale build is not something I personally approve of, but I cannot force a judge to judge any particular build; they volunteered for this, and my authority in this matter is limited to stern disapproval.

There are a number of arguments that could be made to show how the rules seem to indicate that humans, as a species, were intended to have the creature type "Humanoid (Human)"...

1. Typeless creatures
--There aren't any, at least not anywhere else in the game. Every other creature, from the largest to the smallest, from the standard to the bizarre, has a creature type. Excluding the human race is obviously an oversight more than an intentional design decision.

2. Favored Enemy
--By RAW, it seems to only apply to Illumians and other human-ish races. That said, no such race existed when the Player's Handbook was printed, meaning that the only race this particular Favored Enemy could be argued to apply to was humans.

3. Examples Stat Blocks
--Even taking into account that many (possibly most, possibly all) human NPC stat blocks have errors present, the idea that all of them have one particular point wrong (the base creature type) is absurd; the idea that a large number of people across countless supplement books all got the exact same thing wrong is patently absurd, especially when the supposed mistake is calling humans humanoid.

4. Planetouched
--Aasimars and Tieflings are not humanoids, but outsiders; as is appropriate, their racial stats and sample stat blocks indicate that they are unaffected by spells such as "Charm Person", "Hold Person", and the like. Humans have no such distinction, and the only creature type unaffected by such "X Person" spells is the humanoid creature type.

...but at this point, it almost doesn't matter. The point has been disputed twice now, and both times the dispute has been dismissed by the judge in question. Unless another judge steps up really soon here, the results as they currently are will stand.

Any volunteers willing to judge this round?

@Dire Stirge

For the sake of fairness, I must request that you judge the Snowscale build on its merits, rather than dismissing it outright. If their build lacks some basic ability that the build requires to function (a Wizard with 3 Int, a Monk with no limbs, etc.) then I must request that it be judged fairly on those merits even so.

[The Viscount]

Jormengand, if you don't believe that Humanoid (Human) in favored enemy applies to the human race, what does it apply to? At the time of the PHB, there are no Illumians or Neanderthals or what have you.

[Jormengand]

Jormengand, if you don't believe that Humanoid (Human) in favored enemy applies to the human race, what does it apply to? At the time of the PHB, there are no Illumians or Neanderthals or what have you.

Nothing, hence how it takes its proud position alongside monks not being proficient with their own unarmed strikes and truenamers being able to dispel spells cast by the literal god of magic with a DC 16 check in the Completely Dysfunctional Handbook.

I assume you wouldn't refuse to judge a build that required Reversed Spell Rebirth to function?

[Inevitability]

Snowscale has been judged.

And Jormengard, I am not going to say humans are no humanoids. You broke the type restriction and I am responding to that appropriately.

[Telonius]

I know that example characters are treated as somewhat suspect, but several of the Lycanthrope examples in the MM1 are listed as Medium Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger). Since they get the Shapechanger subtype from Lycanthrope that means the original creature was a Medium Humanoid (Human). Now it's true that the Monster Manual did not actually reveal the identity of what this mystery Humanoid (Human) base creature might be, but it's pretty reasonable to suspect that they might have been thinking of a Human when they wrote that.

[Jormengand]

You broke the type restriction and I am responding to that appropriately.

No, I didn't, and no, you are not. You are essentially refusing to judge fully one quarter of my build on the basis of your idea of how the rules should work, not how they do. At most, you should have treated it as a questionable rules interpretation, which by your own ruling...


-Depending on the amount of questionable interpretations, alternate rule systems, or cross-setting material, up to 0.5 points may be added or subtracted.

...should only lose me 0.5 points, not the entire damned category. I've given up expecting you to follow the rules of D&D 3.5, but at least follow the rules you freaking made up.

[AvatarVecna]

Yeah, I'm calling it here. I'd also like to point out, for the sake of the argument, that posing the question to the RAW Questions thread provided predictable results: I have two separate people quoting different rulebooks as mentioning that humans are humanoid (and one mentions them as being humanoid: human). Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19743987&postcount=873)'s the first, and here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19743997&postcount=874)'s the second. While the second makes mention of the human NPC stat blocks provided throughout the various splash books, those stat blocks are not their only point supporting Humans being Humanoid: Human.

Contestant names will be announced shortly.

EDIT:



Entry
Contestant
Score
Place


The Blue Devil of Enfaire Hills
Telonius
18.0
1st



Surcease of Sorrow

falloutimperial
14.5
2nd


The Black Eye
Venger
14.5
2nd


The Creeper
The Viscount
12.5
3rd


The Hunter
Jormengand



12.25
4th


Project D.U.M.B.A.S.S.
WhamBamSam
12.25
4th


Snowscale
Jormengand
10.75
5th


Demonbear
daremetoidareyo
10.5
6th



EDIT 2: I'm gonna leave voting open for a little while longer. Also, if anybody'd like to offer suggestions for future rounds to vote on, I'm happy to include great ideas.

[Jormengand]

I'd also like to point out, for the sake of the argument, that posing the question to the RAW Questions thread provided predictable results: I have two separate people quoting different rulebooks as mentioning that humans are humanoid (and one mentions them as being humanoid: human). Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19743987&postcount=873)'s the first, and here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19743997&postcount=874)'s the second.

The first doesn't seem to be saying that humans are actually Humanoids as in humanoid-type, and the latter doesn't say that they are Humanoids, only that they, half-humans, and humanlike races can be grouped together as Humanoids (Human).

[AvatarVecna]

I'll grant you that the first one, at least, can be interpreted as an in-game distinction that isn't necessarily tied to creature types, although it's quite a stretch. That said, the second one refers to grouping half-human and human-like races together with humans as Humanoids with the Human subtype. It explicitly calls out humans as being Humanoid: Human; it is not the in-game fluff, it specifically refers to the creature type such creatures count as, and it groups humans in there with them. And the DM-discretion question isn't about whether or not to count Humans as Humanoid: Human, but whether or not to also count half-human/human-ish races as Humanoid: Human, so it's not even a DM discretion bit.

To the best of my ability to determine, there exists some RAW support for Humans being Humanoids, even if the NPC stat blocks are dismissed as unreliable evidence (as you have). The argument presented by myself and several others indicate that, in several places, the rules assume Humans to be Humanoid, giving a very strong argument for the RAI supporting Humans as Humanoid as well.

[Jormengand]

That said, the second one refers to grouping half-human and human-like races together with humans as Humanoids with the Human subtype.

Yes, the same way that you can at your discretion group together psions with truenamers as arcane spellcasters thanks to rule zero. That doesn't mean truenamers actually are arcane spellcasters, only that psions can, at your discretion, be grouped with them such that all members of the group are now arcane spellcasters, after the grouping has been done.

[AvatarVecna]

Yes, the same way that you can at your discretion group together psions with truenamers as arcane spellcasters thanks to rule zero. That doesn't mean truenamers actually are arcane spellcasters, only that psions can, at your discretion, be grouped with them such that all members of the group are now arcane spellcasters, after the grouping has been done.

But even if the DM rules that psions don't count as arcane spellcasters, wizards still count. Regardless of what the DM decides about the other groups (which is the only part of this that's DM discretion), wizards are still arcane spellcasters and humans are still humanoid.

Your interpretation of the rules has been seriously considered and ultimately dismissed by myself as the chairman, by the RAW questions thread as authorities on the direct interpretation of the Rules As Written, and by everybody else who has participated in the discussion as people who have all looked at the same rules you have. Your individual opinion on the matter is valuable, but it will change neither your score nor your placement unless either Wizards clarifies on the subject via errata/FAQ/rewriting 3.5, Dire_Stirge changes their judgement, or another judge steps up and rules it differently.

[Jormengand]

But even if the DM rules that psions don't count as arcane spellcasters, wizards still count.

Right, which is why it's a pity that my post didn't mention wizards anywhere in the text. The point is, "X can be grouped with Y as Z" doesn't imply that Y is Z any more than it implies that X is Z.

[AvatarVecna]

You are convincing precisely nobody that humans aren't Humanoid (Human). I wish you luck in this endeavor in the future, even as I doubt your success in said endeavor.

[falloutimperial]

Congratulations to the victor, and thanks to the other contestants and of course judges.

[Venger]

Congratulations to the victor, and thanks to the other contestants and of course judges.

Thanks. Congratulations to you as well. I really liked your picture. where'd you get it?

[Telonius]

Thanks to the judge and all of the competitors! :smallsmile:

[The Viscount]

Thank you for your tireless efforts Dire Stirge.
Well done contestants!
I really liked the surcease of sorrow, invisible stalker was a perfect fit and had me wishing I had thought of it.

[falloutimperial]

Thanks. Congratulations to you as well. I really liked your picture. where'd you get it?

Shucks. :smallredface: This book of illustrations (https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/p/poe/edgar_allan/raven/) for Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven." There's a lot of good pictures, at least some of which could be useful for an adventure or two.

[Telonius]

Oh - one minor comment on the next contest .... if we do end up going with Hyde and grafts, we should be very clear which graft rules are being used. Dragon Magic had the latest rules on the subject, but they worked differently in some of the earlier versions (like in Libris Mortis).

[WhamBamSam]

Oh - one minor comment on the next contest .... if we do end up going with Hyde and grafts, we should be very clear which graft rules are being used. Dragon Magic had the latest rules on the subject, but they worked differently in some of the earlier versions (like in Libris Mortis).I thought the general consensus was that the different forms of grafting were distinct from one another. Also, there aren't any grafting rules in Dragon Magic as far as I can tell. Were you thinking of Races of the Dragon, maybe?

[Telonius]

I thought the general consensus was that the different forms of grafting were distinct from one another. Also, there aren't any grafting rules in Dragon Magic as far as I can tell. Were you thinking of Races of the Dragon, maybe?

Ah, yes - trying to think of too many Dragon-titled books at once.

[Telonius]

So, any word about the next round of the competition?

[Telonius]

Well, it seems that Chancellor AvatarVecna has been detained.
[Mmmph!]
::Kicks box:: Quiet, you.

So running the next contest is up for grabs. Anyone interested in the job?

[AvatarVecna]

*thump thump*

"I'm not dead yet!"

"You'll be stone dead in a moment."

But yeah, I must have started a new thread for this about a dozen times, before getting distracted and losing my place. I think its best if somebody a bit more competent takes up the reins as chairman here. And if nobody's interested...an extra 5 points to the build of the whoever lets me out of the box!

*thump thump*

[Amphetryon]

"You're not fooling anyone, you know"

[AvatarVecna]

"You're not fooling anyone, you know"

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/3b/a4/87/3ba487855b2a39959eff63e51182489e.jpg

[Telonius]

All right, since no one else has stepped up, I'll once again seize control of ... ah ... temporarily take on responsibility for being chancellor of the next contest. Since I'm a benevolent dictator, that means I get to completely ignore the results of any elections (especially the ones where I cast the deciding vote :smallwink:) and save those results for later - because I'm looking at the calendar and noticing something on the horizon.

So, for the next contest, we'll be looking at an old classic...

[zergling.exe]

All right, since no one else has stepped up, I'll once again seize control of ... ah ... temporarily take on responsibility for being chancellor of the next contest. Since I'm a benevolent dictator, that means I get to completely ignore the results of any elections (especially the ones where I cast the deciding vote :smallwink:) and save those results for later - because I'm looking at the calendar and noticing something on the horizon.

So, for the next contest, we'll be looking at an old classic...

Oh boy! A Hallo-AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! OH GOD THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!*ripped apart by zombees* Not the bees!...

Braaiiiiiinnssssss...